Top Tracks 2021

Published — 4 minute read

2021 is almost over, and one thing I’d like to start doing every year is list my top favorite tracks of 2021. These are tracks I’ve discovered, the year of their release is not a requirement.

Each year since 2015, I have made a new playlist, titled “Jam $year”. Here is the Jam 2021 playlist, on Apple Music.

This year I add 389 songs, while 2020 had 292 songs, and 2019 had 214 songs. I switched to Apple Music from Spotify early this year. Maybe a sign that Apple Music’s recommendation engine is better?

If anyone is aware of a service that allows me to share playlists for the music provider of your choice, please let me know. For now, here is a txt file.

I’m going to list my 10 most played tracks of the year (according to Apple Music), followed by my favorites. The links will be the respective page on song.link, a handy service to help you listen to the track on the music provider of your choice.

Top 10 Most Played

  1. Fracture - Origamibiro (piano/contemporary) Epic piano music is big this year for me, and the first 3 tracks in this list are solid.
  2. Resolve - Poppy Ackroyd (piano/contemporary)
  3. Luna - Poppy Ackroyd (piano/contemporary)
  4. Hold Me Anyway - Wilco (rock) This is one of my favorite Wilco albums, and this track is my absolute favorite. “High in an old dead tree, that plastic bag is me” hits hard. And that guitar riff!
  5. Steeeam - Shelly (alternative) I like the unique sound this one has, and I can swear I hear the old Steam new message notification in here somewhere.
  6. Green Eyes - Arlo Parks (r&b/soul) Love, love Arlo Parks, and I have been listening to her a lot this year.
  7. Car Crash in G Major - fanclubwallet (alternative) This is a jam. “The car’s on fire / With you inside / And that’s okay, with me”.
  8. Howth - Grandbrothers (electronica) I’m happy to have discovered Grandbrothers this year, they’re like if Explosions in the Sky picked up synthesizers.
  9. Feels Right - Biig Piig (alternative) Solid beat to this one.
  10. Holy Roller - Thao & The Get Down Stay Down (alternative) I discovered Thao in 2019, and I love her stuff. This is my favorite track.

Top 10 Favorites

  1. The Cleaner - Squid (indie rock) love the lead singer’s odd way of singing, it’s different.
  2. Cool Colorado - La Femme (alternative) This year I got into French pop/electronica, and this is a prime example.
  3. War - IDLES (rock) This track goes super hard, and I love the unique way the guitar jam sounds - there’s a solid ringing going on that makes it very satisfying.
  4. Got Me Feeling Good - David Shaw (alternative) This one sounds like an older song, like at the end of a 2000s movie, but I can’t quite place it. It came out in 2021.
  5. My Type - Saint Motel (alternative) Every time this song comes on, I crank it way up for those horns.
  6. The Motions - Daniel Romano (americana) Daniel Romano is one of the few Americana artists I like, and I strongly dislike the Country/Americana genres. His stuff is good.
  7. Two for Tea - BROS (alternative) BROS is my favorite discovery this year, and this is my favorite song by them. Give their whole tracklist a listen.
  8. Chaise Longue - Wet Leg (alternative) The album this track is on doesn’t come out until April 2022, and I’m obsessed. The sound reminds me of Sneaks.
  9. Waking Up - Kero Kero Bonito (pop) Kero Kero Bonito has a very unique sound, and I’m loving it. Apparently the fanbase crosses with the Death Grips fanbase (video)
  10. I’ve Seen Footage - Death Grips (alternative) Such a catchy song, this is a knob turner.

Special Mentions

Send me music

Got some cool jams you liked this year? Send them my way, I’d love to listen to them.