10 BEST SONGS OF 2021

BY: India McCarty

2021 was a year full of great music. Artists’ changed their sounds, collaborated with fellow hitmakers, and wrote epic songs. Here are our picks for the top 10 songs released this year!

10 . “Psycho” (Maisie Peters)

“Psycho” is a sing-songy taunt at a boy who two-timed Peters and yet somehow “you still call me psycho,” she shrugs. Even as she lists off everything this ex has done and said to make her feel crazy, there’s an upbeat current running through the song; all thanks to Peters’ nonchalant delivery and the springy keyboard chords highlighting the chorus. The best moment of the song comes in the bridge, when Peters gleefully recites, “You’re so crazy // baby, who has two phones? // one for her and one to still call me psycho.”

 

9 . “Stoned at the Nail Salon” (Lorde)

Lorde’s latest album shows off her maturity as an artist, and no track displays this as much as “Stoned at the Nail Salon.” Backed by an acoustic guitar, the artist sings about her regrets – even as she questions if she should have any at all. “I love this life that I have,” she sighs, before singing, “But I wonder sometimes what I’m missing.” It’s a heavy song, but Lorde pulls it off easily, thanks to the chorus. She muses about her career and the things she’s lost, but always shrugs it off: “I don’t know // maybe I’m just stoned at the nail salon.”

 

8 . WUSYANAME (feat. YoungBoy Never Broke Again & Ty Dolla $ign)” (Tyler the Creator)(Lorde)

Tyler the Creator details that familiar moment when you meet someone and immediately fall head-over-heels, willing to say and do anything to get them interested in you. As always, though, the rapper makes it fresh with his undeniable flow and hyperspecific lyrics. “Let’s go to Cannes and watch a couple indie movies that you never heard of,” he offers. “We can sit and talk // you can tell me everything that’s on your chest, baby, get it off.” Guest verses from YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla $ign push this track over the top.

 

7 . “Kiss Me More (feat. SZA)” (Doja Cat)

Doja Cat doubled her impact by partnering with SZA for this single about the simple joy of kissing the one you love. “Can you kiss me more?” the stars plead. “We’re so young, boy, we ain’t got nothin’ to lose.” The song’s music video matches the vibe perfectly, depicting a pastel-colored dream planet and an attractive astronaut who crash-landed. The disco-tinged track is a perfect example of what makes the rapper great: amazing production, sexy and fun lyrics, and a beat that could spawn a million TikTok dance videos.

 

6 . “Leave The Door Open” (Silk Sonic)” (Doja Cat)

Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak teamed up for one of the most fun albums of the year, full of retro production and charmingly goofy lyrics. “Leave The Door Open” is a slinky, shimmering track about being leaving the door open at all times for the object of your affection. The pair attempt to woo their lover with promises of wine, filets, and a bathtub full of rose petals, all in the hopes that she’ll “tell me that you’re comin’ through.”

 

5 . “Chinatown (feat. Bruce Springsteen)” (Bleachers)

Jack Antonoff (a.k.a Bleachers) got to collab with one of his heroes, fellow New Jersian Bruce Springsteen, for this stellar song. Soundtracked by a humming synth and a strong drumbeat, the lyrics describe escaping New York for Jersey with the one you love in the passenger seat. “I’ll take you out of the city // honey, right into the shadow,” the two promise. “I wanna find tomorrow with you.” The throwback production – a Jack Antonoff staple – gives this song an instantly classic feel. Even though it just came out this year, it feels like a song you’ve known your entire life.

 

4 . “Happier Than Ever” (Billie Eilish)

Billie Eilish continues to dominate the music industry, getting bigger and better with every album release. “Happier Than Ever” is the biggest hit off the album, a song about realizing how unhappy you are in a relationship. “‘Cause that shit’s embarrassing, you were my everything // and all that you did was make me fuckin’ sad,” Eilish sneers over a larger-than-life instrumental. It’s a more mature tone for the young artist, who continues to impress the entire world with her well-crafted songs.

 

3 . “INDUSTRY BABY” (feat. Jack Harlow) (Lil Nas X)

Lil Nas simply does not miss. “INDUSTRY BABY” came hot on the heels of controversial hit “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name),” proving that the rapper is no flash in the pan. Lil Nas and guest rapper Jack Harlow rap gleefully about their success, even in the face of seemingly impossible odds. “And this one is for the champions // I ain’t lost since I began, yeah,” Lil Nas chants. “Funny how you said it was the end, yeah // Then I went did it again, yeah.” In addition to adding another hit to Lil Nas’ belt, this track made Harlow a household name, proving that the pair do indeed “got what they waiting for.”

 

2 . “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” (Taylor Swift)

A fan-favorite deep-cut off the original version of Taylor Swift’s 2012 Red, the singer finally released the long-awaited extended version of the heartbreak anthem. While many are getting bogged down in the questions of who it’s about and what led to the break-up, the most important thing is (as always) the music. The longer version gives dimension to a song that was already rife with detail, letting listeners in on Swift’s relationship with someone much older than her. “And there we are again, when nobody had to know,” Swift sings, the anger from the OG version replaced with the sadness of hindsight. “You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath.” Once again, Swift proves that she’s one of the greatest singer-songwriters of this generation.

 

1 . “Deja Vu” (Olivia Rodrigo)

While “drivers license” was the heartbreak anthem heard ‘round the world, this follow-up single is Rodrigo at her best. While many of her songs describe the intense anger and sadness of heartbreak, “deja vu” sees the singer in a more meditative mood. She lists off memories she and her ex shared, then wonders if he’s doing the same things with his new girlfriend. “So when you gonna tell her that we did that, too?” she asks. “She thinks it’s special, but it’s all reused,” before demanding, “When she’s with you // do you get deja vu?” Rodrigo’s restrained vocals and the song’s dizzying production create that same unsteady feeling you get when you see someone moving on without you. If you haven’t realized by now, Olivia Rodrigo is a superstar.