Welcome to my 2021 best-of countdown! I'll be counting down my top 100 songs of the year, but before that I'm going to start by naming my top albums and 'breakthrough' artists.

 

Last year my biggest song was On the Floor by Perfume Genius (which I never actually got round to posting on last year's thread, oops), but what will it be this year?

 

For an idea of what might show up, here's all my weekly #1s this year:

Breathless - Caroline Polachek

drivers license - Olivia Rodrigo

Your Body Changes Everything (Boy Harsher Remix) - Perfume Genius

Easy - Pale Waves [2 weeks]

My Limb - Hayley Williams

That Kind Of Woman - Dua Lipa

Charger - Elio ft. Charli XCX

Recap - Kito ft. VanJess & Channel Tres [2 weeks]

telepatía - Kali Uchis

Ordinary - Yonaka

MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) - Lil Nas X

deja vu - Olivia Rodrigo

BUZZCUT - BROCKHAMPTON ft. Danny Brown

Seize The Day - Paul McCartney ft. Phoebe Bridgers

21/04/20 - Kero Kero Bonito

t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l - Willow ft. Travis Barker [2 weeks]

good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo

ZITTI E BUONI - Måneskin [2 weeks]

How Not To Drown - CHVRCHES ft. Robert Smith

Solar Power - Lorde [2 weeks]

Pasadena - Tinashe ft. Buddy [2 weeks]

Torna a casa - Måneskin [2 weeks]

Amoeba - Clairo [4 weeks]

Mood Ring - Lorde [2 weeks]

Good Ones - Charli XCX [3 weeks]

Silk Chiffon - MUNA ft. Phoebe Bridgers [4 weeks]

Bruxelles je t’aime - Angèle [2 weeks]

New Shapes - Charli XCX ft. Christine and the Queens & Caroline Polachek

All Too Well - Taylor Swift [3 weeks]

LA FAMA - ROSALÍA ft. The Weeknd

Edited December 29, 20213 yr by Ansel

 

Top 100 songs:

01 Clairo - Amoeba

02 Kito ft. VanJess & Channel Tres - Recap

03 Dua Lipa - That Kind Of Woman

04 SZA - Good Days

05 VanJess ft. Phony Ppl - Caught Up

06 Tinashe ft. Buddy - Pasadena

07 Måneskin - Torna a casa

08 MUNA ft. Phoebe Bridgers - Silk Chiffon

09 Charli XCX - Good Ones

10 Wolf Alice - The Last Man on Earth

11 Kali Uchis - telepatía

12 Pale Waves - Easy

13 beabadoobee - Last Day On Earth

14 Sam Fender - Seventeen Going Under

15 Dua Lipa - If It Ain't Me

16 Caroline Polachek - Bunny Is A Rider

17 Taylor Swift - All Too Well

18 Lil Nas X - MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)

19 Biig Piig - American Beauty

20 Angèle - Bruxelles je t'aime

21 PinkPantheress - Just for me

22 Elio ft. Charli XCX - CHARGER

23 Måneskin - ZITTI E BUONI

24 Lorde - Solar Power

25 Olivia Rodrigo - deja vu

26 Willow ft. Travis Barker - t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l

27 Hayley Williams - My Limb

28 Wolf Alice - Smile

29 Hayley Williams - Inordinary

30 BROCKHAMPTON ft. Danny Brown - BUZZCUT

31 Bree Runway - HOT HOT

32 Emotional Oranges ft. Channel Tres - All That

33 YONAKA - Ordinary

34 Lorde - Mood Ring

35 Olivia Rodrigo - good 4 u

36 Perfume Genius - Your Body Changes Everything (Boy Harsher Remix)

37 Tinashe - Bouncin

38 Jessie Ware - Please

39 The Weeknd - Save Your Tears

40 Allie X - GLAM!

41 Dua Lipa - We're Good

42 Big Red Machine ft. Taylor Swift - Renegade

43 Bleachers ft. Bruce Springsteen - Chinatown

44 Miley Cyrus - Angels Like You

45 Taylor Swift - 'tis the damn season

46 Olivia Rodrigo - drivers license

47 Caroline Polachek - Breathless

48 Emotional Oranges ft. Biig Piig - Body & Soul

49 Bleachers - Stop Making This Hurt

50 CHVRCHES ft. Robert Smith - How Not To Drown

51 MARINA - Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land

52 Lana Del Rey - Chemtrails Over The Country Club

53 Billie Eilish - Your Power

54 The Anxiety (Willow & Tyler Cole) - Meet Me At Our Spot

55 Billie Eilish - Happier Than Ever

56 Jorja Smith - Gone

57 Go_A - SHUM

58 Laura Mvula - Got Me

59 Mahmood - KLAN

60 Pale Waves - She's My Religion

61 Kero Kero Bonito - 21/04/20

62 ABBA - Don't Shut Me Down

63 CHVRCHES - He Said She Said

64 Montaigne - Technicolour

65 Mysie - Seven Nights

66 Rose Gray - Easy

67 Phony Ppl ft. Megan Thee Stallion - Fkn Around

68 Tinashe ft. TOKiMONSTA - I'm Every Woman

69 Isaac Dunbar - intimate moments

70 Rose Gray - Nothing Can Stop Us

71 Lady Gaga ft. Charli XCX - 911 (A.G. Cook Remix)

72 Hayley Williams - Colour Me In

73 Jae Stephens ft. THEY. - What You Need

74 Laura Mvula - Church Girl

75 BENEE ft. Grimes - Sheesh

76 Lady Gaga - 1000 Doves (Planningtorock Remix)

77 BROCKHAMPTON - WHAT'S THE OCCASION?

78 Georgia - Running Up That Hill

79 Måneskin - CORALINE

80 Lil Nas X ft. Jack Harlow - INDUSTRY BABY

81 Måneskin - I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE

82 Tinashe - I Can See The Future

83 Avril Lavigne - Bite Me

84 Hooverphonic - The Wrong Place

85 BROCKHAMPTON - WHEN I BALL

86 CHVRCHES - Screaming

87 beabadoobee - Cologne

88 Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic - Leave the Door Open

89 Lady Gaga ft. Bree Runway - Babylon (Jimmy Edgar Remix)

90 Olivia Rodrigo - brutal

91 Sam Fender - Get You Down

92 Tinashe - The Chase

93 Hayley Williams - Over Those Hills

94 Sam Fender - Spit Of You

95 Hayley Williams - First Thing To Go

96 Charli XCX ft. Christine and the Queens & Caroline Polachek - New Shapes

97 Mitski - The Only Heartbreaker

98 Billie Eilish - NDA

99 slowthai ft. Dominic Fike & Denzel Curry - terms

100 Lauran Hibberd ft. Lydia Night - How Am I Still Alive?

Best New Album:

1. Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend

2. Hayley Williams - Flowers For Vases / Descansos

3. CHVRCHES - Screen Violence

4. Lady Gaga - Dawn Of Chromatica

5. Sam Fender - Seventeen Going Under

6. Taylor Swift - Red (Taylor's Version)

7. Tinashe - 333

8. PinkPantheress - to hell with it

9. Clairo - Sling

10. Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine - A Beginner’s Mind

11. Billie Eilish - Happier Than Ever

12. Lorde - Solar Power

13. BROCKHAMPTON - ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE

14. Lil Nas X - MONTERO

15. Arlo Parks - Collapsed in Sunbeams

Best Breakthrough Artist:

1. Måneskin

2. PinkPantheress

3. Olivia Rodrigo

4. VanJess

5. Willow

Edited January 4, 20232 yr by Ansel

 

First of all, I'll be naming my favourite new artists of 2021! They're not necessarily NEW new, but just artists which had a really great 2021 in my charts. As all of these artists have songs coming up in my EOY top 100, I'm going to spotlight a song for each of them which didn't make my countdown.

 

5. Willow

Willow has really spearheaded this year’s rock revival! Transparent Soul was a big hit for me when it came out, and watching it go on to become an actual hit was so exciting. Even if nothing else from her album reached the same level of success (Gaslight or Grow deserved), it was great to see Meet Me At Our Spot reach the top ten like it did in my chart.

Willow's 2021 chart history:

2021 01 t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l (ft. Travis Barker)

2021 13 Lipstick

2021 13 Gaslight (ft. Travis Barker)

2021 20 Come Home (ft. Ayla Tesler-Mabe)

2021 25 G R O W (ft. Avril Lavigne & Travis Barker)

2021 36 naive

2021 06 Meet Me At Our Spot (with The Anxiety & Tyler Cole)

 

4. VanJess

VanJess broke through on my chart this year thanks to megahit Recap (alongside Kito and Channel Tres). They went on to have more hits in the form of Caught Up, Stickin’, Say Yes, and Slow Down, which show off their silky-smooth R&B vocals.

VanJess's 2021 chart history:

2021 01 Recap (with Kito & Channel Tres)

2021 03 Caught Up (ft. Phony Ppl)

2021 09 Stickin' (with Sinead Harnett & Masego)

2021 07 Say Yes (with TOKiMONSTA)

2021 08 Slow Down (ft. Lucky Daye)

2021 29 Feelz Right

2021 36 Love & Hope

 

3. Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia has taken pop by storm this year, and my chart has been no exception. She earned 3 consecutive #1s (drivers license, deja vu, good 4 u) and refused to stick to the formula, switching from ballads to bangers when we least expected it.

Olivia Rodrigo's 2021 chart history:

2021 01 drivers license

2021 01 deja vu

2021 01 good 4 u

2021 05 brutal

2021 28 enough for you

 

2. PinkPantheress

We've got to thank TikTok for giving us PinkPantheress tbh - her mix of throwback sounds (garage, D&B, etc) is really refreshing to see rising through the charts! I started listening to her slightly late after she'd already earned a few UK hits, so 'Just for me' was my introduction to her. It's still my personal favourite, but other tracks like Passion and Reason are equally great.

PinkPantheress's 2021 chart history:

2021 06 Just for me

2021 09 I must apologise

2021 03 Reason

2021 05 Passion

2021 06 Notice I cried

2021 19 Break it off

2021 27 Nineteen

 

1. Måneskin

It's been so long since a Eurovision artist actually managed to hit the mainstream, so I don't think anyone saw this coming! It's a real shame that only their English songs have smashed, because they've got some even better stuff in Italian ('Torna a casa' and 'CORALINE' are going to feature high up on my list).

Måneskin's chart history:

2021 01 ZITTI E BUONI

2021 02 I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE

2021 09 CORALINE

2021 01 Torna a casa

2021 04 MAMMAMIA

 

Now, my top albums! There's 15 on their way, with the first five here. I'll be sharing four recommendations for each album, but in most cases these aren't exhaustive and the whole album is fully worth a listen!

 

15. Arlo Parks - Collapsed In Sunbeams

Arlo dropped a very strong debut album early this year, which shows off her poetic stylings and great chilled-out instrumentation - my highlights have to be Hope and Hurt.

Where to start: Hope, Hurt, Caroline, Too Good

Collapsed In Sunbeams on my chart:

2020 09 Caroline

2021 03 Hope

2021 17 Hurt

2021 27 Bluish

2021 28 Portra 400

2021 26 Too Good

 

14. Lil Nas X - MONTERO

Montero is another great debut, taking influence from all sorts of places. There’s still loads of untapped hit potential here, especially SCOOP and LOST IN THE CITADEL, alongside the big hits which have helped Lil Nas shake off the one-era-wonder tag.

Where to start: MONTERO (CMBYN), SUN GOES DOWN, LOST IN THE CITADEL, LIFE AFTER SALEM

MONTERO on my chart:

2021 01 MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)

2021 06 SUN GOES DOWN

2021 09 INDUSTRY BABY (ft. Jack Harlow)

2021 06 THATS WHAT I WANT

2021 09 LOST IN THE CITADEL

2021 13 LIFE AFTER SALEM

2021 20 DEAD RIGHT NOW

2021 30 SCOOP (ft. Doja Cat)

2021 35 AM I DREAMING (ft. Miley Cyrus)

 

13. BROCKHAMPTON - ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE

I haven’t listened to this very much for a while, but it’s another great album from Brockhampton. The sound is very varied and has some great features from Danny Brown and JPEGMafia.

Where to start: BUZZCUT, DON’T SHOOT UP THE PARTY, WHEN I BALL, WHAT’S THE OCCASION?

ROADRUNNER on my chart:

2021 01 BUZZCUT (ft. Danny Brown)

2021 05 COUNT ON ME

2021 14 CHAIN ON (ft. JPEGMAFIA)

2021 05 WHAT'S THE OCCASION?

2021 07 WHEN I BALL

2021 13 DON'T SHOOT UP THE PARTY

2021 19 THE LIGHT PT. II

2021 39 BANKROLL (ft. A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg)

 

12. Lorde - Solar Power

Solar Power is a long way from the Lorde of Pure Heroine/Melodrama, but her new guitar-based sound is actually really refreshing. It’s worth listening to the bonus tracks too on the deluxe edition, which I think are some of the best songs on the album.

Where to start: Solar Power, Mood Ring, The Path, Hold No Grudge

Solar Power on my chart:

2021 01 Solar Power

2021 10 Stoned at the Nail Salon

2021 01 Mood Ring

2021 02 Secrets From A Girl (Who's Seen It All)

2021 04 The Path

2021 06 Oceanic Feeling

2021 08 California

2021 15 Dominoes

2021 20 The Man With The Axe

2021 24 Fallen Fruit

2021 28 Leader of a New Regime

2021 38 Big Star

2021 18 Hold No Grudge

2021 26 Helen Of Troy

 

11. Billie Eilish - Happier Than Ever

Billie’s second album feels more inward-looking than her first, with songs about her place in the music industry, but sonically it brings together so many different sounds that still manage to feel really cohesive.

Where to start: Therefore I Am, my future, Billie Bossa Nova, Your Power

Happier Than Ever on my chart:

2020 02 my future

2020 01 Therefore I Am

2021 02 Your Power

2021 10 Lost Cause

2021 10 NDA

2021 04 Happier Than Ever

2021 07 Oxytocin

2021 17 Billie Bossa Nova

I think VanJess have passed me by! Giving the song you linked a listen now, sounding very Bruno Mars/Silk Sonic-esque! PinkPantheress is a very unique breath of fresh air to the charts as well.

10. Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine - A Beginner’s Mind

Each track here is based on a different movie, ranging from horror movies like Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth and Night Of The Living Dead to… direct-to-video cheerleading comedy Bring It On Again. It should sound massively jarring but it doesn’t at all, and reminds me of Sufjan’s earlier albums like Michigan/Illinois.

Where to start: Back To Oz, Fictional California, Reach Out, It’s Your Own Body And Mind

A Beginner’s Mind on my chart:

2021 09 Reach Out

2021 19 Fictional California

2021 08 Back To Oz

2021 22 You Give Death A Bad Name

2021 27 It's Your Own Body And Mind

 

9. Clairo - Sling

Sling feels like a warm autumnal hug, firmly in the folklore/evermore camp. Amoeba is the standout, for sure, but other tracks like the melancholy Blouse and the Animal Crossing-esque Bambi contribute to a really beautiful, understated album.

Where to start: Amoeba, Blouse, Bambi, Joanie

Sling on my chart:

2021 01 Amoeba

2021 11 Bambi

2021 22 Blouse

2021 24 Joanie

2021 28 Partridge

 

8. PinkPantheress - to hell with it

Despite its 19-minute runtime, to hell with it covers a huge amount of ground. PinkPantheress tries on various different musical styles from the 90s and 00s, going from D&B to guitary garage in the space of a few seconds.

Where to start: Just for me, Passion, Reason, Break it off

to hell with it on my chart:

2021 06 Just for me

2021 09 I must apologise

2021 03 Reason

2021 05 Passion

2021 06 Notice I cried

2021 19 Break it off

2021 27 Nineteen

 

7. Tinashe - 333

Tinashe proves her versatility on 333, which straddles the line between pop and R&B (not that the difference hugely matters) and produces some real bangers, from Pasadena to The Chase to Bouncin. They’re all different, but they’re all recognisably Tinashe.

Where to start: Pasadena, The Chase, Undo (Back To My Heart), X

333 on my chart:

2021 01 Pasadena (ft. Buddy)

2021 03 Bouncin

2021 02 I Can See The Future

2021 05 The Chase

2021 10 Undo (Back To My Heart)

2021 13 X (ft. Jeremih)

 

6. Taylor Swift - Red (Taylor’s Version)

Taylor brings new life to a ten year old album on Red TV, with new tracks alongside reimaginings of old ones. The clear standout is All Too Well, which feels brand new with extra, more confessional verses. Phoebe Bridgers lends her voice to the aptly named Nothing New, an unreleased track which absolutely deserves its place on the album.

Where to start: All Too Well (10 Minute Version), Nothing New, Message in a Bottle, The Last Time

Red (Taylor’s Version) on my chart:

2021 01 All Too Well

2021 02 Nothing New (ft. Phoebe Bridgers)

2021 06 State Of Grace

2021 10 Red

2021 12 Message in a Bottle

2021 14 The Last Time (ft. Gary Lightbody)

2021 17 The Very First Night

2021 21 Starlight

I think VanJess have passed me by! Giving the song you linked a listen now, sounding very Bruno Mars/Silk Sonic-esque! PinkPantheress is a very unique breath of fresh air to the charts as well.

That makes sense tbh, their success outside my personal chart is pretty nonexistent! That's a good comparison actually, I can really hear Silk Sonic taking the verses now that you mention it. PinkPantheress is definitely welcome as something a bit different ^_^ Thanks for commenting!

5. Sam Fender - Seventeen Going Under

Sam’s career seems to have hit a new high with this album, which is brilliant to see! The best tracks are the title track, Spit Of You, and Get You Down, but the entire album demonstrates that Sam hugely deserves to smash big.

Where to start: Seventeen Going Under, Spit Of You, Aye, Pretending That You’re Dead

Seventeen Going Under on my chart:

2021 04 Seventeen Going Under

2021 25 Aye

2021 02 Get You Down

2021 07 Spit Of You

2021 08 Long Way Off

2021 11 Pretending That You're Dead

2021 17 The Leveller

 

4. Lady Gaga - Dawn of Chromatica

Giving some more "underground" artists (if we can really call half of them that anymore) the chance to feature alongside Gaga was a great move - although there’s one or two questionable choices (cough cough Sine From Above), the best tracks (911, Babylon, 1000 Doves, Free Woman) are finally given a chance to shine alongside the singles.

Where to start: 911, 1000 Doves, Babylon, Free Woman

Dawn Of Chromatica on my chart:

2020 02 911 (Charli XCX & A.G. Cook Remix)

2020 06 1000 Doves (Planningtorock Remix)

2020 07 Alice (LSDXOXO Remix)

2021 11 Free Woman (Rina Sawayama & Clarence Clarity Remix)

2021 18 Replay (Dorian Electra Remix)

2021 20 Fun Tonight (Pabllo Vittar Remix)

2020 23 Babylon (Bree Runway & Jimmy Edgar Remix)

 

3. CHVRCHES - Screen Violence

I really think this is some of CHVRCHES’ best work. How Not To Drown and Final Girl delve deep into the band’s place in the music industry, while introducing new rockier sounds to their music. That doesn't mean the old CHVRCHES is gone: bonus track Screaming feels like classic CHVRCHES while lyrically belonging squarely alongside the other horror-influenced tracks.

Where to start: How Not To Drown, Final Girl, Screaming, California

Screen Violence on my chart:

2021 02 He Said She Said

2021 01 How Not To Drown (ft. Robert Smith)

2021 08 Good Girls

2021 05 California

2021 09 Final Girl

2021 16 Lullabies

2021 22 Nightmares

2021 02 Screaming

2021 03 Killer

2021 05 Bitter End

 

2. Hayley Williams - Flowers For Vases / Descansos

Flowers For Vases is a very introspective look at Hayley's life and relationships, which follows on from Petals For Armor but with a different sound. Recorded during lockdown, the music feels less produced than its predecessor but benefits from this stripped-back approach massively. My Limb, Inordinary and First Thing To Go are hard-hitting but incredible.

Where to start: My Limb, Inordinary, Over Those Hills, Just A Lover

Flowers For Vases on my chart:

2020 07 Find Me Here

2021 01 My Limb

2021 02 Good Grief

2021 03 Over Those Hills

2021 04 Trigger

2021 03 Inordinary

2021 06 First Thing To Go

2021 07 Just A Lover

2021 08 KYRH

2021 13 Asystole

2021 14 Wait On

2021 23 HYD

2021 24 No Use I Just Do

2021 39 Descansos

 

1. Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend

Here we are then, the best album of the year. Every track on this album is brilliant: from rock bangers like Smile and Play The Greatest Hits to slower atmospheric ballads like The Last Man On Earth and Delicious Things. Absolutely no skips. This is the sound of a band at its best.

Where to start: The Last Man On Earth, Smile, Delicious Things, The Beach II

Blue Weekend on my chart:

2021 09 The Last Man on Earth

2021 02 Smile

2021 16 No Hard Feelings

2021 09 How Can I Make It OK?

2021 17 The Beach II

2021 25 Delicious Things

2021 26 Play The Greatest Hits

2021 32 Lipstick On The Glass

2021 34 Feeling Myself

2021 37 Safe From Heartbreak (if you never fall in love)

2021 39 The Beach

 

Moving on to the big top 100 next !

lots of love for CHVRCHES, PinkPantheress and Sufjan/Angelo :heart: :heart: :heart:

 

will keep an eye on this countdown, i know there'll be some good tunes to come

 

Like seeing Olivia and Maneskin in the top 3 breakthrough artists, as well as most of the albums on here, especially "Blue Weekend" as your album of the year!

I'm surprised to see Dawn of Chromatica on here tbh! Thought it was so random lol. I looooooved the Free Woman remix though :heart:

I've not heard the entire Sam album but I've loved most of what I have heard, Seventeen Going Under is of course stunning and both Long Way of and Spit of You are continuing to grow on me. The Last Man On The Earth was my favourite 2021 Wolf Alice song by quite a margin although I did enjoy Delicious Things (which coincidentally peaked at the same place in both our charts :o)

Thank you guys for all your comments! :wub: there's lots more on the way from the artists you've all mentioned (and I'll defend Dawn of Chromatica til the very end, idec x). Christmas and just general procrastination have delayed this a bit, but I think it's time I finally made a start!

Here we go with the top 100 songs of 2021! I've used my last.fm stats as a base and then moved things around a bit, so this roughly looks like an actual year-end chart with more recently released songs suffering a bit. Just for fun I've also tried to calculate "sales" for each song, just by multiplying the playcount by a pretty big number. Hopefully you'll see some familiar tunes along the way, or some new ones to get into!

 

100. Lauran Hibberd ft. Lydia Night - How Am I Still Alive?

Chart peak: 09 Sales: 621,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 6

Chart run: 38 - 13 - 9 - 13 - 36 - 24 - X

Kicking off this countdown is a pop-punk banger from Lauran Hibberd! Despite the title, it’s not a song that takes itself too seriously. Thanks to a quick google while I was writing this, I’ve just found out it’s actually about Michael Cera, and sure, why not?

 

99. slowthai ft. Dominic Fike & Denzel Curry - terms

Chart peak: 08 Sales: 782,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 6

Chart run: 8 - 15 - 12 - 20 - 27 - 27 - X

Given how much I enjoyed slowthai’s album at the start of the year, it made sense to include something from it. Terms was the most instant track for me, but MAZZA and nhs are also real highlights.

 

98. Billie Eilish - NDA

Chart peak: 10 Sales: 368,000 (Silver) Weeks on chart: 4

Chart run: 10 - 17 - 24 - 33 - X

This is a song which, as you can see from it only being ‘certified’ silver, I’ve not actually streamed a huge amount! But it’s one of the best from Billie’s album, and has massively grown on me in the last few months. The dark electronic sound suits her so well, and I hope we get more of that in the future (alongside a few more my futures/Billie Bossa Novas ofc).

 

97. Mitski - The Only Heartbreaker

Chart peak: 07 Sales: 575,000 (Gold) Weeks on chart: 7

Chart run: 10 - 9 - 7 - 10 - 15 - 17 - 24 - X

One of the more recent songs to appear here, it’s already proven a surefire smash! I associate Mitski with a more raw rocky sound, but this is a very polished synthpop song. I can’t help singing along when I hear this.

 

96. Charli XCX ft. Christine and the Queens & Caroline Polachek - New Shapes

Chart peak: 01 Sales: 575,000 (Gold) Weeks on chart: 7

Chart run: 1 - 3 - 6 - 8 - 12 - 18 - 27 - X

As you’ll see later on (spoiler alert, a LOT later on), this hasn’t performed anywhere near as well as Good Ones, the previous single. But it’s a great follow-up nonetheless and I think I’ve been rather unfair on it chart-wise. Charli, Chris, and Caroline rarely put a foot wrong between them and this is no exception.

 

95. Hayley Williams - First Thing To Go

Chart peak: 06 Sales: 598,000 (Gold) Weeks on chart: 5

Chart run: 6 - 26 - RE - 16 - 28 - 37 - X

God, that 20 place drop in week 2 was a bit brutal? Not sure what I was doing there but anyway, the opening track from Hayley’s album Flowers for Vases sets the tone so well for what’s to come, and definitely deserves its place here.

 

94. Sam Fender - Spit Of You

Chart peak: 07 Sales: 598,000 (Gold) Weeks on chart: 8

Chart run: 7 - 11 - 12 - 22 - 28 - 38 - 39 - 38 - X

Watching this repeatedly miss the UK top 40 has been frustrating but it had no such problem here! I tend to prefer Sam’s slightly faster/louder songs (see Hypersonic Missiles, Seventeen Going Under, etc) and this isn’t one of them, but it’s still a highlight from his latest album.

 

93. Hayley Williams - Over Those Hills

Chart peak: 03 Sales: 598,000 (Gold) Weeks on chart: 4

Chart run: 3 - 16 - 20 - 22 - X

This is probably the poppiest moment on Flowers for Vases, and despite its short chart run it’s sounded great all year.

 

92. Tinashe - The Chase

Chart peak: 05 Sales: 621,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 4

Chart run: 5 - 12 - 18 - 29 - X

Tinashe has been absolutely KILLING it this year, and there’s plenty more from her to come in this countdown. I definitely get Rihanna vibes here, probably due to the Stargate production, and it really goes to show Tinashe’s versatility. Belting out ‘nooo ineverdidthatnoineverdidthatnoineverdidthatnoinever wiiiill’ is non-negotiable, and the less said about my failed attempts to hit the high notes the better.

 

91. Sam Fender - Get You Down

Chart peak: 02 Sales: 621,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 10

Chart run: 15 - 24 - 35 - RE - 2 - 2 - 7 - 15 - 21 - 32 - 36 - X

A Sam Fender song doing alright initially but then re-entering and shooting into the top ten - sounds familiar right? My own version of SGU’s real-life success story, Get You Down was the highest peaking track from Sam’s album. But speaking of Seventeen Going Under, that’s still to come…

 

Really like "NDA", "New Shapes", "Spit Of You" and "Get You Down" from the list so far!

Really like "NDA", "New Shapes", "Spit Of You" and "Get You Down" from the list so far!

Thanks Sergej! All those artists have more songs coming so hopefully you'll see more you like :)

90. Olivia Rodrigo - brutal

Chart peak: 05 Sales: 621,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 2

Chart run: 7 - 5 - X

Yeah I don’t have an explanation for that atrocious chart run. Oops? But this is Olivia at her most rock-y, and it’s a travesty that this never charted in the UK!

 

89. Lady Gaga ft. Bree Runway - Babylon (Jimmy Edgar Remix)

Chart peak: 02 Sales: 644,000 in 2021 [1,265,000 total (2x Platinum)] Weeks on chart: 8

Chart run: 8 - 2 - 2 - 11 - 29 - 27 - 35 - RE - 23 - X

Babylon proves for the second year in a row that it is *that* song, and now in remix form with the ever-incredible Bree Runway. There’s a parallel universe where this was a massive hit and Bree is now a main rap/pop girl, but unfortunately we’re still waiting. Impressively, this makes the top 100 despite only spending a week on the chart (and at number 23!) during 2021!

 

88. Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic - Leave the Door Open

Chart peak: 02 Sales: 644,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 5

Chart run: 2 - 13 - 16 - 28 - 25 - X

Silk Sonic have really nailed that throwback 70s sound, with a modern twist from time to time in the lyrics. Skate and Smokin Out The Window have also been great, but LTDO is just so smooth it can’t be left out here.

 

87. beabadoobee - Cologne

Chart peak: 13 Sales: 598,000 (Gold) Weeks on chart: 8

Chart run: 15 - 15 - 13 - 14 - 18 - 27 - 33 - 40 - X

When this song’s parent EP came out, I actually preferred a different track (He Gets Me So High) which made my top 10 while this languished just outside. Since then, I’ve completely switched, and of the two only this one appears in my EOY chart! It’s typically beabadoobee, very moody and angsty.

 

86. CHVRCHES - Screaming

Chart peak: 02 Sales: 667,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 6

Chart run: 2 - 2 - 4 - 4 - 6 - 9 - 12 - 23...

CHVRCHES are on fire this era. There’s two other songs from them to come, but here’s one of the deluxe tracks. The horror movie theme works so well with their sound, and this is no exception, feeling like a throwback to some of their earlier work with the most gorgeous synths.

 

85. BROCKHAMPTON - WHEN I BALL

Chart peak: 07 Sales: 621,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 5

Chart run: 16 - 7 - 20 - 21 - 27 - X

WHEN I BALL is a chilled-out moment from their album ROADRUNNER, and I just love the background instrumentation that comes in.

 

84. Hooverphonic - The Wrong Place

Chart peak: 04 Sales: 713,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 4

Chart run: 32 - 4 - 11 - 20 - X

The first of several Eurovision songs! Their 2020 song didn’t do a huge amount for me, but this is such a step-up. It does have a strong 90s indie vibe and I’ve really enjoyed it.

 

83. Avril Lavigne - Bite Me

Chart peak: 03 Sales: 667,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 6

Chart run: 15 - 3 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 17...

Avril is back! This is another very recent song but I’ve been listening to it a huge amount, it’s a real pop-punk banger which deserves to be smashing the way good 4 u did.

 

82. Tinashe - I Can See The Future

Chart peak: 02 Sales: 667,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 11

Chart run: 4 - 3 - 2 - 2 - 5 - 7 - 19 - 26 - 34 - 40 - 38 - X

Tinashe again, with a more straight-up R&B sound. I never paid Tinashe a huge amount of attention before this era, but she’s become a firm favourite of mine, as you can tell by the first half of that chart run!

 

81. Måneskin - I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE

Chart peak: 02 Sales: 667,000 (Platinum) Weeks on chart: 7

Chart run: 2 - 12 - 28 - 32 - 36 - 35 - 38 - X

Måneskin’s breakthrough this year has been brilliant to see, and here’s one of their big UK hits. It’s actually the lowest of their songs here, with 3 more to come!

 

Nice to see The Wrong Place here! One of my favourite Eurovision track from this year, agree with the comment about it having a nostalgic indie vibe. Double Sam Fender is great to see as well!

New Shapes has got to be my favourite song in your top 100 so far. It's been at #1 in my chart for the last 6 weeks so will be appearing very high in my countdown. The features work so well with each artist bringing a slightly unique style to the mix.

 

Brutal is great too. Such a brilliant way to open her debut album. Really catches your attention from the first second :lol:

 

Great chart so far! I can't wait to see what else appears :D

Nice to see The Wrong Place here! One of my favourite Eurovision track from this year, agree with the comment about it having a nostalgic indie vibe. Double Sam Fender is great to see as well!

Thanks Pete! I remember The Wrong Place being pretty underrated on here during Eurovision season, so it's nice to have a fellow fan ^_^

 

New Shapes has got to be my favourite song in your top 100 so far. It's been at #1 in my chart for the last 6 weeks so will be appearing very high in my countdown. The features work so well with each artist bringing a slightly unique style to the mix.

 

Brutal is great too. Such a brilliant way to open her debut album. Really catches your attention from the first second :lol:

 

Great chart so far! I can't wait to see what else appears :D

Thanks Lewis! 6 weeks at #1 for New Shapes is great, glad you're enjoying it too! I'm so excited by this era for Charli as you can probably guess from my profile pic. Brutal is a banger too :)