20. Glass Animals "Heat Waves"

I was introduced to 'Heat Waves' in 2020, despite not really listening to Glass Animals before then, and it vaguely sounded like it might have hit potential – little did we know what was to come, right!? By the time it was announced as #1 on Triple J's Hottest 100, I was totally won over. It’s been another fun one to watch in the charts, from hitting #1 in Australia nearly a year ago, to its random TikTok resurgence in August/September allowing it to finally reach top 10 in the UK, to even now where it's finally top 3 on Billboard. Truly unbelievable! Of course, that year-long trajectory made it impossible to push any other singles – justice for 'Tangerine' :wub:

 

19. Walker Hayes "Fancy Like"

Like it or not, 'Fancy Like' is the song country music desperately needed last year. Overall, the industry is so stuck on releasing safe, inoffensive, radio-friendly songs that take up to a year to climb the airplay chart, and not enough artists are willing to stand out and break the mold (probably due to their labels). I'm not exaggerating when I say that 'Fancy Like' is the only country song from 2021 that people will even remember a couple years from now; it's certainly the only one that got me to roll the car windows down, turn the volume up and just blast it. The song also resurrected the Oreo shake back onto the Applebee's menu, what kind of power. *.* If I can be critical about one thing, the video (see above) was an utter disappointment. For a song that blew up on TikTok and was meant to be shameless fun, the video couldn’t be more boring if it tried. :lol: The Ke$ha version sort of helped to correct that, though. Last but not least, sorry if you thought this was going to be my EOY #1, it "only" got to #4 on my chart so that was going to be a tall order. :kink:

 

18. Becky Hill & David Guetta "Remember"

'Remember' is not quite the best song Becky's ever recorded, but it sure is close, and more importantly, it's her first top-ten AND top-three as lead artist, which is what she has truly deserved for so long! I have to imagine it feels even more rewarding for her now, after so many years' worth of singles and features, than it would have if it happened right away in 2013 or 2014. Just listening to the song with that in mind feels like a triumph. :wub:

Previous EOY history for Becky: "Wish You Well" (#6, 2019), "Better Off Without You" (#3, 2020)

Previous EOY history for David: "Flames" (#20, 2018)

 

17. Bad Boy Chiller Crew "Don't You Worry About Me"

Let's just say, with a name like Bad Boy Chiller Crew, I was expecting drill music, not a club banger straight out of 2010! 'Don't You Worry About Me' is infectious and fun, with a chipmunk-style chorus and some of the best accents I've ever heard in my life. :cheeseblock: What amuses me even more is that the video is more "country" than anything I've ever seen from a British act; around here, riding four-wheelers in the mud is something you’d only see on CMT. :lol: That's a lot of genre-bending for one song! Admittedly I haven't listened to anything else from BBCC but hopefully there’s at least one more song of this caliber.

 

16. Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow "Industry Baby"

Probably a fitting title, because I'm hoping 'Industry Baby' is the song that proves Lil Nas X's staying power in the industry. It smashed on its own merits, for once no one can argue his song was boosted by any surrounding controversy (think 'Old Town Road' and 'Montero'), hopefully silencing any remaining doubters out there. Plus it shows that he's capable of having a hit song that's longer than 2:37. :magic: Jack Harlow kills it with his verse too, what a great collab!

Previous EOY history for Lil Nas X: "Panini" (#24, 2019)

 

15. Riton & Nightcrawlers feat. Mufasa & Hypeman "Friday"

Friday again Saturday Sunday what

I could always look forward to Scott playing 'Friday' on the chart show to get me hyped for the weekend, even weeks after the song had hit ACR. Better yet, in 2021 we also celebrated the 10-year anniversary of Rebecca Black's song of the same name. Now, if you don’t know, that is genuinely one of my favorite songs, so perhaps it's no surprise that Riton's would be up my street as well. The reactions to it in the chart show thread made me question how many people are allergic to fun. :sarah11:

 

14. Rain Radio & DJ Craig Gorman "Talk About"

It still doesn't feel real to me that, out of Nelly Furtado's entire discography, the song that would get her back in the charts for the first time in 9 years was 'Big Hoops'. :lol: I don't know what would inspire anyone to sample/remix that song, but as you can see, I'm so here for it. The Spirit Indestructible was an underrated era, so 'Talk About' not only gave it some justice, but was an absolute banger in its own right. The only thing that would have made this better is if Nelly was actually credited on it, or if it sampled 'Waiting For The Night' instead. :wub:

 

13. Imagine Dragons "Wrecked"

First let's acknowledge Imagine Dragons' previous single, 'Follow You', only because it was such generic radio fodder that it nearly ruined my hype for the rest of the album. 'Wrecked' turned that around real quick, with some of their most meaningful lyrics and one of their most powerful choruses to date. And the album turned out pretty good after all!

Previous EOY history: "On Top Of The World" (#37, 2014), "I Bet My Life" (#5, 2015), "Shots" (#36, 2015), "Believer" (#41, 2017), "Thunder" (#18, 2017), "Whatever It Takes" (#3, 2018)

 

12. Maneskin "Beggin'"

As luck would have it, my 2021 chart bingo card had "Eurovision winner", "Four Seasons cover", "Italian X Factor", "TikTok hit" and "Song recorded in 2017" all in a row, so I got my entire bingo from one song! :sarah11: In all seriousness, I've always been really fond of Madcon's version, and never imagined a version even catchier than theirs could exist! Loving Maneskin's post-Eurovision success so far, especially Stateside because that never happens. Long may their superstardom continue.

 

11. Adele "Easy On Me"

It's always hard placing fresh Q4 releases in my EOY against songs I've loved for a full year or more, but needless to say 'Easy On Me' was my clear favorite from the last three months of 2021. After a 6-year gap between albums I just wanted to hear Adele’s voice again! Shoutout to the

that someone linked to on Buzzjack, and also to my other faves from 30: 'To Be Loved', 'Can I Get It', and 'All Night Parking'. <3

Previous EOY history: "Hello" (#13, 2015), "When We Were Young" (#3, 2016), "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" (#5, 2016) "Water Under The Bridge" (#11, 2017)

'Remember', a late proper discovery for me but a banger at that.

Not a fan of the 'Beggin' cover myself but then I'm not big on the 2008 one either. Oops at Adele missing out on your top 10 there. 'Heat Waves' needs to leave the top 40 now. It's becoming 'I'm Yours' territory where I liked it for ages and then got to the point of disliking it lol. Maybe I should switch the radio down when it comes on in future :kink:

10. Dua Lipa "Love Again"

What a great single choice to end the era! The Future Nostalgia campaign was definitely one of the best in recent memory, I just love when an era can last nearly two years and I wasn't sure if that'd be possible anymore in the streaming age! 'Love Again' is sadly lumbered with a #41 peak on the Hot 100, but it really did phenomenally well on airplay all things considered, and was such a delight to hear on the radio, more so than any of Dua's other singles. :wub:

Previous EOY history: "Be The One" (#3, 2017), "New Rules" (#4, 2017), "Electricity" (#30, 2018), "One Kiss" (#45, 2018), "Swan Song" (#23, 2019), "Don’t Start Now" (#31, 2019), "Physical" (#7, 2020), "Levitating" (#24, 2020), "Hallucinate" (#33, 2020)

 

9. Masked Wolf "Astronaut In The Ocean"

Yes please to Aussie rap going global, we need this to happen more often. You can't hear any accent in Masked Wolf's voice, so I'm sure most people just assume he's American, but the point still stands. Actually, the video for 'Astronaut In The Ocean' sure makes him look like Drake, which is fitting enough, since I'd say it's every bit as much of a banger as 'The Motto' from back when Drake was actually good. Also, Sickick did a

and I can't recommend it highly enough!

 

8. Billie Eilish "Happier Than Ever"

I still remember hearing 'Bad Guy' for the first time and how incredible that was, a show of force (this is not the phrase I wanted to use but I'm having a brain fart right now) for Billie's talent as an artist and Finneas as a producer. Leading up to her second album, even as most singles failed to generate any hype, which didn't bode well, I had faith there would be another 'Bad Guy'-caliber song on the album. Sure enough, the title track was that song. Just as we thought Olivia Rodrigo and Willow were bringing rock back into the charts, 'Happier Than Ever' comes out and Billie proves she can rock even harder.

Previous EOY history: "Bad Guy" (#36, 2019), "Everything I Wanted" (#32, 2020 and #57, 2019), "My Future" (#46, 2020)

 

7. Elton John & Dua Lipa "Cold Heart"

My opinion of 'Cold Heart' was one of the biggest 180s of the year for sure; my initial reaction was that I really didn't need to hear it ever again. :o In week 2 I was shocked that it was still in the UK top 40 (then again, weren't we all?), but a month later it finally clicked, and by October I was cheering it on for #1. :lol: And what a fantastic #1 it was, it *almost* makes up for so many of their individual hits not being #1s.

Previous EOY history for Dua: "Be The One" (#3, 2017), "New Rules" (#4, 2017), "Electricity" (#30, 2018), "One Kiss" (#45, 2018), "Swan Song" (#23, 2019), "Don’t Start Now" (#31, 2019), "Physical" (#7, 2020), "Levitating" (#24, 2020), "Hallucinate" (#33, 2020)

 

6. Nelly & Florida Georgia Line "Lil Bit"

I love when an artist returns the favor for a collab that hits it big – think Eve and Gwen Stefani back in the day! Nine years ago Nelly added a verse to Florida Georgia Line's debut single 'Cruise', which then became an absolutely massive crossover hit (in North America anyway). Then in 2021 Nelly records his first country album, and sure enough gets FGL on the lead single! 'Lil Bit' is so much better than 'Cruise' imo, probably because it was intended as a collab all along rather than having a verse tacked on. This was one of the very first songs I heard in 2021, when Nelly performed it solo on one of the New Year's specials. Even then it was effortlessly catchy and sounded like a hit so I'm glad it lived up to its potential (in North America anyway :P)!

Previous EOY history for Florida Georgia Line: "Meant To Be" (#11, 2018)

Didn't even know that Dua song until I checked it out when listening to the AF contests and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was, not that Dua ever disappoints much but a very well crafted use of the sample which has been done to death but it works here wonderfully.

 

I don't know if I share the same sentiment about 'Cold Heart' in that it wasn't something I'd never like to hear again personally but I wasn't wowed by it at first and thought it was a strange release and collab but it clicked it quickly. Who knew it would go on to provide Elton with his first #1 in nearly two decades though. Again a very clever use of two of his songs even if 'Sacrifice' was a random choice to pick considering it's a very slow song in its own right lol.

 

'Happier Than Ever' is great too. Love how it builds from the same old Billie song to that breakout rock side half way through.

Edited February 26, 20223 yr by Roba.

^ Thank you Rob :heart:

 

5. Cardi B "Up"

So, unpopular opinion, I didn’t get much enjoyment out of 'WAP', but I don’t begrudge anyone who did as I know I’m in the minority. 'Up' was much more my speed, great production, her flow is on point, and I can easily forgive the basic chorus because the song is such an earworm. It was her fifth #1 on the Hot 100, which makes up for me letting it stall at #2 on my chart, and the UK letting it stall at #16. -_- Now, where is the album Cardi????

Previous EOY history: "No Limit" (#32, 2018 & #39, 2017), "I Like It" (#35, 2018), "Finesse" (#44, 2018), "Please Me" (#33, 2019)

 

4. AJR "Way Less Sad"

Historically I haven't been a fan of AJR, but you can tell they have their niche, their unique sound, and a solid loyal fanbase, so I respect that a lot. Plus they're clever and quirky songwriters and don't take themselves too seriously at all, which is always refreshing. Actually I did like 'Burn The House Down' a few years ago, but I have a new favorite now! 'Way Less Sad' is true to its title, a shamelessly feel-good song, definitely my go-to this past year, and certainly a timely release considering how rough 2020 was. And the fact that it followed up 'Bang!', which went top 10 here, meant it got more airplay and attention than it otherwise would have, although naturally it still deserved more.

 

3. Harry Styles "Golden"

Crazy to think 'Golden' is two years old by now! I didn't hear it until October 2020 and I still remember that beautiful autumn day and even what road I was on. It's a perfect driving song, by the way. It was already #39 in my 2020 EOY, but as my first #1 of 2021, it clearly deserved to be included again. This is my favorite Harry Styles song by far, spectacular intro, production, lyrics, vocals, everything. :wub:

Previous EOY history: "Sign Of The Times" (#64, 2017), "Golden" (#39, 2020), "Watermelon Sugar" (#45, 2020)

'Up' was alright but annoying too. I'd say 'I Like It' is still her best song for me. 'Golden' is great though and I'd rank it as his 2nd best following 'Watermelon Sugar' from those run of singles.

 

2. Ava Max "My Head & My Heart"

Well this was a fantastic single for Ava to round out her debut era. Any song called 'My Head & My Heart' could easily be very cliché, but she gives it all the energy it needs, with a brilliant sample to boot. 'Around The World (La La La)', has been a lifelong fave and the sample really breathes new life into it, was amazing to hear it on the radio again in any form. It was her first #1 on my chart and spent two months there, which would normally be enough to seal the EOY #1, until the song that replaced it did the same thing…

Previous EOY history: "Sweet But Psycho" (#11, 2019), "Kings & Queens" (#35, 2020)

 

 

1. Olivia Rodrigo "Deja Vu"

Some years I really have a hard time picking my #1, but this was not one of those years. I like knowing exactly which song defined the year without any internal stress or debate, and 'Deja Vu' was the frontrunner within a few weeks of its release. Earlier in the year, with 'Drivers License', I felt like I was enjoying the hype and the massive chart dominance a little more than the song itself, which I still liked but never quite loved, except for the hints of Lorde influence. Well 'Deja Vu' really took me back to those exciting first listens of Melodrama, and it wouldn’t have sounded out of place on that album either! It still seemed like a risky single choice due to its unconventional structure, so I'm thrilled that it paid off. Sandwiched between two much bigger singles in Olivia's campaign, this easily could have been overshadowed, so I was glad to see it held its own, especially in the US where it peaked at #4 on airplay. And quality-wise, she exceeded any expectation I could have had. 2021's finest :wub:

 

Recap:

1. Olivia Rodrigo "Deja Vu"

2. Ava Max "My Head & My Heart"

3. Harry Styles "Golden"

4. AJR "Way Less Sad"

5. Cardi B "Up"

6. Nelly & Florida Georgia Line "Lil Bit"

7. Elton John & Dua Lipa "Cold Heart"

8. Billie Eilish "Happier Than Ever"

9. Masked Wolf "Astronaut In The Ocean"

10. Dua Lipa "Love Again"

11. Adele "Easy On Me"

12. Maneskin "Beggin’"

13. Imagine Dragons "Wrecked"

14. Rain Radio & DJ Craig Gorman "Talk About"

15. Riton & Nightcrawlers feat. Mufasa & Hypeman "Friday"

16. Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow "Industry Baby"

17. Bad Boy Chiller Crew "Don't You Worry About Me"

18. Becky Hill & David Guetta "Remember"

19. Walker Hayes "Fancy Like"

20. Glass Animals "Heat Waves"

21. Dua Lipa "We're Good"

22. Illenium feat. Tori Kelly "Blame Myself"

23. Justin Bieber "Anyone"

24. Camila Cabello "Don't Go Yet"

25. The Anxiety, Willow & Tyler Cole "Meet Me At Our Spot"

26. Miranda Lambert "Settling Down"

27. Olivia Rodrigo "Drivers License"

28. Taylor Swift "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)"

29. Coldplay "Higher Power"

30. Majestic x Boney M. "Rasputin"

31. Eric Church "Hell Of A View"

32. Ed Sheeran "Overpass Graffiti"

33. Jason Aldean "Blame It On You"

34. Jack Harlow "Tyler Herro"

35. Sam Fender "Seventeen Going Under"

36. Marshmello & Jonas Brothers "Leave Before You Love Me"

37. The Kid Laroi "Without You"

38. Olivia Rodrigo "Good 4 U"

39. Aja "Red Button"

40. Black Atlass "Do For Love"

41. Jocelyn Alice "Still Wondering"

42. The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber "Stay"

43. Taylor Swift "Willow"

44. Lil Tjay & 6lack "Calling My Phone"

45. Niko Walters "Not My Neighbour"

46. Charli XCX "Good Ones"

47. Doja Cat feat. The Weeknd "You Right"

48. The Weeknd "Take My Breath"

49. SZA "Good Days"

50. Moyka "Stay"

51. Justin Bieber "Hold On"

52. Kacey Musgraves "Simple Times"

53. Doja Cat "Need To Know"

54. Girl In Red "Serotonin"

55. Ed Sheeran "Shivers"

56. Tones And I "Fly Away"

57. Tones And I "Cloudy Day"

58. Remi Wolf feat. Dominic Fike "Photo ID"

59. Maneskin "I Wanna Be Your Slave"

60. Navos "Believe Me"

61. Dierks Bentley "Gone"

62. Ed Sheeran "Afterglow"

63. The Weeknd "Save Your Tears"

 

Thus ends my focus on the music of 2021, time to really get stuck into 2022 and find some new faves. I hope to be back next January to do this all over again. Until then, thanks for reading and commenting! :D

WAP is still my favourite from Cardi's second era, if that's what they're even from, but Up is another brilliant song and my favourite solo track of hers! Love seeing that and of course Golden in your top 5 :wub:

 

That's an awesome top 2 as well, deja vu never tired on me (I guess it wasn't as overplayed as the other singles) and My Head & My Heart is so much fun. Ava the queen of slow burning smashes :lol:

'deja vu' is just ok for me nothing more but 'My Heart & My Heart' is a choon :wub: great countdown overall Jordan!