No Rankings. Just 50 Amazing Songs that tell the story of music in 2021’s second half

By Ben Leshan

Easy On Me- Adele

Easy on Me is the big Adele piano ballad we all know and love, but this time it’s coming from a more mature perspective. The song has been the massive commercial hit of her 30 album, and it is the most made-for-radio track of a record that has a lot of longer and unorthodox tracks. This is the best of Adele, with phenomenal vocals, true and relatable emotion, and a concise delivery that lends itself to listening again and again.

What’s Wrong- Rod Wave

Rod Wave has gotten a lot of love on this blog, (checkout our spotlight of his album SoulFly) and it’s for good reason. One of rap’s most prolific and talented artists, Rod packed a lot of gems into the deluxe version of SoulFly, but this was the best of them all, featuring incredible passionate vocals that would hit anyone in the heart. On the track Rod answers others’ question of what is wrong with him, explaining all the pain he has been through that has shaped his identity.

Meet Me At Our Spot (Live)- THE ANXIETY feat. WILLOW, Tyler Cole

Something about Willow Smith’s live performance of “Meet Me At Our Spot” is incredibly captivating. It became one of the year’s most popular songs on TikTok with thousands of users lip-syncing along to her lyrics. WILLOW has a super unique tone and an ability to capture youth and rebellion and her words, and this record is a great example of her talent.

It Only Gets Worse, I Promise- Ekkstacy

“It Only Gets Worse, I Promise” is Ekkstacy at this best, singing haunting sad melodies over a slightly frantic indie beat that makes the song danceable. His filtered vocals are perfectly dark and pretty, and his lyrics are concise and poetic always. Just a teenager, Ekkstacy’s song-writing, ear for production, and emotional sensibility give him some of the greatest potential of any young artist.

daniel*- SEB

“daniel*” features some of the year’s catchiest melodies, with a beachy guitar riff and floating vocals delivered by indie artist SEB. SEB has such clear, full vocals that are packed with emotion, and the production plays with the drums nicely to find a soft and subtle pocket. This song just feels like a nice sunny day that you keep replaying in your head.

MEMORIES!- 347aidan

347aidan is only 18-years old, but his talent has already pushed him to a ton of mainstream success. On “MEMORIES!” Aidan layers his vocals creatively to create a magical effect over a YouTube beat, creating a song that blends the melodic sensibility of Post Malone with the edge of pop punk. Aidan’s tone is a standout, and his emotion as he sings about missing someone who never treated him well in first place should hit home for a lot of fans.

Only When I Look Into Your Eyes- Fiji Blue

Fiji Blue sounds incredibly polished and sure of themselves, as the former Berklee students have found a calm and emotive indie style that has a lot of potential to sell records. “Only When I Look Into Your Eyes” has it all, from an incredibly catchy hook to grooving production and relatable lyrics. Fiji Blue are definitely poised to do big things if they keep making tracks like this one.

Dearly Beloved- Wale feat. Jamie Foxx

“Dearly Beloved” is short and sweet, and it gives us some the best reflective rap lyrics of the entire year. On the track Wale dives into his emotions surrounding the end of a relationship over Jamie Foxx vocals. He is bitter, yet he is measured and self-aware, and most of all he is firmly human in his lyrics, baring all of his feelings and flaws. The song is a little short with just a single verse, but Wale leaves his listeners dying for more with this track.

Family Ties- Baby Keem feat. Kendrick Lamar

“Family Ties” is an absolute banger. Simple as that. Most of the hype for this song as a single surrounded the return of Kendrick Lamar, who seemingly hadn’t released as much as a single verse in centuries, but Kendrick wasn’t the only one to bring it on this track, as Keem delivered a stellar performance as well. The flows are non-stop, the bars are clever, and the whole thing just oozes confidence. This is the perfect song to turn up all the way, and it is easily once of the most technically intricate rap hits of the year.

Oxygen- Beach Bunny

“Oxygen” by Beach Bunny is one of the year’s best indie tracks, featuring some nice rock drums and guitars and great vocals delivered in lead singer Lili Trifilio’s ear-catching tone. Trifilio gets lost in her emotions about falling in love on the song, bringing a lot of passion. There’s a little bit of Paramore in this record, but it feels modern and clean, just as appealing to a casual listener on the radio and a misunderstood teen trying to find their music taste.

Stoned Nights- WizTheMC

WizTheMC, a 22-year-old artist from Toronto, models after Chance The Rapper with a name that suggest pure hip hop, but music that staunchly ignores genre lines. “Stoned Nights” exist somewhere in an alt-pop space with definite influences from rnb and hip hop, but it is mostly focused on conveying emotion in a manner that carries universal sonic appeal. Wiz gets in his feelings about losing his love, calling out with layered vocals about the lonely nights when he misses her.

Walking Away- Chelsea Cutler

“Walking Away” is a deeply sad track delivered with a lot of sweetness. Cutler speaks about the feelings around a breakup, how it is neither person’s fault in this case, and therefore difficult to accept. The sonic appeal of the song is undeniable, it is definitely ready for radio, but it also doesn’t feel like a shallow concept, matching the depth and musical integrity that Cutler has brought to her earlier work.

u hurts me hurts u- Anson Seabra

Anson Seabra is amazing at capturing a feeling with his sweet tone and evocative lyrics, and he does that here, singing about the pain of a broken relationship. The pretty quality of his voice in contrast with the darkness of what he sings about makes for an especially heartbreaking song. It provides a sense of comfort but also could make you cry, and shows off how good Seabra truly is.

Big Star- Lorde

“Big Star” is the hidden gem of Lorde’s 2021 album Solar Power featuring a lot of her best qualities. The song is stripped down and bare, leaving a lot of room for true feelings. Everything about the track is vulnerable and free. It sounds like it could have built up into a big radio hit with a lot more production, but the intimacy of the song as it was released perfectly fits Lorde’s vision.

Moon- Kanye West feat. Don Toliver and Kid Cudi

“Moon” quite literally feels like ascending into space. Between Don Toliver’s magical voice calling out “I wanna go to the moon”, Kid Cudi’s iconic soothing hums, and floating production from Ye and collaborators, it is easy to feel like you’re in a whole different dimension when listening to this track.

Panic Attacks in Paradise- Ashnikko

Ashnikko earned fame as an aggressive rapper, but on this track she shows off her vulnerability and singing. The song feels quite real and raw coming from an artist who often uses her music to harness her strength rather than reveal her vulnerabilities. The theme of the track, struggling with pain and anxiety even in circumstances that are purportedly peaceful and positive, is sure to be relatable for a lot of listeners and has the potential to help a lot of people through similar situations.

Girl of My Dreams- Juice Wrld feat. SUGA

Juice Wrld rose to fame for his sad-rap about breakups and drugs, but as we have gotten more of music since his death in 2019, it has become clear that he was also great at writing love songs. Written for his girlfriend Allie Lottie, “Girl of My Dreams” has an undeniable melody and carries so much hit potential. BTS’s SUGA may not have been the best possible feature for the track, but he still hands in a good verse to tie everything together. Watch this track have a huge commercial breakthrough from Juice’s new posthumous album Fighting Demons.

Teenage Mona Lisa- Alfie Castley

18-year-old singer Alfie Castley is quite new to this, with “Teenage Mona Lisa” being his only song on major streaming services. Just because he’s young and inexperienced doesn’t mean he’s not supremely talented though. After blowing up on TikTok the track has gained enough momentum to earn hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify in its first month out. A sad and pretty pop song, “Teenage Mona Lisa” uses a unique writing style to capture themes of youth and love.

Big Energy- Latto

Latto is a bonafide star, and this song proves it. She spits with pure confidence, flowing effortlessly and spitting empowering bars. “Big Energy” has production that feels like Soul Train trap, and Latto does a great job of staying in the pocket and talking her talk on the record. The south produces a lot of new big name rappers each year, but Latto differentiates herself and shows off her star power here.

One Right Now- Post Malone feat. The Weeknd

“One Right Now” is one of the best pure pop hits of the year, featuring the iconic combination of two of the world’s biggest stars, Post Malone and The Weeknd. They bounce off of each other effortlessly, and the song matches both of their styles, giving The Weeknd space to use his incredible vocal range over slightly funky production while giving Post the space to deliver the catchiest of melodies. This song is just undeniably good.

Love Yourself- KenTheMan

KenTheMan delivers one of the hardest project intros of the year with “Love Yourself”, coming with quotable bars, a great rap voice, and production that builds up tension until the drums fill in to create a big moment. KenTheMan has amazing potential to become a real star in the rap game, and this track really shows what she is capable of doing.

Go To Hell- Clinton Kane

Clinton Kane has made his career with soft emotional ballads that showcase his strong voice and sweet tone, but on this track he gets angry, and it works. Kane feels the pain of being cheated on, and he tells his ex to “Go To Hell”. He is able to find his usual vulnerability, and he is not disrespectful, but fully human in his anger. The production leans pop punk more than his traditional pop, and everything just fits together well for a great song. Kane certainly lived up to his place on our Artists To Watch in 2021 with this track.

Dizzy- Chloe Moriondo feat. Thomas Headon, Alfie Templeman

Chloe Moriondo has made multiple appearances on Moonlxte as one of our favorite up-and-coming artists, and she delivers again with a great performance on this track to compliment Headon and Templeman. Rather than heading in an emo direction like Moriondo’s latest album Blood Bunny, this is a great upbeat pop song that can get you up and dancing with spacey chords and grooving drums.

Found- Tems feat. Brent Faiyaz

Tems, a 26-year-old Nigerian singer with a killer voice, teams up with Brent Faiyaz for one of the most vibey songs of the year with “Found”. Both vocalists have incredible tones that float effortlessly over the subtle percussion and chords in the background. Tems has had a great year with the success of her EP If Orange Was a Place and scoring a Drake feature, and she has what is possibly her best vocal moment of the year here.

I Love You, I Hate You- Little Simz

Little Simz’s Sometimes I Might Be Introvert produced a number of candidates for this list as one of the most complete rap albums of the year, but “I Love You, I Hate You” might be the best combination of emotional vulnerability and great rapping on the project. On the track Simz dives into her difficult relationship with her father, speaking on a range of emotions before coming to the conclusion that she needs to forgive him for herself.

Llorando en un Ferrari- Anuel AA

Anuel AA is a superstar with tons of commercial appeal, and this song is a massive hit, featuring great vocals in his distinct tone and an EDM-pop structure mixed with reggaeton sounds. The name of the song translates to “Crying in a Ferrari”, as Anuel sings in spanish about regretting losing an amazing girl because of his actions, and the despair that he feels despite his luxurious lifestyle.

2gether- Mura Masa

Mura Masa’s unorthodox production style has won him a lot of success in his career, and this track is no different. Featuring moments of girmey synths contrasted with soft vocals and a robotic vocal sample that says “together” throughout the track, “2gether” doesn’t sound like it would work on paper, but it actually creates an emotional moment with some great dance appeal.

Altar- Kehlani

Kehlani has been a bona fide star for a while, and is still coming with the hits like “Altar”. On this track they employ their signature tone to create a nice fusion of a pop-leaning hook and song structure with verses than lean back into their rnb roots. The chorus is a great moment, featuring amazingly clear vocals that are full of passion and energy, and the whole track features amazing work by Kehalni.

Better Off- Tyler Braden

“Better Off” is our pick for one of the year’s best country songs, featuring the 27-year-old Alabama singer’s honest lyrics and amazing tone. Braden has the kind of gritty soulful voice that can appeal to more old-school country with a modern sense for hit-making, and he shows it off on this track with a powerful chorus and evocative verses. The song sees Braden worry that he may have made the wrong decision about leaving a lover, and it truly is an emotional country hit.

Put on a Smile- Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak

Mars and .Paak may have produced bigger hits on their Silk Sonic record, but “Put on a Smile” stands out as a Funky ballad that shows off the best of their musical talent. The production is so rich, featuring the cleanest of drums, beautifully layered vocals, and little moments of ear candy sprinkled throughout. Bruno and .Paak both get in their emotional bag on this track, and both quite possibly deliver their best vocal performance of the album on this track.

WYD Now?- Sadie Jean

19-year-old Sadie Jean emerged as a mainstream artist completely off the strength of this song, which became famous due to an “open verse challenge” on TikTok in which the artist shared her hook and asked other singers on the app to provide a verse. There were some great verses laid down on TikTok, but Jean’s original version of the song has taken off on streaming services due to its sad and relatable lyrics, reminding us a bit of Olivia Rodrigo’s sudden rise with “Driver’s License”. We’ll see what Sadie Jean can do from here.

All Of It- Megan Thee Stallion

Megan Thee Stallion was in mixtape mode on Something For Thee Hotties going in with pure bars, and this song captures the energy of the project. She is on point lyrically, her flow rides throughout the song, her energy is contagiously confident, and the track is just so smooth. In the end “All of It” is a short and sweet track that leaves listeners wanting more.

Tides- Ed Sheeran

“Tides” features Ed in his auto-biographical, real songwriting bag, similarly to “Castle on the Hill”, and it works so well. The album intro, “Tides” is reflective and brutally honest, featuring production that is most prominent in the verses rather than the stripped down choruses, coming in with heavy drums and guitars and dropping out later. The song shows Ed is self-aware, able to write a great song with replay value while also talking about his place in life, and it is an excellent album-opener.

Brad Pitt- Mø

MØ has been a part of many huge hits like Major Lazer’s “Lean On” and Justin Bieber’s “Cold Water”, but her career is significantly under-appreciated. She has a great voice for big pop records, and she shows it off on “Brad Pitt”, using her airy yet soulful tone to craft a great love song. Overall, the production is bouncy and big, the lyrics are memorable, and the song has a lot of hit potential.

I Hate U- SZA

SZA captured America with her release of “I Hate U”, a song that shows off her incredible lyrics with lyrics that reflect the feelings of million. The song is gentle and beautiful, but it also is defiantly angry, creating a contrast that resonates with many listeners. SZA absolutely killed this song in all facets, and it seems she is ready to come with even bigger things going forward.

Call U Tomorrow- Montell Fish

Montell Fish has been one of music’s most overlooked voices in recent years, and “Call U Tomorrow” is easily one of the years best songs. Lyrically it’s simple, but the way it is put together is genius, with Fish seemingly crying out into the void with his beautifully pure voice over vocal layers. The production builds and builds reaching an emotional crescendo over heavy guitar chords that is one of the best song moments of the year.

Who Want Smoke??- Nardo Wick feat. 21 Savage, Lil Durk, G Herbo

Nardo Wick has been one of this year’s biggest breakout trap acts, and that goes back to this remix, featuring an insane lineup of stars and a Lyrical Lemonade video. “Who Want Smoke??” is ruthless and terrifying, reminiscent of a lot of collaborator 21 Savage’s catalog. Nardo crafts a mood and unusual yet catchy song structure, and each feature artist comes hard, creating one of the most exciting mainstream rap songs of the year.

All I Can Say- Ama Lou

“All I Can Say” shows off British singer Ama Lou’s unique talent and ear for production. Her vocals are top level and she does a great job of balancing melody with production that leans into UK grime and hip hop sounds. She sounds supremely confident, but also emotionally vulnerable. The song is simply a bop sonically, and it carries a lot under the surface, making it one of the best records of the year.

Cheater- SAIAH feat. Tom The Mail Man

“Cheater” is one of the best alt/pop-punk songs of the year. Up-and-comer SAIAH and future star Tom the Mail Man come with all of the passion and vocals, and the production is top notch. The lyrics are about the pain of a broken relationship, and its packed with feeling, but it also is a song you can dance around the room to, giving it a whole lot of hit appeal.

Brightside- The Lumineers

The Lumineers built their fanbase with vulnerable and evocative acoustic tracks like “Ophelia” and “Ho Hey”, and this song gets back to those roots. Vocalist Wesley Schultz delivers a soulful performance over a bluesy guitar riff, and the song is full of imagery and cinematic moments. It feels big and grand while maintaining its intimacy in a way that few tracks have this year.

Tommy- Claud

Claud has a lot of potential to do big things in the indie pop space with a killer clear voice and a way with captivating lyrics, and “Tommy” shows off all of their talent. Claud gets lost in their feelings about always being compared to another person in their love interest’s eyes and how painful it is. The production is soft and the vocals cut through perfectly, creating a gut-wrenching emotional performance.

For Tonight- Giveon

“For Tonight” is one of the year’s best rnb songs by one of rnb’s new most prominent voices in Giveon. His beautiful baritone tone is the star of the show on this song, but the big ballad production is also there, and so are the emotional vocals. This should have been an even bigger hit than it was, and it is definitely one of the best songs of the year.

I Won’t Complain- 44phantom feat. Tom The Mail Man

44phantom and Tom The Mail Man make a fantastic unexpected duo on “I Won’t Complain”, with both of the young singers coming with a lot of energy on this track. Both Phantom and Tom work well in an emo rock kind of space, but both come with a lot of versatility as well. This song is built on great drums, and builds to big heavy choruses that give the singers the perfect space to shine, making an excellent record.

Silk Chiffon- MUNA feat. Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers gained a ton of momentum with her critically acclaimed 2020 album Punisher and “Silk Chiffon” helped build on that moment in 2021. Working together with electro-pop band MUNA, Phoebe and vocalist Katie Gavin both have great performance and create a fun and bouncy love song that completely flips the script on Phoebe’s usual sad vibe.

Fear of Water- Noah Kahan

“Fear of Water” shows off Noah Kahan’s immaculate tone and great song-writing really well. It is more sad and laid back than some of his other songs on his recent album I Was/ I Am, built on minor piano chords with a lot of space for his voice to shine, creating a sad mood that is furthered even more when strings come in. The track is beautiful and inspiring and the acoustic and orchestral feel is magical.

In The Bible- Drake feat. Lil Durk, Giveon

Drake makes so many different kind of songs and works with so many collaborators, but one of his best moods is a darker, grimier rnb-leaning sound, which we get on this track. A haunting vocal sample floats in the background over hard-hitting drums and bass, and Drake gets in his singing bag. Durk and Giveon have a stark contrast as collaborators, but both kill it, Durk with a confident sing-rap verse and Giveon with his normal rnb sound.

Kids on Molly- Aries

“Kids on Molly” gives a grittier, more rock kind of side of Aries that really really works. The production is built on infectious guitar chords, and Aries’s vocal melodies are immediately catchy. He does a great job of structuring a song with little sonic intricacies that still feels like a radio hit, the vocal production is excellent, the emotion is there, and it is very danceable. This is easily one of the best songs of 2021.

Jail- Kanye West feat. Jay-Z

The reunification of Jay and Ye on this track is a magical moment that gives us a fantastic track. Ye makes the great production decision to leave out the drums until the last moment of the song, making sure that the listener really hears every word. Hov is at his best here with a great verse, and Ye’s chorus is an epic, massive moment.

A Concert Six Months From Now- FINNEAS

“A Concert Six Months From Now” really has everything you would want in a personal, acoustic pop song, with FINNEAS’s strong deep voice, a great story, a killer buildup, and a whole lot of bare emotion. This is FINNEAS at his best, tapping into stories about relationships that could make anyone feel something, and showing off his vocal and production skills.

Happier Than Ever- Billie Eilish

Billie’s Happier Than Ever title track starts off soft and sweet, but the bigger, grander second half to the song takes off, and landed her a huge hit with this record. On the track Billie laments the way her ex hurt her, using her iconic voice just as well over the soft chords of the intro and the heavy rock guitars of the second half. This is her best work of the year, and easily one of the best songs of 2021.

Enjoyed the post? Check out our playlist of these amazing songs!

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