Thanks to the existence of streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music, it has never been easier to listen to tunes anywhere we go. As long as we've got our phones handy (and, really, when don't we have our phones handy?), we can cry to, dance to, or sing along with our favorite songs all day long. It's also never been easier to find new music to add to our go-to playlists or new genres to explore. But while there is so much music to discover, there are always some songs that we just can't stop playing.
It's always tricky to try to declare any song as the "best song of the year." There are just too many variables (Best in a particular genre? Best for dancing? Best for TikTok? best lyrics? Most likely to make Jake Gyllenhaal wish he had just returned that dang scarf before it became a whole big thing?), and musical taste is always subjective.
So we're not going try to claim to know the 20 best songs of the year, but we can share the songs that we loved to play and are still at the top of our favorites of the year. Consider this a list of songs to add to a New Year's playlist to close out 2021 with some dance vibes, some sad vibes, and some total bops!
'Good 4 U'
Listening to Olivia Rodrigo's "Good 4 U" is like taking a time machine back to high school. This is the song for driving with friends and singing along at top volume while thinking about the pimple-faced jerk who turned out to be a terrible boyfriend. For those of us well out of high school, singing along with tweens and teen kids in the car is almost as fun.
'Montero (Call Me By Your Name)'
The video for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" by Lil Nas X was one of the most talked-about of 2021, and all of the controversy about Satan getting a lap dance may have overshadowed the fact that the song itself is a total bop. Add it to a workout playlist for a quick energy boost.
'Easy on Me'
She's back! We've been waiting for years for new Adele music, and her first single from her 2021 album, 30, didn't disappoint. "Easy on Me" is classic Adele — all gorgeous vocals and heartfelt lyrics. This was one of the critical songs on our sad girl autumn playlists.
'Wilder Days'
Rising country star Morgan Wade has been described as sounding like Sheryl Crow with more heartbreak behind her voice. She released her debut album, Reckless, this year and "Wilder Days" is her first single to climb the country charts. This song is perfect for those who like country but aren't into all the trucks, guns, and beer schtick that sometimes comes with it.
'Fancy Like (Featuring Kesha)'
On the flip side of the country coin from "Wilder Days" is "Fancy Like (Featuring Kesha)" from Walker Hayes. This ultra twangy, exuberantly cheesy earworm was nominated for a Grammy for best country song and became the inspiration for a TikTok dance trend. It is a song that could be terrible — "Fancy like Applebee's on date night" isn't exactly Shakespeare, as far as lyrics go — but is so catchy that it's hard to stop playing.
'If This Is the Last Time'
A song written in the COVID-19 era by a son imagining what he'd say if it was the last time he was ever going to see his parents, and thanking them for how well they'd loved and raised him? Inject it straight into our mom veins! Or better yet, play it on repeat when any ungrateful children are trapped in the car.
'Leave the Door Open'
Combining old-school cool and a sound as smooth as silk sheets is Silk Sonic's monster hit "Leave the Door Open." This song by Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak is a certified date night classic and probably responsible for more than a couple of pandemic babies.
'Kiss Me More'
Now we said this wasn't going to be a "best of" list, but it hardly seems fair to share how much we had "Kiss Me More" by Doja Cat on replay this year without noting that this infectious, disco-inspired tune was included on many best of lists this year, including NPR and Rolling Stone. It was a big year for this lightweight ode to the fun of kissing.
'All Too Well'
There's no doubt 2021 was Taylor Swift's year, and the rest of us were basically just living in it. Fans (Hi! That's us. We're fans.) were so excited when she announced she was finally releasing the 10-minute version of "All Too Well." The song totally lived up to the hype and ended up becoming a No. 1 hit, an amazing feat for such a long breakup song.
'Up'
There's confidence and then there's Cardi B's level of confidence on "Up." This song, which was her fifth No. 1 hit, is totally not safe for little ears but is another great addition to a workout playlist or a song to listen to while getting pumped up to start another day of making mom magic happen.
'Renegade'
"Renegade" by Big Red Machine (and featuring vocals from none other than Taylor Swift herself) is a grown-up love song about the challenges of loving someone who is struggling with mental illness like depression. It is full of yearning and compassion and a realistic look at the complications of loving someone who can't quite love themselves.
'Yonaguni'
"Yonaguni," an ode to heartbreak and a long-distance love, was a massive hit for Bad Bunny this year. If we were playing it on repeat, so were lots of other people, too — the song was the most-streamed song internationally on Spotify for 2021.
'Bad Habits'
When Ed Sheeran dropped "Bad Habits" in June 2021, it was the perfect time for a fun summer pop song. The track ended up being Ed's 10th top 10 hit in the US and reached No. 1 in multiple countries, no doubt thanks to how catchy and endlessly playable it is.
'I Wanna Remember'
Sometimes, the only song that will do is a big old dramatic power ballad featuring a duet between a gravel-voiced rocker and a country music sweetheart. "I Wanna Remember" by NEEDTOBREATHE and Carrie Underwood is perfect for singing along in the car. Nothing beats a car concert!
'Please'
We may not have been out doing a lot of dancing at clubs this year (let's blame that on one part COVID-19, one part pure mom exhaustion), but that doesn't mean we can't play one of the best dance songs of the year on repeat. "Please" by Jessie Ware is disco dance perfection.
'Levitating'
Topping many "best of" music lists for 2021 is Dua Lipa's completely inescapable hit "Levitating." This song is pure fun — a bit of pop music candy that is super fun to kitchen dance to with little dance partners or to add to a workout playlist.
'Right on Time'
Oh man, how does anyone not love Brandi Carlile? She made her Saturday Night Live debut this fall, and we were so excited that she played one of our biggest repeat songs of the year on the show. "Right on Time" is another tune meant for grown-ups navigating the realities of long-term relationships.
'Girl Like Me'
Jazmine Sullivan's album Heaux Tales was named NPR's record of the year and the song "Girl Like Me (Featuring H.E.R.)" was one of the big reasons why. The song is a ballad about the aftermath of dealing with a bad man and a broken heart, something that can be way too relatable for some of us.
'Wellerman'
Look, we're not saying that we spent the whole year jamming out to sea shanties, but there was a weird moment in early 2021 when suddenly sea shanties were a whole thing on TikTok. "Wellerman," released as a single by Nathan Evans, was the song that turned us all into sailors for about three weeks and yes, we played it a lot.
'Best Friend'
Another song that was both inescapable on TikTok but also on repeat play on so many streaming services in 2021 was "Best Friend" by Saweetie and Doja Cat. This tribute to hyping up a best friend and making sure people know that sometimes a best friend is a real soul mate was one of the most fun songs of the year.
