"Only commit crimes here." The acknowledgment from NPR Music's Song of the Year is at the core of many of the stories in these 100 tracks. Perhaps the "WAP" coronations of Cardi and Megan last year marked a dramatic change in transgression. Perhaps, after wearing the mask for 20 months, we want to expose ourselves again. Maybe we hid some truths in the deep water, so as not to appear frivolous (or savage) in a ruthless situation. But in the song... the loot is called. The muffins are buttered. Retaliation is considered. In other words, we can become human again, and it feels good to be back. We sincerely hope that you will feel the same way when you browse our 7-hour playlist of the 100 best songs of the year. If you find yourself losing motivation or feeling down or wondering when things will eventually get better, feel free to skip the rest of the "everything is fine" part. (Jk, Taylor!) (Oh, you can find our 50 best albums of 2021 here.)
Play NPR Music's 100 best songs of 2021: Spotify / Apple Music / Tidal / Amazon Music / YouTube Music
At the age of 22, Taylor Swift released Red in 2012 and grew up in the gap between the country and the pop, the heartbreak and the freedom. The 31-year-old Swift has now released Red (Taylor version), revisiting some wounds that have not been treated nine years away, allowing her to release the anger that she once restrained herself unable to express. In this 10-minute cult classic "All Too Well", Swift expressed sympathy to her fragile young self through cursing, targeted lyrics-"I've never been good at telling jokes, but the punch line is, 'I will get older, but your love keeps my age'"-and diligent observation. The most powerful weapon in Swift's arsenal is her ability to collectively remember her romantic life. In a relationship that made her feel extremely uncomfortable when returning to the past, she bridged the sadness of youth with a mature perspective.
The new, meticulous lyrical details show that, from the inside, the relationship between highly publicized and theorized is unequal. The edited 5 and a half minutes version is blameless or even nostalgic, but the 10-minute version of "Everything is too good" is a boiling scorched earth tragedy, because Swift has become a crazy woman of course, she has always been considered Yes. Even in Swiftian's fan legend, "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)" proved that she is Swift's most authentic song, thanks to the large number of records she created once and for all. ——Latesha Harris
The most powerful spell makes you dance. "Avalon", created by American ballad bomber Rhiannon Giddens and Italian border springboarder Francesco Turrisi, is using this kind of alchemy. Co-authored with Justin Robinson (Giddens’ former band Carolina Chocolate Drops), this song appears on the brink of death: when she, Turisi, and guitarist Nivel Zumbu lock each other’s rhythms, Giddens played the role of a grave mourner, and she could suddenly catch a glimpse of the afterlife. As the only original song in Giddens and Turrisi's master album "They Are Calling Me Home", "Avalon" opens the door to the home and home song suite. On its own, it is a prayer that transcends religion, full of earthly joy. ——Ann Bowers
Singer Anna B Savage recently told the deep personal story of a complicated relationship through the night of listening to music under a small grand piano based on the "Baby Grand" based on the west coast of Ireland. "You leaned your head on me under the little grand piano/ I was frozen and too familiar/ You fell asleep, I held my hand." Anna's voice is likely to appeal to any Joni Mitchell fan , Her bright voice is fascinating, seductive and unique. --Bob Boren
Since the beginning of Rhythm, rappers have always turned their bad personalities into love. Scarface, accustomed to loving her, seeks solace in Mary Jane. In this sinful life, Pac relies on his "girlfriend" who triggers happiness. There are many theories about men’s physical weakness as female temptation, but Moneybagg Yo went a step further and gave his dependence a nickname: Wokesha is his lover, his therapist, his crutches-but mainly she is His thin man's cup in styrofoam. Needless to say, this is a toxic relationship. "I hope I will not OD / she keeps saying po' me," Yo rapped softly in the same DeBarge sample, making Biggie's "One More Chance/Stay With Me (Remix)" a popular Bad Boy ballad 26 years ago . The problem is that Moneybagg Yo knows that his mob passion for Wokesha is problematic. But this is a cycle of constant yearning and burning. "I finished with you the first minute/I'm going back the next minute," he admitted. "Go your way, I go my way/but somehow we are still attached." In an era where addiction takes so many lives prematurely, Moneybagg's honesty is both exhilarating and frightening. -Rodney Carmichael
Few things feel more lawless than being drunk and sad at a party, where you almost slipped away from your friends to text your ex. The "automation" of Snail Mail tells this feeling, because Lindsay Jordan was troubled by the false reality of the person she loved when he settled down for a stranger. In this perhaps one of Jordan's most lyrical songs, she constantly questioned her thoughts, actions, and loved ones. Her overcast mentality conveyed the lack of clarity that many of us lacked soberness: "I don't think I can stop her fire/I'm like your dog," she sang, and later, "I am naive, and I will be lonely by then. Clean up the party."-Sophie Hernandez-Simeonedis
Imagine opening a door expecting a library, but finding a carnival. That is Farruko's "Pepas". The soft-spoken first quarter quickly escalated into a violent party anthem, accompanied by chants, reggae and EDM at the same time. Fully public, I don't know what the name of this song is, or what it is, because it has exploded everywhere-wine cellars, bars and passing cars-since June. But every time I do this, I succumb to the beat. It turned out that I understood the task. Translated generously, this song stipulates to live in the present and attend the party like there is no tomorrow (although with a little extra help.) -Nikki Birch
One of the great themes of country music is also the source of its profound melancholy, which is that life continues even after suffering a devastating loss. After you collapse, albums like Carly Pearce's elegant, fun and impeccable honest divorce album 29: Written in Stone prove that you have to cheer up. The title song was written by well-honed confessional masters Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. It was Pearce's confession and admitted that the perfect picture was not suitable for her. Few heartbroken expressions are so sober, blaming themselves in the name of healing. "Let's call it that way," Pierce sang in her lonely alto. She is preparing for the next step. ——Ann Bowers
Once we are lucky enough to look back at the epidemic afterwards, Bo Burnham's Netflix tragicomedy special "Inside" will become one of its greatest works. A time capsule entry that captures the details of locked-in life. Inside releases a large number of hilarious and powerful songs at the same time, such as "That Funny Feeling", which captures if Elliott Smith tries to rewrite "We didn't fire." ( Examples of lyrics: "Carpool Karaoke, Steve Aoki, Logan Paul/Gift Shop in Shooting Range, Mass Shooting in Shopping Center.") In the textbook case of "Game Recognition Game", Phoebe Bridges almost Immediately start to cover the song; the song fits into her catalog perfectly, which speaks very well to both of them. --Stephen Thompson
Among the many explorations of what Yola's art album Stand for Myself needs and how it feels, "Starlight" is the most complex perceptual display. This is a gorgeous song, an inspiration and exploration of the soul of the disco era, and a completely mature fantasy. While waiting for Consummation, she savored desire itself. In the verse, she ended her long and gorgeous phrases with cunning segmentation, and then passed her gorgeous hooks to enhance the sense of expectation. ——Jewly Hight, WNXP
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Melina Duterte and Ellen Kemper seem to be a natural match. In their debut album Doomin' Sun as a bachelor, they transformed their respective projects Jay Som and Palehound into toughness and gentleness. "Back Of My Hand" delves into the eerie hyper-mania. Kempner played the role of Stan and sang, "I am your biggest fan/I have your song in my head/Your poster is on my bed/You watch me sleep." Chorus is the beauty of guitar and synthesizer. Outbreak, I hope this sound is not just a one-off project. --Bob Boren
With 333, Tinashe's second independent release since leaving RCA in 2019, the California singer-songwriter has entered her era of enlightened goddess. Faithful to the angel number named after it, the album explores the utopia eliminated from fear, while "X" featuring Jeremih relies on seductive cooing sounds and experimental mid-speed beats to express the devil possible between the sheets Care about the night. Tinashe's naughty voice is easy to use between singing and rap, "X marked the location, can you find it now?"-Rattha Harris
Pom Pom Squad's "Drunk Voicemail" is as severe as its heartache. It revives the lost dark and tough love song art in just three and a half minutes—or, if the vision helps, the overlap of the Venn diagrams of "destructive relationship" and "alternative rock". "Want to tell you that I hate you, but that is a lie/because I think I love you more than I am willing to try," Mia Bellin sang. "Drunk Voice Mail" ends with inexplicable guitar and vocal wisdom, depicting a person who insists on such a strong love and is not ready to give up on it. ——Alex Ramos
The last two projects of Nas, Kings Disease I and II, show that he has accepted his old politician, and more importantly, with Hit-Boy by his side, he has taken back stops in the beat selection category. In "Moments", his view is that a master of ceremonies has achieved enough success to enjoy the spoils and enough tenure to realize that time is a priceless commodity that he cannot recover: "Like the first swim/like Still a virgin/Take your training wheel off the rim/Move into your first crib or give birth to your first child/A moment you can’t relive." —Bobby Carter
Although opera singers were marginalized during the pandemic, baritone Will Liverman produced his dream album-an album dedicated to black composers. He commissioned Shawn Okpebholo to create two black churches, including "Rain", a dark mediation to the terrible church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015. This song uses water as a recurring image, slowly and deliberately revealing its pain. Halfway through, when Liverman sang "Emanuel AME Church", his velvety voice rose to a quiet falsetto. The song ends with waves of rippling piano notes, turning into a lonely, slowly rising chord, as if trying to keep the head above the water. ——Tom Huizenga
Who hasn't longed for a way out at least once? In "Way Out", North Carolina independent rock singer Indigo de Souza weighed this simple name request with unlimited possibilities, and captured ghosts and monsters in her insecure mind. "I want to be a lamp," she finally wailed on the jagged guitar, a song that distilled the arduous, hurry up work of embracing emotional fragility. —— Hazelnut Sears
Since the release of the mainstream debut album Cilvia Demo in 2014, Isaiah Rashad has been very focused on conveying his life experience in the easiest and most leisurely way. This includes his mistakes and struggles, as well as his own description of death and death. In the chorus of "Headshots (4r Da Locals)," Rashad groans fragilely with an unidentified female singer, while another unknown character cries longingly in the background; the mixing of vocals makes Rashad lazy Wandering profusely through the rest of the song, while returning to the base of this internal conflict. All in all, it feels like Isaiah Rashad is sharing information about his growth and determination while acknowledging that he is just a human being. ——Kiana Fitzgerald
As one of the more refreshing K-pop comebacks in 2021, STAYC's "Stereotype" addresses the pressure of being a girl in the eyes of the public with an attitude. STAYC invites listeners to watch and listen beyond their girl group structure and the concept of "youth and freshness"; those who persist to the end will encounter unique voices and attractive personalities. The track allows each member to show how the spotlight best hits them while bounced off the energy of other members. Although their works are few, STAYC seems to be formed almost accidentally-"Stereotype", which is a song they wrote for the band before their debut in 2020, is proof. ——Alex Ramos
The voice of Phil Pendergast will break your heart-his vibrato penetrates the surface of despair, awakening your senses. But without the combined talent and fragility of guitarist Ben Hutcherson and drummer Zach Coleman, Khemmis would not have sounded so strongly. Starting from the deceiver, "Avernal Gate" opens with an acoustic guitar duet that pays tribute to the puppet master. This is a Metallica comparison that is not easy to give, because this 7-minute track intricately combines the yearning for doom metal with the classic heavy metal improvisation The performance and the tearing feedback of the soul are intertwined. "Avernal Gate", self-conscious but full of power, meditating on your darkest reflection, accompanied by the ending of an explosion, screaming about the upcoming oblivion: "Under the tide of cinder, I accept that this is who I am Fate."-Lars Gottrich
Charge each pulse with fast beats, "Orca" has a sense of urgency. With the changes in the sound and rhythm of music, musical instruments roared by unscrupulously during Orizaka's exaggerated transformation. The song itself brings together all the essence of jazz-endless creativity, joy of exploration-to create a melody that immediately appeals to your ears and forces you to stop and listen. -Fiorelli
As the defending queen of Jersey club music, UNIIQU3 has been producing bubbly club music for the past few years, and "micro-dosing" is a quick and intense addition to her excellent catalog. "Stop giving micro doses to my lover," UNIIQU3 sang in a frantic chorus, sweetened the promise with a never-ending orgasmic promise, and then spit out the verse: "I am not something you can refuse." The season for standing idly by has arrived. —— Hazelnut Sears
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