We’re only a little over a quarter through 2021, and there have been a large number of songs and albums taking the cake for songs that’ll keep you dancing year-round. As this is a list of my personal favorite songs, these are all in the pop genre because that’s most of what I listen to now.
Before I get into the list of 2021 releases, I want to give an honorable mention to the Hadestown Original Broadway Soundtrack. This is my latest musical theatre obsession, and I have this album on repeat when I’m in the musical mood. My favorite numbers from the show are “Chant,” “If it’s True,” “Wait for Me,” and “Epic I.” Also, Hadestown is coming to Boston in November, so I’ll definitely be in line trying to get tickets when they go on sale.
- Olivia Rodrigo’s Singles
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My first duo of 2021 releases that have been my favorites of the year are Olivia Rodrigo’s singles “drivers license” and “deja vu.” Now, are we surprised? Absolutely not. She has taken the music industry by storm, and I’m not mad about it. I’m still a fan of her in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and the songs she wrote for the show as well but hearing this not-so-Disney-clean side of her songwriting was very refreshing. And she does it very well, so that’s a big plus. I’m excited to see what else she has in store for her upcoming album!
- Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
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Next, I have Fearless (Taylor’s Version) by none other than the songwriting queen herself, Taylor Swift. This just came out a week ago, but it’s a guaranteed favorite on my list. Even though I didn’t really get into Taylor Swift’s music besides the singles until her Red era, listening to these new versions of her second album was still fun. My favorite song so far is “Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault).”
- DEMIDEVIL by Ashnikko
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At a complete 180 from the style of the last two songwriters, I have been loving the album DEMIDEVIL by Ashnikko. The songs here are the ones you lip-sync to in the mirror because you are feeling absolutely confident about yourself, and I love that. Some of the songs have gone viral on Tik Tok, so you may have already heard some from there, too (that’s how I started listening to the whole album). My favorite songs are “Cry” and “Good While It Lasted.”
- Some Singles!
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To end us off, I have a few singles that were released in anticipation of a full album later this year. First, Dove Cameron’s “Lazy Baby” makes me want to dance around my dorm room and scream the lyrics forever. It’s such a fun song, and I can’t wait for more music from her. Second, chloe moriondo’s “I Eat Boys” is just what I needed to really get hyped up for her album coming soon. The other singles released around the end of last year were also very good and worth giving a listen before the album comes out too. Thirdly, dodie’s “Hate Myself” is a certified bop that makes me feel a little bit better about all the overthinking I do on a daily basis. If you haven’t watched the music video, you should check that out too! Lastly, Hey Violet’s “Friends Like This” came to me by surprise because it’s been a while since the band has released music, and I have been waiting for too long for new songs and this single delivered. It absolutely encapsulated how I’ve been feeling the past year a bit alone in my room.
Hopefully, you found some new songs or artists to listen to for the next few months. There’s a lot of anticipation (at least on my end) for new albums, and I’m so excited to hear them as they come out!
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