Best Music of 2021… so far

Well.

Some serious shit has happened since the last time I did one of these. Some of it has been good, the rest less good. But none of it is going to matter overmuch if we don’t get our act together when it comes to taking care of our planet right. fucking. now. So, visit Giving Green to find the best way to help do your part. Or else we’re screwed.

The following is a list of albums and songs that have connected with me during the first half of 2021. Things have still been wildly unsettled for the most part, but each of the following helped me in their own way. Maybe they’ll do the same for you.

**AUTHOR’S NOTE – Throughout the page you’ll find two Spotify links – one with all the albums (minus Nos. 9 and 14) and the songs I selected.
Happy listening**

 

Albums

1. A Billion Little Lights – Wild Pink

2. Changephobia – Rostam

3. Delta Kream – The Black Keys

 

4. Hard Up – The Bamboos

5. Quietly Blowing It – Hiss Golden Messenger

 

6. Open Door Policy – The Hold Steady

7. Sun – Pastel Coast

8. Little Oblivions – Julien Baker

9. Earth Trip – Rose City Band

10. Home Video – Lucy Dacus

11. Roses – The Paper Kites

12. Nurture – Porter Robinson

13. To See the Next Part Of The Dream – Parannoul

14. Navy’s Reprise – Navy Blue

15. Jubilee – Japanese Breakfast 

16. Somewhere Between Beauty and Magic – Joeboy

17. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST – Tyler, The Creator

18. GRACEFUL RAGE – Harmony Woods

 

19. The Marfa Tapes – Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert and Jon Randall

 

20. Cheap Dreams – Small Black

21. Memoryland – CFCF

22. Chemtrails Over the Country Club – Lana Del Rey

23. Deadpan Love – Cautious Clay

24. Long Lost – Lord Huron

25. Inside (The Songs) – Bo Burnham

 

Missing from playlist:

 9. Earth Trip – Rose City Band
14. Navy’s Reprise – Navy Blue

 

Songs 

1. "the angel of 8^th ave." – Single – Gang of Youths

2. "drivers license" – SOUR – Olivia Rodrigo

3. "Crawling Kingsnake" – Delta Kream – The Black Keys

4. "Addicted" – Be Right Back – Jorja Smith

5.  "Track Mud" – A Billion Little Lights – Wild Pink

6. "In the Rain" – Earth Trip – Rose City Band

7. "Leave the Door Open - Live" – Single – Silk Sonic

8. "We Win" – Space Jam: A New Legacy – Lil Baby and Kirk Franklin

9. "Last Day on Earth" – Our Extended Play – beabadoobee

10. "Our Tumultuous Times" – Ten Songs of Worship and Praise for our Tumultuous Times – St. Lenox

11. "I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For" – Single – Sarah Jarosz

12. "Bio18" – Changephobia – Rostam

13. "Shorty’s Ark" – Superwolves  – Matt Sweeney and Bonnie “Prince” Billy

14. "t-shirt" – forevher (Deluxe Edition) – Shura

15. "Chasing After You" with Maren Morris – Single – Ryan Hurd

16. "He said She Said" – Screen Violence – Chvrches

17. "Heaven is A Place in My Head" – Single – Bad Suns

18. "Trying to Feel Alive" – Nurture – Porter Robinson

19. "Hanover Camera" – Open Door Policy – The Hold Steady

20. "Bigger Man" with Maren Morris – in defense of my own happiness – Joy Oladokun

21. "Beside Myself" – Single – Lights

22. “Gasoline” – Women in Music Pt. III (Expanded Edition) – HAIM

23. "Avalanche" – Culture III – Migos

24. "Higher Power" – Single – Coldplay

25. "Pollyanna" – Single – Green Day

26. "Starstruck" – Single – Years and Years

27. "My Window" (feat. Mahalia) – Table for Two – Lucky Daye

28.  "Hypotheticals" – Obviously – Lake Street Dive

29. "Long Lost" – Long Lost – Lord Huron

30. "I Just Heard You Leaving" – Hard Up – The Bamboos

31. "jordan" – in defense of my own happiness – Joy Oladokun

32. "LAW OF AVERAGES" – Single – Vince Staples

33. “Wildfire” – Deadpan Love – Cautious Clay

34. "Bonafide" (feat. Chiiild) – The Juicebox – Emotional Oranges

35. "PINK FAMILY" – PINK PLANET – Pink Sweat$

36. "Twice Twilight" – True Sky – AKAI SOLO

37. "Eternal" – Flamingo Pier – Flamingo Pier

38. "Slide Tackle" – Jubilee – Japanese Breakfast

39. "Lover Girl" – Introducing… – Aaron Frazer

40. "On the Ground" – Single – ROSÉ

41. “Relative Fiction" – Little Oblivions – Julien Baker

42. "Duper’s Delight" – Latest Record Project Volume I – Van Morrison

43. "dancing in the kitchen" – Single – LANY

44. "Not All Who Wander Are Lost" – Chemtrails Over the Country Club – Lana Del Rey

45. "Out Loud" – Like a Stone – Remember Sports

46. "The Way You Felt" – Single – Alec Benjamin  

47. "For Violet" – Collapsed In Sumbeams – Arlo Parks

48. "Caught Up" (feat. Phony Ppl) – Homegrown – VanJess

49. "WASTING TIME" – OMG I MADE IT – PRONOUN

50. "Only Wanna Be With You (Pokémon 25 Version)" – Single – Post Malone