The Top 100 Songs of 2021: 100 - 91

2021 has been an interesting year for music as a whole. While it lacked the utter stand-outs of 2020, it was arguably one of the most consistent years for music in memory. As a result, I noted that a top 50 countdown for global releases would not really cut it, and instead opted for a much more ambitious top one hundred countdown, and even then I had to leave some stunning releases, with the honorable mentions and more remaining stacked.

It was a balanced year, with my top 10 featuring artists from Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, China, Indonesia, America, Kazakhstan, and India. This alone provides some major spoilers but shows how balanced this year was. While there was not a single 10/10 song this year, there were several highlights. Now let us get into the requirements to be on this list!

• The song must have been released between January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021, though exceptions will be made at times.
• Any song from any nation is allowed.
• Instrumental and vocal tracks are allowed, but classical music is not allowed.
• B-Sides and singles count.
• Soundtracks are also included.
• This list is my personal opinion.

With that said, let the lists begin!

100. Youha - Abittipsy

Barely edging it into the list, Youha's Abittipsy proved highly influential, as many other Korean synth-pop tracks followed its basic template. However, it stands out in its own right as a fun little synthwave song. (Full Review)

99. Brave Girls - Chi Mat Ba Ram

Brave Girls' 2021 was something straight out of an uplifting movie. Their career could have faded into obscurity afterwards, but the jubliant Chi Mat Ba Ram provided otherwise as one of the year's best summer tracks. (Full Review)

98. SHINee - Days and Years

Adding an important level of emotion to SHINee's fantastic Atlantis album, Days and Years remains a fantastic farewell (for now) for the legendary K-Pop group. (Full Review)

97. Epic Mountain - The Tail End

For one of the slowest and deepest Kurzgesagt videos in ages, Epic Mountain produced this fantastic instrumental, setting the stage for more to come.

96. Altin Gün - Yüce Dağ Başında

Letting co-vocalist Merve Daşdemir stand in the spotlight for a bit, Yüce Dağ Başında takes full advantage of its funky disco-influenced production.

95. Key - Hate That Ft. Taeyeon

A pre-release single of Key's fantastic EP Bad Love, Hate That takes a simplistic approach. However, the story told between the inter-play of Key and Taeyeon makes this song more than memorable. (Full Review)

94. Epik High - Rosario Ft. CL, Zico

A full-fledged collaboration between three of the biggest names in the Korean hip-hop industry, Rosario sees each of them stake claim to their legacy. From the clever lyrics to the tilting verses, everything leads to CL's definitive chorus.

93. Robin Packalen - Hard to Love Ft. Alex Mattson

A propulsive EDM anthem, Hard to Love tells a story with its euphoria. Robin makes a great pairing with Blind Channel member and composer Alex Mattson with the song's icy synths (Full Review)

92. aespa - Savage

aespa had an incredible 2021, and Savage was its peak. From the flipping percussion to the epic vocal moments, the drama Savage peaked in a fantastic chorus before dropping into a shocking second half. (Full Review)

91. KAMIYADO - Caramel Sweet

A piece of sugary, sweet, cotton-candy pop, KAMIYADO's Caramel Sweet shines over its kawaii moments with a pure joyful headrush in its chorus.