The Top 100 Songs of 2021: 60 - 51

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!

60. Shreya Ghoshal & Soumyadeep Ghoshal - Angana Morey

Shreya Ghoshal has always been a talented vocalist, but Bollywood material never helped her explore her talents. With her brother Soumyadeep as producer, she finally gets to explore musical identity with traditional music and electronic beats riding galore. (Full Review)

59. Wagakki Band - Aria of Life

Traditional music is something always fantastic to appreciate, and the Wagakki Band (quite literally, Wagakki means traditional Japanese instrumentation) are quite famous for this. Aria of Life might be their best yet, growing to a fantastic crescendo. (Full Review)

58. Jason Moon - Just Like 17

Jason Moon's EP remains one of the most underrated releases this year, and the unpromoted title track remained a complete highlight. The nostalgic emotions displayed throughout Just Like 17 work in tandem with the city pop instrumental. (Full Review)

57. Fantastics - Stop For Nothing

Easily the best single for the Exile Tribe group in a dominant year for them, Stop For Nothing blends rock, pop, EDM, along with some synths, over a simple melody for great effect. Each hook outdoes the previous. (Full Review)

56. MARINA - Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land

MARINA's new album was heralded by its titular title track, driven by its mysterious attitude and ambitious theming. Sure, the lyrics feel like only a half-understanding of Indian philosophy, but there is very little to criticize in that stunning melody. (Full Review)

55. ABBA - When You Danced With Me

ABBA took on a folk sound with this Christmas dance number in their album. The themes of nostalgia, memory, and hope make this an excellent track. (Full Review)

54. Navneet Aditya Waiba - Udho Jada

After her legendary mother's passing, Navneet Aditya Waiba has remade several folk ballads also sung by her mother. This year's Udho Jada was one of the best, with its folk story remaining incredible.

53. Akdong Musician - Nakka Ft. IU

AKMU's album had some high-profile collaborations, but few were as notable as this collaboration with chart-topper IU. Momentum is highly important in pop music, and Chanhyuk fully understood this while writing Nakka. The song knows when to stop and when to speed, leading to the incredible futuristic post-chorus.

52. ONF - The Realist

ONF's debut studio album had an incredible unpromoted gem with The Realist. Muted, heavily autotuned, and almost entirely synth-based, it is sometimes surprising how incredible The Realist remains. However, it remains an example of composer and lyricist Hwang Hyun's storytelling skills.

51. P1Harmony - Scared

P1Harmony took hold of the aggressive hip-hop sound from early 2010s K-Pop and infused it with some cinematic teenage angst. The result is one of the year's most idiosyncratic tracks, jumping from dramatic pre-chorus to the swag-worthy drop. (Full Review)