best of Jake’s Best of 2021 (Top Shows) (1/6)

[Sunderland 4ever]

On 12/19/2021 at 8:28 PM, Achilles. said:

3. Jessie Ware, What’s Your Pleasure

I enjoyed this record a lot last year.

[Achilles.]

Best Singles of 2021

Part One

 

50. Jhene Aiko, Lead The Way

 

Jhene Aiko takes us to Kumandra in this charming, inoffensive theme song from Raya and the Last Dragon. 

 

49. Giveon, For Tonight

 

It’s always enjoyable whenever a song rips off whatever song “Stay With Me” ripped off.

 

48. Pink, All I Know So Far

 

Pop’s greatest punk rock mom wants you to know she’s not like the other moms! This is mostly notable for the way that she makes generic platitudes feel like hard-won experience. 

 

47. Coldplay, Higher Power

 

A generic bop is only ever as good as its chorus, and “Higher Power” has a perfectly serviceable one. Still, if you’re going to write songs about Dakota Johnson, you could at least throw in a fun line about her ending talk show hosts or tattooing Olivia Colman. She just seems too interesting to be the muse of such basic fare. 

 

46. Mitski, Working for the Knife

 

“I cry at the start of every movie / I guess cause I wish I was making things too” is an opening lyric for the ages, but its sentiment would mean more coming from some flop rather than one of the most critically adored artists of recent times. 

 

45. Glass Animals, I Don’t Wanna Talk

 

“Heat Waves” isn’t a fluke, in case you didn’t already know.

 

44. Kacey Musgraves, Justified

 

This simple, inoffensive AC radio bait owes a lot to the 00s songs of its ilk, and would likely be in the bottom 5 on your average Taylor Swift album, but it’s the highlight of Kacey Musgraves’s cute little divorce album. 

 

43. Lil Nas X, Montero

 

The video really elevates the song. It’s underwritten and doesn’t emphasize its standout chorus nearly enough. He probably could’ve tried a few more takes on the vocals, too. Still, it’s good and fun. 

 

42. Lizzo, Rumors

 

Lizzo falls into the “Shake It Off” trap here: she is complaining about haters saying things about her that nobody has ever actually said. Still, the song has a fun flow and an excellent pre-chorus, and Cardi B shows up with an outstanding verse to salvage what she can. “Last time I got freaky, the FCC sued me!”

 

41. Big Red Machine, Renegade

 

Taylor Swift walks the jagged edge of trying to push down her frustration in order to empathize with someone’s mental health struggles, which is a fairly unique subject to write about. 
 

 

Thanks for your comments!  

[dreamofyou]

renegade higher power is such a bop

[JGibson]

Renegade + Rumors+ justified + I Don't Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance) + Higher Power + All I Know So Far 

[Tsareena]

working for the knife, justified, rumors

[Remmy]

I think justified is cute, don't know why it was a lead (+ maybe even only?) single... Rumors was an underwhelming return for Lizzo, really wanted a big smash banger.  Renegade  All I Know So Far + Higher Power

[Mr. Loco]

Montero CMBYN is such a bop 

The shade and praise for P!nk at the same time 

[Ewan Chaos]

Jesus the dragging of Kacey The fact she's even on your list is a miracle, I assumed all Taylor stans loathed her.

 

Rumors underrated! And we stan Montero and Working for the Knife. I get what you mean about that lyric probably meaning more from "a flop" but I always took it more as a lyric about writer's block rather than not having your art appreciated. idk.

[D/X]

I Don't Wanna Talk  The best that Glass Animals have released so far IMO.

[gagacasanova]

Did a little much on Justified but glad to see it here

 

Renegade 

[Lazuli]

higher power is a no  

the kacey drag NNNN you did not lie tho  

renegade

working for the knife   

[TheWayWeWere]

All I Know So Far is her best single in YEARS, I can't believe it was wasted on a compilation  

Renegade and Justified  

Working for a Knife  

[Sunderland 4ever]

So we're finally starting with 2021.

 

Justified and Working for the Knife are my picks here. I expected more from Kacey, though.

[Achilles.]

On 12/22/2021 at 1:00 AM, Ewan Chaos said:

Jesus the dragging of Kacey The fact she's even on your list is a miracle, I assumed all Taylor stans loathed her.

My dislike for her is entirely unrelated to my love for Taylor! I’m a big country fan and Same Trailer Different Park is one of my favorite debut records ever. I thought Golden Hour was a just a nice album and a step back in the right direction after the underwhelming Pageant Material; the adoration and accolades that were heaped upon the album were entirely unmerited.

 

I also have, uh, issues with the narrative of her career. But that’s irrelevant here.  

[Achilles.]

Best Singles of 2021

Part Two

 

40. Baby Queen, Raw Thoughts 

 

“I’m thinking about you, but you’re thinking about sex” Baby Queen repeats in the bridge of one of the earliest songs she ever wrote. It’s a lyric that cuts right to the core of a relationship that fizzled out because two people had different interests, different desires, and different priorities. However, it also paints a picture of the exes in different stages of moving on: one still pining after the other, who has already moved on. 

 

39. Dua Lipa, Love Again

 

If there’s one thing Dua Lipa knows how to do, it’s release pop songs that somehow manage to be great despite (or because of?) her absolute lack of personality. 

 

38. Lorde, Solar Power 

 

It’s kinda tragic that one of the best artists of the year decided to make an album inspired by the wonders of the natural world, and this was the best she could come up with. Sure, the song is soaked in summer sun and lifts spirits like a day on the beach, but it’s a shortlived and superficial high. 

37. Troye Sivan, Angel Baby

 

Troye Sivan admirably attempts to make a moody and romantic noughties boyband power ballad, but it’s no “Truly Madly Deeply.”

 

36. Conan Gray, People Watching

 

This is a painfully relatable ode to wallflowers who observe other couples and are struck with envy for their happy, loving relationships. The bridge is great.

 

35. Joshua Bassett, Set Me Free

 

Joshua Bassett rounds out the pop twink triplet set with “Set Me Free,” a moving plea to stop relitigating the past, lay your ghosts to rest, and get on with life. Bassett has already shown so much improvement in just the past year alone, and I’m eager to see what he’ll deliver in the future. 

 

34. Kehlani, Altar

 

Was recently shocked to learn that this isn’t a sex song! Lol

 

33. Hayley Kiyoko, Chance

 

Lesbian Jesus understands the complexities of queer longing better than just about anyone. 

 

32. UPSAHL, Melatonin

 

I discovered this song last month on the longlists for the ATRL Grammys and fell in love with it at once. Have I heard it enough to be familiar with it, or know what it’s about? No, not really! But it’s a great song that I’m sure to spend more time with in 2022. 

31. Taylor Swift, Mr Perfectly Fine

 

Leave it to Taylor to leave this sitting in the vault for 13 years instead of slapping it onto Fearless: Platinum Edition back in the day; it easily could’ve been the third big smash from the album if its release coincided with Platinum Edition’s drop. It also could’ve been a big smash this past spring when it finally saw the light of day, if only she’d given it a proper single push and a music video. (It deserved these things far more than “I Bet You Think About Me”). It’s a timeless bop of good old fashioned teenage melodrama, but my favorite bit is the way that “right ti-i-ime, baby!” hits in the chorus. 
 

 

Thanks for your continued comments, everyone! Not sure when the next update will come, so Happy Christmas to all who celebrate!

[JGibson]

Love Again + Solar Power

[dreamofyou]

solar power & mr perfectly fine bops

[Alldeezy]

Love Again :D

[Sunderland 4ever]

14 hours ago, Achilles. said:

39. Dua Lipa, Love Again

[Mr. Loco]

Mr. Perfectly Fine was absolutely robbed of being a huge smash... Idk if I can forgive Tay for that 

Love again... we love Dua smashing left and right! 

[gagacasanova]

Love again, Mr Perfectly Fine 

[Remmy]

People Watching is cute. I like Love Again but it's been overrated for a while I believe  Meanwhile, Solar Power (song) was overhated and underrated! Angel Baby whew Troye snapped once again! Mr Perfectly Fine yesss  Yeah your writeup is exactly how I feel about it. Raw Thoughts  The first BBQ song I heard and after two weeks I was HOOKED.

[Lazuli]

love again, solar power, angel baby  you did not have to lowkey drag every single one of them tho nnn

mr perfectly fine  truly the smash that got away! 

[TheWayWeWere]

Love Again aged like a fine wine

Altar as a sex song  screaming

Solar Power  

[D/X]

Omg Raw Thoughts I also really liked that line from the song.