In a year that has proved just as unpredictable as the last, the best songs of 2021 haven’t been just background noise, but a whole other world to escape into. Sure, there have been hits to herald our tentative returns to the dance floor—courtesy of Lil Nas X’s cheeky hip-hop fantasias, or the ongoing global rise of Afrobeats stars like Wizkid, or even the pop-punk revival represented here by Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u”—but just as memorable have been the songs that felt like a shoulder to cry on. Whether it was the return of masterful sonic storytellers like Adele, Taylor Swift, and Billie Eilish, or “sad girl autumn” standouts from the likes of Mitski, Snail Mail, and MUNA, there were plenty of tracks to get you deep in your feelings, too.
From bangers to ballads and everything in between, you can find all of Vogue’s best songs of 2021 below.
“Chaise Longue,” Wet Leg
Best debut single in a generation? Whatever. Maybe. This song is beyond criticism. It’s that rarest of things: Immediate, infectious, mysterious-but-who-cares fun. Wet Leg is a band formed—while drunk, at the top of a Ferris wheel at a music festival—by two college besties from the Isle of Wight. They’ve only got two songs out (we’ll have to wait until April for their first album), but their December U.S. tour is already sold out, as is the entirety of their U.K. dates for 2022. One listen to “Chaise Longue”—think Plastic Bertrand’s “Ça Plane Pour Moi” meets Mean Girls—explains why. —Corey Seymour, senior editor
“Jealousy, Jealousy,” Olivia Rodrigo
I’m not 16 (to say the least), but Olivia Rodrigo’s album spoke to the part of me that still yearns to escape societal expectations and mundane routine. Beyond “Brutal,” which begs to be played at max volume, my standby song is “Jealousy, Jealousy.” We all knew social media was toxic, but 2021 has hit us over the head with that reality. Anyone who spends time on Instagram will relate: “Comparison is killing me slowly / I think I think too much / ’bout kids who don’t know me.” —Ella Riley-Adams, senior living and beauty editor
“Soundgasm,” Rema and “Essence,” Wizkid ft. Tems
It’s fair to say that this was the year that Afrobeats finally crossed over in the U.S.—I mean, Wizkid’s mega hit “Essence” was literally inescapable even before Justin Bieber jumped on the record. A newer artist out of Nigeria by the name of Rema recently caught my attention as well. I first saw him perform in Lagos a couple of years ago when he was just coming up on the scene, so it’s been great to see his single “Soundgasm” getting play here. It’s everything that a good Afrobeats banger needs to be: highly infectious, totally hypnotic, with the kind of cheeky hook that you’ll find yourself singing along to on the dance floor—or in my case, in the shower. —Chioma Nnadi, editor, Vogue.com
“Waves Of Blue,” Majid Jordan
From the moment I heard this masterpiece homage to ’80s R&B, I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. Pure joy. —Sergio Kletnoy, global entertainment director
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” Lil Nas X
My favorite song would be the groundbreaking Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” with its sensational video. A celebration of queer style and pride for the ages, and music that gives me joy every time I hear it. —Hamish Bowles, international editor-at-large
“Bug or Flea,” blair
Blair is a band of Brooklyn zoomers steeped in ’90s DIY indie and frayed emo who make melodic, shambolic rock songs that crest and fall apart in the most beautiful way. Their scrappy three-song EP Tears to Grow was my favorite release of the year—redolent of pre-”Float On” Modest Mouse—and “Bug or Flea” is its highlight: a poignantly beautiful rock song about drifting home after a long night. —Taylor Antrim, deputy editor
“Prioritise Pleasure,” Self Esteem
Rebecca Taylor of Self Esteem’s sophomore record was a slow-burner at first, but it’s now one of my absolute favorites of the year. It’s bold and clever and uncompromising and best of all very, very funny—think the weird lovechild of Lily Allen and David Byrne. While Taylor’s millennial update of Baz Lurhmann’s “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen),” “I Do This All the Time,” is a close second, I think I love the walloping drums and glitchy guitar riffs of the album’s title track the most. Taylor is a superstar in the making, and I can’t wait to see what she does next. —Liam Hess, contributing editor
“Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic
2021 has been hard, but Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak made it a lot easier. “Leave the Door Open” is a love letter to the ’70s. It brought me back to my childhood love of the Ohio Players, Rick James, and Earth Wind and Fire. (For the record, I too had a 1977 Monte Carlo.) “Put on a Smile” and “After Last Night’” are close second favorites. An Evening with Silk Sonic puts you in a good mood, it makes you smile—something we could all use more of these days. —Virginia Smith, fashion director
“Soft Spot,” Claud
Claud sings about getting dumped and the feelings that linger like they’re reading from a particularly brutal diary entry. The best breakup songs are the ones that aren’t afraid to sound slightly pathetic, and you can all but see Claud’s eyes welling up when they sing “I wish I left all my things at your place so I could come get them.” It belongs on every breakup playlist alongside “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” for maximum emotional devastation. —Keaton Bell, entertainment associate
“Best Friend,” Saweetie ft. Doja Cat
Not since Lil’ Kim’s “Not Tonight” has a best friend anthem stirred my soul thusly. “Best Friend” captures one of the key tenets of female friendship—self-congratulation!—for having one’s own money, not needing men, and, vitally, fresh blowouts. It occupied a place of honor in my girls’ weekend playlist. —Michelle Ruiz, contributing editor
“Die Young,” Selli Paper
I love looking at music as a means of escapism. As far as biases go, my taste is for anything exciting, emotional, dance-worthy, and an outright headbanger. Selli Paper is an artist whose music is not only those few things but music that connects to a wider population of people who just get it (whatever your it may be). —Cassandra Pintro, associate producer
“Easy on Me,” Adele
Predictable? Yes. Do I listen to it on repeat? Yes! —Rickie de Sole, executive fashion director, Vogue.com
“BDE,” Shygirl ft. Slowthai
With the return of nightlife this year, Shygirl’s short film BLU is the perfect video to play on repeat. It debuted her new single “BDE,” featuring Slowthai, as well as new renditions of my personal favorites “Siren” and “Bawdy.” With Shygirl more is more; infectious industrial house beats, provocative lyrics, and always a stunning visual. —David Vo, senior designer
“Working for the Knife,” Mitski
I’m reasonably confident that there’s nothing Mitski could do that I wouldn’t be obsessed with, but “Working for the Knife”—her first single in two years—is a return to her former glory, with just the right lyrical mix of relatable ennui and hope. (Sample line: “I cry at the start of every movie / I guess ’cause I wish I was making things too”). —Emma Specter, culture writer
“24 Hours,” Agnes
Swedish pop music can do no wrong. This pop banger reminds me of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love,” and that’s a good thing! —Sergio Kletnoy, global entertainment director
“All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift
Considering I’ll sometimes abandon minute-long TikToks because my attention has already wandered, it’s a feat that Taylor Swift manages to consistently hold my attention throughout her 10-minute long ballad. In this case, the reboot is better than the original. —Sarah Spellings, fashion news editor
“4 the Dancers,” by Stonie Blue & Ben Hixon ft. Stefan Ringer
Earlier this year, Stonie Blue and Ben Hixon released What You Want, a four-track EP that will undoubtedly get you excited about music again. “4 The Dancers” featuring Stefan Ringer is my favorite from the project because the moment you turn the song on, no matter if you’re at home or at a party, the beat takes over and you can’t help but dance. There’s a certain ease to the song that transports you to a space where nothing else matters but just simply having a good time while listening to it. —Naomi Elizée, fashion editor
“Please,” Jessie Ware
Recent albums from the likes of Dua Lipa to Kylie Minogue have been inspired by dance music from yesteryear, but Ware came closest to replicating the euphoria of a sweaty night out at a club with What’s Your Pleasure? It’s telling of how high the quality is that “Please,” a thumping gem from the Platinum Pleasure edition of the album, was a bonus track and not a lead single. It sounds like something you’d hear playing over a montage of ‘90s supermodels strutting down a runway, which is all the initiative you should need to listen to it now. —Keaton Bell, entertainment associate
“No Time to Die,” Billie Eilish
I guess the Billie Eilish song “No Time to Die” doesn’t technically count since the movie was supposed to come out last year, but it’s good enough to count for 2020 and 2021. Is it the best James Bond theme song ever? With apologies to Carly Simon and “Nobody Does It Better” from The Spy Who Loved Me, I say yes. —Nicole Phelps, global director, Vogue Runway
“Movement 6,” Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and The London Symphony Orchestra
From the masterpiece album Promises (the outcome of a five-year-long process), “Movement 6” is to me one of the many highlights that came out of the collaboration between acclaimed DJ and musician Sam Shepherd (a.k.a. Floating Points) and legendary saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, widely considered as one of America’s greatest living jazz artists. The album is incredibly modern, bending many genres and crossing generations. This track in particular is very emotional, playing around a short synthesizer, harpsichord, and piano refrain that repeats itself every nine seconds throughout the entire album. It progressively builds up towards an intense climax near the end, with the help of a string section. It’s truly beautiful. —Fernando Dias de Souza, innovation director
“Once You’ve Been in Love,” Barbra Streisand
My favorite song of the year is “Once You’ve Been in Love,” by one Barbra Joan Streisand. Compared to other songs on this list, it’s not new, new—Streisand’s vocal is from 1973—but it was only released this summer, when it appeared on the compilation album Release Me 2, and to this devoted fan (…yes!…) it was a major discovery. I won’t go on too long about its lyricists, Marilyn and Alan Bergman (“The Way We Were”), or composer, Michel Legrand (the scores to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Young Girls of Rochefort, etc.), much less what they’ve accomplished together (the soundtrack to Yentl). Just suffice it to say that I’m a ballad girl, and this one hit me right where I live. —Marley Marius, associate features editor
“Valentine,” Snail Mail
Snail Mail’s newest album has been on repeat in my apartment. It’s so pained and beautiful, honest and clear. “Valentine” and “Forever (Sailing)” are my two sad-girl favorites. —Steff Yotka, Senior Fashion News Editor
“Good 4 U,” Olivia Rodrigo
Isn’t it a Paramore ripoff? Should anyone older than 30 responsibly enjoy it? Why is Courtney Love mad again? Kick up whatever dust you’d like around Olivia Rodrigo’s infectious breakup anthem and the rest of us will keep pressing play on this three-minute slice of pop-punk heaven. Olivia Rodrigo stole 2021 from the Taylors, the Billies, the Lordes, and “good 4 u” shows why: This is a windows open, top speed, shout-along masterpiece about a boy who’s moved on…and honestly who cares? “I guess that therapist I found you really helped.” Damn. —Taylor Antrim, deputy editor
“Daniel,” Will Young
From one of my fave albums of the year, filled with covers of female songs, by the first U.K. Pop Idol winner. My favorite one is a song made famous by Bat For Lashes about naive teenage love and it’s actually better, cooler, and more lush than the original. Don’t @ me! —Sergio Kletnoy, global entertainment director
“Lonely,” Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco
A reformed Bieber reckoned with the trials of growing up in the public eye on this year’s Justice, but perhaps no more candidly than in “Lonely,” a haunting track produced by Benny Blanco in which Bieber bares all, in his trademark croon, with lyrics like: “And everybody saw me sick / And it felt like no one gave a shit / They criticized the things I did as an idiot kid.” Say what you want about Bieber—and he knows you will—but I’ll never question his raw talent. —Michelle Ruiz, contributing editor
“Like I Used To,” Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen
One of those collaborations where you can’t imagine why it didn’t happen sooner, Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen’s dazzling ballad about finding your identity again after mending a broken heart is as bombastic as it is devastating. “Like I Used To” is the sound of two genius songwriters at the height of their powers, and seriously catchy to boot. —Liam Hess, contributing editor
“To Be Loved,” Adele
I think I’m with the popular vote when I proclaim that this song—the gut-wrenching penultimate track on Adele’s (very) long-awaited album 30—is hands-down a favorite this year. The ballad is full of so much raw emotion and vulnerability that one can easily feel the pain and anguish of Adele’s relationship and self-love journey through every plea and piano key. So much so, that it continues to bring me to tears nearly every time I listen! With that I say, damn it, Adele—you’ve done it again. —Clarissa Schmidt, commerce producer
“Maza,” Inna
Anyone who knows me knows I am a huge Inna stan. I absolutely love the Romanian pop star. Why are we waiting for Adele and Rihanna to make albums when Inna presents us with a delicious bop literally every month? The music is super catchy and it’s so fun. “Maza” is extremely seductive and yet has that upbeat pop vibe. Also, if you want to get into Inna, you should listen to her timeless classic “Hot.” Young artists like Dua Lipa and Lorde, take note: This is the artist that you should be inspired by! Endless energy, endless hits. —Liana Satenstein, senior fashion news writer
“Coming Back,” James Blake and SZA
I listened to so much new music this year, it’s impossible to choose just one favorite! I can’t get over James Blake and SZA’s gorgeous track “Coming Back” from his new album, but when I’m walking around New York, I tend to need something high-energy. Right now it’s a mix of Kurt Vile’s brand-new “Run Run Run,” Jungle’s “Keep Moving,” and Parquet Courts’ “Walking at a Downtown Pace.” —Emily Farra, senior fashion news writer
“White Dress,” Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey shared not one but two hit albums this year. The California native singer-songwriter is known for her vintage Americana style and lust for romance, which both play key roles in her new releases. I happened to be in Joshua Tree when Del Rey’s sixth studio album, Chemtrails Over the Country Club, went live. And since she filmed the music video for the album’s opening track “White Dress”on the very same sand, I couldn’t dream up a better setting to discover Del Rey’s latest lyrical poetry. —Eliseé Browchuk, experiences production and marketing manager
“Silk Chiffon,” MUNA ft. Phoebe Bridgers
I was a bit late to hop on the MUNA train, but I remember hearing “Number One Fan” when it came out in 2019 and it blew my socks off—a perfect pop song! So I was super excited when they got signed to Phoebe Bridgers’s Saddest Factory imprint, and even more so when they joined forces with Bridgers on “Silk Chiffon.” It’s a feather-light ode to sapphic love that’s one part queer-John-Hughes-movie, two parts euphoric-’80s-dream-pop, and every part delightful—and has always put a little pep in my step when I’ve been feeling gloomy this year. —Liam Hess, contributing editor
“In Your Mouth,” JASSS
Berlin-based Spanish artist, producer, and DJ Silvia Jiménez Álvarez, known as JASSS, recently released her second album, A World of Service, which also marks her debut with the mythical Berlin techno club Berghain’s in-house label Ostgut Ton. I love the vocoders, the heavy bass line, the trip-hop beat, and the surging string arrangements that bring to mind Massive Attack’s “Unfinished Sympathy,” which holds a special place in my heart. —Fernando Dias de Souza, innovation director
“Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All),” Lorde
Lorde returned this year on her own terms and gave us another album as relatable as the last. And in the midst of another crazy year, it was great to welcome back an artist who knows how to perfectly pin down growing up and getting older. I would like to bill this song as Lorde’s version of “22” by Taylor Swift—for the 25-year-olds who are a little weary but a little more confident, too. —Carolina Gonzalez, assistant to the editor in chief
“Rest,” Alanis Morissette
She just has a way with words. Her storytelling is a gift and this song about mental health makes you look at life and its complexities from a completely different perspective. —Sergio Kletnoy, global entertainment director
“Skyscrapers,” Nina Kraviz
I love Nina Kraviz. She’s a Russian former dentist turned DJ. She’s recently released less techno, thumpy songs, and more light but still oomph-hitting songs. One of her latest is “Skyscrapers,” which is a whirlwind hit. The other one I love is “This Time.” Great style, and another bonus? Great cheekbones! —Liana Satenstein, senior fashion news writer
“Crushed Velvet,” Yves Tumor
In my eyes, Yves Tumor’s genre-defying sound, devilishly good fashions, and on-stage charisma make them one of the best rock stars we have right now. I could pick just about any track off their latest EP, The Asymptotical World, as a favorite, but “Crushed Velvet,” with its psychedelic guitar riff, has been my go-to song over the past few months when getting ready to go out. “I feel my best when / I’m dressed in all crushed velvet,” Tumor sings. Even if I’m just wearing a T-shirt and jeans, it makes me feel at least 50% more stylish. —Liam Hess, contributing editor
“Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish
We experienced a lot of emotions in 2021, and this song captures every single of them—sadness, anger, happiness, excitement. It’s one of Billie’s best, in my opinion. —Christian Allaire, fashion and style writer
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