Alright guys, we did it. We made it to the end of 2021. I have to admit, I thought by now the pandemic and all its associated weirdness would be a distant memory. For that, I will humbly don my clown suit. But even so, I have a lot to be grateful for. I am happy in my job and my relationship. I moved into a much better living situation. I celebrated a number of milestones for myself and for the people I love. And more relevantly, I started the Pop Apologist blog! This little passion project has been the best creative outlet, and I appreciate any of you who spent time reading my posts this year. Thank you, truly. And with that, I proudly present, in no particular order, my top ten favorite albums from 2021. Enjoy!
UPSAHL has a bone to pick about the twenties. You know, those years that are universally heralded as the time of your life? The Phoenix-born singer-songwriter is calling bullshit, and her debut album Lady Jesus is her treatise on the matter. It has been a while since I have listened to an album that so accurately represents the 20-something experience in all its unstable glory. Across the 10-track LP, UPSAHL toes the line between self-destruction and self-awareness, as she sings about cheating exes, one night stands, party drugs, mistakes, and insecurities. However, the groovy bass lines and dance-worthy percussion remind us that UPSAHL isn’t looking for sympathy. She is taking her lumps and spinning them into one of the freshest, most exciting pop albums of the year. In her own words, “It’s a shitshow, but it’s lit though.”
Before this year, it seemed like the music world was betting against Lil Nas X. Though his country-rap hit “Old Town Road” took over the airwaves in 2019, many wrote the track off as another “Gangnam Style” gimmick that would soon fizzle out. So what did the 22-year-old rapper and singer do? He rode a stripper pole straight to hell and gave Satan a lap dance. No, really. In late March, he released the lead single for MONTERO, a queer booty-call anthem “Call Me By Your Name,” accompanied by a salacious music video that thumbs its nose at religion and homophobia. Then in July, he doubled down, releasing the video for “INDUSTRY BABY” which featured a naked dance break in a prison shower. These incredible performance-art moments are what sold me on Lil Nas X. Through his fearless authenticity as a gay, black man, he forces us to examine our understanding of racial and gender norms, and provides a voice for the underdogs. Oh, and the album? It totally slaps.
How can anyone write a year-end list without including Adele? The English singer-songwriter’s fourth studio album 30 was one of the year’s most anticipated releases, and it truly delivered. The LP chronicles Adele’s divorce from long-time partner Simon Konecki, touching on heartbreak, motherhood, regret, and starting anew. What impressed me about this collection of songs was how many genres and production tricks Adele was able to incorporate while still maintaining the timeless sound that made her a household name. I loved the incorporation of voice memos on the track “My Little Love,” which provide an intimate glance into the superstar’s innermost thoughts during a deeply painful and confusing time in her life. I was also pleasantly surprised to hear the singer referencing both reggae and country music in the tracks “Cry Your Heart Out” and “Can I Get It” respectively. Adele, the queen of pop-soul, sounds perfectly at home, no matter the genre – a testament to her versatility as an artist.
No one can deny that 2021 was Olivia Rodrigo’s year. The Disney starlet blew up after her song “drivers license” took over the airwaves in January, breaking a string of streaming records and landing atop the Billboard Top 100 for eight consecutive weeks. The debut album that followed received similar fervor, and it isn’t hard to see why. Through confessional-style lyrics and a voice teeming with emotion, the 18-year-old singer-songwriter was able to distill the universal experience of teen angst into something with mass appeal. SOUR is loaded with heartbreak anthems that show a full range of emotion, from petulant rage on “traitor” to poignant reflection on “enough for you.” Rodrigo wears her influences on her sleeve, and some critics have argued that her admiration for Taylor Swift and Paramore borders on copyright infringement. However, SOUR is an incredible first effort for this talented young artist. I can’t wait to see how her writing evolves in the coming years.
Slayyyter had been on my radar since I saw her perform as the opener at a live show back in 2019. She had been featured on tracks by some of my favorite hyperpop artists (Charli XCX, LIZ) and a number of songs on her self-titled mixtape struck a chord with me. When she dropped her debut studio album Troubled Paradise back in June, I had high hopes that the project would deliver all the electro-pop bangers I was craving. What surprised me was how many layers Slayyyter was able to reveal. The 25-year-old singer has always had a penchant for serving bitchy, DGAF kiss-offs and hypersexual hoe anthems, and this project was no exception. But she also peppered in a number of genre-bending surprises that completely elevated the overall album. Between the driving guitar on “Cowboys,” which calls back to indie favorites like the Vines, and the No Doubt-inspired, reggae-pop track “Serial Killer,” Catherine Slater is bringing back everything I love about early 2000s pop music. Overall, this album was one of my favorite surprises of 2021.
Indie-pop artist Dodie has spent close to a decade carving out a lane for herself in the music industry. The 26-year-old singer-songwriter came to fame through her Youtube channel, where she became beloved for her original music and her candid discussions about mental health. It was somewhat bewildering that an artist with hundreds of videos and millions of followers had yet to release a full-length debut, but patient fans would be rewarded in March of 2021 when the Essex native released Build A Problem. This project is one of a kind, with lush orchestration and poetic lyrics that touch on identity, dating, generational trauma, and regret. Dodie’s whisper-soft voice and clever turns of phrase encourage music lovers to lean in and listen carefully. This album was my go-to choice during my hour-long morning commute, because every listen-through revealed another production element, lyric, or harmony that I hadn’t caught before. In these moments of musical exploration, it becomes crystal clear why this album took years to create. Good things take time, and Dodie Clark is the queen of good things.
Singer-songwriter Jack Newsome was the very first artist I interviewed after joining the Popheads Reddit team. I was super nervous for the Zoom call, as I had just begun to dip my toe into the world of music journalism, and I really wanted to make a good impression. As soon as the call began, it was obvious that my fears were unwarranted. Jack was so funny and kind, graciously sharing all the gritty details from his years as an up-and-comer in the music industry. It really solidified for me why I wanted to do this in the first place- to connect with amazing artists and learn as much as I can from them. Following the interview, I dove into Jack’s discography and discovered that not only is he a fascinating artist, but he is literally incapable of writing a bad song. He has a knack for writing irresistible melodies, and he easily swerves between larger-than-life, glossy, pop bangers and heartfelt, confessional-style tunes. His most recent EP, All Dressed Up is a disco-infused, upper-filled project that I still can’t turn off.
ABIR is another artist that was introduced to me through my work on the Popheads Reddit team. She is a Moroccan-born, American-raised pop star on a mission to change how Arab women are perceived in both the music industry and the world at large. Her 2020 EP Heat, which quickly became one of my most streamed albums this year, tells a story of a multi-dimensional artist with a distinctive vision. Vocal technicians will go crazy for ABIR’s raspy, emotive voice, but lyricists will love her sophisticated take on everything from romance, to identity, to spiritual strength. However, her artistry extends well beyond the music, with careful thought given to videos, photos, fashion, and branding. I loved the striking palette of reds, yellows, and blacks, the Arabic script, and the expansive landscapes that became signature elements of the Heat era. Pop music fans who are hungry for fresh and exciting voices in the genre need look no further than ABIR.
JoJo Levesque is one of those artists that I just love to see win. After a chart-topping debut in 2004, her career was nearly extinguished by the crooked record deal she signed at 13-years-old. It took nearly a decade of legal battles, but JoJo was finally able to reclaim ownership of her voice with the development of an imprint label Clover Music. Since then, the Massachusetts-native has wasted no time creating the kind of soulful, RnB-infused pop music she was always meant to make. Not only did she re-record her beloved debut and sophomore albums, but she also dropped three full bodies of work, several singles, and number of collaborations – one of which earned her a Grammy. The 2021 EP trying not to think about it shows JoJo at her most vulnerable, examining the destructive patterns and negative self-talk that separate her from her most authentic self. Her delivery throughout the album is both technically mind-blowing and deeply emotive, solidifying JoJo’s rank as one of the greatest vocalists of our time.
For the most part, this list of albums has not been in any particular order. All of these bodies of work have completely consumed my brain and helped me survive 2021. I did, however, save the best for last. 333 is an absolute triumph of an album for Tinashe, who recently shed her major label woes and went independent. It shows a solidification of the 28-year-old’s voice as a singer, songwriter, and curator. She has mastered the art of pacing with this 16-song LP which feels like a Saturday Night radio hour, full of seamless transitions and brimming with energy. A prime example is “Small Reminders,” which bounces from soul to rap to RnB all in the course of four minutes. It takes a phenomenal vocalist to perform such a dynamic piece of music, but Tinashe can do it all with ease. She swaps out vocal stylings like she is trying on clothes, with sweet, whisper-soft melodies followed by punchy rapped verses followed by soul-baring belts. It is no wonder a major label didn’t know what to do with her. Sure, she could do mainstream pop music as well as any of the greats, but Tinashe’s artistic vision is much grander. She is striving for the next evolution of pop. In her own words, “I can see the future and it looks like paradise.”
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