Monthly overview at the end, along with Spotify Playlist
Casa – 22Gz
Emperor Machine – ACR vs The Emperor Machine – A Certain Ratio, The Emperor Machine
Where Have You Gone – Alan Jackson
Still Got It – Alex Frankel
Rock & Roll – Alice Cooper
Feel The Heat – AmyElle
Verse 23 – Amy Helm
Black Myself – Amythyst Kiah
Africa, One Of A Kind – Angelique Kidjo, Mr Eazi, Salif Keita
Choose Love – Angelique Kidjo, Shungudzo
Dignity – Angelique Kidjo
Tears To Diamonds – Apollo LTD
Do You? – April Rose Gabrielli
Superstar – Anthony Hamilton, Jennifer Hudson
Bad Dream – Azure Ray
Weights – Bartees Strange
Distorted Light Beam – Bastille
Lost (with DJ Angelo feat. Jinadu) – Black Coffee, DJ Angelo, Jinadu
How Dare You Want More – Bleachers
Too Late (Band Version) – Infidels Outtake – Bob Dylan
Snowbird – Brando’s Lair
Stuck in Time – Brando’s Lair
BUZZCUT (feat. Danny Brown) – BROCKHAMPTON, Danny Brown
Permission To Dance – BTS
Question – Burna Boy
The Ghost Of Jesus – Caged Animals
KESI – Camilo
KESI – Remix- Camilo, Shawn Mendes
Colder Than You – Canaan Smith
Up – Cardi B
Song of Trouble (feat. Sufjan Stevens) – CARM, Sufjan Stevens
Baby Don’t You Go Go – CeeLo Green, Rare Essence
2009 – Charly Efe, Pablo Hasél, Valtonyc
FWB – CHIKA
Go Crazy (Remix) (feat. Young Thug, Future, Lil Durk & Mulatto) – Chris Brown, Future, Mulatto, Young Thug
Not Usually Like This – Cian Ducrot
The Spirit Of – Cloud Nothings
Good Things – Dan + Shay
Clash (feat. Stormzy) – Dave
Tryin’ To Get To Heaven – David Bowie
Riding on the Tide of Love – Deacon Blue
In Blur – Deafheaven
Take_it_Back_v2 – Charlie Heat Version – Denzel Curry, Kenny Beats, Charlie Heat
Bluuwuu – Digga D
LET IT GO – DJ Khaled, 21 Savage, Justin Bieber
Levitating (feat. DaBaby) – Dua Lipa, DaBaby
Save the Last Dance for Me – Live – Emmylou Harris, The Nash Ramblers
La Chica De Hoy (This Year’s Girl) – Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Cami
Pump It Up – Elvis Costello, Juanes
Rock & Roll Found Me -Eric Church
Russian Roulette – Eric Church
Formwela 4 [Feat. Corey King] – Esperanza Spalding
How Many Times – Esther Rose
Roaring 20s – Flo Milli
Sapling – Foy Vance
Gang Signs (feat. ScHoolboy Q) – Freddie Gibbs, ScHoolboy Q
The Summer I Got Good At Guitar – Fresh
Provide (feat. Chris Brown & Mark Morrison) – G-Eazy, Chris Brown, Mark Morrison
Dream Weapon – Genghis Tron
Girl K Is For The People – Girl K
cloak n dagger – glaive, ericdoa
Pestilence – Hazing Over
Fillin’ My Cup (feat. Little Big Town) – Hailey Whitters, Little Big Town
The Tradition – Halsey
Please Don’t Leave Just Yet – Holly Humberstone
Score (feat. SZA & 6LACK) – Isaiah Rashad
Paprika – Japanese Breakfast
All I Do Is Drive – Jason Isbell
Girl Like Me (feat. H.E.R.) – Jazmine Sullivan, H.E.R.
Ma’ G – J Balvin
In Da Getto – J Balvin, Skrillex
this is how you fall in love – Jeremy Zucker, Chelsea Cutler
Natty Dread – Jesse Royal
You Are Lord Of All – JJ Hairston, Phillip Bryant, Pocket Of Hope
Junco Partner – Acoustic – Joe Strummer
God – Home Demo – John Lennon
Mouthful of Blood – Juliana Hatfield
Hardline – Julien Baker
Peaches (feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon) – Justin Bieber, Daniel Caesar, Giveon
Do I Ever Cross Your Mind – Justin Townes Earle, Dawn Landes
drivers license – jxdn
Jesus Lord, Pt 2 – Kanye West
Jonah – Kanye
T.A.Y.L.O.R – Kaonashi
SIERRA NIGHTS (feat. Ryan Beatty) – Kevin Abstract
SLUGGER (feat. $NOT & slowthai) – Kevin Abstract
The Bandit – Kings of Leon
Janie Bleu – Kip Moore
Hate – Kota the Friend, Statik Selektah
Agatha All Along – Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Kathryn Hahn, Eric Bradley, Greg Whipple
Really Love (feat. Craig David & Digital Farm Animals) – KSI
Blue Vein – Lael Neale
Every Star Shivers in the Dark – Lael Neale
Let Me Love You Like A Woman – Lana Del Rey
Mighty Soul – Langhorne Slim
Haunted – Laura Les
After Those Who Mean It – Laura Stevenson
Break Up – Leanne Betasamosake Simpson
Toosie – Lil Gotit
INDUSTRY BABY (feat. Jack Harlow) – Lil Nas X
MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X
never eat, never sleep – Lil Peep, Lil Tracy
Calling My Phone – Lil Tjay, 6LACK
Scream – Lindsey Buckingham
Frida Kahlo – Lion Babe
Rumors (feat. Cardi B) – Lizzo
Introvert – Little Simz
Intro – Logic
Solar Power – Lorde
Not Dead Yet – Lord Huron
Coal Miner’s Daughter (Recitation) – Loretta Lynn
Love Intervention – Lou Barlow
Goodbye – LP
Take My Hand – LP Giobbi
Hot & Heavy – Lucy Dacus
Roots – Lucy Spraggan
Let Them Know – Mabel
As A child – Madeline The Person
Psycho -Maisie Peters
8:30 – Marla Mase
Got a Lot O’ Livin to Do – Live – Marshall Crenshaw
Better – Michigander
Different Drum – Micky Dolenz
Porn Star – Mod Sun
More Than My Hometown – Morgan Wallen
Eracist Live – Mr. Bungle
Love For You – Mr Eazi
Free Ride – Mykki Blanco
Wellerman – Sea Shanty – Nathan Evans
What I’m Here For – NEEDTOBREATHE
Country Home – Live – Neil Young, Crazy Horse
Girl in Amber – Nell Smith. The Flaming Lips
Middle Child – Nervous Dater
Earthlings – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Albuquerque – Nick Cave, Warren Ellis
Different Kind of Blue – Nick Lowe
Rainforest – Noname
brutal – Olivia Rodrigo
deja vu – Olivia Rodrigo
drivers license – Olivia Rodrigo
My Father’s Daughter – Olivia Vedder, Eddie Vedder, Glen Hansard
You’re Not Special, Babe – Orla Gartland
Born This Way – The Country Road Version -Orville Peck
This Mess We’re In – Demo – PJ Harvey
Snow Globe – Pistol Annies
Head Cheerleader – Pom Pom Squad
Blue Heaven – Public Service Broadcasting, Andreya Casablanca
Comin’ out the other side – Randy Edelman
Friday (Remix) – Rebecca Black, 3OH!3, Big Freedia, Dorian Electra
Oh Christine – Reigning Sound
Friday (feat. Mufasa & Hypeman) – Dopamine Re-Edit – Riton, Nightcrawlers, Mufasa & Hypeman, Dopamin
Oh Christine – Reigning Sound
The Ballad of Sleazy Rider – Rob Zombie
Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater, Pt. 1 – RZA, DJ Scratch
Seventeen Going Under – Sam Fender
I’d Rather Be – Sam Huber, Amp Fiddler
These Kids we Knew – Rostam
Nothing To Say – Savage Gary, Georgia
Fellowship – serpentwithfeet
Hyacinth – serpentwithfeet
Same Size Shoe – serpentwithfeet
999 (with Camilo) – Selena Gomez
De Una Vez – Selena Gomez
Recluse in the Making – Sincere Engineer
Nirvana – Skepta,J Balvin
Glimpses – Sleaford Mods
NIGGA DON’T UPLIFT ME – Soul Glo
So May We Start (feat. Simon Helberg) – From “Annette” – Sparks, Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard
Little Deer – Spellling
My Baby Wants A Baby – St. Vincent
Everything I Had – Sun June
Cimmerian Shade – Sufjan Stevens, Angelo De Augustine
Missing You – Syd
rubberband – Tate McRae
Home – Teenage Fanclub
Yellowbelly – Teenage Wrist
One After 909 – Take 3 – The Beatles
Everyone Rise – The Bevis Frond
Watering The Well – The Bronx
Jazz on the Autobahn – The Felice Brothers
STAY (with Justin Bieber) – The Kid LAROI
Action Replay – The Fratellis
Sun Blisters – The Natvral
Why Don’t You Come Out Anymore? – The Natvral
Don’t Ever Pray in the Church on My Street – The Reds, Pinks and Purples
Not Necessary – The Tragically Hip
Back In Love City – The Vaccines
Save Your Tears – The Weeknd, Ariana Grande
21st Century Love Songs – The Wildhearts
SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE (feat. Brent Faiyaz & Fana Hues) – Tyler, The Creator
People Have the Power – Tomás Doncker & The True Groove All-Stars
No Hole In My Head – Tom Jones
One More Cup Of Coffee – Tom Jones
shop (feat. DaBaby) – Toosii
Don’t Go Puttin wishes In My Head – Torres
And This is Just The Intro – Tory Lanez
I Like Dat (feat. BIA & Kehlani) – T-Pain
Rebel Love – UB40, Inner Circle
Queen Majesty / Chalice In The Palace (feat. Robbie Shakespeare) – U-Roy
Up County Down – Van Morrison
SHELTER (ft. Wyclef Jean, Chance The Rapper) – VIC MENSA, Wyclef Jean, Chance the Rapper
Fancy Like (feat. Kesha) – Walker Hayes
23 – Wallice
Light of a Clear Blue Morning – Waxahatchee
Make It Easy – We Are The Union
How Will I Know – Whitney Houston, Clean Bandit
Fallin’ (Adrenaline) – Why Don’t We
Public Execution – Worn
TNT – Wye Oak
Vibe With You (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)- YG, Mozzy
Nice to Me – You Me At Six
Off The Yak – Young M.A
January: The month belonged to Olivia Rodriguez excellent Taylor Swift influenced “driver’s license,” with a sensational 2.3 BILLION streams on Spotify alone. The other shocker here is that after two years or so of finding sadgirl-boy -sadteens if you prefer, bedroom electronics underwhelming, the genre came into its own with jxdn, Olivia, Tate McRae, and, although clearly not text book, the indie pop band Sun June. Nothing that great for hip hop… which is usually my go to genre…
February: another killer month for pop music, between EDM and bedroom pop even hip hop has taken a back seat for a month. with albums on the quiet side, that one song came into its own, whether it is Tom Jones dance cover of a folk pop classic or Cardi B with another ear candy gonna roll up the charts. And the biggest song of the month by far, Olivia Rodiguez’s “Drivers License” given the ultimate accolade, a sketch on SNL.
March: A middling month (actually five weeks because I got to writing it up late), highlighted by the great power pop man former Let’s Talk About Girls, current Brando’s Lair leader Barry Holdship. Brando’s Lair promise to drop a song a month for a year, and if any of the other’s can pierce your armor like the instant classic “Stuck In Time” we are in for a treat. That harp will always be something I return to.
April – The return of the album took over from the singles all year (so far), Eric Church got two mentions and probably deserved more, and two guys I’ve never been crazy about -Lion Babe and DJ Khaled- make a surprise appearance… Patti Smith told Tomas Doncker he had made the song his own…
May- Mid June – welcome to the Spring Awakening, headed by Marla Mase and the change of the weather, the finishing line of the pandemic, and a future we are still aiming for. A better month (well six weeks) for albums but singles, and yet there are some memorable moments… noticeably from Sparks, YG and Wye Oak.
Mid June – July 4th – It feels like a surprise but really shouldn’t be, however the three artists with three songs on this list are from among the three best albums of the year – Angelique Kidjo, Olivia Rodrigo, and serpentwithfeet. In theory, this list should be mostly singers and since artists have spent years now releasing songs that aren’t necessarily singles, the lines have seriously blurred. Randy Edelman welcome here
July – added over 20 songs to the month, including first rate pop from April Rose Gabrielli and Tomas Doncker’s blues cover
August – The Marshall Crenshaw live album, the Kanye West new album, and 20 more.
September – No, Drake doesn’t make an appearance but bands whose albums I didn’t care for, The Vaccines for instance, show up for a song. It was a busy month without being a 2021 defining week