Music. A universal language that we all understand. Music helps avoid that void, can explain all the emotions you're feeling, and at the same time change your life.
The Oxford Learners Dictionary defines the word Music as a noun meaning sounds that are arranged in a way that is pleasant or exciting to listen to. People sing music or play it on instruments.
2021 has come to a close, thank you humanity, and with this comes my annual Music Wrap Up of the Year! Strap yourself in because this one is a real doozy of all the odd musical genres I love. It also was the year I discovered many new indie artists, expanded my weird broad, and odd taste of music, so this ride is about to get weird!
There are an estimated 24,000 new songs being released each day! That is 8.76 million NEW tracks released each year. It is virtually impossible to listen to all these in one lifetime. Thus, my list will include music that was released prior to the month however it was what I was rocking out to at that time.
January
The beginning of 2021 brought my love for Post Malone's music full force. As a Texan, it is essentially in our bloodstream to adore the Grape Vine, Texas native Mr. Austin Richard Post. I had his 2019 Album 'Hollywood's Bleeding' on repeat, my favorite songs include 'Hollywood's Bleeding', 'I Know', 'A Thousand Bad Times', 'Die For Me', 'Take What You Want, and 'I'm Gonna Be'. However, my all-time favorite Posty song is '92 Explorer'
Then January 8th hit, and the world S T O P P E D, no cap, Olivia Rodrigo's 'Drivers License', was released and I was OBSESSED! Non-Stop, I had the song PLAYING!
Then of course, since we can never go too long without mentioning my queen, Taylor Alison Swift. 2020 brought albums TS8 AND TS9, and you best believe I have not stopped listening to 'Folklore' and 'Evermore' since they dropped. My personal favorites from 'Folklore', 'the last great american', 'august', 'exile', 'peace', 'hoax', 'the lakes', 'mad woman' and 'invisible string'. My personal favorites from 'Evermore' include 'champagne problems', 'tis the damn season' 'no body, no crime', 'cowboy like me', 'long story short', and 'it's time to go'
February
The month of love brought my first new indie artist find thanks to Instagram Reels, it came in the form of a seven-year-old song by Ryn Weaver called 'Pierre'. It was a certified bop to the top and I did not stop playing it.
The season of Aquarius also brought along my love for indie artist 'Royal & the Serpent', I first discovered their music back in September 2020 but never got fully addictive to it until five month later. My personal favorites include 'Salvador Dali' and 'Weddings & Funerals'.
March
Can we just say Megan the Stallion, had the year of all years! She won her first Grammy, graduated from University, and became a multi-millionaire, so it should be no surprise that her song 'Savage The Remix' featuring Beyonce was on repeat in my headphones.
FINNEAS, brother to Grammy award winner Billie Eilish, song 'Where The Poison Is' is a certified bop, that everyone should listen to on repeat just like it was for me in March 2021.
Then I heard a small clip of Frank Ocean's song 'Super Rich Kids' on Instagram Reels, and I was hooked. I had it playing in the car, while I worked, during study hours and anytime I could.
April
Y'all already know what I am going to say... FEARLESS (Taylor's Version), came out and it was part of my everyday life! I was screaming Mr. Perfectly Fine, for months! Can I just say blondie's vault songs are just too good to be hidden from the world? This album was the ONLY thing I was listening to during the month of April.
May
May brought the brand debut new albums from one of my favorite recording artists, Olivia Rodrigo! 'Sour' the debut album of Olivia Rodrigo was released on Friday, May 21, and it was a cultural reset for Gen Z. Bangers like 'brutal', 'jealousy, jealousy', ' 'Good 4 You', 'traitor' and 'deja vu' had a whole moment for every single person 25 and under. If you are anything like me, you felt like the 35-minute album was WAY TOO SHORT!
May also had me embracing my love for Harry Styles' debut album. I honestly had not listened to it very much since it came out in 2017 but four years later, it was my go-to album for late-night studying, midnight baking, and evening crafting. My personal favorites include 'Meet Me In The Hallway', 'Carolina', 'Only Angel', 'Sweet Creature', 'Two Ghost' and of course 'Woman'.
June
The beginning of summer was the closing of one chapter in my book of life, graduating high school. With so, I wanted to discover more musical artists, which lead me to Conan Gray. I think we all can say we have heard and love his breakthrough song 'heather' but man this guy has so many amazing songs. His 2020 debut studio album, 'Kid Krow' is an emotional roller coaster of lyrical genius. My favorites from this album include 'Wish You Were Sober', 'Affluenza', 'Maniac', and 'Little League'. His singles, 'Telepath', 'The King', 'People Watching' and 'Astronomy' are serene masterpieces. Along with Gray's 'Sunset Season' has five wonderfully written songs that put me in an oddly peaceful mood.
July
Billie Eilish knew what she was doing when she dropped 'Happier Than Ever', our girl really said hot single girl summer with the bops! The album titling song 'Happier Than Ever,' was a song with a twist that I was not ready for! My personal favorites include 'NDA', 'Oxytocin', and 'Lost Cause'.
August
Back to school meant me looking for a new musical artist to listen to, Girl In Red became that! Her album 'if I could make it go quiet' is the definition of teen angst. My favorites include 'Apartment 402', 'Serotonin' and 'Body and Mind'
September
The month Baby Montero was born was the best advertisement I have ever seen for an album EVER! Montero the debut studio album by Lil Nas X, is an amazing album telling the tale of a coming-of-age gay man dealing with the real world. My favorites include ' DEAD RIGHT NOW', 'LOST IN CITADEL', 'DOLLA SIGN SLIME', and 'LIFE AFTER SALEM'.
October
Libra season brought my birthday and more songs for me to obsess over. Dua Lipa's 'Boys Will Be Boys' is the feminist bop that every woman needs to listen to. Seriously go listen to it ASAP.
Selena Gomez's 'Look At Her Now' is the self-love bop for every person who is going through a rough breakup. The vocals and instrumental is something Gomez has not done before and I love it!
Now, this next song is a little out of the left-field for me, its country and the most redneck song you can think about, but I'm from Texas so is this really a surprise? Yes, the answer is yes coming from a WOC Liberal. Blake Shelton's 'God' Country' is a weird patriotic bop that I love. Don't judge me!
November
If you haven't caught on by now, Taylor Swift runs my life. Her second rerecorded album, Red (Taylor's Version) dropped. I was so excited, again the vault songs are heartbreaking. The ten-minute version of 'All Too Well', heart-shattering, I learned the whole song in two hours. 'Ronan' had me crying in the club, 'Forever Winter' just sad girl hours, and of course 'Nothing New' made me reevaluate my life.
After I picked myself up from my Sad Girl Autumn corner, I went to the theatre to see Disney Pixar's 'Encanto', the story hit close to home being as I am Hispanic but also those songs had no right being that good nor catchy. The one song that sticks out to me is 'Surface Pressure' it is so catchy and gets stuck in my head 4/7 days of the week.
December
Other than blasting holiday music, I only listened to one other song and album in the month of December, 'West Side Story Live Action Movie Album' and 'ABCDEFU' by Gayle.
West Side Story Live Action Movie is so good, the acting is amazing, the story is so clearly told, and of course the MUSIC! 'I Feel Pretty' and 'Cool' have been playing on my phone nonstop since I saw the film.
If you are on social media at all, you know the song 'ABCDEFU' by Gayle very well. It is on TikTok, Instagram, Youtube, EVERYWHERE you go! Of course, it makes sense since it is so good!
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