Top 100 of 2021

 

100. Harry Styles - Golden (PEAK: #1 for 2 weeks, 25 weeks on)



99. Natalie Imbruglia - Maybe It's Great (PEAK: #14 for 1 week, 12 weeks on)



98. Moist - Tarantino (Bullet Kill Sex Love Thrill) (PEAK: #15 for 1 week, 12 weeks on)



97. JessieLou - The Culture Has Changed (PEAK: #15 for 2 weeks, 11 weeks on)



96. Suzie McNeil - Mirror Mirror (PEAK: #11 for 1 week, 13 weeks on)



95. Ava Max - My Head & My Heart (PEAK: #14 for 3 weeks, 14 weeks on)



94. Pale Waves - Easy (PEAK: #16 for 2 weeks, 14 weeks on)



93. A Day To Remember - Everything We Need (PEAK: #22 for 2 weeks, 16 weeks on)



92. Tears For Fears - The Tipping Point (PEAK: #8 for 2 weeks, 12 weeks on)



91. Ed Sheeran - Shivers (PEAK: #12 for 1 week, 15 weeks on)



90. Angelina Jordan - 7th Heaven (PEAK: #11 for 1 week, 15 weeks on)



89. Natalie Imbruglia - On My Way (PEAK: #13 for 1 week, 14 weeks on)



88. Chris Cornell - Watching The Wheels (PEAK: #7 for 1 week, 15 weeks on)



87. Galantis, David Guetta & Little Mix - Heartbreak Anthem (PEAK: #9 for 2 weeks, 14 weeks on)



86. Conan Gray - Overdrive (PEAK: #9 for 2 weeks, 13 weeks on)



85. Britney Spears - Swimming In The Stars (PEAK: #4 for 1 week, 17 weeks on)



84. Halsey - I Am Not A Woman, I'm A God (PEAK: #12 for 1 week, 15 weeks on)



83. Shy'm - Ensemble (PEAK: #11 for 2 weeks, 16 weeks on)



82. Elton John & Stevie Wonder - Finish Line (PEAK: #7 for 2 weeks, 12 weeks on)



81. Sting - Rushing Water (PEAK: #9 for 3 weeks, 12 weeks on)



80. Normandie - Hostage (PEAK: #13 for 1 week, 16 weeks on)



79. Adele - Easy On Me (PEAK: #4 for 2 weeks, 11 weeks on)



78. Miley Cyrus & Dua Lipa - Prisoner (PEAK: #2 for 2 weeks, 18 weeks on)



77. Loren Gray - Piece Of Work (PEAK: #8 for 1 week, 17 weeks on)



76. Halsey - You Asked For This (PEAK: #7 for 2 weeks, 12 weeks on)

75. Silk Sonic - Skate (PEAK: #6 for 2 weeks, 14 weeks on)



74. Japanese Breakfast - Be Sweet (PEAK: #9 for 1 week, 16 weeks on)



73. Stereophonics - Hanging On Your Hinges (PEAK: #10 for 1 week, 16 weeks on)



72. Barry Gibb & Dolly Parton - Words (PEAK: #8 for 2 weeks, 14 weeks on)



71. Claptone feat. Seal - Just A Ghost (PEAK: #7 for 2 weeks, 15 weeks on)



70. Michelle Branch - Sweet Misery (20th Anniversary Edition) (PEAK: #8 for 1 week, 15 weeks on)



69. Agnes - 24 Hours (PEAK: #12 for 2 weeks, 17 weeks on)



68. Jessie Ware - Please (PEAK: #9 for 2 weeks, 15 weeks on)



67. Paul McCartney - Find My Way (PEAK: #6 for 1 week, 15 weeks on)



66. Swedish House Mafia & The Weeknd - Moth To A Flame (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 9 weeks on)



65. Kylie Minogue - Marry The Night (PEAK: #13 for 3 weeks, 16 weeks on)



64. Ed Sheeran - Overpass Graffiti (PEAK: #1 for 3 weeks, 8 weeks on)



63. Sash! Feat. Shayne Ward - Coming Home (PEAK: #4 for 2 weeks, 14 weeks on)



62. Marshmello & Jonas Brothers - Leave Before You Love Me (PEAK: #8 for 3 weeks, 15 weeks on)



61. Duran Duran - Anniversary (PEAK: #9 for 1 week, 17 weeks on)



60. OneRepublic - Run (PEAK: #6 for 2 weeks, 15 weeks on)



59. All Time Low feat. Pale Waves - PMA (PEAK: #5 for 2 weeks, 15 weeks on)



58. Bowling For Soup - Getting Old Sucks (But Everybody's Doing It) (PEAK: #5 for 2 weeks, 15 weeks on)



57. Maggie Lindemann - Crash And Burn (PEAK: #3 for 3 weeks, 14 weeks on)



56. Paul Carrack - Good And Ready (PEAK: #11 for 2 weeks, 18 weeks on)



55. Kelly Clarkson - Christmas Isn't Canceled (Just You) (PEAK: #4 for 2 weeks, 13 weeks on)



54. The Weeknd - Take My Breath (PEAK: #4 for 2 weeks, 15 weeks on)



53. Rina Sawayama - Lucid (PEAK: #12 for 2 weeks, 18 weeks on)



52. Dua Lipa - Love Again (PEAK: #4 for 1 week, 15 weeks on)



51. Jake Hoot feat. Kelly Clarkson - I Would've Loved You (PEAK: #6 for 3 weeks, 15 weeks on)

50. Billy Idol - Bitter Taste (PEAK: #10 for 2 weeks, 20 weeks on)



49. 98 Degrees - Where Do You Wanna Go (PEAK: #4 for 2 weeks, 16 weeks on)



48. Garbage - No Gods No Masters (PEAK: #5 for 2 weeks, 16 weeks on)



47. Lola Lennox - Wherever You Go (PEAK: #17 for 1 week, 21 weeks on)



46. Delaney Jane feat. Virginia To Vegas - Just As Much (PEAK: #8 for 1 week, 18 weeks on)



45. Jhené Aiko - Lead The Way (PEAK: #2 for 2 weeks, 14 weeks on)



44. Michelle Branch - You Get Me (20th Anniversary Edition) (PEAK: #5 for 2 weeks, 16 weeks on)



43. The Pretty Reckless feat. Matt Cameron & Kim Thayil - Only Love Can Save Me Now (PEAK: #9 for 2 weeks, 17 weeks on)



42. Santana & Steve Winwood - Whiter Shade Of Pale (PEAK: #2 for 1 week, 14 weeks on)



41. Shuba - I Bet (PEAK: #12 for 2 weeks, 21 weeks on)

40. Taylor Swift feat. Haim - No Body, No Crime (PEAK: #5 for 3 weeks, 16 weeks on)



39. Chris Cornell - Jump Into The Fire (PEAK: #7 for 4 weeks, 18 weeks on)



38. JessieLou feat. Julian - Left On Read (PEAK: #6 for 1 week, 22 weeks on)



37. ABBA - Don't Shut Me Down (PEAK: #4 for 4 weeks, 16 weeks on)



36. Bryan Adams - So Happy It Hurts (PEAK: #1 for 4 weeks, 11 weeks on)



35. Silk Sonic - Leave The Door Open (PEAK: #5 for 2 weeks, 18 weeks on)



34. Ed Sheeran - Bad Habits (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 17 weeks on)



33. Diana Ross - Thank You (PEAK: #2 for 1 week, 18 weeks on)



32. Rina Sawayama - Enter Sandman (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 16 weeks on)



31. Nick Jonas - This Is Heaven (PEAK: #2 for 1 week, 17 weeks on)

30. Laura Pausini - Seen (Io Si) (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 20 weeks on)



29. Nick Carter - 80's Movie (PEAK: #3 for 1 week, 19 weeks on)



28. Nathan Dawe & Little Mix - No Time For Tears (PEAK: #2 for 1 week, 19 weeks on)



27. Jaclyn Reinhart - Takes A Little Time (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 14 weeks on)



26. Jerry Cantrell - Brighten (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 15 weeks on)



25. Paul Carrack - You're Not Alone (PEAK: #1 for 2 weeks, 17 weeks on)



24. Harry Styles - Treat People With Kindness (PEAK: #2 for 2 weeks, 18 weeks on)



23. Katy Perry - Electric (PEAK: #1 for 2 weeks, 18 weeks on)



22. Taylor Swift - Mr. Perfectly Fine (PEAK: #1 for 2 weeks, 19 weeks on)



21. T'Pau - Guess Who's Sorry Now (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 21 weeks on)

20. Gwen Stefani - Let Me Reintroduce Myself (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 22 weeks on)



19. Olivia Rodrigo - Brutal (PEAK: #6 for 1 week, 27 weeks on)



18. Britney Spears & Backstreet Boys - Matches (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 21 weeks on)



17. Foo Fighters - No Son Of Mine (PEAK: #1 for 2 weeks, 18 weeks on)



16. Coldplay - Higher Power (PEAK: #1 for 2 weeks, 20 weeks on)



15. Sigrid - Burning Bridges (PEAK: #1 for 2 weeks, 16 weeks on)



14. JessieLou - Let's Pretend There's No Pandemic (PEAK: #2 for 2 weeks, 23 weeks on)



13. Jackson Browne - My Cleveland Heart (PEAK: #1 for 2 weeks, 22 weeks on)



12. Santana, Rob Thomas & American Authors - Move (PEAK: #1 for 3 weeks, 19 weeks on)



11. Pale Waves - Change (PEAK: #1 for 2 weeks, 23 weeks on)

10. JessieLou - Identity Crisis (PEAK: #3 for 4 weeks, 22 weeks on)


One of the biggest success stories on my chart in 2021 has to be JessieLou. Her album "Take Me As I Am" generated four songs within the top 100 - more than any other artist! This song, a personal tale about the pressures of fitting in with society and how she wishes she could just be herself, struck me with its honesty and became an instant hit, reaching a #3 peak, but most importantly, having enough longevity to reach my year-end top 10 - this was the highest ranked song that didn't hit #1! All 9 songs from here on in were #1's!


9. Elton John & Dua Lipa feat. Pnau - Cold Heart (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 19 weeks on)


Over the past few years, Elton John has enjoyed a late-career resurgence for me, thanks to various collaborations. Among those, five of them since 2019 have reached #1 on my chart. Needless to say, thanks to all these, plus Dua Lipa's recent success with her "Future Nostalgia" album, I was curious how this one would go. Given the involvement with the Australian DJ's Pnau, who put this one together and have previously mixed clips of past Elton John songs into new remixes, this turned out quite similar, with lines from Elton's classics such as "Sacrifice" and "Rocket Man" set to a dance beat. Not only this, but it, at age 74, became his biggest mainstream hit since the 1990's, topping charts around the world, including my own!


8. Jerry Cantrell - Atone (PEAK: #1 for 2 weeks, 22 weeks on)


There have been several songs from Alice In Chains that I have enjoyed over the years, and it helped me anticipate the return of their singer/guitarist/primary songwriter Jerry Cantrell on his latest solo effort. Sure enough, when this was released, it not only met my expectations, it exceeded them, becoming an instant hit and ending up spending two weeks at #1. The album "Brighten" was true to form and I feel it's his best work since his 90's classics with Alice In Chains and early solo material. Due to this one being released first and having had time to accumulate a full chart run, this ranked his highest on the year-end, ranking in my top 10 of the year.


7. Rina Sawayama & Elton John - Chosen Family (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 24 weeks on)


One of my favourite rising stars lately has to be Rina Sawayama. While she caught my ear earlier in 2021 with "Lucid", this song helped increase my interest in her, partially thanks to Elton John, who, thanks to his two collaborations that both appear on his album "The Lockdown Sessions", is the only artist with two songs in my year-end top 10. I've since discovered many other Rina songs and I can see why she's had so much praise lately for her originality and that she's been a breath of fresh air in today's music scene, and this was the highest ranked of her three entries in the top 100. She's one to watch out for, and I'm intrigued to see which direction her career will take her next!


6. Laura Marano - Something To Believe In (PEAK: #1 for 1 week, 25 weeks on)


I consider the actress turned singer, Laura Marano, one of my chart's best kept secrets. Over the past five years, she has accumulated a nice streak of hits on my chart, but it wasn't until 2021 when she got a #1, with this hopeful song "Something To Believe In". Indeed, she had something to believe in when this topped my chart - and it matches her previous best in 2016 on my year-end ranking. Given how strong the top 5 ended up being, it's a very respectable ranking, well done Laura!

5. Bebe Rexha - Sacrifice (PEAK: #1 for 3 weeks, 29 weeks on)


Hands up - who expected THIS to happen?

I must admit, I'm not a fan of Bebe Rexha's music in general. Several of her songs I didn't mind, but overall, I just have never been into her - and some of her songs really annoyed me to no end!

That was probably why I was so surprised when I heard "Sacrifice".

Who knew she'd have such a catchy dance-pop song in her? This was just so infectuous with its groove, and just couldn't leave my head - one of the biggest earworms of 2021! Combined with the video where she plays a vampire, the change in pace for her really paid off in the end! This was a #1 for 3 weeks on my chart, and proved that anything is possible as its longevity gave it a top 5 ranking overall for 2021!


4. Olivia Rodrigo - Good 4 U (PEAK: #1 for 2 weeks, 32 weeks on)


If there is any star who has been the biggest breakthrough of 2021, well, it really has to be Olivia Rodrigo, doesn't it? Her debut album "Sour" was a huge success, and this song, bearing more than a passing resemblance to Paramore's "Misery Business", showed her diversity well as she embraced the rock direction. While my chart has veered away from the mainstream pop hits over time, this is one that managed success on both, becoming one of my favourite songs of the summer, and my favourite from her so far. The future can only look up for her from here!


3. Duran Duran - Invisible (PEAK: #1 for 3 weeks, 32 weeks on)


I've always enjoyed Duran Duran's music, particularly their 80's and 90's classics. Just put on their "Rio" or Wedding albums, both of which remain among my favourites ever, or their "Greatest" hits package - and it's amazing how many of their songs hold up well to this day.

The reunion of their original line-up in 2004 caught my attention, proving their force in the 21st century - and ever since, with 4/5 of the classic line-up intact, they've maintained a level of consistency many acts of their vintage can only dream of! They sure know how to combine the nostalgia of their past hits with a modern sensibility.

And nowhere is this more evident than on their song "Invisible", and its album "Future Past". I feel this is their best song in ages, and most likely best since their heyday of popularity - and the album has several songs that easily could've been on their 80's albums. It was a clear #1 on my chart, where it stayed for 3 non-consecutive weeks... and as it is still charting at the end of the year after 32 weeks, its longevity is well-warranted.

40 years into their hit-making career and Duran Duran certainly haven't let up!

2. Kate Voegele - This Is Home (PEAK: #1 for 6 weeks, 59 weeks on)


Let's be real here - every time I do a year-end chart, you just know that Kate Voegele is going to be high up. And indeed, this is the seventh straight year where she has a song in my top 3! This song was released in late 2020 and basically reflects the idea of what home has meant to her over her lifetime, complete with clips of her childhood in the music video!

After debuting at #1 in 2020, this song stayed on the chart for the entire year 2021... and its longevity helps place it all the way up at #2 for the year, setting longevity records in the process, breaking the record she set with her first charting single "Only Fooling Myself". Had its entire run counted towards this, it would've been an easy #1, but as it started its run in 2020, it falls just short of #1!


1. Mat Kearney - Can't Look Back (PEAK: #1 for 4 weeks, 42 weeks on)


Well, if Kate couldn't do it, then who could?

I'm telling you, 2021 was a year full of surprises, and while this singer has had several songs make my chart over the past 15 years, I never expected him to have a #1 on my chart for any week, no less the entire year!

Taking influence from 70's singer-songwriters, as well as his own style, looking towards his own future and how he can't look back because the past has already happened, Mat Kearney delivered this irresistible moment that just all came together for me.

I can always appreciate such a well-crafted song, and after several weeks, it really hit for me, already becoming his biggest hit once it got to #16 on my chart. But just when it looked like it might stall... he suddenly leapt 16-1, and stayed at #1 for 4 weeks... getting a long run in the top 10 in the process, and spending a total of 42 weeks on my chart - something only a total of eight songs have done.

This song's staying power for me really helped it become my top song of 2021, well done Mat Kearney on pulling off an unexpected but welcome best song of the year!