This year's Top 20 Songs list was difficult to put together for technical reasons. Four or five months back, I hamfistedly hit something I didn't mean to on the desktop computer that I usually download my music onto, and consequently screwed up the Media Monkey account I use to keep my music organized. As a result, while I have continued to be able to use it to get new music onto my iPod classic, I have not been able to download playlists. So to listen and compare my favorite songs by each artist, I've had to create and listen to playlists on YouTube, which is a huge pain in the cannoli's. It means dealing with constant commercials, getting kicked off of YouTube every five songs or so, etc. None of that will be a problem this year, as I bought myself a new laptop and had my daughter set it up and download Media Monkey onto it for all my music for 2022 and beyond. (Unless I screw that one up, too.)
But enough about my little troubles. In any event, I persevered, and I was able to get it done. So I can now present to you my Top 20 Songs of 2021. (And by the way, you'll notice that just as on my Top 10 Albums list, the ladies rein supreme here. All I can say, guys, is I hope you step up your game in 2022.)
Once again, I'm going to spread this list out over two posts. I'll be covering #'s 20-11 here, and #'s 10-1 in a second post later this week.
Note that these weren't necessarily singles. (In fact, probably none of them were.) They were just my 20 favorite songs of the year.
So here's Part 1 of my list, in reverse order:
20. Creeper - "Midnight" Creeper - Midnight
This is sort of like a vampiric Bruce Springsteen tune from this British goth/pop punk band with dueling male and female vocals. It's from their 2021 EP American Noir. It's absolutely a musical love story for the undead.
19. Submotile - "Sunflower" Submotile - Sunflower
As I mentioned in my Top 10 albums list, Submotile is a two-piece husband/wife duo from Dublin, Ireland (which I assume is his hometown. She's Italian.) I love the juxtaposition of her ethereal vocals with the insane, surf-rock-out-of-control drums on this track.
18. As December Falls - "I Don't Feel Like Feeling Great" As December Falls - I Don't Feel Like Feeling Great
This is clearly my faux Josh-Farro-era Paramore song of the year, from this band's new LP Happier.. I get that a lot of people think As December Falls imitates 2005-2009 Paramore just a little too slavishly. But I say if you're going to copy, at least copy off the best. And honestly, I enjoyed this LP more than I've enjoyed either of Hayley Williams' two solo albums, or even the two most recent Paramore LPs.
17. Sweet Trip - "In Sound, We Found Each Other" Sweet Trip - In Sound, We Found Each Other
According to Wikipedia. this San Francisco-based electronic duo are known for blending alternative rock with intelligent dance music. This song is dreamy and pleasant, and would have probably even been higher on this list if they didn't go mucking about with some weird electronic sounds during the last 30-45 seconds. But it's still mighty purdy.
16. Hayley Williams - "Inordinary" Hayley Williams - Inordinary
Speaking of Paramore, here's what former pop punk princess Hayley Williams has been up to lately. I thought her LP from this year, Flowers for Vases/Descansos was a little hit or miss. It's very acoustic, and very subdued. As you'll hear, this track is about as quiet and laid back as you can get. But this song, at least, is also very personal and genuine, and I liked it soon as I heard it.
15. Ad Infinitum - "Unstoppable" Ad Infinitum - Unstoppable
Ad Infinitum is a Swiss symphonic metal band with beauty-and-the-beast vocals. Their 2021 LP Chapter II: Legacy was my first experience with them, but it won't be the last. Their music speaks of epic battles and the like, and as you'll see if you watch the video I've linked to up above, lead singer Melissa Bonny can do a power hair twirl with the best of them. This track is one of the two highlights of the album, the other being a song called "Son of Wallachia".
14. Torres - "Don't Go Puttin Wishes in My Head" Torres - Don't Go Puttin Wishes in My Head
I really tried to keep this song out of my Top 20, because (spoiler) it's not the only Torres song on this list. But this one is just so joyful and triumphant, and it has such a great hook, that I just couldn't exclude it and still feel this was an honest list. Well played, Torres. Well played.
13. The Pretty Reckless - "Witches Burn" The Pretty Reckless - Witches Burn
The Pretty Reckless are a fairly rare entity these days, a straight-up hard rock band. This song is something of a feminist anthem in the best sense of the word - don't try to burn this lady at the stake. She'll gut you like a fish, and consequences be damned!
12. Grouplove - "Oxygen Swimming" Grouplove - Oxygen Swimming
This Is This is kind of an awful name for an album, and the cover art is just dreadful. Having said that, this LP is far and away Grouplove's best since their 2011 debut Never Trust A Happy Song, and I just love this track in particular. It's a song that finds a couple in love just lying in the dark, cuddling and talking about whatever comes to mind. It's intimate, and just makes me like these people. Grouplove was one of the concerts I had tickets for that got cancelled by the pandemic in 2020. I'll always be kind of sad about that.
11. Blackmore's Night - "Nature's Light" Blackmore's Night - Nature's Light
This is the title track from the new Blackmore's Night album. It's regal and bombastic, and totally representative of what Blackmore's Night is all about. It's a royal processional theme, and you can just see the various lords and ladies entering the courtyard behind the queen before today's joust. Candice's voice is lovely here, as it always is.
So that's it for the first part of my list. If the work from my job isn't too heavy, I'll try to post Part 2 tomorrow. In any event, it will be up sometime in the next few days. Peace, my people.
