I know “subversing the top 40” is my brand, but there were too many good songs this year so we are subversing the top 40 by making it a top 50.

2021 was a weird fucking year. There was an insurrection and riot at the Capitol, and then suddenly it was December and JCPenney was doing Christmas ads. And now COVID rates are at all-time highs, it’s 60 degrees in December, and it’s basically March 2020 all over again. I have no idea what the fuck is going on.

This was my first full year as an adult — things got less shiny and more monotonous than ever. But, a huge benefit of that monotony is I listened to more music than I ever have in my life this year. That’s part of why this list was so damn hard to make, and why I made the decision to do a top 50.

This year, artists like Jazmine Sullivan, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, Amaarae, Olivia Rodrigo and Lucky Daye dominated the CED Radio airwaves. You can expect to see them on this list, along with many other incredible artists. I probably could’ve filled the list with just songs from Heaux Tales, Planet Her, Still Over It, MONTERO, and SOUR alone — but what fun would that be? So, I tried to limit it to 1–3 entries per artist, hence why you may not see your fave song from one of those albums on here. Check the honorable mentions at the end for those. Onto the top 50…

Artists With Multiple Entries (including features)

Albums With Multiple Entries

50. fitt (with Amaarae) — Dua Saleh

From starring as Cal in Season 3 of Netflix’s Sex Education to releasing their critically acclaimed 2021 EP CROSSOVER, Dua Saleh has had a busy and successful year — “fitt” encapsulates why that busyness is deserved. It opens up with an infectious, distorted vocal: “Physically, physically fit/Catcher in the rye, want a taste of it.” The lyrics end up placed over an eclectic club beat, garnished with an afrobeats led funky hip-hop groove. “fitt” was sneakily one of the best songs released this year.

49. TAKE ME HOME (feat. Fousheé) — Vince Staples

Some songs are made for driving. “TAKE ME HOME” is one. Vince Staples opts for a completely relaxed, conversational flow in the verses, and rides effortlessly over the song’s breezy, open yet sharp beat. However, it’s Fousheé who steals the show. Her chorus, like Vince’s satisfyingly compact verse, is tight, and colored by her cool and easy vocals: “Please save your two cents, I’m fine/I got no sensor, I vibe.” “TAKE ME HOME” is a breath of fresh air and I’m thankful that Fousheé and Vince linked up. Check out the Tiny Desk too — their chemistry is so palpable.

48. Up — Cardi B

One thing about Cardi: her music is the zeitgeist. Since Bodak Yellow dropped in 2017, there hasn’t been a year when a Cardi song wasn’t smashing on the charts. “Up” belongs to 2021, and is undeniably one of the year’s defining songs. The acceptably Tik Tok-baity and inescapably infectious anthem represents, in a nutshell, the pop sound of 2021. While it’s not my favorite Cardi B song, it’s yet another bold statement that her career is not a fluke — she’s a bonafied hitmaker: “Bitches ain’t fuckin’ with me now and I can see why/Dirty-ass, dusty-ass bitch, you got pink eye.” That is some shit only a New York nigga would say.

47. Fellowship — serpentwithfeet

This song is just so sweet. Its simplicity is its biggest draw: “My friends (my friends), my friends (my friends)/I’m thankful for the love I share with my friends.” The structure is less straightforward, as serpentwithfeet’s serpentine riffs slither over a bouncy percussion-filled beat. The melody remains so major and boastful, while the structure keeps the song from feeling cheesy. And then, the riff after “this is the blessing of my thirties” at 2:16 absolutely destroys me every time. serpentwithfeet is a shining star who delivered with “Fellowship” and the entire DEACON album.

46. So I Lie — Miguel

Miguel quietly released the 4th part to his Art Dealer Chic EP this year, and it was actually great! I say “actually” not because I was surprised it was good, but because it feels like no one listened to it. I’m a huge Miguel fan, dating back to the Sure Thing/Adorn/All I Want Is You days. His versatility and talent has always captured me and “So I Lie” is no exception. Miguel has a knack for incorporating gritty, bass induced rock sounds over groovy and funky beats, and “So I Lie” is a fine example of him doing that, as he laments his dishonesty over an eerily dissimilar buoyant beat: “So I lie to my friends/But they can tell/Just a shell of who I am when I lie/.” Miguel’s sound and storytelling abilities are still growing 11 years into his career and “So I Lie” is definitely a good omen for his next LP.

45. Body (feat. LEMMONS) — Joy Nesbitt

Joy Nesbitt is a rising star and honest writer. Her smooth, jazzy vibrato and authentic pen are instantly effective on “Body.” LEMMONS comes out the gate swinging in the song’s intro: “Tryna find my way but I don’t recognize the/Two feet somehow moving me along/Somewhere in between going and gone.” Then LEMMONS and Joy Nesbitt plead together: “Take me out your fantasy/This is my body/Fighting for my sanity/This is my body.” The song is a lucid anthem about what it often means to be a politicized body in this country — how the distance of politicization can sever your own connection with that body. While “Echo” off of Joy Nesbitt’s 2021 album Atlas Rising was praised by Alicia Keys and “Waiting Game” racked up her largest Spotify stream count to date, “Body” is what remained in my headphones all year.

44. X (feat. Jeremih) — Tinashe

I’m not going to lie — it took me a while to genuinely get into Tinashe, and it’s not exactly her fault. Upon her debut she was packaged to audiences as so much less versatile than she is, and her 2021 album 333 has shattered any and all doubts that she isn’t a visionary artist. “X” is an undeniably sexy electronic-hip hop anthem: “X marks the spot now can you find it?/I wanna feel your body it’s on fire, yeah.” It joins an exclusive group of songs released during the Coronavirus pandemic that were criminally robbed of terrorizing us in the club all summer. Tinashe’s confidence and easy-listening voice paired with production perfection make for an undeniable smash. And we can’t dismiss Jeremih’s contribution — he matches Tinashe’s energy upon entrance, and elevates an already perfect record. Tinashe is here to stay and I’m excited to continue watching her refine her sound.

43. favorite crime — Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo’s was the new girl of the year, blasting onto the mainstream music scene this January with the instant classics “driver’s license” and “good 4 u.” And the verdict is in — the hype is deserved. SOUR is one of this year’s best projects, and while nothing about its sound is wildly innovative, the decision to draw so heavily from a 2000s indie and pop-punk sound defined by Hayley Williams, Demi Lovato, Regina Spektor and Ingrid Michaelson was exactly what the world needed (clearly). While the album is filled with easy bait like the satisfyingly angsty “brutal” and Paramore-inspired “good 4 u,” when the dust settled, “favorite crime” was the strongest: “You used me as an alibi/I crossed my heart as you crossed the line.” The heart wrenching breakup record uses metaphor and a key octave switch to demonstrate that Olivia is not just an A&R controlled pop girl — she is bringing something to the table too.

42. Je ne sais pas (feat. Sfera Ebbasta) — Lous and the Yakuza

This song just GOES. If you’re even vaguely a fan of R&B or trap — or just a fan of shit that bangs in a pair of car speakers, I guarantee you will love this song. The Congolese-Belgian singer-songwriter-model-rapper multi-hyphenate Lous and the Yakuza brings a level of understated swag to “Je ne sais pas” that I haven’t heard in a long time, especially in the age of kitschy Tik Tok beats. Although she discusses feelings like hopelessness and a relationship so toxic that reality shows are talking about it, she manages to deliver the information with ease to the ear: “J’avance mais j’sais pas si je verrais demain (pow, pow, pow)/Reality show, parla di noi (uh).” Italian rapper Sfera Ebbasta complements her style, creating what can be described as none other but a fucking banger, and one of the best songs released in 2021.

41. Bad Life (feat. Kali Uchis) — Omar Apollo

I loved this song from the first listen. The channel ORANGE tinged, cautionary yet cheerful record is definitely my favorite sound Omar Apollo has ever dabbled in. It is an impressive step up from the 2020 Apolonio, and Omar is vocally thriving. The already beautiful song becomes transcendent halfway through, when a gorgeously and majorly-major string section introduces Kali Uchis, whose ethereal and encouraging vocals soar over what feels like the sweet apex of ecstasy: “Cause I feel it deeper and stronger/It won’t be much longer ’til you see for yourself .” Omar and Kali are longtime collaborators for a reason, and never fail to succeed when paired together.

40. F.U.C.K — Victoria Monét

One thing about my girl Vicky…she gon write a good ass song about sex, with clever metaphors and smooth vocals to match. F.U.C.K, an acronym for “Friend you can keep” (get your mind out of the gutter!), is a smooth lo-fi R&B anthem about “jumping bones” and not “jumping the broom.” The usual suspects of a Victoria Monét bop are at play — clever songwriting and subtle touches like the keychange at the end of this song. She has mastered the essence of creating a vibe. There’s something powerful about Victoria releasing a song that based on its title alone isn’t radio friendly — she’s uninterested in that, and more interested in building her catalog as a stellar singer and songwriter. Hint: it’s working.

39. If I Could — Charlotte Day Wilson

Charlotte Day Wilson is a really exciting emerging voice in the R&B world. She’s an alto, so that makes me an automatic stan — but the depth and richness in her voice and tone is also reflected in her music, from the production to the lyrics. “If I Could” is most exemplary of this depth. It begins with a more acoustic introduction, tumbling into a bass and percussion filled gospel-inspired refrain: “Oh-oh, I’d bathe you/Wash you of the sins that plague you/Rid you of the burdens, and you’d be free once more.” The song gleams most starting at 2:30, when the backgrounds drop out and the chorus is refrained in harmony with Wilson’s voice, layered in a Bon Iver like, college a cappella-bait style. “If I Could” was an immediate win for me, and is the shining star off Wilson’s fantastic 2021 debut album ALPHA.

38. range brothers (with Kendrick Lamar) — Baby Keem

“range brothers” reveals itself as a hit because every time it comes on, it gives me a burst of energy. “Baby Keem is a ridiculously talented and versatile rapper and MC, swerving between characters and voices, to the point where you aren’t sure which part is Baby Keem or his cousin, Kendrick Lamar. However, Kendrick’s entrance around the 3 minute mark is undeniable — the song feels like a spaceship taking off, and Kendrick is the catalyst. As much as I like the first 4 minutes the song, it’s the final minute that makes range brothers memorable for me: “Let’s get this shit, let’s, hmm/Top of the mornin’, top of the mornin’, top of the mornin.’” Kendrick’s intentional ritardando against a consistent beat, mixed with his infectious energy, are a recipe for a verse that says we don’t give a f***. I definitely recommend starting your morning off with “range brothers” — you’ll walk a little differently that day.

37. Rainforest — Noname

Noname gets a lot of shit for no other reason than the fact that she speaks the truth. She’s not perfect by any means — but the perspective she adds as an artist and organizer is invaluable, and “Rainforest” is yet another example: “Now the rich niggas is rich niggas with your bread/Really bitch niggas with big figures, some cokeheads/These bitches is cokeheads, man, fuck a billionaire, nigga.” Noname is coming at us hard, and the message isn’t corny or heavyhanded — she’s rapping what’s on her chest and the tactileness of her voice and pen are proof. Noname is a necessary voice in hip-hop and “Rainforest” was one of this year’s strongest releases.

36. All Night Parking (with Erroll Garner) Interlude — Adele

Sometimes a song just paints a vivid picture upon its first listen — it seeks after a vibe and achieves a perfect rendering of it. “All Night Parking,” off of Adele’s stunning fourth studio album 30, is a coffeehouse jazz interlude which blends a 1964 Erroll Garner sample with a more modern Pop/hip-hop beat. The song is what I imagine foreplay and a cup of hot chocolate by the fire in a cabin off the woods somewhere in Colorado sounds like: “The sight of you is dramatic/One glimpse and I panic inside.” While there are so many brilliant tracks off of 30, “All Night Parking” is a refreshing and gripping record that shows me Adele is having fun.

35. Crazy Tings — Tems

Tems is a breakout star of 2021. From providing vocals on the sleeper hit “Essence” to the release of her critically acclaimed album If Orange Was A New Place, she is on fire. “Crazy Tings” is a groovy upbeat Afrobeats song, coveted by Tems’ deep rich tone. Besides the fact that I’m obligated to stan because she’s an alto, the song is just relevant: “Crazy tings are happening/Crazy tings are happening/If you need somebody’s craze/You fit chop somebody’s craze.” While she’s describing the whiplash of realizing a person isn’t who they say they are, she could be talking about any of our lives — crazy tings are really fucking happening.

34. Passion — PinkPantheress

PinkPantheress is one of the most interesting debuts of 2021. Several viral Tik Tok songs earlier this year led to a record deal with Elektra Records and a debut album (that is around 18 minutes long) with hundreds of millions of streams. If you haven’t accepted it yet, Tik Tok is currently the music industry — they’re inseparable. “Passion,” like the rest of the songs on to hell with it, is a blend of bedroom pop, drum and bass electronic beats, and playful, airy rap-singing that successfully masks the sadness of the songs’ lyrics: “I called my dad, he told me, “There’s no room for me”/Down at the house that we had when we were living as a three.” Her sound supports a theory I’ve been building about the (refreshing and Black-led) return of house and electronic music into the mainstream. PinkPantheress is a sharp and clear example of where the music industry is going — her music would’ve never been chosen by gatekeepers, but it took off on its own and they had to follow suit.

33. SAVE YOU — CHIKA

CHIKA put out a great EP this year, Once Upon A Time. It was overlooked by many, but tucked inside are some great tracks that further showcase CHIKA’s immense abilities as a rapper, singer, and writer. On “SAVE YOU,” she raps cooly with the perfect balance of poise, contempt and dynamism: “My first love is engaged to be married any day/I hope she think about me every single time/That she busted on a nigga when he hit it from behind/Oh shit, eight bars and I’m into ho shit.” She’s introspective on the verses, but comfortable in her immense talent as she coos over an edgy chorus. I appreciate CHIKA so much as a voice in hip-hop, and “SAVE YOU” is a prime example of her commitment to refining her craft.

32. SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY Remix (feat. Kali Uchis and Moliy) — Amaarae

Tik Tok has started churning out some quality anthems, and we can crown this one the leader of that group (+ the robbed club songs group). “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY Remix” is nothing short of a perfect song. Ghanian artist Amaarae is on fire this year, featured three times on our list. Her Afropop sound shines most on “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY.” The song encapsulates sex and power— an ode to the girls who can’t be stopped from dancing: “I really like to party/I cannot control my body.” The chemistry between Kali Uchis, Moliy and Amaarae is incredible, and the remix furthers what I like to think Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé brought back in 2020 with “Savage” — the art of the true remix. I’m positive we’ll be hearing a lot more of Amaarae in 2022 and I am very excited about that.

31. Peng Black Girls Remix (feat. Jorja Smith) — ENNY

I’m thankful this remix dropped right at the start of 2021 so I could include a version of this song. I’m absolutely enamored with ENNY’s sound, flow, and bars on “Peng Black Girls.” On the original, Amia Brave slides over the chorus with ease and skill, and on the remix, Jorja Smith adds her own touch to the chorus. The UK-based rapper is fierce with her words: “Big nose contour, some of us won’t/Never wanna put us in the media bro/Want a fat booty like Kardashians? (No)/Want a fat booty like my aunty got, yo.” She boldly calls out one of the most pervasive trends in pop culture: the commercial “acceptance” of Black features and culture but not on our bodies, and without any material benefit to our livelihood as a people. I haven’t seen any further ENNY releases pop off, but I know she is just getting started — she’s a career I am definitely watching. Check out the incredible COLORS show performance.

30. Have Mercy — Chloë

After dominating the world in 2020 alongside her sister Halle with the critically acclaimed Ungodly Hour (whose title track ranked number one on last year’s list), Chloë came out swinging with a solo career in 2021. Shrouded in the perfect amount of controversy and Tik Tok fueled inspiration, “Have Mercy” was a hit upon release. It’s a just a bop — Chloë’s versatility and more rap focused vocals work extremely well, and to me, serve as a tease for all of the different sounds Chloë is going to toy with. Her biggest inspiration is Kelis, and Have Mercy is definitely doing Kelis’ stanky production and sexual confidence justice: “All this ass up in my jeans/You can’t get up in between/You tryna get a piece of me/I can teach you a couple things.” “Have Mercy” is no “Ungodly Hour” or “Forgive Me,” but it’s a great debut effort that indicates that solo Chloë is just getting started.

29. Happier Than Ever — Billie Eilish

A few weeks ago, I woke up and realized this was one of the best songs released this year. The title track of Billie Eilish’s second studio album Happier Than Ever is a two-part track, beginning with Eilish’s signature muted, quivering sound, erupting into an anthemic pop-rock song in part two. While I found the album muddy as a whole, Billie is clearest and most certain on “Happier Than Ever.” The song, especially the second half, is the type of track that becomes the anthem of a generation: “I don’t relate to you, no/’Cause I’d never treat me this shitty/You make me hate this city.” The songwriting is brilliant per usual, with every lyric feeling painfully relatable. Billie should definitely keep pursuing pop rock and continue intrasong genre-blending (a la 2019’s “bad guy”) — it helped her birth in my opinion one of her most refreshing singles and one of the best of 2021.

28. How Much Can A Heart Take (feat. Yebba) — Lucky Daye

The collab I didn’t know I needed but am so happy about — Lucky Daye and Yebba. The two have an expected chemistry, but Yebba, who opens the track, is especially gutsy in her vocal effort: “And somehow you find the time to wine and dine your bitches better than me.” The song is a breath of fresh air, an upbeat old school soul anthem about a decaying toxic love where both partners have moved past constructiveness and maturity. The song is full of vocal gymnastics from both singers and ends with a funny dream-like spoken word from Lucky Daye. It’s a highlight off of Lucky Daye’s 2021 EP Table for Two.

27. No Love (with SZA) — Summer Walker

For the purposes of this review, art can be separate from the artist....when it’s this damn good. “No Love,” featuring SZA, is off of Summer Walker’s critically acclaimed 2021 album Still Over It. “No Love” is secured in by a groovy bass line. It’s a playful anthem that fantasizes about approaching a now decayed relationship with no expectations, no strings: “But if I had you back, all I’d wanna do is fuck (fuck)/Get drunk (get drunk)/take drugs (take drugs).” SZA shines per usual on her feature, continuing her knack for writing uniquely relatable and simple lyrics: “If I did it all again, I would give like ten percent/You deserve like half of that, I’ma need my money back.” The two have a chemistry I could’ve predicted, and it’s historical that we get them together on a track. The song and album are some of the best released this year. Even if Summer is a controversial figure, her music don’t miss.

26. Boy — KLARK

I love this gay ass song. KLARK, a fierce rising star in the pop world, is at his best on “Boy.” A repitched vocal loop in the back mixes with a pushing beat, sharp ad-libs, and an infectious pop guitar to give us a masterclass in making a pop song. It reminds me of some of the pure, cavity-inducing Pop we were blessed with in the early 2010s (see Katy Perry, Ke$ha, and Nicki Minaj). It’s a sound KLARK toys with on other tracks (see “Simple” and “HOLDING MY BREATH”) but its most certain on “Boy.” KLARK’s lyrics are simple but effective: “If you wanna be my haven/If you wanna be my baby/If you wanna be my greatest joy/Come to me and/Be my boy.” Topped with a Lauryn Hill interpolation in the outro, “Boy” stood out to me as one of 2021’s best releases upon my first listen.

25. sing about love — Fousheé

Fousheé released several incredible tracks this year including her debut EP Time Machine, but “sing about love” stuck with me most. It was this Vevo DSCVR performance that unlocked a feeling in me and solidified its spot on this list. At the very end of the recorded track, she whispers ever so lightly: “And it feels organic/I know you into that,” and says it even louder in the performance. There’s something nostalgic, infinite, and timeless about “sing about love.” It describes the feeling of being in love for the first time in a while: “I, I can finally sing about love again/I, I could see in color, I’m in love again.” Love as seeing in color, as a reason to sing — it’s a stunning metaphor. I hate how slept on this track is because I think it’s one of the strongest representations of what Fousheé has to offer. The bass guitar brings a delectable R&B groove which Fousheé’s muted, Billie Eilish-esque tone shines over. We singing about love right with you, boo.

24. Be Alive — Beyoncé

Honestly, I want to be mad at Beyoncé for putting out all these side songs and not giving us the seventh studio album I need — but she’s still delivering bops. “Be Alive” is a stunning song — it opens with a chilling, angelic choir of Beys, whose synchronized vibrato and dissonant chords make the hairs on your neck stand. It then explodes into an open, drum heavy beat and grizzly guitar that force a hip swing. Beyoncé is at the top of her range, reminiscent of her voice during the B’Day and Dangerously in Love eras. While the song was made for the film King Richard with little promo, it still ended up being on my best-end list. “Be Alive” is evidence that Beyoncé is just having fun at this point.

23. Louie Bag (feat. Smino) — Yebba

Yebba has been a mainstay in my music library since 2017, and I’m glad 2021 is finally bringing her artistry to a wider audience. “Louie Bag,” the third single off of Yebba’s highly anticipated debut studio album Dawn is a smooth, almost whispered song — and a warning. The lyrics feel like Yebba is threatening us with dominance, letting us know she’s about to take and take. She critiques the system she’s in, but resolves to conquer it: “Fuck the interviews to еnterprise/I’d rather look into my mother’s eyes/And let it be.” Smino’s accompanying verse complements the song nicely, not standing out but carrying the song into a more explosive final chorus. Yebba’s album experiments with a variety of sounds, but “Louie Bag” is a newer angle from Yebba where she still sounds effortless and soulful — the perfect balance.

22. Y — Citizen Queen

“Y,” the third of Citizen Queen’s original singles, is by far the strongest work they’ve ever released — Hannah, who brilliantly wrote the majority of the song, opens up with a heartwrenching Ariana-esque intro which sets the listener up to enjoy the perfect Pop ballad. While songwriter Hannah sets the tone, it’s Kaedi who shines the most, bringing her rich tone to a second verse that both challenges and complements the first: “Now I’m back to the basics/Me, myself, and my crazy/Think about you on the daily/I don’t want your sympathy.” The song peaks when a harmonic wind up from all five ladies leads us into an explosive final chorus. The song is just satisfying in its beauty (and incredibly mixed and mastered). It’s simply a gorgeous, heartbreaking ballad that broke out as one of the top songs of 2021.

21. On Read — Lucky Daye and Tiana Major9

This song has an edge that is so satisfying. From the onset of the guitar, you feel like you’re entering a country western feat. Black people and R&B music. “On Read” is so successful because its the blueprint for what a good R&B duet should sound like. Lucky Daye and Tiana Major9 are not just on the song together — they’re in conversation, or better yet conflict. You can feel that tension build as Tiana Major9 explodes into her verse: “I ain’t the one/Baby, I’m so headstrong/It’s your lucky day(e) if I answer, oh, ooh-woah.” In terms of duets, few songs achieved what Lucky Daye and Tiana Major9 did on this. What Lucky Daye does so powerfully — similar to Jazmine Sullivan and SZA — is take simple, relatable phenomena like being left on read, and turn it into a powerful and sharp anthem that could easily become corny but doesn’t.

20. Kiss Me More (feat. SZA) — Doja Cat

I FEEL LIKE FUCKIN SOMETHING! The song of the summer, the foreplay anthem — “Kiss Me More” was one of the 2021’s defining songs. Arguably Doja Cat’s biggest hit to date, she sings and raps effortlessly about the sweetness of love, sex and kissing: “Niggas wishin’ that the pussy was a kissing booth/Taste breakfast, lunch and gin and juice.” SZA comes on and provides more historical lines: “Fuckin’ with you feel like jail, nigga/I can’t even exhale, nigga.” The two have natural chemistry, and sound absolutely at-home over the song’s candy-coated production. Although blemished by a glaring songwriting credit for a certain somebody, the song is a refreshing and easy to listen to summer Pop song that kicked of Doja Cat’s reign as 2021’s new popstar in town.

19. Everyday — LEMMONS

Not every artist writes relatable music — and that’s okay. But for some artists, their perspective and musings are so timely and apt that they naturally end up being reflections of the world around them, and LEMMONS is a prime example. “Everyday” is a heartwrenching pop-soul anthem about the pain of loss and longing that we all can relate to: “I miss you everyday/Everyday the same/In my mind/Everybody’s grinding pain/In the same way/Under same weight.” Flawless innovative runs, vulnerable writing and simple production courtesy of a collaboration with instrumentalist Devin Smith (Kehlani, DUCKWRTH) make the song a winner from the first listen. “Everyday” is only LEMMONS’ second single but a demonstration of immense upcoming talent with only more to offer.

18. Coastin’ — Victoria Monét

One thing about Victoria: she’s gonna write a damn song, and take us all the way there. “Coastin” is her most nostalgic effort yet, channeling 80s sensibilities and timeless cookout energy. The song sounds like a hot July day, with something on the grill and liquor in your system. Victoria is an artist whose solo material hasn’t received nearly enough attention nor praise from the public or the charts. While she’s written some of this century’s biggest hits (y’all really thought Ari came up with them 7 Rings all by herself?), her solo material has beauty and complexity, and honors the music that came before it in a way that is tasteful and still imaginative. Her next project, which I hope “Coastin’” is the lead single for, tops my list of 2022 projects I’m excited for.

17. Coastline — Tsebiyah

Like Adele’s entry on this list, sometimes a song just paints a vivid picture upon its first listen. For Coastline, it’s the beach, waves, wind, and sun. The song is the getaway we all needed this year. Besides the vibe, the song’s most stunning quality is Tsebiyah herself. Her vocals are impeccable and impactful. I’m a sucker for a song in a swing beat with a guitar. The song is adorned with a faint jazz piano, and the rawness of Tsebiyah’s voice complements the whimsical, sometimes melancholic lyrics: “And when the sun finally comes out/I beg her please to never leave/She never listens to me.” Coastline is a refreshing, stunning song and helped fill my 2021 with joy. I have a hunch it will emerge a classic in the years to come.

16. DEAD RIGHT NOW — Lil Nas X

“DEAD RIGHT NOW” is a highlight off Lil Nas X’s critically acclaimed debut album MONTERO, one of my favorite albums of the year. Lil Nas X is at the top of his rap game on the track, boasting an evolving flow, grit and edge that I haven’t heard from him before this: “My mama told me that she love me, don’t believe her/When she get drunk, she hit me up, mad with a fever like whoa/You ain’t even all that pretty/You ain’t even all that nigga.” Lil Nas X, whose usually known for his audacious persona, gets more bitter and personal on this track — and it’s incredibly effective. While the best parts of it feel inspired by Drake (I can’t explain but I’m right), “DEAD RIGHT NOW” elaborates on it with a steady pushing beat, triumphant horns, and momentous gospel vocals that build a riveting arc and send a (vulnerable) fuck you to the haters. If you need to curse some imaginary haters, get yourself a bottle of something toxic and turn this shit up.

15. Bodies - Intro — Jazmine Sullivan

Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales is my album of this year by a long shot. “Bodies - Intro” serves as the opener to the EP and immediately engrosses the listener into the story. Jazmine candidly sings about a messy night: “Gotta stop getting fucked up/What did I have in my cup?/I don’t know where I woke up/I keep on pressing my luck/I don’t know where I woke up.” Jazmine’s biggest talent as a writer is the straightforwardness of her storytelling, and Heaux Tales is a masterclass in that. “Bodies - Intro” is structured like a lullaby, looping into a layered, nearly a cappella plea with oneself. It’s a stellar example of how to open an album, and it epically succeeds in sounding like the judgmental voices in your head after a wild night out — although I imagine not all of ours sound as beautiful as Jazmine’s.

14. Pressure — Ari Lennox

Ari Lennox is constantly raising the bar, and her sole solo release of 2021 is her best yet. “Pressure” which, arrives after the masterful Shea Butter Baby in 2019, is a bouncy and cocky Motown record with a Motown inspired video to match. It is just an immediate earworm upon the first listen, letting the listener know if they want Ari, they have to apply Pressure: “Why you texting me, you know I won’t reply? (Pressure)/Why you ain’t fuck with me when I wasn’t this fly? (Pressure).” Ari Lennox is a voice we desperately need in R&B because she is differing from the sound most of the other girls are embodying. She is the one of the most captivating musicians on the scene right now.

13. MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) — Lil Nas X

For while, I thought this song was a top 5 lock for this list. Regardless of where it landed, this is one of 2021’s defining songs. While the video is iconic and we can talk about that, the song stands alone as a perfect Pop song. The song incorporates a now signature country guitar over an explosive beat. It’s quick and to the punch, filled to the brim with energy: “Now I can’t leave/And now I’m acting hella elite/Never want the niggas that’s in my league/I wanna fuck the ones I envy, I envy.” It’s brief, ending almost abruptly after an explosively sung bridge 2 minutes into the song. The song is a gay anthem, reclaiming the popular and controversial film title to tell a raunchier and (less creepy) story. It’s just the type of song that defines a year. Sorry y’all — Lil Nas X isn’t going anywhere.

12. On It — Jazmine Sullivan and Ari Lennox

Sometimes we get lucky and receive duets that are matches made in heaven — “On It” is a prime example. It’s a silky, beautifully carnal song that was actually originally written by Ari Lennox, who quickly realized Jazmine was the perfect person for the record and sent it to her: “I want to sit on it/
So tell me why you deserve it.” The song joins a family of songs like Beyoncé ‘s “Rocket,” “Rock The Boat” by Aaliyah or even “Hurry” by Teyana Taylor. Both artists just sing down, giving a masterclass in vocals, riffs and runs galore that you can’t get from just anyone. Backed up by incredible performances, the song is a defining one in Jazmine’s discography and one of the best R&B duets released in years.

11. Love to Dream — Doja Cat

I am not going to front like I was always on the Doja Cat train — but Planet Her was simply too good for me not to hop on the bandwagon. While many of the songs immediately hit for me, “Love to Dream” snuck up on me late in the game and quickly became one of my favorite songs (period). It’s just perfectly produced and written, and sounds like a dream itself. “Love to Dream” shows off Doja’s versatility at its best, with neatly (w)rapped verses and light breathy Ariana Grande-like vocals on the chorus. She opts for full-fledged rapping halfway through the song: “Kicks on him with a pile of J’s/Bricks on him with a dick on him (yo)/Put a fit on him with the Prada shades (Prada shades)/Tits on him and I ride away.” She just absolutely bodies this track and the song is saccharine.

10. Antidote (feat. Adekunle Gold) — Nao

Two words: Wedding song. Someone once told me this song makes them want to cry every time they hear it. While maybe this friend had a lot going on, it says something when an uptempo song that makes you dance also makes you cry. “Antidote” is exactly this — a beautiful love song with gorgeous, achey vocals from Nao and Adekunle Gold. The production is incredible, and it is a highlight off of Nao’s third studio album And Then Life Was Beautiful. The Afrobeats production paired with the two crooning is so effective — the hip-moving beat and emotive vocals reminds me of “Tempted 2 Touch” by Rupee or “Turn Me On” by Kevin Lyttle, but with even more romantic lyrics. Nao consistently shows us how versatile of a vocalist she is, and while she’s sadly not touring this era, I will be first in line to buy tickets whenever she does.

9. River Road — ZAYN

Ok — this album wasn’t the best release of the year, but this song was an absolute dark horse. If you’ve been following my music taste at all, I’m a sucker for a guitar and raw vocals — this song is almost like the beta version of that musical archetype. “River Road” details the dreariness of life, of seasons changing, and what it means to love another person and merge your lives in our mundane existence: “Don’t you ever hope for something else?/Breeze outside my window turned to color/ Know that I will see the sun again.” The song was released in the winter, and became a perfect backdrop for staring out the window longingly, as I question…everything. ZAYN’s vocals are raw and honest, and the song just simply moved me. I still get chills when I listen, and I hope ZAYN makes more stripped down music like this in the future.

8. XTRA feat. Tierra Whack — WILLOW

This song feels like the suburbs in 2005. I don’t know exactly what that means, but I do know WILLOW has a fantastic voice that suits rock and alt better than any other genre she has dabbled in. “XTRA” is a highlight off of her stellar 2021 project lately i feel EVERYTHING, led by a dramatic and cinematic electric guitar refrain and a relaxed drum beat featuring lyrics about choosing yourself: “I’ma need to put you aside/Felt this way for a long time/Miss me with the fake apologies, you’re being extra.” Tierra Whack’s contribution is equally impressive as she speedily lays down a more personal verse than usual: “Independent, ain’t no signing me/Too gone, ain’t no sign of me/Got me wanting to end my sobriety/I ain’t gon’ end my sobriety.” WILLOW’s alt pivot is one I hope she sticks to — she is a star in the genre and “XTRA” is a light.

7. Tales By Moonlight (Ft Amaarae) — Tiwa Savage

The production on “Tales By Moonlight,” just ten seconds into the song, will make you lose control over your entire body. Tiwa Savage opens with a bang: “6 foot 5/Act your size.” Her and Amaarae have a flawless chemistry, bolstered by a bouncy electro-pop beat and embodied production. The song feels like you’re entering a magical forest, with embellished keyboard chords that transport the listener to the club. It encapsulates what happens when you lock eyes with a cutie across the dance floor: “Will you show me?/You’ve been slow/Got me on my tippy toe.” This fantastic collaboration quickly became a favorite of mine and is one of the year’s best songs.

6. Thot Shit — Megan Thee Stallion

I still remember the night this came out — the promo leading up to “Thot Shit” welcomed the return of the long lost Tina Show, the alter ego that made so many of us fall in love with Megan Thee Stallion in the first place. “Thot Shit” wasn’t necessarily a departure from Megan’s music as of late production wise, but her flow and pen are always ever-evolving and “Thot Shit” is another building block: “Got a real hot box, but a bitch don’t smoke (ah)/Hot girl, but I’m still the coldest, hey/I’m the big homie, but I ain’t the oldest, hmm.” Per usual, the song is filled with clever metaphors and altering flows that maintain her place as the best MC in the game right now. No one is bringing the level of gusto and demeanor that Megan consistently brings to the artform. “Thot Shit” quickly became a song of the summer and a song of the year — “I been lit since brunch, Thot Shit!” Also, work that diaphragm girl.

5. HOT HOT — Bree Runway

Bree Runway has been next up for too long. Since being put onto her by a friend back in 2019 via “All Night,” I’ve just enjoyed watching her journey to the top and “HOT HOT” is her best release yet. The song, which contains a sample of Busta Rhymes’ “Touch It,” is a reggae inspired and explosive track that was primed to be a defining summer club track: “You think you hot hot/You ain’t got it like me/Don’t lie, baby, tell the truth.” The track feels like an artist statement of sorts, and yet another declaration of Bree Runway’s stardom. The only reason why she isn’t THEE pop star right now is colorism — but her time is coming, and “HOT HOT” is proof that it’s only a matter of time until folks have no choice but to recognize how consistent and talented she is.

4. Good Days — SZA

SZA’s unique songwriting talent has made her the voice of a generation. Her simple yet impactful writing makes all of her songs inescapably relatable, and “Good Days” is no exception. The track, which feels ascendant in the most literal sense of the word, is the perfect song for dystopia. And like much of SZA’s discography, almost exactly a year after its release the song is even more relevant than it was before. The line “Gotta get right, tryna free my mind before the end of the world” has been a guiding principle for me this year and will continue to be next year — how do we make sense of the end of the world? How do we imagine good days in our minds when good days outside have become more and more scarce? Once again, SZA captured what we are all dealing with and cannot articulate. “Good Days” is an omen that the next album will be another elevation in SZA’s ability to connect and reflect the world via storytelling, and I can’t wait.

3. Wild Side (feat. Cardi B) — Normani

With the release of “Wild Side,” Normani finally found her sound. Normani’s biggest setback to date — in my opinion — was being compared to Beyoncé based off of practically nothing besides them both being Black. “Wild Side” is the sound Normani needs to keep channeling — and it’s not the sound of Bey. It’s much more like Janet, Ciara, and Aaliyah. And it’s GIVING!

“Wild Side” is a sexy, smooth R&B anthem with thumping bass and sensually layered vocals. The song features an explosive verse from Cardi B and some are divided on it —but I’m obsessed: “On the kitchen floor, right on that towel/It’s my dick and I want it now.” The song is a refreshing callback to 90s and 2000s R&B, and Cardi and Normani come correct with focused energy: “Baby, ain’t no hold up, I’m the shit, I hate waitin’/Doot-doot-doot/Shoot your shot, I’m impatient.” Not only is the song an earworm, but also the video was one of the biggest moments of the year for visual culture — a cultural reset as Normani said herself. Many folks who didn’t get this song just aren’t R&B heads and that’s fine, but I will die on the hill that “Wild Side” was one of the top releases of the year, is a fierce endorsement of R&B as a genre, and is an omen that a fantastic Normani album is on its way.

2. Get Into It (Yuh) — Doja Cat

My ride with Doja Cat has been wild, but talent is talent, and “Get Into It (Yuh)” was the best rap song released this year. After the first listen, my only thought was — “that song was weird?” This is a testament to Doja Cat’s talent of taking risks and stepping outside the box, being unafraid to sound weird or embody bizarre characters (can you guess which rapper paved the way for her to do so?). “Get Into It (Yuh)” is dressed in infectious adlibs and often nonsensical lyrics that create a brilliant cross between Young Thug and Nicki Minaj — the latter of whom she thanks at the end (ding ding, she’s the paver!) The song is not only a banger but is exemplary of what it means to create one: “Y’all need to get into the drip like a piranha/Y’all need to get into my drip like y’all need water.” Doja shuffles through almost a double digit amount of flows, and for me and many others, it was the 4th track on Doja’s critically acclaimed Planet Her that instantiated her place as the next Pop-rap star.

1. Girl Like Me (feat. H.E.R) — Jazmine Sullivan

And here we are — CED Radio’s number one song of the year (and my 2nd most played) is “Girl Like Me” by Jazmine Sullivan and H.E.R. Serving as the finale of the brilliant Heaux Tales, “Girl Like Me” is the most personal and perhaps controversial narrative on the anthology album. Across the album, Jazmine plays different characters, from sugar baby to sugar mama, to gold digger to scorned lover. On “Girl Like Me,” Jazmine and H.E.R embody the modern pick-me — a place we have all found ourselves (don’t tell me you haven’t): “You must’ve wanted somethin’ different/Still don’t know what I was missin’/What you asked I would’ve given/It ain’t right how these hoes be winnin’.” While it’s clear on an album called Heaux Tales that Jazmine isn’t in the business of using hoe in a derogatory manner, it’s impressive how she succeeded in including and humanizing narratives of all women, even if they don’t pass the Bechdel test with flying colors. To me, the song really calls out the irony in men outlining pillars of femininity and womanhood that they don’t even want — it’s the realization that the rulebook that men wrote should not and cannot be followed because the rules are rooted in misogyny and controlling women anyway. Jazmine and H.E.R’s answer? “A hoe I’ll be.”

And most importantly, H.E.R and Jazmine is a necessary collaboration. They are both at the top of their game vocally, H.E.R especially pushed to her limits vocals by Jazmine’s masterful vocals (see the finale of Jazmine’s masterful Tiny Desk.) The two’s voices blend flawlessly, and the woeful lyrics are truthfully…pathetic — the vulnerability, honesty and pitifulness of the speaker’s position after a lost love force empathy on the listener, and reminds us we’ve all been in the position where we felt a little different than the other girls.

And surprise — the song is vocals and guitar. I’m pretty predictable at this point, aren’t I?

1. Heaux Tales — Jazmine Sullivan

2. Planet Her — Doja Cat

3. Still Over It — Summer Walker

4. MONTERO — Lil Nas X

5. lately i feel EVERYTHING — WILLOW

6. SOUR — Olivia Rodrigo

7. Time Machine — Fousheé

8. Table for Two — Lucky Daye

9. And Then Life Was Beautiful — Nao

10. 30 — Adele

2020 songs that I fell in love with in 2021: single af — Fousheé | Pick Up Your Feelings — Jazmine Sullivan | Heartbreak Anniversary — Giveon | Essence — Wizkid feat. Tems | Sideways — Cleo Sol | nasty — Ariana Grande | safety net — Ariana Grande feat. Ty Dolla $ign

2021 honorable mentions: