Every December, I make this list of my favorite songs of the year, and two things will hold true; 1)I'll never make a playlist of them and listen to nothing but my favorites, and 2)I probably won't remember which songs I ended up picking too long into the next year. I know the business is moving back in the direction of singles, but I like to think in bigger chunks of music. Still, a great song is a great song, and these are the ones I'm saying were my favorites from 2021.
10. The Spider Accomplice - Keep
Sometimes, a song will echo what's going on in my own head, and in those times it's like finding a kindred spirit. That happened here, with VK's lyric about barbed wire in her tapestry using a similar image to a song I had finally put the finishing touches on after years of being dissatisfied with one of my best ideas. There was no dissatisfaction with this song, a lovely power ballad finding VK and Arno using acoustic guitars and a delicate touch to wring all they emotion they can from this one. Secrets can be a burden, and that is felt here. What shouldn't be a secret is this song.
Lzzy Hale gave us this anthem about overcoming your demons and climbing out of the holes we often dig for ourselves, and as she adds extra grit to her voice to push the chorus, it's that voice of hers that is the best salve. Certain singers, and certain voices, are able to say more with less than others. Lzzy is one of those singers who lifts your spirits, even when she's screaming about her own pain. Part of that is honesty, part of that is acceptance. Halestorm's best music is rock and roll therapy, and that's exactly what we needed when this song came along.8. Kat Kennedy - Party
Last year, I adored Taylor Swift's "Folklore". Kat Kennedy gives me a similar vibe on this song, without it being any sort of copy. Her voice is the key, a breathy and tender tone that sounds as if she's trying to sing without any emotion. It's a sound I've referred to before as 'Daria rock', and it's something I find strangely appealing. The song is about the hangover after a night of togetherness, and it truly sounds like it. It rides the line of being too restrained, but keeps itself on the right side. This is a pop song trying not to sound like one, and the result is a quiet, low-key gem.7. The Wallflowers - I'll Let You Down (But Will Not Give You Up)
What I love most about this song is the soft swell right before the chorus, which leads into almost gospel sounding backing vocals sitting under Jakob Dylan's broken sounding voice. It's a kind of fractured spiritualism, which plays into the admission of the song's title lyric. If we're trying to find some nobility is failure, this song is a way in which we do that. Trying may be the most important thing, it may be the only thing.6. Iron Maiden - Darkest Hour
Maybe I love this song because it sounds like it would comfortably sit on Bruce Dickinson's classic solo albums. Rather than the usual gallop, this is a moody quasi-ballad that wraps itself in dramatic flair, where the aging in Bruce's voice perfectly fits the weariness that would come after the battle leading to the 'serenade of glory'. We also get the best guitar soloing from the album, serving as a lovely intermission before Bruce comes back in to get our fists pumping one last time. When he and Iron Maiden are taking this approach, they are still capable of brilliance.5. Soen - Monarch
As I have said many times in recent years, Soen is everything that modern metal can and should be. Songs like this one deliver heavy riffs in angular rhythms, juxtaposed with smooth vocals delivering simple but unforgettable melodies. Their heavy songs are like a jackhammer, slowly cracking through our exteriors, then pouring those melodies in to seal ourselves shut again. It will then be a part of us, and what makes Soen special is not just that they do this again and again, but they do it in a way no one else can. "Monarch" can only be a Soen song.4. W.E.T. - How Do I Know?
I'm a well-known sucker for power ballads, and here we are again. On their last album, I adored when W.E.T. offered up a song with hints of Steinman-esque pomposity. They do it again here, with backing vocals sounding like an epic choir waiting for us at heaven's gate. That's hyperbole, of course, but there's a thrilling burst of glory that comes through. It's the sort of song I can't help but smile listening to, where I may not be able to explain what makes it more special than so many others that are like it, but I can feel it. It's a bit of a warm hug of a song.3. Smith/Kotzen - Taking My Chances
It's hard to make blues-based rock.... well, rock. So often, the genre gets bogged down in the misery, but Adrian Smith's metallic edge not only gives this song a crunchy riff to build off, it imbues so much energy that Richie Kotzen's melody come the chorus is electric. Their singing of the title together invites a sing-along with us, and then the song snakes away from us, leaving a glistening trail we can't help but follow.2. Alicia Witt - Down She Goes
No song this year was a better example of how to make classy sounding pop music than this one. Alicia's music is mature and sophisticated, and the tone of her voice is reflective, yet perfectly suited to the breathy rush of pop music. Like a spun sugar ornament, Alicia's voice and the song are both beautiful, but the fragility is apparent at all times. The sheen caught my eye, then the craftsmanship wowed me. The moment after the bridge where the piano feels like it misses a beat before turning to the last chorus is amazing, echoing the way our hearts can feel like they skip in the moment when we are flush with passion. I love that.1. Tonic - To Be Loved
This came as a surprise, as I had pretty much given up on the prospect of getting new Tonic music again. I had accepted that, and then this song came along. My first thought was how no song could live up to the expectations of a favorite band after a decade of inaction. My second thought was just how stupid happy it made me to hear those familiar sounds again. Listening to Emerson's voice and Jeff's guitar details felt like an old friend, three minutes that summed up pretty much everything I love about Tonic. Sure, the melody burrowed into my head the more I listened to the song, and the riff shows the genius of simplicity, but it's more a feeling than anything else. Tonic gave me a feeling I wasn't expecting, and I'm not sure anyone else could replicate, so of course it was my favorite song of the year.
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