Screenshot of Injury Reserve’s “Knees” video by There Stands the Glass.
My ranking of the fifty new songs I loved most in 2021 bears little resemblance to There Stands the Glass’ Top Albums of 2021 list. The disparity is intentional. A forthcoming accounting of the 50 best live performances I caught in 2021 will contain further deviations. Injury Reserve’s disquieting “Knees” meant the most to me in recent months. The rest of the songs are sequenced by personal preference with a bit of flexibility for optimal playlist appeal. Here’s the Spotify playlist.
1. Injury Reserve- "Knees"
2. Coi Leray- "No More Parties"
3. J Balvin and Skrillex- “"In Da Ghetto"
4. Tokischa and Rosalía- "Linda"
5. Priya Ragu- "Lockdown"
6. Little Simz- "Rollin' Stone"
7. Cake Pop, Pritty, Aaron Carter and Ravenna Golden- "Satin Bedsheets"
8. The Streets- "Who's Got the Bag"
9. Celeste- "Tonight Tonight"
10. Billie Eilish- "Lost Cause"
11. Badbadnotgood- "City of Mirrors"
12. Chlöe- "Have Mercy"
13. Sir the Baptist featuring Anthony Hamilton- "Jesus in the Ghetto"
14. Rod Wave- "Tombstone"
15. Remi Wolf- “Anthony Kiedis”
16. Blackstarkids- "Juno"
17. Shannon & The Clams- "Year of the Spider"
18. Olivia Rodrigo- "Brutal"
19. Amyl and the Sniffers- "Freaks to the Front"
20. Willow featuring Cherry Glazerr- “¡Breakout!”
21. Elle King and Miranda Lambert- “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”
22. Roman Alexander featuring Ashley Cooke- "Between You & Me"
23. Tinashe- "Bouncin'"
24. Megan Thee Stallion- "Thot Sh*t"
25. IDK with Swae Lee and Rico Nasty- "Keto"
26. Jungle- "No Rules"
27. Jana Rush- "Disturbed"
28. Nightmares on Wax- "Miami 80"
29. Earl Sweatshirt- "2010"
30. Slowthai featuring James Blake and Mount Kimbie- "Feel Away"
31. Pooh Shiesty featuring Gucci Mane- "Ugly"
32. Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar- "Family Ties"
33. Saweetie featuring Doja Cat- "Best Friend"
34. City Girls- "Scared"
35. Kevin Gates- "Plug Daughter 2"
36. Maxo Kream- “Cripstian”
37. Tony Allen and Danny Brown- "Deer in Headlights"
38. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss- "High and Lonesome"
39. Samantha Fish featuring Tech N9ne- "Loud"
40. Rauw Alejandro and Anitta- “Brazilera”
41. Céu - “Chega Mais”
42. Adele- "All Night Parking"
43. Cécile McLorin Salvant - "Ghost Song"
44. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis- “Albuquerque”
45. Willie Nelson- "Too Sick to Pray"
46. Brittney Spencer- "Sober & Skinny"
47. Lauren Alaina- "It Was Me"
48. Moby, Mark Lanegan and Kris Kristofferson- "The Lonely Night"
49. Loretta Lynn- “I Don’t Feel at Home Anymore”
50. Sarah Brand- "Red Dress"
Links to 16 previous year-end There Stands the Glass surveys begin here.
