Since Covid-19 has been keeping people at home, movies, books, cooking, and music, etc have kept us entertained while not being able to go out much. The artists turned out some of their best work in 2021. There has been plenty fare ready for the dance floor, be the rave at home or in a warehouse, from singers like Doja Cat, Silk Sonic (the collaborative project from Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak), and ABBA. Here are the 9 best songs that you can enjoy listening to in 2021.

1. Drivers License - Olivia Rodrigo

Photo: Billboard

"Drivers License" (stylized in all lowercase) is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released on January 8, 2021, through Geffen and Interscope Records, as the lead single from her debut studio album, Sour (2021). She co-wrote the song with its producer Dan Nigro. Containing poignant lyrics detailing heartache, "Drivers License" is an atmospheric power ballad blending bedroom pop, indie pop, and power pop styles. It is characterized by a minimalist, piano-led production, incorporating kick drums, harmonies, syncopated hand-claps, and a dreamy bridge.

The song documents the "multifaceted" emotions Rodrigo endured after a heartbreak. She teased the song on her social media for many months in 2020, before announcing it on January 4, 2021. The official music video was posted to YouTube alongside the song's release, in which Rodrigo drives around a suburban area after receiving her driver's license and reminisces about her memories of the song's subject, who encouraged her to obtain the license. "Drivers License" was met with widespread critical acclaim; praise centered on Rodrigo's cathartic songwriting, emotional vocals, and the song's stirring production, with many underscoring its Taylor Swift and Lorde influences. The song received nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance at the 2022 Grammy Awards.

"Drivers License" broke a string of records, including the Spotify record for the most single-day streams for a non-holiday song (achieved on its fourth day of release), the biggest first-week for a song on Spotify and Amazon Music. The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and made Rodrigo the youngest artist ever to debut atop the chart.

2. Leave the Door Open - Silk Sonic

Photo: Bruno Mars

"Leave the Door Open" is the debut single by the American super-duo Silk Sonic, consisting of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. It was released on March 5, 2021, by Aftermath Entertainment and Atlantic Records as the lead single from Silk Sonic's debut studio album An Evening with Silk Sonic. The song was written by the duo, D'Mile and Brody Brown, while the production was handled by Mars and D'Mile. "Leave the Door Open" is a Philadelphia soul and R&B song, influenced by quiet storm. Its romantic lyrics describe a "detailed erotic invitation".

"Leave the Door Open" received critical acclaim, with some praising both singers' vocals, as well as the song's composition. The song was a commercial success, peaking at number one in various charts, including the US Billboard Hot 100, Israel, Malaysia and New Zealand. It has also entered the top ten of several countries, such as Australia, Belgium, Canada and Portugal, as well as the top twenty of Denmark, Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom. It has been certified two times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Music Canada (MC) and Recorded Music New Zealand (RMNZ).

3. MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) - Lil Nas X

Photo: Lil Nas X

"Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" is a song by American rapper and singer Lil Nas X. First previewed in a Super Bowl LV commercial in February 2021, the song was released on March 26, 2021, through Columbia Records. Written by Lil Nas X along with its producers, Take a Daytrip, Omer Fedi, and Roy Lenzo, the song served as the lead single and title track from Lil Nas X's debut studio album Montero, released on September 17, 2021.

The song is noted for its queer themes, including its sexually explicit homosexual lyrics, taking its name from the 2017 film Call Me by Your Name which centers on a gay romance. The campy, sexually charged music video for the song depicts Lil Nas X in a number of biblically-inspired scenes, including the artist riding a stripper pole to Hell, and giving a lap dance to Satan. The song and video were praised by some commentators for their boldly queer sensibilities, but were also the subject of backlash from a number of conservative figures in the United States who deemed the content immoral or harmful to children.

"Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" debuted at the top the Billboard Hot 100, giving Lil Nas X his second number-one hit on the chart after "Old Town Road".

4. Butter – BTS

Photo: BANGTANTV

"Butter" is a song recorded by South Korean boy band BTS. It was released as a digital single on May 21, 2021, through Big Hit Music and Sony Music Entertainment, as the band's second English-language single. A disco-pop, dance-pop, and EDM track, the song was written by Jenna Andrews, RM, Alex Bilowitz, Sebastian Garcia, Robert Grimaldi, Stephen Kirk, and Ron Perry, with production handled by the latter three. Upon release, "Butter" received positive reviews from music critics, with praise towards its catchiness. It was a commercial success, topping charts in South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore and the United States, as well as Billboard's Global 200 chart. The song also reached the top 10 in over 30 other countries worldwide. A remix featuring American rapper Megan Thee Stallion was also released.

5. Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran

Photo: Ed Sheeran

"Bad Habits" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on 25 June 2021, through Asylum and Atlantic Records, as the lead single of his fifth studio album, =. The song marked his first solo release from an album in over four years. A limited edition CD and cassette single was also released. The song received mixed reviews from music critics, who compared its sound and style to the works of The Weeknd, particularly "Blinding Lights".

"Bad Habits" was a commercial success, peaking at number-one in numerous countries including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Hungary, New Zealand, Switzerland and South Africa, becoming the official first number-one hit on the newly launched South African music charts. It proved to be particularly successful in both the United Kingdom and Ireland, as the song spent eleven consecutive weeks at the top of both the UK Singles Chart and Irish Singles Chart. In the United States, the song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

A drill remix made by Fumez the Engineer featuring British rappers Tion Wayne and Central Cee was released on 12 August 2021.

6. Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish

Photo: Youtube

Happier Than Ever is the second studio album by American singer Billie Eilish. It was released on July 30, 2021, by Darkroom and Interscope Records. Eilish wrote the album with her frequent collaborator, her brother Finneas O'Connell, who produced the album himself. Eilish cited self-reflection during the COVID-19 pandemic as the biggest inspiration for the record.

Primarily a downtempo pop record, Happier Than Ever is characterized by sparse, jazz-influenced, electropop arrangements set to meditative tempos, departing from the upbeat, trap-led sound of Eilish's debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019). Consisting of torch songs about the downsides of stardom, Happier Than Ever draws heavily from Eilish's rise to fame and the drawbacks that come with it. Upon release, the album collected acclaim from music critics, who praised its stylistic, restrained production, and insightful lyrics. At the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, the album and its title track received a total of seven nominations, including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

7. I Still Have Faith in You – ABBA

Photo: Getty Images

"I Still Have Faith in You" is a song by Swedish pop music group ABBA written in 3/4. It was released on 2 September 2021 as a dual single alongside "Don't Shut Me Down" from the band's ninth studio album and first in 40 years, Voyage. Anni-Frid Lyngstad performs lead vocals.

The track has been described as "an ode to their friendship and to the bonds that have matured and survived despite divorce and heartbreak". It was also described as a power ballad, a "stately and epic ballad", and "an affectionate piano ballad portraying the bond the four band members share". The song received a nomination for Record of the Year at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, marking ABBA's first-ever Grammy nomination.

8. Easy On Me – Adele

Photo: Adele

"Easy on Me" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele released on 15 October 2021, through Columbia Records as the lead single from her fourth studio album, 30 (2021). Her first musical release in nearly five years, "Easy on Me" was produced by American record producer Greg Kurstin, who also co-wrote the song with Adele. It is a minimally produced pop ballad, set to a prominent, sombre piano, and propelled by sparse bass beats. Expressing themes of nostalgia, regret, and forgiveness, the song's lyrics represent Adele's plea to her son, in which she details her struggles with her dissolved marriage and requests him to be kind to her.

Music critics reviewed the song positively, with praise towards its poignant lyrics and emotional vocals, though some opined it did not match the emotional heights of her previous ballads. Commercially, "Easy on Me" was an immediate global success, breaking the Spotify and Amazon Music records for the most streams for a song in a day or a week. It topped the charts in 27 countries, including the United Kingdom, and United States, marking Adele's third and fifth chart toppers in the respective territories, and reached the top 10 in 40 countries.

9. All Too Well (10 Minute Version) - Taylor Swift

Photo: Beth Garrabrant*

"All Too Well" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her fourth studio album, Red (2012), which was released on October 22, 2012, by Big Machine Records. Swift wrote "All Too Well" as the first song for Red, while embarking on her Speak Now World Tour. She collaborated with longtime co-writer Liz Rose, who helped trim the song to five minutes from its original 10-minute length. Produced by Swift and Nathan Chapman, "All Too Well" is a power ballad combining country rock, soft rock, folk and arena rock styles. The lyrics narrate a romantic relationship and its subsequent dissolution using vivid imagery.

After Red was released, "All Too Well" peaked at number 80 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and 59 on the Canadian Hot 100, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Swift first performed "All Too Well" at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards on January 26, 2014, and included the song on the set lists of her shows for the Red Tour (2013–14) and the Reputation Stadium Tour (2018) among many other concerts. Music critics have hailed "All Too Well" as the best song in Swift's discography, highlighting her cathartic songwriting that offers emotional engagement with specific, expository details. They also praised the track's slow-burning production that accompanies the emotional climax. "All Too Well" was featured on many publications' lists of the best songs of the 2010s decade, and ranked 69th on Rolling Stone's 2021 revision of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It has earned a cult following, with the scarf image in its lyrics becoming a popular culture phenomenon.

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