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Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis

girl in red.
Jason Koerner
/
Getty Images for Audacy
girl in red.

2020 was a year when I fell back into my oldest ways and interests; in short, my tastes were not unlike those of a middle schooler as I rewatched and relistened to the media of my past. 2021 gave way to new opportunities, new jobs, new friends and new things to obsess over, as if acting as a sort of bridge between my reverted tastes and new discoveries. My favorites of this year contain a mix of artists I've loved in the past and new discoveries I will love for a long time to come.

Top 10 Albums of 2021

▶ LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

• Lucy Dacus, Home Video
• girl in red, if i could make it go quiet
• Japanese Breakfast, Jubilee
• Mdou Moctar, Afrique Victime
• Isaiah Rashad, The House Is Burning
• Olivia Rodrigo, SOUR
• Snail Mail, Valentine
• Jazmine Sullivan, Heaux Tales
• Turnstile, GLOW ON
• Various artists, Almost Famous (Music From The Motion Picture / 20th Anniversary / Super Deluxe)

Top 10 Songs of 2021

▶ LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

• Baby Keem (feat. Kendrick Lamar), "range brothers"
• Clairo, "Amoeba"
• Lucy Dacus, "Cartwheel"
• Natalie Jane Hill, "Orb Weaver"
• Injury Reserve, "Knees"
• MUNA (feat. Phoebe Bridgers), "Silk Chiffon"
• Pom Pom Squad, "Drunk Voicemail"
• Rostam, "Kinney"
• Jazmine Sullivan, "Put It Down"
• Taylor Swift, "Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault)"

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Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis is a production assistant on the NPR Music team.