Twostepcub's Biggest Hits of 2021: Part Ten - #10 to #1 and the whole shebang...
Well here we are at the end of our journey through the "hit" tunes that went the highest and/or stayed the longest on my weekly music chart for 2021. You can check out all the other parts (plus the intermission of the 25 that almost made it) by clicking here. Now let's close this thing out....
#10 - "Kings & Queens" - Ava Max
from the album Heaven & Hell (2020)
Highest rank (in 2021): #1 (four weeks) (was #1 for four weeks in 2020)
Weeks on the chart (in 2021): 23 (was on for 13 weeks in 2020)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #13
Billboard Adult Top-40 peak: #1
Billboard Adult Contemporary peak: #3
Billboard Dance Airplay peak: #4
UK Singles chart peak: #19
Songwriters: Amanda Koci (Ava Max), Henry Walker (Cirkut), Nadir Khayat (RedOne), Brett McLaughlin (Leland), Madison Love, Desmond Child, Mimoza Blinsson, Hillary Bernstein, Jakke Erixsson
It's telling how big this was that even though this song was "split" between years, coming in at #57 on my 2020 list, that "Kings & Queens" still made the top ten this time out, and would've come in second if all its points were in 2021. Co-opting the chorus melody from Bon Jovi's "You Give Love A Bad Name" (giving Desmond Child a writing credit), Lady Gaga version 2.0 got her second big hit and ignited the fire under the quarantined gheys and girls. A million drag queen acts was spawned from this.
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#9 - "All My Favorite Songs" - Weezer
from the album OK Human (2021)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: did not chart
Billboard Adult Top-40 peak: #18
Billboard Rock Airplay peak: #1
Billboard Alternative Rock peak: #1
Billboard Adult Album Alternative (Triple-A) Rock peak: #1
Songwriter: Rivers Cuomo
Alternative rock veterans Weezer get reflective as River Cuomo wallows in depressing lyrics over more hopeful production which creates a dichotomy that grabs your brain instinctively. "All my favorite people make me mad, so mad", may just have been my mantra for the whole year, as well as "I don't know what is wrong with me".
#8 - "Goosebumps" - Travis Scott vs HVME
from the stand-alone single (2021)
Highest rank: #7 (one week)
Weeks on the chart: 45
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #47
Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs peak: #1
Billboard Dance Airplay peak: #1
UK Singles chart peak: #8
Songwriters: Jacques Webster II (Travis Scott), Kendrick Duckworth (Kendrick Lamar), Ronald LaTour (Cardo), Cubeatz (Kevin & Tim Gomringer), Michael Dean, Brock Korsan, Daveon Jackson
I had said earlier that 2021 was full of music from artists that went out of their way to become problematic, and what better example was Travis Scott, whose Astroworld concert in Houston ended up in a stampede that caused the deaths of ten people this past November. Meanwhile, shacking up with reality show fodder Kylie Jenner also didn't help much. But this rework of a top-40 hit of his from 2016 came courtesy of a remix from Spanish DJ HVME that introduced the mainstream to "Lithuanian house music". Distorting the vocals to flow over a bouncing deep-house beat was genius, and genuinely dance the pair an international smash that was the biggest dance song of the year in Billboard.
#7 - "Monsters" - All Time Low featuring blackbear
from the album Wake Up, Sunshine (2020)
Highest rank (in 2021): #9 (two weeks) (was #5 for 1 week in 2020)
Weeks on the chart (in 2021): 37 (was on for 19 weeks in 2020)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #55
Billboard Adult Top-40 peak: #15
Billboard Rock Airplay peak: #1
Billboard Mainstream Rock peak: #25
Billboard Alternative Rock peak: #1
Songwriters: Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low), Jack Barakat (All Time Low), Matthew Musto (blackbear), Andrew Goldstein, Kevin Fisher
This song, which came in at #80 on my countdown for 2020, is still on Billboard magazine's Alternative Rock radio chart's top ten after 84 weeks. I'm not sure how this happened, but the legacy of the Fall Out Boy emo/pop-punk era was something radio just wouldn't let go of. The concise wall of sound with angry man vocals and lyrics may have played a part, as a counterpart for the Olivia Rodrigos.
#6 - "My Ex's Best Friend" - Machine Gun Kelly featuring blackbear
from the album Tickets To My Downfall (2020)
Highest rank: #8 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 43
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #20
Billboard Adult Top-40 peak: #6
Billboard Rock Airplay peak: #2
Billboard Alternative Rock peak: #1
Billboard Dance Airplay peak: #18
UK Singles chart peak: #30
Songwriters: Colson Baker (Machine Gun Kelly), Matthew Musto (blackbear), Travis Barker, Nicholas Alex Long (Dark Waves)
After doing a "Kid Rock" and switching from rap to rock music, where he "bubbled under" the list last year at #112 with "My Bloody Valentine", Colson Baker produced a short but infectious earworm about a love triangle from hell that again featured the ubiquitous blackbear. He also produced the queasy-est photo of the year with his current fling Megan Fox at the Met Gala.
#5 - "The Business" - Tiesto
from the stand-alone single (2020)
Highest rank: #3 (one week)
Weeks on the chart (in 2021): 44 (was on for two weeks in 2020)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #69
Billboard Dance Airplay peak: #1
Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs peak: #2
UK Singles chart peak: #3
Songwriters: Tijs Verwest (Tiesto), James Bell (Yami), Julia Karlsson, Anton Rundberg
Trance music veteran Tiesto, now 52 years old, had the biggest international hit of his career with this second song put in the "Lithuanian house music" vein featuring singer/co-writer James Bell (who shamefully doesn't get proper label credit) on this dark brooding thumper that fit these uneasy times. Nothing like dance zombies to sum up 2021.
#4 - "Follow You" - Imagine Dragons
from the album Mercury - Act I (2021)
Highest rank: #3 (three weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 36 (still on the chart 12/17/21)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #68
Billboard Adult Top-40 peak: #11
Billboard Rock Airplay peak: #1
Billboard Alternative Rock peak: #1
Billboard Adult Album Alternative (Triple-A) Rock peak: #7
Songwriters: Imagine Dragons (Dan Reynolds, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Wayne Sermon), Joel Little, Fran Hall, Elley Duhe'
Modern rock vets Imagine Dragons document Reynolds' recommitment to his marriage after separating which isn't something touched by pop music lately for sure. An inspirational hit that has a hilarious music video sending the guys to Philadelphia with It's Always Sunny stars Kaitlyn Olson and Rob McElhenny. And you get to see Dan and Rob shirtless. So there's that.
#3 - "Save Your Tears" - The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
from the album After Hours (2020)
Highest Rank: #1 (one week)
Weeks on the chart: 43
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1
Billboard Adult Top-40 peak: #1
Billboard Adult Contemporary peak: #2
Billboard Dance Airplay peak: #8
UK Singles chart peak: #2
Songwriters: Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd), Ariana Grande, Ahmad Balshe (Belly), Jason Quenneville (DaHeala), Max Martin, Oscar Holter
"Save Your Tears" had two lives in 2021: first as a solo spacey electro-pop break-up track from the Weeknd, and as a duet with Ariana Grande that put it in diva-pop territory. Each had its merits, though personally I preferred the solo version which casts Abel as a man letting the love of his life go, knowing his own faults are nothing but bad for the partner. Grande's "other side of the story" does give a little color, but makes it a little too pristine by a sckosh.
#2 - "Leave The Door Open" - Silk Sonic
from the album An Evening With Silk Sonic (2021)
Highest rank: #1 (ten weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 31
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1
Billboard Adult Top-40 peak: #7
Billboard Adult Contemporary peak: #6
Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Airplay peak: #1
Billboard Adult R&B peak: #1
Billboard Dance Airplay peak: #32
UK Singles chart peak: #20
Songwriters: Bruno Mars, Brandon Anderson (Anderson.Paak), Dernst Emile II, Christopher Brody Brown
The throwback we didn't know we needed, the side-project of Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak brought us back to early to mid 1970's soul music for this flawless bedroom jam that spent more weeks at #1 on my list than any other song in 2021. The rest of the album is just as stellar, giving the rare feeling of wanting more. Those chord changes! Those vocals! Those harmonies! Only these guys can make the art of shaving down seem sensual and not creepy. Tell me that you're coming through. And that Marvin Gaye-ish denouement at the end. Bliss.
And now we get to the top, with a song that came one week from spending the entire year on my list, dropping out in December...
#1 - "Levitating" - Dua Lipa
from the album Future Nostaglia (2020)
Highest rank: #1 (seven weeks)
Weeks on the chart (in 2021): 51 (was on for 9 weeks in 2020)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2
Billboard Adult Top-40: #1
Billboard Adult Contemporary peak: #1
Billboard Dance Airplay peak: #4
UK Singles chart peak: #5
Songwriters: Dua Lipa, Stephen Kozmeniuk (Koz), Clarence Coffee Jr. (Monsters & Strangerz), Sarah Hudson, Jonathan Kirk (DaBaby)
Of course the biggest hit of the dumpster fire of a year we've had would have to contain a tad bit of controversy. Rapper DaBaby who ruled last year's rap scene, gave Lipa's "Levitating" a verse that catapulted the record on to radio that even Madonna and Missy Elliott couldn't do last year. However, he committed career suicide by going on a homophobic rant in concert in Florida (naturally) which caused fans to rightfully demand his removal from the record, causing radio and streaming services to push the original album version of the track, and eventually even Billboard dropped him from the credits. It's an unwelcome distraction from the glorious celebratory shine of the song, where Lipa literally elevated us on a cloud of neo-disco joy. It's a shame, DaBaby's verse put him in the league with Ludacris and Snoop Dogg for the ease and flow to ride a pop beat. But his non-apology was pretty unforgivable.
So there you have it, the end of my 2021 countdown. I hope next year brings brighter futures for all of us. Here's the whole top 100 list for the year:
1. Levitating - Dua Lipa
2. Leave The Door Open - Silk Sonic
3. Save Your Tears - The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
4. Follow You - Imagine Dragons
5. The Business - Tiesto
6. My Ex's Best Friend - Machine Gun Kelly featuring blackbear
7. Monsters - All Time Low featuring blackbear (was #80 for 2020)
8. Goosebumps - Travis Scott x HVME
9. All My Favorite Songs - Weezer
10. Kings & Queens - Ava Max (was #57 for 2020)
11. Forever After All - Luke Combs
12. Willow - Taylor Swift
13. Damage - H.E.R.
14. Mood - 24kGoldn featuring iann dior
15. Therefore I Am - Billie Eilish
16. Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran
17. Good 4 U - Olivia Rodrigo
18. You - Regard, Troye Sivan, & Tate McRae
19. Arcade - Duncan Laurence
20. Famous Friends - Chris Young & Kane Brown
21. Driver's License - Olivia Rodrigo
22. You Broke Me First - Tate McRae
23. Montero (Call Me By Your Name) - Lil Nas X
24. Beautiful Mistakes - Maroon 5 featuring Megan Thee Stallion
25. Better Together - Luke Combs
26. Way Less Sad - AJR
27. Without You - The Kid Laroi
28. Heat Waves - Glass Animals
29. Kiss Me More - Doja Cat featuring SZA
30. Deja Vu - Olivia Rodrigo
31. Paradise - Meduza featuring Dermot Kennedy
32. Golden - Harry Styles
33. Saturday - twenty-one pilots
34. Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) - Elton John & Dua Lipa
35. Blinding Lights - The Weeknd (was #5 for 2020)
36. Making A Fire - Foo Fighters
37. Leave Before You Love Me - Marshmello featuring Jonas Brothers
38. All I Know So Far - Pink
39. Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home) - Elle King & Miranda Lambert
40. Fire For You - Cannons
41. Love Again - Dua Lipa
42. Waiting On A War - Foo Fighters
43. Friday - RITON vs Nightcrawlers featuring Mufasa & Hypeman
44. Starting Over - Chris Stapleton
45. Serotonin - Girl In Red
46. Just The Way - Parmalee & Blanco Brown
47. Nowhere Generation - Rise Against
48. Bang! - AJR (was #12 for 2020)
49. Take My Breath - The Weeknd
50. ily (i love you baby) - surf mesa featuring Emilee (was #46 for 2020)
51. What's Your Country Song - Thomas Rhett
52. We Are Between - Modest Mouse
53. Missing Piece - Vance Joy
54. My Head & My Heart - Ava Max
55. Things A Man Oughta Know - Lainey Wilson
56. Trouble's Coming - Royal Blood
57. Leave Me Alone -I Don't Know How But They Found Me
58. Gone - Dierks Bentley
59. Lady - Brett Young
60. Love You Like I Used To - Russell Dickerson
61. Skin & Bones - Cage The Elephant
62. Beggin' - Maneskin
63. Almost Mistakes - Jordan Davis
64. Industry Baby - Lil Nas X featuring Jack Harlow
65. We're Good - Dua Lipa
66. Heartbreak Anthem - Galantis, David Guetta, & Little Mix
67. Waves - Luke Bryan
68. Hole In The Bottle - Kelsea Ballerini
69. The Bandit - Kings Of Leon
70. Nobody - Dylan Scott
71. Positions - Ariana Grande
72. Single Saturday Night - Cole Swindell
73. Pick Up Your Feelings - Jazmine Sullivan
74. Bed - Joel Corry, Raye, & David Guetta
75. Skate - Silk Sonic
76. One Of Them Girls - Lee Brice (was #96 in 2020)
77. Settling Down - Miranda Lambert
78. Shy Away - twenty-one pilots
79. Shivers - Ed Sheeran
80. Big, Big Plans - Chris Lane
81. Head and Heart - Joel Corry & MNEK (was #28 in 2020)
82. Shame Shame - Foo Fighters
83. Wrecked - Imagine Dragons
84. Pepas - Farruko
85. Rain On Me - Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande (was #15 in 2020)
86. Diamonds - Sam Smith
87. Higher Power - Coldplay
88. Blame It On You - Jason Aldean
89. Down To One - Luke Bryan
90. Afterglow - Ed Sheeran
91. Someone To You - BANNERS
92. Butter - BTS
93. Somebody Like That - Tenille Arts
94. Cold As You - Luke Combs
95. I Was On A Boat That Day - Old Dominion
96. Overwhelmed - Royal & The Serpent
97. Chasing After You - Ryan Hurd & Maren Morris
98. Hell Of A View - Eric Church
99. Memory I Don't Mess With - Lee Brice
100. Minimum Wage - Blake Shelton
And here's everything Spotify playlisted:for 5 1/2 hours of listening goodness. I'll be back tomorrow with my 100 top hits from the previous week. Happy New Year!
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