The Best Lyrics Of 2021
The Artists And Groups That Had The Most Interesting, Resonant, Or Just Plain Stylish Writing This Year
Tristan Young @talltristan
It feels like we spent most of 2021 wanting to scream uncontrollably or regress into a silent, introverted golem. With a never-ending torrent of climate anxiety, economic anxiety, pandemic anxiety, and the good old regular variants of such a thing, it was hard to say anything of salience that could perforate the miasma of misinformation and cynical hot takes. Maybe that’s part of why the best writing of 2021 hit with such a palpable sense of intrigue and relief. Amidst a discourse that has been redefined through the blunt force trauma of an invective twitter feed, these artists found ways to share thoughts in forms that were empathetic and witty; impressively self aware or subtly clever. Be it elaborate syntax or emotionally liberating, there’s no set criteria for why we felt this was the best or most impactful writing of the year, other than these are the verses that still bounce around in our heads the most.
“HE SAID, ‘HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING YOUR THERAPIST? YOU SEEM A LITTLE ON EDGE. ARE YOU ALWAYS THIS NERVOUS?’ I SAID, ‘YEAH, AND THIS IS A HARD DRIVE’”- CASSANDRA JENKINS- HARD DRIVE
“You might like it, you might hate it, try to no let anyone take it, if it’s private, protect as best you can, in the physical and the digital” - Mr Twin Sister- Diary
“I don’t come to you now, When You call I can’t feel it, I remember the promise of a future, Could it all be in my head? could the reaction be a godsend?” - Spirit Of The Beehive- There Is Nothing You Can’t Do
Overly cocky, I’m hyper-ambitious, me, me, me, me, bitch, I’m narcinincistic, I am a black girl who beat the statistics, fuck the opinions and all the logistics” - Iamdoechii- Yucky Blucky Fruitcake
“Sometimes I wonder, do you even care? Do you see me when I’m flippin’ my hair? I was such A fool for lovin’ you with all my heart” - Sassy 009- Blue Racecar
“And I see everyone getting all the things I want, and I’m happy for them, but then again I’m not, just cool vintage clothes and vacation photos, I can’t stand it oh god I sound crazy” - Olivia Rodrigo- Jealousy, Jealousy
“Shift the paradigm with the Pentagon rhymes, I’m the Optimus Prime, If you’re order it’s prime on time” -Tkay Maidza - Syrup
“SO I WAS CRAZY FAST WHEN I JACKED GROOT FOR WEED, PUNISHER RAN HIS NINE, SILVER SURFER RAN HIS SHINE, AND DARE I SAY DAREDEVIL, I ROBBED HIS ASS BLIND” - CZARFACE & MF DOOM- THIS IS CANNON NOW
“I could talk about every time that you showed up on time, but I’d have an empty line cause you never did” - Billie Eilish- Happier Than Ever
“Remembered I was rich, so I bought me some new emotions, and a new boat ‘cause I’d rather cry in the ocean” - Tyler The Creator- CORSO
“I HAD IT BAD BUT NOW I’M BACK IN THE SADDLE BABY, AN EX-TERRESTRIAL, I USED TO BE GROUNDED BABY, PITIFUL PUPPY PICK ME UP AT THE POUND NOW, I GUESS I’M TOO FUN, I GUESS I’M TOO FUNNY, IF YOU’RE NOT LAUGHING BABY, THEN YOU’RE NOT MAKING MONEY” - ILLUMINATI HOTTIES- MMMMOOOAAAAAYAYA
“You’ve been playing that same goddamn video game, for 27 nights and 28 days. Grow the fuck up dude, what the fuck?” - Ohtis & Stef Chura- Schatze
“Tryna free my mind before the end of the world, I don’t miss no ex, I don’t miss no text I choose not to respond” - SZA- Good Days