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The Future of Music 2021

2021 Album Release Schedule2021 Music HighlightsFuture Music 2021Future of Music+-
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We find ourselves in strange times, almost surreal at some points - with the Covid situation and strange political happenings around the world. This time has been typified by resorting to various home-comforts - including comfort-eating, and comfort-listening to a large degree.

 

This makes for a healthy does of Nostalgia with lots of flavours of the 80’s and 90’s harkening back to gentler times. We’ve see the continued growth of all kinds of sub-genres - with Twilight / Kitchen Disco being on of my favourites. By and large though what we have is really a new sense of eclecticism. Exemplified by artists like Ed Sheeran - who straddle several genres and keep surprising us with creative collaborations.

 

I myself, apart from Twilight Disco - seem to find myself leaning still more into slightly whimsical and quirky electronic pop - a genre that’s always been a favourite. While the 2021 Breakthrough Artists section below shows just how eclectic and broad the scope is - across pop, rock, punk, metal, electronica, R&B, Hip Hop and a smattering of instrumental jazz even.

 

Generally though I seem to largely be wanting something more familiar and comforting, while I feel an experimental phase lies not too far ahead!

 

I could have selected any of a number of artists to be my poster girl/boy/band of the year - while I felt a strong emotional connection with some of Spill Tab’s (Claire Chicha) recent output in particular. It owes quite a bit of influence to two previous favourites - Billie Eilish and Skott in particular.


10 Favourite Albums of 2020

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Jessie Ware - In Your Eyes

In my 2020 review I noted a heavy element of nostalgic sounds - recalling the now relative paradise of the 80's and 90's.

 

All top five choices in particular have a healthy dose of nostalgia bout them for sure - also of course the sophistication of Twilight Disco! :

  1. Jessie Ware - What’s Your Pleasure?
  2. The Weeknd - After Hours
  3. Róisín Murphy - Róisín Machine
  4. Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia
  5. The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You
  6. Sault - Untitled (Black Is | Rise)
  7. Purity Ring - Womb
  8. Skott - Always Live for Always
  9. Becky and the Birds - Trasslig EP
  10. Grimes - Miss Anthropocene

10 Favourite Songs of 2020

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Run The Jewels - The Ground Below (Royal Jewels Mix) feat. Royal Blood (Visualizer)

While my top album choices prove to be somewhat laid back in many ways, that is not the case with the individual Single or Song choices - which seem rather more sparky and effervescent. Some significant quirky but fairly sophisticated electronic pop! :

  1. Run the Jewels feat. Royal Blood - The Ground Below (Royal Jewels Mix) | Ooh La La | JU$T
  2. Grimes - Darkseid w/ 潘PAN | Delete Forever
  3. 100 gecs - hand crushed by a mallet (Remix) | Money Machine | gecgecgec (Remix)
  4. Carpenter Brut - Blood Machines Theme | Maniac
  5. Jayda G - Both of Us | Are U Down
  6. Jessie Ware - Save a Kiss | What's Your Pleasure | In Your Eyes | Spotlight | Soul Control | The Kill
  7. The Weeknd ft. Rosalía - Blinding Lights | In Your Eyes ft. Kenny G | Too Late | Save Your Tears
  8. Dua Lipa - Physical | Hallucinate | Don't Start Now
  9. Billie Eilish - No Time To Die | Therefore I Am | My Future
  10. Madalen Duke - Born Alone Die Alone | Part Goddess Part Gangster | Run Boy

Breakthrough Artists for 2021 / BBC Sound of etc.

This was an unusually arduous task this year as there was generally very little overlap of the main lists - with each magazine and music body advocating for a different set of artists. As a result I have a fairly unprecedented Long List of 150+ candidates - straddling near enough every major genre out there bar classical.

 

From the Long List I chose circa 20 that appealed to be most - while on a different day I would undoubtedly have made a different selection. Music is such an emotive subject - and for me, like many things. it is dominated by what prevailing mood and plain of existence I find myself on.

 

As is often the case I find myself leaning towards slightly quirky and whimsical electronic pop - typically female-fronted. While there are a few interesting choices in there too. I did not deliberately set out to make the Long List so eclectic - it is very much a product of these times - and like said has some fairly significant genre coverage including a number of rising stars in instrumental jazz - those alas did not make the short list which follows, then book-ended by the full Long List I compiled from all those leading music resources.

 

On this occasion I've decided not to do all that pigeon-hole genre assignment as I don't really find it that helpful for my own tastes and rather becomes a limiting exercise instead of a more open exploration.

 

Note also that I had to disqualify a number from the listing as I had already featured them last year - Inhaler therefore does not feature at all, while I really like Griff - but covered her in last year's selection! This is an incredibly International selection this year with artists coming from all corners of the world - versus the usual UK/US lean.

 

Apart from Spill Tab at the top of the pile both Short and Long Lists are alphabetical by artist :

Spill Tab - My Artist for 2021

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spill tab - cotton candy (music video)
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spill tab - Santé (music video)

Alaina Castillo

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Alaina Castillo - ¡párate! (Official Video / Video Oficial)

Alfie Templeman

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Alfie Templeman - Forever Isn't Long Enough

Ashwarya

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ASHWARYA - BIRYANI

Claudia Valentina

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Claudia Valentina - 4:15 (Official Video)

Holly Humberstone (BBC Sound of #2)

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Holly Humberstone - Drop Dead (Official Music Video)

Julie Bergan

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Julie Bergan - We're Coming Up (Official Lyric video)

Klein Zage

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Klein Zage - She's Out There [OR003]

Logic1000

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Logic1000 - I Won't Forget (Visualiser)

Louie Blue

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Louie Blue - Noisy

Lucy Deakin

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Lucy Deakin - bad in love (Official Video)

PVA

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PVA - 'Talks' (Official Audio)

Pyra

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Pyra - bangkok (official video)

Shadi G

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Shadi G - SPACE (Official Music Video)

Sofia Kourtesis

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Akariku

Tate McRae

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Tate McRae - you broke me first (Official Video)

Tayo Sound

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Tayo Sound - Gone

Wargasm

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𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐒𝐌 - SPIT. (Official Music Video)

The 150+ 2021 Breakthrough Artists Long List

* Asterisk / Bold denotes personal favourites - as above!

  • 24kGoldn
  • 220 Kid
  • Aggi Dix
  • * Alaina Castillo
  • Alewya
  • * Alfie Templeman
  • Amaarae
  • Anxious
  • Aquiles Navarro
  • As Everything Unfolds
  • * Ashwarya
  • Astrid Engberg
  • Attalie
  • AWA
  • Baby Keem
  • Baby Queen
  • BackRoad Gee
  • Bad Boy Chiller Crew (BBCC)
  • Berwyn (BBC Sound of 2021 : #3)
  • BLOXX
  • Boncyan
  • Bree Runway
  • Bríet
  • Calabashed
  • Cat Burns
  • Chloe Moriondo
  • Cj Pandit
  • Claud
  • * Claudia Valentina
  • CMAT
  • Coach Party
  • Courting
  • Daine
  • DEAR-GOD
  • Death Tour
  • Demie Cao
  • Denise Chaila
  • Drug Store Romeos
  • Dutchavelli
  • Enny
  • Erika de Casier
  • Felix De Luca & Shatter Hands
  • Flo Milli
  • Folly Group
  • For Those I Love
  • Fousheé
  • Fred again..
  • Frosty
  • Genesis Owusu
  • Girl in Red
  • Goya Gumbani
  • Gracey
  • Greentea Peng (BBC Sound of 2021 : #4)
  • ** Griff (BBC Sound of 2021 : #5) (alas already included in 2020)
  • Gustaf
  • Hollow Sinatra
  • * Holly Humberstone (BBC Sound of 2021 : #2)
  • Hope Tala
  • Ideal
  • India Jordan
  • Isola
  • Ivorian Doll
  • Jany Green
  • Jockstrap
  • Johan Kull
  • Johanna Burnheart
  • Joesef
  • Jordana
  • Josie Man
  • * Julie Bergan
  • Kamal
  • KennyHoopla
  • Kid Kapichi
  • * Klein Zage
  • KMRU
  • Kynsy
  • Lil Halima
  • * Logic1000
  • Lol K
  • Loose Articles
  • Lou Hayter
  • * Louie Blue
  • Louisa Melcher
  • Lowertown
  • Lucinda Chua
  • * Lucy Deakin
  • LustSickPuppy
  • Lynks
  • Malady
  • Marijannah
  • Martha Skye Murphy
  • Martyn Bootyspoon
  • Meet Me @ The Altar
  • merci, mercy
  • Michelle
  • Mina Okabe
  • Miriam Bryant
  • MoMa Ready
  • Myke Towers
  • The Mysterines
  • Nathan Dawe
  • Nayana Iz
  • NewDad
  • Nicolas Cage Fighter
  • Noisy
  • Nublu
  • Offica
  • ONEFOUR
  • Orion Sun
  • Pa Salieu (BBC Sound of 2021 : #1)
  • Pixey
  • Park Hye Jin
  • Powfu
  • Priya Ragu
  • * PVA
  • * Pyra
  • R.A.E
  • Raheaven
  • Remi Wolf
  • Romero
  • Rose Gray
  • Scalping
  • * Shadi G
  • Shaybo
  • Skullcrusher
  • Smoothboi Ezra
  • * Sofia Kourtesis
  • * Spill Tab ***** [My Artist of the 2021]
  • Sprints
  • Sweeping Promises
  • * Tate McRae
  • * Tayo Sound
  • Tessa
  • The Goa Express
  • The Lathums
  • The Lazy Eyes
  • The Lounge Society
  • The Snuts
  • Tiana Major9
  • Tori Handsley
  • Tuomo
  • * Wargasm
  • Wendy Eisenberg
  • Where Did Nora Go
  • Witch Fever
  • Wordcolour
  • Yard Act
  • Yung Raja
  • Zola Mennenöh
  • Zsela

10 Known Albums I'm Looking Forward To in 2021

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Die Antwoord - Future Baby (Official Music Video)

This list contains confirmed releases - a lot of favourites still under TBC though - as below. These are the properly named ones that have a set release date already (alphabetical as usual) :

  • Ashnikko - Demidevil
  • Die Antwoord - 27
  • Grimes – Miss Anthropocene Rave Edition
  • Lana Del Rey - Chemtrails over the Country Club
  • Logic1000 - You’ve Got the Whole Night to Go EP
  • Sia - Music
  • Slowthai - Tyron
  • Rihanna - R9
  • Rosalía - R3
  • Young Thug - Slime Language 2

2021 Album Release Schedule Highlights

JANUARY

  • Ani DiFranco - Revolutionary Love
  • Arlo Parks - Collapsed Sumbeams
  • Barry Gibb - Greenfields
  • Buck Meek - Two Saviors
  • Dusk – The Hermit
  • Flux Pavilion - .wav
  • Goat Girl - On All Fours
  • Jazmine Sullivan - Heaux Tales
  • Lia Ices - Family Album
  • Logic1000 - You’ve Got the Whole Night to Go EP
  • Madlib - Sound Ancestors
  • Palberta - Palberta5000
  • Rhye - Home
  • Shame - Drunk Tank Pink
  • Sleaford Mods - Spare Ribs
  • Steve Earle & the Dukes - J.T.
  • The Notwist - Vertigo Days
  • TRZTN - Royal Dagger Ballet
  • Viagra Boys - Welfare Jazz
  • You Me at Six - Suckapunch

FEBRUARY

  • Alice Cooper - Detroit Stories
  • Architects - For Those That Wish to Exist
  • Ashnikko - Demidevil
  • Black Country, New Road - For the first time
  • Bonnie Tyler - The Best Is Yet to Come
  • Celeste - Not Your Muse
  • Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - New Fragility
  • Cloud Nothings - The Shadow I Remember
  • Epica - Omega
  • Femi Kuti and Made Kuti - Legacy+
  • Foo Fighters - Medicine at Midnight
  • John Carpenter - Lost Themes III: Alive After Death
  • Julien Baker - Little Oblivions
  • Katy Kirby - Cool Dry Place
  • London Grammar - Californian Soil
  • Lost Horizons - In Quiet Moments Part 2
  • Madison Beer - Life Support
  • Maxïmo Park - Nature Always Wins
  • Melvins - Working With God
  • Mogwai - As the Love Continues
  • Pale Waves - Who Am I?
  • Pentatonix - The Lucky Ones
  • SG Lewis - Times
  • Sia - Music : Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture
  • Slowthai - Tyron
  • Sun June - Somewhere
  • The Hold Steady - Open Door Policy
  • The Pretty Reckless - Death by Rock and Roll
  • The Staves - Good Woman
  • The Weather Station - Ignorance
  • Wild Pink - A Billion Little Lights
  • Willie Nelson - That's Life

MARCH

  • Arab Strap - As Days Get Dark
  • Cory Hanson - Pale Horse Rider
  • Covey - Class of Cardinal Sin
  • Dodie — Build A Problem
  • Evanescence - The Bitter Truth
  • Ringo Starr - Zoom In
  • Rob Zombie - The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy
  • Sting - Duets
  • Teenage Fanclub - Endless Arcade
  • Tigers Jaw - I Won’t Care How You Remember Me

APRIL

  • Glasvegas - Godspeed
  • Greta Van Fleet - The Battle at Garden's Gate

MAY

  • Weezer - Van Weezer

TBA

  • 3TEETH - TBC
  • Adele - TBC
  • Alicia Keys - Alicia
  • Alien Weaponry - TBC
  • Amenra - TBC
  • Animals as Leaders - TBC
  • Anthrax - TBC
  • Arcade Fire - TBC
  • Arch Enemy - TBC
  • At the Gates - TBC
  • Avenged Sevenfold - TBC
  • Azealia Banks - Fantasea II: The Second Wave
  • Backxwash - TBC
  • Baroness - TBC
  • Beartooth - TBC
  • Bebe Rexha - TBC
  • Ben Harper - Winter Is for Lovers
  • Big Thief - TBC
  • Billie Eilish - TBC
  • Björk - TBC
  • Bleachers - YBC
  • Bring Me the Horizon - TBC
  • Bullet for My Valentine - TBC
  • Busta Rhymes - TBC
  • Cane Hill - TBC
  • Cardi B - TBC
  • Chromatics - Dear Tommy
  • Chubby and the Gang - TBC
  • Chvrches - TBC
  • CL - Alpha
  • Coheed & Cambria - TBC
  • Converge - Blood Moon
  • Courtney Barnett - TBC
  • Daniel Lanois - Heavy Sun
  • Danny Brown - XXXX
  • Darkness - Spiral
  • Darkside - Spiral
  • Denzel Curry - TBC
  • Devin Townsend - Lightwork
  • Diddy - No Way Out 2
  • Die Antwoord - 27
  • Dinosaur Jr. - TBC
  • Drake - Certified Lover Boy
  • Dry Cleaning - TBC
  • Fever 333 - TBC
  • FKA Twigs - TBC
  • Frank Ocean - TBC
  • Future - Life Is Good
  • Garbage - TBC
  • Ghost - TBC
  • Girl Band - TBC
  • Gojira - TBC
  • Grimes – Miss Anthropocene Rave Edition
  • GWAR - TBC
  • GZA - Dark Matter
  • Hand Habits - TBC
  • Insane Clown Posse - Yum Yum Bedlam
  • J. Cole - The Off Season + It’s A Boy + The Fall Off
  • Janet Jackson - Black Diamond
  • Japanese Breakfast - TBC
  • Jerry Cantrell - TBC
  • Jinjer - TBC
  • Judas Priest - TBC
  • Kacey Musgraves - TBC
  • Kaleo - Surface Sounds
  • Kanye West - Turbo Grafx 16 + Donda: With Child
  • Kendrick Lamar - TBC
  • Kerry King - TBC
  • Kid Cudi - Entergalactic + Man on the Moon III
  • KMD - Crack In Time
  • Lana Del Rey - Chemtrails over the Country Club
  • Lil Naz X - TBC
  • Lil Wayne - I Am Not a Human Being III
  • Liz Phair - Soberish
  • Lorde - TBC
  • Lucy Dakus - TBC
  • Lykke Li - TBC
  • Magda Davitt (Sinead O'Connor) - No Mud No Lotus
  • Mastodon - TBC
  • Maxwell - Night
  • Meek Mill - TBC
  • Megadeth - TBC
  • Meshuggah - TBC
  • Metallica - TBC
  • Migos - Culture III
  • Mike Will Made It - Michael
  • Ministry - TBC
  • Modest Mouse - TBC
  • Moontype - TBC
  • My Bloody Valentine - TBC
  • Natalie Imbruglia - TBC
  • Neon Indian - TBC
  • Noname - Factory Baby
  • OneRepublic - Human
  • Ozzy Osbourne - TBC
  • Park Hye Jin - TBC
  • Parquet Courts - TBC
  • Phoenix - TBC
  • Polyphia - TBC
  • Poppy - TBC
  • Porter Robinson - Nurture
  • Pusha T - TBC
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers - TBC
  • Rihanna - R9
  • Rosalía - R3
  • Royal Blood - TBC
  • Ryley Walker - TBC
  • Schoolboy Q - TBC
  • Scorpions - TBC
  • Slowdive - TBC
  • Snail Mail - TBC
  • Spoon - TBC
  • Sky Ferreira - Masochism
  • St. Vincent - TBC
  • SZA - TBC
  • The Cure - TBC
  • The Killers - TBC
  • The Offspring - TBC
  • The War on Drugs - TBC
  • The Weeknd - TBC
  • Whitechapel - TBC
  • The Wrens - TBC
  • Travis Scott - Utopia
  • Vince Staples - TBC
  • Weezer - Van Weezer
  • Weyes Blood - TBC
  • Yo Gotti - Trapped
  • Young Thug - Slime Language 2
  • Zack de la Rocha - TBC
  • Zara Larsson - Poster Girl
  • Zayn Malik - Better
Stefan Karlsson
Posted by Stefan Karlsson
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