The Best and Worst of 2021: A Year in Superlatives

The Best and Worst of 2021: A Year in Superlatives

From “Album of the Year” to “Flavour of the Month,” SMACK picks their favourite stories in a non-stop year.
tyler the creator dances in a leopard print shirt with a blue hat and a$ap rocky laughs
PHOTO CREDIT:


Sexiest Man of 2021: Timothée Chalamet

Sexiest Woman of 2021: Kali Uchis

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNiwS1WBFgv/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNiwS1WBFgv/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; 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transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNiwS1WBFgv/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by @kaliuchis</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>


Best TV Performance: St. Vincent on SNL


Worst TV Performance: Saweetie & Doja Cat at the Logan Paul Fight

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNz92RfL-3U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNz92RfL-3U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; 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transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNz92RfL-3U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by SMACK MEDIA (@smackmedia)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

Artists Who Experienced a Comeback in 2021:

ABBA

Brendan Fraser

Fred Durst

Megan Fox

Sparks

The Lox

Travis Barker 


Top 10 Songs of the Year

10. Olivia Rodrigo – “déjà vu”


9. Dry Cleaning - “More Big Birds”


8. Tyler, the Creator - "MASSA"

7. Doja Cat – “Kiss Me More (feat. SZA)”


6. The War On Drugs – “I Don’t Live Here Anymore (feat. Lucius)” 


5. Kali Uchis – “Telepatia”


4. Kanye West – “24”


3. Tinashe  - “Bouncin”



2. Baby Keem – “family ties (with Kendrick Lamar)”


1. Peggy Gou – “I Go”



Best Songs of the Year:

<iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/5gLpRpS9X6pYijQwYorEyA?utm_source=generator&theme=0" width="100%" height="380" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture"></iframe>


Most Iconic Couple: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A$AP Rocky and Rihanna spotted filming a music video today 👀 👀 <a href="https://t.co/nmsTGRmdFY">pic.twitter.com/nmsTGRmdFY</a></p>&mdash; HipHopDX (@HipHopDX) <a href="https://twitter.com/HipHopDX/status/1414346256281964546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Most Impressive Last Wish: Playing a Drum Solo at Your Own Funeral


Guy Fieri Headbanging to Slipknot:

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@alexandriacrahan/video/6962768187217743110" data-video-id="6962768187217743110" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@alexandriacrahan" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@alexandriacrahan">@alexandriacrahan</a> <p>It was like a beautiful fever dream 😌 @slipknot <a title="flavortown" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/flavortown">#flavortown</a> <a title="guyfieri" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/guyfieri">#guyfieri</a> <a title="slipknot" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/slipknot">#slipknot</a> <a title="foodnetwork" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foodnetwork">#foodnetwork</a></p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ Custer - Slipknot" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Custer-6704972936039630849">♬ Custer - Slipknot</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>


Roman Roy’s Best Insults from S03:

<iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/KJ55z3cCqn576kAVDm" width="480" height="270" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/SuccessionHBO-tv-entertainment-succession-KJ55z3cCqn576kAVDm">via GIPHY</a></p>

  • "Thought I heard a clown car pulling up"
  • "It's a stretch? It's a fucking scrotum over a timpani drum."
  • “Horse didn’t want you to fuck it?”
  • “A 40-year-old man who rebuilds his childhood treehouse should immediately go on the sex offender register.”
  • “This is not a nice thing to say about your son, but maybe you chop him into a million pieces and toss them in the Hudson?”
  • ‘It sounded like you wanted to jumpstart our father like he’s a fucking pick-up truck.’
  • “Hey, Ken, may we please step inside your mental disorder”
  • “The old meat wardrobe”
  • “Crap hands”
  • "Wokeahontas"
  •  “The fucking demented piss mad King of England”
  • "Hercule Poirot of piss, over here."
  • “I heard it looked like a cry for help: “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Failure”
  • “Did they write these questions in crayon?”


Artists Who Joined TikTok in 2021:

The Beatles

Led Zeppelin


Radiohead

Badbadnotgood

Bon Iver

Mountain Goats


BEST COVER: Orville Peck – “Born this Way”


THREE RUNNER-UPS:

Miley Cyrus: Bikini Kill - “Rebel Girl”

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slowthai: Elliot Smith - “Needle in the Hay”

<iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *; fullscreen *" frameborder="0" height="450" style="width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;background:transparent;" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" src="https://embed.music.apple.com/us/album/apple-music-home-session-slowthai-single/1553319493"></iframe>


Nick Harrison, the Elementary School Teacher who sang metal to teach his students the alphabet: Korn - “Coming Undone”

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mrprofessor318/video/6935465756297563398" data-video-id="6935465756297563398" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@mrprofessor318" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mrprofessor318">@mrprofessor318</a> <p>My audition for School of Rock 2</p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ Alphabet Undone by mrprofessor318 - Nick Harrison" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Alphabet-Undone-by-mrprofessor318-6935465782717549318">♬ Alphabet Undone by mrprofessor318 - Nick Harrison</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

BEST MOVIE

The movie industry played it save this year–it had to. After 18 months of being economically decimated by a global pandemic, something had to turn the tap back on. Space cars, superheroes, and secret agents were more effective incentives to lure crowds back to theatres than The Green Knight, Free Guy being the only original property to make the U.S 2021 Box Office's top ten. But while the exciting titles were mostly found through streaming or different mediums entirely (I'd take Mare of Easttown over 90% of the movies I saw this year), there were a couple films that made for truly exhilarating viewing. 

Titane, the most visceral and alluring cinematic experience of 2021, was one of these films. Winner of the coveted Palme D'or, Titane follows Alexia (Agathe Rousselle), a young woman whose life drastically changes after fornicating with and becoming impregnated by a car. No, you didn't misread that. The film only gets wilder from there, using body horror conventions, dance sequences, and some stellar needle drops to convey themes of gender and misogyny that are as violent as they are captivating. But while director Julia Ducournau has a knack for challenging the viewer's endurance, Titane also has a lot of heart; a film concerned with the essence of family and the unlikely ways it can be found.

SECOND BEST MOVIE

While not as graphic as a film like Titane, Pablo Larraín's Spencer is just as transgressive. In tackling the life of Princess Diana, Larraín, screenwriter Steven Knight, and the truly magnificent Kristen Stewart avoid traditional biopic clichés and craft something darker. The film deems itself a fable, but Spencer a true-blue horror film about becoming entrapped by the confines of your own life. Set during the Christmas of 1991, at which point the real-life figure had become disillusioned by the Royal Family, Stewart's Diana is starting to lose her mind. Confined by her marriage, her public image, and the walls of the Queen's Sandringham Estate, grappling with deteriorating mental health, and haunted by nightmares and the ghost of Anne Boleyn, Diana is desperately searching for escape but doesn't know where to find it. Dreamlike sequences and a haunting score by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood stretch the tension to its peak, keeping the viewer gasping for catharsis that never really comes. Stewart's empathy for Diana holds the film together, but all parts come together for an unnerving examination of confinement.

It becomes all the more apparent that the cinema becomes less of a space for challenging and thought-provoking film every year. As the Disney machine continues to monopolize the industry, art-house directors and purveyors of original content are forced to migrate to other arenas. But this year in film is an affirmation that the good stuff is still out there. If I have to watch it on my laptop instead of the movie theater then so be it.

David Lynch will have to live with it.


Honorable Mentions: The Nowhere Inn, Belfast, Lamb, A Quiet Place Part 2, No Time to Die, The Many Saints of Newark, The Green Knight, Pig, Tick, Tick… Boom, Zack Snyder's Justice League, Old



BEST MUSIC DOC: The Velvet Underground by Todd Haynes


Best Rock Movie: Annette


Best Verse: Slowthai – “CANCELLED”



Best Freestyles:

J Cole - “‘93 Till Infinity” and “Still Tippin’”

Ray Vaughn - “Lay Low”


Jack Harlow

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Still some of the realest shit I ever wrote <a href="https://t.co/678hS3zacH">pic.twitter.com/678hS3zacH</a></p>&mdash; Jack Harlow (@jackharlow) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackharlow/status/1367281062385172482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Album of the Year: Bo Burnham - Inside

A gesamtkunstwerk is a German term popularized by revolutionary opera composer Richard Wagner which means a “total” work of art; a piece that combines multiple art forms to create a cohesive whole. Brian Logan of The Guardian eloquently stated that Bo Burnham’s Inside is gesamtkunstwerk that combines music, Twitch streaming, vlogging, theatre, film, stand-up routines, and skit comedy to create, in Logan’s words, a “claustrophobic masterpiece.” It’s an all-encompassing phenomenon celebrated by everyone from film majors to TikTok influencers. 

So why is it so “ineligible” to the music world?

Not just the Grammys, who notoriously refused to nominate it for best comedy album, but every reputable music publication has seemed to develop a blindspot for Inside when considering the best albums of 2021. Why? Strip it away of its visuals and Inside is still one of the most enjoyable and emotionally resonant musical experiences of the year. It combines elements of synthpop, folk, hip-hop, and dance-punk to backdrop reflective musings on capitalism, isolation, mental illness, climate change, death, and the danger of whiteness. The tracks vary from the absurd such as the theatrical "How the World Works" to the tragic in the Kanye-esque epic "All Eyes on Me". “Bezos I” is currently sitting at over 100 million streams on Spotify, making it one of the most streamed songs of the year.There’s no reason that Inside shouldn’t be considered a record, let alone one of the most impactful of the year.
Just as it can either be appreciated on a cinema screen or a cracked iPhone, Inside can be appreciated as a solely auditory experience. Part of Inside’s genius is that it totally defies categorization. It should be celebrated for this, not ignored.


Other Sick Albums

Clairo - Sling

Doja Cat - Planet Her

Drake – Certified Lover Boy

Dry Cleaning: New Long Leg

Faye Webster - I Know I’m Funny haha

IDLES - Crawler

illuminati hotties - Let Me Do One More

Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee

Jazmine Sullivan - Heaux Tales

Kanye West - DONDA

Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Low - HEY WHAT

MIKE - Disco!

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - Carnage

Olivia Rodrigo - sour

Snail Mail - Valentine

Squid - Bright Green Field

Summer Walker - Still Over It

The Weather Station - Ignorance

TURNSTILE - GLOW ON

Tyler, The Creator - CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST

WILLOW - lately I feel EVERYTHING


Best Tastemaker: Courtney Love

Courtney Love Starts Video Series Bruises of Roses to Cover Her Favorite Songs: Watch

Courtney Love Covers Britney Spears' "Lucky": Watch

Courtney Love Calls Out Olivia Rodrigo For Hole-Inspired Photoshoot

Courtney Love Raves About Use of Nirvana's "Rape Me" In HBO's Succession

Courtney Love Beefs with Elon Musk, Calls Him Out for “Kendall Roy Shit”

Courtney Love Says She Stopped Acting Because of "A Bunch of #MeToos"

Courtney Love Reveals She Almost Died Last Year From Anemia


Celebrities Against the Vaccine:

Busta Rhymes

Carrie Underwood

Dave Mustaine

Eric Clapton

Ice Cube

Nicki Minaj’s cousin’s fiance’s testicles

Richard Ashcroft

Van Morrison


Most Shameless Fan Base: R. Kelly

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Morally Questionable Things Nicki Minaj Did this Year:

Doxxed a journalist’s address

Spread COVID misinformation

intimidated her husband’s sexual assault victim

Ripped off Tracy Chapman for sampling rights


Fringe Castings Reported in 2021:

Andre 3000 in Noah Baumbach’s White Noise

Bo Burnham as Larry Bird [cancelled]

Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye Baker

Mos Def as Thelonious Monk [cancelled]

Pete Davidson as Joey Ramone

Rina Sawayama as Akira in John Wick 4

Tracy Morgan as Louis Armstrong

Wiz khalifa as George Clinton


What Peggy Gou is Saying in “I Go:”

My face, tired of life, is reflected again

People ask me if I'm happy

I think of friends who will listen to my difficult heart

I can't tell you everything

I go, I go, I go, I go

I go, I go, I go, I go

I go, I go, I go, I go

 

run strong

just imagine

like a child

be brave

The blue stars' poems are oh meandering

Sadness and joy can't be hidden

In a world where the car washes, I don't stop

i want again

I go, I go, I go, I go

I go, I go, I go, I go

I go, I go, I go, I go

 

run strong

just imagine

like a child

be brave

be brave

be brave


Things Jay-Z Invested in this Year:

Bitski - $19 billion

Landis Technologies - helped raise $164 million

LVMH

Fanatics

the Midwest Innocence Project [$1 million]

Misha’s Kind Foods [$3 million]

Wyze $110 million

Flowhub $19 million with Headline and Poseidon


Things Drake Invested in this Year:

Canopy Growth

History

Overtime

Daring Foods

Wealthsimple

Dave’s Hot Chicken


Things Trent Reznor Worked on this Year:

Halsey - If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power

Just for One Day (David Bowie tribute concert)

HEALTH x NINE INCH NAILS :: ISN’T EVERTYONE

Danny Elfman - “True”


The Year in Disappointment:

Adele - 30

Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever

Lorde - Solar Power

Space Jam 2

Marilyn Manson’s participation during the DONDA rollout

Lizzo and Chris Evans not actually dating

Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder not legally married

De La Soul taking forever to hit streaming platforms

No Kendrick, No Frank, No Rih Rih, No Pusha

Live Music still absent

Josh Homme

Pierce Brosnan taking his his 100 million home off the market after receiving no offers

Saturday Night Live is still terrible

The right wing media’s response to Grimes reading Karl Marx

In Memoriam:

Rest Easy Biz Markie

Rest Easy Black Rob

Rest Easy Charlie Watts

Rest Easy Daft Punk

Rest Easy DMX

Rest Easy Freddie Jones

Rest Easy Larry King

Rest Easy Lee Scratch Perry

Rest Easy Michael K. Williams

Rest Easy Norm Macdonald

Rest Easy Phil Spector

Rest Easy Richard Donner

Rest Easy Sonny Chiba

Rest Easy SOPHiE

Rest Easy Virgil Abloh


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