2021 Music Hits: Top Songs, Radio Favorites, and Pop Classics

2021 music was a rebound-year mix of pop, hip-hop, R&B, country crossover, K-pop, Latin music, dance-pop, and streaming-driven hits. Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Lil Nas X, Doja Cat, BTS, Bad Bunny, Silk Sonic, Morgan Wallen, and Taylor Swift all helped define a year when songs were moving through radio, TikTok, streaming playlists, and social feeds at the same time.

This PopCultureMadness guide starts with the Top 10 songs of 2021, then groups more 2021 music hits by style so you can browse the year by sound, mood, and memory. It was a year of disco-pop holdovers, breakout teen heartbreak, global pop, country crossovers, and enough collaborations to make the artist-credit line look like a guest list.

Quick Answer: What Music Was Popular in 2021?

Popular music in 2021 included dance-pop, pop-rock, hip-hop, R&B, country, K-pop, Latin pop, and viral streaming hits. Songs like Levitating, Good 4 U, Stay, Montero (Call Me by Your Name), Save Your Tears, Industry Baby, and Leave the Door Open helped define 2021 music.

Top 10 Songs of 2021

1. Levitating – Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby
2. Good 4 U – Olivia Rodrigo
3. Stay – The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
4. Take My Breath – The Weeknd
5. Montero (Call Me by Your Name) – Lil Nas X
6. Save Your Tears – The Weeknd
7. Deja Vu – Olivia Rodrigo
8. Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran
9. Industry Baby – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
10. Kiss Me More – Doja Cat featuring SZA

2021 Music Hits by Style

Beyond the Top 10, 2021 music gets more useful when grouped by style. The year had dance-pop, country-pop, pop-punk revival energy, R&B throwbacks, K-pop, Latin music, viral songs, and streaming hits that kept moving long after their first release.

2021 Pop, Dance-Pop, and Big Radio Hits

Pop music in 2021 was bright, polished, and extremely playlist-friendly. Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd, Ed Sheeran, Adele, Ava Max, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and Harry Styles helped keep radio full of big hooks, emotional choruses, and danceable throwback production. The year had a little disco sparkle, a little heartbreak, and a lot of songs that sounded ready for both headphones and grocery-store speakers.

Levitating – Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby
Good 4 U – Olivia Rodrigo
Stay – The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
Take My Breath – The Weeknd
Save Your Tears – The Weeknd
Deja Vu – Olivia Rodrigo
Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran
Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) – Elton John & Dua Lipa
Easy on Me – Adele
Without You – The Kid LAROI & Miley Cyrus
Before You Go – Lewis Capaldi
Love Again – Dua Lipa
Shivers – Ed Sheeran
Adore You – Harry Styles
We’re Good – Dua Lipa
Kings & Queens – Ava Max
Therefore I Am – Billie Eilish
Positions – Ariana Grande
Beautiful Mistakes – Maroon 5 featuring Megan Thee Stallion
Willow – Taylor Swift
A-O-K – Tai Verdes
Rumors – Lizzo & Cardi B
Ghost – Justin Bieber
Leave Before You Love Me – Marshmello x Jonas Brothers
Drivers License – Olivia Rodrigo
Traitor – Olivia Rodrigo
You Broke Me First – Tate McRae

2021 Hip-Hop, Rap, Trap, and Pop-Rap Favorites

Hip-hop and pop-rap were central to 2021, with Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow, Drake, Lil Baby, Pop Smoke, Polo G, Travis Scott, Cardi B, Saweetie, Doja Cat, and Nicki Minaj-adjacent sounds all shaping the year. These songs moved through streaming, social media, clubs, and radio, often with hooks that were built to be repeated before you realized they were stuck.

Montero (Call Me by Your Name) – Lil Nas X
Industry Baby – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
Astronaut in the Ocean – Masked Wolf
For the Night – Pop Smoke featuring Lil Baby & DaBaby
Calling My Phone – Lil Tjay featuring 6LACK
Way 2 Sexy – Drake featuring Future & Young Thug
On Me – Lil Baby
What You Know Bout Love – Pop Smoke
Escape Plan – Travis Scott
Girls Want Girls – Drake featuring Lil Baby
Best Friend – Saweetie featuring Doja Cat
Up – Cardi B
Rapstar – Polo G
Knife Talk – Drake featuring 21 Savage & Project Pat

2021 R&B, Soul-Pop, and Smooth Vocal Hits

R&B had a strong 2021, from Silk Sonic’s retro-soul revival to smooth records by SZA, Giveon, Summer Walker, Chris Brown, The Weeknd, Wizkid, Tems, and Justin Bieber. This section gave the year warmth, groove, and a little grown-up polish. In a year full of algorithmic pop, Silk Sonic made the old-school suit look new again.

Kiss Me More – Doja Cat featuring SZA
Leave the Door Open – Silk Sonic
Smokin Out the Window – Silk Sonic
Peaches – Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon
Essence – Wizkid featuring Justin Bieber & Tems
Go Crazy – Chris Brown & Young Thug
You Right – Doja Cat & The Weeknd
No Love – Summer Walker & SZA
Bitter – Summer Walker & Cardi B
Holy – Justin Bieber featuring Chance the Rapper
POV – Ariana Grande
Heartbreak Anniversary – Giveon
34+35 – Ariana Grande

2021 Country, Country-Pop, and Country Crossover Hits

Country music stayed very visible in 2021, with Walker Hayes, Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Old Dominion, Gabby Barrett, Dan + Shay, Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, and Kane Brown helping country cross into wider pop culture. Some songs leaned traditional, some leaned pop, and some were basically built to become a line dance at a backyard party.

Fancy Like – Walker Hayes
I Was on a Boat That Day – Old Dominion
Forever After All – Luke Combs
I Hope – Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth
Glad You Exist – Dan + Shay
Cold Beer Calling My Name – Jameson Rodgers featuring Luke Combs
Waves – Luke Bryan
Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) – Elle King & Miranda Lambert
Lil Bit – Nelly & Florida Georgia Line
Famous Friends – Chris Young & Kane Brown
If I Didn’t Love You – Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood
Sand in My Boots – Morgan Wallen
Chasing After You – Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris

2021 K-Pop, Latin, Global Pop, and International Hits

Global pop was a major part of 2021. BTS, Bad Bunny, Aventura, Jhay Cortez, Kali Uchis, Måneskin, Tiësto, and Wizkid helped make the year feel much bigger than one language or one radio format. The hits moved across countries, platforms, fandoms, and playlists so quickly that old genre borders looked like suggestions.

Butter – BTS
Yonaguni – Bad Bunny
Dákiti – Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez
Permission to Dance – BTS
Beggin’ – Måneskin
My Universe – Coldplay x BTS
Telepatía – Kali Uchis
The Business – Tiësto
Volví – Aventura x Bad Bunny
Pepas – Farruko

2021 Alternative, Pop-Rock, and Viral Indie Hits

Alternative, pop-rock, and indie-leaning hits gave 2021 extra texture. Olivia Rodrigo brought pop-punk energy into the mainstream, Glass Animals kept climbing with a slow-burn streaming hit, Machine Gun Kelly leaned into pop-punk, and acts like AJR, Ritt Momney, Girl in Red, and Måneskin helped fill the space between radio pop and internet-driven discovery.

Good 4 U – Olivia Rodrigo
Heat Waves – Glass Animals
My Ex’s Best Friend – Machine Gun Kelly & Blackbear
Bang! – AJR
Way Less Sad – AJR
Serotonin – Girl in Red
Put Your Records On – Ritt Momney
Arcade – Duncan Laurence
Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish
NDA – Billie Eilish
Working – Tate McRae x Khalid

2021 Viral Hits, Streaming Favorites, and Social Media Songs

Streaming and social media shaped 2021 heavily. Songs could break on TikTok, return from earlier releases, build slowly through playlists, or explode through fandom support. The old question was “Is it on the radio?” By 2021, the better question was “How many places did you hear it before lunch?”

Drivers License – Olivia Rodrigo
Good 4 U – Olivia Rodrigo
Levitating – Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby
Stay – The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
Fancy Like – Walker Hayes
Beggin’ – Måneskin
Heat Waves – Glass Animals
Build a B*tch – Bella Poarch
Put Your Records On – Ritt Momney
A-O-K – Tai Verdes

How PopCultureMadness Looks at 2021 Music

PopCultureMadness looks at 2021 music through chart activity, radio presence, streaming momentum, social media impact, cultural memory, and long-term trivia value. Some songs were official chart giants, some were viral breakouts, some crossed over from country or global pop, and some simply kept showing up everywhere until they became part of the year’s soundtrack.

PCM’s 2021 Top 100 Music Hits Chart

1. Levitating – Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby
2. Good 4 U – Olivia Rodrigo
3. Stay – The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
4. Take My Breath – The Weeknd
5. Montero (Call Me by Your Name) – Lil Nas X
6. Save Your Tears – The Weeknd
7. Deja Vu – Olivia Rodrigo
8. Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran
9. Industry Baby – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
10. Kiss Me More – Doja Cat featuring SZA
11. Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) – Elton John & Dua Lipa
12. Easy on Me – Adele
13. Astronaut in the Ocean – Masked Wolf
14. Without You – The Kid LAROI & Miley Cyrus
15. Butter – BTS
16. Before You Go – Lewis Capaldi
17. Fancy Like – Walker Hayes
18. I Was on a Boat That Day – Old Dominion
19. Love Again – Dua Lipa
20. Shivers – Ed Sheeran
21. Adore You – Harry Styles
22. We’re Good – Dua Lipa
23. One Right Now – Post Malone & The Weeknd
24. Yonaguni – Bad Bunny
25. Mood – 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior
26. Leave the Door Open – Silk Sonic
27. Smokin Out the Window – Silk Sonic
28. My Ex’s Best Friend – Machine Gun Kelly & Blackbear
29. Peaches – Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon
30. Essence – Wizkid featuring Justin Bieber & Tems
31. Kings & Queens – Ava Max
32. Forever After All – Luke Combs
33. Heat Waves – Glass Animals
34. Go Crazy – Chris Brown & Young Thug
35. Therefore I Am – Billie Eilish
36. Positions – Ariana Grande
37. Beautiful Mistakes – Maroon 5 featuring Megan Thee Stallion
38. Dákiti – Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez
39. I Feel Good – Pitbull featuring Anthony Watts & DJWS
40. Psycho – Post Malone
41. You Right – Doja Cat & The Weeknd
42. Memory – Kane Brown x Blackbear
43. No Love – Summer Walker & SZA
44. For the Night – Pop Smoke featuring Lil Baby & DaBaby
45. Willow – Taylor Swift
46. Calling My Phone – Lil Tjay featuring 6LACK
47. A-O-K – Tai Verdes
48. Rumors – Lizzo & Cardi B
49. Ghost – Justin Bieber
50. Leave Before You Love Me – Marshmello x Jonas Brothers
51. Permission to Dance – BTS
52. Drivers License – Olivia Rodrigo
53. Beggin’ – Måneskin
54. Traitor – Olivia Rodrigo
55. My Universe – Coldplay x BTS
56. Way 2 Sexy – Drake featuring Future & Young Thug
57. Bitter – Summer Walker & Cardi B
58. On Me – Lil Baby
59. What You Know Bout Love – Pop Smoke
60. You Broke Me First – Tate McRae
61. I Hope – Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth
62. Holy – Justin Bieber featuring Chance the Rapper
63. Escape Plan – Travis Scott
64. Glad You Exist – Dan + Shay
65. Bang! – AJR
66. Telepatía – Kali Uchis
67. Sweet Dream – Alessia Cara
68. Better Days – NEIKED x Mae Muller x Polo G
69. Hot Girl Bummer – Blackbear
70. Cold Beer Calling My Name – Jameson Rodgers featuring Luke Combs
71. Need to Know – Doja Cat
72. Girls Want Girls – Drake featuring Lil Baby
73. Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish
74. Way Less Sad – AJR
75. POV – Ariana Grande
76. Best Friend – Saweetie featuring Doja Cat
77. Heartbreak Anniversary – Giveon
78. Up – Cardi B
79. The Business – Tiësto
80. NDA – Billie Eilish
81. Working – Tate McRae x Khalid
82. Rapstar – Polo G
83. Volví – Aventura x Bad Bunny
84. Chasing After You – Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris
85. Arcade – Duncan Laurence
86. 34+35 – Ariana Grande
87. Say So – Doja Cat
88. Waves – Luke Bryan
89. If It Ain’t Me – Dua Lipa
90. Essence – Wizkid featuring Justin Bieber & Tems
91. Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) – Elle King & Miranda Lambert
92. Lil Bit – Nelly & Florida Georgia Line
93. Famous Friends – Chris Young & Kane Brown
94. If I Didn’t Love You – Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood
95. Knife Talk – Drake featuring 21 Savage & Project Pat
96. Serotonin – Girl in Red
97. Put Your Records On – Ritt Momney
98. Sand in My Boots – Morgan Wallen
99. Build a B*tch – Bella Poarch
100. Pepas – Farruko