The 150 Best Songs of 2021

The best music released this year by K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop artists! This is part of a series of 2021 wrap-up articles coming out over the next two weeks!

Note: For the sake of variety, each artist was allowed no more than two spots on this list. However, sub-units and band members as soloists were considered separate acts (for example, TAEMIN on his own was entitled to up to two slots on this list without taking away from the two slots that were available for his band, SHINee). Also, there were a few last-minute amendments to this final ranking compared to what is discussed in the corresponding episode of 17 Carat K-Pop. The reasons for the last-minute changes will be explained in a separate upcoming episode and write-up.

#150: NCT, “Beautiful”: A beyond-sweet song that practically bursts with joy and admiration directed at the listener.

#149: Park Bench Club, “Say You’ll Be Back Again”: A aching plea for a loved one’s return, sung over an excellent layering of synths and guitars.

#148: Seven Billion Dots, “MAZICA PARTY”: A, naturally, party-ready song that is surprisingly versatile, keeping its catchiness in both the party version and the “MAZICA ROCK” version.

#147: Kim Heejae, “Follow Me”: An intriguing voice is paired with 80s-esque synths and a “la la la” post-chorus that uses the perfect amount of autotune to stay auditorily pleasing instead of overkill.

#146: YUGYEOM ft. GRAY, “All Your Fault”: An excellent choice for YUGYEOM’s first big solo single, allowing him to show off his incredibly unique voice and tell a story that is distinct from his band GOT7’s.

#145: Rain, “Aurora”: A rock power ballad that throws listeners for a loop. Rain’s voice is practically unrecognizable, proving that his longevity in the music industry is not stopping him from still having tricks up his sleeve.

#144: U-KNOW, “Thank U”: A dramatic song as cinematic as its longer-than-average music video.

#143: WONHO, “BEST SHOT”: A B-side with nineties hip-hop vibes and a voice that is both gentle and has a personal spunk to it.

#142: Ciipher, “Blind”: A fast-paced song that does a great job encapsulating the feelings of crushing on someone about which they sing.

#141: OH MY GIRL, “Dun Dun Dance”: An adorable song perfect for sing-alongs and, of course, dancing.

#140: OWV, “Roar”: A great song for K-pop boy group fans to try if they’d like to dip their toes into the wonderful world of J-pop. 

#139: Stray Kids, “Mixtape : OH”: An emotional diary entry hidden underneath a cheerful exterior. The members express their nervousness and doubts with a lovable openness and authenticity.

#138: OWV, “Na Na Na”: A bouncy, incredibly catchy song with lots of funny details topping it off, like the “Hey!” continuously chanted in the background.

#137: YongYong, “RAIN STAR”: A song with electro-pop-punk star power, a vibe that can best be summarized as Avril Lavigne meets Charli XCX.

#136: OHOTRA & maeshima soshi, “STARGAZER”: An unpredictable rush, with starts and stops that could easily sound jolting but manage to somehow just sound melodic!

#135: SUPER JUNIOR, “Burn The Floor”: Impassioned harmonies and an orchestral arrangement that would sound astonishing with a live band.

#134: Cold Bay, “LIP (Love is Poison)”: An acoustic number that shows off Cold Bay’s stellar voice.

#133: Moon Jong Up, “US”: A snap-along song with an earworm of a chorus backed by a plucky guitar.

#132: EVERGLOW, “Pirate”: A fun and fierce song that is perfect for hangouts with friends and for fans of “So What” by LOONA.

#131: Perfume, “Polygon Wave”: A classic Perfume song, one that is both classic J-pop and personalized in incomparable ways.

#130: Huh!, “MBT”: A too-short delight, sung with an electronified voice fans of RAVI and ASH ISLAND will enjoy.

#129: EGOIST, “BANG!!!”: A sublime blend of electronic, rock, and pop sounds that take innumerable twists and turns.

#128: EPEX, “Do 4 Me”: An instrumental that seems like it should sound dark and serious is given a cheerful makeover with EPEX’s ad libs, sound effects, and other quirky edits.

#127: THE BOYZ, “Drink It”: The acting performance delivered via audio alone allows for this song’s vampire concept to come alive and feel genuine instead of corny. 

#126: JAY B ft. JUNNY, “FAME”: A chill, mid-tempo song with a high-tempo feel, particularly during JUNNY’s rap. This song is both vibe-heavy and melodic, rather than picking just one of those lanes.

#125: Lee Dong Hwi, “Keep your head up”: Simply the epitome of a feel-good song.

#124: GEMINI ft. CAMO & WOODZ, “MIA”: CAMO’s rapping serves as a transition, splitting up two smooth vocal performances. The song’s structure works to everyone’s advantage.

#123: ØZI, “hair tie”: A guitar-backed, angsty song for fans of SHAUN and DPR IAN.

#122: J SOUL BROTHERS III, “KICK&SLIDE”: A SUPER JUNIOR-esque, dance routine-worthy ball of energy.

#121: Chancellor ft. Gaeko, “Midnight”: A groovy jam that feels like it came straight out of the eighties.

#120: Woosung, “Dimples”: A synth pop dream that features Woosung’s trademark voice breaks.

#119: BLOO, “Girl in New York”: An echoey, atmospheric, synth-driven journey of a song.

#118: ENJIN, “KOTONOHA”: A song that showcases traditional instruments while having the catchiness of a modern pop song.

#117: IU, “LILAC”: A lovely voice shares a surprising opinion. IU sings about a parting scene as actually being a happy memory; she reframes saying goodbye to someone as a beautiful moment, because she couldn’t have asked for a more picturesque one! 

#116: G-reyish, “Breath;(Blood Night)”: A fast and fierce pop song that brings to mind “Second Generation” K-pop girl groups.

#115: D.O., “Rose”: A sweet, acoustic song about a crush.

#114: GRAY ft. DeVita, “Rise”: A song that takes a tropical instrumental and remixes it into a refreshingly original vibe.

#113: WONHO, “Lose”: An excellently produced number that rises and falls with the climax of the song. WONHO’s authentic yearning in a hushed tone comes and goes as the volume of the instruments change to match it.

#112: MIRAE, “KILLA”: A high-speed introduction to this new group’s EDM/pop world.

#111: GWSN, “Like It Hot”: A sick bass matches a beat that is perfectly timed for choreographing dance routines.

#110: LeeHi, MINGYU, & WONWOO, “Bittersweet”: A beautiful ballad contemplating how to distinguish the “bitter” from the “sweet” parts of a romance.

#109: Unknöwn Kun, “Bubblegum”: A deep commentary on how society views younger generations compared to older ones, hidden beneath a sugary-sweet sound.

#108: Anonymouz, “Lips”: A flirty song that succeeds at channeling the flurry of feelings that comes with having a crush.

#107: UVERworld, “AVALANCHE”: Vocals rise and sink repeatedly into thick synths, tricking listeners into thinking the song they’re listening to is less substantive than it actually is. “AVALANCHE” has the feeling of receiving a coded message.

#106: GARNiDELiA, “Live On!”: A song that can best be summarized as “controlled chaos;” every time this EDM/rock song sounds like it’s approaching an unsustainable level of franticness, it pulls back a bit. The drums and guitars get louder and louder, leading into rapid choruses before slowing down just a tad afterwards. The mix of speeds is pulled off exceptionally well.

#105: (G)I-DLE, “DAHLIA”: The members take turns getting to show off their distinct vocal colors and add unmatched style and passion to this B-side. 

#104: PKCZ®, “GLAMOROUS”: A remix-worthy club song that brings to mind Far East Movement.

#103: 3YE, “STALKER”: A song that both carries an ominous tone, with comments sung into a loudspeaker and recurring moments of silence except for whispering, and is lots of fun, thanks to lyrics like “boom boom boom da da boom boom”! The song doesn’t take itself too seriously.

#102: JUST B, “DAMAGE”: A song full of haunting echoes, a deep bass, and crashing synths that makes for an explosive debut single. 

#101: LOONA, “PTT (Paint The Town)”: A Bollywood-influenced number with special nods to LOONA’s Music Video Universe, ensuring this song is both brand new for them and classically LOONA.

#100: Cherry Bullet, “Love So Sweet”: An adorable, whistle-filled earworm.

#99: TERU, “REIWA”: An electronified voice and bass work with a playful piano to form this massively entertaining hit.

#98: PURPLE KISS, “Zombie”: A bouncy bop that makes a Night of the Living Dead feel surprisingly lively!

#97: UNINE, “STAR”: An uplifting song that quickly builds up steam before reaching its EDM remix-worthy climax.

#96: HA SUNG WOON ft. Don Mills, “Strawberry Gum”: A song that simply oozes charm and charisma; a happy pill in musical form.

#95: J SOUL BROTHERS III, “JSB IN BLACK”: A movie-ready song with dramatic pauses and background noises that help set the scene.

#94: GRAY ft. Coogie, “I Don’t Love You”: A rumination on a past romance that is given interesting twists with distinguishable vocal deliveries and a rap verse that fits the song’s speed well.

#93: Reol, “Boy”: A song that starts out unassuming but quickly detours into high-speed, electro-pop territory at which Reol always excels.

#92: Eric Nam, “Any Other Way”: A breezy, dreamy song by an incomparable singer.

#91: F.I.R., “Splendid Dream”: An immersive listening experience that showcases the best of what mandopop has to offer. 

#90: DO HAN SE, “TAKE OVER”: A headbang-worthy, EDM/rap solo debut.

#89: SUNMI, “Borderline”: A raw, powerful performance addressing life with Borderline Personality Disorder.

#88: Kenshi Yonezu, “Pale Blue”: A one-of-a-kind song with a pleasing string and piano arrangement.

#87: CHANMINA, “Period”: A ferocious rap song backed by an earworm of a piano tune.

#86: LiSA, “dawn”: Crashing guitars that match the urgency in the artist’s voice well.

#85: TWICE, “Good at Love”: A song that allows TWICE to show a more mature, take-charge demeanor than usual, as they sing in a flirty tone over a deep bass. 

#84: B.I, “illa illa”: A piano-led song that uses a trip to the beach as a dual metaphor. While B.I compares ocean waves to his tears, he also sees the beach as representing something hopeful, and he vows to keep building sand castles even if they’ll undoubtedly topple over eventually. 

#83: Nissy, “Do Do”: A song full of sonic details that bring the party scene of its music video to life through audio alone.

#82: Goopy, “Teenage”: A chant-worthy bridge and distorted bass are the soundtrack for feelings to which all youths can relate. 

#81: SHINee, “SUPERSTAR”: A playful piano paired with strong voices makes for a nice mix of silly and sophisticated sounds.

#80: AILEE, “Don’t Teach Me”: A swing music-inspired song by a powerhouse vocalist.

#79: lol, “blaze”: A techo/rap/pop hybrid with suspense-building pre-choruses and an unconventional instrumental.

#78: UVERworld, “HOURGLASS”: An impressive cross between a ballad, a rock song, and an electronic song.

#77: Epik High ft. CL & ZICO, “Rosario”: A thorough rebuttal to haters’ critiques, delivered through a plethora of play-on words and other snide remarks.

#76: BAEKHYUN & Seo Moon Tak, “Hurt”: A rock ballad and a match made in vocalist heaven.

#75: TWICE, “Perfect World”: A bold and brassy song that shows off a more mature, tongue-in-cheek side to a typically super-sweet-sounding girl group.

#74: SUNMI, “TAIL”: A song that allows SUNMI to show off the many brands of sultriness her voice can convey, whether she’s whispering or speaking matter-of-factly.

#73: ONE OK ROCK, “Renegades”: An Ed Sheeran-penned, empowering anthem for “the forgotten generation” to realize their innate worth and realize all is not lost for creating a better world in which to grow up. 

#72: Bling Bling, “Oh MAMA”: A song with so many hook-worthy moments that each one feels like the song’s climax.

#71: from20, “Because it’ll be faster for you to forget me than me loving you”: A faster song than many of from20’s tracks in a way that makes sense story-wise. The period of wistfulness he once sang about is over, and this song amplifies his new sense of urgency to leave a negative relationship.

#70: sEODo, “DAVID”: A song that takes its time, allowing his stunning, incredibly unique voice to linger on each note and leave a lasting impression.

#69: LeeHi ft.Yoon Mirae, “Red Lipstick”: A retro, danceable song perfect for any party.

#68: THE 8, “Side By Side”: A relatable, sweet song about fumbling attempts to put into words how one feels about a crush, aptly comparing the feeling to a game of tug-of-war with no referee.

#67: U-KNOW, “Loco (House Party)”: A danceable track not dissimilar to “Levitating” by Dua Lipa.

#66: Dreamcatcher, “BEcause”: A gothic pop journey matching the ominous feel of its music video.

#65: BAND-MAID, “Warning!”: A great way to kick off their album, setting the scene with dramatic drum rolls and an eerie buildup to warp-speed choruses.

#64: N.Flying, “Moonshot”: An attention-grabbing, theatrical reminder to not let fear run the show.

#63: KEY & TAEYEON, “Hate that…”: A slow song that combines emotional voices that flow so well together, partly due to the singers’ real-life platonic chemistry and partly due to their immense talent.

#62: BACK-ON, “Beyond sadness”: A rock song that sounds like it was made during a spontaneous garage band practice, with tons of sound effects thrown into an on-the-spot makeover focused on turning sonic trash into treasure. 

#61: Z.TAO, “黎明破晓” (“Dawn”): An artful use of electronic sounds that go surprisingly well with poetic lyrics.

#60: The Chain G, “Love Again”: A Weeknd-esque, eighties-inspired joy.

#59: AKMU ft. Lee Sun Hee, “Hey kid, Close your eyes”: A stirring apology to young people that have to grow up in a world stuck in such a tumultuous state.

#58: YUQI, “Giant”: An empowering, invigorating, rock ballad-style song performed by an exceptional vocalist.

#57: Shota Shimizu ft. Taka, “Curtain Call”: A song perfect to sway along to while taking in its message about patience being a virtue and trusting in fate. 

#56: Rei Yasuda, “It’s you”: A raw, stunning performance that ought to make many new fans out of listeners. 

#55: G.E.M., “The Peerless King”: Climactic drums paired with G.E.M.’s naturally deep register make for a dramatic, attention-holding stunner of a song.

#54: Dreamcatcher, “Odd Eye”: A spellbinding and headbang-worthy pop-rock song that never loses steam.

#53: WayV, “Action Figure”: A song that is simultaneously quirky and catchy, goofy and gripping, fun and a display of raw talent.

#52: Stray Kids, “Red Lights”: An unconventional structure allows the members to prove their musical versatility, as they let instrumentals do much of the talking for them.

#51: ONEWE, “Rain To Be”: A dramatic wallowing in the feelings triggered by remembering a loved one every time it rains.

#50: BM, “Broken Me”: A forthright admission. As much as elaborate metaphors can be praiseworthy, there is also something worth appreciating about lyrics that plainly state what they mean and allow listeners to instantly recognize and begin processing their identical feelings.

#49: luz, “Spider”: An immensely enjoyable sonic roller coaster; a fast-paced rock song that abruptly detours into slower territory before jolting back into moving at a breakneck pace.

#48: ENHYPEN ft. YEONJUN, “Blockbuster”: A gritty-voiced, angsty, underrated song.

#47: Daichi Miura, “Backwards”: A successful attempt to bring to life the feeling of moving backwards; music doing what it does best: encapsulate feelings and situations in sounds.  

#46: CHANMINA, “^_^”: A much-too-short, sassy song with an ironic tone.

#45: KIM JAE HWAN, “I Wouldn’t Look For You”: A standout vocal performance conveying the pain of recognizing a relationship has lost all salvageability. 

#44: BAEKHYUN, “Bambi”: A smooth R&B number with fun play-on words and a can’t-miss high note in the bridge.

#43: BDC, “MOON RIDER”: A song that captures the adventurous, courageous spirit its lyrics address.

#42: CNBLUE, “Love Cut”: Whistles, guitars, and a cheerful-sounding piano all mask the negative emotions about which they sing. The song has an interesting duality, as they vent about feeling betrayed, beaten down, and scarred from a past relationship on top of an upbeat instrumental and whistling. 

#41: ENHYPEN, “Drunk-Dazed”: Aptly, a dizzying array of sounds wrapped into just over three minutes, leaving listeners feeling an adrenaline rush.

#40: MIYAVI, “Living In Fire”: MIYAVI’s famous, innovative method of playing the guitar proves why it has earned its groundbreaking status.

#39: ATEEZ, “Take Me Home”: A new-to-them sound, with a saxophone riff and eighties synths taking this B-side to the next level.

#38: Sayaka Yamamoto, “Don’t hold me back”: A chance for her to showcase both her rapping and singing skills, all the while bending the instrumental’s speed and intensity to always stay in her favor.

#37: The Chain G, “Wicked Night”: Another retro number from The Chain G, this one with a saxophone and other jazzier elements.

#36: F.I.R., “Diamond Heart”: An eventful song, complete with an introduction and conclusion, that serves as yet another example of the cinematic richness of the music of F.I.R.

#35: DreamNote, “GHOST”: A song that somehow manages to make evil laughter and howls sound melodic!

#34: KEY, “BAD LOVE”: A synth pop song that will surely be considered a career milestone for KEY, marking the moment he found his musical sweet spot.

#33: YUQI, “Bonnie & Clyde”: A debut single that epitomizes YUQI’s star power and fits well on any playlist made for a night out. 

#32: milet, “Hit the Lights”: A dramatic mix of raw vocals and strings that ends with an ironic twist.

#31: from20, “from20”: A wonderful introduction to an artist who has cemented his role as synth pop extraordinaire with a knack for balancing personal and universally relatable content in his lyrics.

#30: PURPLE KISS, “Ponzona”: A mystical, memorable song with a beautiful string arrangement.

#29: Wen Junhui, “Silent Boarding Gate”: An incredibly calming song, with lovely instruments and the feeling of taking a nature walk embedded in it.

#28: BOBBY, “LeT iT Go”: An uplifting song perfect for a happy ending scene in a movie, and a great way to end an otherwise intense and angst-ridden album!

#27: BTS, “Butter”: Undoubtedly the Song of the Summer for 2021; the song everyone has needed as a go-to pick-me-up.

#26: WayV, “All For Love”: The smooth vocal hand-offs allow this powerful song to maintain cohesion and its core message: that love is worth it, because it is present “when chaos turns into comprehension.”

#25: luz, “Fanatic”: A growl-filled, headbang-worthy rock song that gets listeners hyped up from the very first seconds.

#24: MONSTA X, “Mercy”: A mellifluous orchestral arrangement and impassioned vocals make this B-side one of MONSTA X’s finest ones to date.

#23: WOODZ, “WAITING”: A song that changes its pace to match changes in WOODZ’s voice, creating the effect of processing emotions in real time.

#22: PENTAGON, “DO or NOT”: A charming number with an a capella intro and fun chanting.

#21: FAKY, “99”: A witty, sassy song with a brassy and retro sound.

#20: DPR IAN, “Nerves”: A voice that brings to mind Harry Hudson profusely apologizes for taking a past relationship for granted. The pain and guilt he feels cause an interesting dissociation at the very end, when he moves from using the first person to the third (from “I loved you” to “He loved you”).

#19: Hwa Sa, “I’m a B”: An alluring voice oozes attitude over an addictive bass.

#18: BTS, “Film out”: A gorgeous song with a distinct composition, in which the instrumentals pull back at unexpected times to allow the members’ remarkable voices to hold onto the spotlight. 

#17: HOSHI, “Spider”: Hushed tones and a xylophone add unique colors to a song with a unique metaphor, comparing being in love to being trapped in a spider’s web.

#16: SHINee, “Don’t Call Me”: Both a prime example of why SHINee’s harmonizing is so widely admired and a theme song for introverts!

#15: NIve, “ESCAPE”: A song that gives oneself permission to take a breather in the most fun format imaginable! A desire to run away from a stressful situation that is conveyed over a Wild West-style instrumental.

#14: Gaho, “Rush Hour”: A perfectly paced song, with rising and falling action at the most opportune moments for Gaho’s voice to shine.

#13: NCT 127, “Bring The Noize”: A Peak NCT song, full of industrial sounds and a host of unexpected sound effects. An irreplaceable whirlwind in the best way!

#12: SKY-HI, “To The First”: An electronified kazoo of sorts is paired with an electric guitar and rapping to make for a fresh, entertaining jam.

#11: ATEEZ, “Fireworks (I’m The One)”: A rousing, boisterous anthem from start to finish.

#10: MONSTA X, “GAMBLER”: A personality-filled, classically MONSTA X title track that marks Joohoney’s debut in a MONSTA X title track’s composing/writing credits! 

#9: KANG DANIEL, “Antidote”: A moving alt-rock song that finds words for the weighty feelings brought on by mental illness.

#8: MIYAVI & KANG DANIEL, “Hush Hush”: Haunting vocals, stirring beat drops, a thrumming bass, and MIYAVI’s famous, inventive form of playing guitar make this collaboration unforgettable.

#7: NCT 127, “Favorite (Vampire)”: An instantly recognizable whistle, beautifully harmonized choruses, and the Peak NCT mix of ad libs and sound effects. A very full and fun song, true to form for NCT.

#6: milet, “checkmate”: A show-stopping voice belts out this fierce anthem over an instrumental that will make listeners want to learn how to play the guitar!

#5: TXT ft. Seori, “0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)”: A continuation of TXT’s exploration of the sources of youths’ angst, with a pained delivery that brings home its profound view of the need for love in one’s life as a source of stability.

#4: TAEMIN, “Advice”: A title track featuring TAEMIN’s flair for the dramatic, bookended with piano flourishes and featuring a new-to-him rap-singing verse.

#3: SEVENTEEN, “Ready to love”: A song made all the more hopeful and delightful after hearing the story behind it and the care that went into making it.

#2: SEVENTEEN, “Rock with you”: A pop-rock song made all the more meaningful when considering the ways it fits into this band’s broader, long-term story. 

#1: ONE OK ROCK, “Broken Heart of Gold”

As explained in a previous write-up:

“This is ONE OK ROCK doing what they do best: amplifying the feelings of younger generations and reminding them of the light that is always at the end of the tunnel. Rather than embrace toxic positivity, ONE OK ROCK aim for cautious optimism, letting fans know that it is okay not to be okay, but that it is also important to remember things will get better. ‘I love myself, but not today’ and ‘I smash my broken heart of gold’ are just two of the lyrics that find a way to verbalize seemingly contradictory thoughts that can coexist. By injecting a sense of levity into lyrics about pain and hopelessness, listeners’ feelings are validated while acknowledged as temporary. ‘Broken Heart of Gold’ is a stirring anthem for those who feel bruised but not broken, not whole but not empty, down but not out.”

As always, ONE OK ROCK find words for youths’ deep angst and turn that raw emotion into an accessible symbol: a broken heart of gold. This song deserves to be a go-to for those who feel like they “just wanna quit / When it feels too painful,” but somehow find the strength within themselves to persevere anyway. 

A playlist of all these songs can be found here!

To hear about honorable mentions, more thoughts on these releases, and what my selection process was like, listen to this episode of 17 Carat K-Pop, as well as more episodes on the way, and subscribe to the show’s newsletter!