Happy New Year! It’s crazy to think how fast 2021 has come and gone, but the prospect of a new year is exciting. With a new year comes new music, but also a time to reflect on the tunes that got us through the previous year.
2021 was a great year for music. A lot of new albums were released that we couldn’t stop listening to. But only some of them can make it out on top, breaking records and maintaining it’s spot at the top of the charts.
Here are the top 5 albums of 2021, according to global streams.
SOUR By Olivia Rodrigo
For a debut artist, having the number one most globally streamed album is a huge accomplishment. Rodrigo released her first album, SOUR, in May 2021, months after her chart-topping debut single, “driver’s license.” According to Spotify Wrapped, “driver’s license” reached more than 1.1 billion streams, making it the most streamed song of the year. Her other single, “good 4 u,” also landed in the top 5 at number 4. To accompany her big success, Rodrigo is taking the album on the road. The SOUR Tour will be going out this spring in theaters across America. The High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star has also been nominated for seven Grammys.
Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa
Future Nostalgia came out on March 27, 2020, and was an album that got a lot of people through lockdown and the pandemic. Dua Lipa has had a fantastic couple of years. FN is the follow-up to her 2017 self-titled album. Her single, “Levitating” was the fifth most streamed song of 2021. The album now has over 7 billion streams worldwide. Lipa received 6 Grammy nominations for the record and is heading out on tour this year to play arenas on the Future Nostalgia Tour.
Justice by Justin Bieber
Justice is the sixth studio album by Justin Bieber. It was released in March 2021 and reached number one on the charts. Justice produced the singles, “Peaches,” “Holy,” “Lonely,” “Anyone,” Hold On” and “Ghost.” He followed up the record with an EP titled Freedom, just a few weeks later. Bieber is going out on tour to support the two bodies of work starting in February. He has also received eight Grammy nominations for 2022, making him one of the most nominated of the year.
= By Ed Sheeran
Coming in at number four is Ed Sheeran’s = (pronounced equals). It is the fifth studio album by the Brit and contains the singles, “Bad Habits,” “Shivers” and “Overpass Graffiti.” It was released on Oct. 29 and still ranked in the top 5 of the year. However, it did not receive great reviews from critics. = reached number one in numerous countries, but only gave Sheeran one Grammy nomination. “Bad Habits” is up for Song of the Year. He will tour around Europe starting in April.
Planet Her by Doja Cat
Planet Her is the third studio album by Doja Cat. It was released on June 25 and was met with mostly positive reviews. It spent four weeks at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and reached number one in many other countries. “Kiss Me More (feat Sza)” is the most popular song on the album. Doja Cat received eight Grammy nominations for her work.
Which album was your most streamed of the year?