Best music of 2021: Adele tops list of best albums, singles in triumphant return

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NEW YORK — It took five years for Adele to finally bless her fans with more music, but after only several weeks in stores, Americans are already crowning her new music the “Best of 2021.” That’s according to data from OnePoll’s latest survey, which asked a panel of 2,000 people to choose their favorites from both this year’s Billboard Hot 100 singles and 200 number-one albums lists.

Adele topped both charts with “30,” her fourth studio album, and her latest single “Easy on Me,” which tied for first place with “Essense” by Wizkid, Justin Bieber, and Tems.

The other hit album of autumn, “Red (Taylor’s Version),” also made an appearance, along with Taylor Swift’s previously re-recorded album “Fearless” and her 10-minute, 13-second version of “All Too Well” which broke records as the longest song to ever top the Hot 100 chart.

Other top albums included “Dangerous” from Morgan Wallen, which was dropped from its label earlier this year after video surfaced of the country singer shouting a racial slur, and “Donda,” which rapper Kanye West put the finishing touches on while residing in the locker rooms of Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium this summer.

While Lil Nas X’s debut album “Montero” didn’t make the cut, two of his singles did, including the song that achieved viral fame online via its music video’s depiction of the artist giving Satan a lap dance. The Internet shaped this year’s list in other ways, elevating singles like “Levitating” by Dua Lipa, which gained a huge resurgence in 2021 thanks to its memetic popularity on TikTok, and “Astronaut in the Ocean” by Masked Wolf, which topped the social media platform's own global listening charts.

TOP ALBUMS OF 2021

1. “30” - Adele (17.26%)
2. “The Voice of the Heroes” - Lil Baby & Lil Durk (16.08%)
3. “Dangerous: the Double Album” - Morgan Wallen (15.40%)
4. “Call Me If You Get Lost” - Tyler, the Creator (15.32%)
5. “Slime Language 2” - Young Thug, Gunna & Various Artists (15.24%)
6. “Justice” - Justin Bieber (15.07%)
7. “Sincerely, Kentrell” - YoungBoy Never Broke Again (14.65%)
8. “Red (Taylor’s Version)” - Taylor Swift (14.06%)
9. [Tie] “Certified Lover Boy” - Drake; “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” - Taylor Swift (13.89%)
10. ‘Happier than Ever’ - Billie Eilish (13.80%)
11. “Khaled Khaled” - DJ Khaled (13.64%)
12. “=” - Ed Sheehan (13.55%)
13. “Donda” - Kanye West (13.38%)
14. “A Gangsta’s Pain” - Moneybagg Yo (12.96%)
15. “Hall of Fame” - Polo G (11.87%)
16. “Faith” - Pop Smoke (11.36%)
17. “Punk” - Young Thug (11.28%)
18. “The Off-Season” - J. Cole (11.20%)
19. “Still Over It” - Summer Walker (10.94%)
20. “F*ck Love” - The Kid LAROI (10.02%)

TOP SINGLES OF 2021

1. [Tie] “Easy on Me” - Adele; “Essence” - Wizkid ft. Justin Bieber & Tems (11.30%)
2. “Smokin Out the Window” - Silk Sonic (10.13%)
3. [Tie] “Save Your Tears” - The Weeknd & Ariana Grande; “Way 2 Sexy” - Drake ft. Future & Young Thug (9.18%)
4. “Leave the Door Open” - Silk Sonic (8.79%)
5. “Montero” (Call me By Your Name) - Lil Nas X (8.56%)
6. “Astronaut in the Ocean” - Masked Wolf (8.24%)
7. [Tie] “Bad Habits” - Ed Sheeran; “Knife Talk” - Drake ft. 21 Savage & Project Pat (8.16%)
8. “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” - Taylor Swift (8.01%)
9. “Oh My God” - Adele (7.85%)
10. “Peaches” - Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon (7.61%)
11. “Take My Breath” - The Weeknd (7.61%)
12. “My Life” - J. Cole, 21 Savage & Morray (7.54%)
13. “Industry Baby” - Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow (7.38%)
14. “Drivers License” - Olivia Rodrigo (7.30%)
15. [Tie] “Hurricane” - Kanye West; “Without You” - The Kid LAROI & Miley Cyrus (7.14%)
16. [Tie] “In the Bible” - Drake ft. Lil Durk & Giveon; “Levitating” - Dua Lipa ft. DaBaby (7.06%)