Story by Peyton Tranas / Contributing Writer
Now that the summer is nearly over, we finally have a finalized lineup of the best songs
and albums to come out of it. It seems that this summer’s playlists were dominated by Gen Z
talents. Here are some of the best music moments from Summer 2021.
“SOUR” by Olivia Rodrigo
After the release of “driver’s license,” it seemed like Olivia Rodrigo’s star power was just hitting
the surface. With the release of her debut album “SOUR” in May, Rodrigo proved that she was no
one-hit-wonder and that she would be the lead pop girl in the next generation of superstars.
“good 4 u” arguably became the biggest song of the summer. She is the first artist to have her
first four singles all debut within the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 charts. “SOUR” debuted at
No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Charts and is a favorite contender for many Grammy
nominations, including “Album of the Year.”
“Happier Than Ever” by Billie Eilish
After having her album release date pushed back to make room for Rodrigo, Billie Eilish’s
second full-length album was released in July. The album has remained No. 1 on the
Billboard 200 Charts for the past three weeks. Eilish went in a slightly different direction than her
last album, but it still is very much a uniquely Billie Eilish album. The title track is the most
different from Eilish’s previous work, where it began as a soft 1950s-styled track and
transitioned into a rock masterpiece. This is yet another album that will likely be a Grammy
nominee favorite.
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and “Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X
After causing a stir of controversy with his single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name), the
backlash seemed to be favorable for Lil Nas X because it sent him to No. 1 on the charts. Riding off the
success of one song, Lil Nas X released “Industry Baby” featuring Jack Harlow. “Industry Baby”
has so far reached a peak of No. 2 on the charts— but just like “Montero,” the song is all over the radio and everyone’s “For You Page” on TikTok.
“Stay” by The Kid Laroi ft. Justin Bieber
After gaining traction in the rap community, The Kid Laroi started making waves in the Top 40
world with his single “Without You.” After being a TikTok favorite, Miley Cyrus even joined on a
remix of the single. Riding off the success, The Kid Laroi released “Stay,” featuring Justin Bieber.
The song has been at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for the past three weeks and is
featured on nearly every radio station you can think of.
