It’s that time of year… when we review the year in music! 2021 was, in particular, a one-of-kind year for musicians and the songs they produced. A number of Minnesota artists took advantage of the pandemic to record music during a time when it wasn’t safe to perform live.

Artists like Humbird wrote an entire album while quarantining with a house full of musicians. Mason Jennings teamed up with music producers and instrumentalists across the country, and collab-ed virtually, bringing to life side products such as Painted Shield. Bad Bad Hats used the time to reflect and build on the goodness of their relationships. Sounds of Blackness, PaviElle and Longshot dedicated their music writing to focus on racial justice and empowerment, during a time when our Black communities have been suffering the hardest. 

This selection of 89 songs showcases a variety of sounds from artists across Minnesota. From classic Americana to punk rock, dance-pop to cutting edge hip-hop, turn on this playlist for any-time-of-day kind of feel. Just be prepared to feel feelings, move your body, and maybe sing a little.

89 noteworthy Minnesota songs of 2021

One thing: We really wanted Low Rats’ “Cryin and Moanin” on this playlist, but they are not yet on Spotify. Perhaps they are too cool for it? We dunno. But check them if you out haven’t already.