It's time to reflect on your favorite music of 2021! Here are Purple Current's top songs of the year. Sean McPherson will air these tunes on Purple Current at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 28. Then, we’ll count down your favorite songs of the year in The Current’s Top 89 countdown on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Purple Current’s Top 10 Songs of 2021

1. Jazmine Sullivan – “Pick Up Your Feelings”

2. Chiiild – “Eventually”

3. Giveon – “All To Me”

4. Prince – “Stand Up and B Strong”

5. SZA – “Good Days”

6. Jam and Lewis – “Spinnin' (feat. Mary J. Blige)”

7. MMYYKK – “Divine”

8. Hiatus Kaiyote – “Get Sun (feat. Arthur Verocai)”

9. Ashley DuBose – “Boy Crazy”

10. FPA – “Untitled”

Like so many years, the silver lining in 2021 has been the great releases that have soundtracked the trying times we are living in. I’m thankful to Prince’s Estate for the release of Welcome 2 America. I’m also grateful that Shelby J. took the time out to talk about that release with me.

In case some of the names on this list are new to you, I wanted to give you a couple notes about the music!

Jam & Lewis – “Spinnin’ feat. Mary J. Blige”

There is no guarantee, even for a platinum production company like Flyte Tyme, that one can move from the mixing board to the front of the stage. On Jam & Lewis, Volume 1, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were able to open their Rolodex and connect with a sliver of the artists they’d collaborated with throughout the years. The record is a great listen throughout, but we really connected with the tune featuring Mary J. Blige. Jam & Lewis deliver the goods for Mary to bring that world-class blend of vulnerability and authority. I hope we won’t have to wait 30+ years for the next Jam & Lewis effort.

MMYYKK – “Divine”

So much of the great music made in the Twin Cities barely reaches ears in Chicago, let alone the coasts. I’m happy to say that’s not the case for MMYYKK. His stunning solo work of the last couple years has sent him to the pages of The Guardian, Okayplayer and more. MMYYKK recently released his Science EP, which captures his synth-heavy production and marks an arrival of MMYYKK delivering the goods as a vocalist and a frontperson at a higher level. This love letter to the women in his life and the feminine spirit in general is our favorite cut, but it was hard to choose! 

Chiiild – “Eventually”

Here’s the Purple Current trend report for 2021. Low register singing is back. False endings are back. And collectives are back! Bravo! Bring it on. The Montreal-based collective has delivered us some gems, but the slap bass-heavy groove combined with a soaring outro that sounds very “Around the World in a Day” to our ears made this the standout track for Purple Current. 

Ashley DuBose – “Boy Crazy”

It’s been two summers in a row that Ashley DuBose has given us that energetic, playful single that made the summers feel at least 22% more summery. This one doesn’t take a lot of thinking — it’s a romantic groove about an undying love of boys. Next year, Purple Current will be drafting a jam about our undying love of Ashley DuBose. Thanks for another great song, Ms. DuBose.