While 2021 will probably go down in the history books as another year in the cluster of the pandemic era, there were some things to note. If not appreciate, such as the short modulum of normalcy it offered us. In person became an option again. Although 2022 is only a few weeks old, it seems as though another lockdown is eminent. So why not reminisce in the benefits of 2021?
Concerts and Festivals:
While the summer of 2021 was unbearably humid, at least there were ways to occupy our time with the return of concerts and festivals. From my first concert of the year to the last, relive or experience for the first time the shared music you’ve missed:
- Sub-Radio (august 13, 2021)
- Spring Hill Arts Gathering
- Governors Ball 2021
- Olivia O’Brien (November 14, 2021)
- FAOUZIA (November 18, 2021)
- Lawrence (Dec. 4, 2021)
Album and Song Releases:
There is one benefit to being the second year lost to the pandemic: the projects created in 2020 were being released in 2021. Artists with massive publications are as follows:
- Against The Current’s album Fever
- Arlissa’s album The LOVERS
- The namesake album for The Band Camino
- Faouzia’s singles
- Griff’s debut album One Foot In Front Of The Other
- Half•Alive’s almost-a-complete-album releases
- Icon For Hire’s latest album Amorphous
- Lawrence’s highly anticipated new album, Hotel TV
- Marina’s latest album, Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land
- Olivia Dean’s return to soul, Growth
- Olivia O’Brien’s EP Episodes: Season 1
- RIMON’s Digital Tears
- Ruth B.’s Moments in Between
- Stereo Jane’s singles
- Tate McRae’s string of singles
- Valley’s nostalgic Last Birthday
Interviews:
- Amy Lilley’s Sprint-Up the Charts
- Emma Jayne’s Soundtrack
- Fly By Midnight Single This Friday
- Honey Butter Flavored
- Koren Grace’s Music for Mental Health
- Welcome to the Theo Kandel Generation
Changing the Industry:
TikTok has created a platform which combines the crowdfunding enthusiasm of younger generations with the power of social capital. While previous sites, such as Soundcloud and YouTube, offered a publishing resource for emerging artists, they failed to offer an amalgam of the music industry so completely. Artists have been breaking free from the bounds of labels and managers for years now. But with TikTok, they are not only finding their audience seamlessly due to the algorithm, they are branding themselves. Prior to this platform, record labels controlled how, when, and why musicians received publicity. Breaking out on your own has never been so straight-forward and in control as now, and these artists prove it.
- Jax
- Sub-Radio
- Theo Kandel
- Vella
2022 Plans and Theories:
While it’s hard to take concerts for granted these days, it seems like we’re nearing another rescheduling wave. But for now, these are the things that are or are hopefully happening in 2022:
- The second half of the Fever album from Against The Current
- A new album and tour from Dermot Kennedy?
- The complete debut EP from Faouzia?
- Griff is touring in the states
- Releases from Griff’s vault? Breaking away from her mismanaged label?
- Half•Alive is going back on tour
- Episodes: Season 2 from Olivia O’Brien?
- Set It Off is joining As It Is, No Love, and Stand Atlantic for a massive North American tour
- A complete album from Stereo Jane?
- The long-awaited new album from Tonight Alive
Art in Your World 