After whatever 2020 was, 2021 saw musicians being able to return to the road and resume their lives and rekindle their livelihoods. Covid still wreaked havoc and threw lots of spanners in the works but, on the large, life started to return to normal with gigs, tours and festivals all happening across America and beyond; each one being appreciated a little bit more than before the pandemic. 2021 also saw Christian music continuing to grow and stretch its borders, and the slew of constant single releases and self-building EPs continuing to take over from the once sacred art form of an album.
Before we get to find out what delicious musical feasts 2022 has to serve up, some of our contributors digested last year’s releases and have gathered together their favorite albums, EPs, singles and songs from 2021. Their lists (or menus?!) can be seen below.
Iain Moss (Editor)’s Top 10 Albums
- Young Pop Renegades 2021: Origin
- Love and Death – Perfectly Preserved
- The Letter Black – The Letter Black
- Andy Mineo – Never Land II
- Deraj – Breakout & Made For This EPs
- indie tribe. – U P P E R H A N D
- Relent – Heavy
- Lecrae x 1K Phew – No Church In A While
- Bumps INF – The Chaos Is Beautiful
- Riley Clemmons – Godsend
Honorable Mentions: Fight the fade – Composure (EP of singles) & Justin Bieber – Freedom.
Denise Michael’s Top 10 Releases
- Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music – Talking to Jesus ft. Brandon Lake
- Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music – Jireh ft. Chandler Moore
- Crowder – He Is
- Crowder – In The House
- Rare of Breed – God Knows
- Rare of Breed – Stained Glass Windows ft. Loren Day
- Seventh Day Slumber – The Lion and The Lamb Deluxe Edition (album)
- Terrian – Genesis of Terrian (album)
- Samuel Day – Stand Through This
- Riley Clemmons – Godsend (album)
Iliana Felix’s Top 10 Songs
- Brandon Lake – Gratitude (Live)
- Cece Winans – Believe For It
- Crowder – Milk & Honey
- for KING & COUNTRY – Relate
- Jordan Smith – Great You Are
- Lacey Sturm – Awaken Love
- Matty Mullins – Show You the Cross
- Phil Wickham – 1,000 Names
- Sarah Reeves – Not My Style (R3HAB Remix)
- The Belonging Co. – War Cry (live)
Bonus: Aaron Moses from Maverick City Worship – Promises (Essential Worship version)
Jessica Morris’s Top 10 Albums
- Ellie Holcomb – Canyon
- Remedy Drive – Imago Amor
- Switchfoot – Interrobang
- Jon Foreman – Departures
- Bethany Barnard – All of my Questions
- NEEDTOBREATHE – Into The Mystery
- Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music – Old Church Basement
- Ross King – Unfinished
- Stephen McWhirter and Jason Clayborn – Highest Praise
- The Dailys – The Dailys
Josephine Amaoko’s Top 8 Songs
- Phil Wickham – House of the Lord
- Living Water – Shane & Shane – Living Water
- for KING & COUNTRY – Relate
- Danny Gokey – Stand In Faith
- Cece Winans – Believe For It
- Sidewalk Prophets – I Believe It Now
- Hannah Kerr – Same God
- Jeremy Camp – When You Speak
Shayna Hunter’s Top 10 Releases
- Terrian – Genesis of Terrian (album)
- Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music – Old Church Basement (album)
- Dante Bowe – Joyful
- Anthony Evans – You Will Remain
- Maverick City Music – Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition (album)
- Run51 – Draw Me Nearer
- Justin Bieber, Tori Kelly, Chandler Moore, & Judah Smith – Where Do I Fit In
- CeCe Winans – Fire
- Maverick City Music – A Very Maverick Christmas (album)
- Lakewood Music – It’s Happening Now
Vanessa Cohn’s Top 10 Releases
- Switchfoot – Interrobang (album)
- JUDAH. – 3+7 (album)
- Phil Wickham – Hymn of Heaven (album)
- Jon Foreman – Departures (album)
- Mike Donehey – Flourish (album)
- NF – Clouds the Mixtape (album)
- Chris Renzema – Get out of the Way of Your Own Heart (album)
- Audrey Assad – Eden live (album)
- Anberlin – Two Graves
- NEEDTOBREATHE – Into the Mystery (album)
Honorable mention: KB – Worship in the Moshpit