Like any other year in history, 2021 wasn’t ideal. But I’m not here to talk about everything that may have been rough – in fact, this article does quite the opposite. Despite everything, 2021 created many great memories that will stay with our generation in particular for a very long time. Even in suboptimal times, entertainment has a way of bringing light into people’s lives, whether through movies, TV shows, music, sports and beyond. These contributions to pop culture often turn out to be the things that stay with people for decades. Every year has its “iconic” moments and productions, and 2021 was no exception.
Movies
When comparing both the earnings and ratings of certain movies, there is often some conflict. In fact, the respective lists for 2021’s highest-grossing movies and highest-rated films have significant differences. So, rather than ranking the “best” movies of the year, here are some of the most notable movies of 2021, in no order:
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Dune
Encanto
Tick, Tick…Boom!
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Black Widow
No Time To Die
Don’t Look Up
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Jungle Cruise
TV Shows
Similar to the above list for movies, here are some of the most notable TV Shows that either came out in 2021 or released new seasons sometime during the year:
Squid Game
Outer Banks
WandaVision
Maid
Loki
Cobra Kai
Hawkeye
Panic
Ginny & Georgia
Big Shot
Music
It’s an arduous task to summarize an entire year of music into a brief list of songs, artists, or albums—personally, I don’t know where I’d start. With that being said, here are the top 10 Songs of 2021 based on Billboard’s 2021 Hot 100:
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Levitating – Dua Lipa
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Save Your Tears – The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
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Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
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Mood – 24kGoldn Featuring iann dior
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Good 4 U – Olivia Rodrigo
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Kiss Me More – Doja Cat Featuring SZA
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Leave The Door Open – Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
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Drivers License – Olivia Rodrigo
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Montero (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X
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Peaches – Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon
Sports
In comparison to the lists above, the information below is much more fact-based. While evaluating the best of movies, TV shows, and music often relies on opinion, the sports outcomes of any given year are pretty definite. Unless you’re talking about 2004, because in that case, the puck did in fact cross the line and contrary to popular belief, the Calgary Flames were the 2004 Stanley Cup Champions. But that’s a story for another day—here are the 2021 champions of the sports world:
2021 Stanley Cup Champions: Tampa Bay Lightning
2021 NBA Champions: Milwaukee Bucks
2021 WNBA Champions: Chicago Sky
2021 Super Bowl Champions (Super Bowl LV): Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2021 World Series Champions: Atlanta Braves
UEFA Euro 2020 Champions (Took place in 2021): Italy
2021 Grey Cup Champions (108th Grey Cup): Winnipeg Blue Bombers
All in all, 2021 was an amazing year in terms of entertainment. It’s impossible to capture everything in one article, but I hope this reminded you of some nice memories created this year. If 2022 has a similar level of entertainment in store for us, then we’re in for a treat.
