Best Jesus-y, Folky, Singer-songwriter-y, Worship-y, High Quality Music of 2021
I’m one of these nerds that enjoys year-end lists. You must be too. Welcome!
I listened to a lot of music in 2021. According to Spotify, I listened to 28,180 minutes which is more than 81% of other listeners. And all along the way, I kept track of my favorite songs. So, it’s my privilege to present to you the second annual Jesus-y, Folky, Singer-songwriter-y, Worship-y, High Quality Music Awards! All of this music, and more, is contained in my 2021 Spotify playlist.
If you’re so inclined, you can read last year’s awards as well and listen to last year’s playlist.
Before we proceed, a few definitions.
It’s always tricky to use the word Christian to describe something other than a human being. When I say Jesus-y music, I’m referring to faith-inspired music. I’m not trying to make any grand pronouncements or be some sort of gate-keeper for the Christian music industry. Rightly or wrongly, I’m assuming these songs are born out of some sort of Christian worldview.
Folk is another word I’m using quite generally. Most of this music has an acoustic guitar and could be described as folk/Americana music. Some of it might be more gospel, rock, or pop though. The music on this list was something I considered folk music or folk-adjacent. Feel free to disagree.
With that out of the way, let’s proceed to the awards!
Most Catchy Song of 2021: “Joy in You” by Jon Troast
Jon Troast is a hidden gem. His whole catalog is filled with delightful songs like this. Be sure to enjoy this stringy, upbeat song and you’ll be singing it for days on end.
Give me joy in You // Oh, give me joy in You // No, nothing else will do // Oh, give me joy in You
Honorable Mention: “Joy Will Come” by Paul Zach, Liz Vice, and Charles Jones
Best Congregational Worship Song of 2021: “Psalm 8 (How Majestic is Your Name)” by Shane & Shane
Shane & Shane keep pumping them out! It’s hard not to like the creative, emotive power they bring to rich, Biblical lyrics. It’s really the best of both worlds.
“Oh Lord, our Lord // Oh, how awesome are Your ways // How majestic is your name in all the earth // Oh Lord, our Lord // May we see Your kingdom come // Father, may Your will be done in all the earth”
Honorable Mention: “Gilead” by Haven Collective and Nathan Storey; “Psalm 42 (Loudest Praise)” by Shane & Shane
Most Inventive Song of 2021: “Warriors” by Land of Color
So many different and unique sounds in this song. Great lyrics too. I love all the fresh sounds I’m hearing from these guys.
Honorable Mention: “Man That Is Born of a Woman” by Rachel Wilhelm; “Rhythm of the East” by The Gray Havens
Best Reimagined/Retuned Hymn of 2021: “How Can I Keep From Singing” by Luke Spehar
This was my most-listened to song of 2021. Luke’s voice and instrumentation work so well with this hopeful hymn. Over these past two years, I found myself drawn to these lyrics.
“No storm can shake my inmost calm // While to that rock I’m clinging // Since love is lord of heaven and earth // How can I keep from singing?”
Honorable Mentions: “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” by Paul Zach and Page CXVI; “I Want Jesus to Walk With Me” by Paul Zach and Liz Vice; “What A Friend” by Lovkn
Most Powerful Song of 2021: “Dead Horse” by Andy Squyres
Man, Andy is a good songwriter. Andy has a Bob Dylan-esque lyrical style mixed with a 21st century prophet. His whole album is quite good and full of lyrical nuggets. When I first heard these lines, I knew I was going to like the song:
“Here is my harvest of heartbreak // Here is my threshing of tears // I’d give you my dream but I lost it // Down in the locust years // Still praise is the song that I’m singing // Even though sorrow’s my tune // My love is only a whisper now // But nothing is wasted with you”
Most Honest Song of 2021: “One Day (Far Side of Our Sorrow)” by Folk Hymnal (feat. Tyson Matthews)
Ok, I’m cheating. Full disclosure, this is a song I wrote. So, yes, I’m being the guy who includes his own song in a best-of list. I hope you look past my potential pride though and listen to this song with fresh ears. I wanted to write a funeral song. The last two years have been full of death, grief, and suffering so I wrote an honest song that wrestled with all of that while pointing to the hope of the gospel.
“Today we weep // But one day we won’t // So wail and cry those tears today // And grieve but not without hope // Hallelujah, there’s a far side of our sorrow // Hallelujah, there’s a hope beyond the grave”
Honorable Mentions: “Hosanna Song” by Jon Guerra and Paul Zach
Best ‘Bob Your Head’ Song of 2021: “Sweet Ever After” by Ellie Holcomb and Bear Rinehart
When it’s a nice day and you’re cruising down the road with your window open — you want a song to “bob your head” to. This is it. It’s impossible not to like this song.
Best Cover Song of 2021: “Everybody Hurts” by Sandra McCracken and Liz Vice
I’ll admit, I’m fairly biased as I adore everything Sandra McCracken puts out. So, any cover song she does I’m going to enjoy. Even still, her voice lends itself well to this cover. It’s also great to hear Liz Vice’s voice in any song as well!
Best Seasonal Song of 2021: “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” by The Porter’s Gate
The Porter’s Gate continues to put out well-done, theologically rich music. And the trend continues with this original Christmas song.
Honorable Mentions: “O Holy Night” by Land of Color; “Still, Still, Still” by Folk Hymnal and Nathan Storey
Most Beautiful Song of 2021: “Color” by Ellie Holcomb
Initially, I was struck by the church imagery in this song. I came to appreciate it more once reading Ellie’s inspiration for the song:
“I wrote the bridge of this song about my mom’s story,” Holcomb shares. “She didn’t grow up in the church at all, but one day in 7th grade, as a group of girls was gossiping in the hall, one of her friends walked away. My mom followed her, asked her if she was ok, and mom’s friend replied: “I’m good, I just love Jesus and don’t think it’s very loving to talk about others behind their back, but I knew that I’d just join in if I stayed there, and I didn’t want to preach at anybody, so I just thought it was best if I walked away.”
My mom had two responses. 1. “Who is Jesus? I’ve never heard anyone talk about him like that.” And 2. “Will you be my best friend, because you are amazing?!” As my mom hung out with her friend and her friend’s amazing family, she ended up encountering the living God, and she says it was like her whole world went from black and white to 3D and COLOR.
Honorable Mentions: “Find Rest (Matthew 11)” by Caroline Cobb; “The Bridge” by Taylor Leonhardt
Kids Favorite Song of 2021: “Psalm 118” by Mona Reeves
I listen to a lot of music in my car and my kids are often with me. They like most of what I listen to but sometimes, there’s a song they request over and over. “Psalm 118” is this year’s song. It’s straight out of Scripture and easy to sing so we’ve been belting this song out all year!
Best Album Cover of 2021
Poor Bishop Hooper has been putting out a song based on a Psalm each week. As of this writing, they are up to Psalm 101! All of their single covers are amazing. And the music is pretty good too! Be sure to check them out.
Honorable Mentions: “Songs of Comfort by Cathedral Hymns”
Favorite New Artist of 2021: Land of Color
“Land of Color started when two singer/song writers Gary Rea and Thomas Ewing met in the mountains of Montana in 2015. Before the band started, they were both worship leaders and solo artist in their own right but they feel like the Lord brought them together to create something that is unique and greater than the sum of the parts. Gary was born and raised in South Africa and Thomas is from Colorado. Their different cultural and musical backgrounds have resulted in a unique sound that is a blend of African rhythms, singable melodies and tight harmonies.”
Best Seasonal Album of 2021: “Advent Songs” by The Porter’s Gate
Lots of fresh Advent songs on this album produced by Isaac Wardell. This album is full of quiet, contemplative songs on the Incarnation. Perfect for this holiday season.
Best Album of 2021: Canyon by Ellie Holcomb
There’s a lot to love about this album. Sonically, it’s excellent. It’s a great mixture of Ellie’s emotive voice, pop music, and singer-songwriter-esque writing. Ellie explains more about the album here:
“Canyon is a record about a deeper sorrow and a higher hope,” shares Ellie Holcomb. She continues, “We all know what it is for our hearts to be broken, split wide open by the pain and loss and sorrow we encounter here. We know brokenness. We know division, but there in the middle of all the chaos, in the places where the pain cuts a canyon into our very hearts, there is a river running through. There is a current of love that brings refreshment, hope, and comfort. There is a river of love there to carry us if we’ll only let it.”
I thought this review captured Ellie and her music well, “Ellie Holcomb has a sound all her own, the passion of a worship leader mixed with the gentleness of a singer-songwriter and the fire of a creative indie artist.”
Honorable Mentions: Hymns by Paul Zach; Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Vol. 1 by Shane & Shane
Best Song of 2021: Poetry by Taylor Leonhardt
Taylor has one of my favorite voices in the business. Anything she sings I will immediately like. Mix her voice with these poetic lines (quite fitting) and you have a masterpiece of a song.
Just listen/read these lyrics:
Isn’t it so hard for most of us // to find the kind of patience that will trust // the slow steady work of God beneath the surface // every moment working for our good // Cause under all the snow is something green // hiding in the winter is a spring // I know it will take the barren field of heartbreak // a little time for a new rain to fall // I will not hang my head // His banner is over me // He said I am his poetry // He won’t waste a word // I’m gonna wait // wait on the Lord // Surely I’ve been wrong along the way but I will not be called by my mistakes // He calls me his friend // When all I see’s where I’ve been I hear him tell me where I am going // CHORUS // There’s no wound that he cannot heal // No child too far gone // I’m the clay on his spinning wheel // He knows what I’ll become // CHORUS
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I had a ton of fun putting it together. We are truly blessed to have this much good music at our disposal.
Along the way, I’m sure I missed a lot. If so, let me know. Seriously. I want to listen to some good music I missed. I’ll listen to anything you email. You can reach me at tbriggs@steadfast.church.
Again, you can listen to all the above music and other favorites of mine from 2021 on this Spotify playlist.
