What do I love most about the end of the year? The answer is simple. It is the year in reviews. Maybe it started when I was a preteen watching BET Notarized, an all-day show that aired every New Year’s Eve showing BET’s 100 best music videos of the year with recaps from artist and celebrates during the early 2000s. Then again it could have started when channels like ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, etc. looked back at the most popular events of the year leading up to the ball drop on New Year’s Day. Perhaps the years of watching I Love the 80s, 90s, 2000s on VH1 sparked my interest in looking back in the past year.
You see, I admit I am a data nerd. I like to see numbers and trends especially when it has to do with my viewing and listening habits. I have an odd fascination with looking at my iTunes play count and top 25 most played songs just to see how songs I love stack up against other songs in my music library. And on Sunday’s I pay close attention to the weekly notifications iPhone sends about your screen time and apps you used the most during the week. If there’s a way of viewing total hours and number of tv shows/movies watched on streaming services, I want to see it just to see my own personal trends.
I remember in 2015 or 2016 President Obama posted his favorite songs, albums, books, tv shows, and movies of the year to his Instagram page, and he still does it every year around in December. This interested me so I began posting my top 10 favorite albums of the year to my Instagram and Facebook page every year as well. The only difference is I wait until New Year’s Eve. Then Spotify and Apple came out with Wrapped and Replay, respectively, and my nerd senses would get excited to see what my most played songs, albums, and artist of the year were. What’s even more exciting is the total hours of music listened for the year.
Which leads me to today. Now that I have this blog The Book of Think Pieces. I can do more with my year in review that time and Instagram do not allow. So, get your reminiscing on because I am about to reveal My 2021 Year in Review:
Favorite TV Shows/Docuseries of 2021:
Invincible [Season 1] (Amazon Prime)
Titans [Season 3] (HBO Max)
Insecure [Season 5/Final Season] (HBO Max)
Power Book II: Ghost [Season 2] (Starz)
Superman & Lois [Season 1] (The CW)
The Circle [Season 3] (Netflix)
Cobra Kai [Season 3] (Netflix)
Money Explained [Season 1] (Netflix)
Squid Game [Season 1] (Netflix)
WandaVision [Season 1] (Disney+)
Favorite Movies of 2021
Zack Synder’s Justice League (HBO Max)
Judas and the Black Messiah (HBO Max)
Space Jam: A New Legacy (HBO Max)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Disney+)
Soul (Disney+)
Fear Street 1994, 1978, 1666 (Netflix)
West Side Story (HBO Max)
Below Zero (Netflix)
Black Widow (Disney+)
Fatherhood (Netflix)
(***Spiderman No Way Home would be on this list, but I have not seen it yet.)
Ten Most Played Songs in 2021 According to Apple Replay ‘21
Leave the Door Open by Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak & Silk Sonic – 73 plays
95.south by J. Cole – 55 plays
Time Today by Moneybagg Yo – 48 plays
Hellcats & Trackhawks by Only The Family & Lil Durk – 45 plays
my.life by J. Cole, 21 Savage & Morray – 44 plays
Heartbreak Anniversary by Giveon – 42 plays
Pick Up Your Feelings by Jazmine Sullivan – 35 plays
Still Trappin’ by Lil Durk & King Von – 35 plays
Skate by Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak & Silk Sonic – 33 plays
Wants and Need by Drake feat. Lil Baby – 32 plays
Ten Most Listened to Artist in 2021 According to Apple Replay ‘21
J. Cole – 41 hours
Drake – 40 hours
Moneybagg Yo – 20 hours
Lil Durk – 19 hours
Young Dolph – 19 hours
Lil Baby – 19 hours
Bruno Mars – 18 hours
dvsn – 17 hours
Key Glock – 16 hours
Anderson .Paak – 16 hours
Ten Most Played Albums in 2021 According to Apple Replay ‘21
J. Cole – The Off-Season – 261 plays
Moneybagg Yo – A Gangsta’s Pain – 201 plays
Drake – Certified Lover Boy – 186 plays
Fisher-Price – Sooo Sleepy – 169 plays
Travis Greene – Oil + Water – 159 plays
Nas – King’s Disease II – 158 plays
Giveon – When It’s All Said and Done – 146 plays
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak & Silk Sonic – An Evening With Silk Sonic – 132 plays
dvsn & Ty Dolla $ign – Cheers to the Best Memories – 125 plays
Key Glock – Yellow Tape 2 – 121 plays
Favorite Songs of 2021
Leave The Door Open – Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak & Silk Sonic
95.south – J. Cole
my.life – J. Cole
Heartbreak Anniversary – Giveon
Skate – Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak & Silk Sonic
I Got It – Pastor Mike Jr.
Wonder – Travis Greene feat. Le’Andria Johnson
family ties – Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar
We Win (Space Jam: A New Legacy) – Lil Baby & Kirk Franklin
I Believed It – dvsn & Ty Dolla $ign feat. Mac Miller
Favorite Artist of 2021
J. Cole
Drake
Travis Greene
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak included)
Giveon
dvsn
Moneybagg Yo
Key Glock
Pastor Mike Jr.
Nas
Favorite Albums of 2021
J. Cole – The Off-Season
Moneybagg Yo – A Gangsta’s Pain
Drake – Certified Lover Boy
Travis Greene – Oil + Water
Nas – King’s Disease II
Giveon – When It’s All Said And Done
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak & Silk Sonic – An Evening With Silk Sonic
dvsn & Ty Dolla $ign – Cheers to the Best Memories
Key Glock – Yellow Tape 2
Various Artist – Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album
Estimated Most Used Apps in 2021
Apple Music
Gmail
Messages
WordPress
HBO Max
Nexflix
Disney +
The Book of Think Pieces 