As 2021 comes to an end, we took an inside look to see students’ opinions on this year’s top artists.

Picks From The Crowd

1. Olivia Rodrigo

To kick off the year 2021, Olivia Rodrigo had a sudden surge of popularity, due to her release of 24 million streamed debut single, “drivers license.” This song attracted millions of fans across the globe, sending 18 years old Olivia Rodrigo to break the Spotify record as the most-streamed song in a single week. Senior Becky Jenkins states that she “probably listened to this song 5 times a day when it first came out.” This song became so popular because fans were able to relate to the compelling lyrics of Rodrigo.

2. Doja Cat

Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, American rapper, singer, and songwriter, professionally known as Doja Cat, was named a “top winning female artist” at the AMA’s. She has also won a Billboard Music Award, five American Music Awards, and three MTV Video Music Awards. Senior Carly Collins said, “The second her album dropped, I listened to the whole thing. I still listen to “Streets” almost every day.”

3. The Kid Laroi

Australian singer, rapper, and songwriter, Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard, better known as The Kid Laroi, became widely known across the globe in 2021. This 18-year old phenom met #1 in the Billboard Top 100 for his song “Stay,” with Justin Bieber. He was even named “artist of the year” at the 2021 National Indigenous Music Awards. Junior Lilly Weltman said, “Laroi is my favorite Artist. The second I heard he was going on tour, I bought four tickets to the New York Show.” Some of his top hits include “Stay” with Justin Bieber, “Go” with Juice WRLD, “So Done,” and “Diva” with Lil Tecca. Weltman also says her favorite song is “Without You.”

Sarah and Jenna’s Picks

Adele

Adele finally releases her first album in 6 years. This had fans exhilarated with the surprise of her long-awaited return. Now, Adele’s new music is expected to be among the most commercially successful of the year as she reenters into a changed business. Some of the most popular songs in her new album include “Easy On Me,” and “To Be Loved.”

The Weekend

Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer, Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, or “The Weekend,” has grown tremendously in popularity. Although his halftime performance at the 2021 Super Bowl was not applauded by many, this artist remains at the top. During the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, he swept the show with winning 10 out of the 16 awards he was nominated for! The Weekend is my favorite artist right now and I was devastated when he canceled his tour in which my best friend and I had tickets to go see.