2022 is upon us, and there are already signs that the depressive atmosphere of 2020 and 2021 is going to carry over into the new year. COVID-19 is still on the loose thanks to the Omicron variant, inflation is at a 40-year high and it just seems like people are foaming at the mouth, ready to go to war with anyone and everyone who disagrees with them politically. Though things seem dire, we must remember that there were positives from the previous year and that there will be positives in the year to come. Among the things to be thankful for, music might seem the most trivial, but its effects should not be understated. Venue workers were able to put bread on the table because of the reopening of concerts, artists were able to fulfill themselves creatively and the plethora of songs and albums they released during 2021 gave many of us hope in the most trying of times. It kept us going amidst the stress of caffeine-fueled all nighters as we studied for finals or looked for jobs.
So important was the music of last year that the staff of KTRM-FM put together a “best of” playlist with over 25 songs and an hour and half’s worth of music. Encompassing a multitude of genres including hip-hop, neotraditional country and indie-pop, the playlist only scratches the surface of what was released, yet it nonetheless captures the distinct nature of the station as a welcoming place for everyone. Playlists – whether they be this one or others – act as a door to share with others your passion for music and the meaning that such passion brings to life. To put things in a slightly different fashion, we at KTRM-FM truly believe in the power of music to heal, to restore and to express what plain old words just can’t. The songs of this tracklist have the capacity to gather all of the rage, confusion and joy of 2021 while taking the words right out of our mouths. To hear the staff’s favorite tunes, listen to the playlist here!
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If you like the music featured in the Best Songs of 2021 playlist and are looking for something sunny and warm to contrast the brisk weather we’re currently experiencing, feel free to revisit KTRM-FM’s 2021 Back from Summer playlist.