Press Pause And Hit Play: The Best New Songs You Missed In 2021

By Lars Gotrich

Published January 21, 2021 at 10:44 AM EST

Press pause and hit play on a playlist of essential songs selected by the NPR Music staff.

Updated August 23, 2021 at 9:27 AM ET

Times change and so do playlists! We have retired PressPause and migrated those playlist followers to #NowPlaying, a playlist version of NPR Music's new music blog. You can still stream an archived version of PressPause below.

It can be hard to keep pace with life's restless forward motion – chores and news, friends and family, work and play. At the very least, let us help you find some new music via Press Pause, a regularly updated playlist keeping track of new songs deemed absolutely essential by the NPR Music staff.

Just like the 2020 edition, you'll find R&B, reggaeton, rock, country, Americana, punk, pop, hip-hop and whatever else helps frame the days ahead, or simply helps you to take a breather.

Stream this playlist via Spotify or Apple Music.

Press Pause Tracklist

aDDED jUNE 10

illuminati hotties, "Pool Hopping"

Cynthia Erivo, "The Good"

Deafheaven, "Great Mass of Color"

Buena Vista Social Club, "Vicenta"

SUUNS, "Witness Protection"

Bad Bunny, "Yonaguni"

Wednesday, "Handsome Man"

Added May 20

Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen, "Like I Used To"

Tkay Maidza, "Syrup"

Lou Val, "Eternal Sunshine"

Rodrigo y Gabriela, "Lingus"

Laufey, "I Wish You Love"

Songs of Kemet (feat. Moor Mother & Angel Bat Dawid), "Pick Up Your Burning Cross"

Added May 12

Torres, "Don't Go Puttin Wishes in My Head"

Doss, "Strawberry"

Water From Your Eyes, "Quotations"

Xenia Rubinos, "Cógelo Suave"

Audrey Nuna, "Blossom"

Mastodon, "Forged by Neron"

The Goon Sax, "In the Stone"

Rodrigo Amarante, "Maré"

Iamdoechii, "Yucky Blucky Fruitcake"

Monophonics (feat. Kelly Finnigan), "It's Only Us"

Added May 3

Billie Eilish, "Your Power"

Jose Manuel, "Terror"

Flock of Dimes, "Awake for the Sunrise"

Pom Pom Squad, "Head Cheerleader"

ILOVEMAKONNEN, "So Saucy"

Dizzy Fae, "Body Move"

Zao, "Creator/Destroyer"

Added April 28

Little Simz, "Introvert"

Willow (feat. Travis Barker), " t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l"

Amy Shark, "Amy Shark"

Jessie Ware, "Please"

Gunnar Kristinsson, "Roots: I."

Emma-Jean Thackray, "Say Something"

illuminati hotties, "MMMOOOAAAAYAYA"

Wolf Alice, "Smile"

Added April 20

Lucy Dacus, "Hot & Heavy"

Jorja Smith, "Gone"

Foxing, "Go Down Together"

Rita Payés (feat. Elisabeth Roma), "Quien lo diría"

Weeekly, "After School"

Petal Supply (feat. umru, Himera, trndytrndy), "1"

The Hirs Collective, "Love,"

Fred again... (feat. The Blessed Madonna), "Marea (We've Lost Dancing)"

Added March 31

IKOQWE, "Pele"

Joyce Wrice, "Losing"

Arooj Aftab, "Last Night"

Floating Points & Pharoah Sanders, "Promises: Movement 5"

Solomon Fox, "Rockaways"

Hirsch, "Reaction"

Joel Young, "Friend"

Added March 25

Mannequin Pussy, "Control"

Meet Me @ The Altar, "Hit Like A Girl"

Les Filles de Illighadad, "Surbajo"

JID, "Skegee"

Lucy Dacus, "Thumbs"

Quivers, "Gutters of Love"

Andy Stott, "The beginning"

Crumb, "Trophy"

Shamir, "DsharpG (Sharon Van Etten cover)"

Added March 2

Japanese Breakfast, "Be Sweet"

Noname, "Rainforest"

Freddie Gibbs, "Winter in America"

Toumani Diabaté & London Symphony Orchestra, "Haïnamady Town"

Black Country, New Road, "Science Fair"

Aaron Lee Tasjan, "Computer of Love"

McKinley Dixon, "make a poet Black"

BABii, "SHADOW"

Will Liverman, Margaret Bonds: "Three Dream Portraits: No. 2, Dream Variation"

Added Feb. 16

Syd, "Missing Out"

Dawn Richard, "Bussiframe"

Elephant Micah, "Glacier Advisors"

Added Feb. 11

H.E.R., "Fight For You"

Katy Kirby, "Portals"

Matt Sweeney & Bonnie "Prince" Billy, "Hall of Death"

AMOR & LEMUR, "Unravel"

Arm's Length, "Garamond"

Added Feb. 8

Devin The Dude, "Soulful Distance"

VanJess, "Come Over"

Daniel Hope & Alexy Botvinov, Schnittke: "Suite in the Old Style: V. Pantomime"

Raveena, "Tweety"

Added Feb. 4

Flock of Dimes, "Two"

The Armed, "ALL FUTURES"

Added Feb. 2

Robyn & Röyksopp, "Monument (Olof Dreijer Remix)"

Bomba Estéreo, "Agua"

Lil Durk, "Kanye Crazy"

Goat Girl, "Sad Cowboy"

underscores, "Second hand embarrassment"

William Parker, "A Great Day to Be Dead"

Nina Tech, "Hocus Pocus"

Added Jan. 27

FKA twigs (feat. Headie One, Fred again..), "Don't Judge Me"

Esther Rose, "Keeps Me Running"

DijahSB, "Throw That Back"

IAN SWEET, "Drink the Lake"

Jensen McRae, "Immune"

FKAjazz (feat. Noah MacNeil, Philippe Lemm), "YLEM"

Rat Tally, "Shrug"

Half Waif, "Orange Blossoms"

Added Jan. 22

Valerine June (feat. Carla Thomas), "Call Me a Fool"

Michael Franks, "Coming Home to You"

Palberta, "Big Bad Want"

Tomaga, "Intimate Immensity"

Rowdy Rebel (feat. Funkmaster Flex), "Re Route"

Devin The Dude, "To Each His Own"

Added Jan. 21

Olivia Rodrigo, "drivers license"

Jazmine Sullivan (feat. Anderson .Paak), "Price Tags"

Jhay Cortez & Myke Towers, "Los Bo"

Vagabon (feat. Courtney Barnett), "Reason to Believe"

The Weather Station, "Atlantic"

Anna B Savage, "Baby Grand"

Joy Oladokun (feat. Jensen McRae), "wish you the best"

Wild Pink, "Oversharers Anonymous"

C. Tangana & Toquinho, "Comerte Entera"

Willie Jones, "American Dream"

Noga Erez, "End of the Road"

Sun June, "Everything I Had"

Hailey Whitters (feat. Little Big Town), "Fillin' My Cup"

Pale Waves, "Easy"

Ebhoni, "Hit This"

AceMo, "Aquarium Date"

Run The Jewels (feat. Mexican Institute Of Sound & Santa Fe Klan), "Ooh La La (Mexican Institute Of Sound Remix)"

Th1rt3eN, "Cult 45"

Dj Jahmar (feat. Josh David Barrett), "This Feeling (Love Original)"

Matthew E. White & Lonnie Holley, "This Here Jungle of Moderness/Composition 14"

Flo Milli, "Roaring 20s"

Alfa Mist, "Run Outs"

Julien Baker, "Hardline"

Adult Mom, "Sober"

Hand Habits, "4th of July"

Jillette Johnson, "Forgive Her"

Pom Poko, "Andrew"

Middle Kids, "Questions"

Renée Reed, "Fast One"

A Winged Victory for the Sullen, "So That the City Can Begin to Exist"

Monolord, "I'm Staying Home"