Lil Nas X, Japanese Breakfast, Vince Staples (pictured above) and more share their favorite music of 2021 with NPR. Photo Illustration by Renee Klahr/NPR; Getty Images; Album art courtesy of Polydor & Wolf Tone Records, Saddle Creek Records, Kemosabe & RCA Records hide caption
Lil Nas X accepts best direction for "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" onstage during the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday in New York City. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images hide caption
Megan Thee Stallion kicked off Saturday Night Live's 46th season in style — and with substance. Will Heath/NBC hide caption
Justin Bieber plays a Tiny Desk (home) concert. NPR hide caption
Ariana Grande released "Stuck With U," a new song with Justin Bieber, as a COVID-19 relief fundraiser Friday. Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Justin Bieber, photographed with fans at the premiere of his self-produced YouTube documentary series Seasons, on Jan. 27, 2020 in Los Angeles. The pop star released his first album in five years, Changes, on Feb. 14. Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images hide caption
Charli XCX's latest single is "Spicy," a Spice Girls tribute in which she collaborates with Herve Pagez and Diplo. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Global Bieber fever: a shot of Indian media gathered before the pop megastar concert in Mumbai, India this May. Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
Lydia Loveless unlocks the slow-burning desperation at the heart of an electro-pop banger. David T. Kindler/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Kali Uchis. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Justin Bieber on stage in December. Bieber's 2012 album Believe, despite selling over 1,000,000 copies, wasn't nominated for a single Grammy Award. Michael Kovac/Getty Images hide caption
He's Only Eighteen: Justin Bieber's new album, Believe, is his fourth to hold the No. 1 spot on the Billboard album chart. Ben Watts/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Over the weekend, Justin Bieber's 45-city fall tour sold out in an hour. Kevin Winter/Getty Images hide caption
Justin Bieber, on the cusp of something. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images hide caption
Members of New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys at the American Music Awards Rick Rowell/ABC hide caption
Fans who can't see Justin Bieber perform live flock to his YouTube videos. Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images Entertainment hide caption