Best of 2021: Our favorite artists’ choices, from Adam Devonshire to Richard Stuverud

Some of our favorite artists wrote exclusively for our site a list of their favorite records, songs and more.

Among the artists: Adam ‘Dev’ Devonshire (IDLES), Richard Stuverud (RNDM, Three Fish, Tres Mts., RNDM), Dave Hingerty (The Frames), Dave Hillis (Engineer on Pearl Jam’s debut album Ten) and Kate Neckel & Eric Lilavois from The Copper Trees.

ADAM ‘DEV’ DEVONSHIRE

Adam ‘Dev’ Devonshire is the bassist of one of our favorite bands ever: IDLES.

Favorite 2021 Albums

Anna B Savage – A Common Turn
Arab Strap – As Days Get Dark
TV Priest – Uppers
Mogwai – As The Love Continues
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – Carnage
Nuha Ruby Ra – How To Move
Sugar Horse – The Live Long After
Part Chimp – Drool
Snapped Ankles – Forrest Of Your Problems
Richard Dawson + Circle – Henki

Favorite 2021 Songs

Wet Leg – Chaise Longue
TV Priest – Press Gang
Sprints – Drones
Horsemeat Scandal – Relentless Energy
Sugar Horse – Shouting Judas at Bob Dylan

Favorite 2021 Movie

Promising Young Woman by Emerald Fennell

Favorite 2021 TV Series

The Queens Gambit

Favorite 2021 Concerts

Sex Swing – Crofters Rights
Modest Mouse – The Masquarade

Best moment in 2021

Finally being able to tour again!

RICHARD STUVERUD

Richard Allen Stuverud Jr. is an American drummer from Seattle, Washington. Stuverud played with Jeff Ament in the bands Three Fish, Tres Mts. and RNDM and recorded a demo of Nothingman with JA and Eddie Vedder back in 1993 (included in Vs./Vitalogy box set released in 2011).

Stuverud has collaborated with Ament on his solo albums, including Tone, While My Heart Beats, Heaven/Hell and I Should be Outside. His debut solo record, Memories in Kodachrome, was released on May 1, 2020. The 7″ vinyl, Not Afraid/Put your Guns Down was produced by Ament and released by Monkey Wrench Records in 2017.

Favorite 2021 Albums

IDLES – Crawler
Lord Huron – Long Lost
The Killers – Pressure Machine
Ament – I Should Be Outside
The War On Drugs – I Don’t Live Here Anymore

Favorite 2021 Songs

Mick Jagger & Dave Grohl – Eazy Sleazy
The Killers – Sleepwalker
Richard Stuverud – The Big Love
Ament – Sweet Boy
Mannequin Pussy – Control

Favorite 2021 Movie

The Beatles: Get Back by Peter Jackson

Favorite 2021 Book

Woke Racism by John McWhorter

Favorite 2021 Concert

Would be Wilco, runner up: Beck @ Ohana Encore

Best Moment in 2021

Best moment of 2021 was recording a song for my next record with my son Alexander

DAVE HINGERTY

Dave Hingerty is an Irish drummer and photographer. He is the drummer of The Frames, after a break of almost 10 years, and has played with and recorded with a number of other acts including Josh Ritter, who he performed with on several albums.

A selection of artists Dave has recorded or played live/toured with: Kila, Josh Ritter, Paul Brady, The Frames, Glen Hansard, Eddie Vedder, The Swell Season, Rosanne Cash, and many more. He played drums e percussion in various songs included in Flag Day soundtrack.

Favorite 2021 Albums

Madlib – Sound Ancestors
Tyler, the Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost
Flag Day Soundtrack (with Eddie & Oliva Vedder, Cat Power and Glen Hansard)
Arooj Aftab – Vulture Prince
Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime
Deafheaven – Infinite Granite
War On Drugs – I don’t live here anymore
St. Vincent – Daddy’s home
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Carnage

Favorite 2021 Songs

Villagers – The First Day
The Mary Wallopers – Cod Liver Oil and the Orange Juice

Favorite 2021 Movies

A Quiet Place Part 2 by John Krasinski
Petite Maman by Céline Sciamma
Summer of Soul by Questlove

Favorite 2021 TV Series

Maid

Favorite 2021 Book

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

Favorite 2021 Concert

Playing a show with An Emotional Fish and an Orchestra in the ‘3 Arena’ three weeks after getting a horrible dose of Covid

Best Moment in 2021

Finding out I’d be a father again

JOHN WICKS

John Wicks is an American studio session drummer, producer, and songwriter based in Missoula, Montana.

Wicks is a founding member of Fitz and the Tantrums and has co-written many of the band’s songs. More Than Just a Dream, the group’s 2013 album, included the hit songs The Walker and Out of My League, which each climbed to No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart. Fitz and the Tantrums, the band’s self-titled studio album, features the hit song HandClap. He formed DEAF CHARLIE last year with Jeff Ament. Their debut album will be out in 2022.

Favorite 2021 Albums

Binki – Motor Function
Dijon – Absolutely
Thundercat – It is what it is
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
Silk Sonic – An Evening with Silk Sonic
Black Pumas – Black Pumas
John Carroll Kirby – Septet
Jungle – Loving In Stereo
Yebba – Dawn
Remi Wolf – Juno

Favorite 2021 Songs

Bakar – First Time
Shelley FKA Dram – Cha Cha
Thundercat – Dragonball Durag
Binki – Clay Pigeon
Remi Wolf – Disco Man

Favorite 2021 Movie

The Alpinist by Peter Mortimer, Nick Rosen

Favorite 2021 TV series

Letterkenny

Favorite 2021 Book

Breathe: A Life in Flow by Rickson Gracie, Peter Maguire

Favorite 2021 Concert

The New Respects

Best moment in 2021

Getting my kids vaccinated

DAVE HILLIS

Dave worked as the Engineer on Pearl Jam’s debut album Ten, Assistant Engineer on the Self Titled Mother Love Bone album, the movie soundtrack for Singles, Alice in Chains, Blind Melon, The Seattle Symphony, Love On Ice, and many others. As the years went by, developed his own producing and engineering skills and continued to work with multiple major label artists. During this time he co-produced, with Greg Dulli, The Afghan Whigs’ standout farewell single 66, on the 1965 LP and the Twilight Singers She Loves You record.

Dave currently resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with his wife and daughter. He is currently working on new music, engineering, producing, participating in public speaking engagements and workshops.

Favorite 2021 Albums

Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days
Chris Stapleton – Starting Over
Taylor Swift – Evermore
Bob Dylan – Springtime in New York
Spiritualized – Everything was Beautiful
Måneskin – Teatro d’ira: Vol. I
Go A Band – Shum
Arca – KicK iii
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Lana Del Ray – Chemtrails over the Country Club

Favorite 2021 Songs

Måneskin – ZITTI E BUONI
Billie Eilish – Getting Older
Go A Band – Shum
Olivia Rodrigo – Brutal
Eddie Vedder – Long Way

Favorite 2021 Movie

The House of Gucci by Ridley Scott

Favorite 2021 TV Series

The Flight Attendant

Favorite 2021 Book

My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci

Favorite 2021 Concert

Harry Styles

Best Moment in 2021

Spending time with my family

KATE NECKEL

Kate Neckel is an artist, collaborator and musician. Neckel’s artwork has been exhibited in galleries, on stages and featured in national and international campaigns, projects and limited-edition lines. In 2019, Neckel launched her music career when she collaborated with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame lead guitarist from Pearl Jam, Mike McCready and formed Infinite Color & Sound, an interactive art and music exhibition with a limited run of live shows that included onstage collaborations with the legendary photographer, Danny Clinch and Josh Klinghoffer.

Kate’s band, The Copper Trees was named one of the Five to Discover: Acts You Need to Know by American Songwriter and their debut album, Rêver is available on all platforms.

Favorite 2021 Albums (a mix between something new and something from the past)

Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue
The Strokes – The New Abnormal
The Beatles – Revolver
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
The Velvet Underground – Loaded
Kendrick Lamar – Damn
Francoise Hardy – Francoise Hardy
The Rolling Stones – Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main St.
Gram Parsons – Grievous Angel

Favorite 2021 Songs

Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – Range Brothers
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – Family Ties
Wet Leg – Chaise Longue
Baby Keem – Scars
Brandi Carlile – Right On Time

Favorite 2021 Movie

The Velvet Underground by Todd Haynes

Favorite 2021 TV Series

The Beatles: Get Back

Favorite 2021 Book

Second Place by Rachel Cusk

Best 2021 Concert

I didn’t attend any

Best Moment in 2021

Reuniting with my parents at the airport and having my husband and kids fully vaccinated

ERIC LILAVOIS

Eric Lilavois is an American record producer, audio engineer, mixer, musician, and songwriter.

Lilavois is an owner of Seattle, Washington’s London Bridge Studio, where countless multiplatinum records were recorded, including Pearl Jam’s Ten, Mother Love Bone’s Shine, Soundgarden’s Louder Than Love, Alice In Chains’ Dirt, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ Downtown, Temple of The Dog, Blind Melon, The Singles Motion Picture Soundtrack, Fleet Foxes, Cat Power, Death Cab for Cutie, and more. Eric’s band, The Copper Trees was named one of the Five to Discover: Acts You Need to Know by American Songwriter and their debut album, Rêver is available on all platforms.

Favorite 2021 Albums

Aro Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams
Lucy Dacus- Home Video
Ayron Jones – Child of The Stale
St. Vincent – Deddy’s Home
CHYRCHES -Screen Violence
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
Brand Carlile – In These Silent Days
Courtney Barnett – Things that take time, take time
WH- Mammoth WVH
Indigo De Souza – Any Shape You Take

Favorite 2021 Songs

Brandi Carille – Right On Time
The Linda Lindas – Racist Sexist Boy
Julien Baker – Hard Line
Glass Waves – Heat Waves
Arlo Parks – Hurt

Favorite 2021 Movie

Summer of Soul by Questlove

Favorite 2021 TV Series

Ted Lasso

Favorite 2021 Book

Renegades: Born In The USA by Bruce Springsteen, Barack Obama

Favorite 2021 Concert

SMASH Benefit at The Moore, Seattle, WA

Best Moment in 2021

Two weeks after my entire family, and elderly parents were fully vaccinated