This is one post out of a series celebrating our favorites of trance in 2021. Specifically, this post has to do with the The Best Tracks of 2021. Please click here for the December Mix Competition Information, or click here for results on Best Album, Best Label, etc. and our survey results!

Welcome

Welcome ladies and gentlemen of r/trance for the Top 20 Trance Tracks of 2021 Results as voted by you, viewers and listeners of r/trance!

A few weeks ago, I provided you details and a Google Survey link for voting on the Top Tracks of 2021, and you responded!

Before we get into the full results, a few tracks that just missed out:

25) Aly & Fila and Armin van Buuren featuring Kazi Jay - For All Time

24) ilan Bluestone featuring Ellen Smith - Stranger to Your Love

23) Paul Denton - Existence

22) Andy Moor - Safe on Both Sides

21) Lostly - We're Descending

Before we get into the list....

Our Honorable Mention

This was the track with no restrictions that you felt either didn’t (or couldn’t) make your personal Top 5. This category did allow unreleased bootlegs first played in 2021.

The Honorable Mention for 2021:

Out of the Dust featuring Plumb - Take This (Bryan Kearney Remix)

If you want to see all the songs (include some progressive house and other genres) that people felt were superb in 2021, you can check out the Full List Here.

But now let’s get down to business; why we are here today.

Let’s count down the Top 20, detailing the Top 5. Drumroll Please

Top 20 of 2021

#20

Maor Levi - Am I Dreaming?

#19

Billy Gillies - Nostalgia

#18

Above & Beyond and Justine Suissa - Almost Home (Above & Beyond Club Mix)

#17

Roger Shah & Yelow - Burasari

#16

Hoopoe - Matahari

#15

Andy Moor, Somna, and Linney - More Than Love (Craig Connelly Remix)

#14

Gareth Emery featuring Dani Poppitt - Friendly Fires

#13

gardenstate - 1995

#12

Stoneface & Terminal - Lose My Need

#11

BT, Matt Fax, and Nation of One - Walk into the Water (Craig Connelly Remix)

#10

Solarstone - Seven Cities (Ferry Tayle Remix)

#9

Ciaran McAuley & Audrey Gallagher - If This Is How It Ends

#8

Craig Connelly - Don't Panic

#7

Giuseppe Ottaviani & Lucid Blue - Be The Angel

#6

Factor B featuring Cat Martin - Vacancy

#5

Ferry Corsten presents Gouryella - Orenda

Our Top 5 countdown starts with a familiar face weilding a timeless moniker. 6 years ago, Ferry Corsten brought back the Gouryella alias with Anahera after almost a 15 year haitus, solo-producing a sonic journey through uplifting emotion. Since then, Ferry's released multiple tracks under Gouryella, including the fan-favorites Venera and Surga.

In between his other production, studio, radio, and label duties, Ferry has found time yet again to bring us the next chapter with Orenda. Perhaps inspired by Hans Zimmer's decade-ago masterpiece of "Interstellar", Ferry weaves a familiar, yet fresh-sounding, melody into an immersive soundscape. It's been described as "magical", "euphoric", and makes people go "ga-ga for gouryella", as one /r/trance user put it.

The track was released on Flashover Recordings in June:

"With great power comes great responsibility" usually pertains to superheroes and their extraordinary abilities, but the same goes for every tune released under the Gouryella moniker. Upholding the legacy treasured by fans from all over the world, Ferry Corsten diligently lives up to the sky-high expectations with a cut so melodic and magical it instantly sets hearts aflame. Designed to elevate listeners and unleash a tidal wave of euphoria, this is 'Orenda'.

#4

Roger Shah presents Sunlounger featuring Susie Ledge - Sail Away (Roger Shah & Yelow Remix)

Roger Shah isn't a total stranger to r/trance and end-of-year lists. He's been on our Top Tracks in some form or another since we first started in 2010 (with Armin's mash for Lost Together). He's been providing the balaeric soundtrack for the summer months for a decade plus under his Sunlounger alias, and this year is no different. In the mood for more uplifting and progressive trance? He's got you covered with his compilation series "Music for Balearic People", which hit its 10th edition this summer. Maybe you're tired of trance and want a bit of nostalgic synthwave? Look no further than music under his Jukebox 80s alias and the 2021 "Nightride" album. Between productions, music scoring, tours, and label management, Roger has yet again concluded an impressive year with stand-out music, albums, and productions.

Who is a newcomer, however, to our Top Trance lists, is Yelow, who's worked closely with Roger Shah this year, co-releasing Burasari (earlier on our Top Tracks list) and this remix of Sail Away. While 2020 may have been a breakout year for Yelow (including a track featured on ISOS 16), 2021 propelled him to new heights. Multiple releases on big-name labels, including Magic Island, Regenerate, and, of course, Future Sound of Egypt.

No release was bigger, however, than the remix of Sail Away. It led to Yelow's first ASOT radio play as a producer. It reached #39 on ASOT's Top Tunes of 2021. It even got him some stage time with Roger Shah at Dreamstate this year.

Oh, did I forget to mention that Yelow is none other than u/DarkMemoria, who's been a great contributer and regular mix contenstant here on r/trance for years now?

...I guess I should talk about the track, shouldn't I? I mean, what is there to say other than it's what you envision in your head when you hear the words "uplifting vocal" and "balaeric harmony". It interweaves the summer landscape that Roger Shah creates with Sunlounger with Susie's inviting vocals, all topped off with a refined, uplifting take from Yelow. It's a track that even those who stay away from modern vocal uplifting (cough Redrot cough) will listen to and enjoy. It arguably deserved higher in ASOT's Top Tracks of 2021, and did well enough to make a brilliant debut and Top 5 placement for Yelow, alongside an outstanding return to the top for Roger Shah. I know I'm excited to see what these two can do in 2022.

Released on FSOE in June:

One of the most anticipated & talked about records over the last 12 months whether it be the original chillout mix, club mix or the epic uplifting mix by Roger Shah & Yelow.

#3

Factor B - Innerspace

Oh boy, Factor B, Factor B, Factor B. Let's get one thing out of the way, first and foremost. This Melbourne-based tech, progressive, and uplifting producer is not new to the trance scene. Brendan Blatt has had releases stretching all the way back to 2011 (Last Embrace), and has had previous hits on big-name labels (e.g., Origins with The Noble Six on FSOE back in 2017). Despite his solo work or collaborations with maestros in the genre such as The Thrillseekers or GO, there's one thing he had yet to release: an artist album.

Worldwide lockdowns would change that.

In October, Factor B gave us "Theatre of the Mind". A two-act album that brings out Factor B as well as his alias Highlandr. Our ears are invited to a deep exploration of progressive, breaks, and trance interwoven across 20 tracks. At times, it's a sensory overload for your mind, which gets premium box seats to the theatric production of Factor B's greatest works yet. Perhaps the encore to the performance is the knowledge that this was released all under Factor B's personal label: "Theatre of the Mind Music".

The album took the trance world by a storm, and three months later, it still remains in the playlists of many here. While Vacancy just missed out on a Top 5 finish, Innerspace comfortably took home the bronze for 2021.

Released as part of Factor B's album on Theatre of the Mind in October:

Factor B's long awaited debut artist album 'Theatre of the Mind' is finally here! Featuring 20 musical compositions spanning across his critically acclaimed new & experimental alias 'Highlandr' through to his world renowned & industry leading uplifting trance persona - 'Factor B'. Expect nothing less than an emotional, cinematic deep dive into melodica, a sensory seeking musical experience of the highest calibre. It's Theatre of the mind by name & Theatre of the mind by nature.

#2

Will Atkinson - Last Rave on Earth

Hey Will, it's me, soccernamlak. I need your help. You see, people like your music...let me rephrase....people really like your music, especially here on r/trance. So much so that your music has made the Top 3 every single year since 2014. That's 8 years in a row. There's not a producer or group that even comes close to what you've accomplished on our subreddit. Heck, most producers struggle to even land a track in our Top 20 from year to year. But not you. Whether it's an original production, like Numb The Pain, or a remix of a timeless trance classic like Without You, year after year you deliver at least one masterpiece, if not a full album of them.

But that's where my problems lie. You see, I write these short blurbs for all of our Top 5 entries every year, giving a bit of background about the artist and the track. You know, interestng factoids, maybe an interview quote, possibly pull some r/trance comment and add it into the mix. Pretty easy to do when it's a new artist every year, since I get the chance to explore their history and what's led them to this moment.

But not you. Every year you're in the Top 5. That means every year I have to write something about you as a producer. There's only so many facts on the internet, Will, and so many sites that I can scrape information or quotes from. What I'm saying is I'm running out of material, Will. I'm sinking here. I can't keep coming up with new stuff year after year to talk about when I inevitably get to your track. What am I going to do next year for our Top Tracks of 2022? I can only re-shuffle my previous blurbs so many times before people start catching on.

I'm asking for your help Will. I don't need a taped one-hour interview (although if you're offering...). I just need a paragraph. It doesn't even have to be about the track or even trance! You could write about how difficult it was to pick out the right shirt in the morning before you headed to the grocery store. You could send me your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Seriously, anything. The people here on r/trance will eat it up and vote another track of yours into our Top 3 next year. Just hit me up, ok?

In the meantime, since I'm out of ideas, here's what others have said:

"Welp Will won TOTY again" - Redrot. (Almost!)

burningstones - "This track is insaaane good and love the video."

"He did it again." - xbartizx

S3baman - "This is the Willie we all deserve!"

"I'll be buying and mixing this ASAP. Instant classic." - BornInTheUSSA

indiblue825 - "Oh my word..."

Released on VII in January:

We kick off a brand new year and kiss goodbye to the turmoil that 2020 will no doubt always be remembered for - with a high tempo, high octane, fuel injected, rocket propelled anthem from Will Atkinson. If the world was about to end and you were attending the last ever rave - what record would you want to hear as the last tune of the night? Tough question - but here's your answer…Happy new year!

And now your number 1 song….

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#1

Was there any doubt that this track would become a future top tune when he first played it on a boat canal party in 2020? When everyone who was listening was asking for "ID?" When a year later Armin called it "The Tune of Lockdown"? It's not often one can listen to a track for the first time and immeaditely state that its a future classic and subsequently be 100% correct two decades down the road. So many oustanding tracks get washed away by the waves of time. I dare say, though, that those who claim this will still be a staple in the classic sets of 2040 will one day be proven right.

If you don't know it by now, it should be obvious that our tune of the year for 2021:

Factor B - Sea of Thoughts

An aboslute incredible track with a sublime breakdown full of emotion and elements that continue to remind listeners what makes trance "trance". Produced by an artist that came out with a debut album so strong that he had three tunes on the Top 6 here, and three tunes in the Top 50 for ASOT. All while releasing music on his own label, which has to go up against the giants of the industry for airplay.

And it did so with flying colors. It made #5 on ASOT, only beaten out by the likes of Above & Beyond, Ferry Corsten, and Armin van Buuren. It gave us an unforgettable moment where Factor B is just speechless as Armin compliments him on his fantastic year, track, and achievement; that Factor B is "keeping trance alive." Seriously, go take a listen to the interview. Then continue listening to Sea of Thoughts again and again.

What a wonderful way to end 2021.

The track was released on Theatre of the Mind in November as a single:

The most anticipated single from Factor B's 'Theatre of the Mind' album is finally here in a full extended club mix! 'Sea of Thoughts' was originally introduced to the world via Factor B's boat set on the Amsterdam canals back in early 2020, since then it has exploded into one of the most talked about trance tracks of the past 18 months. Regarded by 'A state of trance' radio as 'The Tune of Lockdown'. Sea of thoughts quite simply captures the true essence of proper trance. Enjoy the journey! .

Congratulations to Factor B on his production for the Tune of the Year 2021 on r/trance!

For additional details and playlists, see the pinned comment.