Our Top Ten list is based on a sample of Tesoro student’s opinions of what they thought were the most influential events and picks of the year. This is what Tesoro thinks of 2021:
1. Presidential Inauguration
On January 6, 2021 President Joe Biden was inaugurated at the White House along with our Vice President, Kamala Harris, who made history as the first female US vice president.
2. Top 10 Songs of 2021
The top 10 songs of 2021 according to Billboard:
“Levitating” by Dua Lipa
“Save Your Tears” by The Weeknd and Ariana Grande
“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd
“Mood” by 24KGoldn ft. Inann Dior
“Good 4 U” by Olivia Rodrigo
“Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat ft. SZA
“Leave the Door Open” by Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak)
“Driver’s License” by Olivia Rodrigo
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” by Lil Nas X
“Peaches” by Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar and Giveon
3. Summer Olympic Games In Tokyo
After the coronavirus pandemic postponed the Summer Olympic Games in 2020, a year later on July 23, 2021, athletes from around the world were ready to compete. The US dominated and took home 39 gold medals, 41 silver, and 33 bronze for a total of 113 medals, far surpassing any other country. China came in second behind the US with 88 medals giving the US a 25 medal win. Go USA!
4. COVID-19 Vaccine
On December 11, 2020, the first vaccine for COVID-19 was available to the public--the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, according to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). Since then, other companies have released their vaccines to the COVID-19 virus including the Moderna NIAID COVID-19 vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine––both of which are also FDA approved.
5. Most Watched TV Shows on Streaming Services
Streaming services like Netflix, Disney +, Hulu, HBO Max, and Showtime became widely popular in 2021. These services rolled out some of this year’s most popular series including: SquidGame, Money Heist, Bridgerton, Lost in Space (Netflix) Loki, Hawkeye, Wanda Vision (Disney+) Hacks, The White Lotus (HBO Max) Reservation Dogs, (Hulu) and Yellowjackets (Showtime).
6. NASA Lands Preservation Rover on Mars
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) lands its preservation rover on the Jezero Crater on Mars, an area scientists believe was a river delta flooded with water. This crater was created by a meteorite known as the Isidis Impact, which likely created an environment capable of sustaining life forms. Evidence of an ancient river that flowed into the Jezero Crater, creating a delta, helped lead scientists to this theory. Scientists hope to gather rock samples up to 3.6 billion years old to piece together a clearer picture of what Mars looked like in its early stages. More information can be found HERE.
7. Buccaneers Win Superbowl LV
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their second Super Bowl title in 2021, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9. They played at their home stadium in Tampa, Florida, becoming only the third host team to play a Super Bowl in their own stadium. This was Tom Brady’s 10th time playing in a Super Bowl, and he led the Bucs as the Super Bowl MVP. The Weeknd performed the Pepsi halftime show.
8. Most Popular Movie of 2021
The title of “2021’s Most Popular Movie” goes to Disney’s action movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Released worldwide on September 3, 2021, the movie follows the life of Shang-Chi and his best friend Katy who live in San Francisco. Shang-Chi reveals that he was an expert assassin who had left his life behind. When a group of assassins from the Ten Rings pop into their lives, Shang-Chi must find his sister Xialing. This flick was the highest-grossing movie of the year, selling 24,513,459 tickets and grossing $224,453,292.
9. Records Broken at 2021 Grammy Awards
Beyonce broke the Guinness World Record for Most Grammys won by any artist as she has won a total of 28 Grammys during her life. It was also a record breaking night for other artists, including Taylor Swift, who won best album (Folklore) of the year for the third time in a row, a first in Grammy history. Megan Thee Stallion also took home three awards, including best new artist.
10. Trending Accounts on TikTok 2021
There is no question that the social media platform TikTok spread like wildfire across the globe and influences modern American culture heavily. Here are the Top 5 TikTok Accounts to Follow as of 2021:
Loren Gray (@lorengray) --- 53.6 million followers
Rodrigo Contreras (@elrodcontreras) --- 34.5 million followers
Charli D’Amelio (@charlidamelio) --- 122 million followers
Naim Darrechi (@naimdarrechi) --- 26.8 million followers
Sameeksha Sud (@sameeksha_sud) 24.5 million followers