Spotify doubled down on exclusives (Joe Rogan, Meghan Markle’s Archetypes announcement), while Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts launched subscription tiers. The biggest podcast of 2021 was Crime Junkie, but the most talked-about was SmartLess (Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Sean Hayes) for its celebrity interviews.
Without full global touring, artists pivoted to immersive streaming experiences. Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR was the defining pop album of 2021—a Gen Z breakup masterpiece that produced "drivers license" and "good 4 u." Meanwhile, Taylor Swift released Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version), continuing her quest to own her masters. Adele returned with 30, and the single "Easy On Me" broke streaming records.
The Sony World Photography Awards are one of the most prestigious photography competitions globally, celebrating the best contemporary photography from the past year. The 2021 edition was particularly notable for its diversity of storytelling and a historic controversy that sparked global conversation. xxxsonacom 2021
Here is a breakdown of the key winners and moments from the 2021 awards.
Was 2021 the year cinema died? No. But it was the year cinema became a specialty product. Global box office totaled $21.3 billion—a massive rebound from 2020’s $12.8 billion, but still far below 2019’s $42.5 billion. Spotify doubled down on exclusives (Joe Rogan, Meghan
The savior was Spider-Man: No Way Home (December 17). The MCU threequel, leveraging multiversal nostalgia (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield returning), grossed over $1.9 billion worldwide. It reminded everyone that a communal theatrical experience—gasps, cheers, applause—cannot be replicated on a couch.
Other theatrical successes:
Notably, original adult dramas struggled. The Last Duel, Nightmare Alley, and West Side Story all bombed, signaling that mid-budget prestige films were now streaming’s domain.
The most seismic shift in 2021 was the collapse of the theatrical window. Warner Bros. dropped a bombshell in December 2020, but its full impact was felt throughout 2021: every single one of its 2021 films would debut simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. This "day-and-date" strategy gave us Dune, The Matrix Resurrections, Godzilla vs. Kong, and The Suicide Squad on the same day they hit the big screen. Notably, original adult dramas struggled
Disney, initially hesitant, followed suit with a "Premier Access" model ($30 for Cruella, Black Widow, and Jungle Cruise) before eventually abandoning the paid tier. The result? Scarlett Johansson sued Disney over Black Widow’s streaming release, alleging breach of contract. It was the lawsuit that defined 2021’s labor vs. streaming tension.