2021

The world in 2021 was still living with COVID-19, though vaccines were now going into arms by the million. Supporters of Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol in January, a coup in Myanmar followed in February, and the delayed Tokyo Olympics and Euro 2020 finally took place. Glasgow hosted the climate conference, and the James Webb Space Telescope was launched.

Live music was still on shaky ground. Sweden Rock, Hellfest, Download and Wacken were all cancelled for a second summer, so the albums did the talking. Foo Fighters opened with Medicine at Midnight in February, then spent July in a disco mood as the Hail Satin release. Weezer managed two in one year: the orchestral OK Human in January and the metal-flavoured Van Weezer in May. Iron Maiden returned with Senjutsu in September, Megadeth put out Unplugged in Boston, and Radiohead reissued their past with KID A MNESIA. Manic Street Preachers brought The Ultra Vivid Lament. Def Leppard filled the spring with a run of archive releases, including Deep Cuts and Let There Be Drums, while Oasis revisited Knebworth 1996 and Green Day opened the BBC Sessions.

Reunions offered some cheer, with Mudvayne, Porcupine Tree and Shadows Fall all returning. The losses were heavy, though. Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom died in January, and Lars-Göran Petrov of Entombed A.D. in March. Former Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison died in July, as did Metal Church singer Mike Howe. Trouble's Eric Wagner followed in August, and writers Alan Lewis and Malcolm Dome were both lost as well.