Bandcamp Daily's 25 Most Essential Albums of 2021

The records we couldn’t stop playing.

Published: December 17, 2021 15:01 Source

# 1

Wary + Strange by Amythyst Kiah

Album • Jun 18 / 2021 Country Soul Blues Rock

# 2

Collapsed In Sunbeams by Arlo Parks

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Bedroom Pop Neo-Soul

# 3

Haram by Armand Hammer + The Alchemist

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Abstract Hip Hop East Coast Hip Hop Hardcore Hip Hop

# 4

Vulture Prince by Arooj Aftab

Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Chamber Folk Ghazal

# 5

I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES by Backxwash

Album • Jun 20 / 2021 Industrial Hip Hop Horrorcore

# 6

a softer focus by claire rousay

Album • Apr 09 / 2021 Ambient Sound Collage Field Recordings

# 7

Mother by Cleo Sol

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Neo-Soul Smooth Soul

# 8

NOW by Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble

Album • Apr 09 / 2021 Spiritual Jazz

# 9

The Summer House Sessions by Don Cherry

Album • Jun 18 / 2021 Free Jazz Spiritual Jazz

# 10

Mandatory Enjoyment by Dummy

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Noise Pop Indie Rock

# 11

Fake Fruit by Fake Fruit

Album • Mar 05 / 2021 Indie Rock Post-Punk

# 12

Promises by Floating Points + Pharoah Sanders

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Post-Minimalism Third Stream

# 13

By the Time I Get to Phoenix by Injury Reserve

Album • Sep 15 / 2021 Experimental Hip Hop Glitch Hop Experimental

# 14

Nafs at Peace by Jaubi

Album • May 28 / 2021 Spiritual Jazz Jazz Fusion

# 15

Fatigue by L’Rain

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Neo-Soul

# 16

Black Acid Soul by Lady Blackbird

Album • Sep 03 / 2021 Vocal Jazz

# 17

HEY WHAT by Low

Album • Sep 10 / 2021 Post-Industrial Ambient Pop Experimental Rock

# 18

For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her by McKinley Dixon

Album • May 07 / 2021 Jazz Rap Southern Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 19

Space 1.8 by Nala Sinephro

Album • Sep 03 / 2021 Nu Jazz Avant-Garde Jazz

# 20

Came Down Different by Pardoner

Album • May 14 / 2021 Indie Rock

# 21

PSA by Peyton

Album • Jul 23 / 2021 Alternative R&B

# 22

Fine Anyway (Habibi Funk 016) by Rogér Fakhr

Album • Apr 09 / 2021

# 23

No Medium by Rosali

Album • May 07 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Indie Rock Alt-Country

# 24

The Turning Wheel by SPELLLING

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Art Pop Baroque Pop

# 25

ULTRAPOP by The Armed

Album • Apr 16 / 2021 Noise Rock Post-Hardcore

# 26

Creation Never Sleeps, Creation Never Dies: The Willie Dunn Anthology by Willie Dunn

Album • Mar 19 / 2021 Contemporary Folk Singer-Songwriter