Exclaim!'s 31 Best Albums of 2021 So Far

The first half of 2021 has felt a bit like being in limbo: the return of the concert industry feels within reach, but with still a few more...

Source

# 1

Theory of Ice by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

Album • Mar 12 / 2021 Spoken Word Art Rock

# 2

Ignorance by The Weather Station

Album • Feb 05 / 2021 Sophisti-Pop Art Pop

# 3

Promises by Floating Points + Pharoah Sanders

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Post-Minimalism Third Stream

# 4

SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo

Album • May 21 / 2021 Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 5

Head Above the Waters by DijahSB

Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Hip Hop

# 6

Cavalcade by black midi

Album • May 26 / 2021 Avant-Prog

# 7

Little Oblivions by Julien Baker

Album • Feb 26 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Indie Rock

# 8

Sound Ancestors by Madlib

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Instrumental Hip Hop

# 9

Lifeblood by Brand of Sacrifice

Album • Mar 05 / 2021 Deathcore

# 10

An Overview on Phenomenal Nature by Cassandra Jenkins

Album • Feb 19 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 11

When Smoke Rises by Mustafa

Album • May 28 / 2021 Neo-Soul Singer-Songwriter

# 12

Overgrown by Joyce Wrice

Album • Mar 19 / 2021 Contemporary R&B

# 13

Bright Green Field by Squid

Album • May 07 / 2021 Art Punk Post-Punk Experimental Rock

# 14

Smiling with No Teeth by Genesis Owusu

Album • Mar 15 / 2021 Neo-Soul

# 15

G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END! by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Album • Apr 02 / 2021 Post-Rock

# 16

Soleil '96 by Vanille

Album • Jan 22 / 2021 Dream Pop

# 17

Fortitude by GOJIRA

Album • Apr 30 / 2021 Groove Metal Progressive Metal

# 18

Afrique Victime by Mdou Moctar

Album • May 21 / 2021 Tishoumaren Psychedelic Rock

# 19

Parallel World by Cadence Weapon

Album • Apr 30 / 2021 Experimental Hip Hop Political Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 20

Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Indie Pop Chamber Pop

# 21

ULTRAPOP by The Armed

Album • Apr 16 / 2021 Noise Rock Post-Hardcore

# 22

Anywhere But Here by TiKA

Album • Feb 26 / 2021

# 23

The Off-Season by J. Cole

Album • May 14 / 2021 Conscious Hip Hop

# 24

Anything Can't Happen by Dorothea Paas

Album • May 07 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 25

Violence Unimagined by Cannibal Corpse

Album • Apr 16 / 2021 Death Metal

# 26

DEACON by serpentwithfeet

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Alternative R&B Art Pop

# 27

Yellow River Blue by Yu Su

Album • Jan 22 / 2021 Ambient Dub Downtempo

# 28

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

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

# 29

The Crimson Corridor by Zao

Album • Apr 09 / 2021 Metalcore

# 30

Daddy's Home by St. Vincent

Album • May 14 / 2021 Psychedelic Soul Art Rock

# 31

Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose by Yoo Doo Right

Album • May 21 / 2021 Space Rock Psychedelic Rock