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
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Theory of Ice | Leanne Betasamosake Simpson | Mar-12-2021, Spoken Word |
| #2 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #3 | Promises | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders | Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #4 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | May-21-2021, Pop |
| #5 | Head Above the Waters | DijahSB | Apr-23-2021, Hip Hop |
| #6 | Cavalcade | black midi | May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #7 | Little Oblivions | Julien Baker | Feb-26-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #8 | Sound Ancestors | Madlib | Jan-29-2021, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #9 | Lifeblood | Brand of Sacrifice | Mar-05-2021, Deathcore |
| #10 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #11 | When Smoke Rises | Mustafa | May-28-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #12 | Overgrown | Joyce Wrice | Mar-19-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #13 | Bright Green Field | Squid | May-07-2021, Art Punk |
| #14 | Smiling with No Teeth | Genesis Owusu | Mar-15-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #15 | G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END! | Godspeed You! Black Emperor | Apr-02-2021, Post-Rock |
| #16 | Soleil '96 | Vanille | Jan-22-2021, Dream Pop |
| #17 | Fortitude | GOJIRA | Apr-30-2021, Groove Metal |
| #18 | Afrique Victime | Mdou Moctar | May-21-2021, Tishoumaren |
| #19 | Parallel World | Cadence Weapon | Apr-30-2021, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #20 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #21 | ULTRAPOP | The Armed | Apr-16-2021, Noise Rock |
| #22 | Anywhere But Here | TiKA | Feb-26-2021, |
| #23 | The Off-Season | J. Cole | May-14-2021, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #24 | Anything Can't Happen | Dorothea Paas | May-07-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #25 | Violence Unimagined | Cannibal Corpse | Apr-16-2021, Death Metal |
| #26 | DEACON | serpentwithfeet | Mar-26-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #27 | Yellow River Blue | Yu Su | Jan-22-2021, Ambient Dub |
| #28 | For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her | McKinley Dixon | May-07-2021, Jazz Rap |
| #29 | The Crimson Corridor | Zao | Apr-09-2021, Metalcore |
| #30 | Daddy's Home | St. Vincent | May-14-2021, Psychedelic Soul |
| #31 | Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose | Yoo Doo Right | May-21-2021, Space Rock |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Theory of Ice | Leanne Betasamosake Simpson | Album, Mar-12-2021, Spoken Word |
| #2 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Album, Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #3 | Promises | Floating PointsPharoah Sanders | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #4 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | Album, May-21-2021, Pop |
| #5 | Head Above the Waters | DijahSB | Album, Apr-23-2021, Hip Hop |
| #6 | Cavalcade | black midi | Album, May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #7 | Little Oblivions | Julien Baker | Album, Feb-26-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #8 | Sound Ancestors | Madlib | Album, Jan-29-2021, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #9 | Lifeblood | Brand of Sacrifice | Album, Mar-05-2021, Deathcore |
| #10 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Album, Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #11 | When Smoke Rises | Mustafa | Album, May-28-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #12 | Overgrown | Joyce Wrice | Album, Mar-19-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #13 | Bright Green Field | Squid | Album, May-07-2021, Art Punk |
| #14 | Smiling with No Teeth | Genesis Owusu | Album, Mar-15-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #15 | G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END! | Godspeed You! Black Emperor | Album, Apr-02-2021, Post-Rock |
| #16 | Soleil '96 | Vanille | Album, Jan-22-2021, Dream Pop |
| #17 | Fortitude | GOJIRA | Album, Apr-30-2021, Groove Metal |
| #18 | Afrique Victime | Mdou Moctar | Album, May-21-2021, Tishoumaren |
| #19 | Parallel World | Cadence Weapon | Album, Apr-30-2021, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #20 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #21 | ULTRAPOP | The Armed | Album, Apr-16-2021, Noise Rock |
| #22 | Anywhere But Here | TiKA | Album, Feb-26-2021, |
| #23 | The Off-Season | J. Cole | Album, May-14-2021, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #24 | Anything Can't Happen | Dorothea Paas | Album, May-07-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #25 | Violence Unimagined | Cannibal Corpse | Album, Apr-16-2021, Death Metal |
| #26 | DEACON | serpentwithfeet | Album, Mar-26-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #27 | Yellow River Blue | Yu Su | Album, Jan-22-2021, Ambient Dub |
| #28 | For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her | McKinley Dixon | Album, May-07-2021, Jazz Rap |
| #29 | The Crimson Corridor | Zao | Album, Apr-09-2021, Metalcore |
| #30 | Daddy's Home | St. Vincent | Album, May-14-2021, Psychedelic Soul |
| #31 | Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose | Yoo Doo Right | Album, May-21-2021, Space Rock |