Exclaim!'s 50 Best Albums of 2021

After 2020's many delays and cancellations, 2021 was a year of blockbusters. Pop superstars returned after several years of silence, the wor...

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# 1

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz

Album • Sep 03 / 2021 UK Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 2

Ignorance by The Weather Station

Album • Feb 05 / 2021 Sophisti-Pop Art Pop

# 3

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

Album • Jun 20 / 2021 Industrial Hip Hop Horrorcore

# 4

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST by Tyler, The Creator

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 West Coast Hip Hop

# 5

Parallel World by Cadence Weapon

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

# 6

When Smoke Rises by Mustafa

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

# 7

Promises by Floating Points + Pharoah Sanders

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Post-Minimalism Third Stream

# 8

Valentine by Snail Mail

Album • Nov 05 / 2021 Indie Rock Indie Pop

# 9

SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo

Album • May 21 / 2021 Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 10

Eternal Blue by Spiritbox

Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Alternative Metal

# 11

Theory of Ice by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

Album • Mar 12 / 2021 Spoken Word Art Rock

# 12

An Overview on Phenomenal Nature by Cassandra Jenkins

Album • Feb 19 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 13

Little Oblivions by Julien Baker

Album • Feb 26 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Indie Rock

# 14

I Don’t Live Here Anymore by The War on Drugs

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Heartland Rock

# 15

Afrique Victime by Mdou Moctar

Album • May 21 / 2021 Tishoumaren Psychedelic Rock

# 16

Head Above the Waters by DijahSB

Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Hip Hop

# 17

GLOW ON by Turnstile

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Post-Hardcore Alternative Rock

# 18

HEY WHAT by Low

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

# 19

Talk Memory by BADBADNOTGOOD

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Jazz Fusion

# 20

Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Indie Pop Chamber Pop

# 21

ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH by SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE

Album • Apr 09 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Noise Pop

# 22

Bright Green Field by Squid

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

# 23

ALPHA by Charlotte Day Wilson

Album • Jul 09 / 2021 Neo-Soul Alternative R&B

# 24

Anything Can't Happen by Dorothea Paas

Album • May 07 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 25

Pray For Haiti by Mach-Hommy

Album • May 21 / 2021 East Coast Hip Hop Abstract Hip Hop

# 26

Cavalcade by black midi

Album • May 26 / 2021 Avant-Prog

# 27

Home Video by Lucy Dacus

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 28

Vince Staples by Vince Staples

Album • Jul 09 / 2021 West Coast Hip Hop Trap

# 29

Solar Power by Lorde

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Folk Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 30

Lifeblood by Brand of Sacrifice

Album • Mar 05 / 2021 Deathcore

# 31

Blue Banisters by Lana Del Rey

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 32

SINNER GET READY by Lingua Ignota

Album • Aug 06 / 2021 Neoclassical Darkwave Avant-Folk

# 33

Leftovers by Le Ren

Album • Oct 15 / 2021 Contemporary Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 34

Alt Therapy by Emanuel

Album • Jun 16 / 2021

# 35

Untourable Album by Men I Trust

Album • Aug 25 / 2021 Sophisti-Pop Bedroom Pop

# 36

Vulture Prince by Arooj Aftab

Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Chamber Folk Ghazal

# 37

Life After by Snotty Nose Rez Kids

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Trap

# 38

I Know I'm Funny haha by Faye Webster

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Alt-Country

# 39

King's Disease II by Nas

Album • Aug 06 / 2021 East Coast Hip Hop

# 40

Vital by Big Brave

Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Post-Metal Drone Metal

# 41

Come Back to Life by The Zolas

Album • Jul 02 / 2020 Indie Rock Synthpop

# 42

ULTRAPOP by The Armed

Album • Apr 16 / 2021 Noise Rock Post-Hardcore

# 43

Cantalou by Thierry Larose

Album • Mar 12 / 2021 Art Pop Nouvelle chanson française

# 44

TAO by Shad

Album • Oct 01 / 2021 Conscious Hip Hop

# 45

Yellow River Blue by Yu Su

Album • Jan 22 / 2021 Ambient Dub Downtempo

# 46

Let Me Do One More by illuminati hotties

Album • Oct 01 / 2021 Indie Rock Indie Pop

# 47

Modern Fiction by Ducks Ltd.

Album • Oct 01 / 2021 Jangle Pop Indie Pop

# 48

to hell with it by PinkPantheress

Album • Oct 15 / 2021 Atmospheric Drum and Bass Contemporary R&B Alt-Pop Downtempo

# 49

New Long Leg by Dry Cleaning

Album • Apr 02 / 2021 Post-Punk

# 50

Play With The Changes by Rochelle Jordan

Album • Apr 30 / 2021 Alternative R&B UK Bass