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...
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #2 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #3 | I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES | Backxwash | Jun-20-2021, Industrial Hip Hop |
| #4 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #5 | Parallel World | Cadence Weapon | Apr-30-2021, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #6 | When Smoke Rises | Mustafa | May-28-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #7 | Promises | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders | Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #8 | Valentine | Snail Mail | Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock |
| #9 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | May-21-2021, Pop |
| #10 | Eternal Blue | Spiritbox | Sep-17-2021, Alternative Metal |
| #11 | Theory of Ice | Leanne Betasamosake Simpson | Mar-12-2021, Spoken Word |
| #12 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #13 | Little Oblivions | Julien Baker | Feb-26-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #14 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #15 | Afrique Victime | Mdou Moctar | May-21-2021, Tishoumaren |
| #16 | Head Above the Waters | DijahSB | Apr-23-2021, Hip Hop |
| #17 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #18 | HEY WHAT | Low | Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #19 | Talk Memory | BADBADNOTGOOD | Oct-08-2021, Jazz Fusion |
| #20 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #21 | ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH | SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | Apr-09-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #22 | Bright Green Field | Squid | May-07-2021, Art Punk |
| #23 | ALPHA | Charlotte Day Wilson | Jul-09-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #24 | Anything Can't Happen | Dorothea Paas | May-07-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #25 | Pray For Haiti | Mach-Hommy | May-21-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #26 | Cavalcade | black midi | May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #27 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #28 | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #29 | Solar Power | Lorde | Aug-20-2021, Folk Pop |
| #30 | Lifeblood | Brand of Sacrifice | Mar-05-2021, Deathcore |
| #31 | Blue Banisters | Lana Del Rey | Oct-22-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #32 | SINNER GET READY | Lingua Ignota | Aug-06-2021, Neoclassical Darkwave |
| #33 | Leftovers | Le Ren | Oct-15-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #34 | Alt Therapy | Emanuel | Jun-16-2021, |
| #35 | Untourable Album | Men I Trust | Aug-25-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #36 | Vulture Prince | Arooj Aftab | Apr-23-2021, Chamber Folk |
| #37 | Life After | Snotty Nose Rez Kids | Oct-22-2021, Trap |
| #38 | I Know I'm Funny haha | Faye Webster | Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #39 | King's Disease II | Nas | Aug-06-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #40 | Vital | Big Brave | Apr-23-2021, Post-Metal |
| #41 | Come Back to Life | The Zolas | Jul-02-2020, Indie Rock |
| #42 | ULTRAPOP | The Armed | Apr-16-2021, Noise Rock |
| #43 | Cantalou | Thierry Larose | Mar-12-2021, Art Pop |
| #44 | TAO | Shad | Oct-01-2021, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #45 | Yellow River Blue | Yu Su | Jan-22-2021, Ambient Dub |
| #46 | Let Me Do One More | illuminati hotties | Oct-01-2021, Indie Rock |
| #47 | Modern Fiction | Ducks Ltd. | Oct-01-2021, Jangle Pop |
| #48 | to hell with it | PinkPantheress | Oct-15-2021, Atmospheric Drum and Bass |
| #49 | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk |
| #50 | Play With The Changes | Rochelle Jordan | Apr-30-2021, Alternative R&B |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Album, Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #2 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Album, Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #3 | I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES | Backxwash | Album, Jun-20-2021, Industrial Hip Hop |
| #4 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #5 | Parallel World | Cadence Weapon | Album, Apr-30-2021, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #6 | When Smoke Rises | Mustafa | Album, May-28-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #7 | Promises | Floating PointsPharoah Sanders | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #8 | Valentine | Snail Mail | Album, Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock |
| #9 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | Album, May-21-2021, Pop |
| #10 | Eternal Blue | Spiritbox | Album, Sep-17-2021, Alternative Metal |
| #11 | Theory of Ice | Leanne Betasamosake Simpson | Album, Mar-12-2021, Spoken Word |
| #12 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Album, Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #13 | Little Oblivions | Julien Baker | Album, Feb-26-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #14 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Album, Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #15 | Afrique Victime | Mdou Moctar | Album, May-21-2021, Tishoumaren |
| #16 | Head Above the Waters | DijahSB | Album, Apr-23-2021, Hip Hop |
| #17 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Album, Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #18 | HEY WHAT | Low | Album, Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #19 | Talk Memory | BADBADNOTGOOD | Album, Oct-08-2021, Jazz Fusion |
| #20 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #21 | ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH | SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | Album, Apr-09-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #22 | Bright Green Field | Squid | Album, May-07-2021, Art Punk |
| #23 | ALPHA | Charlotte Day Wilson | Album, Jul-09-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #24 | Anything Can't Happen | Dorothea Paas | Album, May-07-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #25 | Pray For Haiti | Mach-Hommy | Album, May-21-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #26 | Cavalcade | black midi | Album, May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #27 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Album, Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #28 | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Album, Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #29 | Solar Power | Lorde | Album, Aug-20-2021, Folk Pop |
| #30 | Lifeblood | Brand of Sacrifice | Album, Mar-05-2021, Deathcore |
| #31 | Blue Banisters | Lana Del Rey | Album, Oct-22-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #32 | SINNER GET READY | Lingua Ignota | Album, Aug-06-2021, Neoclassical Darkwave |
| #33 | Leftovers | Le Ren | Album, Oct-15-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #34 | Alt Therapy | Emanuel | Album, Jun-16-2021, |
| #35 | Untourable Album | Men I Trust | Album, Aug-25-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #36 | Vulture Prince | Arooj Aftab | Album, Apr-23-2021, Chamber Folk |
| #37 | Life After | Snotty Nose Rez Kids | Album, Oct-22-2021, Trap |
| #38 | I Know I'm Funny haha | Faye Webster | Album, Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #39 | King's Disease II | Nas | Album, Aug-06-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #40 | Vital | Big Brave | Album, Apr-23-2021, Post-Metal |
| #41 | Come Back to Life | The Zolas | Album, Jul-02-2020, Indie Rock |
| #42 | ULTRAPOP | The Armed | Album, Apr-16-2021, Noise Rock |
| #43 | Cantalou | Thierry Larose | Album, Mar-12-2021, Art Pop |
| #44 | TAO | Shad | Album, Oct-01-2021, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #45 | Yellow River Blue | Yu Su | Album, Jan-22-2021, Ambient Dub |
| #46 | Let Me Do One More | illuminati hotties | Album, Oct-01-2021, Indie Rock |
| #47 | Modern Fiction | Ducks Ltd. | Album, Oct-01-2021, Jangle Pop |
| #48 | to hell with it | PinkPantheress | Album, Oct-15-2021, Atmospheric Drum and Bass |
| #49 | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Album, Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk |
| #50 | Play With The Changes | Rochelle Jordan | Album, Apr-30-2021, Alternative R&B |