Far Out Magazine's 50 Best Albums of 2021
Picking out the 50 finest records of the year is always difficult but 2021 bore a new challenge. Expect inclusions for Japanese Breakfast, Shame and more.
Published: December 12, 2021 12:00
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk |
| #2 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #3 | Bright Green Field | Squid | May-07-2021, Art Punk |
| #4 | Things Take Time, Take Time | Courtney Barnett | Nov-12-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #5 | Sympathy for Life | Parquet Courts | Oct-22-2021, Post-Punk |
| #6 | Blue Weekend | Wolf Alice | Jun-04-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #7 | CRAWLER | IDLES | Nov-12-2021, Post-Punk |
| #8 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #9 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #10 | Valentine | Snail Mail | Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock |
| #11 | Promises | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders | Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #12 | As The Love Continues | Mogwai | Feb-19-2021, Post-Rock |
| #13 | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Arlo Parks | Jan-29-2021, Bedroom Pop |
| #14 | CARNAGE | Nick Cave & Warren Ellis | Feb-25-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #15 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #16 | As Days Get Dark | Arab Strap | Mar-05-2021, Indietronica |
| #17 | Seventeen Going Under | Sam Fender | Oct-08-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #18 | The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows | Damon Albarn | Nov-12-2021, Ambient Pop |
| #19 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #20 | Comfort To Me | Amyl and The Sniffers | Sep-10-2021, Garage Punk |
| #21 | Prioritise Pleasure | Self Esteem | Oct-22-2021, Electropop |
| #22 | Far In | Helado Negro | Oct-22-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #23 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #24 | Isles | Bicep | Jan-22-2021, Progressive Breaks |
| #25 | Cavalcade | black midi | May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #26 | Black To The Future | Sons Of Kemet | May-14-2021, Afro-Jazz |
| #27 | Afrique Victime | Mdou Moctar | May-21-2021, Tishoumaren |
| #28 | Little Oblivions | Julien Baker | Feb-26-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #29 | Drunk Tank Pink | shame | Jan-15-2021, Post-Punk |
| #30 | An Evening With Silk Sonic | Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic | Nov-12-2021, Smooth Soul |
| #31 | Nine | SAULT | Jun-25-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #32 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #33 | Sling | Clairo | Jul-16-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #34 | For Those I Love | For Those I Love | Mar-26-2021, Progressive House |
| #35 | I Know I'm Funny haha | Faye Webster | Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #36 | HEY WHAT | Low | Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #37 | Any Shape You Take | Indigo De Souza | Aug-27-2021, Indie Rock |
| #38 | Chemtrails Over The Country Club | Lana Del Rey | Mar-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #39 | For the first time | Black Country, New Road | Feb-05-2021, Post-Rock |
| #40 | TYRON | slowthai | Feb-12-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #41 | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #42 | Spare Ribs | Sleaford Mods | Jan-15-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #43 | Loving In Stereo | Jungle | Aug-13-2021, Synth Funk |
| #44 | sketchy. | Tune-Yards | Mar-26-2021, Art Pop |
| #45 | How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? | Big Red Machine | Aug-27-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #46 | On All Fours | Goat Girl | Jan-29-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #47 | Happier Than Ever | Billie Eilish | Jul-30-2021, Alt-Pop |
| #48 | Projector | Geese | Oct-29-2021, Indie Rock |
| #49 | In These Silent Days | Brandi Carlile | Oct-01-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #50 | How Beautiful Life Can Be | The Lathums | Sep-24-2021, Jangle Pop |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Album, Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk |
| #2 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #3 | Bright Green Field | Squid | Album, May-07-2021, Art Punk |
| #4 | Things Take Time, Take Time | Courtney Barnett | Album, Nov-12-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #5 | Sympathy for Life | Parquet Courts | Album, Oct-22-2021, Post-Punk |
| #6 | Blue Weekend | Wolf Alice | Album, Jun-04-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #7 | CRAWLER | IDLES | Album, Nov-12-2021, Post-Punk |
| #8 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Album, Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #9 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Album, Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #10 | Valentine | Snail Mail | Album, Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock |
| #11 | Promises | Floating PointsPharoah Sanders | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #12 | As The Love Continues | Mogwai | Album, Feb-19-2021, Post-Rock |
| #13 | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Arlo Parks | Album, Jan-29-2021, Bedroom Pop |
| #14 | CARNAGE | Nick Cave & Warren Ellis | Album, Feb-25-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #15 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Album, Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #16 | As Days Get Dark | Arab Strap | Album, Mar-05-2021, Indietronica |
| #17 | Seventeen Going Under | Sam Fender | Album, Oct-08-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #18 | The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows | Damon Albarn | Album, Nov-12-2021, Ambient Pop |
| #19 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #20 | Comfort To Me | Amyl and The Sniffers | Album, Sep-10-2021, Garage Punk |
| #21 | Prioritise Pleasure | Self Esteem | Album, Oct-22-2021, Electropop |
| #22 | Far In | Helado Negro | Album, Oct-22-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #23 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Album, Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #24 | Isles | Bicep | Album, Jan-22-2021, Progressive Breaks |
| #25 | Cavalcade | black midi | Album, May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #26 | Black To The Future | Sons Of Kemet | Album, May-14-2021, Afro-Jazz |
| #27 | Afrique Victime | Mdou Moctar | Album, May-21-2021, Tishoumaren |
| #28 | Little Oblivions | Julien Baker | Album, Feb-26-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #29 | Drunk Tank Pink | shame | Album, Jan-15-2021, Post-Punk |
| #30 | An Evening With Silk Sonic | Bruno MarsAnderson .PaakSilk Sonic | Album, Nov-12-2021, Smooth Soul |
| #31 | Nine | SAULT | Album, Jun-25-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #32 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Album, Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #33 | Sling | Clairo | Album, Jul-16-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #34 | For Those I Love | For Those I Love | Album, Mar-26-2021, Progressive House |
| #35 | I Know I'm Funny haha | Faye Webster | Album, Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #36 | HEY WHAT | Low | Album, Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #37 | Any Shape You Take | Indigo De Souza | Album, Aug-27-2021, Indie Rock |
| #38 | Chemtrails Over The Country Club | Lana Del Rey | Album, Mar-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #39 | For the first time | Black Country, New Road | Album, Feb-05-2021, Post-Rock |
| #40 | TYRON | slowthai | Album, Feb-12-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #41 | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Album, Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #42 | Spare Ribs | Sleaford Mods | Album, Jan-15-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #43 | Loving In Stereo | Jungle | Album, Aug-13-2021, Synth Funk |
| #44 | sketchy. | Tune-Yards | Album, Mar-26-2021, Art Pop |
| #45 | How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? | Big Red Machine | Album, Aug-27-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #46 | On All Fours | Goat Girl | Album, Jan-29-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #47 | Happier Than Ever | Billie Eilish | Album, Jul-30-2021, Alt-Pop |
| #48 | Projector | Geese | Album, Oct-29-2021, Indie Rock |
| #49 | In These Silent Days | Brandi Carlile | Album, Oct-01-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #50 | How Beautiful Life Can Be | The Lathums | Album, Sep-24-2021, Jangle Pop |