NME's 50 Best Albums of 2021

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Here are NME’s top 50 albums of 2021, ranked in order of absolute awesomeness

Published: December 10, 2021 09:00 Source

# 1

Seventeen Going Under by Sam Fender

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Heartland Rock

# 2

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz

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

# 3

Blue Weekend by Wolf Alice

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Alternative Rock

# 4

Prioritise Pleasure by Self Esteem

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Electropop Alt-Pop

# 5

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST by Tyler, The Creator

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 West Coast Hip Hop

# 6

CARNAGE by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

Album • Feb 25 / 2021 Chamber Pop Art Pop

# 7

Collapsed In Sunbeams by Arlo Parks

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Bedroom Pop Neo-Soul

# 8

If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power by Halsey

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Art Pop Alternative Rock Electronic

# 9

GLOW ON by Turnstile

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Post-Hardcore Alternative Rock

# 10

SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo

Album • May 21 / 2021 Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 11

For Those I Love by For Those I Love

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Progressive House Spoken Word

# 12

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

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Heartland Rock

# 13

Conflict Of Interest by Ghetts

Album • Feb 19 / 2021 UK Hip Hop

# 14

Sling by Clairo

Album • Jul 16 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Contemporary Folk

# 15

Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish

Album • Jul 30 / 2021 Alt-Pop Contemporary R&B

# 16

Spare Ribs by Sleaford Mods

Album • Jan 15 / 2021 UK Hip Hop Post-Punk

# 17

Blue Banisters by Lana Del Rey

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 18

We're All Alone In This Together by Dave

Album • Jul 23 / 2021 UK Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 19

Solar Power by Lorde

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Folk Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 20

MONTERO by Lil Nas X

Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Pop Rap Pop Trap

# 21

Californian Soil by London Grammar

Album • Apr 16 / 2021 Art Pop Alt-Pop

# 22

An Evening With Silk Sonic by Bruno Mars + Anderson .Paak + Silk Sonic

Album • Nov 12 / 2021 Smooth Soul

# 23

Isles by Bicep

Album • Jan 22 / 2021 Progressive Breaks Future Garage

# 24

Valentine by Snail Mail

Album • Nov 05 / 2021 Indie Rock Indie Pop

# 25

Typhoons by Royal Blood

Album • Apr 30 / 2021 Alternative Dance Alternative Rock

# 26

Screen Violence by CHVRCHES

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Synthpop

# 27

Still Over It by Summer Walker

Album • Nov 05 / 2021 Contemporary R&B

# 28

CRAWLER by IDLES

Album • Nov 12 / 2021 Post-Punk Art Punk

# 29

Smiling with No Teeth by Genesis Owusu

Album • Mar 15 / 2021 Neo-Soul

# 30

Pressure Machine by The Killers

Album • Aug 13 / 2021 Heartland Rock

# 31

TYRON by slowthai

Album • Feb 12 / 2021 UK Hip Hop Trap

# 32

Pink Noise by Laura Mvula

Album • Jul 02 / 2021 Synthpop Contemporary R&B Dance-Pop

# 33

Flu Game by AJ Tracey

Album • Apr 16 / 2021 Trap UK Hip Hop

# 34

Juno by Remi Wolf

Album • Oct 15 / 2021 Contemporary R&B Alt-Pop Indie Pop

# 35

How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? by Big Red Machine

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Chamber Pop Art Pop

# 36

if i could make it go quiet by girl in red

Album • Apr 30 / 2021 Indie Pop Alt-Pop

# 37

Access Denied by RAY BLK

Album • Oct 01 / 2021 Pop Rap Contemporary R&B

# 38

The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE by TOMORROW X TOGETHER

Album • May 31 / 2021 K-Pop Dance-Pop

# 39

life's a beach by easy life

Album • May 28 / 2021 Pop Rap Bedroom Pop

# 40

For the first time by Black Country, New Road

Album • Feb 05 / 2021 Post-Rock Experimental Rock Post-Punk

# 41

Skin by Joy Crookes

Album • Oct 15 / 2021 Neo-Soul Pop Soul

# 42

Vince Staples by Vince Staples

Album • Jul 09 / 2021 West Coast Hip Hop Trap

# 43

New Long Leg by Dry Cleaning

Album • Apr 02 / 2021 Post-Punk

# 44

Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night by Bleachers

Album • Jul 30 / 2021 Pop Rock Indie Pop

# 45

Punk by Young Thug

Album • Oct 15 / 2021 Pop Rap Southern Hip Hop

# 46

And Then Life Was Beautiful by Nao

Album • Sep 24 / 2021 Neo-Soul

# 47

Nine by SAULT

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Neo-Soul

# 48

star-crossed by Kacey Musgraves

Album • Sep 10 / 2021 Folk Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 49

It Won't Always Be Like This by Inhaler

Album • Jul 09 / 2021 Post-Punk Revival Indie Rock

# 50

Planet Her by Doja Cat

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Pop Rap Contemporary R&B