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
| Rank | Score | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Seventeen Going Under | Sam Fender | Oct-08-2021, Heartland Rock | |
| #2 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop | |
| #3 | Blue Weekend | Wolf Alice | Jun-04-2021, Alternative Rock | |
| #4 | Prioritise Pleasure | Self Esteem | Oct-22-2021, Electropop | |
| #5 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop | |
| #6 | CARNAGE | Nick Cave & Warren Ellis | Feb-25-2021, Chamber Pop | |
| #7 | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Arlo Parks | Jan-29-2021, Bedroom Pop | |
| #8 | If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power | Halsey | Aug-27-2021, Art Pop | |
| #9 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore | |
| #10 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | May-21-2021, Pop | |
| #11 | For Those I Love | For Those I Love | Mar-26-2021, Progressive House | |
| #12 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock | |
| #13 | Conflict Of Interest | Ghetts | Feb-19-2021, UK Hip Hop | |
| #14 | Sling | Clairo | Jul-16-2021, Singer-Songwriter | |
| #15 | Happier Than Ever | Billie Eilish | Jul-30-2021, Alt-Pop | |
| #16 | Spare Ribs | Sleaford Mods | Jan-15-2021, UK Hip Hop | |
| #17 | Blue Banisters | Lana Del Rey | Oct-22-2021, Singer-Songwriter | |
| #18 | We're All Alone In This Together | Dave | Jul-23-2021, UK Hip Hop | |
| #19 | Solar Power | Lorde | Aug-20-2021, Folk Pop | |
| #20 | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap | |
| #21 | Californian Soil | London Grammar | Apr-16-2021, Art Pop | |
| #22 | An Evening With Silk Sonic | Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic | Nov-12-2021, Smooth Soul | |
| #23 | Isles | Bicep | Jan-22-2021, Progressive Breaks | |
| #24 | Valentine | Snail Mail | Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock | |
| #25 | Typhoons | Royal Blood | Apr-30-2021, Alternative Dance | |
| #26 | Screen Violence | CHVRCHES | Aug-27-2021, Synthpop | |
| #27 | Still Over It | Summer Walker | Nov-05-2021, Contemporary R&B | |
| #28 | CRAWLER | IDLES | Nov-12-2021, Post-Punk | |
| #29 | Smiling with No Teeth | Genesis Owusu | Mar-15-2021, Neo-Soul | |
| #30 | Pressure Machine | The Killers | Aug-13-2021, Heartland Rock | |
| #31 | TYRON | slowthai | Feb-12-2021, UK Hip Hop | |
| #32 | Pink Noise | Laura Mvula | Jul-02-2021, Synthpop | |
| #33 | Flu Game | AJ Tracey | Apr-16-2021, Trap | |
| #34 | Juno | Remi Wolf | Oct-15-2021, Contemporary R&B | |
| #35 | How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? | Big Red Machine | Aug-27-2021, Chamber Pop | |
| #36 | if i could make it go quiet | girl in red | Apr-30-2021, Indie Pop | |
| #37 | Access Denied | RAY BLK | Oct-01-2021, Pop Rap | |
| #38 | The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE | TOMORROW X TOGETHER | May-31-2021, K-Pop | |
| #39 | life's a beach | easy life | May-28-2021, Pop Rap | |
| #40 | For the first time | Black Country, New Road | Feb-05-2021, Post-Rock | |
| #41 | Skin | Joy Crookes | Oct-15-2021, Neo-Soul | |
| #42 | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop | |
| #43 | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk | |
| #44 | Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night | Bleachers | Jul-30-2021, Pop Rock | |
| #45 | Punk | Young Thug | Oct-15-2021, Pop Rap | |
| #46 | And Then Life Was Beautiful | Nao | Sep-24-2021, Neo-Soul | |
| #47 | Nine | SAULT | Jun-25-2021, Neo-Soul | |
| #48 | star-crossed | Kacey Musgraves | Sep-10-2021, Folk Pop | |
| #49 | It Won't Always Be Like This | Inhaler | Jul-09-2021, Post-Punk Revival | |
| #50 | Planet Her | Doja Cat | Jun-25-2021, Pop Rap |
Markdown
| Rank | Score | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | | Seventeen Going Under | Sam Fender | Album, Oct-08-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #2 | | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Album, Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #3 | | Blue Weekend | Wolf Alice | Album, Jun-04-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #4 | | Prioritise Pleasure | Self Esteem | Album, Oct-22-2021, Electropop |
| #5 | | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #6 | | CARNAGE | Nick Cave & Warren Ellis | Album, Feb-25-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #7 | | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Arlo Parks | Album, Jan-29-2021, Bedroom Pop |
| #8 | | If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power | Halsey | Album, Aug-27-2021, Art Pop |
| #9 | | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Album, Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #10 | | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | Album, May-21-2021, Pop |
| #11 | | For Those I Love | For Those I Love | Album, Mar-26-2021, Progressive House |
| #12 | | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Album, Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #13 | | Conflict Of Interest | Ghetts | Album, Feb-19-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #14 | | Sling | Clairo | Album, Jul-16-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #15 | | Happier Than Ever | Billie Eilish | Album, Jul-30-2021, Alt-Pop |
| #16 | | Spare Ribs | Sleaford Mods | Album, Jan-15-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #17 | | Blue Banisters | Lana Del Rey | Album, Oct-22-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #18 | | We're All Alone In This Together | Dave | Album, Jul-23-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #19 | | Solar Power | Lorde | Album, Aug-20-2021, Folk Pop |
| #20 | | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Album, Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap |
| #21 | | Californian Soil | London Grammar | Album, Apr-16-2021, Art Pop |
| #22 | | An Evening With Silk Sonic | Bruno MarsAnderson .PaakSilk Sonic | Album, Nov-12-2021, Smooth Soul |
| #23 | | Isles | Bicep | Album, Jan-22-2021, Progressive Breaks |
| #24 | | Valentine | Snail Mail | Album, Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock |
| #25 | | Typhoons | Royal Blood | Album, Apr-30-2021, Alternative Dance |
| #26 | | Screen Violence | CHVRCHES | Album, Aug-27-2021, Synthpop |
| #27 | | Still Over It | Summer Walker | Album, Nov-05-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #28 | | CRAWLER | IDLES | Album, Nov-12-2021, Post-Punk |
| #29 | | Smiling with No Teeth | Genesis Owusu | Album, Mar-15-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #30 | | Pressure Machine | The Killers | Album, Aug-13-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #31 | | TYRON | slowthai | Album, Feb-12-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #32 | | Pink Noise | Laura Mvula | Album, Jul-02-2021, Synthpop |
| #33 | | Flu Game | AJ Tracey | Album, Apr-16-2021, Trap |
| #34 | | Juno | Remi Wolf | Album, Oct-15-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #35 | | How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? | Big Red Machine | Album, Aug-27-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #36 | | if i could make it go quiet | girl in red | Album, Apr-30-2021, Indie Pop |
| #37 | | Access Denied | RAY BLK | Album, Oct-01-2021, Pop Rap |
| #38 | | The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE | TOMORROW X TOGETHER | Album, May-31-2021, K-Pop |
| #39 | | life's a beach | easy life | Album, May-28-2021, Pop Rap |
| #40 | | For the first time | Black Country, New Road | Album, Feb-05-2021, Post-Rock |
| #41 | | Skin | Joy Crookes | Album, Oct-15-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #42 | | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Album, Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #43 | | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Album, Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk |
| #44 | | Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night | Bleachers | Album, Jul-30-2021, Pop Rock |
| #45 | | Punk | Young Thug | Album, Oct-15-2021, Pop Rap |
| #46 | | And Then Life Was Beautiful | Nao | Album, Sep-24-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #47 | | Nine | SAULT | Album, Jun-25-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #48 | | star-crossed | Kacey Musgraves | Album, Sep-10-2021, Folk Pop |
| #49 | | It Won't Always Be Like This | Inhaler | Album, Jul-09-2021, Post-Punk Revival |
| #50 | | Planet Her | Doja Cat | Album, Jun-25-2021, Pop Rap |