NPR Music's 50 Best Albums of 2021

NPR's annual list of the year's best albums is full of work by musicians who hit career peaks, discovered their voices or willed something new into reality.

Published: December 01, 2021 10:12 Source

# 1

Heaux Tales by Jazmine Sullivan

EP • Jan 08 / 2021 Contemporary R&B Neo-Soul

# 2

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz

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

# 3

Home Video by Lucy Dacus

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 4

Outside Child by Allison Russell

Album • May 21 / 2021 Contemporary Folk Americana

# 5

El Madrileño by C. Tangana

Album • Feb 26 / 2021 Latin Pop Alternative R&B Flamenco Pop

# 6

Promises by Floating Points + Pharoah Sanders

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Post-Minimalism Third Stream

# 7

Vulture Prince by Arooj Aftab

Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Chamber Folk Ghazal

# 8

Collapsed In Sunbeams by Arlo Parks

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Bedroom Pop Neo-Soul

# 9

Vince Staples by Vince Staples

Album • Jul 09 / 2021 West Coast Hip Hop Trap

# 10

Julius Eastman, Vol. 1: Femenine by Wild Up + Christopher Rountree

Album • Jun 18 / 2021 Minimalism Chamber Music

# 11

Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Indie Pop Chamber Pop

# 12

Far In by Helado Negro

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Indietronica Art Pop

# 13

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST by Tyler, The Creator

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 West Coast Hip Hop

# 14

30 by Adele

Album • Nov 19 / 2021 Pop Soul

# 15

If Orange Was A Place by Tems

EP • Sep 14 / 2021 Neo-Soul Afrobeats Alternative R&B

# 16

The Melodic Blue by Baby Keem

Album • Sep 27 / 2021 Trap West Coast Hip Hop

# 17

lately I feel EVERYTHING by WILLOW

Album • Jul 16 / 2021 Alternative Rock

# 18

Pray For Haiti by Mach-Hommy

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

# 19

Let Me Do One More by illuminati hotties

Album • Oct 01 / 2021 Indie Rock Indie Pop

# 20

By the Time I Get to Phoenix by Injury Reserve

Album • Sep 15 / 2021 Experimental Hip Hop Glitch Hop Experimental

# 21

HEY WHAT by Low

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

# 22

to hell with it by PinkPantheress

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

# 23

Remember Her Name by Mickey Guyton

Album • Sep 24 / 2021 Adult Contemporary Country Pop

# 24

GLOW ON by Turnstile

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Post-Hardcore Alternative Rock

# 25

Quivering In Time by Eris Drew

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Breakbeat Deep House

# 26

Mother by Cleo Sol

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Neo-Soul Smooth Soul

# 27

Kôrôlén by Toumani Diabate + London Symphony Orchestra

Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Mande Music Modern Classical

# 28

Still Over It by Summer Walker

Album • Nov 05 / 2021 Contemporary R&B

# 29

When The Black Hand Touches You by Lukah

Album • Jan 15 / 2021 Abstract Hip Hop Southern Hip Hop Drumless

# 30

MONTERO by Lil Nas X

Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Pop Rap Pop Trap

# 31

Planet Her by Doja Cat

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

# 32

Mood Valiant by Hiatus Kaiyote

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Neo-Soul

# 33

Jesup Wagon by James Brandon Lewis

Album • May 07 / 2021 Avant-Garde Jazz

# 34

enargeia by Emily D'Angelo + das freie orchester Berlin + Jarkko Riihimaki

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Opera

# 35

Black Encyclopedia of the Air by Moor Mother

Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Abstract Hip Hop Experimental Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 36

The Turning Wheel by SPELLLING

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Art Pop Baroque Pop

# 37

Wary + Strange by Amythyst Kiah

Album • Jun 18 / 2021 Country Soul Blues Rock

# 38

SEIS by Mon Laferte

Album • Apr 09 / 2021 Ranchera

# 39

Disco! by MIKE

Album • Jun 21 / 2021 Abstract Hip Hop Experimental Hip Hop East Coast Hip Hop

# 40

Urban Driftwood by Yasmin Williams

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Contemporary Folk

# 41

Palabras Urgentes by Susana Baca

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Música criolla peruana

# 42

Sounds from the Ancestors by Kenny Garrett

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Post-Bop

# 43

Dawn by Yebba

Album • Sep 10 / 2021 Neo-Soul Pop Soul

# 44

A Southern Gothic by Adia Victoria

Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Gothic Country Blues Rock Singer-Songwriter

# 45

Drama by Rodrigo Amarante

Album • Jul 16 / 2021 MPB

# 46

Sofia Gubaidulina: Dialog: Ich und Du; The Wrath of God; The Light of the End by Vadim Repin + Gewandhausorchester + Andris Nelsons

Album • Oct 22 / 2021

# 47

...And Then Theres This by Artifacts

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Avant-Garde Jazz

# 48

GUMBO'! by Pink Siifu

Album • Aug 02 / 2021 Trap Southern Hip Hop Abstract Hip Hop

# 49

-io by Circuit des Yeux

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Neoclassical Darkwave Art Pop

# 50

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

Album • Nov 12 / 2021 Smooth Soul