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
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Heaux Tales | Jazmine Sullivan | Jan-08-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #2 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #3 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #4 | Outside Child | Allison Russell | May-21-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #5 | El Madrileño | C. Tangana | Feb-26-2021, Latin Pop |
| #6 | Promises | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders | Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #7 | Vulture Prince | Arooj Aftab | Apr-23-2021, Chamber Folk |
| #8 | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Arlo Parks | Jan-29-2021, Bedroom Pop |
| #9 | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #10 | Julius Eastman, Vol. 1: Femenine | Wild Up, Christopher Rountree | Jun-18-2021, Minimalism |
| #11 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #12 | Far In | Helado Negro | Oct-22-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #13 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #14 | 30 | Adele | Nov-19-2021, Pop Soul |
| #15 | If Orange Was A Place | Tems | Sep-14-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #16 | The Melodic Blue | Baby Keem | Sep-27-2021, Trap |
| #17 | lately I feel EVERYTHING | WILLOW | Jul-16-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #18 | Pray For Haiti | Mach-Hommy | May-21-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #19 | Let Me Do One More | illuminati hotties | Oct-01-2021, Indie Rock |
| #20 | By the Time I Get to Phoenix | Injury Reserve | Sep-15-2021, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #21 | HEY WHAT | Low | Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #22 | to hell with it | PinkPantheress | Oct-15-2021, Atmospheric Drum and Bass |
| #23 | Remember Her Name | Mickey Guyton | Sep-24-2021, Adult Contemporary |
| #24 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #25 | Quivering In Time | Eris Drew | Oct-29-2021, Breakbeat |
| #26 | Mother | Cleo Sol | Aug-20-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #27 | Kôrôlén | Toumani Diabate, London Symphony Orchestra | Apr-23-2021, Mande Music |
| #28 | Still Over It | Summer Walker | Nov-05-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #29 | When The Black Hand Touches You | Lukah | Jan-15-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #30 | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap |
| #31 | Planet Her | Doja Cat | Jun-25-2021, Pop Rap |
| #32 | Mood Valiant | Hiatus Kaiyote | Jun-25-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #33 | Jesup Wagon | James Brandon Lewis | May-07-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #34 | enargeia | Emily D'Angelo, das freie orchester Berlin, Jarkko Riihimaki | Oct-08-2021, Opera |
| #35 | Black Encyclopedia of the Air | Moor Mother | Sep-17-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #36 | The Turning Wheel | SPELLLING | Jun-25-2021, Art Pop |
| #37 | Wary + Strange | Amythyst Kiah | Jun-18-2021, Country Soul |
| #38 | SEIS | Mon Laferte | Apr-09-2021, Ranchera |
| #39 | Disco! | MIKE | Jun-21-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #40 | Urban Driftwood | Yasmin Williams | Jan-29-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #41 | Palabras Urgentes | Susana Baca | Oct-08-2021, Música criolla peruana |
| #42 | Sounds from the Ancestors | Kenny Garrett | Aug-27-2021, Post-Bop |
| #43 | Dawn | Yebba | Sep-10-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #44 | A Southern Gothic | Adia Victoria | Sep-17-2021, Gothic Country |
| #45 | Drama | Rodrigo Amarante | Jul-16-2021, MPB |
| #46 | Sofia Gubaidulina: Dialog: Ich und Du; The Wrath of God; The Light of the End | Vadim Repin, Gewandhausorchester, Andris Nelsons | Oct-22-2021, |
| #47 | ...And Then Theres This | Artifacts | Oct-29-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #48 | GUMBO'! | Pink Siifu | Aug-02-2021, Trap |
| #49 | -io | Circuit des Yeux | Oct-22-2021, Neoclassical Darkwave |
| #50 | An Evening With Silk Sonic | Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic | Nov-12-2021, Smooth Soul |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Heaux Tales | Jazmine Sullivan | EP, Jan-08-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #2 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Album, Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #3 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Album, Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #4 | Outside Child | Allison Russell | Album, May-21-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #5 | El Madrileño | C. Tangana | Album, Feb-26-2021, Latin Pop |
| #6 | Promises | Floating PointsPharoah Sanders | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #7 | Vulture Prince | Arooj Aftab | Album, Apr-23-2021, Chamber Folk |
| #8 | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Arlo Parks | Album, Jan-29-2021, Bedroom Pop |
| #9 | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Album, Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #10 | Julius Eastman, Vol. 1: Femenine | Wild UpChristopher Rountree | Album, Jun-18-2021, Minimalism |
| #11 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #12 | Far In | Helado Negro | Album, Oct-22-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #13 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #14 | 30 | Adele | Album, Nov-19-2021, Pop Soul |
| #15 | If Orange Was A Place | Tems | EP, Sep-14-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #16 | The Melodic Blue | Baby Keem | Album, Sep-27-2021, Trap |
| #17 | lately I feel EVERYTHING | WILLOW | Album, Jul-16-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #18 | Pray For Haiti | Mach-Hommy | Album, May-21-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #19 | Let Me Do One More | illuminati hotties | Album, Oct-01-2021, Indie Rock |
| #20 | By the Time I Get to Phoenix | Injury Reserve | Album, Sep-15-2021, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #21 | HEY WHAT | Low | Album, Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #22 | to hell with it | PinkPantheress | Album, Oct-15-2021, Atmospheric Drum and Bass |
| #23 | Remember Her Name | Mickey Guyton | Album, Sep-24-2021, Adult Contemporary |
| #24 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Album, Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #25 | Quivering In Time | Eris Drew | Album, Oct-29-2021, Breakbeat |
| #26 | Mother | Cleo Sol | Album, Aug-20-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #27 | Kôrôlén | Toumani DiabateLondon Symphony Orchestra | Album, Apr-23-2021, Mande Music |
| #28 | Still Over It | Summer Walker | Album, Nov-05-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #29 | When The Black Hand Touches You | Lukah | Album, Jan-15-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #30 | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Album, Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap |
| #31 | Planet Her | Doja Cat | Album, Jun-25-2021, Pop Rap |
| #32 | Mood Valiant | Hiatus Kaiyote | Album, Jun-25-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #33 | Jesup Wagon | James Brandon Lewis | Album, May-07-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #34 | enargeia | Emily D'Angelodas freie orchester BerlinJarkko Riihimaki | Album, Oct-08-2021, Opera |
| #35 | Black Encyclopedia of the Air | Moor Mother | Album, Sep-17-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #36 | The Turning Wheel | SPELLLING | Album, Jun-25-2021, Art Pop |
| #37 | Wary + Strange | Amythyst Kiah | Album, Jun-18-2021, Country Soul |
| #38 | SEIS | Mon Laferte | Album, Apr-09-2021, Ranchera |
| #39 | Disco! | MIKE | Album, Jun-21-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #40 | Urban Driftwood | Yasmin Williams | Album, Jan-29-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #41 | Palabras Urgentes | Susana Baca | Album, Oct-08-2021, Música criolla peruana |
| #42 | Sounds from the Ancestors | Kenny Garrett | Album, Aug-27-2021, Post-Bop |
| #43 | Dawn | Yebba | Album, Sep-10-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #44 | A Southern Gothic | Adia Victoria | Album, Sep-17-2021, Gothic Country |
| #45 | Drama | Rodrigo Amarante | Album, Jul-16-2021, MPB |
| #46 | Sofia Gubaidulina: Dialog: Ich und Du; The Wrath of God; The Light of the End | Vadim RepinGewandhausorchesterAndris Nelsons | Album, Oct-22-2021, |
| #47 | ...And Then Theres This | Artifacts | Album, Oct-29-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #48 | GUMBO'! | Pink Siifu | Album, Aug-02-2021, Trap |
| #49 | -io | Circuit des Yeux | Album, Oct-22-2021, Neoclassical Darkwave |
| #50 | An Evening With Silk Sonic | Bruno MarsAnderson .PaakSilk Sonic | Album, Nov-12-2021, Smooth Soul |