Pitchfork's 50 Best Albums of 2021
The albums that got us through a very strange year, featuring Tyler, the Creator, Adele, Jazmine Sullivan, Playboi Carti, and more
Published: December 07, 2021 14:00
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Heaux Tales | Jazmine Sullivan | Jan-08-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #2 | Fatigue | L’Rain | Jun-25-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #3 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #4 | Promises | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders | Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #5 | HEY WHAT | Low | Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #6 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #7 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #8 | Afrique Victime | Mdou Moctar | May-21-2021, Tishoumaren |
| #9 | Whole Lotta Red | Playboi Carti | Dec-25-2020, Trap |
| #10 | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk |
| #11 | I Know I'm Funny haha | Faye Webster | Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #12 | Vulture Prince | Arooj Aftab | Apr-23-2021, Chamber Folk |
| #13 | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave |
| #14 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #15 | Valentine | Snail Mail | Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock |
| #16 | Disco! | MIKE | Jun-21-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #17 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #18 | Shade | Grouper | Oct-22-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #19 | BLACK METAL 2 | Dean Blunt | Jun-11-2021, Art Pop |
| #20 | Pray For Haiti | Mach-Hommy | May-21-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #21 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | May-21-2021, Pop |
| #22 | Second Line | Dawn Richard | Apr-30-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #23 | Cavalcade | black midi | May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #24 | Space 1.8 | Nala Sinephro | Sep-03-2021, Nu Jazz |
| #25 | Any Shape You Take | Indigo De Souza | Aug-27-2021, Indie Rock |
| #26 | Haram | Armand Hammer, The Alchemist | Mar-26-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #27 | Black Encyclopedia of the Air | Moor Mother | Sep-17-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #28 | ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH | SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | Apr-09-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #29 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #30 | a softer focus | claire rousay | Apr-09-2021, Ambient |
| #31 | Half God | Wiki | Oct-01-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #32 | 30 | Adele | Nov-19-2021, Pop Soul |
| #33 | Una Rosa | Xenia Rubinos | Oct-15-2021, Art Pop |
| #34 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #35 | Let Me Do One More | illuminati hotties | Oct-01-2021, Indie Rock |
| #36 | Menneskekollektivet | Lost Girls, Jenny Hval, Håvard Volden | Mar-26-2021, Electronic |
| #37 | Established! | RP Boo | Sep-17-2021, Footwork |
| #38 | Song of Sage: Post Panic! | Navy Blue | Dec-22-2020, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #39 | Reflection | Loraine James | Jun-04-2021, UK Bass |
| #40 | Sensational | Erika de Casier | May-21-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #41 | SINNER GET READY | Lingua Ignota | Aug-06-2021, Neoclassical Darkwave |
| #42 | Uneasy | Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey | Apr-09-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #43 | Fun House | Hand Habits | Oct-22-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #44 | Fresia Magdalena | Sofia Kourtesis | Mar-19-2021, Microhouse |
| #45 | im hole | aya | Oct-22-2021, Deconstructed Club |
| #46 | Far In | Helado Negro | Oct-22-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #47 | Frailty | Jane Remover | Nov-12-2021, Indietronica |
| #48 | A Martyr's Reward | KA | Aug-13-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #49 | Mercurial World | Magdalena Bay | Oct-08-2021, Synthpop |
| #50 | Urban Driftwood | Yasmin Williams | Jan-29-2021, Contemporary Folk |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Heaux Tales | Jazmine Sullivan | EP, Jan-08-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #2 | Fatigue | L’Rain | Album, Jun-25-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #3 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #4 | Promises | Floating PointsPharoah Sanders | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #5 | HEY WHAT | Low | Album, Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #6 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Album, Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #7 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Album, Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #8 | Afrique Victime | Mdou Moctar | Album, May-21-2021, Tishoumaren |
| #9 | Whole Lotta Red | Playboi Carti | Album, Dec-25-2020, Trap |
| #10 | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Album, Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk |
| #11 | I Know I'm Funny haha | Faye Webster | Album, Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #12 | Vulture Prince | Arooj Aftab | Album, Apr-23-2021, Chamber Folk |
| #13 | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Album, Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave |
| #14 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #15 | Valentine | Snail Mail | Album, Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock |
| #16 | Disco! | MIKE | Album, Jun-21-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #17 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Album, Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #18 | Shade | Grouper | Album, Oct-22-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #19 | BLACK METAL 2 | Dean Blunt | Album, Jun-11-2021, Art Pop |
| #20 | Pray For Haiti | Mach-Hommy | Album, May-21-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #21 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | Album, May-21-2021, Pop |
| #22 | Second Line | Dawn Richard | Album, Apr-30-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #23 | Cavalcade | black midi | Album, May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #24 | Space 1.8 | Nala Sinephro | Album, Sep-03-2021, Nu Jazz |
| #25 | Any Shape You Take | Indigo De Souza | Album, Aug-27-2021, Indie Rock |
| #26 | Haram | Armand HammerThe Alchemist | Album, Mar-26-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #27 | Black Encyclopedia of the Air | Moor Mother | Album, Sep-17-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #28 | ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH | SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | Album, Apr-09-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #29 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Album, Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #30 | a softer focus | claire rousay | Album, Apr-09-2021, Ambient |
| #31 | Half God | Wiki | Album, Oct-01-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #32 | 30 | Adele | Album, Nov-19-2021, Pop Soul |
| #33 | Una Rosa | Xenia Rubinos | Album, Oct-15-2021, Art Pop |
| #34 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Album, Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #35 | Let Me Do One More | illuminati hotties | Album, Oct-01-2021, Indie Rock |
| #36 | Menneskekollektivet | Lost GirlsJenny HvalHåvard Volden | Album, Mar-26-2021, Electronic |
| #37 | Established! | RP Boo | Album, Sep-17-2021, Footwork |
| #38 | Song of Sage: Post Panic! | Navy Blue | Album, Dec-22-2020, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #39 | Reflection | Loraine James | Album, Jun-04-2021, UK Bass |
| #40 | Sensational | Erika de Casier | Album, May-21-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #41 | SINNER GET READY | Lingua Ignota | Album, Aug-06-2021, Neoclassical Darkwave |
| #42 | Uneasy | Vijay IyerLinda May Han OhTyshawn Sorey | Album, Apr-09-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #43 | Fun House | Hand Habits | Album, Oct-22-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #44 | Fresia Magdalena | Sofia Kourtesis | EP, Mar-19-2021, Microhouse |
| #45 | im hole | aya | Album, Oct-22-2021, Deconstructed Club |
| #46 | Far In | Helado Negro | Album, Oct-22-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #47 | Frailty | Jane Remover | Album, Nov-12-2021, Indietronica |
| #48 | A Martyr's Reward | KA | Album, Aug-13-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #49 | Mercurial World | Magdalena Bay | Album, Oct-08-2021, Synthpop |
| #50 | Urban Driftwood | Yasmin Williams | Album, Jan-29-2021, Contemporary Folk |