PopMatters' 50 Best Albums of 2021 So Far
The year has offered a mountainous feast of sublime music. The 50 best albums of 2021 so far are an eclectic, forward-looking, and increasingly
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Yol | Altin Gün | Feb-26-2021, Synthpop |
| #2 | Never The Right Time | Andy Stott | Apr-16-2021, UK Bass |
| #3 | As Days Get Dark | Arab Strap | Mar-05-2021, Indietronica |
| #4 | Doomin' Sun | Bachelor, Jay Som, Palehound | May-28-2021, Indie Rock |
| #5 | Sand | Balthazar | Feb-26-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #6 | Electronic Labyrinth | Basic Rhythm | May-14-2021, UK Bass |
| #7 | Isles | Bicep | Jan-22-2021, Progressive Breaks |
| #8 | Vital | Big Brave | Apr-23-2021, Post-Metal |
| #9 | For the first time | Black Country, New Road | Feb-05-2021, Post-Rock |
| #10 | Cavalcade | black midi | May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #11 | Variations on a Melancholy Theme | Brad Mehldau, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra | Jun-11-2021, Modern Classical |
| #12 | WINK | CHAI | May-21-2021, Electropop |
| #13 | 10 for Slim: Charley Crockett Sings James Hand | Charley Crockett | Feb-26-2021, Honky Tonk |
| #14 | The Shadow I Remember | Cloud Nothings | Feb-26-2021, Indie Rock |
| #15 | Second Line | Dawn Richard | Apr-30-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #16 | 4:00 Am | Delgres | Apr-09-2021, |
| #17 | Glowing in the Dark | Django Django | Feb-12-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #18 | Euphoric Melodies | Elkka | May-21-2021, Deep House |
| #19 | Jours de grève | Emmanuelle Parrenin, Detlef Weinrich | Jan-10-2021, Avant-Folk |
| #20 | Promises | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders | Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #21 | No Gods No Masters | Garbage | Jun-11-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #22 | Čihkkojuvvon | Gájanas | Feb-06-2021, Rock |
| #23 | Dream Weapon | Genghis Tron | Mar-26-2021, Math Rock |
| #24 | VWETO III | Georgia Anne Muldrow | May-21-2021, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #25 | On All Fours | Goat Girl | Jan-29-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #26 | G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END! | Godspeed You! Black Emperor | Apr-02-2021, Post-Rock |
| #27 | Ozunu | Ground | May-05-2021, Electronic |
| #28 | Seeking New Gods | Gruff Rhys | May-21-2021, Psychedelic Pop |
| #29 | Mood Valiant | Hiatus Kaiyote | Jun-25-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #30 | Flock | Jane Weaver | Mar-05-2021, Psychedelic Pop |
| #31 | The Diving Sun | Joe Pug | Mar-21-2021, |
| #32 | Na Kozonga | Jupiter & Okwess | Apr-23-2021, |
| #33 | Obviously | Lake Street Dive | Mar-12-2021, Pop Soul |
| #34 | Soberish | Liz Phair | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #35 | Reflection | Loraine James | Jun-04-2021, UK Bass |
| #36 | Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land | MARINA | Jun-11-2021, Pop |
| #37 | Canta Amália | Mariza | Nov-20-2020, Fado |
| #38 | The Golden Casket | Modest Mouse | Jun-25-2021, Indie Rock |
| #39 | Fat Pop (Deluxe) | Paul Weller | May-14-2021, Pop Rock |
| #40 | Cheater | Pom Poko | Jan-15-2021, Noise Pop |
| #41 | Play With The Changes | Rochelle Jordan | Apr-30-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #42 | DEACON | serpentwithfeet | Mar-26-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #43 | Drunk Tank Pink | shame | Jan-15-2021, Post-Punk |
| #44 | Troubled Paradise | Slayyyter | Jun-11-2021, Electropop |
| #45 | Spare Ribs | Sleaford Mods | Jan-15-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #46 | TYRON | slowthai | Feb-12-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #47 | Daddy's Home | St. Vincent | May-14-2021, Psychedelic Soul |
| #48 | sketchy. | Tune-Yards | Mar-26-2021, Art Pop |
| #49 | Uneasy | Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey | Apr-09-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #50 | Noir Brésil | Yndi | May-28-2021, Art Pop |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Yol | Altin Gün | Album, Feb-26-2021, Synthpop |
| #2 | Never The Right Time | Andy Stott | Album, Apr-16-2021, UK Bass |
| #3 | As Days Get Dark | Arab Strap | Album, Mar-05-2021, Indietronica |
| #4 | Doomin' Sun | BachelorJay SomPalehound | Album, May-28-2021, Indie Rock |
| #5 | Sand | Balthazar | Album, Feb-26-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #6 | Electronic Labyrinth | Basic Rhythm | Album, May-14-2021, UK Bass |
| #7 | Isles | Bicep | Album, Jan-22-2021, Progressive Breaks |
| #8 | Vital | Big Brave | Album, Apr-23-2021, Post-Metal |
| #9 | For the first time | Black Country, New Road | Album, Feb-05-2021, Post-Rock |
| #10 | Cavalcade | black midi | Album, May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #11 | Variations on a Melancholy Theme | Brad MehldauOrpheus Chamber Orchestra | Album, Jun-11-2021, Modern Classical |
| #12 | WINK | CHAI | Album, May-21-2021, Electropop |
| #13 | 10 for Slim: Charley Crockett Sings James Hand | Charley Crockett | Album, Feb-26-2021, Honky Tonk |
| #14 | The Shadow I Remember | Cloud Nothings | Album, Feb-26-2021, Indie Rock |
| #15 | Second Line | Dawn Richard | Album, Apr-30-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #16 | 4:00 Am | Delgres | Album, Apr-09-2021, |
| #17 | Glowing in the Dark | Django Django | Album, Feb-12-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #18 | Euphoric Melodies | Elkka | EP, May-21-2021, Deep House |
| #19 | Jours de grève | Emmanuelle ParreninDetlef Weinrich | Album, Jan-10-2021, Avant-Folk |
| #20 | Promises | Floating PointsPharoah Sanders | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #21 | No Gods No Masters | Garbage | Album, Jun-11-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #22 | Čihkkojuvvon | Gájanas | Album, Feb-06-2021, Rock |
| #23 | Dream Weapon | Genghis Tron | Album, Mar-26-2021, Math Rock |
| #24 | VWETO III | Georgia Anne Muldrow | Album, May-21-2021, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #25 | On All Fours | Goat Girl | Album, Jan-29-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #26 | G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END! | Godspeed You! Black Emperor | Album, Apr-02-2021, Post-Rock |
| #27 | Ozunu | Ground | Album, May-05-2021, Electronic |
| #28 | Seeking New Gods | Gruff Rhys | Album, May-21-2021, Psychedelic Pop |
| #29 | Mood Valiant | Hiatus Kaiyote | Album, Jun-25-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #30 | Flock | Jane Weaver | Album, Mar-05-2021, Psychedelic Pop |
| #31 | The Diving Sun | Joe Pug | Album, Mar-21-2021, |
| #32 | Na Kozonga | Jupiter & Okwess | Album, Apr-23-2021, |
| #33 | Obviously | Lake Street Dive | Album, Mar-12-2021, Pop Soul |
| #34 | Soberish | Liz Phair | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #35 | Reflection | Loraine James | Album, Jun-04-2021, UK Bass |
| #36 | Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land | MARINA | Album, Jun-11-2021, Pop |
| #37 | Canta Amália | Mariza | Album, Nov-20-2020, Fado |
| #38 | The Golden Casket | Modest Mouse | Album, Jun-25-2021, Indie Rock |
| #39 | Fat Pop (Deluxe) | Paul Weller | Album, May-14-2021, Pop Rock |
| #40 | Cheater | Pom Poko | Album, Jan-15-2021, Noise Pop |
| #41 | Play With The Changes | Rochelle Jordan | Album, Apr-30-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #42 | DEACON | serpentwithfeet | Album, Mar-26-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #43 | Drunk Tank Pink | shame | Album, Jan-15-2021, Post-Punk |
| #44 | Troubled Paradise | Slayyyter | Album, Jun-11-2021, Electropop |
| #45 | Spare Ribs | Sleaford Mods | Album, Jan-15-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #46 | TYRON | slowthai | Album, Feb-12-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #47 | Daddy's Home | St. Vincent | Album, May-14-2021, Psychedelic Soul |
| #48 | sketchy. | Tune-Yards | Album, Mar-26-2021, Art Pop |
| #49 | Uneasy | Vijay IyerLinda May Han OhTyshawn Sorey | Album, Apr-09-2021, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #50 | Noir Brésil | Yndi | Album, May-28-2021, Art Pop |