RIFF's 108 Best Albums of 2021

The best albums of 2021 include Billie Eilish, Brandi Carlile, Tyler, The Creator, Little Simz, Olivia Rodrigo, Wolf Alice, Gojira,…

Published: December 10, 2021 08:01 Source

# 1

Stand For Myself by Yola

Album • Jul 30 / 2021 Country Soul Pop Soul

# 2

Nowhere Generation by Rise Against

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Melodic Hardcore Punk Rock

# 3

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST by Tyler, The Creator

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 West Coast Hip Hop

# 4

In These Silent Days by Brandi Carlile

Album • Oct 01 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Americana

# 5

Long Lost by Lord Huron

Album • May 21 / 2021 Indie Folk Americana

# 6

SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo

Album • May 21 / 2021 Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 7

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz

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

# 8

Blue Weekend by Wolf Alice

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Alternative Rock

# 9

Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish

Album • Jul 30 / 2021 Alt-Pop Contemporary R&B

# 10

Fortitude by GOJIRA

Album • Apr 30 / 2021 Groove Metal Progressive Metal

# 11

A Beginner's Mind by Sufjan Stevens + Angelo De Augustine

Album • Sep 24 / 2021 Indie Folk

# 12

Woman on the Internet by Orla Gartland

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Indie Pop

# 13

Screen Violence by CHVRCHES

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Synthpop

# 14

The Phantom Tomorrow by Black Veil Brides

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Alternative Metal Hard Rock

# 15

Garbology by Aesop Rock + Blockhead

Album • Nov 12 / 2021 Abstract Hip Hop

# 16

30 by Adele

Album • Nov 19 / 2021 Pop Soul

# 17

The Off-Season by J. Cole

Album • May 14 / 2021 Conscious Hip Hop

# 18

MONTERO by Lil Nas X

Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Pop Rap Pop Trap

# 19

If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power by Halsey

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Art Pop Alternative Rock Electronic

# 20

For the first time by Black Country, New Road

Album • Feb 05 / 2021 Post-Rock Experimental Rock Post-Punk

# 21

Sympathy for Life by Parquet Courts

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Post-Punk Indie Rock

# 22

Hall of Fame by Polo G

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Trap Pop Rap

# 23

I Don’t Live Here Anymore by The War on Drugs

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Heartland Rock

# 24

Flux by Poppy

Album • Sep 24 / 2021 Alternative Rock

# 25

No Gods No Masters by Garbage

Album • Jun 11 / 2021 Alternative Rock

# 26

Planet Her by Doja Cat

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

# 27

Maximum Sorrow! by Desperate Journalist

Album • Jul 02 / 2021 Post-Punk Alternative Rock

# 28

The Horses and the Hounds by James McMurtry

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Americana Roots Rock

# 29

Infinite Granite by Deafheaven

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Shoegaze

# 30

Dancing With The Devil…The Art of Starting Over by Demi Lovato

Album • Apr 02 / 2021 Pop

# 31

As The Love Continues by Mogwai

Album • Feb 19 / 2021 Post-Rock

# 32

Sound Ancestors by Madlib

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Instrumental Hip Hop

# 33

Daddy's Home by St. Vincent

Album • May 14 / 2021 Psychedelic Soul Art Rock

# 34

Collapsed In Sunbeams by Arlo Parks

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Bedroom Pop Neo-Soul

# 35

Promises by Floating Points + Pharoah Sanders

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Post-Minimalism Third Stream

# 36

We're All Alone In This Together by Dave

Album • Jul 23 / 2021 UK Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 37

Local Valley by José González

Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Indie Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 38

Death By Rock And Roll by The Pretty Reckless

Album • Feb 12 / 2021 Hard Rock

# 39

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

Album • Nov 12 / 2021 Smooth Soul

# 40

Typhoons by Royal Blood

Album • Apr 30 / 2021 Alternative Dance Alternative Rock

# 41

The Bitter Truth by Evanescence

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Alternative Metal Alternative Rock

# 42

Lindsey Buckingham by Lindsey Buckingham

Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Pop Rock Art Pop

# 43

Home Video by Lucy Dacus

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 44

Seventeen Going Under by Sam Fender

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Heartland Rock

# 45

Cavalcade by black midi

Album • May 26 / 2021 Avant-Prog

# 46

Gold-Diggers Sound by Leon Bridges

Album • Jul 23 / 2021 Contemporary R&B Pop Soul Neo-Soul

# 47

Vince Staples by Vince Staples

Album • Jul 09 / 2021 West Coast Hip Hop Trap

# 48

I Know I'm Funny haha by Faye Webster

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Alt-Country

# 49

Drunk Tank Pink by shame

Album • Jan 15 / 2021 Post-Punk Art Punk

# 50

Little Oblivions by Julien Baker

Album • Feb 26 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Indie Rock