Sputnikmusic's Top 50 Albums of 2021

Sputnikmusic is a premier source for music reviews and music news, covering the best albums in indie, metal, and punk.

Source

# 1

Hushed and Grim by Mastodon

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Progressive Metal

# 2

Illusory Walls by The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Post-Rock Midwest Emo

# 3

Radical by Every Time I Die

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Metalcore Mathcore

# 4

By the Time I Get to Phoenix by Injury Reserve

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

# 5

Bloodmoon: I by Converge + Chelsea Wolfe

Album • Nov 19 / 2021 Atmospheric Sludge Metal Gothic Metal

# 6

Inheritance by Musk Ox

Album • Jul 09 / 2021 Chamber Folk Dark Folk

# 7

IRA by Iosonouncane

Album • May 14 / 2021 Post-Industrial Darkwave

# 8

A Tiny House, In Secret Speeches, Polar Equals by Sweet Trip

Album • May 28 / 2021 Dream Pop Indietronica

# 9

Little Oblivions by Julien Baker

Album • Feb 26 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Indie Rock

# 10

Pressure Machine by The Killers

Album • Aug 13 / 2021 Heartland Rock

# 11

Moonflowers (Deluxe Edition) by Swallow the Sun

Album • Nov 19 / 2021 Doom Metal Gothic Metal Orchestral

# 12

Imperative Imperceptible Impulse by Ad Nauseam

Album • Feb 12 / 2021 Technical Death Metal Avant-Garde Metal

# 13

As Days Get Dark by Arab Strap

Album • Mar 05 / 2021 Indietronica

# 14

Primordial Arcana by Wolves in the Throne Room

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Atmospheric Black Metal

# 15

STILL SUCKS by Limp Bizkit

Album • Oct 31 / 2021 Nu Metal Rap Metal

# 16

Noise Bitch by Dale Kerrigan

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Noise Rock

# 17

Etemen Ænka by Dvne

Album • Mar 19 / 2021 Progressive Metal Sludge Metal

# 18

Noktvrn by Der Weg einer Freiheit

Album • Nov 19 / 2021 Atmospheric Black Metal Black Metal

# 19

Eternal Blue by Spiritbox

Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Alternative Metal

# 20

Infinite Granite by Deafheaven

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Shoegaze

# 21

HEY WHAT by Low

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

# 22

Celestial Blues by King Woman

Album • Jul 30 / 2021 Atmospheric Sludge Metal Doom Metal

# 23

Astral Pariah by Trophy Scars

Album • Sep 10 / 2021 Art Rock Blues Rock

# 24

Trisagion by Ethereal Shroud

Album • Dec 10 / 2021 Atmospheric Black Metal

# 25

Where the Gloom Becomes Sound by Tribulation

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Gothic Metal

# 26

Laura Stevenson by Laura Stevenson

Album • Aug 06 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Folk Rock

# 27

Home Video by Lucy Dacus

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 28

Eternal Home by Fire-Toolz

Album • Oct 15 / 2021 Post-Industrial Progressive Electronic Avant-Garde Metal

# 29

Ascension Codes by Cynic

Album • Nov 26 / 2021 Progressive Metal Progressive Rock

# 30

Thymiamatascension by Alora Crucible

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 New Age Chamber Music

# 31

it was always worth it / ilysm by Claire Rousay

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Field Recordings Musique concrète Sound Collage

# 32

LP! by JPEGMAFIA

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Experimental Hip Hop Hardcore Hip Hop

# 33

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

Album • Sep 24 / 2021 Indie Folk

# 34

Shade by Grouper

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Contemporary Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 35

Smiling with No Teeth by Genesis Owusu

Album • Mar 15 / 2021 Neo-Soul

# 36

Über den Sternen by Empyrium

Album • Feb 26 / 2021 Dark Folk Folk Metal

# 37

Lifeforms by Angels & Airwaves

Album • Sep 24 / 2021 Synthpop Alternative Rock Pop Rock

# 38

For the first time by Black Country, New Road

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

# 39

Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Indie Pop Chamber Pop

# 40

Ghost With Skin by Corbin

Album • Oct 31 / 2021 Alternative R&B Emo Rap

# 41

volcanic bird enemy and the voiced concern by Lil Ugly Mane

Album • Oct 12 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Hypnagogic Pop

# 42

American Siren by Emily Scott Robinson

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Americana Country Singer-Songwriter

# 43

Mood Valiant by Hiatus Kaiyote

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Neo-Soul

# 44

Moss Grew on the Swords and Plowshares Alike by Kayo Dot

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Avant-Garde Metal

# 45

Tower of Quiet by The Exit Bags

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Avant-Folk Lo-Fi / Slacker Rock Slowcore

# 46

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz

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

# 47

Senjutsu by Iron Maiden

Album • Sep 03 / 2021 Heavy Metal

# 48

CARNAGE by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

Album • Feb 25 / 2021 Chamber Pop Art Pop

# 49

Screen Violence by CHVRCHES

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Synthpop

# 50

Multiple Personalities by Coevality

Album • Apr 09 / 2021 Progressive Rock