Stereogum's 50 Best Albums of 2021
We made it! Mostly. Kind of. The COVID era, which utterly derailed music and most other things for the better part of two years, isn’t quite over. But around the time that most of us got our second arm-jabs, the whole economy surrounding music started to sputter to life once again. It’s not quite the same as it was this time in 2019 yet, but it’s now possible for a band to release an album and then tour behind that album. We used to take that for granted. Now, it feels miraculous.
Published: December 06, 2021 13:00
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #2 | Valentine | Snail Mail | Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock |
| #3 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #4 | HEY WHAT | Low | Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #5 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #6 | DEACON | serpentwithfeet | Mar-26-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #7 | Superwolves | Matt Sweeney, Bonnie "Prince" Billy | Apr-30-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #8 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #9 | Hall of Fame | Polo G | Jun-25-2021, Trap |
| #10 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #11 | Twin Plagues | Wednesday | Aug-13-2021, Shoegaze |
| #12 | Promises | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders | Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #13 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | May-21-2021, Pop |
| #14 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #15 | CARNAGE | Nick Cave & Warren Ellis | Feb-25-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #16 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #17 | As Days Get Dark | Arab Strap | Mar-05-2021, Indietronica |
| #18 | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave |
| #19 | Sling | Clairo | Jul-16-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #20 | Between the Richness | Fiddlehead | May-21-2021, Emo |
| #21 | Structure | Water From Your Eyes | Aug-27-2021, Art Pop |
| #22 | A Martyr's Reward | KA | Aug-13-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #23 | Little Oblivions | Julien Baker | Feb-26-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #24 | ULTRAPOP | The Armed | Apr-16-2021, Noise Rock |
| #25 | A Way Forward | Nation of Language | Nov-05-2021, Synthpop |
| #26 | If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power | Halsey | Aug-27-2021, Art Pop |
| #27 | ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH | SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | Apr-09-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #28 | star-crossed | Kacey Musgraves | Sep-10-2021, Folk Pop |
| #29 | Bright Green Field | Squid | May-07-2021, Art Punk |
| #30 | To See the Next Part of the Dream | Parannoul | Apr-19-2021, Shoegaze |
| #31 | Bo Jackson | Boldy James, The Alchemist | Aug-13-2021, Gangsta Rap |
| #32 | This Place You Know | One Step Closer | Sep-24-2021, Melodic Hardcore |
| #33 | Una Rosa | Xenia Rubinos | Oct-15-2021, Art Pop |
| #34 | Sound Ancestors | Madlib | Jan-29-2021, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #35 | Black To The Future | Sons Of Kemet | May-14-2021, Afro-Jazz |
| #36 | Untourable Album | Men I Trust | Aug-25-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #37 | Haram | Armand Hammer, The Alchemist | Mar-26-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #38 | Still Over It | Summer Walker | Nov-05-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #39 | I Became Birds | Home Is Where | Jul-06-2021, Midwest Emo |
| #40 | Sensational | Erika de Casier | May-21-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #41 | one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden | Ada Lea | Sep-24-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #42 | We Are Always Alone | Portrayal of Guilt | Jan-29-2021, Screamo |
| #43 | Reflection | Loraine James | Jun-04-2021, UK Bass |
| #44 | Made Out of Sound | Chris Corsano, Bill Orcutt | Mar-26-2021, Free Improvisation |
| #45 | Seek Shelter | Iceage | May-07-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #46 | Screen Violence | CHVRCHES | Aug-27-2021, Synthpop |
| #47 | Pray For Haiti | Mach-Hommy | May-21-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #48 | Head of Roses | Flock of Dimes | Apr-02-2021, Dream Pop |
| #49 | In These Silent Days | Brandi Carlile | Oct-01-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #50 | Within One Stem | Closer | Mar-12-2021, Screamo |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Album, Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #2 | Valentine | Snail Mail | Album, Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock |
| #3 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Album, Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #4 | HEY WHAT | Low | Album, Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #5 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #6 | DEACON | serpentwithfeet | Album, Mar-26-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #7 | Superwolves | Matt SweeneyBonnie "Prince" Billy | Album, Apr-30-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #8 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Album, Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #9 | Hall of Fame | Polo G | Album, Jun-25-2021, Trap |
| #10 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Album, Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #11 | Twin Plagues | Wednesday | Album, Aug-13-2021, Shoegaze |
| #12 | Promises | Floating PointsPharoah Sanders | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #13 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | Album, May-21-2021, Pop |
| #14 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Album, Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #15 | CARNAGE | Nick Cave & Warren Ellis | Album, Feb-25-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #16 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #17 | As Days Get Dark | Arab Strap | Album, Mar-05-2021, Indietronica |
| #18 | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Album, Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave |
| #19 | Sling | Clairo | Album, Jul-16-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #20 | Between the Richness | Fiddlehead | Album, May-21-2021, Emo |
| #21 | Structure | Water From Your Eyes | Album, Aug-27-2021, Art Pop |
| #22 | A Martyr's Reward | KA | Album, Aug-13-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #23 | Little Oblivions | Julien Baker | Album, Feb-26-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #24 | ULTRAPOP | The Armed | Album, Apr-16-2021, Noise Rock |
| #25 | A Way Forward | Nation of Language | Album, Nov-05-2021, Synthpop |
| #26 | If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power | Halsey | Album, Aug-27-2021, Art Pop |
| #27 | ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH | SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | Album, Apr-09-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #28 | star-crossed | Kacey Musgraves | Album, Sep-10-2021, Folk Pop |
| #29 | Bright Green Field | Squid | Album, May-07-2021, Art Punk |
| #30 | To See the Next Part of the Dream | Parannoul | Album, Apr-19-2021, Shoegaze |
| #31 | Bo Jackson | Boldy JamesThe Alchemist | Album, Aug-13-2021, Gangsta Rap |
| #32 | This Place You Know | One Step Closer | Album, Sep-24-2021, Melodic Hardcore |
| #33 | Una Rosa | Xenia Rubinos | Album, Oct-15-2021, Art Pop |
| #34 | Sound Ancestors | Madlib | Album, Jan-29-2021, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #35 | Black To The Future | Sons Of Kemet | Album, May-14-2021, Afro-Jazz |
| #36 | Untourable Album | Men I Trust | Album, Aug-25-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #37 | Haram | Armand HammerThe Alchemist | Album, Mar-26-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #38 | Still Over It | Summer Walker | Album, Nov-05-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #39 | I Became Birds | Home Is Where | Album, Jul-06-2021, Midwest Emo |
| #40 | Sensational | Erika de Casier | Album, May-21-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #41 | one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden | Ada Lea | Album, Sep-24-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #42 | We Are Always Alone | Portrayal of Guilt | Album, Jan-29-2021, Screamo |
| #43 | Reflection | Loraine James | Album, Jun-04-2021, UK Bass |
| #44 | Made Out of Sound | Chris CorsanoBill Orcutt | Album, Mar-26-2021, Free Improvisation |
| #45 | Seek Shelter | Iceage | Album, May-07-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #46 | Screen Violence | CHVRCHES | Album, Aug-27-2021, Synthpop |
| #47 | Pray For Haiti | Mach-Hommy | Album, May-21-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #48 | Head of Roses | Flock of Dimes | Album, Apr-02-2021, Dream Pop |
| #49 | In These Silent Days | Brandi Carlile | Album, Oct-01-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #50 | Within One Stem | Closer | Album, Mar-12-2021, Screamo |