The Alternative's 50 Top Records of 2021
After a long year of difficult times and great music, our staff voted and put together our top 50 releases of the year, along with the winners of our 4 awards: AOTY, Best Debut, Most Underrated and Best Non LP.
Published: December 21, 2021 15:52
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #2 | Little Oblivions | Julien Baker | Feb-26-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #3 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #4 | A Billion Little Lights | Wild Pink | Feb-19-2021, Indie Rock |
| #5 | Blood Bunny | chloe moriondo | May-07-2021, Indie Pop |
| #6 | Between the Richness | Fiddlehead | May-21-2021, Emo |
| #7 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | May-21-2021, Pop |
| #8 | Any Shape You Take | Indigo De Souza | Aug-27-2021, Indie Rock |
| #9 | I Became Birds | Home Is Where | Jul-06-2021, Midwest Emo |
| #10 | Draw Down The Moon | Foxing | Aug-06-2021, Indie Rock |
| #11 | ULTRAPOP | The Armed | Apr-16-2021, Noise Rock |
| #12 | Mood Ring | Kississippi | Aug-06-2021, Indie Pop |
| #13 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #14 | This Place You Know | One Step Closer | Sep-24-2021, Melodic Hardcore |
| #15 | Radical | Every Time I Die | Oct-22-2021, Metalcore |
| #16 | Another Kill For The Highlight Reel | Save Face | Oct-29-2021, Emo-Pop |
| #17 | New Music and Big Pop | Another Michael | Feb-19-2021, Bedroom Pop |
| #18 | Illusory Walls | The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die | Oct-08-2021, Post-Rock |
| #19 | Don't Know What I Am | Alien Boy | Aug-20-2021, Shoegaze |
| #20 | Saccharine | Pinkshift | Apr-02-2021, Pop Punk |
| #21 | Perfect | Mannequin Pussy | May-21-2021, Indie Rock |
| #22 | GAMI GANG | Origami Angel | Apr-30-2021, Emo-Pop |
| #23 | Sucker Supreme | Rosie Tucker | Apr-30-2021, Indie Pop |
| #24 | The Shadow I Remember | Cloud Nothings | Feb-26-2021, Indie Rock |
| #25 | Let Me Do One More | illuminati hotties | Oct-01-2021, Indie Rock |
| #26 | A Beginner's Guide To Faking Your Death | Jhariah | Jul-23-2021, Emo-Pop |
| #27 | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap |
| #28 | Twin Plagues | Wednesday | Aug-13-2021, Shoegaze |
| #29 | ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH | SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | Apr-09-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #30 | Cool Dry Place | Katy Kirby | Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #31 | Somewhere | Sun June | Feb-05-2021, Indie Pop |
| #32 | SUP | Super American | Oct-22-2021, Pop Punk |
| #33 | suburban indie rock star | snow ellet | Aug-13-2021, Power Pop |
| #34 | Laura Stevenson | Laura Stevenson | Aug-06-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #35 | The Million Masks Of God | Manchester Orchestra | Apr-30-2021, Indie Rock |
| #36 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #37 | Life in Your Glass World | Citizen | Mar-26-2021, Post-Punk Revival |
| #38 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #39 | Cavalcade | black midi | May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #40 | Absolutely | Dijon | Nov-05-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #41 | Excelsior! | Johanna Samuels | May-14-2021, Folk Rock |
| #42 | Four People in an Elevator and One of Them Is the Devil | Mister Goblin | Feb-19-2021, Indie Rock |
| #43 | Nurture | Porter Robinson | Apr-23-2021, Electropop |
| #44 | At the Moonbase | Slaughter Beach, Dog | Dec-24-2020, Indie Pop |
| #45 | Shake the Spins | Kitner | Oct-01-2021, Indie Rock |
| #46 | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk |
| #47 | Red (Taylor's Version) | Taylor Swift | Nov-12-2021, Pop Rock |
| #48 | MAXIMUMBLASTSUPERLOUD: The First 24 Songs | Dazy | Aug-20-2021, Power Pop |
| #49 | Drives Out East | Koyo | Jul-06-2021, Emo-Pop |
| #50 | Death of a Cheerleader | Pom Pom Squad | Jun-25-2021, Indie Rock |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Album, Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #2 | Little Oblivions | Julien Baker | Album, Feb-26-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #3 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #4 | A Billion Little Lights | Wild Pink | Album, Feb-19-2021, Indie Rock |
| #5 | Blood Bunny | chloe moriondo | Album, May-07-2021, Indie Pop |
| #6 | Between the Richness | Fiddlehead | Album, May-21-2021, Emo |
| #7 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | Album, May-21-2021, Pop |
| #8 | Any Shape You Take | Indigo De Souza | Album, Aug-27-2021, Indie Rock |
| #9 | I Became Birds | Home Is Where | Album, Jul-06-2021, Midwest Emo |
| #10 | Draw Down The Moon | Foxing | Album, Aug-06-2021, Indie Rock |
| #11 | ULTRAPOP | The Armed | Album, Apr-16-2021, Noise Rock |
| #12 | Mood Ring | Kississippi | Album, Aug-06-2021, Indie Pop |
| #13 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Album, Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #14 | This Place You Know | One Step Closer | Album, Sep-24-2021, Melodic Hardcore |
| #15 | Radical | Every Time I Die | Album, Oct-22-2021, Metalcore |
| #16 | Another Kill For The Highlight Reel | Save Face | Album, Oct-29-2021, Emo-Pop |
| #17 | New Music and Big Pop | Another Michael | Album, Feb-19-2021, Bedroom Pop |
| #18 | Illusory Walls | The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die | Album, Oct-08-2021, Post-Rock |
| #19 | Don't Know What I Am | Alien Boy | Album, Aug-20-2021, Shoegaze |
| #20 | Saccharine | Pinkshift | EP, Apr-02-2021, Pop Punk |
| #21 | Perfect | Mannequin Pussy | EP, May-21-2021, Indie Rock |
| #22 | GAMI GANG | Origami Angel | Album, Apr-30-2021, Emo-Pop |
| #23 | Sucker Supreme | Rosie Tucker | Album, Apr-30-2021, Indie Pop |
| #24 | The Shadow I Remember | Cloud Nothings | Album, Feb-26-2021, Indie Rock |
| #25 | Let Me Do One More | illuminati hotties | Album, Oct-01-2021, Indie Rock |
| #26 | A Beginner's Guide To Faking Your Death | Jhariah | Album, Jul-23-2021, Emo-Pop |
| #27 | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Album, Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap |
| #28 | Twin Plagues | Wednesday | Album, Aug-13-2021, Shoegaze |
| #29 | ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH | SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | Album, Apr-09-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #30 | Cool Dry Place | Katy Kirby | Album, Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #31 | Somewhere | Sun June | Album, Feb-05-2021, Indie Pop |
| #32 | SUP | Super American | Album, Oct-22-2021, Pop Punk |
| #33 | suburban indie rock star | snow ellet | EP, Aug-13-2021, Power Pop |
| #34 | Laura Stevenson | Laura Stevenson | Album, Aug-06-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #35 | The Million Masks Of God | Manchester Orchestra | Album, Apr-30-2021, Indie Rock |
| #36 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #37 | Life in Your Glass World | Citizen | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Punk Revival |
| #38 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Album, Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #39 | Cavalcade | black midi | Album, May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #40 | Absolutely | Dijon | Album, Nov-05-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #41 | Excelsior! | Johanna Samuels | Album, May-14-2021, Folk Rock |
| #42 | Four People in an Elevator and One of Them Is the Devil | Mister Goblin | Album, Feb-19-2021, Indie Rock |
| #43 | Nurture | Porter Robinson | Album, Apr-23-2021, Electropop |
| #44 | At the Moonbase | Slaughter Beach, Dog | Album, Dec-24-2020, Indie Pop |
| #45 | Shake the Spins | Kitner | Album, Oct-01-2021, Indie Rock |
| #46 | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Album, Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk |
| #47 | Red (Taylor's Version) | Taylor Swift | Album, Nov-12-2021, Pop Rock |
| #48 | MAXIMUMBLASTSUPERLOUD: The First 24 Songs | Dazy | Album, Aug-20-2021, Power Pop |
| #49 | Drives Out East | Koyo | EP, Jul-06-2021, Emo-Pop |
| #50 | Death of a Cheerleader | Pom Pom Squad | Album, Jun-25-2021, Indie Rock |