The FADER's 50 Best Albums of 2021
Our list of the albums that defined and transcended 2021, from Tyler, The Creator to Porter Robinson, Jazmine Sullivan to Doja Cat.
Published: December 14, 2021 18:27
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Nurture | Porter Robinson | Apr-23-2021, Electropop |
| #2 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #3 | Absolutely | Dijon | Nov-05-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #4 | Heaux Tales | Jazmine Sullivan | Jan-08-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #5 | VICE VERSA | Rauw Alejandro | Jun-25-2021, Latin Pop |
| #6 | Pray For Haiti | Mach-Hommy | May-21-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #7 | Planet Her | Doja Cat | Jun-25-2021, Pop Rap |
| #8 | When Smoke Rises | Mustafa | May-28-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #9 | Sounds of My World | Juls | Oct-08-2021, Afrobeats |
| #10 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #11 | The Fool | Bladee | May-28-2021, Cloud Rap |
| #12 | Solitario | Blue Rojo | Nov-17-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #13 | Inbred | Ethel Cain | Apr-23-2021, Slowcore |
| #14 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #15 | Haram | Armand Hammer, The Alchemist | Mar-26-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #16 | Promises | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders | Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #17 | Love is War | Prettyboy D-O | Oct-15-2021, Afrobeats |
| #18 | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap |
| #19 | Chemtrails Over The Country Club | Lana Del Rey | Mar-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #20 | fragments | Rachika Nayar | Aug-13-2021, Ambient |
| #21 | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #22 | Cavalcade | black midi | May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #23 | drive-by lullabies | quinn | Sep-17-2021, Electronic |
| #24 | Blue Weekend | Wolf Alice | Jun-04-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #25 | The House Is Burning | Isaiah Rashad | Jul-30-2021, Southern Hip Hop |
| #26 | If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power | Halsey | Aug-27-2021, Art Pop |
| #27 | Rhinestones | HTRK | Sep-17-2021, Ambient Pop |
| #28 | KG0516 | KAROL G | Mar-26-2021, Reggaetón |
| #29 | Bo Jackson | Boldy James, The Alchemist | Aug-13-2021, Gangsta Rap |
| #30 | Setsubun (節分) | Fuubutsushi | Feb-02-2021, ECM Style Jazz |
| #31 | ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH | SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | Apr-09-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #32 | Navy's Reprise | Navy Blue | Aug-13-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #33 | Adolescence | Unknown T | Jul-30-2021, UK Drill |
| #34 | Urban Driftwood | Yasmin Williams | Jan-29-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #35 | Menneskekollektivet | Lost Girls, Jenny Hval, Håvard Volden | Mar-26-2021, Electronic |
| #36 | Fresh Bread | Sam Gendel | Feb-26-2021, Nu Jazz |
| #37 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | May-21-2021, Pop |
| #38 | At the Moonbase | Slaughter Beach, Dog | Dec-24-2020, Indie Pop |
| #39 | Fatigue | L’Rain | Jun-25-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #40 | Dariacore | leroy | May-14-2021, Electronic Dance Music |
| #41 | We Will Always Love You | The Avalanches | Dec-11-2020, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #42 | Showtunes | Lambchop | May-21-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #43 | to hell with it | PinkPantheress | Oct-15-2021, Atmospheric Drum and Bass |
| #44 | Infinite Granite | Deafheaven | Aug-20-2021, Shoegaze |
| #45 | Whole Lotta Red | Playboi Carti | Dec-25-2020, Trap |
| #46 | LV N ATTN | Lojay, Sarz | Jun-04-2021, Afrobeats |
| #47 | Shade | Grouper | Oct-22-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #48 | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave |
| #49 | Lucy & Aaron | Aaron Dilloway, Lucrecia Dalt | Jul-13-2021, Tape Music |
| #50 | Dope Game Stupid | Bruiser Wolf | Mar-29-2021, Gangsta Rap |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Nurture | Porter Robinson | Album, Apr-23-2021, Electropop |
| #2 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #3 | Absolutely | Dijon | Album, Nov-05-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #4 | Heaux Tales | Jazmine Sullivan | EP, Jan-08-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #5 | VICE VERSA | Rauw Alejandro | Album, Jun-25-2021, Latin Pop |
| #6 | Pray For Haiti | Mach-Hommy | Album, May-21-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #7 | Planet Her | Doja Cat | Album, Jun-25-2021, Pop Rap |
| #8 | When Smoke Rises | Mustafa | Album, May-28-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #9 | Sounds of My World | Juls | Album, Oct-08-2021, Afrobeats |
| #10 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Album, Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #11 | The Fool | Bladee | Album, May-28-2021, Cloud Rap |
| #12 | Solitario | Blue Rojo | Album, Nov-17-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #13 | Inbred | Ethel Cain | EP, Apr-23-2021, Slowcore |
| #14 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Album, Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #15 | Haram | Armand HammerThe Alchemist | Album, Mar-26-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #16 | Promises | Floating PointsPharoah Sanders | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #17 | Love is War | Prettyboy D-O | Album, Oct-15-2021, Afrobeats |
| #18 | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Album, Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap |
| #19 | Chemtrails Over The Country Club | Lana Del Rey | Album, Mar-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #20 | fragments | Rachika Nayar | EP, Aug-13-2021, Ambient |
| #21 | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Album, Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #22 | Cavalcade | black midi | Album, May-26-2021, Avant-Prog |
| #23 | drive-by lullabies | quinn | Album, Sep-17-2021, Electronic |
| #24 | Blue Weekend | Wolf Alice | Album, Jun-04-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #25 | The House Is Burning | Isaiah Rashad | Album, Jul-30-2021, Southern Hip Hop |
| #26 | If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power | Halsey | Album, Aug-27-2021, Art Pop |
| #27 | Rhinestones | HTRK | Album, Sep-17-2021, Ambient Pop |
| #28 | KG0516 | KAROL G | Album, Mar-26-2021, Reggaetón |
| #29 | Bo Jackson | Boldy JamesThe Alchemist | Album, Aug-13-2021, Gangsta Rap |
| #30 | Setsubun (節分) | Fuubutsushi | Album, Feb-02-2021, ECM Style Jazz |
| #31 | ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH | SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE | Album, Apr-09-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #32 | Navy's Reprise | Navy Blue | Album, Aug-13-2021, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #33 | Adolescence | Unknown T | Album, Jul-30-2021, UK Drill |
| #34 | Urban Driftwood | Yasmin Williams | Album, Jan-29-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #35 | Menneskekollektivet | Lost GirlsJenny HvalHåvard Volden | Album, Mar-26-2021, Electronic |
| #36 | Fresh Bread | Sam Gendel | Album, Feb-26-2021, Nu Jazz |
| #37 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | Album, May-21-2021, Pop |
| #38 | At the Moonbase | Slaughter Beach, Dog | Album, Dec-24-2020, Indie Pop |
| #39 | Fatigue | L’Rain | Album, Jun-25-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #40 | Dariacore | leroy | Album, May-14-2021, Electronic Dance Music |
| #41 | We Will Always Love You | The Avalanches | Album, Dec-11-2020, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #42 | Showtunes | Lambchop | Album, May-21-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #43 | to hell with it | PinkPantheress | Album, Oct-15-2021, Atmospheric Drum and Bass |
| #44 | Infinite Granite | Deafheaven | Album, Aug-20-2021, Shoegaze |
| #45 | Whole Lotta Red | Playboi Carti | Album, Dec-25-2020, Trap |
| #46 | LV N ATTN | LojaySarz | EP, Jun-04-2021, Afrobeats |
| #47 | Shade | Grouper | Album, Oct-22-2021, Contemporary Folk |
| #48 | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Album, Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave |
| #49 | Lucy & Aaron | Aaron DillowayLucrecia Dalt | Album, Jul-13-2021, Tape Music |
| #50 | Dope Game Stupid | Bruiser Wolf | Album, Mar-29-2021, Gangsta Rap |