The Guardian's 50 Best Albums of 2021

And finally – a deserving winner, whose second solo album is a truly relatable, pin-sharp pop classic. We reveal our No 1 album of 2021

Published: December 17, 2021 06:52 Source

# 1

Prioritise Pleasure by Self Esteem

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Electropop Alt-Pop

# 2

Blue Weekend by Wolf Alice

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Alternative Rock

# 3

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz

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

# 4

Ignorance by The Weather Station

Album • Feb 05 / 2021 Sophisti-Pop Art Pop

# 5

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST by Tyler, The Creator

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 West Coast Hip Hop

# 6

Nine by SAULT

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Neo-Soul

# 7

New Long Leg by Dry Cleaning

Album • Apr 02 / 2021 Post-Punk

# 8

SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo

Album • May 21 / 2021 Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 9

Collapsed In Sunbeams by Arlo Parks

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Bedroom Pop Neo-Soul

# 10

Afrique Victime by Mdou Moctar

Album • May 21 / 2021 Tishoumaren Psychedelic Rock

# 11

Seventeen Going Under by Sam Fender

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Heartland Rock

# 12

Heaux Tales by Jazmine Sullivan

EP • Jan 08 / 2021 Contemporary R&B Neo-Soul

# 13

Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Indie Pop Chamber Pop

# 14

MONTERO by Lil Nas X

Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Pop Rap Pop Trap

# 15

CARNAGE by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

Album • Feb 25 / 2021 Chamber Pop Art Pop

# 16

Infinite Granite by Deafheaven

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Shoegaze

# 17

Colourgrade by Tirzah

Album • Oct 01 / 2021 Minimal Wave Art Pop

# 18

GLOW ON by Turnstile

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Post-Hardcore Alternative Rock

# 19

We're All Alone In This Together by Dave

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

# 20

Vulture Prince by Arooj Aftab

Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Chamber Folk Ghazal

# 21

Coral Island by The Coral

Album • Apr 30 / 2021 Indie Rock

# 22

Pink Noise by Laura Mvula

Album • Jul 02 / 2021 Synthpop Contemporary R&B Dance-Pop

# 23

Promises by Floating Points + Pharoah Sanders

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Post-Minimalism Third Stream

# 24

Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish

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

# 25

Sound Ancestors by Madlib

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Instrumental Hip Hop

# 26

As The Love Continues by Mogwai

Album • Feb 19 / 2021 Post-Rock

# 27

Daddy's Home by St. Vincent

Album • May 14 / 2021 Psychedelic Soul Art Rock

# 28

star-crossed by Kacey Musgraves

Album • Sep 10 / 2021 Folk Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 29

Sling by Clairo

Album • Jul 16 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Contemporary Folk

# 30

MAN MADE by Greentea Peng

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Neo-Soul Psychedelic Soul

# 31

HEY WHAT by Low

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

# 32

An Overview on Phenomenal Nature by Cassandra Jenkins

Album • Feb 19 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 33

to hell with it by PinkPantheress

Album • Oct 15 / 2021 Atmospheric Drum and Bass Contemporary R&B Alt-Pop Downtempo

# 34

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

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Heartland Rock

# 35

a touch of the beat gets you up on your feet gets you out and then into the sun by Aly & AJ

Album • May 07 / 2021 Indie Pop

# 36

im hole by aya

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Deconstructed Club Glitch Hop

# 37

Sensational by Erika de Casier

Album • May 21 / 2021 Contemporary R&B

# 38

On All Fours by Goat Girl

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Art Rock

# 39

FLOWERS for VASES / descansos by Hayley Williams

Album • Feb 05 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk

# 40

Chemtrails Over The Country Club by Lana Del Rey

Album • Mar 19 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 41

Quivering In Time by Eris Drew

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Breakbeat Deep House

# 42

Fortitude by GOJIRA

Album • Apr 30 / 2021 Groove Metal Progressive Metal

# 43

Made Out of Sound by Chris Corsano + Bill Orcutt

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Free Improvisation Experimental Rock

# 44

For the first time by Black Country, New Road

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

# 45

For Those I Love by For Those I Love

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Progressive House Spoken Word

# 46

Busy Guy by Stephen Fretwell

Album • Jul 16 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk

# 47

WINK by CHAI

Album • May 21 / 2021 Electropop Indie Pop

# 48

Home Video by Lucy Dacus

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter

# 49

Diorama by MØL

Album • Nov 05 / 2021 Blackgaze

# 50

Magic Still Exists by Agnes

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Dance-Pop Disco