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
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Prioritise Pleasure | Self Esteem | Oct-22-2021, Electropop |
| #2 | Blue Weekend | Wolf Alice | Jun-04-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #3 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #4 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #5 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #6 | Nine | SAULT | Jun-25-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #7 | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk |
| #8 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | May-21-2021, Pop |
| #9 | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Arlo Parks | Jan-29-2021, Bedroom Pop |
| #10 | Afrique Victime | Mdou Moctar | May-21-2021, Tishoumaren |
| #11 | Seventeen Going Under | Sam Fender | Oct-08-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #12 | Heaux Tales | Jazmine Sullivan | Jan-08-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #13 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #14 | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap |
| #15 | CARNAGE | Nick Cave & Warren Ellis | Feb-25-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #16 | Infinite Granite | Deafheaven | Aug-20-2021, Shoegaze |
| #17 | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave |
| #18 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #19 | We're All Alone In This Together | Dave | Jul-23-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #20 | Vulture Prince | Arooj Aftab | Apr-23-2021, Chamber Folk |
| #21 | Coral Island | The Coral | Apr-30-2021, Indie Rock |
| #22 | Pink Noise | Laura Mvula | Jul-02-2021, Synthpop |
| #23 | Promises | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders | Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #24 | Happier Than Ever | Billie Eilish | Jul-30-2021, Alt-Pop |
| #25 | Sound Ancestors | Madlib | Jan-29-2021, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #26 | As The Love Continues | Mogwai | Feb-19-2021, Post-Rock |
| #27 | Daddy's Home | St. Vincent | May-14-2021, Psychedelic Soul |
| #28 | star-crossed | Kacey Musgraves | Sep-10-2021, Folk Pop |
| #29 | Sling | Clairo | Jul-16-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #30 | MAN MADE | Greentea Peng | Jun-04-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #31 | HEY WHAT | Low | Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #32 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #33 | to hell with it | PinkPantheress | Oct-15-2021, Atmospheric Drum and Bass |
| #34 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | 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 | Aly & AJ | May-07-2021, Indie Pop |
| #36 | im hole | aya | Oct-22-2021, Deconstructed Club |
| #37 | Sensational | Erika de Casier | May-21-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #38 | On All Fours | Goat Girl | Jan-29-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #39 | FLOWERS for VASES / descansos | Hayley Williams | Feb-05-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #40 | Chemtrails Over The Country Club | Lana Del Rey | Mar-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #41 | Quivering In Time | Eris Drew | Oct-29-2021, Breakbeat |
| #42 | Fortitude | GOJIRA | Apr-30-2021, Groove Metal |
| #43 | Made Out of Sound | Chris Corsano, Bill Orcutt | Mar-26-2021, Free Improvisation |
| #44 | For the first time | Black Country, New Road | Feb-05-2021, Post-Rock |
| #45 | For Those I Love | For Those I Love | Mar-26-2021, Progressive House |
| #46 | Busy Guy | Stephen Fretwell | Jul-16-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #47 | WINK | CHAI | May-21-2021, Electropop |
| #48 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #49 | Diorama | MØL | Nov-05-2021, Blackgaze |
| #50 | Magic Still Exists | Agnes | Oct-22-2021, Dance-Pop |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Prioritise Pleasure | Self Esteem | Album, Oct-22-2021, Electropop |
| #2 | Blue Weekend | Wolf Alice | Album, Jun-04-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #3 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Album, Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #4 | Ignorance | The Weather Station | Album, Feb-05-2021, Sophisti-Pop |
| #5 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #6 | Nine | SAULT | Album, Jun-25-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #7 | New Long Leg | Dry Cleaning | Album, Apr-02-2021, Post-Punk |
| #8 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | Album, May-21-2021, Pop |
| #9 | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Arlo Parks | Album, Jan-29-2021, Bedroom Pop |
| #10 | Afrique Victime | Mdou Moctar | Album, May-21-2021, Tishoumaren |
| #11 | Seventeen Going Under | Sam Fender | Album, Oct-08-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #12 | Heaux Tales | Jazmine Sullivan | EP, Jan-08-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #13 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #14 | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Album, Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap |
| #15 | CARNAGE | Nick Cave & Warren Ellis | Album, Feb-25-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #16 | Infinite Granite | Deafheaven | Album, Aug-20-2021, Shoegaze |
| #17 | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Album, Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave |
| #18 | GLOW ON | Turnstile | Album, Aug-27-2021, Post-Hardcore |
| #19 | We're All Alone In This Together | Dave | Album, Jul-23-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #20 | Vulture Prince | Arooj Aftab | Album, Apr-23-2021, Chamber Folk |
| #21 | Coral Island | The Coral | Album, Apr-30-2021, Indie Rock |
| #22 | Pink Noise | Laura Mvula | Album, Jul-02-2021, Synthpop |
| #23 | Promises | Floating PointsPharoah Sanders | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #24 | Happier Than Ever | Billie Eilish | Album, Jul-30-2021, Alt-Pop |
| #25 | Sound Ancestors | Madlib | Album, Jan-29-2021, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #26 | As The Love Continues | Mogwai | Album, Feb-19-2021, Post-Rock |
| #27 | Daddy's Home | St. Vincent | Album, May-14-2021, Psychedelic Soul |
| #28 | star-crossed | Kacey Musgraves | Album, Sep-10-2021, Folk Pop |
| #29 | Sling | Clairo | Album, Jul-16-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #30 | MAN MADE | Greentea Peng | Album, Jun-04-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #31 | HEY WHAT | Low | Album, Sep-10-2021, Post-Industrial |
| #32 | An Overview on Phenomenal Nature | Cassandra Jenkins | Album, Feb-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #33 | to hell with it | PinkPantheress | Album, Oct-15-2021, Atmospheric Drum and Bass |
| #34 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | 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 | Aly & AJ | Album, May-07-2021, Indie Pop |
| #36 | im hole | aya | Album, Oct-22-2021, Deconstructed Club |
| #37 | Sensational | Erika de Casier | Album, May-21-2021, Contemporary R&B |
| #38 | On All Fours | Goat Girl | Album, Jan-29-2021, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #39 | FLOWERS for VASES / descansos | Hayley Williams | Album, Feb-05-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #40 | Chemtrails Over The Country Club | Lana Del Rey | Album, Mar-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #41 | Quivering In Time | Eris Drew | Album, Oct-29-2021, Breakbeat |
| #42 | Fortitude | GOJIRA | Album, Apr-30-2021, Groove Metal |
| #43 | Made Out of Sound | Chris CorsanoBill Orcutt | Album, Mar-26-2021, Free Improvisation |
| #44 | For the first time | Black Country, New Road | Album, Feb-05-2021, Post-Rock |
| #45 | For Those I Love | For Those I Love | Album, Mar-26-2021, Progressive House |
| #46 | Busy Guy | Stephen Fretwell | Album, Jul-16-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #47 | WINK | CHAI | Album, May-21-2021, Electropop |
| #48 | Home Video | Lucy Dacus | Album, Jun-25-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #49 | Diorama | MØL | Album, Nov-05-2021, Blackgaze |
| #50 | Magic Still Exists | Agnes | Album, Oct-22-2021, Dance-Pop |