The Independent's 40 Best Albums of 2021
From pop-punk that captured Gen-Z anxiety to otherworldly hip-hop, 2021’s greatest albums felt designed to help us process – or escape – what we were faced with over the past 12 months. The Independent’s music team count down their favourites
Published: December 22, 2021 11:48
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #2 | Blue Weekend | Wolf Alice | Jun-04-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #3 | We're All Alone In This Together | Dave | Jul-23-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #4 | Prioritise Pleasure | Self Esteem | Oct-22-2021, Electropop |
| #5 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #6 | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap |
| #7 | For Those I Love | For Those I Love | Mar-26-2021, Progressive House |
| #8 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #9 | Seventeen Going Under | Sam Fender | Oct-08-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #10 | This Is Really Going To Hurt | Flyte | Apr-09-2021, Indie Folk |
| #11 | Conflict Of Interest | Ghetts | Feb-19-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #12 | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #13 | Already, Always | Bess Atwell | Sep-24-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #14 | Happier Than Ever | Billie Eilish | Jul-30-2021, Alt-Pop |
| #15 | CARNAGE | Nick Cave & Warren Ellis | Feb-25-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #16 | King's Disease II | Nas | Aug-06-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #17 | Chemtrails Over The Country Club | Lana Del Rey | Mar-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #18 | Boy from Michigan | John Grant | Jun-25-2021, Synthpop |
| #19 | Flora Fauna | Billie Marten | May-21-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #20 | Snoop Dogg Presents Algorithm | Snoop Dogg | Nov-19-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #21 | Long Lost | Lord Huron | May-21-2021, Indie Folk |
| #22 | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Arlo Parks | Jan-29-2021, Bedroom Pop |
| #23 | Daddy's Home | St. Vincent | May-14-2021, Psychedelic Soul |
| #24 | Planet Her | Doja Cat | Jun-25-2021, Pop Rap |
| #25 | Things Take Time, Take Time | Courtney Barnett | Nov-12-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #26 | Not Your Muse | Celeste | Jan-29-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #27 | Path of Wellness | Sleater-Kinney | Jun-11-2021, Indie Rock |
| #28 | Pink Noise | Laura Mvula | Jul-02-2021, Synthpop |
| #29 | Friends That Break Your Heart | James Blake | Oct-08-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #30 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | May-21-2021, Pop |
| #31 | Californian Soil | London Grammar | Apr-16-2021, Art Pop |
| #32 | to hell with it | PinkPantheress | Oct-15-2021, Atmospheric Drum and Bass |
| #33 | Love Will Be Reborn | Martha Wainwright | Aug-20-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #34 | Voyage | ABBA | Nov-05-2021, Europop |
| #35 | Flu Game | AJ Tracey | Apr-16-2021, Trap |
| #36 | An Evening With Silk Sonic | Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic | Nov-12-2021, Smooth Soul |
| #37 | 30 | Adele | Nov-19-2021, Pop Soul |
| #38 | TAPE 2/FOMALHAUT | BERWYN | Jun-18-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #39 | lately I feel EVERYTHING | WILLOW | Jul-16-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #40 | Great Spans of Muddy Time | William Doyle | Mar-19-2021, Art Pop |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Little Simz | Album, Sep-03-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #2 | Blue Weekend | Wolf Alice | Album, Jun-04-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #3 | We're All Alone In This Together | Dave | Album, Jul-23-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #4 | Prioritise Pleasure | Self Esteem | Album, Oct-22-2021, Electropop |
| #5 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #6 | MONTERO | Lil Nas X | Album, Sep-17-2021, Pop Rap |
| #7 | For Those I Love | For Those I Love | Album, Mar-26-2021, Progressive House |
| #8 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #9 | Seventeen Going Under | Sam Fender | Album, Oct-08-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #10 | This Is Really Going To Hurt | Flyte | Album, Apr-09-2021, Indie Folk |
| #11 | Conflict Of Interest | Ghetts | Album, Feb-19-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #12 | Vince Staples | Vince Staples | Album, Jul-09-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #13 | Already, Always | Bess Atwell | Album, Sep-24-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #14 | Happier Than Ever | Billie Eilish | Album, Jul-30-2021, Alt-Pop |
| #15 | CARNAGE | Nick Cave & Warren Ellis | Album, Feb-25-2021, Chamber Pop |
| #16 | King's Disease II | Nas | Album, Aug-06-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #17 | Chemtrails Over The Country Club | Lana Del Rey | Album, Mar-19-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #18 | Boy from Michigan | John Grant | Album, Jun-25-2021, Synthpop |
| #19 | Flora Fauna | Billie Marten | Album, May-21-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #20 | Snoop Dogg Presents Algorithm | Snoop Dogg | Album, Nov-19-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #21 | Long Lost | Lord Huron | Album, May-21-2021, Indie Folk |
| #22 | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Arlo Parks | Album, Jan-29-2021, Bedroom Pop |
| #23 | Daddy's Home | St. Vincent | Album, May-14-2021, Psychedelic Soul |
| #24 | Planet Her | Doja Cat | Album, Jun-25-2021, Pop Rap |
| #25 | Things Take Time, Take Time | Courtney Barnett | Album, Nov-12-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #26 | Not Your Muse | Celeste | Album, Jan-29-2021, Neo-Soul |
| #27 | Path of Wellness | Sleater-Kinney | Album, Jun-11-2021, Indie Rock |
| #28 | Pink Noise | Laura Mvula | Album, Jul-02-2021, Synthpop |
| #29 | Friends That Break Your Heart | James Blake | Album, Oct-08-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #30 | SOUR | Olivia Rodrigo | Album, May-21-2021, Pop |
| #31 | Californian Soil | London Grammar | Album, Apr-16-2021, Art Pop |
| #32 | to hell with it | PinkPantheress | Album, Oct-15-2021, Atmospheric Drum and Bass |
| #33 | Love Will Be Reborn | Martha Wainwright | Album, Aug-20-2021, Singer-Songwriter |
| #34 | Voyage | ABBA | Album, Nov-05-2021, Europop |
| #35 | Flu Game | AJ Tracey | Album, Apr-16-2021, Trap |
| #36 | An Evening With Silk Sonic | Bruno MarsAnderson .PaakSilk Sonic | Album, Nov-12-2021, Smooth Soul |
| #37 | 30 | Adele | Album, Nov-19-2021, Pop Soul |
| #38 | TAPE 2/FOMALHAUT | BERWYN | Album, Jun-18-2021, UK Hip Hop |
| #39 | lately I feel EVERYTHING | WILLOW | Album, Jul-16-2021, Alternative Rock |
| #40 | Great Spans of Muddy Time | William Doyle | Album, Mar-19-2021, Art Pop |