The Wall Street Journal's Best Music of 2021

While albums from superstars like Drake and Kanye West fell flat, others by Adele and Kacey Musgraves—as well as lesser-known acts like Japanese Breakfast and Tirzah—offered hope after a difficult year.

Source

# 1

30 by Adele

Album • Nov 19 / 2021 Pop Soul

# 2

Second Line by Dawn Richard

Album • Apr 30 / 2021 Alternative R&B

# 3

Promises by Floating Points + Pharoah Sanders

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Post-Minimalism Third Stream

# 4

Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Indie Pop Chamber Pop

# 5

star-crossed by Kacey Musgraves

Album • Sep 10 / 2021 Folk Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 6

Sound Ancestors by Madlib

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Instrumental Hip Hop

# 7

Changephobia by Rostam

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Indie Pop Art Pop

# 8

Valentine by Snail Mail

Album • Nov 05 / 2021 Indie Rock Indie Pop

# 9

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

Album • Oct 29 / 2021 Heartland Rock

# 10

Colourgrade by Tirzah

Album • Oct 01 / 2021 Minimal Wave Art Pop

# 11

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST by Tyler, The Creator

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 West Coast Hip Hop

# 12

Urban Driftwood by Yasmin Williams

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Contemporary Folk