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
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 30 | Adele | Nov-19-2021, Pop Soul |
| #2 | Second Line | Dawn Richard | Apr-30-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #3 | Promises | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders | Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #4 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #5 | star-crossed | Kacey Musgraves | Sep-10-2021, Folk Pop |
| #6 | Sound Ancestors | Madlib | Jan-29-2021, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #7 | Changephobia | Rostam | Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #8 | Valentine | Snail Mail | Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock |
| #9 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #10 | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave |
| #11 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #12 | Urban Driftwood | Yasmin Williams | Jan-29-2021, Contemporary Folk |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 30 | Adele | Album, Nov-19-2021, Pop Soul |
| #2 | Second Line | Dawn Richard | Album, Apr-30-2021, Alternative R&B |
| #3 | Promises | Floating PointsPharoah Sanders | Album, Mar-26-2021, Post-Minimalism |
| #4 | Jubilee | Japanese Breakfast | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #5 | star-crossed | Kacey Musgraves | Album, Sep-10-2021, Folk Pop |
| #6 | Sound Ancestors | Madlib | Album, Jan-29-2021, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #7 | Changephobia | Rostam | Album, Jun-04-2021, Indie Pop |
| #8 | Valentine | Snail Mail | Album, Nov-05-2021, Indie Rock |
| #9 | I Don’t Live Here Anymore | The War on Drugs | Album, Oct-29-2021, Heartland Rock |
| #10 | Colourgrade | Tirzah | Album, Oct-01-2021, Minimal Wave |
| #11 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jun-25-2021, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #12 | Urban Driftwood | Yasmin Williams | Album, Jan-29-2021, Contemporary Folk |