Vinyl Me, Please's Best Albums of 2021

Learn more about the 50 best albums of the year, chosen by VMP staff — in alphabetical order from Arooj Aftab to Yasmin Williams, with a wide range of artists in between.

Source

# 1

Haram by Armand Hammer + The Alchemist

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Abstract Hip Hop East Coast Hip Hop Hardcore Hip Hop

# 2

Vulture Prince by Arooj Aftab

Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Chamber Folk Ghazal

# 3

INSIDE by Bo Burnham

Album • Jun 10 / 2021

# 4

There’s a Nightclub Inside My Head by Boston Bun

Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Deep House

# 5

gelato by boylife

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Alternative R&B

# 6

Downtiming by Camp Trash

EP • Jan 22 / 2021 Emo-Pop Indie Rock

# 7

WINK by CHAI

Album • May 21 / 2021 Electropop Indie Pop

# 8

Mother by Cleo Sol

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Neo-Soul Smooth Soul

# 9

BLACK METAL 2 by Dean Blunt

Album • Jun 11 / 2021 Art Pop

# 10

Absolutely by Dijon

Album • Nov 05 / 2021 Alternative R&B Neo-Soul

# 11

Sensational by Erika de Casier

Album • May 21 / 2021 Contemporary R&B

# 12

Promises by Floating Points + Pharoah Sanders

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Post-Minimalism Third Stream

# 13

Music for Living Spaces by Green-House

Album • May 07 / 2021 New Age Ambient

# 14

Shade by Grouper

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Contemporary Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 15

Public Storage by Hana Vu

Album • Nov 05 / 2021 Indie Pop

# 16

Far In by Helado Negro

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Indietronica Art Pop

# 17

Mood Valiant by Hiatus Kaiyote

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Neo-Soul

# 18

Any Shape You Take by Indigo De Souza

Album • Aug 27 / 2021 Indie Rock

# 19

Cosmic Transitions by Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few

Album • May 12 / 2021

# 20

Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Indie Pop Chamber Pop

# 21

Heaux Tales by Jazmine Sullivan

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

# 22

See You Next Time by Joshua Ray Walker

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Neo-Traditionalist Country Contemporary Country

# 23

star-crossed by Kacey Musgraves

Album • Sep 10 / 2021 Folk Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 24

Cool Dry Place by Katy Kirby

Album • Feb 19 / 2021 Singer-Songwriter Indie Pop

# 25

Butterfly 3000 by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Album • Jun 11 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Psychedelic Pop

# 26

Fatigue by L’Rain

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Neo-Soul

# 27

A Color of the Sky by Lightning Bug

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Dream Pop

# 28

MONTERO by Lil Nas X

Album • Sep 17 / 2021 Pop Rap Pop Trap

# 29

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz

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

# 30

Mercurial World by Magdalena Bay

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Synthpop Dance-Pop Alt-Pop

# 31

Remember Her Name by Mickey Guyton

Album • Sep 24 / 2021 Adult Contemporary Country Pop

# 32

Disco! by MIKE

Album • Jun 21 / 2021 Abstract Hip Hop Experimental Hip Hop East Coast Hip Hop

# 33

Rare Pleasure by Mndsgn

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Psychedelic Soul Jazz-Funk

# 34

When Smoke Rises by Mustafa

Album • May 28 / 2021 Neo-Soul Singer-Songwriter

# 35

Space 1.8 by Nala Sinephro

Album • Sep 03 / 2021 Nu Jazz Avant-Garde Jazz

# 36

SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo

Album • May 21 / 2021 Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 37

GUMBO'! by Pink Siifu

Album • Aug 02 / 2021 Trap Southern Hip Hop Abstract Hip Hop

# 38

Notes With Attachments by Pino Palladino + Blake Mills

Album • Mar 12 / 2021 Jazz Fusion

# 39

All Day Gentle Hold ! by Porches

Album • Oct 08 / 2021 Synthpop Indie Pop

# 40

Surrender by RÜFÜS DU SOL

Album • Oct 22 / 2021 Progressive House

# 41

DEACON by serpentwithfeet

Album • Mar 26 / 2021 Alternative R&B Art Pop

# 42

ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH by SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE

Album • Apr 09 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Noise Pop

# 43

The Ballad of Dood & Juanita by Sturgill Simpson

Album • Aug 20 / 2021 Outlaw Country

# 44

Don't Go Tellin' Your Momma by Topaz Jones

Album • Apr 23 / 2021 Pop Rap East Coast Hip Hop

# 45

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST by Tyler, The Creator

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 West Coast Hip Hop

# 46

Ookii Gekkou by Vanishing Twin

Album • Oct 15 / 2021 Neo-Psychedelia Psychedelic Pop Progressive Pop

# 47

Vincent Neil Emerson by Vincent Neil Emerson

Album • Jun 25 / 2021 Outlaw Country Singer-Songwriter

# 48

With Opened Eyes by Vindata

Album • Jun 04 / 2021 Electronic Dance Music Pop

# 49

Twin Plagues by Wednesday

Album • Aug 13 / 2021 Shoegaze Indie Rock

# 50

Urban Driftwood by Yasmin Williams

Album • Jan 29 / 2021 Contemporary Folk