Top 50 Albums Of 2021

A little late, a little rushed, but I made it. Let’s celebrate the albums that made life just a little more tolerable over the last twelve months. These are my top 50 favourite albums of 2021. 

Check out my top 50 albums of 2020 here!

50. 

black midi 

Cavalcade 

Rough Trade | Indie Rock 

The English quartet continue to push boundaries and experiment with elements of art and noise rock on this, their sophomore studio album. 

Favourite track? John L 

49. 

DijahSB

Head Above The Waters 

Dijahsb | Hip Hop 

The most inviting, feel-good rap of the year comes from Toronto based talent Dijahsb, with what is their brief and easy going second album. 

Favourite track? Way Too Many Things 

48. 

Westside Gunn 

Hitler Wears Hermes 8 : Sincerely Adolf 

EMPIRE / Griselda | Hip Hop 

A cohesive mixtape that features Westside Gunn, and several of his Griselda stablemates, rapping over smoky and hazy beats. 

Favourite track? Margiela Split Toes (feat. Mach-Hommy) 

47. 

Wiki 

Half God 

Wikset Enterprise | Hip Hop 

His second album of the year, New York rapper Wiki is at his introspective and contemplative best as Navy Blue takes over the production. 

Favourite track? The Business

46. 

NAO 

And Then Life Was Beautiful 

Little Tokyo / RCA | R&B 

For her third studio album the English artist NAO continued to perform her distinctive and abating vocals over a set of lush backdrops. 

Favourite track? Burn Out 

45. 

Home Is Where 

I Became Birds 

Home Is Where | Emo / Indie Rock 

Channeling their inner Neutral Milk Hotel with an extra bite of emo angst, Florida’s Home Is Where dropped one of the best EPs of the year. 

Favourite track? Long Distance Conjoined Twins 

44. 

Mustafa 

When Smoke Rises

Regent Park Songs | R&B 

Exceptional talent from Toronto, Mustafa’s debut album is a short, sweet, and sensitive project that features Sampha and James Blake. 

Favourite track? Capo (feat. Sampha) 

43. 

Boldy James & The Alchemist 

Bo Jackson 

ALC | Hip Hop 

Prolific rapper Boldy James teamed with acclaimed producer The Alchemist for what was his second studio album in around eight months. 

Favourite track? First 48 Freestyle 

42. 

Taylor Swift 

evermore 

Republic | Alternative / Pop 

On the conceptual sequel to ‘folklore’, Taylor Swift continues to collaborate with the likes of Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner to craft this satisfying follow up. 

Favourite track? long story short 

41. 

Little Simz 

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert 

Age 101 / AWAL | Hip Hop 

An ambitious project that tackles life, and Little Simz’s place within it. Personal and ambitious, this is a masterclass in performance.  

Favourite track? Two Worlds Apart 

40. 

Arab Strap 

As Days Get Dark 

Rock Action | Alternative 

Fifteen years since their last album the Scottish duo return with their seventh record of electronic tinged goth rock, distinctive vocals and darkly funny lyrics. 

Favourite track? Here Comes Comus! 

39. 

Xenia Rubinos 

Una Rosa 

ANTI- | Alternative 

On her latest record, the bilingual Xenia Rubinos created a digitally altered and very alternative pop winner. 

Favourite track? Did My Best 

38. 

Olivia Rodrigo 

SOUR 

Geffen | Pop 

Was there a bigger breakout star in 2021? The pop sensation dropped a debut that moved from balladry to 2000’s era pop punk with astonishing ease. 

Favourite track? deja vu 

37. 

A Winged Victory For The Sullen 

Invisible Cities 

Artificial Pinearch Manufacturing | Ambient 

The latest release of hauntingly beautiful pieces of music from the ambient duo of Dustin O’Halloran and Adam Wiltzie. 

Favourite track? There Is One Of Which You Never Speak 

36. 

Billie Eilish 

Happier Than Ever 

Darkroom / Interscope | Alternative 

For her highly anticipated sophomore studio album the teenage pop phenomenon Billie Eilish - along with her brother Finneas - provide an even deeper and braver follow up. 

Favourite track? Your Power 

35. 

Lily Konigsberg 

Lily We Need To Talk Now 

Wharf Cat | Indie Rock 

The New York based singer-songwriter Lily Konigsberg delivered a versatile and wistful effort for her debut studio album. 

Favourite track? True 

34. 

Godspeed You! Black Emperor 

G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END! 

Constellation | Post-Rock 

Montreal’s legendary post-rock collective delivered another set of creeping epics for what is their seventh record. 

Favourite track? OUR SIDE HAS TO WIN (for D.H.) 

33. 

Parannoul 

To See The Next Part Of The Dream 

Parannoul | Indie Rock 

Little is known of the enigmatic South Korean artist Parannoul, except that their second album of emo and shoegaze hybrids is spectacular. 

Favourite track? Analog Sentimentalism 

32. 

Backxwash 

I Lie Here Buried With My Rings And My Dresses 

Ugly Hag | Hip Hop 

Zambian born and Montreal based rapper and producer Backxwash’s third album is a brutal and defiant powerhouse. 

Favourite track? WAIL of the BANSHEE (feat. SurgeryHead) 

31. 

Dean McPhee

Witch’s Ladder 

Alternative | Hood Faire 

An expectantly enchanting album for the English guitarist’s latest work, which comprises of five atmospheric instrumentals. 

Favourite track? Red Lebanese

30. 

Benny The Butcher & Harry Fraud 

The Plugs I Met 2 

Black Saprano Family / SRFSCHL | Hip Hop 

Two New Yorkers (rapper Benny The Butcher and producer Harry Fraud) teamed up to produce one of the most underrated EPs of the year. 

Favourite track? No Instructions 

29. 

Courtney Barnett 

Things Take Time, Take Time 

Marathon Artists | Indie Rock 

Consistent and charming, Australia’s Courtney Barnett performs slack rock with that trademark lazy drawl of hers. 

Favourite track? Sunfair Sundown 

28. 

Nas 

King’s Disease II 

Mass Appeal / The Orchard | Hip Hop 

The sequel to last year’s album, this is iconic rapper Nas’ best effort for a long time, with a plethora of worthwhile features from Eminem to Lauryn Hill. 

Favourite track? Store Run 

27. 

Deafheaven 

Infinite Granite 

Sargent House | Indie Rock 

A somewhat polarising album amongst their fan base, I love this new direction for Deafheaven, with cleaner vocals and a more direct shoegaze sound. 

Favourite track? Great Mass Of Color 

26. 

Jazmine Sullivan 

Heaux Tales

RCA | R&B 

My favourite EP of the year comes from the Philadelphia based singer-songwriter, and has appearances from Ari Lennox, Anderson .Paak, and H.E.R. 

Favourite track? On It (feat. Ari Lennox) 

25. 

Cassandra Jenkins 

An Overview On Phenomenal Nature 

Ba Da Bing | Singer-Songwriter 

A meditative new release from the New York artist which sounds like pure catharsis, as relaxed vocals are perpetually surrounded by the alleviating instrumentation. 

Favourite track? Hard Drive 

24. 

Lucy Dacus 

Home Video 

Matador | Indie Rock 

On her latest LP, Lucy Dacus continues to write for the moments when you are living your life, unaware of the memories you’re creating - both good and bad - in the process. 

Favourite track? Hot & Heavy 

23. 

Matt Sweeney & Bonnie “Prince” Billy 

Superwolves 

Drag City | Indie Folk 

Over fifteen years since their original collaboration, Matt Sweeney and Bonnie “Prince” Billy team up again for more playful folk. 

Favourite track? Hall Of Death 

22. 

Sons Of Kemet 

Black To The Future 

Impulse! | Jazz 

For their fourth album, the London based quartet are as focused and precise as ever on what I think is their finest release to date. 

Favourite track? In Remembrance Of Those Fallen 

21. 

Lingua Ignota 

Sinner Get Ready 

Sargent House | Alternative 

Violent, theatrical, beautiful, intense. Lingua Ignota performs with a clinical creativity on an album that is wholly unlike anything else I heard all year. 

Favourite track? Man Is Like A Spring Flower 

20. 

Lana Del Rey 

Blue Banisters 

Interscope / Polydor | Alternative 

The second release of the year for Lana Del Rey, and while it fell just slightly short of its predecessor, it is still an ornate and impressive effort. 

Favourite track? Dealer 

19. 

Tyler, The Creator 

CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST 

Columbia | Hip Hop 

One of the most popular rappers in music today, Tyler, The Creator returned with his latest album, full of character and soulful experimentation. 

Favourite track? JUGGERNAUT (feat. Lil Uzi Vert & Pharrell Williams) 

18. 

Cheekface 

Emphatically, No. 

New Professor Music | Indie Rock 

The L.A. based trio return with their second studio album, with more addictive melodies and the kind of lyrics you’d want to wear on a t-shirt. 

Favourite track? No Connection 

17. 

Nala Sinephro 

Space 1.8 

Warp | Ambient 

Currently based in London, Caribbean-Belgian musician and composer Nala Sinephro plays some of the most engrossing, but also subdued, jazz of the year. 

Favourite track? Space 8

16. 

The War On Drugs 

I Don’t Live Here Anymore 

Atlantic | Rock

Adam Granduciel was back with more nostalgic Americana, dusty heartland rock, and the influences of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen on the latest War On Drugs LP. 

Favourite track? I Don’t Live Here Anymore 

15. 

Damien Jurado 

The Monster Who Hated Pennsylvania 

Maraqopa | Singer-Songwriter 

One of my favourite singer-songwriters of the past quarter century, Damien Jurado’s latest is more of his trademark pensive folk. 

Favourite track? Hiding Ghosts 

14. 

Blu 

The Color Blu 

Dirty Science / Nature Sounds / New World Color | Hip Hop 

On what is the coolest hip hop album of the year, Blu raps over production that blends together jazz and blues, with a modernised twist. 

Favourite track? Everyday Blu(e)s 

13. 

Boldy James & Real Bad Man 

Real Bad Boldy 

Real Bad Man Records | Hip Hop 

Released in late 2020, this collaborative project between the rapper and producer has remained my favourite hip hop project of the last twelve months. 

Favourite track? Light Bill (feat. Meyhem Lauren) 

12. 

Valerie June 

The Moon And The Stars : Prescriptions For Dreamers 

Fantasy Records | Singer-Songwriter 

Valerie June mixes the timeless sounds of folk, blues and gospel, with her fantastic voice and a rich array of instrumentation. 

Favourite track? Fallin’ 

11. 

Mdou Moctar 

Afrique Victime 

Matador | Indie Rock 

My first time hearing this Tuareg artist and I was blown away by the guitarist’s spiralling psychedelia and rock music. 

Favourite track? Chismiten 

10. 

Celer 

Malaria 

Will Long | Ambient 

My favourite ambient album of the year comes from the ridiculously busy artist, Celer. Having continued the project since his partner’s tragic passing over a decade earlier, American born and Japan based sound maker Will Long pulls the listener in to an immersive and distractingly beautiful experience, the conception of which was inspired by the letters and journals of WWII veteran, James Jenkins. 

Favourite track? Eventual Needs 

9. 

Snail Mail 

Valentine 

Matador | Indie Rock 

Lindsey Jordan returns with her Snail Mail project for album number two, over four years after her breakout debut, Lush. Being joined by Brad Cook on production, she opens up on personal topics for an endearing and relatable collection of rock tracks. The songwriting is stellar, with similar themes being explored but with new layers being added instrumentally and an even greater approachability. 

Favourite track? Headlock 

8. 

Indigo De Souza 

Any Shape You Take 

Saddle Creek | Indie Rock 

Boasting the closing track, Kill Me, which I listed as my number one favourite song of the year, this is the North Carolina based artist’s sophomore studio album, and just like Valentine, this too features Brad Cook on production duties. Featuring the dense undertones of grunge, mixed with the accessibility of 1990’s era pop/rock, pretty production and some superb vocals, this is a highlight from start to finish. 

Favourite track? Kill Me 

7. 

Lana Del Rey 

Chemtrails Over The Country Club 

Interscope / Polydor | Alternative 

The first of two studio albums released this year from Lana Del Rey, and in my opinion, the best of the pair. The Californian artist has never sounded more confident with the sound she has created for herself over the last decade. And why wouldn’t she? Since 2019’s consensus opus, Norman Fucking Rockwell, she has consistently been releasing her best music yet. 

Favourite track? Chemtrails Over The Country Club 

6. 

Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra 

Promises 

Luaka Bop | Jazz / Modern Classical 

A former member of John Coltrane’s seminal groups of the 1960’s, this is the accomplished saxophone player Pharoah Sanders’ first new project in over two decades, as he teams with English producer Sam Shepherd, known as Floating Points, and the powerful ensemble of the London Symphony Orchestra, and the results are simply breathtaking. 

Favourite track? Movement 6 

5. 

Japanese Breakfast 

Jubilee 

Dead Oceans | Indie Pop

The shimmering pattern of a disco ball hangs above this catchy tracklist. This is the third studio album by Japanese Breakfast, led by Korean-American talent Michelle Zauner. Almost every track on here has the polished production, catchy hook, and overall pop appeal of a hit single, which helps to make it their finest offering to date. 

Favourite track? Be Sweet 

4. 

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis 

CARNAGE 

Goliath | Alternative 

Remarkably, this is actually the first collaborative album between the two long time band mates. A tandem of Australian geniuses, Nick Cave and lead Bad Seed Warren Ellis continue to play with the celestial canopies heard on previous records like Skeleton Tree and Ghosteen. 

Favourite track? Lavender Fields 

3. 

IDLES 

CRAWLER 

Partisan | Post-Punk 

With Kenny Beats at the helm of production, helping to thicken the already heavy sounds, IDLES delivered their fourth studio album. With more depth than predecessors, the English punk rockers tear through a set of dramatic tracks that perfectly showcase their evolution, with audible influences ranging from BROCKHAMPTON, to The Fall. 

Favourite track? Beachland Ballroom 

2. 

Dry Cleaning 

New Long Leg 

4AD | Post-Punk 

The most exciting debut album of the year goes to the English outfit Dry Cleaning. A perfect blend is established between the sharp rock and post-punk grooves of the guitars and drums, and the spoken word vocals of frontwoman Florence Shaw, whose lyrics flit between sounding like journal entries to the notes and ideas of an observational stand-up comedian.  

Favourite track? Scratchcard Lanyard

1. 

Arooj Aftab 

Vulture Prince 

Alternative | New Amsterdam Records

Showcasing the boundless limitations of music, this is the stunning new album from the Pakistani singer-songwriter Arooj Aftab. Throughout the rich and expressive selection of tracks I could understand little of the lyrics, and yet, I could still feel every word. A special feat that exemplifies just how captivating this remarkable album truly is. 

Favourite track? Baghon Main, or Mohabbat