The 20 best albums of 2021
See how the latest from Adele, Japanese Breakfast, Billie Eilish and more rank on our countdown
Music Lists Albums
Any best-of list is by definition incomplete: There’s always a great record that got overlooked, an abundance of riches that simply didn’t fit into the limited numbers of spaces available, a genre whose strengths weren’t properly appreciated. But even taking all of that into account, it’s pretty clear that this year created a hunger in many people for the addictive pleasures of pop music. Pop—and often mainstream pop, at that—takes up more space on this year’s list of the 20 best albums than it normally would. There’s plenty of rap, indie rock, punk, soul, and more, but there’s a clear dominance by that most populist of genres.
And honestly? We’re not the least bit surprised. 2020 was a shitshow, to put it mildly, and 2021 has only partially recouped a sense of stability in this world. During such trying times, it’s only natural that our predilections might gravitate toward music that comforts above all else, that vibrates with the familiar frequencies of easy pleasures and offers a balm of simple melodies and rhythms. (And hey—for those who found the past 20 months just made them want to scream, we’ve also got The Armed.)
But whether you’re looking for a new artist to fall in love with or checking to see if your own favorites made the list, the following are the albums that found the most common ground among the 11 critics who contributed to this year’s A.V. Club list. (If you are outraged that something isn’t on here, it was definitely at number 21.) There was no clear victor who broke away from the pack this year; the top five albums were all within spitting distance of one another. And all of these records made us fall in love with the immediate power of music all over again.
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50 Comments
Lorde have mercy — UfOsR4realScary, Durbin, United States, June 2021
fave album for me is Prioritise Pleasure by Self Esteem. Like the artists name, your self esteem just grows with each listen, and it’s a feel good album for me during these omicron Christmas sads.
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, the London Symphony Orchestra – PromisesAny list without it is incomplete
An excellent record. It made our Best Albums of 2021 So Far list, fwiw.
Question: when did you first hear about these artists and this album? Confused about the huge groundswell around this album, but I will keep listening to it to see if I can get why it’s getting so much heat.
Floating Points has been making excellent thoughtful electronic music for years now, and this is his most ambitious (“respectable”?) work so far
I guess I should be glad that this music is getting treated respectably. I personally prefer Oneohtrix and have found this album to be a bit of a snooze so I don’t understand why everyone has decided THIS is the acclaimed one, but maybe it will grow on me, and the idea of Oneohtrix or Flying Lotus using an orchestra has real appeal
CHVRCHES Screen Violence was a return to form after their previous album was…divisive. Other faves from this year include Holly Humberstone’s “The Walls Are Way Too Thin”, Mastodon’s “Hushed and Grim”, and Chris Stapleton’s “Starting Over”.
I initially really enjoyed Screen Violence on release, but soured on it a bit after repeat listens. I think the bad habits from Love Is Dead (weak lyrics, very lame and predictable ‘beat drops’) pop up in big ways on several tracks, mainly He Said, She Said (which not surprisingly the most listened to song from the album on Spotify).
I agree with this. While largely a return to form after Love Is Dead destroyed all their goodwill, I think the singles still left a lot to be desired (excluding the Robert Smith track). I’m happy they still have life in them, but it still didn’t hold a candle to those first two Chvrches albums for me.
I actually wasn’t really into HS/SS, too much airplay on Sirus, California was my big favorite.
its the absolute opposite for me, that album just got better and better with time. I think the lyrics are absolutely incredible too, especially on “Violent Delights”, “Final Girl” and “Better If You Don’t”
No Gojira?No Mastodon?Come on man….
No Every Time I Die either. 3 of my favorite bands released MONSTER albums this year and I couldn’t be more pumped.
That Gojira album doesn’t even crack the top 100 metal releases this year, real weak
Quiet in here.
My album of the year was
Sneaker Pimps – Squaring the Circle
Roosevelt – Polydans
Still Corners – The Last Exit
My pick would probably be 333 by Tinashe, who’s been really consistently strong over the last decade. Think nocturnal R&B with great hooks, sort of Velvet Rope-era Janet Jackson meets Girls Aloud.Runners-up would probably be Changephobia by Rostam (I never liked Vampire Weekend at all, but his solo stuff has been good, and his voice makes you wonder why they let Ezra Koenig sing lead) and Daddy’s Home by St. Vincent (a welcome return to form after the rubbish Masseduction; even if the ‘70s affectations don’t always work, they at least give some space for her songs to breathe).Of course, that’s assuming Joni Mitchell’s second box set of archives doesn’t count, which I’m still working through.
you lost me at “rubbish Masseduction”
10 of my favorites that aren’t listed (I’m leaving out some really good ambient/instrumental stuff this year but The Antlers is probably my favorite overall and Parannoul is my favorite new artist/discovery):
The Antlers: Green to GoldParannoul: To See The Next Part of the DreamExplosions in the Sky: Big Bend Soundtrack
Mogwai: As the Love ContinuesMatt Berninger: Serpentine PrisonKings of Convenience: Peace or LoveCloud Nothings: The Spirit I RememberRhye: Come in Closer
Wild Pink: A Billion Little Lights
Stray Fossa: With You Forever
I think you’ll find there’s very good reason why Rhye isn’t showing up on any year end lists…
Missing “Portrayal of Guilt – We are Always Alone”. Likely because it came out at the far end of 2021. Album hits so hard.
There wasn’t really much that I liked this year album wise, but I really
enjoyed Danny Elfman’s first not-movie related songwriting effort in a
long time BIG MESS (“Nine Inch Nails by the way of Oingo Boingo” is how
it is often called and it is a very good description.) and the new
Purple Disco Machine album EXOTICA, which is nothing special or
groundbreaking, but an album full of really good dancepop songs with an
extremely funky 70s and 80s vibe.
I need to hear the rest of that Danny Elfman album, I loved the cover/update of “Insects”.
I randomly discovered a Squarepusher remix of one of the songs from that album today.
What exactly is the point in starting the CMIYGL bit by shitting on Tyler’s previous work
Some additional 2021 albums worth consideration:
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio – I Told You So
Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Butterfly 3000 or L.W. (both are good but very different)
Sault – Nine
Flock of Dimes – Head of Roses
Wolf Alice – Blue Weekend
Amyl & the Sniffers – Comfort to Me
That reads like a KEXP playlist, of which I wholeheartedly approve.
Hmmm, previously I would have been embarrassed to share my faves on a Cool List of Cool Bands, but since Bruno Mars and Adele placed, I’m comfortable sharing that I loved Andrew WK’s “God Is Partying” and The Dirty Nil’s “Fuck Art.”
Turnstile’s GLOW ON has been on pretty much every publications best of lists and I am having trouble understanding how it separates itself from similar bands in it’s genre. I won’t pretend to be an superfan of hardcore music, but listenting to it a few times on my morning walks after hearing all the praise has left me slightly baffled. If there is a particular aspect of the album lyrically or instrumentally I should be focusing on I’d love to know.
The Armed ULTRAPOP on the other hand also came up on several lists and I’ve been enjoying the hell out of it. Maybe it’s the variety of instruments or that it leans more ‘poppy’ hardcore, but this one I get.Hadn’t heard of Little Simz before the best of lists started popping up and have been enjoying that one a lot too (shout out to Mach-Hommey’s Pray For Haiti as well which I didn’t see on the list).
People like the Turnstile record because it isn’t a hardcore record, it’s a Jane’s Addiction record.
If only…
Is no one going to comment how the music video they chose for Adele’s 30 is some fake fan made video. LOL.
Everything was shit in 2021
Grouper’s Shade was pretty much perfect. Glad Low made this list.
For me the two big releases were “until this shakes apart” by fiveiron frenzy, a powerful political album that mixes their usual religious themes with strong social justice advocacy and in their lighter momenst, the infectiously catchy dad/kid song “homelessly devoted”
the other one that struck me was Tori amos’ ocean to ocean. a complex and challenging album, minus the upbeat but pointless “spies”, it didnt have a skip song, even ones that took time to get to love rewarded the work with some great songs.
Wild Pink ftwWar on Drugs runner up
Jubilee and Any Shape You Take are also in my top five, but the omissions of Little Oblivions and Home Video are unfortunate.
It’s crazy how alt rock is just gone from the discussion. I feel like a dinosaur from the early 90’s.
That Turnstile album IS alt-rock and it’s on like, every publication’s “Best of 2021″ list. So.
Just one out of twenty. But I will certainly check it out.
It’s likely because it’s a dead genre lol
Yeah, seems like it. Unfortunate for me. I’m going to have to stick to my mix until the meteor comes.
Boy, this is so oily and insincere compared to the lists we’d get back in the pre-Kinja days.
Shocked Turnstile made the list. I really dug Every Time I Die’s new album but would have been even more shocked if that made your list.
I went into a record store a few weeks ago and everybody’s list had Floating Points and Turnstile…hadn’t previously heard about them at all…listened and unclear what the buzz is about, they are both competent. Every list is putting Heaux Tales near the top, listened to it three or four times, still not getting why it’s so highly rated. Feels kind of like when everybody agrees that a certain movie is going to be up for every award, and that creates its own momentum. Glaring omission of Julien Baker.Also some of the best songs of this year, from Angel Olsen/Sharon van Etten, Big Thief, and Beach House, were not on full albums, otherwise they’d have been locks (and Beach House – Once Twice Melody will probably be a lock next year).
Did you guys know if I play a video and then advance the slides without stopping the video, it will still play? Pretty fun!
WHERE IS REBECCA BLACK??
Shout out to Jinjer’s “Wallflowers” album. It’s definitely one of the best in my book of metal hits from last year. I also gotta compliment Gojira for “Fortitude” and The Browning for “End of Existence” which is one hell of an awesome album.
What? No Feed the Corpses to the Pigs? Why, there song Jesus is my Respirator should have alone got it added to the list.