Year-End Lists

Jordan Cronk: The Top 30 Albums of 2021

[see also 2022 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016]

1. i became birds
   Home Is Where
2. Hey What
   Low
3. Shade
   Grouper
4. A Billion Little Lights
   Wild Pink
5. Illusory Walls
   The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die
6. Moot!
   Moin
7. Draw Down The Moon
   Foxing
8. Frailty
   dltzk
9. a softer focus
   claire rousay
10. Promises
    Floating Points / Pharoah Sanders / London Symphony Orchestra
11. New Music and Big Pop
    Another Michael
12. Between the Richness
    Fiddlehead
13. Made Out Of Sound
    Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt
14. Structure
    Water From Your Eyes
15. Observatory
    Aeon Station
16. I Know I'm Funny haha
    Faye Webster
17. Mirror Guide
    Giant Claw
18. Sound Ancestors
    Madlib
19. To See the Next Part of the Dream
    Parannoul
20. Sour
    Olivia Rodrigo
21. Really From
    Really From
22. Uncommon Weather
    The Reds, Pinks & Purples
23. Glow On
    Turnstile
24. New Long Leg
    Dry Cleaning
25. GAMI GANG
    Origami Angel
26. Any Shape You Take
    Indigo De Souza
27. Honest Labour
    Space Afrika
28. Don't Know What I Am
    Alien Boy
29. Mercurial World
    Magdalena Bay
30. G_d's Pee at State's End!
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Patrick Ryan: 5 Best Albums of 2021, as published by USA Today

[see also 2020]

1. Screen Violence
   Chvrches
2. Daddy's Home
   St. Vincent
3. Valentine
   Snail Mail
4. Juno
   Remi Wolf
5. Blue Weekend
   Wolf Alice

Melissa Ruggieri: 5 Best Albums of 2021, as published by USA Today

1. In These Silent Days
   Brandi Carlile
2. Montero
   Lil Nas X
3. Sour
   Olivia Rodrigo
4. Home Video
   Lucy Dacus
5. =
   Ed Sheeran

Brooklyn Vegan: Top 50 Albums of 2021

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016]

1. Glow On
   Turnstile
2. Heaux Tales
   Jazmine Sullivan
3. Hey What
   Low
4. Call Me If You Get Lost
   Tyler, The Creator
5. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
   Little Simz
6. Ignorance
   The Weather Station
7. An Overview on Phenomenal Nature
   Cassandra Jenkins
8. Radical
   Every Time I Die
9. Happier Than Ever
   Billie Eilish
10. Jubilee
    Japanese Breakfast
11. Promises
    Floating Points / Pharoah Sanders / London Symphony Orchestra
12. The Million Masks Of God
    Manchester Orchestra
13. Weight of the World
    Maxo Kream
14. Black Encyclopedia of the Air
    Moor Mother
15. We Are Always Alone
    portrayal of guilt
15. CHRISTFUCKER
    portrayal of guilt
16. Illusory Walls
    The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die
17. Half God
    Wiki
18. Vulture Prince
    Arooj Aftab
19. This Place You Know
    One Step Closer
20. Fatigue
    L'Rain
21. i became birds
    Home Is Where
22. Vince Staples
    Vince Staples
23. Thirstier
    Torres
24. Sour
    Olivia Rodrigo
25. We're All Alone in This Together
    Dave
26. Ultrapop
    The Armed
27. Chemtrails over the Country Club
    Lana Del Rey
27. Blue Banisters
    Lana Del Rey
28. Nine
    Sault
29. Hall of Fame
    Polo G
30. Black To The Future
    Sons of Kemet
31. Haram
    Armand Hammer & The Alchemist
32. Entertainment, Death
    The Spirit Of The Beehive
33. New Long Leg
    Dry Cleaning
34. Pray For Haiti
    Mach-Hommy
35. Home Video
    Lucy Dacus
36. Crypt Of Ice
    Frozen Soul
37. Sling
    Clairo
38. Shade
    Grouper
39. Ordinary Life
    We Are The Union
40. A Tear In The Fabric Of Life
    Knocked Loose
41. Menneskekollektivet
    Lost Girls
42. Any Shape You Take
    Indigo De Souza
43. In Spite Of
    for your health
44. Between the Richness
    Fiddlehead
45. NOW
    Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble
46. Celestial Blues
    King Woman
47. As Days Get Dark
    Arab Strap
48. Astro Tough
    Audiobooks
49. History Of A Feeling
    Madi Diaz
50. Twin Plagues
    Wednesday

No Depression: Favorite Roots Music Albums of 2021

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016]

1. Outside Child
   Allison Russell
2. They're Calling Me Home
   Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi
3. Quietly Blowing It
   Hiss Golden Messenger
4. A Southern Gothic
   Adia Victoria
5. Wary + Strange
   Amythyst Kiah
6. Blue Heron Suite
   Sarah Jarosz
7. Stand For Myself
   Yola
8. Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!
   Aaron Lee Tasjan
9. The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers
   Valerie June
10. Pohorylle
    Margo Cilker
11. Urban Driftwood
    Yasmin Williams
12. Long Time Coming
    Sierra Ferrell
13. The Horses and the Hounds
    James McMurtry
14. Leftovers
    Le Ren
15. Little Oblivions
    Julien Baker
16. Depreciated
    John R. Miller
17. Whispers and Sighs
    David Olney & Anana Kaye
18. Afrique Victime
    Mdou Moctar
19. Renewal
    Billy Strings
20. I Don’t Live Here Anymore
    The War on Drugs

Kitty Empire: Top 10 Albums of 2021, as published by The Observer

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Ignorance
   The Weather Station
2. Prioritise Pleasure
   Self Esteem
3. Promises
   Floating Points / Pharoah Sanders / London Symphony Orchestra
4. Space 1.8
   Nala Sinephro
5. Nine
   Sault
6. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
   Little Simz
7. Isles
   Bicep
8. For the First Time
   Black Country, New Road
9. Spare Ribs
   Sleaford Mods
10. Pohorylle
    Margo Cilker

Anthony Fantano: Top 50 Albums of 2021, as posted on his YouTube channel, The Needle Drop

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. The Turning Wheel
   Spellling
2. Sinner Get Ready
   Lingua Ignota
3. KicK iii
   Arca
4. Promises
   Floating Points / Pharoah Sanders / London Symphony Orchestra
5. Daddy's Home
   St. Vincent
6. LP!
   JPEGMAFIA
7. Henki
   Richard Dawson & Circle
8. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
   Little Simz
9. Nurture
   Porter Robinson
10. Ska Dream
    Jeff Rosenstock
11. By the Time I Get to Phoenix
    Injury Reserve
12. A Beginner's Mind
    Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine
13. Madison
    Sloppy Jane
14. Call Me If You Get Lost
    Tyler, The Creator
15. Cavalcade
    black midi
16. Smiling with No Teeth
    Genesis Owusu
17. Hey What
    Low
18. The Color Blu(e)
    Blu
19. Glow On
    Turnstile
20. I Lie Here Buried with My Rings and My Dresses
    Backxwash
21. Half God
    Wiki
22. Imperative Imperceptible Impulse
    Ad Nauseam
23. Forever In Your Heart
    Black Dresses
24. Rainbow Bridge 3
    Sematary
25. For the First Time
    Black Country, New Road
26. Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine
    BROCKHAMPTON
27. Palais d’argile
    Feu! Chatterton
28. Stand For Myself
    Yola
29. OK Human
    Weezer
30. Friends That Break Your Heart
    James Blake
31. Faith in Persona
    death’s dynamic shroud
32. Mercurial World
    Magdalena Bay
33. Let Me Do One More
    illuminati hotties
34. Tyron
    slowthai
35. Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B
    Westside Gunn
36. GUMBO'!
    Pink Siifu
37. King's Disease II
    Nas
38. Carnage
    Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
39. Haram
    Armand Hammer & The Alchemist
40. Fatigue
    L'Rain
41. Welfare Jazz
    Viagra Boys
42. Actually, You Can
    Deerhoof
43. Twin Shadow
    Twin Shadow
44. ...And Again Into The Light
    Panopticon
45. Heaux Tales
    Jazmine Sullivan
46. Pressure Machine
    The Killers
47. Eternal Home
    Fire-Toolz
48. An Evening with Silk Sonic
    Silk Sonic
49. Black Metal 2
    Dean Blunt
50. Frailty
    dltzk

The A.V. Club: The 20 Best Albums of 2021

[see also 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Jubilee
   Japanese Breakfast
2. Heaux Tales
   Jazmine Sullivan
3. Valentine
   Snail Mail
4. Call Me If You Get Lost
   Tyler, The Creator
5. Any Shape You Take
   Indigo De Souza
6. Ultrapop
   The Armed
7. Glow On
   Turnstile
8. The House Is Burning
   Isaiah Rashad
9. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
   Little Simz
10. Ignorance
    The Weather Station
11. An Evening with Silk Sonic
    Silk Sonic
12. Sour
    Olivia Rodrigo
13. Hey What
    Low
14. Future Past
    Duran Duran
15. 30
    Adele
16. Happier Than Ever
    Billie Eilish
17. Loving In Stereo
    Jungle
17. Collapsed in Sunbeams
    Arlo Parks
17. Sound Ancestors
    Madlib
20. If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power
    Halsey

Jason Parham: The 8 Best Albums of 2021, as published by Wired

[see also 2022 • 2019]

1. Heaux Tales
   Jazmine Sullivan
2. Fatigue
   L'Rain
3. If Orange Was a Place
   Tems
4. Talk Memory
   BADBADNOTGOOD
5. Still Over It
   Summer Walker
6. Vince Staples
   Vince Staples
7. Colourgrade
   Tirzah
8. 30
   Adele

Honorable Mentions

• Second Line
  Dawn Richard
• Call Me If You Get Lost
  Tyler, The Creator
• Planet Her
  Doja Cat
• Navy’s Reprise
  Navy Blue
• Far In
  Helado Negro
• Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
  Little Simz

Brittany Spanos: Top 10 Albums of 2021, as published by Rolling Stone

[see also 2022 • 2020]

1. If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power
   Halsey
2. Inside (The Songs)
   Bo Burnham
3. 30
   Adele
4. Sour
   Olivia Rodrigo
5. to hell with it
   PinkPantheress
6. Happier Than Ever
   Billie Eilish
7. Red (Taylor's Version)
   Taylor Swift
8. Heaux Tales
   Jazmine Sullivan
9. Death of a Cheerleader
   Pom Pom Squad
10. Lately I Feel Everything
    Willow