Year-End Lists

Complex: The Best Albums of 2021

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Call Me If You Get Lost
   Tyler, The Creator
2. The Off-Season
   J. Cole
3. 30
   Adele
4. Planet Her
   Doja Cat
5. Heaux Tales
   Jazmine Sullivan
6. Donda
   Kanye West
7. Still Over It
   Summer Walker
8. Pray For Haiti
   Mach-Hommy
9. Life of a Don
   Don Toliver
10. Shelley FKA DRAM
    Shelley FKA DRAM
11. The Plugs I Met 2
    Benny the Butcher & Harry Fraud
12. Certified Lover Boy
    Drake
13. The Melodic Blue
    Baby Keem
14. An Evening with Silk Sonic
    Silk Sonic
15. Sour
    Olivia Rodrigo
16. A Gangsta’s Pain
    Moneybagg Yo
17. The House Is Burning
    Isaiah Rashad
18. Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Sincerely Adolf
    Westside Gunn
19. Vince Staples
    Vince Staples
20. Justice
    Justin Bieber
21. Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies
    Snoh Aalegra
22. Star-Crossed
    Kacey Musgraves
23. Weight of the World
    Maxo Kream
24. USEE4YOURSELF
    IDK
25. Folarin II
    Wale
26. Hall of Fame
    Polo G
27. Dawn
    Yebba
28. Haram
    Armand Hammer & The Alchemist
29. La Maquina
    Conway the Machine
30. Still Sleep?
    Sleepy Hallow
31. Punk
    Young Thug
32. King's Disease II
    Nas
33. Friends That Break Your Heart
    James Blake
34. If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power
    Halsey
35. Montero
    Lil Nas X
36. 25
    G Herbo
37. Street Sermons
    Morray
38. Happier Than Ever
    Billie Eilish
39. Tyron
    slowthai
40. A Martyr’s Reward
    Ka
41. SoulFly
    Rod Wave
42. Coup De Grâce
    Rome Streetz & Ransom
43. Lately I Feel Everything
    Willow
44. Bo Jackson
    Boldy James & The Alchemist
45. The Life of Pi'erre 5
    Pi'erre Bourne
46. to hell with it
    PinkPantheress
47. TwoPointFive
    Aminé
48. Expensive Pain
    Meek Mill
49. José
    J Balvin
50. Culture III
    Migos

The Quietus: Albums of the Year 2021

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Fire
   The Bug
2. im hole
   aya
3. Black Metal 2
   Dean Blunt
4. Ignorance
   The Weather Station
5. Great Spans of Muddy Time
   William Doyle
6. Reflection
   Loraine James
7. Henki
   Richard Dawson & Circle
8. Tewari
   Scotch Rolex
9. Spare Ribs
   Sleaford Mods
10. Deep England
    Gazelle Twin & NYX
11. Quattro
    Tanz Mein Herz
12. The Apple Drop
    Liars
13. Gas Lit
    Divide and Dissolve
14. Ultrapop
    The Armed
15. Fatigue
    L'Rain
16. Intimate Immensity
    Tomaga
17. Colourgrade
    Tirzah
18. As Days Get Dark
    Arab Strap
19. Ngủ Ngày Ngay Ngày Tận Thế
    Rắn Cạp Đuôi Collective
20. Cavalcade
    black midi
21. Whose Woods These Are
    Eimear Reidy & Natalia Beylis
22. Quivering In Time
    Eris Drew
23. Astro Tough
    Audiobooks
24. Open Arms to Open Us
    Ben LaMar Gay
25. XMIT
    Microcorps
26. still slipping vol. 1
    Joy Orbison
27. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
    Little Simz
28. All Skies Have Sounded
    The Transcendence Orchestra
29. Hard Feelings
    Hard Feelings
30. Drool
    Part Chimp
31. Play With the Changes
    Rochelle Jordan
32. oddkin
    ioulus
33. Tidibàbide / Turn
    Kìzis
34. For the First Time
    Black Country, New Road
35. Honest Labour
    Space Afrika
36. Crowlink
    Shirley Collins
37. Pool
    Skee Mask
38. Departing Like Rivers
    Shackleton
39. Shade
    Grouper
40. The Obvious I
    Ed Dowie
41. New Long Leg
    Dry Cleaning
42. The Heart Pumps Kool​--Aid
    ---__--___
43. G_d's Pee at State's End!
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
44. Sensational
    Erika de Casier
45. Earth Mirror
    Hawthonn
46. A/am/ams (come ashore, turn over)
    Rufus Isabel Elliot
47. Jubilee
    Japanese Breakfast
48. Skylla
    Ruth Goller
49. XXI
    Succumb
50. Working With God
    Melvins
51. Frog of Earth
    Frog of Earth
52. 'Me Hollywood'
    Oliver Leith
53. Never The Right Time
    Andy Stott
54. At Death's Door
    Goodbye World
55. MELT
    Slikback
56. Four Assignments
    Max Syedtollan / Plus-Minus Ensemble
57. Nothing New Under the Sun
    Time Binding Ensemble
58. Mayan Space Station
    William Parker
59. Nonexistent
    Nonexistent
60. Norwegian Gothic
    Årabrot
61. Searching For The Disappeared Hour
    Sylvie Courvoisier & Mary Halvorson
62. The Ultra Vivid Lament
    Manic Street Preachers
63. a softer focus
    claire rousay
64. Axis
    Helm
65. Sling
    Clairo
66. Embassy Nocturnes
    Aging ~ Land Trance
67. La consolation des violettes
    Rien Virgule
68. Flock
    Jane Weaver
69. Forfolks
    Jeff Parker
70. Celestial Scuzz
    Vapour Theories
71. The Nightmare of Being
    At the Gates
72. La Mort Du Sens
    Gnod
73. OK Box
    Ursula Sereghy
74. The Temple Pillars Dissolve Into The Clouds
    Bloody Head
75. Midnight Train
    Jorja Chalmers
76. No Live ’Til Leather '98
    Leather Rats
77. Agor
    Koreless
78. Forest Of Your Problems
    Snapped Ankles
79. Tempest Revisited
    Hedvig Mollestad
80. CXXI
    Richard Youngs
81. Bright Green Field
    Squid
82. Mirage
    Mirage
83. These Feral Lands: May Sounds
    Laura Cannell & Kate Ellis
84. Vol. 2
    My Bloody Sex Party
85. Victory Belongs To Those Who Fight For A Right Cause
    Taqbir
86. Convertible
    The Altered Hours
87. One Dazzling Moment
    Perkins & Federwisch
88. Bloodmoon: I
    Converge & Chelsea Wolfe
89. Gegrepen Door de Geest der Zielsontluiking
    Fluisteraars
90. gwneud a gwneud eto / do and do again
    Angharad Davies
91. Ookii Gekkou
    Vanishing Twin
92. Vocal Sketches from Oaxaca
    Antonina Nowacka
93. Glow On
    Turnstile
94. Afrique Victime
    Mdou Moctar
95. Alkisah
    Senyawa
96. A Night At The Baths
    Ruth Mascelli
97. Former Things
    LoneLady
98. Hey What
    Low
99. Cobalt Desert Oasis
    Marco Shuttle
100. I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night
     Celestial

Gigwise: 51 Best Albums of 2021

[see also 2022 • 2020 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Prioritise Pleasure
   Self Esteem
2. Spare Ribs
   Sleaford Mods
3. Comfort To Me
   Amyl and The Sniffers
4. Black To The Future
   Sons of Kemet
5. to hell with it
   PinkPantheress
6. For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her
   McKinley Dixon
7. For Those I Love
   For Those I Love
8. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
   Little Simz
9. As Days Get Dark
   Arab Strap
10. Homecoming
    Du Blonde
11. Seventeen Going Under
    Sam Fender
12. Yellow
    Emma-Jean Thackray
13. Bullseye
    Charli Adams
14. Happier Than Ever
    Billie Eilish
15. Sour
    Olivia Rodrigo
16. An Evening with Silk Sonic
    Silk Sonic
17. As The Love Continues
    Mogwai
18. Heaux Tales
    Jazmine Sullivan
19. Crawler
    Idles
20. Keep On Truckin’
    Surfbort
21. New Long Leg
    Dry Cleaning
22. The world within our bedrooms
    Drug Store Romeos
23. Afrique Victime
    Mdou Moctar
24. Montero
    Lil Nas X
25. Blue Weekend
    Wolf Alice
26. Call Me If You Get Lost
    Tyler, The Creator
27. Goldilocks X
    Tommy Genesis
28. Back In Love City
    The Vaccines
29. Still Over It
    Summer Walker
30. Any Shape You Take
    Indigo De Souza
31. Collapsed in Sunbeams
    Arlo Parks
32. Sling
    Clairo
33. I Don’t Live Here Anymore
    The War on Drugs
34. Carnage
    Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
35. LP!
    JPEGMAFIA
36. Daddy's Home
    St. Vincent
37. Pink Noise
    Laura Mvula
38. Isles
    Bicep
39. WINK
    CHAI
40. Boy Anonymous
    Paris Texas
41. Modern Tricks for Living
    Low Hummer
42. A Way Forward
    Nation of Language
43. Sympathy for Life
    Parquet Courts
44. Friends That Break Your Heart
    James Blake
45. Planet Her
    Doja Cat
46. The Reson For Hardcore Vibes
    Joe & The Shitboys
47. Seek Shelter
    Iceage
48. Typhoons
    Royal Blood
49. Discover Effortless Living
    Bull
50. Demidevil
    Ashnikko
51. Juno
    Remi Wolf

Les Inrockuptibles: Top 25 Albums of 2021

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Bright Green Field
   Squid
2. Call Me If You Get Lost
   Tyler, The Creator
3. Everything Tasteful
   Lala &ce
4. Black Metal 2
   Dean Blunt
5. Hey What
   Low
6. Sling
   Clairo
7. Talk Memory
   BADBADNOTGOOD
8. Brûler le feu
   Juliette Armanet
9. Change
   Anika
10. Paradigmes
    La Femme
11. Cœur
    Clara Luciani
12. For the First Time
    Black Country, New Road
13. Escapades
    Gaspard Augé
14. Troie
    Malik Djoudi
15. New Long Leg
    Dry Cleaning
16. Acquainted with Night
    Lael Neale
17. Cavalcade
    black midi
18. Sensational
    Erika de Casier
19. Colourgrade
    Tirzah
20. Friends That Break Your Heart
    James Blake
21. PICTURA DE IPSE: Musique directe
    Hubert Lenoir
22. Sympathy for Life
    Parquet Courts
23. Happier Than Ever
    Billie Eilish
24. Fatigue
    L'Rain
25. The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows
    Damon Albarn

Uproxx: The Best Albums Of 2021, in alphabetical order

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016]

• Collapsed in Sunbeams
  Arlo Parks
• Ultrapop
  The Armed
• How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?
  Big Red Machine
• Happier Than Ever
  Billie Eilish
• Sling
  Clairo
• War & Wonders
  D Smoke
• Die 4 Respect
  DDG & OG Parker
• Absolutely
  Dijon
• Planet Her
  Doja Cat
• Life of a Don
  Don Toliver
• I Know I'm Funny haha
  Faye Webster
• 1176
  Guapdad 4000 and !llmind
• Back of My Mind
  H.E.R.
• If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power
  Halsey
• USEE4YOURSELF
  IDK
• Any Shape You Take
  Indigo De Souza
• The House Is Burning
  Isaiah Rashad
• The Off-Season
  J. Cole
• Jubilee
  Japanese Breakfast
• Heaux Tales
  Jazmine Sullivan
• Little Oblivions
  Julien Baker
• Star-Crossed
  Kacey Musgraves
• Pressure Machine
  The Killers
• Chemtrails over the Country Club
  Lana Del Rey
• The Voice of the Heroes
  Lil Baby and Lil Durk
• Montero
  Lil Nas X
• Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
  Little Simz
• Home Video
  Lucy Dacus
• Afrique Victime
  Mdou Moctar
• Carnage
  Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
• Sour
  Olivia Rodrigo
• Lean Into Life
  Petey
• Whole Lotta Red
  Playboi Carti
• Hall of Fame
  Polo G
• Nightmare Vacation
  Rico Nasty
• Romeo
  Sega Bodega
• An Evening with Silk Sonic
  Silk Sonic
• All The Brilliant Things
  Skyzoo
• Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies
  Snoh Aalegra
• Still Over It
  Summer Walker
• Evermore
  Taylor Swift
• 333
  Tinashe
• Don't Go Tellin' Your Momma
  Topaz Jones
• Glow On
  Turnstile
• Call Me If You Get Lost
  Tyler, The Creator
• Vince Staples
  Vince Staples
• Folarin II
  Wale
• I Don’t Live Here Anymore
  The War on Drugs
• A Billion Little Lights
  Wild Pink
• Punk
  Young Thug

Glide Magazine: 20 Best Albums of 2021

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

• Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!
  Aaron Lee Tasjan
• Born Against
  Amigo the Devil
• Wary + Strange
  Amythyst Kiah
• Renewal
  Billy Strings
• Black Market Tango
  Bloodkin
• I Be Trying
  Cedric Burnside
• New Long Leg
  Dry Cleaning
• Seek Shelter
  Iceage
• Senjutsu
  Iron Maiden
• Hardcore From The Heart
  Joana Serrat
• We Are
  Jon Batiste
• Pohorylle
  Margo Cilker
• The Exciting Sounds of Menahan Street Band
  Menahan Street Band
• Afrique Victime
  Mdou Moctar
• A Little More Time with Reigning Sound
  Reigning Sound
• Long Time Coming
  Sierra Ferrell
• Bright Green Field
  Squid
• Glow On
  Turnstile
• I Don’t Live Here Anymore
  The War on Drugs
• Stand For Myself
  Yola

20 Honorable Mentions

• Introducing...
  Aaron Frazer
• Outside Child
  Allison Russell
• Comfort To Me
  Amyl and The Sniffers
• My Bluegrass Heart
  Béla Fleck
• Vol. II Baca Sewa
  Cochemea
• Infinite Granite
  Deafheaven
• I Told You So
  Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio
• Sweep It Into Space
  Dinosaur Jr.
• I Know I'm Funny haha
  Faye Webster
• From Dreams To Dust
  The Felice Brothers
• One Woman Band
  Ghalia Volt
• Moondust For My Diamond
  Hayden Thorpe
• Downhill From Everywhere
  Jackson Browne
• The Horses and the Hounds
  James McMurtry
• Leftover Feelings
  John Hiatt and Jerry Douglas
• Hey What
  Low
• Riddy Arman
  Riddy Arman
• Drunk Tank Pink
  Shame
• Silver Synthetic
  Silver Synthetic
• Welfare Jazz
  Viagra Boys

Paste Magazine: The 50 Best Albums of 2021

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Promises
   Floating Points / Pharoah Sanders / London Symphony Orchestra
2. Glow On
   Turnstile
3. Ignorance
   The Weather Station
4. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
   Little Simz
5. Jubilee
   Japanese Breakfast
6. Call Me If You Get Lost
   Tyler, The Creator
7. New Long Leg
   Dry Cleaning
8. Ultrapop
   The Armed
9. Entertainment, Death
   The Spirit Of The Beehive
10. Valentine
    Snail Mail
11. Afrique Victime
    Mdou Moctar
12. Hey What
    Low
13. Carnage
    Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
14. Deacon
    serpentwithfeet
15. Between the Richness
    Fiddlehead
16. Haram
    Armand Hammer & The Alchemist
17. An Overview on Phenomenal Nature
    Cassandra Jenkins
18. Bright Green Field
    Squid
19. Sound Ancestors
    Madlib
20. I Don’t Live Here Anymore
    The War on Drugs
21. Collapsed in Sunbeams
    Arlo Parks
22. Pray For Haiti
    Mach-Hommy
23. Sinner Get Ready
    Lingua Ignota
24. Heaux Tales
    Jazmine Sullivan
25. Any Shape You Take
    Indigo De Souza
26. Black To The Future
    Sons of Kemet
27. Infinite Granite
    Deafheaven
28. Home Video
    Lucy Dacus
29. Projector
    Geese
30. Juno
    Remi Wolf
31. Twin Plagues
    Wednesday
32. Nine
    Sault
33. Cool Dry Place
    Katy Kirby
34. Bo Jackson
    Boldy James & The Alchemist
35. Fortitude
    Gojira
36. Little Oblivions
    Julien Baker
37. MAXIMUMBLASTSUPERLOUD: The First 24 Songs
    Dazy
38. Fatigue
    L'Rain
39. I Know I'm Funny haha
    Faye Webster
40. For the First Time
    Black Country, New Road
41. Nurture
    Porter Robinson
42. Vulture Prince
    Arooj Aftab
43. Dark in Here
    The Mountain Goats
44. Death of a Cheerleader
    Pom Pom Squad
45. Half God
    Wiki
46. Eternal Home
    Fire-Toolz
47. Second Line
    Dawn Richard
48. GUMBO'!
    Pink Siifu
49. Things Take Time, Take Time
    Courtney Barnett
50. Smiling with No Teeth
    Genesis Owusu

Amanda Petrusich: The Best Music of 2021, as published by The New Yorker

[see also 2023 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. Ignorance
   The Weather Station
2. Promises
   Floating Points / Pharoah Sanders / London Symphony Orchestra
3. Little Oblivions
   Julien Baker
4. Afrique Victime
   Mdou Moctar
5. Second Line
   Dawn Richard
6. Half God
   Wiki
7. The Time of the Foxgloves
   Michael Hurley
8. Hey What
   Low
9. Valentine
   Snail Mail
10. New Long Leg
    Dry Cleaning

Revolver Magazine: 25 Best Albums of 2021

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

1. Fortitude
   Gojira
2. Eternal Blue
   Spiritbox
3. Glow On
   Turnstile
4. Radical
   Every Time I Die
5. Hushed and Grim
   Mastodon
6. Bloodmoon: I
   Converge & Chelsea Wolfe
7. Senjutsu
   Iron Maiden
8. A Tear In The Fabric Of Life
   Knocked Loose
9. EAT (NXT Soundtrack)
   Poppy
10. Fragments of a Bitter Memory
    Dying Wish
11. Wallflowers
    Jinjer
12. For Those That Wish to Exist
    Architects
13. ZII
    The Devil Wears Prada
14. An Unexpected Reality
    Gatecreeper
15. Ultrapop
    The Armed
16. Party At The Cemetery
    Poorstacy
17. Mirrors
    Pupil Slicer
18. Kin
    Whitechapel
19. Conquering
    Employed To Serve
20. Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack
    various artists
21. Torn Arteries
    Carcass
22. Garden of Burning Apparitions
    Full of Hell
23. The Romance Of Affliction
    SeeYouSpaceCowboy...
24. Kostolom
    Slaughter to Prevail
25. Crypt Of Ice
    Frozen Soul

Decibel Magazine: Top 40 Albums of 2021

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2012]

1. Torn Arteries
   Carcass
2. Deceiver
   Khemmis
3. Where the Gloom Becomes Sound
   Tribulation
4. Feel
   Apparition
5. ...And Again Into The Light
   Panopticon
6. The Tritonus Bell
   Hooded Menace
7. Bloodmoon: I
   Converge & Chelsea Wolfe
8. Submission And Slavery
   Lamp Of Murmuur
9. Senjutsu
   Iron Maiden
10. Primordial Arcana
    Wolves in the Throne Room
11. Year of the Horse
    Fucked Up
12. Companion
    Skepticism
13. Ward of Roses
    The Silver
14. Sinner Get Ready
    Lingua Ignota
15. De Doorn
    Amenra
16. Excretion of Mortality
    Cerebral Rot
17. Garden of Burning Apparitions
    Full of Hell
18. Strength
    Unto Others
19. Foreverglade
    Worm
20. Violence Unimagined
    Cannibal Corpse
21. An Unexpected Reality
    Gatecreeper
22. Dream Weapon
    Genghis Tron
23. Tales Of Othertime
    Stormkeep
24. Great War
    Rudimentary Peni
25. Infinite Granite
    Deafheaven
26. Forked Tongues
    Craven Idol
27. Godslastering: Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry
    Hulder
28. Persona Non Grata
    Exodus
29. World of Sorrows
    Dungeon Serpent
30. Bleed the Future
    Archspire
31. Interstice
    Knoll
32. Kill Grid
    Enforced
33. The Thule Grimoires
    The Ruins Of Beverast
34. A Diabolic Thirst
    Spectral Wound
35. Decadence and Decay
    Silver Talon
36. Solar Paroxysm
    Mare Cognitum
37. Crypt Of Ice
    Frozen Soul
38. Bury Me Beneath This Rotting Earth
    Body Void
39. Eternal Hails......
    Darkthrone
40. The Work
    Rivers of Nihil