Year-End Lists

NPR Music: 50 Best Albums of 2021

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

1. Heaux Tales
   Jazmine Sullivan
2. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
   Little Simz
3. Home Video
   Lucy Dacus
4. Outside Child
   Allison Russell
5. El Madrileño
   C. Tangana
6. Promises
   Floating Points / Pharoah Sanders / London Symphony Orchestra
7. Vulture Prince
   Arooj Aftab
8. Collapsed in Sunbeams
   Arlo Parks
9. Vince Staples
   Vince Staples
10. Julius Eastman Vol. 1: Femenine
    Wild Up
11. Jubilee
    Japanese Breakfast
12. Far In
    Helado Negro
13. Call Me If You Get Lost
    Tyler, The Creator
14. 30
    Adele
15. If Orange Was a Place
    Tems
16. The Melodic Blue
    Baby Keem
17. Lately I Feel Everything
    Willow
18. Pray For Haiti
    Mach-Hommy
19. Let Me Do One More
    illuminati hotties
20. By the Time I Get to Phoenix
    Injury Reserve
21. Hey What
    Low
22. to hell with it
    PinkPantheress
23. Remember Her Name
    Mickey Guyton
24. Glow On
    Turnstile
25. Quivering In Time
    Eris Drew
26. Mother
    Cleo Sol
27. Kôrôlén
    Toumani Diabaté and London Symphony Orchestra
28. Still Over It
    Summer Walker
29. When The Black Hand Touches You
    Lukah
30. Montero
    Lil Nas X
31. Planet Her
    Doja Cat
32. Mood Valiant
    Hiatus Kaiyote
33. Jesup Wagon
    James Brandon Lewis / Red Lily Quintet
34. enargeia
    Emily D'Angelo
35. Black Encyclopedia of the Air
    Moor Mother
36. The Turning Wheel
    Spellling
37. Wary + Strange
    Amythyst Kiah
38. Seis
    Mon Laferte
39. Disco!
    MIKE
40. Urban Driftwood
    Yasmin Williams
41. Palabras Urgentes
    Susana Baca
42. Sounds from the Ancestors
    Kenny Garrett
43. Dawn
    Yebba
44. A Southern Gothic
    Adia Victoria
45. Drama
    Rodrigo Amarante
46. Sofia Gubaidulina
    Gewandhausorchester, Andris Nelsons, Vadim Repin
47. ...and then there's this
    Artifacts
48. GUMBO'!
    Pink Siifu
49. -io
    Circuit Des Yeux
50. An Evening with Silk Sonic
    Silk Sonic

This list summarizes other lists, including these:

• NPR Music: Ann Powers: Top 10 Albums of 2021
• NPR Music: Bob Boilen: Top 10 Albums of 2021

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 Wall Street Journal: The 10 Best Books of 2021

[see also 2020 • 2019 • 2018]

• All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days

  The True Story of the American Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler
  Rebecca Donner
• Finding the Mother Tree

  Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest
  Suzanne Simard
• Harrow
  Joy Williams
• An Inventory of Losses
  Judith Schalansky
• Look for Me and I'll Be Gone
  John Edgar Wideman
• The Netanyahus

  An Account of a Minor and Ultimately Even Negligible Episode in the History of a Very Famous Family
  Joshua Cohen
• Robert E. Lee

  A Life
  Allen C. Guelzo
• The Strategy of Denial

  American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict
  Elbridge A. Colby
• The Transcendentalists and Their World
  Robert A. Gross
• Voyagers

  The Settlement of the Pacific
  Nicholas Thomas

Marilou Duponchel: Top 10 Films of 2021, as published by Les Inrockuptibles

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

1. France
   Bruno Dumont
2. Drive My Car
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
3. Anaïs in Love
   Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet
4. Hold Me Tight
   Mathieu Amalric
5. All Hands on Deck
   Guillaume Brac
6. Bergman Island
   Mia Hansen-Løve
7. The Worst Person in the World
   Joachim Trier
8. Guermantes
   Christophe Honoré
9. Aline
   Valérie Lemercier
10. There Will Be No More Night
    Éléonore Weber

This list contributes to:

• Les Inrocks: 20 Essential Films of 2021

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

Murielle Joudet: Top 6 Films of 2021, as published by Les Inrockuptibles

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

1. France
   Bruno Dumont
2. The Card Counter
   Paul Schrader
3. Parallel Mothers
   Pedro Almodóvar
4. Pleasure
   Ninja Thyberg
5. First Cow
   Kelly Reichardt
6. Cry Macho
   Clint Eastwood

This list contributes to:

• Les Inrocks: 20 Essential Films of 2021

Emily Barnett: Top 10 Films of 2021, as published by Les Inrockuptibles

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

1. Titane
   Julia Ducournau
2. Annette
   Leos Carax
3. Aline
   Valérie Lemercier
4. Bergman Island
   Mia Hansen-Løve
5. Compartment Number 6
   Juho Kuosmanen
6. Nomadland
   Chloé Zhao
7. Happening
   Audrey Diwan
8. All Hands on Deck
   Guillaume Brac
9. Slalom
   Charlène Favier
10. Anaïs in Love
    Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet
10. The Worst Person in the World
    Joachim Trier

This list contributes to:

• Les Inrocks: 20 Essential Films of 2021

Les Inrockuptibles: 20 Essential Films of 2021

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

1. Drive My Car
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
2. First Cow
   Kelly Reichardt
3. The Worst Person in the World
   Joachim Trier
4. Annette
   Leos Carax
5. France
   Bruno Dumont
6. Bergman Island
   Mia Hansen-Løve
7. Anaïs in Love
   Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet
8. No Time to Die
   Cary Joji Fukunaga
9. Guermantes
   Christophe Honoré
10. Aline
    Valérie Lemercier
11. Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
    Arthur Harari
12. Titane
    Julia Ducournau
13. Parallel Mothers
    Pedro Almodóvar
14. All Hands on Deck
    Guillaume Brac
15. The Tsugua Diaries
    Maureen Fazendeiro and Miguel Gomes
16. Old
    M. Night Shyamalan
17. The Card Counter
    Paul Schrader
18. Benedetta
    Paul Verhoeven
19. Memoria
    Apichatpong Weerasethakul
20. Ahed's Knee
    Nadav Lapid

This list summarizes other lists, including these:

• Les Inrocks: Emily Barnett: Top 10 Films of 2021
• Les Inrocks: Marilou Duponchel: Top 10 Films of 2021
• Les Inrocks: Murielle Joudet: Top 6 Films of 2021

Reggie Ugwu: The 10 Best Podcasts of 2021, as published by The New York Times

[see also 2023 • 2022]

• 9/12
• Forever is a Long Time
• La Brega
• The Midnight Miracle
• One Year: 1977
• The Plot Thickens: The Devil’s Candy
• Resistance
• Rough Translation: Home/Front
• The Sporkful: Mission Impastable
• Welcome to Your Fantasy

Cassie da Costa: Best Films of 2021, as published by Artforum

[see also 21 Most Underrated Movies of 2021 • 10 Best Films of 2020]

1. The Lost Daughter
   Maggie Gyllenhaal
2. Drive My Car
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
3. All Light, Everywhere
   Theo Anthony
4. Working Girls
   Lizzie Borden
5. Zola
   Janicza Bravo
6. Mitski - Working for the Knife
   Zia Anger
7. The Card Counter
   Paul Schrader
8. Respect
   Liesl Tommy
9. The Inheritance
   Ephraim Asili
10. Annette
    Leos Carax