Top 88 Music Albums of 2021 by 
babyBlueSedan 
My new year's resolution, besides stopping all the pollution, is to create a happy, positive 2021 year chart. Nice critiques only! Well, at least as far as I can without saying nice things about bad albums, because positivity without realism is worthless. But in a positive way!
Also putting more effort into nonsensical genres because what's more fun than that?!
May update: well so much for positivity - I feel like my rating has gotten even harsher. My optimistic side thinks it's because I've heard so much good music that it's harder for new things I hear to stand out, but my pessimistic side thinks it's because I'm too old and can no longer enjoy new music. I guess in both cases it just means I'm even pickier now.
- Chart updated: 02/12/2022 23:15
- (Created: 01/24/2021 03:31).
- Chart size: 88 albums.
There are 2 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 88 Music Albums of 2021 has an average rating of 89 out of 100 (from 3 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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70/100
Comeback synth pop
After going with a big name producer on their last album, CHVRCHES goes back to self production and the result is a glorious return to form. Their last one wasn't bad, it just didn't stand out in the way their first two had. But that crisp sleekness is back here and this one stands right with their first two. "Asking for a Friend" and "Nightmares" are two of my favorites, but the one with Robert Smith is also really great. [First added to this chart: 09/29/2021]
Comeback synth pop
After going with a big name producer on their last album, CHVRCHES goes back to self production and the result is a glorious return to form. Their last one wasn't bad, it just didn't stand out in the way their first two had. But that crisp sleekness is back here and this one stands right with their first two. "Asking for a Friend" and "Nightmares" are two of my favorites, but the one with Robert Smith is also really great. [First added to this chart: 09/29/2021]
4
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70/100
Bedroom Radiohead R&B
While writing about Jazmine Sullivan's EP I considered writing something like "this is an album that R&B fans should listen to because it's a solid album but nothing special." The idea being that lackluster albums can appeal to fans of a sound but not necessarily folks who are picky about that sound. So color me surprised that this not very innovative album from Arlo Parks tickled every R&B pleasure zone I have. I guess I can't really say why, but part of it is her voice. The production is also very crisp, and while it has some indie flavors - use of guitars, Radiohead interpolations, Twin Peaks namedrops - it's definitely a pop album.
Early AOTY but so many of these albums need more listens. [First added to this chart: 03/05/2021]
Bedroom Radiohead R&B
While writing about Jazmine Sullivan's EP I considered writing something like "this is an album that R&B fans should listen to because it's a solid album but nothing special." The idea being that lackluster albums can appeal to fans of a sound but not necessarily folks who are picky about that sound. So color me surprised that this not very innovative album from Arlo Parks tickled every R&B pleasure zone I have. I guess I can't really say why, but part of it is her voice. The production is also very crisp, and while it has some indie flavors - use of guitars, Radiohead interpolations, Twin Peaks namedrops - it's definitely a pop album.
Early AOTY but so many of these albums need more listens. [First added to this chart: 03/05/2021]
Year of Release:
2021
Appears in:
Rank Score:
624
Rank in 2021:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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70/100
Outsider garage
Really liked this, sample heavy future garage with influences from other electronic genres. A few real standout tracks and some less interesting moments, want to give it one more listen to see if the interesting moments win out. [First added to this chart: 12/16/2021]
Outsider garage
Really liked this, sample heavy future garage with influences from other electronic genres. A few real standout tracks and some less interesting moments, want to give it one more listen to see if the interesting moments win out. [First added to this chart: 12/16/2021]
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65/100
Protest jazz, part 2
When I first listened Your Queen is a Reptile I had basically given up on ever finding any jazz I liked. But a bit before that I listened to Pharoah Sanders's Karma and that opened the door for me finding the niche of jazz I enjoy. It is a fairly small niche - pretty much all afro-jazz and jazz-funk, with some strains of spiritual jazz also being acceptable - but it's enough to leave me excited for some new jazz albums. And I was really excited for Sons of Kemet to bring back their fiery sound and some more of that sweet sweet tuba.
So consider me a bit disappointed in this. The album starts off really well "Field Negus" is a great fiery track that recalls the opener of their last one, and the track after that has some crazy energy. So it's frustrating that the next few tracks - pretty much the entire middle of the album - feels so much lesser in comparison. As can be expected by the genres of jazz I listed as my favorite, I'm a sucker for a good groove. But while these tracks all find that groove, they do very little to break out of them and give the kind of accents / highlights that are necessary to elevate a groove to something that does more than just gets stuck in your head. I also think the vocals add very little to these tracks. "The Hustle" is pretty good but most of the other vocal tracks don't add much. The slam poetry style on the opener/closer of Your Queen is a Reptile worked wonders, and it's no surprise that the two best vocal tracks here are also the opener and closer, both from the same vocalist as the last album, Joshua Idehen. Those passionate vocals, unexpected in an otherwise instrumental album, do a lot more than the string of tracks with lesser vocal performances.
The end of the album does pick up quite a bit. "Let the Circle Be Unbroken" is an insane track and possibly the highlight - in the second half the saxophone sounds like it's suffocating and gasping for air. I would have loved to hear more exhilarating moments like this, or even more subdued moments that offered something new. Every track on Reptile had its own identity that made it stand out, which was something I had never really noted in a jazz album until then. This one is a lot more one note, with some of these tracks feeling like they're relying on the same rhythms. After Reptile it just feels like they're capable of much more. [First added to this chart: 06/04/2021]
Protest jazz, part 2
When I first listened Your Queen is a Reptile I had basically given up on ever finding any jazz I liked. But a bit before that I listened to Pharoah Sanders's Karma and that opened the door for me finding the niche of jazz I enjoy. It is a fairly small niche - pretty much all afro-jazz and jazz-funk, with some strains of spiritual jazz also being acceptable - but it's enough to leave me excited for some new jazz albums. And I was really excited for Sons of Kemet to bring back their fiery sound and some more of that sweet sweet tuba.
So consider me a bit disappointed in this. The album starts off really well "Field Negus" is a great fiery track that recalls the opener of their last one, and the track after that has some crazy energy. So it's frustrating that the next few tracks - pretty much the entire middle of the album - feels so much lesser in comparison. As can be expected by the genres of jazz I listed as my favorite, I'm a sucker for a good groove. But while these tracks all find that groove, they do very little to break out of them and give the kind of accents / highlights that are necessary to elevate a groove to something that does more than just gets stuck in your head. I also think the vocals add very little to these tracks. "The Hustle" is pretty good but most of the other vocal tracks don't add much. The slam poetry style on the opener/closer of Your Queen is a Reptile worked wonders, and it's no surprise that the two best vocal tracks here are also the opener and closer, both from the same vocalist as the last album, Joshua Idehen. Those passionate vocals, unexpected in an otherwise instrumental album, do a lot more than the string of tracks with lesser vocal performances.
The end of the album does pick up quite a bit. "Let the Circle Be Unbroken" is an insane track and possibly the highlight - in the second half the saxophone sounds like it's suffocating and gasping for air. I would have loved to hear more exhilarating moments like this, or even more subdued moments that offered something new. Every track on Reptile had its own identity that made it stand out, which was something I had never really noted in a jazz album until then. This one is a lot more one note, with some of these tracks feeling like they're relying on the same rhythms. After Reptile it just feels like they're capable of much more. [First added to this chart: 06/04/2021]
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65/100
Underwater post punk
The opening track here features a fantastic instrumental opening followed by some of the dumbest opening lyrics I've ever heard: "What you see is what you get, I still don't know the alphabet." Later on the singer says he's throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks so at least he's honest.
Instrumentally this is pretty much right down my alley as far as post punk goes, the songs just don't quite hit. Menacing, drowning vibes all around and better than Viagra Boys in the 2021 post punk throwdown. [First added to this chart: 02/21/2021]
Underwater post punk
The opening track here features a fantastic instrumental opening followed by some of the dumbest opening lyrics I've ever heard: "What you see is what you get, I still don't know the alphabet." Later on the singer says he's throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks so at least he's honest.
Instrumentally this is pretty much right down my alley as far as post punk goes, the songs just don't quite hit. Menacing, drowning vibes all around and better than Viagra Boys in the 2021 post punk throwdown. [First added to this chart: 02/21/2021]
Year of Release:
2021
Appears in:
Rank Score:
697
Rank in 2021:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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60/100
Ambient sampling
With Animated Violence Mild Blanck Mass reached "can do no wrong" status for me and with this album he's left that status. The intro and initial climax here is gorgeous but after that it just feels aimless. I'm not a fan of ambient anyway but the way this is presented with occasional samples and vocal clips makes it feel really uneven and it doesn't really ever settle into anything all the enthralling. [First added to this chart: 04/01/2021]
Ambient sampling
With Animated Violence Mild Blanck Mass reached "can do no wrong" status for me and with this album he's left that status. The intro and initial climax here is gorgeous but after that it just feels aimless. I'm not a fan of ambient anyway but the way this is presented with occasional samples and vocal clips makes it feel really uneven and it doesn't really ever settle into anything all the enthralling. [First added to this chart: 04/01/2021]
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60/100
Orchestra rap
I don't love the symphonic feel of this, it feels super overblown and it's not really my thing when it comes to rap music. I like a few of these songs, highlights are the one with Obongjayar and the one with the "I love you I hate you" sample. Overall though I think it's too long and the kind of motivational / self love emphasis just doesn't hit for some reason (I realize this makes me sound like a troglodyte). I preferred her last one to this one. [First added to this chart: 10/02/2021]
Orchestra rap
I don't love the symphonic feel of this, it feels super overblown and it's not really my thing when it comes to rap music. I like a few of these songs, highlights are the one with Obongjayar and the one with the "I love you I hate you" sample. Overall though I think it's too long and the kind of motivational / self love emphasis just doesn't hit for some reason (I realize this makes me sound like a troglodyte). I preferred her last one to this one. [First added to this chart: 10/02/2021]
Year of Release:
2021
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,890
Rank in 2021:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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60/100
Soul
Nice listen, but what made whichever Untitled I liked (I think Rise?) so good was the drumming, and that drumming is not really present here. Sounds a lot more derivative. [First added to this chart: 08/21/2021]
Soul
Nice listen, but what made whichever Untitled I liked (I think Rise?) so good was the drumming, and that drumming is not really present here. Sounds a lot more derivative. [First added to this chart: 08/21/2021]
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60/100
Goddamn circus music
Having already slightly panned Squid's and BCNR's albums from this year, I wasn't really thrilled at the idea of listening to this. I figure this, which was billed as even more proggy, could only be worse, but I was drawn in by the prospect of helping to lower the album's RYM rating. I mean...at seeing what all the fuss was all about. Yeah, that's it.
The first time I tried to listen to this I lasted about 30 seconds because the vocals plus the music starting and stopping was a huge Nope. But I went back to it, and while I still can't help but eye roll through the first couple tracks and the ranting about anteaters, I do think the album massively picks up after that. I couldn't point to a song I really like, but I actually think the songwriting here is pretty good. It doesn't meander, and there aren't too many song shifts that feel like they're done just for the hell of it. Ascending Forth is probably the closest I get to really liking a song here, as it feels pretty peaceful, but I don't ever think it hits the climax it's looking for. Also the pun in the title is DUMB. I don't know or care what an ascending fourth is, please leave music theory out of my music, tyvm.
I don't hate the vocals, they have an obvious affection but it works for the most part. Lyrics are pretty standard for this new wave of prog, aka trash. [First added to this chart: 06/13/2021]
Goddamn circus music
Having already slightly panned Squid's and BCNR's albums from this year, I wasn't really thrilled at the idea of listening to this. I figure this, which was billed as even more proggy, could only be worse, but I was drawn in by the prospect of helping to lower the album's RYM rating. I mean...at seeing what all the fuss was all about. Yeah, that's it.
The first time I tried to listen to this I lasted about 30 seconds because the vocals plus the music starting and stopping was a huge Nope. But I went back to it, and while I still can't help but eye roll through the first couple tracks and the ranting about anteaters, I do think the album massively picks up after that. I couldn't point to a song I really like, but I actually think the songwriting here is pretty good. It doesn't meander, and there aren't too many song shifts that feel like they're done just for the hell of it. Ascending Forth is probably the closest I get to really liking a song here, as it feels pretty peaceful, but I don't ever think it hits the climax it's looking for. Also the pun in the title is DUMB. I don't know or care what an ascending fourth is, please leave music theory out of my music, tyvm.
I don't hate the vocals, they have an obvious affection but it works for the most part. Lyrics are pretty standard for this new wave of prog, aka trash. [First added to this chart: 06/13/2021]
Year of Release:
2021
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,217
Rank in 2021:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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55/100
Journey to the center of the lost Icelandic elf civilization
There are some really pretty sounds here. RYM is drooling over the "sound design" of this album, whatever that is. I guess they just mean the sounds are better than the sounds on other albums? Like they're sounds that they haven't heard used before? Wild that it's 2021 and we're still discovering new sounds, I thought we'd have them all nailed down by now.
Those sounds are used well but not in a way that grabs me at all. Admiring sounds or production is not at all how I enjoy music, and these formless classical inspired albums give me nothing to latch onto. In other words, your sounds are nice but do you have tunes? In all seriousness when I saw this tagged as progressive electronic on RYM I knew I wouldn't like it.
Near the end there's some vocals from what I think are fairies that are really cool and it helps to add another layer to the music, something that feels like was missing in the beginning. Apparently there's lore behind this album and the fairies probably fit into that so it's too bad the fairies didn't reveal themselves earlier or whatever.
TL;DR I prefer the wiggly worms to the fairies. [First added to this chart: 04/13/2021]
Journey to the center of the lost Icelandic elf civilization
There are some really pretty sounds here. RYM is drooling over the "sound design" of this album, whatever that is. I guess they just mean the sounds are better than the sounds on other albums? Like they're sounds that they haven't heard used before? Wild that it's 2021 and we're still discovering new sounds, I thought we'd have them all nailed down by now.
Those sounds are used well but not in a way that grabs me at all. Admiring sounds or production is not at all how I enjoy music, and these formless classical inspired albums give me nothing to latch onto. In other words, your sounds are nice but do you have tunes? In all seriousness when I saw this tagged as progressive electronic on RYM I knew I wouldn't like it.
Near the end there's some vocals from what I think are fairies that are really cool and it helps to add another layer to the music, something that feels like was missing in the beginning. Apparently there's lore behind this album and the fairies probably fit into that so it's too bad the fairies didn't reveal themselves earlier or whatever.
TL;DR I prefer the wiggly worms to the fairies. [First added to this chart: 04/13/2021]
Total albums: 14. Page 1 of 2
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Top 88 Music Albums of 2021 composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| R.A.P. Ferreira | 2 | 2% | |
| Lana Del Rey | 2 | 2% | |
| Fiddlehead | 1 | 1% | |
| Viagra Boys | 1 | 1% | |
| Wolves In The Throne Room | 1 | 1% | |
| 파란노을 [Parannoul] | 1 | 1% | |
| Kacey Musgraves | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
55 | 63% | |
 |
14 | 16% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 88 Music Albums of 2021 chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
 Up 3 from 6th to 3rdInpariquipê by Kaatayra |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 3rd to 4th Glow On by Turnstile |
| Down 1 from 4th to 5th Seek Shelter by Iceage |
| Down 1 from 5th to 6th Nafs At Peace by جو بھی [Jaubi] |
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Other year charts (from the 2020s) by babyBlueSedan
Top 19 Music Albums of 2023 by babyBlueSedan (2023)Top 97 Music Albums of 2022 by
babyBlueSedan (2022)Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 by
babyBlueSedan (2021)Top 88 Music Albums of 2021 ratings
89/100 (from 3 votes)
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Showing all 3 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 100/100  | 02/09/2022 19:45 | DJENNY | | 100/100 |
| 100/100 | 06/06/2021 13:24 |  travelful | | 99/100 |
| 95/100 | 05/18/2021 08:34 |  Purplepash | | 88/100 |
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From babyBlueSedan 06/13/2021 16:13
babyBlueSedan 06/13/2021 16:13
Thanks for the rec! I've definitely been out of the hip hop loop the past few years, I hadn't even heard of Mach-Hommy until he showed up on one of billy woods's albums in 2019. I think I knew about the album he released a single copy of before hearing about the new one but then I saw he's got a huge discography and wasn't sure where to go next. It's hard for me to find the time lately to spend digesting new hip hop albums to the extent they deserve but I'll try to give it a chance when I can.
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100/100
From travelful 06/06/2021 13:29
travelful 06/06/2021 13:29
Glad you liked Mach-Hommy! He's one of the most underrated rappers currently, and its primarily his fault for making his music so inaccessible. His best album in my opinion is "Haitian Body Odor" (HBO) and thankfully it's on SoundCloud. Similar to "Pray For Haiti" it released under Griselda Records. It was his Griselda debut back in 2016 before him and Westside Gunn had a falling out due to creative differences. I think it's a top 10 hip-hop album of the last decade, maybe it would interest you.
Always love following your charts.
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