Best Albums of 2021 | Top 30
It´s that time of the year when our calendar reaches the end of its cycle of 365 days & many begin to look back to recollect. I won´t be different, I will put forth below my list of the Best Albums of 2021.
This is an exercise I enjoy, however difficult it is to limit the number selected down to 30 records; an arbitrarily self placed figure to add discipline & hard thinking towards my endevour.
Overall, it has been a very good 2021 in terms of music & album releases. Plenty of new talent have burst onto the scene while some consolidated artists & bands continue to publish some real bangers.
I have noticed a tendency by many acts to go back in time for ideas to make their own. Lot of 80s (20th century) sounds are being used & adapted, along with new wave electro, punk rock & hardcore sounds modified for the 2021 ear. Nice, some acts have really blended old into new in some excellent ways, while others have mixed local & traditional world music with rock to give it some exciting vibes.
Said this, all lists are subjective. The following 30 albums are records that have caught my attention, sparked my interest, have emotionally moved my soul in some manner & have differentiated themselves from the rest. Others are debut efforts which indicate some outstanding talent that will be with us for many years.
Many albums will be missing, its unavoidable with “Best of” lists, & should not be taken by anyone as an offense, especially by diehard fans, if your favourite is not listed. Everyone lives their music their own way & this should be respected.
Here is my Top 30 list of the Best Albums of 2021: in NO ranking order.
. Shame — Drunk Tank Pink
. Annie — The Million Masks of God
. Black Country, New Road — For the First Time
. Squid — Bright Green Field
. The Black Key — Delta Kream
. The Armed — ULTRAPOP
. Arlo Parks — Collapsed in Sunbeams
. C. Tangana — El Madrileño
. Dry Cleaning — New Long Leg
. Son of Kemet — Black to the Future
. Dean Blunt — BLACK METAL 2
. Low — Hey What
. Little Simz — Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
. Floating Points, & The London Symphony Orchestra — Promises
. Lord Huron — Long Lost
. Olivia Rodrigo — Sour
. Nation of Language — A Way Forward
. Closer — Within One Stem
. Geese — Projector
. IDLES — Crawler
. Cold Beat — War Garden
. Helado Negro — Far In
. Julien Baker — Little Oblivions
. The Bug — Fire
. Irreversible Entanglements — Open the Gates
. Amy & The Sniffers — Comfort to Me
. Turnstile — Glow On
. Mdou Moctar — Afrique Victime
. For Those I Love — For Those I Love
. Skee Mask — Pool
