With the painful memories of the disorienting year that was 2020 further receding from view for many of us, 2021 has thankfully provided more reasons to be optimistic about what lies ahead. Even despite the remnant political, cultural and pandemic-induced chaos that still surrounds us, there are indeed glimmers of light and hope peeking through at the end of these troubling tunnels.
Through it all, the unique and undaunted power of music to offer much-needed strength and solace has never wavered. And as we wind down toward the end of the year with 2022 right around the bend, we’re grateful for all of the wonderful new music that has tickled our ears and sustained our souls this year, including—but not limited to—the select records we’re showcasing here in our year-end list of 2021’s best.
As with our previous end-of-year lists, this year’s final rankings reflect the consensus of our staff’s selections combined with our readers’ choices per the poll we circulated a few weeks ago, which generated more than 35,000 responses.
So without further ado, we’re thrilled to reveal our picks for the 100 Best Albums of 2021 and we encourage you to explore the complete list via the index below. Be sure to click the links that appear below each album cover for more information, including full album streams and accompanying videos. And as always, if you like what you hear and if you have the means, please consider purchasing the albums from the artists’ respective official stores or your favorite record stores.
Enjoy the music and THANK YOU for making 2021 another awesome year for the entire Albumism community!
100 Best Albums of 2021:
#1 ALBUM-OF-THE-YEAR | Little Simz | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#2 | Nitin Sawhney | Immigrants
Listen | Buy via Rough Trade
#3 | Wolf Alice | Blue Weekend
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#5 | Garbage | No Gods No Masters
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#6 | Sons of Kemet | Black to the Future
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#8 | Tori Amos | Ocean to Ocean
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#9 | Arlo Parks | Collapsed In Sunbeams
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#10 | Hiatus Kaiyote | Mood Valiant
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#11 | Halsey | If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#12 | CHVRCHES | Screen Violence
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#13 | Duran Duran | FUTURE PAST
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#14 | Saint Etienne | I’ve Been Trying To Tell You
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#15 | Laura Mvula | Pink Noise
Listen | Buy via Apple Music
#16 | SAULT | Nine
Explore More | Buy via Turntable Lab
#17 | Kacey Musgraves | star-crossed
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#19 | Liz Phair | Soberish
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#20 | Morcheeba | Blackest Blue
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#21 | Juliana Hatfield | Blood
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#22 | London Grammar | Californian Soil
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#23 | Billie Eilish | Happier Than Ever
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#24 | Nas | King’s Disease II
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#25 | Black Coffee | Subconsciously
Listen | Buy via Apple Music
#26 | Dave | We’re All Alone In This Together
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#27 | Róisín Murphy | Crooked Machine
Listen | Buy via Apple Music
#28 | MARINA | Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#29 | Natalie Imbruglia | Firebird
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#31 | Elbow | Flying Dream 1
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#32 | Wesley Joseph | ULTRAMARINE
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#33 | Jon Batiste | WE ARE
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#34 | Texas | Hi
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#35 | Julien Baker | Little Oblivions
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#36 | STR4TA | Aspects
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#37 | Damon Albarn | The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#38 | Kate Ceberano | Sweet Inspiration
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#39 | Foo Fighters | Medicine At Midnight
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#40 | Mustafa | When Smoke Rises
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#41 | Aimee Mann | Queens of the Summer Hotel
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#42 | Yebba | Dawn
Listen | Buy via Apple Music
#43 | Lana Del Rey | Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Listen | Buy via Apple Music
#45 | Adele | 30
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#50 | Celeste | Not Your Muse
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#51 | Edie Brickell & New Bohemians | Hunter And The Dog Star
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#52 | The Weather Station | Ignorance
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#53 | Olivia Rodrigo | SOUR
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#54 | Curtis Harding | If Words Were Flowers
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#55 | Tyler, The Creator | Call Me If You Get Lost
Listen | Buy via Apple Music
#56 | Manic Street Preachers | The Ultra Vivid Lament
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#57 | Jane Weaver | Flock
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#59 | St. Vincent | Daddy’s Home
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#60 | Natalie Hemby | Pins and Needles
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#62 | Japanese Breakfast | Jubilee
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#63 | Jordan Rakei | What We Call Life
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#64 | Valerie June | The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#65 | Puma Blue | In Praise of Shadows
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#66 | Lucy Dacus | Home Video
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#67 | Brandi Carlile | In These Silent Days
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#68 | James Blake | Friends That Break Your Heart
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#72 | Ladyhawke | Time Flies
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#73 | NAO | And Then Life Was Beautiful
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#74 | Modest Mouse | The Golden Casket
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#75 | Snail Mail | Valentine
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#76 | Silk Sonic | An Evening with Silk Sonic
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#77 | Dot Allison | Heart-Shaped Scars
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#78 | The Killers | Pressure Machine
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#79 | Yola | Stand for Myself
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#80 | Dean Wareham | I Have Nothing to Say to the Mayor of L.A.
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#81 | H.E.R. | Back of My Mind
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#82 | IDLES | CRAWLER
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#84 | Martha Wainwright | Love Will Be Reborn
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#85 | Tasha | Tell Me What You Miss the Most
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#86 | Joy Orbison | still slipping vol. 1
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#87 | Low | HEY WHAT
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#88 | Sleater-Kinney | Path of Wellness
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#90 | Mogwai | As the Love Continues
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#91 | The Staves | Good Woman
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#92 | Sananda Maitreya | Pandora’s PlayHouse
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#93 | Laura Stevenson | Laura Stevenson
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#94 | Terrace Martin | DRONES
Listen | Buy via Apple Music
#95 | The Coral | Coral Island
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#96 | The War on Drugs | I Don’t Live Here Anymore
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#98 | SG Lewis | times
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#99 | John Mayer | Sob Rock
Listen | Buy via Official Store
#100 | Kacy Hill | Simple, Sweet, and Smiling
Listen | Buy via Apple Music