My Albums of the Year 2021

 

2021 has been a pretty spectacular year for new music. Maybe it’s the fact that many artists delayed the release of their albums due to a certain pandemic. Maybe the recent downtime allowed bands to focus and spend more time creating music. Whatever the reasons, when it came to compiling this list, it was trickier than ever to slim it down.

I usually post around 30 of my favourite albums and then make a second list of the heavier stuff as I know many people aren’t as enamoured with what my friend calls “shouty music”. This year, I have so many albums I loved that I’ve listed 50 albums, with another 30 in the heavy list.

There are also playlists for anyone who wants to dive into the music. Hopefully, you’ll discover something you love that maybe you missed this year. I haven’t seen artists like Madi Diaz, The Paper Kites, Failure or Geese on many other AOTY lists, but I absolutely loved the records they released.

I know most people use Spotify, but as I use Tidal for 95% of my streaming, I’ve added links to both. So, without further ado, in reverse order, here are my absolute faves of 2021, followed by my favourite heavy albums.

My Albums Of the Year 2021

50. Emma Ruth Rundle – Engine Of Hell

49. Lady Blackbird – Black Acid Soul

48. Noah Gundersen – A Pillar Of Salt

47. For Those I Love – For Those I Love

46. Halsey – If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power

45. Thrice – Horizons / East

44. Elbow – Flying Dream 1

43. Julien Baker – Little Oblivions

42. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Raise The Roof

41. The Weather Station – Ignorance

40. Torres – Thirstier

39. Le Ren – Leftovers

38. Snail Mail – Valentine

37. Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days

36.Liz Phair – Soberish

35. Dijon – Absolutely

34. Skee Mask – Pool

33. Faye Webster – I Know I’m Funny haha

32. Tori Amos – Ocean To Ocean

31. Megan Nash – Soft Focus Futures

30. Geese – Projector

29. Fruit Bats – The Pet Parade

28. JOHN (TIMESTWO) – Nocturnal Manoeuvres

27. Lump – Animal

26. Tyler, The Creator – CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST

25. Sam Fender – Seventeen Going Under

24. Illuminati Hotties – Let Me Do One More

23. Fretland – Could Have Loved You

22. Cadence Weapon – Parallel World

21. London Grammar – Californian Soil

20. Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams

 

19. Joy Orbison – Still Slipping Vol.1

 

18. The Bronx – VI

 

17. Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg

 

16. Madi Diaz – History Of A Feeling

 

15. Cassandra Jenkins – An Overview On Phenomenal Nature

 

14. The Paper Kites – Roses

 

13. Wolf Alice – Blue Weekend

 

12. The Black Keys – Delta Kream

 

11. Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

 

10. The Hold Steady – Open Door Policy

 

9. Failure – Wild Type Droid

 

8. Turnstile – Glow On

 

7. Self Esteem – Prioritise Pleasure

 

6. Idles – Crawler

 

5. Ben Howard – Collections From The Whiteout

 

4. James Blake – Friends That Break Your Heart

 

3. Deafheaven – Infinite Granite

 

2. The War On Drugs – I Don’t Live Here Anymore

 

1. Manchester Orchestra – The Million Masks Of God

 

Bonus video cos this is such a stunning music video:

 

Here is the Spotify playlist:

 

And the Tidal playlist:

 

The Heavy List

Featuring metal, hardcore, sludge, doom, black metal, death metal… basically a lot of people making beautifully angry, passionate music that requires volume. Turn it up!

30. LLNN – Unmaker

29. Noctambulist – The Barren Form

28. Aborted – Maniacult

27. Ossuaire – Triumvirat

26. Whitechapel – Kin

25. Genghis Tron – Dream Weapon

24. Khemmis – Deceiver

23. Ethereal Shroud – Trisagion

22. Der Weg Einer Freiheit -Noktvrn

21. Employed To Serve – Conquering

20. Backxwash – I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES

19. Amenra – De Doorn

18. Bossk – Migration

17. Spectral Wound – A Diabolic Thirst

16. Dödsrit – Mortal Coil

15. Erdve – Savigaila

14. Death Goals – The Horrible and The Miserable

13. Mastiff – Leave Me The Ashes Of the Earth

12. Rivers Of Nihil – The Work

11. Morokh – All The Darkness Looks Alive

10. Cult Of Luna – The Raging River

 

9. Wolves In The Throne Room – Primordial Arcana

 

8. Présages – Pleurs

 

7. Portrayal Of Guilt – We Are Alway Alone

 

6. Gojira – Fortitude

 

5. Pupil Slicer – Mirrors

 

4. MØL – Diorama

 

3. Every Time I Die – Radical

 

2. Knocked Loose – A Tear In The Fabric Of Life

 

1. Converge & Chelsea Wolfe – Bloodmoon: 1

 

The Spotify playlist (PLAY LOUD!)

 

And the TIDAL version:

 

Thanks for reading, listening and caring about music. And thanks to all the bands and artists who continue to be incredibly creative. Can’t wait to see what 2022 has in store.