25 Best Albums of 2021 (So Far) | Playlist 🎧

Honorable Mentions

Although there are no rankings, there are some honorable mentions that were considered for one of the 25 spots on the list but missed the cut.  Like the albums that were actually selected for the list, these honorable mentions are listed in alphabetical order by the musician’s first name!  They MIGHT appear on the final edition of the list…or not.

1. Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday

[Warner]

🎙 Andra Day does extremely well on the soundtrack to 💿 The United States vs. Billie Holiday.  The covers are excellent, with Day doing her best to capture the essence of Lady Day herself.  She’s not just a copycat by any means, as she also ensures she’s true to self artistically. The new songs are quite compelling, managing to also channel Holiday’s style and the overall sentiment and feel of the times which she lived in.

2. Demi Lovato, Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over

[Island]

All in all, 🎙 Demi Lovato makes quite an authentic, personal, and incredibly intriguing pop album with 💿 Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over.  She sings like an angel, showing the tremendous capabilities of her voice.  Stylistically, this pop album dips into various genres, showcasing her versatility.

3. Justin Bieber, Justice

[Def Jam]

💿 Justice definitely marks an improvement from 💿 Changes. It better suits 🎙 Justin Bieber, being firmly planted in pop.  While imperfect, Justice is respectable, and more often than not, enjoyable.  The infectious 🎵 “Peaches,” featuring 🎙 Daniel Caesar and 🎙 GIVĒON, nearly earned Justice a spot on the list.

4. Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon III: The Chosen

[Republic] (2020):

On his seventh studio album, 💿 Man on the Moon III: The Chosen, 🎙 Kid Cudi exhibits his full arsenal – all of the elements that made him a key proponent in hip-hop.  No, MOTM III isn’t his very best album in a stacked discography, but I would definitely rank it quite high.

5. Thomas Rhett, Country Again (Side A)

[Big Machine] 

🎙 Thomas Rhett abandons crossover country on 💿 Country Again (Side A).  It doesn’t yield the pop hits he’s had in the past but ultimately, it’s fine project from the 🏆 Grammy-nominated musician.  Great singing, great songwriting, and fitting production make it successful.

1. Aaron Frazer, Introducing…

[Dead Oceans / Easy Eye Sound]

🎙 Aaron Frazer, a member of 🎙 Durand Jones & The Indications, stepped out on his own his 2021 debut album, 💿 Introducing…. The results were nothing short of amazing – incredibly impressive! Throughout his retro-soul LP, Frazer makes the best of a soulful backdrop (🎛 Dan Auerbach serves as the producer) and his ability to croon like an absolute boss. His voice is light and smooth as butter; he never over-sings, selling the aesthetic perfectly through the aforementioned crooning and spoiling us with heaping doses of falsetto – utterly sublime. Besides showcasing a gorgeous instrument, throughout the course of the album, there is fine songwriting including both memorable lyrics and tuneful melodies.  Introducing… features numerous highlights including a dynamic opening trio (🎵 “You Don’t Wanna Be My Baby”, 🎵 “If I Got It (Your Love Brought It)”, and 🎵 “Can’t Leave it Alone”), as well as its triumphant, crowning achievement, the must-hear, gospel/blues-infused ballad, 🎵 “Leanin’ on Your Everlasting Love.”   

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Leanin’ on Your Everlasting Love”   

2. The Black Keys, Delta Kream

[Nonesuch]

On 💿 Delta Kream, 🎙 The Black Keys (🎙 Dan Auerbach and 🎙 Patrick Carney), go the covers route, and return to their roots: the blues.  Delta Kream exceptionally pays tribute to blues heroes, most prominently David Kimbrough, Jr., best known as 🎙 Junior Kimbrough.  Auerbach sings well and with ease, never overdoing/trying too hard to capture that bluesy aesthetic. Recorded live in the studio, Auerbach and Carney, who also produce, enlist the services of friends 🎙 Eric Deaton (electric bass) and 🎙 Kenny Brown (electric guitar).  The crème de la crème of Delta Kream includes the 🎼✍ John Lee Hooker/ 🎼✍ Bernard Besman classic, 🎵 “Crawling Kingsnake,” the Kimbrough’s suggestive 🎵 “Stay the Night,” and 🎙 Robert Lee Burnside’s 🎵 “Going Down South.”

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Crawling Kingsnake”

3. BROCKHAMPTON, ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE

[RCA]

🎙 BROCKHAMPTON absolutely slaughters on their 2021 album, 💿 ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE.  This fine addition to their discography shows this multi-person collective (including 🎙 Kevin Abstract, 🎙 Matt Champion, 🎙 Joba, and 🎙 Dom McLennon) at the top of their game. Running 13 tracks deep, the boys never miss the mark – no duds on the track list! What makes ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE shine is the versatility of the members of the band, the authentic, honest, often emotionally tinged lyrics, and great production work.  Furthermore, BROCKHAMPTON are able to secure some awesome guests only adding to their own stellar contributions.  If ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE indeed ends up being the penultimate album by the collective, it’s a damn good one.  Among the best of the album include 🎵 “BUZZCUT” featuring 🎙 Danny Brown, 🎵 “Chain On” featuring 🎙 JPEGMAFIA and sampling the 🎙 Wu-Tang Clan classic, 🎵 “C.R.E.A.M.”,  “The Light,” 🎵 “Windows,” and “Don’t Shoot Up the Party.”    

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “BUZZCUT” 

4. Camilo, Mis Manos

[Sony Latin]

In 2021, Colombian singer/songwriter 🎙 Camilo (Camilo Echeverry) dropped a tight, entertaining, and well-crafted sophomore album with 💿 Mis Manos.  Mis Manos arrived a mere 11 months after his 🏆 Grammy-nominated debut album, 💿 Por Primera Vez.  Among Echeverry’s attributes is the incredible ease with which he sings, flaunting a gorgeous, youthful tone.  Add his colorful, desirable voice alongside the tuneful, rhythmic melodies that grace Mis Manos and you end up with a truly elite album.  The best moments of Mis Manos include the chill, feel-good opener, 🎵 “Millones” (“Millions”), the matters of the heart driven 🎵 “KESI,” and the playful, drippy 🎵 “Ropa Cara” (“Expensive Clothes”) touting “Balenciaga, Gucci, Prada.” 

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Ropa Cara” 

5. Carrie Underwood, My Savior

[Capitol Nashville]

It’s been years since 🎙 Carrie Underwood was victorious on American Idol (Season 5).  Nonetheless, as an artist, the 🏆 Grammy-winning country musician has only improved over the years.  In 2020, she took a slight departure, opting to record a gospel album – still very much idiomatic of the country music she is known for.  💿 My Savior isn’t a project that reinvents the tried and true, but it finds a terrific artist on autopilot – excelling at her craft.  Here, Underwood is in great voice, particularly on high flying standouts like 🎵 “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, a powerhouse duet with iconic gospel singer, 🎙 CeCe Winans, on “How Great Thou Art,” and a spirited take on the beloved 🎵 “Softly and Tenderly.” You don’t have to be particularly religious to appreciate the artistry on My Savior.

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Great is They Faithfulness”

6. DMX, Exodus

[Def Jam]

Sadly, the world lost a musical icon in 2021. The gruff-voiced, East Coast rapper 🎙 DMX, passed away at the age of 50 on April 9, 2021.   Yes, Earl Simmons was ‘rough around the edges,’ but the sheer talent and influence he brought to the game, as well as his tremendous faith, is undeniable. Is 💿 Exodus, his posthumous studio album the best work of his illustrious career? Absolutely not – that question should really be rhetorical.  That said, Exodus has its fair share of moments that showcase what X was about.  On this farewell LP, he consistently brings grit and toughness and continues to incorporate, faith, a key component, as he has throughout his career.  Flawed Exodus may be, the winning moments easily outweigh the less stellar ones including gems like star-studded, banging opening duo of  🎵 “That’s My Dog” (featuring 🎙 The LOX) and 🎵 “Bath Salts” (featuring 🎙 Jay-Z and 🎙 Nas), the contrast of coarse and smooth on 🎵 “Hold Me Down” (featuring 🎙 Alicia Keys), the jazzy masterpiece, 🎵 “Hood Blues” (featuring 🎙 Westside Gunn, 🎙 Benny The Butcher, and 🎙 Conway The Machine), and the thoughtful, repentant 🎵 “Letter to My Son (Call Your Father).” 

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Hood Blues”

7 & 8. Eric Church, Heart & Soul

[EMI Nashville]

🏆 Grammy-nominated country artist 🎙 Eric Church gave us not just one, but two albums in 2021.  And guess what? Both 💿 Heart and 💿 Soul are worth highlighting as the best albums of 2021. Heart, released first, is a tight, nine-track set that is of consistent, high quality from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Church compels with his songwriting chops and most notably, his vocals – two things he’s excelled at over the course of his career.  The best, Heart-filled moments are the fiery opener, 🎵 “Heart on Fire,” the clever radio-referencing, reminiscent 🎵 “Russian Roulette,” and the socially conscious 🎵 “Stick That in Your Country Song.”

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Russian Roulette” 

As for Soul, released a week after Heart, gives Eric Church another winner.  Strong from start to finish, it runs a mere nine tracks deep and a half-an-hour-long. The songwriting, vocal performance, and production are impeccable, with no duds to be found.  The crème de la crème of this more soulful, rock-oriented set includes the mean opening trio of 🎵 “Rock & Roll Found Me,” 🎵 “Look Good and You Know It,” and my personal favorite, the totally electrifying trip that is 🎵 “Break it Kind of Guy” (“I tell my Eagle where to fly”).    

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Break it Kind of Guy” 

9. Foo Fighters, Medicine at Midnight

[RCA]

Following a three-year hiatus, the 🎙 Dave Grohl-led, 🏆 Grammy-winning, totally badass 🎙 Foo Fighters return with a totally worthwhile tenth studio album, 💿 Medicine at Midnight.  Contributing to the sheer excellence are the services of ‘it’ producer 🎛 Greg Kurstin, whom the band has worked with plenty in recent times. From the start, The Foos come out firing on all cylinders with 🎵 “Making a Fire” with its overdrive-fueled guitars, a hella tuneful melody, and the best weapon – Grohl on the mic (it’s the “na-na, na-na-na-na-na-na’s” for me dawg)! Even formerly somnambulant single 🎵 “Shame Shame” shines within the context of Medicine.  That said, there are songs with even more firepower such as the thoughtful 🎵 “Waiting on a War” where Grohl reflects on the state of world and the effect that it has on the young, who are often adversely affected and the big, obnoxious, rousing, turned TF up 🎵 “No Son of Mine”. 

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “No Son of Mine” 

10. GIVĒON, When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time

[Epic]

After releasing his 8-track debut EP, 💿 Take Time, in 2020, 🎙 GIVĒON (Giveon Evans) returned in 2021 with the well-rounded compilation album, 💿 When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time, which adds five additional tracks (an interlude and four full-length songs).  The biggest attraction of this 37-minute effort are the refined, silky smooth, and expressive baritone vocals of the 🏆  Grammy-nominated R&B singer – he’s the real deal, period. While the resulting album is brief in its own right, Evans thrills on some lushly produced and superbly written standouts.  They include the 🎵 “The Beach,” where he sings about the checkered past of Long Beach as well as an impending relationship. On 🎵 “Heartbreak Anniversary,” he recalls the ended relationship, proclaiming, “Just like the day that I met you, the day I thought forever / Said that you love me, but that’ll last for never.” My personal favorite remains 🎵 “Like I Want You”, a breakout moment, where he longs for his ex, delivering his best performance of the album.  Sure, those three songs all graced Take Time, but the newbies shine too, including the smooth duet with 🎙 Snoh Aalegra, 🎵 “Last Time,” and the elite, nuanced, and refined penultimate cut, 🎵 “Stuck on You.”

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Like I Want You”

11. J. Cole, The Off-Season

[Dreamville / Roc Nation]

🏆 Grammy-winning rapper 🎙 J. Cole delivers an enjoyable, well-rounded sixth studio album with 💿 The Off-Season. While The Off-Season isn’t THE best album by Cole, it definitely ranks among the best projects in his discography.  From the start, Cole spoils the listener’s with the lit banger 🎵 “9 5 . s o u t h” where he touts his skills and success in the game and brilliantly takes shots at rappers who rely on quantity over quality with very little gain.  Throw in an awesome 🎙 Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz sample, and “9 5 . s o u t h” is arguably the song to beat.  Not so fast though! The Off-Season also delivers jam-packed gems with the stellar 🎵 “p r i d e . i s . t h e . d e v i l.” featuring 🎙 Lil Baby, the short but hella potent 🎵 “i n t e r l u d e”, and the reappearance of his 2020 gem, 🎵 “t h e . c l i m b . b a c k” which is every bit as effective as it was prior to The Off-Season.  Jermaine Cole is ‘batting a thousand’ on The Off-Season.

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “9 5 . s o u t h”

12. Jazmine Sullivan, Heaux Tales

[RCA] 

It took six years for 🏆 Grammy-nominated R&B singer/songwriter 🎙 Jazmine Sullivan to release a new project.  That’s extremely long, but at least 💿 Heaux Tales ended up being totally worth the wait.  On the 32-minute project (often characterized as an EP), Sullivan picks right up where she left off in 2015 (💿 Reality Show) showcasing one of the most commanding, intriguing, and soulful voices in the game.  Furthermore, the conceptual nature of the project – women’s love/sex lives – adds a unique dimension.  Also, throw in the fact that besides being geared toward women, Heaux Tales is unapologetically raw and B-L-A-C-K. Among the highlights are 🎵 “Pick Up Your Feelings,” where Jazmine just lays it out there for the offending dude, the steamy, sexed-up 🎵 “Put It Down” and 🎵 “On It” (featuring 🎙 Ari Lennox), and the gorgeous, simple ballad, 🎵 “Lost One,” where Sullivan admits to being “a selfish bitch” as she requests on the chilling chorus, “Just don’t have too much fun without me /… Please don’t forget about me.” 

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Lost One”

13. Jon Batiste, We Are

[Verve]

Gifted, versatile Louisianan musician 🎙 Jon Batiste delivered one of the year’s best and most satisfying R&B albums with 💿 We Are. Better yet, We Are is one of the best albums of 2021 regardless of genre.  Sadly, too few folks indulged into this neo-soul affair which finds Batiste showing off his prodigious musicianship (did you hear that he became an 🏆 Academy Award winner?).  It all begins with the grandiose opener 🎵 “We Are,” enlisting numerous collaborators including the 🎙 Gospel Soul Children’s Choir and the 🎙 St. Augustine High School Marching 100.  Of course, it’s Jon’s nuanced lead vocals that shine brightest.  Later, he kills it on the song to beat, 🎵 “Cry,” with messaging which laments the injustices of the world (“For the loss of the innocence / For the struggle of the immigrants / For the wrongful imprisonment”). Of course, there’s also a fine blend of classic and novel with a heaping does of infectious on 🎵 “I Need You.”

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Cry” 

14. Lana Del Rey, Chemtrails Over the Country Club

[Interscope]

🎙 Lana Del Rey had the formidable, elephantine task of following up her 🏆 Grammy-nominated masterpiece, 💿 Norman Fucking Rockwell!.  If her seventh studio album, 💿 Chemtrails Over the Country Club had ended up being weaker, would anyone blame her? The good news is that Chemtrails Over the Country Club marks another great album from Del Rey, even if it doesn’t eclipse NFR!. Much more stripped and subtler than previous albums, Lana nonetheless compels us with the magic of her voice and complexity and poetic sensibilities of her pen.  She’s hypnotic on the opener 🎵 “White Dress,” which is written narratively with a reminiscent approach.  Title track 🎵 “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” follows in all its glory, with cool energy and numerous lyrical allusions.  The beat keeps on going from there with the like of the spiritually charged 🎵 “Tulsa Jesus Freak,” the love-driven, LA-referencing 🎵 “Let Me Love You Like a Woman” and maybe, just maybe the best song, a chilling cover of the 🎙 Joni Mitchell classic,  🎵 “For Free” performed alongside 🎙 Zella Day and 🎙 Weyes Blood. 

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “For Free”

15. Lucky Daye, Table for Two

[Keep Cool / RCA]

🎙 Lucky Daye lays claim to the shortest project to grace the Best Albums of 2021 (So Far) compendium.  Doesn’t matter! This fine, seven-track EP, 💿 Table for Two, is definitely worth checking out as well in addition to being deserving of ‘best of’ honors.  All six full-length tracks are worthy of continual spins – there are no glaring cons to be found.  Perhaps even more notable is how well the guest list was assembled, featuring numerous talented women including 🏆 Grammy-winner 🎙 Yebba on the superb first full-length track, 🎵 “How Much Can a Heart Take,” and 🎙 Tiana Major9 on the awesome follow-up, 🎵 “On Read,” which successful balances old- and new- school.  The best collaboration just might be with 🎙 Ari Lennox on the crowning achievement, 🎵 “Access Denied,” which features silky smooth, soulful vibes constructed brilliantly by 🎛 Allen Ritter and 🎛 Vinylz. Ultimately, if you haven’t checked out Table for Two, you’re definitely missing a surefire winner! 

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Access Denied”

16. Manchester Orchestra, The Million Masks of God

[Loma Vista]

Cutting straight to the chase, Atlanta, Georgia alt-rock band 🎙 Manchester Orchestra doesn’t disappoint in the least on their 2021 album, 💿 The Million Masks of God 💪. Hey, even if The Million Masks of God sucked, they could easily lay claim to one of the best album titles of the year, right? Right! The good news, of course, is not only does 🎙 Andy Hull and company have a great album title, but they also have a great album as well.  The southern alternative rock collective delivers awesome music that makes you think and analyze it.  The Million Masks of God isn’t necessarily a challenging listening itself, though if you seek to understand the totality of themes and concepts, decoding it adds an additional layer of complexity.  There isn’t a bad song to be found with most of the ‘non-gems’ being nearly equal to the gems; it’s hard to distinguish them, honestly.  Highlights include the six-minute stunner 🎵 “Angel of Death” which encompasses mortality (duh), 🎵 “Keel Timing,” which references mental health, 🎵 “Bed Head” which references ghosts, and two fine cuts referencing the birth of Hull’s sun, 🎵 “Dinosaur” and 🎵 “Obstacle.” The Million Masks of God is one of the deeper albums of 2021 overall.

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Angel of Death”

17. Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album

[Big Loud / Republic] 

You know, earlier in 2021, celebrating 🎙 Morgan Wallen, a talented singer, and his sophomore album, 💿 Dangerous: The Double Album, wouldn’t have been a big deal.  Dangerous was the first big hit of the year, dominating the Billboard 200.  Unfortunately, the celebration has been tainted because of Wallen’s self-inflicted mistakes which have taken away from his artistry.  Should bad behavior and the quality of music go together? That’s always the question when it comes to musicians and controversies. Focusing objectively on the music for all intents and purposes, while Dangerous: The Double Album is too long, there’s lots to like about the album itself.  The biggest draw is those commanding, expressive vocals by the East Tennessean himself.  Furthermore, there’s plenty of enjoyable songs and performances.  On the first disc, he gives us the gorgeous balladry of 🎵 “Sand in My Boots,” the drunken, contemporary country love of 🎵 “Wasted on You,” The area-code touting 🎵 “865,” and of course, ‘ace-in-the-hole,’ 🎵 “7 Summers.” On the second disc, which is more unapologetically country, he informs of what 🎵 “Beer Don’t” do, finding himself at 🎵 “This Bar”, and of course doing some real 🎵 “Country A$$ Shit.”  The first disc is stronger in my opinion, but overall, controversy aside, Wallen delivers an enjoyable album. 

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Sand in my Boots”

18. Olivia Rodrigo, SOUR

[Olivia Rodrigo / Geffen]

Did anyone predict that 18-year-old 🎙 Olivia Rodrigo would end up being one of the biggest music stars of 2021? After establishing herself early on in the year with her dominant no. 1 hit, 🎵 “drivers license”, I had the feeling that big things were going to happen for the singer/actress.  That big thing, of course, is her superb debut album, 💿 SOUR, which was tailor made for Gen-Z.  Hey, even us millennials can get onboard with this modern classic.  Besides the aforementioned ace-in-the-hole, Rodrigo wows with the attitude-laden, spunky opener, 🎵 “Brutal”: “Where’s my fucking teenage dream? / If someone tells me one more time / ‘Enjoy your youth,’ I’m gonna cry.”  On 🎵 “traitor,” she has some choice words for her betrayer.  Later, on 🎵 “déjà vu”, she discusses her ex’s new relationship, while the pop-punk oriented 🎵 “good 4 u” gives “drivers license” a ‘run for its money’: “Cryin’ on the floor of my bathroom / But you’re so unaffected, I really don’t get it / but I guess good for you.”  Honestly, that’s only the tip of the iceberg with SOUR, which isn’t the least bit sour regarding its quality.

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “drivers license”

19. Robert Finley, Sharecropper’s Son

[Easy Eye Sound]

Sometimes, one of the best albums of the year comes from an unlikely or relative unknown musician. Perhaps the name 🎙 Robert Finley isn’t at the top of popular music circles but perhaps it should be.  You see, the 67-year-old blues and soul musicians absolutely shows out on his 2021 album, 💿 Sharecropper’s Son.  While the album is old-school through and through, Sharecropper’s Son feels incredibly refreshing where perhaps, it should sound anachronistic in the 2020s.  Finley delivers elite, earthy, and gritty vocals throughout the course of the affair, giving his all over natural-sounding, retro backdrops.  With 🎛 Dan Auerbach handling the boards, Finley is on autopilot, particularly on the album’s best song, the pained, incredibly authentic 🎵 “Souled Out on You.”  The title track, 🎵 “Sharecropper’s Son” is another surefire winner on this must-hear LP.

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Souled Out on You” 

20. serpentwithfeet, DEACON

[Secretly Canadian]

🎙 Serpentwithfeet (Josiah Wise) an artist worth checking out if you haven’t in the past.  The openly gay musician brings his own distinct style to his music – an alternative/experimental brand of R&B with electronic cues.  The best way experience Wise is listen to the eclecticism he brings to the table. In 2021, he managed to drop one of the best albums of the year with the 11 track, 29-minute effort, 💿 DEACON. Serpentwithfeet totally nails it, showing off immense skilled as a singer and songwriter, as well as exhibiting innovative spirit, keeping things fresh and progressive.  The other pros of DEACON lie within the track list.  The romantic 🎵 “Hyacinth” commences the album lushly with ear catching production.  🎵 “Same Size Shoe” continues to find Wise dip into romance with a special man, one who, indeed “wear the same size shoe.” Later, he’s open about same-sex love and sex, a formerly taboo topic, on 🎵 “Wood Boy” (“He’s stacking that wood / Just like he should / Got my wood, wood boy”). There’s not a bad song to be found on DEACON.

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Same Size Shoe”

21. SG Lewis, Times

[PMR / Universal Music Operations Limited]

British DJ, producer, singer and songwriter 🎙 SG Lewis impresses on his picturesque debut album, 💿 Times.  While Lewis keeps things short and sweet on Times – 10 tracks, running 40 minutes – the results are absolutely fabulous.  SG assembles awesome collaborators including 🎙 Rhye (🎵 “Time”), 🎙 Lucky Daye (🎵 “Feed the Fire”), and Nile Rodgers of Chic (🎵 “One More”).  Beyond those superb guests, all feature on highlights from Times, Lewis does his own awesome work behind the boards, not to mention sings a little bit in the process.  One of the crème de la crème of Times finds Lewis singing quite stunningly: 🎵 “Chemicals.” Times provides variety as well as unity, with much of the album opting for contemporary disco and the influences of the great music of the past. Lewis keeps things interesting, never dwelling too long and ensuring there’s ample contrast.  2021 needed a fine dance/electronic album and Lewis doesn’t disappoint in the least. 

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Chemicals”

22. Shelley FKA DRAM, Shelley FKA DRAM

[Atlantic / EMPIRE]

DRAM, reborn as 🎙 Shelley FKA DRAM, and embracing R&B exclusively, shines on his short but incredibly sweet sophomore album, 💿 Shelley FKA DRAM. It took five years for him release a new album, but his self-titled effort was definitely worth the wait.  There are no misses to be found as every song is definitely worth spinning.  The production is superb, the songwriting is sweet, the vocals are electrifying, and the collaborations (🎙 Summer Walker, 🎙 H.E.R., 🎙 WATT, 🎙 H.E.R., and 🎙 Erykah Badu) are all worthwhile too.  What’s most impressive about this album, of course, is just how gifted a singer Shelley is. Songs that stand out on this fabulous project include the Walker-assisted, buttery smooth opener, 🎵 “All Pride Aside,” the sensual follow-up, 🎵 “Exposure,” and the crowning achievement, the grandiose 🎵 “The Lay Down” (featuring H.E.R. and watt), which features an epic chorus and stellar guitar feature. Shelley FKA DRAM = utterly sublime.

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “The Lay Down”

23. St. Vincent, Daddy’s Home

[Loma Vista]

With 💿 Daddy’s Home, 🏆 Grammy winning singer/songwriter 🎙 St. Vincent (Annie Clark) delivers a surefire home run.  Being honest, Clark never disappoints.  That said, for as many great albums as she’s released, Daddy’s Home definitely ranks near the top.  She never misses the mark with each and every song bringing something meaningful and rewarding. It begins with 🎵 “Pay Your Way in Pain”, an ear catching record blending funk, electronic cues, and top-notch songwriting.  Things continue to shine on 🎵 “Down and Out Downtown”, which employs a soulful, vintage palette of sounds and lyrically recounts and reflects on the previous night’s experiences. Keep working the incredibly consistent track list and eventually you reach the glorious 🎵 “The Melting of the Sun,” where Clark highlights numerous women telling their respective stories, most of which are filled with pain and adversity.  One more, must-hear gem is 🎵 “Down,” arguably the song to beat, encompassing the vicious cycle of abuse as well as revenge.  Top to bottom, Annie has a surefire case for the BEST album of 2021.

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Down”

24. Taylor Swift, evermore

[Taylor Swift, 2020]

After wowing with 💿 folklore, in December 2020, 🎙  Taylor Swift released its companion piece, 💿 Evermore.  Like the 🏆 Grammy-winning album that preceded it, Evermore lacks no shortage of musical gems, closing out 2020 with a surefire bang [Note: It arrived too late to appear on the 2020 list]. On Evermore, Swift continues to thrive in the alternative/folk lane, truly been showcasing her musicianship at its best.  No, she’s no powerhouse vocalist, but stylistically, she’s truly able to shine.  Her best attribute, her songwriting, is on full display.  So, what are the gems of this consistent, beastly album? It begins with opener 🎵 “Willow” which finds Swift singing with ease, shining most on its memorable, tuneful chorus.  Of course, those 🎵 “Champagne problems” that follows are pretty rad in their own right, though it’s a collaboration with 🎙 HAIM on 🎵 “No body, no crime” that truly steals the show.  “She says, ‘I think he did it, but I just can’t prove it’/ I think he did it, but I just can’t prove it,” Swift sings on the chorus, continuing, “… No, no body, no crime / But I ain’t lettin’ up until the day I die.”  There are hits beyond the aforementioned that reflect how awesome Evermore is top to bottom.

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Willow”

25. Twenty One Pilots, Scaled and Icy

[Fueled By Ramen]

Often, when it comes to the mid-year best albums list, there’s an entry or two that elicits debate.  Sure, I’m the sole person who compiles the list, but often, there are albums that I literally go back and forth with.  Sometimes, it’s a solid album that just doesn’t quite rise to the occasion of being the best, while at other times, maybe there’s a song or two or some key aspects of the album that earn it that temporary, best of (so far) spot.  I say all that to say that 🎙 Twenty One Pilots sort of fall into that spot with their sixth studio album, 💿 Scaled and Icy.  Like other albums by the collective, Scaled and Icy is a pretty well-rounded project though not as strong as 💿 Blurryface or 💿 Trench.  Still, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun compel on the likes of sleekly produced numbers like 🎵 “Good Day” (“My sunshine / Is a buzz and a light, I’ll be singing out / I know it’s hard to believe me, it’s a good day.”), singles 🎵 “Choker” and 🎵 “Shy Away”, and a late gem that finds Joseph rapping in “No Chances” (“We come for you, no chances”).  Ultimately, once again, T.O.P. deliver an interesting, worthwhile album.

Must-Hear Gem 💎: “Shy Away”