2021

Welcome to the COVID year, again. Now that we’re two years deep into the new normal, it’s been hard to rate music in the larger scheme of things. It feels like there hasn’t been any standout album like in years past; maybe musicians are just trying to get by, same as the rest of us. But there’s still been plenty to be happy about this year.

TL;DR: Bad is the new normal; here’s some good music.

CHVRCHES – Screen Violence: Director’s Cut

This was a year without an obvious top album, and there’s nothing groundbreaking here. But here we are at the end of the year and this is what I kept returning to over and over. It’s a CHVRCHES album full of CHVRCHES songs, but here’s the thing: they’re really good CHRVCHES songs.

Nearly every track could be a single, and then to top it off, they added a deluxe version with 2 more singles. Highest ratio of killer / filler this year.

2. shame – Drunk Tank Pink

The post-punk scene is heating up again. shame did it better than anyone this year.

3. Low – HEY WHAT

I was not into Low for 25 years. After the last two albums, they’re one of my favorite bands. Inspiration that we can get more interesting as we grow older.

4. Helado Negro – Far In

This album is an instant vibe. I’m not sure where it transports me, but the air is light.

5. Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue

Keem is a chameleon, jumping from trend to trend, picking off the best bits and quickly moving along. Last time an emcee had this much fun without taking himself too seriously was The College Dropout.

He stands on his own; don’t bother mentioning the family relations.

6. Alien Boy – Don’t Know What I Am

Pure nostalgia from a certain slice of indieland.

7. Deafheaven – Infinite Granite

What happens when a band defines a genre, and then becomes just a good example of another genre? Well, they get ranked #7 instead of #1. Jokes aside, this is better than any right it has to be.

8. Ovlov – Buds

Fun fuzzy rock tunes.

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

Tyler is approaching rap pantheon with these consistently great and original albums. He switches up styles in a way we don’t usually see with rappers. On this one he’s ditched the singing, he’s blunt, he’s bougie, he’s globetrotting, and he even brought Wayne back from the dead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjOmKxkt9BM

10. Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Fantastic album: even more impressive that she could overcome such major handicaps of being a British rapper and having the worst album skits since Aquemini. But I don’t mean to diminish; she’s legit.

11. Minari OST – Emile Mosseri

I think this is the first time I’ve had a soundtrack on the list. Can wobbly organ be a motif? Whatever it is, it just kills me.

12. IDLES – CRAWLER

IDLES made some slow burners and they kick ass.

My favorite live show of the year, out of the very few I saw.

13. 42 Dugg – Free Dem Boyz

The world needed a mini trap version of Snoop from the Wire doing an Easy E impression. No song got me more hype this year than 4 Da Gang. Filmed in ATL!

14. Quadry – They Think We Ghetto

Smooth 90s rap vibes.

15. Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee

#1 album of the year that everyone liked but nobody loved. At least that’s what I heard in the discourse.

16. C. Tangana – El Madrileño

I’m loving how much Spanish-language music is making the mainstream. The Madrilenian has more original moments than any other pop album I’ve heard this year.

17. Jeff Rosenstock – SKA DREAM

This is definitely the first time I’ve put an album on the list from a guy covering his own punk songs in the ska style. This should not work, yet here we are.