In the year of animated album art and spatial audio, don’t let the other “best of” lists fool you. This is the most thoroughly vetted best music of 2021.
Click here for the complete 2021 playlist experience.
Top 19 Albums of 2021 (Final Selections (Apple Music friendly))
Runner up:
KOOL RUNNINGS – Errol Dunkley (Dub Natty Records)
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#19
HIDEAWAY – Wavves (Fat Possum Records)
Sun soaked and water drenched tunes of non-wholesomeness.
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#18
DUBZ OF THE ROOT – Lee “Scratch” Perry & the1 Spacewave (MEGAWAVE)
Another legendary icon we lost this year. RIP.
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#17
ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE GUN II – Militarie Gun (Alternative Label)
Or do all military’s lead to the road? Fun fact: some countries don’t necessitate armies technically.
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#16
FAR IN – Helado Negro (Private Energy / 4AD)
Some might say it was the year of reggaeton, and it was, and it was not a good thing. Everyone know if Helado Negro went ‘ton he’d take over the world.
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#15
WEIGHT OF THE WORLD – Maxo Kream (RCA Records / Sony Music Entertainment)
Putting H-town back on the map again, this time: deep outrospection.
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#14
THERE IS NO END – TONY ALLEN (Decca Records France)
Whether or not he played with the Clash is besides the point. The point is fire guest spots over shimmering grooves.
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#13
STILL STONED ON OCEAN – Curren$y (Jet Life Recordings)
Curren&y has been screaming SSOC since last year. This year it is offish. One of a grab bag of digital releases released recently this year.
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#12
OLD CHURCH BASEMENT – Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music (Elevation Worship Records)
Is it an obligatory selection. Maybe. Is it a calculated estimation. No. Was it a quasi-necessitated selection based on multivariate analyses. No.
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#11
THE ATLAS UNDERGROUND FIRE – Tom Morello (Comandante / Mom+Pop)
Tom Morello sounding like he’s raging against the machine a fifth of the way through the century. Zane Lowe makes a triumphant return to production.
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#10
WELFARE JAZZ – Viagra Boys (Year0001)
Pill poppers unite for one of the best releases of the year. Matt Wilkinson approved like a million others.
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#9
SHOUT OUT! TO FREEDOM… – Nightmares On Wax (Warp Records)
Reminds us of Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber like dayum.
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#8
THIS IS THIS – Grouplove (Atlantic Recording Corporation)
Could this be their denouement for a group with a top 10 single of 2020? Notches higher if Trip on Me was present.
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#7
SURRENDER – RÜFÜS DU SOL (Rose Avenue Records / Reprise Records)
Word on the street is that Rufus Wainwright gave this project of a full seal of acknowledgement.
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#6
SYMPATHY FOR LIFE – Parquet Courts (Parquet Courts / Rough Trade Records Ltd.)
Can a band with a name like this be influenced by Can? Can we start and end two sentences with the word can?
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#5
ICE DADDY – Gucci Mane (Atlantic Recording Corporation)
Who knew Guwop was a sore loser? The real question: On top of what are they standing?
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#4
HERE FOR NOW – Louis The Child (Interscope Records)
They brought on a fellow Scot in our backyard. So that’s dope.
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#3
DEJA – Bomba Estereo (Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC)
This one has us yelling fuego. This bomb stereo has evolved from the 80’s.
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#2
TURQUOiSE TORNADO – Riff Raff & Yelawolf (MiLLiON DOLLAR MULLET MUSiC & Slumerican Records)
Making a #1-#2 two-one-two punch. Two underground rap stars taking it to another level. Riff is the star and this year has been his pinnacle without any shadows.
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#1
DUM AND DUMMER 2 – Young Dolph & Key Glock (Paper Route Empire)
Taking a cue from last year’s #1 album of the year. They weren’t the two, but they were a dam dynamic duo. RIP to one of the best to ever do it. Two overground rap stars taking it to a whole level.
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Top 10 Songs of 2021 (Indubitable Collection)
Runner ups:
DAD VIBES – Limp Bizkit (Suretone Records)
BAD TO THA BONE – Max B (EMG / Phase One Network)
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#10
PARK ASSIST (FT. LA ROUX) – CASISDEAD (XL Recordings Ltd.)
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#9
SOFT DRINK – Cherry Glazerr (Secretly Canadian)
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#8
CHAISE LONGUE – Wet Leg (Domino Recording Company Ltd)
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#7
LAST DAY ON EARTH – beabadoobee (Dirty Hit)
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#6
WITCHOO – Durand Jones & The Indications (Dead Oceans)
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#5
CHINATOWN (FEAT. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN) – Bleachers (RCA Records / Sony Music Entertainment)
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#4
NUDGE IT (FT. AMY TAYLOR) – Sleaford Mods (Rough Trade Records Ltd.)
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#3
TALK ABOUT – Rain Radio & DJ Craig Gorman (Polydor Records / Universal)
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#2
LUMBERJACK – Tyler, The Creator (Columbia Records)
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#1
I GO (EDIT) – Peggy Gou (Gudu Records)
-EY