Year in review: 2021’s best albums

1. “Absolutely” – Dijon

   1. Date: Nov. 5

   2. Genre: R&B, soul 

Dijon’s Absolutely has so many variegated sounds that each track feels like its own individual journey. 

2. “An Evening With Silk Sonic” – Silk Sonic

   1. Date: Nov. 12

   2. Genre: R&B, soul, funk, pop

What could be better than today’s two kings of funk and soul coming together for an album? Silk Sonic, the duo composed of singer songwriters Bruno Mars and Andersan Paak, released the electrifying debut album An Evening With Silk Sonic. They blend their distinct styles and create something funky and fresh that will surely make you want to get up and dance. The sounds are slick and their voices are as smooth as skating down a freshly frozen lake. The album feels as though you’re sitting on a terrace in the ‘70s New York heat, “Smoking Out The Window.” It’s a sublime record that gets better with every listen. 

3. “Juno” – Remi Wolf 

   1. Date: Oct. 5 

   2. Genre: pop, R&B

Former American Idol participant Remi Wolf has always had a distinct style with her bubbly personality. On her debut album Juno, her lyrics and instrumentation are stronger than ever. Every music video shows  her dancing around with bright colors, not taking herself too seriously but still portraying exactly who she is as an artist. Remi Wolf is a star in the making and sure to become one of the foremost artists in the coming years. 

4. “30” – Adele 

   1. Date: Nov. 19

   2. Genre: pop, soul, jazz

Adele’s soulful voice has always been filled with intense emotion. Her albums are aptly named after her age and filled with the heavy feelings that have consumed her during  the corresponding year. 30 follows this theme but her lyrics are more complex than ever. She sings about her divorce and the enduring love she has for her child, her powerful voice unwaveringly strong as she sings about the all-consuming depression and triumph of her complicated past year.

5. “Letter Blue” – Wet 

   1. Date: Oct. 22

   2. Genre: pop, electronic

Wet’s third album sounds like you’re underneath crystal-clear water. The lead singer’s vocals float over the crisp and fresh instrumentation. 

6. “FLOWERS for vases/descansos” – Hayley Williams 

   1. Date: Feb. 5

   2. Genre: folk, country

7. “Collapsed In Sunbeams” – Arlo Parks

   1. Date: Jan. 29

   2. Genre: rock ’n’ roll

8. “ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE” – Brockhampton 

   1. Date: April 9

   2. Genre: alternative hip-hop

9. “A touch of the beat gets you up on your feet gets you out and then into the sun” – Aly & AJ

   1. Date: May 7

   2. Genre: pop, pop rock

This past summer was no doubt much different than previous years. It took place during the depths of the coronavirus pandemic when many beach days were replaced by movie days with family. Aly & AJ produced an album that will make you want to dance your heart out at times and sit on a patio and watch the sun set at others. While many may remember Aly & AJ from childhood shows including “Phil of the Future” and “Cow Belles,” the duo has certainly continued to give their followers immense joy through their upbeat music. Their voices soar on every track as they sing about “slow dancing” in the kitchen, watching the “sunrise, sunset, same day,” and “tracing the night sky.” 

10. “Build A Problem” – dodie

    1. Date: May 7

    2. Genre: alternative pop, folk-pop

Dodie has been making music since 2011 on video-sharing app YouTube. She would sit in front of a camera with her ukulele and sing softly with an incredible amount of vulnerability. Her videos felt like you were watching the shy girl from the back of the class, the one who never raises her hand. She’s come a long way from her YouTube days, which is evident on Build a Problem. The musician’s debut album is still soft spoken but features incredible percussions to back her soaring harmonies. It’s the kind of music you want to listen to when taking a gentle walk through the woods. She sings quietly but somehow her stories still speak loudly. 

11. “Nurture” – Porter Robinson

    1. Date: April 23

    2. Genre: Electronica, synth-pop

When a song becomes a hit, there’s doubt of how artists can live up to that initial success. DJ Porter Robinson and Madeon’s 2017 song “Shelter” rose to popularity but then disappeared. For about five years, no one heard from Robinson. His fans wondered where he went and why all of a sudden he stopped releasing music. When Nurture came out in April, fans rejoiced at his return. The lyrics of Nurture revolve around the expectations he put on himself and the doubt he lived with about himself while creating music. It’s a relatable dilemma that many artists face: trying to satisfy not only yourself but the rest of the world. Robinson lived up to his initial fame by being vulnerable and honest. Instead of running away from his feelings, he channeled it through his music and created a profound album. 

12. “Still Over It” – Summer Walker 

    1. Date: November 5

    2. Genre: contemporary R&B

13. “Lately, I feel EVERYTHING” – WILLOW

    1. Date: July 16

    2. Genre: pop-punk, emo, alternative rock

14. “Inglish” – Shubh Saran 

    1. Date: Oct. 29

    2. Genre: Rock

15. “Vulture Prince” – Arooj Aftab 

    1. Date: April 23

    2. Genre: jazz, Hindustani classical, folk

Arooj Aftab’s Vulture Prince is sure to transport you to a mystical land. Combining elements of jazz, folk and Pakistani ballads, her music is truly otherworldly. Her voice is airy and it dances over the minimalist production which includes harps and layered guitar melodies. 

16. “Fragments of a dying star” – Dispirited Spirits 

    1. Date: April 2

    2. Genre: indie rock

Fly away to far-off  planets with Dispirited Spirits’ album Fragments of a Dying Star. Indigo Dias, also known as Dispirited Spirits, sings behind twinkling guitars and spatial sound effects. His debut album deserves more recognition because his  music truly sounds like you are traveling miles away from Earth. 

17. “Internet Killed The Rockstar” – MOD Sun 

    1. Date: Feb. 12

    2. Genre: pop-punk

Who says pop-punk is dead? It feels as though pop-punk is making a comeback with artists like MOD Sun. Derek Ryan Smith, also known as MOD Sun, stands on the cover of Internet Killed The Rockstar with bright green hair and tattered jeans. The album sounds exactly like him. He curses the people who hurt him on “Karma,” singing with the queen of pop-punk Avril Lavigne on “Flames,” and vows to be a “Betterman.” Each track sounds like it’s from the early 2000s when Paramore, All Time Low and Fall Out Boy ruled the underground airwaves. It’ll bring you back to a time when you felt misunderstood and the only thing that made you feel better was screaming along to the angsty songs of pop-punk bands. 

18. “Montero” – Lil Nas X 

    1. Date: Sept. 17

    2. Genre: Pop, rap

19. “Solar Power” – Lorde

    1. Date: Aug. 20

    2. Genre: indie-folk, folk-pop

Lorde made her return from the sun with her third album Solar Power. After she released moody second album “Melodrama” in 2017, her latest album sees her finding the light in her past. Songs like “Secrets from a girl (who’s seen it all)” and “Stoned At The Nail Salon” prove that Lorde can be as expressive when she is happy as when she is sad. 

20. “Happier Than Ever” – Billie Eilish

    1. Date: July 30

    2. Genre: pop music, electropop

When Billie Eilish’s debut album “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go” came out in 2019, many critics were impressed with the young teenager’s breathy voice and her older brother Finneas’s edgy production. It was an innovative album that redefined what it means to be a pop star. She sang about dark themes from burying a friend to antidepressants. With Happier Than Ever, she continues that trajectory but has instead gently given in to her more carefree side. Fun songs such as “Lost Cause” are paired with contrasting darker anthems such as the title track “Happier Than Ever”, proving that the world doesn’t actually know Eilish and she still has way more in her wheelhouse. 

21. “In The Meantime” – Alessia Cara

    1. Date: Sept. 24

    2. Genre: pop

Alessia Cara first rose to fame with her relatable 2015 single, “Here” which was about feeling uncomfortable at a party. She’s perfected her songwriting with her third album In the Meantime. With clean production, she sings about wanting to find a boy, traveling to Rio to take some time off, and “explosive emotions” that want her to hide. In The Meantime is one of the most mature pop albums of the year.