bgillesp's 2021 Albums of the Year
Not quite on time with this list, but a whole heck of a lot closer than last year's pitiful display. Overall, I think this year was really great, especially in the metal realm. Maybe it was the quality of the music or maybe it was just me, but getting back into more metal than I had been into last year had a big impact on this list. Top 25-ish is more solidly ranked being 4.5/5 or near it. Lower down is more loosely ranked. |
| 1 |  | Every Time I Die
Radical
AOTY. I didn't hop on the hype train with Low Teens, even after revisiting it recently, but this blew me away. Who'da thunk it that a band like this would put out their best album so late into their career. Topped my previous favorite of theirs, New Junk Aesthetic, by a good margin. |
| 2 |  | King Woman
Celestial Blues
Thank ya Dewi! I still haven't revisited their previous album (of which I have vague memories of it being just okay to me, but now I question myself), but if Dewi hadn't hyped this to the high heavens I would've missed out on a masterpiece. |
| 3 |  | Between the Buried and Me
Colors II
Aaaand they're back! Quite the wild ride and one of their best albums surprisingly after the disappointing (to me) Automata duo. |
| 4 |  | Dvne
Etemen Ænka
Still one of my proudest achievements on this site is being the one to add this band to the database. This is their best stuff yet and I hope they keep it up! |
| 5 |  | Malignant Altar
Realms of Exquisite Morbidity
Got on this real late, so I haven't spent the most time with it, but it clearly rules. Great Morbid Angel worship. |
| 6 |  | Chevelle
NIRATIAS
What is with old bands putting out their best work in ages this year??? |
| 7 |  | JPEGMAFIA
LP! (online)
I liked the online and offline version about equally, but since this one is more convenient to jam on spotify, I'll put it here. My favorite album of his (but maybe it just took me this long to connect, so I plan to revisit some of his stuff). |
| 8 |  | Devin Townsend
Devolution Series #1 - Acoustically Inclined, Live
Dev being Dev but live and acoustic. Great fun. |
| 9 |  | Moses Sumney
Live from Blackalachia
That VOICE! Why yall sleep on this? |
| 10 |  | Leprous
Aphelion
Old Band Surprisingly Makes Best Album [4] |
| 11 |  | Typhoon (USA-OR)
Sympathetic Magic
Took a while to fully grow on me, but as one of, if not the biggest, fanboys on the site for them, it's still pretty great. |
| 12 |  | Adjy
The Idyll Opus (I-VI)
I need to spend more time with this one and actually read the lyrics, because I feel like there's a huge rabbit hole behind them that I haven't explored. Beautiful stuff and my favorite review of the year by Rowan. |
| 13 |  | Inferi (USA)
Vile Genesis
Melodic tech death adventures. Much fun |
| 14 |  | Der Weg Einer Freiheit
Noktvrn
These guys can do no wrong. |
| 15 |  | Obscura
A Valediction
Another metal album that is more fun than I know what to do with. |
| 16 |  | Genesis Owusu
Smiling with No Teeth
Got on this one late after seeing it on year end lists. It is the most likely one here to grow a bunch on me over the next couple years. |
| 17 |  | Manchester Orchestra
The Million Masks of God
Sowing-core |
| 18 |  | The Killers
Pressure Machine
Sowing-core [2], but also I never would have checked this without his review and I am very thankful |
| 19 |  | Trophy Scars
Astral Pariah
I just love these guys' unique bluesy sound. |
| 20 |  | Little Simz
Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Another new-ish (at least to the spotlight) rapper I'll definitely be paying attention to from now on. |
| 21 |  | Ishmael Ensemble
Visions of Light
#1 album that nobody ever listened to. Nu-Jazz. Please check it. |
| 22 |  | Amenra
De Doorn
Seems like everyone forgot about this one. Or maybe yall just didnt like it as much as I did |
| 23 |  | KennyHoopla
Survivors Guilt: The Mixtape//
I love this guy's vibe. Most exciting pop-punk artist in recent years for me. |
| 24 |  | Kanye West
Donda
Kanye has his ups and downs, but man what an epic this was. |
| 25 |  | Springtime (AUS)
Springtime
Thanks Doof! |
| 26 |  | Flying Lotus
Yasuke
Might watch this show just for the music |
| 27 |  | Mastodon
Hushed and Grim
Old Band Surprisingly Makes Best Album [5] |
| 28 |  | Panopticon
...And Again into the Light
Banjos belong in black metal |
| 29 |  | Ad Nauseam
Imperative Imperceptible Impulse
Another one that will probably grow on me a bunch. Listening to it as I type this list and had to bump it like 30 spots higher to here. Took forever to click for whatever reason. |
| 30 |  | The Exit Bags
Tower of Quiet
Someone from Sput made this (Jots?, correct me if I'm wrong because I forgot) and it's super nice |
| 31 |  | Aesop Rock x Blockhead
Garbology
Great combo of rapper and trip hop artist |
| 32 |  | Devin Townsend
The Puzzle
It's weird, and non-Dev fans probably have no chance of liking it. Heck, even tons of Dev fans hated it, but I thought it was really neat. |
| 33 |  | Ethereal Shroud
Trisagion |
| 34 |  | Iosonouncane
IRA
would be higher if it was shorter |
| 35 |  | Wolves in the Throne Room
Primordial Arcana |
| 36 |  | Amigo the Devil
Born Against
Murderfolk. Fun as heck |
| 37 |  | Leon III
Antlers in Velvet |
| 38 |  | Erra
Erra
For Steak ;) |
| 39 |  | The Armed
Ultrapop |
| 40 |  | Turnstile
Glow On |
| 41 |  | Nick Cave and Warren Ellis
Carnage |
| 42 |  | Blood Cultures
LUNO
GRAVEYARD VIIIIIIBES!!! |
| 43 |  | Lana Del Rey
Blue Banisters |
| 44 |  | Archspire
Bleed the Future |
| 45 |  | Lantlos
Wildhund |
| 46 |  | Arab Strap
As Days Get Dark |
| 47 |  | Isaiah Rashad
The House Is Burning |
| 48 |  | Mol
Diorama |
| 49 |  | Buke and Gase and So Percussion
A Record Of...
So weird and i love it |
| 50 |  | Insomnium
Argent Moon |
| 51 |  | Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The LSO
Promises |
| 52 |  | Gojira
Fortitude |
| 53 |  | Devin Townsend
Devolution #2: Galactic Quarantine |
| 54 |  | Kevin Penkin
Eden (OST)
I did watch this show just for the music. |
| 55 |  | Sturgill Simpson
The Ballad of Dood and Juanita |
| 56 |  | A Better Tomorrow
Spiritual Crossing
Another Sput project that I loved (from ??, also forgot which user here) . First track was one of my favorite songs of the year. They describe themselves as heavy metal soul music so check them out if it sounds intriguing. |
| 57 |  | Spidergawd
VI |
| 58 |  | Spectacular Diagnostics
Ancient Methods
Also Natural Mechanics. Kinda like a double EP of chill electronic hip-hop type stuff |
| 59 |  | Havukruunu
Kuu Erkylän Yllä |
| 60 |  | Lil Nas X
Montero
Unexpectedly good |
| 61 |  | Switchfoot
interrobang
Unexpectedly good [2] |
| 62 |  | Khemmis
Deceiver
Still good, but really disappointing after their last 2 |
| 63 |  | Idles
Crawler |
| 64 |  | Son Lux
Tomorrows III |
| 65 |  | Cult of Luna
The Raging River |
| 66 |  | C. Tangana
El Madrileño
First track was so bad, i nearly gave up on the album before it was over. Glad I didn't because the rest was solid if a bit inconsistent. I'd go crazy for an album full of the flamenco-styled tracks |
| 67 |  | Julien Baker
Little Oblivions |
| 68 |  | Injury Reserve
By The Time I Get To Phoenix |
| 69 |  | Amon Tobin
How Do You Live |
| 70 |  | Employed To Serve
Conquering |
| 71 |  | Worm
Foreverglade |
| 72 |  | Makaya McCraven
Deciphering The Message |
| 73 |  | The Devil Wears Prada
ZII |
| 74 |  | Fire!
Defeat |
| 75 |  | Knocked Loose
A Tear in the Fabric of Life |
| 76 |  | Lambchop
Showtunes |
| 77 |  | Nubiyan Twist
Freedom Fables |
| 78 |  | Sons of Kemet
Black to the Future |
| 79 |  | The Home Team
Another Night Alone with You
One of my favorite current pop-punk acts. Wish more people would check them |
| 80 |  | Jazmine Sullivan
Heaux Tales |
| 81 |  | The Home Team
Slow Bloom
Not quite as good as the above EP due to some down tracks, but still great. |
| 82 |  | Lingua Ignota
SINNER GET READY
Makes me sad |
| 83 |  | Tems
If Orange Was A Place
Neo-soul |
| 84 |  | Devin Townsend
Snuggles
Pleasant, probably only to Dev fans though |
| 85 |  | Blackwater Holylight
Silence/Motion |
| 86 |  | Arca
KicK iii
The only one of hers I checked this year |
| 87 |  | Spirit Adrift
Forge Your Future |
| 88 |  | Lana Del Rey
Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Why'd yall hate this one? |
| 89 |  | Morcheeba
Blackest Blue
trip-hop |
| 90 |  | Iglooghost
Lei Line Eon |
| 91 |  | Beach House
Once Twice Melody |
| 92 |  | The War On Drugs
I Don't Live Here Anymore |
| 93 |  | Omega (ITA)
Nebra
death-doom |
| 94 |  | Circa Survive
A Dream About Love |
| 95 |  | Frontierer
Oxidized
tries just a little too hard |
| 96 |  | Lorem Ipsum
Vivre encore |
| 97 |  | King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard
L. W.
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with their releases |
| 98 |  | Cradle of Filth
Existence Is Futile |
| 99 |  | Kishi Bashi
Emigrant
nice change of pace for him |
| 100 |  | Spectral Wound
A Diabolic Thirst
was supposed to be 59 but I noticed too late |
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