A year without looking back on all the albums released would be empty since they are the crucial parts of our days. A good year for music is usually a great year in general! Hence, we always walk down memory lane to see which albums really deserve a Grammy and every other award. Let's do it together now – check out our top ten list of the 2021 albums that you should keep on repeat!
10. "If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power" by Halsey
Not many of Halsey's lead singles received such positive reviews as this one
An artistic soul like Halsey always finds a way to be authentic and have a whole different project every time. That's why her albums are never the same, lyrically, visually, and sonically. "Badlands" is arguably her best record, but it doesn't mean that she couldn't reach that achievement on her future albums!
With its themes, "If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power" is an authentic experience of a heartbroken woman who is now getting up and stating her facts. "I Am not a Woman, I'm a God" might be one of her greatest power anthems ever, so if we rated this song alone, it would get 10/10. Halsey always knows how to surprise, and even her beauty line is among the best in 2021!
9. "Crazy in Love" by ITZY
"Swipe" is even better than the title track "Loco" – you'll get addicted!
Some K-pop groups wait for years to get a debut album – yes, they have EPs from the start, yet they sometimes release a full-length record a while after the first single. The same goes for ITZY - they're the fourth generation's leaders since they already broke massive records and have billions of views!
Their debut album "Crazy in Love" is a step forward, with topics revolving around love, growing up, and the confidence that the girls have highlighted since their debut. However, "Crazy in Love," together with the title track, "Loco," is their most complete project, with the versatility and emotions. It's a crowning moment for their career that will obviously keep flourishing!
8. "Blue Banisters" by Lana Del Rey
A simple video and deep thoughts – that's her style
Introspective songwriting is a talent that not many people have. Still, Lana Del Rey's been there for ages – since her debut. However, it feels like she also hit her lyrical peak in 2021 with "Blue Banisters," her eighth album and eighth attempt to make us feel her world of dreaming away your life. Del Rey hasn't stopped being a dreamer, and we like to see that!
Actually, this artist might be one of the most productive musicians in 2021 since she worked on two records. Before "Blue Banisters," she released "Chemtrails over the Country Club" in March, and it's another highly-acclaimed poetry collection in the form of jazzy folk records. Which one do you prefer?
7. "Sour" by Olivia Rodrigo
We hope you weren't sour in 2021, but you probably liked Rodrigo, just like the rest of the world
We're sorry to say that Olivia Rodrigo was the sourest young lady in the industry in 2021. Still, she got her worldwide breakthrough thanks to these bitter feelings. It feels like the world can relate to all the grief, "jealousy, jealousy," and the fact that your ex moved on in a couple of weeks while you're still crying. Rodrigo wants you to know that you have her support!
Basically, anyone would put this one at the very top – not only for its massive achievements and the overnight success but for the sake of emotions as well. However, the only reason why it's a bit "lower" on this list is that not every song managed to shine the way "déjà vu" or "good 4 u" did. However, this album is way more than a regular debut, and Rodrigo is about to become even bigger if she stays herself!
6. "Planet Her" by Doja Cat
"Kiss Me More" is a dream come true – the world needed a sultry track like this!
Everything this lady touches turns to gold – with her album "Hot Pink," she already showed she didn't come to play. Even though her 2021 release, "Planet Her," maybe doesn't keep up with the power she held with her previous record, it's still the album that topped the charts with diverse tracks!
It's evident that "Kiss Me More," a gorgeous yet laid-back summer anthem, did the job as good as "Say So," and that "Woman" took over every girl's Instagram Stories in 2021. However, we highly recommend you to give the side tracks a chance since they aren't less impressive. From her collaboration with Ariana Grande to the duet with The Weeknd, you'll love every part!
5. "An Evening with Silk Sonic" by Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak
Bruno Mars has never made a bad song, and it shows, even in 2021
If we had to choose the best duo in 2021, it would be the idea of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak making an album together. Actually, forming an R&B duo and then releasing a record. A record with no skips! "An Evening with Silk Sonic" showed us Bruno's R&B side that he didn't hide throughout the years as well, but it shines even brighter on this album!
Luckily, "An Evening with Silk Sonic" turned into thousand nights streaming it since the album found its way to the general public. "Leave the Door Open" itself is massive, and it's evident that the world missed the funky side and the actual instruments used on this old-school record. The romantic and funky Bruno is like a dream!
4. "Revelacion" by Selena Gomez
Dance with her, cry with her, celebrate her best record so far!
Selena Gomez was always proud of her Latin roots, so Spanish was never a strange thing to her. In general, Spanish doesn't feel unfamiliar even if you don't speak it since it's just everywhere. This language's power gave Gomez another chance to successfully transmit all her emotions and make us dance simultaneously!
Moreover, Gomez really got us getting up and showing off the moves with "Baila Conmigo" and "Buscando Amor." She didn't hesitate to release grief in "De Una Vez," yet this EP is a happy place that will quickly find its way to your heart. Not all her albums have that ability, but "Revelacion" and Spanish fit her like a glove!
3. "Formula of Love: O+T=<3" by TWICE
This album's quality and power wrote history for K-pop – it's a moment you shouldn't miss
If it were released by any Western artist or an influential group like BTS, "Formula of Love" would sweep the Grammys. The album is sonically cohesive, packed with the quality beat, meaningful lyrics, feel-good anthems… TWICE hit their peak by the end of 2021, and they proved they deserve the title of the best-selling girl group worldwide!
Of course, TWICE had the iconic bops that won't ever get out of our heads since their debut, but it's like "Formula" changed the game for them. They suddenly started to work on the full-English tracks (which are fantastic!), and their mature concept suits them so well. It's hard to pick a favorite since it's a wholesome masterpiece!
2. "I Burn" by (G)I-DLE
"Hwaa" is one of the groups' biggest hits yet, even though they owned the world with the previous album, "I Trust"
Some K-pop groups went through hell in 2021, primarily (G)I-DLE that lost a significant member, Soojin, because of a scandal. Soojin's charisma won't be easily replaced or forgotten, so the group obviously won't work the same. Nevertheless, the whole industry could never forget its iconic release before the downfall, a masterpiece named "I Burn!"
Minnie's high note, Yuqi's deep voice, and Soyeon's terrifying rap on the title track "Hwaa" are some of the most memorable moments of the year. Hence, this album basically remained the best K-pop release of 2021 despite being out in January. Nothing could beat the refreshing "Lost" and "Dahlia" love anthems, and every track is worth listening to, religiously!
1. "Red" (Taylor's Version) by Taylor Swift
Swift performing a ten-minute song is bold, daring, and a thing that only she could make!
How could she own this list with a 2012 album? Own all the charts with a re-recording and a ten-minute song "All Too Well?" This is a milestone that only Taylor Swift can achieve. Her popular nickname, "the music industry," is there for a reason. This woman brought back the "sad girl autumn" concept, made us all come back to "I Knew You Were Trouble," and even released new songs along the way!
Furthermore, the "vault tracks" that she put on this re-recording sound like they would be absolute hits if they had their place on the album in 2012. None of them is a skip – on the contrary, Swift even made a music video for the country diss track "I Bet You Think About Me" with Blake Lively. This woman is unstoppable, and she could be the number one for years to come!
After all, the ranking depends on your taste, so you might have a whole different top ten list. That's why we recommend you always create your own lists to remember the good albums that you want to keep listening to. Our 2020 list always reminds us which records from that year are really worth coming back to!
What's your favorite 2021 album? Did we miss any iconic album that you listen to every day? Let us know in the comments section!