Year-End Lists

Jon Caramanica: Best Albums of 2021, as published by The New York Times

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2011]

1. When Smoke Rises
   Mustafa
2. Bigger Than Life or Death
   EST Gee
3. Sour
   Olivia Rodrigo
4. A Gangsta’s Pain
   Moneybagg Yo
5. to hell with it
   PinkPantheress
6. Still Over It
   Summer Walker
7. Chemtrails over the Country Club
   Lana Del Rey
8. Call Me If You Get Lost
   Tyler, The Creator
9. Whole Lotta Red
   Playboi Carti
10. Donda (Deluxe)
    Kanye West
11. Vice Versa
    Rauw Alejandro
12. Planet Her
    Doja Cat
13. Blood Bunny
    Chloe Moriondo
14. Down Home Boy
    Kidd G
15. Ultrapop
    The Armed
16. 29: Written In Stone
    Carly Pearce
17. 4L
    Yeat
18. La Maquina
    Conway the Machine
19. La 167
    Farruko
20. Remember Her Name
    Mickey Guyton

And 20 more albums for a more well-rounded year

• Free Dem Boyz
  42 Dugg
• This Is What It Feels Like
  Gracie Abrams
• Savage
  Aespa
• Return of Okomfo Anokye
  Jay Bahd
• The Plugs I Met 2
  Benny the Butcher & Harry Fraud
• Alma Vacía
  Ivan Cornejo
• Timelezz
  Jhay Cortez
• We're All Alone in This Together
  Dave
• Certified Lover Boy
  Drake
• If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power
  Halsey
• Human The Double Album
  Cody Johnson
• Sticker
  NCT 127
• Crack Dreams
  RXKNephew
• Deacon
  serpentwithfeet
• Entertainment, Death
  The Spirit Of The Beehive
• Life of a Don
  Don Toliver
• SoulFly
  Rod Wave
• Green with Envy
  Tion Wayne
• Half God
  Wiki
• Punk
  Young Thug