2021 got too much music. I quit. I actually hate music now.
No, but for real, 2021 has graced us with so much good shit in so many different genres. That's why my dedicated ass sat here and listed down 100 of the best of the year. Somebody has to! But, since we have a 100 here, there won't be a whole lot of writin', but I got links to all of them, so whatever you like here, you got easy access to it. But yeah here we go: 100 of my favorite albums of 2021.
100. Full of Hell - Garden of Burning Apparitions
(grindcore/power electronics/noisy)
Spotify | Apple Music | Bandcamp
99. LUCY - The Music Industry is Poisonous
(Massachusetts weirdo bedroom pop)
Spotify | Apple Music | Bandcamp
98. Mustafa - When Smoke Rises
(beautiful singer/songwriter Sampha-like soul)
Spotify | Apple Music
97. BBY GOYARD - The Secret Lies With Charlotte 2
(crazy white boy plugg)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
96. UNiiQU3 - Heartbeats
(Jersey club queen making her most sophisticated music to date)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
95. The Bug - Fire
(old school dubstep/grime/ragga)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
94. Sugar Wounds - Calico Dreams
(synthy screamo blackgaze - i know..... 😂)
YouTube | BandCamp
93. Bladee - The Fool
(never heard of this guy just see him in memes)
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud
92. Indio da Cuíca - Malandro 5 Estrelas
(samba with the coolest fucking instrument on earth - the cuíca)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
91. Duke Deuce - Duke Nukem
(Memphis rap - the greatest dancer of our lifetime)
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud
90. Mach-Hommy - Pray for Haiti
(real hip hop; end-of-the-year-list-core-but-actually-really-good-core)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
89. Kaonashi - Dear Lemon House, You Ruined Me: Senior Year
(hard ass mathy hardcore; vocalist is so fucking sick)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
88. UnityTX - HELLWAY
(REAL TEXAS HARDCORE - perfect rap metal)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
87. Snoh Aalegra - TEMPORARY HIGHS IN THE VIOLENT SKIES
(some of the best r&b production all year)
Spotify | Apple Music
86. Pabllo Vittar - Batidao Tropical
(forro eletronico/piserio - one of the most insane pop artists on earth)
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube
85. Cookiee Kawaii - Vanice
(the perfect blend of jersey club and housey pop)
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud
84. Silkie - Panorama
(best old school dubstep album i have heard in ages)
Spotify | SoundCloud | BandCamp
83. Habibi Funk 015: An Eclectic Selection of Music from the Arab World, Part 2
(gem of a compilation showcasing some of the best funk you have never heard)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
82. Young Nudy - Rich Shooter
(one of the best in the game doing what they do best)
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud
81. VilloVilduVeta - Längtan Får Vingar
(whitearmor showing why they're one of the best producers in the world)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
80. Knoll - Interstice
(these motherfuckers just sound like full of hell - not complaining though!!!)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
79. K$upreme & Evilgiane - Surf da World
(one of the many cases of why evilgiane was one of the producers of the year)
Spotify | Apple Music | SoundCloud
78. FIRE-TOOLZ - Eternal Home
(one of the most unique artists right now - internet metal??? - idk what it is but crazy shit)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
77. Pan Daijing - Jade
(*tom screaming sound effect*)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
76. ZelooperZ - Van Gogh's Left Ear
(one of the most creative hip hop albums of the year)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
75. VERTEBRA ATLANTIS - Lustral Pruge in Cerulean Bliss
(they're really making some scary weird-as-shit metal in Italy right now)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
74. Klein - Now That's What I Call R&B
(one of electronic music's best minds continuing to mesmerize us all)
BandCamp
73. Babytron - Bin Reaper 2
(SGT LT. of the shittyboyz continuing to prove all deniers wrong that he's one of the best in Michigan right now)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
72. Polo Perks - Punk Goes Drill+**
(NY sample drill was a bit overblown throughout the year but surf gang's unique sound made all of their members shine this year)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
71. osquinn - Drive-By Lullabies
(one of soundcloud's digicore giants living up to the hype with her much anticipated album)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
70. DJ Lycox - Lycoxera
(reason number 655646687 why you should be listening to batida music and principe records in general)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
69. Woesum - Blue Summer
(some of the best production work of the year featuring drain gang, yung lean, and yayoyanoh)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
68. Ad Nauseam - Imperative Imperceptible Impulse
(metal that sounds like gorguts with dissonance and textures that legit hurt my brain - the best type of metal)
Spotify | BandCamp
67. Proc Fiskal - Siren Spine Sysex
(weird british idm that, at times, reminds me of r plus 7)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
66. Nala Sinephro - Space 1.8
(if you're throwing ambient into my jazz, god damn am i gonna play the shit out of it)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
65. Slikback - MELT
(one of the world's most underrated electronic artists just beating your ass with their friends for an hour)
BandCamp
64. Saint Etienne - I've Been Trying to Tell You
(this sounds like a live band playing eccojams and that's like the rawest shit ever lmao - absolutely insane album)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
63. sellasouls - Am iii Pretty
(no hyperbole one of the weirdest artists on earth today; insanely baffling textures*hank hill voice* that boy ain't right)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp | Soundcloud
62. Ka - A Martyr's Reward
(i'm going to be honest - i'm not the biggest lyrical hip hop person; but man... when Ka puts something out, i shut the fuck up and listen - one of the best to do it)
Spotify | Apple Music
61. qua - Black Attire EP
(a strange look into the future of jersey club music - some of the weirdest melodies i have ever heard in the genre; fucking hypnotizing)
Soundcloud
60. jane remover - teen week
(one of the true must-keep-your-eye-on figures of music for the years to come)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
59. Mdou Moctar - Afrique Victime
(the greatest guitar player of our time proving that title right with his best work to date)
Spotify | BandCamp
58. Lisha G - Fortune After Difficulty
(probably the best hip hop project you haven't heard this year - its short length just keeps me coming back)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
57. L'Rain - Fatigue
(this is a weird ass album - but i love it so much; saw someone say she was grouper meets solange - you know what, that makes a lot of sense)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
56. Astrid Sonne - Outside of Your Lifetime
(great droney/ambient electronic album with some of the sickest synth work i have heard this year)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
55. Smiley - Buy or Bye 2
(toronto's strangest MC puts out a mystifying tape, with seriously the most addicting rap delivery I have ever heard)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
54. 42 Dugg - Free Dem Boyz
(in a world of bloated hip hop albums, detroit's own puts out one of the most consistent mainstream hip hop projects in a good while)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
53. Sickboyrari - Chain Gang Halo World
(soundcloud legend proves that he is nowhere near the end of his evolution as he puts out some of his best songs to date)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
52. RX Papi & Gud - Foreign Exchange
(pap's best work to date with some of gud's best ever beats - both crazy ass statements to say - Free Papi)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
51. WTM Scoob - Scoob & Sydney Tour the World
(some of the most unique detroit beats i've ever heard - mesmerizing)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
50. Space Afrika - Honest Labour
(the best soundscapes i have heard this year; an incredible experience)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
49. MIKE - "Disco!"
(one of the world's most special artists continuing to wow us and keep us wanting more )
Spotify | YouTube | BandCamp
48. RXK Nephew - Slitherman Activated
(i don't think there has been an artist in hip hop this polarized and batshit insane since prime Lil B - hard to just choose one album, but I feel like this is the best intro for anyone who hasn't heard Slitherman)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
47. Moh Baretta - #THISISNOTADRILLX2
(another gem in sample drill with some of the most infectious ad libs I've heard this year - YEAH YEAH GO GO GO)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
46. KirbLaGoop & meat computer - goop computer
(2 generations of soundcloud rap weirdo white boys band together to make one of the most fun tapes of the year )
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
45. MuddyMya - Muddyworld
(an infintely fun rap project that feels so nostalgic but at the same time so forward thinking)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
44. CRACK IV (Lost Juke/Footwork Compilation)
(a HUGE lost footwork compliation consisting of tracks from the late 00s that takes me back to high school watching wala cam videos for the first time)
Youtube (DL link in description)
43. Polo Perks - i.c.f.m. Pt 3 / fortheonesilost
(probably the best surf gang project to date, with some of the best songs i have heard in the genre)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
42. Papo2oo4 - AF1MG Live 2oo4, Vol. 3
(my favorite new discovery of the year was rapper Papo2oo4; seriously one of the coolest fucking flows right now)
Spotify | Apple Music
41. iLoveMakonnen - My Parade
(an underappreciated legend, makonnen puts out one of their best projects in years)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
40. Yeat - Up 2 Me
(one of soundcloud's most exciting artists capping off a hell of a year - need me a fucking tonka truck)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
39. Skee Mask - Pool
(one of the year's most insane electronic albums; unforgettable experience)
Soundcloud | BandCamp
38. Tony Shhnow - Authentic Goods
(one of plugg's best stars shining in a great collab tape with senseiATL - also that damn cover art!!!)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
37. jane remover - Frailty
(the beethoven of our time showing that they can fucking write some damn good songs; the parts where shit hits the fan are some of the most "what the fuck" moments i have ever had in music)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
36. Lucifer - The World Is Ending Vol. 1
(sigilkore's king blowing minds once again - seriously one of the most interesting artists in the world right now)
Spotify | Soundcloud
35. Shawny Binladen - Wickipedia (Delxue)
(NY's most fun and interesting rapper doing more great grindcore length drill songs - grinched the fuck up)
Spotify | Apple Music
34. Sam Gendel & Sam Wilkes - Music for Saxofone and Bass Guitar More Songs
(one of the most beautiful things i have heard this year - Gendel is seriously one of the best sax players around)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
33. black midi - Cavalcade
(still one of the world's most interesting rock bands - going into another realm of batshittery)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
32. Pooh Shiesty - Shiesty Season
(one of the year's breakout stars in hip hop, whose success has been halted by the evils of the US justice system)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
31. Youngboy Never Broke Again - Sincerely, Kentrell
(the current king of Louisiana showing why he is still one of the most popular artists in the country)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
30. Këkht Aräkh - Pale Swordsman
(one of the most refreshing black metal albums I have heard in ages - so soft, but sinister)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
29. Natanael Cano - A Mis 20
(el rey de los corridos tumbados showing why he's the best at this shit)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
28. Xaviersobased - 2,000
(one of soundcloud's most unique artists making some of the most surreal rap music i have ever heard - deserving of based in their name - he even has a Lil B collab!!!)
YouTube | Soundcloud
27. RP Boo - Established!
(footwork legend showing that he is still the best around)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
26. FBC & VHOOR - BAILE
(a love letter to classic Brazilian baile funk that results in some of the best songs of the year)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
25. De Schuurman - Bubbling Inside
(a look into late 2000s dutch underground club legend and king of bubbling music - a mixture of fast dancehall and techno/house - some of the most dancey music of the year )
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
24. 454 - 4 REAL
(one of the breakthrough artists of the year making one of the most fun and energetically psychedelic plugg/hip hop projects i have heard in a good while)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
23. YN Jay - Coochie Chronicles
(the coochie man still showing us why he is the most charismatic man in hip hop right now)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
22. Mcvertt - 18
(one of jersey club's rising stars puts out his best release to date, while being one of the pioneers of bringing the jersey sound into hip hop with the emergence of Newark rapper Bandmanrill)
Soundcloud
21. Rắn Cạp Đuôi Collective - Ngủ Ngày Ngay Ngày Tận Thế
(Vietnam's most next-level music act breaking out with one of the most insane albums you will hear this year)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
20. Yeat - Alivë
(the best yeat project in my eyes, as he accompanies some of the craziest beats i have heard this year)
Spotify | Soundcloud
19. PinkPanthress - To Hell With It
(easily the breakout star of the year living up to the hype with the sickest grindcore album ever)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
18. Shawny Binladen - Wickipedia
(NY's best still with some of the best drill in the world - FOUR50 shines on here as well)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
17. Dani Kiyoko - REAL $TREET RUNNA #STREETRUNNAZ
(an artist you really need to keep your eye on in 2022 - a promising young star from Louisiana bringing back late 2000s swag rap in one of the best things you will hear this year)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
16. Dirty Bird - Dirty Bird
(one of the electronic music's most interesting and fun acts putting out one of the best dnb/house albums i have heard in a while - dude is destined to make music for gran turismo; i just feel it)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
15. Frontierer - Oxidized
(if you ever wanted to know how it feels to have your face just fucking vaporized for like 50 minutes straight, boy do i have the album for you - still the best band in extreme music today; fucking hell it literally is the most insane shit lmao)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
14. Duwap Kaine - Hardhead
(the best of the current generation continuing to put out some of the most consistent projects in rap today)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
13. DJ Manny - Signals in My Head
(the chosen one of footwork making one of the most special footwork albums ever - contributing to the incredible year the chicago scene had in 2021)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
12. Worm - Foreverglade
(the nastiest, most fonkiest metal album you will hear this year. just straight filth with that classic florida death metal feel mixed with crushing doom)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
11. Axxturel - VampMania: #AfterParty
(no matter what name he is going by, Axx/luci4 continues to just baffle me with some of the best music out of anyone thriving on soundcloud)
YouTube | Soundcloud
10. Dean Blunt - Black Metal 2
(in one of the most anticipated sequels to an album in recent memory, the UK legend continues to let us know that there is no one else like him)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
9. World Peace - Come and See
(a powerviolence band that's just 2 bassists and a drummer making a 20 track 10 minute album - it's like this shit was tailored for me lmao - best 10 minutes of music this year)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
8. Jana Rush - Painful Enlightenment
(probably the most insane footwork release i have heard since DJ Nate's Da Trak Genious in 2011 - which says ALOT - a transcendental experience)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
7. SteezTheProducer - Don't Sleep
(quite possibly the greatest jersey club producer ever showing that he is one of the most forward thinking producers on planet earth - there's nothing like this anywhere right now)
Soundcloud
6. Duwap Kaine - After the Storm
(again, one of the biggest influences of the current generation showing who's still king - some of the most heartfelt and insane songs in his library - a young legend)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
5. Nyege Nyege Tapes - Sounds of Pamoja
(on here, i've talked a lot about "oh this is the most insane thing i've heard this year" but THIS..... FUCKING THIS is the most insane thing i have heard this year - Tanzania's 200 BPM+ singeli is music of the future - every time I have listened to this my head legit feels funny, which is the coolest shit ever)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
4. Chief Keef - 4NEM
(in many eyes, myself included, one of the GOATS of hip hop surprising us all with a late-in-the-year release that is seriously some of his best work in years, which is saying a WHOLE LOT)
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
3. Patrick Shiroishi - Hidemi
(probably the most breathtaking thing i have heard this year - as a long time sax player who listens to a lot of music using the instrument, this is quite possibly one of the best saxophone albums i have ever heard - making a sax quartet with just yourself is so much harder than you think)
Spotify | Apple Music | BandCamp
2. leroy - Dariacore 1 and Dariacore 2
(now seriously, I didn't want put this in 2 separate spots, so we'll just have them both here; if you don't know, dariacore was one of the year's most insane music scene emergences; modern virtuoso zeke showing us what you can do when you bend the limits of music itself; one of the most special things i have ever heard)
Bandcamp for Season 1| Bandcamp for Season 2
1. Tisakorean - mr.siLLyfLow
(Tisakorean is seriously like if a giant foreign object from space crashed into Houston in the mid 90s like baby Superman - he's here to save us all and get us silly - there's seriously no one else like him on earth; he keeps evolving his sound and getting better and that's fucking scary - Tisa really is the superhero hip hop needs and he's saving us all)
He also graced us with the greatest music snipped since Carti's Cancun. We don't deserve the master of silly....
Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud
