Best Of 2021: Albums In Order Of Preference Through November 30th
1 – Sour – Olivia Rodrigo
2 – Donda – Kanye West
3 – Queendoncom – Yemi Alade
4 – Montero -Lil Nas X
5 – Punk – Young Thug
6 – Mother Love – Angelique Kidjo
7 – Jose – J Balvin
8 – Justice – Justin Bieber
9 – Deacon – serpentwithfeet
10 – Up – Sam Huber
11-12 – Heart & Soul – Eric Church
13 – Ten Songs of Worship & Praise for Our Tumultuous Times – St. Lenox
14 – House of Lull . House of When – Alexis Marshal
15 – Somewhere – Sun June
16 – Thirstier – Torres
17 – Infinite Granite – Deafheaven
18 – Ultra Pop – The Armed
19 – Young Shakespeare – Neil Young
20 – ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE – Brockhampton
21 – Oh! Pardon tu dormais… – Jane Birkin
22 – Dear Lemon House, You Ruined Me: Senior Year – Kaonashi
23 – Sound Ancestors – Madlib
24- Once Upon A Time – Chika
25 – Madre – Arca
26- J.T. – Steve Earle
27 – Los Dioses – Anuel AA, Ozuna
28 – Off The Yak – Young M.A.
January: a very quiet month (even if I included the first week of February, it would shake it up), the big surprise is Madlib, of course…
February: a short month and a slow month for the year, all the real action has been on the singles so far so despite Madlib and Sun June being near the top there is an overriding sense of the year not having started. Specifically, rap has been very quiet.
March – The year begins to settle in with serpentwithfeet, at least for now, gonna be difficult to dislodge from the top spot. As for Neil Young, that is one great performance…
April – The year has properly kicked in and for a month takes the limelight away from singles. Bieber went from a disappointment to the best album of the year, once you get past MLK, the deeply melodic and sweet strong ode to love (and God) improves and improves. It is possible Eric Church will replace him at # 1 at some point, or even serpentwithfeet will come all the way back. I am holding off putting box sets on this list, if I wasn’t The who and John Lennon would be here. Here is Justin:
May – a ton of albums but mostly indifferent rather than good, Olivia is the first new superstar, Young M.A. invents drill in her own image, mathcore has its masterpiece…
June – a hot and heated month, with two albums that vie for top spot, especially Kidjo’s Afropop masterpiece at the top, and very difficult to beat as well
July – Three new entries, Torres’ best album to date, the former Daughter’s nihilism, and the not yet released Kanye West latest.
August – two new releases, and the completed Kanye West takes over the top. I appear to be the only person who flipped out over the masterpiece of mothers, wives, divorce and Jesus, but I can’t hear why anyone is less than astounded at the achievement. I think perhaps West is so controversial that people sometimes can’t hear him
September – the second week of the month saw an inundation of new albums but only two made it it behind the velvet curtain: Lil Nas X and J Balvin.
October – considering the time of year, a quiet month with only Young Thug added here
November – only one new album added, but it is a doozey: Sam Huber’s sweet and soulful Up…
