The best albums of 2021 (update August 31)
The numbers presented next to each album title are the weighted average rating, and, in brackets, average and number of ratings (out of 33 included sources). The weighted average is based on a formula that includes a) the average of ratings and b) the number of sources that have rated the album.
The magazines I used for the ratings were:
EUR + Australia: Dansende Beren (New this year thanks to Chilton's proposal); Gaffa-dk; Gaffa-sw; Humo; Indiestyle; Jenesaispop; Laut; Mondosonoro; Musikexpress; Nojesguiden; Ondarock; Plattentests; Sentire Ascoltare; The Music
UK: Clash; DIY; God Is In The Tv; Load And Quiet; Music OMH; NME; The Guardian; The Line Of Best Fit; The Skinny
USA + Canada: Allmusic; Beats Per Minute; Consequence Of Sound; Exclaim!; Nothern Transmissions; Paste; Pitchfork; Popmatters; Rolling Stone; Spectrum Culture; Under The Radar
Highlights: Rob makes the top three songs from the album according to Allmusic, Consequence of Sound, Jenesaispop, Plattentests, The Skinny, etc…
Albums that have obtained new reviews but worsened the score
New entry or Re-entry
Albums that have obtained new reviews and improved the score
Out:
The Staves: Good Woman
Iglooghost: Lei Line Eon
Marianne Faithfull: She Walks in Beauty
Nas: King's Disease II
David Crosby: For Free
80 - Spellling: The Turning Wheel - 74,3 (75,3 / 18)
Highlights: Boys at School – Little Deer – Turning Wheel
Art Pop
79 - Liars: The Apple Drop - 74,5 (75,4 / 18)
Highlights: Sekwar – Big Appetite – My Pulse to Ponder
Art Rock
78 - Halsey: If I Cant Have Love, I Want Power – 74,5 (78,2 / 10)
Highlights: I Am Not a Woman, I’m a God – Bells in Santa Fe – Girl Is a Gun
Alternative Rock
77 - The Hold Steady: Open Door Policy - 74,8 (74,8 / 21)
Highlights: Family Farm – Spices - Lanyards
Indie Rock
76 - Villagers: Fever Dreams - 74,8 (77,1 / 14)
Highlights: So Simpatico – Song in Seven – Circles in the Firing Lines
Indie Pop
75 - Tomahawk: Tonic Immobility - 74,9 (78,6 / 10)
Highlights: Tattoo Zero – Howlie – Business Casual
Alternative Rock
74 - Emma-Jean Thackray: Yellow – 74,9 (78,6 / 10)
Highlights: Say Something – Sun – Our People
Jazz Fusion
73 - Katy Kirby: Cool Dry Place – 75,0 (79,0 / 9)
Highlights: Cool Dry Place – Juniper – Traffic!
Singer-Songwriter
72 - Girl In Red: If I Can Make It Go Quiet - 75,0 (74,3 / 23)
Highlights: Rue – Serotonin – Midnight Love
Indie Pop
71 - Deafheaven: Infinite Granite - 75,2 (72,8 / 28)
Highlights: Great Mass of Color – Mombasa – In Blur
Shoegaze
70 - Celeste: Not Your Muse - 75,2 (77,2 / 15)
Highlights: Stop This Flame – Strange - Ideal Woman
Neo-Soul
69 - Madlib: Sound Ancestors - 75,2 (76,9 / 16)
Highlights: Road of the Lonely Ones – Dirtknock - Chino
Instrumental Hip Hop
68 - Foxing: Draw Down The Moon - 75,2 (79,2 / 9)
Highlights: Speak with the Dead – Draw Down the Moon – If I Believed in God
Indie Rock
67 - Chai: Wink - 75,3 (76,6 / 17)
Highlights: Maybe Chocolate Chips - Nobody Knows We Are Fun - In Pink
Indie Pop
66 - Sault: Nine – 75,4 (77,7 / 14)
Highlights: London Gangs – Bitter Streets - 9
Neo-Soul
65 - Virginia Wing: Private Life - 75,7 (80,0 / 8)
Highlights: I’m Holding Out for Something – St. Francis Fountain – Moon Turn Tides
Art Pop
64 - The Coral: Coral Island - 75,8 (79,5 / 10)
Highlights: Faceless Angel - Autumn Has Come - Lover Undiscovered
Indie Rock
63 - Ghetts: Conflict Of Interest - 75,9 (80,6 / 7)
Highlights: IC3 – Little Bo Peep - Mozambique
UK Hip Hop
62 - Cassandra Jenkins: An Overview On Phenomenal Nature – 75,9 (80,3 / 8)
Highlights: Hard Drive – Crosshairs – New Bikini
Singer-Songwriter
61 - Greentea Peng: Man Made - 75,9 (79,3 / 11)
Highlights: Nah It Ain’t the Same – Meditation – Kali V2
Neo-Soul
60 - Leon Vynehall: Rare, Forever – 76,0 (79,4 / 11)
Highlights: Mothra - Dumbo – Snakeskin ∞ Has-Been
Ambient Techno
59 - Loraine James: Reflection - 76,1 (80,7 / 7)
Highlights: Simple Stuff - Running Like That - Self Doubt (Leaving the Club Early)
IDM
58 - Indigo De Souza: Any Shape You Take – 76,1 (79,1 / 12)
Highlights: Hold U - Real Pain – Bad Dream
Indie Rock
57 - Dinosaur Jr: Sweep It Into Space – 76,1 (74,8 / 25)
Highlights: Garden – I Ran Away – I Ain’t
Alternative Rock
56 - Kiwi Jr.: Cooler Returns – 76,1 (78,1 / 15)
Highlights: Undecided Voters – Waiting in Line – Only Here for a Haircut
Indie Rock
55 - Bicep: Isles – 76,2 (75,5 / 23)
Highlights: Atlas - Sundial - Saku
Future Garage
54 - Clairo: Sling - 76,3 (76,0 / 22)
Highlights: Amoeba - Blouse - Bambi /b]
Singer-Songwriter
53 - Gruff Rhys: Seeking New Gods - 76,4 (78,7 / 14)
Highlights: Mausoleum of My Former Self - Seeking New Gods - Hiking in Lightning
Psychedelic Pop
52 - Pauline Anna Strom: Angel Tears in Sunlight – 76,5 (80,4 / 9)
Highlights: Tropical Convergence – Temple Gardens at Midnight – The Pulsation
Ambient
51 - Vince Staples: Vince Staples – 76,5 (75,8 / 23)
Highlights: Are You With That? – Take Me Home – Lil Fade
Trap Rap
50 - Chvrches: Screen Violence - 76,6 (76,6 / 21)
Highlights: How Not to Drown – Good Girls – Asking for a Friend
Synthpop
49 - Darkside: Spiral - 76,7 (76,3 / 22)
Highlights: Liberty Bell - The Limit - Lawmaker
Art Rock
48 - Jazmine Sullivan: Heaux Tales – 76,7 (79,7 / 12)
Highlights: Lost One – Pick Up Your Feelings – Girl Like Me
Neo-Soul
47 - Viagra Boys: Welfare Jazz - 76,7 (75,7 / 24)
Highlights: Creatures – Girls & Boys – Ain’t Nice
Post-Punk
46 - Squirrel Flower: Planet (i) – 76,8 (79,1 / 14)
Highlights: Hurt a Fly – I’ll Go Running - Roadkill
Indie Rock
45 - Slowthai: Tyron – 77,1 (74,1 / 30)
Highlights: Feel Away – Cancelled - Mazza
UK Hip Hop
44 - Genesis Owusu: Smiling With No Teeth – 77,1 (80,5 / 11)
Highlights: A Song About Fishing – The Other Black Dog – Drown
Neo-Soul
43 - LUMP: Animal – 77,1 (79,1 / 14)
Highlights: Animal – Climb Every Wall – Bloom At Night
Indie Pop
42 - Bachelor: Doomin' Sun - 77,2 (78,8 / 16)
Highlights: Stay in the Car - Back of My Hand - Doomin’ Sun
Indie Rock
41 - Torres: Thirstier – 77,2 (77,2 / 21)
Highlights: Don’t Go Putting Wishes in My Head – Hug from a Dinosaur - Thirstier
Indie Rock
40 – Tribulation: Where The Gloom Becomes Sound - 77,6 (82,3 / 7)
Highlights: Hour of the Wolf – Daughter of the Djinn – Dirge of a Dying Soul
Gothic Metal
39 - Sleaford Mods: Spare Ribs – 77,7 (76,3 / 25)
Highlights: Mork n Mindy – Shortcummings – Nudge It
UK Hip Hop
38 - Django Django: Glowing in the Dark - 77,9 (76,9 / 24)
Highlights: Spirals – Waking Up – Glowing in the Dark
Indie Pop
37 - Goat Girl: On All Fours – 78,2 (78,1 / 21)
Highlights: Sad Cowboy – Badibaba – The Crack
Post-Punk
36 - Hiatus Kaiyote: Mood Valiant – 78,2 (81,2 / 12)
Highlights: Red Room – Get Sun – Chivalry Is Not Dead
Neo-Soul
35- The Armed: Ultrapop – 78,3 (81,3 / 12)
Highlights: All Futures – An Iteration – Masunaga Vaporsa
Noise Rock
34 - The Anchoress: The Art Of Losing - 78,5 (82,9 / 8)
Highlights: Unravel - The Art of Losing - Show Your Face
Art Rock
33 - Anna B Savage: A Common Turn - 78,6 (81,6 / 12)
Highlights: Corncrakes – BedStuy - Two
Psychedelic Folk
32 - Steve Earle & The Dukes: J.T. - 78,7 (82,0 / 11)
Highlights: Champagne Corolla – Last Words – I Don’t Care
Americana
31 - Jane Weaver: Flock – 78,7 (80,7 / 15)
Highlights: Heartlow – Modern Reputation - Solarised
Psychedelic Pop
30 - Iceage: Seek Shelter - 78,7 (77,0 / 26)
Highlights: Vendetta – The Holding Hand – Shelter Song
Art Rock
29 - Mogwai: As The Love Continues - 78,8 (76,2 / 29)
Highlights: Midnight Flit – Ritchie Sacramento – Dry Fantasy
Post Rock
28 - Alfie Templeman: Forever Isn't Long Enough - 78,9 (83,6 / 7)
Highlights: Forever Isn’t Long Enough – Shady - Everybody’s Gonna Love Somebody
Dance Pop
27 - Lana Del Rey: Chemtrails Over the Country Club - 78,9 (76,9 / 27)
Highlights: Chemtrails over the Country Club - White Dress - Wild at Heart
Singer-Songwriter
26 - Serpentwithfeet: Deacon – 79,1 (78,1 / 24)
Highlights: Hyacinth - Sailor’s Superstition - Fellowship
Alternative R&B
25 - Billie Eilish: Happier Than Ever – 79,8 (77,8 / 27)
Highlights: Oxytocin - Therefore I Am - My future
R&B
24 - Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime – 80,1 (80,5 / 20)
Highlights: Tala Tannam - Afrique Victime – Ya Habibti
Tishoumaren
23 - Wolf Alice: Blue Weekend - 80,6 (80,2 / 22)
Highlights: The Last Man On Earth - How Can I Make It OK - Lipstick On the Glass
Alternative Rock
22 - Dry Cleaning: New Long Leg – 81,1 (78,4 / 29)
Highlights: Scratchyard Lanyard - New Long Leg - Her Hippo
Post-Punk
21 - Shame: Drunk Tank Pink – 81,2 (78,5 / 29)
Highlights: Alphabet – Water in the Well – Snow Day
Post-Punk
20 - Arab Strap: As Days Get Dark – 81,2 (79,9 / 25)
Highlights: The Turning of Our Bones - Here Comes Comus! - Kebabylon
Slowcore
19 - Lucy Dacus: Home Video – 81,2 (79,2 / 27)
Highlights: Hot & Heavy – Thumbs – First Time
Singer-Songwriter
18 - Turnstile: Glow On – 81,5 (83,9 / 14)
Highlights: Holiday - Blackout - Endless
Post-Hardcore
17 - For Those I Love: For Those I Love - 81,9 (86,3 / 8)
Highlights: I Have a Love - Birthday/ The Pain - Top Scheme
Progressive House
16 - St. Vincent: Daddy's Home – 82,1 (78,8 / 31)
Highlights: The Melting of the Sun – Down - Pay Your Way in Pain
Psychedelic Soul
15 - Lingua Ignota: Sinner Get Ready – 82,3 (84,3 / 15)
Highlights: Pennsylvania Surface – The Order Of The Spiritual Virgins – I Who Bend The Tall Grasses
Neoclassical Darkwave
14 - Godspeed You! Black Emperor: G_d's Pee AT STATE'S END! - 82,4 (80,4 / 27)
Highlights: "Government Came" (9980.0kHz 3617.1kHz 4521.0 kHz)/Cliffs Gaze/Cliffs' Gaze at Empty Waters' Rise/Ashes to Sea or Near to Thee - A Military Alphabet (five eyes all blind) (4521.0kHz 6730.0kHz 4109.09kHz) / Job’s Lament / First of the Last Glaciers / where we break how we shine (ROCKETS FOR MARY) - Fire at Static Valley
Post-Rock
13 - The Bug: Fire - 82,5 (87,1 / 7)
Highlights: Pressure – Clash - Vexed
Grime
12 - Tyler, The Creator: Call Me If You Get Lost – 82,7 (82,0 / 23)
Highlights: Lumberjack – Wilshire - Juggernaut
Hip Hop
11 - Black Midi: Cavalcade - 82,8 (79,8 / 30)
Highlights: Chondromalacia Patella – Slow - John L
Avant- Prog
10 - Black Country, New Road: For The First Time – 83,0 (81,0 / 27)
Highlights: Sunglasses – Track X - Instrumental
Experimental Rock
09 - Sons of Kemet: Black To The Future – 83,3 (84,6 / 17)
Highlights: Hustle – Pick Up Your Burning Cross – Field Negus
Jazz
08 - The Weather Station: Ignorance - 83,5 (82,8 / 23)
Highlights: Robber – Parking Lot – Tried to Tell You
Art Pop
07 - Arlo Parks: Collapsed In Sunbeams – 83,9 (80,9 / 30)
Highlights: Hurt – Eugene – Black Dog
Bedroom Pop
06 - Julien Baker: Little Oblivions – 84,2 (81,2 / 30)
Highlights: Hardline – Ringside – Favor
Singer-Songwriter
05 - Dave: We’re All Alone In This Together – 84,7 (86,7 / 15)
Highlights: In the Fire - We’re All Alone - Heart Attack
UK Hip Hop
04 - Nick Cave & Warren Ellis: Carnage – 84,9 (83,6 / 25)
Highlights: White Elephant - Hand of God – Old Time
Art Rock
03 - Japanese Breakfast: Jubilee - 85,6 (83,3 / 28)
Highlights: Be Sweet - Posing in Bondage – Kokomo, In
Indie Pop
02 - Squid: Bright Green Field - 86,9 (85,2 / 26)
Highlights: Narrator – Pamphlets - Paddling
Art Punk
01 - Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra: Promises – 88,4 (87,7 / 23)
Highlights: Movement 1 - Movement 6 - Movement 8
Modern Classical
MCCh 2021 (15) August 31
- Otisredding
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MCCh 2021 (15) August 31
Last edited by Otisredding on Wed Sep 01, 2021 8:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Otisredding
- Keep On Movin'
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Re: MCCh 2021 (15) August 31
81 - The Staves: Good Woman - 74,3 (76,3 / 15)
82 - Iglooghost: Lei Line Eon - 74,1 (78,7 / 7)
83 - Te Killers: Pressure Machine - 74,0 (73,0 / 24)
84 - Marianne Faithfull: She Walks in Beauty - 74,0 (76,7 / 13)
85 - Diivde And Dissolve: Gas Lit - 74,0 (78,0 / 9)
86 - Tune-Yards: Sketchy. - 74,0 (74,0 / 21)
87 - Manchester Orchestra: The Million Masks Of God - 73,9 (76,9 / 12)
88 - Taylor Swift: Fearless (Taylor’s Version) - 73,8 (76,8 / 12)
89 - Tom Jones: Surrounded By Time - 73,6 (77,3 / 10)
90 - Valerie June: The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers - 73,6 (76,9 / 11)
91 - Yola: Stand For Myself - 73,6 (76,9 / 11)
92 - Brockhampton: Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine - 73,6 (74,2 / 19)
93 - Du Blonde: Homecoming - 73,5 (77,4 / 9)
94 - John Grant: Boy From Michigan - 73,4 (74,4 / 18)
95 - Porter Robinson: Nurture - 73,3 (77,0 / 10)
95 - Claud: Super Monster - 73,3 (75,0 / 16)
97 - Noga Erez: Kids - 73,3 (78,0 / 7)
98 - Nas: King's Disease II - 73,0 (76,4 / 11)
99 - Chad VanGaalen: World's Most Stressed Out Gardener - 72,9 (76,6 / 10)
100 - Laura Mvula: Pink Noise - 72,7 (74,7 / 15)
101 - The Antlers: Green To Gold - 72,7 (74,7 / 15)
102 - Flock of Dimes: Head of Roses - 72,7 (75,4 / 13)
103 - Alan Vega: Mutator - 72,7 (76,7 / 9)
104 - William Doyle: Great Spans of Muddy Time - 72,6 (75,3 / 13)
105 - H.E.R.: Back of My Mind - 72,5 (76,4 / 9)
106 - The Mountain Goats: Dark In Here - 72,4 (74,4 / 15)
107 - Leon Bridges: Gold-Diggers Sound - 72,3 (73,6 / 17)
108 - The Body: I've Seen All I Need To See - 72,2 (75,9 / 10)
109 - Cloud Nothings: The Shadow I Remember - 72,1 (73,8 / 16)
110 - Lord Huron: Long Lost - 72,1 (76,7 / 7)
111 - Billie Marten: Flora Fauna - 71,9 (76,3 / 8)
112 - A Winged Victory for the Sullen: Invisible Cities - 71,9 (74,9 / 12)
113 - The Besnard Lakes: The Besnard Lakes Are the Last of the Great Thunderstom Warnings... - 71,9 (74,9 / 12)
114 - Puma Blue: In Praise of Shadows - 71,8 (74,8 / 12)
115 - Half Waif: Mythopoetics - 71,8 (74,5 / 13)
116 - Pom Pom Squad: Death Of A Cheerleader - 71,8 (76,1 / 8)
117 - Lambchop: Showtunes - 71,6 (73,3 / 16)
118 - Weezer: OK Human - 71,5 (70,8 / 23)
119 - Lael Neale: Acquainted with Night - 71,5 (76,1 / 7)
120 - Dodie: Build A Problem - 71,5 (75,4 / 9)
121 - Jungle: Loving In Stereo - 71,5 (72,4 / 18)
122 - Foo Fighters: Medicine at Midnight - 71,4 (69,7 / 26)
123 - Crowded House: Dreamers Are Waiting - 71,3 (75,0 / 10)
124 - Steve Gunn: Other You - 71,3 (75,6 / 8)
125 - Olivia Rodrigo: Sour - 71,2 (71,6 / 20)
126 - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: Butterfly 3000 - 71,2 (74,5 / 11)
127 - Marta Wainwright: Love Will Be Reborn - 71,2 (75,9 / 7)
128 - Spirit Of The Beehive: Entertainment, Death - 71,1 (75,1 / 9)
129 - Ryley Walker: Course In Fable - 71,0 (74,4 / 11)
130 - Tindersticks: Distractions - 71,0 (73,4 / 14)
131 - Psychedelic Porn Crumpets: SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound - 71,0 (75,0 / 9)
132 - Matt Sweeney & Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy: Superwolves - 71,0 (73,3 / 14)
133 - Still Corners: The Last Exit - 70,8 (74,5 / 10)
134 - Hiss Golden Messenger: Quietly Blowing It - 70,8 (74,8 / 9)
135 - Angel Olsen: Aisles - 70,8 (74,8 / 9)
136 - David Crosby: For Free - 70,7 (74,4 / 10)
137 - James Yorkston And The Second Hand Orchestra: The Wide, Wide River - 70,7 (74,4 / 10)
138 - Pearl Charles: Magic Mirror - 70,5 (74,9 / 8)
139 - La Femme: Paradigmes - 70,3 (74,6 / 8)
140 - Liz Phair: Soberish - 70,1 (72,1 / 15)
Re: MCCh 2021 (15) August 31
Damn, Solar Power’s not even on here, huh? Ouch.
- Rob
- Die Mensch Maschine
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Re: MCCh 2021 (15) August 31
Jeez, I've spend the last four days for too much time behind my laptop working on a music list. What a time to drop a big update on MegaCritic. Nonetheless, here is your updated playlist, right on schedule:
-
- Different Class
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Re: MCCh 2021 (15) August 31
Looks like Kanye, Drake and Lorde are barely gonna scratch the charts next update if at all with the dismal reviews they’re all getting although 53 is my favorite number. Don’t think anyone strives to get those Herbie the Love Bug numbers and even albums that gain cult followings later on usually don’t score that low at first. Maybe for the Lorde album which at least is brushing up against 70 atm.
Re: MCCh 2021 (15) August 31
I thought the Dave album was well deserving of its acclaim after an initial listen. Haven't seen anyone on here talking about it yet though.
Re: MCCh 2021 (15) August 31
I’m surprised that Gaspard Augé’s Escapades does not rate. It’s being championed, was an album of the week and they are still playing Force Majeure, by Double J a station that is part of the Australian Broadcast Corporation’s Youth Network. It is a joyful album and, for me, brings to mind some of the great early electronics from the 70s
- Otisredding
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