2021 featured some album releases from some of the biggest names in music. There were some albums that lived up to the hype and a few albums that missed the mark. 2022 is setting up to be a huge year for music but before we get into that, let’s take a look at the top 10 albums released during 2021.
10. Shelley FKA DRAM – Shelley FKA DRAM
2021
Release Date: April 30, 2021
Top Tracks: All Pride Aside (with Summer Walker), Something About Us, Cooking With Grease, Remedies
Features: Summer Walker, Erykah Badu, H.E.R., WATT
esLists.com’s Analysis: Shelley FKA DRAM came nearly 5 years after Shelley’s highly successful debut album, Big Baby DRAM, which was released in 2016. In 2020, ‘Big Baby DRAM’ officially changed his stage name to his government name (‘Shelley’) in order to shift some of the current perceptions of him based on his most popular records. Shelley FKA DRAM is the first album released under this moniker. It is a smooth, deep R&B album in which Shelley delves into a wide range of topics. This album may not have a massive radio hit like his first album did with ‘Broccoli’, but it is still is a great project for R&B fans.
esLists.com’s Rating: 75/100
9. The Melodic Blue – Baby Keem
2021
Release Date: September 10, 2021
Top Tracks: range brothers (with Kendrick Lamar), family ties (with Kendrick Lamar), south africa
Features: Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Brent Faiyaz
esLists.com’s Analysis: Baby Keem had a breakout 2021 in many ways but mainly with being featured on Kanye West’s ‘Praise God’ record on the Donda album. Baby Keem is related to Kendrick Lamar who is featured twice on The Melodic Blue. Also, Keem was 20 years old at the time of this album’s release which shows just how bright his future is. Some of Keem’s many strengths shown on this album are his innovative flows and his range as a rapper. The Melodic Blue is a must-listen for fans who enjoy the technicality of rap.
esLists.com’s Rating: 78/100
8. The Off-Season – J. Cole
2021
Release Date: May 14, 2021
Top Tracks: m y . l i f e (with 21 Savage & Morray), p u n c h i n ‘ . t h e . c l o c k, 1 0 0 . m i l ‘ (with bas)
Features: 21 Savage, 6LACK, Lil Baby, Morray, Bas
esLists.com’s Analysis: The Off-Season is J. Cole’s 6th studio album and it is the first album to have official features since Born Sinner in 2013. This return to collaborations for J. Cole excited music fans everywhere when the tracklist was first released. On the album, J. Cole seems to affirm his place atop rap’s totem pole. The Off-Season is a solid entry in J. Cole’s discography but it doesn’t quite measure up to earlier albums like 2014 Forest Hills Drive or Born Sinner. Those earlier albums sort of represented the grind and ascent of Cole’s career while The Off-Season represents Cole at the summit of his craft looking down upon his competitors.
esLists.com’s Rating: 78/100
7. Donda – Kanye West
2021
Release Date: August 29, 2021
Top Tracks: Hurricane (featuring The Weeknd & Lil Baby), Off The Grid (featuring Fivio Foreign & Playboi Carti), Praise God (featuring Travis Scott & Baby Keem), Believe What I Say, Remote Control (featuring Young Thug), Moon (featuring Kid Cudi & Don Toliver)
Features: JAY-Z, The Weeknd, Chris Brown, Playboi Carti, Baby Keem, Travis Scott, Fivio Foreign, Vory, Lil Durk, Lil Yachty, Rooga, Young Thug, Kid Cudi, Don Toliver, Conway the Machine, Westside Gunn, Jay Electronica, Swizz Beatz, Pop Smoke, Roddy Ricch, DaBaby, Marilyn Manson, Shenseea, Ty Dolla Sign, Andre 3000 (Deluxe Edition only)
esLists.com’s Analysis: Donda is easily the most chaotic album to be released in 2021. After 3 album listening parties, Kanye West finally released this album to streaming services on the last Sunday of August. The standard edition of Donda has 27 songs and clocks in at just over 107 minutes in length. Cutting some songs from Donda may have served it well, but nevertheless it is still a worthy addition to Kanye’s legendary music catalogue. Kanye dives into a wide range of topics from his marriage and religion but he mostly celebrates his late mother, Donda C. West, for whom the album was named after. Donda has its highs and lows but it is a worthy top album of 2021.
esLists.com’s Rating: 79/100
6. Certified Lover Boy – Drake
2021
Release Date: September 3, 2021
Top Tracks: TSU, N 2 Deep, IMY2 (with Kid Cudi), Love All (with JAY-Z)
Features: JAY-Z, Future, Young Thug, Lil Baby, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Lil Durk, Giveon, Yebba, Project Pat, 21 Savage, Tems, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Ty Dolla Sign
esLists.com’s Analysis: Drake’s Certified Lover Boy is an album that we initially thought we might get in 2020. This 21 track album clocks in at almost an hour and a half in length. It isn’t Drake’s strongest album, but it is a project that Drake used to get a lot of things off his chest regarding his then beef with Kanye West. CLB is an album that gets better with multiple listens.
esLists.com’s Rating: 80/100
5. The House Is Burning – Isaiah Rashad
2021
Release Date: July 30, 2021
Top Tracks: Score (featuring SZA & 6LACK), RIP Young, Headshots (4r Da Locals), Claymore (featuring Smino)
Features: Lil Uzi Vert, Jay Rock, Smino, SZA, 6LACK, Duke Deuce, Amindi, Jay Worthy, Iamdoechii, Kal Banx, YGTUT
esLists.com’s Analysis: After 6 long years, Isaiah Rashad released his 3rd studio album under the Top Dawg Entertainment label. This 16 track album has a little bit of something for everyone. The 3 track run at the end of The House Is Burning is my favorite part of the album. “Score” featuring SZA and 6LACK is a smooth record in which all 3 artists go into details about the idea of keeping “Score” in a relationship. “THIB” is a track that delves into Rashad’s past battles with substance abuse. The final song of the album, “HB2U”, finds Isaiah coming to terms about what his life is. The outro to “HB2U” is one of my favorite moments of the entire album in which Isaiah reflects on being finding alternative ways to cope with the stresses of life.
The House Is Burning is a top 5 album of the year for sure.
esLists.com’s Rating: 81/100
4. Vince Staples – Vince Staples
2021
Release Date: July 9, 2021
Top Tracks: ARE YOU WITH THAT?, THE SHINING, LIL FADE
Features: None
esLists.com’s Analysis: Vince Staples self-titled album is a reserved, yet poignant piece of self reflection and awareness. Vince further expands on many of his personal experiences throughout his life from adolescence to present day. Vince Staples contains no guest features and is concise in its delivery in that it clocks in at just over 22 minutes in length. Vince Staples showcases Vince’s obvious talent as a rapper but also highlights his abillity in hook creation. This album slipped under the radar this year in that it was a surprise release with little to no promotion beforehand.
esLists.com’s Rating: 83/100
3. An Evening with Silk Sonic – Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
2021
Release Date: November 12, 2021
Top Tracks: Leave The Door Open, Smokin Out The Window, After Last Night (with Thundercat & Bootsy Collins), Put On A Smile
Features: Bootsy Collins, Thundercat
esLists.com’s Analysis: An Evening With Silk Sonic is the album released by the recently formed R&B duo of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. Bruno and .Paak are a perfect pair that complement each other well on this project. This album features the massively successful single, “Leave The Door Open”, which dominated music charts since its initial release in March of 2021. An Evening With Silk Sonic is a fun listen but it features complex musical arrangements that are a joy to listen to.
esLists.com’s Rating: 85/100
2. King’s Disease II – Nas
2021
Release Date: August 6, 2021
Top Tracks: Nobody (featuring Ms. Lauryn Hill), EPMD 2 (featuring Eminem & EPMD), Moments, Count Me In
Features: Eminem, Lauryn Hill, Charlie Wilson, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, YG, EPMD, Hit-Boy, Blxst
esLists.com’s Analysis: King’s Disease II is the follow-up to Nas’ GRAMMY winning album King’s Disease which was released in 2020. Nas is able to snag some massive features for this album. It features his first official collaboration with Eminem and his first collaboration with Ms. Lauryn Hill since “If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)” which was released in 1996. It’s not very often that Ms. Lauryn Hill releases new music or even a new verse so this 2021 collaboration with Nas is special. Don’t be surprised if Nas snags his 2nd GRAMMY win as King’s Disease II was recently nominated in the Best Rap Album category for the 64th Annual Grammy Awards which is set to take place in January 2022.
esLists.com’s Rating: 86/100
1. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST – Tyler, The Creator
2021
Release Date: June 25, 2021
Top Tracks: CORSO, LEMONHEAD (featuring 42 Dugg), LUMBERJACK, MASSA, RUNITUP (featuring Teezo Touchdown), SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE (featuring Brent Faiyaz & Fana Hues), WILSHIRE
Features: DJ Drama, Lil Wayne, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Pharrell Williams, Lil Uzi Vert, Domo Genesis, Teezo Touchdown, 42 Dugg, Ty Dolla Sign, Brent Faiyaz, Fana Hues, DAISY WORLD
esLists.com’s Analysis: The best album of 2021 came from Tyler, The Creator. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST is a concept album that pays homage to DJ Drama’s legendary Gangsta Grillz mixtape series. Tyler, The Creator and DJ Drama is the pairing that we didn’t know we needed. Tyler uses CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST to discuss a wide range of topics from social activism, opulence, and love. Continuing with his musical progression from Flower Boy to IGOR, Tyler created an exceptional album that is worth staying in your rotation for many years to come.
esLists.com’s Rating: 90/100
Thank you for reading this latest addition to esLists.com. Please vote in the poll below to show love to your personal favorite album of the year.
After looking at this list, I have quite a few albums I need to listen to. I did really like drakes album but I haven’t listen to silk sonic yet and I think I’ll like that one better 🙂
The Silk Sonic album is a must listen! thanks for reading 🙂