Maybe it was some lunar thing, maybe it was the fact that last year felt like four, or maybe it was just the world trying to return to some semblance of normal, but 2021 went by awfully fast. Here we are, already at December, and some of us are still trying to catch up on films from March. (Man, Shiva Baby was awesome, though, wasn’t it?) But before we ring in the new year, there are still a number of exciting titles on the horizon to help us celebrate the holidays (or, in some cases, help us forget the holidays are anywhere in sight). From longtime icons like Alicia Keys to indie royalty like Beach House—with some long-awaited albums, like Conway The Machine’s Shady Records debut, to boot—the final month of this year holds the potential for greatness. So take a look, take a listen, and with luck, you’ll find a new and late-breaking addition to your list of best albums of the year.
Note to desktop users: If you’d like to read this in a scrolling format, simply narrow your browser window.