The best albums of 2021: The ballots

The A.V. Club’s list of 2021’s best albums was determined by 11 critics, who each submitted a ranked ballot of their 20 records of the year. Those ballots can be found below, along with their picks for additional nominations—including best EPs and best reissues. If you’re looking to explore the best records of the year that didn’t make our official list, this is the place to find them. Additionally, this is where you can find our critics’ picks for the best singles of the year. (Spoiler alert: Hope you like “Thot Shit.”)

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Top 20 LPs

1. Indigo De Souza, Any Shape You Take
   
2. The Weather Station, Ignorance
   
3. The Armed, ULTRAPOP
   
4. Torres, Thirstier
   
5. Low, Hey What
   
6. Son Lux, Tomorrows III
   
7. Madlib, Sound Ancestors
   
8. Chvrches, Screen Violence
   
9. McKinley Dixon, For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her
   
10. Jon Hopkins, Music For Psychedelic Therapy
    
11. Wednesday, Twin Plagues
    
12. Arooj Aftab, Vulture Prince
    
13. Noga Erez, KIDS
    
14. Bad Bad Hats, Walkman
    
15. The Notwist, Vertigo Days
    
16. Snail Mail, Valentine
    
17. Jazmine Sullivan, Heaux Tales
    
18. Ratboys, Happy Birthday, Ratboy
    
19. Japanese Breakfast, Jubilee
    
20. Little Simz, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Top 5 singles

1. Julien Baker, “Faith Healer”
2. Tkay Maidza, “Kim”
3. Lucy Dacus, “Thumbs”
4. Mdou Moctar, “Afrique Victime”
5. Megan Thee Stallion, ‘Thot Shit”

Top 5 EPs

1. Beach Bunny, Blame Game
2. Holly Humberstone, The Walls Are Way Too Thin
3. Benny The Butcher and Harry Fraud, The Plugz I Met 2
4. Lee Ranaldo, In Virus Times
5. Rebecca Black, Rebecca Black Was Here

Top 5 reissues

1. Radiohead, Kid A Mnesia
2. Joni Mitchell, The Reprise Albums (1968-1971)
3. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concert
4. John Coltrane, A Love Supreme: Live In Seattle
5. Nirvana, Nevermind: 30th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition

Top 20 LPs

1. Little Simz, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
2. Isaiah Rashad, The House Is Burning
3. Jazmine Sullivan, Heaux Tales
4. Genesis Owusu, Smiling With No Teeth
5. Cleo Sol, Mother
6. Jungle, Loving in Stereo
7. Mach Hommy, Pray For Haiti
8. McKinley Dixon, For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her
9. Serpentwithfeet, Deacon
10. Tyler The Creator, Call Me If You Get Lost
11. Silk Sonic, An Evening With Silk Sonic
12. Rejjie Snow, Baw Baw Black Sheep
13. Nao, And Then Life Was Beautiful
14. Dave, We’re All Alone In This Together
15. Vince Staples, s/t
16. Topaz Jones, Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma
17. Pink Sweat$, Pink Planet
18. Lil Nas X, Montero
19. Snoh Aalegra, Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies 
20. Tinashe, 333

Top 5 singles

1. Noname, “Rainforest”
2. Amber Mark, “Foreign Things”
3. Megan Thee Stallion, “Thot Shit”
4. Brent Faiyaz feat. Tyler, The Creator, “Gravity”
5. J. Cole, Lil Baby, “Pride Is the Devil”

Top 20 LPs

1. Japanese Breakfast, Jubilee
2. Snail Mail, Valentine
3. Adele, 30
4. Summer Walker, Still Over It
5. Clairo, Sling
6. Jazmine Sullivan, Heaux Tales
7. Tyler, The Creator, Call Me If You Get Lost
8. Katy Kirby, Cool Dry Place
9. Faye Webster, I Know I’m Funny Haha
10. Turnstile, GLOW ON
11. Remi Wolf, Juno
12. Silk Sonic, An Evening With Silk Sonic
13. Tasha, Tell Me What You Miss The Most
14. Doja Cat, Planet Her 
15. Kacey Musgraves, starcrossed
16. PinkPantheress, to hell with it
17. Lil Nas X, Montero
18. Arlo Parks, Collapsed In Sunbeams
19. St. Vincent, Daddy’s Home
20. Lorde, Solar Power

Top 5 singles

1. Doja Cat feat. SZA, “Kiss Me More”
2. Japanese Breakfast, “Paprika”
3. Snail Mail, “Valentine”
4. MUNA featuring Phoebe Bridgers, “Silk Chiffon”
5. Mitski, “Working For The Knife”

Top 20 LPs

1. Japanese Breakfast, Jubilee
2. Lil Nas X, Montero
3. Rostam, Changephobia
4. Jazmine Sullivan, Heaux Tales
5. Adele, 30
6. Arlo Parks, Collapsed In Sunbeams
7. Magdalena Bay, Mercurial World
8. Snail Mail, Valentine
9. Tyler The Creator, Call Me If You Get Lost
10. Remi Wolf, Juno
11. Girl In Red, If I Could Make It Go Quiet
12. Wet, Letter Blue
13. Doja Cat, Planet Her
14. Yola, Stand For Myself
15. Lucy Daucus, Home Video
16. serpentwithfeet, Deacon
17. Olivia Rodrigo, Sour
18. Julien Baker, Little Oblivians
19. Billie Eilish, Happier Than Ever
20. Kacey Musgraves, star-crossed

Top 5 singles

1. Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen, “Like I Used To”
2. MUNA featuring Phoebe Bridgers, “Silk Chiffon”
3. Ari Lennox, “Pressure”
4. Jessie Ware, “Please”
5. Remi Wolf, “Liz”

Top 20 LPs

1. Japanese Breakfast, Jubilee
   
2. Olivia Rodrigo, SOUR
   
3. Indigo De Souza, Any Shape You Take
   
4. Julien Baker, Little Oblivions
   
5. Snail Mail, Valentine
   
6. Katy Kirby, Cool Dry Place
   
7. Pom Pom Squad, Death Of A Cheerleader
   
8. Rosie Tucker, Sucker Supreme
   
9. Helado Negro, Far In
   
10. Halsey, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
    
11. The Armed, Ultrapop
    
12. Lana Del Rey, Blue Banisters
    
13. Modest Mouse, The Golden Casket
    
14. PinkPantheress, To Hell With It
    
15. We Are The Union, Ordinary Life
    
16. Petey, Lean Into Life
    
17. Cheekface, Emphatically No.
    
18. Rostam, Changephobia
    
19. Lucy Dacus, Home Video
    
20. Girl In Red, If I Could Make It Go Quiet

Top 5 singles

1. Olivia Rodrigo, “Deja Vu”
2. Parquet Courts, “Walking At A Downtown Pace”
3. Snail Mail, “Valentine”
4. Megan Thee Stallion, “Thot Shit”
5. Mitski, “Working For The Knife”

Top 5 EPs

1. Mannequin Pussy, Perfect
2. Hannah Jadagu, What Is Going On?
3. Pronoun, SOUND THE ALARMS!!!1!
4. Jhariah, A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO FAKING YOUR DEATH
5. Rebecca Black, Rebecca Black Was Here

Top reissues

1. My Bloody Valentine, Loveless
2. Radiohead, Kid A Mnesia
3. Nirvana, Nevermind (30th anniversary edition)

Top 20 LPs

1. Turnstile, Glow On
   
2. Fiddlehead, Between The Richness
   
3. The Armed, ULTRAPOP
   
4. Hyperdontia, Hideous Entity
   
5. Pan-Amerikan Native Front, Little Turtle’s War
   
6. Carcass, Torn Arteries
   
7. Anika Pyle, Wild River
   
8. Regional Justice Center, Crime and Punishment
   
9. Hurry, Fake Ideas
   
10. Hulder, Godslastering: Hymns of a Forlorn Peasantry
    
11. Canal Irreal, Canal Irreal
    
12. Thirdface, Do It With A Smile
    
13. Concrete Winds, Nerve Butcherer
    
14. Slant, 1집
    
15. Galvanizer, Prying Sight of Imperception
    
16. Jeff Rosenstock, Ska Dream
    
17. Socioclast, Socioclast
    
18. Laura Stevenson, Laura Stevenson
    
19. Ratboys, Happy Birthday, Ratboy
    
20. Floatie, Voyage Out

Top single

Snow Ellet, “Cannonball”

Somewhere between untitled-era blink-182, mid-period Get Up Kids, and the Postal Service is this incredible Snow Ellet song. Easily the hookiest thing in a year full of pop-minded singles.

Top EP

Militarie Gun, All Roads Lead To The Gun II

This band’s development has been absolutely thrilling to watch, and if not for that Snow Ellet tracks, “Big Disappointment” would easily have been my song of the year.

Top reissue

Dazy, MAXIMUMBLASTSUPERLOUD: The First 24 Songs

A collection of 24 lo-fi jams that fall somewhere between brit-pop and noise-rock. What’s not to love?

Top 20 LPs

1. The Weather Station, Ignorance
2. L’Rain, Fatigue
3. Indigo de Souza, Any Shape You Take
4. Turnstile, GLOW UP
5. SPELLLING, The Turning Wheel
6. Japanese Breakfast, Jubilee
7. Jazmine Sullivan, Heaux Tales
8. Tyler, the Creator, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST
9. Snail Mail, Valentine
10. Low, HEY WHAT
11. Halsey, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
12. The Armed, ULTRAPOP
13. Dry Cleaning, New Long Leg
14. TORRES, Thirstier
15. St. Vincent, Daddy’s Home
16. Remi Wolf, Juno
17. Lucy Dacus, Home Video
18. ada lea, one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden
19. Lingua Ignota, SINNER GET READY
20. Lily Konigsberg, Lily We Need To Talk Now

Top 5 singles

1. The Weather Station, “Atlantic”
2. Indigo de Souza, “Real Pain”
3. L’Rain, “Kill Self”
4. Turnstile, “BLACKOUT”
5. Spirit of the Beehive, “THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN’T DO”

Top EP

LSDXOXO: Dedicated 2 Disrespect

The Berlin-via-New-York-via-Philly producer’s first release for XL is full of tough-as-nails techno shuffling, monotone vocal delivery, and unflinchingly horny, campy lyrics. Together, all these elements bring the 4 a.m. queer rave vibes to you anytime, anywhere.

Top 20 LPs

1. Billie Eilish, Happier Than Ever
2. James Blake, Friends That Break Your Heart
3. Willow Smith, Lately I Feel Everything
4. Renee Goust, Resister
5. Doja Cat, Planet Her
6. Young MA, Off The Yak
7. Olivia Rodrigo, SOUR
8. Arlo Parks, Collapsed In Sunbeans
9. Fana Hues, Hues
10. Rico Nasty, Nightmare Vacation
11. Isaiah Rashad, The House Is Burning
12. Summer Walker, Still Over it
13. Dawn Richard, Second Line
14. Jazmine Sullivan, Heaux Tales
15. Mach-Hommy, Pray For Haiti
16. Japanese Breakfast, Jubilee
17. Little Simz, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
18. Lil Nas X, Montero
19. Tyler, The Creator, Call Me if You Get Lost
20. Karol G, KGO516

Top single

“Girls Girls Girls,” Fletcher

New Jersey vocalist Fletcher stuns by twisting Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” into a truly sexy ode to women who unapologetically love other women. Beyond content, Fletcher completely remakes Perry’s bubblegum pop into a raucous club banger.

Top 20 LPs

1. Tyler, The Creator, Call Me If You Get Lost
2. Madlib, Sound Ancestors
3. Isaiah Rashad, The House Is Burning
   
4. Floating Points, Promises
   
5. Dry Cleaning, New Long Leg
   
6. Armand Hammer, Haram
   
7. Wiki, Half God
   
8. Tirzah, Colourgrade
   
9. Ka, A Martyr’s Reward
   
10. Kacy Hill, Simple, Sweet, And Smiling
    
11. Aesop Rock, Garbology
    
12. Low, Hey What
    
13. Faye Webster, I Know I’m Funny Haha
    
14. Mach-Hommy, Pray For Haiti
    
15. JPEGMafia, LP!
    
16. Darkside, Spiral
    
17. Grouper, Shade
    
18. Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin, Smokebreak
    
19. Lone, Always Inside Your Head
    
20. Space Afrika, Honest Labour

Top single

Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar, “Family Ties”

And then Kenny returned from the mountaintop batshit gonzo, like mad that rap continued without him, mad that rappers rapped at all, standing behind you while you listen to the track, mad that you’re listening to it. Like the man says: burn that shit. But have some fun doing it, you know?

Top 20 LPs

1. Duran Duran, Future Past
2. Tents, Limbo
3. Tori Amos, Ocean to Ocean
4. Garbage, No Gods No Masters
5. PONY, TV Baby
6. Crowded House, Dreamers are Waiting
7. Quivers, Golden Doubt
8. The Chills, Scatterbrain
9. Mogwai, As The Love Continues
10. Halsey, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
11. Palberta, Palberta5000
12. The Goon Sax, Mirror II
13. Marissa Nadler, The Path Of The Clouds 
14. Mammoth WVH, Mammoth WVH
15. Snail Mail, Valentine
16. Adult Mom, Driver
17. Remi Wolf, Juno
18. The Go! Team, Get Up Sequences Part One
19. Arlo Parks, Collapsed In Sunbeams
20. Turnstile, Glow On

Top 5 singles

1. MUNA featuring Phoebe Bridgers, “Silk Chiffon”
   
2. Halsey, “I Am Not a Woman, I’m a God”
3. The Linda Lindas, “Oh!”
4. Duran Duran, “Anniversary”
5. Sarko Montaug, “Possessive”

Best reissue

Rhythm And Paranoia: The Best Of Bush Tetras (Wharfcat)

This compilation is a comprehensive intro to post-punk legends the Bush Tetras, but also is a reminder that their catalog remains as fresh, vital, and searing now as it was 40 years ago.