Firebird’s Best Albums of 2021
As 2021 drew to a close, Firebird conducted its first official Album of the Year poll. Staff members drafted their personal top 10 albums of the year, and then ranked them on a ballot. Results were then tabulated using a points-based system that assigned ten points to each voter’s first choice, nine points to their second choice, and so on. Because of the nature of the voting, the general results are inherently a popularity contest, so Firebird has given its members the opportunity to feature their individual top 10 lists below our staff-wide list – these are filled with many other releases worth checking out.
Firebird’s top 10 albums of 2021 provide a summary of some of the year’s biggest hits, but also highlight a few stellar projects from artists who weren’t as ubiquitous as Taylor Swift or Olivia Rodrigo were. This diverse set of albums all represent the many exciting new directions that artists in pop, indie, hip hop, R&B, electronic and jazz explored this year, and serve as a reminder of the willingness of our favorite artists to continue pushing boundaries in the face of the pandemic. And yet, many of these projects are united by a deep sense of nostalgia – for the swanky, gilded soul of the 1970s, for the voices of hip-hop’s bygone mixtape era, for one’s own childhood, or even for Taylor Swift’s Red – a project originally written and recorded at a markedly different time in all of our lives. Simultaneously jubilant and mournful, reflective and forward-thinking, these projects are stellar examples of the complex, conflicting emotions we all faced during 2021. We hope you see an album in this list that you already love, but we also hope you’ll find some new favorites to take with you into 2022.
— Sha Frasier, Editor-in-Chief
Firebird Magazine’s Top 10 Albums of 2021:
10. St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home [Psychedelic soul, art rock]
(Photo via Spotify)
“Daddy’s Home is a dreamy, theatrical throwback to 70s psychedelic rock, brought to life by St. Vincent’s electric personality. With textured production and effortlessly catchy melodies, this record is another shining star in St. Vincent’s incredible discography.” — David Feigelson, Writer
9. Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee [Indie pop, chamber pop]
(Photo via Spotify)
“Jubilee is the ultimate testament to Michelle Zauner's strength as not only a songwriter and performer, but also someone untangling themselves from profound grief. Full of wonderful surprises, the album's 10 songs comprise the most adventurous, diverse, and joyful entry into the Japanese Breakfast catalog.” — Nate Culbert, Editor and Writer
8. Silk Sonic – An Evening with Silk Sonic [Smooth Soul]
(Photo via Spotify)
“Highly anticipated by Firebird’s staff and clocking in at just over 30 minutes, An Evening with Silk Sonic pays tribute to the golden age of ‘70s soul, funk, and R&B. Silk Sonic gleefully combines Bruno Mars’ immaculate vocals with Anderson .Paak’s characteristic percussive flair, resulting in a glittery sound and smooth production that leaves us reminiscent of simpler times.” — Sahana Krishnamurthy, Writer
7. Olivia Rodrigo – Sour [Pop, singer/songwriter]
(Photo via Spotify)
“After Olivia Rodrigo released her breakthrough single ‘Drivers License,’ her debut album Sour broke the internet, becoming Spotify’s most-streamed album of the year. Sour captures teenage rage in a raw way that captivates young listeners. The biting lyrics coupled with a beautiful pop-rock sound made Sour one of Firebird’s top ten albums.” — Melia Allan, Writer
6. Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the London Symphony Orchestra – Promises [Third stream, post-minimalism]
(Photo via Spotify)
“Promises is an intergenerational collaboration between electronic music producer, Floating Points, and elderly jazz statesman, Pharoah Sanders. Blending jazz and ambient music, the pair create a vast cinematic soundscape, swirling around a seven note refrain. Sparse synthesizers and strings melt into Sanders’ restrained saxophone riffs, emphasizing texture rather than melody. And when you least expect it, the strings of the London Symphony Orchestra begin to crescendo. Promises is a stunning achievement for both Floating Points and Pharoah Sanders and offers a proper springboard into each of their discographies.” — Isaac Zinoman, Writer
4 (tie). Taylor Swift – Red (Taylor’s Version) [Pop rock, singer/songwriter]
(Photo via Spotify)
“Red (Taylor’s Version) was one of 2021’s true pop culture moments. Upon its release, Red (Taylor’s Version) broke several sales records and quickly became Taylor Swift’s most critically acclaimed work, showing Swift’s impressive attention to detail in recreating Red has paid off. The original 21 tracks were all bangers from the start, but new From the Vault songs like “Nothing New (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)” and the 10-minute version of fan-favorite “All Too Well” widened the scope of Red, reinforcing its status as a classic project.” — Joseph Mooney, Writer
4 (tie). Lucy Dacus – Home Video [Singer/songwriter]
(Photo via Spotify)
“Structured as a series of vignettes from Dacus’s childhood, Home Video sees Dacus exploring her past psychological dramas with tenderness and grace. The songs here are often shorter and poppier than on her previous albums, but they still pack a punch through Dacus’ tender delivery and beautiful melodies. Dacus approaches her childhood self with empathy, weaving touching and delicate stories that explore her sexuality, her time in Christian youth culture and her troubled relationship with her father. It is Dacus’ compassionate revisitation of her past and the people in it that makes Home Video stand out, through encouraging us all to be a bit kinder to our past selves as we make sense of where we came from.” — Jennifer Morse, Editor and Writer
3. Doja Cat – Planet Her [Pop rap, contemporary R&B]
(Photo via Spotify)
“You probably already know and love Doja Cat through her colorful, energetic 2019 hit album Hot Pink, or maybe through her viral single ‘MOOO!’ Doja Cat has a knack for creating those viral moments, but on Planet Her she never sacrifices quality for popularity, both through her infectiously fun vocals and songwriting and the album’s addictive, layered production. Planet Her is Doja Cat being entirely herself while showcasing the versatility — from her voice to her unique flow and rapping ability — that made her huge in the first place.” — Isha Vasudev, Writer
2. Maria Arnal i Marcel Bagés – Clamor [Art pop, glitch pop]
(Photo via Spotify)
“Clamor appeared out of nowhere, a fully formed synthesis of dramatic electronic production and singing inflected with centuries of Iberian folk tradition. Maria Arnal consistently conjures hair-raising moments with her voice alone, and Clamor’s icy, gothic soundscapes fill the album with otherworldly beauty. This album may as well have been made on an alien planet: its endless juxtapositions – surrounding medieval hymns with industrial chaos, or harmonizing human voices with the voice of an AI – don’t always make sense to us here on Earth. But, that’s why there’s no other album quite like it.” — Sha Frasier, Editor in Chief
1. Tyler, the Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost [West Coast hip hop]
(Photo via Spotify)
“Call Me If You Get Lost is half travelogue, half diary, all storytelling. Tyler, the Creator does not confine himself to any genre as he narrates his melodic and cathartic anecdotes. The horns and flutes render the rap theatrical, like a curtain opening on the most triumphant era of Tyler Baudelaire’s career.” — Jasmine Jones, Writer
Firebird Staff’s Top 10 Picks
Sha Frasier (Co-founder and Acting Editor-in-Chief; Editor, News/New Releases)
Maria Arnal i Marcel Bagés – Clamor
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the London Symphony Orchestra – Promises
Porter Robinson – Nurture
Tyler, the Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Remi Wolf – Juno
Low – HEY WHAT
Magdalena Bay – Mercurial World
Daniela Brigatti (Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief)
Maria Arnal i Marcel Bagés – Clamor
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the London Symphony Orchestra – Promises
JPEGMAFIA – LP!
Lucy Dacus – Home Video
Tyler, the Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost
Lana Del Rey – Chemtrails Over the Country Club
Low – HEY WHAT
Wolf Alice – Blue Weekend
Lana Del Rey – Blue Banisters
James Blake – Friends that Break Your Heart
Nate Culbert (Copy Editor; Editor, Music You Need to Know; Writer, Album Reviews)
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
black midi – Cavalcade
Remi Wolf – Juno
Spirit of the Beehive – ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
Indigo De Souza – Any Shape You Take
Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Dijon – Absolutely
JPEGMAFIA – LP!
Low – HEY WHAT
Caroline Waldmann (Co-Copy Editor; Editor, Music You Need to Know; Writer, Album Reviews)
Pretty Sick – Come Down
Injury Reserve – By the Time I Get to Phoenix
OK Cool – Surrealist
Grouper – Shade
Lingua Ignota – Sinner Get Ready
Midwife – Luminol
Dittocrush – Growth at a Death Pace
Hey, Ily – Internet Breath
Various Artists – The Battle at Kiganjima Island
Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams
“Pretty Sick is pretty sick!!!” — Caroline
Maia Driggers (Editor, Music History)
Adele – 30
Mariah the Scientist – Ry Ry World
Taylor Swift – Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
Maria Arnal i Marcel Bagés – Clamor
Hamzaa – Full Circle
Jazmine Sullivan – Heaux Tales
Snoh Aalegra – Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Olivia Rodrigo – Sour
Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga – Love for Sale
“Although it was just released today, I believe Adele's 30 marks her greatest triumph yet. For me, 19 has always been her best album, but 30 takes the raw, vintage sounds of 19 and elevates them. Adele has ventured into unexpected territory, with both danceability and spoken word featuring heavily, in order to tackle issues often ignored by pop music: divorce and flawed parenting. Her careful curation of sound, mixed with bold lyrical decisions, easily earns her my spot at #1.” — Maia
Jennifer Morse (Editor, Bird’s Eye View; Writer, Album Reviews)
The Weather Station – Ignorance
Lorde – Solar Power
Lucy Dacus – Home Video
Spellling – The Turning Wheel
Wolf Alice – Blue Weekend
Lil Nas X – Montero
Slayyyter – Troubled Paradise
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
Hans Zimmer – Dune (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Taylor Swift – Red (Taylor’s Version)
Joseph Mooney (Writer, News/New Releases)
Taylor Swift – Red (Taylor’s Version)
Halsey – If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Olivia Rodrigo – Sour
Kacey Musgraves – star-crossed
Doja Cat – Planet Her
Lorde – Solar Power
Hayley Williams – Flowers for Vases / descansos
Gracie Abrams – This Is What It Feels Like
Taylor Swift – Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
Gabriella Silva (Writer, Lists; Website Design Director)
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
Faye Webster – I Know I’m Funny haha
Lucy Dacus – Home Video
Tyler, the Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost
Runnner – Always Repeating
Hand Habits – Fun House
Bédouine – Waysides
Billie Marten – Flora Fauna
Taylor Swift – Red (Taylor’s Version)
Men I Trust – Untourable Album
“Michelle Zauner’s lyricism is phenomenal and [Jubilee] is a masterpiece.” — Gab
Sahana Krishnamurthy (Writer, Album Reviews)
BROCKHAMPTON – ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
Lana Del Rey – Chemtrails Over the Country Club
Kanye West – Donda
Bleachers – Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night
Lil Nas X – Montero
Lucy Dacus – Home Video
Jorja Smith – Be Right Back
Greta Van Fleet – The Battle at Garden’s Gate
Isaiah Rashad – The House is Burning
“While I think Ginger may still be BROCKHAMPTON’s best overall project (I ponder this a lot, and haven't settled on a final answer), I definitely think that no album left me feeling as satisfied and content while still thrumming with adrenaline as ROADRUNNER did this year.” — Sahana
Isaac Zinoman (Writer, Album Reviews)
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the London Symphony Orchestra – Promises
slowthai – TYRON
JPEGMAFIA – LP!
Olivia Rodrigo – Sour
Vince Staples – Vince Staples
Mach-Hommy – Pray for Haiti
Remi Wolf – Juno
Snail Mail – Valentine
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
BROCKHAMPTON – ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE
David Feigelson (Writer, Music You Need to Know)
Maria Arnal i Marcel Bagés – Clamor
Porter Robinson – Nurture
Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
JPEGMAFIA – LP!
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
Spirit of the Beehive – ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH
Sloppy Jane – Madison
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the London Symphony Orchestra – Promises
Darkside – Spiral
dltzk – Frailty
Jasmine Jones (Writer, Bird’s Eye View)
Tyler, the Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost
Doja Cat – Planet Her
Summer Walker – Still Over It
TWICE – Perfect World
Tomorrow X Together – The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape
Taemin – Advice: The Third Mini Album
Lil Nas X – Montero
H.E.R. – Back of My Mind
Wale – Folarin II
CL – Alpha
Ro Redfern-Taube (Writer, Bird’s Eye View)
Pom Pom Squad – Death of a Cheerleader
Turnstile – GLOW ON
Oh Wonder – 22 Break
Indigo De Souza – Any Shape You Take
Snail Mail – Valentine
Benny Sings – Music
Lala Lala – I Want the Door to Open
Lil Nas X – Montero
Wednesday – Twin Plagues
“Pom Pom Squad is an incredible band that deserves so much more hype than they get! Mia Berrin embodies the perfect balance of riot grrrl and pop star in her vocal performances on Death of a Cheerleader, and the rest of the band shows more of their talent and range with every track. There are as many fast, angry moments on this album as there are soft, cry-in-your-room moments. The band's usage of the cheerleader image throughout the album (and their discography as a whole) is a powerful entry point into Berrin's complicated relationship with euro-centric, heteronormative standards for women from her perspective as a queer woman of Color. It creates a tonal contrast with their alt rock sound that is just as fun, sexy, and theatrical as it is heartbreaking. All my love to Pom Pom Squad!” — Ro
Isha Vasudev (Writer, Bird’s Eye View)
Julien Baker – Little Oblivions
Doja Cat – Planet Her
Lucy Dacus – Home Video
Silk Sonic – An Evening with Silk Sonic
Lana Del Rey – Blue Banisters
The War on Drugs – I Don’t Live Here Anymore
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Bleachers – Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night
Lorde – Solar Power
Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine – A Beginner’s Mind
Trent Davis (Art Team)
IDK – USee4Yourself
Tyler, the Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost
Silk Sonic – An Evening with Silk Sonic
Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue
Isaiah Rashad – The House is Burning
CHIKA – Once Upon a Time
Kanye West – Donda
Megan Thee Stallion – Something for Thee Hotties
Drake – Certified Lover Boy
Lil Nas X – Montero
“IDK is the goat.” — Trent
Sophie Zinberg (Photographer)
Kacey Musgraves – star-crossed
Doja Cat – Planet Her
Silk Sonic – An Evening with Silk Sonic
Tyler, the Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost
Twenty One Pilots – Scaled and Icy
