The 40 Best Albums of 2021
Above is Metacritic's list of the 40 best-reviewed albums of 2021, ranked by Metascore. This list only includes new albums receiving at least 15 reviews from professional critics (though you'll find a quick list of the top albums with a smaller number of reviews at the end of the gallery.)
Otherwise, all full-length studio albums (or mixtapes) released between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 are eligible, though reissues, live albums, box sets and other compilations are excluded. (Those excluded titles, too, are included in a separate list at the end of the gallery.) Albums are ranked by Metascore prior to rounding based on scores as of December 21, 2021.
(#19) It's almost hard to believe that Montero is the full-length debut from Grammy-winning country/rap pioneer Lil Nas X, given his previous rise to fame thanks to his breakthrough "Old Town Road" single back in 2019. That song does not appear on his new Grammy-nominated LP, which includes collaborations with Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus, Megan Thee Stallion, and Elton Thee John.
“He proves that he is a fully-fledged, multifaceted person who can do it all, and has all the makings of a modern yet ever-evolving pop star. He just remembers to have a fun, honest time while doing it.” —Exclaim
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