The Freshman 15: 2021's Best Debut Albums
Next week, we'll release our final overall list of this year's best overall albums. But our ongoing best of 2021 coverage continues right now with a look at this year's top newcomers in music.
Above is our list of the 15 best-reviewed debut albums of 2021, ranked by Metascore. Note that albums must have at least 7 reviews—and be a full-length LP (or mixtape) rather than an EP—to be eligible for inclusion. Albums are ranked by Metascore prior to rounding based on scores as of December 14, 2021.
(#1 Best Debut Album of 2021) This self-titled set is the solo debut album for Dublin-based producer David Balfe, who recorded it as a tribute to Paul Curran, his best friend and bandmate (in a group called Burnt Out) who took his own life in 2018. (A recent album from the Irish band The Murder Capital was also inspired by the same tragedy.) Reviewers have compared Balfe's music to that of The Streets and Burial.
“‘For Those I Love’ is not only an immaculate debut, but a beautiful record that speaks to anyone who’s ever loved and lost, anyone who might be mourning or just processing the days of youthful abandon, or perhaps those who need reminding that you can’t have shadows without the light.” —NME
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