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.
(#14) British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks followed a pair of 2019 EPs with her full-length debut in January. Excellent reviews for Collapsed in Sunbeams at the time of its release have held up: Not only is the LP landing on numerous year-end top 10 lists, but it also received a pair of Grammy nominations and was this year's winner of the coveted Mercury Prize. (It's the third time in five years that the Mercury Prize has gone to a debut album, following wins for Dave in 2019 and Sampha in 2017.)
“Arlo Parks’ debut confirms what fans of her EPs likely already knew; she is a rising songwriter of unusual skill and grace. Her take on bedroom pop feels unusually distinctive in a genre that has exploded in popularity over the past few years. Moreover, her ability to communicate the raw hardships of life with universality, compassion, and hope is genuinely moving and makes her debut a testament to her artistry.” —Under the Radar
| Buy on |
|