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.
(#7) It's rare to have an album on our list of best debuts that comes from an artist who is so famous that he's already been an answer to a Jeopardy! question (or, more accurately, a question to a Jeopardy! answer), but that's the case for Montero, the full-length debut from Grammy-winning country/rap pioneer Lil Nas X, who first gained widespread fame when his "Old Town Road" single arrived in 2019. That song does not appear on the new LP, which includes collaborations with Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus, Megan Thee Stallion, and Elton Thee John. And Montero could bring Lil Nas X even more Grammy glory: It was just nominated for Album of the Year, among other categories.
“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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