theboarddot's Top 50 Albums of 2021

[Tweet]

Hello Everyone,



Jesus, what a year. It’s Year 2 going on Year 3 of a Global Pandemic. Some of you have kids now! Some of you have older kids now! Time flies when you’re trying to outrun this shit so we can get to the climate and resource wars, right?



Anyway, 15 years of theboarddot (previously the Lolla Board, for those who don’t know) have passed, I think, and this is year 15 of Album of the Year Lists. Woo! I bet some of you are thinking that you will get many fun facts and tidbits about list making and where artists compare over the years, but the fact of the matter is Timbo is a lot better at stats than I am. I am…well, I’m me. There's a lot of questions and I'm doing an AMA at the end of this because I know you want answers.


Anyway if you’re wondering how this is gonna work this year the answer is we’re gonna find out together. I don’t know how this is going to end (aside from which albums are in which order, that part I have right, I think) but I do know I failed to get a “diverse group of boarders” together to host a roasting session of this list. There might be some tidbits from others but mostly you're getting my nonsense. I still can’t believe we pulled off Groop Camping in 2014.



You can check out the list of 51-100 below in the spoiler tag. Go ahead, read up, get worked up already. I’ll be here when you get back.

SPOILER: Click to show

T-99. Viagra Boys- Welfare Jazz

          Sleigh Bells- Texis

          Silk Sonic- An Evening With Silk Sonic

98. Damon Locks & The Black Monument Ensemble- NOW!

T-96. Backxwash- I Lie Here Buried With My Rings and Dresses

          Billie Eilish- Happier Than Ever

T-94. Crumb- Ice Melt

          Garbage- No Gods No Masters

T-92. Ryley Walker and Kikagaku Moyo- Deep Fried Grandeur

          Serpentwithfeet- Deacon

T-90.- Wau Wau Collectif- Yaral Sal Doom

           Hey, Ily- Internet Breath EP

89. Mandy, Indiana- … EP

88. Lil Nas X- Montero

87. Faye Webster- I Know I’m Funny haha

86. Natural Information Society

85. Helado Negro- Far In

84. Danny L Harle- Harlecore

83. Halsey- If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power

82. Beach Bunny- Blame Game EP

81. Big Red Machine- How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?

80. Andy Shauf- Wilds

79. Grouper- Shade

T-77. Courtney Barnett- Things Take Time, Take Time

          Yasmin Williams- Urban Driftwood

76. Brandi Carlile- In These Silent Days

T-74. Gary Numan- Intruder

          Sincere Engineer- Bless My Psyche

T-72. Armand Hammer- Haram

          Aly & AJ- A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up On Your Feet Gets You Out And Then Jesus Christ who named this album

71. Hand Habits- Fun House

70. Geese- Projector

69 (nice). Injury Reserve- By The Time I Get To Phoenix

68. Adult Mom- Driver

T-66. Arlo Parks- Collapsed In Sunbeams

          Carcass- Torn Arteries

65. Ka- A Martyr’s Reward

64. Jon Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Russel- The Marfa Tapes

63.. Genesis Owusu- Smiling With No Teeth

62. L’Rain- Fatigue

61. Wild Pink- A Billion Little Lights

60. Ryley Walker- Course In Fable

59. Sault- Nine

58. Julius Eastman, Christopher Roundtree- Julius Eastman vol. 1, femenine

T-56. Lil Simz- Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

          Sturgill Simpson- The Ballad of Dood & Juanita

55.. Fiddlehead- Between the Richness

T-53. Rostam- Changephobia

          Chvrches- Screen Violence

52. Yves Tumor- The Asymptotical World EP

51. Deafheaven- Infinite Granite

[Tweet]

Wow. Look at all those albums. Got you warmed up? Pissed your favorite is already not being properly represented? Get in line, assbutt! I got 50 more to go for you. And probably some better ones than the ones last year. Anyway, there’s some things I need to get outta the way to just understand how this list looks like the way it does:

1. I tracked 350+ albums, EPs, and mixtapes that were submitted this year

2. I didn’t actually look at the tape but I’m pretty confident we have more lists submitted than last year. We had 19 total. Neader didn’t finish his because he’s, well, fuckin Neader. Peer pressure works, people!

3. All of these are in raw point totals, 1=50, 2=49, etc. I debated if I wanted to provision points on shorter lists but….

4. Ties in point totals were broken by how many lists an album appeared in this year. I did this for more definitive rankings since more people would in theory vocalize an opinion on an album. It’s not a perfect system but neither is American Democracy and the majority of citizens didn’t seem to get too pissy when a dictator came in and started fucking that shit up, you know?

5. I included the highest streamed song from Spotify for people to listen to. I might throw a playlist together at the end but I know no one will listen to it so I probably won’t.

6. Next year I’m just sending a google form for people to vote in lol

Ok, we’re gonna get through the next 50 together, ok? It’ll be a few minutes before I start going, but as the one guy from Smash Mouth said “I have a small peepee” “The hits start coming and they don’t stop coming.” I’ll put a bow on this dumb shit at the end but all you’re getting from me the next 50-something posts is album writeups. I'm sorry in advance that the spacing will look like shit, I'll clean it up later.

Lastly, a bit of sentimental crap: these lists year after year are one of my favorite days on the board, and I discovered so much music because of these lists way back in the day. It’s part hilarious, part surreal, part honor to be running this endeavor this year (and completely putting my own stamp on it by completely botching it). I hope you discover some music and maybe get some laughs out of the way, either from me or your fellow boarder in between my posts. Keep the takes spicy, but not so spicy that Mookie and xam have to ban and remove posts and whatnot.

Without much further pomp and circumstance, here’s theboarddot’s Top 50 Albums Of The Year for 2021.

[Tweet]

50. . Wiki- Half God



How did this album poll?- 104 points on 5 lists, enough to bump Deafhaeaven out of the top 50. Thank god for that.

What does this album sound like?- I don't know, rap music?
What album was in this spot on the board’s list last year and is this album better than it?- Jay Electronica- A Written Testimony, and I would think so?

What does my fellow boarder have to say about this album?- thank fuck some of y;all replied to those PMs
Monestary-

I realize I'm closer to the transplants Wiki's targets on occasion here, but - man - I few things feel cooler and quintessentially *New York* than walking through the streets at night listening to his records. I had a few nighttime walks with Half God, and it delivers. "Roof" especially is a perfect encapsulation of living in a city.

Kamera-

Half God is a culmination of everything he’s been working on from Ratking to his solo career. Wiki’s best work to date.

Would Symbionese like this album?- maybe

[Tweet]

49. Mogwai- As the Love Continues



How did this album poll?- 105 points on 3 lists

What does this album sound like?- Depending on your take, either the best album this band has made in a decade or a bunch of old Scotish guys who need to go home to their wives already. I think most people in what’s left of indie world want the former.

What album was in this spot on the board’s list last year and is this album better than it?- We didn't have a 49 last year.

What does my fellow boarder have to say about this album?- This is actually the best work the band has done since Hardcore Will Never Die, and to reinvent yourself into a distinct sound while still maintaining that post rock cred is something that not just members of this forum are taking notice of. Go listen to Young Team and Come On Die Young if you haven’t already

Would Symbionese like this album?- respect it. Not like it.

[monasterymonochrome]

Mogwai is the most "I respect this band but never, ever feel like listening to this band" band of all time. Good on them.

[Tweet]

48. MIKE- Disco!



How did this album poll?- 105 points on 4 lists. I literally made the rules and I don't like the rules here allowing this over Mogwai.

What does this album sound like?- Not disco, that’s for sure.

What album was in this spot on the board’s list last year and is this album better than it?- This was a tie between Bartees Strange and Jessy Lanza. I think I'm giving Bartees the edge here but I don't know what Jessy Lanza is so that places 3rd.

Would Symbionese like this album?- no

[dij22]

The biggest Mogwai fan I know is now a Proud Boy

[Tweet]

47. Torres- Thirstier



How did this album poll?- 112 points on 4 lists.

What does this album sound like?- Better than anything else in her output when thinking about it on my end. I think it’s something that Torres went public about “not being a seller” when her previous label 4ad dropped her, and the fact that she’s on Merge and putting out music on this list and in general worth a damn should be sign enough that they were wrong.

What album was in this spot on the board’s list last year and is this album better than it?- Laura Marling had an album here. Fun fact- as I'm getting these out I realized that I miscalculated some counting so half the jokes I have are not going to be published. But at least everything is actually counted.

What does my fellow boarder have to say about this album?
Mookie:

Mackenzie has had an excellent run of albums so far in her career, but the big distinction with this one is that she actually sounds happy. She's pretty well documented how things have changed for her personally, and that has definitely worked its way into her music.

Would Symbionese like this album?- no

[Tweet]

46. Navy Blue- Navy's Reprise



How did this album poll?- 114 points on 3 lists
What does this album sound like?- God I don’t know man. I think he was on a bill with Wiki at Sleeping Village this year? I think that’s a sign that it’s good but I can’t say for sure and I don’t care enough to stay on subject, we’re moving on.

What album was in this spot on the board’s list last year and is this album better than it?- Moses Sumney’s Grey. That’s a toughie.

What does my fellow boarder have to say about this album?- Nobody said anything about this to me so guess y'all better get to it in the posts here. I got nothing.

Would Symbionese like this album?- maybe?

[Tweet]

45. Manchester Orchestra- The Million Masks of God



How did this album poll?- 114 points on 4 lists. Voting strikes again.

What does this album sound like?I think it sounds like a Manchester Orchestra album. This is one of those bands that the average music geek knows a handful of songs and that’s about it, and sees them play a place like the Riv and think about going but it’s $60 after fees for a ticket and like, you have a dog to feed. I’m not gonna lie there’s so much better sad white guy shit out there at this point and I think these dudes know it but that makes it worse!

What album was in this spot on the board’s list last year and is this album better than it?Fontaines DC was in this spot last year. Remember how I just said there’s better sad white guy shit out there? Go listen to “Boys in the Better Land” and then look me in the eye and tell me this Manchester album is better.

What does my fellow boarder have to say about this album?
Mookie has a maybe better but certainly kinder take than I do:

This band is really one of the best of their generation at this point, they've put out continuously solid albums with maybe only one dud to this point, and this was another solid entry.

Would Symbionese like this album?- no.

[Tweet]

Well it looks like my work life is upending this project again so in the interest of time and making sure this gets out there before I have to "pay attention" I'm just hitting the numbers here. Maybe I'll put the takes back in. Maybe I'll just direct link everyone to look at this crap if they're interested. You try to do something fun and life just gets ya sometimes. So it goes.

[Tweet]

44. Royal Blood- Typhoons (117, 3)



43. Wolf Alice- Blue Weekend (120, 4)



42. Lana Del Rey- Blue Bannisters (125, 4)



41. Magdelena Bay- Mercurial World

[Tweet]

Tied at 38, with 131 points on 4 lists each:

St. Vincent- Daddy's Home



Godspeed You! Black Emperor- God's Pee AT STATES END



Spirit of the Beehive- Entertainment, Death

[Tweet]

37. Buck Meek- Two Saviors (132, 5)



36. Porter Robinson- Nurture (135, 4)



35. Madi Diaz- History of a Feeling (136, 3)



34. Pom Poko- Cheater (140, 5)



33. Nation of Language- A Way Forward (151, 4)



32. Parannoul- To See The Next Part of the Dream (152, 4)



31. Cassandra Jenkins- An Overview on Phenomenal Nature (156, 5)

[Tweet]

30. The Armed- ULTRAPOP (158, 4)



29. Parquet Courts- Sympathy For Life (166, 5)



28. Lingua Ignota- SINNER GET READY (170, 4)



27. IDLES- Crawler (177, 5)



26. Sons of Kemet- Black to the Future (177, 5)

[scoots]

[Tweet]

25. Squid- Bright Green Field (177, 7)



24. Illuminati Hotties- Let Me Do One More (180, 7)



23. Black Midi- Cavalcade (185, 5)



22. Indigo de Souza- Any Shape You Take (188, 6)



21. Darkside- Spiral (191, 6)

[dij22]

The Illuminati Hotties album is super fun. Hopefully that show at LH with Fenne Lily and Pom Pom Squad still happens.

[Tweet]

20. Kanye West- Donda (193, 5)



19. Shame- Drunk Tank Pink (193, 8)



18. Dry Cleaning- New Long Leg (199, 7)



17. Katy Kirby- Cool Dry Place (202, 5)



16. Julien Baker- Little Oblivions (207, 6)

[mookie]

Wow, I really thought Donda was going to win this year. I'm honestly shocked.

[Tweet]

15. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis- Carnage (211, 5)



14. Mdou Moctar- Afrique Victime (212, 6)



13. Black Country, New Road- For the first time (230, 6)



12. Arooj Aftab- Vulture PRince (235, 8)



11. Iceage- Seek Shelter (241, 7)

[Tweet]

10. Snail Mail- Valentine (247, 7)

[Tweet]

9. The Weather Station- Ignorance (254, 8)

[dij22]

Very happy Katy Kirby ranked pretty high. I absolutely love that album.

[Tweet]

8. Vince Staples- Vince Staples (309, 9)

[Tweet]

7. Floating Points, Pharoh Sanders, and the London Symphony Orchestra- Promises (310, 9)

[Tweet]

6. Lucy Dacus- Home Video (337, 9)

[Tweet]

5. Japanese Breakfast- Jubilee (402, 11)

[Tweet]

4. Low- HEY WHAT (412, 10)

[mookie]

I will say this is a more interesting top 50 than we have typically have, good job board