Whether you spent all of 2021 mainlining Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour or PinkPantheress' To Hell With It, you likely found the best albums of 2021 as a balm of sorts, a fully-fledged story to live inside.
That’s the beauty of albums, a start to finish musical experience, especially when made with intention. The albums below fit that criteria, as well as just being incredibly fun to sift through. Below, check out the best albums of 2021, as chosen by Teen Vogue editors.
To Hell With It, PinkPantheress
Technically it's a mixtape, but it's SO good! PinkPantheress had a massive year on TikTok, with a number of songs going viral on the app that were constantly stuck in my head. "Pain" was truly my song of the summer and something that my friends and I enjoyed while singing in the car. Her music is so fun and gives me a huge wave of nostalgia for late '90s and early '00s rave anthems that I loved as a child. Needless to say, I was thrilled when she released her mixtape. Her upbeat and poppy vocals mixed with lo-fi and jungle beats and deep lyrics are truly *chef's kiss*. And it's only the beginning! I can't wait to see her continue to rise in the future. — Honestine Fraser, Senior Manager, Social Media
Attacca, SEVENTEEN
SEVENTEEN's latest mini-album Attacca might just be one of my favorite releases from the 13-member act to date — which is a pretty big statement looking at their discography. “Rock With You,” the EP’s title track, is without a doubt one of the group’s strongest, both visually and sonically. Though, true, Attacca doesn’t include the hyper-pop masterpiece that is “GAM3 BO1,” this seven-track EP (counting “2 MINUS 1”), is perhaps one of the easiest and most enjoyable listens of 2021 in my book — not only in K-pop but overall. Since its release, I've found myself just hitting play and letting the entire album play with no skips... sometimes even twice in a row — whether I was going on a car ride, taking a shower to decompress, or working away on my computer. That said, lately, I've found myself gravitating towards the hip hop unit's "I can't run away" in particular. — Sara Delgado, Culture and Style Writer
Vice Versa, Rauw Alejandro
Prior to the release of Vice Versa, I wasn’t much of a Rauw Alejandro fan. However, as soon as I heard “Brazilera” that changed. This sophomore album is packed with experimental bops, each better than the last. Needless to say half of my Spotify Wrapped 2021 top songs where from this album. Plus, if that’s not convincing enough to give it a listen, Rolling Stone named it the 3rd best album of 2021. We love to see a fellow Bori winning. — Bianca Nieves, Commerce Editor
The Chaos Chapter, TXT
Across two killer albums, Freeze and its repackage Fight or Escape, TXT introduced their chaos chapter in fitting form. Every song packs a unique punch. “LO$ER=LO♡ER” is a special favorite for its pop-rock rebellion, as is the bright, shining English-language hit “Magic.” Meanwhile, Huening Kai’s “I’m so shocked” cackle from “Frost” plays on a constant loop in the back of my mind — the jangling BOTW cooking song is one of their most experimentally fun to date. — P. Claire Dodson, Senior Entertainment Editor
Planet Her, Doja Cat
This album has absolutely no skips. None. Not one. Doja Cat is easily my favorite artist to exist in this current moment. Her versatility, talent, and creativity makes for the best projects, and Planet Her is a testament to that. She's found a way to create a lane all of her own, and as someone who's been a fan of hers since she released her Ep 'Purrr!' in 2014, this album is truly a great one. — Aiyana Ishmael, Editorial Assistant
Star-Crossed, Kacey Musgraves
I've had this album on repeat since it dropped in September. Kacey’s songwriting/storytelling is so genius and relatable. It’s also one of the few records I’ve listened to in full without skipping a song (and, well, have replayed one in particular—“cherry blossom”—on many occasions). I have no plans on quitting this album anytime soon and fully expect my 2022 Spotify wrapped playlist to follow in the footsteps of my 2021 one with Kacey at the top of my artist list. — Chantal Waldholz, Director, Audience Development & Analytics
Ready is Always Too Late, Sinead Harnett
Sinead Harnett's sophomore album is, beginning to end, solid. She reminisces about past loves but also the joy of agency. For R&B lovers, this is a must-listen. — Dani Kwateng, Executive Editor
Table for Two, Lucky Daye
I've been a fan of Lucky Daye for years. He's such a talented singer and songwriter. On this project he collaborated with femme singers for each song, so we got the joy of hearing him alongside Yebba, Ari Lennox, and Joyce Wright. — Dani Kwateng, Executive Editor
K.O, Danna Paola
Though I will always miss her as Lucrecia on Elite, Danna Paola’s 2021 album K.O made me feel much better. These 11 tracks have a little bit of everything — from the powerful vocals of “Justified” to the important message of “TQ Y YA.” Plus, there are features by Sebastian Yatra and Mika who complement Danna's artistry so well. — Donya Momenian, Fashion and Beauty Associate Editor
Jubilee, Japanese Breakfast
I've been a Japanese Breakfast fan for about five years now, and 2021 was a great year to be a Michelle Zauner fan: With the success of Crying in H Mart combined with the triumph that was latest album Jubilee, Zauner and her work were everywhere, and rightfully so. If you get the chance to see this album performed live, do it. Zauner's vocals sound even better in person, if that were possible. — Lexi McMenamin, News and Politics Editor
Death of a Cheerleader, Pom Pom Squad
I've been a huge Pom Pom Squad fan since I saw them open for Soccer Mommy a few years ago. Their debut album "But I'm a Cheerleader" is a perfect accumulation of her punk and riot grrl influences that explores the messy—sometimes chaotic—emotions of coming to age. She speaks to love and loathing both personal and fictional—one of my favorite songs of the album, "Lux" is inspired by The Virgin Suicides. I'm a sucker for a sad song so I also really love "Second That," but honestly this album is meant to listened to from start-to-finish. — Ashley Wolfgang, Associate Manager, Audience Development, Teen Vogue + Them
Red (Taylor’s Version), Taylor Swift
I remember listening to Red obsessively at 19 as I drove around my hometown with a friend, enjoying that pure pining soundtrack. In 2021, it was magical to experience it all over again, with an album rollout as epic and involved as any standard Taylor album. The vault tracks on Taylor’s Version elevate Red to unforeseen heights: the delightful bop “Message in a Bottle” is the “New Romantics” of this era, and of course we have to mention her majesty, “All Too Well (10-Minute Version).” A gorgeous outro that’s on par with her best bridge cities. — P. Claire Dodson, Senior Entertainment Editor
Sour, Olivia Rodrigo
No explanation necessary! — Allegra Kirkland, Politics Director
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