The best albums of 2021 (update March 31)
The numbers presented next to each album title are the weighted average rating, and, in brackets, average and number of ratings (out of 33 included sources). The weighted average is based on a formula that includes a) the average of ratings and b) the number of sources that have rated the album.
The magazines I used for the ratings were:
EUR + Australia: Dansende Beren (New this year thanks to Chilton's proposal); Gaffa-dk; Gaffa-sw; Humo; Indiestyle; Jenesaispop; Laut; Mondosonoro; Musikexpress; Nojesguiden; Ondarock; Plattentests; Sentire Ascoltare; The Music
UK: Clash; DIY; God Is In The Tv; Load And Quiet; Music OMH; NME; The Guardian; The Line Of Best Fit; The Skinny
USA + Canada: Allmusic; Beats Per Minute; Consequence Of Sound; Exclaim!; Nothern Transmissions; Paste; Pitchfork; Popmatters; Rolling Stone; Spectrum Culture; Under The Radar
Highlights: Rob makes the top three songs from the album according to Allmusic, Consequence of Sound, Jenesaispop, Plattentests, The Skinny, etc…
Albums that have obtained new reviews but worsened the score
New entry or Re-entry
Albums that have obtained new reviews and improved the score
Out:
Jane Weaver: Flock
30 - The Hold Steady: Open Door Policy - 75,2 (75,6 / 20)
Highlights: Family Farm – Spices - Lanyards
Indie Rock
29 - Virginia Wing: Private Life - 75,7 (80,0 / 8)
Highlights: I’m Holding Out for Something – St. Francis Fountain – Moon Turn Tides
Art Pop
28 - Ghetts: Conflict Of Interest - 75,9 (80,6 / 7)
Highlights: IC3 – Little Bo Peep - Mozambique
UK Hip Hop
27 - Cassandra Jenkins: An Overview On Phenomenal Nature – 75,9 (80,3 / 8)
Highlights: Hard Drive – Crosshairs – New Bikini
Singer-Songwriter
26 - Kiwi Jr.: Cooler Returns – 76,1 (78,1 / 15)
Highlights: Undecided Voters – Waiting in Line – Only Here for a Haircut
Indie Rock
25 - Bicep: Isles – 76,2 (75,5 / 23)
Highlights: Atlas – Sundial - Saku
Future Garage
24 - Pauline Anna Strom: Angel Tears in Sunlight – 76,5 (80,4 / 9)
Highlights: Tropical Convergence – Temple Gardens at Midnight – The Pulsation
Ambient
23 - Jazmine Sullivan: Heaux Tales – 76,7 (79,7 / 12)
Highlights: Lost One – Pick Up Your Feelings – Girl Like Me
Neo-Soul
22 - Viagra Boys: Welfare Jazz - 76,7 (75,7 / 24)
Highlights: Creatures – Girls & Boys – Ain’t Nice
Post-Punk
21 - Genesis Owusu: Smiling With No Teeth - 76,9 (81,3 / 8)
Highlights: Don’t Need You - Gold Chains - A Song About Fishing
Neo-Soul
20 - Slowthai: Tyron – 77,1 (74,1 / 30)
Highlights: Feel Away – Cancelled - Mazza
UK Hip Hop
19 - Sleaford Mods: Spare Ribs – 77,2 (76,2 / 24)
Highlights: Mork n Mindy – Shortcummings – Nudge It
UK Hip Hop
18 – Tribulation: Where The Gloom Becomes Sound - 77,6 (82,3 / 7)
Highlights: Hour of the Wolf – Daughter of the Djinn – Dirge of a Dying Soul
Gothic Metal
17 - Goat Girl: On All Fours – 78,2 (78,1 / 21)
Highlights: Sad Cowboy – Badibaba – The Crack
Post-Punk
16 - Django Django: Glowing in the Dark - 78,3 (77,6 / 23)
Highlights: Spirals – Waking Up – Glowing in the Dark
Indie Pop
15 - Serpentwithfeet: Deacon - 78,3 (78,0 / 22)
Highlights: Hyacinth - Sailor’s Superstition - Fellowship
Alternative R&B
14 - Steve Earle & The Dukes: J.T. - 78,5 (82,2 / 10)
Highlights: Champagne Corolla – Last Words – I Don’t Care
Americana
13 - The Anchoress: The Art Of Losing - 78,5 (82,9 / 8)
Highlights: Unravel - The Art of Losing - Show Your Face
Art Rock
12 - Anna B Savage: A Common Turn - 78,6 (81,6 / 12)
Highlights: Corncrakes – BedStuy - Two
Psychedelic Folk
11 - Lana Del Rey: Chemtrails Over the Country Club - 78,8 (77,1 / 26)
Highlights: Chemtrails over the Country Club - White Dress - Wild at Heart
Singer-Songwriter
10 - Mogwai: As The Love Continues - 78,8 (76,2 / 29)
Highlights: Midnight Flit – Ritchie Sacramento – Dry Fantasy
Post Rock
09 - Arab Strap: As Days Get Dark - 80,2 (80,2 / 21)
Highlights: The Turning of Our Bones – Here Comes Comus! – Another Clockwork Day
Slowcore
08 - For Those I Love: For Those I Love - 81,1 (85,7 / 7)
Highlights: I Have a Love - Birthday/ The Pain - Top Scheme
Progressive House
07 - Shame: Drunk Tank Pink – 81,2 (78,5 / 29)
Highlights: Alphabet – Water in the Well – Snow Day
Post-Punk
06 - Black Country, New Road: For The First Time – 83,0 (81,0 / 27)
Highlights: Sunglasses – Track X - Instrumental
Experimental Rock
05 - The Weather Station: Ignorance - 83,5 (82,8 / 23)
Highlights: Robber – Parking Lot – Tried to Tell You
Art Pop
04 - Arlo Parks: Collapsed In Sunbeams – 83,9 (80,9 / 30)
Highlights: Hurt – Eugene – Black Dog
Bedroom Pop
03 - Julien Baker: Little Oblivions – 84,2 (81,2 / 30)
Highlights: Hardline – Ringside – Favor
Singer-Songwriter
02 - Nick Cave & Warren Ellis: Carnage – 84,8 (83,8 / 24)
Highlights: White Elephant - Hand of God – Old Time
Art Rock
01 - Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra: Promises - 86,6 (87,2 / 19)
Highlights: Movement 1 - Movement 6 - Movement 8
Modern Classical
MCCh 2021 (05) March 31
- Otisredding
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MCCh 2021 (05) March 31
Last edited by Otisredding on Thu Apr 15, 2021 2:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Otisredding
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Re: MCCh 2021 (05) March 31
31 - Madlib: Sound Ancestors - 75,2 (76,9 / 16)
32 - Celeste: Not Your Muse - 75,2 (77,2 / 15)
33 - Jane Weaver: Flock - 75,0 (77,7 / 13)
34 - Katy Kirby: Cool Dry Place - 75,0 (79,0 / 9)
35 - Tomahawk: Tonic Immobility - 74,9 (78,6 / 10)
36 - The Staves: Good Woman - 74,3 (76,3 / 15)
37 - Tune-Yards: Sketchy. - 74,0 (75,4 / 17)
38 - Diivde And Dissolve: Gas Lit - 74,0 (78,0 / 9)
39 - Valerie June: The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers - 73,4 (77,1 / 10)
40 - Chad VanGaalen: World's Most Stressed Out Gardener - 73,3 (77,3 / 9)
41 - Claud: Super Monster - 73,3 (75,0 / 16)
42 - The Antlers: Green To Gold - 72,3 (75,6 / 11)
43 - William Doyle: Great Spans of Muddy Time - 72,2 (75,9 / 10)
44 - The Body: I've Seen All I Need To See - 72,2 (75,9 / 10)
45 - Cloud Nothings: The Shadow I Remember - 72,1 (73,8 / 16)
46 - The Besnard Lakes: The Besnard Lakes Are the Last of the Great Thunderstom Warnings... - 72,0 (75,4 / 11)
47 - A Winged Victory for the Sullen: Invisible Cities - 71,9 (74,9 / 12)
48 - Puma Blue: In Praise of Shadows - 71,8 (74,8 / 12)
49 - Weezer: OK Human - 71,5 (70,8 / 23)
50 - Lael Neale: Acquainted with Night - 71,5 (76,1 / 7)
51 - Foo Fighters: Medicine at Midnight - 71,4 (69,7 / 26)
52 - Tindersticks: Distractions - 71,0 (73,4 / 14)
53 - Psychedelic Porn Crumpets: SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound - 71,0 (75,0 / 9)
54 - Still Corners: The Last Exit - 70,8 (74,5 / 10)
55 - James Yorkston And The Second Hand Orchestra: The Wide, Wide River - 70,7 (74,4 / 10)
56 - Pearl Charles: Magic Mirror - 70,5 (74,9 / 8)
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Re: MCCh 2021 (05) March 31
Thrilled to see the new number 1! I didn't expect to see it here, because I didn't realize it was popular at all.
I guess "Movement 6" will probably the set highlight, but I wonder how the critics determine what the standout tracks are, since they all sound very similar.
I guess "Movement 6" will probably the set highlight, but I wonder how the critics determine what the standout tracks are, since they all sound very similar.
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Re: MCCh 2021 (05) March 31
New update!
Updating existing playlists has gotten quite a bit harder with the new update to Spotify. They now always let you start at the top of the list. This is going to be a nuisance as the list gets longer.
Promises is indeed an unexpected number 1. Not in the least in because it is a modern classical work. I also have to admit that I think it is a funny new number one considering Edre Peraza's misgiving over Nick Cave's age last time around. Pharaoh Sanders is 17 years older than Cave. The age of the young ones is over, the age of the pensioners has arrived!
Updating existing playlists has gotten quite a bit harder with the new update to Spotify. They now always let you start at the top of the list. This is going to be a nuisance as the list gets longer.
Promises is indeed an unexpected number 1. Not in the least in because it is a modern classical work. I also have to admit that I think it is a funny new number one considering Edre Peraza's misgiving over Nick Cave's age last time around. Pharaoh Sanders is 17 years older than Cave. The age of the young ones is over, the age of the pensioners has arrived!
Re: MCCh 2021 (05) March 31
Since two days ago a search option for playlists is displayed when you add a song. I don't know if it's the same with all users but now it's easier to add new songs on our playlists.Rob wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 6:32 pm New update!
Updating existing playlists has gotten quite a bit harder with the new update to Spotify. They now always let you start at the top of the list. This is going to be a nuisance as the list gets longer.
Promises is indeed an unexpected number 1. Not in the least in because it is a modern classical work. I also have to admit that I think it is a funny new number one considering Edre Peraza's misgiving over Nick Cave's age last time around. Pharaoh Sanders is 17 years older than Cave. The age of the young ones is over, the age of the pensioners has arrived!
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Re: MCCh 2021 (05) March 31
I'm afraid this is absolutely useless as it drops the song automatically to the bottom of the list and I have to drag it to the right position. Even for that it isn't quicker than the old drag and drop. Before I could you quickly set the playlist to the right spot, go the song I wanted to add and drag it one swoop to the right place. It saves a lot of time in updating longer, ordered playlists.
I'm not the only one with this criticism and Spotify has responded that this is a conscious design decision, because apparently mobile users like it more this way. That doesn't make any sense to me.
- Edre Depeche Head
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Re: MCCh 2021 (05) March 31
Personally, I love the new update it makes it much easier to navigate in my opinion, and looks much sleeker and I just find it makes it much easier.Rob wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:15 amI'm afraid this is absolutely useless as it drops the song automatically to the bottom of the list and I have to drag it to the right position. Even for that it isn't quicker than the old drag and drop. Before I could you quickly set the playlist to the right spot, go the song I wanted to add and drag it one swoop to the right place. It saves a lot of time in updating longer, ordered playlists.
I'm not the only one with this criticism and Spotify has responded that this is a conscious design decision, because apparently mobile users like it more this way. That doesn't make any sense to me.
Edre the Depeche Head
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Re: MCCh 2021 (05) March 31
I like a lot about it too, but for someone who makes and updates multiple ranked playlist it is a nightmare on that front. I can't even fathom doing something like the playlist project I organized for last year's album poll under these circumstances.Edre Peraza wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:07 pmPersonally, I love the new update it makes it much easier to navigate in my opinion, and looks much sleeker and I just find it makes it much easier.Rob wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:15 amI'm afraid this is absolutely useless as it drops the song automatically to the bottom of the list and I have to drag it to the right position. Even for that it isn't quicker than the old drag and drop. Before I could you quickly set the playlist to the right spot, go the song I wanted to add and drag it one swoop to the right place. It saves a lot of time in updating longer, ordered playlists.
I'm not the only one with this criticism and Spotify has responded that this is a conscious design decision, because apparently mobile users like it more this way. That doesn't make any sense to me.
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