While last year was an emotional rollercoaster, there is much to be discovered in the music that was created. 2021 was a full year of splendid music from every genre as we entered a new decade that brought brand new indie, rock, hip hop, pop and R&B sounds. Here are a few fantastic albums that are worth holding onto as we look back at last year.
Indie Rock:

“Jubilee” By Japanese Breakfast

(Spotify and Apple Music)

Filled with bubbly synths and strings,“Jubilee” is Eugene’s own Michelle Zauner’s dreamy rock album. Her clever lyrics on love are both sweet, like in “Kokomo, IN,” and dark, as in “Posing In Bondage” and “Sit.” The song “Savage Good Boy” has stellar songwriting and an analysis of wealth that fits this year as it speaks to saving up money even if the world is ending. It also delivers bouncing happiness with songs like “Slide Tackle” and “Be Sweet.”
“Doomin’ Sun” by Bachelor

(Spotify and Apple Music)

Musicians Palehound and Jay Som join forces for a powerful rock album. They create a strong rock atmosphere in songs like “Stay in the Car” with acoustic in “Went Out Without You” and “Doomin’ Sun” and electronic influences on “Back Of My Hand.” There are also slow jams that build with each section in the songs “Anything at All,” “Sand Angel” and “Moon.” Their breathy and sweet voices work together whether they are bouncing off one another or singing in harmony.
Country/Folk:

“I Know I’m Funny haha” by Faye Webster

(Spotify and Apple Music)

Softly spoken words wisp their way through this Atlanta musician’s fourth album. It’s a fantastic pairing of heartfelt lyrics and subtle orchestration, whether it be from the sweet stings of strings or the low wail of the slide guitar. Webster feels alone at times on songs like “A Stranger” and “Better Distractions” but also bittersweetly hopeful in “In A Good Way” and “Cheers”. 

“Pale Horse Rider” by Cory Hanson

(Spotify and Apple Music)

Founding member of psych-rock band Wand, Cory Hanson, delivers a heavy take on country music covering his hometown, addiction and religion. His guitar playing reaches peak emotion with the solo on “Another Story From the Center of the Earth” which spirals into distortion. With fantastic slide guitar in “Paper Fog” and airy drums on “Limited Hangout”, Hanson creates his own unique explosion of music.

Indie Pop:

“Juno” by Remi Wolf

(Spotify and Apple Music)

This is the future of pop music right here as Remi Wolf proves that exploration into new and different sounds can go a long way. With tinges of hyper-pop on the song “Liquor Store” and hip-hop on the song “Guerrilla,” Wolf screams and sings with the most powerful voice on every track. There are plenty of goofy moments, like in the song “Sexy Villain,” on this album that make it enjoyable while still having serious moments hidden throughout the album, like on the song “Anthony Kiedis”. 
“Music” by Benny Sings

(Spotify and Apple Music)

Already a prolific pianist, Sings mixes a fantastic blend of influence and collaborations from other artists to create a fresh pop record. If you wanna feel good, listen to songs like “Nobody’s Fault” or  “Sunny Afternoon,” and if you want to feel nostalgic, listen to songs like “Kids” or “Here It Comes.” “Music” boosts the listener with its catchiness in the song “Rolled Up” and leaves the listeners feeling upbeat and positive. 

Hip-Hop/ Rap:

“Sound Ancestors” by Madlib

(Spotify and Apple Music)

A producer with a growing fan base, Madlib creates a collage of sound that is nostalgic yet new. The sampling is some of the best, creating head bumping beats in “The Call” and sound explorations in “Sound Ancestors.” Using a blending of samples that keeps every quick track intriguing on “Two for 2 – For Dilla” and “Road Of The Lonely Ones,” Madlib is able to create a colorful and perfect album.

“Sometime I Might Be Introvert” by Little Simz

(Spotify and Apple Music)

This long album from the British-Nigerian rapper may seem daunting, but there are no skippable songs in it. From the dramatic opening of “Introvert,” we get an array of styles with classic beats on “I Love You, I Hate You,” electronic on “Rollin Stone” and African groove on “Point and Kill”. Simz’ lyrics shine the brightest on tracks like “Woman” and “Little Q”. The interludes are entertaining as well, filled with inspiring prose.

Soul/R&B:

“Mood Valiant” by Hiatus Kaiyote

(Spotify and Apple Music)

Inspired by jazz and psychedelic rock, this Melbourne group returns after a six-year hiatus. The album is intriguing and diverse, with tracks reminiscent of the feeling of the sun pouring into your room on a summer evening, like“Red Room”, and a love song about animal reproduction that manages to be so soulful like “Chivalry Is Not Dead.” Lead singer Nai Palm pushes her voice to new levels of feeling on “And We Go Gentle” and guides a fantastically tight band.

“Collapsed In Sunbeams” by Arlo Parks

(Spotify and Apple Music)

Poetic with its words of sweetness in songs like “Black Dog” and sadness in songs like “Caroline,” Parks’ songwriting reflects her internal dialogue and moments in her life perfectly. Her voice, like a warm vinyl crackle, sings words to help the listener in songs like “Hope” and to teach them to feel less alone and to share their feelings. It is incredibly beautiful with its groovy music and themes of hope and sadness in each song.

While 2021 may have faded behind us, these are some fantastic albums that should follow us into the new year. With fantastic adventures through different sounds and genres, these 10 albums offer a perfect taste of the best music of the new decade.