Top 10 Album of 2021 (Part One)
Intro:
2021 was a great year packed with tons of releases. It was surprisingly harder to come up with last year’s top album list, but the first half is finally here for you guys. I’d say overall, most of the albums last year were solid which is a great sign for 2022. Some artists nearly made the list & will be listed as honorable mentions below. With that said, here’s the first half of the Wav.Max Top Albums of 2021 list.
Honorable Mentions: PinkPantheress (15), Lil Yachty (14), Aminé (13), Playboi Carti (12), G Herbo (11)
Starting our top 10 is one of the most unique & creative projects I’ve listened to during the past year. Zelooperz can flow over any style of production while lacing some incredible lyrical moments. The outlandish & abrasive style he brings on the more aggressive songs is infections. It’s an album that I’ve been listening to a lot on many different kinds of occasions. It’ll be exciting to see if the Detroit rapper can top this one in 2022.
Westside Gunn & the rest of his team have been some of Hip-Hop’s most consistent artists right now. This 2-side album was a standout this year & some of Westside’s best work yet. While I easily prefer Side B over Side A, both are very solid in their own right. He feels like a conductor bringing together all these talented features into his dark & brutal world. Some of these instrumentals are as equally beautiful as they are menacing.
This album listening could only be described as a unique experience. Kanye delivered another solid release for his discography, and not much else really needs to be said. I think the main thing that doesn’t put it above other albums is its lack of true replay value. Regardless, it’s a beautiful piece of work that’s main highlights are the luscious beats & 10/10 features. Similar to Westside Gunn at #9, Kanye West feels more like a conductor/pastor that leads the other artists onto the perfect spot for their guest appearances.
Amindi’s last EP is way more than just nice. She’s probably my favorite breakout artist from 2021 & released my favorite R&B project of the year. After getting put onto her from Isaiah Rashad’s new album, I was anticipating what her next move would be moving forward. This EP has a fine balance of being easily accessible for new listeners & still having quality song ideas. Not only is her songwriting lovely, but her voice is intoxicating & fits perfectly over her fantastic production choice. She has a very bright future ahead of her in 2022 & beyond.
While I do like Vince’s past few releases, they’ve all felt slightly lackluster when comparing them to his 2015 album Summertime ‘06. This album broke that streak for me as it’s one of the most enjoyable listens from last year. Its short tracklist makes it extremely replayable, and Kenny Beats provides immaculate production that keeps everything flowing consistently. Vince Staples & Kenny Beats are a solidified Hip-Hop duo that always strikes gold when they collab. The combination of Vince’s paranoia & dark subject matter contrasts beautifully with these laidback & lighter instrumentals.
Overall:
What are your thoughts on the 1st half of our Top 10 albums list? Last year was stacked with quality releases throughout each month. The rest of our list should be out next week for you all compare with this list of 10-6. Let us know in the comments below if there are any albums we missed or you’re expecting in our Top 5 from 2021. Thank you all for reading, and enjoy the 2021 albums listed above.
