Best Albums + Songs + Shows of 2021 (Adam)

What a year. Not in a good way, but what a year. But the music continued on, and we did our best to keep track of new music both locally and nationally amidst the chaos. We are thankful to all the artists who continued to make new music and thankful to all of you who kept an eye on our little website. Check out Adam’s selections below for his favorite national albums, songs and shows from the year and keep an eye out for other lists before the end of the year.

Best Albums

1. Armand Hammer & The Alchemist – Haram
2. Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams
3. The Armed – ULTRAPOP
4. Natalie Bergman – Mercy
5. Cassandra Jenkins – An Overview on Phenomenal Nature
6. The Weather Station – Ignorance
7. Low – HEY WHAT
8. Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
9. Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg
10. Deafheaven – Infinite Granite

Best Songs (not on top albums)

1. Pearl Charles – “Only For Tonight”
2. Claud – “Cuff Your Jeans“
3. Olivia Rodrigo – “good 4 u“
4. Foxing – “Speak With The Dead (featuring Why?)“
5. Hether – “Sex Wax“
6. Doss – “Strawberry“
7. Molly Burch – “Emotion (featuring Wild Nothing)“
8. Lande Hekt – “80 Days Of Rain“
9. Mike Lust – “Danceteria“
10. JPEGMAFIA – “FIX URSELF!“

You can check out my annual 100 songs for the year playlist here on Spotify.

Best Shows

1. Arlo Parks @ the 7th Street Entry (10/3/21) – (photos)
2. Caroline Polachek @ First Avenue (12/7/21) – (photos)
3. TOPS @ the Turf Club (11/8/21) – (photos)
4. JPEGMAFIA @ First Avenue (11/12/21) – (photos)
5. Emily Blue @ the 7th Street Entry (8/26/21) – (photos)