Top Albums of 2021

Somehow, we made it to 2022. Yay us! Will it be better than 2021? We hope, but before we plan for the new year, let’s dive into MCLS’s music collection, and look at some of the top albums of 2021.

Kaesha’s High Road debuted in January of 2021 and is available in our collection as a physical CD. I have to say I’m rooting for Kesha. She’s been through a lot and managed to survive, thrive, and express her creativity as only she can. High Road is a unique blend of pop, electro, rock, and country; the kind of blend only Kesha could deliver coherently…well…somewhat coherently. If you are a fan of Kesha’s, you might appreciate that this album is a mix of her early wild child persona and the more grown up, more vulnerable artist she shared on her previous album, Rainbow. The lead single for this album was “Raising Hell” featuring the queen of bounce, Big Freedia. “Raising Hell” is a mix of pop, rock, gospel, and bounce and felt like a triumphant return to the joyful energy for which Kesha was previously known. The follow-up single was “My Own Dance,” which is another throwback to Kesha’s old sound, but the lyrics highlight how important her independence and individuality is to her. Best song on the album? “Cowboy Blues” is very moving, but still as irreverent as Kesha always is. Hidden gem? “Potato Song (Cuz I Want To)” is silly, but very fun.

Willow Smith has come a long way from the little girl who whipped her hair back and forth. In July of 2021 she released Lately I Feel Everything and it is available in our music collection both physically, as a CD, and digitally, through hoopla. Lately I Feel Everything is a pop punk, pop rock affair that sees Willow team up with some veterans of the genres. For example, Travis Barker of Blink-182 features on Willow’s lead single “Transparent Soul.” “Transparent Soul” rocks. It just does. It’s evocative, it’s fun, it’s infectious, and it was the perfect single to lead off an album that can be described the same way. The follow-up single is “Lipstick.” It’s a great single, and is very similar to “Transparent Soul” but lacks the infectious I-want-to-listen-to-this-12-more-times that “Transparent Soul” has. Best song on the album? Definitely “Transparent Soul.” Hidden Gem? “Xtra” featuring Tierra Whack. Tierra’s rap flow and Willow’s voice make a great compliment to each other.

I first discovered Mykki Blanco a few years ago in a magazine article about LBGT+ artists in hip-hop. Their work then was very good, but their most recent album, Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep is amazing. Mykki Blanco is a rapper, poet, performance artist, and activist, and those influences can be seen in their work. Some of their songs are more like spoken word than rap. The single “Want From Me” sounds like something you would hear on Broadway. The album is largely about relationships, serious committed ones and breezy summer flings, and covers the range of emotions felt in relationships. The album smoothly combines hip-hop, funk, R&B, and house to provide a musical experience that stirs up emotion, but in a mellow way. Mykki released “Free Ride” as the first single, which was quickly followed by “Love Me,” “Summer Fling,” and “It’s Not My Choice.” I cannot say enough good things about “Summer Fling,” which features rapper Kari Faux and sounds as easy and breezy as the title suggests. Best song on the album? “Summer Fling.” Hidden Gem? “That’s Folks,” another song in this post that features Big Freedia. Broken Hearts and Beauty Sleep is available in our collection as a physical CD.

Stand For Myself by Yola was released in July 2021, but if you told me it came out in 1969, I would believe you. This album has a very old school sound, combining soul, rock, Americana, and doo-wop (when is the last time you heard the word “doo-wop”?). This album is actually nominated for Best Americana Album for the 2022 Grammy’s (ironic, since Yola is British). Yola released “Diamond Studded Shows” as the lead single and “Stand for Myself” as a follow up single. If you like that old school sound, you will love this album. I can’t say what the best song on the album is or the hidden gem. This album is great, but no song really stands out from the pack. Any one of these songs could have been the lead single and any one could be considered a gem. This is the kind of album you let wash over you on a long road trip. It’s a work of art that you listen to as a whole. Stand for Myself can be found in our music collection as a physical CD and digitally through hoopla.

Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land by Marina was released in June 2021, and I already used a whole blog post a few months ago to talk about what a perfect album it is. I will spare you another deep dive, but I cannot emphasize enough how great an album this is. The first half is socio-political lyrics punctuated by energetic pop rock. The second half is soft and tender ballads about heartbreak and emotional intimacy. The lead singles on this album were “Man’s World,” “Purge the Poison,” “Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land,” and “Venus Fly Trap.” All of these songs are amazing. While the other albums in this post are very good, none of them are perfect. They all still have a song or two that are just filler. There is no filler on Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land. Every song is wonderful, and every song fills a unique spot on the album. Best song on the album? Personally, I love “Purge the Poison,” but as I said, every song on this album is great. Hidden gem? Any one of the ballads from the back half of the album, as none of them were released as singles. Personally, I loved “Highly Emotional People.” Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land is available in our music collection physically as a CD and digitally through hoopla.

I hope you enjoyed our trip through 2021’s top albums. I also hope 2022 brings us brilliant new work from artists new and old. No matter what year or style of music you’re interested in, you should check out the Mercer County Library System music collection. You might just find a new or old favorite!

- Shanna C., Acquisitions and Catalog Department