WZLY’s Top Albums of 2021

by the WZLY Music Director’s Committee

With the year coming to a close, everyone is compiling their lists of the top releases of 2021. We polled MD Committee to see what everyone’s favorite was; with a wide array of artists, genres, and styles represented, 2021 was evidently a year for the books for music releases. Check out the list below!

“Any Shape You Take” by Indigo de Souza: This is definitely my album of the year for the closing track "Kill Me". The album altogether is super cohesive and I just love it. Indigo de Souza makes really cool music in my opinion, and I also loved the music videos that came out with tracks from this album. -Haysie ‘24

“Home Video” by Lucy Dacus: I could not stop listening to it for the longest time and I went to her concert with some friends this fall and it was amazing!! -Phia ‘24

“Lately I Feel Everything” by WILLOW: WILLOW's "lately I feel EVERYTHING" has brought pop-punk back into the mainstream, and I couldn't be more grateful for it. Every single song on the album contributes to a cohesive atmosphere, yet they're different enough to be enjoyed individually. WILLOW brings her experimental vocals to a relatively contained genre where every song sounds similar, and her songs feature both pop punk icons (Avril Lavigne) and smaller artists deserving of more attention. "t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l" may be the album's breakout hit, but "naïve" and "Lipstick" are its highlights. - Jacqueline ‘23

“Woman on the Internet” by Orla Gartland: Woman on the Internet is Orla Gartland's first full length album, and it does not disappoint. Her love for 5/4 time shows up in the very first track, which sets up 11 songs full of hard-hitting lyrics and stunning production. My personal favorites are Codependency and Madison, but honestly it's an album of no skips. She tackles feelings of stagnancy, being left behind by loved ones, reminiscing on her youth, and the pain of growing into adulthood--however long that takes. This album really solidified her place as my favorite songwriter, and I highly recommend it. -Ava ‘25

“Open Mouth, Open Heart” by Destroy Boys: Destroy Boys' latest album has everything a long-standing fan or new listener could ever want from a contemporary punk project. Open Mouth, Open Heart is more refined and expertly produced compared to previous releases, featuring two songs recorded in Spanish; every track on the album will inspire a reaction, whether to start a mosh pit, start a revolution, or reflect on past mistakes. Destroy Boys' Open Mouth, Open Heart will be a staple for years to come.  -Lottie ‘25

I really like Destroy Boys. I think this album is really good and shows their growth. I also think it’s amazing because they are fronted by a non-binary person and sing several songs on the album in Spanish. -Mila ‘25

“Cowboy Music” by Cerce:  Cerce Cerce Cerce !! Such an iconic return from hiatus !! favorite song is baby teeth !! -Demeter ‘25

“Like a Stone” by Remember Sports: Remember Sports is one of my favorite bands, and one of my favorite things about them is that they make music with a very unique sound. I love that this album didn’t stray from their distinct voice and I’ve been listening to it a ton since it came out. -Hannah ‘25

“Little Oblivions” by Julien Baker: This has become my emotional support album since it came out in February. I was passively a fan of Baker’s earlier work, 2015’s “Sprained Ankle” and 2018’s “Turn Out the Lights.” I think this album really cemented her as one of my favorite artists because there’s so much strength in this album, both musically and emotionally. It covers really specific emotions that I haven’t been able to describe but have definitely felt, and sonically is just a much fuller sound. I saw Baker three times this year (including her first show of 2021 at Newport Folk Festival this past summer!), and in a lot of ways I associate those memories with this album. It never fails to hit close to home, but “Repeat” and “Heatwave” are my personal favorites. -Molly ‘23

“늑대가 나타났다 (There Is a Wolf)” by Lang Lee:  “늑대가 나타났다 (There Is a Wolf)” by Lang Lee is truly beautiful with an uneasy feeling to it. The pacing of the singing, mixture of violins and soft tones, and use of chanting creates an otherworldly experience. It is a gift that deserves your attention. -Laila ‘25

“Cover to Me” by Amyl and the Sniffers: This album feels like an evolution for Amyl and the Sniffers. It's more hardcore than their previous work but stays true to their punk roots and the emotion I've always loved from the riffs and lyrics is definitely present. I'm really proud of how they've grown, even from their 2019 album (another favorite of mine). They've clearly taken a lot of influence from a bunch of classics - from Motorhead to X - and the tributes are absolutely gorgeous. The anger and frustration is perfect for motivating your workout or your papers - especially tracks like "Choices" and "Fence me in". There's also a lot of protest in this album - see "Laughing" and "Knifey" for critiques on rape culture from frontwoman Amy Taylor. This is definitely more mature for the band, and they handle the material well, offering serious criticism with real rage and artistry. Overall, I’m excited to watch a band I’ve loved for so long really come into their own with such a masterpiece. -Charlotte ‘25

“CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” by Tyler the Creator: “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” is a nod towards Tyler the Creator’s early days. Narrated through the fictional character Tyler Sir Beaudelaire, the album explores many concepts with a central theme that can be interpreted as “finding yourself through memory”. With two exceptions, each track never exceeds more than two minutes. While weaving itself beautifully as an entire album, each song is satisfying to hear on its own. The music is versatile and explores many of Tyler’s past sounds. Tyler revisits his Hip Hop and Jazz Rap roots, samples from past inspirations such as the New York band Gravediggaz, and keeps his music varied with features such as Teezo Touchdown and Lil Wayne. Although not revolutionizing his sound, “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” is filled to the brim with punchy and dynamic music. -Laila ‘25

“Evil Angel” by Zolita: I think it was an album someone shared with me and it’s not something I usually listen to. Listening to it made me realize things about myself I did not know but was able to understand through the album. I think giving ourselves the opportunity to listen to new things helps us to understand new things about ourselves. -Regina ‘23

“Devotion” by Tirzah: I got really into Tirzah because she sounds like an updated version of bluesy singers like Norah Jones and Katie Melua but with more R&B and electronic influences. I really enjoyed discovering this album. It's really easy to listen to as white noise as well as has some really cool details that reward the listeners when they happen to listen closer. -Addie ‘25

“Long Lost” by Lord Huron: When this album dropped, I was entering the final week of my study abroad in Greece. Obviously, Greece was gorgeous, and I'm so grateful that I wound up getting the chance to study abroad even in the midst of a pandemic, but I was also emotionally SO done by that point. I missed home, and I missed being able to talk to my mom before 3pm, and I missed campus. My roommates & our friends in another apartment had gotten an airbnb on the island of Aegina for the weekend, and I'd woken up to an ant infestation in the kitchen, and we'd forgotten to get eggs the night before so one of my roommates had to walk across the island to get back to the grocery store... but then, after we finally got all the ingredients together, I was alone in the kitchen — just me, a finicky stove, and, after a few moments of silence: Lord Huron. I'm always my happiest alone in kitchens, and this was no exception. I stood there, half-burning pancakes and looping the album, and everything felt okay again. Long Lost gave me a string of connection back to my best friend who, at that moment, was asleep on the other side of the world, and in that white-painted kitchen, I had been in deep need of that thread. (And also, from a music-critic perspective, I think the album, with its player piano/spaghetti Western/TV-special conceit does a fantastic job responding to the pandemic loss of live performance without feeling tacky or disingenuous — and I'm the type of judgy bitch to find most album conceits unbearably tacky) -Abby ‘24