Favorite Albums of 2021

2021 was quite simply a magical year for music. I said that about 2020 but I feel just as strongly about so many albums this year, picking 10 really hurt. I’ve gone through so many iterations of this list, but this is what I’ve finally settled on.

1. If I Die First – They Drew Blood EP & A Sure Disaster (Split EP w/ SeeYouSpaceCowboy (Post-Hardcore, Emo, Screamo): If 2020 was the year of pop-punk’s revival, then 2021 was the year for the “scenecore” to experience its own resurgance. If I Die First released their debut EP in 2020, and boasted an older post-hardcore/emo sound through a new supergoup, including “emo rappers” LiL Lotus and Lil’ Zubin, as well as former From First to Last and The Human Abstract guitarist Travis Richter. Early in 2021 they collaborated with fellow screamo-revival act SeeYouSpaceCowboy for a split EP featuring “bloodstainedeyes” a chaotic, violent, yet hauntingly beautiful track that features both bands. If I Die First’s ability to manuver scathing hardcore to gentle and romantic melodies is where the band shines, something they do quite frequently as both LiL Lotus and Lil’ Zubin both have strong and unique voices that join well together. This is showcased on their 2021’s EP They Drew Blood, where songs like “Just Another Body at the Bottom of the Lake” bounces from a crushing breakdown into a call and response chorus from Zubin and Lotus, showcasing their pleading vocals and ear for melody. If bands like From First to Last from the 2003-2010 screamo scene are something you enjoy, If I Die First is an absolute must listen. Not only do they take incredibly familiar sounds and bring them back, but their clear mastery of songwriting comes to fruition, and these songs all have such unique and powerful identities to them. Its a masterclass in songwriting. Thematically, they tred the same ground that original the acts that created this sound did. Heartbreak, self-doubt and anguish; the extenstial threats of death and losing love. However, the band showcases a depth and maturity that many older acts didn’t quite yet have in the early 2000’s. Take for instance the EP’s outro track where Lotus screams “I let you take a part of me, and that I can’t believe / Is it so hard to say sorry for everything? / Its getting hard for me to breath, but I hope you feel alive / And I guess that this will make sense over time,” a haunting bridge that brings us to the EP’s stunning closing moments. However, it’s Lotus’s closing words that leave a lasting impression, and where the listener realizes that what is special about If I Die First isn’t just that they are bringing a specific nostaligic sound back, but that they truly love and understand what makes this kind of music beautiful. Favorite tracks: “bloodstainedeyes (w/ SeeYouSpaceCowboy),” “My Nightmares Would Do Numbers as Horror Movies,” “Just Another Body at the Bottom of the Lake,” “Glass Casket,” “Time Moves Faster When You’re Dancing in a Graveyard”
2. SeeYouSpaceCowboy – The Romance of Affliction & A Sure Disaster (Split EP w/ If I Die First) (Metalcore, Screamo, Hardcore): Where If I Die First finds beauty in the contrast of melody and chaos, SeeYouSpaceCowboy sits firmly in the “chaos” camp. Also boasting a throwback sound to the likes of acts such as Underoath, Norma Jean, The Chariot, and Every Time I Die (both Keith Buckly and Aaron Gillespie fittingly appear on The Romance of Affliction), the band is classic chaotic metalcore that they have self-defined as “sasscore.” While it mostly sounds fairly familiar (Connie Sgarbossa’s piercing and bellowing voice over chugging breakdowns and dissonant (“panic”) chords), they then add a layer of spoken-word-esq flair, where Sgarbossa will defer to a different tone of voice than her scathing screams. However, unlike their two previous efforts, The Romance of Affliction finds a SeeYouSpaceCowboy that seeks to find beauty in the chaos as well, with clean vocals coming from guitarist Ethan Sgarbossa and bassist Taylor Allen. This adds a much needed dyanmic to the band and propels their newer work from just the talented noise of their older material. These songs have meat to them with a very clear direction in the songwriting and intent behind what is loudly violent and what is more reserved and melodic. The band doesn’t often rest on traditional song structures, often opting to break away from the norms to insert their own flavor. The introduction of clean vocals isn’t all what’s new, as all sorts of fun musical moments persist throughout the album, with constantly changing time signatures and keys, manuerving listeners through the choatic tapistry of the record. There’s even a rap from Shaolin G on the track “Sharpen What You Can,” showing that SYSC is not afraid of opening any sonic door. All in all, both A Sure Disaster and The Romance of Affliction show massive growth from the metalcore band, and they are able to delicatly walk the line of being a band that’s part of the broader revival of older sounds, but who is daring and brave in creating their own. Favorite tracks: “bloodstainedeyes (w/ If I Die First,” “Misinterpreting Constellations,” “Intersecting Storylines to the Same Tragey (feat. Aaron Gillespie), “The End to a Brief Moment of Lasting Intimacy,” “…and My Faded Reflection in Your Eyes”
3. kennyhoopla & Travis Barker – Survivor’s Guilt: The Mixtape EP (Pop-Punk, Alternative, Post-Hardcore): “Can you hear me know?” cries out kennyhoopla on the opening track of his EP collaboration with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, and after this stellar EP, we can be rest assured that we can hear him, and those who haven’t yet should. One thing that’s clear as Survivor’s Guilt opens up is that kennyhoopla is not simply teaming up with Travis Barker to tap into the pop-punk revival Barker is spearheading with Machine Gun Kelly and other artists such as jxdn. And while the hit singles “Estalla,” “Smoke Break,” and “Hollywood Sucks” follow the Travis Barker formula of feeling like incredibly good Blink-182 b-sides, kennyhoopla offers something speficially unique to his flavor of pop-punk. For starters, he’s not really a pop-punk artist, as his previous EP was much more in the realm of alternative rock and electronica. However, the flavors of alternative remain to give kennyhoopla an edge that is lacking from other acts Barker has associated with. There feels like a rawness to kenny’s voice that is absolutley irreplacable as well. Survivor’s Guilt sees kennyhoopla push his vocal performace, including numerous instances where the album falls less into the “pop-punk” camp and borders on being more emo, screamo, and even post-hardcore, heralded by the singer delving into a variety of harsh vocals on his own. This is where the album shines, as it is feels so incredibly unique. There’s not another pop-punk project that sounds like this, and that fact alone makes this an exciting and incredibly inspring work of music. Lyrically, kennyhoopla is able to both create incredibly visceral imagery, yet have songs that are mostly abstract. The chorus of “inside of heaven’s mouth, there is a sweet tooth” is a perfect illustration of this. “Sculpting my ego, a mirror of frowns / Born in a bad dream, got stuck in this town / Things get worse before they get better / Things get better and then we’re all gone,” he sings and screams, boasting a theme of self-reflection and frustration, using some classic pop-punk tropes (“got stuck in this town”) yet feeling, reading, and sounding wholly unique. The EP is also not afraid to utalize the power of kennyhoopla’s voice, and makes that the foundational piller of all the tracks. The EP’s closer is a prime example, where he is calling and responding to himself (“I got no alibi I’m trying / Will you quit your nine-to-five and love me? / Under one condition”) before exploding into the final chorus and the anthemic outro. Barker’s producion of layering so many of kenny’s voices creates a really powerful atmosphere for the listener, and highlights just how versatile and talented of an artist kennyhoopla is. Overall, Survivor’s Guilt is a powerful teamup of Barker’s impeccable ear for talent and production merged with the beautiful voice and artistry of its featured act. Favorite tracks: “inside of heaven’s mouth, there is a sweet tooth//,” 9-5 (love me)//,” “silence is also an answer//,” “survivors guilt//”
4. nothing,nowhere. – Trauma Factory & Trauma Factory Live (Emo, Hip-Hop, Alternative): “Paint my world a new grey” sings the rapper/singer-songwriter over a soft electric sample. This etheral opening sets the tone for Trauma Factory, an album that is emo to it’s core: in how it sounds, how it makes the listener feel, and in the imagery it creates. Yet there are flavors of hip-hop and other genre-blending that showcases what nothing,nowhere. (Joseph Mulherin) has been about since he first began releasing music. This is evident as the opening track (“lights (4444)”) continues, breaking out into an hip-hop beat while nothing,nowhere.’s signature atmospheric guitar-licks dance over his rapping. While nothing,nowhere. has always been at the forefront of the grene blending of hip-hop and emo, Trauma Factory sees this fully evolved, with a bit more of a pop flavor giving the songs a more familiar structure and vibe. The emo influence is almost overwhelming, with many tracks boarding on being straight pop-punk (“upside down,” “fake friend”), others find a blend of alternative rock and hip-hop (“love and chemistry,” “pretend”), while some keep closer to hip-hop more generally (“buck,” “real”). Yet in this, you can see how foudational underground/scene music has been for nothing,nowhere. and Trauma Factory (especially it’s live version) demonstrates this, with post-hardcore breakdowns and instrumentals peppered throughout to create even heightened soncial dynamics and genre-defying musical moments. Of note, there is the crushing track “death” which is essentially a two-minute breakdown and features Mulherin showcasing his harsher vocals. The closing track “bareley bleeding” ends on these powerful post-hardcore like breakdowns, reminscent of old-school A Day to Remember, where Mulherin has his voice soaring over crunching guitars while he slips effortlessly from singing, to screaming, and back. The other thing that can’t be denied is that Mulherin has the perfect voice for this style of music. He demonstrates so much control, yet you can feel his emotions in every line, and he is able to add a element of rawness to his vocals that adds a layer of edge and grit that other singers only can pull off half as well. This is also partly what makes the live version of the album so powerful, and in my opinion, his vocal performance on the live tracks (along with the additional instrumentals) makes the live version of the album even more powerful than the fully-mixed record. All of this is what makes Trauma Factory not only the best emo/hip-hop album of the year, but perhaps the best one in a while. Favorite tracks: “barely bleeding (live),” “lights (4444) (live),” “pretend (aaron gillespie remix)”
5. Hot Mulligan – Won’t Reach Out to You EP & Acoustic Vol. 1 EP (Pop-Punk): Hot Mulligan proved their songwriting prowness with 2020’s LP You’ll Be Fine, but their 2021 EP finds not finds the band not simply following up their biggest success to date quite well, but perhaps exceeding it. The album is still predominatley moody, with delicate guitar work and vocals often leading into bigger choruses and punching guitars. The standout tracks on the EP find the band at its most energetic though. “I kinda miss you” starts off the fan-favorite “Featuring Marc Hoppus” (which sadly, doesn’t ACTUALLY feature the Blink-182 singer/bassist), before kicking in with driving guitars and an infectious chorus. Everything about the EP is remarkably catchy though. This shows the bands knack for songwriting and crafing memorable melodies. Even the guitar-riffs will dig themselves into your brain. Won’t Reach Out to You is the kind of collection of songs where you find yourself listening to them over and over, even if you intended on moving on a long time ago. The acoustic counterparts also demonstrate the bands awareness of how to manipulate their crafted melodies and songs, creating tracks that not only are wonderful renditions of the originals, but also that are unique in their own capacity. Hot Mulligan is taking over pop-punk, and we all need to buckle up. Favorite tracks: “Pop Shuvit (Hall of Meat, Duh),” “Featuring Marc Hoppus,” “Please Don’t Cry, You Have Swag”
6. The Kid Laroi – Fuck Love 3+: Over You (Rap, Hip-Hop, Pop): Am I cheating by including the thrid re-release of an album (mixtape? Laroi says his debut album is yet to come out…but this has like 26 songs on it) that released in 2020 on my list? Yes. But do I care? No. Neither would the Australian rapper, and he makes that clear in all iterations and tracks on his debut collectuion of songs. While people may know The Kid Laroi from his smash pop hits like “WITHOUT YOU” and “STAY (feat. Justin Bieber),” what I feel like needs to be communicated is that Laroi at his strongest is not in his pop melodies (though he undeniably has quite the ear for catchy-as-hell hooks) its in his vibe. There are songs where Laroi simply doesn’t let up in his tenacious delievery (“PIKACHU,” “SAME ENERGY,” “I DON’T KNOW”), and songs that are more reserved hip-hop, based almost soley on Laroi’s ability to craft an atmosphere with his voice (“NOT FAIR (feat. Corbin),” “GO (w/ Juice WRLD),” “SELFISH”). Laroi’s ability to manuver between angst-riddled pop to more assertive rap is where he shines. There’s also an unmistakable texture to the original collection of songs, with light guitar or piano samples underlying tracks (“F*CK YOU GOODBYE (feat. Machine Gun Kelly)” has a Blink-182 sample), and this gives his songs a distinct “earthy” tone. They’re dark songs and they’re rough (not production wise – the production is sharp – but in their aestethic), often talking about the anger of heartbreak or the struggles the young rapper has faced. The most suprising thing is that, aside from the act of The Kid Laroi (it’s hard to believe a 16 year old writing these songs actually has experienced many of these feelings – but he undoubtly knows how to convey those emotions), there’s a sense of vulnerablity that persists through the record. The Kid Laroi is poised to become the next big pop-star, and if he is, this first collection of songs is stellar way begin to his career. Favorite tracks: “NOT FAIR (feat. Corbin), F*CK YOU, GOODBYE (feat. Maching Gun Kelly), “WRONG (feat. Lil Mosey)”
7. MOD SUN – Internet Killed the Rockstar (Pop-Punk, Alternative, Pop-Rock): For those who don’t know, MOD SUN (Derek Smith) cut his teeth in the industry drumming for post-hardcore and emo acts such as Scary Kids Scaring Kids. While he switched his career to become more focused on hip-hop, the recent revival of pop-punk led by rappers like Machine Gun Kelly opened the door for Smith to explore his alternative roots. Internet Killed the Rockstar reflects this journey, as it really feels like an artist finally finding his voice. Smith is no longer trying to make a kind of music, he’s writing songs that seem to be geniune to him and what he wants to create. This is evident in how easy it is to listen to this album, its exciting, bright, and vibrant, full of sing-along anthems that showcase Smith’s impressive vocal talent. However, it’s his punchy songwriting and massive hooks that will stay with listeners. The lead single (and declaration of love) “Flames” with Smith’s now partner Avril Lavigne demonstrates the power of Smith’s songwriting. The song itself is a rather simple four-chord, pop-structured track, but the vocal dynamic between Smith and Lavigne soars over the crunchy guitars and punchy drums, to make one of the standout singles from 2021. If you love pop-punk and pop-rock, Internet Killed the Rockstar (and its subsequent deluxe edition) offers a really enjoyable experience of an artist finally feeling like himself. Favorite tracks: “Flames (feat. Avril Lavigne),” “Karma,” “Internet Killed the Rockstar”
8. The Devil Wears Prada – ZII (Metalcore): The Devil Wears Prada needs no introduction to anyone reading my lists. They are one of the most consistent acts in heavy music and have been a personal favorite for a decade plus. But if them releasing a crushing sequel to their accalimed EP was something you had on your 2021 bingo card, you deserve an award. ZII is exactly as advertised, it’s a successor to their original Zombie EP, but it not only finds the band treading back into their darker and heavier sound (a departure from their more atmospheric leanings of their recent work), but there are plenty of hints to demonstrate the growth of the metalcore outfit since the orignal EP released. The album opens on the crushing groove of “Nightfall” with vocalist Mike Hranica bellowing his lower-register vocals before the song picks up with driving double-bass and slamming riffage. However, while ZII boasts TDWP’s heaviest work in a while, the standout moments of the record still come from their ability to wield atmosphere. The closing track “Nora” finds the band at its strongest, with its poetic imagery, and the balance between guitarist Jeremey DePoyster’s clean vocals acting as a melodic relief and delicate foil to Hranica’s crushing screams. “How can we keep our heads above? This slow motion is speeding up / Subject your force, fortget the last time they hurt you” the two vocalists belt out in an intertwined refrain that leads to the album’s massive final breakdown. It’s a beautiful orchestra of dark violence, with a small glimmer of hope (personified by DePoyster’s clean melodies piercing through the metallic tracks) that has always been at the core of any TDWP project, and on ZII the band finds themselves back using that foudnational dynamic. Favorite tracks: “Nora,” “Contagion,” “Termination”
9. Olivia Rodrigo – Sour (Pop, Pop-Rock, Singer-Songwriter): Little did we know, even when “driver’s liscense” became a social phenomenon, that Olivia Rodrigo would deliver one of the most fun and innovative pop albums in 2021. Sour is a fitting title, as the very invocation of the taste sets the listener up for the many moods of the record. Fun, playful, and full of color, yet bitter, scornful, and hurt. The theme of the album is pretty straightforward, most of it is in response to Rodrigo’s publicly-scrutinized breakup with her Highschool Musical: The Musical: The Series co-star. However Rodirigo demonstrates not simply being able to sing about heartbreak, but the ability to channel her heartbreak through many different sonical lenses, thereby, using each to explore the different sides of her public breakup. There’s flavors of pop-punk and pop-rock that act as anthemic “fuck you” summer-hits (“good 4 you,” “brutal,” “jealousy, jealousy”), powerful ballads that could fill an arena (“driver’s license,” “traitor”), and more straighforward singer-songwriter songs that offer more reflection (“happier,” “favorite crime”). Sour, as its title suggests, packs a lot of punch. Rodrigo is not shy in sharing her scorn for the person who hurt her, but that is secondary to the overwhelming vulnerability on the album. While that vulnerability of teenage heartbreak that many listeners have connected with that is what makes the songs from Sour standout, it’s Rodrigo’s ability to explore her feelings in so many different flavors that has catapulted her as one of the next big musical talents. Favorite Tracks: “brutal,” “driver’s license,” “deja vu”
10. Meet Me @ the Altar – Model Citizen EP (Pop-Punk, Easycore). Pop-punk is back for the mainstream, but for fans of the genre it’s never gone away and will never go anywhere. Meet Me @ the Altar boasts a repitore of pop-punk tracks that are progressive musically, but also strangely familiar. It’s clear the band is influenced by much of the most “easycore” side of the genre (the riffs fell like they jumped out of a Belmont or Four Year Strong record), but there’s a decidingly inflection of positivity and joy that MMATA wields masterfully. The songs all have a bounce to them that make them the kind of tracks you want to roll your windows down and blast loudly. The EP packs catchy hooks with technical breakdowns, showcasing the trio’s musical skill which cannot be denied. Yet amongst all of it, these songs are just good songs. They’re easy to listen to, yet there’s a lot to dissect from the themes of growing up and figuring out one’s purpose in life, to the musical technically driven by guitarist Téa Campbell and drummer Ada Juarez. The rhythmic timing between Campbell and Juarez is quite impressive, with odd sycopated rhymns permeating the other-wise easygoing songs. Vocalist Edith Johnson impresses as well, showcasing her dyanmic range and control on monsterous runs. If you think the future of pop-punk is sad boy rappers, Meet Me @ the Altar may be able to convince you otherwise. Favorite Tracks: “Feel a Thing,” “Brighter Days (Are Before Us),” “Mapped Out”

Honorable Mentions:

Lil Lotus – Error Boy (Pop-Punk, Emo, Hip-Hop)

The Plot in You – Swan Song (Metalcore, Alternative)

Knocked Loose – A Tear in the Fabric of Life (Metalcore, Hardcore)

Lorna Shore – …And I Return to Nothingness (Deathcore)

Jasiah – War (Rap, Alternative, Trapcore)

Kanye West – Donda (Rap, Hip-Hop, R&B)

Justin Bieber – Justice (Pop, R&B)

Every Time I Die – Radical (Metalcore, Hardcore)

Like Moths to Flames – Pure as Porcelain EP (Metalcore)

Dying Wish – Fragments of a Bitter Memory (Metalcore)

Spiritbox – Eternal Blue (Metalcore)

Angles & Airwaves – Lifeforms (Alternative Rock, Pop-Rock)

Eidola – The Architect (Post-Hardcore)

Silent Planet – Iridescent (Metalcore)

Lil Nas X – Montero (Pop, Hip-Hop, Rap)

Real Friends – Torn in Two EP (Pop-Punk)

Whitechapel – Kin (Deathcore)

Trippie Redd – Pegasus: Neon Shark vs Pegasus (w/ Travis Barker) & Trip at Night (Rap, Hip-Hop, Alternative)

Hot Milk – I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IM DEAD EP (Pop-Punk, Alternative Rock)

The Band Camino – The Band Camino (Pop-Rock, Pop)

Lil Aaron – Year of the Dog EP (Pop-Punk)

Tinashe – 333 (R&B, Pop, Hip-Hop)

Hawthorne Heights – The Rain Just Follows Me (Emo, Pop-Punk)

With Confidence – With Confidence (Pop-Punk)

Tyler Posey – Drugs (Pop-Punk)

jxdn – Tell Me About Tomorrow (Pop-Punk, Alternative, Hip-Hop)

Adventurer – Pacfica (Post-Hardcore)

Jack Kays – My Favorite Nighmare EP (w/ Travis Barker); Mixed Emotions; Voice Memos EP (Folk-Punk, Alternative, Hip-Hop)

Of Mice and Men – Echo (Metalcore)

Illenium – Fallen Embers (Electronica, Pop, Emo)

Aries – BELIEVE IN ME WHO BELIEVES IN YOU (Pop, Hip-Hop)

Volumes – Happier? (Metalcore, R&B)

Juice WRLD – Fighting Demons (Rap, Hip-Hop)

Chunk, No Captain Chunk – Gone Are the Good Days (Easycore)

NF – Clouds (Rap)