KGNU’s Top Albums of 2021

Top 100 Albums – 2021


WE ARE

1

Artist: Jon Batiste

Album: WE ARE

Label: Verve Label Group


My People

2

Artist: Cha Wa

Album: My People

Label: Single Lock Records


I Told You So

3

Artist: Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

Album: I Told You So

Label: Colemine Records


He Walked On

4

Artist: Tim O’Brien

Album: He Walked On

Label: Howdy Skies Records


Native Sons

5

Artist: Los Lobos

Album: Native Sons

Label: New West Records


Let's Get Happy Together

6

Artist: Maria Muldaur & Tuba Skinny

Album: Let’s Get Happy Together

Label: Stony Plain


Daddy's Home

7

Artist: St. Vincent

Album: Daddy’s Home

Label: Loma Vista


Vol. 2: Baca Sewa

8

Artist: Cochemea

Album: Vol. 2: Baca Sewa

Label: Daptone Records


Devil on My Tail

9

Artist: Hot Texas Swing Band

Album: Devil on My Tail

Label: Hot Texas Swing Band


Alligator Records 50 Years of Genuine Houserockin' Music

10

Artist: Various Artists

Album: Alligator Records 50 Years of Genuine Houserockin’ Music

Label: Alligator Records


They're Calling Me Home (with Francesco Turrisi)

11

Artist: Rhiannon Giddens

Album: They’re Calling Me Home (with Francesco Turrisi)

Label: Nonesuch


Amblin' Man

12

Artist: Greg Schochet

Album: Amblin’ Man

Label: Self Produced


Black To The Future

13

Artist: Sons Of Kemet

Album: Black To The Future

Label: Impulse!


Treasure Of Love (feat. Butch Hancock, Joe Ely & Jimmie Dale Gilmore)

14

Artist: The Flatlanders

Album: Treasure Of Love (feat. Butch Hancock, Joe Ely & Jimmie Dale Gilmore)

Label: Rack ‘Em Records


Yeti Season

15

Artist: El Michels Affair

Album: Yeti Season

Label: Big Crown Rwecords


The Shadow of Their Suns

16

Artist: Wax Tailor

Album: The Shadow of Their Suns

Label: Lab’oratoire


Changing Colours

17

Artist: Babe Rainbow

Album: Changing Colours

Label: Eureka Music


Things She Couldn't Get Over

18

Artist: Dale Ann Bradley

Album: Things She Couldn’t Get Over

Label: Pinecastle


J.T.

19

Artist: Steve Earle & The Dukes

Album: J.T.

Label: New West Records


Mother Nature

20

Artist: Angelique Kidjo

Album: Mother Nature

Label: Verve


Obviously

21

Artist: Lake Street Dive

Album: Obviously

Label: Nonesuch


Leftover Feelings

22

Artist: John Hiatt & Jerry Douglas

Album: Leftover Feelings

Label: New West Records


Where Do We Go From Here

23

Artist: Dumpstaphunk

Album: Where Do We Go From Here

Label: The Funk Garage


Collapsed In Sunbeams

24

Artist: Arlo Parks

Album: Collapsed In Sunbeams

Label: Transgressive


Yol

25

Artist: Altin Gün

Album: Yol

Label: ATO Records


Sound Ancestors

26

Artist: Madlib

Album: Sound Ancestors

Label: Madlib Invasion


Kologo

27

Artist: Alostmen

Album: Kologo

Label: Strut Records


Corey Ledet Zydeco

28

Artist: Corey Ledet Zydeco

Album: Corey Ledet Zydeco

Label: Nouveau Electric Records


The Lost Mystique Of Being In The Know

29

Artist: Rising Appalachia

Album: The Lost Mystique Of Being In The Know

Label: Rising Appalachia


Greg Belson's Divine Funk

30

Artist: Various Artists

Album: Greg Belson’s Divine Funk

Label: Cultures of Soul


Stop The Hate

31

Artist: Femi Kuti

Album: Stop The Hate

Label: PTKF


Local Valley

32

Artist: José González

Album: Local Valley

Label: Mute/Imperial Recordings


Vexillology

33

Artist: Guedra Guedra

Album: Vexillology

Label: On The Corner


Glowing In The Dark

34

Artist: Django Django

Album: Glowing In The Dark

Label: Because Music


That's Life

35

Artist: Willie Nelson

Album: That’s Life

Label: Sony


I’ll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute To The Velvet Underground & Nico

36

Artist: Various

Album: I’ll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute To The Velvet Underground & Nico

Label: Verve


Blue Heron Suite

37

Artist: Sarah Jarosz

Album: Blue Heron Suite

Label: Rounder


Expansions

38

Artist: Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band

Album: Expansions

Label: Big Crown Records


What The Flood Leaves Behind

39

Artist: Amy Helm

Album: What The Flood Leaves Behind

Label: Rough Trade


Me and Les

40

Artist: Dan McCorison

Album: Me and Les

Label: Musikode Records


At Home with Southern Culture on the Skids

41

Artist: Southern Culture On the Skids

Album: At Home with Southern Culture on the Skids

Label: Kudzu Records


Rough Guide to the Best Japanese Music You've Never Heard

42

Artist: Various Artists

Album: Rough Guide to the Best Japanese Music You’ve Never Heard

Label: World Music Network


Binga

43

Artist: Samba Touré

Album: Binga

Label: Glitterbeat


Vulture Prince

44

Artist: Arooj Aftab

Album: Vulture Prince

Label: New Amsterdam


Private Space

45

Artist: Durand Jones & The Indications

Album: Private Space

Label: Colemine


We Famous

46

Artist: Kondi Band

Album: We Famous

Label: Strut Records


Long Time Coming

47

Artist: Sierra Ferrell

Album: Long Time Coming

Label: Rounder


Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Part 2) (Habibi Funk 015)

48

Artist: Various Artists

Album: Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Part 2) (Habibi Funk 015)

Label: Habibi Funk


What We Did (Live)

49

Artist: Chris Daniels & Hazel Miller

Album: What We Did (Live)

Label: Blind Raccoon


Club Coco

50

Artist: Various Artists

Album: Club Coco

Label: Bongo Joe


Brand New Good Old Days

51

Artist: Leftover Salmon

Album: Brand New Good Old Days

Label: Compass Records


Now Dig This (feat. Lucky Peterson, Chuck Rainey & The Moeller Brothers)

52

Artist: Crystal Thomas

Album: Now Dig This (feat. Lucky Peterson, Chuck Rainey & The Moeller Brothers)

Label: Dialtone Records


There Is No End

53

Artist: Tony Allen

Album: There Is No End

Label: Decca Records


Promenade Blue

54

Artist: Nick Waterhouse

Album: Promenade Blue

Label: Promenade Blue


An East African Journey

55

Artist: Omar Sosa

Album: An East African Journey

Label: Ota Records


Baby, I'm Hollywood!

56

Artist: Judith Hill

Album: Baby, I’m Hollywood!

Label: Regime Music Group


Gold-Diggers Sound

57

Artist: Leon Bridges

Album: Gold-Diggers Sound

Label: Columbia


Butterfly 3000

58

Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Album: Butterfly 3000

Label: KGLW


Madremonte

59

Artist: Jaguar

Album: Madremonte

Label: Jaguar


Kanawa

60

Artist: Nahawa Doumbia

Album: Kanawa

Label: Awesome Tapes From Africa


Rough Guide to the Roots of Jazz

61

Artist: Various Artists

Album: Rough Guide to the Roots of Jazz

Label: World Music Network


My Bluegrass Heart

62

Artist: Béla Fleck

Album: My Bluegrass Heart

Label: BMG


Wary + Strange

63

Artist: Amythyst Kiah

Album: Wary + Strange

Label: Rounder


Hymne à La Vie

64

Artist: Le Super Mojo & Pat Kalla

Album: Hymne à La Vie

Label: Pure Vida Sounds


Laysongs

65

Artist: Chris Thile

Album: Laysongs

Label: Nonesuch


Tezeta

66

Artist: Hailu Mergia & The Walias

Album: Tezeta

Label: Awesome Tapes From


Stand For Myself

67

Artist: Yola

Album: Stand For Myself

Label: Easy Eye Sound


We Are An Island, But We're Not Alone

68

Artist: Comorian

Album: We Are An Island, But We’re Not Alone

Label: Glitterbeat


Hard Up

69

Artist: The Bamboos

Album: Hard Up

Label: BMG


Yaral Sa Doom

70

Artist: Wau Wau Collectif

Album: Yaral Sa Doom

Label: Sahel Sounds


Welcome 2 America

71

Artist: Prince

Album: Welcome 2 America

Label: SMG


Resilience: Songs of Uganda

72

Artist: Rachel Magoola

Album: Resilience: Songs of Uganda

Label: Arc Music


The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers

73

Artist: Valerie June

Album: The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers

Label: Fantasy


Sketchy.

74

Artist: Tune-Yards

Album: Sketchy.

Label: 4AD


Pissourin

75

Artist: Monsieur Doumani

Album: Pissourin

Label: Glitterbeat


662

76

Artist: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Album: 662

Label: Alligator Records


We're OK. But We're Lost Anyway.

77

Artist: Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp

Album: We’re OK. But We’re Lost Anyway.

Label: Bongo Joe


Smoke From The Chimney

78

Artist: Tony Joe White

Album: Smoke From The Chimney

Label: Easy Eye Sound


Secret Six

79

Artist: Secret Six Jazz Band

Album: Secret Six

Label: Secret Six


La Que Es

80

Artist: Venezonix

Album: La Que Es

Label: National Records


Mood Valiant

81

Artist: Hiatus Kaiyote

Album: Mood Valiant

Label: Brainfeeder


L.W.

82

Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Album: L.W.

Label: KGLW


Introducing...

83

Artist: Aaron Frazer

Album: Introducing…

Label: Dead Oceans


Sunshine Radio

84

Artist: Tommy Guerrero

Album: Sunshine Radio

Label: Octave Lab


Drama

85

Artist: Rodrigo Amarante

Album: Drama

Label: Polyvinyl Records


The Waylon Sessions

86

Artist: Shannon McNally

Album: The Waylon Sessions

Label: Compass Records


You Gotta Have It

87

Artist: Tia Carroll

Album: You Gotta Have It

Label: Little Village


Outside Child

88

Artist: Allison Russell

Album: Outside Child

Label: Fantasy


Xalam

89

Artist: Ben Aylon

Album: Xalam

Label: Riverboat


Daddy's Country Gold

90

Artist: Melissa Carper

Album: Daddy’s Country Gold

Label: Self Produced


Walk In The Woods - EP

91

Artist: Orchard Creek Band

Album: Walk In The Woods – EP

Label: Self Produced


Living In The Last Days

92

Artist: Elizabeth King & The Gospel Souls

Album: Living In The Last Days

Label: Bible & Tire


Matiela Suto - Colombian Singles Series Vol 2

93

Artist: KillaBeatMaker

Album: Matiela Suto – Colombian Singles Series Vol 2

Label: Galletas Calientas Records


Faster

94

Artist: Samantha Fish

Album: Faster

Label: Rounder


The Exciting Sounds of Menahan Street Band

95

Artist: Menahan Street Band

Album: The Exciting Sounds of Menahan Street Band

Label: Daptone


Family Reunion

96

Artist: Della Mae

Album: Family Reunion

Label: Della Mae


Harmony Grits

97

Artist: Ida Red

Album: Harmony Grits

Label: Self Produced


New Long Leg

98

Artist: Dry Cleaning

Album: New Long Leg

Label: 4AD


Mother Sauce

99

Artist: Hot Mustard

Album: Mother Sauce

Label: Color Red Records


Quietly Blowing It

100

Artist: Hiss Golden Messenger

Album: Quietly Blowing It

Label: Merge Records


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