Best of 2021: Music Critic Top Ten Lists

Thanks for your reply markjamie20

My criticism is not directed toward users of this website. There was once a time, albeit long ago, when I was likewise a part of this community. Rather, my criticism -- as I do admit that is what it is -- is directed at the music critics; that is, because I do believe you are correct when you conclude your reply to me: "the vast majority of those who are" here on this website "simply don't find mainstream pop to be satisfying. We need more."

My basic point is that I don't consider it legitimate for music critics to be uniformly against mainstream pop music. From my point of view, there is something SERIOUSLY wrong, if almost all music critics without exception are only willing to acknowledge one or two mainstream albums in their top ten for the year: that is, (7) Sour by Olivia Rodrigo; (12) Montero by Lil Nas X; (13) 30 by Adele; and (23) Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish.

However, it is fair enough for a demographic: such as those who have outgrown popular music targeted at adolescents and young adults, since settling down, getting married and having children; and more generally, it is perfectly acceptable that there should be popular music targeted at an older demographic. Likewise for those who have higher standards in some respects, at least when it come to things like the language and values that are being expressed: i.e. middle-aged white people generally do not want to listen to African-American gangsta rap; this being I think a true enough observation, though it might be somewhat politically incorrect to acknowledge this is the case.

Reuben, I would argue that those who predominantly listen to mainstream music are those that are "trapped" in a "bubble". It is the mainstream that decides what to play and what the masses are exposed to. Alternative music, or music that is not featured in the charts gets far less exposure - the masses are not aware of what quality is out there. I used to be like you, bu then I discovered that there is far more fulfilling and interesting music to be found if you look outside the mainstream. I still enjoy pop, but it is a fleeting enjoyment - like a sugar fix - the passion and connection I have with music now has only come after I broadened my horizons. Again, I think you have chosen the wrong music forum for your tastes. Maybe you should look at Pop Justice - a quality site for those who prefer pop. I'm not saying you shouldn't be here, but the vast majority of those who are simply don't find mainstream pop to be satisfying. We need more.

I recommend music critics and website users should read the following New York Times opinion article by Jane Coaston, 'Why Do We Ignore How the Other Half Lives?'

This relates directly to end of year lists such as can be found here: Music Critics Pick their Top 10 Best Albums of 2021.

As Jane Coaston emphasizes from the outset:

"Let me be clear: It is absolutely fine to enjoy fancy television shows on fancy networks that get a small fraction of the viewers", when compared to the mainstream.

"But the attention both prestige television and our most prestigious universities receive from people like me... seems to outstrip their actual, real-deal importance in the lives of most people in America."

Ditto for popular music, with respect for the stark contrast between mainstream taste and the music that is ranked to be "prestige" by music critics.

"I’ve written before in this newsletter about the definition of 'elites' and how we’ve permitted wealthy people, generally on the political right, who compose the so-called American gentry to deny their status because they lack cultural cachet."

That is obviously not the case with respect for music critics, as they do have "cultural cachet" and are generally inclined to the political left. However, the latter who do have "cultural cachet" can also be defined as 'elite', which logically leads to Coaston's main point:

"My urban, elite milieu has far too much reverence for itself. We pay too much attention to the interests and actions and political demands of people who occupy the top percentiles of American life and far too little to the people who, well, don’t. And I say this as a member of the cultural elite myself."

"...our fixation on reading about the shows we already like and the schools we went to and the people we already kind of know may be trapping us in our own bubbles. This can leave us less informed about people who may live a few miles away but lead entirely different cultural, social and political lives."

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/11/opinion/urban-cultural-elites.html

Honestly, putting grades on albums/artist and making these lists kinda says nothing. Music isn't like movies. A good movie, no matter genre, can be appreciated by pretty much anyone. Music is more of a biological taste, in a sense. As someone who listens to metal and hates rap and pop music, it doesn't matter how good an album is. It would still hate it. As a musician, i can appreciate the production and the skill, but never the music. So making a list like this, doesn't help people in general. It only caters to the people who already like the artists and the genre and maybe not even the genre since genres are so wide. And i guess that's why the scores in the music category are so high compared to games, movies and tv. It's so individual. It's not like it's a metal head writing reviews on Little Simz. The reviewers already like the artist (or similar artists in the genre), so they're probably gonna rate it high. And what i'm i suppose to do with this list? It doesn't help me in any way, like movie reviews can.

Always a fun read. Surprised to see LS coming out on top, though I'm not sure what I really expected #1 to be. I wasn't as into that one as her previous LP, Grey Area. AOTY for me would be Iceage's Seek Shelter, or the Dry Cleaning LP New Long Leg. My picks for stuff most overlooked in these critic tops:

Leanne Betasamosake Simpson - Theory of Ice
Shame - Drunk Tank Pink
Chai - Wink
Ben Lamar Gay - Open Arms to Open Us
Water from Your Eyes - Structure

Like wine, great music is done with skill and fine music is done with art. Timeless sound improves with age.
Best of 2021
35 Selected Essential Polaroids

01.22 - Rhye «Home»
01.29 - Steven Wilson «The Future Bites»
02.05 - Cult Of Luna «The Raging River»
02.26 - Lost Horizons «In Quiet Moments»
02.26 - Nick Cave & Warren Ellis «Carnage»
02.26 - Richard Barbieri «Under A Spell»
03.19 - Lana Del Rey «Chemtrails Over The Country Club»
03.26 - Tomahawk «Tonic Immobility»
03.26 - Tune-Yards «Sketchy»
04.02 - Dry Cleaning «New Long Leg»
04.16 - London Grammar «Californian Soil»
04.30 - Gojira «Fortitude»
05.14 - St. Vincent «Daddy's Home»
05.21 - Erika De Casier «Sensational»
05.21 - Facs «Present Tense»
06.11 - Alessandro Cortini «Scuro Chiaro»
06.11 - Marina «Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land»
06.18 - Kings Of Convenience «Peace Or Love»
07.16 - Place To Bury Strangers «Hologram»
07.23 - Anika «Change»
07.23 - Darkside «Spiral»
07.30 - Lump «Animal»
08.27 - Big Red Machine «How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last»
08.27 - Halsey «If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power»
09.03 - Suuns «The Witness»
09.10 - Low «Hey What»
10.01 - Katatonia «Mnemosynean»
10.08 - James Blake «Friends That Break Your Heart»
10.15 - Hayden Thorpe «Moondust For My Diamond»
10.22 - Circuit Des Yeux «-IO»
10.22 - Helado Negro «Far In»
10.22 - Lana Del Rey «Blue Banisters»
10.29 - Marissa Nadler «The Path Of The Clouds»
10.29 - War On Drugs «I Don't Live Here Anymore»
11.12 - Damon Albarn «The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows»

lixinho-do-bom.webnode.pt

Yeah, to be fair I'm not sure I understand the argument that the user score doesn't reflect the critics' list. It's fairly easy to sort albums by user score all time and look at what the list would be sorted by user score.
On a brief check you would have:
1. Lana Del Rey - Blue Bannisters
2. Arca - KicK iii
3. Taylor Swift - Red (Taylor's Version)
4. James - All the Colours of You
5. Halsey - If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power
6. MARINA - Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land
7. Taylor Swift - Fearless (Taylor's Version)
Tied for 8/9/10: Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga - Love For Sale, Sufjan Stevens - A Beginner's Mind, Poppy - Flux, Saint Etienne - I've Been Trying to Tell You, Big Red Machine -
How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?, Orla Gartland -
Woman on the Internet, Nas -
King's Disease II, Spellling - The Turning Wheel, Demi Lovato -
Dancing with the Devil... The Art of Starting Over

Some of those albums are featured in critic's lists, some aren't. Overall though, save for the Swift albums, you're talking about a collection of music, voted best of the year by users, most of which is not getting high radio/streaming play and not charting. Think it goes back to the crux of the argument that generally the amount of listens a song/album gets is not entirely indicative of the quality of that song/album. Popular music is created to be popular, some of those albums like Justice are crafted in ways to get the most listeners possible and therefore the most profit, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Is nice to see SIMBI getting a lot of positive buzz, definitely deserves to be in the AOTY discussion. Wish the For Those I Love self-titled was on more lists

Reuben-Aust:

User reviews are MUCH more closely aligned to the Metacritic list than yours. And Metacritic is just an aggregator anyway. You may take issue with the publications they choose to include and the weightings they assign different publications, but they don't actually contribute the reviews that form the rankings.
And I have seen zero difference over the past 20+ years in Metacritic; pop albums rarely are amongst the highest rated of the year. Why? Well, in my opinion it is because they are rarely worthy, but each to their own.
I think you are definitely in the wrong place if you genuinely believe Justice or = are worthy of high placings - the community here does not share your enjoyment of these albums as much as you.