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The 30 Best R&B Albums of 2021: Staff List

by Rated R&B
December 18, 2021 4:20 PM
in Lists
Best R&B Albums of 2021

The 30 Best R&B Albums of 2021. (Illustration by Rated R&B)

As 2021 comes to an end, reflection on the year of music is a must, particularly given the enormous number of R&B albums released. 

Certainly, it canโ€™t be denied that it has been a historic year for many of the genreโ€™s most talented and prestigious artists, not just in chart numbers and records but also on our annual year-end list.

This year marks the third consecutive yearly cycle that 30 R&B albums were chosen to represent the best. Nearly 20 artists featured on this yearโ€™s recap make inaugural appearances, while the rest of the bunch are familiar faces.

After considerable discussions, Rated R&B turns its spotlight on the 30 Best R&B albums of 2021, selected by the editorial team: Keithan Samuels, Antwane Folk, Danielle Brissett, Anders Hare, and Jakori Beauchamp.

Please note: The eligibility period for considered albums began Dec. 1, 2020, and ended Nov. 30, 2021.

Similar to the Recording Academy, for purposes of eligibility, Rated R&B defines an album as having at least five (5) different tracks and a total playing time of at least 15 minutes. 


30. Eric Bellinger, New Light

Eric Bellinger New Light
YFS (Your Favorite Song) / EMPIRE

It’s quite surprising that Eric Bellinger considered New Light his first true album after years of notable projects and singles. However, on this broad-ranging album, Bellinger sets a new standard for his discography in the future, acknowledging his turn-up past in return, giving growing depth through his current comfort zone. “Euphoric,” featuring vocal support from Brandy, is that indeed, finding Bellinger sweet-talking his partner to plead his case. He recognizes the importance of his faith, highlighting it on the standout “Count My Blessings” with Kierra Sheard-Kelly and the lead single “Shine On The World.” The Teedra Moses-assisted “Girls Like You” favors New Orleans bounce, contributing to the overall quality of this album. Bellinger told Rated R&B he wanted this record to prop him up as “the R&B singer of this culture [and] generation.” New Light makes good on his confident promise and puts him in a league of his own. โ€” Jakori  

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


29. Leela James, See Me

Leela James See Me
SHESANGZ MUSIC, INC./BMG

Leela Jamesโ€™ voice is likened to an intoxicating fragrance. Its essence lingers in the atmosphere, wafting throughout the room as it settles comfortably by leaving a consoling yet enkindling experience. On See Me, James not only wants to be observed as she is by those close to her, but she also presents tracks that convey how she intends to regard herself: transparent, vulnerable, and faithful. Ranging from โ€˜80s R&B-reminiscent dance jams (โ€œYouโ€™re The Oneโ€) to dreamy, romantic slow grooves (โ€œI Want Youโ€) and covering blues-induced numbers that touch on community issues (โ€œSo Far Awayโ€), the objective to take the thriving genre to greater heights isnโ€™t lost. James doesnโ€™t have to demand to be seen, and her album makes it easy to see (and hear) her with a clear point of view. โ€” Danielle

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


28. Stokley, Sankofa 

Stokley Stankofa
Bluraraffe/Flyte Time/Perspective

Stokleyโ€™s sophomore set, Sankofa, absorbs old and new R&B with African instrumentation to create a captivating work of art from beginning to end. “Cafe” featuring Wale is a sensual mid-tempo colored with stunning harmonies, where Stokley uses a cup of coffee as a clean metaphor for lovemaking. In “Slip,” Stokley reflects on a soured relationship defined by his woman’s childish antics. The climactic “Rush” featuring H.E.R. is a highlight of Sankofa, wrapping their gorgeously fulfilling voices around a throbbing bassline for an orgasmic finish. For sure, Stokley progressed his sound this second time around, creating an eargasmic album that made a bright spot in 2021. โ€” Jakori 

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


27. Tinashe, 333

Tinashe 333 album cover
Tinashe Music

โ€œYou used to the same, so I gotta show Iโ€™m different,โ€ a declarative statement from Tinasheโ€™s โ€œI Can See The Future.โ€ Itโ€™s an assertion that proves how this master of all trades approaches each of her projects. 333 liberates Tinashe from one particular sound, dealing in more synth-pop and thumping trap finesse, as well as alt-R&B and uptempo confines sheโ€™s thrived in in previous works. The Kaash Paige-assisted โ€œAngelsโ€ paired the singers against a dark and ominous production where they sing about a bond between them and their lovers.

โ€œThe Chaseโ€ has a mid-tempo pop backbeat where Tinashe sings about never running behind someone though she wants that person. โ€œLet Me Down Slowlyโ€ has a static electronic beat, where Tinashe seeks for an ex not to cause a commotion when she decides to exit the relationship. She uses the hip-hop-driven โ€œItโ€™s a Wrapโ€ featuring her blood brothers Quiet Child and KUDZAI to close not only a romantic connection but the album as well. Tinasheโ€™s capacity to issue two marveling yet diverse albums back to back speaks volumes about her artistry. โ€” Jakori 

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


26. Pink $weats, Pink Planet

Pink Planets Pink Planet
Atlantic Records

Take a trip into the universe of Pink Sweat$, where melodically simplistic songwriting controls the theme songs of his heartfelt world. The Philadelphia singer-songwriter handles a significant amount of his material in a delicate manner that allows vulnerability to beam through and gives listeners a serious case of the feels with each harmonic touch. Case in point: โ€œHonesty.โ€ The guitar-backed ballad immediately tugs at buried emotions as Sweat$ reassures his reluctant lover that her truth is enough to be worthy of love. He continuously perpetuates this sought-after sentiment throughout PINK PLANET with acoustic and instrument-based settings that fall reminiscent of yesteryear’s easy-listening music genre. The tender and mellow levels briefly pick up towards the latter half of the album. โ€œGive It To Meโ€œ and โ€œIcyโ€ rhythmically drift into a far-out space thatโ€™ll uncontrollably prompt a mean two-step. When it comes to the ethos of Sweat$โ€™ premier album, love makes the PINK PLANET go round. โ€” Danielle

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


25. Shelley FKA DRAM, Shelley FKA DRAM

Shelley FKA DRAM
EMPIRE / Atlantic Records

When the artist formerly known as DRAM released โ€œCha Cha,โ€ the energetically Latin-infused track in 2015, we got a slight glimpse of what his artistry could evolve into. Gradually shining light on his shadowed singing abilities throughout the years allowed him to fully plunge forward into utilizing his voice for sole singing purposes. Shelley FKA DRAM predominantly wallows in a quiet storm-steeped alcove filled with a playful mix of soulful affection in a way that only he can uniquely execute.

With guest appearances from Summer Walker, H.E.R. and Erykah Badu, he joins forces with these women to create harmonious moods that can be felt throughout the album. He equally holds his own, especially on songs โ€œExposureโ€ and โ€œCooking With Grease,โ€ confidently proving that he is dwelling comfortably in this newly presented space with intention. As his music has been synonymous with rhythmically exuberant bars, his first LP as Shelley and second overall presents a side that appears to be just as true to himself as his earlier work. โ€” Danielle

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


24. KIRBY, Sis. He Wasn’t the One

KIRBY Sis. He Wasn't the one album cover
KIRBY

Memphis-born virtuoso KIRBY stunned with her debut album Sis. last year. The project not only showed off the singerโ€™s unique charm and reliability but also her superb songwriting skills. The albumโ€™s aptly-titled sequel, Sis. He Wasnโ€™t the One, does not disappoint either. KIRBY marries sounds of funk, Afrobeats, and bonafide soul to create a captivating love letter to women who have been done dirty in relationships. This message shines through strongest on the albumโ€™s narratives like โ€œBoyz II Menโ€ and the blunt yet appropriately titled โ€œBreak Her Heart for Me.โ€ The song serves as the ultimate revenge tune for this decadeโ€™s R&B audience. As an album with a strong lyrical foundation and an evergreen sound, KIRBY’s Sis. He Wasnโ€™t the One should be set to keep music fans of all genres coming back for years to come. โ€” Anders

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


23. serpentwithfeet, Deacon

serpentwithfeet Deacon
Secretly Canadian

Serpentwithfeetโ€™s Deacon brightens up his discography from the drear climate that defined his previous releases. His proud decision to connect with less predictable energy โ€” one that is softer, lighter, and uncomplex โ€” paid off in a benevolent way. In tune with his life path as a Black gay man and his innate religious beliefs, serpentwithfeet makes sure that theyโ€™re one and the same on Deacon. He extracts attractive parts of a manโ€™s build to assist in his ministry.

โ€œDerrickโ€™s Beardโ€ flows like a spirit-moving hymn. He declares that his eyes are only on Black men on the hypnotic tune โ€œSame Size Shoe.โ€ Serpentwithfeet gets a steady hand rhythm going on โ€œMalik,โ€ a dedication to an Atlanta-based suitor that makes him quiver at the sight of their socks and sandals. โ€œHeart Storm,โ€ featuring Nao, calls for severe chances of heavy love showers, taking it all in with a large umbrella and a dreamy-eyed smile. Rounding out Deacon with the clicky drummed โ€œFellowshipโ€ featuring Lil Silva and Sampha makes for the perfect benediction for a consistent and unexpected album. โ€” Antwane

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal 


22. Nao, And Then Life Was Beautiful

Nao And Then Life Was Beautiful
Little Tokyo Recordings

Nao continues to broaden the self-proclaimed โ€œwonky funkโ€ sound on And Then Life Was Beautiful. Her latest installment highlights and celebrates the numerous facets of change, something we all are quite familiar with. To the tune of somber guitar strums and ardently dour strings, โ€œMessy Loveโ€ honors the notion of setting boundaries in any relationship and realizing when to let those connections go. In the same vein of self-preservation, she recognizes the importance of pouring into herself on the gracefully reflective number โ€œBurn Out.โ€

Angelic harmonies boldly shape โ€œLittle Giants,โ€ where Nao navigates the emotions that come with finding out that someone isnโ€™t who they claim to be. Each track beholds important gems of self-realization and wisdom necessary for personal salvation. As life provides us with an array of lessons to learn, And Then Life Was Beautiful reminds us that doing the self-work is well worth the reward. Nao acknowledges that after unpleasant moments and situations settle, the beauty of life awaits us on the other side. โ€” Danielle

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


21. Sevyn Streeter, Drunken Wordz Sober Thoughtz

Sevyn Streeter Drunken Wordz Sober Thoughtz
TStreetz Corp/Groundwerk, LLC

Sevyn Streeter has toted the phrase โ€˜drunken wordz sober thoughtzโ€™ since 2018, shortly after the release of her debut album, Girl Disrupted. What built over the last three years is a series of R&B epics based on the most private thoughts Streeter would never soberly say to her lover. The result was her sophomore album, Drunken Wordz Sober Thoughtz, equipped with a darker tone yet keeps the same energy and vocal agility Streeter’s fans keep coming back for. โ€œGuilty,โ€ featuring Chris Brown and A$AP Ferg, speaks of a relationship where each party has its own vices, and none of them seem to be one another.

On the Dโ€™Mile-produced โ€œTaboo,โ€ the tone follows as Streeter sings about love too good to be true over an emotionally-drenched sample of Alexander Oโ€™Nealโ€™s โ€œIf You Were Here Tonight.โ€ Streeter also adds a layer of sensuality to the project on tracks like the Jeremih-assisted โ€œWet Dreamz.โ€ As a complete body of work, Drunken Wordz Sober Thoughtz takes die-hard fans on a ride through Streeterโ€™s most intimate fears and doubts about her relationships and attracts new ones along the way. โ€” Anders

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal 


20. Anthony Hamilton, Love Is The New Black

Anthony Hamilton Love Is The New Black
My Music Box, LLC

Anthony Hamilton took an intentional approach when making his latest effort, Love Is The New Black. โ€œI wanted it to represent Black love, Black power, [and] Black everything thatโ€™s beautiful, while encouraging people to choose love as a priority as well,โ€ he told Rated R&B in an interview. On the Rick Ross-assisted โ€œReal Love,โ€ produced by 9th Wonder, Hamilton advises anyone who finds true love to hold onto it. โ€œComing Home,โ€ produced by Jermaine Dupri, describes the anticipation of seeing your partner after being away from them.

Hamilton doesnโ€™t present love as a fairytale, though. โ€œThrew It Awayโ€ and โ€œYou Made A Fool Of Me,โ€ both handled by Dupri, explore the end of a relationship. He processes the pain that comes from a lost love on โ€œPillowsโ€ while expressing remorse on โ€œIโ€™m Sorry.โ€ A noteworthy moment is his duet with Jennifer Hudson, โ€œSuperstar,โ€ which was originally performed by Delaney & Bonnie in 1969. It was later covered by the Carpenters and Luther Vandross. He dedicates the last few tracks to social justice anthems (โ€œMercyโ€ and โ€œSafe.โ€) On Love Is The New Black, Anthony Hamilton proves that his stirring vocals will never go out of style. โ€” Keithan

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


19. Joyce Wrice, Overgrown

Joyce Wrice Overgrown
Joyce Wrice Music

Joyce Wrice made her name with a knack for drawing inspiration from a strain of retro mid-tempo R&B with a youthful spirit. Overgrown, the first full-length album from Rated R&B’s Front + Center artist, shows how much she has evolved since her 2016 debut EP, Stay Around. This well-rendered LP found Wrice sharing different love experiences with a heavy hand from award-winning hitmaker D’Mile, who served as executive producer. Having a careful balance on the twists and turns of romance, Wrice best confirms her lessons learned in songs like the Lucky Daye-guested “Falling In Love,” where she sings about going through the motions if only it is mutual. The guitar-leaning “Addicted” details the strong attraction for an ex Wrice can’t erase from her mind. Then, with the hopeless “Losing,” Wrice gets the wake-up call she’s been in search of as it relates to an undeserving lover who can’t win access to her time and affection. With no shortage of astonishing yet lean and confident vocals, relatable lyrics, and strong production choices, Wrice’s Overgrown takes its rightful place as one of the best this year. โ€” Jakori 

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal 


18. Robin Thicke, On Earth, and in Heaven

Robin Thicke On Earth and in Heaven
Lucky Music/EMPIRE

It took Robin Thicke six years to find his groove again. He went through a public divorce, a career-crippling copyright infringement lawsuit, and devastating losses, including his father, Alan Thicke. Despite his challenges, Thicke managed to eclipse it all and reassert himself as an enduring figure in R&B with On Earth, and in Heaven. This breezy listen commences with Thicke allusively returning to his youth, casting his hopeful melodies on a โ€œLucky Starโ€ that he innocently gazes upon in a bare sky of clean guitar pricks, delicate piano notes, and sweet trumpet playing. โ€œTake Me Higher,โ€ a retooled Blurred Lines outtake, has Thicke collaborating with Pharrell again, modeling himself after Al Green in the stirring intro and KC and the Sunshine Band throughout its addictive funk duration.

The soul-barring affection of Motown heavyweights is paramount on a few of the earnest ballads and sonic curveballs, including the seductive, Spanish flamenco tune “Hola” and the doo-wop-influenced “Beautiful.” For some tastes, On Earth, and in Heaven may be seen as a redemptive effort for a secure veteran. But for Thicke, as he mentioned to Rated R&B, itโ€™s much more profound, considering he declared that: โ€œComebacks donโ€™t start with the music, they start with the soul.โ€ โ€” Antwane 

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


17. Phabo, Soulquarius

Phabo Soulquarius
Soulection/Over Everything

Welcome to the Phabo show, an experience where listeners take part in a day in the life of the vision-driven singer-songwriter as he chronicles his admiration for women, his loved ones, and the varying degrees of his culture through image-sharp lyrics and fiercely memorable melodies. The album title Soulquarius is noticeably inspired by the beloved neo-soul and hip-hop collective, the Soulquarians, but interestingly, the album doesnโ€™t resemble their distinct sound in the slightest. Instead, the connection may possibly lie in where both entities somewhat serve as a reset in their respective musical class.

Phabo unleashes refreshing energy in the male R&B sector that hasnโ€™t exactly been exhibited since the early 2000s, contributing to a significant aspect of his appeal. As the first official song on the album, โ€œSupermodelโ€ comes in as a bold formal introduction that glows with the savoir-faire embodied by his predecessors. Contrarily, the pride and confidence are far from lost, as displayed on โ€œ@ Meโ€ and โ€œJohn Henry.โ€ One of the shining stars on the album is the criminally too short โ€œPolaris.โ€ From the clever onomatopoeia of the phone ringing, backed by an arousing bass guitar, the productive elements create a steamy setting where Phabo doesnโ€™t have to be blunt or overt with his lyrics. By avoiding falling into the cookie-cutter domain, Soulquarius is a much-needed alternative in the R&B field. โ€” Danielle

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


16. JoJo, trying not to think about it

JoJo Trying Not To Think About It
Warner Records

JoJo thoughtfully and adequately prescribed emotionally exhausted listeners a dose of confidence, support, and understanding on her capsule project, trying not to think about it. Given that JoJo is profusely vocal about her mental health journey, the terse material feels concerned and engaged in abetting any process made to become a more self-sufficient version of self. โ€œB.I.D.โ€ is a caring shoulder that she graciously presents to an affected person who desperately needs to relieve themselves of a heavy load.

On the ill-timed โ€œAnxiety (Burlindaโ€™s Theme),โ€ JoJo self-assigns the despondent character who lives within and often creeps out to cause unwanted disruption. Disillusionment makes the best use of JoJo’s praised instrument on “Dissolve,” produced by D’Mile. After discarding old linen following a recent detachment, the sad-hearted โ€œFresh New Sheetsโ€ makes it difficult for JoJo to fold the corners for someone new. Trying not to think about it is an important step in JoJo creating a new path after emerging from a dim view of clouded thoughts, and one that fans will continue to seek as inspiration to weather lifeโ€™s storms.  โ€” Antwane

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


15. Norelle, A Story About Love

Norelle A Story About Love
Asher’s Lighthouse

Norelleโ€™s A Story About Love is based on a true story. For 27 minutes, she invites listeners into her world as she recounts her soul-searching journey. It opens with โ€œReset (Introspection),โ€ a gut-wrenching realization that she once โ€œwent too low searching for love.โ€ Itโ€™s also at that moment when she decides it is time to rebuild and reclaim who she is. In order to do this, she prioritizes self-love as the foundation of her existence (โ€œA Letter To My Younger Selfโ€). Understanding that she once lost herself in love, she empowers herself to set boundaries (โ€œIs It Over?โ€). These boundaries are meaningless if she doesnโ€™t hold herself accountable to them (โ€œLife Is But a Dreamโ€). Of course, as she makes progress, her ex conveniently shows up (โ€œBack Into Youโ€). As she embarks on new love, she sets a premise that honesty is a requirement for both of them (โ€œDeeperโ€). She concludes A Story About Love with โ€œPlanted,โ€ a beautiful ode to her current husband. Here, she sings about reaching the point where she can truly let her guard down and be vulnerable in a relationship. A Story About Love is like a self-help book packed with gems that anyone can benefit from. โ€” Keithan

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


14. VanJess, Homegrown

VanJess Homegrown
Keep Cool/RCA Records

VanJessโ€™ Homegrown can be considered a passion project. The sister duo told Rated R&B it was one that they had hoped to issue back in 2016 but went forward with their regarded debut album, Silk Canvas. Finally, this nine-track sampler arrived five years later, keeping the soulful and upbeat nature of their debut effort while paving a way to implore more of that classic R&B sound many fans adore to this day. โ€œCome Overโ€ is a perfect example of the progressive R&B wave theyโ€™ve contributed to in recent years. VanJess presses on, delving into electronic sultriness on โ€œHigh & Dry,โ€ while the Phony Ppl-assisted โ€œCaught Upโ€ nods to timeless disco. Homegrown is a radiantly nostalgic collection of songs that embraces the old-school R&B grooves, bringing it forward in a uniformly natural and organic way for a duo as lovely as VanJess. โ€” Jakori 

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal  


13. Summer Walker, Still Over It

Summer Walker Still Over It
LVRN/Interscope Records

Summer Walkerโ€™s Still Over It was by the events during her romance with producer and the father of her child, London on da Track. She retains the expressive quality and production of her proper debut album, Over It, while melding it with the sounds she implored on her first project, Last Day of Summer. Still Over It takes us through the motions of a relationship gone array and effectively ending. In the stinging opener, โ€œBitter,โ€ Walker sings about her frustration with her boyfriend at the time and the mother of his other children. โ€œUnloyalโ€ featuring Ari Lennox is laden with a smooth saxophone where the two contemporary R&B divas sing about not staying in a relationship with a man whoโ€™s doing them dirty. โ€œ4th Baby Mama,โ€ another standout, is a somewhat cathartic moment for Walker, reflecting upon the last straw encounters that lead to her calling it quits. Throughout all the songs in meticulously placed harmonies, Walker was able to show just how dynamic her voice is, making it an overall remarkable project. โ€” Jakori 

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


12. Snoh Aalegra, Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies

Snoh Aalegra Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies album cover
Artium Recordings/Roc Nation Records

Since her rebirth in the early 2010s, Snoh Aalegra has been known for her ability to encapsulate sounds of the past and transcribe them for a young audience. With Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies, the subsequent LP to 2019’s – Ugh, Those Feels Again, Aalegra calls on some of the brightest talents in modern-day music to bring her enduring sound up to speed. On tracks like The Neptunes-produced โ€œIn Your Eyesโ€ and the somber โ€œSave Yourself,โ€ the production is intricate and detailed down to the bass and snare. The 15-song set is also Aalegraโ€™s most upbeat, with tracks like โ€œNeon Peachโ€ featuring Tyler, the Creator, anchoring the project and driving its modern alt-R&B sound. Perhaps what Aalegra does best on her third album is depicting waning faith in her relationship. Itโ€™s most apparent on the albumโ€™s focus single, โ€œLost You,โ€ and is carried over to โ€œTangerine Dream,โ€ an intimate recollection of love that could have been. Aalegraโ€™s signature emotional weight and the addition of contemporary production make Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies a showstopper and Aalegraโ€™s most ear-catching work to date. โ€” Anders 

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


11. Lucky Daye, Table For Two

Lucky Daye Table For Two
Keep Cool/RCA Records

In February, R&B stunner Lucky Daye sat us down and gave us chills with Table For Two. He treats us to a seven-course tracklist featuring an all-star cast of todayโ€™s most prolific women in R&B. As a duet project of sorts, Daye and his co-stars paint pictures of emotional tales of heartbreak and the lows and woes of dating. The narratives range from tearful on the Yebba-assisted โ€œHow Much Can A Heart Takeโ€ to tense on tracks such as โ€œOn Readโ€ featuring Tiana Major9, a tune with cinematic nodes about the devastating feeling of having your text messages ignored by a love interest. โ€œAccess Deniedโ€ with Ari Lennox is the projectโ€™s centerpiece. Produced by Allen Ritter and Vinylz, the track is an ode to โ€˜70s R&B and focuses on fears of commitment in a relationship, steeped in a helping of added drama and romance. The EP, released ahead of Valentineโ€™s Day, provides a soundtrack to Dayeโ€™s most emotional moments. It turns out to be one of his most expansive and visitable projects to date. โ€” Anders

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal  


10. Jam & Lewis, Jam & Lewis, Vol. 1

Jam and Lewis Vol. 1
Flyte Tyme Productions / BMG

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis have penned and produced tenaciously addictive hits for some of the biggest acts in the world. When you think Jam & Lewis, think Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Usher, Chaka Khan, plus a plethora of awards and accolades. Itโ€™s no wonder the iconic duoโ€™s debut studio Jam & Lewis, Vol. 1, sounds like the ultimate nostalgic R&B reunification. It brings together classic and essential artists from Jam & Lewisโ€™ extensive catalog to perform new, original songs sprinkled with the production and pen genius the duo is recognized for.

Their signature sticky hooks can be found throughout the project, particularly on the soaring โ€œSpinninโ€ featuring Mary J. Blige and the albumโ€™s third single โ€œSomewhat Loved (There You Go Breakinโ€™ My Heart)โ€ featuring Mariah Carey. Moreover, Jam & Lewis maintain their ability to compose compelling downtempo R&B songs like โ€œHappily Unhappyโ€ featuring Toni Braxton and the overt โ€œMaybe Iโ€™ve Changed (Or Did You)โ€ featuring Heather Headley. Much more than a reunion album, Jam & Lewis, Vol. 1 proves the duo still can create iconic R&B music. With their first volume in the books, hopes are high to receive a sequel to the stellar album in the future. โ€” Anders

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


9. Cleo Sol, Mother

Cleo Sol Mother
Forever Living Originals

Hour-long albums rarely exist anymore. Like fresh air, Cleo Sol, an introspective singer-songwriter hailing from London, gently breezed in and revitalized this lost concept with her second solo album, Mother. The title refers to Solโ€™s first brush with bearing a child. Sol guarded this follow-up to 2020โ€™s Rose in the Dark like her newborn baby, succeeding with keeping its precious intent blanketed in the protective arms of intimate collaborators, including Inflo, who produced the record entirely. Sol sets the stage for her vision of motherhood with the piano balladry of โ€œDonโ€™t Let Me Fall,โ€ a rumination on growing up in an often unstable and abusive household. While this candid opener flashes back to a lifetime of emotions caused by a negligent mother, Sol recognizes that if she does not let go, she could lose access to those gifts of nurturing and love when she becomes a parent herself.

Thankfully, thatโ€™s not the case, as confirmed in โ€œHeart Full of Love,โ€ a sparse guitar-laden paean to her small child for reconciling her purpose in life. Along the way, in โ€œDonโ€™t Let It Go to Your Head,โ€ a flamenco-influenced caution, Sol challenges someone not to rush the process of being in love. Sol comes behind it with โ€œ23,โ€ a lithe heart-to-heart with this age of her mom, whose unplanned imperfections could have become Solโ€™s existence. But, instead, it all became added determination for Sol to rise above what was expected due to her circumstances. Sometimes, things donโ€™t always go as planned. Sol had in mind to take a break following the release of her last solo effort (and likely her work with Sault). But, as she revealed, God had other plans or jokes, as she called them, for her music journey. It’s satisfying to know that she followed his destiny and not her own. โ€” Antwane 

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


8. Durand Jones & The Indications, Private Space

Durand Jones & The Indications Private Space
Dead Oceans

Durand Jones & The Indications invite you into their Private Space with jouncing bass, mewling strings, and welcome arms from the moment you press play. While this space may transport listeners back to the vintage spirit of the โ€˜70s, their genuine respect for the groups and bands that came before them gleams through on their third LP. Coagulating R&B, funk, disco, and soul into a fantastic voyage impacted by retro influences, the band manages to naturally produce an album that lies in a musical realm thatโ€™s equally exploratory as it is identifiable.

The opening track, โ€œLove Will Work It Out,โ€ is an inspiring opus that leads with a powerful statement reviewing the current affairs around us. The cinematic aura of the title track adds a melancholy juxtaposition to the albumโ€™s predominantly lively character, while the sensually soothing nature of โ€œMore Than Everโ€ and the dance-induced piece โ€œThe Way That I Doโ€ assist in healthily rounding out the numerous moods of the album. Private Space harps on companionship, unity, and love, necessary ingredients theyโ€™re confident will help ease the world from the seclusion many have been dealing with and into a union many are hoping to build. โ€” Danielle

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


7. Silk Sonic, An Evening With Silk Sonic

An Evening With Silk Sonic
Aftermath Entertainment/Atlantic Records

Silk Sonic, the duo composed of Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars, wants everyone to have a good time, especially with the current state of the world. Their debut album, An Evening With Silk Sonic, is a nod to โ€˜70s funk and soul, an era that inspired them both. It’s somewhat of a concept album arranged like an intimate live show. The legendary Bootsy Collins acts as master of ceremonies and makes multiple appearances throughout the set.

In essence, An Evening With Silk Sonic leans heavily into themes that bring joy. The Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper โ€œLeave The Door Openโ€ and the lush โ€œAfter Last Night,โ€ which takes a page from Collinsโ€™ โ€œIโ€™d Rather Be With You,โ€ were clearly made for the bedroom. โ€œFly As Me,โ€ and โ€œ777โ€ are glistening funk numbers that are bound to get you to the nearest dancefloor. The lights grow dim for โ€œPut On A Smile,โ€ a sad love song co-written by Babyface. Here, they get honest about the searing pain of a breakup. โ€” Keithan

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


6. Dixson, DARLING

Dixson Darling
Roc Nation Records

Atlanta phenom Dixson has been turning heads with his gracefully eccentric, genre-bending production style for years now, working with the likes of Beyoncรฉ, Chance the Rapper, and others. So itโ€™s no surprise his sophomore effort, DARLING, has been deemed a fan-favorite R&B project of 2021. With effortless nodes of funk, gospel, and classic influences, the EP is a seven-track love letter to women featuring dedicated pages of support and admiration. Dixson best showcases this on the opening title track, a drum-heavy inspiration node where he sings, โ€œSo keep your head to the sky, sugar / you can do whatever you want / you already won my heart, lilโ€™ darling.โ€ The message also spreads to โ€œKREAM,โ€ where the lauded producer praises womenโ€™s sexuality in a tribute to the Wu-Tang song โ€œC.R.E.A.M.โ€ Now standing at the height of his career thus, thereโ€™s no telling where Dixson will take us next. โ€” Anders

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


5. H.E.R., Back of My Mind

H.E.R. Back Of My Mind
MBK Entertainment/RCA Records

When H.E.R. first surfaced in 2016 with H.E.R., Vol. 1, there was practically no information available about her identity. Instead of selling a personality to gain fans, she intentionally made it all about her music. Itโ€™s why she didnโ€™t show her face on her first two EPs, which were repackaged as a compilation project. The journey to her debut album, Back of My Mind, was slow and steady, yet very impressive. She gained 13 Grammy nominations (and won 4 of them), launched her own R&B festival in partnership with Live Nation, earned multiple RIAA certifications, performed at the Super Bowl, performed on Saturday Night Live (SNL), scored her first Oscar win and the list goes on. 

On Back of My Mind, H.E.R. unpacks her innermost thoughts across 21 tracks. Opening with โ€œWe Made It,โ€ the Vallejo, California, native makes a toast to her accomplishments thus far in her career. The lively instrumentation makes it a top contender for a new-age stadium anthem. From there, H.E.R. dives deeper into her personal experiences, mostly unraveling the complexities of her love life.

On โ€œDamage,โ€ the albumโ€™s standout that samples Herb Alpertโ€™s โ€œMaking Love In The Rain,โ€ H.E.R. pleads for her lover to handle her fragile heart with care. The Lauryn Hill-influenced โ€œCheat Codeโ€ and acoustic-driven โ€œMean Itโ€ find H.E.R. trying to process her unfaithful partner. She comes to terms with a lost love on โ€œFor Anyoneโ€ and โ€œHold On,โ€ and reaches her breaking point on โ€œExhausted.โ€ She takes accountability for her ways and asks for grace on โ€œHard To Loveโ€ as she sorts out her personal baggage.

Itโ€™s clear that H.E.R. doesnโ€™t want to be boxed in as an artist. โ€œFind A Way,โ€ a melodic rap bop featuring Lil Baby, is a testament to staying focused on her career despite what haters may say. Meanwhile, โ€œBloody Watersโ€ is a socially conscious anthem that sounds like it was recorded at Motownโ€™s Hitsville U.S.A in the early โ€˜70s. Though some may frown at the albumโ€™s length, you canโ€™t rush art. At its core, Back of My Mind is a conscientiously crafted album that finds H.E.R. sorting through her range of emotions. Itโ€™s easily one of the most dynamic debut projects of the year. โ€” Keithan

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal  


4. Leon Bridges, Gold-Diggers Sound

Leon Bridges Gold-Diggers Sound album cover
Columbia Records

Leon Bridges mastered the art of soulful renaissance fare on his first two albums, swooning listeners with his archetypal sound and heartfelt lyricism. On his latest album, Gold-Diggers Sound, the Grammy winner broadens his reach with hints of trap, jazz and moody alternative R&B. With the help of frequent collaborator and go-to producer Ricky Reed, the two fabricate a world where old and new sounds collide. Tracks like โ€œSteamโ€ and โ€œDonโ€™t Worryโ€ featuring Ink provide an Afro-Americana sound that Bridges is known for over progressive breakbeats.

Still, Bridgeโ€™s emotional stamina cuts like a knife through the mix of decade-spanning sounds. Itโ€™s prevalent on cuts like the overtly anguishing โ€œWhy Donโ€™t You Touch Meโ€ or on the Terrace Martin-assisted โ€œSweeter,โ€ carrying the borderline-spiritual essence of early Bridges tracks like the platinum โ€œRiver.โ€ On the haunting โ€œBlue Mesas,โ€ Bridges is transparent about his deepest fears of being a figure in the music industry over a spectral cello harmony, making for some of his most intimate work to date. The singer-songwriterโ€™s end result is a record that feels emotionally still in time, maintaining the stature of the old world and reminding the new that love, pain, anger, and longing have not changed. โ€” Anders

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


3. Gallant, Neptune

Gallant Neptune cover
Gallant/EMPIRE

Think of Gallant as a planet โ€” Neptune, that is. His lyrics are, in many cases, as bleak and cheerless as its blue exterior. His voice, satiny and agile, occupies orbit farthest in the stratosphere. The production choices on this brief set are brilliantly chilling, playing to the frigid strength of the icy sphere. Based on past accident-prone songs such as โ€œSharpest Edgesโ€ and โ€œShotgun,โ€ Gallant deserves credit for his remarkable healing factor.

Gallant suffers more noticeable โ€œScarsโ€ on this Stint production of feathery Miami bass and elusive violin strings. His fresh scrapes come from the naive, unsuspecting signs of his woman turning the corner on their love for someone new. Gallant pours himself into relieving โ€œJulie,โ€ a now nomadic lover who is still affected by the hurt he caused. The most exciting aspect of this seducing jam is its retro-styling production, stirring the tenorโ€™s cries in Black and psychedelic soul.

The opening track, โ€œComeback,โ€ is made plain that itโ€™s a strong idolization for Usher and his prime albums of the 2000s, as Gallant petitions for the return of a distant partner beneath an urban beat of floating guitar lines and programmed drums. Compared to the EPโ€™s beginning, โ€œRelapse,โ€ the end track consists of slower, moodier vocals and melancholic production and lyrics tied to a loverโ€™s weakness for misgivings that result in unnecessary conflicts and resentment. Challenging himself to collaborate more, Gallant leaned on Brandy, Arin Ray, and VanJess to step in as valuable co-headliners.

Most superior of all is the perilous tale of fame and love, โ€œDynamite,โ€ which involves supportive sonorous notes from The Vocal Bible. โ€œChemical Romance,โ€ a compound of chest-beating percussion, and his thoughtful falsetto attest to his prowess in writing an exquisite modern R&B song that resonates with listeners unfazed by romantic clichรฉs.

Unlike some of his contemporaries, Gallant has refuted the idea of repackaging such a seamless piece of art for a new wave of streams. Neptune is worth repeated listens just the way it is; short and sweet. โ€” Antwane

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


2. The Shindellas, Hits That Stick Like Grits

The Shindellas Hits That Stick Like Grits
Weirdo Workshop LLC

One popular topic in music discussions is the lack of groups in todayโ€™s climate. Nashville-based trio The Shindellas โ€” Kasi, Stacy and Tam โ€” are here to serve fans who are starving for a resurgence. Their delicious debut album, Hits That Stick Like Grits, is slow-cooked to perfection. There arenโ€™t too many cooks in the kitchen. Hitmakers Chuck Harmony and Claude Kelly, together known as Louis York, are the sole co-writers and co-producers on this set. The 60-minute LP, which is about the same time it takes to properly make stone-ground grits, is filled with tunes that nourish the soul.

The gospel adjacent โ€œMoneyโ€ is met with a commanding organ peppered with thunderous tambourine strikes and spirited handclaps. Here, they shield themselves from avaricious people who put the almighty dollar above all. โ€œEveryone’s out for the green / When love is all that we need,โ€ they sing on the bridge. โ€œFear Has No Placeโ€ is a confidence-boosting mantra to shake off self-doubts and stand in your truth. Empowerment is the connective tissue of this album.

The angelic โ€œLullabyโ€ and tear-jerking โ€œPostersโ€ are beautiful reminders to love every fiber of yourself, while โ€œHappy to See Youโ€ prompts you to look within to find happiness. They make room to explore relationships, too. Songs like โ€œVolcano Loveโ€ and โ€œParadiseโ€ bask in loveโ€™s sweetness, while โ€œFeeling the Painโ€ and โ€œWhen Youโ€™re Lonelyโ€ are more confrontational. If youโ€™re looking for a no-fillers album loaded with powerhouse vocals, impeccable production and meaningful lyrics, then press play on Hits That Stick Like Grits. โ€” Keithan

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


1. Jazmine Sullivan, Heaux Tales

Jazmine Sullivan Heaux Tales EP cover
RCA Records

Jazmine Sullivan never hesitated to be an authentic voice to empower Black women, even at the baneful expense of her troubled confessions. Despite all of the inward cleansing that may come with presenting truth through art, Sullivan decided to hold back from writing from a first-person perspective on Heaux Tales. Instead, she transferred the storytelling power to other Black women within her village. Presented as a project, Heaux Tales is remarkably cohesive, given the five tales, as she calls them, offer immediate context for the surrounding tracks.

Specifically, โ€œAntoinetteโ€™s Tale,โ€ commentary on self-absorbed manhood fixated by womenโ€™s personal sexual power, is triggered by โ€œBodies (Intro),โ€ a negligent episode that involves its reckless protagonist waking up from another sauced night of random sex and multiple drinks. Led by โ€œRashidaโ€™s Tale,โ€ the fourth pause and a play-by-play of reversed infidelity, โ€œLost One,โ€ the projectโ€™s lead-off, evens the score with unfaithfulness, causing its engineer of pain to be closely felt through the tear-strained vocals of Sullivan clothed in a dry guitar and parched piano notes. The projectโ€™s runaway hit, โ€œPick Up Your Feelings,โ€ checked many success boxes for Sullivan, including her first leaders on R&B radio and Billboard charts and second gold-certified single of her career. It also stamped Sullivanโ€™s inaugural adoption of shopped tracks, respectively, from in-demand female duo Nova Wav. 

Plucking from the well-watered garden of women in R&B today, Ari Lennox and H.E.R. make a guest appearance Heaux Tales, starring on the tracks โ€œOn Itโ€ and โ€œGirl Like Me.โ€ Lennox and Sullivan share an interest in well-endowed Black kings, laying out how they expect these men to keep them wringing wet. Mischiefs infect Sullivanโ€™s and H.E.R.โ€™s innocent minds on their duet bedded in bass and guitar lines, inadvertently pointing them in a promiscuous direction, one groomed in self-disdain and desolation.

Living through this pandemic recession has caused many to rethink how to obtain better financial security for themselves, especially since employment may or may not be an option. In โ€œThe Other Side,โ€ an easy street of acrobatic riffs and euphonious runs, Sullivan envisions executing lifelong ambitions and all-around good living through the investments of a generous man. With each project, Sullivan brings herself back to the fore and establishes new connections based on timely and unpleasant subjects she and so many people, particularly Black women, identify with and confront on an everyday basis. Heaux Tales is no different, if not better. โ€” Antwane

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


Honorable Mention: Alicia Keys, KEYS

KEYS album Alicia Keys
RCA Records

โ€œIt is an invitation for all of us to show up to ourselves and not hold back any part of ourselves,โ€ Alicia Keys told Rated R&B about her irresistible eighth album, KEYS, which released on Dec. 10. KEYS is packaged as a double-disc album: Originals and Unlocked. The Originals side leans heavily on the 15x Grammy winnerโ€™s signature sound. The compositions are stripped-down and piano-focused. The melancholic jazz number โ€œIs It Insane (Originals)โ€ takes a page from her Diary era. โ€œDead End Road,โ€ doused in soul and gospel elements, provides hope to anyone going through hardship. โ€œWhen you’re living right, but it’s going wrong / We’ll try / Try to make it,โ€ she sings. The delicate โ€œDaffodilsโ€ sends another beautiful message of optimism.

The Unlocked side, co-produced by Mike WiLL Made-It, transports songs from the Originals into another dimension. Most of the tracks from the Originals are sampled, proving that Keys can make music that exists in multiple soundscapes. The Khalid and Lucky Daye-assisted โ€œCome For Meโ€ is one of the highlights of Unlocked. Listening to KEYS is like experiencing the best of both worlds. โ€” Keithan

Listen: Apple Music | Spotify | Tidal


Now that you’ve checked out the Best R&B Albums of 2021, revisit the Best R&B Albums of 2020, the Best R&B Albums of 2019, the Best R&B Albums of 2018, and the Best R&B Albums of 2010s Decade.

Tags: Anderson PaakBest R&B AlbumsBruno MarsCleo SolDIXSONDurand Jones and The IndicationsGallantH.E.R.Jazmine SullivanJimmy JamJoJoLeon BridgesLucky DayenorellePhaboSilk SonicSummer WalkerTerry LewisThe ShindellasTinasheVanJess
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