The top five albums of 2021 so far

By: Norma Sorto, Contributing Writer

Views expressed in opinion columns are the author’s own.

Last year, many artists released their music despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The music industry had a bit of a rough patch regarding the cancellation of concerts, however, artists were able to adapt to the unavoidable situation and provide the best content for their fans. 

With a couple of months of the new year under our belt, here is a list of my top five albums to stream in 2021: 

1.“Heaux Tales” – Jazmine Sullivan. The first album on the list is “Heaux Tales” by Jazmine Sullivan, a singer and songwriter from Philadelphia. Her fourth studio album, “Heaux Tales,” came out on Jan 8. Sullivan started the new year by speaking the truth about love and relationships. The entire album is about women’s empowerment. Sullivan wants every woman to unite and be confident with themselves. Throughout the album, Sullivan includes interludes in between songs about women’s experiences with their relationships. 

2. “Little Oblivions” – Julien Baker. The second album on the list is “Little Oblivions” by Julien Baker. This marks her third studio album, and it came out on Feb. 26, and it is the first rock album that Baker has released. The talented musician from Memphis, Tennessee, sings about her love, heartbreak and mental health experience. Her album is a recollection of her past experiences.    

3. “Lost in America” – Lo Village. To add something new to your playlist, “Lost in America” by Lo Village is the perfect album. The album came out on Jan. 22, including five tracks. The hip-hop trio group from Maryland uses their musical platform to talk about the experiences of being Black in the United States. Their song “Out the Window” talks about the Black Lives Movement’s protest last summer. 

“I seen something in you /It’s all out the window I been low, /but I don’t live vengeful I’m a soldier,/ I remain ten toes All alone,/ where did all my friends go,” the lyrics read. 

4. “AM : PM” – Stephanie Poetri. You have probably heard the song “I Love You 3000” by Stephanie Poetri. The song was a viral hit back in 2019. The inspiration behind the song was from the famous movie “Avengers: Endgame.” Poetri is a 20-year-old singer from Indonesia. She is currently signed under 88rising, home to Rich Brian and Joji. Poetri is set to release her debut EP on March 12, which includes six tracks. 

5. “R” – Rosé. The most anticipated debut album is “R” by Rosé from Blackpink. If you are not familiar with the K-pop group, Blackpink is among the most popular girl groups of the century. They released their debut album “THE ALBUM” last year, which received many good reviews. Rosé is the third member of Blackpink to debut as a soloist. Her solo debut album is set to be released on March 12 alongside a music video for her single track “On the Ground.”

Assistant Editor