2021 in American music

See also: Timeline of musical events

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

The following is a list of events and releases that happened in 2021 in music in the United States.

List of years in American music
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Notable events

January

• 8 – Olivia Rodrigo released her debut single, "Drivers License", which was met with critical acclaim and went on to break several records.
• 29 – Lia Ices released her first album in four years, Family Album.

February

• 5 – Foo Fighters released their first album in nearly four years, Medicine at Midnight.
• 7 – Eric Church and Jazmine Sullivan performed the national anthem, H.E.R. performed "America The Beautiful", and The Weeknd performed the halftime show during Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
• 12 – Jillette Johnson released her first album in four years, It's A Beautiful Day And I Love You.
  • Robin Thicke released his first album in seven years, On Earth, and in Heaven.
  • Taylor Swift released a re-recorded version of her 2008 single "Love Story", entitled "Love Story (Taylor's Version)". It is the lead single off Fearless (Taylor's Version), a re-recorded version of her second studio album.
• 26 – Julien Baker released her first album in four years, Little Oblivions.
  • NOFX released their first album in five years, Single Album.

March

• 5 – Tigers Jaw released their first album in four years, I Won't Care How You Remember Me.
  • A Day to Remember released their first album in nearly five years, You're Welcome. It was also the final album featuring founding bassist Josh Woodard before he departed from the band in October 2021.
  • Chevelle released their first album in five years, Niratias. It was also their first album released as a duo following the departure of longtime bassist Dean Bernardini at the end of 2019.
  • Kings of Leon released their first album in nearly five years, When You See Yourself.
  • The Spill Canvas released their first album in nine years, Conduit.
• 12 – Rob Zombie released his first album in five years, The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy.
  • Nick Jonas released his first solo album in nearly five years, Spaceman.
  • Eyehategod released their first album in seven years, A History of Nomadic Behavior.
• 14 – The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The Awards were originally scheduled for January 31, at the Staples Center but were pushed back due to escalating COVID-19 cases and health concerns in Los Angeles County. Beyoncé won the most awards with four. Billie Eilish won her second consecutive Record of the Year award for "Everything I Wanted", while Taylor Swift won her third Album of the Year award for Folklore.
• 19 – KSHMR released his debut album Harmonica Andromeda.
  • Justin Bieber released his sixth album, Justice. It was Bieber's first album in over a year.
• 26 – Evanescence released their first album of all-original material in ten years, and first overall in four years, The Bitter Truth.
  • Tomahawk released their first album in eight years, Tonic Immobility.
  • The Juliana Theory released their first album in 16 years, A Dream Away.
  • Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) and Richie Kotzen (The Winery Dogs) released their self titled debut album, Smith/Kotzen.

April

• 2 – Demi Lovato released her first album in nearly four years, Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over.
• 9 – Taylor Swift released Fearless (Taylor's Version), a re-recorded version of her 2008 album of the same name. Swift had announced her intention to re-record her first six studio albums after her master recordings were sold to Scooter Braun. The album became the first ever re-recorded album to top the US Billboard 200 chart.
  • Rapper DMX died at the age of 50, one week after suffering a heart attack from a drug overdose.
• 16 – Cannibal Corpse released their first album in four years, Violence Unimagined.
  • Liquid Tension Experiment released their first album in 22 years, Liquid Tension Experiment 3.
  • The Offspring released their first album in nearly nine years, Let the Bad Times Roll. It is also their first album without original bassist Greg K., who was fired from the band in 2018, and their last album with drummer Pete Parada who was ejected from the band in August 2021.
• 18 – The 56th Academy of Country Music Awards took place at various locations in Nashville.
• 23 – Porter Robinson released his sophomore album, and also his first in seven years, Nurture.
  • Dinosaur Jr. released their first album in five years, Sweep It Into Space.
• 30 – Flotsam and Jetsam was scheduled to begin their Demolition of North America tour at the Club Red in Tempe, Arizona; this tour had previously been postponed from 2020 to this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but was later put on hold until further notice. A new album, Blood in the Water, previously expected to coincide with the tour, was released on June 4.
  • Manchester Orchestra released their first album in four years, The Million Masks of God.
  • Dropkick Murphys released their first album in four years, Turn Up That Dial.
  • Shelley, formerly DRAM, released his first album in nearly five years, Shelley FKA DRAM.

May

• 7 – Travis Tritt released his first album in fourteen years, Set in Stone.
• 14 – Alan Jackson released his first album in six years, Where Have You Gone.
  • St. Vincent released her first album in nearly four years, Daddy's Home.
• 21 – Blake Shelton released his first album in nearly four years, Body Language.
  • Olivia Rodrigo's debut album, Sour, was released to critical acclaim and commercial success.
  • Counting Crows released their first new music in seven years, Butter Miracle, Suite One, a four-song EP that plays as a suite.
• 23 – The Billboard Music Awards took place in Los Angeles.
  • Chayce Beckham won the nineteenth season of American Idol. Willie Spence was named runner-up.
• 24 – Megadeth parted ways with its co-founder, bassist David Ellefson, following accusations of sexual misconduct on his part. Ellefson denied the allegations as false and is currently pursuing charges and a defamation lawsuit against the accuser. The woman involved also made a statement denying the allegations.
• 25 – Cam Anthony won the twentieth season of The Voice. Kenzie Wheeler was named runner-up. Jordan Matthew Young, Rachel Mac, and Victor Solomon finished third, fourth, and fifth place respectively.
• 28 – DMX's first album in nine years (and also his final album), Exodus, was released following his death in April.

June

• 4 – Rise Against released their first album in four years, Nowhere Generation.
  • – Atreyu released Baptize, their first album without co-frontman Alex Varkatzas (who left in 2020), and also with Brandon Saller moving away from the drums to focus only on vocals.
  • – Lloyd Banks released his first album in 11 years, The Course of the Inevitable.
  • – Liz Phair released her first album in 11 years, Soberish.
• 9 — The CMT Music Awards took place in Nashville. Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini hosts.
• 11 – AFI released their first album in four years, Bodies.
  • – Azure Ray released their first album in 11 years, Remedy.
  • – Garbage released their first album in five years, No Gods No Masters.
  • – Maroon 5 released their first album in nearly four years, Jordi.
• 18 – Fear Factory released their first album in six years, Aggression Continuum. It is their first studio album released following former vocalist Burton C. Bell's departure from the previous year, though his vocals from the album's 2017 sessions are still present.
• 25 – Gary Allan released his first album in eight years, Ruthless.
  • Modest Mouse released their first album in six years, The Golden Casket.

July

• 9 – The Wallflowers released their first album in nine years, Exit Wounds.
• 16 – Caveman released their first album in five years, Smash.
  • – John Mayer released his first album in four years, Sob Rock.
• 23 – Descendents released their first album in five years, 9th & Walnut.
  • - Dave Matthews Band embarked on their 2021 Summer Tour, playing the first show in Raleigh, NC.
• 24 - Green Day, Fall Out Boy, and Weezer kicked off the Hella Mega Tour, which had been postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 30 – Jack Antonoff's project Bleachers released its first album in four years, Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night.
  • – Isaiah Rashad released his first album in five years, The House Is Burning.
  • – Billie Eilish released her sophomore album, Happier Than Ever. It was Eilish's first album in two years.

August

• 6 – Willy Mason released his first album in eight years, Already Dead.
  • Billy Currington released his first album in six years, Intuition.
• 13 – Quicksand released their first album in four years, Distant Populations.
• 18 – Kiss resumed their End of the Road World Tour at Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts, following 17 months of postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 20 – Connie Smith released her first album in ten years, The Cry of The Heart.
  • James McMurtry released his first album in six years, The Horses and the Hounds.
• 27 – OneRepublic released their first album in nearly five years, Human.

September

• 3 – Molly Lewis released her first album in six years, The Forgotten Edge.
• 10 – Sleigh Bells released their first album in five years, Texis.
• 12 – The 2021 MTV Video Music Awards took place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
• 17 – Candlebox released their first album in five years, Wolves.
• 17 – ZillaKami released his debut album, DOG BOY.
• 24 – Angels & Airwaves released their first album in seven years, Lifeforms.

October

• 12 – Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell announced his retirement from the band to focus on his health following an erratic performance at the Big Sip festival in Bethel, New York.
• 15 – Kelly Clarkson released her second Christmas album, and also first in nearly four years, When Christmas Comes Around....
  • Gemini Syndrome released their first album in five years, 3rd Degree - The Raising.
• 19 – The 52nd GMA Dove Awards were held at the Allen Arena located in Nashville, Tennessee. Steven Furtick led the non-artist nominations with ten nominations, whilst Elevation Worship and Brandon Lake led the artist nominations with seven each.
• 22 – Fuel released their first album in seven years, Anomaly. It is their first and only album to feature lead singer John Corsale, following the second departure of original lead singer Brett Scallions. Co-founding member Carl Bell made his return on this album for the first time since 2007's Angels & Devils, and drummer Kevin Miller appeared for the first time since 2003's Natural Selection.
  • Every Time I Die released their first album in five years, Radical.
  • Together Pangea released their first album in eleven years, Dye.
• 29 – Mastodon released their first album in four years, Hushed and Grim.
  • The War on Drugs released their first album in four years, I Don't Live Here Anymore.
  • Tori Amos released her first album in four years, Ocean to Ocean.
  • Jerry Cantrell released his first solo album in 19 years, Brighten.
• 31 – Limp Bizkit released their first album in ten years, Still Sucks.

November

• 10 - The Country Music Association Awards took place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville; Luke Bryan hosts.
• 12 – Taylor Swift released her second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version), a freshly recorded issue of her 2012 studio album, Red.
  • Silk Sonic, consisting of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, released their debut album, An Evening with Silk Sonic. It was Mars' first album in five years.
  • Walk the Moon released their first album in four years, Heights. It was their first album recorded as a trio after the band parted ways with bassist Kevin Ray in 2020.
• 19 – Exodus released their first studio album in seven years, Persona Non Grata.
  • Converge and Chelsea Wolfe released their collaborative album, Bloodmoon: I. It was Converge's first album in four years.
• 21 – The American Music Awards took place at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. BTS, Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion took home the most awards with three each.
• 26 – Marvin Peterson reissued his live album, In Concert.
  • Cynic released their first album in seven years, Ascension Codes. It was their first release since the 2020 deaths of bassist Sean Malone and former founding drummer Sean Reinert.

December

• 10 – Marie Osmond released her first album in five years, Unexpected.
• 14 – Girl Named Tom won the twenty-first season of The Voice. Wendy Moten was named runner-up. Paris Winningham, Hailey Mia, and Jershika Maple finished third, fourth, and fifth place respectively.
• 17 – John Dwyer released his first album in fifteen years, Gong Splat
• 31 – Mourning Noise released their compilation album Mourning Noise

Bands formed

• Silk Sonic

Bands reformed

• 7 Seconds
• Big Time Rush
• The Bravery
• Crossbreed
• Element Eighty
• Mudvayne
• New Radicals
• Straylight Run
• The Summer Set
• The Walters

Bands disbanded

• Beach Slang
• Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan
• Fat Boys
• Hollywood Monsters
• Rascal Flatts
• Return to Forever

Albums released in 2021

January

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
1	Distant	Bun B & Le$	Hip hop
	J.T.	Steve Earle	Country heartland rock
	No Harm Done	Josephine Foster	Folk Americana
	Circuit Boredom	Ben Kweller	Indie rock
	Your Parents Are Sellouts	That Handsome Devil	Alternative rock rock
8	Greatest Hits	Corrin Campbell	Rock alternative rock
	Heaux Tales (EP)	Jazmine Sullivan	Hip hop R&B
	American Soul	Aaron Watson	Country
15	AAR at the Movies (EP)	The All-American Rejects	Alternative rock
	Fillmore West 1-31-71	Allman Brothers Band	Southern rock rock
	Magic Mirror	Pearl Charles	Indie rock folk rock
	Catspaw	Matthew Sweet	Rock indie pop
22	Sam Amidon	Sam Amidon	Folk
	Melatonin Dreams	BoyWithUke	Alternative rock
	Livin For Love	Bill Champlin	Pop rock
	Paranoia EP	Maggie Lindemann	Indie pop pop
29	Dead Hand Control	Baio	Indie rock indie pop
	I've Seen All I Need To See	The Body	Doom metal noise
	Family Album	Lia Ices	Alternative rock indie pop
	OK Human	Weezer	Rock

February

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
5	Medicine at Midnight	Foo Fighters	Alternative rock hard rock dance-rock
	The Light Below	Walking Papers	Hard rock blues
	Flowers for Vases / Descansos	Hayley Williams	Folk
12	Life Rolls On	Florida Georgia Line	Country country pop
	I Only Want to Live Once	John the Ghost	Rock
	It's A Beautiful Day And I Love You	Jillette Johnson	Indie pop pop
	Internet Killed the Rockstar	Mod Sun	Pop punk pop rock
	The Lucky Ones	Pentatonix	Pop a cappella
	Death by Rock and Roll	The Pretty Reckless	Hard rock alternative rock
	On Earth, and in Heaven	Robin Thicke	R&B
19	The Sophtware Slump	Grandaddy	Indie rock space rock
	Open Door Policy	The Hold Steady	Indie rock post-punk revival
	Trauma Factory	Nothing, Nowhere	Pop punk emo rap
	A Billion Little Lights	Wild Pink	Indie rock heartland rock
26	Little Oblivious	Julien Baker	Indie folk indie rock alternative rock
	Life Support	Madison Beer	Pop R&B
	The Shadow I Remember	Cloud Nothings	Indie rock garage rock
	Dark River	Lydia Luce	Classical folk
	Single Album	NOFX	Punk rock skate punk

March

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
5	Niratias	Chevelle	Alternative metal hard rock
	You're Welcome	A Day to Remember	Metalcore pop punk
	When You See Yourself	Kings of Leon	Alternative rock
	Conduit	The Spill Canvas	Alternative rock emo
	I Won't Care How You Remember Me	Tigers Jaw	Rock pop
12	-!-	Dead Poet Society	Rock indie rock
	A History of Nomadic Behavior	Eyehategod	Sludge metal
	This is This	Grouplove	Indie pop alternative rock
	Spaceman	Nick Jonas	Pop
	Topaz	Israel Nash	Rock indie rock
	The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy	Rob Zombie	Heavy metal industrial metal
19	No Other Godz Before Me	Agent Steel	Hard rock heavy metal
	Greatest Hits Vol 2 (Reissue)	Papa Roach	Hard rock heavy metal
26	El Dorado	24kGoldn	Alternative rock pop rock hip hop
	OK Orchestra	AJR	Indie pop alternative rock
	The Bitter Truth	Evanescence	Hard rock
	A Dream Away	The Juliana Theory	Alternative rock emo
	Tonic Immobility	Tomahawk	Alternative rock
	sketchy.	Tune-Yards	Indie pop art pop indie rock
	My Savior	Carrie Underwood	Gospel

April

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
2	Gary Bartz JID 006	Gary Bartz	Jazz funk
	Midlife Priceless	Mark Bryan	Rock pop
	Head of Roses	Flock of Dimes	Indie pop indie rock
	Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over	Demi Lovato	Pop
	Return of the Dragon	Sacred Oath	Hard rock heavy metal
9	Greatest Hits Live	Ace Frehley	Hard rock heavy metal
	Trophies	Apollo Brown	Alternative hip hop underground hip hop
	Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine	Brockhampton	Hip hop pop rap
	Fearless (Taylor's Version) (Re-recording)	Taylor Swift	Country pop
16	Violence Unimagined	Cannibal Corpse	Death metal
	Chemical Warfare	Escape the Fate	Post-hardcore hard rock metalcore
	The Battle at Garden's Gate	Greta Van Fleet	Hard rock blues rock
	Let the Bad Times Roll	The Offspring	Punk rock
	Liquid Tension Experiment 3	Liquid Tension Experiment	Progressive metal
	High Dive	SHAED	Pop indie pop
	Max Maco is Dead Right?	Two Feet	Electronic alternative rock
23	Into The Future (Reissue)	Bad Brains	Hard rock rock
	Heart & Soul	Eric Church	Country
	Sweep It Into Space	Dinosaur Jr.	Alternative rock indie rock
	Nurture	Porter Robinson	Electronic synth-pop
	The Rise & Fall of Loverboy	Sir Sly	Indie pop alternative rock
30	Love & Rage	Carsie Blanton	Folk jazz
	Turn Up That Dial	Dropkick Murphys	Celtic punk
	The Million Masks of God	Manchester Orchestra	Indie rock alternative rock
	Shelley FKA DRAM	Shelley	R&B hip hop
	There Used To Be Horses Here	Amy Speace	Americana folk

May

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
7	Ashlyn	Ashe	Indie pop alternative rock
	When God Was Great	The Mighty Mighty Bosstones	Ska punk punk rock
	Better Mistakes	Bebe Rexha	pop dance-pop
	Set In Stone	Travis Tritt	Country
	Van Weezer	Weezer	Alternative rock rock hard rock
	Sincerely, Kentrell	Youngboy Never Broke Again	Hip hop
14	Delta Kream	The Black Keys	Rock blues rock
	Blood	Juliana Hatfield	Rock pop
	Where Have You Gone	Alan Jackson	Country
	The Ides Of March	Myles Kennedy	Hard rock heavy metal
	Road To The Sun	Pat Metheny	Jazz pop
	Daddy's Home	St. Vincent	Indie pop rock indie rock
20	TV	Tai Verdes	Roots rock pop rock
21	Butter Miracle, Suite One (EP)	Counting Crows	Alternative rock
	Harmony House	Dayglow	Indie pop indie rock alternative rock
	January Flower	Mat Kearney	Folk soft rock
	Long Lost	Lord Huron	Baroque pop folk outlaw country
	Perfectly Preserved	Love and Death	Hard rock heavy metal
	Sour	Olivia Rodrigo	Pop indie pop pop-punk
	Body Language.	Blake Shelton	Country
	Scaled and Icy	Twenty One Pilots	Pop rock alternative rock
	Greatest Hits	Waterparks	Pop rock alternative rock
28	You Hear Georgia	Blackberry Smoke	Hard rock southern rock
	Based on a True Story (EP)	Brynn Cartelli	Pop
	Exodus	DMX	Hip hop
	Doom Loop (Reissue)	Mansions	Indie rock alternative rock
	The Waylon Sessions	Shannon McNally	Rock pop
	Reprise	Moby	Electronica techno
	The Iceberg	Oddisee	Hip hop

June

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
4	Baptize	Atreyu	Hard rock heavy metal
	The Course of the Inevitable	Lloyd Banks	Hip hop
	Fever Dreams	BoyWithUke	Alternative rock
	Book of My Blues	Mark Collie	Country
	Blood in the Water	Flotsam and Jetsam	Thrash metal
	Garbage Band Kids	Green Jellÿ	Comedy rock heavy metal punk rock alternative metal
	Soberish	Liz Phair	Alternative rock indie rock
	Nowhere Generation	Rise Against	Punk rock melodic hardcore
	Changephobia	Rostam	Electronic indie pop alternative rock
	Welcome To Sparks Nevada	Sun Kil Moon	Folk rock indie rock
11	Bodies	AFI	Alternative rock gothic rock new wave
	Fistful of Metal (Reissue)	Anthrax	Hard rock heavy metal
	Remedy	Azure Ray	Dream pop indie pop
	No Gods No Masters	Garbage	Alternative rock
	Jordi	Maroon 5	Pop
	Troubled Paradise	Slayyyter	Dance-pop pop
	Path of Wellness	Sleater-Kinney	Punk rock indie rock
18	The Summer House Sessions	Don Cherry	Big band pop
	Aggression Continuum	Fear Factory	Industrial metal groove metal
	Smoke and Mirrors	Steve Cole	Jazz pop
	Gentle Man	Rory Feek	Country pop
	Chering Is Caring	Cher Strauberry	Punk rock pop
25	Ruthless	Gary Allan	Country
	Below	Beartooth	Hard rock metal
	Planet Her	Doja Cat	Pop Hip hop R&B
	Grim Value (EP)	Eve 6	Pop punk alternative rock
	Boy for Michigan	John Grant	Folk indie rock
	Fake Ideas	Hurry	Indie pop indie rock
	Every Window is a Mirror (EP)	Joywave	Indie rock alternative rock
	What a Song Can Do (Chapter One)	Lady A	Country
	Roundtable	Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver	Bluegrass gospel
	The Golden Casket	Modest Mouse	Indie rock alternative rock
	Dark In Here	The Mountain Goats	Indie rock folk rock
	Death of a Cheerleader	Pom Pom Squad	Indie rock indie pop
	The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	Saint Motel	Indie pop alternative rock

July

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
2
	Tell Me About Tomorrow	Jxdn	Pop-punk emo rap
	Bushido	Mello Music Group	Hip hop jazz
	Freedom Over Everything	Vince Mendoza	Jazz pop
	Fist Full Of Devils	Earl Slick	Blues rock hard rock
9	Mythopoetics	Half Waif	Synth-pop electronic
	Kings of Crunk	Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz	Hip hop
	XOXO: From Love and Anxiety in Real Time	The Maine	Alternative rock pop rock
	Twin Shadow	Twin Shadow	New wave pop rock
	Exit Wounds	The Wallflowers	Alternative rock rock
16	Smash	Caveman	Indie rock
	Chicago at Carnegie Hall Complete	Chicago	Rock
	Sling	Clairo	Pop folk rock indie pop
	The Best of Dirty Heads	Dirty Heads	Alternative hip hop alternative rock
	Fallen Embers	Illenium	EDM melodic dubstep future bass
	Sob Rock	John Mayer	Pop soft rock
	Inner Feelings	Roy Porter	Jazz pop
	Good Morning America	Lawrence Rothman	Alternative rock art pop
	Hideaway	Wavves	Garage rock indie rock pop-punk
	Lately I Feel Everything	Willow	Pop-punk
17	Hail Satin	Dee Gees	Disco rock
23	Perpetual Burn	Jason Becker	Heavy metal rock
	Downhill From Everywhere	Jackson Browne	Rock pop music
	9th & Walnut	Descendents	Punk rock pop-punk
	Watch Over Me	Lissie	Country pop
	The Ghost and the Wall	Joshua Radin	Acoustic folk
30	Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night	Bleachers	Indie pop synth-pop new wave
	Traveler's Blues	Blues Traveler	Blues rock folk rock
	Happier Than Ever	Billie Eilish	Electropop dark pop
	ARETHA Box Set	Aretha Franklin	R&B soul pop
	Rise from the Ashes Live at the Shrine	The Ghost Inside	Hard rock metalcore
	Welcome 2 America	Prince	R&B soul
	The House Is Burning	Isaiah Rashad	Hip hop

August

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
3	Harmonizer	Ty Segall	Garage rock psychedelic rock indie rock
6	Mirror Mirror	Chick Corea	Jazz jazz fusion
	A Czar Is Born	Czarface	Hip hop alternative hip hop
	Fighting Words	Ellen Foley	Rock pop
	Already Dead	Willie Mason	Blues country
	Lavatorium	Sponge	Alternative rock
	Never Too Late to Call	Paul Thorn	Country blues southern rock
13	One in a Million (25th Anniversary Re-issue)	Aaliyah	Urban pop pop
	Blacktop Mojo	Blacktop Mojo	Post-grunge rock
	Live from the Ryman & More	Sheryl Crow	Rock pop
	United States vs. Billie Holiday	Andra Day	Jazz pop
	Ekundayo Inversions	El Michels Affair	Soul jazz
	Pressure Machine	The Killers	Folk rock
	Distant Populations	Quicksand	Post-hardcore alternative metal
	My Name Is Suzie Ungerleider	Suzie Ungerleider	Alternative country
	Pillows & Therapy	Weathers	Alternative rock indie rock
20	Colors II	Between the Buried and Me	Progressive metal technical death metal
	Infinite Granite	Deafheaven	Hard rock post-metal
	Maybe We Will Never Die	Anderson East	Roots rock blues rock
	The Body Remembers	Debbie Gibson	Pop dance-pop
	The Horses and the Hounds	James McMurtry	Alternative country roots rock Americana
	Have a Seat	Maggie Rose	Country pop
	The Cry of The Heart	Connie Smith	Country pop
27	Need	3OH!3	Pop trap hip hop crunkcore
	The Bronx VI	The Bronx	Punk rock garage rock
	Pure	Robben Ford	Blues jazz rock
	Umbra	Grayscale	Pop punk alternative rock
	If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power	Halsey	Alternative rock grunge-pop industrial
	Human	OneRepublic	Pop rock pop
	In a Roomful of Blood With a Sleeping Tiger	Bob Schneider	Rock pop country
	Annette	Sparks	Art pop synth-pop
	Glow On	Turnstile	Hardcore punk punk rock alternative rock

September

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
3	Mercury – Act 1	Imagine Dragons	Alternative rock pop rock
	The Forgotten Edge	Molly Lewis	Acoustic
	Amputechture (Reissue)	The Mars Volta	Progressive rock
	Last of the Better Days Ahead	Charlie Parr	Piedmont blues blues rock
	All the Brilliant Things	Skyzoo	Hip hop
10	God is Partying	Andrew W.K.	Hard rock heavy metal
	Live at Roadburn 2013 (live album)	Elder	Stoner rock doom metal
	No Way Out But Through	Face to Face	Punk rock rock
	The Rain Just Follows Me	Hawthorne Heights	Emo pop-punk post-hardcore
	Star–Crossed	Kacey Musgraves	Country country pop
	Thank You	Diana Ross	Pop soul R&B
	Texis	Sleigh Bells	Noise pop indie pop indie rock
	K Bay	Matthew E. White	Alternative rock indie rock
17	Lindsey Buckingham	Lindsey Buckingham	Rock pop
	Wolves	Candlebox	Hard rock alternative rock
	Dearly Beloved	Daughtry	Rock alternative rock hard rock
	Ain't It Tragic	Dead Sara	Rock hard rock
	One Way Out	Melissa Etheridge	Heartland rock roots rock
	1984	Neon Christ	Hardcore punk thrashcore
	29: Written in Stone	Carly Pearce	Country
	Swan Song	The Plot in You	Alternative rock post-hardcore
	DOG BOY	ZillaKami	Alternative rap Hip hop
	Montero	Lil Nas X	Hip hop
	Horizons/East	Thrice	Post-hardcore alternative rock
24	Lifeforms	Angels & Airwaves	Alternative rock space rock
	This is How the World Ends	Badflower	Hard rock rock
	New Age Norms 3	Cold War Kids	Alternative rock indie rock
	We Weren't Here	Film School	Indie rock
	Letting Go	Hayden Pedigo	Ambient avant-garde
	Forgiving It All	Christopher Paul Stelling	Folk rock
	Our Bande Apart	Third Eye Blind	Alternative rock
	Downtown Rockers (Reissue)	Tom Tom Club	New wave pop
	The Beautiful Liar	X Ambassadors	Alternative rock pop rock

October

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
1	Distant Fires	Heiress	Post-metal sludge metal hard rock
	Let Me Do One More	Illuminati Hotties	Indie pop
	Trying Not To Think About It	Jojo	R&B Pop
	Error Boy	Lil Lotus	Post-hardcore metalcore
	The Metallica Blacklist	Metallica	Hard rock heavy metal
	American Nights (Reissue)	Plain White T's	Alternative rock pop punk
	Manic	Wage War	Metalcore hard rock
8	WORD?	Atmosphere	Hip hop
	Amanita (Reissue)	Bardo Pond	Noise rock space rock
	A Very Darren Crissmas	Darren Criss	Christmas
	Open Mouth, Open Heart	Destroy Boys	Punk rock garage rock
	SuperBlue	Kurt Elling	Jazz pop
	Geist	Shannon Lay	Folk rock punk rock
	Mercurial World	Magdalena Bay	Synth-pop electropop indie pop
	Revived Remixed Revisited	Reba McEntire	Country
	Huffy	We Are Scientists	Indie rock alternative rock
	Illusory Walls	The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die	Post-rock progressive rock indie rock
15	Could It Get Better Than This	The 502s	Folk rock indie rock
	When Christmas Comes Around...	Kelly Clarkson	Christmas pop
	3rd Degree - The Raising	Gemini Syndrome	Alternative metal nu metal hard rock
	Orange Print	Larry June	Hip hop
	Flash (Reissue)	Moving Sidewalks	Blues rock rock
	Juno	Remi Wolf	Pop rock soul funk rock
	The Comeback	Zac Brown Band	Country
22	A Dream About Love (EP)	Circa Survive	Post-hardcore emo
	A View from the Top of the World	Dream Theater	Progressive metal
	Mr. Christmas	Brett Eldredge	Christmas country
	Radical	Every Time I Die	Metalcore hardcore punk
	Hayday	Feeble Little Horse	Indie rock
	Ånomåly	Fuel	Hard rock rock
	Far In	Helado Negro	Latin electronic
	My Morning Jacket	My Morning Jacket	Indie rock psychedelic rock
	The Good Fight	Oddisee	Hip hop
	Sympathy for Life	Parquet Courts	Indie rock garage rock post-punk
	Dye	Together Pangea	Indie rock alternative rock
	Civilian + Cut All The Wires 2009-11	Wye Oak	Indie pop dream pop
29	Ocean to Ocean	Tori Amos	Alternative rock chamber pop
	The Phantom Tomorrow	Black Veil Brides	Hard rock heavy metal
	Brighten	Jerry Cantrell	Rock
	Hushed and Grim	Mastodon	Heavy metal progressive metal
	Into the Mystery	Needtobreathe	Alternative rock southern rock
	Book	They Might Be Giants	Alternative rock indie rock
	I Don't Live Here Anymore	The War on Drugs	Indie rock heartland rock
	Kin	Whitechapel	Deathcore groove metal
31	Yum Yum Bedlam	Insane Clown Posse	Horrorcore rap rock
	Still Sucks	Limp Bizkit	Nu metal

November

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
5	Good for You	Houndmouth	Folk rock indie rock
	The Solution Is Restless	Joan As Police Woman	Rock pop
	So Many Me	Michael League	Pop jazz
	Queens of The Summer Hotel	Aimee Mann	Pop rock
	The Future	Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats	Rock soul roots rock
	Valentine	Snail Mail	Indie pop indie rock pop rock
	Mantis (Reissue)	Umphrey's McGee	Progressive rock rock
12	Macon	Jason Aldean	Country
	Bloodless	Claire Cronin	Folk pop
	Acoustic	Flipsyde	Hip hop alternative rock
	Keyboard Fantasies Reimagined	Beverly Glenn-Copeland	Jazz new age
	An Evening with Silk Sonic	Silk Sonic	R&B neo soul funk
	Red (Taylor's Version)	Taylor Swift	Country pop
	Sick Sesh	Teenage Bottlerocket	Pop-punk punk rock
	HEIGHTS	Walk the Moon	Alternative rock pop rock
19	Bloodmoon: I	Converge & Chelsea Wolfe	Metalcore hardcore punk gothic rock
	Marriage	Deap Vally	Alternative rock blues rock
	Walk Like Me	Robert DeLong	Electronic
	Persona Non Grata	Exodus	Thrash metal
	Everything Pale Blue	Annie Hart	Synth-pop pop
	What It Means to Fall Apart	Mayday Parade	Emo punk rock pop-punk
	Deciphering The Message	Makaya McCraven	Hip hop jazz
26	Doom Crew Inc.	Black Label Society	Hard rock heavy metal
	Ascension Codes	Cynic	Progressive rock progressive metal
	Arise Dan Sartain Arise	Dan Sartain	Punk rock rock and roll blues
	Live and Rare	Helmet	Alternative rock noise rock
	In Concert (Reissue)	Marvin Peterson	Free jazz pop

December

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
3	Wild Type Droid	Failure	Alternative rock post-grunge
	Against the World	Hanson	Pop rock power pop
	Glowing Lantern	The Mother Hips	Indie rock folk rock
	December's Here	New Found Glory	Punk rock pop-punk Christmas
	The Odd Tape (Reissue)	Oddisee	Hip hop
	Echo	Of Mice & Men	Metalcore
	Peace Meter	Marissa Paternoster	Indie rock punk rock
10	A Beautuiful Revolution Vol. 2	Common	Hip hop
	The BBC Sessions	Green Day	Punk rock alternative rock pop-punk
	Keys	Alicia Keys	R&B
	Moral Hygiene	Ministry	Industrial rock thrash metal
	Unexpected	Marie Osmond	Classical pop
17	Fear Streets Parts 1–3	Marco Beltrami	Classical
	Gong Splat	John Dwyer	Garage rock punk rock
	Big Moon	William Hooker	Jazz R&B
	Live Life Fast	Roddy Ricch	Hip hop
	At My Piano	Brian Wilson	Rock pop
24	NOIR (Reissue)	Blue Sky Black Death	Alternative hip hop trip hop
	Great Zeppelin (Reissue)	Great White	Hard rock Heavy metal
	And I Return To Nothingness	Lorna Shore	Deathcore heavy metal
	Magic	Nas	Hip hop
	Hitler Wears Hermes Eight	Westside Gunn	Hip hop
31	Pearl (Reissue)	Janis Joplin	Soul blues blues rock
	Wok World	Marty Baller & Hell Rell	Hip hop
	Mourning Noise	Mourning Noise	Hardcore punk horror punk
	Radiant Moon	Watchtower	Hard rock heavy metal
	Judas and the Black Messiah	Various Artists	Hip hop

Top songs on record

See also: List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 2021, List of Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles in 2021, and Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2021

Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Songs

• "All I Want for Christmas Is You" – Mariah Carey (2 weeks in 2019, 2 weeks in 2020, 2 weeks in 2021)
• "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" – Taylor Swift (1 week)
• "Butter" – BTS (10 weeks)
• "Drivers License" – Olivia Rodrigo (8 weeks)
• "Easy on Me" – Adele (7 weeks)
• "Good 4 U" – Olivia Rodrigo (1 week)
• "Industry Baby" – Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow (1 week)
• "Leave the Door Open" – Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak (2 weeks)
• "Mood" – 24kGoldn feat. Iann Dior (6 weeks in 2020, 2 weeks in 2021)
• "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" – Lil Nas X (1 week)
• "My Universe" – Coldplay and BTS (1 week)
• "Peaches" – Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon (1 week)
• "Permission to Dance" – BTS (1 week)
• "Rapstar" – Polo G (2 weeks)
• "Save Your Tears" – The Weeknd and Ariana Grande (2 weeks)
• "Stay" – The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber (7 weeks)
• "Up" – Cardi B (1 week)
• "Way 2 Sexy" – Drake feat. Future and Young Thug (1 week)
• "What's Next" – Drake (1 week)

Billboard Hot 100 Top 20 Hits

All songs that reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the year, complete with peak chart placement.

• "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" – Olivia Rodrigo (#19)
• "100 Mil'" – J. Cole and Bas (#14)
• "34+35" – Ariana Grande feat. Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion (#2)
• "7 Summers" – Morgan Wallen (#6 in 2020, #18 in 2021)
• "7AM on Bridle Path" – Drake (#16)
• "95 South" – J. Cole (#8)
• "A Holly Jolly Christmas" – Burl Ives (#4)
• "ABCDEFU" – Gayle (#15)
• "All I Want for Christmas Is You" – Mariah Carey (#1)
• "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" – Taylor Swift (#1)
• "Already Dead" – Juice Wrld (#20)
• "Am I the Only One" – Aaron Lewis (#14)
• "Amari" – J. Cole (#5)
• "Anyone" – Justin Bieber (#6)
• "Applying Pressure" – J. Cole (#13)
• "Astronaut in the Ocean" – Masked Wolf (#6)
• "Back in Blood" – Pooh Shiesty feat. Lil Durk (#13)
• "Bad Habits" – Ed Sheeran (#2)
• "Bang!" – AJR (#8)
• "Beat Box" – SpotemGottem feat. Pooh Shiesty or DaBaby (#12)
• "Beautiful Mistakes" – Maroon 5 feat. Megan Thee Stallion (#13)
• "Beggin'" – Måneskin (#13)
• "Best Friend" – Saweetie feat. Doja Cat (#14)
• "Better Together" – Luke Combs (#15)
• "Blinding Lights" – The Weeknd (#1 in 2020, #3 in 2021)
• "Body" – Megan Thee Stallion (#12 in 2020, #16 in 2021)
• "Brutal" – Olivia Rodrigo (#12)
• "Bubbly" – Young Thug, Drake and Travis Scott (#20)
• "Butter" – BTS (#1)
• "Calling My Phone" – Lil Tjay feat. 6lack (#3)
• "Champagne Poetry" – Drake (#4)
• "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" – Darlene Love (#17)
• "Cold Heart (Pnau remix)" – Elton John and Dua Lipa (#11)
• "Dakiti" – Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez (#5 in 2020, #17 in 2021)
• "Deja Vu" – Olivia Rodrigo (#3)
• "Drivers License" – Olivia Rodrigo (#1)
• "Dynamite" – BTS (#1 in 2020, #5 in 2021)
• "Easy on Me" – Adele (#1)
• "Enough for You" – Olivia Rodrigo (#14)
• "Escape Plan" – Travis Scott (#11)
• "Essence" – Wizkid feat. Tems and Justin Bieber (#9)
• "Every Chance I Get" – DJ Khaled feat. Lil Baby and Lil Durk (#20)
• "Fair Trade" – Drake feat. Travis Scott (#3)
• "Family Ties" – Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar (#18)
• "Fancy Like" – Walker Hayes (#3)
• "Favorite Crime" – Olivia Rodrigo (#16)
• "Feliz Navidad" – José Feliciano (#6)
• "For the Night" – Pop Smoke feat. Lil Baby and DaBaby (#6 in 2020, #11 in 2021)
• "Forever After All" – Luke Combs (#2 in 2020, #12 in 2021)
• "Girls Want Girls" – Drake feat. Lil Baby (#2)
• "Go Crazy" – Chris Brown and Young Thug (#3)
• "Good 4 U" – Olivia Rodrigo (#1)
• "Good Days" – SZA (#9)
• "Good Time" – Niko Moon (#20)
• "Happier" – Olivia Rodrigo (#15)
• "Happier Than Ever" – Billie Eilish (#11)
• "Happy Holiday / The Holiday Season" – Andy Williams (#18)
• "Hats Off" – Lil Baby, Lil Durk and Travis Scott (#16)
• "Having Our Way" – Migos feat. Drake (#15)
• "Heartbreak Anniversary" – Giveon (#16)
• "Heat Waves" – Glass Animals (#7)
• "Hold On" – Justin Bieber (#20)
• "Holy" – Justin Bieber feat. Chance the Rapper (#3 in 2020, #4 in 2021)
• "Hurricane" – Kanye West (#6)
• "I Drink Wine" – Adele (#18)
• "I Hate U" – SZA (#7)
• "I Hope" – Gabby Barrett feat. Charlie Puth (#3 in 2020, #8 in 2021)
• "If I Didn't Love You" – Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood (#15)
• "In the Bible" – Drake feat. Lil Durk and Giveon (#7)
• "Industry Baby" – Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow (#1)
• "Interlude" – J. Cole (#8)
• "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" – Michael Bublé (#20)
• "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" – Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra (#12 in 2020, #15 in 2021)
• "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" – Andy Williams (#5)
• "Jail" – Kanye West (#10)
• "Jingle Bell Rock" – Bobby Helms (#3)
• "Junya" – Kanye West (#16)
• "Kings & Queens" – Ava Max (#13 in 2020, #15 in 2021)
• "Kiss Me More" – Doja Cat feat. SZA (#3)
• "Knife Talk" – Drake feat. 21 Savage and Project Pat (#4)
• "Last Christmas" – Wham! (#9)
• "Late at Night" – Roddy Ricch (#20)
• "Laugh Now Cry Later" – Drake feat. Lil Durk (#2 in 2020, #7 in 2021)
• "Leave Before You Love Me" – Marshmello and Jonas Brothers (#19)
• "Leave the Door Open" – Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak (#1)
• "Lemon Pepper Freestyle" – Drake feat. Rick Ross (#3)
• "Lemonade" – Internet Money and Gunna feat. Don Toliver and Nav (#6 in 2020, #12 in 2021)
• "Let Go My Hand" – J. Cole, Bas and 6lack (#19)
• "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" – Dean Martin (#8)
• "Levitating" – Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby (#2)
• "Lonely" – Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco (#12)
• "Love All" – Drake feat. Jay-Z (#10)
• "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" – Taylor Swift (#11)
• "Miss the Rage" – Trippie Redd and Playboi Carti (#11)
• "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" – Lil Nas X (#1)
• "Mood" – 24kGoldn feat. Iann Dior (#1)
• "Moon" – Kanye West (#17)
• "More Than My Hometown" – Morgan Wallen (#15 in 2020, #16 in 2021)
• "Motley Crew" – Post Malone (#13)
• "My Ex's Best Friend" – Machine Gun Kelly feat. Blackbear (#20)
• "My Life" – J. Cole, 21 Savage and Morray (#2)
• "My Universe" – Coldplay and BTS (#1)
• "N 2 Deep" – Drake feat. Future (#12)
• "Need to Know" – Doja Cat (#8)
• "No Friends in the Industry" – Drake (#11)
• "No Love" – Summer Walker and SZA (#13)
• "Off the Grid" – Kanye West (#11)
• "Oh My God" – Adele (#5)
• "Ok Ok" – Kanye West (#12)
• "On Me" – Lil Baby (#15)
• "One Right Now" – Post Malone and The Weeknd (#6)
• "Papi's Home" – Drake (#8)
• "Peaches" – Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon (#1)
• "Permission to Dance" – BTS (#1)
• "Pipe Down" – Drake (#14)
• "Positions" – Ariana Grande (#1 in 2020, #2 in 2021)
• "Praise God" – Kanye West (#20)
• "Pride Is the Devil" – J. Cole and Lil Baby (#7)
• "Punchin' the Clock" – J. Cole (#20)
• "Race My Mind" – Drake (#18)
• "Rapstar" – Polo G (#1)
• "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – Brenda Lee (#2)
• "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" – Gene Autry (#16)
• "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" – DMX (#16)
• "Rumors" – Lizzo and Cardi B (#4)
• "Run Rudolph Run" – Chuck Berry (#10)
• "Santa Tell Me" – Ariana Grande (#17)
• "Save Your Tears" – The Weeknd and Ariana Grande (#1)
• "Seeing Green" – Nicki Minaj, Drake and Lil Wayne (#12)
• "Shivers" – Ed Sheeran (#5)
• "Skate" – Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak (#14)
• "Ski" – Young Thug and Gunna (#18)
• "Sleigh Ride" – The Ronettes (#13)
• "Smokin Out the Window" – Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak (#5)
• "Solid" – Young Thug and Gunna feat. Drake (#12)
• "State of Grace (Taylor's Version)" – Taylor Swift (#18)
• "Stay" – The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber (#1)
• "Street Runner" – Rod Wave (#16)
• "Streets" – Doja Cat (#16)
• "Super Gremlin" – Kodak Black (#20)
• "Take My Breath" – The Weeknd (#6)
• "Thats What I Want" – Lil Nas X (#10)
• "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)" – Nat King Cole (#11)
• "The Good Ones" – Gabby Barrett (#19)
• "Therefore I Am" – Billie Eilish (#2 in 2020, #12 in 2021)
• "Thot Shit" – Megan Thee Stallion (#16)
• "Thriller" – Michael Jackson (#4 in 1984, #19 in 2021)
• "Tombstone" – Rod Wave (#11)
• "Traitor" – Olivia Rodrigo (#9)
• "TSU" – Drake (#9)
• "Underneath the Tree" – Kelly Clarkson (#12)
• "Up" – Cardi B (#1)
• "Wants and Needs" – Drake feat. Lil Baby (#2)
• "Wasted on You" – Morgan Wallen (#9)
• "Way 2 Sexy" – Drake feat. Future and Young Thug (#1)
• "What You Know Bout Love" – Pop Smoke (#9)
• "What's Next" – Drake (#1)
• "White Christmas" – Bing Crosby (#12 in 1962, #20 in 2021)
• "Who Want Smoke??" – Nardo Wick feat. G Herbo, Lil Durk and 21 Savage (#17)
• "Whole Lotta Money" – Bia feat. Nicki Minaj (#16)
• "Whoopty" – CJ (#10)
• "Wild Side" – Normani feat. Cardi B (#14)
• "Without You" – The Kid Laroi and Miley Cyrus (#8)
• "Wockesha" – Moneybagg Yo (#20)
• "WusYaName" – Tyler, the Creator feat. YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla Sign (#14)
• "Yonaguni" – Bad Bunny (#10)
• "You Broke Me First" – Tate McRae (#17)
• "You Right" – Doja Cat and The Weeknd (#11)
• "You're Mines Still" – Yung Bleu feat. Drake (#18)
• "Your Power" – Billie Eilish (#10)

Deaths

• January 1 – Misty Morgan, 75, country music singer
• January 7 –
  • Deezer D, 55, rapper, singer
  • Jamie O'Hara, 70, country music singer, songwriter
• January 8 – Ed Bruce, 81, country music singer, songwriter
• January 11 –
  • Howard Johnson, 79, jazz musician
  • Don Miller, 80, pop singer
• January 13 –
  • Tim Bogert, 76, rock bassist
  • Duke Bootee, 69, rapper, producer and songwriter
  • Sylvain Sylvain, 69, glam rock guitarist
• January 14 –
  • Duranice Pace, 62, gospel singer
  • Larry Willoughby, 73, country music singer, songwriter
• January 16 –
  • Jason Cope, 43, country music guitarist
  • Phil Spector, 81, record producer, pop musician and songwriter
• January 17 –
  • Junior Mance, 92, jazz pianist
  • Sammy Nestico, 96, jazz composer and arranger
• January 18 – Jimmie Rodgers, 87, pop singer
• January 21 – Randy Parton, 67, country music singer, songwriter
• January 22 – James Purify, 76, R&B singer (James & Bobby Purify)
• January 24 – Tom Stevens, 64, alternative country music bassist
• January 29 – Grady Gaines, 86, blues saxophonist
• January 30 – Double K, 43, rapper (People Under the Stairs)
• February 2 – Aaron Wegelin, indie rock drummer
• February 3 –
  • Anne Feeney, 69, folk singer-songwriter
  • Jim Weatherly, 77, pop and country singer, songwriter
• February 4 –
  • Matt Harris, power pop bassist
  • Nolan Porter, 71, R&B singer-songwriter
  • Gil Saunders, soul singer
• February 5 – Douglas Miller, 71, gospel singer
• February 7 – Elliot Mazer, 79, record producer and audio engineer
• February 8 – Mary Wilson, 76, soul singer (The Supremes)
• February 9 –
  • Chick Corea, 79, jazz keyboardist and composer
  • Cedrick Cotton, 46, R&B singer
• February 10 – Lee Sexton, 92, bluegrass banjoist
• February 12 – Milford Graves, 79, jazz drummer
• February 14 – Ari Gold, 47, R&B singer
• February 16 – Carman, 65, contemporary Christian singer
• February 18 –
  • Prince Markie Dee, 52, rapper (The Fat Boys)
  • Miles Seaton, 41, indie rock singer
• February 19 –
  • James Burke, 70, soul singer
  • Jerold Ottley, 86, choral conductor
• February 20 – Gene Taylor, 68, rock keyboardist
• February 26 – Bob James, 68, hard rock singer
• February 28 – Ian North, 68, power pop singer and guitarist
• March 1 – Ralph Peterson Jr., 58, jazz drummer
• March 2 – Mark Goffeney, 51, rock bassist
• March 3 – Duffy Jackson, 67, jazz drummer
• March 4 – Barbara Ess, 72, post-punk multi-instrumentalist
• March 5 – Michael Stanley, 72, rock singer-songwriter and guitarist
• March 11 –
  • Ray Campi, 86, rockabilly musician
  • Jewlia Eisenberg, 50, avant-rock singer
• March 14 –
  • Reggie Warren, 52, R&B singer
  • Taylor Dee, 33, country music singer
• March 17 –
  • Matt Miller, 34, indie rock keyboardist
  • Freddie Redd, 92, jazz keyboardist
  • Corey Steger, 42, metalcore guitarist
• March 18 – Paul Jackson, 73, jazz fusion bassist
• March 19 – Gary Leib, 65, new wave keyboardist
• March 20 – Dan Sartain, 39, garage rock and rockabilly singer-songwriter
• March 23 – Don Heffington, 70, roots rock drummer
• March 25 – Tavish Maloney, 24, emo guitarist
• March 26 – Brett Bradshaw, 50, glam metal drummer
• April 2 – Morris Dickerson, 71, funk bassist and singer
• April 9 – DMX, 50, rapper, songwriter and actor
• April 10 – Bob Petric, indie rock guitarist
• April 14 – Rusty Young, 75, country rock singer-songwriter and guitarist
• April 16 – Mike Mitchell, 77, rock guitarist
• April 17 – Black Rob, 51, rapper
• April 18 – Paul Oscher, 71, blues singer
• April 19 – Jim Steinman, 73, rock lyricist, composer, pianist, and record producer
• April 21 – Joe Long, 88, pop rock bassist
• April 23 – Shock G, 57, rapper (Digital Underground)
• April 25 – Denny Freeman, 76, blues guitarist
• April 29 –
  • Johnny Crawford, 75, pop singer
  • Tony Markellis, 68, jam band bassist
  • Will Mecum, 48, stoner rock guitarist
• April 30 – John Dee Holeman, 92, Piedmont blues guitarist, singer, songwriter
• May 1 – Wondress Hutchinson, 56, dance singer
• May 2 – Tommy West, 78, music producer and singer-songwriter
• May 3 – Lloyd Price, 88, singer-songwriter and businessman
• May 6 – Pervis Staples, 85, gospel singer
• May 8 – Curtis Fuller, 86, jazz trombonist
• May 13 –
  • Norman Simmons, 91, jazz pianist and arranger
  • Jack Terricloth, 50, dark cabaret singer
  • Bill Tsamis, 60, metal guitarist
• May 15 – Mario Pavone, 80, jazz pianist
• May 16 – Patsy Bruce, 81, country songwriter
• May 17 – Neal Ford, 78, psychedelic rock singer
• May 19 – Alix Dobkin, 80, folk singer-songwriter and guitarist
• May 20 – Roger Hawkins, 75, rock and soul drummer
• May 24 –
  • John Davis, 66, dance pop music singer
  • Samuel E. Wright, 74, pop singer and actor
• May 29 -
  • B.J. Thomas, 78, rock and pop singer
  • Johnny Trudell, 82, jazz trumpeter
• May 31 – Lil Loaded, 20, rapper
• June 3 – Karla Burns, 66, opera singer
• June 7 – David C. Lewis, soft rock and new age keyboardist
• June 8 – Dean Parrish, 79, soul singer
• June 9 – Juan Nelson, 62, blues rock bassist
• June 18 – Gift of Gab, 50, rapper (Blackalicious)
• June 20 –
  • Gianna Rolandi, 68, opera singer
  • Jeanne Lamon, 71, violinist and conductor
• June 23 – Ellen McIlwaine, 75, psychedelic rock and blues singer, guitarist
• June 26 –
  • Jon Hassell, 84, jazz trumpeter
  • Johnny Solinger, 55, hard rock singer (Skid Row)
• June 28 – Burton Greene, 84, free jazz pianist
• July 1 – Bryan St. Pere, 52, alternative rock drummer
• July 4 – Sanford Clark, 85, rockabilly singer
• July 9 – Andrew Williams, 49, Christian rock drummer
• July 10 –
  • Byron Berline, 77, bluegrass fiddler
  • Chris Hutka, 35, post-hardcore singer
• July 11 – Juini Booth, 73, jazz bassist
• July 14 –
  • Gary Corbett, 63, blues rock keyboardist
  • Jeff LaBar, 58, glam metal and blues rock guitarist (Cinderella)
• July 16 – Biz Markie, 57, rapper
• July 17 – Robby Steinhardt, 71, progressive rock singer and violinist (Kansas)
• July 19 – Chuck E. Weiss, 76, blues rock singer-songwriter
• July 21 – Clarence McDonald, 76, pianist, composer, arranger and producer
• July 25 – Count M'Butu, 75, blues rock percussionist (The Derek Trucks Band)
• July 26 –
  • Joey Jordison, 46, heavy metal drummer (Slipknot)
  • Mike Howe, 55, heavy metal singer
• July 27 – Willie Winfield, 91, doo-wop singer
• July 28 – Dusty Hill, 72, rock singer and bassist (ZZ Top)
• July 29 – Gonzoe, 45, rapper (Kausion)
• August 1 – Paul Cotton, 78, country rock singer
• August 3 – Kelli Hand, 56, techno DJ
• August 4 –
  • Razzy Bailey, 82, country singer
  • Paul Johnson, 50, house DJ
• August 7 – Dennis Johnson, 70, saxophonist
• August 9 – Chucky Thompson, 53, record producer
• August 11 –
  • Mike Finnigan, 76, rock and jazz keyboardist
  • Roy Gaines, 83, electric blues guitarist
  • Caroline Peyton, 69, folk singer songwriter
• August 12 – Ronnell Bright, 91, jazz pianist
• August 13 –
  • Baba Zumbi, 49, rapper
  • Nanci Griffith, 68, folk singer songwriter
• August 17 – Squeak, 26, hip hop producer
• August 20 –
  • Tom T. Hall, 85, country singer songwriter
  • Larry Harlow, 82, salsa keyboardist
  • Michael Morgan, 64, classical conductor
• August 21 –
  • Bill Emerson, 83, bluegrass banjoist
  • Don Everly, 84, country-rock singer and songwriter (The Everly Brothers)
• August 22 – Eric Wagner, doom metal singer
• August 26 – Kenny Malone, 83, country music drummer
• August 29 –
  • John Drake, 74, rock singer
  • Ron Bushy, 79, psychedelic rock drummer
• August 30 – Lee Williams, 75, gospel singer
• September 1 – Carol Fran, 87, soul blues singer and pianist
• September 5 – Rickie Lee Reynolds, 72, rock guitarist
• September 7 – Warren Storm, 84, swamp pop singer and drummer
• September 8 – Susan Anway, 70, indie rock singer
• September 12 – Don Maddox, 90, country singer
• September 13 – George Wein, 95, jazz pianist
• September 15 – Leonard Gibbs, 73, jazz percussionist
• September 16 – Jane Powell, 92, pop singer
• September 20 –
  • Sarah Dash, 76, R&B and funk singer
  • Warner Williams, 91, blues guitarist
• September 22 – Bob Moore, 88, country music bassist
• September 23 – Sue Thompson, 96, pop and country singer
• September 24 – Pee Wee Ellis, 80, jazz and soul saxophonist
• September 26 – George Frayne IV, 77, country rock singer and keyboardist
• September 27 – Andrea Martin, 49, R&B singer and songwriter
• September 28 –
  • Karan Armstrong, 79, opera soprano
  • Lonnie Smith, 79, jazz organist
• September 29 – Mike Renzi, 80, jazz pianist and conductor
• September 30 – Carlisle Floyd, 95, opera composer
• October 1 – Raymond Gniewek, 89, classical violinist
• October 8 – Jem Targal, 74, psychedelic rock bassist
• October 9 – Dee Pop, 65, post-punk drummer
• October 11 – Deon Estus, 65, R&B bassist and singer
• October 14 –
  • Emani 22, 22, R&B singer
  • Phil Leadbetter, 59, bluegrass resonator guitarist
  • Tom Morey, 86, jazz drummer
• October 15 – Regi Hargis, 70, funk guitarist and singer
• October 16 – Ron Tutt, 83, rock drummer
• October 17 – Bruce Gaston, 74, classical instrumentalist
• October 21 –
  • Tommy DeBarge, 64, funk bassist and singer
  • Robin McNamara, 74, pop rock singer-songwriter
• October 22 – Jay Black, 82, pop rock singer
• October 24 –
  • Willie Cobbs, 89, blues singer and harmonica player
  • Sonny Osborne, 83, bluegrass banjoist
• October 26 – Rose Lee Maphis, 98, country singer
• October 27 – William Shelby, 65, funk keyboardist
• November 1 –
  • Emmett Chapman, 85, jazz guitarist
  • Pat Martino, 77, jazz guitarist
• November 2 – Ronnie Wilson, 73, funk instrumentalist
• November 8 – Margo Guryan, pop singer-songwriter
• November 10 – Mike Gresema, 56, hard rock drummer
• November 11 – John Goodsall, 68, progressive rock and jazz guitarist
• November 13 – Philip Margo, 79, doo-wop singer
• November 17 –
  • Young Dolph, 36, rapper
  • Keith Allison, 79, garage rock bassist
  • Dave Frishberg, 88, jazz pianist and songwriter
• November 18 − Slide Hampton, 89, jazz trombonist
• November 20 − Billy Hinsche, 70, pop singer, guitarist and keyboardist
• November 21 − Yul Anderson, 63, blues and gospel singer, guitarist and pianist
• November 22 − Joanne Shenandoah, 63, folk singer-songwriter and guitarist
• November 24 − Marilyn McLeod, 82, R&B singer and songwriter
• November 26 − Stephen Sondheim, 91, film and theater composer and lyricist
• December 1 – Alvin Lucier, 90, experimental composer and sound artist
• December 4 − Stonewall Jackson, 89, country music singer
• December 7 − Greg Tate, 63, multi-genre guitarist and music critic
• December 8 −
  • Gil Bridges, 80, rock saxophonist
  • Barry Harris, 91, jazz pianist
  • Ralph Tavares, 79, R&B singer
• December 9 − David Lasley, 74, pop and R&B singer
• December 10 − Michael Nesmith, 78, rock and country singer, songwriter and guitarist (The Monkees)
• December 13 − Joe Simon, 85, R&B and soul singer
• December 15 − Hub, 62, hip hop bassist (The Roots)
• December 16 − Wanda Young, 78, R&B singer
• December 18 − Kangol Kid, 55, rapper (UTFO)
• December 19 − Drakeo the Ruler, 28, rapper
• December 20 − Paul Mitchell, 53, R&B singer
• December 24 − J.D. Crowe, 84, bluegrass banjo player
• December 25 − Tiffini Hale, 54, pop singer (The Party)
• December 30 − Stephen J. Lawrence, 82, television composer

See also

• 2021 in music