The second year of lockdown for us here in Australia 2021 was a hard year. Not having any international visitors to our shores also made it a year when local artists had their big chance to grab an audience, sadly of course this was hampered by lockdowns and unfair restrictions on the entertainment industry that still remain down-under. All that aside we were treated to some wonderful music in 2021. Here’s what took our fancy! The TOP ALBUMS of 2021 this year has been compiled from lists of all writers who contributed ten or more reviews. We’ve got four lists for you this year – HARD ROCK ALBUMS of 2021, HARD ROCK EP’s of 2021, BLUES, ROOTS & AMERICANA ALBUMS of 2021 and LIVE & COMPLIATION ALBUMS of 2021. Individual writer’s lists will be out shortly.
HARD ROCK ALBUMS of 2021
1. The Damn Truth – Now or Nowhere
2. Black Diamonds – No Tell Hotel
3. Dirty Honey – Dirty Honey
4. The Dead Daisies – Holy Ground
5. Native Sons – The Natives Are Restless
6. The Treatment – Waiting For Good Luck
7. Dirtbag Republic – Tear Down Your Idols
8. Midnite City – Itch You Can’t Scratch
9. Thunder – All the Right Noises
10. Wicked Smile – Wait For The Night
11. Crazy Lixx – Street Lethal
12. Eclipse – Wired
13. The Darkness – Motorheart
14. Dangerous Curves – Summertime Highs
15. Trucker Diablo – Tail End of a Hurricane
16. Temple Balls – Pyromide
17. Wig Wam – Never Say Die
18. MotherRoad – II
19. Buckcherry – Hellbound
20. Ricky Warwick – When Life Was Hard & Fast
There was also some rather great music from the following artists who rounded out our TOP 40: Shades of Gray – Shades of Gray | King Zebra – Survivors | Joel Hoekstra’s 13 – Running Games | Smith/Kotzen – Smith/Kotzen | Plastic Tears – Anthems For Misfits | Shaman’s Harvest – Rebelator | Robin McAuley – Standing on the Edge | Todd Michael Hall – Sonic Healing | Gypsy Pistoleros – The Mescalito Vampires | Nancy Wilson – You and Me | Kickin’ Valentina – The Revenge of Rock | Greta Van Fleet – The Battle at Garden’s Gate | Wayward Sons – Even Up The Score | The End Machine – Phase 2 | Wet – Retransmission | Mammoth WVH – Mammoth WVH | The Pretty Reckless – Death by Rock and Roll | Alice Cooper – Detroit Stories | Myles Kennedy – The Ides of March | L.A. Guns – Checkered Past | Ronnie Atkins – One Shot | Issa – Queen of Broken Hearts | Helloween – Helloween
HARD ROCK EP’s of 2021
No 1. The Erotics – Ride It To Death
Crobot – Rat Child
Bang Bang Firecracker – See Evil
BLUES, ROOTS & AMERICANA ALBUMS of 2021
No 1. Mark Knight & The Unsung Heroes – Days of a Dreamer
Gov’t Mule – Heavy Load Blues
Kentucky Headhunters – That’s a Fact Jack
Diesel – Alone With Blues
Living Colour – Shade
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – Raise The Roof
Steve Earle – J.T.
Robben Ford – Pure
Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram – 662
Jerry Cantrell – Brighten
Samantha Fish – Faster
Joanne Shaw Taylor – The Blues Album
LIVE, RE-RELEASE & COMPLIATION ALBUMS of 2021
Jagged Edge – Fuel For Your Soul
Armored Saint – Symbol of Salvation Live
Seether – Vicennial
One Desire – One Night Live in Helsinki
L.A. Guns – Cocked and Loaded Live
Sixx A.M. – Hits
Captain Blackbeard – Live +1
