The Seattle Times’ Fourth Annual Critics Poll asked a group of local music writers, radio DJs and playlisters to submit their top 10 lists, ranked or unranked, of the best Washington albums of 2021. You can check out the results here. Below are the critics’ individual ballots.
Casey Carter, The Glow up Podcast
Jarv Dee x Bad Colours “BlakHouse”
Various Artist “Seattle Sessions”
Parisalexa “Finishline”
Anthony Danza “Straight Talk”
Travis Thompson “BLVD BOY”
Yohiness “TUTORIALS”
Gifted Gab “Everything G, Vol. 1”
grxtty “Google Me Better”
Big Jone$ “Superb”
Campana “Matter of Time”
2oopaid Tk “Forever 2P”
Marco Collins, KEXP
- Jarv Dee & Bad Colours – Blakhouse
- Left At London – t.I.a.p.f.y.h.
- Ryan Caraveo – Northend Sweetheart
- The Sleepovers – do you want to sleep with me
- Daisies- Sour Melody
- Whitney Monge – Live With The Seattle Symphony
- WD4D – Poly Yams EP
- Payday – Rap In A Can
- Spirit Award – Lunatic House
- Antonioni – Antonioni
Darryl Crews, playlist curator
AllA – Finally EP
Anthony Danza – Straight Talk
Campana – Matter Of Time
Dave B – Vista EP
Figmore – Jumbo Street
Jarv Dee & Bad Colours – Blakhouse EP
Oranj Goodman – The Beautiful EP
Royce The Choice – Aesthetics
TBG – Domestic Terrorism
Travis Thompson – Blvd Boy
Kevin Diers, KISW
1. Ayron Jones – “Child of the State”
2. Dust Moth – “Rising // Sailing”
3. Wyatt Olney & The Wreckage – “Silver Bullet”
4. The Home Team – “Slow Bloom”
5. Filth Is Eternal – “Love is a Lie, Filth is Eternal”
6. Himiko Cloud – “Telomeres”
7. Noroth – “Harbinger”
8. Nox Novacula – “Ascension”
9. Heiress – “Distant Fires”
10 . Mortiferum – “Preserved in Torment”
Martin Douglas, KEXP
- Enumclaw, “Jimbo Demo”
- Wolftone, “User Friendly Genocide”
- Wild Powwers, “What You Wanted”
- AJ Suede, “Avada Kedavra” / “Re:Vada Kedavra”
- Bruce Leroy, “Minerals”
- Acid Tongue, “Arboretum”
- Linda from Work, “Burnout”
- Antonioni, “Antonioni”
- Jarv Dee & Bad Colours, “BLAKHOUSE”
- Dizzi Slick & Keyboard Kid, “Keys to the Trap”
Besa Gordon, KUBE 93.3
iLL Chris: ViLLANINS
Macntaj: Big Bloc Meign
Travis Thompson: BLVD BOY
Livt: Flowers in the Void
Parisalexa: Finishline
Marshall Law Band: Jam in the Van
Jay Loud: Soul Talk
28AV: Czarleo
Ca$hier: Shooting Star
Ryan Caraveo: Northend Sweetheart
Taylor Hart, Respect My Region
Talaya., “Existential Soul”
Laureli & Samurai Del, “From Seattle With Love”
Greg Cypher, “Third Stone”
Macntaj, “Big Bloc Meign”
Noah Coinflip, “Peaks”
Travis Thompson, “BLVD BOY”
Gilton East, “WAY98023”
Sol, “Supply Pack”
Wffls, “Thanksluv: Pure Maple, Vol. 2”
Parisalexa, “Finishline”
Jas Keimig, The Stranger
Advertisement — Freedom EP
Prom Queen — Lucky EP
Wild Powwers — What You Wanted
Julia Shapiro — Zorked
Enumclaw—Jimbo Demo
Sango, Waldo — Lake Effect
Spirit Award — Lunatic House
youryoungbody — eXcess
The Berries —Throne of Ivory (Singles & B-sides)
Coral Grief — Coral Grief EP
Paul Rauch, Earshot and All About Jazz
1. Jim Knapp Orchestra, “It’s Not Business, It’s Personal”
2. Jared Hall, “Seen on the Scene”
3. Meridian Odyssey, “Second Wave”
4. Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, “I Told You So”
5. Brent Jensen, “More Sounds of a Dry Martini”
6. Neil Welch, “The Ink Around It”
7. Ann Reynolds Trio, “Inspired by Women Composers”
8. Eric Verlinde, “Crazy Lazy Day”
9. Alex Dugdale, “The Dugout”
10. John Coltrane, “A Love Supreme Live in Seattle”
Dan Ray, Dan’s Tunes
King Sheim, “The Greek Tragedy EP”
De’Brea Cavaiani, “Everything You”
Elvis Batchild, “Batchild Begins”
John Thornburg, “Nimbus”
Fun Forest, “Life’s a Party and You’re Working It”
Ghoul Talk, “Magician”
The Purrs, “We Thought There’d Be More People Here”
Mirabai Kukathas, “Songs to the Monsters Under My Bed”
Thavaron, “Ugly”
Travis Thompson, “BLVD Boy”
Michael Rietmulder, The Seattle Times
Acid Tongue, “Arboretum”
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, “I Told You So”
Enumclaw, “Jimbo Demo” EP
Filth is Eternal, “Love is a Lie, Filth is Eternal”
Fretland, “Could Have Loved You”
Highway, “Count Fast Untitled” EP
Jarv Dee, “BlakHouse” EP
Left at London, “t.i.a.p.f.y.h.”
Travis Thompson, “BLVD BOY”
Wolves in the Throne Room, “Primordial Arcana”
Eva Walker, KEXP
Warren Dunes “Get Well Soon”
Parisalexa “Finishline”
The True Loves “Sunday Afternoon”
La Luz “La Luz”
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio “I Told You So”
Jarv Dee x Bad Colours “BlakHouse EP”
The Barrett Martin Group “Stillpoint”
Antonioni “Antonioni”
Red Ribbon “Planet X”
MYXA “Snap Snakes”
The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.