Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/rock-rap-or-pop-the-best-american-albums-of-the-21st-century/
Let’s be real, arguments about the greatest albums of this century are basically never-ending. Music fans can get pretty heated, honestly. Each genre claims superiority, every decade has its defenders, and everyone’s convinced their pick should be at the top.
The thing is, when you actually look at the critical consensus from the past few years, something interesting emerges. These aren’t just albums that sold well or dominated radio. They’re records that fundamentally shifted culture, challenged listeners, and still sound startlingly fresh years after release.
Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly Reshapes Hip-Hop
Here’s something wild to consider. To Pimp a Butterfly surpassed Radiohead’s OK Computer to become the highest-rated album of all time on Rate Your Music in 2023, nabbing a 4.34 out of 5 rating after more than 58,000 ratings. At Metacritic, the album received an average score of 96 based on 44 reviews, which is basically unheard of.
Released in 2015, this wasn’t just another rap album. The record incorporates jazz, funk, and soul while featuring political commentary and personal themes concerning African-American culture, racial inequality, depression, and institutional discrimination. A 2014 trip to South Africa changed Kendrick Lamar, and as he toured the country visiting historic sites such as Nelson Mandela’s jail cell on Robben Island, his worldview…
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-01-21 13:54:00
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