Metal Hammer readers poll for the best album of 2021

Hammer Readers AOTY Vote — (Image credit: Future)

The time draws near... With Metal Hammer's album of the Year list locked in from across the spectrum of our contributors, pretty soon we'll be going live with what our writers consider to be the greatest albums of 2021.

But what about what you think? Whether you're an Iron Maiden diehard, swept up in the excitement surrounding Jinjer and Spiritbox or caught in the cult surrounding the mysterious Sleep Token, we want to know what albums truly floated your boat this past year.

Below you'll find a list of some of the highest-rated albums covered in Hammer over the past 12 months, covering everything from sludge and death metal to prog, post and bands that just outright defy simple categorisation. While by no means an exhaustive list (we have to sleep at some point, after all), this list does comprise some of the year's biggest metal releases, with the added bonus that if you don't see your favourites you can add your own entries (just make sure to format it as Band Name - Album Title).

With that in mind, each person can submit up to 10 entries, to ensure you get your say on what the very best releases are of 2021. So if you're itching to spread your love for the new Cannibal Corpse, want to wave your flag for some Swedish power metal or have discovered some excellent black metal being made by Eritrean beet farmers that the wider world needs to know about, now is your chance to have your say.

Best metal album of 2021

Staff writer for Metal Hammer, Rich has never met a feature he didn't fancy, which is just as well when it comes to covering everything rock, punk and metal for both print and online, be it legendary events like Rock In Rio or Clash Of The Titans or seeking out exciting new bands like Nine Treasures, Jinjer and Sleep Token.