People’s Choice Awards: All of the Albums Nominated for Album of 2021, Including ‘Montero’ and ‘Sour’
The People’s Choice Awards are a momentous occasion for those who find themselves disillusioned with most award shows. Rather than hand out awards based on the votes of industry insiders, viewers themselves get to choose who they want to win. In 2021, breakout artists such as Olivia Rodrigo and Lil Nas X released their highly-anticipated debut albums, while veterans such as Drake and Justin Bieber returned with projects of their own.
Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’
Drake teased his album Certified Lover Boy for much of the pandemic. His sixth album finally arrived in September 2021, fronted by hit singles such as “Way 2 Sexy” with frequent collaborator Future and “Girls Want Girls” with Lil Baby.
Migos’ ‘Culture III’
Atlanta-bred hip-hop group Migos kicked off the summer of 2021 with their album Culture III. The third entry in their Culture trilogy, the album contained hit songs including the single “Straightenin'” and the Cardi B collab “Type S***” — Cardi’s first song with her husband Offset since “Clout” from his 2019 solo album.
Billie Eilish’s ‘Happier Than Ever’
Eilish’s debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? won her several Grammy Awards in 2019 and made her one of Gen Z’s hottest new music stars. Her sophomore album Happier Than Ever was released in July 2021 and featured the singer exploring lighter sounds — and a lighter hair color.
Justin Bieber’s ‘Justice’
In March 2021, just a year after his last album Changes, Justin Bieber returned with his sixth album Justice. With the hit single “Peaches,” Bieber earned himself another No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, also securing the first No. 1 for featured artists Daniel Caesar and Giveon.
Lil Nas X’s ‘Montero’
After bursting onto the scene in 2019 with his hit single “Old Town Road,” the pressure has been on Lil Nas X to deliver the same success. Montero, released in September 2021, is a formal introduction of everything the Grammy-winning artist can do, from rapping to singing over pop-rock production.
Doja Cat’s ‘Planet Her’
Doja Cat released music throughout the 2010s, but it wasn’t until her hit single “Say So” went viral in 2020 that she broke into the mainstream. Now, Doja Cat is one of hip-hop’s most versatile artists, as shown on her third album, Planet Her. Songs such as “Woman,” “Need to Know,” “Get Into It (Yuh),” and the SZA collab “Kiss Me More” have cemented Doja’s spot in the industry.
Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Sour’
Olivia Rodrigo was first introduced to the world on the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. She released her debut album Sour in May 2021 and proved that she was a young pop star to watch, with No. 1 singles “drivers license” and “good 4 u.”
Kacey Musgraves’ ‘star-crossed’
Kacey Musgraves’ 2018 album Golden Hour received widespread acclaim and won all four of the Grammy Awards it was nominated for, including Album of the Year and Best Country Album. In 2020, the singer announced her divorce from her husband, Ruston Kelly. Her divorce formed the basis of her album star-crossed, which became her fourth album to debut at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.
