In Ghana, most of the top acts did premiere albums that are being enjoyed and topped charts globally.
There is no contention at all that these are the best collections (including EPs) delivered in 2021 by Ghanaian artistes.
Golden Boy – KiDi
KiDi released the 'Golden Boy' album on June 23, 2021. The 14-track album preceded an extensive promotion in anticipation of the album.
The 'Golden Boy' album is one of the best albums released in recent years, considering the time, money, and craft invested in it.
The album features popular Nigerian dancehall artiste Patoranking, Ghana's Joey B and his label mate Kuami Eugene. The album has a tracklist of 14 songs.
The album, weeks after its release on digital platforms, charted in eight countries on Apple Music top albums. The countries are Ghana, Gambia, Dominica, Uganda, Namibia, Nigeria, the UK and the Netherlands.
Clearly, 'Touch It' has been the biggest song on the album despite having some favourites. 'Touch It' has set so many records since its release. The visuals for the song have over 14 million views in 2021 alone. The song made its way into Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales and peaked at number 20 on the chart.
New Gen – Larruso
Sensational Ghanaian reggae and dancehall artiste Larruso released his debut album ‘New Gen’ on October 21, 2021. The album shows glimpses of quality work by a breath of a fresher who is bent on improving himself.
The album has eight tracks, including New Gen, The Truth, Body, Wolewo, Hit and Run, No Chance, Addicted and High Meditation.
Larruso recruited Manifest, Nigerian Bella Shmurda, Samini, J. Derobie, Kelvyn Boy and Suzzway for his album.
An album that is barely three months old but already winning the hearts of music lovers is undoubtedly going to top charts and make appearances.
The first song on ‘New Gen’ album is the best song. The video has over 25,000 views in less than a week.
No Pressure – Sarkodie
On July 30, 2021, celebrated Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie released his much-anticipated ‘No Pressure’ album amid delays. It was his fifth studio album after ‘Black Love’ in 2019.
‘No Pressure’ is a quality album that has ever been produced by Sarkodie.
The album has fifteen songs, including Fire Works, Round 2, Jaara, Rollies and Ciggars, Married to the Game, Big Vibrations, Cochella, Deserve My Love, Whipped, I will Be There, No Fuggazy, My Love, Anything, Non-Living Thing and Don't Cry.
Apart from Ghanaian acts like Medikal, Kwesi Arthur, Darkovibes, MOG Music, Sarkodie sought the services of Wale, Giggs, Cassper Nyovest, Vic Mensa, Harmonize, Oxlade and Benerl for his album.
Just hours after Sarkodie released ‘No Pressure’, the album peaked at number five on the US iTunes Hip-hop/Rap album chart.
In August, ‘No Pressure’ performed and maintained number one position for more than a week on the iTunes and Apple Music Ghana album charts.
‘No Fugazzy’ has been the biggest song on the music album. The video has over 1.2 million views on YouTube so far.
For Times We Lost - Cina Soul
Cina Soul, released her second studio extended play tagged "For Times We Lost" on September 24, 2021, under the Kla Mayne record label.
The EP features only KiDi of Lynx Entertainment, with whom there have been rumours of an intimate relationship.
"For Times We Lost" is a five-track EP with songs like Falling, OMG, Jamestown, Spattention and Feelings.
Honestly, this is an improvement on her debut EP dubbed '00:01' that was premiered in 2018, which led to her signing by the Universal Music Group.
The best song on the album is ‘Feelings’, which features KiDi. It accrued over 300,000 streams on YouTube, a record for her.
21 Memory - Ko-Jo Cue
Highly rated Ghanaian rapper Linford Kennedy Amankwaa, popularly known as Ko-Jo Cue, released "21 Memory Lane" on October 14, 2021, under the BANTAMA BLUES/TML label.
Ko-jo Cue’s new project is a 6-track EP featuring Kelvyn Boy, Efya, Kojo Eyshun, Reynolds The Gentleman and Ricky Tyler.
You Decide, Everybody Knows, Sumo Bo, DBMH, KAMA, and My Ex are the songs on the extended play album.
For me, ‘Everybody Knows’ is the best song on the album — one of the most relatable tunes that has garnered over 30,000 views on Youtube.