The best albums of 2021 include Bleachers, My Morning Jacket, Ryley Walker, ZHU, Diana Ross, Made Kuti and Femi Kuti, Allison Russell, Chris Pierce, Hand Habits, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Matt Sweeney, Weezer, Amy Shark and Heartless Bastards. Welcome back to RIFF’s year-end album roundup! If you’re joining us…

L: Femi Kuti, ‘Stop The Hate.’ R: Made Kuti, ‘For(e)ward.’ Fela Kuti was a force of nature. The Nigerian percussionist blended potent anti-colonial political messages with endlessly groovy drum rhythms into a genre known as Afrobeat. In the process, he influenced everyone from early hip-hip DJ Afrika Bambaataa to…