BEST BEYOND BEYOND 2021
- Sons of Kemet / Black to the Future
- Cochemea Gastelum / Vol. II: Baca Sewa
- Jon Batiste / We Are
- Esperanza Spalding / Songwright's Apothecary Lab
- Randy Tico / Eclectico
- Various / Colemine Records Presents: Brighter Days Ahead
- Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio / I Told You So
- Dezron Douglas & Brandee Younger / Force Majeure
- Julian Lage / Squint
- Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi
- Jose Gonzalez / Local Valley
- Shujaat Hussein & Katayoun Godarzi / This Pale
BEST ROOTS MUSIC 2021
- Sierra Ferrell / Long Time Coming
- Charley Crockett / Music City USA
- Pokey LaFarge / The Blossom of Their Shade
- Sturgill Simpson / Cuttin' Grass Vol 2: The Cowboy Arms Sessions
- Sturgill Simpson / Cuttin' Grass Vol. 2: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions
- Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno / Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno
- TK & the Holy Know-Nothings / The Incredible Heat Machine
- Various Artists / April in Your Eyes: The Music of John Lilly
- Cristina Vane / Nowhere Sounds Lovely
- Sunny War / Simple Syrup
- Andrea Von Kampen / That Spell
- Amy Speace / There Used to Be Horses Here
BEST ROOTS ROCK MUSIC 2021
- Nick Waterhouse / Promenade Blue
- Herman Dune / Notes from Vinegar Hill
- Joachim Cooder / Over That Road I'm Bound
- Janet Simpson / Safe Distance
- William the Conqueror / Maverick Thinker
- Ryland Moranz / XO, 1945
- Taylor McCall / Black Powder Soul
- Zach Schmidt / Raise a Banner
- Allison Russell / Outside Child
- Travis Linville / I'm Still Here
- The Black Keys ft. Kenny Brown & Eric Deaton / Delta Kream
- Robert Finley / Sharecropper's Son
- Valerie June / You & I