2024 might just be one the biggest and best years for music that I’ve had in what feels like forever. Everyone from established superstars to newcomers released a new project this year and it was definitely a crowded space this year when it came to new releases. 2024 in music was fun, exciting, and overall just all over the place, but in a good way, and I’m glad I got to witness every minute of it. I decided to look back through all the albums I listened to this year and narrow down my favorites and ones I felt like defined the year’s music for me overall. So now I present to you, my favorite albums of 2024.
A few lovely honorable mentions:
Timeless- Kaytranada
Access All Areas- FLO
God Said No- Omar Apollo
Undressed at the Symphony- Faye Webster
What a Relief- Katie Gavins
This is How Tomorrow Moves- beabadoobee
Deeper Well- Kacey Musgraves
Older- Lizzy Mcalpine
The Tortured Poets Department and The Anthology- Taylor Swift
Now to the Actual List:
Brat (and all its variants) – Charli xcx
When Charli posted a low quality picture of a bright green square with nothing but one word on it, “Brat”, I truly knew we were in for a weird and interesting era.. I had a few suspicions on where she would go post crash, but I’m more than certain that I had no idea where we would be in store for us. “Brat” is one of those things that just clicked for me immediately. Charli truly shows us her fun side, her more emotional side, and everything in between. She’s able to express everything from her frustration with her own treatment as a female artist to the confusing nature of female friendships to expressions of love and happiness, but in a really inviting way. She’s unafraid to be weird and a bit off putting, but also has such unabashedly coolness to her that’s both intimidating, but also inviting. She went in so many interesting directions on this album and was unafraid to take some weird creative risks, especially when she decided to remix all of the tracks this fall.Sometimes, we just need to escape into another world and for me this was that album. I didn’t always feel like a 365 PartyGirl, but sometimes I needed that energy in my life. The stars truly aligned for Charli xcx this year and to see her finally get her flowers after years in the industry. She kept all of her charm as an artist, but she also was just unapologetically herself and we just came along for the ride.
Four Favorites: everything is romantic, talk talk, girl so confusing, b2b
(BONUS: everything is romantic ft caroline polachek, girl so confusing ft. lorde)
Bird’s Eye- Ravyn Lenae
I didn’t have too many regrets this year, but my biggest one was not listening to Ravyn Lenae sooner than I did because I absolutely adore this album and she is truly now one of my favorite artists. “Bird’s Eye” is truly a lovely experience as each track goes. Ravyn’s voice is so interesting and soulful, but also light at times and it just works so well with the mellow R&B Soul fusion she created on this album. There is something so freeing about this album that helps get even better on each listen. She talks about the tumultuous nature of her past relationships and just life in general with such a carefree demeanor, but also in a way that you feel these lyrics so deeply. Listening to this album felt like turning the page on a chapter of my life and really reminiscing on the good and bad times but also looking forward. There’s such a bittersweet quality to this album that I think is what really brings me coming back to it more and more as the year goes on. It’s both somber and reflective in a way that’s so beautiful when combined with the gorgeous production. The mix of soul, r&b, and the bit of reggae influence really help this album feel so unique. Here’s hoping that 2025 will be the year of Ravyn Lenae.
Cowboy Carter- Beyoncé
In a year where everyone and their mother was trying to dip their toes into country music, Beyoncé did in a way that was so authentic to who she is as an artist. This album is a beautiful love letter to country music as well as the black artists who have influenced the genre since its inception, but it’s also a beautiful look into Beyoncé in this new creative chapter she finds herself in. She’s so unafraid to experiment and explore outside her comfort zone creatively, while going back to the genres that made her the artist she is today. She goes so many different directions on this album from touching tributes to classic artists, to reflecting on the inequities in both country music and our entire country in general, to just showing us that she is in fact Queen B and just empowering her listeners. This era of Beyoncé’s career has probably been one of my favorites because she’s at the point in her career where she’s unafraid of the critics and has decided to put out music for herself and her fans. There was so much love and care put into this album and you can tell that every song comes from a meaningful place. Beyoncé just knows how to pay tribute to different genres while making it completely her own. Genres are just a funny little concept, and Beyoncé made that well known this year.
Four Favorites: ii hands ii heaven, bodyguard, sweet honey buckiin’, 16 carriages
Imaginal Disk- Magdalena Bay
This album was pure magic and I seriously mean that. This album is the combination of taking a trip to the moon and frolicking through a fantasy forest. I went into this album knowing only one Magdalena Bay song and came out waiting for whatever they release next. This album is both extremely weird and whimsical, but I loved every second of it. This is probably one of the best produced albums of the year. Every song is creatively unique and quirky. It’s unafraid to go in some pretty weird directions sonically and that’s probably why I loved it so much. It’s an interesting exploration of what it means to go through a major metamorphosis both as a person as well as through a relationship and trying to figure out what these things mean to you as you develop more as a person. But, Magdalena Bay decided to present this story in an almost dream-like way that transported me almost every time I listened to this album. It’s pure psychedelic dream pop and rock that gets better and better on each listen. It might not be everyone’s thing, but if you love all things weird and whimsical, you should give it a listen.
Four Favorites: Killing Time, Love is Everywhere, Tunnel Vision, Image
Alligator Bite Never Heals- Doechii
Going into this album, I was mostly familiar with Doechii’s more pop influenced songs such as “Persuasive”, but this album was definitely a major departure from this sound and I absolutely loved it. Doechii’s flow and delivery is both ironic and serious. She just sounds so free and confident on this album, but dives headfirst into her own struggles and insecurities in such an interesting way. This album shifts from her own soulful singing to her brash boom bap rap flow so seamlessly and the production is so lush. She is so unapologetically herself on this album and you can really feel that throughout each song. Her lyricism is so inventive and interesting and she’s unafraid to go in some weird directions with both her bars and delivery. This album truly solidified Doechii as the next big thing in both hip hop and in music in general. She is truly someone to keep your eye on in 2025.
Four Favorites: Nissan Altima, Beverly Hills, Denial is a River, Death Roll
eternal sunshine- Ariana Grande
This album is simply heavenly. 2024 has truly belonged to Ariana Grande as it seems like she could do no wrong, both in the booth and on the big screen. But despite the main conversation of this year revolving around her portrayal of Galinda in Wicked, I will forever be talking about “eternal sunshine”. This was one of the most beautifully produced albums this year. Ariana really took me on the journey of love, loss, and learning to love again in such a gorgeous and heartfelt way. This album is almost cinematic as it really transports the listener into the world of the album through its whimsical creative choices and overall cohesive storytelling of this story. Ariana’s vulnerability vocally on this album is truly some of her best and she really conveys the high emotional moments on this album in a really lovely way, especially in the live performances of the album she released later in the year. She embraces her strengths in pop, but she also continues with her strengths in r&b influenced sounds as well. This album ended up being my most listened to album this year, which made a lot of sense to me, because even when I couldn’t directly relate to every moment on this album, I was able to transport myself into the universe of this album and take in every single moment of it.
Four Favorites: eternal sunshine, imperfect for you, true story, supernatural
Charm- Clairo
Clairo has truly yet to miss and her third studio is proof of it. “Charm” truly lives up to its title as it’s pure magic from start to finish. Clairo went in a more soul and jazz influenced direction for this album and I really think she took those influences and made them her own. The instrumentation on “Charm” is a character within itself, as each song really takes its time to let listeners really hear the beauty of each instrument present on the album. Clairo really shows what it means to go through self discovery and experience the many complexities of love and what comes with that, but she presents so wonderfully. It’s fun, but also at times vulnerable and a bit somber. It feels like sitting down on a warm spring day and just taking in whatever life has to offer that day. Clairo just knows how to convey emotion sonically in such lovely ways and this album is no different. I think this is an album I’ll be coming back to a lot over the course of the next year, especially at the beginning of seasonal changes. Everything about this record is just so lush and inviting and I just adore it.
Four Favorites: Slow Dance, Second Nature, Add Up My Love, Glory of the Snow
Hit Me Hard and Soft- Billie Ellish
After Happier than Ever, I was really hoping to see Billie transition into more of a pop rock infused sound after hearing the bits of it she teased on that album and “Hit Me Hard and Soft” did not disappoint. HMHAS is like the perfected version of the sound Billie has been experimenting with for years, but also with a new sonic direction that she has yet to fully embrace before. There are few Billie staples such as low, whisper-like singing and electronic influences on many of tracks, but she also takes some creative risks for herself such as exploring rock infused production and incorporating that into her more alt-pop sound that we’re used to. This album explores themes of emotional uncertainty and what that means going through love, heartbreak, and self discovery. She is still very growing into who she is both as a person and as an artist and this album is the culmination of those ideas. She sings about being grateful for her past mistakes, while also still trying to figure out what life means with so many eyes on her. It’s an incredibly produced, introspective album into the emotional process of complex emotions and relationships and it’s truly one of her best albums yet.
Four Favorites: L’AMOUR DE MA VIE, THE GREATEST, WILDFLOWER, THE DINER
Chromakopia- Tyler, the Creator
Tyler The Creator is one of those artists where each album is something completely out of field from what I ever could’ve expected. Each release from him is so creatively experimental and feels like a cohesive story from start to finish. Chromakopia is a wild ride from start to finish as it shows Tyler at his most vulnerable when it comes to his lyricism and themes on this album. Tyler is truly one of the best storytellers in music, as each song on this album beautifully illustrates the story he is trying to tell, both lyrically and sonically. Chromakopia feels like I’m being transported into this desolate environment, but over time develops into a world that is both chaotic and calm and I feel like these musical contradictions help tell the story of who Tyler The Creator is as both the artist and the actual person. He goes in so many interesting directions on this album and really unpacks his own feelings towards his own fame, his upbringing, and who he is as a human being. It’s an incredibly interesting retrospective of his work so far. This is probably one of his strongest albums and his most interesting and cohesive musical universes he’s created yet.
Four Favorites: Balloon ft Doechii, Take Your Mask Off, Like Him ft Lola Young, Sticky ft Sexyy Red, Glorilla, and Lil Wayne
Short n’ Sweet- Sabrina Carpenter
2024 was the year Sabrina Carpenter finally became a main pop girl and thank goodness for it! Sabrina Carpenter has been making some really great pop music for almost a decade now, but it seems like post-Nonsense, she was destined for a true mainstream pop star era and it was pretty obvious that she had something up her sleeve. “Short n’ Sweet” is one of the most fun, honest, and quirkiest albums of this year. Sabrina really decided to inject her dry and kitschy sense of humor into each and every single track on this album. This was the album where she truly perfected her sound and her image as an artist. From pop-rock inspired bangers to somber ballads to even a 70s folk inspired track, you can really feel the love and dedication she put into this album and how unafraid she was to just have fun with it and poke fun at the different aspects of love and relationships. She is both honest and ironic and I think that it really makes her unique in this year’s pop landscape. It’s really only up from here for Sabrina and it’s been a long time coming.
Four favorites: Good Graces, Sharpest Tool, Juno, Slim Pickins
Bright Future- Adrienne Lenker
I didn’t really know much about Adrienne Lenker’s music before this year beyond her work with Big Thief, but this album truly made a deeper dive into her discography because the album is nothing short of a masterpiece. I didn’t really know much going into this album, other than knowing that my best friend absolutely loved it and his music taste is never ever terrible. It’s a raw and vulnerable folk album but I think the simplicity of this “Bright Future” truly shows the heart of what Adrienne is trying to convey on this record. I love any album that includes strings and this album had plenty of it. This album takes the idea of a love and heartbreak album and really gets to the root of the emotional ups and downs of these fragile moments. It’s haunting at times, but also incredibly hopeful and beautiful in its tributes to a relationship lost. This album was an album I came back to a lot this year because there’s times where you just want to sit with a piece of music and really let it sit with you for a second and I think this stripped back approach Adrienne took on “Bright Future” really allows listeners to just sit in the warmth of this album and take it in. Sometimes it’s good to sit with a really somber piece of music and just let those emotions sink in, whether you relate to them or not and Bright Future was truly the album that did that for me this year.
Four Favorites: Sadness as a Gift, Already Lost, Evol, Candleflame
Submarine- The Marias
“Submarine” was truly an experience when I first listened to it. The Marías sound has always been one of comfort and nostalgia for and they’ve truly become the quintessential soundtracks to small and quiet moments in my life. They have the ability to create music that is nothing but dreamy and “Submarine” is no different. The cover of this album is the lead singer, María Zardoya, floating underwater and that’s truly how listening to this album felt. She sings about disconnection, disillusionment, and love lost in such a beautiful way. She has such a quiet voice and is able to express her emotions and vulnerabilities in a way that feels so personal. The production is a continuation of the latin infused psychedelic pop they’ve been working with on most of their projects, but on “Submarine”, this sound feels more cohesive and realized in a way that really complements the emotional turmoil of the lyrics. This album was a dream-like, heavenly trip and The Marías have truly perfected their sound.
Four Favorites: Paranoia, Hamptons, Run Your Mouth, No One Noticed.
Megan Act I and II- Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion has been the artist I’ve been most excited to see grow as an artist because I just love her demeanor as a rapper, especially as one of the biggest female rappers. She is both empowering, but also introspective at times, but also never forgets to just have a good time. She just exudes confidence and her double album drops “Megan Part I and II” were some of her best work yet. She decided to really go deeper into her personal influences such as her love for anime, her hometown and her things and really let those influences really showcase who she is as an artist. Part I really focuses on the theme of metamorphosis and how that impacts all aspects of her life, while Part II really goes off of that idea and continues with that theme, but in an interesting way. I really like how she explores more than just the typical themes she explores in her music, but also puts her own new spin on it and explores topics and genres she’s teased but not fully explored yet. To me, this was Megan’s victory lap album. She’s fully metamorphosed into a major force to be reckoned with in rap and she made that well known on these two albums. She is pure, unapologetic Megan and she is not afraid to let you know it.
Four Favorites: Hiss, Cobra, Bigger in Texas, Mamushi ft Yuki Chibida
Prelude to Ecstasy- The Last Dinner Party
For a debut album, The Last Dinner Party truly decided to enter with bang because “Prelude to Ecstasy” is truly mesmerizing from beginning to end. To say that this album is grandiose would be a major understatement. This album combines both indie pop/rock with this almost gothic and baroque-style production, with small hints of ABBA, that creates such a grand scale universe within this album. If this album came out in the early 2000s, I just know it would be all over the soundtrack of Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antonette”. This album is almost confessional in its lyrics, as it presents the tumultuous nature of love and going through womanhood as a whole. But, it presents these themes in an almost operatic way. It’s bombastic, theatrical, but also very brash and I loved every single minute of it. It’s just a gem.
Four Favorites: On Your Side, The Feminine Urge, Nothing Matters, Burn Alive
Two Star and the Dream Police- Mk.gee
I first heard Mk.gee when he performed his song “ROCKMAN” on Saturday Night Live in November and something about it just really peaked my interest. It was this weird combination of 80s synth pop with a rock infused sound as well a major electronic music inspired aspect, so obviously it was right up my alley. This album is full of so many rock and grunge songs with a bit of soul inspired twist. I thought a lot of the creative choices on this album really elevated what could’ve been just another rock, bedroom pop album. The vocal production on this thing is definitely an acquired taste, but I think it really brings the themes of love and loss to another level and really helps you hear the pain and vulnerability in these songs. “Two Star and the Dream Police” is an album full of so much texture from a production angle that really creates this almost atmospheric feel within all of the songs. It might not be everyone’s thing, but it’s definitely worth checking out and I’m glad I did.
Four Favorites: Rylee & I, Are You Looking Up, Alesis, I Want
GNX- Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar spent most of his 2024 doing everything he could to subvert everyone’s expectations and I would say he definitely succeeded in that. “GNX” took pretty much everyone by surprise, and I don’t just mean his surprise drop of it. This album is a major departure from the melancholy and darker exploration of his last couple of albums, “GNX” is certainly dark, but not sad whatsoever. There is something so self assured about Kendrick on this album, which makes since when you’ve won arguably one of the biggest rap beefs of this decade. There is definitely more of the cultural retrospective lens that Kendrick normally takes on his albums, but he is also very much confident and abrasive which is an angle he doesn’t normally take, especially in his past two releases. I think this is an album that improves on each listen and I’ll have to have more time with it to really hear those little details. The production is cohesive, which adds to the overall story of the record. While “Not Like Us” was truly his victory lap, “GNX” is most definitely the after party and cooldown.
Four Favorites: tv off ft. lefty gunplay, luther ft. sza, the heart pt 6, gloria ft. sza