My Top 24 Albums Of 2024
So, here’s the breakdown–here are my top albums of my 24th year.
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As the year draws to a close, the sun slouches on the horizon earlier by the day, the “let’s-revisit-this-in-the-new-year” emails abound and Spotify Wrapped issues its new personality traits, we begin to process the chaotic events of 2024. This is my first December on Substack, and thus my first opportunity to pen an end-of-year music list (though I did recount 2023 in resurfaced deep cut music last year).
It was the brattiest of times, it was the most tortured of times. 2024 most notably gave way to significant innovation in pop music’s evolution. Most importantly, this year served as a much needed reminder that no genre is a monolith, and there is always room for sonic growth and new topics to broach in songwriting. Without further ado, here were my 24 favorite albums of 2024, as a 24-year-old who is (slightly) at her wits’ end.
24. Radical Optimism By Dua Lipa
Who wouldn’t be a radical optimist if they were always on vacation? Such has been a running joke of Dua Lipa’s extended tropical travels this year. Radical Optimism came after Dua Lipa’s career breakthrough Future Nostalgia, which dropped at the height of the pandemic. Radical Optimism’s danceable pop was slightly eclipsed by Brat summer, but nonetheless, it was the perfect warm weather pop project. “End of an Era” was one of my favorites.
23. Manning Fireworks By MJ Lenderman
MJ Lenderman’s breakthrough solo album contains all of the same charm as his work with Wednesday, but with his own personal flair. The album’s simple, acoustic-guitar driven production calls back to the 1990s Dave Matthews Band sound but with southern roots. Lenderman, a North Carolina native, unapologetically makes y’allternative cool again on Manning Fireworks. My personal favorites were “Wristwatch” and “She’s Leaving You.”
22. Only God Was Above Us By Vampire Weekend
Indie rock legends Vampire Weekend returned to their eclectic roots on Only God Was Above Us. Initially dominating the 2010s as Columbia University grads combining rock with Afrobeats and unique instrumentation, Vampire Weekend tackled social class subject matter on this album through a string of metaphors and overt references. My favorite track was “Mary Boone,” which I wrote about earlier this year here. The song offers a glimpse into New York City’s storied art scene.
21. Shawn by Shawn Mendes
I briefly wrote about “The Mountain” from this album here. On the self-titled Shawn, Mendes takes the road less traveled by for a former teen pop star who rose to fame in the digital age. From the whirlwind of a viral Vine to MagCon and a highly publicized relationship, Mendes took a break from the spotlight when he cancelled his Wonder tour in 2022. Aside from his vocal performance in Lyle, Lyle, The Crocodile, this is Mendes’ first new music release in four years.
He trades his pop stylings for a folk album that looks inward, and conjures imagery of a crisp Autumn day. Shawn is a mature step for Mendes, and is certainly his most vulnerable work to date. I particularly enjoyed the western-tinged “Nobody Knows”, and the album’s lead single, “Why Why Why.” I’ve enjoyed watching Mendes’ evolution as an artist, as I once attended his first ever tour nearly a decade ago.
20. The Great Impersonator by Halsey
I wrote an in-depth review and analysis of this masterpiece here upon its October release. Halsey’s innovation is at its peak on The Great Impersonator, on which each track pays homage to the musical style of one of Halsey’s musical icons. These range from 1970s rock star Stevie Nicks to the moody art rock of Fiona Apple and the classic country of Dolly Parton. Halsey shared portraits of herself made up to look like each of these artists leading up to the album’s release, tying together its visual elements with its incredibly unique sonic approach. Despite its extravagant costumes, Impersonator is raw and brutally honest at its core, and is Halsey at their very best.
19. Don’t Forget Me By Maggie Rogers
Maggie Rogers’ string led production gives Don’t Forget Me a down-to-earth sound compared to her eccentric breakthrough on “Alaska,” which famously got Pharell’s stamp of approval in an NYU classroom. The album feels like a romantic homage to the pop-rock of the early aughts. “On & On & On” is my favorite track, and it evokes Natalie Imbruglia’s famous “Torn” cover. The album lyrically explores Rogers’ changing relationship with New York City, and the lessons the city and its people have taught her.
18. This Is How Tomorrow Moves By Beabadoobee
Beabadoobee is one of many artists to open for Taylor Swift this year, gaining new exposure and continued success (including that Love Island shoutout). This Is How Tomorrow Moves channels the soft rock of the early aughts, with a sample of “Drive” by Incubus opening “Take A Bite.” “Beaches” transports listeners to a salt-aired California day that sounds like it deserved a spot on the Aquamarine soundtrack.
17. The Secret Of Us By Gracie Abrams
Abrams’ wordy indie pop first caught listeners’ ears when she also opened for a leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Her breathy vocals and detailed writing paired with Aaron Dessner’s whimsical production make this record feel like a late night confession session with best friends over wine. From the frantic exploration of crushes on “Risk” to the lamenting “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” Abrams manages to capture the growing pains of when life gets real–post-grad, early 20s.
Her rare duet with Taylor Swift on “us” perfectly marries Swift’s TTPD era with Abrams’ journey through situationships, heartbreak, crushes, insecurity, newfound confidence, and all the drama in between. I am also partial to the meandering “Tough Love” for its Boston references, as the city was my home for four years, and real ones know my lore with the “benches by the Charles” (for a future Substack, perhaps).
16. Imaginal Disk By Magdalena Bay
Imaginal Disk took Magdalena Bay from pop duo status to one of the biggest groups to watch in the alternative scene. The dark synthpop album manages to both pay homage to 1980s new wave and sound distinctly current. Lyrically, the album discusses self awareness to toxic relationships and even vampires in the corner. Imaginal Disk explores a gothic side of synthpop that has been left unturned until recently.
15. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT By Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish remains one of the most experimental forces in pop music. Her 2024 album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is another genius collaboration with her brother Finneas, and the first to discuss her sexuality as an openly queer woman. “LUNCH” is a sultry tune that charted a unique path in the spring amid its pop peers, while the earnest “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” offered a heartfelt look at the importance of unconditional love in long lasting friendship. Eilish tackles breakups, body image issues, the price of fame, and more, all through dance pop and the ethereal stylings present on the slow build up of “WILDFLOWER.” The album’s diversity and crescendos made it memorable and a markedly mature move for Eilish.
14. What A Devastating Turn Of Events by Rachel Chinouriri
Chinouriri’s infectious indie pop-rock album What A Devastating Turn Of Events is one of many shining albums to come from a U.K.-based artist this year. The album’s diaristic quality is driven home by its guitar heavy production, capturing the angst and overthinking of her early 20s.
These also come with the empowering anthem “Never Need Me”, on which Chinouriri sings “If you can’t change, I doubt that I can help you/I’ve made plans and sorry they’re without you.” Chinouriri was another Sabrina Carpenter opener, and made notable strides for Black women in the indie pop scene with this album. Her sound leans rock on “The Hills,” bearing some similarity to Olivia Rodrigo’s recent work.
13. Gemelo by Angelica Garcia
My friend Suzy Exposito, a journalist whose work I greatly admire, introduced me to this album, and she wrote about it recently for Rolling Stone here. As a Latina who attended liberal arts college, one thing I love is seeing my culture represented in the indie rock scene. Gemelo is a witchy indie rock masterpiece, and Garcia’s first Spanish-language album. As Suzy wrote, “fetch your candles and your palo santo” for this one, as Garcia calls upon the power of her Salvadoran and Mexican ancestors throughout this album. I loved the haunting cumbia of “Juanita,” the punk infused “Y Grito,” and the indie astrology anthem “Gemini.”
12. Romance By Fontaines DC
Irish post-punk band Fontaines DC’s Romance took the band’s music to an international audience. The band combines elements of post-punk, indie rock, and trip hop, with a heavy sound that is bound to capture your attention. “Starburster” is a track to get into this group with, and was written about a panic attack that lead singer Grian Chatten experienced in a train station. The track is as morbid as it is empowering, capturing the essence of pulling oneself out of the inner workings of their own mind. The song soundtracked a notorious breakdown scene in the recent season of Outer Banks, bringing the Irish group’s work to a whole new audience of American teenagers. “In The Modern World” channels moody 1990s grunge, and was another favorite of mine.
11. What Happened To The Beach? By Declan McKenna
I spoke to Declan Mckenna last year ahead of his previous tour, and the year that followed our conversation only paved the way for further success. McKenna’s career kicked off with his original hit song “Brazil,” which won the Glastonbury Festival Emerging Talent Contest upon its 2015 release. His nostalgic vocal tone channels his 1970s predecessors, David Bowie and the Beatles, but his indie pop production brings these stylings up to speed. On What Happened To The Beach? McKenna tackles the global consumption of the news cycle, the complex and evolving music industry, and more. He remains a force to be reckoned with for his ability to craft modern protest songs in a vein still largely untapped by other Gen Z artists. He most recently opened for Sabrina Carpenter’s final U.S. tour leg.
10. GNX By Kendrick Lamar
It was the rap beef that defined a generation. After months of a track-for-track battle between the Pulitzer-winning Kendrick Lamar and Drake, Lamar dropped the modern rap masterclass that is GNX. Lamar’s pen game is unmatched, with his long history of writing about politics, racism, therapy, and more. On GNX, Lamar is back from therapy and ready to square up with his enemies. Lyricism aside, GNX’s strong beats coupled with the occasional retro R&B moment make it a diverse and worthwhile listen, and an excellent collaboration with producer Jack Antonoff. I particularly enjoyed “gloria”, a homage to his home city of Los Angeles, which features SZA.
9. Vertigo By Griff
Griff’s sophomore album comes after her opening slots for both Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter, and a soundtrack feature for My Lady Jane. It perfectly carves her own niche in the pop world. Vertigo captures an atmospheric sound that captivates the ear, and manages to showcase the hope and ephemeral losses of youth. The title track soundtracked Netflix’s hit queer teen coming-of-age show Heartstopper, lending to the album’s overall cinematic wall of sound. Griff sings “youre’ scared of love/but aren’t we all,” which serves as the album’s thesis. An exploration of love, loss, and growing up, another standout is the bonus track “last night’s mascara.”
8. Deeper Well by Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves is a country artist who truly leans into the folkloric elements of the genre. A Texas native, Musgraves who once yodeled on the Today Show, was among the first country stars in recent decades to vocally support the LGBTQ+ community, and collaborated with a number of artists across genres. Musgraves paired down her retro pageant queen aesthetics on Deeper Well, instead opting for a sun-soaked, dewy grass album that frolicked through fields of complicated feelings. The album opens with the title track, on which Musgraves laments that her Saturn has returned, an astrological phenomenon that typically designates the final descent into adulthood and major life changes. I particularly loved “Cardinal”, as my younger sister and I grew up spotting cardinals in our backyard as signs of good luck, much as the song describes.
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7. Charm by Clairo
Clairo’s Charm is aptly titled for its charming take on hazy 1970s soul. While her bedroom pop debut era is in the past, Charm offered an updated sound for Clairo’s evolving career, and the captivating quality that Sling was missing. “Sexy to Someone” feels like a glass of wine after work, or the walk-through-the-city scene at the end of a rom com film. “Juna” offers a peak into nostalgia, and utilizes Clairo’s soft voice to its strength. The album’s vintage aesthetics make it feel lived in and inviting.
6. Prelude To Ecstasy by The Last Dinner Party
The Last Dinner Party is easily one of the best new bands to emerge out of 2024. The all-female and nonbinary quartet offers a theatrical take on baroque pop meets indie rock, managing to conjure a wistful yet energized sound. For a new band, they have nailed their aesthetic choices, unique multi instrumentation (the mandolin AND the flute), and messaging from the jump. With lyricism lamenting the struggles of misogyny, sexism, and the queer experience, the group’s debut album was produced by James Ford.
Ford has worked with legends Depeche Mode and Blur, and his touch is certainly evident across Prelude to Ecstasy. The album is macabre yet whimsical, rooted both in history and its long term impacts (the band is composed of a group of former English majors). The band members' frequently ruffled and corseted attire makes them feel as though they stepped out of a renaissance painting, and they are certainly the renaissance that indie rock needs. They are both children of Kate Bush and their own force to be reckoned with. I was lucky enough to be invited to a private show of theirs earlier this year and meet several members of the band. Their English charm is intertwined with their captivating stage presence that will only continue to grow after their thunderous introduction. Standouts are the gossamer “On Your Side”, the rollicking “My Lady of Mercy”, and the ever-relatable “The Feminine Urge.”
5. Unreal Unearth: Unending by Hozier
Unreal Unearth first dropped in 2023, but its high volume of bonus tracks on this deluxe edition released this year land it on this list. Hozier manages to tackle incredibly complex moments in history, literary masterpieces, global politics, and interpersonal relationships all in one record, through the lens of Dante’s Inferno. “Francesca”, one of my favorites on the record, tells the story of the titular Francesca da Rimini’s affair with her husband’s brother, Paolo Malatesta, which leads to their damnation to hell. The track gives a voice to the epic’s silent Paolo, who feels that their love is so strong it is worth burning for together.
The Irish singer-songwriter read the epic during the pandemic, when he felt called to pen the record. His soulful vocals drive his powerful writing home, landing his first chart-topping hit in nearly a decade, “Too Sweet.” The track details the push and pull between two very opposite lovers, and how one could corrupt the other, who is just too sweet for him.
Despite his reputation for his long flowing locks, Irish humor, and beekeeping ways, Hozier’s music is so specifically and purposefully articulated. The rest of Unreal Unearth: Unending is rife with political messages about the importance of activism (via “Nobody’s Soldier”), a message that Hozier frequently brings to his live performances. I was fortunate enough to catch him on his recent tour, where his powerhouse vocals stunned a packed Kia Forum into silence and awe, and thunderous cheers in support of the LGBTQ+ community and the people of Palestine upon his final speech.
4.Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter
Oh, this album leaves quite the impression. Sabrina Carpenter is arguably the funniest pop girl on the scene right now, with her tongue-in-cheek lyricism present across Short n’ Sweet. On the twangy “Slim Pickins’”, she laments that “this boy don’t know the difference between there, their, and they are.” On “Taste,” Carpenter delivered a blood-soaked homage to the cult classic film Death Becomes Her, all following two bitter ex-girlfriends taking revenge on one another until realizing that their mutual ex-lover's death is what brought them together.
“Espresso” was the song of the summer, for its shot of fresh sound and 1960s aesthetics. Despite Carpenter’s bleach blonde signature locks and retro lingerie she dons onstage, she is a pop star of the modern age, encouraging young women to reclaim their sexuality, womanhood, and sense of humor. I reviewed Carpenter’s long and storied journey to her current breakthrough for Billboard earlier this year, and the Short n’ Sweet era was a longtime coming.
3. The Tortured Poets’ Department by Taylor Swift
The Tortured Poets’ Department marked Swift’s 11th studio album. The much anticipated project came during a record-breaking era for Swift, whose Eras Tour continues to smash records in every city it eclipses with its dazzling portraits of different album eras of the singer-songwriter’s life. It also fast tracked Swift to becoming one of the most decorated Grammy winners of all time. Stats aside, The Tortured Poets’ Department was polarizing. The most poignant conclusion that TTPD draws is that passionate and confessional songwriting is certainly not reserved for teenage artists. I broke down its many specific references earlier this year here.
Swift rose to fame for her girl-next-door charm and relatability to the every woman, but how does this translate when she is now a billionaire and one of the most famous musicians of all time? Swift manages to braid her personal experiences (notably, two public breakups with Joe Alwyn and later, Matty Healy of the 1975) with metaphors, literature, and the Chelsea Hotel from the New York City of yore. The album shines most with the help of Aaron Dessner’s sparkling folksy production on “The Anthology” portion of the album, on tracks like “The Albatross”, “Peter,” the haunting requiem “So Long, London” and more.
There are several synth driven successes from Swift’s longtime producing partner Jack Antonoff as well, notably the angsty “The Black Dog,” the ever-catchy “Guilty as sin?” and the moody Post Malone feature “Fortnight.” My overall favorite quality of TTPD is its rhythmic poetry present across tracks like “Chloe, or Sam, or Sophia, or Marcus” and “Peter”, which feel both deeply personal and universal, a hallmark of why Taylor Swift is one of my favorite artists of all time.
2. Brat by Charli xcx
The world will remember the summer that Charli xcx painted the town lime green. Brat created a cultural phenomenon in its hedonistic hyperpop glory, which many coined “brat summer.” The album revitalized the hyperpop and club music scene, which was still recovering in a post-pandemic landscape. Brat was cigarettes, stilettos on the dance floor, unapologetic confidence, and inclusivity. Charli xcx first emerged as an indie pop darling a decade ago with her track “Boom Clap”, which featured in the hit coming-of-age film The Fault in Our Stars. Ten years on, she is more inventive than ever.
The Brat album cover will forever be canonized in the meme world for its abrasive color and grainy font. The obscure choice in album art left some confused at first, but Charli later explained it had a deeper meaning. The singer said that this feels like her most “confrontational” album, and that she chose not to include a photo of herself on the album cover because she “thinks the constant demand for access to women’s bodies and faces in our album artwork is misogynistic and boring.”
I wrote further on the album’s grit, integrity, and vast lyrical variety (from drug fueled partying to ruminations on motherhood) here. Most notable are “girl, so confusing,” which was later remixed with its subject, Lorde (with whom Charli was frequently confused for in her early career, as both women have dark curly hair) and the thoughtful breakdown of generational trauma on “Apple,” which also sparked a viral dance trend.
1. COWBOY CARTER by Beyoncé
As an on-again-off-again Nashvillian myself, I love unique and nuanced takes on country music as a genre (y’allternative, as the locals say). The album is a kiss-off to the CMA awards and the country music industry as a whole, both for its history of exclusivity and Beyoncé’s 2016 performance with the Chicks. As she sings on “AMERIICAN REQUIEM,” “Used to say I spoke too country/And the rejection came, said I wasn't country 'nough/Said I wouldn't saddle up, but/If that ain't country, tell me what is?” Beyoncé is half Louisiana Creole, a people with a rich multiethnic culture brimming with folklore and traditions. As the most decorated Grammy winner of all time, she felt at times spurned by her own southern roots. So she wrote a thesis all about it.
COWBOY CARTER is as culturally captivating as it is catchy. Chock full of references to the Civil Rights Movement, Black country legend Linda Martell, Black rodeo culture, and more, the album boasts star-studded features and interludes, from Dolly Parton to Willie Nelson. Beyoncé’s recent albums shine a light on what it means to be a Black woman in America. It is not her job to educate the masses, but she certainly shines a light and celebrates her own roots, and the diversity of the Black American experience. The album also features two covers, of The Beatles’ “Blackbird” and Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.”
Both are rare covers from the original artists, and Paul McCartney continued to reinstate his inspiration for “Blackbird” in the first place – the Black women at the helm of American progress. On “Jolene”, Beyoncé does not beg Jolene not to take her man, she warns her not to try. There is a refreshing element of drive and confidence that make both covers feel well suited in the COWBOY CARTER universe. I elaborated on these references earlier this year here. This stunning tapestry of an album was certainly among the best albums of the year.
Honorable mentions for OBSERVATIONS FROM A CROWDED ROOM by Joy Oladokum, Weird Faith by Madi Diaz, Tiger’s Blood by Waxahatchee, Memoirs of a Sparklemuffin by Suki Waterhouse, and This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway by Lola Young