Well, it’s been another fantastic year for music—so much so that I could only narrow my list down to a nice n’ random top 66 albums this time around! (And it was not an easy process–It looked a little like the popular It’s Always Sunny board of crazy meme at times.) With so many big names releasing chart-dominating albums in 2024, it was easy to overlook some of these other gems that came out this year (and there really were so many new and old artists releasing great music — This is just the painstakingly pared down list).
In the words of Bill Hader’s SNL character Stefon Meyers, this list has it all: ‘80s synths, howling coyotes, self-deprecating album titles, neural implants, banjos, random John Mayer collabs, nature imagery, modern ‘90s songs straight out of a time machine, dystopian yearning, artists with synesthesia, AI commentary, disco-tinged dance grooves, digital fatigue, social media doom horror, and lots of songs about how great the color blue is.
If you’re so inclined, you can listen to a playlist of my top songs from these albums here.
So, with no further ado, here are my top albums of 2024!
1. The Voidz – Like All Before You (September 20, Cult Records)
If you aren’t familiar with The Voidz, yes you are. Fronted by the enigmatic and unrivaled talent that is Julian Casablancas of The Strokes and made possible by five equally incredible musicians (Alex Carapetis, Amir Yaghmai, Jeramy “Beardo” Gritter, Jake Bercovici, and Jeff Kite), The Voidz was formed in New York City in 2013 and have been releasing their unique brand of amazing music ever since. According to Casablancas in a recent interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, The Voidz’ music seeks to meld conventional melodies with more experimental music in a way that is accessible—The group’s mission is to “make the underground mainstream.” Genre-wise, The Voidz classify themselves as “prison jazz.”
On this album—the group’s third offering—The Voidz present a chaotic medley of Prince-level ‘80s pop, occasional heavy vocoder use, metal-inspired guitar rock, and even a healthy dash of what could be construed as reggae—a blend that Casablancas claims “taps into the primordial oozes.” So, yeah, it’s weird. It was described as “New Order on cough syrup” and “Halloween novelty music” by a famous reviewer, and while that individual did not care for the album and its hodgepodge allure, these happen to be the exact reasons I found it to be so great.
While Like All Before You does do quite a bit of sonic hopping around, lyrically, it has a lot to say about the fusion of anger, depression, and ennui plaguing many of us in the modern age (I had to). There’s apt commentary on technology over-saturation and social media culture (“Temporary things last forever and nothing exists,” “Civilized, evil eyes, seen so much, we’ve gone blind,” “Everything’s recorded but nothing can be recalled”) and the horror of modern politics (“First amendment and freedom they say, while our best men are jailed, silenced, or dead,” “It’s the same ole crooks trying to buy your vote, and gossip makes more money than the truth,” “Our disagreements, they have been manufactured from the beginning; joining up don’t got to be that hard, all the same from left to right”).
These sentiments provide a pronounced central theme that fits with the album’s detached and robotic vibe and even its controversial AI art cover. It arrived in fall of 2024, and there’s never been a better time to receive this album. So, even if “Last Nite” wasn’t your jam, you need to listen to this one. There’s truly nothing like it out there.
My top songs: “Flexorcist,” “Square Wave,” “Prophecy of the Dragon”
Check the album out here.
2. Leon Bridges – Leon (October 4, Columbia Records)
Soul artist Leon Bridges got his professional start in Fort Worth, Texas, after performing at open mics and releasing a few SoundCloud demos in 2014. From there, his career took flight, leading to three albums, touring in support of Harry Styles, collabs with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Khruangbin, features on Olivia Dean and Odesza songs, a Grammy, and finally, his greatly anticipated fourth album. The aptly named Leon is very personal, detailing his life growing up in Fort Worth.
On this album, which was written over the course of five years, Bridges sings about everything from gumbo to crackheads to whiskey and gingers. While his previous music has been very soul-oriented, this album mixes in elements of folk and country to great effect—In fact, Bridges cites Van Morrison and Roy C as influences. John Mayer was so taken with one of Bridges’ in-studio Instagram lives that he invited him to collaborate on the album’s first song, “When a Man Cries.” Leon serves up a perfect collection of songs that are calming and pleasant from start to finish, and every single one is a winner.
My top songs: “That’s What I Love,” “Laredo,” “Ghetto Honeybee”
Check the album out here.
3. Jack White – No Name (August 2, Third Man Records)
Often called “the last rock star,” Jack White is a seasoned veteran at this point—and that only means he has no interest in playing The Game anymore. The Detroit-based White has kept busy since The White Stripes disbanded in 2011, performing in bands such as The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, founding his own record label, studio, and venue, and, of course, being a prolific solo artist with five albums under his belt.
He released his sixth album in the most Jack White way possible, by randomly gifting unmarked vinyl versions of it to unsuspecting Third Man Records store customers, then encouraging recipients to share it online before dropping it totally unannounced. To keep the devil-may-care energy going, he then embarked on a surprise tour of small venues in which he even drove the van himself.
No Name is a bluesy, garagey, rocky, punky return to the roots for White. He recorded it at his own studio, Third Man Studio, and enlisted the aid of his wife, musician Olivia Jean, and his daughter, Scarlett, for drums and bass parts. The album certainly landed, as it’s nominated for a 2024 Grammy for Best Rock Album—not that White necessarily cares. No Name is full of raw angst, sick guitar riffs, and scathing political indictments. It’s an instant classic.
My top songs: “That’s How I’m Feeling,” “What’s the Rumpus?” “Underground”
Check the album out here.
4. Raveena – Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain (June 14, Empire/Moonstone Recordings)
Indian Punjabi-American singer-songwriter Raveena Aurora spent her early life between New York City and India, and this cultural fusion is reflected in her ethereal soul, folk, and R&B-inspired music. On this, her third album, Raveena’s smooth vocals perfectly complement the jazzy instrumentation and soaring melodies.
It’s dreamy and at times nostalgic (think: Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On”), with an eclectic but welcome dash of traditional Indian instruments here and there. Overall, it evokes the feeling of the sun coming out after the rain—There’s a strong nature-centric vibe throughout the album that is in line with its title and pink-flowered cover. Every song is a stunner that lives on repeat for me.
My top songs: “Lucky,” “Rise,” “Baby Mama”
Check the album out here.
5. Kishi Bashi – Kantos (August 23, Joyful Noise Recordings)
Japanese-American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kaoru Dill-Ishibashi, who performs as Kishi Bashi, is a classically trained violinist who was once a member of Jupiter One and of Montreal. Now, he spends his time making a well-balanced blend of infectious pop music and heart-rending ballads. On his fifth album, Kantos, Kishi Bashi revels in bombastic ‘80s influences while exploring the diverging concepts of humanity and AI. His label describes it as “a party album about the possible end of humanity as we know it.” Indeed, it’s a collection of highly addictive songs meant to be listened at top volume.
My top songs: “Colorful State,” “Icarus IV,” “Lilliputian Chop (feat. Augie Bello)”
Check the album out here.
6. Rey Pila – ESTAN STRANGE I (November 28, Arts & Crafts México)
Formed in Mexico City in 2010, Rey Pila (Spanish for “King Battery,” if you’re curious) has been cranking out danceable synth-rock bops for years at this point. It all started when frontman Diego Solórzano left his former band Los Dynamite and began working on a solo project. It soon evolved into a four-piece band that caught the attention of everyone from Julian Casablancas to Depeche Mode to The Cure. This is the group’s first full-length album following a hiatus, and it doesn’t disappoint. Every single song is a full-on jam, and a lot of them say “hey, social media kinda sucks” even as you’re bopping your head to the beat.
My top songs: “One of Us,” “Ani Oni,” “Friend Request”
Check the album out here.
7. Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us (April 5, Columbia Records)
New York City academic indie rockers Vampire Weekend are back and better than ever with their fifth album. Though founding member Rostam Batmanglij left the band in 2016, the three remaining members (Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio, and Chris Tomson) have continued creating their catchy-but-thoughtful music together—and Batmanglij also collaborated on this record. Full of beautiful melodies and string instrumentation, Only God Was Above Us is somewhat of a love song to old New York City, and even the album’s title comes from a New York Daily News headline about an airplane losing its roof mid-flight.
My top songs: “Classical,” “Prep-School Gangsters,” “Gen-X Cops”
Check the album out here.
8. Charli XCX – Brat (June 7, Atlantic Records)
It’s hard to find things to say about Brat that haven’t already been said at this point. “Brat” was both a movement and a way of life in the summer of 2024, despite the fact that English singer-songwriter Charli XCX has been around for a hot minute at this point. Brat is her sixth full-length album, and her first came out over a decade ago in 2013 (and that’s not including her 2008 MySpace presence).
Still, there’s no denying that this album brought something special. In truth, both the minimalist neon green album artwork and candid electro-hyperpop songs are a major 2000s throwback—and it was totally welcome in 2024. The album cycle—which included both a deluxe version and a remixed re-release full of big-name collaborations—spawned TikTok dances and endless memes and was even used in Kamala Harris’ 2024 campaign.
My top songs: “Sympathy is a knife,” “Apple,” “Mean girls”
Check the album out here.
9. Foster The People – Paradise State of Mind (August 16, Atlantic Records)
No one will ever forget L.A. indie rock band Foster The People’s breakout 2010 song “Pumped Up Kicks”—or the shocking follow-up revelation that it was actually a pretty devastating song presenting the POV of a homicidal youth. But the truth is that Mark Foster’s songwriting chops have always been solid and the band’s fourth album provides yet another great example of this fact. I knew as soon as the highly addictive disco-laced lead single “Lost in Space” dropped in May that I’d love this album just as much as the others. It’s sexy; it’s funky; it’s highly danceable—all while tackling heavy themes of war, technology, and mortality. Foster’s songwriting is as strong as ever.
My top songs: “Lost in Space,” “See You in the Afterlife,” Take Me Back”
Check the album out here.
10. Fontaines D.C. – Romance (August 23, XL Recordings)
Formed in Dublin, Ireland, 10 years ago in 2014 over a shared love of music and poetry, Fontaines D.C. (named after the “Godfather” character and the initials for Dublin City) really took the world by storm this year with their fourth album, which focuses on dystopian and intimate themes through a lovely mix of fuzzy, grungy, and shoegazey guitars and catchy melodies.
While still nodding to their Irish roots (there’s a song named after James Joyce’s “Ulysses”), the band mixes in plenty of literature, Italian cinema, Jack Kerouac, Japanese manga, “The Lost Boys,” and pop culture influences—there’s another song that’s inspired by what The 930 Club called “Lana Del Rey’s strain of disillusionment.” “I’m fascinated by that—falling in love at the end of the world,” frontman Grian Chatten told The 930 Club in July.
My top songs: “Favourite,” “Romance,” “Here’s The Thing”
Check the album out here.
11. Allie X – Girl With No Face (February 23, Twin Music/AWAL)
Like Charli XCX, Canadian indie pop singer-songwriter Allie X has been around for a hot minute—something she cheekily reminds us of on her song “You Slept on Me.” Written in the COVID-19-induced lull that halted her planned 2020 tour, Allie X’s third album was not created with mainstream sentiments in mind. Still, many found its ‘80s synth-heavy presentation coupled with aggressive lyrics concerning masks and identity relatable (not to mention super-danceable). It’s angry while also being fun and self-deprecating—There are disco moments, new wave influences, and even a song about eczema cream.
My top songs: “Black Eye,” “Galina,” “Weird World”
Check the album out here.
12. Future Islands – People Who Aren’t There Anymore (January 26, 4AD)
Baltimore, Maryland-based synth pop/post wave band Future Islands are known for their intensely emotional songs and equally affecting live performances. In fact, the group’s hit song “Seasons (Waiting on You)” was widely considered the song of the year in 2014. On the band’s seventh album, frontman Samuel T. Herring focuses on the breakdown of his long-distance relationship as a result of the COVID-19 lockdowns. That concept is driven home by the album’s cover, which features a painting by Beedallo titled “Fading Memory of a Face.” Despite this, it’s got a vibe of resigned optimism overall, though it is punctuated by some truly gutting moments.
My top songs: “The Tower,” “Say Goodbye,” “Deep In The Night”
Check the album out here.
13. Faux Real – Faux Ever (October 11, City Slang)
As far as debut albums go, Faux Ever is pretty damn strong. L.A.-based art-pop duo Faux Real recorded it all over the world in London, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and Provence. Musically, it’s fun and playful, yet dead serious in its discussions of personal struggles, authenticity, and heartbreak. The duo (which consists of two performance art-loving brothers, Elliott and Virgile Arndt) described it as “an existential sonic pastiche with a glistening digital sheen.”
My top songs: “Love On the Ground,” “Walking Away from My Demons,” “Faux Maux”
Check the album out here.
14. The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy (February 2, Island Records/Universal)
Another fantastic 2024 debut album is this offering by British five-piece, all-woman indie rock band, The Last Dinner Party. Formed in 2021 (the same year they performed live for the first time) and named after the concept of a decadent end-of-the-world feast, the band were signed to Island before their first song was even released in 2023. It’s been a whirlwind ride for them ever since, touring with Hozier in 2023 and performing at Coachella in 2024. Sounding a little like a divine mash-up of Queen, Kate Bush, and Regina Spektor and full of direct, diary-page lyrics like “I will fuck you like nothing matters,” this album is nothing but addicting girl-power bangers. A companion album, Prelude to Ecstasy, features acoustic versions of the songs along with zany covers (including the group’s take on Sparks and Kate Bush).
My top songs: “Nothing Matters,” “Sinner,” “Portrait of a Dead Girl”
Check the album out here.
15. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World (November 1, Fiction/Lost Music/Universal/Polydor/Capitol Records)
Speaking of Brits, 2024 was the year that legendary post-punk band and reigning goth kings, The Cure, have finally given us their long-awaited 14th album (let that number soak in). Inspired by personal loss in sole songwriter Robert Smith’s life, it’s decidedly dark and sludgy—but if it hits you at the right time, its dreary synths and themes of mortality and isolation can be transcendent. In fact, Smith confessed that when some songs on the album were first played for friends, they were described as “too much,” and he’s had trouble performing them live without getting too emotional. Let that (and the fact that it was intentionally released on the Day of the Dead) be a warning to listeners! Smith has already announced that a follow-up album is in the works.
My top songs: “A Fragile Thing,” “I Can Never Say Goodbye,” “All I Ever Am”
Check the album out here.
16. Discovery Zone – Quantum Web (March 8, RVNG/Mansions of Millions)
The experimental pop project of New York and Berlin-based multimedia artist JJ Weihl, Discovery Zone has been delivering catchy and ethereal electronic music since 2018. Inspired by an eclectic blend of jazz, ‘90s pop, and rock, Weihl dabbles in dance, theater, and writing in addition to music. She taught herself digital production, opening the doors to electronic beats and sonic exploration and culminating in her project’s first album in 2020.
According to her label, this second album focuses on “the omnipresence of advertising, the sense of interconnection and alienation mediated by technology, and the corporate control of modern society” and is also inspired by what her Spotify bio calls “the potential of cybernetics and neural networks” and “the border between the human and the post-human.” To present those dense themes, Weihl used delicate vocals, ambient sounds, baroque instrumentals, and ‘90s nostalgia.
My top songs: “Pair A Dice,” “All Dressed Up with Nowhere to Go,” “Mall of Luv”
Check the album out here.
17. Omar Apollo – God Said No (June 28, Warner Records)
With its upbeat vibes and deeply personal lyrics, Omar Apollo’s summer-released second album, God Said No, could be Brat’s sassy younger brother of another genre. Born in Indiana to Mexican parents, Omar Apolonio Velasco started dabbling in rock, R&B, and pop through an acoustic guitar and laptop at age 17, uploaded his music to SoundCloud, released his debut album in 2022, and the rest is history. Despite being described by Apollo as a “survey of the emotional wreckage that followed the end of a torrid love affair,” the album sees him at his catchiest. With contributions by Mustafa, John Mayer, and even Pedro Pascal, how could it not be?
My top songs: “Done With You,” “Spite,” “Less of You”
Check the album out here.
18. Tom Odell – Black Friday (January 26, UROK)
English singer-songwriter Tom Odell made a splash with his emotional piano-based 2013 song “Another Love,” but he was actually discovered by Lily Allen in 2012 because he reminded her of David Bowie. Since then, he’s released a slew of EPs and albums, and Black Friday is his sixth. It’s stripped down, intimate, confessional, and probably the first album this year that I knew would make this list. Inspired by the unencumbered and direct way that Kurt Cobain wrote music, Odell primarily created this album by sitting on the couch with his guitar and recording raw vocals. You can really hear this, as the album is punctuated by background noise, interludes, and chatter in a way that’s as effective at creating intimacy as Bon Iver’s 2007 masterpiece For Emma, Forever Ago.
My top songs: “Black Friday,” “Nothing Hurts Like Love,” “Somebody Else”
Check the album out here.
19. Brittany Howard – What Now (February 9, Island Records)
Since departing her successful blues rock act the Alabama Shakes in 2018, Alabama singer-songwriter Brittany Howard was quite literally asking “what now?” She was off to a strong start with 2019’s Jaime, her debut as a solo artist. Her second, What Now, continues her genre-mashing theme with elements of funk, synth, soul, R&B, disco, jazz, rock, blues, and hip hop. At some point, it’s easier not to give it a label at all and just call it “Brittany Howard is awesome.” It’s an upbeat and at times sexy album that feels like witnessing a joyful rainbow.
My top songs: “Prove It To You,” “I Don’t,” “Red Flags”
Check the album out here.
20. Mustafa – Dunya (September 27, Jagjaguwar)
Toronto-based poet-turned-singer-songwriter Mustafa pulls from his experiences on the streets, in the heart, and through his Sudanese Muslim background on his second album, Dunya. As its title suggests (“dunya” means “the world in which we live” in Islam), it’s stripped down, emotionally charged, and spiritual, with folk elements (including Sudanese strings and the Egyptian oud) tying it all together. The songs see Mustafa’s struggle to reconcile his religious pull toward piety and impermanence with the hedonistic and “now or never” ethos of the Western world. He also explores loss through personal experiences, as well as on a grander scale as it relates to the killing of children in Palestine.
My top songs: “Imaan,” “I’ll Go Anywhere,” “What good is a heart?”
Check the album out here.
21. Haley Heynderickx – Seed of a Seed (November 1, Mama Bird Recording Co.)
Portland, Oregon-based Filipino-American singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx released her first EP in 2016 and has been plucking her way toward mainstream awareness ever since. On this, her second album, she’s done it. Through her soothing vocals, catchy melodies, and fingerpicked acoustic rhythms, she explores complex human themes like excess and technology overload through natural elements that are near and dear to her, such as flower-sipping hummingbirds, foxglove blooms, and sprouting seeds. As her Spotify bio proclaims, her lyrics “flirt with levity but hew toward introspection.” On this album, it’s all about slowing down and enjoying the simpler pleasures.
My top songs: “Foxglove,” “Ayan’s Song,” “Seed of a Seed”
Check the album out here.
22. Sia – Reasonable Woman (May 3, Monkey Puzzle/Atlantic Records)
Australian singer-songwriter Sia is a legend in her own right. Ebbing from indie rock darling to behind-the-scenes songwriter to bold wig-donning solo pop artist, Sia now finds herself at a moment where she can do just about anything. Her 10th album, Reasonable Woman, provides somewhat of a summary of her career, with intense ballads, tender indie laments, and dancey pop collabs with the diverse likes of Chaka Khan, Paris Hilton, Labrinth, and Kylie Minogue. While “Gimme Love” was the hooky single that heralded the album, I was most taken with the heart-wrenching anthem “I Forgive You.” Here, Sia seems to vent all the pain and frustration of the past few years in a way that only she can.
My top songs: “I Forgive You,” “Rock and Balloon,” “Incredible (feat. Labrinth)”
Check the album out here.
23. Beak> – >>>> (May 28, Invada Records)
British experimental electronic rock band Beak> have been around since 2009, most known for featuring members of Portishead, Sensational Space Shifters, and Moon Gang (some have since departed the band). While they scored a number one in the U.K. with their 2017 song “Sex Music,” Beak> proclaims on their Spotify bio that “This is not even their best song.”
This new album—the band’s fourth—proves that this is indeed true. These songs all have a subtle driving groove with retro synth undertones that will surely pull you in. The band’s mission statement, according to Temporary Residence, is pretty unusual: “The music was to be recorded live in one room with no overdubs or repair, only using edits to create arrangements.” This album was recorded in a remote house in Wales “in the fallout from the weirdness of the COVID days.” It’s meant to be taken as a full album, so the band did not release any singles leading up to it.
My top songs: “Secrets,” “Ah Yeh,” “The Seal,”
Check the album out here.
24. Ray LaMontagne – Long Way Home (August 16, Liula Records/Thirty Tigers)
Smoky-voiced New Hampshire singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne took over the world in the mid-2000s with songs like “Trouble” and “Hold You In My Arms.” And while he’s continued to release music since then, he leads a quiet life with his family in his 1800s Massachusetts farmhouse far away from the limelight and hardly ever gives interviews.
His ninth album, Long Way Home, is the first that he’s released independently following the fulfillment of his label contract with RCA Records and reflects this peaceful, contented existence. Here, LaMontagne explores aging with grace (“Winter come to us all, my friend, just as every childhood has an end”), but also touches on harmonica-laced ‘70s folk and has quite a few jaunty moments.
My top songs: “Long Way Home,” “And They Called Her California,” “Step Into Your Power”
Check the album out here.
25. Man Man – Carrot on Strings (June 7, Sub Pop Records)
Man Man is an experimental rock band led by Honus Honus (aka Ryan Kattner) that’s based in Philadelphia and L.A. I first saw them opening up for Modest Mouse in 2007, and it was … memorable. The whole band was wearing matching white outfits and were gathered around a giant drum, banging in unison. Carrot on Strings is their sixth album, and it does not disappoint.
Named after both Kattner’s sampling the sound of someone eating the root vegetable and the concept of success always being akin to a dangling carrot, the songs are melodic with elements of dance music, no-wave, and Krautrock being bandied around. It was inspired by everything from new fatherhood to Werner Herzog documentaries to Old Yeller, and was recorded as loosely as possible, with some vocal tracks even being captured while he was laying on a couch. Really, Man Man’s music is best described as deranged but catchy. These songs will get stuck in your head, for better or worse.
My top songs: “Tastes Like Metal,” “Alibi,” “Odyssey”
Check the album out here.
26. Suki Waterhouse – Memoir of a Sparklemuffin (September 13, Sub Pop Records)
OK, so this album is just fun. I was a big fan of English indie pop singer-songwriter Suki Waterhouse’s breakout 2017 song “Good Looking;” then I saw her pop up in everything from a Voidz music video to a hit TV show—and also at Coachella 2024, where she performed a few of the songs that would later be on this album. Nothing on Memoir of a Sparklemuffin takes itself too seriously, starting with that title and ending with her irreverent self-categorization as a “model, actress, whatever.” Waterhouse started as a model at 16, then began delving in other artistic directions. She released her first music in 2016, and this is her second full-length album. A medley of sassy vibes, earworm melodies, and heartfelt confessions, it’s an instant classic.
My top songs: “My Fun,” “Faded,” “Model, Actress, Whatever”
Check the album out here.
27. James Vincent McMorrow – Wide Open, Horses (June 4, Nettwerk)
Irish singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow is best known for his delicate falsetto voice that can wreak absolute havoc on your emotional state. He released his first music in 2010—the stripped-down album Early in the Morning—and has since become an outspoken advocate for artists’ rights on social media. While he’s dabbled in more produced music in recent years, his seventh album, Wide Open, Horses, sees a return to raw, intimate, predominantly acoustic creations with heavy folk elements (even some expertly-applied banjos).
While there are some soaring, anthemic moments (the loud “Never gone” chorus “Cuz what the fuck are any of us really doing here, do we even exist at all?” comes to mind), he saved room for “flaws and other special little moments” on this record according to his Spotify bio—and it’s much appreciated.
My top songs: “Never gone,” “Stay cool,” “White out – demo”
Check the album out here.
28. Charlotte Day Wilson – Cyan Blue (May 3, XL Recordings/Stone Woman Music)
I had a pretty serious love affair with Canadian singer-songwriter Charlotte Day Wilson’s 2016 song “Work,” so I was more than a little excited to listen to her second full-length album, Cyan Blue, and it didn’t disappoint. The album’s title relates to her eye color as well as the fact that she experiences synesthesia with blues and greens. Wilson’s deep, powerful, and affecting voice alone is something truly special, and this album expertly combines elements of soul, pop, R&B, and folk while she lyrically explores relationships, queer identity, grief, and sensuality.
“A big theme for me when I was writing a lot of the music was (the idea of) how when you meet someone who you could see spending the rest of your life with, you’re really faced with your mortality,” she tells Document. While a little melancholy at times, it’s a soothing and sexy listen overall.
My top songs: “My Way,” “Money,” “Cyan Blue”
Check the album out here.
29. Magdalena Bay – Imaginal Disk (August 23, Mom + Pop Music)
Florida native and L.A.-based pop duo Magdalena Bay (hilariously named for an employee at member Matthew Lewin’s former job) have been making their unique brand of synth-pop music for years. In addition to a hit 2021 debut album, the duo are known for their fun visuals and candid TikTok videos discussing the ins and outs of the music industry.
Vocalist Mica Tenenbaum, who was born in Buenos Aires, and Lewin, wrote and produced their second album, Imaginal Disk, entirely by themselves. In an age of singles, it stands out as a concept album centered on a character named True who has a CD-like “imaginal disk” implanted in her head (which is depicted on the album’s cover) that turns her into an idealized version of herself. As her body rejects the disk, she then must rediscover what it means to be human. Naturally, the album explores themes of technology, identity, and consciousness through absolute disco-dance-pop bangers.
My top songs: “Image,” “Death & Romance,” “Fear, Sex”
Check the album out here.
30. Zach Bryan – The Great American Bar Scene (July 4, Belting Bronco/Warner)
Oklahoma country singer-songwriter Zach Bryan might be somewhat of a polarizing figure these days, but he’s a damn good songwriter. A former member of the U.S. Navy, Bryan wrote songs purely for the sake of enjoyment in his down time while serving. His music was so good, in fact, that he was honorably discharged after eight years of service to pursue a career in it. He started uploading iPhone videos of his performances to YouTube in 2017—and the world immediately took notice. Bryan is a big fan of keeping things raw and authentic, having recorded his first two albums in an Airbnb and barn, respectively (a tip of the hat).
His third album featured the breakout single “Something in the Orange,” and he followed this up with a live album called All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster, tons of touring, and a plethora of collabs with artists including Noah Kahan, Bon Iver, Kacey Musgraves, The Lumineers, and Maggie Rogers. His fifth album, The Great American Bar Scene, was released on the Fourth of July—less than a year after his 2023 album. In addition to featuring high-profile artists like Bruce Springsteen and John Mayer, it’s a highly relatable album that stays in line with Bryan’s candid lyrical songwriting and accessible brand of modern country music. Like the title suggests, these are sentimental songs that feel like eavesdropping on things normal people might talk about at the neighborhood bar.
My top songs: “Pink Skies (feat. Watchhouse),” “Better Days (feat. John Mayer),” “Purple Gas (feat. Noeline Hofmann)”
Check the album out here.
Important note on year-end album lists: This is just one person on the internet’s humble opinion about what is good. And while I like to think that I’m alright (sometimes, anyway), I would in no way claim that I know best when it comes to art (which we sometimes forget is what music is all about). That said, this is hardly an exhaustive list of every good album that came out in 2024, and the order in no way indicates that one is superior to another. These are just my absolute must-listens.
This is just the top 30, folks. Stay tuned for Volume 2, coming soon!
