It’s a brand new year and a brand new Roundup! Garfunkel and Simon, pictured above, are still in their natural habitat (cuddling) while yours truly has been reflecting on the music of 2024, and for 2025’s first Roundup I thought we could take a look at some of the best albums of 2024. Best will always be subjective, and because of that, I decided to create the list in no particular order. These albums kept me company throughout the year, and I continued returning to them and can’t wait to keep listening to them this year.
All in all, 2024 was an excellent year for music. I discovered new artists, enjoyed work by some of my favorites, and got to see 20 total concerts and attend two music festivals. Not too shabby!
Top 24 albums of 2024 (in no particular order):
Two Star & The Dream Police is Michael Gordon’s debut studio album, and at a brisk 33 minutes, you’ll hear brand new sounds that feel unique and inventive while remaining familiar. A lyric check might be essential if you want to sing along to most of the songs, as Mk.gee’s distorted vocals are at times shrouded in an air of mystery alongside the murky 80s inspired instrumentation.
Tyler, the Creator announced CHROMAKOPIA shortly before it dropped on October 28th, and the album is absolutely stacked. The first music video for the album, “NOID,” features Ayo Edeberi as a crazed fan, while the album includes features from GloRilla, Sexyy Red, Doechii, Lil Wayne, Teezo Touchdown, and more. His eighth studio album follows his new alter ego, St. Chroma, on a journey to reflect on his past, present, and future self.
“I sound great! When I’m singing in the shower,” proclaims Tierra Whack on “SHOWER SONG.” WORLD WIDE WHACK resembles Whack’s past works, with easy to learn hooks on short and sweet bops. What makes WORLD WIDE WHACK stand out is the heavy material covered, particularly on the final track, “27 CLUB.” The word “suicide” is repeated over and over, as Whack tries and succeeds to free herself from the hold of the meaning behind the word.
Kendrick Lamar was inescapable in 2024. “not like us” was the number one hip hop song on Spotify with a total of 984 million streams, and to continue his victory in one of the biggest rap beefs of recent years, Lamar released GNX as a surprise on November 22nd. This album has everything, from the sample playing at the beginning of the “not like us” music video in full form on “squabble up,” to features from SZA, Roddy Ricch, and Dody6, to name a few.
Playing on the term used around awards season, For Your Consideration deserves all of the pop awards. Lorely Rodriguez’s acrobatic vocals float above and in tandem with the intricate production on each track, showcasing her ability to flawlessly execute any genre.
A24 re-released the 1984 concert movie, Stop Making Sense in 2023. Stop Making Sense followed the Talking Heads over the course of three nights at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in 1983, and many critics consider it one of the best concert films of all time. On the tribute album, bands like Paramore, The Linda Lindas, Toro y Moi, and Lorde are recruited to cover the iconic Stop Making Sense companion soundtrack.
Mica Tenenbaum and Matt Lewin return for their third studio album, Imaginal Disk. In it, they weave in and out of genres, playing with funk, psychedelic pop, and ballads. It’s inventive and fresh, with catchy and rhythmic hooks that keep you coming back for more.
Roberto Carlos Lange creates dreamy and danceable synthpop as Helado Negro, and on Phasor, he spends time with his newest instrument of choice, the Sal-Mar. Lange became acquainted with the Sal-Mar after visiting the University of Illinois where it’s housed. The new instrument helped shape each and every track on Phasor, adding the unique depth heard throughout the album.
Vince Staples knows how to keep his albums short, sweet, and to the point, and Dark Times is no exception. While this album is more melancholic than his past work, he keeps the positivity alive with lyrics like “Things get better/Everything gets better" on the track “Little Homies.”
Cementing themselves as *the* jam band for millennials, Vampire Weekend’s fifth studio album and second album as a trio starts strong with Ezra Koenig crooning, “‘F*ck the world,’ you said it quiet,” on “Ice Cream Piano.” The entire album sounds grown up and sleek, covering ideas like the impact older generations have on culture, what being elegantly wasted looks like, and what it means to let go when your enemy’s invincible.
“I think my life gets weirder and less relatable the older that I get,” shared Katie Crutchfield in an interview with Pitchfork about her newest album, Tigers Blood. Her sixth studio album as Waxahatchee contains pragmatic love songs (“Right Back to It, featuring MJ Lenderman) and songs inspired by Beth Henley and Anton Chekhov plays (“3 Sisters”).
No Hands is a genuine delight. Comparisons have been made to the Beastie Boys, but Joey Valence and Brae are too online for that comparison to last forever. From releasing a deluxe version with an Ayesha Erotica feature on “THE BADDEST” to the inventive album promo by Joey Valence dancing in his humble and relatable bedroom, Joey Valence and Brae are creatures of their digital environment, creating inventive and fun music that take huge inspiration from their rap forefathers.
Funky and soulful, Brittany Howard’s second solo album propels her even farther into her status as a major leader in the rock and R&B space. She’s so incredibly talented, and almost every track is written by her, alongside her multi-instrumental musings.
I Saw the TV Glow was one of the most unique and personal movies of the year, and the soundtrack to accompany it set the tone for the film in the best way possible. The score was composed by Alex G, while the soundtrack features artists like yeule, Caroline Polachek, and Phoebe Bridgers.
Nilüfer Yanya’s third studio album, My Method Actor is cohesive and polished, and a perfect finale to her two albums that came before.
Ravyn Lenae’s soprano notes take new heights on Bird’s Eye, her second studio album. She fills the track list with a couple notable features, including Childish Gambino and Ty Dolla $ign.
One look at 1010benja’s Instagram, and it’s hard to tell if he’s for real or a troll. Likely a healthy mix of both, 1010benja, or Benjamin Lyman, creates soulful tracks with confounding lyrics, all sung with his effortless and gorgeous voice. Each track is easy to listen to, and even easier to sing along with, even when the lyrics don’t make much sense.
Every iteration of brat could be on this list, but the original album will always reign supreme. brat was a cultural reset in so many ways, from redefining anything slightly resembling the album color cover to “brat green,” to popularizing talking about “skiing” or “hitting the slopes” as casually as can be.
Everyone’s talking about her! She’s the IT girl! All of Doechii’s hard work has been paying off, from her feature on CHROMAKOPIA to her excellent Tiny Desk concert.
Oh his sixth album, Schoolboy Q keeps the listener on their toes, with abrupt ends to songs, high intensity instrumentation, and unexpected lyrics.
A divorce concept album is exactly what Ariana Grande needed to release to counterbalance the bubbly soprano songs she would be putting out later in the year for Wicked.
Beyoncé will always be famous, and her artistry will be studied for decades to come. COWBOY CARTER is the second act of a third act series, and the Americana themes throughout the album leave you feeling confusingly patriotic.
Christine and the Queens is the first feature ever to be found on an MGMT album, and for good reason. On “Dancing in Babylon,” the energy is happy and romantic, and as the song progresses, it becomes a full out ballad, with Christine and the Queens and Andrew Van Wyngarden’s voices complimenting each other perfectly.
Kacy Hill released one of the best records to listen to while driving around the city in the summer. Every track is cool, calm, and collected, and the cohesive sound makes the listening experience a breeze.
What albums did I miss? Do you have any favorites I should listen to? Overall, 2024 was an excellent year for music, and choosing 24 albums was tough, which is why next week, I’ll be sharing 10 honorable mentions.
This week’s playlist will be a bit longer than normal, featuring one song per album. If you haven’t already, make sure to save the playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music! See you next week!
so glad you're back !!!!