It’s that time of the year again: the time for another top 50 albums list. But dear reader, look no further, as this is the only top 50 list you’ll need to see. From No. 1 to No. 50, you’ll be sitting at the edge of your seat waiting to see what comes next. That I can promise. Without further ado, I present my top 50 albums of 2024.
1. “The New Sound” – Geordie Greep
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- Hot off the heels of the rock band Black Midi’s breakup, lead vocalist and guitarist Geordie Greep announced his new album, “The New Sound.” The album was released with a single titled “Holy, Holy,” which dropped during the album announcement in October. If the single wasn’t enough proof that this album would be boundary-shaking, the rest of the album very well proved that. Styles of progressive rock, free jazz and salsa make the album as complex as it is digestible. At several points, I was floored that this was Greep’s debut album, even given his previous output with Black Midi. “The Magician,” the final track of the album, has to be one of the best songs I’ve heard in the rock genre in a very long time, and that’s at the tail end of the album. Every song is memorable and calls you back in to discover something new upon each listen. For these very condensed reasons and hundreds more, “The New Sound” is my undeniable pick for the best album of 2024, and I implore you to check it out, even if you end up hating it (but you’ll love it, nonetheless).
- “Brat” – Charli XCX
- What can I say about this album that hasn’t already been said? I’ve been following Charli’s work since 2019, and it seems that with every release, she’s tried to push the boundaries of whatever genre she’s touched, even if it didn’t always pan out. “Brat” is fun, chaotic and meaningful in every single way. It is a pop album that dares you to let loose through its club-centric sound, but, most importantly, it is an album that, against all odds, saw mainstream acclaim and sparked a summerlong movement behind it. It would be my album of the year if “The New Sound” did not exist.
- “Wild God” – Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
- Nick Cave and “joy” aren’t often synonymous, yet for his 2024 output with The Bad Seeds, a sense of overwhelming joy surrounds the lyrics and instrumentation. This album teaches the listener that even in moments of immense grief where everything seems hopeless, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Not only is this album one of Cave’s best in the 21st century, it is also one of the most powerful and transformative releases this year.
- “No Title as of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead” – Godspeed You! Black Emperor
- Emotionally charged yet somberly peaceful, this album does a great job of highlighting the conflict between Israel and Palestine without using words. If you’re unaware of Godspeed’s previous output, this may not be the place to begin, but it’s such a powerful album that I recommend it nonetheless.
- “I Lay Down My Life For You” – JPEGMAFIA
- This album delivers on almost all fronts. It’s not just a great experimental rap album, it’s also a great leap in JPEGMAFIA’s sound. Don’t believe me? Check out the song “Exmilitary.” It’s one of the best songs of the year.
- “Imaginal Disk” – Magdalena Bay
- “You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To” – Knocked Loose
- “13″ Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips” – Xiu Xiu
- “Night Palace” – Mount Eerie
- “Only God Was Above Us” – Vampire Weekend
- “No Name” – Jack White
- “A Dream Is All We Know” – The Lemon Twigs
- “Endlessness” – Nala Sinephro
- “Absolute Elsewhere” – Blood Incantation
- “GNX” – Kendrick Lamar
- “Cool World” – Chat Pile
- “Dark Times” – Vince Staples
- “Cowboy Carter” – Beyoncé
- “Why Lawd?” – NxWorries
- “Samurai” – Lupe Fiasco
- “Manning Fireworks” – MJ Lenderman
- “Songs of A Lost World” – The Cure
- “CHROMAKOPIA” – Tyler, The Creator
- “In Waves” – Jamie xx
- “#RICHAXXHAITIAN” – Mach-Hommy
- “Almighty So 2” – Chief Keef
- “She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She” – Chelsea Wolfe
- “Cascade” – Floating Points
- “Every Bridge Burning” – Nails
- “Fearless Movement” – Kamasi Washington
- “King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2” – Denzel Curry
- “Negative Spaces” – Poppy
- “Maze Envy” – Civerous
- “Romance” – Fontaines D.C.
- “Charm” – Clairo
- “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” – Billie Eilish
- “Umbilical” – Thou
- “Here In the Pitch” – Jessica Pratt
- “Night Reign” – Arooj Aftab
- “Wall of Eyes” – The Smile
- “The Great American Bar Scene” – Zach Bryan
- “Sentir Que No Sabes” – Mabe Fratti
- “REVELATOR” – E L U C I D
- “The Auditorium Vol. 1” – Common and Pete Rock
- “Cometh the Storm” – High On Fire
- “NO HANDS” – Joey Valence & Brae
- “Seed of a Seed” – Haley Heynderickx
- “Where we’ve been, Where we go from here” – Friko
- “Across The Tracks” – Boldy James and Conductor Williams
- “Short n’ Sweet” – Sabrina Carpenter
