2024 was a big year for music for me. I somehow listened to over 100,000 minutes of music, which means I listened to a lot of music. Like when I sleep, when I work, when I study, literally every minute I’m listening to something. And I would like to think I really branched out this year. My dear roommate Caroline poked fun at me earlier this year because every time she gets in the car with me, it’s something different. Pop? Grunge? Indie? Broadway? I’m afraid I don’t have a singular taste in music which makes me arguably very qualified to rate my top albums of 2024.
- The Tortured Poets Department (The Anthology)
Let’s get this one out of the way. Yes, I am a swiftie, and yes, I loved this album. However, I’m not one of those Taylor Swift fans who thinks her music is immune to criticism. If she hadn’t released the anthology, I don’t think this would have done very well. The first songs felt very very generic. In the traditional Swift formula, those are the songs that were made to get radio time, a music video, and probably a billion streams. But the anthology is where you get to the good stuff. Both “How Did It End,” and “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” were on my top listened to songs of the year. The whole second half of this project was just so deeply personable and it actually did feel like poetry. It honestly will never get old for me and I wish she submitted the anthology to the Grammys.
My favorites: How Did It End, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, The Prophecy
My least favorites: I look in peoples windows, I can fix him (no really, I can)
- Chromakopia
Out of all of the genres I listen to, I probably listen to rap the least (not including country, which I don’t listen to AT ALL). However, this may be the first rap album that I sat down, listened to the whole thing straight through, and loved it. It had that mix of songs I would listen to at the gym (Sticky, Noid, etc), and songs that are so soul crushing and actually made me scrunch my face up and be like “Holy Shit” (Like Him, Hey Jane, etc). I think this album was a masterpiece and it made me a Tyler the Creator fan.
My favorites: Like Him, Sticky
My least favorites: I killed you, Tomorrow
- The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess
This was technically released in 2023, but it really picked up traction this year so I’m going to count it as a 2024 album. I think this album was one of the greatest debut albums I have ever listened to. I rank my albums based on skips: How much of the album do I actually listen to? If I only listen to 1 or 2 songs maybe it’s not great. However, this album has absolutely zero skips and I listen to at least 1 of the songs from it every day. It’s just so fun. And there’s a certain sense of happiness that I feel as well. So much of queer music or movies or media in general is sad. I think this stems from the notion that being queer is inherently tragic, which it’s not. I love that Chappell didn’t do that with this album. She is a queer woman who wrote an album about queer joy.
My favorites: Casual, Pink Pony Club, Red Wine Supernova
My least favorites: Coffee
- Hit Me Hard and Soft
Billie Eilish never misses for me. Except maybe her last album, Happier than Ever, which I just didn’t love, but it was still good. This album really matured her, if that makes sense. I think a lot of young adults can relate to this album and how similar it is to the transition to adulthood. I also think her vocals were the best they ever have been on this album. It also is the most personal album I’ve ever listened to, I mean, she talks about her stalker, her eating disorder, her sexuality, like…that’s bold.
My favorites: LUNCH, WILDFLOWER, THE DINER
My least favorites: BITTERSUITE, L’AMOUR DE MA VIE
- Unreal Unearth
I will love anything Hozier puts out. Period. Done. His voice is beautiful and for this album in particular I loved the underground earthy tones to it. I think this album has some of the best production out of any that I’ve listened to this year. “Eat Your Young” literally makes me physically levitate off of the ground. It’s catchy and has such powerful meanings, it’s one of those no skips for me.
My favorites: Eat Your Young, Francesca
My least favorites: Damage Gets Done, That You Are
- Alligator Bites Never Heal
Like I said earlier, this isn’t my go to genre but…Doechii girl. I’m a fan. Before this album I knew her as a TikTok rapper which she actually addresses in this album. Not only are all of the songs catchy, but it really opened me up to who Doechii is. When you think of TikTok rappers, you don’t really think much beyond that–TikTok is their identity. But this album completely shifted her from that title. In nearly every song you can hear her yearning for help. “Denial is A River” is literally a conversation with a therapist’s alter ego. This album established her as a rapper I will listen to in the future.
My favorites: Denial is a River, Bloom
My least favorites: Skipp
- Brat
I have this theory that Brat is going to sweep at the Grammys and then everyone is going to turn against Charli XCX because it’s not a traditional pop album. And it’s not. And I think this is the first time in recent memory that an electronic album received such acclaim so of course it’s sure to come with some controversies. To be plain and simple I think this album is just catchy! Like something about it itches my brain the right way. I never expected an electronic album to dive into the complexities of female friendships and relationships, nor did I ever expect an electronic album to do it so well.
My favorites: Von Dutch, Club Classics, Guess ft Billie Eilish
My least favorites: Apple, Rewind
- Older
This is the first Lizzy Mcalpine album where I sat down, listened to the entire thing, and just fell in love with it. I loved a handful of her songs from past albums, but not all of them stuck with me the way Older did. This album was so raw, especially the deluxe version that came out in September, detailing her father’s death, her experience with abusive relationships, and more. I only listen to it when I’m sad or gloomy but I listen to the whole album in full.
My favorites: Better Than This, All Falls Down, Broken Glass
My least favorites: The Elevator
- Lana (SOS Deluxe)
It usually takes me a while to get into albums and really absorb them, and the fact that this only came out a few weeks ago and I’m obsessed says something. I love how this mixed genres from pop, to hip hop, to rnb but still sounded so aesthetically put together. I will always love the production on her albums and her voice is just stunning. Goes in the no-skip category for me.
My favorites: Scorsese Baby Daddy, Kitchen
My least favorites: 30 for 30
- The Wicked Soundtrack…
Listen. I listen to a lot of Broadway. A lot. And this soundtrack may be the best of any movie musical I have ever seen. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were the perfect choices for Glinda and Elphaba and they nailed how technical their songs were. Along with that, the ensemble really was the glue that held it all together. 90% of the songs were like an out-of-body experience and I really hope it wins at least 1 Oscar.
My favorites: No one mourns the wicked, Popular, Dancing Through Life
My least favorites: I’m not that girl, A sentimental man
Albums that didn’t do it for me this year, not because they were bad, I just didn’t love them
- Short and Sweet: Sabrina Carpenter
- Cowboy Carter: Beyonce
- Eternal Sunshine: Ariana Grande
- The Great American Bar Scene: Zach Bryan
- Vultures: Kanye West
- 143: Katy Perry
- Radical Optimism: Dua Lipa
- C, XOXO: Camilla Cabello