The year 2024 was full of many unforgettable moments within the music space. 2024 was stacked with music releases back-to-back from some of the biggest artists in the world. From Taylor Swift’s record-breaking, “The Tortured Poets Department” and Kendrick Lamar’s surprise drop, “GNX,” to rising stars like Sabrina Carpenter with “Short N’ Sweet” and Charli XCX’s “Brat”, artists are pushing new boundaries and reaching unprecedented levels of popularity. 2024 will ultimately leave a mark in music history that’ll sit alongside 2016 as one of the best years for album releases.
As 2024 comes to a close, this year has seen the release of several amazing albums, making it nearly impossible to choose just one for Album of the Year. Instead, here’s a retrospect of some of the best albums released this year and what makes them stand out.
“Brat” by Charli XCX
It wouldn’t be 2024 without “Brat” by Charli XCX. Her sixth studio album is the very record that single-handedly dominated and defined 2024 with its lime-green album artwork and its title centered in low-resolution quality that quickly became a staple in meme culture. Further, “Brat” solidified its place in music history, taking inspiration from rave culture with its euphoric and pulsating beats on tracks such as “Club Classics” and “Everything is Romantic,” becoming the fun soundtrack to our “Brat” summer. She also displays a sense of vulnerability behind the ‘party girl’ image in songs like “Sympathy is A Knife” and “Girl, So Confusing,” exposing her rawness and relatability while connecting with listeners across the globe.
“Eternal Sunshine” by Ariana Grande
A concept record, “Eternal Sunshine” is Grande’s most cohesive album to date. It tells a story throughout its 13 tracks, posing the album’s pivotal idea on “Intro (End of the World)” with the question, “How can I tell if I’m in the right relationship?” From beginning to end, Grande builds on that idea, ending the album by answering the question on the record’s last track, “Ordinary Things” featuring her grandmother, nicknamed “Nonna”. This record is also a critical moment in Grande’s artistry as she exhibits her songwriting prowess and the record’s atmospheric sonic progression. “Eternal Sunshine” will ultimately go down as a classic.
“GNX” by Kendrick Lamar
Following the rap war of the year between Lamar and Drake, Lamar’s long-anticipated sixth studio album, “GNX,” is a tribute to classic West Coast hip-hop, consistently balancing the record between West Coast and conscious hip-hop. Lamar perfectly encapsulates West-Coast hip-hop on this record, taking influences of the G-Funk era on “Squabble Up,” sampling the 1983’ freestyle hit “When I Hear Music,” by Debbie Deb. On “Hey Now” featuring local West-Coast rapper, Dody 6, Lamar uses a wacky cadence on top of a sinister-like beat that directly takes influences from former West-Coast rapper, Snoop Dogg. “GNX” is a worthy addition to Lamar’s discography.
“Charm” by Clairo
“Charm” is the third studio album by Clairo following a three-year album hiatus after “Sling,” her second studio album. On “Charm,” Clairo builds on the Indie-Jazz and Soul sound that was faintly present on “Sling,” and takes it to the next level. Throughout the project, she blends the sounds of the ’70s, topping it off with soft vocals that smoothly slide with the production, overall crafting a perfect 38-minute record makes it a strong contender for Album of the Year. Favorites include, “Slow Dance,” “Terrapin,” and “Add Up My Love.”
“Submarine” by The Marias
“Submarine” is the second studio album by The Marías, a dream-pop and indie-pop record that together submerges listeners into an atmospheric dream and emotional experience, detailing personal experiences of love and heartbreak highlighted in “No One Noticed,” and “Sienna.” Accompanied by opulent vocals by lead singer, Maria Zadoya, pounding drums from Josh Conway, guitar work from Jesse Perlman and melancholic piano work from Edward James results in a skipless body of work.
“Chromakopia” by Tyler, the Creator
“Chromakopia” is the eighth studio album in Tyler, the Creator’s discography, a follow-up to 2021 “Call Me If You Get Lost.” The album highlights Tyler’s undeniable creativity, solely producing the record himself, as well as having written and arranged it. Throughout Tyler’s career, his discography included innovative narratives and themes with characters in each album. “Chromakopia” is no different. Tyler’s mother, Bonita Smith narrates the project as Tyler goes in-depth, deconstructing his youth and the hardships he faced while growing up. This is best showcased in track 12 “Like Him” featuring indie-artist, Lola Young, with a song that delves into the complexities of identity and Tyler’s alienated relationship with his father. “Chromakopia” is one of the few Album of the Year contenders for a reason.
“HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” by Billie Eilish
Nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys, “Hit Me Hard and Soft” is Eilish’s third studio album composed of ten solid tracks. The record showcases the evolution of Eilish’s artistic merits and her brother, Finneas’s production that greatly conveys the very emotions Eilish sings about. For example, on track 4, “Birds of a Feather,” Eilish sings in a vulnerable tone about a yearning for everlasting love and an impassioned connection. Hence the title of which is the saying “birds of a feather flock together” performed on an upbeat production that elevates the song further by evoking feelings of nostalgia and emotional vulnerability. The album indeed does “Hit Me Hard and Soft.”
“The Tortured Poets Department” by Taylor Swift
During Swift’s record-breaking tour, “The Eras Tour,” she released her subdued eleventh studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” a follow-up to her concept record, “Midnights.” Swift takes inspiration from her previous bodies of work such as “Folklore” and “Evermore,” both praised for their lyricism, as well as “Midnights” for its dreamy synth-pop production and injects it all into one enthralling piece; highlighting the sonic and lyricist evolution of Swift’s discography. Though a controversial choice due to its polarizing nature upon the general public, ultimately the project is undeniably one of Swift’s best albums, and the album’s second half, “The Anthology” only adds to it. Favorites include “Down Bad,” “Fresh Out The Slammer” and “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus.”
“Orquídeas” by Kali Uchis
“Orquídeas” is the fourth studio album by Kali Uchis. Primarily a Spanish-language record, Uchis highlights her musical talent by seamlessly genre-hopping as she sings on luscious R&B records to bouncy reggaeton while maintaining her Latin roots. Additionally, “Orquídeas” unquestionably emphasizes her talent further by highlighting her ableness to sing between Spanish and English interchangeably on songs like “¿Cómo Así?,” “Igual Que Un Ángel” featuring Peso Pluma, and “Heladito.” This album is an underrated release that deserves more praise.
“Alligator Bites Never Heal” by Doechii
On “Alligator Bites Never Heal,” Doechii showcases her sheer versatility, bouncing on genres and subgenres such as hip-hop, pop, R&B and electronic, just to name a few. Taking influences from both old-school and new-school hip-hop, as well as rap stylings showcased on tracks like “DENIAL IS A RIVER” and “NISSAN ALTIMA,” she effortlessly displays her flawless cadence and rap skills. Although a 19-track mixtape, the project maintains an unrelenting energy from start to finish, with each track serving as a burst of pure fuel.
“Short N’ Sweet” by Sabrina Carpenter
“Short n’ Sweet” is the sixth studio album by Carpenter. The record became Carpenter’s massive breakout record that put her onto the mainstream and into the ears of the general public after years of being in the public eye via several Disney TV shows. Her wittiness and unseriousness conjoined with pop-perfected production with other genres crafted an authentic album full of standard anthemic pop tracks, dominating the mainstream waves on the charts and on streaming services. She best showcases this with “Good Graces,” “Bed Chem,” “Espresso” and “Juno.” I can confirm the album’s title evokes the same feeling.
“We Don’t Trust You” by Metro Boomin’ and Future
Lastly, “We Don’t Trust You” is the joint collaboration album by Metro Boomin’ and Future, featuring an array of guest features from The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Playboi Carti and more. The record stands as a testament to Boomin’s cinematic, euphoric, and ‘boomin’ production, each song flaunting his sheer talent as a producer in hip-hop and catering to each artist’s strongest suits, while Future further adds his signature touch to each track. A staple record in hip-hop and trap, Boomin’ continues to impress listeners and advance his streak of quality records.
