Hi guys, welcome back to The Social Tune! And it's that time of year again, when we look back on the past year, and give a rundown of the best albums it had to offer; these are the best albums of 2024!
So despite 2024 being a pretty shitty year overall - both on a world and personal level, to be honest - MAN was there a lot of incredible music this year! Not only was there a LOT of quality, where narrowing this list down to just 50 was pretty difficult, but a lot of the very best music was both widely covered and acclaimed by music journalists, as well as genuinely popular, some of it even getting international radio play! Now this isn't necessarily the best list to discuss that - stay tuned for the best SONGS of 2024 for THAT conversation - but I'm still delighted how many of these artists need no introduction, or at least a shorter one than I would normally expect to have to give!
Now, that doesn't mean there won't be some unknowns on this list, including some artists who will likely ONLY show up on my own list... but to start with a nice middle-ground pick:
Number 50
Why Lawd? by NxWorries
The acclaimed duo of Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge return with a new soulful take on... what might just be a mid-life crisis? Because as hot of a streak as Anderson's been on lately, his home life has been kind of a mess, with he and his wife reportedly separating this past January. And he didn't take it great, making a fairly bitter divorce album where he's clearly losing the plot a bit, going through all 5 stages of grief. And while there are some nasty moments here, there's also a profound loneliness and an eventual acknowledgement of his own shortcomings. It's a soulful, oftentimes painful listen that I can't say I always feel like returning to, but when you're in the mood for Anderson's darker side, this more than fits the bill.
Judas Priest returned this year after just 6 years - a much shorter hiatus than before their last album - and proved yet again why their legacy as one of the true greats has survived all these decades! Hooks for days, Rob Halford still sounding in absolutely TOP form, and an ear for hooks and mixing that shows they know both how to play to their own strengths, delivering exactly what the fans wants, while still keeping their production up to date and on point! To some, this may almost feek TOO clean, and it's honestly what stops it from being a bit higher on this list, but the best songs on this project MORE than make up for it. Amazing work from a group that simply refuses to miss!
It's crazy that even with the success of Water and a few of the other songs on this project, particularly over in the UK, it still feels like Tyla's self-titled album flew under the radar for a lot of people! And quite frankly, it was their loss, because this remains one of the hottest afrobeats-infused R&B albums to be dropped all year! And not only is it sexy and frequently gorgeous, but Tyla proves herself to be more than a match for any man, woman or enby that would challenge her, showing a confidence and a versatility that few can match, consistently impressing me and bringing me back to this all Summer! Pay attention to this woman, she's here to stay!
Ooh yes, this is exactly the kind of deeply underground rap that I LOVE stumbling across, especially when it involves Open Mike Eagle, one of my favourite MCs! Together with frequent collaborators Video Dave and STILL RIFT, this trio weave together a nerdy, tangled bars with off-kilter flows, amazing trade-off moments, and some of the most creative production of the year, sounding like it was put together on a shoestring budget by 3 veterans who knew EXACTLY what sound they wanted and somehow made it feel immaculate. This album was one of my go-to projects on my commute to and from work, both for the occasional existential moments that felt pretty appropriate this year, as well as how easy it was to listen to no matter the mood. Overlooked by FAR too many, please seek this one out!
Paris Paloma really caught my attention last year with her excellent viral single labour, but 1 single does not an artist make, so I approached this with very measured expectations. And while the influences are clear - a LOT of Regina Spektor and elements of Lana Del Rey - she paints such poetic word pictures, with such a command of atmosphere with the varied production, that it really captured my attention, with a loose post-apocalyptic concept that I found fascinating, wish it played more of a part in the first half of the album! I'm also personally of the opinion that the production feels a tad rushed in spots, almost like it's competing with her, but Paris herself delivers more than enough passion and effort to make up for it. She could have coasted, and instead she guaranteed I'll be on the lookout for more!
This is the closest thing to a guilty pleasure album that you'll get from me on this list. I've gone on record poking fun at several of the songs on this album, and I was very critical of how long they dragged out the release cycle. But as a whole... goddamn it, it may be cheesey boy band fodder to a degree, but Picture This fucking COMMITTED, and their gift for hooks is on FULL display! There are 4 songs on this project with the word "love" in the title. The production occasionally resembles a late-era One Direction album! It's like the band just stopped trying to overthink and dig deep, and just unapologetically went all-in on their greatest strengths, making unironic pop rock goofiness without a hint of insincerity. And I'll be damned if it didn't result in their best album to date!
I know a good few people reading this might have thought Lainey's most notable contribution to music this year was on Post Malone's Nosedive. And while that was by no means insignificant, I like that song as much as anyone, do not make the mistake of thinking she didn't kick absolute ass on her own album! A wonderful slice of honky tonk Texas country courtesy of James Joyce, where Lainey proves herself to be one of the liveliest voices at the party in Nashville, showing a lot of the men that her label will choose to push to radio instead of her EXACTLY how it's done! That is until the slower, more introspective moments, where she shows her gift for tugging at your heartstrings is just as affective as her ability to burn the barn down. Seriously, the 3 closing track in particular are worth the price of the album alone! One of the strongest mainstream country albums of the year, along with one of the best of the whole genre in 2024.
I spent too much time this year comparing this to her breakout debut Five Seconds Flat, the quietly brilliant album that I certainly didn't give enough love the year it dropped. And while this album is a subtler, slower burn, I can't deny how it continued to grow on me throughout the year. A thoughtful retrospective on her own emotions and failings in her young adult relationships, where she's slowly developing a sense of her own self-worth. And while the hooks aren't as plentiful as on her debut, I'd argue she's only getting better as a songwriter, and I genuinely can't wait to see where she goes from here.
It took me waaaaay too long to get on the Porter Robinson bandwagon, and while I would argue this glitchy, vibrant project isn't nearly as rewarding as his last one Nurture, it still remains an absolutely feel-good listen that radiates joy and energy... even as it's hiding a lot of existential dread beneath the surface. The production is crisp and dynamic, capturing the essence of plastic happiness through electronica and hyperpop, with a story and song sequence that shows a lot of second-guessing and doubt. In other words, when people say they're genuinely happy nowadays, despite all that's going wrong with the world, this is the mood I think of. Unless they're just wildly out-of-touch, I don't know.
It is quite possibly my biggest regret of the year that I missed seeing Robert Grace in concert this year. He met my wife, even gave her a signed copy of this LP for free for me, the man is a GEM! And yet don't let my obvious bias mislead you, this is some of the best sad boy pop you will hear in the 2020s. And while I've been a huge fan since 2021, this album is honestly an amazing jump-on point, as a pseudo-compilation album of his greatest hits and a few new ones from the last 5 years! And while it's disjointed, and missing a couple of tracks that I would have personally included over Casper, there's no denying the man's talent for the genre, with some of the catchiest and most devastating pop songs you'll hear this year, if not the past 5!
Eliza McLamb was one of the first new pop artists I listened to in 2024, and while I denied the profound talent she had for some time as mere recency bias, after an entire year, this album still tugs at my heartstrings like few others, really should have made my midyear list in retrospect. But it's here now, and it's OH so deserving, a surprisingly well-written AND -produced album where Eliza captures the essence of naïve young love blossoming into grittier adulthood, which can frequently lead to some surprisingly dark themes, all bookended by some of the most memorable turns of phrase that I had the pleasure of hearing this year. And with great hooks for days, and proof that TikTok can still spawn some eventual gems from time to time!
I've been calling Luke Combs "Country Music's Teddy Bear" for a good while now, and frankly, if anything dark/inappropriate comes out about him, I will be fucking inconsolable. And so it's pretty fitting that his surprise Father's Day album should be his best project to date! Front-to-back, this album just fills me with warm goodness, with wonderfully produced, straightforward country about the various aspects of fatherhood, whether it's the joy of his son rushing to greet him when he gets home, the pain of watching his own father growing older, or even themes of broken households and split custody post-divorce! It knows what it is, it stays on theme, and yet unlike Picture This, it's not content to simply be cheesey goodness, it has some genuine tear-jerker moments! In other words, I've always liked Luke Combs, but I think this is the culmination of everything he's been building over the past 7 or so years, and I'm so proud!
Ooh I know placing this album THIS low on the list is going to get me some flack from some of you. When I made my midyear list, I was absolutely enamoured by the detail of the project, as well as the ambition Rapsody displayed... but as the year wore on, so did the length of this project, and I found myself returning to this more in pieces than as a whole. Still though, in revisiting it for this list, I couldn't deny the scope of this album, managing to be both intensely personal, while also holding up a mirror to how so many people view women in hip-hop, INCLUDING other women! And with great production, and multiple more easy-going, fun songs to balance out the heavier tracks, this album is still goddamn great! It may not have overtaken Laila's Wisdom for me in the long run, but I wouldn't be surprised if many call this her best.
After plenty of time to reflect, I've concluded this album's grungier, rougher construction doesn't appeal to me quite the same as the magic of their sophomore album Leave The Light On... but since that album made my Top 20 back in 2022, that's a high bar to clear! And it doesn't change how genuinely impressed I was with this album, a step in a more progressive direction sonically, all while getting even more viscerally personal! Not only that, but the hooks continue to bang out of this world, and the girls aren't afraid to tackle the tearful side of the queer journey and the lack of acceptance from others or even yourself that you can experience. If it wasn't for my own biases - and another album that hit a lot of the same points a little better much higher on this list - I might be calling it their best. Hell, if that's what you think, I'm not going to argue.
When I reviewed Mike & The Moonpies back in 2018, I couldn't have predicted the trajectory of their career and how much critical acclaim they would go on to receive. And while Steak Night at the Prairie Rose is still the peak for me, they have not dropped a dud since, and a rebrand did not change that one bit! If anything, this album is pushing the envelope harder than ever, with more steel guitar solos, more dabbling in genres like funk, and multiple progressive swerves into longer-form and introspective content! And as someone who was so hoping this album would live up to the wild fun of the lead-off single, MAN is it good to be able to still call this great!
Tyler's last album felt like a culmination of everything he's been building towards since Flower Boy, it had EVERYTHING! And yet while many of us were delighted with it, it seems Tyler came out of it with more self-doubt and paranoia than anything. The more famous he gets, the more he seems to lose control of his life, calling into question his relationships, his fans, and even his sense of self. I love how he doesn't shy away from the volatility that this lifestyle inevitably brings, especially coming from an artist who has always displayed such impeccable control over his persona, whether it's the cleaner version we know now, or the more confrontational Tyler from Goblin. And while, like all of Tyler's albums, this took a few weeks to really sit with me and click, once it did, there was no going back. Stacked with great collabs and wacky song concepts, this is everything I didn't know I wanted from his follow-up, and even more.
Best tracks:
1. Take Your Mask Off (Ft. Daniel caesar & LaToiya Williams)
After an additional 6 months to really let it sit with me, I can now safely say that this album, while great, is not the band's best. It's a far cry from the majesty of Raw Data Feel, and even in terms of their more political material, I think Get to Heaven did it better. That being said, it's still a very clever, frequently gorgeous satire of capitalism and the pitfalls it'' inevitably lead to, highlighting not only how predatory it can be, but also how tempting. And paired with really solid production work, we end up with an album that can feel a bit front-loaded, but is nevertheless well worth your time!
If there's 1 album I'm fairly confident won't end up on a single other critic's list, it's probably this one. An album I found DEEP in the underground based off of a single random song cropping up in my Recommended tracks, that somehow became one of the most emotionally charged projects that I heard this past year! A slice of midwest emo that absolutely captured my heart and unapologetically tugged on it constantly from the moment I heard it. Navigating low self-esteem, depression, DEEP-seated anxiety, and romance at its basest and most nakedly embarrassing... and it ends up being OH so charming to me! It's unrefined and messy like the best of its genre, and shows SO much potential moving forward! Definitely an act I intend to keep a close eye on in future.
Ka was a rapper who was on the kind of run in the 2010s and early 2020s that most can only dream of, an unbelievable talent in hip-hop that was sadly taken from us far too early. And while this album's release a mere month or so before his death is painfully bittersweet, it still encompasses everything that made his so special. Beautiful gospel-tinged production, deeply introspective lyrics on spirituality and his own complex relationship with the rap game and God, and a tangled web of words that almost feels like a train of thought at times, it seems to come so naturally to him. And yeah, there's no doubt that the musings on his own mortality hit pretty damn hard in retrospect. Rest in power, you legend, you'll be greatly missed.
Jack Antonoff is a nerd, with an obsession with Springsteen that is borderline humiliating at times, a lack of dignity that has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, and a penchant for repeating production tricks that have caused many to turn on him or call him a hack. And to those people: you're not entirely wrong, but MAN do I just not care! His production has consistently worked well for me since Bleachers' Strange Desire a decade ago, his good tracks FAR outweigh his bad ones, and this is his best album in at least 10 years! A very HIM album, through and through, with hooks that can shoot for the stars or subtly simmer under the surface! More importantly, I think this is the album where Jack himself feels the most genuine, reflecting on his failed relationships, his place in musical history, and his own legacy as "the uncool guy". And for me, as someone who sees a lot of himself in Jack, for better and worse, this stuck with me all year. Not for everyone, but it is for me.
The animated musical series that set a series of queer fandoms on fire in 2024 also happens to have an absolutely killer soundtrack! It's raunchy, over-the-top and frequently waaaaay better-produced than it has any right to be, and regardless of whether or not you're a musical fan, there are songs here that are bound to bring a tear to your eye. I will personally admit it's impossible for me to separate it from the show, my partner and I haven't really moved on from it all year. And while overplay meant that it's a little lower on this list than it otherwise would be, this might be one of the albums I've cried to the most in 2024. If that isn't a sign of real quality, I don't know what is!
It took me some time to admit just how great this album was, considering how much I loved his self-titled project last year. And while recent events have made it a little less revisitable, and I think the highs on that album beat this one, there's no denying how well The Great American Bar Scene works as a full project. As Bryan weaves stories of the aging troubadour travelling the land, until life eventually calls him back home, faced with familial responsibilities he's pretty emphatic about NOT wanting, even if he feels a sense of duty to uphold them all the same. Combine that with his own life taking a turn for the sedentary, as he's starting to consider settling down with his own found family, and a shockingly diverse sound pallet, and you have an album that feels like a triumphant culmination of everything he's been working towards for years, and ultimately, his best album yet. Yes, even with John Mayer involved, that's how good it is!
Oh boy, I have AGONISED over this entry! I'm well aware that plenty of critics have panned this album as a glorified PR stunt to win a bunch of people over to Ari's side after becoming a homewrecker. And yet, much like thank u next, I ended up finding myself utterly mesmerised by this album. The difference being that that album was often wilfully misinterpreted, whereas this is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin, it would be insincere to call it a moral grey area! And yet over some truly stellar production, and Ariana being one of the best singers of our generation... fuck it, she kind of won me over to her point of view. Maybe it's because it doesn't make excuses or shy away from the mess that she caused, but by the time October rolled around, this album had become one of my most listened-to projects of the year! Not for everyone, but if it does click for you too, despite everything, I get it.
Look, I seriously doubt these guys will ever top The Prophecy for me, which is about as close to a perfect album as I've heard in the 2020s - no I'm not kidding - but MAN, with the year I had, I seriously needed to LAUGH! And amid all the acts unapologetically being themselves, Ninja Sex Party has never failed to bring me that joy without holding anything back. And as with their last 2 albums, their production value is really damn high here, with dips into surf, hard, soft and even dad rock, environmentally-aware seductions of your mum, and one of the best sports anthems I've heard in a long time. It's got stuff for old fans and new, it's a ton of fun, thanks so much for this you guys.
I know I'm in the minority in thinking that Fontaines' last album Skinty Fia is their best, but that doesn't mean I'm not utterly delighted to see the mountains of critical acclaim that this newest release has received. Arguably the band's most optimistic and arguably most accessible album to date, Gian Chatten and company tackle personal relationships, themes of insecurity and a willingness to finally step into the world rather than hiding from it. It's certainly a brighter outlook than these guys have ever presented before, but while some bands may let that cloud their creativity, particularly sonically, this band continues to push themselves and grow. And I respect and enjoy the Hell out of that healing journey!
You know, Lupe may have had some dumb opinions regarding rap and hip hop this year that are starting to feel borderline petty, but MAN can he still prove himself whenever he throws his own hat in the ring! This is a concept album inspired by an old Amy Winehouse interview where she said she'd thought about rapping at some point, and if there's anyone I trust to pull off an idea that abstract and lofty, it's Lupe. And as expected, the references are subtle, the album is produced like a fucking dream - since he now has the help of his old producer Chilly who was recently released from prison - and Lupe's bars are as immaculate as ever! It's arguably on par with if not even better than Drill Music In Zion, and I'm just looking forward to where this creative streak leads him next!
It almost feels cheap to follow up such an outlandish concept album with such a comfort pick! But as someone who was really only lukewarm on WARM! back in 2020, I was shocked how much I ended up loving its dreamy follow-up, with cascades of dreamy guitars, multitracked hazey vocals that really evoke that dreamlike state of the best of this brand of indie pop, and Hazel English herself just sounds so ethereally gorgeous on all of it! As she navigates love, betrayal, trying to give as much of herself as she possibly can without the fear of regret, and the eventual, crushing realisation that real life can rarely match your dreams. It's not pushing the envelope, but it does what it needs to SO well that I can barely critique it.
Critterland arguably isn't Willi Carlisle's best album, but over the course of the year, it did become my favourite. Aside from having, quite frankly, the best album cover of the entire year, Willi Carlisle spun together a wonderfully organic, banjo and harmonica touched project showcasing the backwater towns and farms that society has long since forgotten about. Where despite how delighted he is to live out in those wildlands, regular life can still hold its mundane challenges, from drug addiction, to arranging your father's funeral, to the realisation that children aren't in his life plan, going against some of the religious values that many in his circles may try to impose on him. And as a fellow young man who was once surrounded by such people who now likely think I'm "a queer and a communist", this just resonated so damn strongly with me, and a must-listen for any country fan in 2024.
Every time I play this, I am absolutely FLOORED by ScHoolboy’s sheer energy on this, his willingness to PLAY with his flows and beat choices, as well as taking time to be really introspective. And the things he’s grappling with on this are no small potatoes either, from the haunting ghosts of street violence (involving gangs or police), to his place in hip-hop (especially from being on an INCREDIBLY influential label), to his own relationships with the women in his life, to his own musings as a father, knowing how dangerous the world is for his kids. And the diversity on the project is stunning, bringing in guests ranging from label-mate Ab-Soul to Freddie Gibbs to Rico Nasty, with grimey boom bap, soul and even drum-n-bass and sounds from East-, West Coast AND Southern brands of gangsta rap! The album is a WILD ride, where you don’t know where it’s going to swerve next, and that’s part of the fun! Not sure yet if I’d call it better than Blank Face, but it’s a DAMN fine return to form for an MC who’s finally back to giving his own albums the same attention he gives to his guest features.
2 of The Castellows, Ella and Powell Balkcom, are triplets, as their younger sister Lily handles vocals, and together they form a country trio that absolutely stole my heart this year! Originally from Georgia, the 3 sisters’ voices harmonise SO seamlessly, sporting organic production tinged with many different country subgenres - primarily outlaw country - where over the course of just 7 songs (6 originals and 1 excellent cover) they prove exactly why they should be getting WAY more attention! There’s barely a hair out of place here, the kind of quick, easy project that shows off all their strengths, dripping with the confidence of a far more veteran group such as The Chicks, with a gift for hooks like few of their current competitors. And while it is short, it holds so much promise that I can’t WAIT to see realised on a full album, the kind of project where my 3 favourite tracks are constantly changing, and a new standard for everyone else to chase in country right now!
Stay tuned for the Top 20 dropping soon on YouTube!
Feel free to leave your predictions, along with your own favourite albums of the year so far, in the comments below, I can't wait to see how my tastes differ from everyone else's!
In the meantime, like and share this post, feel free to subscribe to the blog and follow meso you don't miss a thing! And until the next time, I'm Fionn and this is The Social Tune signing off.
These are the 100 biggest hits of 2024, based on the Official Irish Charts, tracked from January 1st, 2024 up until December 31st, 2024. NOTE: In order to avoid these year-end lists becoming repetitive and stale, a song may not qualify if it has already landed on 2 or more Irish year-end lists in the past OR if it is a legacy Christmas song. Hence "Something in the Orange" and "Last Christmas" not appearing here. 1. Stick Season by Noah Kahan 2. Beautiful Things by Benson Boone 3. Lose Control by Teddy Swims 4. Austin by Dasha 5. Scared to Start by Michael Marcagi 6. Good Luck Babe by Chappell Roan 7. I Remember Everything by Zach Bryan ft. Kacey Musgraves 8. Too Sweet by Hozier 9. Prada by Casso, Raye & D-Block Europe 10. A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey 11. Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish 12. Belong Together by Mark Ambor 13. The Night We Met by Lord Huron 14. Slow It Down by Benson Boone 15. Cruel Summer by T...
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