Top 3 Albums of 2024: A Year in Music

I figure one should do one of these end of the year lists. So, why not, albeit one month late – at the end of times, who cares?

The musical year of 2024 was one of undoubted greatness, we were gifted so much good music by so many talented artists. The making of this list has been difficult, but in the following text i will present my top 3 favorite albums of 2024, as well as a wild card.

On third place we have GNX by Kendrick Lamar.
Out of the blue in late November of 2024 Kendrick dropped GNX without any sort of indications about there being an album in the makings, especially since Mr Morale and The Big Steppers was released in 2022. I find myself coming back to GNX every once in a while, and it is one of those albums i enjoy listening from start to end, in one sitting, and that it enhances the listening experience. Kendrick Lamar is still the magical lyricist that he has always been, and he just keeps on getting better with time. The albums contains of a grand total of 12 songs, but the one that stands out to me the most is reincarnated.

On second place we have Brat by Charli XCX.
There’s no way of looking past this album. I’ve followed Charli’s musical career since back in 2012 or so, and it’s been so fun to follow along and see her having the world in the palm of her hand with the release of Brat. The album is such a fun and wild experience throwing you party anthems, to reflective thoughts about life an self doubt. While there are a grand total of 15 songs on this album, the one that stood out to me the most is So I, and it brought me to tears the first time i heard it – as i realized that it’s about the brilliant producer SOPHIE, that we lost way too early.

On first place, standing as the best album of 2024, we have Romance by Fontaines D.C.
I slept on Fontaines, i was late, i didn’t find out about this Irish rock band until mid 2023 – but wow, what a great find. The first song i heard was Jackie Down The Line and it painted such a vivid image in my head and i loved the storytelling of the track and for some reason it made me think of the novel Shuggie Bain. So when the album Romance was released last year, my expectations were set rather high. The album starts with a song named as the album, followed by a song called Starburster, and half way through Starburster, my jaw was at the floor. What a great song, and fun use of voices, as well as tempo changes – it’s all over the place, chaotic and so, so good. Besides Starburster, my honorable track mention of this album is Motorcycle Boy, that has become my favorite, by far.

As of Charli, Kendrick & Fontaines D.C, i’ve heard them before, and heard about them before. But the honorable mention, wild card or whatever you want to call it, is an artist i had never heard of before and stumbled upon on Instagram by pure luck.

The honorable mention/Wild Card of the musical year 2024 is the album named beats from the underground by artist Skyr0.
That first song i heard was chronically offline and the caption of the video was: ”pov: u make edm for introverts that go on late night walks instead of raves”, and i was intrigued by that caption. I looked around the account and saw that she was releasing a full length album, just around that time i saw the video. So, as soon as it was released i gave it a listen, and then once more. I find myself coming back to this album and i feel i enjoy new, or different parts of songs every time i listen to it. Fragments of songs on this album reminds me, and makes me think of Burial, someone who i hold as one of the best ever in this segment of music. The song i often find myself coming back to the most is mercury.

I think we have a great musical year in front of us, i have a few upcoming concerts that i look forward to, as well as new music in general.

Until next time, take care.
SLQT.