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The 227 albums listed below recap another year in which our editors kept the effects of overchoice at bay with the belief that a surplus of noteworthy music is a great thing indeed.
A handful of near-consensus favorites came into view despite the plethora of options. The Cure’s long-awaited Songs of a Lost World proved to be a (slow-)moving work of melancholic beauty, a rare masterstroke from a legacy act. Coincidentally, their previous record was issued the same year (2008) as the five-star debut from the now-veteran Vampire Weekend, makers of the audacious Only God Was Above Us — like Songs of a Lost World, listed by six editors.
Just behind those two bands was Jessica Pratt with her panoramic and orchestral pop-inspired Here in the Pitch, one of several highly favored releases by singer/songwriters. Pixies, Breeders, and Amps legend Kim Deal delivered a solo debut full of surprises, recorded in part by longtime comrade and fellow underground rock paragon Steve Albini — whose shocking death preceded the arrival of To All Trains, the first record in ten years from his trio Shellac, by ten days this past May. Still coping with the loss of dear friend and collaborator SOPHIE, Charli xcx paid tribute to the late vanguard producer on Brat, a triumph of supersaturated pop.
Many of the year’s most fascinating releases mixed genres and approaches. Meshell Ndegeocello and an ensemble cast celebrated James Baldwin’s centennial with a riveting fusion of myriad styles including gospel, jazz, soul, funk, dub, and spoken word. Slamming jungle breaks and introspective lyricism were combined to exciting effect by Nia Archives. Psychedelic death metal quartet Blood Incantation broadened their dark horizons with elements of prog, Krautrock, and electronic music. These and hundreds of other recordings noted here — albums, EPs, singles, and deep cuts alike — kept our ears perked throughout 2024.
Heather Phares [Spotify]
Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
DIIV – Frog in Boiling Water
Du Blonde – Sniff More Gritty
Fashion Club – A Love You Cannot Shake
Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
Kim Gordon – The Collective
The Green Child – Look Familiar
John Grant – The Art of the Lie
Julia Holter – Something in the Room She Moves
Jamie xx – In Waves
Chrystabell / David Lynch – Cellophane Memories
Mount Eerie – Night Palace
O. – WeirdOs
Pye Corner Audio – The Endless Echo
Laetitia Sadier – Rooting for Love
St. Vincent – All Born Screaming
Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
Tierra Whack – WORLD WIDE WHACK
Chelsea Wolfe – She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She
Charli xcx – Brat
Julia Holter – “Sun Girl”
Kim Deal – “Crystal Breath”
Lauren Mayberry – “Shame”
Du Blonde – “Blame”
Pixies – “Jane (The Night the Zombies Came)”
Vampire Weekend – “Gen X Cops”
Fashion Club – “One Day”
DIIV – “Brown Paper Bag”
Mary Timony – “Dominoes”
St. Vincent – “Broken Man”
Chelsea Wolfe – “Dusk”
Beth Gibbons – “Beyond the Sun”
O. – “Cosmo”
Pye Corner Audio – “On the Clock”
John Grant – “All That School for Nothing”
Charli xcx – “Sympathy Is a Knife”
SOPHIE f/ Hannah Diamond – “Always and Forever”
Jamie xx f/ The Avalanches – “All You Children”
The Fauns – “Modified”
Tierra Whack – “27 CLUB”
Tim Sendra
Clairo – Charm
Lightheaded – Combustible Gems
Lunchbox – Pop and Circumstance
Dent May – What’s for Breakfast
MEMORIALS – Memorial Waterslides
Osees – Sorcs 80
Peter Perrett – The Cleansing
Redd Kross – Redd Kross
Stephen Pastel and Gavin Thomson – This Is Memorial Device
Saint Etienne – The Night
Sgt. Papers – Fuga!
The Softies – The Bed I Made
The Soundcarriers – Through Other Reflections
Fred Thomas – Window in the Rhythm
Tierra Whack – WORLD WIDE WHACK
John Bush
Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch
Fontaines D.C. – Romance
Jack White – No Name
Dehd – Poetry
Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
Magdalena Bay – Imaginal Disk
Julia Holter – Something in the Room She Moves
Clairo – Charm
BODEGA – Our Brand Could Be Yr Life
Chicano Batman – Notebook Fantasy
Chat Pile – Cool World
Jane Weaver – Love in Constant Spectacle
Michael Kiwanuka – Small Changes
Monolake – Studio
MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks
La Luz – News of the Universe
Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
Ducks Ltd. – Harm’s Way
Cardinals – “Twist and Turn”
Gurriers – “Close Call”
Charli xcx – “Von dutch”
Refreshers – “Crumbling Down [Phineus II Remix]”
Objekt – “Ganzfeld [DjRUM Remix]”
Fousheé – “100 bux”
Winnetka Bowling League – “Handsome”
Camera Obscura – “We’re Going to Make It in a Man’s World”
Four Tet – “Loved”
John Tejada & Plaid – “Freeways”
Joy Orbison – “flight fm”
gyrofield – “Vega”
DJ Polo – “Bloodhound”
Khruangbin – “Hold Me Up (Thank You)”
Kit Sebastian – “Camouflage”
Liquid Mike – “Town Ease”
Cola – “Bitter Melon”
Panda Bear & Cindy Lee – “Defense”
Matt Collar
Nada Surf – Moon Mirror
Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet
Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven
Alex Winston – Bingo!
Sheer Mag – Playing Favorites
Beachwood Sparks – Across the River of Stars
Angélica Garcia – Gemelo
Jim Rotondi – Finesse
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Field Music – Limits of Language
Jim Snidero – For All We Know
JD McPherson – Nite Owls
Bremer/McCoy – Kosmos
Japandroids – Fate & Alcohol
Ray Angry / Questlove / David Murray – Plumb
Jordana Nye – Lively Premonition
Fabiana Palladino – Fabiana Palladino
Leon Bridges – Leon
Joel Ross – Nublues
Mary Halvorson – Cloudward
Marcy Donelson [Spotify albums/singles]
Mount Eerie – Night Palace
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Being Dead – EELS
Friko – Where we’ve been, Where we go from here
Bill Frisell – Orchestras
Fred Thomas – Window in the Rhythm
Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch
Hana Vu – Romanticism
STRFKR – Parallel Realms
Camera Obscura – Look to the East, Look to the West
Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
English Teacher – This Could Be Texas
Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future
Dorothea Paas – Think of Mist
Hurray for the Riff Raff – The Past Is Still Alive
Cindy Lee – Diamond Jubilee
Yard Act – Where’s My Utopia?
Brigitte Calls Me Baby – The Future Is Our Way Out
Ella Raphael – Mad Sometimes
Bnny – One Million Love Songs
Friko – “Get Numb to It!”
MEMORIALS – “Lamplighter”
STRFKR – “Armatron”
Hana Vu – “Care”
Porches – “Rag”
Mei Semones – “Tegami”
Brigitte Calls Me Baby – “Impressively Average”
Wut – “Guts, Brains”
Ducks Ltd. – “Deleted Scenes”
The Heavy Heavy – “One of a Kind”
Wishy – “Sick Sweet”
Macklemore – “HIND’S HALL”
Thom Jurek
Joe Sanders – Paralells
Mary Halvorson – Cloudward
Tyshawn Sorey Trio – The Susceptible Now
Mildlife – Chorus
Cassie Kinoshi’s seed. – gratitude
Judith Hill – Letters from a Black Widow
Immanuel Wilkins – Blues Blood
Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly – MESTIZX
David Murray – Francesca
Nduduzo Makhathini – uNomkhubulwane
William Parker / Cooper-Moore / Hamid Drake – Heart Trio
Janel Leppin – Ensemble Volcanic Ash: To March Is to Love
Caixa Cubo – Modo Avião
Jeff Parker ETA IVtet – The Way Out of Easy
The Bad Plus – Complex Emotions
Danielle Nicole – The Love You Bleed
Allen Lowe & the Constant Sorrow Orchestra – Louis Armstrong’s America, Vol. 1
Allen Lowe & the Constant Sorrow Orchestra – Louis Armstrong’s America, Vol. 2
Andromeda Turre – From the Earth
Ben Monder – Planetarium
Andy Kellman [Spotify]
Meshell Ndegeocello – No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin
Sy Smith – Until We Meet Again
Hiatus Kaiyote – Love Heart Cheat Code
Ruthven – Rough & Ready
Fabiana Palladino – Fabiana Palladino
Sonny Miles – Gamma
Tyshawn Sorey Trio – The Susceptible Now
Yaya Bey – Ten Fold
Lalah Hathaway – VANTABLACK
Cassie Kinoshi’s seed. – gratitude
Nala Sinephro – Endlessness
Bilal – Live at Glasshaus / Adjust Brightness
Charlotte Day Wilson – Cyan Blue
Nailah Hunter – Lovegaze
E.R.P. – Faded Caprice
Howard Thomas – Skin Breaker
Leon Thomas – MUTT
NxWorries – Why Lawd?
Darien Brockington – Where Love Grows
Cruza – Cruzafied
Hiatus Kaiyote – “Make Friends”
Psychic Mirrors – “Charlene II”
Open Space x Laura Groves – “Tied”
Meshell Ndegeocello – “Love”
Transmission Towers – “Roller Skater 23”
Audrey Powne – “Feed the Fire”
Eli Escobar f/ Queenie – “Fixed Our Love”
Bullion f/ Carly Rae Jepsen – “Rare”
dreamcastmoe – “ON THE BEACH”
Rae Khalil – “IS IT WORTH IT”
Steven Julien f/ Fatima – “Wraap’t”
Ruthven – “Itch”
Quiet Village – “Reunion”
Mikahl Anthony – “Space Blue”
Elkka – “Passionfruit”
musclecars – “Running Out of Time”
Cruza – “Supa Anxious”
L.O. & Diisko – “Vibe”
Ottla – “Droomvogel”
Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly – “DESTEJER”
James Monger [Spotify]
Angélica Garcia – Gemelo
Everything Everything – Mountainhead
Dina Ögon – Orion
Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
Hermanos Gutiérrez – Sonido Cósmico
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Wild God
Charli xcx – Brat
Field Music – Limits of Language
Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy
Judas Priest – Invincible Shield
Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
Jake Xerxes Fussell – When I’m Called
Dwight Yoakam – Brighter Days
Zeal & Ardor – Grief
Four Tet – Three
Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere
Nilüfer Yanya – My Method Actor
Mdou Moctar – Funeral for Justice
Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
µ-Ziq – Grush
Timothy Monger
Dina Ögon – Orion
Cassandra Jenkins – My Light, My Destroyer
Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
Myriam Gendron – Mayday
Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
Julian Lage – Speak to Me
Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
Mdou Moctar – Funeral for Justice
Jake Xerxes Fussell – When I’m Called
St. Lenox – Ten Modern American Work Songs
Daniel Romano’s Outfit – Too Hot to Sleep
Charli xcx – Brat
James Elkington & Nathan Salsburg – All Gist
Jenny Scheinman – All Species Parade
Shovel Dance Collective – The Shovel Dance
Chrysanths – Leave No Shadow
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Wild God
Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere
The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstacy
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland
Fievel Is Glauque – “Toute Suite”
The Hardy Tree – “All the Hours”
Baby Lasagna – “Rim Tim Tagi Dim”
Joshua Moshier / Sabina Sciubba – “Un Gyrosphere”
HYUKOH – “Young Man”
Luke Temple – “Church Street”
Bandeau – “Other Place”
Drug Church – “Demolition Man”
Liana Flores – “Halfway Heart”
The Lemon Twigs – “My Golden Years”
Nap Eyes – “Demons”
Being Dead – “Godzilla Rises”
The Reds, Pinks and Purples – “Learning to Love a Band”
Jessica Pratt – “Life Is”
Redd Kross – “The Main Attraction”
Real Estate – “Flowers”
Amyl and the Sniffers – “Jerkin'”
Emily Nenni – “Greatest Hits”
Chris Cohen – “Sunever”
Another Sky – “The Pain”
Paul Simpson [Spotify]
Tim Reaper & Kloke – In Full Effect
Nia Archives – Silence Is Loud
Kloke – On Rhythm
Liv.e – PAST FUTUR.e
Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere
Xylitol – Anemones
Floating Points – Cascade
Nala Sinephro – Endlessness
Nailah Hunter – Lovegaze
Hakushi Hasegawa – Mahōgakkō
Squarepusher – Dostrotime
µ-Ziq – Grush
Jlin – Akoma
Julia Holter – Something in the Room She Moves
Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch
Ravyn Lenae – Bird’s Eye
Mount Eerie – Night Palace
Mach-Hommy – #RICHAXXHAITIAN
The Bug – Machines I-V
Caribou – Honey
Nia Archives – “Crowded Roomz”
Vegyn f/ John Glacier – “A Dream Goes On Forever”
Objekt – “Ganzfeld [DjRUM Remix]”
Liv.e – “Bad Girl!”
Ravyn Lenae – “Bad Idea”
Shigeto f/ KESSWA & Ahya Simone – “Let’s Talk”
Koreless – “Seven”
Bolis Pupul – “Spicy Crab”
Erika de Casier – “Lucky”
Four Tet – “Daydream Repeat”
julie – “clairbourne practice”
The Softies – “When I Started Loving You”
Subjects – “Run It”
Burial – “Dreamfear”
Allie X – “Weird World”
Tinashe – “Getting No Sleep”
Brothermartino – “KAH”
Speed Dealer Moms – “Birth Control Pill”
Armand Hammer f/ Benjamin Booker – “Doves”
The Cure – “Endsong”
Neil Z. Yeung [Spotify]
Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Empire of the Sun – Ask That God
Ariana Grande – Eternal Sunshine
Coldplay – Moon Music
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross / Boys Noize – Challengers [MIXED]
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
Lady Gaga – Harlequin
Ghost – Rite Here, Rite Now
Kittie – Fire
Billie Eilish – HIT ME HARD AND SOFT
Amyl and the Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness
Confidence Man – 3AM (La La La)
Allie X – Girl with No Face
The Linda Lindas – No Obligation
Humanist – On the Edge of a Lost and Lonely World
Ours – New Age Heroine
Halsey – The Great Impersonator
Bad Bad Hats – Bad Bad Hats
Sia – Reasonable Woman
Dua Lipa – “Happy for You”
Megan Thee Stallion f/ Yuki Chiba – “Mamushi”
Hozier – “Too Sweet”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die with a Smile”
Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!”
Joywave – “Hate to Be a Bother”
Kacey Musgraves – “Cardinal”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please”
Elvellon – “A Vagabond’s Heart”
Jamie xx f/ the Avalanches – “All You Children”
Western Education – “Catherine What Have You Done”
Coldplay – “WE PRAY”
Daya – “Don’t Call”
The Decemberists f/ James Mercer – “Burial Ground”
Slimane – “Mon Amour”
Påls Butikk – “Utakkens sønn”
Purest Form – “Broke”
Billy Strings – “Gild the Lily”
Fred Thomas – “Embankment”
Hanumankind – “Big Dawgs”
James Wilkinson
The Felice Brothers – Valley of Abandoned Songs
Michael Head & the Red Elastic Band – Loophole
Grandaddy – Blu Wav
Real Estate – Daniel
Laetitia Sadier – Rooting for Love
Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
Nala Sinephro – Endlessness
The Bevis Frond – Focus on Nature
Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch
Pye Corner Audio – The Endless Echo
MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks
Jane Weaver – Love in Constant Spectacle
Beachwood Sparks – Across the River of Stars
The Soundcarriers – Through Other Reflections
Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
Nduduzo Makhathini – uNomkhubulwane
Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da
Isobel Campbell – Bow to Love
Bonny Light Horseman – Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free
Camera Obscura – Look to the East, Look to the West
Rich Wilson
Alessandro Cortini – NATA INFINITI
British Murder Boys – Active Agents and House Boys
Broken Head – The Morning Ends
Buffalo Tom – Jump Rope
Chat Pile – Cool World
Craven Faults – Bounds
Ducks Ltd. – Harm’s Way
Fontaines D.C. – Romance
High Vis – Guided Tour
meth. – SHAME
Midwife – No Depression in Heaven
MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks
Nia Archives – Silence Is Loud
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Wild God
Pye Corner Audio – The Endless Echo
Thank – I Have a Physical Body That Can Be Harmed
The Chisel – What a Fucking Nightmare
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Three Quarter Skies – Fade In
Whitelands – Night-bound Eyes Are Blind to the Day
David Crone
Friko – Where we’ve been, Where we go from here
Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future
Laura Marling – Patterns in Repeat
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Magdalena Bay – Imaginal Disk
Mk.gee – Two Star & the Dream Police
Mabe Fratti – Sentir Que No Sabes
Ka – The Thief Next to Jesus
Jack White – No Name
Bladee – Cold Visions
Kendrick Lamar – GNX
Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
Lupe Fiasco – Samurai
E L U C I D – REVELATOR
Touché Amoré – Spiral in a Straight Line
Mavi – Shadowbox
Clairo – Charm
Ex-Easter Island Head – Norther
Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
Allie X – Girl with No Face
Friko – “Where We’ve Been”
Armand Hammer f/ Benjamin Booker – “Doves”
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”/”Wacced Out Murals”
Adrianne Lenker – “Real House”https://www.allmusic.com/”Evol”
Vampire Weekend – “Connect”
Ichiko Aoba – “Lucifèrine”
Ka – “Bread, Body, Wine, Blood”
Magdalena Bay – “Vampire in the Corner”
Laura Marling – “No One’s Gonna Love You Like I Can”
The Cure – “Endsong”
Tyler, The Creator – “St. Chroma”
Mk.gee – “New Low”https://www.allmusic.com/”I Want”
Jack White – “Rough on Rats”https://www.allmusic.com/”What’s the Rumpus”
Ken Carson – “Overseas”
Babydrill – “Can’t Speak Again”
Porter Robinson – “Cheerleader”
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Deja Vu”
Bladee – “Paranoia Intro”https://www.allmusic.com/”Red Cross”
Chanel Beads – “Police Scanner”
Saba & No I.D. – “How to Impress God”
Liam Martin [Spotify]
Fontaines D.C. – Romance
Whitelands – Night-bound Eyes Are Blind to the Day
Fat Dog – WOOF.
Kelly Lee Owens – Dreamstate
English Teacher – This Could Be Texas
The Smile – Wall of Eyes
Christopher Owens – I Wanna Run Barefoot Through Your Hair
Lupe Fiasco – Samurai
Nubiyan Twist – Find Your Flame
Nadine Shah – Filthy Underneath
Godspeed You! Black Emperor – “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD”
Future Islands – People Who Aren’t There Anymore
Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching
Los Campesinos! – All Hell
Sheer Mag – Playing Favorites
Mount Kimbie – The Sunset Violent
Pond – Stung!
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Nia Archives – Silence Is Loud
Cloud Nothings – Final Summer
Bombay Bicycle Club – “Blindfold”
Metz – “Superior Mirage”
The Lovely Eggs – “My Mood Wave”
Sleater-Kinney – “Hell”
Real Estate – “Water Underground”
Arms and Sleepers – “Blood Song”
Glass Beams – “Mahal”
Jane Weaver – “Love in Constant Spectacle”
Phosphorescent – “Impossible House”
Sega Bodega – “Coma Salv”
Vince Staples – “Little Homies”
La Luz – “Strange World”
James Blake & Lil Yachty – “Twice”
The Smile – “Foreign Spies”
Japandroids – “Chicago”
Goat – “Zombie”
Silverbacks – “Something I Know”
W. H. Lung – “Thinner Wine”
Burial – “Dreamfear”
NewDad – “Nightmares”
