There were many great albums released this year and while there are still plenty that I need to listen to, these were my 24 favorite albums of 2024.

24. berlioz – open this wall

Formerly using the name Ted Jasper, the alias berlioz is used by British producer and DJ, Jasper Attlee, as “an outlet for art.” “open this wall” is the debut album under the berlioz name and it delivers as a concise 34-minute journey through unique and soulful sounds built on the foundations of jazz. This jazz-influenced instrumental project is very easy to listen to fully with its inviting nature and positive mood it brings. I have found myself walking around with this album on loop, making me feel like I’m in some sort of character but it feels great. I will always welcome jazz and jazz-inspired works, especially in the current state of music where they aren’t as common as they once were.

23. Doechii – Alligator Bites Never Heal

Florida rapper, singer and songwriter Doechii recently signed with TDE in 2022 and we have finally gotten a full project from her and it delivered in many ways. It should be noted that “Alligator Bites Never Heal,” is considered to be a mixtape, which makes sense after hearing the multiple directions she takes on this tracklist rather than sticking to one specific sound or theme. She takes advantage of this project being a mixtape and shows off her versatility, using different styles of production like boom bap on “BOILED PEANUTS” and some more laid back beats seen on “HUH!”. While there isn’t too much to grasp as one cohesive story on the album, Doechii has shown the lyrical ability to craft such stories and I’ll be ready to tune into her next project to see if she does.

22. Porter Robinson – SMILE! 😀

On his third studio album, “SMILE! 😀,” Porter Robinson continues to elevate his work, pushing the growth of the electropop and hyperpop genres. Robinson brings the high-energy production that has been a staple of the genre, giving off an 8-bit feeling or sound at times. I really enjoy that Robinson isn’t afraid of just letting the music be fun and not take itself too seriously. Despite that, there are songs like, “Easier to Love You,” that can switch the dial and cover a topic as important as self-care and knowing how to take care of yourself. I’ve enjoyed diving into the hyperpop genre and Robinson’s album is one to check out when doing so.

21. Vince Staples – Dark Times

On his sixth studio album, “Dark Times,” Vince Staples densely packed many themes into this dark and dreary sounding project such as what happens after death, depression and the feeling of hopelessness. On “Government Cheese,” Staples talks about the struggles he faced in his childhood that came from living in the hood. He frames this picture of a dangerous world around him that spreads the idea of the next day just being “another day closer to my demise.” Even in these saddening times, he reminds himself of one message that’ll keep him moving everyday; “don’t forget to smile.” This project is a great representation of Staples’ discography and what he’s shown throughout his career; he is a very lyrically strong artist that is able to convey deep messages in a way that is not only easy but enjoyable to listeners, creating what I believe is one of the best albums in his catalog. 

20. ScHoolboy Q – Blue Lips

West coast rapper and long-tenured member of TDE, ScHoolboy Q, released his sixth studio album “Blue Lips” five years after his last release and widely considered as the worst work in his discography, “Crash Talk.” ScHoolboy Q tries his hand at multiple styles on this album and the differences are heard both sonically and lyrically. “Blueslides” uses smooth instrumentals while Q discusses his mental health and how he “lost a homeboy due to the drugs”, referring to Mac Miller. Miller passed away in 2018 at the age of 26 due to an overdose. The loss of a dear friend affected Q and was one of the reasons that he became sober, one theme along with his struggles that he’s been through in his life. Unlike “Blueslides”, the third track on the album, “THank god 4 me,” features a beat switch that invites aggressive production that Q matches with combative lyrics. These different sounds are found all throughout the 56-minute runtime and proves to be one of the more daring rap albums to release this year and a comeback for a pillar of TDE.

19. Chief Keef – Almighty So 2

Chicago legend Chief Keef released his fifth studio album, “Almighty So 2,” continuing to represent drill music that brought him to the mainstream and that eventually became a genre that he pioneered. So much so that the genre has spread and has its regional differences in places like Chicago compared to places like New York. The album features quite a few artists like G Herbo, Tierra Whack and Quavo. The album was very entertaining and I knew coming into it that it’d be a high energy project that would have no issue in hyping me up. One feature from Sexyy Red on “Grape Trees” presents the aggressive yet unbothered lyrics and energy that Keef founded with this genre back in 2012 with his debut album, “Finally Rich,” at the young age of 16. Listening to this project and any other in Keef’s catalog is a reminder of the drill scene and the hard hitting beats that have been the groundwork of it, keeping me hooked and coming back.

18. Megan Moroney – Am I Okay?

“Am I Okay?” is my first introduction to Megan Moroney and one of my first introductions to the genre of country music. With my perspective of country music on the line, Moroney delivered a great album. The first half of the album took me time to adjust to the style of production, being a lot more barebone with less things going on. Things clicked on “Man on the Moon,” Moroney’s voice is great and the simple production style gives her a chance to really steal the show. She talks about a man that keeps on coming back to her and she’s tired of it, so much so that she wants to “put another man on the moon.” This is an example of one of the core themes of this album, which is how relationships affect a person and where they go in the future, whether that be a future friendship or someone to be tired of another like “Man on the Moon.” As an introduction to the genre of country music, I thoroughly enjoyed listening and hopefully this can let me dive deeper into the world of country music.

17. Lupe Fiasco – Samurai

Eighteen years after his debut album, Lupe Fiasco released “Samurai,” proving to be one of the most skilled lyricists that the hip-hop genre has seen and has yet to show any signs of rust. Fiasco stated that this album is his “most personal to date,” inspired by a quote from the 2015 documentary “Amy,” where Amy Whinehouse tells her producer, “I keep coming out with battle raps and they’re just pouring out of me. Like Wu-Tang stuff, but really neat, very beautifully alliterated little battle raps. So next time you wanna come for me and have a battle rap-off, I’m gonna kill you. Because I’m a samurai.” Fiasco uses this concept of Whinehouse being a battle rapper to touch on the idea of artists’ struggles in the music industry and stated that the universal themes allow for interpretation because it “could have just been about anybody.” He also said that the title of the album means to “serve” or “be at service of other people”, in this instance being the rap community and Fiasco proved to do just that, showing that he is still at the top of his game.

16. Logic – Ultra 85

Logic’s classic album “The Incredible True Story” released in 2015 and nine years later, the long awaited continuation of captain Quentin Thomas and first man William Kai’s story was released in August and was worth the wait. “Ultra 85” feels like a culmination of Logic’s resurgence in the 2020s, dropping four total albums in the last five years that have gained positive feedback for the most part. A few themes come up through the tracklist, such as the idea of being grounded in the present and leaving pain or hatred behind to become an improved person. “Innerstellar” touches both topics, discussing hate the rapper has received in his career and the importance in believing in accomplishing your dreams as well as the importance of your life and how it shouldn’t be thrown away. With this album, Logic captivates the feeling that made people fans and uses it to deliver a message he’s stuck to his entire career; spread peace, love and positivity. 

15. The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy

The Last Dinner Party have made waves in the music industry with the release of a well received debut album, “Prelude to Ecstacy.” The album oozes a baroque aestheic that feels very grand and almost theatric in every right way. The production includes orchestral instrumentals that continue to hammer down that older baroque style that gives this album a unique feeling. The opening song, “Burn Alive,” shows a fiery passion from the group with lines like “let me make my grief a commodity.” “I’m going to put my heart on the line and all my pain and everything for a buck,” was what one member of the group shared about the process of creating this song. Overall, the album is a very impressive debut that shows off the potential that can come from this unique yet beautiful sound they bring.

14. Kali Uchis – ORQUÍDEAS

Kali Uchis released her third studio album last year, “Red Moon in Venus,” and I found it to be one of the best works of 2023. This year however, Uchis slightly switched the approach with this album, with the majority of it being in Spanish rather than English. She did promise fans that they’d receive a majority Spanish spoken album this year so this wasn’t a surprise and it came out just as good as fans hoped with “ORQUÍDEAS” being one of the coolest releases this year. Listening to this album makes you feel like you’re in a ballroom dancing to the beautiful stringed instruments found on songs like “Te Mata” and angelic vocals from Uchis herself. That ballroom energy can switch to more of a party feel on songs like “Dame Beso // Muévete” and “Labios Mordidos”. Features on this album from KAROL G, Peso Pluma, El Alfa and Rauw Alejandro hammer down the Latin-pop and R&B influence sprinkled all throughout this project. This album is gorgeous and provides a beauty that can only be found in Latin and Latin inspired music.

13. MAVI – Shadowbox

Lyrically, MAVI’s “Shadowbox” is one of, if not the best album I’ve listened to this year. MAVI is very introspective on this project, covering multiple themes such as substance abuse, growth, family, etc. On “drown the snake”, MAVI talks about how as children grow up, “there is a demon that grew up” with that child as well. After he asks the question, “so how you kill [the demon]?”, the song transitions into “drunk prayer” where MAVI opens up about alcohol abuse and the use of it to numb the pain he feels. This use becomes so excessive that he’s unsure if it’s effective because he is blacking out and doesn’t know how he felt prior to passing out. Messages like these and the laid-back yet atmosphere setting production allows MAVI’s deep lyrical content to be one of the best listens this year.

12. Tyler, the Creator – CHROMAKOPIA

After releasing the deluxe of his 2022 album, “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST,” Tyler, the Creator,  started an album rollout by establishing a new narrative and perspective for “CHROMAKOPIA” and the lead single, “St. Chroma,” is the introduction to this world. Multiple features are scattered through the project, ranging from beautiful vocal performances from Daniel Caesar, Teezo Touchdown and Lola Young to energetic verses from Sexyy Red, GloRilla and Lil Wayne. Tyler has explored many themes in his career and continues to do so here, covering topics such as paranoia he experiences in the music industry on “Noid” and uncovering the facades people wear to reveal how they really feel on “Take Your Mask Off.” This album feels like another step of discovery for Tyler as he unravels more of himself to his audience and stands strongly among the other great works in his discography.

11. Denzel Curry – Kings of the Mischievous South (KOTMS)

Denzel Curry has established himself as one of the most consistent rappers in the industry, dropping four well-received albumssince 2018, the most recent being “Kings of the Mischievous South.” Curry assembles a multitude of southern artists such as Juicy J, That Mexican OT, Duke Deuce and 2 Chainz. The album contains many hard-hitting beats created by producers such as Charlie Heat, Hollywood Cole and many more. Tracks such as “SKED” and “STILL IN THE PAINT” incorporate some of these harder beats while a song like “COLE PIMP” has a smoother flow and style thanks to a melodic verse from Ty Dolla $ign. This album is a great representation of southern hip-hop and a celebration of that sound with many talented artists that help push these styles in the music industry and music legends that pioneered it.

10. Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet

Sabrina Carpenter has taken the world by storm with her sixth studio album, “Short n’ Sweet,” projecting herself at the top of the billboard charts. Three songs from this album, “Taste,” “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” all held spots in the top three of the Billboard Hot 100 for months and I understand the hype. Carpenter’s playful performances on the album paired with the addicting pop production has had songs like “Espresso” playing in my head without even thinking about it. She spends a lot of this album talking about love and romance in the current day and this theme fits seamlessly with Carpenter’s playful nature across the album. I’m glad that I gave this album a listen after admittedly waiting a while but I will be keeping an eye on her future work and will be coming back to this one quite a bit.

9. KAYTRANADA – Timeless

Following up last year’s collaboration album with Aminé, “KAYTRAMINE,”  Canadian producer KAYTRANADA released his third solo studio album, “Timeless”. On this album, he shows why he is one of the best producers in the music industry and the features on this tracklist are a testament to that. Some of these voices span from older artists such as Childish Gambino, Thundercat and Anderson .Paak to younger stars like PinkPantheress, Mariah the Scientist and Ravyn Lenae. Songs like “Weird” and “Out of Luck” are showcases of KAYTRANADA’s groovy and infectious style of production that implant themselves into your brain. KAYTRANADA has always been one of the more creative producers in the industry and he continues to deliver time after time.

8. Kendrick Lamar – GNX

Kendrick Lamar’s year has been filled with unbelievable highs, being announced as the Super Bowl halftime performer this year and breaking records with his hit song, “Not Like Us,” which ultimately declared him victorious in his tensions with Drake. Lamar’s year continues to thrive with the recent release of “GNX,” serving as a victory lap, as well as an opportunity for him to pay respect to his home. The album features production from iconic West Coast producer DJ Mustard, who also produced “Not Like Us.” Lamar continued to show love for his home, featuring multiple California born artists such as Roddy Ricch as well as lesser known, California-native artists like Dody6, YoungThreat and Peysoh. With the mix of classic West Coast style rap performances and appearances from SZA to make for melodic moments, Lamar adds another album to an already legendary discography to make his 2024 even sweeter than it was already.

7. Clarence Clarity – VANISHING ACT II: ULTIMATE REALITY

Hearing great things about this album before I listened had expectations higher than usual but UK pop artist Clarence Clarity had no problem surpassing the already heightened bar with “VANISHING ACT II: ULTIMATE REALITY.” Going in blind, the advanced electro or glitchpop style mixed with R&B influences was definitely a surprise but surprised me in every right way. The distorted vocals add onto the world-bending sound and musical environment that Clarity builds. The closing track on this project, “Guinevere,” is a ballad that delivers a message about hopelessness with the lines, “No, you’re never gonna make a difference, no now, and then, we make time bend again, and again.” I’m very impressed with Clarity and what he was able to do on this project and I’m excited to look into his older work.

6. Charli xcx – BRAT

This year, people all over the world experienced the phenomenon that was a “BRAT” summer. “BRAT” is the sixth studio album in Charli xcx’s discography and it serves as an ode to the growth and journey she has had in her career, as well as a way to pay homage to the 2000s era of electronic and EDM styled pop music. Charli hits multiple emotional peaks on this project, such as the struggles of letting people into your circle, navigating the music industry, the future of her career and the deepest of these being found on the track, “So, I.” Charli opens up about regrets she had in her relationship with Scottish producer SOPHIE, who passed away a few years ago. The two collaborated quite a bit and became great friends. On this song, Charli said that she’d push SOPHIE away in fear of not being cool or good enough for her. At this point in her career, Charli is able to celebrate her work and think about what is next for her and this album does exactly that while giving listeners an exciting and energy filled experience.

5. JPEGMAFIA – I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU

After collaborating with Danny Brown on an album last year as well as re-releasing his mixtape “The Ghost~Pop Tape” under the name Devon Hendryx, JPEGMAFIA followed up a massive year by releasing his fifth studio album that continues to show off the rapper’s keen ear for production, proving himself to be one of the best rappers and producers in the hip-hop scene right now. He has been a pioneer in pushing the sound of experimental hip-hop and does the same with this album, including rock and punk production and instrumentals on songs such as ‘vulgar display of power’ while songs like “I’ll Be Right There” are more laid back and use JPEGMAFIA’s masterful sampling to elevate the song to a new level. His style pushes the boundaries of rap and is a bright example of the creativity that can come from music.

4. Magdalena Bay – Imaginal Disk

The pop duo Magdalena Bay take the synth pop sound to a whole new level on their second studio album, “Imaginal Disk.” Synths have always created a sound I enjoyed but hearing them used so heavily and flawlessly on this album unlocked a new musical craving that I didn’t know I needed as much as I do. The instrumental progressions on “Watching T.V.” are magical and the glitching throughout the song almost scratches a weird feeling in my brain if that makes sense. Producer and songwriter of the duo, Matthew Lewin stated that the album title and cover serve to present themes of “consciousness, memory and awareness.” These ideas ultimately help share another constant theme on the album, that being to self-exploration. Mica Tenenbaum, the singer of the duo, is able to take these ideas and themes and bring them to life with her stunning vocal performances. I’m very happy to have heard about and given this duo a chance; I know that I’ll need to check out their older work and watch what they’re able to do in the future.

3. SiR – HEAVY

Singer-songwriter SiR, released his fourth album, “HEAVY,” in May of this year and it has proven to be his most personal album yet. During 2020, the seclusion and depression that SiR battled through during that time would lead the artist toward substance abuse to deal with feelings of isolation and issues that arose in his marriage. lead the artist toward substance abuse to deal with feelings of isolation as well as issues that came along in his marriage. On this album, tracks such as “HEAVY,” paint a picture of how he felt prior to entering rehab, while songs like “I’M NOT PERFECT” and “ONLY HUMAN,” focus on the emotions and regret regarding the mistakes he made in his relationship with his wife and how it made him feel. SiR brings multiple vocal performances that convey his emotions beautifully. The album also features artists such as Anderson .Paak, Ty Dolla $ign, Scribz Riley and label-mates Isaiah Rashad and Ab-Soul. The pure emotion and vocal deliveries as well as masterful production bring not only one of the best R&B albums of the year, but one of the best albums of the year as a whole.

        2. NxWorries – Why Lawd?

The duo of NxWorries is made up of hip-hop producer Knxwledge and singer, songwriter Anderson .Paak who have come together to create a beautiful neo-soul album in “Why Lawd?” This is the second album the two have collaborated on, the first being the 2016 release, “Yes Lawd!” The new project features multiple artists that add to Knxwledge’s gorgeous production, such as Thundercat, Charlie Wilson and H.E.R. In usual style of .Paak, there are quite a few songs on the track list talking about love and romance but a different approach is taken at times. .Paak dealt with relationship issues and actually filed for divorce earlier this year and the emotions that stemmed from that are seen. On “HereIAm,” .Paak is very open about the problems he’s dealing with and realizing that he “had to lose to fully appreciate” the relationship he had. This album shows improvements from an already well-made “Yes Lawd!” and is another showing of the masterful music that the NxWorries duo can create.

1. Clairo – Charm

Clairo’s third album, “Charm,” further pushes the bedroom pop sound into the mainstream and is a progressive album for the genre. The album mixes aspects of bedroom pop, soft rock, and elements of jazz in the production from Clairo herself, as well as co-producer Leon Michels. Her soft vocals combined with the welcoming production create a wonderful atmosphere to allow listeners to lose themselves in. Lyrically, she touches on relationships, self-discovery and the importance that those connections are to someone. On the closing track, “Pier 4,” with lines such as “what’s the cost of it, of being loved? When close is not close enough, where’s your line? Where do you draw? When close is not close enough.” Clairo is describing the difficulty that comes with intimacy and continues to self-reflect throughout this song, questioning the state of her relationships and why they are in the spots they’re in. She shows listeners that these feelings are a part of life in a way that has kept me listening over and over again. While it wasn’t easy to decide, all of these things made me sure that “Charm” is my album of the year.