.jpg)
It’s finally here - My best of 2024! Turns out, it was a pretty great year for new music! I chose 32 albums as my favorites this year and you should know as in years past, there is no particular order and certainly no number one.
Here’s the Spotify playlist. It’s got two songs from each artist so plenty to sink your teeth into!
The Best of 2024 Mixtape
Sarah Jarosz - Polaroid Lovers
Sarah Jarosz is a pure storyteller and on her release in 2024, she’s embracing a louder, full sound not found on her previous albums that were more subdued and gentle. The first song, “Jealous Moon” is pure pop-Americana with soaring vocals and driving drums/guitars. Jarosz has the kind of voice you don’t tire of. “Take the High Road” reminds me of Kathleen Edwards and the sweet sway of “Days Can Turn Around” is just about the sweetest song she’s written in years.
The Last Dinner Party - Prelude to Ecstasy
The excitement built for a while for this band. After teasing their new album for months with some fantastic singles, the British group delivered an amazing debut album that sets them apart from so many others. You’ll hear fresh takes on rock music with clear nods to Kate Bush and Florence + The Machine with yearning lyrics and vocals and soaring music. I feel like if you took a modern band, threw them into the movie Amadeus, you’d have The Last Dinner Party. Highlights include “My Lady of Mercy”, “Nothing Matters” and “Burn Alive”.
Liquid Mike - Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot
There’s a great feel of pop-punk and mid-90s The Posies when I listen to the latest from Liquid Mike. You’ll hear tight, loud, hook-filled songs that never make it to the three minute mark. Is it simply slacker-rock without the lo-fi? I don’t know, but it’s hard not to get up and pogo a bit. Highlights include “Town Ease”, “Pacer” and “Drug Dealer”.
Madi Diaz - Weird Faith
Who is Madi Diaz? An incredible singer-songwriter - that’s who. After being fawned over by Harry Styles (who took her on tour) and releasing a few singles, Diaz released her full-length album in February. The Nashville artist’s sixth album is a show of confidence that maybe didn’t show as much on her earlier albums. There’s a hopeful outlook and the songs go from quiet storms to big hooks. It’s a fantastic release with highlights including “Hurting Me” and “Get To Know Me”.
Black Artist Jazz Collective - Truth to Power
Born in the early 2010s, the Collective brings together an accomplished ensemble of young African American musicians who felt that it was necessary to celebrate Black culture in a positive way. The group combines their improvisational skills into one fantastic jam and groove. It’s one of the best jazz albums I’ve heard in years. Highlights include “The Fabricator” and “Code Switching”.
Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well
After what I thought was a wrong turn with her last album, Musgraves is back with a fantastic album full of great storytelling with a Laurel Canyon/Greenwich Village vibe. The songs are stripped down, short and sweet and cover self-care and loving yourself in tough times, especially after a divorce. There’s a late 60s to early 70s vibe and I’m here for it. Highlights include “Moving Out”, “Sway”, “Dinner with Friends” my favorite, “The Architect”.
Waxahatchee - Tiger’s Blood
Waxahatchee's highly anticipated new album delivered a raw and emotionally charged exploration of the human experience. With haunting melodies and poignant lyrics, the album takes listeners on a journey through themes of love, loss, and resilience. It solidifies Waxahatchee's position as a trailblazing force in indie music, leaving an indelible mark on the contemporary music landscape. Highlights include “Right Back To It” and “Lone Star Lake”.
Beyonce - Cowboy Carter
The latest album from Beyonce is beyond fantastic. A bit of some background - It was born out of an experience she had years ago where she didn’t feel welcomed. Because of that experience, she did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied the rich musical archive. “Just For Fun” a duet with Willie Jones is a slow-simmer song that brings gospel tones into the song. “Protector” starts with daughter Rumi asking for “the lullabye, please” and Beyonce delivers with an acoustic gem about motherhood. “16 Carriages” is my favorite song on the album - it’s powerful and her lyrics/vocals are so fierce. It’s an album I’ve kept going back to for deeper listens.
Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us
The pondering of life and death and existentialism oozes throughout and the tracks are all over the place musically, despite being recorded without multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij. Ezra Koenig’s voice is always a joy for me to listen to throughout the years. There’s a slacker vibe that meets The Magnetic Fields in what I’m hearing musically - some songs are tight while some are atmospheric. Highlights include “Capricorn”, “Pre-School Gangsters” and “Pravda”.
Maggie Rogers - Don’t Forget Me
This is the best Maggie Rogers has sounded - her third album is her best yet. It feels more stripped down than her first two albums and gives me some serious Laurel Canyon vibes. There’s an embrace of simplicity with Don’t Forget Me with shades of folk and country. Yet, Rogers can still find an upbeat groove - check out “Drunk” which reminds me of Jagged Little Pill Alanis - a fantastic, heart-on-her-sleeve song. “So Sick of Dreaming” is a slow burn that melts me with her fantastic voice. “I Still Do” is an emotional piano ballad that harkens a doomed romance. I could listen to Rogers' latest on repeat all weekend. While only three albums into her career, the lyrics and maturity of the songs are built for the long term life in music.
Pearl Jam - Dark Matter
Pearl Jam have been releasing albums since 1991 and their latest is easily in the top 5 of theirs all-time. Working with producer Andrew Watt, the band finds new energy in the songs that are crisp and fresh. The sound is that of a band that feeds off one another in the studio. The title track bursts with fierce guitar play and “React, Respond” has such a killer rhythm section driving the song that you can’t help but bop along. As for Eddie Vedder, his vocals are still dark yet powerful. Other highlights include “Upper Hand” and “Wreckage”.
Willow - empathogen
On her 6th album at just 23 years old, Willow focuses on influences like Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald, all while incorporating complex music and syncopation. I also hear shades of early Fiona Apple. She’s showing great maturity in the songwriting and production. She’s also brought in some heavy current influences to work with on the album (Jon Batiste and St. Vincent). Highlights include “symptom of life”, “between i and she” and “pain for fun”.
Kamasi Washington - Fearless Movement
While most will classify Washington as a jazz artist - and there is certainly a reason for this with heavy influence from Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy and others, Washington has veered into more of a complex R&B artist creating his own sound that melds everything together. Working with some fantastic guests (Andre 3000, Thundercat, George Clinton), the album is full of rich and versatile tracks. Highlights include “Computer Love”, “Dream State” and “The Garden Path”.
Jon Muq - Flying Away
Muq, originally from Uganda, settled in Austin and was welcomed by the eclectic mix of musicians and fans. He eventually hooked up with Dan Auerbach who added some of his retro touches to these beautifully written and crafted songs. I feel like we’re looking deep into Muq’s soul and what his life has encompassed. Highlights include “Runaway” and “Bend”.
Remi Wolf - Big Ideas
On her second album, pop singer Remi Wolf drifts between radio-friendly bops and sweet, sultry tracks. There’s a lot to like here and while Wolf isn’t breaking too much new ground, she’s created a good summer album that could hang out with Dua Lipa and other contemporaries. Highlights include “Toro” and “Motorcycle”.
Clairo - Charm
I’ve liked Clairo for a while now (her 2019 album Immunity was one of the best of the year) and her latest has stepped slightly away from her lo-fi bedroom pop to a breezier, 70s sounding album. Her voice is as sweet as peaches in the summertime with smart lyrics and it just feels like a strong step in her musical journey. Highlights include “Slow Dance” and “Add Up My Love”.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - South of Here
There are two Nathaniel Rateliffs - The raucous, soulful rocker and the introspective solo artist. The best of both worlds comes together for their latest album. I lean towards liking the solo stuff more as I get older. Relatable songs and lyrics drift throughout the album and there’s plenty of emotion to digest here. Highlights include “Heartless” and “Get Used to the Night”.
Lucky Daye - Algorithm
I’ve admired Daye’s work in the last few years, but his latest is maybe my favorite, leaning towards a live band sound full of classic soul and futuristic R&B tunes. I hope this one breaks Daye through to mainstream music so more people can appreciate his outstanding work. Highlights include “Soft” and “Blame” (featuring Teddy Swims).
Lawrence - Family Business
Sometimes I don’t catch all the new music, so thanks to my friend Dave Festini for pointing me in the direction of Lawrence. Gracie and Clyde Lawrence (and their 8-piece band) kill it on their latest album with pitch-perfect pop-soul music with enough energy to even get me movin’ and groovin’. Highlights include “Whatcha Want” and the ridiculously cool “Hip Replacement”.
Zach Bryan - The Great American Bar Scene
He’s slowly become one of our great songwriters in America. It took me a while on this one, but the voice and emotion in his songs grabs me. A modern day troubadour who has built an incredible following. Some great tracks with mind-blowing guest spots from Springsteen and John Mayer. Highlights include “Memphis; The Blues” and “Pink Skies”.
Maggie Rose - No One Gets Out Alive
Montgomery County, Maryland native and current Nashville-based singer/songwriter is working with some of Jason Isbell’s band and the results are fantastic. I don’t really pick my favorite of the year, but this would be awfully close. It’s a reflective album looking at the finite amount of time in life. Her smokey vocals blend well with the folk-pop-soul music that runs throughout the album. Highlights include “Fake Flowers” and “Too Young”.
The Collection - Little Deaths
I’ve written about this band plenty of times and their new album is finally here! The indie-rock band from North Carolina first caught my attention when I saw them live at Songbyrd here in DC. There’s a beautiful soul to the album. The songs are honest, raw yet hopeful. Despite troubling times throughout the past couple years, there is hope and a feeling of survival weaved throughout the songs. Favorites are “Medication”, “Rain It Down”, “Spark of Hope” and “Long Way Down”.
Jack White - No Name
It’s loud, it’s bluesy and it’s got plenty of punk - the new Jack White is a joyful kick in the face. White has established himself as an incredible guitar player and it’s on full display here with fuzzy, fast and furious playing. White has always gone his own way, whether it was with The White Stripes, The Raconteurs or his solo work and it’s just what we all need. Favorites include “That’s How I’m Feeling”, “Archbishop Harold Holmes” and “Bombing Out”.
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings - Woodland
They’re personal and professional partners and they’re produced another incredible album full of songs that tell long-form stories, sometimes leading into longer tracked songs. But they’re a job to listen to as they bounce vocals and lyrics off one another impeccably. If you need to know what you’re getting into, try Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons. Highlights include “Empty Trainload of Sky” and “Hashtag” where Rawlings takes the lead.
Nada Surf - Moon Mirror
It’s been 30 years since Nada Surf released their debut single. I’ve loved each and every album by them. They continue to combine catchy power pop hooks with layered vocals, this time adding more melodic arrangements than previous work. Highlights include “In Front of Me Now”, “New Propeller” and “X Is You”.
Fontaines D.C. - Romance
The new album from the fantastic Dubliners is big, brash and full of emotion. There’s elements of punk, 80’s alternative Brit-rock and so much more. The guitars are on fire with Grian Chatten’s vocals soaring. There’s touches of dream pop/shoegaze as well in the most complete album from the band. Highlights include “Starburster” and “Bug”.
Nilufer Yanya - My Method Actor
On her third album, the UK singer-songwriter has created a richly introspective album that showcases her unique ability to blend vulnerability with sonic experimentation, layering sparse guitars, subtle strings, and dynamic percussion throughout the tracks. Songs like "Binding" and "Mutations" exemplify this balance, where minimal instrumentation complements her delicate yet powerful voice. Fantastic.
Samara Joy - Portrait
One of the best voices in music today is back with a fresh set of jazz songs that shows great growth from her previous album. Joy has perfectly captured modern jazz with a strong hat tip to the classics on the eight tracks here. Highlights include “Reincarnation Of A Lovebird” and “No More Blues”.
Carbon Leaf - Time Is The Playground
Been a fan of Carbon Leaf for years - Seen their annual show at The Birchmere with my daughter every year since 2014. We were also part of the Kickstarter to help fund the new album. All of that to say, it’s fantastic! It’s a step back in time, combining their unique blend of folk, rock and Americana influences. Each song feels like a snapshot of days and years gone by along with modern storytelling. The band works so well together and Barry Privett’s lyrics and vocals are warm and inviting. Highlights include “Backmask 1983”, “Monday Night in Germantown” and “California Gold”.
Leon Bridges - Leon
Welcome home Leon. His new album is a tribute to his Texas roots and it may be his best yet. Bridges has yet to make similar albums, exploring different decades and styles. This time, he’s taking inspiration from his home and his experiences in Texas. It’s smooth R&B with hints of country and so much more - a melting pot of all his previous work. Highlights include “Panther City”, “Peaceful Place” and “Ghetto Honeybee”.
The Linda Lindas - No Obligation
Looking for some fantastic rage-fuelled energy in your music? Look no further than the latest from The Linda Lindas, our favorite teen punk band. They’ve taken a big step with this album, polishing their sound while maturing their songwriting. They’ve injected some 80s female pop-punk as well (think The Go-Go’s), helping make this a fantastic group of songs. Don’t miss the cool cameo from “Weird Al” Yankovic. Highlights include “Lose Yourself”, “Don’t Think”, "Nothing Would Change" and “Resolution/Revolution”.
Yours & Mine - The Shadow You Cast
Imagine combining The Posies, Fountains of Wayne and Oasis. Sounds pretty good, right? The Shadow You Cast is all about big riffs, sing-along choruses in songs that are quick, catchy and will stick with you for a long time. The songs are relatable with themes of love, loss and “that jukebox in the back that plays a melody, of that old romantic tune that she would sing to me”. You’ll find yourself nodding your head to the tasty tunes from Yours & Mine for years to come. Highlights include “Pushing Up Daisies”, “Shadow” and “Wedding Vow”.
Comments