My 20 Favorite Albums of 2024

 

A thing that's always been a source of pride for me is that I still haven't reached a point where my music taste has calcified, where I stop being curious and only stick with artists I already like.  Even though I ask myself more and more whether I'm becoming washed -- particularly when Pitchfork drops a new best-of list and it's filled with rap picks I find borderline unlistenable -- the thrill of discovery is still too powerful to ever want to retreat from it just because I sometimes stumble upon things I don't understand.  So even though I'm an aging indie kid who continues to check out new Decemberists albums (don't laugh, this latest one was pretty solid!), I remain intrigued by the idea that my new favorite band could be right around the corner.

2024 was a year where I felt more open than I've ever been.  I attribute that to new friendships with music lovers who have slightly different wheelhouses than I do and being inspired to meet them where they're at.  It might not be fully reflected in my list of favorites below, but I tried a wide range of music this year and it was very nourishing.  Below is a mix of old and new loves, but all of them made 2024 better.  Enjoy!

The rules: The window of eligibility for this list is anything released from January 1, 2024 to now.  This list can include albums, mixtapes, EPs, and anything in between.

My 20 Favorite Albums of 2019

These music lists are always the hardest to write an intro for, because there are so many genres and narratives, it's hard to sum it all up into one cohesive statement.  2019, at least for me, was a continuation of trends already known to be true, particularly in the rise of poptimism and the diminishing of traditional indie rock.  This year, rap and pop music take up a whole 50% of my top 20 list, which is higher than it's been since I've started making lists.  Unfortunately, that still doesn't mean there is any Billie Eilish on here.  I apologize to the zero teens reading this.

The rules: Everything is the same as usual.  The window of eligibility for this list is anything released between January 1, 2019 and now.  This list can include albums, mixtapes, EPs, and anything in between.  I'm praying that nothing substantial comes out in the twilight hours of the year.  You never know with surprise releases these days...