As the year comes to an end, it is time to look at how the year was overall for music and decide what I believe is the best album of the year.
The albums nominated this year were five of my favorites from the year and five of the highest-rated albums according to music rating sites. These albums were chosen because of their unique and excellent sound on top of their cultural impact as a whole. The albums that were chosen are a great representation of what 2024 had to offer for music and will most likely stand the test of time.
(Honorable Mentions: Hardstone Psycho (Don Toliver), The New Sound (Geordie Greep), Only God Was Above Us (Vampire Weekend), Bando Stone and the New World (Childish Gambino), We Don’t Trust You (Future and Metro Boomin))
- Brat is the 8th studio album from Charlie XCX and has left the world in a cultural frenzy. The electronic instrumentals littered throughout the album give the album the vibe of a 24-hour party. The lyrics on this album are impeccable as Charlie sings about a party lifestyle that she has been living and the downs and ups of it. Brat is a great album that will probably stay in the cultural zeitgeist for a while.
- I Lay Down My Life For You is the 9th full-length album from JPEGMAFIA that offers a unique-sounding style of rap that is not heard a lot today. The album is an experimental Hip Hop album that is best described as hip-hop-rock fusion that makes you want to thrash around. Even though the album has a small amount of features the features from Denzel Curry and Vince Stapels are highlights of the album.
- Imaginal Disk is the 6th studio album by Magdalena Bay that has been on the top of almost every website’s top album of the year list. The album offers a psychedelic synth-pop record that gives the listener a transforming experience that will leave them throbbing at the heart. This album is amazing and entertaining but unfortunately is one that flew under the radar.
- Chromakopia is Tyler, The Creator’s 7th studio album and 8th musical project. The album shakes up the norm of what a Tyler, The Creator album was for a while and delivers a sound that is familiar but keeps fans on their toes. Tyler’s impeccable flow and unique production lift notable tracks such as Like Him, Sticky, and Take Your Mask Off. The second half of the album is almost perfect taking listeners on an emotional rollercoaster that leaves them wanting more.
- After listening to all of these albums over again and reassessing them I have decided to name No Hands by Joey Valance and Brae as the Discography Deep-Dive’s album of the year. No Hands is the 2nd full-length album from Joey Valance and Brae and is entirely self-produced and self-funded. The jazzy instrumentals mixed with the house music style production perfectly combine with the duo’s flow and lyrics. There is no other rap group like Joey Valance and Brae currently making music. No Hands is amazing with no song that you want to skip. The fun nature of the album and impeccable flow from the duo leave this album as one to remember. Even though there are very few features on this album when they do appear they lift the song there on to new heights, with the most notable one being Danny Brown’s.
If you want to read my thoughts on the honorable mentions and get a more detailed review of the top 5 albums check out The Round Up website.