Class of 2024: The Music

Top 40 Albums of 2024

So here we are at the end of another year. My 2024 was, at the very least, an interesting year.

Musically speaking, there really were a lot of great albums that came out this year. So many in fact that I found it really hard to narrow things down to a top 10...even a top 20. Because of that, this year's best albums list wound up becoming a top 40. That sounds kind of funny because I've always associated top 40 with, well you know, top 40 music. Is that still a thing? I couldn't say considering I don't listen to the radio anymore. Anyway, there were a lot of good albums and a lot of new stuff. New to me that is. In fact, there are quite a few albums on this list that were put out by bands that I had previously never heard of. I even decided to point those out here on the list but putting as asterisk (*) next to their name.

Okay, enough of that jibber jabber. Here are my 40 favorite albums from 2024.

40. The Collective - Kim Gordon
Released March 8 by Matador Records.
Kim Gordon is based out of New York City.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

39. Continue - Arcwelder*
Released January 5.
Arcwelder is from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

38. Seeing It Now - Swim School*
Released October 18 by LAB Records.
Swim School is from Edinburgh, Scotland.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

37. Regenerate - Crooked Little Sons*
Released March 15 by Rare Vitamin Records.
Crooked Little Sons are from Exeter, UK.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

36. The Blackburns - The Blackburns*
Released April 12.
The Blackburns are from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

35. Talk Is Killing Me - Half Past Two
Released April 19 by Bad Time.
Half Past Two is from Orange County, California.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

34. Tarantula Heart - Melvins
Released April 19 by Ipecac Recordings.
Melvins are from Aberdeen, Washington.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

33. The Once A Virgin Club - F.O.D.
Released April 5 by SBAM.
FOD is from Belgium.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

32. Night Thoughts - Dead Years
Released February 2 by Dirt Cult Records.
Dead Years are from Bielefeld, Germany.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

31. Hopiumforthemasses - Ministry
Released March 1 by Nuclear Blast.
Ministry is based out of Los Angeles, California.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

30. Acting Tough - Shit Present
Released April 26 by Specialist Subject.
Shit Present is from Exeter, UK.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

29. 3+5 - Melt Banana*
Released August 23 by A-ZAP.
Melt Banana are from Tokyo, Japan.
Spotify | Apple

28. For What Reason - Fastbacks
Released on August 28 by No Threes.
Fastbacks are based out of Seattle, Washington.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

27. Smoke & Fiction - X
Released on August 2 by Fat Possum Records.
X are based out of Los Angeles, California.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

26. So Far Out - City Mouse*
Released on September 5 by Brassneck Records.
City Mouse are from Los Angeles, California.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

25. Crawl - Sister Thieves*
Released on October 25.
Sister Thieves are based out of New York City.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

24. DrizzleFizzle - Stomatopod
Released on October 4 by Pirate Alley Music.
Stomatopod are from Chicago, Illinois.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

23. Merciless - Body Count
Released on November 22 by Century Media.
Body Count are based out of Los Angeles, California.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

22. Restorations - Restorations
Released March 22.
Restorations are from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

21. Monster Mirror - Resolutions
Released May 24 by End Hits Records.
Resolutions are from Hanover, Germany.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

20. Visitor - John Moreland
Released April 5 by Old Omens / Thirty Tigers.
John Moreland is based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

19. VOWS - Hot Water Music
Released on May 10 by End Hits Records.
Hot Water Music are from Gainesville, Florida.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

18. Odes - Carson McHone*
Released on July 19 by Merge.
Carson McHone is based out of Ontario, Canada.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

17. Rack - The Jesus Lizard
Released on September 13 by Ipecac Recordings.
The Jesus Lizard are from Chicago, Illinois.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

16. A Paradoxical Theory of Change - Makewar
Released June 28 by Fat Wreck Chords.
Makewar are based out of Brooklyn, New York.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

15. Fate & Alcohol - Japandroids
Released on October 18 by ANTI.
Japandroids are from Vancouver, British Columbia.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

14. New Ghosts - The Copyrights
Released October 18 by Fat Wreck Chords.
The Copyrights are from Carbondale, Illinois.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

13. Queen of No - Stress Dolls*
Released May 17 by Sun Pedal Recordings.
Stress Dolls are from Buffalo, New York.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

12. Dystopian Anthems for Lotus Eaters - Psychotic Reaction
Released October 7 by Savage Magic.
Psychotic Reaction are from Norman, Oklahoma.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

11. Letter to Self - Sprints*
Released on January 5 via City Slang.
Sprints are from Dublin, Ireland
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

10. Undefeated - Frank Turner
Released on May 3 by Xtra Mile.
Frank Turner is based out England.
Spotify | Apple

9. No Obligation - The Linda Lindas
Released on October 11 by Epitaph Records.
The Linda Lindas are based out of Los Angeles, California.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

8. Little Rope - Sleater Kinney
Released January 19 by Loma Vista Recordings.
Sleater Kinney are from Portland, Oregon.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

7. Lovebites EP II - Lovebites*
Released on August 28 by Victor Entertainment.
Lovebites are from Tokyo, Japan.
Spotify | Apple

6. Lipstick on a Pig - Cowboy Boy*
Released on August 2 by Get Better.
Cowboy Boy are based out of Los Angeles, California.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

5. To All Trains - Shellac
Released May 17 by Touch and Go.
Shellac are from Chicago, Illinois.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

4. The Night The Zombies Came - Pixies
Released on October 25 by BMG.
Pixies are based out of Boston, Massachutsetts.
Spotify | Apple

3. There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive - Bayside
Released on April 5 by Hopeless Records.
Bayside are from New York City.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

2. Blow It At Madison’s Quinceanera - Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Released on June 14 by Fat Wreck Chords.
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are from San Francisco, California.
Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

1. Love & Lore - Chuck Ragan
Released on October 25 by Rise Records.
Chuck Ragan is based out of Gainesville, Florida.
Spotify | Apple

So there you have. There's my top albums of the year. Be on the lookout for an honorable mentions list of albums that were really good but not quite good enough to make the top 40. Also be on the lookout for my annual best movies of the year list.