PopMatters' 80 Best Albums of 2024

The best albums of 2024 challenged orthodoxies, blended and created new genres, and spanned a vast range of musical styles and traditions, while looking forward.

Source

# 1

BRAT by Charli XCX

Album • Jun 07 / 2024 Electropop Electronic Dance Music

# 2

COWBOY CARTER by Beyoncé

Album • Mar 29 / 2024 Country Pop

# 4

Funeral for Justice by Mdou Moctar

Album • May 03 / 2024 Tishoumaren Psychedelic Rock

# 5

Romance by Fontaines D.C.

Album • Aug 23 / 2024 Indie Rock Alternative Rock

# 6

The Collective by Kim Gordon

Album • Mar 08 / 2024 Industrial Hip Hop Experimental Rock Noise Rock

# 7

Livet, döden, skiten däremellan by Miss Li

Album • Oct 11 / 2024

# 8

In Waves by Jamie xx

Album • Sep 20 / 2024 House Future Garage

# 9

Tigers Blood by Waxahatchee

Album • Mar 22 / 2024 Alt-Country Singer-Songwriter

# 10

Wild God by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Album • Aug 30 / 2024 Singer-Songwriter Art Rock

# 11

Manning Fireworks by MJ Lenderman

Album • Sep 06 / 2024 Alt-Country Slacker Rock

# 12

Songs of a Lost World by The Cure

Album • Jan 01 / 2023 Gothic Rock Alternative Rock

# 13

Musow Danse by Les Amazones d'Afrique

Album • Feb 16 / 2024 Mande Music Electropop

# 14

This Is How Tomorrow Moves by beabadoobee

Album • Aug 16 / 2024 Pop Rock Singer-Songwriter Alternative Rock

# 15

Passage Du Desir by Johnny Blue Skies + Sturgill Simpson

Album • Jul 12 / 2024 Progressive Country Country Rock

# 16

CHROMAKOPIA by Tyler, The Creator

Album • Oct 28 / 2024 West Coast Hip Hop Neo-Soul

# 17

Eels by Being Dead

Album • Sep 27 / 2024 Indie Rock

# 18

Akoma by Jlin

Album • Mar 22 / 2024 Footwork IDM

# 19

I hit the water by Lollise

Album • Sep 06 / 2024

# 20

Window in the Rhythm by Fred Thomas

Album • Oct 04 / 2024

# 21

Here in the Pitch by Jessica Pratt

Album • May 03 / 2024 Singer-Songwriter Contemporary Folk

# 22

VEENA by Heems

Album • Aug 23 / 2024 East Coast Hip Hop

# 23

Night Reign by Arooj Aftab

Album • May 31 / 2024 Chamber Folk Chamber Jazz

# 24

Lives Outgrown by Beth Gibbons

Album • May 17 / 2024 Chamber Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 25

Trail Of Flowers by Sierra Ferrell

Album • Mar 22 / 2024 Neo-Traditionalist Country

# 26

The Healer by Sumac

Album • Jun 21 / 2024 Atmospheric Sludge Metal Avant-Garde Metal

# 27

Wall of Eyes by The Smile

Album • Jan 26 / 2024 Art Rock Post-Rock

# 28

Prelude to Ecstasy by The Last Dinner Party

Album • Feb 02 / 2024 Indie Rock Pop Rock Glam Rock

# 29

Acadia by Yasmin Williams

Album • Oct 04 / 2024 American Primitivism Contemporary Folk

# 30

Where’s My Utopia? by Yard Act

Album • Mar 01 / 2024 Dance-Punk Art Punk

# 31

Malegría by Reyna Tropical

Album • Mar 29 / 2024 Latin Alternative

# 32

Night Palace by Mount Eerie

Album • Nov 01 / 2024 Slacker Rock Avant-Folk Post-Rock

# 33

Woodland by Gillian Welch + David Rawlings

Album • Aug 23 / 2024 Americana Contemporary Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 34

New Internationale by Kit Sebastian

Album • Sep 27 / 2024 Neo-Psychedelia Psychedelic Pop

# 35

Cloudward by Mary Halvorson

Album • Jan 19 / 2024 Avant-Garde Jazz Chamber Jazz

# 36

Deep Sage by Gouge Away

Album • Mar 15 / 2024 Post-Hardcore Noise Rock Alternative Rock

# 37

This Could Be Texas by English Teacher

Album • Apr 12 / 2024 Indie Rock Art Rock

# 38

AUDIO VERTIGO by Elbow

Album • Mar 22 / 2024 Art Rock

# 39

What Now by Brittany Howard

Album • Feb 09 / 2024 Psychedelic Soul

# 40

The Past Is Still Alive by Hurray for the Riff Raff

Album • Feb 23 / 2024 Alt-Country Singer-Songwriter

# 41

Weird Faith by Madi Diaz

Album • Feb 09 / 2024 Singer-Songwriter

# 42

Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay

Album • Aug 23 / 2024 Neo-Psychedelia Synthpop

# 43

Untame the Tiger by Mary Timony

Album • Feb 23 / 2024 Indie Rock

# 44

Short n' Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter

Album • Aug 23 / 2024 Pop

# 45

Maisha by The Zawose Queens

Album • Jun 07 / 2024

# 46

Dulling the Horns by Wild Pink

Album • Oct 04 / 2024 Indie Rock Heartland Rock

# 47

No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin by Meshell Ndegeocello

Album • Aug 02 / 2024 Art Pop Neo-Soul

# 48

All Hell by Los Campesinos!

Album • Jul 19 / 2024 Indie Rock

# 49

Radical Optimism by Dua Lipa

Album • May 03 / 2024 Dance-Pop

# 50

PRUDE by Drug Church

Album • Oct 04 / 2024 Post-Hardcore Alternative Rock

# 51

The Cleanest of Houses Are Empty by Carly Cosgrove

Album • Jun 14 / 2024 Midwest Emo Emo-Pop