In a year filled with groundbreaking releases across genres, the music industry saw both established artists and emerging voices create compelling album-length statements that pushed creative boundaries. Here's our definitive ranking of 2024's finest full-length records.
Leading the pack is Charli XCX's bold double album "Brat & Brat And It's Completely Different But Also Still Brat," which masterfully blends experimental pop with raw emotional honesty. The British artist's ambitious vision resulted in a record that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant.
Coming in second, MJ Lenderman's bold vision captured lightning in a bottle with its gritty storytelling and atmospheric indie rock soundscapes. Kendrick Lamar's "GNX" lands at number three, proving once again why he remains one of hip-hop's most innovative voices.
The top 10 features an eclectic mix of sounds: Waxahatchee's intimate "Tigers Blood" (#4), Magdalena Bay's futuristic "Imaginal Disk" (#5), and Jessica Pratt's haunting "Here In The Pitch" (#6) showcase the year's remarkable diversity. Mount Eerie's atmospheric "Night Palace" (#7), Cindy Lee's ethereal "Diamond Jubilee" (#8), Doechii's fierce "Alligator Bites Never Heal" (#9), and Los Campesinos!' energetic "All Hell" (#10) round out the upper echelon.
Notable entries throughout the list include breakthrough debuts and veteran artists reaching new creative peaks. From position 50 with Wussy's love letter to their hometown in "Cincinnati Ohio" to the genre-bending experiments scattered throughout the rankings, 2024's releases demonstrated the album format's continued ability to serve as a canvas for artistic expression.
This year's selections reflect a musical landscape where boundaries between mainstream and underground continue to blur, while artists find new ways to push their creative visions forward through the album format.