While the world burns on all other fronts, 2024 has truly delivered some great albums. Disruptive newcomers and rejuvenated stalwarts alike have stepped up to the plate with outstanding offerings which have defined the year in music, whilst a handful of Overblown favourites have seized their opportunity to become global stars. These are the very best albums of 2024.
Writers: Charlotte Atkinson, Ewan Bourne, Charlie Brock, Gemma Cockrell, Kelly Darcy, Matt Ganfield, Rory Giles, Charlotte Gollogly, Emily Jordan, Jake Macneil, Neive McCarthy, Jule Riemenschneider, Otis Robinson, Josh Templeman, Olivia Thorne, Lauren Uttley
40. Fat Dog – WOOF.
Building a name for themselves on their feral live shows, it seemed an impossible mission for Fat Dog to properly translate that energy to record. WOOF.’s arrival, however, proved that they were more than capable of rising to the challenge: unrelenting and ferocious, WOOF. was a formidable statement of intent which solidified Fat Dog’s upwards trajectory. (NM)
Check out: Fat Dog – All the Same
39. MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks
The highly anticipated follow-up to MJ Lenderman’s 2022 Boat Songs LP, Manning Fireworks picks up exactly where he left off. This collection of beautifully-written, unserious anecdotes finds Lenderman at his most endearing, succinctly bound by a mid-tempo rock ensemble that reaches further into the artist’s alt-country catalogue. (EB)
Check out: MJ Lenderman – Wristwatch
38. Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future
With Bright Future, Adrianne Lenker offered an album to truly immerse yourself in and put everything else on pause. Her vocals haunted each corner of the LP, her songwriting, as arresting as ever, evokes a tenderness nestled in the wide open spaces of the album’s instrumentals – Bright Future was completely all-encompassing. (NM)
Check out: Adrianne Lenker – Ruined
37. Thee Sacred Souls – Got a Story to Tell
Got a Story to Tell cemented Thee Sacred Souls’ place at the forefront of modern soul revivalism. Blending timeless grooves with introspective lyricism, the album explored themes of love, resilience, and heartbreak. Album highlight ‘Live for You’ is a heartfelt number with a gentle rhythm and a groovy guitar riff serving as the perfect backdrop for Josh Lane’s impassioned vocals to convey a message of perseverance. This album paid homage to soul classics such as Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye whilst planting its roots firmly in the modern era. (CG)
Check out: Thee Sacred Souls – Live For You
36. Tyler, the Creator – Chromokopia
Mysterious, unsettling and exceptional. Tyler, The Creator’s artistry is undeniable as he keeps the bar high with his seventh studio album. Chromokopia is an album of personal prose as Tyler shares his difficulties in finding himself. Over extravagant production choices and a sharp cadence, Tyler shares these vulnerabilities while continuing to push artistic boundaries. (JR)
Check out: Tyler, The Creator – Like Him (feat. Lola Young)
35. Allie X – Girl With No Face
This self-produced trip from Canada’s finest pop auteur, Allie X, unexpectedly
careens through 80s analogue post-punk and experimental new wave. A far throw from the saccharine synth-pop that made her, but a courageous and impressive supernatural spiralling through the dark Transylvanian avenues of a woman surviving modernity. (OR)
Check out: Allie X – Off With Her Tits
34. Blue Bendy – So Medieval
It was a winning year for the debut album. Take Blue Bendy’s So Medieval: from frontman Arthur Nolan’s immediately distinctive lyrics and vocal delivery, to offering up some of the most engaging musical composition of recent times. They’ve meticulously crafted one of the year’s most truly unique and charming records. (JM)
Check out: Blue Bendy – So Medieval
33. Laura Marling – Patterns in Repeat
Laura Marling graced the folk scene this year with Patterns in Repeat, a gentle ode to her newfound experiences in motherhood. Introduced by the sound of a baby cooing, Marling stripped down her signature rich tones to meditate on the continuity of life, made up of all the women before us and those to come. (LU)
Check out: Laura Marling – Child of Mine
32. Floating Points – Cascade
A true exploration between dancefloor energy and introspection, Cascade was a masterful study in tension and release. Standout tracks like ‘Vocoder [Club Mix]’ pulse with infectious, driving rhythms while ‘Ocotillo’ shifted into more ambient, atmospheric realms which build before an explosive crescendo. Once again, Cascade demonstrated Floating Points’ ability to push boundaries, while remaining rooted to the heartbeat of electronic music. (JT)
Check out: Floating Points – Ocotillo
31. Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
2024 saw the release of Father John Misty’s sixth studio album, Mahashmashana, and it delivered everything we had hoped. Swelling ballads and self-demeaning satire combined with an apocalyptic sense that the world has gone completely mad. Josh Tillman reckons life is both one big comedy show, and a nightmare. (LU)
Check out: Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
30. A. G. Cook – Britpop
Medieval sci-fi odyssey Britpop saw A. G. Cook, hyperpop’s founder and executive producer of Charli xcx’s brat, storying the innovations of experimental label PC Music, adding an addendum to the legacy of British pop. This opulent electronic tapestry is an expertly crafted look into the art collective’s evasive past, present and future. (OR)
Check out: A. G. Cook – Soulbreaker
29. Geordie Greep – The New Sound
Chaotic, enterprising and exhilarating: The New Sound offered a unique aperture into the sprawling mind of Geordie Greep. Every turn was unpredictable, from the samba instrumentation of the streets of São Paulo to the surreal inner monologue of a character with a manic libido, culminating in a work that celebrates eccentricity and defies both genre and expectation. (JT)
Check out: Geordie Greep – Holy, Holy
28. Vegyn – The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions
Vegyn has a knack for tessellating moments of stark intimacy with an enigmatic coolness which makes for a puzzle which can never quite be solved. The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions delivers on this promise and more, featuring eclectic contributions which bring the best out of John Glacier, Ethan P. Flynn and Matt Maltese. (MG)
Check out: Vegyn & Ethan P. Flynn – Another 9 Days
27. Two Shell – Two Shell
The impish duo have been trolling press and fans alike since first gracing the scene around 2019. Two Shell’s eponymous debut album is just as mercurial and anonymous as the producers who birthed it: collaging fragments of UK garage, post-dubstep, hyperpop and techno to build a world which is both apocalyptically cartoonish and tantalisingly moreish. (MG)
Check out: Two Shell – Everybody Worldwide
26. Bolis Pupul – Letter to Yu
Another debut album making our list, Bolis Pupul’s Letter to Yu plays as a personal ode to his late mother after discovering his roots on a visit to her homeland of Hong Kong. It’s a complex listen, demonstrating the excitement Pupul felt in navigating a new city and the bittersweetness of the circumstances which took him there. Each track contains atmospheric or functional sounds recorded on his trip. (KD)
Check out: Bolis Pupul – Ma Tau Wai Road
25. Amyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness
Simultaneously spitting in your face and giving you a hug, Cartoon Darkness makes for Amyl & The Sniffers‘ most raw album to date. ‘Big Dreams‘ and ‘Bailing on Me’ offer respite from the madness before tracks like ‘Doing In Me Head’ and lead single ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ throw you right back in. The Aussie group strike the perfect contrast between riotus punk joy and slow, insightful songcraft; it’s a glorious punch in the gut. (CA)
Check out: Amyl and The Sniffers – Jerkin
24. Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da
Bill Ryder-Jones’ Iechyd Da [Welsh for ‘good health; cheers’] captures the hopefulness and promise of future joy its titular toast conjures up. With a warm voice that has always leant towards earnestness, Bill Ryder-Jones excels at crafting moments that are melancholic and yet stirring towards something new – Iechyd Da was no exception in its power to uplift. (NM)
Check out: Bill Ryder-Jones – We Don’t Need Them
23. Ghetts – On Purpose, With Purpose
When it comes to longevity and aging gracefully, look no further than Ghetts: a superior wordsmith whose career has exceeded the test of time. On Purpose, With Purpose sees the London MC providing a socially conscious remark on the injustices that plague society while reiterating his closeness to God, all embedded within the message of finding purpose. (JR)
Check out: Ghetts – Laps (feat. Moonchild Sanelly)
22. Berwyn – WHO AM I
Visceral poetry, introspective lyricism and anecdotes on the hardships of UK immigration continue to embolden Tridadian-born London rapper, Berwyn. Unlike his previous production choices, elements of pop and r&b demonstrate the artists’ multi talents and propel a project which is both emotionally raw and educational. (JR)
Check out: Berwyn – I AM BLACK
21. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Upon pressing play on album opener ‘Alone’, it becomes clear that the 16-year wait for The Cure’s follow-up to 2008’s 4:13 Dream was worth it. Delivering their finest work this century, Song of a Lost World makes for a heavy, all-consuming listen, shot through with loss, grief, and mortality. But it’s Robert Smith’s voice, still bursting with life, that offers shades of hope amidst the gloom. (JM)
Check out: The Cure – Alone
20. Kneecap – Fine Art
Every now and then, an album campaign bleeds beyond its own edges to become something culturally momentous. Kneecap’s second full length offering Fine Art amalgamated elements of hip-hip, breakbeat and punk before placing these genres firmly at home within the emerald Isle, courtesy of Toddla T’s production chops and its fictional pub setting: The Rutz. (MG)
Check out: Kneecap – Sick In The Head
19. Kendrick Lamar – GNX
It’s been a weird old year for K-Dot, with neither artist coming off especially well following a much-publicised beef with Drake. At least Kendrick Lamar’s musical output has stayed firmly on track: GNX makes for one of his most immediate LPs to date, featuring 2 reunion cuts with SZA and the irrepressible swagger of ‘squabble up’. (MG)
Check out: Kendrick Lamar – Reincarnated
18. Barry Can’t Swim – When Will We Land?
The much-anticipated debut album from Barry Can’t Swim was nothing short of greatness. When Will We Land delivered euphoric sounds with carefully placed instruments and vocal samples. All tracks share the same sonic foundations while celebrating their own individuality with aplomb, as Joshua Mannie pulls marries the worlds of house and jazz. (KD)
Check out: Barry Can’t Swim – Sonder
17. Nala Sinephro – Endlessness
A transcendent exploration of ambient jazz, Endlessness saw London-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Nala Sinephro expand her sonic universe with ethereal synth textures and delicate harp improvisations. Breathtaking in scope and emotional resonance, Endlessness invitingly beckoned listeners into meditative soundscapes where healing and introspection took centre stage. (JT)
Check out: Nala Sinephro – Continuum 8
16. Toro y Moi – Hole Erth
Album number 11 saw the ever-adaptable Chaz Bear bolstering his patented brand of alt r&b with more trap beats and a touch of kaleidoscope psych. Hole Erth marks a murky twist to Toro y Moi’s stellar discography.
Check out: Toro y Moi – Heaven (feat. Kevin Abstract & Lev)
15. Chanel beads – Your Day Will Come
Your Day Will Come is the almost career-long debut album of NYC producer and artist Shane Lavers. Over 9 short tracks, we’re transported to some sort of metropolitan daydream; playfully flipping typically pop-like anthems into something far more intimate. Energising the realm of folktronica, this album holds an unforgettable sentiment within its ambitious and ambient sound. (EB)
Check out: Chanel Beads – Police Scanner
14. E L U C I D – REVELATOR
Following his killer 2023 billy woods collab We Buy Diabetic Test Strips, REVELATOR saw ELUCID untethered further and moving deeper into his shadowy world of indie hip-hop. Abrasive, industrial and, at times, challenging, REVELATOR is a treasure trove for those who persevere and marks one of the most rewarding rap collections from the last decade. (MG)
Check out: ELUCID – THE WORLD IS DOG
13. Kim Gordon – The Collective
Kim Gordon’s second solo album, The Collective, captures modern chaos with intensity. Opening track ‘BYE BYE’ pairs pounding beats with piercing electronics, listing seemingly mundane objects (“hoodie, toothpaste…”) in rapid-fire delivery. Reflective and alienating, the album’s abrasive style challenges as much as it entertains; marking a new lease of life from the Sonic Youth veteran. (OT)
Check out: Kim Gordon – BYE BYE
12. English Teacher – This Could Be Texas
This Could Be Texas has been the centre of much critical clamour. English Teacher scooped the Mercury Prize this year, topped plenty of end of year lists and burst onto the mainstream with a sensational slice of art punk. This Could Be Texas is a gorgeous swatch from the fabric of life in Britain: songs about local landmarks and the inhospitality of rural towns coalesce perfectly with nuanced critiques of capitalism and consumer culture. (CB)
Check out: English Teacher – Albert Road
11. Mura Masa – Curve 1
Mura Masa’s Curve 1 combines the jumping beat of a Boiler Room DJ set with carefully selected guest vocalists to create the perfect ode to the dancefloor. Rhythmic dance tunes ‘Drugs’ and ‘We Are Making Out’ sees Mura Masa shining and will no doubt ring out at festivals internationally. (EJ)
Check out: Mura Masa (ft. Daniela Lalita) – Drugs
10. Wunderhorse – Midas
Dark, brooding and punchy, Midas roars like a caged beast; a savage evolution from Wunderhorse’s fledgling debut, Cub. What started as a solo project for ex-Dead Pretties frontman Jacob Slater has reached new heights this year with full-throttle hits like ‘Silver’ and ‘Rain’ amplifying chaotic instrumentals with Slater’s primal screams to inject a brand new thrill straight into the listener’s spine.
Title track ‘Midas’ strikes gold. Beyond the simple chord progression is a complex takedown of capitalism, with Slater’s Dylan-esque sneer leading the charge. Lines like, “The voice inside the suit came crawling down the telephone” depict a villainous businessman hell-bent on turning everything to gold. The lyrics are raw, unprocessed emotion: a sharp, scathing look at the world as it is. It seems the angst ran deep with listeners this year, with Wunderhorse’s venue sizes increasing at a nosebleed-inducing rate. (LU)
Check out: Wunderhorse – Midas
9. Nilüfer Yanya – My Method Actor
Nilüfer Yanya’s third album is an introspective, deeply personal body of work shaped by a period of isolation in secluded locations with producer Wilma Archer. My Method Actor blends alternative rock, jazz, soul and electronic influences to create lush, cinematic soundscapes, while its lyrics explore themes of change and personal transformation, reflecting Yanya’s own journey through life. My Method Actor marks a significant step forward in her career, solidifying her as a unique voice in modern music with a sound that’s expansive, intimate, emotionally authentic and deeply personal. (GC)
Check out: Nilüfer Yanya – Method Actor
8. Nia Archives – Silence is Loud
Blending high-energy jungle beats with confessional lyricism, Silence Is Loud by Nia Archives has redefined the modern jungle genre. The album explored themes of vulnerability, self-discovery, and resilience, showcasing the rising star’s commitment to bringing an innovative and emotional approach to the genre. ‘Crowded Roomz’ captures the vulnerability of the album, exploring feelings of isolation whilst surrounded by others. As an artist, Nia Archives has pushed the boundaries of UK jungle; cementing her place as a pioneer in the scene while creating a space for introspection and self-expression within the genre. (CG)
Check out: Nia Archives – Crowded Rooms
7. Pa Salieu – Afrikan Alien
Jumping back in where he left off, Pa Salieu returned in 2024 with the captivating Afrikan Alien. While the album is only 27 minutes long, its 11 tracks are packed with rich instrumentals and poignant lyrics, reminding us how essential he is to the scene. Afrikan Alien brings a new energy from Pa Salieu, bolstering his signature Afroswing sound with experimental jazz and a more adept ear for melody. Introductory single ‘Belly’ showcased his newfound determination for music and life following a stint in prison. ‘Dece (Heavy)’ feels like a full circle moment with this revitalised energy coalescing with an air of Pa Salieu’s older style, celebrating his achievements while declaring that greatness/beauty can come from difficult situations. (KD)
Check out: Pa Salieu – Dece (Heavy)
6. The Dare – What’s Wrong With New York?
The Dare’s highly anticipated debut studio album, What’s Wrong With New York? catapulted onto the scene following his contributions to Charli xcx’s ‘Brat Summer’. Infused with an infectious energy and littered with sleazy yet charming lyrics, this album draws inspiration from contemporaries including LCD Soundsystem and Calvin Harris, culminating in a sound which is wholly The Dare’s own. ‘Perfume’ is just as addictive as the scent he sings about, and ‘Girls’ narrates debauchery and sexual proclivity over a club beat, while the fun, brash ‘You’re Invited’ perfectly encapsulates the tongue-in-cheek nature of the whole album. (EJ)
Check out: The Dare – Perfume
5. Mk.gee – Two Star & The Dream Police
To witness Mk.gee’s path in 2024 has been a musical privilege. Operating in a league entirely his own, Mk.gee’s guitar work on Two Star and The Dream Police is akin to wizardry. With a goosebump-inducing ability to layer intricacies atop each other until they transform into something else entirely was breathtaking, Mk.gee’s album is a masterclass.
In just 33 minutes, he crafted a deftly intelligent, darkly cinematic world with so much to be explored that it quickly became difficult to listen to anything else. With every listen, a new unique moment presents itself. The atmosphere that envelops Two Star and The Dream Police is both warmly alluring and still unknown – ‘Breakthespell’ offers a pleading moment of clarity, whilst the moody longing of ‘I Want’ marks a true highlight of the album. Refusing to adhere to genre, Two Star and The Dream Police is something both thrillingly new and hauntingly nostalgic in a way that is, above all else, stunning. (NM)
Check out: Mk.gee – Alesis
4. Mount Kimbie — The Sunset Violent
Mount Kimbie defy categorisation. Bedroom dubsteppers. Experimental electronic duo. Collaborators nonpareil. All definitions come up short, especially in the face of The Sunset Violent.
With new faces come new depths. Andrea Balency-Béarn’s contributions on keyboard, and indeed vocals, are simultaneously lush and unsettling, warm and icy, and the addition of Balency-Béarn, alongside drummer Marc Pell, has seen Mount Kimbie evolve into a bona-fide band. Looking at their discography, in particular 2017’s Love What Survives, the move makes sense. 2024’s vision of Mount Kimbie as an actual, live entity is closer to the dense, grungy production and collaborative spirit that has defined their previous work. Fittingly, a 2-part reunion (‘Empty And Silent’ and ‘Boxing’) with longtime collaborator King Krule in all his indie-kid-turned-electro-poet glory defines Kimbie’s new incarnation.
All of the elements are here: old friends, genres seamlessly overlapping and Kai Campos moving from the decks to the guitar. (RG)
Check out: Mount Kimbie & King Krule – Empty And Silent
3. Fontaines D.C. – Romance
2024 has truly cemented Fontaines D.C.’s position amongst the modern greats: an iconic twist in aesthetics acquiesced with a gorgeous album. Romance is multi-faceted in its quality: the swaggering braggadocio of ‘Starburster’ is cut with melancholic malaise in the shape of ‘Motorcycle Boy’, duelling lovesick vocals on ‘In The Modern World’ and the glimmer of sunlight through the storm with ‘Favourite’. Outside of the record itself, Romance has seen The Dublin band explode into new territories, with ‘Bug’ going multiviral on TikTok and ‘Starburster’ clinching a coveted spot on EAFC 25’s playlist. Only certain bands and certain albums can blow up in quite this way: unrivalled multi-instrumentality, the poetic fallacy of Chatten’s lyrics and James Ford’s superb production have launched Romance, and FDC, into the stratosphere. This record has aptly confirmed Fontaines DC as one of the best guitar bands in the world right now. (CB)
Check out: Fontaines D.C. – Starburster
2. Clairo – Charm
Co-produced with Leon Michels, Charm injects a soulful funk element to Clairo’s ethereal style. The album opens with ‘Nomad’, a heartfelt track that introduces the themes of heartbreak and solitude which are explored throughout and paves the way for lead single, ‘Sexy to Someone’. The lyrics might reference self-doubt and needing a ‘reason to get out of the house’, but the instrumentals are slick and reflect the eroticism she wishes to possess. Charm is a haunting yet suave presentation of the solitude that comes before and after the demise of a relationship. (OT)
Check out: Clairo – Nomad
1. Charli xcx – brat
Charli xcx’s daring discography, a tour-de-force of chaotic emotional transparency and off-piste pop experimentalism, already bore underground acclaim but her sixth, a rave-meets-hyperpop magnum opus, saw xcx’s last grab at long-awaited widespread accolade.
Cigarette-in-hand, its innovative SOPHIE and A. G. Cook-indebted soundscape backed “honest, blunt, volatile” confessionals on fame, legacy and womanhood: a wounded, assertive demanding of flowers by the UK’s most overlooked pop auteur. And its gargantuan impact cannot be understated: this electropop bible for coquettish IT-girls and their gay boys constituted 2024’s entire cultural dialogue, pushing xcx to household renown, an exercise in marketing and virality that set a new bar entirely (Google: brat billboards, brat green, brat summer, Collins Dictionary’s word of the year, the ‘Apple’ dance, Kamala is brat, etc). xcx’s first Grammy-nominated album, brat’s lightning-in-a-bottle nature was a singular, monolithic pop entry which captured the 2024 zeitgeist like no other. (OR)
Check out: Charli xcx – I think about it all the time
Overblown’s favourite albums of 2024 can be found on our Spotify playlist:
