It’s a little strange to be looking back on a ‘year that was’ list of albums one year down the line, but here we are.
Despite the date above, this list is actually being posted in December of 2025, as I make the move to publish these lists online rather than having them live on social media.
Previously, I only listed the top 400 albums I listened to for 2024, though I actually rated a total of 452. There may have been more albums, but I try and remain diligent in my listening habits and I do hope I neglected none of them.
One year down the line, I feel these ratings still hold up, though there have certainly been a few albums I would have added to this list had I discovered them throughout 2024.
I’ll also include my little recap that I wrote on social media about the top ten at the end.
Best Albums Of 2024
452. Paris Hilton – Infinite Icon
451. Combichrist – CMBCRST
450. Young Miko – att.
449. Jacob Collier – Djesse Vol. 4
448. Post Malone – F-1 Trillion
447. ️Judas Priest – Invincible Shield
446. Future & Metro Boomin – WE DON’T TRUST YOU
445. RZA – A Ballet Through Mud
444. Lady Gaga – Harlequin
443. Kankawa Nagarra – Wirlmarni
442. Jonnine – Southside Girl
441. Blamers – Class Living
440. Foxing – Foxing
439. Omar Apollo – God Said No
438. Lime Cordiale – Enough Of The Sweet Talk
437. Zedd – Telos
436. Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
435. DORIS – Ultimate Love Songs Collection
434. JPEGMAFIA – I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU
433. Opeth – The Last Will And Testament
432. Mount Eerie – Night Palace
431. Kid Cudi – INSANO
430. Crack Cloud – Red Mile
429. Neck Deep – Neck Deep
428. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Flight b741
427. Tones And I – Beautifully Ordinary
426. Shakira – Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran
425. Lalah Hathaway – Vantablack
424. Moby – always centered at night
423. Kehlani – Crash
422. Camila Cabello – C,XOXO
421. Ariana Grande – eternal sunshine
420. SOPHIE – SOPHIE
419. Allie X – Girl With No Face
418. Fred again.. – ten days
417. Lake Street Dive – Good Together
416. Jelly Roll – Beautifully Broken
415. Sunship Ballon – Real Humans
414. Sycco – Zorb
413. Denzel Curry – King Of The Mischievous South
412. 1300 – GEORGE
411. Justice – Hyperdrama
410. Cash Cobain – Play Cash Cobain
409. Tems – Born In The Wild
408. Obscura Hail – Playing Dead
407. NxWorries – Why Lawd?
406. Magdalena Bay – Imaginal Disk
405. Muni Long – Revenge
404. Brittany Howard – What Now
403. Don’t Thank Me, Spank Me! – Don’t Thank Me, Spank Me!
402. Nao Yoshioka – Flow
401. Corker – Hallways Of Grey
400. Mk.Gee – Two Star & The Dream Police
399. Sia – Reasonable Woman
398. Kerry King – From Hell I Rise
397. meth. – SHAME
396. The Black Crowes – Happiness Bastards
395. nothing,nowhere. – Cult Classic
394. Northeast Party House – Enhancer
393. Liam Gallagher & John Squire – Liam Gallagher & John Squire
392. John Cale – POPtical Illusion
391. Childish Gambino – Bando Stone And The New World
390. Kali Uchis – ORQUÍDEAS
389. Vince Staples – Dark Times
388. The Offspring – SUPERCHARGED
387. Pearl Jam – Dark Matter
386. Christ Dillinger & DJ Smokey – This Album Is Terrorism
385. 0.03 – KILL THE DEAD
384. Gregor – Satanic Lullabies
383. Common & Pete Rock – The Auditorium Vol. 1
382. cutters – Psychic Injury
381. Florrie – The Lost Ones
380. Full Flower Moon Band – Megaflower
379. RJD2 – Visions Out Of Limelight
378. Porter Robinson – SMILE! 😀
377. ScHoolboy Q – BLUE LIPS
376. Sierra Ferrell – Trail Of Flowers
375. Me First & The Gimme Gimmes – ¡Blow It…At Madison’s Quinceañera!
374. Pet Shop Boys – Nonetheless
373. J Mascis – What Do We Do Now
372. J. Cole – Might Delete Later
371. Gatecreeper – Dark Superstition
370. Empress Of – For Your Consideration
369. Cindy Lee – Diamond Jubilee
368. ROSÉ – rosie
367. Jessica Mauboy – Yours Forever
366. Hiatus Kaiyote – Love Heart Cheat Code
365. 21 Savage – American Dream
364. AURORA – What Happened To The Heart?
363. Koe Wetzel – 9 Lives
362. Allday – The Necklace
361. Mary Timony – Untame The Tiger
360. Freddie Gibbs – You Only Die 1nce
359. Radium Dolls – Legal Speed
358. thatboykwame – anXXXiety attackkk!
357. The Amity Affliction – Let The Ocean Take Me (Redux)
356. Last Dinosaurs – KYORYU
355. Boo Seeka – Midnight Highlight
354. Good Morning – Good Morning Seven
353. Hovvdy – Hovvdy
352. Clairo – Charm
351. Orla Gartland – Everybody Needs A Hero
350. Shaboozey – Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going
349. 070 Shake – Petrichor
348. Mia Dyson – Tender Heart
347. San Fermin – Arma
346. Mushroomhead – Call The Devil
345. Shannen James – Patchwork
344. Rachel Chinouriri – What A Devastating Turn Of Events
343. Ray Lamontagne – Long Way Home
342. Rex Orange County – The Alexander Technique
341. Miranda Lambert – Postcards From Texas
340. of Montreal – Lady On The Cusp
339. Cassandra Jenkins – My Light, My Destroyer
338. Charles Lloyd – The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
337. Kamasi Washington – Fearless Movement
336. The Hard Quartet – The Hard Quartet
335. Salvia Palth – last chance to see
334. Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
333. Gary Clark Jr. – JPEG RAW
332. Gossip – Real Power
331. Norah Jones – Visions
330. St. Vincent – All Born Screaming
329. Willie Nelson – The Border
328. Ziggy Ramo – Human?
327. Bad//Dreems – Quality Meats
326. Strung Out – Dead Rebellion
325. Previous Industries – Service Merchandise
324. Peter Garrett – The True North
323. Nada Surf – Moon Mirror
322. Class – A Healthy Alternative
321. Elbow – AUDIO VERTIGO
320. FIDLAR – SURVIVING THE DREAM
319. Nils Frahm – Day
318. Windwaker – Hyperviolence
317. Nubya Garcia – Odyssey
316. Jordan Rakei – The Loop
315. Megan Moroney – Am I Okay?
314. Bright Eyes – Five Dice, All Threes
313. Cat Burns – early twenties
312. Chelsea Wolfe – She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She
311. Ice Spice – Y2K!
310. Travis – L.A. Times
309. Thom Yorke – Confidenza
308. IDLES – TANGK
307. Bartosz Kruczyński – Dreams & Whispers
306. Bring Me The Horizon – POST HUMAN: NeX GEn
305. The Vaccines – Pick-Up Full Of Pink Carnations
304. illuminati hotties – POWER
303. Marilyn Manson – One Assassination Under God – Chapter 1
302. Washed Out – Notes From A Quiet Life
301. Crowded House – Gravity Stairs
300. Cage The Elephant – Neon Pill
299. Forest Swords – Stephen
298. Megan Thee Stallion – MEGAN
297. Destroy Boys – Funeral Soundtrack #4
296. Sheryl Crow – Evolution
295. Iron & Wine – Light Verse
294. The Libertines – All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade
293. U2 – How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb
292. ️The Voidz – Like All Before You
291. RÜFÜS DU SOL – Inhale / Exhale
290. Gruff Rhys – Sadness Sets Me Free
289. Guided By Voices – Strut Of Kings
288. Underworld – Strawberry Hotel
287. Yard Act – Where’s My Utopia?
286. Aaron West And The Roaring Twenties – In Lieu Of Flowers
285. Eels – EELS TIME!
284. The Aquabats! – Finally!
283. Tiny Habits – All For Something
282. The Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know
281. Omni – Souvenir
280. Hurray For The Riff Raff – The Past Is Still Alive
279. MGMT – Loss Of Life
278. Incubus – Morning View XXII
277. Sleater-Kinney – Little Rope
276. San Cisco – Under The Light
275. Berwyn – WHO AM I
274. Bilmuri – AMERICAN MOTOR SPORTS
273. BATTS – Just My Luck
272. Eliza & The Delusionals – Make It Feel Like The Garden
271. Joe Goddard – Harmonics
270. Uniform – American Standard
269. Tyler, The Creator – CHROMAKOPIA
268. Nick Ward – House With The Blue Door
267. PNAU – Hyperbolic
266. Pom Pom Squad – Mirror Starts Moving Without Me
265. RAT BOY – SUBURBIA CALLING
264. Kittie – Fire
263. High On Fire – Cometh The Storm
262. Gutless – High Impact Violence
261. Buffalo Tom – Jump Rope
260. Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere
259. Blind Girls – An Exit Exists
258. Canned Heat – Finyl Vinyl
257. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland
256. Teenage Dads – MAJORDOMO
255. Telenova – Time Is A Flower
254. Julia Holter – Something In The Room She Moves
253. Semantics – I Feel It All At Once
252. Hinds – VIVA HINDS
251. Beak> – >>>>
250. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
249. Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department
248. Aphex Twin – Music From The Merch Desk (2016–2023)
247. Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da
246. KUČKA – Can You Hear Me Dreaming?
245. Middle Kids – Faith Crisis Pt 1
244. Pierce Brothers – Everything Is Bigger Than Me
243. Split System – Vol. II
242. The Dreggs – Caught In A Reveriw
241. The Black Keys – Ohio Players
240. Sofi Tukker – BREAD
239. Michael Kiwanuka – Small Changes
238. Lucky Daye – Algorithm
237. Ghetts – On Purpose, With Purpose
236. Frank Turner – Undefeated
235. Foster The People – Paradise State Of Mind
234. Kings Of Leon – Can We Please Have Fun
233. LOSER – New Heights
232. Skegss – Pacific Highway Music
231. Pixies – The Night The Zombies Came
230. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Wild God
229. Ana Tijoux – Vida
228. Jess Locke – Real Life
227. Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
226. Los Campesinos! – All Hell
225. Lola Amour – Lola Amour
224. Shed Seven – A Matter Of Time
223. sleepmakeswaves – It’s Here, But I Have No Names For It
222. Green Day – Saviors
221. Joan As Policewoman – Lemons, Limes And Orchids
220. ️Glass Animals – I Love You So F***ing Much
219. London Grammar – The Greatest Love
218. The Story So Far – I Want To Disappear
217. Squarepusher – Dostrotime
216. Ulver – Liminal Animals
215. WILLOW – empathogen
214. Thurston Moore – Flow Critical Lucidity
213. The Ghost Inside – Searching For Solace
212. Bill Callahan – Resuscitate!
211. Childish Gambino – Atavista
210. Good Morning – The Accident
209. 1tbsp – megacity1000
208. Gut Health – Stiletto
207. Linkin Park – From Zero
206. Melvins – Tarantula Heart
205. The Jesus Lizard – Rack
204. Billie Eilish – HIT ME HARD AND SOFT
203. Mdou Moctar – Funeral For Justice
202. Peggy Gou – I Hear You
201. Ocean Grove – ODDWORLD
200. nothing,nowhere. – Dark Magic
199. Elsy Wameyo – Saint Sinner
198. Chromeo – Adult Contemporary
197. 1999 WRITE THE FUTURE – hella (˃̣̣̥╭╮˂̣̣̥) ✧ ♡ ‧º·˚
196. Snoop Dogg – Missionary
195. Whores – War.
194. English Teacher – This Could Be Texas
193. Mildlife – Chorus
192. Maggie Rogers – Don’t Forget Me
191. Everything Everything – Mountainhead
190. Duster – In Dreams
189. Liquid Mike – Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot
188. RedHook – Mutation
187. Dobby – Warrangu; River Story
186. Jebediah – Oiks
185. ️John Butler – Still Searching
184. Lola Young – This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway
183. Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – Nell’ ora blu
182. Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
181. Crush++ – Power Pleasure
180. D.C Cross – Glookies Guit.
179. The Necks – Bleed
178. Pyra – PYRADISE
177. Phoebe Go – Marmalade
176. Missy Higgins – The Second Act
175. Lauren Mayberry – Vicious Creature
174. Laura Marling – Patterns In Repeat
173. Pedro The Lion – Santa Cruz
172. Actress – Statik
171. High Tropics – Keep The Faith
170. Porcelain – Porcelain
169. Caribou – Honey
168. Ty Segall – Three Bells
167. Ride – Interplay
166. Andy Bull – Collapse In Bliss
165. Jane Weaver – Love In Constant Spectacle
164. Cloud Nothings – Final Summer
163. Asha Jefferies – Ego Ride
162. Nilüfer Yanya – My Method Actor
161. Grace Cummings – Ramona
160. claire rousay – The Bloody Lady
159. nothing,nowhere. – Hell Or Highwater
158. Emily Wurramara – NARA
157. BODEGA – Our Brand Could Be Your Life
156. How To Dress Well – I Am Toward You
155. KAYTRANADA – TIMELESS
154. Mean Jeans – Blasted
153. tracey brakes – my twee monsters
152. The Dandy Warhols – ROCKMAKER
151. David Gilmour – Luck And Strange
150. Kylie Minogue – Tension II
149. Miners – A Healthy Future On Earth
148. Neon Nightmare – Faded Dream
147. Angus & Julia Stone – Cape Forestier
146. A.G. Cook – Britpop
145. Audrey Powne – From The Fire
144. Charly Bliss – Forever
143. TOWNS – sentimental slowdown
142. The Last Dinner Party – Prelude To Ecstacy
141. Pillar Of Light – Caldera
140. Pat Metheny – MoonDial
139. nothing,nowhere. – miserymaker
138. Geordie Greep – The New Sound
137. Wunderhorse – Midas
136. serpentwithfeet – GRIP
135. Knocked Loose – You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To
134. Alice Ivy – Do What Makes You Happy
133. ️Polish Club – Hevay Weight Heart
132. Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet
131. Say Anything – …Is Committed
130. Nia Archives – Silence Is Loud
129. Alkaline Trio – Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs
128. Ben Lee – This One’s For The Old Headz
127. The Ferguson Rogers Process – Style And Or Substance
126. The Fauves – Tropical Strength
125. Sum 41 – Heaven :x: Hell
124. Alan Sparhawk – White Roses, My God
123. Eminem – The Death Of Slim Shady
122. Planes Mistaken For Stars – Do You Still Love Me?
121. The Whitlams Black Stump – Kookaburra
120. Future Islands – People Who Aren’t There Anymore
119. Royel Otis – PRATTS & PAIN
118. The Marías – Submarine
117. Broccoli, you too? – We all know we will fall
116. Floating Points – Cascade
115. Jon Hopkins – RITUAL
114. bôa – Whiplash
113. Various Artists – American Football (Covers)
112. The The – Ensoulment
111. Bec Sykes – Pepperpot Magic
110. Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well
109. Emma Donovan – Til My Song Is Done
108. Dartz – Dangerous Day To Be A Cold One
107. The Amazing – Piggies
106. Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
105. The Smashing Pumpkins – Aghori Mhori Mei
104. Ulcerate – Cutting The Throat Of God
103. Vacations – No Place Like Home
102. Twine – New Old Horse
101. Donny Benét – Infinite Desires
100. The Jesus And Mary Chain – Glasgow Eyes
99. Horse Jumper Of Love – Disaster Trick
98. Cigarettes After Sex – X’s
97. Bob Vylan – Humble As The Sun
96. Bolis Pupul – Letter To Yu
95. Fanning Dempsey National Park – The Deluge
94. Arab Strap – I’m totally fine with it 👍 don’t give a fuck anymore 👍
93. Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future
92. Helado Negro – PHASOR
91. Grinspoon – whatever, whatever
90. Fontaines D.C – Romance
89. Jessica Pratt – Here In The Pitch
88. Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven
87. This Is Lorelei – Box For Buddy, Box For Star
86. Pallbearer – Mind Burns Alive
85. Kim Gordon – The Collective
84. Amyl & The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness
83. Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
82. Kate Nash – 9 Sad Symphonies
81. Aaron Lee Tasjan – Stellar Evolution
80. Mercury Rev – Born Horses
79. Fat White Family – Forgiveness Is Yours
78. Shabaka – Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace
77. Hockey Dad – Rebuild Repeat
76. Jónsi – First Light
75. Regurgitator – Invader
74. The Buoys – Lustre
73. Yirinda – Yirinda
72. Tindersticks – Soft Tissue
71. Grandaddy – Blue Wav
70. Laura Jane Grace – Hole In My Head
69. Balance And Composure – With You In Spirit
68. Speed – ONLY ONE MODE
67. The Smile – Wall Of Eyes
66. Brandon Seabrook – Object Of Unknown Function
65. Surf Trash – The Only Place I Know
64. Soccer Mommy – Evergreen
63. Hot Water Music – Vows
62. Laurie Anderson – Amelia
61. The Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
60. Shellac – To All Trains
59. Charli XCX – Brat And It’s Completely Different But Also Still Brat
58. Custard – Suburban Curtains
57. The MIDI Janitor – Holy To Dogs
56. Kendrick Lamar – GNX
55. Ducks Ltd. – Harm’s Way
54. Tom Snowdon – Lonely Tree
53. Rowena Wise – Senseless Acts Of Beauty
52. Big Scary – Wing
51. Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology
50. Jamie xx – In Waves
49. Dirty Three – Love Changes Everything
48. Chastity Belt – Live Laugh Love
47. The Linda Lindas – No Obligation
46. Khruangbin – A LA SALA
45. Black Grape – Orange Head
44. Camera Obscura – Look To The East, Look To The West
43. Eaglemont – Party Boy
42. A. Swayze & The Ghosts – Let’s Live A Better Life Than This
41. Doechii – Alligator Bites Never Heal
40. Hermanos Gutiérrez – Sonido Cosmico
39. Various Artists – Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute To Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense
38. I Hate My Village – Nevermind The Tempo
37. Armlock – Seashell Angel Lucky Charm
36. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD”
35. Chat Pile – Cool World
34. The Lovely Eggs – Eggsistentialism
33. Girl And Girl – Call A Doctor
32. Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – Dark Rainbow
31. Nouvelle Vague – Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
30. Kirin J Callinan – If I Could Sing
29. Human Noise – Glitching Colour
28. Google Earth – Street View
27. Charli XCX – Brat
26. Real Estate – Daniel
25. Four Tet – Three
24. Joey Valence & Brae – NO HANDS
23. Party Dozen – Crime In Australia
22. Tim Heidecker – Slipping Away
21. Felicity Cripps Band – Chasing Volcanoes
20. TISM – Death To Art
19. Benjamin Stewart – Pushing Daylight
18. GUM & Ambrose Kenny-Smith – III Times
17. Willie Nelson – Last Leaf On The Tree
16. The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
15. Verge Collection – A Real Miserable Cunt
14. Slim Krusty – endin on a high
13. Orville Peck – Stampede
12. Japandroids – Fate & Alcohol
11. Ceres – Magic Mountain (1996—2022)
10. Davey Lane – How To Make Davey, Vol. 1
9. CLIFFDIVER – birdwatching
8. Halsey – The Great Impersonator
7. William Basinski – September 23rd
6. Christ Dillinger & Seepy – There’s Evil In This Club
5. West Thebarton – Mongrel Australia
4. MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks
3. Drug Church – PRUDE
2. Jack White – No Name
1. KNEECAP – Fine Art
First off, it’s worth pointing out that I only gave perfect tens to three releases this year. One was Echo Social Club’s debut WHITE HEAT – WHITE NOISE EP, which is excluded from the list due to it being an EP, and Chappell Roan’s The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess. It rose in prominence this year, but it was technically released late last year, but if I wanted to bend the rules, it might be my album of the year. Hard to say.
Either way, here’s my top 200. There’s a few surprises here, and undoubtedly a few placings which will have people scratching their heads.
But still, KNEECAPs Fine Art was just such a breath of fresh air this year, and felt like a totally invigorating piece of hip-hop. Likewise, Jack White’s surprise-released No Name was just so explosive and exceeded all expectations. Drug Church’s PRUDE was so much more immersive than I’d planned for, and I think we all know by now why MJ Lenderman has taken up a place in our hearts. Eternal kudos, of course, to the great West Thebarton for keeping the flame burning after more than a decade as an example of SA Great.
Christ Dillinger & Seepy’s There’s Evil In This Club was unlike anything I ever heard this year, and I’ve had to describe it as “Zack Fox doing a ‘90s-themed set on Grand Theft Auto radio” to even get close to conveying how I feel about it. William Basinski’s September 23rd was a dark horse, too – I hadn’t expected to be this moved by a release this year. Halsey’s The Great Impersonator was such a brilliant piece of work as well, with so many great throwbacks to her myriad influences.
I have to round out my top ten my repping the 918 and giving a shout out to Tulsa’s CLIFFDIVER with the exceptional birdwatching, and heap praise upon Davey Lane for his surprise covers album, How To Make Davey, Vol. 1. Given this was only released three days ago, it was a late entry, but a testament to how brilliant his take on the classics are.