The 50 Best Albums Of 2024

The cream of the crop from 2024's album releases.

Dec 20, 2024

Ah, the album. A 30 to 90 minute affair that can transport you into the most fantastical places. Plenty of good ones came out in 2024, at a rate that’s hard to keep up with. Below are the 50 I thought were the absolute best from this year. A YouTube link is included to listen to each record, and a Spotify playlist with one song from each album is included at the bottom. Happy listening!

Having first heard of beabadoobee as she opened for Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour, it’s nice to hear her continue to make her own star shine. She further diversifies her sound on This Is How Tomorrow Moves, keeping in tune with her alternative rock origins while expanding into breezy Bossa Nova and country-tinged pop tunes. bea herself comes fully into her songwriting talents, and her star continues to shine bright. LISTEN

2024 was a year where country and country-adjacent artists shined, and Alynda Segarra couldn’t help but get in on the fun. Their latest album as Hurray for the Riff Raff celebrates the outsiders, the singer-songwriters and the heart of Americana with meticulously crafted track after meticulously crafted track. It’s an ambitious project that succeeds thanks to Segarra’s dedication to their work. LISTEN

The title of the latest LP by the post rock icons details the amount dead from conflict in Gaza as of February of 2024, and who knows how many more have died since then. But rather than mourn, GY!BE look to uplift, and their harrowing brand of post rock shines through like a ray of light on a cloudy day. The tracks are long and arduous but with satisfying climaxes and endings, finding an optimistic view in a dangerous world that begs you to be sad. LISTEN

Long viewed as a singles band, it’s about time Foster the People have a full album worthy of our praise. Paradise State of Mind is a late summer release that’s cathartic in its exploration of synthpop. Typical numbers like “See You in the Afterlife” or “Lost In Space” are great, but it’s further into the album where things get interesting. The ersatz “Glitchzig” and the smoothness of “The Holy Shangri-La” give Paradise State of Mind the necessary depth to be remembered. Lose yourself in its space and be prepared for some cathartic dancing. LISTEN

I’ve never minded Maggie Rogers’ popularity, but Don’t Forget Me feels like the first time she’s really earned her fame. These songs are the fullest of her career, both in emotion and in sound. Songs like “Don’t Forget Me” and “The Kill” are more fleshed by themselves than previous full length albums. The emotions remain high, and often painful, but Rogers uses music as a way to move forward. LISTEN

Vince is never at the top of most rap fans’ minds when it comes to the best rappers of our time. He’s so damn consistent that it’s almost easy to take his work for granted. Dark Times is yet another winner, with concise beats and calculated raps the standard. The focus shown here keeps the whole thing tight, and thought Vince is spurred into action by the bleak things around him, he forces it to keep him locked in and deliver one of his best albums yet. LISTEN

Three albums in, Claire Cottrill is the master of her domain. This brand of bedroom pop could become stale in the hands of another artist, but Clairo’s ear for the smoothest edges of the genre gives each track plenty of highlights. They’re all vignettes into her mind, baring her soul more than ever before to give Charm a profound human element. It’s easy listening that means a little bit more. LISTEN

The candidness Brittany Howard displays on What Now helps it stand out as her best record yet. She rips through her emotions across a variety of genres, be it the vintage funk of “What Now”, the dancefloor of “Prove It To You”, or the gargantuan soul of “Red Flags”. It’s a testament to her powerful voice, arguably the most important instrument on the whole record. It weaves so many thoughts and feelings on love and loss together like an expert, and there’s few moments that Howard doesn’t grab you by the shoulder and force you to witness her excellence. LISTEN

The spark that lights Light Verse is one Samuel Beam hasn’t seen in a long, long time. From the moment “You Never Know” kicks off to the time “Angels Go Home” trails off, Beam concocts some of his best ever folk tunes. He’s master of his domain, tying together several influences on each song. “All In Good Time” invites Fiona Apple for a powerful duet where neither artist outshines the other. It’s as enjoyable and varied as an Iron & Wine album has ever been. LISTEN

Six years after cupcakKe burst onto the scene as the nastiest rapper you’ve ever heard, she returns with the same level of raunch and shock value. Dauntless Manifesto is suitably horny, foul and memorable, with plenty of double entendres and puns you won’t soon forget. Beyond her raunchy lyrics, cupcakKe is still a damn good rapper, and this level of shocking content wouldn’t work if she wasn’t so invested in delivering it properly. I mean, there’s a song called “Queef” on this album, and the record still slaps. What else do I need to say? LISTEN

Experimenting further past anything they’ve done before gives Romance a staggering amount of variety. Fontaines D.C. make sure that variety is matched by their dedication to it, making sure each track, no matter how weird it is, gets the love and care it deserves. Opener “Starburster” is like a heart attack in a song, while closer “Favourite” brings forth the Smiths & Oasis for some Britpop bliss. In between you’re treated to the group’s most interesting set of songs yet. LISTEN

I did not expect 2024 to be the year that yacht rock made a national comeback with the release of HBO’s Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary. Even more unexpected was that Pharrell would get in on the fun, surprise dropping his own yacht rock record under the Virginia alias. The man’s musical sensibilities are as limitless as the access in this city, with each song perfectly emulating the vibes of Steely Dan, Christopher Cross and more. It’s easy, simple listening that’s no more complicated than it needs to be, made by a master to be enjoyed by all. LISTEN

Jamie xx has always been one of EDM’s smartest minds, but In Waves isn’t concerned with how technical it can be. It’s the most accessible music of his career, melding catchy beats with Jamie’s established sound. Throw in guests that know how to keep the party going (Honey Dijon helps “Baddy On The Floor” become the dance party of the year), and you’ve got a non-stop party. LISTEN

There’s so many ideas bouncing around in Remi Wolf’s head, I doubt one album is enough to express them all. But Big Ideas is full of just that, mixing her idiosyncratic style of pop music with new flavors. There’s more synth-heavy stuff like “Soup” that provides a great compliment to classic Remi tracks like “Cinderella”. Any album from her is bound to be creative, and it sounds like she’s got enough big ideas to keep pumping out records for years to come. LISTEN

While What Happened To The Beach? doesn’t shoot for the starts like its predecessor did, there’s still plenty of reasons to listen. Declan’s quirky approach to pop music keeps things interesting and catchy, with rhythmic tracks like “Mulholland’s Dinner and Wine” and “The Phantom Buzz (Kick In)” becoming instant hits in his discography. Declan doesn’t let the restraint he shows get in the way of his creative process, and it gives the record a genuine sound. He’s enjoying this! LISTEN

Three records in, there’s still only one Billie Eilish. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is perhaps her and her brother Finneas’ most straightforward album, but it’s filled with the eccentricities that make the duo’s special. You’ve got a conventional pop hit like “LUNCH” followed by a song in “CHIHIRO” that frequently takes left turns into deep house. Later tracks like “THE DINER” sound like they’d play at a dark Starbucks. It’s varied enough and well written enough to keep Eilish’s presence in pop music essential. LISTEN

Some albums sound exactly like how their album art looks. Absolute Elsewhere is one of those albums. Just looking at that pyramid in space, you know you’re in for an awesome interstellar adventure. From the moment Blood Incantation kick things off with “The Tablet”, a three part epic followed by another three part epic in “The Message”, you’re treated to death metal with galactic ambitions. It’s as accessible as guttural screaming can be, trading between thunderous metal and cosmic prog, often combining the two to fantastic effect. LISTEN

Full of sticky hooks, dynamic beats and lyrics that pierce your heart with their earnest take on love? Yeah, Charly Bliss is in their bag on Forever. It’s a project that sounds better together, with each song building off the rest to make a cohesive experience. Eva Hendricks is the perfect voice for late 20/early 30 somethings that are tired of the bullshit this world often gives us. Or maybe I’m just jaded and relate to it all too much. Either way this thing slaps. LISTEN

Home life defines Patterns In Repeat, and it’s all a celebration of the little things. Those “patterns in repeat” are daily tasks with your loved ones that stay special no matter how mundane they can be, and Laura Marling gives them spectacular life with her wonderful voice and intimate lyricism. Singing to her daughter and partner allows Marling to be as genuine as she’s ever been, and it results in some of her most beautiful songs to date. LISTEN

Having been making music for almost 20 years now, Future Islands have to look for minor tweaks to make sure their music stays relevant. That makes the little things on People Who Aren’t There Anymore stand out. From the subtle yet heartfelt “Peach” to the energetic melancholy of “Give Me The Ghost Back”, every song here is magnificently crafted and beautifully sung by Samuel T. Herring. It’s essential synthpop listening and the band’s best album in a decade. LISTEN

Long teased and long delayed, it’s a miracle we’re standing here today with a new Cure album. It’s even more miraculous how phenomenal the record is. Robert Smith doesn’t sound a day over 30, emulating his younger self on gargantuan emo rock tracks that take their time to settle in. Once they do, you’ll find the angst and crushing defeat of life settle in nicely. It’s expectedly heady stuff from the Cure, but for the first time in a long time, the group sounds invested in making these feelings authentic. LISTEN

Any one of my lists must have some French pop representation, and L’Impératrice fit the bill in 2024. Their latest is full of crisp pop tunes that never overstay their welcome and always find a good groove. Pulsar is impeccably formed as well, wasting no time in between songs to ensure you’re enjoying a great tune at all times. Throw in some great guest features and you’ve got a pop album that understands what it needs to be. LISTEN

SOTB frequently live in a misty realm where rhythms and sounds flow in and out of their tracks, but YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING find them operating in a much more conventional pop space. There’s a more straightforward approach to song structure than on their previous album, but with enough experimentation within those bounds to keep things interesting. The band gets conventional in an unconventional way, and I’m sure they have no other way to do it. LISTEN

I’ve always appreciated how straightforward Dehd’s music is, and on Poetry, they keep things that way, but with plenty of wrinkles to make things interesting. Punchy drums and big lead vocals about everything from puppy love (Dog Days) to isolation (Mood Ring) and more bring life to the record. The guitar play is very attention grabbing as usual, and it’s another winner from a band that only knows how to make hits. LISTEN

As we continue to wait for the next Radiohead album that’ll probably never happen, Wall Of Eyes fills in as an excellent substitute. Thom Yorke & company expand on the slower, more melodic moments from the supergroup’s first record, and the results are engaging and often alluring. Yorke can give life to pretty much any song, from the uncomfortable to the serene and everything in between. It’s all here on The Smile’s sophomore LP, and it ensures the spirit of Radiohead lives on. LISTEN

Josh Tillman has always been a great writer, and on Mahashmashana, he doesn’t let anyone stop him from stopping himself. There’s a ton of lengthy cuts on this one, ranging from rollicking doom rockers (I Guess Time Just Makes Fools Of Us All) to rowdy bar room stompers (She Cleans Up) to celestial awakenings (Mahashmashana). It’s a lot, and I’m not going to claim to understand I know what Tillman’s lyrics all mean, but he’s an incredibly engaging performer, making these long sonic journeys worth taking over and over. LISTEN

I had to go look up and see if there was a Vol. 1 in this series to begin with, and indeed, this is a sequel to a 2012 Denzel Curry mixtape of the same name. Listening to both, you can see how far Curry has come in becoming a superstar. KOTMSV2 is short and to the point, here for a good time and nothing else. Denzel utilizes crunchy beats that provide a perfect platform for his husky raps, and his collaborators match the project’s energy quite well. He’s proven he can handle all forms of rap music, and KOTMSV2 is a victory lap well earned. LISTEN

Plush as hell and helmed by a master of her craft, ORQUÍDEAS weaves together a bevy of silky pop songs with ease. It’s Kali’s most musically adventurous album yet, exploring all corners of Latin music’s sound while containing it to the pillowy soft world she operates in. She’s tender and loving, disseminating her affection in both Spanish and English with no problems rotating between the two. It’s a continually rewarding experience and a continued evolution for Uchis. LISTEN

After drowning her emotions in complex songs on PAINLESS (my favorite album of 2022), Nilüfer Yanya brings her emotions to the forefront on her 3rd LP. There’s less fuzz and distortion on My Method Actor, allowing Nilüfer to bare her soul on some of her most forward facing indie rock tracks to date. Her malleable voice lends itself well to any genre, and by allowing her emotions to be leaves in the wind, gently blowing from track to track, she runs the gamut of sound and scope of stripped-back indie rock. She remains one of indie rock’s most enigmatic voices, a singer who can tell you everything and still make you wonder what she’s hiding. LISTEN

He’s long been heralded as an artist with superstar potential, and on SMILE :D, Porter Robinson steps into the spotlight, albeit a little reluctantly. He’s quite concerned with his relationship with his fans, highlighted on sugary sweet bangers like “Cheerleader” and “Kitsune Maison Freestyle”. He wouldn’t be what he is without his supporters, but the anxiety it brings him can be crushing. It doesn’t stop him from writing some of his best songs to date, like the career odyssey of “Russian Roulette” or the synthpop smash of “Knock Yourself Out XD”. It’s candy coated with a melancholic inside, and it’s a mixture that gives Porter a deserved seat at the table of pop music’s best. LISTEN

The Last Resort is the kind of record Holiday Sidewinder has been building up to her entire career. She’s long operated in the yacht pop lane, and the sun-kissed tunes here bristle with tropical life. The tunes are effortlessly catchy, with “Ripe” and “So Paradise” being some of the catchiest pure pop tunes of 2024. Holiday balances the good vibes of the production with her own self doubts about this paradise she finds herself in. It’s a resort worth an extended stay, and a career defining album for an artist who deserves all the time in the spotlight. LISTEN

After traveling the world for a career-defining record in CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, Tyler needs a break from the spotlight. He dons a mask and descends into CHROMAKOPIA, a record that’s paranoid and more soul-baring than ever before. He addresses a variety of topics with a maturity beyond his years, like pregnancy scares (Hey Jane), absent parents (Like Him) and paranoia (Noid). Everything is wrapped in that melodic R&B Tyler has become a master off, but the most interesting moments on CHROMAKOPIA are its dirtiest. “Sticky” and “Rah Tah Tah” get down into it in a way Tyler hasn’t done since his Odd Future days, and it adds some great variety to another winner from Mr. Creator. LISTEN

Years after bursting onto the scene by playing with reckless abandon, Mdou Moctar continue to do just that on Funeral for Justice. The African stars soar over barren deserts and crumbling societies alike, demanding change with fiery guitar performances and quieter moments. There’s no moment on Funeral for Justice that isn’t planned, and the sheer dedication to shredding is commendable. If change comes, it has to come from the heart, and Mdou Moctar’s voice is full of heart, vim, vigor and more. LISTEN

Sonically as dark as anything she’s made before, All Born Screaming is another career highlight for Annie Clark. She puts the art in art rock on each track with songs basically overflowing with ideas but never drowning in them. “Big Time Nothing” is conventionally catchy but with enough twists and turns to trip you if you don’t pay attention. “Broken Man” lumbers towards you like the killer in a horror movie. “So Many Plants” finds itself creating a galactic collage of sound. It’s incredibly daring and more proof Clark is one of this generation’s greatest performers and songwriters. LISTEN

If you’re looking for a good time, you won’t find many albums more fun from 2024 than SHINBANGUMI. Cameron Lew has become comfortable in creating his pastiches of city pop, funk and soul, and the songs of his latest record reflect that comfortability. The strong bass guitars create unbreakable backbones for each track, ones that bend in all sorts of fun, groovy directions. Classic city pop is the name of the game on “Only You”, while “No Problems” and “Better Than Monday” are more interested in varying the grooves to magical effect. It’s all part of a loose concept, but the main concept is great music, and that’s all you’ll find in the worlds Lew creates. LISTEN

“Not Like Us” is arguably the biggest smash hit of 2024, and Kendrick’s victory lap from his bodying of Drake uses the diss track as a template for more success. GNX celebrates the West Coast rap movement that K-Dot was raised on, utilizing G-funk to maddeningly fun effect on “tv off” and “squabble up”. This is the most fun Kendrick has ever had on a studio album, but it still has a certain lyrical panache that makes Lamar the biggest star in rap music. It’s a remarkable cap to a banner year for one Kendrick Lamar, a year where he flipped the hierarchy of rap music with a few songs and firmly planted himself at the top (if he wasn’t already there before). LISTEN

Any Faye Webster album is like an endless loop. Her slacker attitude isn’t concerned with when things begin or end, it’s all about the journey. You could start Underdressed At The Symphony at any moment and still get washed away in its lazy river, and you won’t really want to get out. Faye’s daydreams are as enrapturing as they’ve ever been, and she takes her sweet time thinking them up. But no matter if the song is long or short, it’s bound to be sweet, and you won’t find a lazier album in 2024 that’s this immersive. LISTEN

Every King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard album is a collaborative affair between the six craziest Australians out there, but none before sound as cohesively created as Flight b741. Every band member is involved on ever track, with all members contributing vocals on basically every song. You can’t really tell though, which is a testament to how well the sextet functions together. Sonically Flight b741 is a return to the blues and boogie of 2019’s Fishing for Fishies, but it’s much more refined. Each track has its own little moment that makes it unique, like the stream-of-consciousness bridge on “Raw Feel” to the hog oinks on “Hog Calling Contest” to the repeated chants of “I’m being a silly billy!” on “Field of Vision”. It’s all meticulously crafted as all King Gizz records are, the the palpable sense of collaboration elevates Flight b741 towards the top of a mountain of great records. I hope these guys never stop. LISTEN

Ever since 2013’s Cerulean Salt, Katie Crutchfield has been building an empire of modern Americana. Tigers Blood is her first record as its true ruler, with Crutchfield confidently leading every song with stellar songwriting and singing. She’s finally been rightly recognized for her craft on this album that could go down as a modern classic in its genre. LISTEN

The new album by the longtime Welsh group has been called the most Los Campesinos! album yet, and I’d have to agree. The level of goofy anxiety about being young from their earlier releases has transitioned to goofy anxiety about being old, but their age has only sharpened the finer edges of their indie pop sound. All Hell is extremely polished and never boring, and a testament to the staying power of a group that saw their heyday in George Bush’s second term. LISTEN

The Last Dinner Party have faced accusations of being industry plants, carefully formed to appeal to as many people as possible. Listening to Prelude To Ecstasy though, it’s hard to see them as anything but a group of gals who play the shit out of their music. Prelude To Ecstasy is a baroque empire, commandeered by Abigail Morris’ bellows. The quintet is always in sync, bringing each track to an epic climax that poke at gender norms, societal standards and the politics of love. It’s a dominant march that is no prelude to anything, because the ecstasy is already here. LISTEN

I still feel like the marketing for COWBOY CARTER got the whole thing wrong. Screams of “IT’S BEYONCÉ’S COUNTRY ALBUM” don’t do it justice at all. Bey’s 8th album is a wide-ranging spectacle that does involve country, but also Americana, hip hop, R&B, rock and countless other genres. It’s unwieldy at an hour and 18 minutes long, but the sheer magic displayed from track to track keeps things flowing along at a suitable pace. Bey’s dive into country and its adjacent styles of music only work because she dedicates herself to understanding its past, much like she did with dance music on RENAISSANCE. She celebrates the Black country artists who never received the respect they deserved while championing current artists. She basically made Shaboozey his own star with two features here. Vets like Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton step in to give even more credence to Bey’s country desires, and while she spends a little too much time claiming she can make a country album, COWBOY CARTER is an impressive achievement. Now go listen to “YA YA” and shake ya ass. LISTEN

glass beach live far under the ocean’s surface in a place where emotions are crushed by the pressure. plastic death attempts to keep the feelings of sadness, loneliness and depression far underneath those waters, but J McClendon’s voice often bubbles to the top, roaring on melodic emo ragers like “motions” or “cul-de-sac”. Longer affairs like “commatose” weave in and out of post rock passages and emo rage, and there’s never a moment that loses your attention. It’s one of the most melodious emo albums produced this decade. LISTEN

Like most of us, these Italian brothers adore the music of the 60’s. The Beach Boys, the Beatles, the Monkees and more classic groups are clear and obvious influences for A Dream Is All We Know, but these power pop tunes are so much more than shameless copies. Brian and Michael D’Addario capture the sound of classic pop as well as the sentiments of love and loss without aping off any particular band. It’s a beautiful amalgam of those classic tunes we all love, with plenty of pitch-perfect vocal harmonies and sweet, sweet melodies to go around. LISTEN

Ezra Koenig and company are older, but just as aware of their surroundings as they’ve ever been. Only God Was Above Us returns to the stomping grounds that made them famous, AKA New York’s subways and alleyways. They creep around these sacred lands with a wisdom that only comes with age. Koenig has always been a wise writer, but he does spectacular job of looking back while also looking forward. Everything is uncertain except for Vampire Weekend’s sound, which is chaotic, catchy and charming as always. They are their own best historians, and they chronicle themselves fantastically on their fifth LP. LISTEN

I’ve been a black midi enjoyer before, but something about their fusions of jazz and rock have been a little too inaccessible to me. With Geordie Greep becoming free from the restraints of a band, he’s found a way to take that ersatz style and make it digestible. The New Sound isn’t exactly new, but it’s a new way to enjoy jazz rock, samba & salsa. It’s filled with some of the most impressive instrumental performances you’ll hear from an album in 2024, blistering in pace and unforgiving in length. Songs crack the six minute mark with relative ease, but the pacing of each track keeps things moving along and ensures you’re never bored. Greep is an animated performer as always, finding horrible characters to portray to break down masculine insecurity. The suffering fool of “Terra”, the murderous lover of “Through a War”, the phony womanizer on “Holy, Holy”, and more make for highly unlikeable protagonists that operate like train wrecks. They’re dreadful dudes who you just can’t look away from, and that’s credit to Greep’s magnetic performances. The New Sound can be unforgiving and exhausting, but it’s a worthy bout with some of the worst dudes you’ll ever meet in your life. LISTEN

You could tell things were getting stale for Sturgill Simpson with his last few releases. Sound & Fury was a road rock epic that didn’t quite fit Sturgill’s vibe. The Cuttin’ Grass albums were fun but unserious, and The Ballad of Dood & Juanita was more of conceptual than predictive. It was time for a rebirth, and that came for Sturgill in the form of Johnny Blue Skies. His first record under this new moniker returns to the cosmic outlaw country that made him famous, but with an exquisite level of maturity to its creation. The production is loose, comfortably floating through life and love at a pace Sturgill sets. He’s the shepherd of this journey, desiring to escape to deserted islands (Scooter Blues) and contemplating his own future (What If The Sun Never Rises Again). He’s calm in his dilemma, clearly pained by relationships ending but understanding he’ll power on forward no matter what happens. He’s finally found himself again, and the Johnny Blue Skies moniker could be the beginning of a special new chapter for Simpson. LISTEN

In just 27 minutes, Jessica Pratt completely envelopes you in her world. The haze surrounding Here In The Pitch is unlike anything else from this year, obscuring memories and emotions to make you wonder if you’ve really ever felt what you’re feeling. Pratt’s voice is the guiding light through the mist, a nasally but hypnotic cry that parts the fog just long enough to mesmerize you again and again. She often needs little more than a guitar to create beautiful tunes, adding in sparse percussion and the occasional piano to build upon her dreamlike worlds. By the end, you’ve returned to reality a different person, and the want to return to Pratt’s gorgeous land only gets stronger the longer you’re away from it. LISTEN

Everything about Imaginal Disk raises the bar for a group I thought couldn’t ascend much higher. It’s a concept album about who the hell knows, because the concept is secondary to the limitless creativity every track on Imaginal Disk shows. Opener “She Looked Like Me!” threatens to crash down at any moment, with clattering percussion nearly swallowing Mica Tenenbaum’s lush voice alive. She survives long enough to run the gamut of pop music through the rest of the record, like on insanely catchy synthpop tunes like “Killing Time” and “Image”. They expand on the already-fantastic tunes from Mercurial World with multiple wrinkles and edges previously unseen in a Magdalena Bay pop song. Further along Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin get existential on “Vampire in the Corner” and “Angel on a Satellite”, make ABBA jealous on the cinematic “Cry For Me”, and further expand on their pop sensibilities on “That’s My Floor” and “Death & Romance”. The latter is the largest they’ve ever sounded, and they fill every corner of the track with substantive production and melodramatic lyrics. Even the interludes are catchy! Closer “The Ballad of Matt & Mica” functions as an end credits for the year’s most impressive musical motion picture, summarizing their ideas on yet another track that pushes the boundaries of what a Magdalena Bay song can be. It appears there’s little Lewin and Tenenbaum can’t do, and their willingness to do it all makes them a force to be reckoned with. LISTEN

What was the last album that became a cultural phenomenon like BRAT became that actually deserved it? I’ll wait. It’s Charli’s crowning achievement, an album so wild, so reckless, so open and honest, so fun that I still wonder how it all works. Whatever era of Charli you’re a fan of, there’s something for you on BRAT. Need some club rat ragers to get the blood pumping? Get down to the wild beats on “Von dutch” or “Sympathy is a knife”. Melodic bangers like “360” nail the effortless brags Charli’s been doing for a long time. “Talk talk” and “Apple” opt for lighter pop that still hits hard, the latter creating its own TikTok trend because why not. But beyond the scintillating production, you can feel so much of BRAT down to its core. As the jagged synths surround her on the previously mentioned “Sympathy is a knife”, Charli’s insecurities bubble over the top. She mourns her lost friend SOPHIE on “So I”, a track as emotional and earnest as anything she’s created before. Her openness about her career have never struck so close to home, like on the touching “I think about it all the time”, where she questions her career and wonders if she’s losing time to become a mother. Charli is the right superstar for this era, unabashedly bold and equally as fucked up as the rest of us. Hell, there’s a whole other version of BRAT that reworks every song into something completely different and new. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, one that powered (losing) presidential campaigns, sweaty arena tours and a new generation of fans. What else can you say other than it’s so brat? LISTEN

The 50 Best Albums Of 2024

The cream of the crop from 2024's album releases.

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