The year 2024 was a remarkable year for music, delivering a vibrant mix of genres that defined the soundscape of the year. Legendary musicians graced us with groundbreaking albums, reaffirming their enduring influence, while emerging talents injected fresh perspectives into the industry, redefining genres and captivating audiences worldwide. Below is a roundup of notable albums that left a mark this year, making them contenders for our year-end favorites.
01. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Wild God [PIAS]
Wild God is the18th studio album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, released in August 2024. It is the first studio album to feature the full participation of the Bad Seeds since Skeleton Tree (2016).The album has been described as a thematic shift and a return to living, suggesting that Cave has emerged from a grief-induced period and rediscovered a love for life. Wild God received two nominations at the Grammy Awards and one for the Australian Music Prize.
02. Magdalena Bay - Imaginal Disk [Mom + Pop]
Imaginal Disk is the second studio album by Magdalena Bay, released through Mom + Pop Music in August 2024. The album was entirely produced by the duo, and it is a concept album where the fictional character True is implanted with an "Imaginal Disk", into her forehead to transform into her ideal self. Like its influences, the album is predominantly Synth-pop with elements of pop music, psychedelia, new age, disco, shoegaze, and progressive rock.
03. Allie X - Girl With No Face [Twin]
Allie X's third studio album, Girl With No Face, released in February 2024 and recorded in 2020 during the global lockdowns. Like her previous releases, this album is even more, 80s and Synth pop inspired and also paying homage to 1980s Synth pop, but not the typical variety that's been heard in recent times. Instead, Allie X recreates the early New wave and Dark wave resulting in something with a lot more edge and texture.
04. The Cure - Songs of a Lost World [Polydor/Fiction]
The Cure's latest album, Songs of a Lost World, released in November 2024, marks their first collection of new material in 16 years. Critics have praised the album for its dark, personal themes and a return to the band's earlier, more atmospheric sound. Commercially, Songs of a Lost World has been a significant success. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the band's first chart-topping album since Wish in 1992.
05. The Last Dinner Party - Prelude to Ecstasy [Universal]
Prelude to Ecstasy is the debut album by British indie pop band the Last Dinner Party that was released in February 2024. Already in 2023, the band made prominence with a string of hits, including "Nothing Matters" and "My Lady of Mercy". The album is a collection of baroque art pop songs with a kick of Glam, goth and grotesque. When it was released in reached the Top tens in several countries including native UK.
06. Fontains D.C. - Romance [XL]
Romance is the fourth studio album by Fontaines D.C and their first release on XL Recordings. This change was also evident in their music style, as they moved a bit from their signature Post punk, adapting influences from Brit pop and Alternative Rock. It was also the band's first album to chart in the United States. The band received two nominations at the 2025 Grammy Awards: Best Rock Album for Romance and Best Alternative Music Performance for "Starburster."
07. Fat White Family - Forgiveness is Yours [Domino]
Forgiveness is Yours is the fourth studio album of Fat White Family, which was released in April 2024. It is very relevant to the time we live in. It is energetic, dynamic and as it is stated on their label page, it has pushed them to the limits not only of their creative talent, but of their health, their sanity, their very existence however they continue to challenge conventions, and Forgiveness is Yours solidifies their place as one of the most compelling acts in contemporary music.
08. Michael Kiwanuka - Small Changes [Polydor]
Small Changes is the fourth studio album by Michael Kiwanuka, released last November 2024. The album is released after five years break and reflects his personal life and changes, capturing his growth as an artist and individual. This is another brilliant neo-soul record, adding touches from other genres including R&B, indie, folk, blues, and jazz. Overall, Small Changes is a testament to Michael Kiwanuka's artistic maturity, showcasing his ability to craft soulful, introspective music.
09. Ride - Interplay [Wichita]
Interplay is the seventh studio album by Ride, released in March 2024, through Wichita Recordings. The album was written and recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic and showcases a blend of genres, including shoegaze, Krautrock, and synth-pop, giving it a more progressive tone, however retaining a hint of their shoegaze roots from the first two albums.
10. Suki Waterhouse - Memoir of a Sparklemuffin [Sub Pop]
Memoir of a Sparklemuffin is the second studio album by Suki Waterhouse, released in September 2024, under the Sub Pop label. Comprising 18 tracks, the album showcases Waterhouse's evolution as an artist, blending her indie pop roots with explorations into other genres. While some praise its eclectic sound and Waterhouse's lyrical vulnerability, others feel it falls short of a successful reinvention.
11. Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft [Darkroom]
12. Beth Gibbons - Life Outgrown [Domino]
13. Sunship Balloon - Real Humans [/]
14. English Teacher - This Could Be Texas [Island]
15. The Smile - Wall of Eyes [XL]
16. Bill Ryder-Jones - Iechyd Da [Domino]
17. Telenova - Time is Flower [EMI]
18. Empire of the Sun - Ask That God [EMI]
19. Nadine Shah - Filthy Underneath [EMI]
20. Ronnie Stone - Ride Again [Feeltrip]
