My Personal Top 19 Albums of 2024
- Brandon Morgan
- Jan 19
- 11 min read
2024 was a year jam packed with incredible music and super talented artists. So, with such a long year jam packed full of music, what were some of my stand outs? My personal favorites in my rotation then and forever?
Compared to my other countdown lists, this one WILL be in chronological order and will be me ranking them from 19th best to 1st best.
If you have any albums to recommend to me or think should've been on the list, make sure to let me know!
Disclaimer: Due to the way that Wix likes to do numbered lists, this is going to be reversed.
1=19, 2=18, so on and so forth. So we'll be starting off with good, and going down further and further into pure greatness or modern classics.
No Title as of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead by Godspeed! You Black Emperor
Godspeed! You Black Emperor is a band that I find hard to suggest to people. They are so incredibly unique and have their own style and sound that nobody else I know of has been able to replicate. This album especially is up there as something truly incredible and full of lovely soundscapes that only they would be able to create.
This album is special in a way that is hard to truly express, since it is really just describable as a vibe. Something to just lay back and experience when life is lifing. Just something to thoroughly enjoy no matter your preference or experience with enjoying music.
This album is only 6 tracks long, but goes for nearly an hour. Like most of their music, their short songs are typically around 6 minutes. While others surpass 10 and sometimes even 20 minutes. This is really just packed full of incredible production from top to bottom, with every single track feeling special and like it was so much passion and hard work being poured into something completely full of quality.
Rise & Fall by Scotty McCreery
Scotty McCreery has long been a superstar of country music. Somebody with one of the greatest voices in all of music history. A great deep voice that he can flex into all sorts of awesome deliveries and beautiful lyrics. A voice that fits perfectly when it comes to soul and emotion and telling a story.
Rise & Fall would honestly be my choise for the greatest album of McCreery's career so far. Packed full of music that makes you want to drive in a truck, drink a beer, put on your boots and your hat, or maybe all of the above. 13 tracks that could all be successful singles crammed into a tight 45 minute experience that is perfect from beginning to end, with no dips of quality at all.
Make Them Suffer by Make Them Suffer
Release Date: November 8th, 2024 Make Them Suffer is one of my favorite metalcore bands out there right now. Music that is absolutely incredible and music that I listen to daily, whether it be working out or just relaxing. Some of the best production of metalcore that I have heard of, and with some absolutely incredible vocals.
The album has some pure stand outs, with the likes of Ghost of Me and Oscillator being some of the absolute greatest songs that I have come across in the past year. Some incredible music from top to bottom with every single one being great, with the top tracks being some of the top that you will come across. I would recommend to everyone is a fan of the harder kind of music.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/4IlFCPiC0DlO0wip7BjQwr?si=Rl6Ydb2vQdiT77VdI3BVHw
I Lay Down MY Life For You by JPEGMAFIA
Release Date: August 2nd, 2024 JPEGMAFIA is a artist that I feel like is under appreciated in a way. He has started to get some more recognition, but is still one of the people that I feel doesn't quite get the main stream love.
His music, ESPECIALLY in terms of his fantastic production, is so wild and crazy. So unique and niche with some crazy elements and things always coming together to make something that is impossible to hear anywhere else. Truly just...man it is me just turning into a fanboy because it really is just something that truly is special. Magical with beats that make it impossible to try and even classify it into a specific genre. It is just something that is music, plain and simple.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/1ezs1QD5SYQ6LtxpC9y5I2?si=YkYIiThmRwCUNpY54aupIw
Beautifully Broken by Jelly Roll
Release Date: October 11th, 2024 Jelly Roll has quickly become one of the seriously greatest country artists today. I had listened to Jelly Roll before when he was a more stereotypical rapper, and I thought he was fine. But then he switched up his genre and style and he became an absolute megstar!
Jelly Roll has been on a roll (ha ha funny joke) with some incredible music coming out at a crazy pace. He is clearly talented and passionate, churning out high quality hit after high quality hit! And he features on so many other top artists songs like Post Malone and Eminem that are incredible every single time!
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/2GW4VpFk9mbc6qYZ0zNuu3?si=Oh_DrqY6QlK5r6DdDznZXg
Patterns by Kelsea Ballerini
Release Date: October 25th, 2024 Kelsea Ballerini is my vote for the greatest female country singer out there today. Somebody who I have seen live and would 100% go see again because she is so incredibly talented and sings in a way that is so honest and creative.
Lyrics and deliveries that are totally true to the heart and show just how incredible and honest that she is. A artist who is not afraid to open up about herself through some incredibly well made and beautiful music. HUGE fan of this and would recommend to everyone, even non-country fans. It is THAT good.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/4utJOX1ShFfRa6oQA1ADh0?si=YNnyEHZuSfKi73W5XuvRqg
Searching For Solace by The Ghost Inside
Release Date: April 19th, 2024 The Ghost Inside, much like Make Them Suffer, is a band that I feel like is the future of metalcore and the harder styles of music. A band absolutely packed full of high quality bangers for years and years, and this album might be one of their greatest yet.
Nothing but top tier music with every single song being jam packed with super awesome quality. Such pounding drums and incredible guitars that are infectous in the best ways possible. Amazing music from beginning to end that I could listen to over and over and over again!
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/7BG35dblZK6ZijbcDjIRj8?si=jOP1RDzLQUCD-LX99zXZkw
Loss of Life by MGMT
Release Date: February 23rd, 2024 MGMT are such a unique and fun band to listen to. An incredible duo of super talented people that have been making some of the most difficult to describe or copy music for over 15 years. A group doing their own thing rather than copying, and being incredibly successful and talented with it.
Loss of Life is one of their greatest albums they have ever made. A totally awesome collection of amazing music that does not dip in quality in a single moment. Every track packed full of something truly special and music that you will not find anywhere else. Something truly one of one.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/4dJvBAUQOaaCpRqsECRooa?si=IdI7HJeyS2y-0wXBbzuo3w
Deeper Well by Kacey Musgraves
Release Date: March 15th, 2024 Kacey Musgraves I think has had a very long and successful career in making some great hits. Songs like I Remember Everything or She Calls Me Back. An incredible album like Golden Hour being something that I would be scared to try and improve on.
But then she came out with Deeper Well, in the absolute greatest follow up that I can imagine.
Getting softer and so much more incredibly vulnerable with some awesome lyrics that get me emotional. Music that truly makes me feel her words and her passion. So top tier and beautiful!
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/5SxZmGwc4eJuPp6PcO4JgJ?si=wOIHywliR_2ZdFJEnxUnrw
Bando Stone And The New World by Childish Gambino
Release Date: July 19th, 2024 Childish Gambino. One of the seriously most creative and talented people who I think has ever been born. A total generational talent that will never be replicated anywhere near as gifted in various different aspects and art forms.
Gambino has made all sorts of amazing music, with this album perhaps being his most experimental and my personal favorite that he has ever made. Something that is truly just wild and chaotic and incredibly impressive. Something that just needs to be heard to be believed, as trying to go track by track with a break down would be too hard to explain.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/4yUqNSK6jMi7Y6eWl03U5r?si=KRS6N1GjQMiWeCAI-dIdOg
POST HUMAN: NeX GEn by Bring Me The Horizon
Release Date: May 24th, 2024 I am a little bit biased, considering that I would say Bring Me The Horizon are one of my favorite bands ever. One of my favorite metal bands, rock bands, really just bands in general. So much absolutely incredible music regardless of what they do!
POST HUMAN I wouldn't say is their greatest album ever, but that is like saying which Lord of The Rings movie is the worst one. When the bar is set SO high, having something that just barely misses it is still better than most other music or art you will come across.
Their ability to really combine so many different styles and elements that come together into totally perfect soundscapes of metal, electronic, sometimes even hyperpop or pop elements coming together to make something unique and great.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/1k7OXnGQPV4zF3seDwRroD?si=f6OU0e6JR2qGiEpqeTL0-g
Where I've Been Isn't Where I'm Going by Shaboozey
Release Date: May 31st, 2024 Shaboozey is the future of country music and honestly, pop music as well. His hit Bar Song is one of the greatest songs of the year, but it's not even my favorite song on this album.
Horses & Hellcats is an absolute masterpiece with some awesome production and incredible music. Last Of My Kind is an awesome soft rock song, and the tracks East of The Massanutten and Steal Her From Me are like good, classic/modern country. An album that might stay in the same orbit of style and genre, but each song special and unique enough to make it varied and special. A totally awesome work of art from one of the greatest rising stars ever!
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/0DLvFVIfwt3OHdK9kGeEM3?si=oVhgyHCOQqi8bc9ulztFVg
Let's Watch Some TV (Side A) by Rememberbuddha
Release Date: November 15th, 2024 This one is more of a personal choice for me, as Rememberbuddha is a personal friend and somebody who I have worked with before.
I am not biased when I say that he is the future of hip hop. An artist who knows how to perfectly tap into every single genre or style for inspiration and creation. An artist with some of the best beats and production that you will find in hip hop, regardless of fame or success.
I can't really go further in detail, due to the fact that this would sound like a sponsored thing. It's not. I just love his music and think that more people should be listening to it.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/5TNvCW1pstZM8J0cs2knoO?si=Zke1oNvnSNKpSh9lqMowrA
Hazbin Hotel (Original Soundtrack) by Various Artists
Release Date: February 2nd, 2024 Hazbin Hotel was one of the greatest shows to come out in 2024, and a big reason as to that (at least for me) was the absolutely killer soundtrack.
Created and crafted like a true musical, with things tying together perfectly while also furthing the story and building the world within the lyrics. Along with the incredible music to go along with it.
Whether you want the more stereotypical musical sounding music like Happy Day In Hell, my personal favorite with the jazzy big band sound with Stayed Gone, the slower ballads like Whatever It Takes, or the pop banger hit like Poison...this album is packed full of variety that other musicals could only dream of having. Since this is part of a animated show on streaming, it really seemed like they just made whatever music that they wanted to make and were allowed were to just let loose.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/2EOqRNsJiNb7IFLktJBZpq?si=N_E1FnTfTSOd8XGkzRIZeQ
Everything I Thought It Was by Justin Timberlake
Release Date: March 15th, 2024 Justin Timberlake has long been an amazingly talented artist for over 2 decades. Up there as really the face of pop music for a long time with hit after hit and top charting song after top charting song.
Recently though, and I hope this doesn't come off as mean, he doesn't seem to be as mainstream anymore. He isn't AS big and overly popular, which I think means he can really experiment to do more fun stuff and make some more unique music. An awesome album like this could only be made when experimenting, as it is so unique and refreshing in this music landscape. Something totally awesome and something that I listened to the very day it came out, and repeated beginning to end over and over and over again.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/716B2iWcwoKolCXrqwLGQh?si=xBxi22NySAyX_tjC8Y7S-Q
Replica by Dayseeker
Release Date: April 19th, 2024 Dayseeker very quickly became one of my favorite bands ever. They are a metal/rock band that has one of the greatest singers that I have ever heard in Rory Rodriguez. A band that is able to perfectly to go back and forth between all sorts of genres and styles.
Their other albums were rock or even metalcore classics, but this shows that the band is more than that.
Replica is entirely an acoustic album, with covers of their own music sounding so perfect. Sometimes even better than the originals, because Rory is SO gifted as a singer, and the rest of the band shows out with some beautiful instrumentation.
I easily could've out this or the future picks at Number 1, as they are all so close together to the real top album of the year. This one is a great album that I think everyone would enjoy.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/33aJkl5A1vpYnTk9rNqKzr?si=mxM0QwxwTeG5PiaYN62z2w
Djesse Vol. 4 by Jacob Collier
Release Date: March 1st, 2024 Jacob Collier is a super genius when it comes to music. An absolute Tesla or Einstein when it comes to his musical intelligence. His talent and skill is just as matched and totally off the charts, with his music the absolute most unique and special thing I have ever listened to.
His long running Djesse series of albums are all top tier modern classics with some of the most creative, most impressive songs that I have ever heard. Djesse 4 is perhaps the best, even if my personal favorite is Vol. 1. Every single song just pure gold. Pure magic for the ears to enjoy. I love it so much.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/13r6eqjYlKELFQlNvVCBz1?si=OZOtdgPRSPG8t9YAzLOXJA
From Zero by Linkin Park
Release Date: November 15th, 2024 Linkin Park has a special place in my heart. My absolute favorite band of all time, the tragic passing of Chester Bennington made me think the band would never return. But the announcement of a new singer in Emily Armstrong had me optimistic and excited. Then, we got the first previews of their concerts and singles coming out.
Emily Armstrong has a pure weight and talent that is unmatched. Music that is incredibly varied and all over the spectrum of genre, with some amazing range.
She is able to showcase that and then some on this album. The absolute PERFECT return to form for this band, and something that I have loved every single time I've listened to it since it came out. One of my most streamed albums of the entire year, and something that has been top of the crop for rock music. So much success that was completely earned, and I want for nothing but continued growth for them.
I made a album review for From Zero on this very blog, and I stated that I thought this was the best Linkin Park album since Hybrid Theory. It is really THAT good and special.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/4R6FV9NSzhPihHR0h4pI93?si=v4E3jlvHTgiYRbJygfs4Ew
Clancy by Twenty One Pilots
Release Date: May 24th, 2024 Twenty One Pilots has long been a favorite band of mine. I first came across them with their Blurryface album and thought it was good. Then we got Trench, which is one of my favorite albums ever. We got Scaled & Icy, which I thought was just fine. And then...Clancy.
In my eyes and my personal opinion, this is a perfect album. This album tells one story (yes it's part of their overarching story but still) and every single song is absolutely perfect and unique. Every song has it's own sound and character and style to keep you from growing bored when listening. Every single time I listen to this album, I go front to back. I got this record on vinyl and listened to it over and over again without getting tired. This album is just...it is something special man.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/1KFWgQTw3EMTQebaaepVBI?si=bAp0HOzWRpWz_gd3GyGAYw
I hope people enjoyed this list, and I will try to make more things like it to share my love and opinions on music.
Here is hoping that 2025 will have it's own collection of great albums and lovely music!
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