Let's be honest - trying to sum up a year in music is like attempting to explain Matty Healy to your grandparents or giving a sensible answer when someone asks you, 'What kind of music do you like?'. It's messy, it's subjective and someone is definitely going to disagree with you in the comments.
But here we are again, Dear Reader, doing what we do best: Ranking things and having opinions about them. 2024 has been the kind of year that makes music journalists reach for increasingly elaborate metaphors - a year where artificial intelligence tried to write pop songs (badly), where every other week brought another "unexpected" collaboration, and where pop girlies ruled all.
From bedroom pop breakthroughs to stadium-sized statements, from heartbreak to hyperpop, we've listened to it all. Multiple times. Probably while crying in the shower or doing our silly little tasks or commuting to our silly little jobs. These are the albums that made 2024 feel less like a simulation and more like somewhere we actually want to be - ranked meticulously, debated passionately, and served up with a signature side of mild sass. Strap in. Things are about to get opinionated.
30. BLOSSOMS - Gary
Just when you thought Stockport’s finest couldn’t get any more delightfully bonkers, they’ve gone and named their album after a stolen fibreglass gorilla. As you do. Between the 80s-soaked sugar rush of ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry’ and the pure pop perfection of ‘Cinnamon’, it’s like stumbling into the best fancy dress party in town – where everyone’s wearing shoulder pads and singing their hearts out. Proof that sometimes the best kind of ambition is just having a proper good time.
Top Track: ‘Gary’
Fun Fact: Blossoms’ top pop mate Rick Astley appears in videos for the album, as does Everton manager Sean Dyche. There’ll be no points deducted for that.
Pick up a copy of our September issue featuring Blossoms on the cover
29. GIRL IN RED - I'm Doing It Again Baby!
Marie Ulven’s latest chapter reads like midnight confessions, where heartache transforms into healing through shimmering production. It’s a raw and introspective album that delves into themes of heartbreak and healing, pairing vulnerable lyrics with lush, melancholic production. The album showcases Girl In Red’s growth as an artist, balancing emotional honesty with sonic experimentation. ‘I’m Doing It Again Baby!’ is a compelling portrait of resilience and self-discovery.
Top Track: ‘Too Much’
Fun Fact: Sabrina Carpenter was very enthusiastic about guesting on ‘You Need Me Now?’, saying she’d even burp on a song if it was what Marie wanted.
