The Best Albums of the Year 2024

Here are our picks for the best albums of 2024.

Skiddle Staff

Last updated: 12th Dec 2024

2024 was certainly... a year. But we're here to focus on the positive side of things when it comes to all things music in 2024. This is a year in which new pop stars emerged in Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter, where Charli xcx got her long overdue credit and we got the popcorn out for some old school style beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake.

It was a pretty great year for albums and we've picked thirty of the best albums of 2024 in the list below. Take a look at our top picks as we prepare to wave in 2025.

30. JPEGMAFIA - I Lay Down My Life For You

If you love insanely creative rap beats, don’t skip the new Peggy LP. Sampling some of the maddest things (as always), Peggy has crafted over 40 minutes of pure chaos. There are quieter moments on the album like the soulful ‘either on or off the drugs’, then there’s the metal-infused anthem ‘SIN MIEDO’, and then there’s the wonky ‘New Black History’. Thrilling and surprising from start to finish, it’s bold, focused, and absolutely stellar, with lyrics only Peggy could conjure up. (Holly Quinn)

Find tickets for JPEGMAFIA - here

29. Geordie Greep - The New Sound

A masterpiece of over-the-top absurdism, The New Sound from former Black Midi man Geordie Greep is a smorgasbord of boundary-pushing musicianship and samba-fused flair that stars a satirical parade of unlikable protagonists who challenge the mechanisms of masculinity.

The guitar work from Greep is sublime - just try to comprehend that riff on ‘Blues’ - yet it's the textures provided by the globe-spanning cast of session musicians that make this record sing. ‘Holy, Holy’ is a true highlight, but the 12 minutes of patient orchestral build in ‘The Magician’ might be its pinnacle. It’s not for everyone, but it’s arguably the most interesting listen of the year. (Tom Hirst)

28. MJ Lenderman - Manning Fireworks

Former Wednesday member MJ Lenderman is making music for the dudes. Under a mixture of pedal steel twangs, heavily saturated riffs and his North Carolina drawl, lies a deftly intelligent songwriter. Manning Fireworks is about the most divorced person you know, as much as it is about simply making fun of the world around you. With some of the greatest riffs you'll hear all year, make sure you don't miss this record from a truly gifted storyteller. (Matty Pywell)

Find tickets for MJ Lenderman - here

27. A.G. Cook - Britpop

You may know A.G. Cook from his extensive portfolio of forward-thinking pop music, which has included him working with alt-pop royalty Caroline Polachek and most notably Charli xcx (more on her later). Britpop encapsulates his time as PC Music, switching between various guises of pop, paying homage to the hedonistic 90s whilst forging his own direction. (Matty Pywell)

Find tickets for A.G. Cook - here

26. Lip Critic - Hex Dealer

One of the most insane listening experiences of 2024, hardcore heroes Lip Critic will have you up on your feet, with limbs flailing in demonic ecstasy. The album follows an egotistical cult leader, who is having an identity crisis and this leads to some of the funniest lyrics you'll hear all year. The band have two drummers and tread the line between their hardcore and electronic roots, mixing in hip-hop beats for a high-tempo experience that never lets up. (Matty Pywell)

25. Kneecap - Fine Art

Where to start with this raucous trio from the North of Ireland? Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, and DJ Próvaí have this year made an autobiographical award-winning movie, successfully sued the British Government, and released this absolute stomper of a record.

Whether it's the spaced-out opener ‘3CAG’, the defiant bounce of title track ‘Fine Art’, ‘or the profound ‘Better Way To Live’ - between which modern Irish musical royalty like Lankums Radie Peat and Fontaines D.C.’s Grain Chatten assist - the foot is rarely off the pedal, and two fingers never far from the sky. Their "dying" language pulses with life, and the hilarious interludes are just the cherry on top. (Tom Hirst)

Find tickets for Kneecap - here

24. Leon Bridges - Leon

It was a return to his roots for Leon Bridges this year. His latest album combines dusty R&B with country and soul in what is one of the most melodic records released this year. Exploring Bridges' relationship with faith, family and his sense of place, it beautifully translates the importance of home in our lives. (Matty Pywell)

Find tickets for Leon Bridges - here

23. Tyla - TYLA

Coming in at 23 is the outstanding album TYLA. Released earlier this year in March, this was the album that put Tyla on the map. TYLA is an album that combines R&B notes with Afrobeats, Pop and Ampiano. Becoming a mainstream phenomenon that made us all want to ‘Jump’, the album also features classics like her breakthrough single ‘Water’, and ‘Truth or Dare’. Having no issues making its mark at award shows, winning Album of the Year at the South African Music Awards, there is no denying that this "Queen of Popiano" is only at the beginning of her stardom. With empowering lyrics paired with a catchy beat, how could we not include this on our Album Of The Year list?! (Leah Finch)

Find tickets for Tyla - here

22. The Last Dinner Party - Prelude To Ecstasy

Bursting onto the scene in early 2024 with camp and vigour, The Last Dinner Party’s Prelude To Ecstasy provides a collection of songs fused with baroque pop, art rock, and goth pop

Tales of scorned love, feminine rage, and martyrdom pervade the record’s twelve tightly plotted tracks, from classic figures fused with modern imagery on ‘Caesar on a TV Screen’, to breakthrough track ‘Nothing Matters’, which transforms a nihilistic, ruminating power ballad about a crumbling courtship into a maximalist baroque pop party. Evocative lyricism backed by lush, orchestral instrumentation sets the quintet apart from the pack, and it certainly won’t be the last we hear from them. (Gabriel Arnold)

Find tickets for The Last Dinner Party - here

21. Kokoko - Butu!

Kokoko are the Congolses/French duo who make irresistible electronic music. Butu! is packed with bustling sounds of Kinshahsa and its vibrant nightlife. You don't need to speak the language to understand, these grooves are universal and the ideal party starters. (Matty Pywell)

Find tickets for Kokoko - here

20. Father John Misty - Mahashmashana

Back with another egotistical and ironic take on the world around us, Father John Misty's latest album feels like his most apocalyptic yet. His best work since 2017's Pure Comedy, this album is the final dance before our mutual decline, in show-stopping glory, with thrilling crescendos and endless drama found alongside the inflated character of Father John Misty. (Matty Pywell)

Find tickets for Father John Misty - here

19. Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven

An exercise in female rage, I Got Heaven bounces around indie, rock, and punk sounds to explore raw emotion. Switching from lust and fury to tenderness using earworm melodies and riffs, the emotional rollercoaster is paired with some iconic lyrics such as “And what if Jesus himself ate my f*cking snatch?” from the stellar title track. This record was made for catharsis; for women to get in the pit and scream “I got a loud bark / Deep bite” and so many other quotable lyrics. But don’t get it twisted, this album’s a banger no matter your gender. (Holly Quinn)

Find tickets for Mannequin Pussy - here

18. Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown

Few albums this year are as emotionally captivating as Lives Outgrown by Portishead’s Beth Gibbons. An adage to ageing and loss, it blends hypnotic folk and orchestral textures into a dense, unique soundscape, steering clear of her signature trip-hop roots.

From the haunting sparseness of ‘Lost Changes’ to the opiate drive of ‘Reaching Out’; Gibbon’s iconic vocals shimmer over top, with the words spoken being of pointed depth, bearing the mark of a decade of experimentation well spent, and a singular talent reborn. (Tom Hirst)

17. Bittany Howard - What Now

An otherworldly, meditative album whose guitars and vocal chops flood the listener with emotion, Brittany Howard, formerly of Alabama Shakes, did it once again. From one track to the next, Brittany expertly glides from soulful tracks with lush harmonies to house-inspired banger ‘Prove It To You to the funky ’Power To Undo’, using ethereal chimes between tracks to keep you locked into the album. Making all the genres she touches here her own, it’s certainly one of the best albums of 2024. (Holly Quinn)

Find tickets for Brittany Howard - here

16. Tyler, The Creator - Chromokopia

Amid all the talk of the Big Three, CHROMAKOPIA proves Tyler could easily join the conversation if he wanted. Yet, instead of delusions of grandeur, Tyler opts for an introspective psychodrama, one that explores the dichotomy between who he is and who he was; questions seldom easy to answer.

This tension fuels tracks like the raw ‘Noid’ and vulnerable ‘Like Him,’ but Tyler still characteristically delivers infectious Cherry Bomb-style bangers, most notably the contagious cypher ‘Sticky’ featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne. CHROMAKOPIA truly showcases Tyler’s depth and versatility, reaffirming he’s far from slowing down. (Tom Hirst)

Find tickets for Tyler, The Creator - here

15. Magdalena Bay - Imaginal Disk

A crazed, synth-laden odyssey like no other, Imaginal Disk catapulted quirky Miami duo Magdalena Bay from the corners of cult status to vast acclaim, and holds a claim to being one of the freshest records of the year.

Chronicling a tale of self-discovery involving compact disc-shaped, body-altering objects, Imaginal Disk tackles thought-provoking themes of human consciousness and metamorphosis amidst an over-stimulating synth-pop backdrop. Every track on the album delivers, with its litany of standout chapters including the kaleidoscopic opener ‘She Looked Like Me!’, effortlessly catchy ‘Image’, and the space-spanning ‘Cry For Me’. Entirely written and self-produced by Magdalena Bay members Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Levin, this sophomore success is an idiosyncratic wild wonderland and one of the year’s finest. (Gabriel Arnold)

Find tickets for Magdalena Bay - here

14. Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft

Her most focused and most confident work to date, Billie’s new album sees her noticeably matured songwriting displayed often over dreamy production. Powerful moments punch you in the chest as her vocals soar, cutting through the stratosphere during ‘THE GREATEST’ but then there are softer, fragile moments, groovy sections, and tracks that demand you bob your head more than a little bit. Pure power, even in the most tender moments, this may be the young pop prodigy’s greatest album to date. (Holly Quinn)

Find tickets for Billie Eilish - here

13. Kendrick Lamar - GNX

“MUSTARRRRD!” After the beef of the century, Kenny returned with surprise album GNX. It proved K.Dot certainly can do the bangers some said he couldn’t, while also showcasing some of the best R&B tracks of his career with SZA. Some say the album isn’t as layered or conceptual as his previous efforts. However, there’s still a lot of meat on GNX’s bones as he touches on topics including identity, legacy, societal issues, Kendrick battling his ego, and much more. Another fantastic release in what has been a brilliant year for hip-hop. (Holly Quinn)

Find tickets for Kendrick Lamar - here

12. Waxahatchee - Tiger's Blood

In 2020, Waxahatchee reuinted with her roots, embracing americana and country on the hugely successful Saint Cloud. Tiger's Blood builds upon that success and affirms Katie Crutchfield's status as one of modern indie music's greatest lyricist. Plainly poetic, she has an ability to conjure up great feelings and scenery within very few words. MJ Lenderman drops in too to provide an extra bit of pedal steel twang. (Matty Pywell)

Find tickets for Waxahatchee - here

11. Justice - Hyperdrama

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, at least in Justice’s case. The French electronic auteurs made a long-awaited return after eight absent years with Hyperdrama, filling the vast, Daft Punk-shaped chasm electronic music has suffered from over the years.

Atmospheric, funky, and eerie, Justice twists disco samples into dark grooves with the help of a laundry list of dream collaborators. Tame Impala lends a helping hand to blockbuster opener ‘Neverender' and lead single ‘One Night/All Night’, while Thundercat brings an R&B spin to closer ‘The End’. Justice more than deliver by themselves across the record with dance floor dominators ‘Generator’ and ‘Dear Alan’. Certain signs point to this tour de force return being the duo’s last dance, but you can never be too sure. (Gabriel Arnold)

Find tickets for Justice - here

10. Ezra Collective - Dance, No One's Watching

Ezra Collective’s latest record, Dance, No One’s Watching has one thing on its mind: sparking joy. The high energy and liquid funk of tracks like ‘Shaking Body’ and ‘The Traveller’ invite the body to move, while album closer ‘Everybody’ warms the senses. You’ll be grinning from ear to ear after spending an hour with this album. (Ryan Moss)

Find tickets for Ezra Collective - here

9. English Teacher - This Could Be Texas

A dexterous melding of post-punk, indie, folk, and electronica, and one that socially and politically enlightens listeners through tongue-in-cheek nods to the cultural and literary; No Albums of the Year list could be without English Teacher's deserving Mercury Prize winner, This Could Be Texas.

From the crunching bassline of ‘R&B’, to the avant-garde breakdowns of ‘Nearly Daffodils’, to Lily Fontaine’s wickedly incisive lyricism in ‘The World’s Biggest Paving Slab’; they’re imposingly inventive while hinting at even more untapped potential. We can’t wait to see what’s next. (Tom Hirst)

Find tickets for English Teacher - here

8. Clairo - Charm

Following on from the wintry soundscape concocted on previous effort Sling, Clairo’s third album Charm slides back the years, trading sound booth journeyman Jack Antonoff for Leon Michels of Menahan Street Band to evoke a warm, smoky 70s groove.

Charm’s fuzzy, retro instrumentation paired with songwriting that grapples between melancholic yearning and tightly contained giddiness evokes classic low-key songwriters like Margo Guryan and Andy Shauf, as throughout the album Clairo yearns to be loved. Clairo juggles desire and lovesickness, whether it’s concerning the lead single ‘Sexy to Someone’ or late album standout ‘Echo’ where she calls out to her missing lover, waiting for an answer. Airy and intimate in equal measure, Charm is a cosy treat for a world that desires companionship and makes a case for being Clairo’s strongest effort yet.

7. Jamie XX - In Waves

After almost 10 years since his first record, In Colour, Jamie XX’s sophomore record, In Waves, may be more monochrome in aesthetic than its predecessor, but sonically, it is drenched in a club-hardened colour built for the dance floor.

Whether it’s through the French-infused house of ‘Life’ or the sumptuous piano house of Honey Dijon feature ‘Baddy On The Floor’, In Waves promises the vibrancy and euphoria of a goosebump-inducing drop at 3am, and more than delivers. (Tom Hirst)

Find tickets for Jamie XX - here

6. Kelly Lee Owens - Dreamstate

Slowly but surely, Kelly Lee Owens has been leaning deeper and deeper into studies of euphoria. Dreamstate has cracked the case, providing some of the most cathartic electronic/techno you'll hear all year. This is dance music at its most uplifting potential, with the only goal in mind being a mutual high, a place to dream together. (Matty Pywell)

Find tickets for Kelly Lee Owens - here

5. The Cure - Songs of a Lost World

I was going to make this write up all about how impressive it is for a band nearly 50 years into their career to release an album as good as Songs of a Lost World - but that makes the record seem like a “good for how old they are” situation. It isn’t. This album stands tall amongst its peers as one of the finest outputs from the godfathers of goth. The bass cuts, the guitars weep, and Robert Smith delivers one of the best vocal and lyrical performances of his career. This is a masterclass of not growing old and stale. (Jonathan Dickin)

Find tickets for The Cure - here

4. Confidence Man - 3AM (La La La)

Spurred on from a change of scenery to London, Confidence Man took a deep dive into 90s rave culture with their fun and wacky third album. From the first second of album opener ‘WHO KNOWS WHAT YOU’LL FIND’, the album clutches you by the collar and doesn’t let go, its collection of future dance classics crackling with energy. 3AM (La La La) keeps the BPM high until the titular closer, with each track capturing the thrill and chaos of soaking the sights of a new city.

The tracklist features highlights such as ‘SICKO’, which sounds like it was lifted straight from a mid-90s Leftfield record, and ‘SO TRU’, a track that wouldn’t feel out of place under an MJ Cole track ID. Zany, fearless, and never once stopping to come up for air, Confidence Man has launched another record to soundtrack countless raves for years to come, whatever the continent. (Gabriel Arnold)

Find tickets for Confidence Man - here

3. Fontaines D.C. - Romance

What is left to say about Fontaines D.C.? The Irish band have been arguably the most prolific rockers in the world over the last five years and the baffling fact is that they just seem to surpass any perceived peak. Romance sees them look towards the US for influence, with a level of storytelling Elliott Smith would be proud of alongside the chaos of American rock bands from back in the day.

Easily featuring the biggest chorus' of their career so far, they've surpassed being post-punk darlings and are on a stratospheric trajectory. (Matty Pywell)

Find tickets for Fontaines D.C. here

2. Nia Archives - Silence Is Loud

Over the last two years, Britpop has seen a resurgence, with bands of old and nostalgia for hedonism taking over. Nia Archives' decision to adorn her debut album with British iconography is easily one of the most interesting takes on that nostalgia, where black British dance music can be a part of the conversation.

The junglist got a Mercury Prize nod for Silence Is Loud, which is further evidence of its place as one of the most unique British albums released this year. (Matty Pywell)

Find tickets for Nia Archives - here

Charli xcx - Brat

What could be said about the cultural moment of the year that hasn’t been said already? “Brat” was Collins Dictionary's Word of the Year for a reason - we used it because Charli’s album captured a multi-faceted persona that many could relate to: confident, a partier, seemingly careless, but also vulnerable, self-aware, and insecure. Capturing that complexity over 40-odd minutes of dance music-inspired instrumentals with bass frequencies huge enough to take out a T-Rex while leaving plenty of space for the gentle, heady sad songs, Charli balances cheeky dancefloor bangers with songs to shed a tear to. If you aren’t bumpin’ that, well, you’re so not Julia… (Holly Quinn)

Find tickets for Charli xcx - here

Fancy seeing some of these artists live in 2025? Head to our Gigs, Clubs and Festivals pages to check out your next live event.

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.