Reflecting on Music in 2024
If there is one word I would use to describe the music of 2024, it would be “boastful”.
It was a year where production, performance, and even visual aesthetics excuded this refreshing focus on confidence and ambition in lieu of chaos and uncertainty.
It’s a type of self-expression that many artists distance themselves away from, restrained by a sense of vulnerability or the fear of being too self-aware. Producers, songwriters, and creatives embraced this mantra and got weird with it.
The music of 2024 felt “unapologetic”. Music made for festivals and anthems to yell out alongside strangers. Music to say what’s on everyone’s mind. Music that transcends more parlor forms of artistic expression to lay the foundation for a new, shared culture.
How I rate music
I do not rate music.
Music is consumed and built in a way that’s much different from movies, books, or television. You don’t just hear a song or album once—it’s played over and over, across diverse environments and energies. A single standard cannot measure it, or be represented by its individual components.
Let’s be clear.
There is bad music.
But a 2 ★ just reflects some amateur’s shitty bedroom project or a hollow, profit-driven corporate endeavor. Criticism in the context of a post like this is next to meaningless and unproductive. At least for me specifically.
Musicianship parallels athleticism and sport, and it’s something to be recognized and celebrated. So this is what I listened to in 2024, and my case for it, so to speak.
Included are YouTube links to every song mentioned.
Albums
Brat
Nothing sounds like “brat”, and to argue against this is to miss the point. It’s the culmination of nearly a decade of Charli and her circle refining her iconic sound and candid lyricism.
Lore is pop music’s hottest new accessory, and “brat” draws not only from a handful of rare demos, but Charli’s deep connections with her fans and community to build a movement.
“brat” is peak low-art and culture epitomized. Its sound shapes itself effortlessly no matter who or where you are. In the club, on a late-night drive, or just alone in your room. It manages to resonate with a new generation while speaking to an aging one that came of age during the early internet era.
The world is a hot mess, and so are you.
I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU
“I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU” is uncompromising on Peggy’s vision. The sampling and drums are bespoke. Every switch-up lands. JPEG innovates, but it is by far his most accessible album to date. And every feature throughout the album matches both his charisma and intensity perfectly.
My top five? Peggy and four Dylans.
CHROMAKOPIA
“CHROMAKOPIA” is an exploration of man battling control, identity, paranoia. It’s confidence meets vulnerability and the unavoidable march of time, and the cracks in this mask of his begin to show as the album seamlessly transitions from one song to the next.
“CHROMAKOPIA” is a movie. It’s the celebration of music as a form of expression and storytelling. It’s as painful of a listen as it is a banger. And yet, through all of that pain, Tyler, still has something to say.
VANISHING ACT II: ULTIMATE REALITY
“VANISHING ACT II” is as wild as it is mesmerizing. It’s a fever dream of experimental chaos and pop excellence, with strong influences in late 1990s and early 2000s teen pop.
The drums knock. In one instant, you’re swept away by soaring synths and powerful electric guitar riffs, only to be gently grounded moments later by a breathtaking keyscape interlude, floating in an airy, ethereal realm.
“VANISHING ACT II” is unpredictable, unapologetically bold, and everything I expect out of an album.
Dall
“Dall” is six former LOONA members performing on their own terms. It’s a beautiful blend of 2010s Future Bass and Synthpop reimagined for a modern music landscape, while still being able to demonstrate a deep range through its 30 minute runtime.
It carries its imperfections, but they serve as a reminder that this is the debut of a determined girl group rising from those ashes. In a few years, ARTMS might be on top of the world.
You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To
“You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To” is raw. The mix is sharp, never muddied in the way most metal records can sound, while the screams strike this insane balance of impressive yet audibly clear. This album isn’t just one of the best of the 2020s; it’s a contender for the best metal album ever made.
AG! Calling
“AG! Calling” feels more like a playlist for the stage than a full album. It’s short, energetic, and packed with festival-ready tracks. This is music made to be danced to and chanted with a crowd, as shown by their now legendary live performances.
The sound clearly leans further into trap horn and militant aesthetics, moving away from their more retro synthpop hits. But the spirit hasn’t left, and there is still a lot to really enjoy here.
It’s just a catchy album, and sometimes that’s all you want out of an artist. But one thing’s for sure—this isn’t even close to ATARASHII GAKKO!’s final form.
No Hands
“No Hands” is an endurance test of East Coast Hip Hop, Punk, Boom Bap, Miami Bass, Garage, and Jersey Club, driven by hardcore rap vocals that never drop a beat. It’s relentless and hilarious, objectively funny, delivering from start to finish.
Who doesn’t love this shit?
One-Offs
