Streaming habits have forever changed how we consume music, but after nearly 20 years of the supposed “death of the album format,” full-length projects are still the dividing line between a good artist and a great artist. A seminal work is the marker at which someone goes from occasionally making your playlists to being an artist you choose to support monetarily. It’s what gets fans to attend performances in droves. It’s a landmark that plants roots in a legacy – something tangible to encapsulate a time period passed. And if I may briefly assert my hipness, albums determine who has rizz and who’s washed, am I right?
I press play on hundreds of albums each year, only to narrow it down to a few dozen that I anticipate will embody this time period and stay in rotation for years to come. These records expand horizons, provide moments of peace, and master the art of a timeless banger. May music continue to articulate our sentiments and be a window into experiences outside our own.
Read below to see which of your favorites made the cut, discover new artists, and give something a second shot. Additionally, browse each project before a full listen by saving the sampler playlist on Spotify or YouTube. If you find something you enjoy, support the artist by seeing a show, purchasing merch, patronizing your local record store, and staying up to date with union causes.
These are the projects that defined my 2024 and deserve a place in your 2025.
Katy Kirby — Blue Raspberry
Katy Kirby — Released January 26
Attracted to the yearning of male-written country love songs, singer-songwriter Katy Kirby began a writing exercise that proved to be a breakthrough on multiple fronts. Writing for a fictional, unattainable female love interest pulled at all the right threads for Kirby to discover her queerness. Blue Raspberry is a whirlwind of emotions, bookended by her last relationship with a man and the collapse of her first relationship with a woman. It’s not the heartache that makes the record special, though; it’s Kirby’s ability to find appreciation in the process. Synthetic items masquerading as natural guide her odes to the spectacles we present in love. Artifice or not, these gestures reveal authentic intentions.
Selected cuts: “Cubic Zirconia,” “Drop Dead,” “Table”
The Smile — Wall of Eyes
The Smile — Released January 26
For better or for worse, any The Smile discourse is really a Radiohead discussion. The trio of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and Tom Skinner’s 2022 debut, A Light for Attracting Attention, was a marvel if only for delivering at such a level that you didn’t wish they were focused on their main gig. However, delivering an impressive one-off is one feat; building an exceptional, independent discography is another. Wall of Eyes arguably surpasses the execution of its predecessor. The results are rarely as upbeat, but its eerie, improvisational atmosphere has a magnetism about it. These songs seldom need to adhere to conventional structures to provide cinematic moments you can’t help but rewind. It’s everything you want in a great Radiohead album without the pressure of living up to 30 years of their own standards.
Selected cuts: “Wall Of Eyes,” “Friend Of A Friend,” “I Quit”
The Last Dinner Party — Prelude to Ecstacy
The Last Dinner Party — Released February 2
There are few things as divisive on the musical corners of the internet as a group of fastly popular women. After a short time gigging in London, the group quickly signed to Island Records and became the most buzzed-about talent in the United Kingdom. Even if a meteoric rise and endless marketing budget feel suspicious, it’s rare for a band to arrive so fully formed. Much like when Vampire Weekend hit the scene, dialing their Ivy League background up to an 11, The Last Dinner Party plays up an elegant, pretentious art school ambiance. This is indie-styled rock for theater kids that aren’t afraid to be cringe. Packed with grand orchestration and sweeping movements, their nods to bands like Queen are in perfect hands with James Ford, the must-visit producer on your journey to rock superstardom, and The Last Dinner Party is well on its way.
Selected cuts: “Caesar on a TV Screen,” “Sinner,” “My Lady of Mercy”
Brittany Howard — What Now
Brittany Howard — Released February 9
Alabama Shakes’ 2012 debut, Boys and Girls, was a great piece of bluesy southern rock revival. Frontwoman Brittany Howard’s songwriting set the band apart from other nostalgic acts of the time, but the opening seconds of vibraphone on 2015’s Sound & Color gave profundity to the record’s simple name. It was like watching a band from black-and-white archival footage step through the television into a technicolor world. Since launching her solo career five years ago, Howard has lost no interest in sharply contrasting the hues of the world around us. What Now receives her expected touch of retro psychedelia across muscular rock songs, sultry soul ballads, and even a surprising foray into house. Each disparate piece allows the others to shine; bright orange can’t pop without dark blues. What Now is a beacon of how to breathe new life into old sounds.
Selected cuts: “I Don’t,” “What Now,” “To Be Still”
Ducks Ltd. — Harm’s Way
Ducks Ltd. — Released February 9
Progression isn’t always outright change; sometimes, it’s refining the pieces you already have in place. Ducks Ltd.’s second record goes back to the same well of jangly, melancholic ‘80s guitar pop like The Go-Betweens and R.E.M. that informed Modern Fiction. While the overall sound is the same, Tom McGreevy and Evan Lewis’ songwriting has benefited from time on the road. The duo only had six shows under their belt before signing their first record deal, but seeing what translates outside the confines of a studio had a tremendous impact on how Harm’s Way was constructed. It might not hit those same immediately gratifying highs like “18 Cigarettes” or “How Lonely Are You?” but its baseline makes for a richer full album experience.
Selected cuts: “Hollowed Out,” “The Main Thing,” “Heavy Bag”
Helado Negro — PHASOR
Helado Negro — Released February 9
Roberto Carlos Lange, better known as Helado Negro, found the change of pace he was looking for after relocating from New York City to Asheville, NC. Lange’s eighth album draws inspiration from the area’s mountainous terrain and slower pace of life, and his constant interest in where analog technology meets live musicianship. This lifestyle change scales back the larger sounds of 2021’s Far In to intimate home recordings without losing its substantial scope. Whether English, Spanish, folkier, or psychedelic, PHASOR is like sorting through individual memories like grainy video tapes to project against a wall. It’s ironic how those monumental views drive us further inward.
Selected cuts: “I Just Want To Wake Up With You,” “Best For You and Me,” “Wish You Could Be Here”
Mk.gee — Two Star & The Dream Police
Mk.gee — Released February 9
Audio blemishes have long been a basic part of the listening experience. Every vinyl crackles at a unique point, and CDs scratch and skip. Digital piracy was the tape recording of the new millennium. Your version of a song might have a weird beep, a DJ drop, or a delayed start after moments of the silent hiss of white noise. These defects became as integral to a song as the recorded material, and in some ways, will always feel like your “true” version. Singer and multi-instrumentalist Mk.gee was raised on a random library of highly compressed, low-quality Pandora MP3 rips. Audiophiles are right to recoil, but it’s hard to argue with the results. His ear for blown-out sonics with delicate melodies has brought a fresh new sound to the indie and R&B spaces. Two Star & The Dream Police captures a woozy, uneasy side of romance, making Mk.gee the most unlikely pop star of the year.
Selected cuts: “Are You Looking Up,” “Candy,” “Dream police”
Mannequin Pussy — I Got Heaven
Mannequin Pussy — Released March 1
“Maturity” as an art descriptor can operate as code for “boring” or “safe.” Rest assured, Philadelphia punks Mannequin Pussy are just as angry and boundary-pushing as ever. Their latest effort simultaneously rages against misogyny and weaponized religion while making space for catchy moments of self-discovery. Sometimes, getting older means making peace. Other times, it’s redirecting your focus from your exact situation to the broader causes at play. While previous records touched upon loneliness and toxic relationships, this fourth outing courses with the complex frustrations of finally knowing and loving yourself in a world that prefers you feel shame. I Got Heaven is a reminder that confidence is the most basic form of rebellion.
Selected cuts: “I Got Heaven,” “Nothing Like,” “Split Me Open”
ScHoolboy Q — BLUE LIPS
ScHoolboy Q — Released March 1
The past five years of ScHoolboy Q’s life seemed like rich man domesticity: living a quiet life in Calabasas, golfing more than a sitcom husband, and being a stay-at-home soccer dad. The reality is the South Central emcee was adapting to sobriety from prescription drugs, rebuilding relationships his addictions strained, and perpetually tweaking every minute detail of perhaps his finest album yet. Its predecessor, 2019’s CrasH Talk, was a blockbuster feature-stacked record largely devoid of the personality and experimentation that made works like Habits & Contradictions and Blank Face LP so vital. BLUE LIPS is a model return-to-form. Q expertly weaves manic gangsta-rap bangers with candid reflections on the traumas money can’t cure. It provides enough fan service to please his die-hards but challenges listeners enough to keep them guessing where he’ll take his sound next. Grammy nominations be damned: BLUE LIPS is 2024’s best rap album.
Selected cuts: “THank god 4 me,” “Blueslides,” “Yeern 101”
MIKE & Tony Seltzer — Pinball
MIKE & Tony Seltzer — Released March 6
MIKE’s baritone, drunken-flowed delivery seems made for groggy, distorted jazz samples. Having lived a lot of life in his 26 years, you can hear the fatigue of introspection across his raps and production. When you primarily exist in this soul-bearing, left-field space, talking your shit over chic R&B samples and 808 drums feels like the ultimate experiment. Hearing MIKE over producer Tony Seltzer’s ‘80s and ‘90s source material brings the energy of idol MF DOOM and mentor Earl Sweatshirt to the waviness of LIVE.LOVE.A$AP-era A$AP Rocky production. It’s a bite-sized listen that works just as designed – as fun to listen to as it was to make. Pinball might be the last thing you want in a MIKE album, but it’s exactly what you need.
Selected cuts: “Lethal Weapon,” “Underground Kingz,” “R&B”
Waxahatchee — Tigers Blood
Waxahatchee — Released March 22
How do you follow a career-defining album? If you’re Katie Crutchfield, you double down and drop another. Saint Cloud marked a rebirth for her Waxahatchee project. After releasing four albums in five years, she moved to Kansas City with partner Kevin Morby, took a year off touring, and struggled through her recent sobriety. The transition from 2012’s sparse, home-recorded American Weekend and 2017’s Out in the Storm heavier alt-rock had a traceable throughline, but Saint Cloud was a hard pivot. Her D.I.Y. ethos was traded in favor of channeling heroes like Lucinda Williams. Tigers Blood scratches that same country itch without ever feeling like a rehash, thanks partly to the record’s guitarist and backing vocalist MJ Lenderman finding fresh ways to play off Crutchfield’s melodies. While Saint Cloud’s hopefulness was aspirational, Tigers Blood is a tally against the “tortured artist” argument. Her peaceful life unlocks deep reverence for the moment, even when history tells you troubles lie ahead.
Selected cuts: “3 Sisters,” “Right Back to It (feat. MJ Lenderman),” “Bored”
Cindy Lee — Diamond Jubilee
Cindy Lee — Released March 29
Songwriter Patrick Flegel’s breakthrough album as Cindy Lee is a relic from a bygone era. Diamond Jubilee feels like a secret only you and the performer are in on. From his GeoCities website to only being streamable on YouTube, it captures that aughts internet essence when word of mouth on blogs and message boards was king. An anonymous MediaFire ZIP file could make the rounds, and pressing play felt like a lo-fi AM transmission from another dimension. Flegel’s homage to that era’s hypnagogic pop has shades of an actually likable Ariel Pink and calls even further back with doo-wop elements and The Velvet Underground in the mix. It’s rare for a record to justify being longer than 45 minutes, but this unpredictable two-hour broadcast successfully makes its length part of the justified spectacle.
Selected cuts: “Glitz,” “Dreams of You,” “Dracula”
Vampire Weekend — Only God Was Above Us
Vampire Weekend — Released April 5
“The Boys Are Back In Town” was written for moments precisely like this; the boys are, in fact, so back. It’s been five years since Father of the Bride, a de facto Ezra Koenig solo album under the Vampire Weekend umbrella. It was another six years prior that bassist Chris Baio and drummer Chris Tomson were in the studio. With respect to that often-fantastic 2019 effort, Only God Was Above Us feels like the band’s first proper album in over a decade. Even without former bandmate and creative force Rostam Batmanglij back in the fold, these three have such undeniable chemistry that immediately unthaws the moment Tomson’s signature snares cascade in on opener “Ice Cream Piano.” This record feels right at home within their original trilogy but integrates denser arrangements, more chaos, and more life lived to their playful, baroque melodies and former post-graduate malaise. Vampire Weekend itself serves as a motif, containing several self-referential nods without ever feeling masturbatory. It’s clear they’re just as happy to be back.
Selected cuts: “Classical,” “Capricorn,” “Mary Boone”
Jessica Pratt — Here in the Pitch
Jessica Pratt — Released May 3
Jessica Pratt is equal parts vocalist and medium. Her latest collection of songs is a “patchwork” of lived experiences, fictionalized events, and tales from the dark side of historic Hollywood. Both personal and disconnected, Here in the Pitch is a vessel for these ghostly, sometimes wicked transmissions. Pratt taps into a ‘60s bossa nova sound like she could be a lounge singer at The Shining’s Overlook Hotel, ensconced in velvet and cigarette smoke. The arrangements sound notably stark, considering just how full they actually are. Instruments like the timpani, glockenspiel, baritone saxophone, and flute serve the atmosphere rather than occupying the stage. It’s a reminder of how haunting minimalism can be.
Selected cuts: “Better Hate,” “World on a String,” “The Last Year”
youbet — Way To Be
youbet — Released May 10
Consistency is the key you’re looking for, no matter the pursuit. Nick Llobet, known by the stage name youbet, picked up the guitar as a child but struggled to find their songwriting identity into their mid-20s. A Bandcamp songwriting club with weekly assignments, along with advice from Bob Dylan’s Chronicles autobiography and a chance encounter with Patti Smith, finally encouraged them to invest the hours necessary to develop their craft. Youth Lagoon-esque vocals, a background in classic rock and flamenco, and high regard for folk songwriters all meld together for a distinctive ear for gritty, sometimes disorienting psychedelic pop. Llobet might be a late bloomer by industry standards, but they’re just getting started.
Selected cuts: “Carsick,” “Seeds of Evil,” “Vacancy”
Crumb — AMAMA
Crumb — Released May 17
There’s a fine line between mellow arrangements and being purely vibes. Crumb’s patented mesh of psychedelic pop and trip-hop made for a compelling pair of EPs and debut album, but 2021’s Ice Melt was pleasant at best. It felt restrained and underdeveloped at a time when the band needed something more engrossing to progress their sound. They needed an AMAMA. Even if it’s not exactly a reinvention, Crumb sounds rejuvenated across these 12 tracks. They bring their strongest periphery eccentricities to the spotlight with unbridled energy. If they maintain this level of creative curiosity, there will be no mistaking Crumb as just vibes.
Selected cuts: “From Outside A Window Sill,” “AMAMA,” “Dust Bunny”
DIIV — Frog in Boiling Water
DIIV — Released May 24
For nearly a decade, frontman Zachary Cole Smith’s public battles with addiction were at the forefront of every DIIV album and ensuing press tour. Now, they’re finally writing the songs they always had in mind. After spending years confronting personal demons, the shoegaze quartet is tackling a more universal cruelty in capitalism. Drawing inspiration from the boiling frog allegory, DIIV artfully dissects the results of infinite consumption and growth on our mental health and the world at large without feeling too heavy-handed – even peppering in comedy through Reddit campaigns and Fred Durst cameos. They further explore the heavier sounds of Deceiver, where droning melodies have a dosed, crushing urgency, like waking up in a daze to find humanity in mid-collapse. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Frog in Boiling Water reminds us that a better world is within reach.
Selected cuts: “In Amber,” “Brown Paper Bag,” “Somber The Drums”
Vince Staples — Dark Times
Vince Staples — Released May 24
The perils of hip-hop fame are well-documented. Some rappers have made a career off of bemoaning loneliness at the top, but what about life in the middle? The titular star of The Vince Staples Show spent his 2024 grappling with the existentialism of being a minor celebrity across multiple mediums. He’s done well enough to upgrade homes and leave cripping behind, but the traumas of his old zip code and pressures to provide still loom large. It’s an awkward middle ground to be filming at two o’clock with Netflix and bumping into old friends still in gang life by 5:00. Dark Times is Staples’ most straightforward record to date; he wants you to soak in every word. Initial listens sound a bit plain coming off of the West Coast bounce of 2022’s Ramona Park Broke My Heart, but it’s a wine you have to let breathe for its full flavor to develop.
Selected cuts: “Black&Blue,” “Étouffée,” “Little Homes”
Cola — The Gloss
Cola — Released June 14
Singer/guitarist Tim Darcy and bassist Ben Stidworthy announced the dissolution of Ought and the birth of Cola with their debut single, “Blank Curtain,” on the same day in 2021. It was immediately apparent the softhearted theatrics of the former were gone. Darcy offered poetic observations on the mundane, and Cola’s new brand of post-punk on Deep in View landed squarely between Television and The Strokes. The Gloss builds upon that debut’s tighter, more linear grooves that sound deceptively simple, chugging through multiple movements in any given track. It’s like the side-scrolling Paper Mario following Super Mario 64’s open-world feel. The experience is perhaps not as immediately dynamic but repeated listens allow for just as rewarding an experience in that same universe.
Selected cuts: “Pulling Quotes,” “Keys Down If You Stay,” “Bitter Melon”
NxWorries — Why Lawd?
NxWorries — Released June 14
The last time we heard from NxWorries in 2016, Anderson .Paak was riding high on his first year of significant crossover success. Yes Lawd! was just as celebratory as the name implied. .Paak’s half-rapped, half-sung smooth-talking over Knxwledge’s sun-soaked, vinyl-crackling samples was a victory lap and quick career detour in a Cutlass Supreme. Bottles were in hand, smoke was in the air, and women were abundant. Eight years later, Why Lawd? acts as a hangover. .Paak’s celebrity has only grown, and the songs are just as horny, but there’s far less to celebrate in the aftermath of his divorce. Knxwledge’s hazier production further illustrates .Paak on the “find out” side of his womanizing. He’s in that same Cutlass Supreme, but it’s a long, lonely drive home.
Selected cuts: “FromHere (feat. Snoop Dogg & October London),” “FallThru,” “WalkOnBy (feat. Earl Sweatshirt & Rae Khalil)”
This Is Lorelei — Box for Buddy, Box for Star
This Is Lorelei — Released June 14
“As soon as you begin to talk about a song and what you’re trying to do with it, it just begins to limit what it could actually be,” This Is Lorelei’s Nate Amos says. If he was holding specific songs or genres as his inspiration for an end goal, there’s no way Box for Buddy, Box for Star happens. Amos, also known for his work with Water From Your Eyes, finds his musical identity in a lack of one. Like Alex G, genres serve as single reference points within multi-faceted songs. Country gives way to bedroom pop, which in turn transitions into upbeat indie rock. The fiddle sounds just as comfortable in the mix as cheesy, electronic stock sounds. Although it’s technically Amos’ 67th Bandcamp release in ten years, this record is his first that was crafted with the intentionality of an album. Box for Buddy, Box for Star is the product of a master tinkerer.
Selected cuts: “I’m All Fucked Up,” “Where’s Your Love Now,” “Two Legs”
James Blake & Lil Yachty — Bad Cameo
James Blake & Lil Yachty — Released June 28
Some albums are just victims of timing. Any Lil Yachty experiment after the complete shock of last year’s psychedelic rock odyssey, Let’s Start Here., was bound to sound tame by comparison. The once polarizing figure synonymous with “mumble” rap shapeshifts yet again with assistance from singer-producer James Blake. Rather than another outright reinvention, Blake pulls Yachty into his otherworldly electro-R&B. Bad Cameo lacks the spontaneity we’ve come to expect from these artists, but it’s as solid of a cross-genre collaboration as we’ve heard from either man. Yachty’s off-kilter, autotuned vocals find a quintessential foil in Blake’s pitch-perfect crooning. May this should-have-been hit find its legs as a cult classic.
Selected cuts: “In Grey,” “Midnight,” “Run Away From The Rabbit”
Clairo — Charm
Clairo — Released July 12
Let’s start with the obvious: this is Clairo Shade. There was once a valid case to be made against the singer-songwriter, especially if you couldn’t get behind early viral hits like “Pretty Girl” and “Flaming Hot Cheetos.” Regardless of how Claire “Clairo” Cottrill got her foot in the door, those critiques get harder to lobby with each release. Cottrill’s writing and overall vision improve album-by-album with Charm standing as her finest work to date. This record doubles down on the classic California soft rock of singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell that she began exploring on 2021’s Sling. Meanwhile, producer/multi-instrumentalist Leon Michels adds substantial life to the compositions by fusing in the flourishes of ‘70s jazz and funk musicality. Charm is a gorgeous front-to-back listen that can turn any Clairo skeptic into an evangelical.
Selected cuts: “Nomad,” “Sexy to Someone,” “Juna”
Common & Pete Rock — The Auditorium Vol. 1
Common & Pete Rock — Released July 12
Every remarkable Common era is defined by its go-to producer. No I.D. launched one of Chicago’s first hip-hop giants in the mid-90s. J. Dilla brought him into the new millennium with perhaps his most acclaimed work and Kanye West took him to new commercial heights in the back half of the ‘00s. As his acting roles increased, Common struggled to sound inspired. Vaguely inspirational, adult-contemporary raps became the expectation. The Auditorium Vol. 1 isn’t immune to those tendencies, but Com’s latest muse has him more invigorated than we’ve heard him in 17 years. That inspiration goes both ways, as hip-hop legend Pete Rock’s MPC work hasn’t sounded this electric in nearly just as long. If the title “Vol. 1” is any indicator, this might be the dawn of the next great Common chapter.
Selected cuts: “Dreamin’,” “We’re On Our Way,” “Fortunate”
Childish Gambino — Bando Stone and The New World
Childish Gambino — Released July 19
The long-teased end of Childish Gambino has finally arrived, and as with most things Gambino, it’s divisive. Donald Glover’s final album under his Wu-Tang Name Generator persona is jam-packed with the wild creative swings that have characterized the bulk of his music career. There’s post-Yeezus industrial rap, sensual R&B, blog-era extended verses, nursery rhyme duets, and even some misguided forays into pop-punk. Billed as the official soundtrack for a film that might or might not exist, Bando Stone and The New World is a scattered listen with some major creative misfires. Nevertheless, its highs are high and frequent enough to warrant multiple revisits. Every time you think you’re ready to turn it off, you’re reeled back in by a perfect hook or engrossing experiment. Bando Stone might not be a flawless conclusion to Childish Gambino, but it successfully raises intrigue in what’s next for the man behind the moniker.
Selected cuts: “Survive (feat. Chlöe),” “Steps Beach,” “Yoshinoya”
JPEGMAFIA — I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU
JPEGMAFIA — Released August 1
“If I was an NBA player, I’d be Dillon Brooks, but worse,” JPEGMAFIA raps as the opening statement on his fifth album. It’s the type of audio shitpost the terminally online provocateur spits for a quick laugh, but it holds some merit. Whether catching flack from fans for working with Ye after repeatedly criticizing him, or proceeding to get kicked out of those Vultures recording sessions and going on a tweet storm, controversy has followed Peggy more than usual. The noise-rap producer addresses his year in trademark fashion with social media detractors, rap beef, and Manosphere racists, sexists, and abusers all receiving similar levels of ire. What separates this record from previous outings is his willingness to occasionally drop his disruptor role to analyze his own personal failings. Whether he’s raging against outward foes or the opp within, very few are going bar-for-bar, or beat-for-beat, with JPEGMAFIA.
Selected cuts: “SIN MIEDO,” “New Black History (feat. Vince Staples),” “Exmilitary”
Jack White — No Name
Jack White — Released August 2
Would No Name be such a satisfying listen if Jack White never left his element? Thankfully, we’ll never know. White spent the better part of the last decade well outside his comfort zone, and his commitment to keeping his songwriting and recording techniques fresh is admirable. Regardless, the results ranged from substantial experimental fumbles to overly safe, polished hard rock. It was a challenging time to be a White Stripes purist. This “untitled” sixth solo record is a proper return to form with White doing what he does best — gritty, sweaty garage shredders with minimal studio interference. It’s reasonable to expect our favorite artists to progress, but sometimes, there’s nothing better than coming home.
Selected cuts: “That’s How I’m Feeling,” “It’s Rough On Rats (If You’re Asking),” “Terminal Archenemy Endling”
Wishy — Triple Seven
Wishy — Released August 16
If the mid-00s wave of pop-punk did little for you — even if it did — its recent movement of revival bands is bound to do even less. Unless an artist can imprint individualism on their source material, it plays as soulless, algorithmic nostalgia that borders on parody. This Indianapolis five-piece, co-fronted by Kevin Krauter, has that authenticity down in spades. Their love for the period’s adolescent sentiment and pop-punk voice is immediately evident. The blending of those influences with classic shoegaze and ‘90s radio rock gives Wishy such a distinct take. Triple Seven is what would happen if Jimmy Eat World circa Bleed American cited Slowdive as an influence. Wishy is much more than an amalgamation of eras and influences, though. Their debut is a raucous, good time with enough novelty on the table to explore for their sophomore effort.
Selected cuts: “Triple Seven,” “Busted,” “Spit”
Fontaines D.C. — Romance
Fontaines D.C. — Released August 23
Frontman Grian Chatten has had it with the tortured artist cliche. Fontaines D.C. quickly became one of the most buzzed-about indie bands coming out of the pandemic, and a quick ascension is bound to mess with your head. Chatten’s 2023 solo record, Chaos For The Fly, was a much-needed exorcism of weariness from a loss of normalcy and a grueling life on the road. This fourth record fully embraces the band’s burgeoning superstardom. There are celebrity guest music videos, flashy, tongue-in-cheek makeovers, and superproducer James Ford at the helm to bring their most expansive visions to life. Their post-punk impulses are still intact, but it’s sharing stage time with everything from delicate chamber pop arrangements to trip-hop with semi-ironic rapping. Romance lyrically revolves around exploring its titular concept as a means of escapism and delusion. The boys are seemingly having the time of their lives, but given the record’s paranoia, are they just living the concept? For further background on Fontaines D.C., read my 2022 interview with bassist Conor Deegan III.
Selected cuts: “Starburster,” “Death Kink,” “Favourite”
Magdalena Bay — Imaginal Disk
Magdalena Bay — Released August 23
The “prog rock weirdo to pop star” pipeline is a tale as old as time… oh, that’s just Magdalena Bay? The alternative pop duo of Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin went from intricate, 20-minute guitar-focused movements to some of the most expertly crafted, irresistible pop music of the 2020s thus far. Their initial efforts to crack the charts found the two merely mimicking what they heard on Top 40 radio, but they slowly began looking back to their icons like Pink Floyd and Peter Gabriel on how to integrate unconventional sounds and structures into a hit. They’re quick to rattle off how their favorite Britney Spears song shares a chord progression with Radiohead. This adept understanding of the common threads in all pop-structured music allows them to craft something with universal appeal that’s not just Target background music. There’s nothing background about Imaginal Disk; good luck sitting still during this one.
Selected cuts: “Killing Time,” “Death & Romance,” “That’s My Floor”
Doechii — Alligator Bites Never Heal
Doechii — Released August 30
“I’m the new hip-hop Madonna; I’m the trap Grace Jones,” Doechii spits on her standout single, “NISSAN ALTIMA.” You have to admire both the confidence and the range. Her string of singles in recent years sometimes felt like the label machine trying out different identities to see which one stuck. Her first full-length project, written and recorded in just one month, is just as contrasting, but there’s never any doubt that each of these 19 songs is anyone but Jaylah “Doechii” Hickmon. Backed by unshakeable charisma and knocking beats traversing boom-bap, trap, neo-soul, and dance music, she has a knack for fully embodying every emotion like split personalities, while delivering harsh realities with a sly grin. Doechii contains multitudes, and every single one of them has “it.”
Selected cuts: “BOILED PEANUTS,” “WAIT,” “NISSAN ALTIMA”
MJ Lenderman — Manning Fireworks
MJ Lenderman — Released September 6
Every moment of despair is ripe for comedy if you squint hard enough. No one currently does a better job appreciating both halves as one whole than country rocker MJ Lenderman. He’s not a particularly personal songwriter. Instead, he’s an observer you connect with because of his perspective. When he crafts tales of the deeply flawed, often unlikeable men of Manning Fireworks, it’s like your eyes are gradually picking up more and more details on what makes their situations so pathetic. You can’t help but crack a smile at the incredibly specific, profoundly sad imagery of sitting under a half-mast McDonald’s flag, draining cum out of shower plumbing, and enjoying Eric Clapton. No character is a joke themselves, though. The listener often inhabits their self-inflicted pain. Those ancillary details that reveal someone’s psychology make these country songs endlessly fascinating.
Selected cuts: “Joker Lips,” “Wristwatch,” “She’s Leaving You”
Nilüfer Yanya — My Method Actor
Nilüfer Yanya — Released September 13
Comfortability is an underrated part of aging. If you’re putting in the work, you can find comfort in simplicity – sitting with an emotion – and comfort in who you are. Nilüfer Yanya’s third record drops at age 29, logically making My Method Actor a more reflective piece. What draws her to music? What does it mean to be a “performer” – to be expected to inhabit a new identity when you step on stage? There aren’t always clear-cut answers. Sometimes, we just have to move forward confident that, on some level, we know what we’re doing. It’s reflected in the music as Yanya leans into PAINLESS’ simpler moments. She retains her hallmark tinny, metallic-sounding production style that goes for intricate strumming to a wall of distortion. However, there’s no grand “midnight sun” in the mix. Her questions are about stripping layers back to get to that core feeling.
Selected cuts: “Like I Say (I runaway),” “Method Actor,” “Call It Love”
Being Dead — EELS
Being Dead — Released September 27
Don’t mistake silliness for apathy: EELS is as absurd as it is expertly composed. The Austin punk duo of Julie “Falcon Bitch” Keller and Cody “Smoofy” Dosier are as committed to a bit as they are to killer, unexpected melodies. Surfy garage guitars give way to wispy, airy melodies at the drop of a hat, while the interplay of Falcon Bitch and Smoofy’s see-sawing vocals perfectly capture the giddiness of their recording sessions. In my 2023 interview with the pair, they outlined plans to record as quickly as possible to avoid overthinking the process. Grammy-winning producer John Congleton brings out the best in Being Dead, giving even their last-minute songs the irresistible cohesion of previous album highlights like “Daydream.” An album that opens with making love to Godzilla has no business being this impressive.
Selected cuts: “Godzilla Rises,” “Van Goes,” “Nightvision”
Tyler, The Creator — CHROMAKOPIA
Tyler, The Creator — Released October 28
In a year where hip-hop’s “Big 3” made for endless fodder, Tyler’s latest lushly orchestrated memoir makes a compelling case for his inclusion. Hip-hop’s most eccentric multi-hyphenate isn’t reinventing himself the way he has across his past several albums. There’s no idiosyncratic IGOR experimentation. There’s no hunger to prove himself as a top lyricist like on CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST. His eighth studio album seeks to coalesce every strength into a definitive statement. While it doesn’t quite land at that lofty goal, it’s that “Tyler sound” as good as you’ve ever heard it. Tyler’s growth outside of the studio makes the record especially notable. He’s never known himself better than on CHROMAKOPIA. His mother’s narration gives a glimpse into his childhood as he grapples with life changes in the present. History doesn’t always reveal the answers, but Tyler, The Creator is now just as importantly armed with the right questions.
Selected cuts: “Noid,” “Darling, I (feat. Teezo Touchdown),” “Thought I Was Dead (feat. ScHoolboy Q & Santigold)”
Father John Misty — Mahashmashana
Father John Misty — Released November 22
It’s been 12 years since Father John Misty rose from the grave of former pseudonym J. Tillman, citing his desire for songwriting to be a “vehicle for truth” instead of “licking wounds.” That “truth” has at times, ironic or otherwise, felt self-righteous. Misty is at his best when he teeters the line between both worlds of songwriting – when he espouses love and empathy as healers, and he himself has a role in a tale of societal grievances. Mahashmashana (the Sanskrit word for “the great cremation pit”) is simultaneously earnest, theatrical, melodramatic, and loaded with deadpan one-liners – everything you want in a Father John Misty album. It’s an record of mental health critiques, ego death, religion, and surveillance states soundtracked by epic, swelling string and horn sections in instantly memorable melodies that are the sugar to get the medicine down. Misty is marching with us towards end times, alternating between an eye roll and a plea.
Select cuts: “She Cleans Up,” “Josh Tillman and the Accidental Dose,” “I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All”
Kendrick Lamar — GNX
Kendrick Lamar — Released November 22
If Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers taught us anything, Kendrick Lamar is not a savior. Long touted as the conscience and “truth-teller” of hip-hop, the Compton emcee’s 2022 record rejected these notions by bringing his faults to the forefront. Fast-forward two years, and the narrative surrounding Lamar has completely changed. His highly-publicized beef with Drake demonstrated him as a calculated, Riddler-like menace in peak, petty form. GNX only furthers this perception as he relishes in antagonism. Confrontations, victory laps, hip-hop nostalgia, and a disdain for the current state of the industry are all present across his most assertive, West Coast-indebted record to date. This Pulitzer Prize-winner isn’t holding up a mirror or providing broader commentary for the first time in his career. He’s just wishing you would try him.
Selected cuts: “hey now (feat. Dody6),” “tv off (feat. Lefty Gunplay),” “heart pt. 6”