Afterglow’s Picks for the Best Albums of 2024

The Afterglow staff has come together to curate our favorite 2024 albums, which got us through the epic highs and lows of the year.

Written by Afterglow Staffers

Design by Asha Roundtree

From a summer of pop princesses to surprise fall rap releases, 2024 kept everyone guessing which albums and artists would rise to the top. Listeners of every genre could find a record to revel in this year, but these picks will continue to keep us dancing, crying, and everything in between for eras to come.

I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU by JPEGMAFIA

It's hard to put a finger on JPEGMAFIA. Equal parts leftist grifter and internet edgelord, Peggy — as fans lovingly call him — has become the enfant terrible of experimental Hip-Hop. Though his heroes may be cornballs, JPEGMAFIA cemented his place as a consistently innovative artist with his fifth solo record, I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU. Compared with earlier projects like VETERAN! AND LP!, the provocateur’s latest release traverses a wider sonic territory, playing with rock and soul influences while staying true to his sample-heavy production style.

Throughout his album, the rapper offers a compelling snapshot of 2020s internet culture and Gen Z frustrations. In the hard-hitting opener, “i scream this in the mirror before i interact with anyone,” he blames capitalism for his greed and calls out women who beg him for money but still claim to “eat the rich.” The next track, “SIN MIEDO,” puts the artist’s sardonic humor and penchant for maximalist production front and center. Thundering riffs and a sample of 2 Live Crew’s “Hoochie Mama” threaten to overpower Peggy’s vocals as he disses his rivals, calling them “fake plug talkin’ Tubi rappers” with “the swag of a n— from Chaturbate.” But the quippy one-liners and hyperkinetic production mellow out in the album closer, “i recovered from this,” which sees the chronically online MC reminisce on a failed relationship. Tender acoustic guitar plucks envelop the rapper’s sobering delivery as he surrenders his art to the world, declaring, “I'm done, I finally finished this shit,” as heavenly vocalizations drown him out.

Considering JPEGMAFIA’s signature abrasiveness, his fifth record ends on a surprisingly soft note. The project creates a sonic melting pot by weaving heavy guitars, glitchy beats, and soulful samples in standouts like “Exmilitary” and “either on or off the drugs,” showcasing new dimensions of the artist’s versatility. Combined with his sonic experimentation, the rapper’s sharp pen game makes his latest effort an unmissable addition to the 2024 pop culture canon. — C.S. Harper

Hit me hard and soft by billie eilish

In a year inundated with impressive pop releases, Billie Eilish emerges victorious with her seamless transitions, tightly-bound themes, and chilling vocals in her third album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. This heartrending journey begins with “SKINNY,” which eases listeners in with a punch, continuing the themes of women’s expectations explored in her Barbie hit, “What Was I Made For?” “Am I acting my age now? / Am I already on the way out?” Eilish asks, toiling with the Sisyphean task of appeasing her onlookers while honoring herself. “SKINNY” ends with a genius touch from her brother and collaborator FINNEAS — a violin arrangement of Eilish’s belt in “THE GREATEST.” This interpolation melds into the percussive synths that introduce the unashamedly sapphic song, “LUNCH.” The L.A. native opens the door to a world of sonic satisfaction with the cinematic, synth-heavy “CHIHIRO” before crushing listeners with the bouncy, bittersweet “BIRDS OF A FEATHER.” The song has garnered over a billion streams and three Grammy nominations for good reason: Eilish soars vocally through its endearing melody and gracefully recounts a love so enrapturing that it seems simple and everlasting.

In “WILDFLOWER” and “THE GREATEST,” Eilish reflects on her ex’s ex and her own naive ambitions, respectively. She lays her misguided love to rest, only to serve her ex one last jab in the jazz-turned-electronic “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE”: “Because for you / I was the love of your life / But you were not mine.” After a hot and heavy trip to “THE DINER” and a “BITTERSUITE” amalgamation of complicated yearning, Eilish treats old fans to a chorus she teased in 2017 in “BLUE.” In the triumphant closer, the self-aware virtuoso ties sounds and themes from the record with a fragile bow by referencing each track and ending her ambitious album with the question on everyone’s mind, “But when can I hear the next one?” With 10 songs and no singles, Eilish succinctly explores the “impossible request” of gentle yet all-consuming intimacy, leaving everyone — including herself — wanting more. — Janie Bickerton

Night Palace by Mount eerie

Inquisitive fans of Phil Elverum, otherwise known as Mount Eerie, may recognize the name Night Palace — not from the former Microphones singer’s 2024 album, but from a poem by Joanne Kyger. In her 2003 free verse, Kyger describes death as a process of transcendence, marking it as a tentative step toward post-humanity. Elverum held that existential text between thumb and hand for the cover of A Crow Looked At Me, representing a philosophical keystone for the Lynchian crooner as he struggled to see death as a mere life change. From his home in Anacortes, Washington, Elverum grieved his late wife, Geneviève Castrée, while reading the poem that eventually inspired his 2024 release.

Elverum’s Night Palace comes from an eight-year struggle to accept change and let go. The reflective, 80-minute double album explores the experimental lyricist’s journey as a single father raising his daughter, perfectly balancing joy and sorrow with equanimity.

Static whirrs and misty echoes, with the frequent additions of gongs, cymbals, and delicate hums, formulate the album’s transcendental soundscape. Despite somewhat lacking structural cohesion, veering from short tracks filled with hostile screaming (“Swallowed Alive”) to baroque pop (“Broom of Wind”), Elverum manages to knit together the project in a perfect synchronicity that itself feels posthuman.

Mount Eerie dips into the waters of Solipsism and Buddhism, exploring philosophy through continued musings on emptiness (Śūnyatā). He recognizes that grief will never leave him (“Wind & Fog Pt. 2”), yet finds himself closer to joy than he’s been in decades (“I Walk,” “My Canopy”). Worries about women’s rights, climate change, and the state of humanity join together with self-effacing lyrics that deeply analyze the mind of a man forever changed (“Demolition”).

On Night Palace, Mount Eerie perfectly captures transformation, balance, and acceptance of the human condition. As a deeply resonant piece, Night Palace will live beyond 2024 as one of Elverum’s best works. — Rachel Joy Thomas

Prelude to Ecstasy by The Last Dinner Party

Image courtesy of Universal Island Records

Prelude to Ecstasy is the baroque, theatrical rock album no one knew they needed in 2024. The debut album of the British band, The Last Dinner Party, is characterized by pure feminine rage and grandiose production, standing out amongst other 2024 album releases.

Opening with its haunting instrumental title track, listeners are transported to an ornate world as the swelling production of strings sets the tone for the album. The emotionally intense song “Burn Alive,” alludes to the plight of power as lead singer Abigail Morris chants, “Let me make my grief a commodity / Do what I can to survive.” The track fortifies the rest of the album’s sophisticated anticipation for freedom of self-expression and discovery. Dynamic and vibrant “Caesar On a TV Screen” and “The Feminine Urge” house quintessential rock elements of the ‘70s with contemporary details. The upbeat anthems display the stunning vocal range of Morris, illuminating impeccable diligence.

“On Your Side” and “Beautiful Boy” stir the listeners' emotions, creating an atmospheric classical soundscape, sharply contrasting the more heavily produced tracks before them. Continuing the theme of gender envy and expression, “Beautiful Boy” serves as the tear-jerker, with billowing flute and piano harmonies intertwining in the production. Booming “Sinner” returns the work to its rock roots as syncopated drums and electrifying riffs from guitarist Emily Roberts fill the energetic track of contrasting religious upbringings and sexuality. Syncopated claps keep the beat of “My Lady of Mercy,” as the listener is transported to a romantic scene of lust.

While the tracklist shines on Prelude to Ecstasy, the aesthetics it crafts through distinctive elements of baroque-pop violins and harmonies are not to be missed. Songs that make you want to twirl in a vacant art museum, stomping in your flowing blouses and skirts give the album its unexpected charm. With its style established by the golden and antique style of the album cover and brought to an end with the cinematic ballad “Mirror,” Prelude to Ecstasy takes listeners to a whimsical, spirited, yet self-reflecting realm of music unique to only The Last Dinner Party. — Claire Hookstra

Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay

After a long, subdued presence in the alternative-electropop genre, Magdalena Bay’s sixth studio album, Imaginal Disk, shot the genre-defying duo into a well-deserved limelight.

“She Looked Like Me!” flings listeners into a glitchy production frenzy featuring Mica Tenenbaum’s alluring vocals. Tenenbaum reflects on refugees fleeing to a safe haven, only to realize they must give up a part of themselves to assimilate: “Turn their tongue, change their name.” The triumphant yet inundating opener seamlessly unveils the record’s theme of dueling identities interlaced with an inescapable groove. Ethereal, dance-inducing tracks like “Killing Time,” “Cry for Me,” and “Love is Everywhere” channel the addictive melodies of ‘70s and ‘80s disco. Paired with Tenenbaum's sensual, soothing refrains, these three tracks will bring any listener on their feet to sway to the beat.

“Image,” “Death & Romance,” and “That’s My Floor” dig into listeners' brains like euphoric earworms. Delectable bass lines on “Image” ground the track’s heavier lyrics about being one’s idealized self. “I need all the common sense / Time to start the clock from the top / I need confidence.” The rock-infused, drum-infested headbanger “That’s My Floor” offers listeners an existential party anthem perfect for any coming-of-age soundtrack. “Death & Romance” opens with a slamming piano sequence that holds on for dear life as the eclectic instrumentals and production start piling on one another in an exceptional ecstasy.

Among a truly star-studded tracklist, the record's seventh song, “Vampire in the Corner, " is a sonic standout. The subdued synths and pleasant piano plucking perfectly complement the vocally focused ballad. Tenenbaum sports a much softer, lullaby-like tone as she desperately begs her lover to take her back. She pleads, “My God, it's only 'cause l love you too much / Vampirе in the corner, am I scaring you off?” About 50 seconds before the song ends, an intense instrumental accompanies Tenenbaum’s anguished screaming, “I wanna make you mine / Told you a thousand times / I'm your valentine.”

Magdalena Bay closes its expertly crafted genre-bending masterpiece with “The Ballad of Matt & Mica.” This final track brings the album full circle by instrumentally, lyrically, and vocally interpolating the album’s opener, “She Looked Like Me!” However, “The Ballad of Matt & Mica” ends the time continuum rather than instrumentally looping back around to the record starter — the song fizzles out as Matt & Mica escape ordinary monotony. Everyone who listens to the album for the first time should hit play on “She Looked Like Me!” and let the tracks play out as Magdalena Bay intended. — Sydney Meier

I Got Heaven by Mannequin Pussy

Mannequin Pussy’s fourth album, I Got Heaven, scorches in vicious punk-rock triumph. The 2024 release balances abrasivity and vulnerability in each gut-punch of a track, starting with opener and title track, “I Got Heaven.” Lead singer Marisa “Missy” Dabice taunts listeners with the mocking, “li-li-li-li-li / Li-li-li, li-li-li-li,” before tumbling into the snarling bite of “I went and walked myself / Like a dog without a leash,” punctuated across overdriven guitar. Riding into the next song, “Loud Bark,” Dabice maintains her ferocity as she repeats, “I got a loud bark, deep bite,” over a building drum crescendo and a grungy guitar riff. Fellow hard-hitting tracks ensue in the album's latter half, with “OK? OK! OK? OK!,” “Of Her,” and “Aching,” driving the record into a rage-induced twister. Overdrive pedals pop crunchy distortion into Dabice and Maxine Steen’s guitars, which overlay screaming tandem vocals.

Despite featuring a plethora of headbangers, the album shines in its softer moments, where tenderness pulses against hard rock and punk scorches. “Nothing Like” and “Sometimes” weave soft guitars and romantically resonant reflections together: “Oh, what’s wrong with the little things you want? / If it’s what you want, I would give my life.” “I Don’t Know You” features Maxine Steen’s delicate synths and dreamy, wistful violin strings.

Album closer “Split Me Open” ends the otherworldly journey on a cathartic note. With the overwhelming reverence of, “I’m worried I want you / With the power / Of a thousand suns burning as one / With someone,” Dabice confesses her needs to an unnamed partner over an increasingly heavy beat, declaring that she’s “I’m asking for time / I’m begging for space.” Bursting with songs sweet and bitter, I Got Heaven encapsulates the highs and lows of 2024. — Julianna Riccioli

Submarine by The Marías

After the success of its debut album CINEMA, indie-pop darlings The Marías faced a challenge: lead singer María Zardoya and producer Josh Conway — founding members of the band and partners since 2016 — broke up. However, the romantic relationship’s end didn’t force the The Marías to hit pause on the band’s expert musical creation. Instead, the founders’ breakup fueled the writing process for its 2024 sophomore album, Submarine.

With deeply intimate lyrics coupled with lush, down-tempo instrumentation, Submarine grapples with the contradictory emotions of a romantic breakup by fully embracing and expanding on the indie outfit’s psychedelic, alternative-pop sound. Zardoya’s airy vocal delivery pairs exceptionally with Conway’s heavy bass on hits like “Run Your Mouth,” where the singer expresses her desire to avoid conflict. The appropriately grainy production of “Blur” captures Conway’s guitar work while the leading frontwoman sings about her one-sided longing for her partner. Drums perfectly crescendo in the song’s bridge, emphasizing the lover’s tumultuous emotions. Leaning into Zardoya’s Puerto Rican roots, the quartet released Spanish-speaking “Lejos de Ti” and “Ay No Puedo,” both tragic love songs backed up with slow drums and groovy synths to encapsulate unrequited love. One of the album’s most vulnerable tracks, “No One Noticed,” sees Zardoya explicitly begging her lover to stay, backed by soft percussion and a gradually distorted electric guitar. Direct songwriting makes The Marías’ fusion of psychedelia, jazz, lounge, and funk even more outstanding.

The group’s dreamy production and sensitive lyrics ultimately highlight the multifaceted emotions that come with a breakup. Submarine’s delicate vocals and colorful instrumentals will not only comfort you in your romantic troubles in 2024, but will also stand the test of time for finding clarity through pain with a sense of honesty and beauty. — Valeria Mota

HONORABLE MENTIONS

CHROMAKOPIA by Tyler, The Creator

GNX by Kendrick Lamar

brat by Charli XCX

Romance by Fontaines D.C.

Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker

Charm by Clairo

Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé

REVIEWSAfterglow ATXDecember 17, 2024afterglow staffers, album review, aoty