Top Albums of 2024

Bad Wreck Team

2024 proved another incredible year of new music, with an exceptional amount of records we loved. We touch on the releases from some of our favorite artists.

Here are our top albums, in no particular order!

Submarine — The Marías

Beloved indie pop band The Marías welcomed a new era this year with their second record Submarine. Filled with dreamy, lush soundscapes and themes, the band’s signature flair shines through in every track.

Favorite tracks: “Paranoia” + “No One Noticed” + “Lejos de Ti”

Romance — Fontaines D.C

Acclaimed Irish group Fontaines D.C returned this year with a sonically adventurous record. Their new era shines with songs that pack a punch and ebb and flow between punk, rock, and pop.

Favorite tracks: “Bug” + “Starburster” + “Here’s The Thing”

BRAT — Charli XCX

Charli xcx released the quintessential album of the summer BRAT as her sixth studio album. Heavily inspired by the 2000’s British rave scene it created a storm of anthems that touch on the themes of personal vices and the realities she faces. 

Favorite Tracks: “Sympathy is a knife” + “Everything is romantic” + “365”

Charm — Clairo 

Clairo crafted an intimate collection of tracks on her third studio album, Charm. The artist’s alluring, soft vocals are paired with the rich 70s-inspired production. The delicate flutters of flute and clarinet alongside gentle piano make Charm a timeless listening experience.

Favorite tracks: “Echo” + “Add Up My Love” + “Second Nature”

Lively Premonition — Jordana

Rising indie star Jordana weaves essential bedroom pop tracks with groovy influences in her latest release Lively Premonition. The sonically experimental tracks found on her fourth album are radiant and cheeky – all stemming from real and imagined stories.  

Favorite tracks: “Multitudes Of Mystery” + “Anything For You” + “We Get By”

Songs About You Specifically — MICHELLE

Funky riffs, playful synths, and 90s pop melodies backdrop the third album from six-piece MICHELLE. Known for their effortless harmonies the group expands into new sonic territories while maintaining the sweet vocalizations we love.

Favorite tracks: “Blissing” + “Oontz” + “Missing on One”

Big Ideas — Remi Wolf

Known for her bouncy beats and whimsical choruses, Remi Wolf stuns with her second studio album Big Ideas. The eclectic compilation of tracks blends her unapologetic artistic vision and exploration of vibrant, ever-evolving sound. 

Favorite tracks: “Motorcycle” + “Toro” + “Cherries & Cream”

Two Star and The Dream Police — Mk.gee

Mk.gee’s latest record is a reinvention melding heartfelt storytelling with lush harmonies, unexpected rhythmic shifts, and innovative soundscapes. Mike Gordon mixes Phill Colin’s 80s R&B ballads with the help of the creative genius that is Dijon both of them created a masterpiece that moved the music.  

Favorite Tracks : “DNM” + “Candy” + “Alesis”

GNX — Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar surprise dropped GNX as his sixth studio album continuing to propel the west coast rap genre forward. His poetry fully encompasses the genre and the love for his roots.

Favorite tracks: “wacced out murals” + “squabble up” + “luther”

God Said No — Omar Apollo

Rising indie-pop artist Omar Apollo debuts his second studio album that reveals to listeners his tumultuous relationship journey. His rounding vocals backed by glowing groovy synth production lay the foundation for the spanish ballads and pop gems.

Favorite tracks: “Be Careful With Me” + “Drifting” + “How”

Fauxllennium Tv Girl and George Claton

George Clanton and TV Girl drop a surprise holiday release that feels more like a soundtrack to endless summer days. The artists encapsulate their laid-back vibes through psychedelic chill-wave sounds that evoke the dizzying euphoria of a sugar rush.

Favorite tracks: “Butterflies” + “Take a Trip” + “Summer 2000 Baby”

I Got Heaven — Mannequin Pussy

Mannequin Pussy showcase their brilliance with a powerful indie alternative rock album that captures their raw energy and unapologetic spirit. The record serves as a celebration of empowerment, embracing the emotional highs and lows of breaking free and finding one’s voice. With big sounding guitars, dynamic vocals, and introspective yet defiant lyrics, the album encourages listeners to embrace vulnerability and strength in equal measure. 

Favorite tracks:  “I Don’t Know You” + “Split Me Open” + “Loud Bark”

This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway — Lola Young

Rising star Lola Young came into the limelight with her latest album. The singer-songwriter's signature raw and real lyrics jump in between self-reflection and self-deprecation showcased through punchy, moody tracks. 

Favorite tracks: “Good Books” + “Conceited” + “Fuck” 

Only God Was Above Us — Vampire Weekend

Only God Was Above Us was Vampire Weekend’s highly-anticipated fifth studio album, offering deep layered reflections on a bygone New York City. Fusing global rhythms with orchestral elements the band captures an impressive contemporary sound we know and love. 

Favorite tracks: “Capricorn” + “Connect” + “Gen-X Cops”

Don’t Forget Me — Maggie Rogers

Thoughtful storytelling and carefully crafted melodies have become hallmarks of Rogers’ music, all of which she brings into her newest record. She perfectly captures the unpredictability of life and the growing pains of coming into your own all backdropped by soaring guitars and comforting rhythms.

Favorite tracks: “The Kill” + “Drunk” + “It Was Coming All Along”

HIT ME HARD AND SOFT — Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish takes an expansive approach to her third studio album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT and immerses us in her layered angelic vocals. The sonically fluid album is tied together both by a chord progression and the emotionally reflective themes that surround her life. 

Favorite Tracks: “CHIHIRO” + “THE GREATEST” + “BLUE”

Shirt — Porches

Porches goes back to his teenage garage-band roots on his 6th studio album. Shirt is a true rock record full of guitar-driven, angsty songs that tap into the chaos and yearning.

Favorite tracks: “Rag” + “Sally” + “Itch”

Short n’ Sweet — Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter cemented her pop-girl stardom with an album chock-full of innuendos, cheeky humor, and relationship revelations – pulling sonic influences from R&B, country, and rock to create the perfect pop cocktail.

Favorite tracks: “Juno” + “Sharpest Tool” + “Taste”

Chromakopia — Tyler, The Creator

For his eighth studio album, Tyler, The Creator explores vulnerable themes of adulthood and self-image. Chromakopia embraces Tyler Okonma’s life – blending hip-hop, jazz, and eclectic instrumentation, flawlessly capturing his evolution as an artist. 

Favorite tracks: “Darling, I” + “Balloon” + “Like Him” 

Imaginal Disk — Magdalena Bay 

Magdalena Bay’s latest album is a dazzling journey through lush soundscapes and inventive production, cementing their place as one of the most exciting acts in modern pop. The duo blends retro-inspired synths, hyper-pop elements, and heartfelt lyrics to create danceable anthems and introspective ballads.

Favorite tracks: “Feeling DiskInserted?” +  “Image” + “She Looked Like Me!”

My Method Actor — Nilüfer Yanya

British indie singer Nilüfer Yanya persuades you to sway on the waves of her voice in her third studio album My Method Actor. The melodic guitar forward songs focus on themes of life transitions and swallowing the pill of discomfort in life and romance. 

Favorite Tracks: “Method Actor” + “Binding” + “Call It Love”

Alligator Bites Never Heal — Doechii

Alternative hip-hop artist Doechii hails her third mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal as her fight back in her creative pursuits. Her personal storytelling pyramids over the boom-bap soul tracks as she stakes her claim as the swamp princess.

Favorite tracks: “DENIAL IS A RIVER” + “CATFISH” + “NISSAN ALTIMA”

Kansas Anymore — Role Model 

Role Model’s sophomore album redefined the trajectory of his career, showcasing his artistic strengths in a way that feels both bold and transformative. The singer dives deep into themes of love, loss, and self-discovery with a raw honesty while blending elements of pop, folk, and country.

Favorite tracks: “Writing’s On The Walls” + “Slipfast” + “Superglue”

La Nube En El Jardín — Ed Maverick 

In many ways, La Nube En El Jardín feels like a heartfelt return to Maverick’s roots. Stripped back to its core, the album shines in its simplicity. With its focus almost entirely on voice and guitar, it’s a mature reimagining of a raw, unfiltered sound, showcasing his growth as an artist while honoring where it all started.

Favorite tracks: “Culpa” + “Violento” + “No Ay Problema”