
What were the best albums of 2024?
International critics' choices
December 28th, 2024
The rankings of the best albums released over the past twelve months, compiled by industry magazines and mainstream media, provide an opportunity to analyze contemporary music trends. In the selections of the best albums of 2024 made by renowned music outlets such as Pitchfork, NME, and Crack Magazine, as well as newspapers like the New York Times or the Guardian, several noteworthy titles emerge, offering insight into the sounds that defined the year. Identifying the truly outstanding albums of the past year is a highly subjective practice influenced by various factors. Nonetheless, consulting these rankings—regardless of personal taste—provides a way to see what is capturing the critics' attention at this moment and which musical genre is most appreciated right now. Here are five albums featured in music rankings compiled by authoritative international media, ranging from specialized outlets to generalist ones.
Diamond Jubilee by Cindy Lee
In 2024, the most critically acclaimed album was not released on major music streaming platforms (an interesting fact in itself) but only on YouTube and Bandcamp. It is a very long album by industry standards, lasting over two hours and featuring more than thirty tracks. The album, Diamond Jubilee, was created by Canadian guitarist Patrick Flegel, a member of Women, a Canadian experimental rock band. Released under the pseudonym “Cindy Lee,” the album is regarded by critics as one of the most surprising releases in recent years, especially within the independent music scene. Before Diamond Jubilee, Patrick Flegel’s alter ego Cindy Lee was known only to a niche audience. Due to the immense attention and success, the artist decided to cancel much of the tour and announce the conclusion of this project.
Charm by Clairo
For several years, critics have recognized the talent of Clairo, a 26-year-old musician from Atlanta. With her latest album, Charm, she has definitively won over a wider audience, thanks in part to the success her songs have found on TikTok. Clairo created her third album in collaboration with various musicians and producers from the New York pop, soul, and R&B scene, drawing inspiration from 1970s soft rock.
Night Reign by Arooj Aftab
Arooj Aftab, an artist from Lahore, Pakistan, in the northern part of the country, has delved into jazz music and Persian sounds. She later studied in the United States at Boston's Berklee, one of the world’s most renowned music schools. Her career has been on the rise for several years. Active as both a singer and a composer, she has long been esteemed by critics. Following her third album, Love in Exile, she released another highly acclaimed record for the second consecutive year. Night Reign ranked fifth on Crack Magazine’s list of the 50 best albums of 2024.
My Method Actor by Nilüfer Yanya
Nilüfer Yanya had already released a couple of albums that impressed both critics and audiences—Miss Universe in 2019 and Painless in 2022. This year, the London-based musician released My Method Actor, which is an even more mature album compared to her previous works. The Guardian placed it sixth on its annual ranking, calling it «one of the best-arranged albums of the year.» Nilüfer Yanya, who has Turkish origins, has long been appreciated for her ability to intelligently blend varied musical influences—ranging from pop and rock to soul.
Brat by Charli XCX
Brat by Charli XCX was one of the most successful pop albums of 2024. Its presence at the top of many year-end rankings was expected, thanks to several factors that enhanced its already excellent musical production and demonstrated how a smart promotional campaign can further elevate an album. The U.S. edition of Rolling Stone ranked Brat first on its list: «It was more than just a brat-summer; it was a brat year,» they wrote. The credit also goes to the refined hyperpop sounds Charli XCX integrated into the album, which featured contributions from two of the most acclaimed composers in electronic music—A.G. Cook and Finn Keane. Additionally, as Rolling Stone noted, Brat was also «a still growing, evolving project that Charli XCX has continued to build upon with bonus tracks and a full remix album that flips the original versions of the songs on their heads. Just when everyone’s asking about the afters, the club queen makes it clear that the party hasn’t stopped yet.»