Albums: I considered any album that was officially released during the calendar year of 2024 to be eligible. Also, with the evolving nature as to what is considered a full album release in modern times (“full” records seem to span anywhere between 7 and 700 songs these days), I’m also considering extended-play releases as eligible. Neither compilation albums or today’s endless slew of reissues or deluxe, or super-deluxe, OR super-duper deluxe editions of a previously released album are eligible.
50) Green Day- Saviors (Reprise)
The noise that Green Day makes here on their fourteenth LP deserved to cause far more press noise in general music circles this past year, as Saviors easily stands among their most prominently potent album since the close of the 2000s. Billie Joe Armstrong and his boys show their signature stripes for political and social commentary on tracks like “The American Dream Is Killing Me” and “Living in the 20s”, which we pretty much knew out of the gate was a premonition for the election season that unfolded in the months that followed. And, let’s face it: “Look Ma, No Brains!” could become a fitting government anthem for the year ahead. But, Saviors is not solely defined by these themes, with both tender and bitting looks at everything from romance, sexual identity, and parenthood throughout as well. All in all, a latter day landmark from the pop-punk elder-statesmen.
My Top Three Tracks: “The American Dream Is Killing Me”, “Living in the ’20s”, “One Eyed Bastard”
49) Sara Evans- Unbroke (Melody Place)
When Sara Evans went through her first public marital scandal at the height of her mainstream career in 2006, she outwardly chose not to use it as source material for her music, even if it was a classic recipe for heart-wrenching country songs. Ironically enough, she does just the opposite in response to the 2022 domestic turmoil that nearly ended her second marriage, before a shocking reunion the following year. This turbulent true-to-life arc actually laid the groundwork for a deep body of songs chronicling the diverse and full-circle evolution from romance to redemption. Evans remains in shining vocal condition, and her two-pronged skill with both neo-trad country and pop-rock crossover is as sturdy as it was two decades ago. It all adds up to what will be a hidden jewel in her winding discography.
My Top Three Tracks: “Sorry Now”, “Unbroke”, “Cleaning Out Your Closet”
48) Megan Moroney- Am I Okay? (Columbia)
What Nashville’s hottest rising female vocalist may lack in actual vocal range is more than compensated via her delightfully sharp and snarky lyricism, a glowing talent that continues to blossom with fetching aplomb through Megan Moroney’s sophomore album. Kristian Bush’s refreshingly twangy production provides a warm and accessible shine to Moroney’s witty sarcasm, winking deliveries, and subtle no-fucks-given narratives. Don’t let the much talked about Barbie imagery fool you; Moroney’s music gives voice to the common-girl navigating the social spider webs and viral superficiality that dominates the coming-of-age experience in the 2020s.
My Top Three Tracks: “Am I Okay?”, “Man on the Moon”, “Miss Universe”
47) The Avett Brothers- The Avett Brothers (Thirty Tigers)
While the Americana stalwarts’ self-titled eleventh studio album was not the full-blown roots revival that so many hyped it to be, this record was the comforting re-centering that the group needed after 2019’s polarizing and politically heavy Closer Than Together. The Avetts get back to ruminating on the cycles of both love and life in refreshingly nostalgic, romantic, and poetic fashion. To hear them do so again in 2024 was like wrapping yourself up in a comforting blanket, especially as they inserted luminous flourishes of their early-day country leanings into their signature folk-rock soundscapes. And the Brothers themselves sound just as rejuvenated and liberated performing these tracks as we do when we’re listening to them.
My Top Three Tracks: “Orion’s Belt”, “Country Kid”, “We Are Loved”
46) Lainey Wilson- Whirlwind (BBR)
Wilson’s first album since being officially coronated as country’s newest female superstar finds the singer swinging for all the fences in response to the pressure that comes up with such powerful but fragile status. Not every swing hits a grand slam, but if there’s anything constant throughout Whirlwind, it’s that Wilson’s restless but convicted creative vision never slows down. She can twang it up, ham it up, and weep it up on the level of all of the genre’s greats, but she and producer Jay Joyce also refuse to restrict her to a traditionalist’s palette. She ventures into areas of funk, soul, rock, and muddy-river blues with ease, while also never sacrificing her country roots. This record is indeed a whirlwind of sounds and emotion, and Wilson delivers it all with the natural skill of an entertainment pro.
My Top Three Tracks: “Hang Tight Honey”, “Country’s Cool Again”, “Good Horses” featuring Miranda Lambert
45) Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats- South of Here (Stax)
An undeniable outlier in the brassy, Stax-anchored canon of The Night Sweats, Nathaniel Rateliff did indeed throw listeners a 180 with South of Here, as he and his bandmates follow the increasingly introspective nature of their records down a path of more subdued folk-rock trappings. This sound shouldn’t be that much of a shock to listeners in tune with Rateliff’s solo work, but it certainly surprised those who savor the band’s signature horn stylings. But it’s the subverted expectations that ultimately make the rich results of South of Here all the more rewarding. These tracks showcase both Rateliff’s heart-racing vocal showmanship and the band’s stylistic dexterity in ways that we’re rarely seen from them to date. And the songs are among the most resonant and thoughtful in their canon thus far.
My Top Three Tracks: “Remember I Was A Dancer”, “Cars in the Desert”, “Call Me (Whatever You Like)”
44) The Black Keys- Ohio Players (Easy Eye Sound)
This band’s 2024 became so dominated by the bad press surrounding the management meltdown of their canceled arena tour that everyone seemed to overlook that The Black Keys delivered what deserved to be their second coming of El Camino in terms of mainstream relevance. Throughout Ohio Players, the duo unapologetically turns their signature rock-blues-garage blend on its ear, adding in elements of everything from piano-pop and surf-rock to both Hip-Hop and all-out rap. They make every lane change and pivot with the kind of confidence and nimble style that should be expected of one of the era’s true creative leaders among modern rock bands. And let’s not forget that badass album cover either!
My Top Three Tracks: “Beautiful People (Stay High”), “I Forgot To Be Your Lover”, “Candy’s Friends” featuring Lil Noid
43) Justin Timberlake- Everything I Thought I Was (RCA)
He received little credit for it as his pop-culture profile continued its notorious spiral, but Justin Timberlake did indeed release the return-to-form that so many hungered for in the years following 2018’s Man of the Woods. Everything returns the prince of the post-millennium dance floor to the modern dance heights of his biggest hits, with bangers like “No Angels”, “F****n Up the Disco”, “Infinity Sex”, and “My Favorite Drug” seamlessly gliding into his setlist next to mega-classics like “Rock Your Body”, “Sexy Back”, “Love Stoned”, et. al. As per usual with JT, the record’s length is its biggest downfall, but that bloat didn’t sink his previous LPs and nor does it here. Haters aside, Timberlake has a solid legacy arc awaiting him if this album is any indication.
My Top Three Tracks: “No Angels”, “F****n’ Up the Disco”, “Alone”
42) Ernest- Nashville, Tennessee (Big Loud)
In a just world, Nashville, Tennessee would have been a massive coming-out party for Ernest in the city of the same name, and the entire industry that it anchors. As it stands, the record is an underground gem spotlighting the talents of one of the country scene’s low-key best singer-songwriters of the present moment. Boasting a generous 26-song track-list, a roster of guests including Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Hardy, and Lukas Nelson, and clever cross-genre covers from the catalogs of John Mayer and Radiohead, Nashville is a smorgasbord of classic and modern country sounds and themes, and you’ll still be left hungry for more helpings. An impressive showcase from a promising, long-term talent.
My Top Three Tracks: “I Went to College/I Went to Jail” featuring Jelly Roll, “One More Heartache”, “Creep” with Hardy
41) Blackberry Smoke- Be Right Here (3 Legged)
Southern Rock has rarely been as fiery and engaging as it is on the latest release from the sound’s most prominent modern flag-bearers, Blackberry Smoke. Once again backed by Dave Cobb’s expert production, the band delivers what is arguably their strongest album to date, song-for-song and performance-for-performance. Lead vocalist Charlie Starr seems to only become more commanding and other-worldly as a vocalist with each passing release, and tracks like “Dig A Hole”, “Hammer and a Nail”, “Little Bit Crazy” and more give him and the superlative musicians surrounding him a meaty stack of groovy, bawdy goodness to sink their teeth into. Forget their tags as Skynyrd or Allman disciples; these guys are writing their own chapter for this musical sphere, and paving a solid path toward the future.
My Top Three Tracks: “Dig A Hole”, “Hammer and a Nail”, “Little Bit Crazy
40) Twenty One Pilots- Clancy (Fueled By Ramen)
On Clancy, 21Ps’ Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun emphatically shake off the breezy, escapist dust of previous record Scaled & Icy, and return to the dense and heady alternative-rock sounds that sent them soaring into the musical echelon in the mid-2010s. And in the process, millions of 21P-devotees rejoiced. It was almost as if the closing of the pandemic chapter was the permission they needed to return to their bread & butter, an intense and often-apocalyptic tinged atmosphere that surely would have hit too close to home in the early 2020s. Clancy is unapologetic in its indulgence in darker overtures, but as before, the Pilots prove themselves impressively skilled in marrying these moments with a dash of pop and rock contagion. That notwithstanding, the pair still peppers these imposing proceedings with moments of muted reflection. And when they do, on tracks like “The Craving”, the music leaves just as pivotal an impact.
My Top Three Tracks: “Next Semester”, “The Craving”, “Oldies Station”
39) Orville Peck- Stampede (Warner)
Post Malone may have received all of the pomp and circumstance for his country duets record, F1-Trillion, but in the underground country scene, it was Orville Peck’s stylish, star-studded collections of collaborations released two weeks earlier that gave listeners their late-summer delight. What’s most impressive about Stampede, and admittedly not surprising at this point in Peck’s trajectory, is how diverse both his vocal and stylistic range prove to be throughout this record. Such wondrous powers are given a prime showcase by way of the vast roster of duet partners that Peck has assembled. He adapts in seemingly effortless fashion to what each song and guest calls for; be it the Outlaw country of Willie Nelson, the classic rock of Elton John, the glitzy dance of Kylie Minogue, or the ranchera of Bu Cuaron. Stampede is a bold but ever-cohesive roller-coaster of musical color.
My Top Three Tracks: “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)” featuring Elton John, “Mienteme” featuring Blu Cuaron, “You’re An Asshole, I Can’t Stand You (And I Want a Divorce)” featuring Margo Price
38) Foster the People- Paradise State of Mind (Atlantic)
Returning after seven-year gap between LPs that was witness to both label and line-up shake-ups, Foster the People completely redefine both the vision for their band and that of alternative music as a whole on the grossly overlooked Paradise State of Mind. A veritable melting-pot of varied and expansive sounds from across the modern musical landscape, the record immediately earns its stripe as a new landmark for musical psychedelia. It does so by boldly combining the alternative and underground origins of their own brand of rock with splashy funk, disco and even jazz textures, in the process adding a welcome dash of color to an alt landscape that can over times feel far too sterile. Narratively, the disc both reckons with the end-times, while simultaneously providing ways to mentally escape the mere possibility of them, squarely placing the project in line again with rock’s most classic acid-trips.
My Top Three Tracks: “Lost In Space”, “See You In the Afterlife”, “Chasing Low Vibrations”
37) The Heavy Heavy- One of a Kind (ATO)
The debut disc from this UK pair was a late-year discovery for me, and what a thrilling revelation it was! Georgie Fuller and William Turner have crafted a tremendously vintage sound that throws things back to the heights of 1960s rock, while coloring it with a slick, modern zeal, resulting in a musical identity that feels classic and fresh all at once. Their trippy but sunny harmonies instantly transfix the listener, and recall golden records from groups like The Mamas and the Papas or Jefferson Airplane. Supporting this rich golden blend is a brash but trembling rock & roll motif that could have held its own with The Doors or The Rolling Stones in their prime, as well as a superbly strong batch of dazzling, evocative, and flat-out groooovy songs. You’d be smart and well-rewarded in making this a dark-horse addition to your 2024 collection just like I did.
My Top Three Tracks: “Happiness”, “Feel”, “Lovestruck”
36) Lenny Kravitz- Blue Electric Light (BMG)
The seemingly ageless rock star loosened back up on Blue Electric Light, leaning prominently back into his catalog’s signature swagger, soul, and optimism. Lenny’s radiant, sexy vocals and modern-guitar-hero dexterity remains as untouched by time as his appearance. All of these ear-popping qualities are given ample opportunity to shine throughout a robust set-list that serves up a melting-pot of rock & roll, R&B, soul, funk, and even gospel. Kravitz is so skilled at being thoughtful with his brand of rock music, without ever overthinking it. Blue Electric Light allows the listener to jam out at times, and become a little more reflective at others, while maintaining a high standard of entertainment consistently throughout.
My Top Three Tracks: “TK421”, “Blue Electric Light”, “Bundle of Joy”
35) Childish Gambino- Bando Stone & the New World (RCA)
With what is purportedly the final chapter in the recording discography of the Childish Gambino act, Donald Glover ends things on a sensationally thrilling note. In one of recent memory’s most captivating and well-executed concept albums, the character of Bando Stone navigates through a post-apocalyptic world rife with all of the emotion, chaos, devastation, and confusion that such a setting would create. And through a vibrant, kaleidoscopic lens of Hip-Hop, R&B, and electropop, the record provides all of the appropriately vigorous music to soundtrack such scenes. The bottom line is that Glover is an immensely talented performer and a visionary, a status that was likely unfairly overlooked at times due to his career and celebrity as an actor taking precedence. But as illustrated throughout the New World, he has the talent and creativity to deliver music on the same level as pop A-listers. Here’s hoping this isn’t truly the end..
My Top Three Tracks: “Hearts Weren’t Meant to Fly”, “Lithonia”, “Steps Beach”
34) The Mavericks- Moon & Stars (Mono Mundo)
It’s brilliantly ironic that this band’s latest set begins with a track entitled “The Years Will Not Be Kind”. The song itself is a gorgeous reflection on the harsh reality surrounding the passage of time, which is all the more potent given lead vocalist Raul Malo’s current battle with cancer. But as for the band and their music itself, time has done nothing to erase the vibrant diversity and creative power of The Mavericks; it’s only grown more rewardingly powerful over the three decades since they first emerged on the country charts. As ever, they use power of Malo’s untouchable voice and the band’s endlessly vast musical prowess to traverse across a luminous terrain of styles ranging from their Tex-Mex and country roots to big band, blues, classic rock, Spaghetti western, and polka. They remain one of the most positively wondrous musical acts on the planet. This one delivers the moon, the stars, and a whole lot more.
My Top Three Tracks: “The Years Will Not Be Kind”, “Without A Word”, “And We Dance”
33) The Secret Sisters- Mind, Man, Medicine (New West)
From the moment The Secret Sisters emerged in 2010 with their throwback-country debut, it was clear that they had the vocal magic to carry the torch for sibling harmonies into the future. What’s been so refreshing about their arc however is that they haven’t pigeonholed themselves to the retro, Everly & Louvin-leaning trappings of that first project, delightful as they were. They have progressively expanded their stylistic and thematic scope, using their beautiful sound to bring soulful reflection to modern matters. That continues beautifully on Mind, Man, Medicine, where they gracefully battle both the chaos of the 2020s, and that of new motherhood. It all weaves together in seamless, radiant fashion against a folk-soul soundscape, while their lovely vocal tones provide an equal dose of the comfort and bite that’s necessary to navigate these turbulent times.
My Top Three Tracks: “Same Water”, “All the Ways” featuring Ray LaMontagne, “Paperweight”
32) Adeem the Artist- Anniversary (Thirty Tigers)
There are few modern artists who could so boldly and seemingly effortlessly craft a record like Anniversary. It’s an album that manages to be wildly witty, socially progressive, charmingly romantic, politically pointed, and endlessly entertaining in one fell swoop. Musically, it does all of this within a vintage sound that combines the best elements of contemporary country, folk, and rock. It’s no surprise that Adeem cites John Prine as a primary influence as these are all qualities that likewise define the bedrock of Prine’s legendary catalog. It’s like treading on thin ice to proclaim any up-and-coming artist as the second coming of a legend like Prine. But Adeem the Artist certainly demonstrates all of the promising traits that deem him a pivotal creative voice worthy of leading the world of roots music into the future. More records like this will only solidify that stature.
My Top Three Tracks: “One Night Stand”, “Rotations”, “Night Sweats”
31) Shelby Lynne- Consequences of the Crown (Monument)
A glorious homecoming for one of the most uniquely powerful, and also criminally under-appreciated, voices of a generation. On Consequences of the Crown, Shelby Lynne finds herself back in Nashville’s recording ecosystem for the first time in decades. But rather than revisiting anything resembling the 90s contemporary country sounds that held her true talents hostage back then, she deliciously delivers arguably her most complex and heady dose of the heart-wrenching, mind-bending alt-soul that she’s been masterfully delivering since fleeing Music City at the dawn of the millennium. Lynne’s voice remains a staggering instrument, soothing your soul with its velvet beauty one moment, and then bringing you to your knees the next with the increasingly guttural grit of her aging pipes. Meanwhile, the collaborative spirit of the record, with contributions from followers like Karen Fairchild, Ashley Monroe, Angaleena Presley, and Waylon Payne, both injects a new lens of perspective to her catalog, while shedding light on what a monumental influence she’s been on an entire generation of artists.
My Top Three Tracks: “Over and Over”, “Gone to Bed”, “But I Aint”
30) Dwight Yoakam- Brighter Days (Thirty Tigers)
Emerging from a long recording slumber that brought him the personal blessings of a marriage and late-in-life fatherhood, it should come as no surprise that these milestones lent some sunnier elements into Dwight Yoakam’s music on the aptly-titled Brighter Days. With that said, the record still presents us with the same turbo-charged country-rock badass that we’ve idolized for the past four decades. He and blockbuster guest, Post Malone go on a juicy, twangy tour-de-force on “I Don’t Know Why (Bang Bang Boom Boom), while tracks like “Can’t Be Wrong” tip their hats to the cowpunk energy of his early days. These moments are tempered with the optimistic refection of moments like “I Spell Love” or his joyous recreation of The Carter Family’s “Keep On the Sunny Side” that radiate with the the current joy and contentment of his present-day life. The results make for a spirited and well-balanced outing that marries the glories of one’s past with the rewards it was all leading to.
My Top Three Tracks: “I Don’t Know Why (Bang Bang Boom Boom)” featuring Post Malone, “Wide Open Heart”, “Can’t Be Wrong”
29) Willie Nelson- Last Leaf on the Tree (Legacy)
There will never be another legacy arc in the annals of popular music that will rival the illustrious and ridiculously prolific one that Willie Nelson has amassed since the mid-90s. There’s little doubt that there’s more to come from the Red Headed Stranger. But Last Leaf on the Tree, and its haunting Tom Waits title song in particular, serves as a chilling reminder that even Willie Nelson will succumb to Father Time one day. The lyrics itself may profess the narrator’s immortality, but it’s underscored by a beautifully bitter irony by way of Nelson’s increasingly weathered voice, and his son Micah Nelson’s rustic production. This combination makes for a wonderfully intimate ambience that serves as the album’s anchor, regardless of the subject matter of the songs, which include luminous covers from the scrolls of Neil Young, Beck, Nina Simone, and more.
My Top Three Tracks: “Last Leaf”, “Lost Cause”, “Color of Sound”
28) Gillian Welch and David Rawlings- Woodland Studios (Acony)
Roots music royalty makes a triumphant return on the spellbinding Woodland Studios, which is as sterling a testament to date of the raw and magically primitive power resting within the souls of Gillian Welch and husband/producer David Rawlings. The music they create together has always had a spiritual ethos that makes it feel like it’s always been part of the universe; you could mistake it for music that pre-dated and inspired Gram & Emmylou, not the other way around. Exquisite musicianship, lyricism and deliveries abound, and for all their commitment to the raw origins of folk and Americana, one should not underestimate their vision for dabbling in an array of diverse musical palettes and song sources. Woodland Studios is an instant roots music classic.
My Top Three Tracks: “Empty Trainload of Sky”, “Hashtag”, “The Day the Mississippi Died”
27) Zach Top- Cold Beer & Country Music (Leo33)
The 90s country revival has been going strong for some time now, however in many ways it feels like it was all leading to the fever-pitch moment provided by Zach Top’s debut album, a joyously twangy gem that sounds like an unearthed gem from a record label’s 1994-era vault of unreleased recordings. It’s gleefully easy to get lost in the seeming novelty of it all, from Top’s mustachioed Tracy Lawrence-motif (all he’s missing is the mullet) to the “Chattahoochee” references and the George Strait-styled wit and wordplay. But at the core of Top’s music and the whole 90s craze in general is the acknowledgement that this music is not viewed as some fleeting nostalgia trip. This is what the core identity of country music has always sounded like; it just gets forgotten for a while every couple decades or so. At the end of the day, Cold Beer & Country Music is a fantastic and delightful outing of music, regardless of the trends of the given moment.
My Top Three Tracks: “Sounds Like the Radio”, “There’s the Sun”, “I Never Lie”
26) Waxahatchee- Tiger’s Blood (Anti)
On her sixth Waxahatchee project, Americana darling Katie Crutchfield remains steadfast in her craft, further solidifying what those lucky enough to be in the know have been keenly aware for the past dozen years: that she is quietly one of American music’s most imposing talents. Tiger’s Blood finds a much more bright-eyed and forward-looking Crutchfield in comparison to its predecessor, which was born in the midst of an alcohol addiction. Here, her sprightly folk wail is a bit more chirpy, her quirkily introspective lyrics are delivered with a bit more bite, and her inner-peace has given her and producer Brad Cook the additional gumption to play with warmer rock colors within her existing soundscape. It all adds up to a spirited and inspiring folk-rock gem.
My Top Three Tracks: “Ice Cold”, “Right Back To It” featuring MJ Lenderman, “365”
Continue to: Part II
The 706 