It’s that time of the year, so again I’ve determined which albums were the best in 2024 in the scientific way: By having Emacs collate the sixteen albums I’ve listened the most to.
) | Pet Shop Boys | Nonetheless |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyzsPTwGHa8 | ||
| Surprise winner! Pet Shop Boys! I didn’t like this album at all when it was first release, but it slowly grew on me. Like a fungus. | ||
 | Charli XCX | Brat |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSm_rxgxurw | ||
| I thought this was going to be the winner for sure. It was fun seeing Charli XCX finally getting that huge commercial breakthrough after all these years — and with such a weird album. Weird but bangin’. | ||
 | Squarepusher | Dostrotime |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ieyi1ei-7-A | ||
| It seems like the 90s are back again? | ||
 | Julia Holter | Something in the Room She Moves |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsmBrWiC_94 | ||
| I don’t remember this album at all, but Emacs doesn’t lie. | ||
 | Idles | TANGK |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HQrM5L9T1g | ||
 | Kim Gordon | The Collective |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ3i80B0qKg | ||
| This is the best post Sonic Youth album (out of any of the Youthers), I guess. | ||
 | Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion | Rectangles and Circumstance |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh-jtNOS0f8 | ||
| Very lovely album. | ||
 | Gastr Del Sol | We Have Dozens Of Titles |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY30kBvlJRM | ||
| In a way, this was a kinda disappointing album, because it’s half “rare tracks” that I’ve heard before, and half live versions of old favourites. But it’s such a great album anyway. | ||
 | A Certain Ratio | It All Comes Down to This |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9XI0es77iw | ||
| I guess the 80s are back again. | ||
 | Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling and Andreas Werliin | Ghosted II |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5JVMupoqu8 | ||
| I’ve really gotten into Oren Ambarchi the last couple of years, and this is a fab album. | ||
 | Still House Plants | If I don’t make it: I love u |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTem2c3lUUw | ||
| I kinda thought that this album might win this year, but nope. I would have said it’s my favourite album, but I guess I’m not cool enough really. | ||
 | Adult Jazz | So Sorry So Slow |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aIfo9IUfmM | ||
| I was really into this the first few times I heard it, but I think I’ve lost some enthusiasm for it. | ||
 | Beth Gibbons | Lives Outgrown |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldrx0eSqV-E | ||
| This is a very nice album, but not as good as what we were all expecting, so it’s a disappointment. | ||
 | John Lurie | Painting With John |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v_ksYaKmEE | ||
| I loved the TV series, and I love the album. | ||
 | Laetitia Sadier | Rooting for Love |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHtH7k2xrAc | ||
| See the Beth Gibbons entry. | ||
 | Nia Archives | Silence Is Loud |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHxEQ1oaYig | ||
| I guess the 90s are back again. | ||
You may have cleverly deduced some problems with my data driven approach; namely, that if I bought an album a couple of days ago, it won’t have gotten as many plays as an album I bought 11 months ago.
True!
So here’s my 2023 grid:
So it has Orbital as #1 and Still House Plants as #13.
But if I were to re-create, but counting 12 months of play for every release, then I’d end up with:
See!? It’s a much cooler grid! Water From Your Eyes won 2023 really, and Still House plants is at #3.
But… it’s not really a huge change — it’s mostly just rearranging things in the top sixteen.
And here’s the top nine older albums I bought this year.
 | Joan as Police Woman & Benjamin Lazar Davis | Let It Be You |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH95gCe-tOI | ||
 | Sacred Paws | Six Songs |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjqhowcA4Jw | ||
 | Family Fodder | Schizophrenia Party |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrYvIBKYovA | ||
 | The John Lurie National Orchestra | The Invention of Animals |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QldhsUiqe4M | ||
 | Jim Black Trio | The Constant |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90I-Lc7ANEY | ||
 | Shearwater | Animal Joy |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-zjzfS-YvE | ||
 | Bush Tetras | They Live in My Head |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDZ8Pyeh9aQ | ||
 | Fontaines D.C. | A Hero’s Death |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE7vLPSfw6Q | ||
 | John Cale | Caribbean Sunset |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6Ex5wCAubg | ||
