Table of Contents
With another year gone by (and I know I am quite late here!), I’ll reflect on a year of great music by talking about the albums I listened to and list my three favourite tracks as tasters to the album. Although the top three tracks are unranked, the albums are ranked counting down to my favourite of the year.
Aside from a few exceptions, the list is similar to last year’s with it being exclusively of female vocalists, leaning heavily towards pop, and, of course, is just my personal opinion.
However, unlike last year, I have dramatically increased the size of the list due to the sheer amount of music released in 2024. Not all of it is fantastic, but even in the lowly ranked albums, I found at least three songs worthwhile and that was my criteria for qualifying - were there at least three good songs that I liked?
I’ll post a list of just the names of the albums and artists at the end.
50: Girl With No Face - Allie X
Genre: Pop, Electronic
Being a longtime fan of Allie X, I was really looking forward to this album and I absolutely loved all the pre-released singles with this edgy 80s synth sound, but I did not really gel with the rest of the tracks. Other people seem to love the album though, so maybe it’s just me!
Top three tracks:
- Off With Her Tits
- Weird World
- Black Eye
49: My Method Actor - Nilüfer Yanya
Genre: Alternative, Pop, Rock
Another album with lots of positive reviews, but this also did not work with me. I don’t think the soundscape really resonated with me, and I felt disconnected to it. But it’s got a good vibe to it and I liked the more upbeat songs.
Top three tracks:
- Ready for Sun (Touch)
- Method Actor
- Just A Western
48: TRUE MAGIC - salute
Genre: Electronic, Dance
I enjoyed this throwback to 2000s dance pop, reminding me of songs you would hear in Dance Dance Revolution games. It’s great to play in one go, with good transitions between the songs, with my criticism being that it perhaps can sound a bit repetitive at times.
Top three tracks:
- saving flowers
- maybe it’s u
- softly
47: What an Enormous Room - TORRES
Genre: Alternative, Rock
I was not expecting to like much of this album as it initially felt a bit too experimental for my taste, but it really grew on me. I’m a fan of TORRES’s more mainstream rock music, enjoying previous albums Sprinter and Thirstier more, but there is something captivating that drew me in here.
Top three tracks:
- Collect
- i got the fear
- Forever home
46: Negative Spaces - Poppy
Genre: Metal, Rock, Pop
I’m not usually a fan of Poppy’s metal releases as they’re too much for me, but aside from a few particularly heavy songs, I liked this album more than I thought I would. My favourite tracks are on the more poppier side, but I can listen to most of it without skipping!
Top three tracks:
- negative spaces
- halo
- push go
45: Encino - Pixie Lott
Genre: Pop
I didn’t know what to expect with this album, as it has been a while since Pixie’s last album, but I think it’s a solid pleasant pop album with a nice mix of touching ballads and upbeat hopeful songs.
Top three tracks:
- Somebody’s Daughter
- Midnight Trash
- Vintage
44: Bouquet - Gwen Stefani
Genre: Pop, Rock
I was not expecting to really like this album too much as I’m more of a fan of Gwen’s work in No Doubt than her solo efforts, but I thought this was a good release, mixing together an adult contemporary sound with aspects of country and pop.
Top three tracks:
- Somebody Else’s
- Empty Vase
- Late To Bloom
43: Tyla + - Tyla
Genre: R&B, Pop
I wasn’t blown away with this highly well received album, but I do enjoy its light and airy pop infused R&B sound, and think Tyla’s voice sounds incredibly beautiful. It’s well worth a listen.
Top three tracks:
- Safer
- Priorities
- To Last
42: Glorious - Kate Hudson
Genre: Alternative, Pop, Rock
An eclectic sounding album with synths, upbeat pop, country aspects, dramatic ballads, and more standard adult contemporary pop-rock all mixed together, I found this to be surprisingly enjoyable. Kate’s vocals are gorgeous and have a lovely depth to them, and I thought the lyrics are good too.
Top three tracks:
- Glorious
- Talk About Love
- Not Easy To Know
41: amy allen - Amy Allen
Genre: Alternative, Pop, Rock
Songwriter to the stars, it’s interesting to hear her own music. This soft pop-rock sound, with its occasional punchier moments, drew me in more than I expected, with its interesting lyrics and emotional vocal performance.
Top three tracks:
- darkside
- pillar
- even forever
40: I Hear You - Peggy Gou
Genre: Dance, Pop
Another dance-pop throwback here, with this album inspired a bit more from house music and clubs than salute’s TRUE MAGIC. I overall enjoy the album, though find there are a couple of slower tracks that don’t really resonate with me.
Top three tracks:
- Lobster Telephone
- I Go
- Back To One
39: Big Ideas - Remi Wolf
Genre: Alternative, Rock, Pop
I think my bias towards more mainstream poppier rock sound is not more apparent than with this album, where I find myself instantly loving the three tracks most like this, and less connected to the rest, which have a more alternative and funky sound. It’s been highly rated, so I know this is just me with the differing opinion!
Top three tracks:
- Wave
- Alone in Miami
- Toro
38: Tension II - Kylie Minogue
Genre: Pop, Dance
As someone who thought Tension was fine, I enjoyed this much more and think it’s a more solid release with less lows. It’s still nothing groundbreaking, but I think it’s a really enjoyable pop record with dance throwbacks from the 2000s, and Midnight Ride is one of my favourite songs of the year.
Top three tracks:
- Midnight Ride
- Good As Gone
- Someone For Me
37: Radical Optimism - Dua Lipa
Genre: Pop, Dance
Having loved the singles pre-released for this, and thoroughly enjoyed Dua’s previous album Future Nostalgia, I had high expectations which were sadly not met. Perhaps my own fault for having such high expectations, but nonetheless, it’s a perfectly fine pop and dance album with some really strong highlights.
Top three tracks:
- Training Season
- Falling Forever
- Houdini
36: Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain - Raveena
Genre: Pop, R&B
I really vibed with this light and dreamy R&B, pop and guitar fusion, creating a lush atmosphere accompanied by her wonderful vocals. It’s one of those album you can play in one sitting relaxing back and getting transported away with the gorgeous sound.
Top three tracks:
- Rise
- Water
- 16 Candles
35: Dreamstate - Kelly Lee Owens
Genre: Electronic, Dance, Pop
Speaking of getting transported away, I thought this wonderful electronic record really created an otherworldly atmosphere with dreamy vocals and clean production that reminded me of 2000s dance music at times.
Top three tracks:
- Trust and Desire
- Love You Got
- Ballad (In The End)
34: The Glorification of Sadness - Paloma Faith
Genre: Pop
Encapsulating a wide range of emotions following the breakdown of a long-term relationship, I really enjoyed the emotional lyrics and powerful vocal delivery of Paloma on this raw but still pop album.
Top three tracks:
- Let It Ride
- How You Leave A Man
- Cry on the Dance Floor
33: From Zero - Linkin Park
Genre: Rock, Metal
I was interested in trying out Linkin Park’s newest album following the appointment of a female vocalist, though a little hesitant if the sound would be too brash for me based on their past work. However, I really liked this record with only a couple tracks being too much for me!
Top three tracks:
- Good Things Go
- Heavy is the Crown
- Two Faced
32: The Great Impersonator - Halsey
Genre: Pop, Rock, Folk
Having loved Halsey’s previous If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, I was even more intrigued about this album before it came out, with Halsey releasing photographic recreations of various artists who inspired this record, and the wide ranging genres of the pre-released singles. An emotionally raw record, both lyrically and vocally, it could be too sad for some, but it really resonated with me.
Top three tracks:
- Lonely is the Muse
- Only Living Girl in LA
- Dog Years
31: Older (and Wiser) - Lizzy McAlpine
Genre: Alternative, Folk, Rock
I’ve not properly listened to Lizzy’s work before, but found myself really into this release. It’s a beautiful listen with heartbreaking lyrics, incredible production, and her emotive vocals. It is perfect at creating atmospheres, with light acoustic moments and dramatic build ups to resounding crescendos.
Top three tracks:
- Older
- Broken Glass
- Soccer Practice
30: This Is How Tomorrow Moves - beabadoobee
Genre: Pop, Rock
Not too familiar with beabadoobee, I randomly heard her single Take A Bite, and was instantly taken back to the pop-rock of the early 2000s with the likes of Michelle Branch, Hilary Duff or Natalie Imbruglia. The album carries this vibe throughout, verging at times towards the more lighter acoustic side of things.
Top three tracks:
- Take A Bite
- Post
- One Time
29: AAA - FLO
Genre: R&B, Pop
I was highly anticipating this album as I really enjoyed the EPs previously released, especially 3 of Us, but I did find myself wanting a bit more here in terms of lyricism from their unique perspective found on those other EPs. Nonetheless, it’s great to see FLO achieving more mainstream success with their rebooted sound of girl groups from the late 1990s and early 2000s, and there are some gems in there with their silky vocals really shining through.
Top three tracks:
- Check
- On & On
- Caught Up
28: CRASH - Kehlani
Genre: R&B
I had not listened to Kehlani before, but thought I would give this a go in attempts to widen my musical horizons this year, and I’m really glad I did. It’s a fantastic mix of R&B, pop, and dark electronic moments, which all blend together seamlessly between the tracks. I had this on repeat when it came out, and it would be higher ranked if not for other releases edging it out.
Top three tracks:
- Better Not
- Tears
- 8
27: liminal space - mxmtoon
Genre: Pop, Folk, Alternative
Prior to this album, I occasionally listened to mxmtoon, liking her work, but not particularly invested in it. However, I was really taken in by this release with the growth in her overall sound, introducing more light folk/country into her music, coupled with her usual high standard of introspective and unique lyrics, as well as her beautifully light voice.
Top three tracks:
- elevator
- rain
- white out
26: The Lost Ones - Florrie
Genre: Pop
As a teenager of the 2000s in the UK, I spent time listening to the big pop hits of the day, by artists like Girls Aloud and Sugababes. It wasn’t until later I learned most of these, and other assorted hits of the decade, were produced by the Xenomania team. It’s a type of pop music production I absolutely love, with them producing my favourite Pet Shop Boys album Yes, the criminally short-lived career of Amelia Lily, and various tracks in between.
This is all the say that I’ve long been a fan of Xenomania member Florrie and her sporadic releases of EPs and singles of the past decade and a half. Her music perfectly embodies the sound I love, which comes across wonderfully in her debut album finally released in 2024. It has that perfect mix of pop, synth, light and shade, and catchiness. Well worth a listen.
Top three tracks:
- Kissing In The Cold
- Looking For Love
- I Took A Little Something
25: The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology - Taylor Swift
Genre: Pop
As someone who enjoys the occasional Taylor song but never really a whole album, I was surprised by this release and think this is my favourite album by her. There are still some skips, but I do find the highs of the album (and by this I am referring to the extended Anthology edition) to be very good and worthy of repeated listens.
Top three tracks:
- Guilty As Sin?
- loml
- Robin
24: Nonetheless - Pet Shop Boys
Genre: Pop, Electronic
As a huge fan of the Pet Shop Boys, I was really looking forward to this album. It didn’t disappoint, rather that there were just so many other good albums released this year! It’s not too dissimilar from their previous album Hotspot, so while not as poppy as Yes, my favourite album by them, there is still a lot here I enjoyed.
Top three tracks:
- Loneliness
- Why am I dancing?
- A new bohemia
23: Deeper Well - Kacey Musgraves
Genre: Folk
I began listening to Kacey following the critical acclaim of Golden Hour, and while I liked it and its successor star-crossed, I find this album to be her best so far. I really like the laid back folky vibes, which match her vocals beautifully, and it’s become my perfect album for a lazy Sunday morning.
Top three tracks:
- Jade Green
- Sway
- Cardinal
22: The Jester - Wallice
Genre: Alternative, Rock, Pop
Going into this with no exceptions, having found Wallice one day on Reddit’s Popheads subreddit, I was really drawn in by how theatrical the album can sound - mostly solid light rock music with occasional flares of synths or a orchestral instrument thrown in. Enjoyed all of this with no skips from me.
Top three tracks:
- Manipulate
- Clown Like Me
- Heaven Has To Happen
21: Vertigo - Griff
Genre: Pop, Electronic
Coming to this a bit late with vert1go vol. 1 and ve2igo vol. 2 EPs being released over the past two years and me missing the full length album coming out a few months later, I eventually worked it all out and found this album to be a great progression in Griff’s sound. I really enjoyed her vocals, her personal diaristic style lyrics, and the synths used in the songs’ instrumentation.
Top three tracks:
- Vertigo
- Cycles
- Hole In My Pocket
20: Mountain Music - Nina Nesbitt
Genre: Folk, Pop
I’ve popped in and out of Nina’s work since the start of her career, finding the deluxe version of her pop and R&B second album, The Sun Will Come Up, the Seasons Will Change & The Flowers Will Fall, to have been my favourite. However, this has surpassed it with a completely different sound. Her deeply personal lyrics are still there, but now accompanied by a light rock/folk infused sound, which create a perfect new backdrop for her work.
Top three tracks:
- Pages
- Parachute
- Anger
19: Motherland - Lia Kuri
Genre: Electronic, Dance, Pop
Stumbled across this randomly, I’m stunned this is seemingly quite overlooked judged by the low amount of plays on streaming providers. It’s a fantastic mix of sweet and soft vocals with garage/dance music in a deconstructed and experimental style, reminding me sometimes of BANKS or fka twigs. Highly recommended if you’re into this sort of genre.
Top three tracks:
- Highland
- Chagrin
- Poltergeist
18: empathogen - WILLOW
Genre: Jazz, Rock, Alternative
I looked forward to this album as I loved its singles, and although I enjoyed the album tracks, I felt its shortness was a tad disappointing, with five tracks under two minutes long, and I felt could have had time spent on them to create amazing songs a minute or so longer. Nonetheless, I adore how this album sounds, with all the jazzy and experimental vibes working fantastically with Willow’s voice, and lyrics that really spoke to me.
Top three tracks:
- b i g f e e l i n g s
- pain for fun
- the fear is not real
17: eternal sunshine - Ariana Grande
Genre: Pop
Ariana’s albums tend to hit-or-miss for me, but this newest release is by far my favourite work by her. I’m not skipping any songs, it sounds so complete with the songs transitioning beautifully between each other, and I also think her vocal work has great clarity. I was surprised I liked this as much as I did.
Top three tracks:
- we can’t be friends (wait for your love)
- i wish i hated you
- supernatural
16: Hot City - Bonnie McKee
Genre: Pop, Dance
Strangely, I recall listening to Bonnie’s first album Trouble when it came out in 2004, and really liked the alternative pop-rock sound coupled with the interesting diary-like lyrics. But since then, she’s worked as a songwriter for other artists, notably Katy Perry during the peak of her success. As such, when releasing her second album twenty years later, it sounds a lot more pop, with Bonnie herself describing it as having an “eighties-Miami expensive prostitute vibe”. It probably shouldn’t rank as highly as it is, but I just really love how fun the album is, and recommend it if you too are longing for loud boppy pop songs of the early 2010s.
Top three tracks:
- Forever 21
- Snatched
- Sleepwalker
15: Bewitched (The Goddess Edition) - Laufey
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Cheating a bit here as Bewitched was released last year, but in my defence: I really do enjoy the new bonus tracks added, and I totally missed this album when it came out! I’m not usually a fan of albums almost entirely comprising of ballads, but I love the old classic vibe of the project, with her vocals and the music meshing together beautifully often creating a dreamy soundscape, with the interesting addition of more modern lyrics.
Top three tracks:
- Goddess
- Bored
- Second Best
14: Short n’ Sweet - Sabrina Carpenter
Genre: Pop
I’ve been listening to Sabrina’s work since her first album many years ago, and was happy to see she finally broke through into the mainstream last year! I think this album does a great job at showcasing the witty and journalistic lyrics like in her past work like Emails I Can’t Send, as well as bringing catchy bops like Almost Love and Looking At Me, found in both acts of her Singular albums. This really is a perfect encapsulation of her work.
Top three tracks:
- Espresso
- Coincidence
- Bed Chem
13: I Am Rachel Platten - Rachel Platten
Genre: Adult Contemporary, Pop
I enjoyed Rachel’s last album Waves, and although it sounds quite different, taking on a more traditional pop ballad approach with aspects of adult contemporary light rock and hints of gospel, I liked this album much more than I thought I would, considering how the musical side of it is relatively standard. I think it’s because the lyrics and vocal performance really draw me in, which is often sad and full of emotion, but also with the feeling of hope.
Top three tracks:
- I Know
- The River
- Bad Thoughts
12: What A Devastating Turn of Events - Rachel Chinouriri
Genre: Alternative, Rock, Pop
I gave this a listen following lots of positive buzz after its release, and I can see why. This eclectic mix of Brit Pop and indie rock with some synths thrown in creates an interesting backdrop to Rachel’s wonderful voice and lyrics which range from the emotional to the hilarious.
Top three tracks:
- Robbed
- My Everything
- The Hills
11: All Born Screaming - St. Vincent
Genre: Alternative, Rock
I’ve long been a fan of St. Vincent, but find her work a bit hit-or-miss. Some songs I absolutely love, and others I never listen to again. After finding her Masseduction to be her best work to date, and then not enjoying most of the follow-up Daddy’s Home, I was unsure how this new album would go. However, it’s now my new favourite of hers, with it sounding like the most solid and complete effort yet, with the music ranging from the angelic divine to the brash and violent, coupled with introspective lyrics and layers of emotion.
Top three tracks:
- Broken Man
- Reckless
- All Born Screaming
10: What Happened To The Heart? - AURORA
Genre: Electronic, Pop, Alternative
I think this is a great progression of AURORA’s music, having also enjoyed her previous album The Gods We Can Touch, with keeping her existing style with synths, with more careful use of instruments exactly where they’re needed to create dramatic build ups or poignant moments, and the addition of more poppier electronic dance music, which pair beautifully with her dreamy light vocals.
All together, there is this wonderful other worldly atmosphere created which carried me away, loving the slower more ballad-like songs and those more upbeat. Despite the wide range of genres touched on across the record, and differences in mood too with songs ebbing between light and dark, it still transitions between songs seamlessly and is perfect to listen to in one sitting.
Top three tracks:
- My Name
- Starvation
- A Soul With No King
09: ghosts in the background - Abi Carter
Genre: Alternative, Rock
Having not heard of Abi before, I found this one day scrolling through the Popheads subreddit again and decided to give it a go. I enjoyed the whole album straight away, liking the interesting lyrics, the emotional vocals and the dark atmospheric feel of the music - it’s a mix of quieter light rock, which can almost get dreamy at times, and louder more dramatic moments that drive home the emotion.
Although it’s a relatively short album, I find it quite captivating, and can easily listen to it all in one go. I was surprised by how much I like this album, because I don’t think it’s doing anything groundbreaking, but I think it does what it set out to do very well.
Top three tracks:
- i wish i was a farmer
- maybe i loved you
- some people need drugs
08: AFTERCARE - Nessa Barrett
Genre: Pop
Another album found via Popheads, I wasn’t initially loving this album, and even when I re-listen to it, I always find myself wondering why this album is ranked as highly as it is on my draft list - the first half isn’t bad or anything, but I don’t find it to be spectacular either.
However, just as I start to reassess the album’s placement, the second half hits and I find myself engrossed, knowing why I love this album. It has this dark pop, almost early Lana Del Rey style about it, with an electronic edge, and when it gets going, I struggle to place this album lower in the rankings as it becomes so immersive and carries me away. A really pleasant unexpected find.
Top three tracks:
- EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
- MUSTANG BABY
- DIRTY LITTLE SECRET
07: Willson - Ashe
Genre: Alternative, Folk, Pop
I’ve been following Ashe for many years now, and I think she is getting better with each release. This is a beautifully emotive and journalistic album with ballads and punchier tracks, covering a range of topics filled with heart and pain in her distinct style that’s been developing over her career.
I had high expectations going into listening this for the first time, but they were met, and loved it straight away. I’ve since found it hard to again choose just three songs to highlight as I don’t skip any songs when I play it, I think the whole project is just brilliant and would have been ranked higher if not for such a strong year of releases elsewhere.
Top three tracks:
- Please don’t fall in love with me
- Dear Stranger,
- Pull The Plug
06: Young-Girl Forever - Sofie Royer
Genre: Pop, Alternative
I’m not sure how I came across this album, as I had not heard of Sofie Royer before, but I’m glad I somehow did. With its mix of French, German and English, and synth-pop which reminded of vaporware at times as music from another era, I was initially a bit unsure what I was going to get on with this record.
However, as the album progressed and reached possibly my favourite song of the year in I Forget (I’m So Young), it steadily rose up my AOTY list until it reached sixth by the last song, where it stayed for the rest of the year. I really recommend it for those who may not usually be interested in pop music, as it has such a different take on the genre and I find it so interesting to listen to.
Top three tracks:
- I Forget (I’m So Young)
- Lights out baby, entropy!
- Sage Comme Une Image
05: Memoir of a Sparklemuffin - Suki Waterhouse
Genre: Alternative, Rock, Pop
I liked a few songs off Suki’s last album, I Can’t Let Go, but I feel this new album is a significant step up. Taking my time to get around to listening to this, I was then surprised to find it was so much better: more immersive with the distorted rock sound, more interesting with the lyrics, and I became more carried away with the emotion in her beautiful voice.
It’s wide ranging with touching ballads, lighter Brit Pop efforts, and grungier epics. It’s a great record to listen to from start to end with no skips, and that’s made it difficult to pick my top three tracks because so many were contenders.
The album also has quite a few ear worms. I’ve often found my mind replaying various songs stuck in my head, and that’s one of the reasons this album is so high up on my list, I keep coming back to it time and time again.
Top three tracks:
- Big Love
- Supersad
- To Love
04: Imaginal Disk - Magdalena Bay
Genre: Pop, Electronic
Having listened to Magdalena Bay’s first album once and never returning to it, I wasn’t particularly awaiting their second album. However, after seeing it lauded across the internet, I gave it a go, and while not immediately gripped, it grew on me as the album went on, before then steadily rising up my AOTY list following repeated listens and catchy earworms getting caught in my head.
I love creating playlists picking out my favourite songs from albums to listen to, but this is one of those albums where it feels like it’s meant to be listened to in one sitting, and with how the songs easily transition between each other, I’ve often not noticed when a song has ended and another begun if I’m not paying enough attention. It’s just such a wonderful listening experience.
Along with the lovely light and emotive vocals, I love how varied the music is on the album - there are so many genres covered and different instruments used, it just feels so interesting and enjoyable to listen to, as it can sound at times like found media from the past and also like something from the future, somewhat similar to Young-Girl Forever in that respect.
Top three tracks:
- Vampire in the Corner
- Watching T.V.
- Cry for Me
03: brat and it’s completely different but also still brat - Charli XCX
Genre: Electronic, Dance, Pop
Another popular choice landing on many end of year lists, I was eagerly anticipating this album as I loved Von Dutch and B2b as the singles leading up to brat’s release. It took me a few plays to fully get into it, but I ended up playing something from brat daily - so much so Charlie XCX ended up as my most played artist of the year, much to my surprise.
I initially had brat a few spots back in the list, but with the release of the accompanying remix album, and this creating a mega 35 track album on my music streaming provider of choice, I decided to also consider this as one whole album, and with the remixed additions of songs like Sympathy is a knife, I might say something stupid, So I, Guess, and I think about it all the time, it landed up third.
Aside from the fantastic reimagining the remixes provide, I mostly just love how fun the album sounds: it’s loud and unapologetic at times, but also peppered with moments of vulnerability and introspection. Lyrically, I feel a level of escapism at times I also get from last year’s top album STARFUCKER by Slayyyter, and musically there are some similarities too. Both feature aspects of hyperpop and more mainstream pop, and while I struggled with most hyperpop in the past, I found myself really enjoying all aspects of this project.
Top three tracks:
- 365
- B2b
- Everything is romantic
02: Orquídeas Parte 2 - Kali Uchis
Genre: R&B, Pop
I had not listened to Kali Uchis before this album, but heard some hype around it shortly after being released, so decided to give it a go. I was immediately drawn in by how deep, lush and immersive the music is, with the tracks seamlessly transitioning into each other, making it feel like an audio experience intended to be listened to as a whole. Her silky gorgeous vocals are backed up by a dreamy musical landscape, beautifully swaying between pop of the modern and more traditional, it’s an album I keep returning to and playing from start to finish.
Like with Young-Girl Forever, I was in two minds about including non-English albums on the list, and the vast majority of this album is in Spanish. However, I find this to be such an impressive piece of work and I think it has just enough English to justify its place on the list as something to recommend even if someone does not usually listen to non-English music.
Top three tracks:
- ¿Cómo Así?
- Te Mata
- Dame Beso // Muévete
01: HIT ME HARD AND SOFT - Billie Eilish
Genre: Pop, Electronic
Released with no singles ahead of time, I listened to this the day it came out with no expectations, as I liked most of Billie’s first album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, but only a couple from her second album Happier Than Ever. However, I was instantly captivated and enjoyed every moment of this album, on repeat for most of the year. WILDFLOWER in particular stood out and is a contender for my favourite song of year.
Like with Orquídeas Parte 2, the songs here blend into each other creating a complete record where there are no skips but it also has stand out songs. I adore the soundscape of the album with the quiet sensitive moments and others filled with dramatic instrumentation, her beautiful vocals, and journalistic lyricism.
I know this album is a clichéd choice as this is on many people’s AOTY lists, but it has stayed atop of my AOTY list since it came out in mid-May with no other release able to dislodge it. I absolutely love it and was just simply blown away by it.
Top three tracks:
- CHIHIRO
- WILDFLOWER
- BLUE
Full List
- HIT ME HARD AND SOFT - Billie Eilish
- Orquídeas Parte 2 - Kali Uchis
- brat and it’s completely different but also still brat - Charli XCX
- Imaginal Disk - Magdalena Bay
- Memoir of a Sparklemuffin - Suki Waterhouse
- Young-Girl Forever - Sofie Royer
- Willson - Ashe
- AFTERCARE - Nessa Barrett
- ghosts in the background - Abi Carter
- What Happened To The Heart? - AURORA
- All Born Screaming - St. Vincent
- What A Devastating Turn of Events - Rachel Chinouriri
- I Am Rachel Platten - Rachel Platten
- Short n’ Sweet - Sabrina Carpenter
- Bewitched (The Goddess Edition) - Laufey
- Hot City - Bonnie McKee
- eternal sunshine - Ariana Grande
- empathogen - WILLOW
- Motherland - Lia Kuri
- Mountain Music - Nina Nesbitt
- Vertigo - Griff
- The Jester - Wallice
- Deeper Well - Kacey Musgraves
- Nonetheless - Pet Shop Boys
- The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology - Taylor Swift
- The Lost Ones - Florrie
- liminal space - mxmtoon
- CRASH - Kehlani
- AAA - FLO
- This Is How Tomorrow Moves - beabadoobee
- Older (and Wiser) - Lizzy McAlpine
- The Great Impersonator - Halsey
- From Zero - Linkin Park
- The Glorification of Sadness - Paloma Faith
- Dreamstate - Kelly Lee Owens
- Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain - Raveena
- Radical Optimism - Dua Lipa
- Tension II - Kylie Minogue
- Big Ideas - Remi Wolf
- I Hear You - Peggy Gou
- amy allen - Amy Allen
- Glorious - Kate Hudson
- TYLA + - Tyla
- Bouquet - Gwen Stefani
- Encino - Pixie Lott
- Negative Spaces - Poppy
- What an Enormous Room - TORRES
- TRUE MAGIC - salute
- My Method Actor - Nilüfer Yanya
- Girl With No Face - Allie X
Tags: Music