The best albums of 2024
The top 3 according to 242 votes from people: Brat — Charli XCX · Romance — Fontaines D.C. · Absolute Elsewhere — Blood Incantation. (Updated May 2, 2025.)
Metacritic's best-reviewed albums of 2024, led by Charli XCX's Brat, which also topped the aggregate of more than 100 critics' year-end lists.
Top 20
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1
Brat — Charli XCX
Rave-pop produced with A. G. Cook; Metascore 95, number one in 22 critics' lists and the 'brat summer' phenomenon.
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2
Romance — Fontaines D.C.
The Dublin band's fourth album and a leap towards the mainstream.
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3
Absolute Elsewhere — Blood Incantation
Death metal meets 1970s prog in two long suites; Metascore 92.
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4
Songs of a Lost World — The Cure
Their first album since 2008, slow and mournful; Metascore 93.
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5
Here in the Pitch — Jessica Pratt
Hazy 1960s-style folk; the best-reviewed album of her career (90).
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6
Cowboy Carter — Beyoncé
Americana and country with Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson; Grammy for Album of the Year.
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7
Hit Me Hard and Soft — Billie Eilish
Her third album, with 'Birds of a Feather' and 'Lunch'; Metascore 89.
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8
Funeral for Justice — Mdou Moctar
Tuareg desert rock with political anger from Niger; Metascore 90.
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9
All Hell — Los Campesinos!
Their first album in seven years, self-produced; Metascore 90.
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10
This Could Be Texas — English Teacher
The Leeds band's debut, winner of the Mercury Prize.
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11
Patterns in Repeat — Laura Marling
Songs about motherhood and family written after the birth of her daughter; Metascore 91.
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12
Wild God — Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
An unusually joyful, optimistic Nick Cave; Metascore 89.
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13
Orquídeas — Kali Uchis
Latin pop sung in Spanish; Metascore 88.
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14
Tigers Blood — Waxahatchee
Katie Crutchfield's Americana with MJ Lenderman on guitar; Metascore 89.
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15
Manning Fireworks — MJ Lenderman
Sardonic indie-country from the Wednesday guitarist; Metascore 88.
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16
Lives Outgrown — Beth Gibbons
The Portishead singer's first solo album, ten years in the making; Metascore 88.
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17
Nobody Loves You More — Kim Deal
The first-ever solo album from the Pixies and Breeders icon; Metascore 89.
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18
Night Reign — Arooj Aftab
Jazz and ghazals in English and Urdu; Metascore 89.
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19
All Born Screaming — St. Vincent
Annie Clark's first self-produced album; Metascore 89.
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20
Only God Was Above Us — Vampire Weekend
A New York record of grit and orchestration; Metascore 88.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 20… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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21
I Got Heaven — Mannequin Pussy
Punk rage and tenderness from Philadelphia; Metascore 89.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (2)
Brat still holds up two years later. Still my album of that year.
Brat summer was real. #1 is correct 💚