2024 is coming to an end, and this year, we received an incredible number of major music releases. Big artists such as Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and Billie Eilish released highly anticipated albums, while artists such as Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter were launched into stardom. From pop to rap to country, a wide variety of music ruled the charts.

While a lot of music was released in 2024, several albums emerged as true feats of artistry. For this article, any album released from January 1 to November 30, 2024, is a contender. These are the top 10 albums of 2024.

10- The Great Impersonator by Halsey

Halsey’s long-awaited fifth studio album, The Great Impersonator, is the most raw and open the singer has ever been. Born from her struggles with lupus, leukemia, and postpartum depression, on The Great Impersonator Halsey laments about feeling like an impersonation of herself. It’s an interesting concept for an album, one that Halsey executes incredibly well.

Every track is a sorrowful depiction of her life that incorporates the musical style of the many artists who have inspired her. “Dog Years” is the vitriol of a woman scorned. “I Believe in Magic” is the depressing story of a mother afraid of leaving her son too soon. The Great Impersonator is a deeply personal project, and it has the lyricism and instrumentation to back it up. It’s Halsey’s best work yet, and it is one of the best albums of the year. Stand-out tracks include “Dog Years”, “Lonely is the Muse”, and “Only Living Girl in LA”.

9- Negative Spaces by Poppy

Negative Spaces is an invigorating mix of metal, electronic, pop, and alt-rock that is uniquely Poppy. While Poppy may have grown to fame for her bubblegum pop, Negative Spaces proves she’s also a master at the heavy instrumentation and shrieking vocals of metal. The lyrical content is also uniquely Poppy. Themes of self-hatred and digital-age apathy are the main focus of the album.

Negative Spaces is Poppy’s most authentically metal project since she started to experiment with the genre on her 2018 album Am I a Girl? But, she explodes past the barriers of metal music as the album is infused with many different genres. It’s not just a metal album; it’s a perfect mix of all the music that’s brought Poppy to this point. With help from former Bring Me the Horizon producer Jordan Fish, Negative Spaces honors its metal roots while still crafting a sound that is completely Poppy. Stand-out tracks include “Have You Had Enough?”, “Crystalized”, and “Negative Spaces”.

8- Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter

2024 was a huge year for Sabrina Carpenter, culminating in her sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet. It’s a perfect bite of bright, high-energy pop. Each track is equal parts viral hit and sophisticated musical production. It’s a fun break from the more dark-themed albums that dominated pop music in the past year.

Short n’ Sweet moves past the realms of regular synth-pop by incorporating elements of country, R&B, disco, and rock. It shows that Carpenter is ready to move past her old music and dive into a new sound. The lyrical content of the album is cheeky as it takes us through different stages of the singer’s love life. Focusing on themes of love, Short n’ Sweet masterfully tackles all the different stages of a relationship, from the get-together to the break-up. Stand-out tracks include “Taste”, “Good Graces”, and “Espresso”.

7- What Now by Brittany Howard

Brittany Howard transcends all of her past work on her second solo album What Now. It is a refreshing mix of alternative and folk music, delving further into the funk-rock style Howard created on her last album and as part of Alabama Shakes. What Now is the work of a woman who knows who she is- and has the artistic ability to express it.

Howard shows off her prowess as a singer, songwriter, and producer on What Now. The transitions between each track make it an incredible listening experience; it’s truly psychedelic. No other album in 2024 achieves the same breezy, effortless feeling. It’s an album that you can listen to year-round. What Now is simplistic in how it immerses you in its little universe of quiet opulence Stand-out tracks include “What Now”, “Red Flags”, and “Prove It To You”.

6- HIT ME HARD AND SOFT by Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish’s best work yet, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT will hit you hard and soft with its sound and lyrics. The album boomerangs between energetic pop hits and powerful ballads. This is the most advanced Eilish’s songwriting has ever been. The lyrical content of the album is fairly heavy, and it’s the most introspective the singer’s been yet. Songs such as “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” show that Eilish can create a hit even out of the most depressing material.

Eilish’s co-writer and producer Finneas worked magic on this album. The production on every track is superb; the bridge on “BITTERSUITE” needs to be injected into my veins. Eilish has taken her signature bedroom-pop sound and made it bigger and better than it’s ever been before. It’s the sound of an artist who loves their work, and you can hear it through every lyric, every high-note, every beat. Stand-out tracks include “LUNCH”, “THE DINER”, and “BITTERSUITE”.

5- Brat by Charli xcx

Charli xcx ruled 2024 with Brat. The album is pure electropop brilliance. Charli has always been a master of the rave-girl aesthetic, but she takes it to the next level on Brat. It’s an eclectic mix of songs that are deeply personal but still club hits. It’s a balance that many artists can’t pull off, but on Brat it seems effortless. It strikes a perfect balance between party bangers and songs that will have you in tears.

Charli xcx has always been a good songwriter, something that’s often overlooked due to her music’s brash style. On Brat you have no choice but to face the artistry put into this album. Even with its hyperpop sound, the lyrics shine through as the most vulnerable the singer has ever been. Brat covers a wide range of complicated personal crises, from having children to obsessing over the work of more successful women. With Brat, Charli xcx created more than music, she created a movement. Stand-out tracks include “Sympathy is a knife”, “Von dutch”, and “Girl, so confusing”.

4- Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii

Alligator Bites Never Heal represents a triumphant Doechii standing over a music industry that continues to hold down female rappers. She addresses all of the issues that delayed her debut album; bad labels, drugs, hip-hop traditionalism, and more. It’s brilliant work. Alligator Bites propels Doechii to the top of the rap game as every track as every track demonstrates her versatility as a rapper and lyricist.

Taking inspiration from her Florida roots, Alligator Bites is the rapper’s comeback from what she calls a death roll. Emerging from years of personal and professional issues, the album is 19 tracks of pure talent. Doechii is clear and confident, and her flow and rhythm will leave you speechless. The album represents strength and perseverance and as Doechii states, “This mixtape is my fight back. I am nobody’s prey; I was born to be the predator.” Stand-out tracks include “DENIAL IS A RIVER”, “BOOM BAP”, and “NISSAN ALTIMA”.

3- COWBOY CARTER by Beyonce

On COWBOY CARTER, Beyonce honors the black artists (and black history) that have brought her to this point. While the album stems from the singer’s Texas roots, it goes far past the genre of country. COWBOY CARTER is a perfect blend of classic Americana styles; from R&B to folk to soul to rock to bluegrass, this album has it all. The record is enriched with the sounds from many different ages of music, and it all serves as a tribute to the music styles pioneered by the black community.

Taking inspiration from many Western films, COWBOY CARTER is more of an epic than just an album. The lyrical content of the album is jam-packed with interesting themes. All of it serves as an exploration of the past of Beyonce and her family. This album cements Beyonce’s legacy as a fantastic artist who continues to break the mold of music genres. Stand-out tracks include “AMERIICAN REQUIEM”, “BODYGUARD”, and “YA YA”.

2- Chromakopia by Tyler, The Creator

Chromakopia is Tyler, The Creator’s strongest work to date. Not only is the instrumentation and production fun and exciting but his lyricism is the best it’s ever been. After waiting three years, Tyler’s eighth album was long awaited, and he did not disappoint. Chromakopia jumps from fast-beat rap hits to alternative hip-hop slow jams. The album’s track order doesn’t suffer from this; on the contrary, it benefits from such an eclectic mix of music. It proves that Tyler’s musical talent has grown sharper and more polished while still maintaining the energy and personality that made him famous.

Chromakopia covers a lot of mature topics that we aren’t used to hearing from Tyler. On the song “Hey Jane” he goes through the emotions of possibly becoming a father. On “I Killed You” he describes destroying his natural hair to appease racist beauty standards. Tracks like this don’t get lost among the hits of the album. The features of the album only add to the fun. Chromakopia is an entertaining album that shows Tyler, The Creator can evolve while still hitting all of his old marks. Stand-out tracks include “Sticky”, “Thought I Was Dead”, and “Like Him”.

1- GNX by Kendrick Lamar

Possibly the most anticipated drop of the year, Kendrick Lamar did not disappoint with GNX. The album is a true love letter to the West Coast. Across 12 tracks of hip-hop brilliance, Lamar proves he’s one of the best rappers of the 2000s. He makes excellent use of his collaborators, as artists such as SZA, Dody6, and Lefty Gunplay blend effortlessly into their respective tracks. Whether he’s embracing old-school West Coast hip-hop or exploring the newer side of the genre, Lamar makes it seem effortless.

The use of producers Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, and Mustard shows how Lamar’s sound has evolved since he was first signed. GNX switches between pure rap and R&B influences, further demonstrating Lamar’s extensive skills. The lyricism meets the Kendrick Lamar standard. GNX goes far beyond a diss album. Lamar confronts his family history, the world’s attitude towards black women, and overcoming hate while still maintaining his artistic integrity. No matter what time of the year Lamar releases, it’s clear he had the best album of the year. Stand-out tracks include “wacced out murals”, “squabble up”, “hey now”, and “tv off”.