The end of year is coming close real soon and besides reading a lot of books, I also listen to a lot of music. So today, I’ll put a spotlight on the music I listened to in 2024. What are my favourite albums? Songs I listened too and maybe rediscovered? Albums I anticipated but left me disappointed? I’ll be discussing them all in this blog post! I prefer honesty over solely positivity, so I’ll be brutally honest here. Here’s my 2024 in music in no particular order! Beware, long post!

Green Day – Saviors

This was one of the first albums of the year and also one of the first ones I’ve listened to in full. I had high hopes and really like the first quarter of the album, but the later songs are a bit dull for my taste. Unfortunately, I left it at one listen, but I think this album will work well life.

• Favourite song(s): Dilemma

The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy

I have been anticipating this album for months before it’s release since I immediately liked Nothing Matters when it came out. And this definitely lives up to the anticipation. It’s fresh and something different, which is nice for a change.

• Favourite song(s): Nothing Matters, My lady of Mercy, Beautiful Boy, Sinner

Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology

This drop was insane! After the announcement, we had to wait a few months for the album, and we got teased with different versions beforehand. I made the mistake to pre-order Midnights back in 2022 before the 3AM edition came out, so I decided not to pre-order the album this time. And what a relief I didn’t do this, because we got an entire double album as a surprise drop! This is easily one of my favourite albums of the year.

• Favourite song(s): Down Bad, Florida!!! (feat. Florence + The Machine), Fresh Out the Slammer, Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?, I Can Do It With a Broken Heart, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, The Black Dog, How Did It End?, thank you aIMee, Cassandra

Jayh – Volgende Stap

A single for a change, a Dutch one which has been out for years now. The reason however is sad. In May, I got the news that one of my best friends from high school passed away. We’ve fell out of touch for the last 13 or 14 years, life happened. But I still was shocked and really wanted to go to the funeral. They were a huge fan of this Dutch-Caribbean (do I say this right?) artist and this song was played at the service. I actually liked this song, even though I never heard it before. For this reason, I played it this much that it made it into my Spotify Wrapped for this year.

Shakira ft. Ozuna – Monotonía

I went on holidays to the Canary Islands back in March, so I had to hold on to that vibe a little longer.

KAROL G ft. Shakira – TQG

Well, this has been played a lot for the same reason, I had to hold on to that summer vibe a little longer after returning to rainy, grey Holland.

Sabrina Carpenter – Short N’ Sweet

If you haven’t heard of Sabrina Carpenter, you definitely have lived under a rock this year. I checked out her latest album and it’s okay. It’s definitely not in my top of the year, but it’s impossible to ignore. I have to listen to it more, I guess.

• Favourite song(s): Please, Please, Please, Espresso

Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

Another artist you couldn’t have missed in 2024. Although I really don’t agree with some of her actions in summer, the album is still nice. Some songs were played by Spotify after finishing another album and they were really enjoyable.

• Favourite Song(s): Red Wine Supernova, Guilty Pleasure, Pink Pony Club

Linkin Park – From Zero

Probably the most surprising comeback of the year, I definitely never expected it. After I heard The Emptiness Machine, I was anticipating their entire album, and they delivered! Another one of my favourite albums of the year.

• Favourite song(s): The Emptiness Machine, Heavy Is the Crown, Two Faced, Good Things Go

Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike – Thank You (Not So Bad)

Okay there are a lot more contributors to this tune, which is a remix of Dido’s 2001 hit Thank You which was the fundament of the classic Stan by Eminem. I’m usually not into remixes, but this one is an absolute banger! Especially when working out or doing household chores.

La Fuente – Ratata

Another workout banger!

Farruko ft. Sean Paul – Passion Whine

An accidental discovery and it’s such a tune!

Kevin Lyttle – Turn Me On

A golden oldie, but I rediscovered this one. One of my friends was playing a reggaeton playlist and this track started playing. I absolutely digged this one back in year 6 or 7! Now I understand the lyrics and I am actually amazed by what the hell I was singing along to at just 11 or 12 years old LOL. This doesn’t take away the fact that this is such a banger.

KAROL G – Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido

This is such a summer vibe!

Sir Speedy ft. Lumidee – Sientelo

Another rediscovery, I digged this one back in high school. Yeah, reggaeton was one of my go-to genres back then. I strayed away from it, more to indie and alternative rock, but I still enjoy this kind of music.  I found this one either in that friends’ playlist as well or in another top list somewhere on the radio.

Nightwish – Yesterwynde

Another album I was highly anticipating and also delivers! It’s unfortunate that the band won’t be touring with this one, but it nevertheless is a masterpiece. I’m not a fan of the orchestral versions at the end, so they are a skip for me but that’s personal preference. Another 2024 favourite!

• Favourite song(s): The Children of ‘Ata, Something Whispered Follow Me, Spider Silk, Hiraeth

Delta Goodrem – Mistaken Identity

Even though Delta Goodrem released a new song in 2024, it’s something totally different from this album that celebrated its 20^th year anniversary this year. Gosh I feel old now! I just can’t wait to hear this album live and in full in London coming May, so I therefore had to put it in this post. This is probably the heaviest album in this list, but so worth it.

• Favourite song(s): Out of the Blue, Mistaken Identity, Almost Here (let’s collectively forget Brian McFadden, shall we?), Last Night on Earth, Electric Storm, Fragile

The Veronicas – Gothic Summer

I’ve been anticipating this album as well, because they have gone independent now and I wasn’t the biggest fan of their latest album, Human. In fact, I hardly listened to it because I can’t resonate with any of the songs. I therefore was hoping Gothic Summer would relive my fan days of the The Secret Life Of… and Hook Me Up era. I have to admit that this album unfortunately didn’t live up to my anticipations and expectations for multiple reasons. It’s too short for an album in my opinion. For reference, my commute home from the train station is 15 minutes by tram and I was able to listen to the entire album on this journey. I therefore was bored with it quickly which is such a pity. It only consists of 8 songs, and I have the feeling that the album lacks consistency which might be the main reason why it just doesn’t click with me. There are some bangers on it though!

• Favourite Song(s): Perfect, Ribcage, Invisible

My 2024 favourites are:

• The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology by Taylor Swift
• From Zero by Linkin Park
• Yesterwynde by Nightwish

What are your favourite albums and songs of 2024?