2024 was the year Dadrock went pop. Much to the horror of my children, who never had a Taylor Swift phase or anything like that, I found myself listening to the latest pop earworms like they were anthems penned by the voices of their generation. This is confirmed by the Spotify algorithm, which suddenly was serving me playlists with the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Dua Lipa. Even writing that sentence makes me feel like a skeezy old man.
Speaking of the algorithm, it’s funny how we diligently opt out of the strictly unnecessary cookies, unsubscribe from the unsubscribable and make every other attempt to live off the digital grid, but when it comes to Spotify Wrapped, we’re like HERES MY SOCIAL, BANK ACCOUNT AND ROUTING NUMBER. I will make the case that I am the most Spotify-pilled data whore you know. For one thing, last year my Spotify Wrapped was topped by the Rolling Stones, Beatles and Springsteen. I found this to be abhorrent and unacceptable. For the love of god, I spend a majority of my listening time checking out new bands and the latest releases – how the fuck did I wind up with the Stones on the top of my listens?! So I did what any deranged Spotify Wrapped data would do – I deleted the Stones, Bruce and the Beatles from my most listened to playlists. That’ll show them…
Also, when I listen to an album on vinyl I also play it on Spotify, not to hear it from both sources, but to get the spins entered into the “Permanent Record.” Who does this? Me. I’m the problem. It’s me.
Well I’m happy to report that this year’s Wrapped reflected my listening more accurately. My top 5 artists were Vampire Weekend, The Avett Brothers, R.E.M., Grateful Dead, and Beyoncé. Mission accomplished. And yeah, that’s not a misprint – I spent 122,755 minutes of the year listening to Spotify. About 85 full days worth of listening. Humblebrag?
Let’s move on. 2024 was an excellent year for new music. Here are the lists of my favorite albums and songs. Hold onto your wigs and keys.
Albums
- Vampire Weekend, Only God Was Above Us
- Beyonce, Cowboy Carter
- MJ Lenderman, Manning Fireworks
- Jamie xx, In Waves
- Kendrick Lamar, GNX
- Jack White, No Name
- Fred again…, ten days/USB
- Billie Eilish, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT
- Norah Jones, Visions
- St Vincent, All Born Screaming
- Remi Wolf, Big Ideas
- Waxahatchee, Tigers Blood
- Brittany Howard, What Now
- Adrianne Lenker, Bright Future
- Charli xcx, BRAT
- Marcus King, Mood Swings
- The Smile, Wall Of Eyes/Cutouts
- Sleater-Kinney, Little Rope
- Helado Negro, Phasor
- Hurray For The Riff Raff, The Past Is Still Alive
- Tyler, The Creator, CHROMAKOPIA
- Mannequin Pussy, I Got Heaven
- Amyl and the Sniffers, Cartoon Darkness
- Faye Webster, Underdressed at the Symphony
- Nathaniel Ratliff & The Night Sweats, South of Here
- Kacey Musgraves, Deeper Well
- Leon Bridges, Leon
- IDLES, TANGK
- Floating Points, Cascade
- Kaytranada, Timeless
Songs (*Limit One Track Per Artist)
- Kendrick Lamar, Not Like Us
- Beyoncé, Texas Hold ‘Em
- Waxahatchee + MJ Lenderman, Right Back To It
- Vampire Weekend, Classical
- Hozier, Too Sweet
- Billie Eilish, Birds of a Feather
- Remi Wolf – Toro
- Helado Negro, Best For You and Me
- Jungle, Let’s Go Back
- Marcus King, Fuck My Life Up Again
- MJ Lenderman, Wristwatch
- Iron & Wine w/Fiona Apple, All In Good Time
- Leon Bridges, Laredo
- Father John Misty, I Guess Time Makes Fools of Us All
- Jamie xx, Honey Dijon, Baddy On The Floor
- Adrianne Lenker, Ruined
- Sabrina Carpenter, Espresso
- Fred again…, adore u
- Jack White – That’s How I’m Feeling
- Norah Jones, Running
- Hurray For The Riff Raff – Alibi
- Sleater-Kinney, Say It Like You Mean It
- Tyler, The Creator, Noid
- Eminem, Houdini
- Nathaniel Ratliff & The Nightsweats, Heartless
- Tierra Whack, SHOWER SONG
- Brittany Howard, Prove It To You
- IDLES + LCD Soundsystem, Dancer
- Faye Webster, Thinking About You
- Childish Gambino, Lithonia
- Michael Kiwanuka, Floating Parade
- Pearl Jam, Wreckage
- Charli xcx + Lorde, Girl, So Confusing
- Mannequin Pussy, I Don’t Know You
- Amyl and The Sniffers, Jerkin’
- Beth Gibbons, Floating On A Moment
- The Smile, Zero Sum
- Fontaines D.C., Starburster
- Dua Lipa, Houdini
- Johnny Blue Skies/Sturgill Simpson, Mint Tea
- Yard Act – We Make Hits
- James Blake, Thrown Around
- The Avett Brothers, Cheap Coffee
- Chappell Roan, Good Luck, Babe!
- Medium Build, Crying Over U
- Slimdan, Nosebleeds
- English Teacher, The World’s Biggest Paving Slab
- Mk.gee, ROCKMAN
- MGMT, Nothing To Declare
- Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Empty Trainload Of Sky
Link to THIS IS 2024: my top 50 songs on Spotify
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