When it comes to picking a top ten, how do you work out the list? I think I have spent too much time trying to work this out for a simple top ten albums list. Do I pick the ones I rated the highest on my first listen (I do rate every album I listen to on AOTY and I have a spreadsheet) or do I go to my last.fm stats and find out what were my most listened to albums? I have decided it needed to be a merger of the two but also which albums I still think about. My most listened to album according to last.fm is on this list but I don’t think I have played it in full for a long time. I was really into that album at the beginning of the year and while I still enjoy it, I may have overplayed it.

10. Even in Arcadia by Sleep Token

I am a Sleep Token fan; I got into them a few years ago with Take Me Back to Eden and then went back and listened to their previous albums. It’s interesting to see the online discourse around this anonymous band; they get so much love or so much hate, and there never seems to be much middle ground. Because the band chooses to be anonymous, you also get some horrible doxing from fans trying to find out their identities. The song Caramel was written about the toxic fans and yet some people do not get the message and continue to invade their privacy. What I love about Sleep Token is the blending of genres, you get elements of pop, R&B, and more, but they remain a metal band (even if people want to argue that fact). They have forged their own style which other bands try to replicate. Sleep Token has so much lore behind them, but Even in Arcadia feels like a more personal album, maybe a good entry point if you have not heard a full album from them. The cheat code is adding saxophone solos into metal songs, that seems to always make me love a song more.

Standouts: Look To Windward, Emergence, Caramel, Even in Arcadia, Provider, Damocles, Gethsemane, Infinite Baths

9. Lotus by Little Simz

I saw a lot of lot of hype around this album and when I checked out this album, I was fully onboard. First off, can we all appreciate a hip hop artist using the word little instead of lil? This album was in response so a mess lawsuit between the artist and a former collaborator. This led to an album of rage, anger and even disappointment. This was such an emotional album. I do not think I can explain Conscious Hip Hop as a genre; I believe it is more focused on social commentary or personal growth, this is what I would call Lotus by Little Simz.

 

Standouts: Thief, Only, Free, Peace, Lotus, Lonely, Blue

8. Tsunami Sea by Spiritbox

Here it is, my most played album, and I love Spiritbox and I was really looking forward to this album after being obsessed with Eternal Blue and their EP, The Fear of Fear. This was heavier and darker than their previous work, but this might just be a reflection of world events. Courtney LaPlante is one of my favourite vocalists at the moment and while I am always impressed by her harsh vocals, I prefer her clean singing, but it is always impressive how easily she switches between the two. The production here is so wonderful and one of the things I love about this band is that they are not afraid to blend genres and try new things to make their sound unique. The music composition here feels so mature and unlike what you would expect from Djent or Metalcore, there are highs and lows and we are taken on a sonic journey through this Tsunami Sea.

Standouts: Perfect Soul, Keep Sweet, Soft Spine, Tsunami Sea, A Haven With Two Faces, Crystal Roses, Ride The Wave, Deep End

7. Let God Sort Em Out by Clipse

It has been fourteen years since the last Clipse album, I believe Pusha T and Malice were focusing on personal projects, but this break might have been the best thing for the two brothers. They came back with something personal and with the maturity needed for a project like this. Produced by Pharrell, this Clipse album is something special and this is coming from someone that is not well-versed in Hip Hop. I did put in more of an effort and found some great 2025 albums, including: From the Private Collection of Saba and No I.D. by Saba and No I.D., God Does Like Ugly by JID and Balloonerism by Mac Miller (if that counts). Let God Sort Em Out seems to be the one that just stuck in my head the most. I think I was just surprised how emotional the album was, and the production seemed to work so well for this album.

Standouts: The Birds Don’t Sing, Chains & Whips, P.O.V., So Be It, All Things Considered, M.T.B.T.T.F., Let God Sort Em Out/Chandeliers

6. Lonely People with Power by Deafheaven

While I like metal, there are some genres that I tend not to listen to; for example, Black Metal, then comes a band like Deafheaven that becomes an exception to the rule. However, technically Deafheaven is a Blackgaze artist, which is a blend of Black Metal and Shoegaze. I have also heard this band labelled as Post-Black Metal and even Dream Pop, so many genres blending into something unique and special. The band is best known for their album Sunbather from 2013, an album I haven’t listened to yet but had such a bright and colourful cover which felt unusual for a Black Metal cover. While I did like the harsh vocals on this album, I think when they add some clean vocals into the songs it adds a more interesting dynamic. Amethyst is the real highlight for me; that guitars in it was so mesmerising, I think that’s when I decided this was a new favourite.

Standouts: Incidental I, The Garden Route, Heathen, Amethyst, Body Behavior, Winona, The Marvelous Orange Tree

5. EUSEXUA by FKA twigs

Before EUSEXUA I knew I liked FKA twigs (Two Weeks might be a perfect song) but I never listened to a full album. It’s hard to explain what I love about this album, there is something sexy, something experimental, something dreamlike and something addictive about it…is this what all of FKA twigs albums are like? There was a little of a Bjork vibe happening at one point (particularly with Room of Fools). I think the glitch/dream pop style has never sounded better, I found myself vibed out so much, I was getting lost in the music. Twigs released a companion album to this called EUSEXUA Afterglow which is also amazing, but it is a different album, a different vibe and style. I recommend both but EUSEXUA is a highlight for me and I find myself listening to it more than Afterglow.

 

Standouts: EUSEXUA, Girl Feels Good, Perfect Stranger, Sticky, Striptease, 24hr Dog, Wanderlust

4. Hit It! by vianova

This might be the most exciting Metalcore album I have heard in a very long time. I find that too many artists in this genre seem to have the same formula or copy the style of some of the biggest artists in Metalcore (like Architects). This new German band are doing things their own way and offering a unique take on the genre; the album starts with auto-tuned vocals, I remember being confused that I picked the wrong album. I had heard a few songs from the band (Whatever Alright and Melanchronic), so I expected something different. When a band plays with expectations or the genre feels so refreshing is why I keep going back to this debut album from vianova.

 

Standouts: Squier Talk, Más Rápido, Wheel of Fortune, Oh No (Believer), Marimba, Melanchronic, Whatever Alright, Uh Yaya, Obsolete

3. Vanisher, Horizon Scraper by Quadeca

I liked Quadeca’s mixtape SCRAPYARD, but did not love; it was enough to make me curious enough to see what an actual album would sound like.I did not expect to enjoy this album as much as I did and it saw Quadeca move more towards an art pop album. Maybe I tend to auto associate Quadeca with Experimental Hip Hop; those elements were still there, but it seems like there is so much more going on. I remember wondering what the difference between a mixtape and a LP was, I don’t have an answer, but I love just how much this felt like a concept album and there was so many interesting production choices happening here. Honestly, I spent too much time focusing on the music, there were times I did not paying attention to the lyrics. There are so many interesting layers, and I find myself in a trance-like experience. I really need to go back and listen to I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You, just because this album was so special. Quadeca is an amazing producer, and I can’t wait to spin this over and over again; this might be Quadeca’s Pet Sounds, or since I am more of a literature nerd, it could be his Moby Dick/Old Man and the Sea.

Standout: NO QUESTIONS ASKED, WAGING WAR, GODSTAINED, MONDAY, DANCING WITHOUT MOVING, I DREAM ABOUT SINKING, NATURAL CAUSES, THE GREAT BAKUNAWA, FORGONE, CASPER

2. Lux by Rosalia

Like everyone else in the world, I was obsessed with Lux, even to the point I will watch video analysis of the songs or learn about the saints that might be referenced in these songs. Rosalia has creating something that is unlike anything else in pop. It is part classical music with the help of the London Symphony Orchestra, it is part avant-garde, there is some Electronic, Pop and Hip-Hop elements in here as well. This is the type of album you have to listen to from start to finish and there was a month there it was on constant repeat. Rosalia does not make the same album twice so this feels like a once in a lifetime experience. I have heard this was an anti-AI album, using 13 different languages and checking with translators to see if the works makes sense; then you have an orchestra and the theological elements, this is an artist showing the world why we need artists, there is no way AI could produce something so elegant and detailed.

I have standouts, but I think just listen to the whole album as a single piece of music.

Standouts: Sexo, Violencia y Llantas, Reliquia, Divinize, Berghain, Dios Es Un Stalker, La Yugular, La Rumba Del Perdón, Magnolias

1. Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You by Ethel Cain

I love Ethel Cain and I still play Preacher’s Daughter often, I remember how impatient I was waiting for this release. I was obsessed with Fuck Me Eyes, it is such a great track, and while I liked Nettles, I was curious to see how this whole album worked together and it really fits the concept. As much as I love this album, it is not as good as Preacher’s Daughter. I do think Ethel Cain did execute her vision; the storytelling, the atmosphere, this was just a fantastic listen. She is a masterful storyteller, and this is a prequel to Preacher’s Daughter, so I do recommend listening to both albums together.  The album starts in 1986, which is 5 years before Preacher’s Daughter and is centred around the character Willoughby from A House in Nebraska. Also released this year was the EP: Perverts, I enjoyed it because it was different and allowed Ethel Cain to explore her drone style, but Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You is the stuff I adore from this artist, and her storytelling both vocally and musically is what keeps me obsessed with these albums.

Standouts: Janie, Fuck Me Eyes, Nettles, Dust Bowl, A Knock At The Door, Tempest, Waco, Texas

I checked my spreadsheet and this year I listened to over 200 albums, and I did find it very difficult to narrow down to just ten albums. The Last Dinner Party, Lorde, Lady Gaga and Lily Allen, all were all in the list at one point but I eventually settled on these picks. If I wanted to go with a more Metal focused list, the weirdness of The Callous Douboys should have been an interesting topic to explore…trying to explain Mathcore would be a challenge. I feel like some honourable mentions are needed. Black Country, New Road has an amazing transformation for the departure of their lead singer and Forever Howlong was an amazing album. Sudan Archives gave us a more danceable offering with BPM, Hayley Williams teased us by releasing all the songs as singles before giving us the album Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party and finally there was the debut album from post rock band Maruja. Pain to Power. 2025 also was the year I finally understood why people like Twenty One Pilots with their album, Model/Actriz with Pirouette and I think the EP ♡ helped me get into Jane Remover.

I was very impressed with the music coming out in 2024 and as someone that is trying to become more polyjamorous (honestly, I just wanted an excuse to use that word) and explore as many different genres of music as possible. I prefer listening to full albums rather than a playlist and there were so many great albums. I have not listened to every album released in 2024 and I can honestly say that while I did listen to around 150 albums, I still have a list of albums I missed ranging around 200. I am positive there were albums I would have really enjoyed, like Diamond Jubilee by Cindy Lee which I keep hearing rave reviews about but not streaming anywhere I consume music. I missed some big albums which I am not too bothered about like Moon Music by Coldplay or I Love You So F***ing Much by Glass Animals. I want to share some of my favourites from the year and please feel free to tell me what you loved. I keep track of all the albums I listen to, with a little review and a ranking over on AOTY but when putting together this list, I also considered just how much I listened to an album. While an album like NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD by Godspeed You! Black Emperor was such a great album, you can probably tell by the title it was not an easy album to keep coming back to. This is not in my top ten albums of the year just because it was far too depressing and while an important subject, Godspeed managed to convey a lot without saying anything, it’s not something I was blasting in my car or through my headphones frequently. Unlike these ten albums

The Crucible of Life by The Home Team

I only discovered The Home Team late into 2024, but this album was so much fun and I loved there blend of pop-punk mixed with funk rock. I don’t know how to explain this band but imagine Maroon 5 from Songs About Jane era doing more of a Fall Out Boy/Panic! at the Disco style of music. There is so much groove in their songs, and it is the kind of music to dance around in the car. I am surprised that this band does not have a bigger audience, if radios knew about this band, they would be playing songs like Turn You Off, Brag, Hell or Loud all the time.

 

Absolute Elsewhere by Blood Incantation

In all honesty, I was originally going to put The New Sound by Geordie Greep in place of this album, it’s a horny, yet creepy album, but there is something about Absolute Elsewhere that kept me returning. I am a big fan of progressive music; I love when an album or song takes me on a sonic journey, and this delivered on that front. I am not someone that listens to death metal normally but there is so many interesting elements happening on this album. While it is probably getting classed as progressive death metal or maybe technical death metal, there are elements of prog rock, space rock, electronica and so much more. There are two songs, both over 20 minutes long (though they are split into three different parts) and it is exploring the idea of battling for the human consciousness. This could be modern metal’s answer to The Dark Side of the Moon.

Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii

I was trying to pick if I liked Tyler, The Creator’s Chromakopia or Kendrick Lamar’s GNX for this list and then there was also an amazing album from JPEGMAFIA. However, there was one hip-hop album (or in this case a mixtape) that I kept going back to and that is Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii. The whole mixtape release often confuses me, but Doechii was stated that there was less pressure when creating a mixtape over an album. Honestly, it’s been a big year for Doechii, this mixtape has had some critical acclaim, it was even nominated for the Grammy award for Best Rap album and if you haven’t seen her Tiny Desk performance, go do that now. What I love about her music is the combination of wit, humour and honesty about her own struggles (with relationships and addiction).

Mahashmashana by Father John Misty

This might be the most recent album on my list, but this was difficult to ignore. In this album Josh Tillman explore the inevitability of life. Father John Misty always felt so open and honest in his music; he reminds me a lot of Sufjan Stevens but even that doesn’t seem to be a far comparison. The album is named after the Sanskrit word Mahāśmaśāna which means “great cremation ground” and Tillman has said that this was “an experiment in seeing what happens when I erase myself from my work”. With songs titles like Josh Tillman and the Accidental Dose, Mental Health, Screamland and I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All, you can hear so much raw honesty in the lyrics.

 

All Born Screaming by St. Vincent

I have not listened to nearly enough St. Vincent in the past, but this might be her best. There is so much experimentation with her sound here; while it is indie pop/rock, there is some folk, prog rock and even industrial elements here. I know St. Vincent was trying to write a personal, self-reflective album but also  tried microdosing on psychedelic drugs during the writing process. The result seems to be something so raw, beautiful but there was some brutality there too. This is an album exploring depression and anxiety; it felt like this must have been therapeutically fulfilling for St. Vincent. Also did you knew before she became St. Vincent, Annie Clark was in The Polyphonic Spree?

 

BRAT by Charli xcx

There is no denying that 2024 was Charli’s year, it was not just a BRAT summer. When I first heard this album, I didn’t think much of it, but it stuck in my head and my love grew from there. I never knew much about Charli xcx before BRAT, but I know I will be going back and listening to all her other albums. There is an amazing blend of dance tracks and yet Charli gets very personal as well, with songs like “I think about it all the time” that explores the struggle of her career and the desire to become a mother. If anything, this album should be studied by people in marketing; from the simple but striking album cover, to the release cycle of songs and remixes.

 

The Last Will and Testament by Opeth

This was the year I discovered Opeth; I knew of the band, but I never really paid them much attention. It is hard to believe this is their fourteenth album, so I have a lot of albums to return to. Someone recommended me Ghost Reveries earlier this year (they also recommended Blackwater Park and Damnation) which I quickly fell in love with. When The Last Will and Testament came out, I was ready and waiting. This album is set just after World War I, and it explores the last will and testament of a patriarch of a wealthy family. Think Succession if it was a progressive metal album; it’s full of class warfare, family secrets and revelries. For all prog-rock fans, this album features Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull as the voice of the patriarch, and yes, he does break out the flute.

Lives Outgrown by Beth Gibbons

This is the first solo album from Beth Gibbons, the singer of Portishead. While this album feels very similar to what you expect from Portishead, Beth has abandoned the trip-hop style for something more akin to chamber folk. This is an intimate personal album exploring grief, anxiety, mortality, motherhood, and even menopause. This album was directly influenced by some deaths in her family and close friends. Nothing I can say can really explain just how gorgeous and moving this album is, and if you were a fan of Portishead from the 1990’s, you should really check out Lives Outgrown.

 

Prelude to Ecstasy by The Last Dinner Party

This was my most played album of 2024, not just because it was released at the start of the year. Prelude to Ecstasy might be one of the best debut albums in a long time, it was so good that people kept accusing the band of being industry plants. However, when there is a pandemic lockdown, you have a lot of time to rehearse and hone your craft. At the end of 2023, they released their debut single “Nothing Matters” which was one of my favourite songs of that year, so I was thrilled to see that the album offered more of that baroque art-pop style. This band was clearly influenced by artists like Kate Bush, Sparks, Queen, Siouxsie and the Banshees and so much more.

 

Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay

If you know me, then you are probably not surprised to see Magdalena Bay at the top of my list. There is something so special about this album; I think what I love the most about Magdalena Bay is that I’m not sure what to expect from them. Sure, they are a great synth-pop, but it is those unexpected elements that keeps me coming back for more. This is a concept album exploring a girl named True Blue who discovers her true self when an alien doctor inserts a disk into her forehead. It’s a wild narrative but so much fun to listen to this album and those songs just stick in my head.

There is so many great albums I failed to mention, I have to give some honourable mentions to Only God Was Above Us by Vampire Weekend, Submarine by The Marías, Older by Lizzy McAlpine, Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker, plastic death by glass beach and She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She by Chelsea Wolfe. These albums all could have made my top ten list if I compiled it on a different day. Stay tuned, there will be a top ten books, movies and tv shows list coming soon as well.