6 months worth of albums from 2024
i wanted to become more of an album person in 2024, so i started tracking albums i've listened to in full on a spreadsheet. that year, starting from july, i listened to 108 albums.
here they all are in the form of an image
notable albums
Songs From The Big Chair by Tears For Fears
A comment on RYM says it best: plays like a "Best Of" compilation.
I was going to watch the Tears For Fears movie and even though their stuff plays on the radio all the time, I still wanted to get somewhat familiar with their stuff. Maybe it's because I've had to listen to the classics over and over, but the lesser known songs (The Working Hour, Mothers Talk, Broken) are the most popping. The saxophone solo in Working Hour, the drumming and bass in Mothers Talk and Broken... You gotta love it. At least, I do.GNX by Kendrick Lamar
I'm not a follower of the rap genre (I mean, look at the chart above) so this came out of nowhere, an unexpected favorite. An artist I follow captioned a post with "Gloria," so even though the jokes about people not clicking on your Spotify links is a 100%, verifiably true phenomenon, I was that 0.001% that clicked on one and holy shit did it pay off.
I really wish I could say what draws me to this album, but I can't explain it. It's just completely listenable.
Walk This Way by The White Tie Affair
Will I say what led me to listen to this? Maybe it's better left unsaid.
This album is pretty typical boy band stuff (but damn is "Allow Me To Introduce Myself..." such an intro, it makes you want to listen to the rest, which is overall not that bad). If it weren't for them being a dying breed, this would be less special. Seriously. Azealia Banks was right.
"Now that's why indie rock is dead. Because all these white [guys] wanna act black. You know, I come to the fucking studio looking for a guitar. This [guy]'s talking about 'Hey, listen to my new beat'. BITCH!"
Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection by Katy Perry
Speaking of problematic artists... (or so I've heard. I have no idea what Katy Perry or Azealia Banks have done).
People making fun of the "alien sex" line in E.T. brought me back to this. The album's a similar situation to "Songs From The Big Chair", with the lesser known songs being my favorites. "Hummingbird Heartbeat" is just adorable, "Circle The Drain" is full of emotion, and, yes, E.T. goes hard.
Something really fun about this album is all the references to birds (Hummingbird Heartbeat, Peacock, in Last Friday Night: pink flamingos). It probably means nothing but it's still cool. Also, Radiohead reference..? Woah.
listening stats
if it wasn't already obvious through my album tracking, i use lastfm. as much as i adore it and its insights will always be more informative than what spotify does, i *did* cancel my spotify premium and started using youtube music, which doesn't have a way to scrobble on mobile.
so who knows if the lastfm playback is entirely right? it probably is, but like who knows, right? those youtube music plays are completely lost to time... (sigh).
i've heard that people often listen to scores and OSTs while studying, but this is new to me. and they make up 3/5 of my top albums (presumably) (the last one is the puella magi madoka magica OST)???? that's crazy. i don't even study.
i feel like i should be ending this with a vague plan as to what i'm going to listen to this year, but it's music..... Uh, like. I hope i listen to good music and stuff!
i suppose i'll leave it with a link to my top track (supposedly) of the year: not the news by thom yorke.