Dive into the standout albums of 2024 with Happy Mag’s Best Albums. Covering genres from indie rock to experimental electronica, these releases remind us that music remains a powerful force, uniting and inspiring us through challenging times.
Grab a drink, kick back, and immerse yourself in the tunes that redefined your musical experience in 2024.
We hit the ground running with everyone’s favourite punk rascals Amyl and The Sniffers. Their new album ‘Cartoon Darkness’ have taken everyone by surprise. One of the best releases of their year, it beautifully captures the band’s offbeat and raunchy style while reflecting on important themes about love, sex, misogyny and life itself.
The punk rock heavyweights have been on a roll with their new release as it has lit up the Australian punk scene and ascended the group to global stardom. Their “say it how it is” approach to songwriting has captivated audiences worldwide as they have become punk legends in their own right.
Wether you’re keen on arvo beers or prefer a quiet night in with some wine. Pump some Amyl and The Sniffers into your head, wherever you get your musical fix.
Some big favourites in the Punk rock scene, FIDLAR’s new album ‘Surviving The Dream’ is a punk rocker’s absolute daydream. Mixing all the best elements of classic punk rock with a new twist of modern rock, FIDLAR has been tearing it up lately on the punk scene.
If you only listen to two songs, ‘ORANGE COUNTY’ and ‘DOG HOUSE’ are some of the best modern punk songs around. Coming off a recent tour around Australia with the lords of punk, Dune Rats, FIDLAR have been steady between releasing and touring for the last few years.
The LA-based group has been on a high since their popular release ‘Too’ in 2015, and has since been one of the world’s hottest punk bands around.
Deeply settled in post-punk sensibilities, Fontaines D.C. has released their new album ‘Romance’ an extension of their artistic musical style. A track list riddled with raw energetic post-punk and rock, their new release is rooted in a euphoric new layer of sophistication.
Following their popular 2019 release ‘Dogrel’ and 2022 release ‘Skinty Fia’, their new album is starting to become their most popular release and has boosted their ascension into global fame. Equal parts punchy rock and deep sombre introspect, ‘Romance’ is one of those albums that comes about on a blue moon.
Get your post-punk fix with Fontaines D.C. and their new album ‘Romance’ now.
Yet another indie pop favourite that has been tearing up the charts, Remi Wolf has quickly become a well-beloved member of the pop and indie communities. Her new album ‘Big Ideas’ was released earlier this year and has definitely cemented her position in the indie community.
Becoming an indie pop sensation overnight Remi now has an extended discography that boasts some of the USA’s chart-topping singles. Her single ‘Cinderella’ off her new album was a smash hit with audiences worldwide and has earned her a large following and dedicated fanbase.
Don’t miss out on this indie superstar, and check out ‘Big Ideas’ wherever you get your musical fix.
The bright new rising stars of London, The Last Dinner Party released their new album ‘Prelude To Ectasy’ this year, and it’s already a beloved fan fave. The five-piece indie rock group have gone from a rising britrock prospect to one of the UK’s most in-demand acts of the minute.
The indie group recently released their album ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’ which takes the band in a new cleanly produced direction. Their unique taste and offbeat style is what fans have come to know and love and their new album is not different.
Check out their new album ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’ now.
Straddling the line between humour and sadness, MJ Lenderman’s new album ‘Manning Fireworks’ is the indie rock art piece of the summer. A uniquely mastered LP that conventionally blends the artist’s deadpan humour with incisive lyricism and rusted guitar solos.
It is one of those albums you will harp on about to your friends for weeks to come, and rightfully so. A modern masterpiece of stringy, melancholic rock and croaky indie vocals, MJ Lenderman has outdone himself.
‘Manning Fireworks’ is everything you would want out of an indie record and more.
Indie-rock, Ska, Hip-hop, 80s Pop, Vampire Weekend have covered it all. Their well-read approach to a wide broadened range of genres is what makes them such a unique band, and their new album ‘Only God Was Above Us’ is a testament to that.
With a slew of dance-driven tracks and more sombre mellow tunes like ‘Ice Cream Piano’, the band is at a high with their new release. After going from music blog favourites to chart-topping sensation in the early to mid-2000s, Vampire Weekend has been a mainstay in the broader indie scene in the US.
Their literate style and catchy thoughtful lyrics are an infectious allure to all music lovers.
‘The Night The Zombies Came’ is the tenth studio album of legendary post-punk outfit The Pixies. An ensemble of their unique sound, the record is a testament to their popularity whilst keeping them humble in their musical style.
35 years after their groundbreaking album ‘Doolittle’, the band has adapted its production style into a neat package with producer Tom Dalgelty at the helm. The band may have evolved over the 35 years, but the unique sound and tone that we have come to love are still evident in their songs.
You can check out their new album live as they tour around the world with a few stops in AUS next year.
An absolute top-tier Indie-rock album, Declan Mckenna has released his Third Studio Album ‘What Happened To The Beach?’. The album is both a refreshing take on the genre, whilst sticking to the basics of indie 101.
In the last few years Mckenna has been at the forefront of the indie-rock scene, becoming a prominent figure in british indie. Recently completing a tour with Two Door Cinema Club, Mckenna’s newest release was put on show and is quickly becoming a new fan favourite album.
Be sure to keep an eye out for future tour dates from the brit.
Rap artist extraordinaire, JPEGMAFIA (known as Peggy to his fans) has had a steady last few years of releases. His latest release ‘I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU’ has everything we have come to love about the unconventional artist and producer.
His unique quips and over the edge lyrics make him an incredibly unique artist in a myriad of modern releases. His newest release adds an existential taste to his evolving discography and extends on his confrontational mix of noise rap and punk.
You can witness firsthand his diverse lyricism and on stage presence next year as he completes his AUS tour.
A heavyweight in the Indie-pop scene, Beabadoobee’s Third studio album ‘This Is How Tomorrow Moves’ is out now on all your listening platforms. A masterfully produced ensemble, it showcases the artist’s usual guitar driven gloom rock sound, with a new twist.
Her work with the lord of the producers, Rick Rubin, seems to have paid off in what is one of the artist’s best releases to date. The project is a key development to Beabadoobee’s discography and is sure to become a fan favourite.
You can catch her live in Aus at next year’s Laneway Festival.
The Cure has finally dropped their long-awaited 14th studio album, ‘SONGS OF A LOST WORLD’, and it’s everything fans hoped for after a staggering 16-year hiatus. A haunting masterpiece, the album showcases the band’s signature sound in all its glory. The lead single, ALONE, is a rich, poetic gem that’s as meaningful as it is introspective.
Frontman Robert Smith calls it the key that unlocked the album’s vision, drawing inspiration from Ernest Dowson’s poem Dregs. With a legacy that spans decades, The Cure cements their place as one of the UK’s most influential bands once again.
Tyler, The Creator has returned with ‘Chromakopia’, his highly-anticipated seventh album that dives deep into his trademark high-concept artistry. Teasing fans with the hypnotic opener St. Chroma and the gripping single ‘Noid,’ Tyler introduces a masked protagonist navigating a stark, grayscale universe.
Drawing parallels to Chroma the Great from Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth, the album explores themes of colour, light, and paranoia. Featuring collaborations with Daniel Caesar, Childish Gambino, Thundercat, and more, the album intertwines Tyler’s personal narrative with a stack of guest appearances, including his mother, Bonita Smith, who reminds us, “You are the light.”
With ‘Chromakopia’, the journey has only just begun.
’empathogen’ is the sixth studio album produced by WILLOW.
This jazz-funk fusion is an addictive soundscape showcasing the singer-songwriters diversity as an artist. ’empathogen’ isn’t just an album, it’s an experience. You can’t predict what’s going to happen next, but you can’t stop listening.
The opening track ‘home’ features the talented multi-instrumentalist on Jon Batiste, blending WILLOW’s smooth vocals with hauntingly beautiful jazz piano riffs.
Pivoting away from the punk-rock sound of her last two projects, ’empathogen’ sees the 23-year-old harnessing her creativity on a short but sweet 12 tracks that explore the confusion of coming of age.
Still Woozy is back with the release of his sophomore album ‘Loveseat’, a dreamy blend of smooth vocals, dazzling harmonies, and psychedelic guitar riffs. ‘Loveseat’ is a soundscape that lives up to the name ‘Woozy’. The Californian indie singer, Sven Gamsky, has a way of transforming sound into the physical sensation of serenity.
Opening track ‘Again’ sets the tone for this psychedelic pop album that explores the intricacies of romance and identity alongside melodies you can’t help but groove to.
Still Woozy never fails to set the tone for the summer. The dreamy psychedelic pop tracks of ‘Loveseat’ culminate into an un-skippable album perfect for those warm sunset drives.
Charli XCX has released the album of the summer with her sixth studio album ‘Brat’, solidifying herself as the latest ‘It Girl’ of music. ‘Brat’ is a blend of vulnerability with infectious autotuned vocals that is undoubtedly just cool.
Lead single ‘Von Dutch’ set the tone for the iconic album, switching things up from the artist’s previous work. The “young girl from Essex” even brought Aotearoa’s own Lorde on the album with ‘Girl, so confusing’, making the internet “go crazy” for the unexpected yet iconic duo.
‘Brat’ is an eclectic album reminiscent of hyper-pop pioneer SOPHIE, a friend and inspiration for Charli, and is paving the way for contemporary hyper-pop music.
This summer is definitely a ‘Brat Summer’.
South Korean DJ and singer Peggy Gou drops her debut album, “I Hear You,” and it’s a love letter to 90s house music. Gou isn’t afraid to wear her influences on her sleeve, channeling the infectious grooves and euphoric melodies of that era.
But “I Hear You” isn’t just a retread; Gou injects her own energy and contemporary production flourishes, creating a sound that feels both familiar and utterly fresh. The album boasts a star-studded list of collaborators, including legendary rocker Lenny Kravitz on “I Believe in Love Again.”
There’s also space for genre-bending experimentation, with the Spanish rapper Villano Antillano adding a fiery dose of attitude to the mix. Lead single “1+1=11,” with its playful video featuring artist Olafur Eliasson, perfectly encapsulates the album’s core theme of togetherness.
The D’Addario brothers are back with another slice of sunshine-drenched pop magic. “A Dream Is All We Know” is the fifth studio album by The Lemon Twigs, a masterfully crafted love letter to the sounds of the 60s. Recorded entirely on analog equipment, the album shimmers with a nostalgic warmth, channeling the spirits of Brian Wilson and The Small Faces.
Expect intricate melodies, layered harmonies, and Brian D’Addario’s signature soaring vocals. This isn’t mere imitation though; The Lemon Twigs weave their own brand of youthful exuberance into the mix, creating a sound that’s both familiar and fresh. Critics are divided on whether the album prioritizes reverence over innovation, but one thing’s for sure: “A Dream Is All We Know” is a guaranteed good time, a lysergic pop masterpiece.
Kim Gordon, the undisputed queen of noise rock, throws open the doors on “The Collective.” This isn’t a solo record in the traditional sense; it’s a collaborative effort featuring a who’s who of the underground scene.
Expect Gordon’s signature distorted guitar to weave its magic amongst a tapestry of diverse sounds, from experimental noise to bursts of pure rock fury. “The Collective” promises a fresh exploration of Gordon’s sonic palette, a testament to her enduring creative spirit.
Produced by Daniel Tashian, Daniel reflects the band’s ability to take their music seriously while maintaining a playful spirit. The band released a stunning set of singles in the lead up, “Haunted World” and “Water Underground,” the latter featuring stars from the 1990s Nickelodeon sitcom The Adventures of Pete & Pete.
Recorded during a lively nine-day session at RCA Studio, Daniel showcases Real Estate’s signature sound elevated by Tashian’s influence. The album’s 11 tracks blend the band’s early uninhibited wonder with mature perspectives, highlighted by tracks like “Flowers” with its Nashville-inspired licks.
Lyrically, and sonically, there is lot to love about this gem.
Alt-pop sensation Girli unveils her boundary-defying album, Matriarchy. This record marks a new era for Girli, showcasing her full creative control.
Opening with the self-love anthem “Be With Me,” all the way to the focus single ‘Feel My Feelings, ’ Matriarchy is brimming with introspection, and relatable themes of self-doubt, inner drama and being overwhelmed by emotion.
Girli describes herself as “the queen of overthinking,” and offers up a generous and candid glimpse into her life. Matriarchy solidifies Girli as a cult figure and LGBTQIA+ ambassador, and above all else, an accomplished musician.
Faye Webster’s highly anticipated fifth album, Underdressed at the Symphony, was well worth the wait. The album features previously released singles “Feeling Good Today,” “Lego Ring (ft. Lil Yachty),” “But Not Kiss,” and “Lifetime.”
Webster’s new songs delve into emotional intimacy, blending desire and comfort with hyper-specific imagery. Her trademark pedal steel, cinematic string arrangements, and unpredictable elements like vocoder create a unique sound.
This album is sublime, and complete indie pop perfection at its best.
Khruangbin have dropped their first album, A LA SALA, in over four years. Produced by Steve Christensen, A LA SALA is a sonic journey, one that encourages listeners to penetrate the self, connect to the surrounding world, and craft their own life experiences.
With its sultry guitar and airy vocals, this album feels like a warm summer afternoon. The opening track, “Fifteen Fifty-Three” begins with the gentle hum of crickets, an electric buzzing so familiar to the sound of heat. “Fifteen Fifty-Three” is warm and electrifying, setting the mood perfectly for the next twelve tracks that take listeners on a journey outside of themselves.
In A LA SALA, the trio pushes the boundaries of what we know psychedelic R&B to be.
Adrianne Lenker returns with her latest album Bright Future, a beautiful combination of delicate vocals and intimate lyricism so unique to Lenker’s sound.
The album opens with “Real House”, guiding us gently into the next twelve tracks with a sombre yet warm piano solo. “Do you remember running?” Lenker asks us, singing softly, calling us back to a time where it was all so much simpler.
It’s raw, it’s playful, it’s simple, yet so complex. “Now 31 but I don’t feel strong.” Lenker gives us an album that feels like home, putting words to the grief that is coming into adulthood still searching for the wonder that once came so naturally.
Bright Future is a gift to us all. The result of what happens in the studio when you let it all out without any expectations.
Waxahathchee finds her voice on her latest album, Tigers Blood, an alt-country blend of strong vocals and raw lyricism that have cemented this album as one of this year’s landmark releases.
Tracks like “3 Sisters” and “365” create an intimacy with listeners unlike anything Katie Crutchfield has released before.
The rawness of “365” tells a breathtaking story of self-acceptance and forgiveness amidst addiction. With its hushed instrumentation, a spotlight shines directly on Crutchfield’s strong yet soft vocals – a testament to what the album is all about.
The lead single, “Right Back to It”, is the first love song Crutchfield says she has ever written. A duet with MJ Lenderman, the harmonies on this track sound as gentle as love itself.
Australian working-class wordsmith Peter Bibby drops his fourth album, Drama King, on Spinning Top Records. Produced by Dan Luscombe (Tropical Fuck Storm, Amyl and the Sniffers, The Drones), Drama King delivers an unfiltered peek into Bibby’s world – from chaotic late-night pub scenes to introspective reflections.
The opener, “The Arsehole,” kicks off with candid lyrics and wobbly riffs, while tracks like “Feels” and “Fun Guy” highlight Peter’s evolution as a songwriter.
Bibby’s gritty authenticity, rooted in Perth’s punk scene, cements his status as a working-class hero and fiercely independent artist.
The much-anticipated debut from Thom Yorke’s side project, The Smile, has landed. “Wall Of Eyes” throws Radiohead’s experimental tendencies into a blender with the propulsive energy of drummer Tom Skinner (Sons of Kemet).
Gone are the sprawling epics; instead, we get sharp bursts of sonic exploration. Jonny Greenwood’s masterful arrangements twist and turn, Yorke’s vocals remain unmistakably haunting, and Skinner’s drumming keeps the whole thing teetering on the edge. This is Radiohead unbound, a wild and exhilarating ride.
Grandaddy returns with their new studio album, Blu Wav. Jason Lytle, a prolific storyteller, draws inspiration from nature’s overwhelming beauty and life’s mundane yet memorable moments. The album title Blu Wav is a literal mash-up of “bluegrass” and “new wave,” offering a unique sound conceived as Lytle drove through the Nevada desert.
Envisioning a blend of bluegrass waltz and new wave electronics, Lytle adds dense synthesizers to sweet, simple lyrics. The album features the lo-fi lushness and psychedelic orchestration Grandaddy is known for, with Lytle’s first venture into true country, highlighted by pedal steel on seven of its 13 tracks.
Future Islands are back, but don’t expect the synth-banger anthems of yesteryear. “People Who Aren’t There Anymore” dives deep, exploring the fallout of a long-distance relationship fractured by COVID lockdowns.
Samuel T. Herring’s signature soaring vocals take on a new vulnerability, harmonizing with introspective lyrics that crackle with raw emotion. Co-produced by the band and Steve Wright, this album promises an emotional journey, a stark contrast to the dance floor fervor of their past.
Tom Odell’s latest album, “Black Friday,” isn’t your typical feel-good record. Instead, it delves into personal struggles with vulnerability and a push for unfiltered authenticity. But within this melancholic exploration lies its brilliance.
Odell exhibits emotional depth by confronting anxiety, self-doubt, and societal pressures with unwavering honesty. Tracks like “Answer Phone,” “Black Friday” and “The End” resonate deeply, creating a powerful emotional narrative.
The unproduced and unpretentious production choices amplify the intimacy of the songwriting, transforming the rawness into a felt experience rather than just auditory.
Despite its dark themes, the album transcends being a personal narrative; it becomes a mirror reflecting universal struggles with mental health and self-discovery.
Sydney’s indie rockers, STUMPS, deliver “Arcadia,” an album that’s equal parts danceable, introspective, & downright addictive.
Seamlessly blending Talking Heads-esque grooves, and The Beths’ thoughtful lyricism, the trio creates a unique sonic experience across 12 tracks. Tracks like “Serotonin” and “Dose” are infectious earworms, while introspective moments in “Life’s Moving Past You” and playful nods in “David Byrne” add depth.
Lead single “Cyanide” marks a thematic departure, injecting weightiness into its introspective atmosphere. Produced by Fletcher Matthews, “Arcadia” explores a diverse sonic landscape, from indie sleaze to pulsating dance beats.
Frontman Kyle Fisher describes the album as a walk home after the best night of your life, capturing moments of beauty and gratitude – and he nails it.
Branded as the ‘lost love child of Leonard Cohen and Nancy Sinatra,’ Sola Vera aka Danielle Aykroyd, transcends folk-noir, evoking the spirits of Nick Cave and Patsy Cline. A departure from her isolated debut, “Shades,” the new album is a grand, orchestral journey through the American landscape, recorded in Nashville with a collaborative approach.
Her voice, likened to PJ Harvey at her most intense, takes center stage, embracing newfound strength. Influenced by Antonín Dvořák’s ‘New World Symphony,’ the arrangements are bold and cinematic, blending orchestral elements with punk-inspired vigor.
Despite a four-year journey marred by personal turmoil and the pandemic, Vera Sola transforms darkness and difficulty into a profound musical experience, embodying the album’s title as a true peacemaker.
The ultimate irony lies in the name itself, referencing the Colt Single Action Army, the original “Instrument of War” that tamed the American West—a poignant reflection of the album’s thematic complexity and personal significance.
