The best albums of 2024

2024 has been another great year for music. Here is what I have been listening to.

Top 10 new albums

My 10 favourite albums listed somewhat in order – although order is not important!

The Junipers are back

Honourable mention

• Craig Fortnam – Bespoke String Trios

(I commissioned a composition on this album. Being partial, it felt a bit odd putting it on the top list, but everything Craig Fortnam touches is magical.)

The 11th best album of 2024

The following 20 albums are all number 11 – music is not a competition, and they are all great! Listed as randomly as possible.

11. Hamish Hawk – A Firmer Hand

11. Simon Fisher Turner – Instability of the Signal

11. David deBarra – All My Dearly Beloveds

11. Richard Wileman – The Forked Road

11. Field Music – Limits of Language

11. Plantar – Sketches

11. Dirk Mont Campbell – Long Time Gone

11. Bill Ryder-Jones – lechyd Da

11. Matt Baber & Richard Wileman – Baber / Wileman 2

11. Stephen EvEns – Here Come The Lights

11. Gong – Unending Descending

11. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World

11. Peter Perret – The Cleansing

11. Midget! – Qui parle ombre

11. Willie Dowling – The Simpleton

11. Y Dail – Teigr

11. The Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know

11. Mothboxer – Twelve

11. Picturebox – Mobile Disco

11. Naima Bock – Below a Massive Dark Land

Single of the year 2024

• The Poppermost – I Don’t Want To Know

(I never usually list singles – but ‘I Don’t Want To Know’ is just so good, I thought you might want to know!)

Best archival releases 2024

1. Lake of Puppies – Lake of Puppies

2. Badfinger – Head First

Head First, at last

3. The Great Crash – Too Many Late Nights

Successful failures

Best reissues 2024

1. Kevin Ayers – All This Crazy Gift of Time: The Recordings 1969-1973

2. Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band – Still Barking

Best music books 2024

1. Yvonne Innes – Dip My Brain in Joy: A Life With Neil Innes

2. Richard Morton Jack – Labyrinth: British Jazz on Record 1960-75

3. Bill MacCormick – Making it up as you go along

My most played record 2024

• Sternpost – ANTI-CLOCK

(Sternpost’s 2018 album has turned into a habit. I can’t stop playing it!)

Thank you for the music!