Apologies! We made the list in 2024 but neglected to publish. The year saw some newcomers (Leathers, Genesis Owusu, Descartes A Kant) as well as long-time favorites (Oh Land, Kate Nash, X, St Vincent, Richard Thompson). The lead track, Personal Jesus, brings together the lyric genius of Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore, the phenomenal arrangement prowess of Trevor Horn, and the deep rumbling punk vocals of Iggy Pop – with a suprise guest appearance from the soon-to-be favorite Lambrini Girls. There’s a lot to listen to across all kinds of genres so click that play button!

IN MEMORIUM

Each passing year we see musicians take a final bow and 2024 was no exception. While the playlist doesn’t include sample tracks (this year), notable losses included:

• Wayne Kramer & Dennis Thompson (MC5)
• Mojo Nixon
• Duane Eddy (legendary guitarist)
• Richard Tandy (ELO)
• Steve Albini (producer)
• Greg Kihn (The Greg Kihn Band)
• Kris Kristofferson
• Quincy Jones

The above only skims the surface, highlighting the names and bands that left a mark on my life. See the complete list at Wikipedia.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

I don’t know that we’ve ever had a year where we fell short of the 31 limit. 2024 is no exception, with several long-time favorites (Chromeo, Iron & Wine, Mountain Goats) not quite making the cut. Even so, there’s always more than 31 great albums and these definitely fit in that group.