It was a really good year for music, and a really, really good year for the pop girlies. But what collection of songs truly defined 2024? We asked a few friends of Ensemble, with good taste and diverse listening habits, to share their stand out/favourite/most replayed album of the year and the results were a true ensemble mixed bag of artists and genres.
There are many great albums missing in the list below (ahem, Cowboy Carter; also Chappell Roan is nowhere to be seen but for the record, her album was released in 2023), but let these recommendations inspire your summer soundtrack.
Listen: An Ensemble Summer 2024:
Tigers Blood by Waxahatchee
Chosen by Anthony Metcalf, music agent, promoter and tour manager 100% GOOD
“It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.” I am of course referring to the gradual process of country-pilling a steady dose of Waxahatchee will impart. Seriously – listen to Right Back To It ft MJ Lenderman and tell me that’s not the best song you’ve heard all year. The whole album, Tigers Blood, is a melodic triumph. Tight, masterfully crafted songs carrying over enough indie tropes to convince even the coolest of cool cats.
TRAИƧA by Red Hot Org
Chosen by Charlotte Ryan, broadcaster, music journalist and host of RNZ’s Music 101
There have been so many cool albums released this year – honestly it's daunting to pick a favourite. So instead, the album that has had the most emotional impact on me is TRAИƧA. Calling it a compilation does not do it justice: TRAИƧA is a chaptered, 46 song celebration of the trans community. Over 100 artists feature on the album including a gut wrenching new single from the icon Sade – an incredible tribute to her trans son 'Young Lion'
There are other pieces by Andre 3000, Perfume Genius, Sharon Van Etten, Hand Habits, Julien Baker, Jeff Tweedy, Fleet Foxes, Bill Callaghan and Faye Webster; a favourite is the incredible version of Prince’s I Will Die For You by Lauren Auder and Wendy & Lisa (who worked a lot with Prince).
Red Hot Org is a creative non-profit that started in 1989 and has supported musicians and released cool compilations since 1989. One of my other favourites of theirs is Dark was the Night (2009), which raised money for HIV/ AIDS relief and awareness.
No Hands by Joey Valence & Brae
Chosen by Rose Riddell, Laneway NZ and Australia content manager
Without a doubt, No Hands is the most fun album I've heard all year! Dubbed by many as this generation’s Beastie Boys, Joey Valence & Brae are unwaveringly confident sounding, and this second album cements their status as one of the coolest – and perhaps silliest – new hip-hop acts out. It's got excellent re-listen quality: each time I blast this at full volume and discover a new favourite song (at the moment it's Like A Punk), plus their 365 cover which features on the deluxe version is truly next level.
Deeper Well by Kacey Musgraves
Chosen by Georgie Wright, Ensemble writer (read her work here)
I confess I haven’t actually listened to a lot of new music this year. When life is tiring I retreat to old classics like 90s/noughties pop (/pop punk), 70s rock and the Les Miserables soundtrack (original 1985 London cast Recording). But I did listen to the title track from Deeper Well lots. It’s all about saying bye to people and habits that drain you, looking after yourself, finding some sort of internal reservoir to get you through the end days. Which, without getting too woo woo wellness core, is how I’m trying to live now. The rest of the album traces similar themes – closing the door on chaos and/or clout, prioritising comfort, touching grass. All wrapped in the warm embrace of Kacey’s voice. I didn’t mainline this one as much as Golden Hour, but it’s a good one to breathe out to.
The New Sound by Geordie Greep
Chosen by Jennifer Cheuk, writer, researcher, curator and editor-in-chief of Rat World magazine
I was working at a bookstore in 2019 when I first heard Black Midi. My partner sent me this strange, chaotic, post-punk track that consisted mostly of (Certified Short King) Geordie Greep yelling: “WHAT A MAGNIFICENT PURPOSE!!!”. It was so full of itself and ridiculous and downright, goddamn magnificent that I was captivated. I spent my days alphabetising books with one headphone in, hoping someone would ask what I was listening to. Spoiler: This never happened.
The New Sound is Greep’s debut solo album and he exudes the cigar smoke of a sleazy, 1940s CEO, lounging at a dimly lit bar. But don’t let that sway you from listening – the album performs the part with such sharp, satirical wit that you can’t help but get swept up in it all; it’s an intensely visceral, extravagant and theatrical experience. And most importantly, The New Sound doesn’t just play around with these alpha male, incel, Andr*w T*te tropes, but it completely rips them apart, using some phenomenal musical storytelling to confront the uncomfortable realities of the 'manosphere'. This album is a fever-dream fantasy of manic jazz rock and flamboyant characters – well worth rounding off the 2024 year with.
The Secret of Us by Gracie Abrams; What a Relief by Katie Gavin
Chosen by Lucy Blakiston, founder of Shit You Should Care About and co-author of Make it Make Sense
Ok so I hate to say it but Gracie might be my favourite nepo baby (her dad is JJ Abrams), not just because she's living my dream (touring with Taylor Swift and dating Paul Mescal) but because I wish SO badly that I had written the song That's So True. And Katie Gavin is for my folky/ country loving pop girlies that may or may not have mummy issues xxx
The Collective by Kim Gordon
As chosen by Tom Augustine, filmmaker and writer
In the years since the disbanding of Sonic Youth, Kim Gordon has maintained her essentiality at the forefront of alternative music. Now 71, her latest album The Collective is my favourite album of the year so far. Building on from 2019’s remarkable No Home Record, Gordon's latest is a discordant, alarming, acidic and vital work. Trap drums have rarely sounded better. In an album of almost wall-to-wall bangers, songs BYE BYE, I'm a Man,'Psychedelic Orgasm and The Believers (with its instantly iconic DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN motif) have been echoing around my mind for months now. Exceptional.
brat (all versions) by Charli xcx
Chosen by Zoe Walker Ahwa, Ensemble editor and co-founder
The first mention of brat in my most active group chat was late February, when I shared the just released and instantly iconic lo-fi, lime green, slightly fuzzy album cover and asked my friends for their professional opinion/hot take. "It's absolutely fucking perfect," replied my graphic designer friend Imogen. "It screams WHO CARES!! Which is something all designers want to scream constantly." On release day, I woke up and messaged, 'happy brat day'.
That is all to say: I made this album, and its perfect branding and marketing roll-out, my entire personality this year. Every step was so considered but never felt grossly calculated: Charli's viral 'marketing ideas', the Brooklyn Boiler Room, brat green, the 'brat generator', the brat wall, the deluxe edition, the remix album, the It Girl summit for the 360 music video and the chaotic video for Von Dutch, Addison Rae’s scream, the summer festival appearances, the David LaChapelle photoshoot, the remix album release in an outdoor art park (completely different to the main album's rave release), the Sweat Tour. Charli put in the work this year, and all of it – even the cringe Apple dance and the very cringe appropriation by brands and the Kamala campaign – marked brat as the cultural moment of 2024.
But none of that would have mattered if the music wasn't good. Lyrically, thematically, production wise, this album is Charli's best. The aggression of the 365 remix, the kick in the heart that is I Think About It All The Time, the raw emotion of So I, the sentimentality of Everything is Romantic, the unapologetic confidence of Von Dutch and the radical honesty of Girl, So Confusing with Lorde – a song for every mood of this turbulent year. I blasted Spring Breakers as I nervously hit 'share' on the post announcing that we were taking back Ensemble ("got my finger on the detonator"), and played, on repeat, Sympathy is a Knife. Brat's messy party girl vibe got a lot of attention, but its vulnerability, honesty and bluntness is what really connected with me. Can't wait to sing/dance/cry to it all live at Laneway.
Club Shy by Shygirl
Chosen by Cait Emma Burke, writer (read her work for Ensemble here)
Shygirl has had a huge 2024 supporting everyone's favourite brat (aka Charli XCX) on tour and releasing her sixth EP, Club Shy. This album has probably been my most played this year (excluding brat of course) and it's packed with club-pop bangers that will enhance any dancefloor. Tell Me is the standout for me – it's a deep house track that I've been absolutely rinsing since this EP came out.
Leatherman and the Mojave Green by Troy Kingi
Chosen by Sam Smith, national journalist with Stuff, Sunday Mixtape host on bFM (who is also doing a top 20 album countdown on X)
New Zealand’s very own musical chameleon Troy Kingi released the eighth album in his ambitious 10 albums in 10 genres in 10 years series this year, with the excellently titled Leatherman & the Mojave Green not disappointing.
Recorded in the Joshua Tree desert at the home of desert rock Rancho de La Luna Studio, this album was an ode to the greats of the genre: think Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss. Troy and his fantastic band rock as hard as they have ever done, with the thickest riffs and most banging guitar solos showcasing a side of Troy we haven’t really seen before.
This album proved Troy is showing no signs of slowing down as he nears the end of his project. When all is said and done, this could be a candidate for the best album in his series. Rock on!
Sonido Cósmico by Hermanos Gutiérrez
Chosen by Dan Ahwa, stylist and creative director at Viva
There was a lot of talking in 2024, so unsurprisingly on heavy rotation was a range of ambient music both past and present. Contributing to this was my pick of album of the year from Hermanos Gutiérrez and their 6th studio album, Sonido Cósmico, released in June.
Produced in Nashville by Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys, the collection of 12 tracks is a dreamy mix of songs that play to the band members strengths – brothers Ecuadorian-Swiss brothers Alejandro Gutiérrez who plays the guitar and lap steel, and Estevan Gutiérrez who plays guitar and percussion. The result is a sun-soaked nod to Hotel California but laced with Latin guitar. It’s great for driving too and zoning out. I’ve always been drawn to film scores of composers such as Ennio Morricone and Gustavo Santaolalla and this album is a nod to the spirit of that style and sound.
Pony Baby by Pony Baby
Chosen by Fran Barclay, writer (read her work for Ensemble here)
This year has been heralded the "year of yeehaw" as country music fandom surged around the world. Beyoncé's album Cowboy Carter naturally made waves (and countless headlines), but Aotearoa New Zealand was graced with its own "ten-gallon hits". Auckland duo Pony Baby released their debut, self-titled album back in February. I have been falling in love ever since.
Short and Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter
Chosen by Rebecca Wadey, Ensemble co-founder
One of my biggest regrets of the year is that I skipped the support act for Taylor Swift at her Era’s tour in Melbourne. In my defence, I am extremely elderly and knew that I would suffer from three hours of dancing and singing to TayTay like a teen girl, and I was also elderly enough to not yet have heard the TikTok buzz around the act, Sabrina Carpenter. Fast forward just a few months later and I’m absolutely kicking myself.
As the mother of two very moody, very boy-y teen boys, I find myself increasingly drawn to the subversively saccharine pop music of the girlies taking over the mainstream and over the weekends, I am often found with my headphones in, blocking out the minutiae of domestic life dancing around to Sabrina, Taylor, Charli, Chappell and the rest. “You're so dumb and poetic/It's just what I fall for, I like the aesthetic,” she sings in Dumb & Poetic, words that could literally be taken out of my head in my 20s.
I Hear You by Peggy Gou
Chosen by Biddie Cooksley, founder Tuesday Label
I Hear You speaks to my soul. Described as "welcoming more people to Gou’s party utopia", it’s giving 90s dance vibes and I’m 100% here for it. A must listen, and one that’s only going to get better and better as the weather warms up. I highly recommend it.
The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift
Chosen by Bonnie Brown, illustrator Studio Bon
As someone who very obnoxiously made their younger sister serenade them with ‘fifteen’ on the guitar when I turned 15, I feel like I’d be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t go with TTDP. It’s not my favourite of Taylor’s albums (I’m a Red girlie at heart) but it has some of my new fave tracks, Down Bad and Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me. I miraculously managed to get tickets to Eras in Melbourne earlier this year too so it’s already been a big year of blondie.
.jpeg)
Also chosen by Georgia Patten, founder Bored George and host of Bored To Boss
This is an easy call: The Tortured Poets Department wins through and through. Ironically when I first heard it I was not convinced that I liked any of the songs like I have with previous albums (big Swiftie over here), however after listening to TTPD a few times, the obsessions started and I couldn't be torn away from it for a good two months. Still to this day, if I am unsure of what to play I will always select TTPD.
Other 2024 releases on Ensemble’s playlist:
Cowboy Carter by Beyonce
Charm by Clairo
Cartoon Darkness by Amyl and the Sniffers
Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii
Memoir of a Sparklemuffin by Suki Waterhouse
YOYOTTA by Molly Payton
Only God Was Above Us by Vampire Weekend
Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish
GNX by Kendrick Lamar
Chromakopia by Tyler, The Creator
Prelude to Ecstasy by The Last Dinner Party
Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay
Romance by Fontaines DC
