Cady Siregar/The FADER
Another year has come and gone and that includes The FADER’s annual lists of our favorite albums and songs. While compiling our 2024 selections, we suddenly had the thought of wanting to know what our favorite artists were listening to this year. (After all, this was the banner year of getting put on to your favorite artist’s favorite artist.)
So here you’ll find the top tunes and records that some of our top music-makers were spinning this year. Those who were bummed to see Magdalena Bay’s Imaginal Disk missing from our album list, well, Ravyn Lenae‘s got your back. Rising rapper Chow Lee (modestly) backed up why his releases this year were crucial. And after much deliberation, Ayra Starr picked not one but a whole playlist of what kept her going throughout her whirlwind success. Go ahead and dig in.
Ayra Starr
Album of the Year: Doja Cat: Scarlet 2 CLAUDE
“It’s very hard to choose. I feel like there were so many great albums this year. I’m obsessed with my own album, obviously. I really loved Scarlet [2 CLAUDE]. That was the album I listened to on repeat this year, especially. I needed that album more than anything, it just really helped me. I loved the Mk.gee album, too. I also loved Mutt by Leon Thomas III. But I feel like Scarlet (Deluxe) was my number one.”
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “Soft Spot,” JMSN
“I had so many songs this year. I really loved “Wildflower” by Billie Eilish. I feel like that was on repeat for such a long time, until now, it’s still on repeat. “Dream Police” by Mk.gee, love it. Oh, and “Go Off” by Doja Cat and “WYM Freestyle”, it’s so bad like I’m obsessed by that track. “Soft Spot” by JMSN, though I feel like that’s my number one.”
Chow Lee
Album of the Year: Chow Lee: Sex Drive
“It’s a beautiful piece of art.”
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “ms. beautiful V!” by Chow Lee
“That one is for the ladies, and I really appreciate that which is why I made that song.”
Dehd
Album of the Year: Tate McRae: Think Later
“Even though it came out 2023 I listened to it nonstop when I was mucking my horses paddocks in rural New Mexico and danced along w/no one around to see me for miles lol.” —EMILY
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “hurt my feelings” by Tate McRae
“I’m gonna keep it simple and pick a random song. “hurt my feelings” is just so naughty and reminds me of my bad-girl teen years.” —EMILY
d0llywood1
Album of the Year: Corey Lingo: For What It’s Worth
“Da best pluggnb project conversation ends here. Earworms, riffs for days, relatable lyrics, N an unmatched dedication 2 pushing trap N r&b forward.”
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “YUNG SHERMAN” by Bladee
“Bladee uses his new experiences N vet status 2 explore anxiety, drug use, ageing, N self doubt. I generally identify wit his work but dis song especially hits my own imposter syndrome.”
Elyanna
Album of the Year: Coldplay: Moon Music
“My favorite album of the year would be Moon Music by Coldplay. I find the album very unique because it got a lot of depth and arrangement in it. And I feel like it’s very special because I got the chance to see a lot of these songs live so it created such a beautiful memory for me.”
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “feelslikeimfallinginlove” by Coldplay
“My favorite song would be ‘feelslikeimfallinginlove.'”
Fcukers
Album of the Year: George Clanton & TV girl: Fauxllennium
“Shit bangs” —JACKSON
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “Juna” by Clairo
“makes me wanna go dancing” —SHANNY
Julia Holter
Album of the Year: Julia Sabra: Natural History Museum
“I loved Julia Sabra’s Natural History Museum—it was released at the end of the year and is quietly devastating. Her lyricism and sensitivity in timbre and harmony is akin for me to the great Linda Perhacs. The songs are intimate and infinite feeling at the same time—I love the raw and soft poetic settings of love and death.”
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “Minor Detail” by Julia Sabra
“Julia Sabra’s ruminations on the record Natural History Museum on the horrors of the war on Gaza, from the perspective of a Lebanese musician based in Beirut, are haunting. In particular, the ghostly organ and synth on the last track on the record, “Minor Detail”, evoke to me the frightening solemnity of death, and a feeling that the ground from underneath has been lifted and displaced.”
Kelly Lee Owens
Album of the Year: Justice: Hyperdrama
“I have listened to the album as a whole, as a body of work, so many times. I was so lucky enough to recently open for them. Their live show, their analogue sound, just take things to the edge. And to be making super exciting music after 20 years as an artist to me is just so inspiring.”
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “Honey” by Caribou
“I have played it so many times in my DJ sets and it always gets the best and biggest reaction. Also just listening at home, it just makes you feel good. And being one of the nicest and most talented men in music, dance music especially, is another bonus.”
Mannequin Pussy
Album of the Year: Willow: Branching Out
“Sorry FADER, this album is from like 1976. I was on some weird YouTube k-hole and found this album, Branching Out, by a possibly British band called Willow. ‘Loaves and Fishes’ is so beautiful — and I can’t find much about this band beyond a few Discogs clues, so this is less of an admission of my favorite album I’ve listened to and more a plea for help. It’s not on Spotify or Apple Music so I’ve just had to listen to individual YouTube track streams. Willow, if you’re out there — please tell me who you are, I want to know everything.” —MARISA DABICE
Listen here: YouTube
Song of the Year: “Jerkin'” by Amyl and the Sniffers
“Not that many artists could take, ‘you’re a dumb c*nt / you’re an asshole,’ and turn it into a melodic ear worm that plays over and over in your head, but Amyl and the Sniffers can. It’s fun, it’s acid tongued, it’s the perfect mix of riffs and attitude and I love every moment of it. Squirter c*nt.” —DABICE
Naima Bock
Album of the Year: Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings: Woodland
“I would say a lot of the records I liked this year were ones by artists I already am a big fan of; this is one of those, Mount Eerie, Adrienne Lenker, hard quartet, Jessica Pratt, etc. I love this album by Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, the songs are strong as hell and I like hearing the dude sing more.”
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “Green Car” by Mildred
“This band are THE BEST band, I would have said their two EP’s as my favourite album but I don’t know if I’m allowed to put two EP’s as an album. Anyway, it’s very good — Matts voice is one of my favourite male voices around for sure.”
Nap Eyes
Album of the Year: MJ Lenderman: Manning Fireworks
“It’s been widely recognized, but bears repeating: This album is so good. Full of depth, understatement, and wide emotional range, all hidden in plain sight among rich/surreal turns of phrase, heavy hitting riffs, and beautiful melodies.” —NIGEL CHAPMAN
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “Ponytail” by Cecile Believe
“Euphoric, nostalgic, crystalline, evocative, heavy yet weightless. The chorus is electric sugar rush sorcery beamed from a better world’s heavens. Headbanger.” —BRAD LOUGHEAD
Office Culture
Album of the Year: Scree: Live at the Owl, Vol. 2
“My favorite album of the year is Live at the Owl, Vol. 2 by Scree, who are my friends and collaborators in Brooklyn. This is evocative, angry, nuanced, and just plain gorgeous jazz music, always leading with melodies that seem to be reaching skyward for answers. Their playing is so impassioned in the live setting, so this record has all the appeal of their great studio album from last year (Jasmine on a Night in July) and more.” —WINSTON COOK-WILSON
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “Burning” by Tems
“Along with Rosalía, Tems is my favorite pop singer working. This track not only has this very simple and distinctive hook and incredible production, it’s lyrically so powerful and melancholy—all about feeling like a stranger to yourself in the midst of life changes. It’s so tasteful and deeply soulful, and sounds incredible in the car.” —COOK-WILSON
Ravyn Lenae
Album of the Year: Magdalena Bay: Imaginal Disk
“One of my fav albums this year is Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay. I love albums that keep me wondering what’s next and this one does that by the second :)”
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Skaiwater
Album of the Year: Skaiwater: #gigi
“We are #1.”
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “Heavy On My Heart” by Lucki
“Only song I really felt this year.”
wolfacejoeyy
Album of the Year: PARTYNEXTDOOR: PARTYNEXTDOOR 4
“The melodies on the album are soooooo good and the album is so cohesive.”
Listen here: Spotify | Apple Music
Song of the Year: “Could Be” by Laila!
“From the beat to the lyrics and Laila’s voice man. Top Tier shit.“