The sun is hot, but the tunes are hotter. We're only halfway through 2024, and some of the biggest names in music have already released albums.
That鈥檚 as good a reason as any to take stock of this year's releases. Here are The Associated Press' picks for the year鈥檚 best...so far.
POP POWERHOUSES:
Beyonc茅, 鈥淎ct II: Cowboy Carter鈥
It is rare for a pop album to function as a catchy body of work and an accessible masterclass on an underserved and undercelebrated history. But on Beyonc茅鈥檚 epic , she accomplishes just that. Across the release, B positions herself in opposition to country music鈥檚 rigid power structures and educates listeners on its origins in Black music.
Taylor Swift, 鈥淭he Tortured Poets Department鈥
厂飞颈蹿迟鈥檚 is an amalgamation of her moody synth-pop (as heard on ) and literary folk compositions ( and 鈥渇olklore鈥) 鈥 the direct result of an artist who has spent the last few years re-recording her life鈥檚 work and touring its material. Storytelling is at the fore, delivered through an ascendant vocal run or an elegiac verse that highlight her narrative powers.
Billie Eilish, 鈥淗it Me Hard and Soft鈥
贰颈濒颈蝉丑鈥檚 is stacked with rewarding fake outs. Like in the opener 鈥淪kinny,鈥 which launches into the saccharine falsetto of her award-winning 鈥淏arbie鈥 ballad 鈥淲hat Was I Made For?鈥 only to abandon the format for the pulsating pop and sapphic yearning of 鈥淟unch.鈥 There is techno and hyperpop, acoustic ballads and a return to her gothic vaudeville.
Ariana Grande, 鈥渆ternal sunshine鈥
For Grande鈥檚 , the pop singer teamed up with the mysterious Swedish hitmaker Max Martin for a collection of songs that range from earworm hooks filtered 鈥90s house music (鈥測es, and?鈥), wobbly 鈥00s R&B pop (鈥淭rue Story鈥), Y2K revivalism (鈥淭he Boy Is Mine,鈥 inspired by the Brandy and Monica classic) and Robyn-esque euro-pop (鈥渨e can鈥檛 be friends (wait for your love).鈥)
Shakira, 鈥淟as Mujeres Ya No Lloran鈥
In the seven years since Shakira鈥檚 last album, she separated from soccer player Gerard Piqu茅, leading to what she鈥檚 called the 鈥渄issolution of my family," and she faced charges of tax evasion in Spain. But she on 鈥淟as Mujeres Ya No Lloran,鈥 from the bachata 鈥淢onoton铆a鈥 to the electro-pop 鈥淭e Felicito鈥 to the mega viral 鈥淪hakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53鈥 and beyond.
HONORABLE MENTION: 鈥淩adical Optimism,鈥 Kacey Musgraves, 鈥淒eeper Well,鈥
RAP RENASSIANCE:
Chief Keef, 鈥淎lmighty So 2鈥
Something shifted when Chief Keef released his 鈥淎lmighty So鈥 mixtape in 2013. The exemplar of Chicago drill, the rap subgenre that would define its moment, Chief Keef was a viral teenager whose sound would be heard round the world. Eleven years later, his long-teased sequel, 鈥淎lmighty So 2鈥 delivers with the immediacy of the first 鈥 but it is markedly different. Keef has never sounded more polished, more professional 鈥 but he stays true to himself.
Schoolboy Q, 鈥淏lue Lips鈥
On his sixth album, the LA rapper Schoolboy Q pushes himself to traverse new, unexpected territory 鈥 five years since 2019鈥檚 鈥淐rash Talk,鈥 and undeniably worth the wait. There are good time tracks (鈥淭Hank god 4 me鈥) and songs of disruption (鈥淕ermany 鈥86鈥). It makes for an interesting tension 鈥 and room for discovery with each listen.
Sexyy Red, 鈥淚n Sexyy We Trust鈥
Last year鈥檚 鈥淗ood Hottest Princess鈥 introduced listeners everywhere to a young, hot new Midwest MC 鈥 a fearless, funny rapper by the name Sexyy Red. This year, she鈥檚 followed it up with a mixtape, 鈥淚n Sexyy We Trust,鈥 a not-safe-for-work collection of bright, horny rap records. If you thought she was going to settle for just one viral moment, guess again.
HONORABLE MENTION: Future and Metro Boomin, 鈥淲e Don鈥檛 Trust You,鈥 Young Miko, 鈥淎tt.,鈥 Vince Staples, 鈥淒ark Times鈥
RULEBREAKERS:
Charli XCX, 鈥淏rat鈥
English pop singer-songwriter oscillates between hedonism and anxiety 鈥 the euphoria of a late night on the dancefloor and the creeping disquietude of the morning after 鈥 as much as it does her in-between status as pop queen of the underground and sometimes mainstream success story. As 鈥淏rat鈥 summer swings in full force, it seems like she鈥檚 leaning more and more to the latter.
Kali Uchis, 鈥淥rqu铆deas鈥
On her fourth studio album, the largely (鈥淥rchids鈥 in English), Colombian American singer Kali Uchis鈥 ability to create lush, fluid sonic worlds reaches new heights. On 鈥淥rqu铆deas,鈥 it is all sultry songs about love, loss and divination. These are self-possessed songs across a spectrum of heritages, made cohesive through her unique filter.
RM, 鈥淩ight Place, Wrong Person鈥
The thoughtful leader of , RM is usually philosophical in his solo work, unafraid to take big sonic risks, sometimes with big rewards. On his second solo album, RM continues to ask the big questions atop elastic, genre-averse production, from the wet, funky bass of 鈥淣uts,鈥 the avant-garde 鈥淎round the world in a day鈥 to the surprising shoegaze of 鈥淗eaven.鈥
HONORABLE MENTION: Carin Le贸n, 鈥淏oca Chueca, Vol. 1,鈥 Brittney Spencer, 鈥淢y Stupid Life,鈥 脕lvaro D铆az, 鈥淪ayonara,鈥 Ayra Starr, 鈥淭he Year I Turned 21,鈥 , 鈥淲here I鈥檝e Been, Isn鈥檛 Where I鈥檓 Going鈥
ALBUMS YOU MIGHT鈥橵E MISSED:Cindy Lee, 鈥淒iamond Jubilee鈥
Where did 鈥淒iamond Jubilee鈥 come from? Cindy Lee 鈥 the drag alter-ego of Women鈥檚 Patrick Flegel, a fixture of 好色tv indie rock since the early 2010s 鈥 released this lo-fi gem as an unmarked YouTube link. It meant listeners had to sink into its psych and garage rock in full 鈥 all two hours and 32-minutes. It鈥檚 unusual that an album this surprising, expansive and beneath the mainstream manages to break out onto best of lists.
Waxahatchee, 鈥淭igers Blood鈥
The indie artist Waxahatchee, known for her gut-wrenching alt-country, demonstrates mastery of her craft on her sixth studio album, Waxahatchee, the musical moniker of Katie Crutchfield, is at her most evocative when documenting everyday realities. 鈥淭igers Blood鈥 finds simple joys; gone are tortured emotions and self-doubt communicated through distorted riffs of her previous work. Start with 鈥淩ight Back to It,鈥 featuring , which moves from country to indie rock seamlessly. It鈥檚 about easing into the later years of a steady and reliable relationship 鈥 and it sounds exciting.
Mannequin P----, 鈥淚 Got Heaven鈥
Philadelphia punk band Mannequin P---- have never been accused of being restrained. On their latest album, 鈥淚 Got Heaven,鈥 ferociousness, self-assurance and desire are one in the same. The band moves from lust and fear (鈥淚 Got Heaven鈥) to dominance (鈥淟oud Bark鈥) and freedom (鈥淎ching鈥), playing with Christian lyricism and sexuality in the same breath. It makes for a high-octane listen 鈥 not for the faint of heart, but certainly for anyone looking for an energizing record that moves from dreamy pop to abrasive hardcore with ease.
Adrianne Lenker, 鈥淏right Future鈥
It may be the summer, but this sounds like spring. Big Thief鈥檚 Adrianne Lenker鈥檚 fifth solo album is simple, sparse, and singular. Her folk-y vocal tone, immediately recognizable to her most devoted listeners, is time-honored 鈥 with little more than an acoustic guitar and a harmony, she composes elegant songs with a classic sensibility. Sometimes, the most thoughtful creations utilize the fewest tools.
HONORABLE MENTION: Kim Gordon, 鈥淭he Collective,鈥 Hurray for the Riff Raff, 鈥淭he Past Is Still Alive,鈥 Modu Moctar, 鈥淔uneral for Justice鈥
