It is the end of 2024, and that means that the 2020s are halfway over. From a decade that has brought us the rise of new pop superstars, the comeback of country music and the fall of rap as music’s darling — a lot has happened in the last five years. I am going to go over this decade’s best releases in music, while taking a look at a variety of different genres. Specifically: hip-hop, pop, rock, folk/country and jazz.
This list was a brutal task to go over, from selecting the best records of a certain genre and assigning them to a specific year in the list — I really had a hard time mulling it over. However, I am confident in saying that these are the best albums of the decade (so far).
“Punisher” — Phoebe Bridgers (2020)
A lot can be said about the first entry on this list. “Punisher” by Phoebe Bridgers is a folk record that blows the socks off of every “sad-girl-indie” folk release of the decade. It started off the 2020s with a “BANG.”
“Kyoto,” the most popular song from that record is a driving, triumphant behemoth of a track. It lays the groundwork for an emotionally vulnerable album that takes us through Phoebe’s psyche and her turbulent relationship with her father. “Chinese Satellite,” “ICU,” “Halloween” and “I Know The End” are some of my favorite cuts from that record.
Mark my words — “Punisher,” along with Phoebe’s first record, “Stranger in the Alps,” will set a glorious precedent for indie folk albums in the next decade or so.
“HEY WHAT” — Low (2021)
After the passing of Low drummer, Mimi Parker, two years ago, I had a newfound appreciation for the longtime slowcore act’s thirteenth record. “HEY WHAT” laughs in the face of adversity, and challenges the norms of rock music. It is by far the most experimental record on this list, but I definitely find it the most interesting listen.
“HEY WHAT” draws from the darkest corners of industrial, ambient, experimental and electronic music to fuse every single idea that Parker and co-founder, Alan Sparhawk, could manage. “Days Like These” is the centerpiece of the record, and will make you feel a lot of emotions: sadness, confusion, disgust, paranoia and completeness. It encapsulates the idea of stagnation — and how you eventually can die from it. Along with that track, I’d recommend “White Horses,” “I Can Wait” and “Disappearing.”
“The Forever Story” — JID (2022)
JID’s third album is the best rap album of the decade for me, by far. In a decade that has been struggling to find new superstars that do not die tragically young, JID’s “The Forever Story” is an inspirational piece of work that takes the listener on a sonic odyssey through JID’s childhood, his teen years and career as a Dreamville-singed rap-star.
“Surround Sound” is a hit, with over 600 million streams on Spotify — and counting — along with banger after banger like, “Dance Now,” “Can’t Punk Me” and “Money,” JID has it. “It” being a relative term, but even if JID didn’t have the star power that he has now, “The Forever Story” would still be a strong contender on the list of this decade’s best.
JID’s rapping technicality is some of the best out there today. His flow is fast, but not blistering. His lyrics are provocative, but not reliant on shock-value. Most of all, he can use his vocal range in superbly effective ways. JID has been in the rap game for a while now, but with albums like this, it won’t be long until he is cemented as one of the greats.
“Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” — Lana Del Rey (2023)
“Wallsocket” by the indie electropop artist, Underscores, was my favorite overall record from last year. However, the single, “A&W” by now industry veteran Lana Del Rey has secured its spot on top as my favorite pop song of the year. “A&W” is not the only hard-hitting and emotional cut on this dark, brooding album. “Let The Light In,” “Peppers,” “Taco Truck x VB” and “The Grants” pull out all of the stops and cement Lana Del Rey as one of the smartest and most mature songwriters of the last five years.
She effortlessly balances serious and lighthearted subjects in a classy and elegant way. Her aura on most of these tracks comes off as confident as Madonna at times. Lana and her now-classic 2019 record, “Norman F*cking Rockwell,” now has a competitor for her best work.
From early cuts on “Born to Die” like “Video Games” and “Diet Mountain Dew,” Lana has substantially grown as a singer, songwriter and an artist.
“Night Reign” — Arooj Aftab (2024)
Jazz is a tough genre to pin down in the 2020s. Is it dead? Fused with electronic music? Are there any stars in the jazz world that can “wow” us today? Now, I can only answer a few of those pressing questions. If you’re new to jazz, especially arabic-jazz, I highly suggest you check out “Night Reign” by Arooj Aftab. Her third, full length studio album, is undoubtedly her best and most accomplished record.
“Night Reign” pulls influences from folk, ambient, classical and almost all facets of arabic music-staples, and it juggles all of those hard-to-pull-off elements beautifully. “Na Gul,” “Raat Ki Rani” and “Whiskey” are some of my favorite tracks from both this year and decade. They are extremely beautiful in their composition and sonic flavor. Aftab’s vocals are delicate yet commanding and stretch the possibilities of jazz vocals for women.
The collaborations on the record are also excellent, some of the features on the album include: James Francies, Moor Mother, Vijay Iyer, Cautious Clay and Chocolate Genius Incorporated. It is a fantastic journey that the listener goes on, and if it is not your favorite jazz record of 2024 already — it should be.
