the one about music albums

a personal, biased Spotify album wrapped

Dec 19, 2024

Your favourite yappaholic is backkkkkk (I take my applause in standing ovations).

Where did I go?

Nowhere. I just feel like me again.

As Spotify wrapped failed me, I decided, based on extremely biased data, to announce my top ten albums released this year. This was decided based on four criteria: the cohesiveness, the longevity in my playlist rotation, how many songs I actually like in the album and how much I generally enjoy these songs. Now without further ado.

NO 10

This is such a lover boy album from Park Jimin (from BTS) following his previous solo album release which was mainly about breakup. I’m not a music critic so I will not be talking about the synths and shit. Listen to Be Mine at least. Thank you.

NO 9

IVE is a kpop group, consisting of six girls, that I never expected to love as much as I do. The two albums they released last year really held me by my metaphorical balls so much that the moment they released, I was tripping over my own feet to listen to it. If you’re a person who genuinely likes Amapiano, listen to RESET. Trust me, it doesn’t sound like a kpop song.

NO 8

ITZY has been another kpop group (five girls), I have loved. Found about them since 2021 but after a few catfish promotions and mid tier songs, I stopped following them as closely. Then while innocently scrolling TikTok, I see their pre release single Born To Be and I went running back. I waited in anticipation for the album and streamed the fuck out of it. If you were near me in the first week of school in January, you would have heard me silently singing along to Born To Be.

NO 7

I have known Tyla since her first song Getting Late. Then she was just another TikTok pretty face with banging body and a great song. Watching her gain recognition has been the most adorable thing. But (please don’t kill me), I didn’t like Water like that. I get why it’s good, don’t get me wrong, but it’s underwhelming (to me!) to listen to on its own. Jump, Safer, and No.1? Platinum in my room.

NO 6

This was released in May, I found it in early July due to a snippet of CHIHIRO I heard on TikTok. This was my go-to album for reading novels. It had that soft and slow vibe that just aided my imaginations so well. I think this is the first album of Billie Eyelash (what I call her in my head) that I actually listened to the entire thing. THE DINER is such a figure skating song imo sha.

NO 5

If you think you can separate me from my love of TXT, you’re wrong. Anytime I hear this album, I remember the first time I listened to it. I was walking to class and stopping every few minutes in awe then I would continue. Any afrobeat lover would actually love The Killa. Go give it a listen.

NO 4

If you’ve heard Rose and Bruno Mars’ APT, then this is the rest of the album. It’s entirely in English and I swear I didn’t even think I would like it as much I do. I stream it everywhere. It’s basically a breakup album because she wrote it inspired by her breakup. It’s a type of album that you’ll be melancholy one song and then twerking the next. Toxic till the end and Gameboy have been on repeat for the past week.

NO 3

ATEEZ deviated a bit from their noise music, listened to a little bit of Reggaeton and made a whole album inspired by it, and I ate it the fuck up. So if you actually like Reggaeton type music, this album is probably for you cause Blind is basically Daddy Yankee’s Gasolina with Korean lyrics.

NO 2

My girls went through so much this year from the moment they dropped their Easy EP in February. Kpop netizins telling them that they’re untalented and should debate killing themselves. Then my girls came back with such a cunty song that everyone had no chance but to shut up. They had their biggest year yet and I’m so proud. As for the songs, if you like phonk and the type of songs you can vogue and whack to, this is the album for you.

NO 1

After all the kpop, an afrobeat album being my favourite is shocking. Honestly, my eyes were opened to the goat that is Victony this year, due to Kolomental from his Outlaw album hitting my Spotify shuffle. Prior to this I only knew Soweto and Holy Father. I spent the entire August streaming the fuck out of Outlaw. Risk blew up on TikTok and when finally looking for the song in late August, I discovered this album.

When I say Stubborn is the gift that keeps on giving. Every time I listen to the album I gain more appreciation for a new song. I haven’t loved an afrobeat album like this since Boy Alone by Omah Lay and Timeless by Davido.

Some honourable mentions: ALBUMS

(these are albums I discovered this year but were not released this year)

I have put y’all on the opening of my eyes to this album. So I have nothing left to say. Get Used To It? This Feeling? No Pressure? Don’t play with me
I played the fuck out of Citizens. Then I went down a Faouzia pipeline. Thick and Thin? SoLie? Goated Album

Some honourable mentions: ARTISTS

(these are artists I found this year and I’m going to actually start paying attention to)

Addison Rae
Gracie Abrams
Tate McRae
GloRilla

I’m sorry this is such a long read but as someone who listens to a lot of music and a lot of different artists, it took a while narrowing down. I wanted to do songs from this year that I liked but didn’t like the album but I realized I would drop over twenty songs and would still want to add more so I scrapped it.

Please leave your top ten albums in the comments (I feel like I’ll find some hidden gems)