X96’s Top Alternative Albums of 2024 has been unleashed on you, the suspecting public. Yes, another list! But this one is truly important. First, it’s brief. There are only six albums on our list so that’s quite manageable. We also feel like so many lists really need an editor. We originally thought that maybe 10 albums would be the way to go. It’s a number that people are comfortable with? But nope. We hired an editor (AI) and got it down to six. There are some records we kept coming back to.
So here ya go, what we think are the essential albums of 2024. Feel free to tell us how wrong we are.
6. Future Islands “People Who Aren’t There Anymore”
Future Islands’ People Who Aren’t There Anymore feels like a long, wistful hug from a friend who overthinks everything—and we mean that in the best way possible. Samuel T. Herring’s voice is as gut-punchingly raw as ever, crooning over synth-laden tracks that straddle the line between heartbreak and hope.
The opener, “King of Sweden,” sets the tone with its lush instrumentation and lyrics that sound like poetry scribbled in the margins of a diary. Meanwhile, “Say Goodbye” somehow makes the existential crisis of morning bliss something you could dance to. Classic Future Islands, really—nobody else makes yearning feel so cinematic.
If you’re here, you probably love that vibe anyway. Melancholy has never felt so danceable.
Don’t miss them at Kilby Block Party on opening night!
5. The Last Dinner Party “Prelude to Ecstasy”
The Last Dinner Party’s Prelude to Ecstasy is as decadent as the title suggests—an indulgent, theatrical feast for the ears that doesn’t care if it’s too much. The band leans unapologetically into drama, blending baroque pop, glam rock, and a pinch of disco flair into something that feels like it should be played at a Gatsby-level party where everyone’s drinking champagne out of goblets. And if you went to their show in the fall, we’re jealous! COVID sucks!
From the instrument title track opener, “Prelude to Ecstasy,” that leads into “Burn Alive” you know you’re in for a dramatic ride. It’s excess done right. Tracks like the dreamy “Ceasar on a TV Screen” that has a vibe of early 90’s alt. Then there’s the feast that is “Sinner” that is simply dripping with opulence that stays sharp and poppy. Bang your head to that!
Prelude to Ecstasy is bold, playful, and confident, with a wink that says, “Yeah, we know we’re extra.” It’s not just an album; it’s an experience—and one you’ll want to revisit whenever life needs a little more flair.
Then again, vulgarity looks best in lace.
4. Jack White “No Name”
Jack White’s No Name is exactly what you’d expect from the guy who could make a guitar solo out of a rusty nail, a shoe box, and some twine. It’s, Jack White distilled into 13 tracks of sonic satisfaction.
It’s our humble opinion that this is the best album that Jack White has released since The White Stripes dibanded in 2011. The album doesn’t hold your hand. Right from the opener, “Old Scratch Blues,” you’re dropped into a swirling vortex of distorted riffs, cryptic lyrics, and rhythms that seem to be daring you to keep up. No Name is A record that’s part rock, part blues, part what even is this?—and somehow, it works.
Standouts like “That’s How I’m Feeling” and “Archbishop Harold Homes” (maybe the most fun Jack track since “Rag and Bone” from 2007’s Icky Thump) remind us why Jack’s a modern-day guitar wizard, while tracks like “Silent Static” lean into eerie, minimalist vibes that feel more like art installations than songs. It’s not all accessible, though—there are moments where the experimental edge might lose you if you’re not fully in the mood for Jack’s brand of eccentricity.
Still, No Name is unapologetically Jack White: bold, weird, and unafraid to make you reinforce everything you thought you knew about rock. Love it or hate it, it’s impossible to ignore. Rolling Stone only placed it at 20 on their list of the top 100 albums of 2024. Maybe they weren’t listening hard enough.
3. Green Day “Saviors”
Green Day’s Saviors is like that friend who peaked in high school but just showed up to the reunion looking unexpectedly cool again. It’s loud, brash, and dripping with their trademark snark, but there’s a maturity underneath that makes you stop and think, “Wait, are they… profound now?”
Right out of the gate, tracks like “The American Dream is Killing Me” and “Strange Days Are Here to Stay” bring the energy we love—swinging punk guitars, catchy choruses, and Billie Joe Armstrong’s voice delivering equal parts anger and apathy. But what sets Saviors apart is how it blends Green Day’s punk roots with the band’s later penchant for arena-rock theatrics. It’s messy, sure, but in a way that feels intentional, like they’re saying, “Yeah, the world’s a mess, and so are we, but at least we’re honest about it.”
Lyrically, it’s Green Day doing what they do best: railing against corruption, consumerism, and whatever’s left of the American Dream. But there’s also a surprising vulnerability, especially on tracks like “Dilemma,” where Billie Joe strips back the bravado and gets real.
Is it revolutionary? Nah. But Saviors is Green Day being Green Day—angsty, sarcastic, and weirdly hopeful. And honestly? That’s exactly what we needed. The way things are going, we may need it even more next year.
2. Twenty One Pilots “Clancy”
Okay, so Clancy, the latest from Twenty One Pilots, feels like what would happen if you locked Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun in a basement with a mood board labeled “vibes” and told them to write a musical manifesto. The result? An album that’s part dystopian diary, part therapy session, and, somehow, a sneaky playlist for your next road trip to nowhere.
The lore is everywhere. It’s the conclusion of a decade-long arch, but added even more cryptic symbolism making you wonder if they’re trolling us. Tracks like “Routines in the Night” and “Lavish” hit with energy—punchy, moody, and weirdly catchy—but also carry a weight that’s hard to shake. Tyler’s lyrics dig deeper into the struggles of identity, control, and rebellion, and you can almost hear Josh’s drums saying, “Yep, we’re still here in the chaos with you.”
But honestly? It’s a lot. That said, it’s unapologetically intense, weirdly comforting, and packed with beats you’ll hum at 3 a.m. It’s a wild ride, but hey, isn’t that exactly why we keep coming back? Readers of Alternative Press named it their #1 album of that year. So why didn’t we? Because…
1. The Cure “Songs of a Lost World”
Songs of a Lost World is The Cure reminding us they’re still the reigning champs of gloom, doom, and unexpectedly catchy despair. It’s like Robert Smith looked at the modern world, sighed dramatically, and said, “Alright, I guess we’ll soundtrack this mess, too.” And honestly? We’re grateful.
The album feels like vintage Cure but with a fresh layer of existential dread that hits just right in 2024. Tracks like “A Fragile Thing” and “I Can Never Say Goodbye” have that signature mix of ethereal melancholy and jangly guitars, while Smith’s voice—equal parts haunting and heartbreaking—remains the emotional gut-punch it’s always been. Listening to it is like flipping through an old diary you forgot you wrote, only to realize it’s still way too relatable.
That said, it’s not exactly a light listen. The themes of isolation, loss, and longing are heavy, and by the end, you might need a hug or at least a really strong coffee. But hey, it’s The Cure—after waiting 16 years to deliver us a new album, they’re not here to give us pep talks. They’re here to remind us that sadness can be beautiful, too. Is it a lot? Sure. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Some bands age; The Cure just keeps deepening.
You can read Todd Nuke’em’s review of “Songs of a Lost World” here.
