2024 Album of the Year

10. RICHAXXHAITIAN - Mach-Hommy

9. King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2 - Denzel Curry

8. JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACHLAVA THE DOCTOR - Action Bronson

7. Still Praying - Westside Gunn

6. GLORIOUS - Glorilla

5. The Crossroads - Cordae

4. CHROMAKOPIA - Tyler, The Creator

3. GNX - Kendrick Lamar

2. Alligator Bites Never Heal - Doechii

1. Dark Times - Vince Staples

When I was making this list, the top three albums were the hardest to rank for an obvious reason—they stood out the most. The artists who had the best year were Doechii and Kendrick Lamar. 2024 felt like Doechii’s breakout year with her first mixtape under TDE, Alligator Bites Never Heal, while in GNX, Kendrick was dealing with all the emotions after winning his rap beef with Drake and Super Bowl Halftime Show. You can feel that energy in both of their albums.

But for me, the most important factor was the vibe, and Vince Staples’ album, Dark Times, hit perfectly at the right time—during the summer. You can’t beat great timing. Beautiful, soft, and vibrant beats paired with trance-inducing raps filled my car speakers all summer. No project captured the “right place, right time, right energy” magic quite like this one. That’s not to say Vince Staples’ album wouldn’t have been a contender for the top three on its merit, but the timing made it unforgettable.