Paste Magazine has compiled its picks for the 40 best debut albums released in 2024, highlighting emerging artists across genres. The list features newcomers like SPRINTS, Tierra Whack, and Ekko Astral, emphasizing fresh sounds from bands and solo acts. Music editor Matt Mitchell curated the selection, focusing on urgent and tremendous material from up-and-coming talents.
Paste Magazine's annual roundup spotlights the vibrant landscape of new music in 2024, with a dedicated list of the 40 best debut albums. Published by music editor Matt Mitchell, the feature excludes artists with stage name changes and centers on first-time releases from bands, solo artists, and in-between projects since January. Mitchell expresses gratitude for discovering new acts like English Teacher, Lip Critic, and Ekko Astral, noting the year's strong output despite some artists not covered in their Best of What’s Next series.
The list kicks off with SPRINTS' 'Letter to Self' at number 40, praised for its drone-y, noisy elements capturing anxiety and panic, inspired by gothic rockers Bauhaus. Tracks like 'Shadow of a Doubt' delve into suicidal ideation and loneliness, while the title track affirms inner peace amid doom. At 39, cumgirl8's 'the 8th cumming' introduces sleazy, dramatic symphonies with explicit lyrics probing humanity's uncomfortable parts, positioning post-reality as already present.
Tierra Whack's long-awaited 'WORLD WIDE WHACK' ranks 38, blending whimsy and vulnerability, exploring mental health struggles in songs like '27 Club.' Katie Gavin's 'What a Relief' at 37 reclaims Lilith Fair-core, focusing on complex expressions of marginalized genders through ambivalent joy and melancholy. Further down, Sunna Margrét's 'Finger on Tongue' weaves ghostly synths and avant-garde influences, while Clothing's 'From Memory' features guest vocalists like Amber Coffman for bouncy electronic textures.
Higher entries include English Teacher's 'This Could Be Texas' for clever lyricism and pop-rock command, and Royel Otis' 'Pratts & Pain' for unpredictable synth-pop and post-punk collages. The top 10 features Ekko Astral's 'pink balloons' as a punk victory lap, Nia Archives' drum and bass 'Silence Is Loud,' and Tex Patrello's inventive 'Minotaur.' The list underscores 2024's diversity, from indie rock to electronica, inviting listeners to explore these debuts.
