We’re back, y’all! I’m here to share my final favorite albums of 2024. You can catch up on my first top 5 faves here if you missed them or would like a refresher. Reminder that these albums are numbered in the order I discovered them this year, not in an order of preference or ranking. 

This has been such a joy to put together, as discovering new music is one of my love languages with God. A beautiful, moving song can bring such delight and refreshment to my bones, and that’s one of the reasons I strongly believe art and creativity are essential to our overall health and wellbeing—ultimately, our ability to live Wildly Well. 

So let’s dive into it; here are the final contenders rounding out my top 10 favorite albums from this year. 

06: THE GREAT AMERICAN BAR SCENE BY ZACH BRYAN 

This album dropped while Mitch and I were on our honeymoon, so it will forever hold a special place in my heart. The tracks have a summertime nostalgia to them I can’t quite put into words, but paired with the poetic lyrics (and not to mention the incredible featured artists), this album had me hooked from day one. 

Favorite songs: “Lucky Enough (Poem)”, “28”, “Bass Boat”, “Sandpaper (with Bruce Springsteen)”

07: ARTIFICIAL PARADISE BY ONEREPUBLIC

I’ll be honest, there aren’t many OneRepublic albums I don’t love. This was also released right around the time of our honeymoon, so it gets special points for that. This had a bit of a cinematic feel in some of the songs (like “Singapore” and “Entr’acte”), which I appreciated. OneRepublic gets credit for their hits that make the radio stations, but there are truly so many more masterpieces they deserve credit for. This album is no different. 

Favorite songs: “Sink or Swim”, “Red Light Green Light”, “Serotonin”, “Sunshine”

08: STICK SEASON BY NOAH KAHAN

Okay, this was not a new album in 2024, but it was new-to-me and quickly dominated my Spotify Wrapped. I love a good folksy album, and this was it, 100%. Like the Zach Bryan album, this one has some insane artist collabs. While I wouldn’t call Des Moines a small town, growing up in a middle-of-the-Midwest-town makes me biased to any lyrics/songs about small communities. Overall, this album is a work of art. Many of the songs made my “Top Songs of 2024” playlist.

Favorite songs: “You’re Gonna Go Far (with Brandi Carlile)”, “She Calls Me Back (with Kacey Musgraves)”, “Paul Revere (with Gregory Alan Isakov)”, “Call Your Mom (with Gracie Abrams)”

09: MOON MUSIC BY COLDPLAY

This album from Coldplay was so not what I expected it to be, but it enchanted me nonetheless. It was full of big, moving, cinematic tracks that comforted me on my long drives to my office at the time. It’s beautiful, and I’m proud to add it to the top 10 list this year. 

Favorite songs: “WE PRAY”, “GOOD FEELiNGS”, “AETERNA”, “ALL MY LOVE”

10: MONTE CARLO EP BY JOHNNYSWIM 

Do EPs count?? Well, I make the rules here, and I say they do. 🙂 This collection of 5 songs was on repeat all through November, and I’m ~jazzed~ for the full release of this album in February 2025. I’m not a blind, diehard Johnnyswim fan—I like some of their stuff better than others—but these songs are simple, gentle, and moving. 

Favorite Songs: “Monte Carlo”, “Los Feliz”, “Alchemy”

2024 HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Long Way Home by Ray LaMontagne. “Step Into Your Power” is pure ear candy!
• In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain by Blind Pilot. I loved “Brave” and “Just a Bird”. 
• Church (Live) by Anna Golden. “Manasseh” and “Glory to Glory” are stunning.