Favourite Albums of 2024 - The Top 10

 

It’s the end of the year and that means it’s the appropriate time to post an end of the year list. Not November. Not even the middle of December. But at the end of the year.

So here is the Breaking More Waves Favourite Albums of 2024 list.

There’s no big commentary or no real explanation of the records here. This is because if you are the sort of person that pays any interest in end of year lists, you probably can’t stand any more essays on why such and such a record is so good.

There are just 3 short points to be made about this list:

1. I only post my Top 10 records here, because as I’ve said in previous years, who really wants to listen to an album that someone says is their 89^th favourite release of 2024?

2. However, if you do want more than 10, you can find the Breaking More Waves Top 30 on a Spotify playlist here. 1 track from each record.

3. Having first appeared on the blog in 2009 after releasing the song Do It Well, Charli XCX is no stranger to the Breaking More Waves end of year list. She previously featured in 6^th (True Romance 2013), 10^th (Sucker 2014), 14^th (Charli 2019), 6^th again (How I’m Feeling Now 2020) and 28^th places (Crash 2022). But this time she goes higher. Brat is number 1. The album topped a lot of end of year polls. This one is no different. It’s the most forward thinking, modern, exciting, honest, danceable pop record I’ve heard all year and is packed full of good songs.

Brat is also unusual in that it’s an album that has made album artwork important / talked about again. Streaming has to a large extent destroyed interest in album artwork which relies generally on a bigger canvas than a small square on someone's phone. With Brat, Charli has made it important again. It’s influence has gone way beyond pop music.

Here’s the top 10. The playlist of the top 30 can be found on this link here.

Top 10 Albums of 2024

 1st Charli XCX – Brat

2nd The Last Dinner Party – Prelude To Ecstasy

3rd The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World

4th Fabiana Palladino  - Fabiana Palladino

5th English Teacher – This Could Be Texas

6th Kneecap – Fine Art

7th Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard And Soft

8th Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching

9th Sprints – Letter To Self

10th Lady Blackbird - Slang Spirituals

Charli XCX - 360 (From Brat)

charlixcx · 360

Ones to Watch 2025 #10 Man / Woman / Chainsaw

 Man/ Woman/ Chainsaw is Billy Ward (vocals, guitars), Emmie-Mae Avery (vocals,keys/synths), Vera Leppänen (vocals, bass), Clio Harwood (violin) and Lola Cherry (drums). The final choice on this year’s Breaking More Waves Ones to Watch list they are arguably the least ‘new’ of the 10 acts on the list, having released their first song Any Given Sunday late in 2022. Two further songs followed in 2023 and it was one of these that first caught our attention – the ambitious What Lucy Found There. It wasn’t until November 2024 though that the band released their debut EP and established themselves as a true force to be reckoned with.

If you are a fan of early Black Country New Road, The Delgados and what is often known as the ‘Windmill Scene’ bands but think that Black Country New Road are becoming a little too twee recently then Man / Woman/  Chainsaw may well be your cup of musical tea. Taking indie guitars and both male and female vocals as a base, the band create a bigger widescreen sound through the addition of violin and piano that gives them a broader folk-orchestral scope than many of their indie rock contemporaries. Man / Woman / Chainsaw have moments in their songs where they sound genuinely pretty but it’s often then cut with aggressive punkish outbursts. It's this contrast and not knowing what is going to come next that is part of their appeal.

Man / Woman / Chainsaw still sound like a band that are growing and developing, but that development is fascinating; where their potential takes them only time will tell.

Man / Woman / Chainsaw - Ode To Clio

Man/Woman/Chainsaw · Ode To Clio

Ones to Watch 2025 #9 Disgusting Sisters

The ninth Ones to Watch 2025 is Disgusting Sisters; a duo that featured on the blog in September prior to releasing any music.

Since then they’ve released they’re debut single Killing It and Breaking More Waves has managed to catch them live.

From that live show I can confirm that they are the new queens of dancing in front of the bedroom mirror pop. They’re cool, sassy and fun. They describe themselves as “Gucci Beavis and Butthead.” They probably spent their youths listening to Girls Aloud and Shampoo. They may get you grooving like a wolf. (Honestly). Killing It is probably their weakest song – there is better to come. The single was released by the forever on the case record label Speedy Wunderground.

They are the penultimate Ones to Watch 2025 on Breaking More Waves.

Disgusting Sisters - Killing It

 

Ones to Watch 2025 #8 The Itch

 

The next selection on the Breaking More Waves Ones to Watch 2025 list is a bit of a stab in the dark. To date The Itch have released just 1 song – the mighty Ursula. Released last April it was immediately featured as the Breaking More Waves song of the week. 

This is how it was described on the blog at that time: ‘For Georgia Hardy and Simon Tyrie (who are The Itch) have created something rather magnificent. An ambitious meandering piece of electronic retro-pop that hints at the likes of Depeche Mode circa Violator and Your Love by Frankie Knuckles, it’s in no rush to finish as it tells us that pain is stronger than love and builds to an early proclamation that: “We can bring down the government, we could put their heads on spikes.”’

The song ended up being one of my top 10 most streamed tracks of the year. Of course I fully expected something else to follow. It hasn’t. 

So was that it? Or are The Itch just scratching the surface and then making us wait at the opening for a very long time?

It’s hard to tell, but there are clues that there will be more to come. In October there was some proof they hadn’t jacked it in already when I witnessed the band play at Swn Festival in Cardiff. Expanded beyond a two piece they looked like a going concern. The shock was that the other songs in their set didn’t sound anything like the Ursula. A number of tunes burst with funkiness, there was a hint of Talking Heads and an element of danceable drama to their performance. Unexpected but unexpectedly good.

So that stab in the dark assumes that some of those tunes they played will surface at some point and that in 2025 The Itch will come marching forwards with some brilliant recordings. Let’s just hope they don’t do the same as Priestgate in 2023 or Pink Kink in 2018 and having seemingly just got going split just a few months after I’ve tipped them.

The Itch - Ursula

Ones to Watch 2025 #7 Chloe Qisha

 

Do you like pop music? Then the chances are you’ll like the seventh artist on Breaking More Waves Ones to Watch list for 2025. Chloe Qisha is a Malaysian born and UK based singer and songwriter who released her debut single VCR Home Video this July. Since then she’s released a number of other tracks including two really catchy tunes; Sexy Goodbye and I Lied, I’m Sorry. These songs straddle that thin line between out and out commercial pop (think Dua Lipa as an example) and slightly edgier alternative pop (think Chvrches). Either way in the ongoing battle between good pop and bad pop there is no doubt good pop wins here. Give I Lied, I’m Sorry one listen and I guarantee you’ll be humming the “Your hands on my body,” hook down the street.

Like all of the artists on this Ones to Watch list, it’s very early days for Chloe, but with her debut EP showcasing a neon lit world of fun pop with a slightly nostalgic 80s sound, Breaking More Waves is looking forward to hearing more from Chloe in 2025.

Chloe Qisha - I Lied, I'm Sorry

Chloe Qisha · I Lied, I'm Sorry

Ones to Watch 2025 #6 Cliffords

The sixth artist on this year’s Breaking More Waves Ones to Watch list hail from Cork in Ireland and are a five piece called Cliffords. They are an indie rock band with the sort of weighty sound that takes you to a higher plane. Songs like the powerful Second Skin showcase Iona Lynch’s commanding vocal delivery whilst Harry Menton’s guitars go from creating moments of tender beauty to waves of powerful noise.

The band have one EP Strawberry Scented out in the big wide world, which was released last spring and are already lining up quite a few live dates for 2025 including supporting Pompey band Crystal Tides at Oslo Venue in Hackney, London, SXSW in Texas in March and the Great Escape Festival in Brighton in May.

Whilst they haven’t rushed to deluge us with further new tunes since this EP, 2025 should hopefully bring more of their swooning guitar anthems.

Cliffords - Sleeping With Ghosts

Ones to Watch 2025 #5 Mudi Sama

 

The next artist on the Breaking More Waves Ones to Watch 2025 list released his debut single just over a month ago – so this selection is probably somewhat ahead of the curve.

Mudi Sama is a British-born, Nigerian-raised artist who, based on that one song (Jealous Type) is clearly in debt to the 00’s guitar sound – something you don’t see from many black artists given the scene at the time was predominantly white. I'd even suggest the guitars sound a little bit like Weezer. Kele from Bloc Party was probably one of the few exceptions to the 'white lads with guitars' standard. Now Mudi is following that route just as a previous One to Watch in 2020 Master Peace has done. 

What else do we know about Mudi? He’s already been booked for a handful of new music festivals in the UK for 2025 such as Liverpool Sound City, Brighton’s Great Escape and is also playing Abbie McCarthy's Future Karma Ones To Watch Show at The Lower Third in London at the end of January. For those of you who remember tastemaker pop blog / boutique label Neon Gold (responsible for the likes of debut singles by Ellie Goulding, Marina & The Diamonds and Passion Pit ) you may also be interested to know that the credits for Jealous Type give a nod to them and the production was by Jamie Rendle of Will And The People.

There’s definitely more to come from Mudi, so let’s keep an ear out for him?

Mudi Sama is the final artist on this Ones to Watch list to be published today, but there will be five more tomorrow to complete the ten, so check back then to see who the final tips are.

Mudi Sama - Jealous Type

Mudi Sama · Jealous Type

Ones to Watch 2025 #4 Jacob Alon

The fourth artist on the Breaking More Waves Ones to Watch list is Jacob Alon. Jacob hails from the Fife area of Scotland and makes utterly bewitching and tender acoustic music that is already finding a fan base, with their 2025 tour of small venues in January already a sell out.

Interestingly for an acoustic artist the two songs Jacob has released so far have both been produced with Dan Carey – a producer usually more known for working with noisier artists.

Due to Alon’s introspective and gentle sound comparisons have already been made with Jeff Buckley, Nick Drake and Rufus Wainwright. Hopefully soon the comparisons will stop and we’ll just be talking about Jacob Alon on their own right though– for certainly their exquisite songs are extraordinary and stand strong on their own.

Jacob Alon - Fairy In A Bottle

Jacob Alon · Fairy in a Bottle

Ones to Watch 2025 #3 The Pill

 

The Pill are the first of this year’s One to Watch artists that have featured previously on Breaking More Waves, from back in April when they introduced themselves to us with their debut single Bale of Hay.

Since then the Isle of Wight pop punksters have added a couple more frantically hilarious satirical songs to go with their ode to being blonde. Next there was Scaffolding Man, a song about being spotted in the bath by a scaffolder through the window and Woman Driver, which somehow manages to get away with the lines “we just kissed, touched tips, bumped hips,” and “please be nice, I’m just a girl with big tits.” It’s like the shouty indie version of Pull Up To The Bumper by Grace Jones, which surely is the sauciest song about driving ever.

Whilst the two previous artists named on this list could genuinely be considered commercial propositions, The Pill are probably never going to be winning the Mercury Prize or having big hits. However, they are all the better for it. They’re a band that are a blast when they play live. Clearly having loads of fun on stage they make a wonderful shouty racket with some great banter on top.

Who knows, maybe one day they’ll get all glossy and slick and release a Taylor Swift challenging tune, but for now they’re full of a rawness and energy that will leave you grinning from ear to ear. 

They’re Ones to Watch because that’s exactly what you should do – go and watch them.

The Pill - Woman Driver

Ones to Watch 2025 #2 Nia Smith

 

If you’re a fan of the likes of Jorja Smith or Olivia Dean you may well want to add another Smith to your collection. It’s the second artist on the Breaking More Waves Ones to Watch list for 2025 and her name is Nia Smith.

A graduate of the Brit school, Nia’s releases so far are contained on her Give Up The Fear EP released just last month. Each song sounds distinctively and gorgeously effortless in its soulful delivery. Whether she’s channeling her inner Alicia Keys on Little Red Car or the aforementioned Jorja on the dubby reggae tinged Personal (one version of which also features Popcaan), Nia Smith sounds like pure class.

Having supported the likes of Mahalia and Tems live and already performed on Later with Jools Holland, Nia clearly has some decent music industry support (she’s signed to Polydor records) and its easy to understand why – there’s masses of talent here.

Welcome to your new favourite UK R&B artist.

Nia Smith - Little Red Car

Nia Smith · Little Red Car

Ones to Watch 2025 #1 Luvcat

 

The first artist on the Breaking More Waves Ones to Watch list for 2025 is Luvcat.

Luvcat (yes apparently the name is taken as a reference to The Cure) is one Liverpool born Sophie Morgan Howarth, who released her debut single under the Luvcat monicker in May 2024. With three songs now under her belt (Matador, He’s My Man and the originally named Dinner @ Brasserie Zedel) her smokey dramatic tunes that mix cinematic indie singer-songwriter drama with elements of country and vaudeville are already gaining traction online but in real life as well (her 2025 February tour of small UK venues which includes 3 nights at Hoxton Hall in London is already sold out). Support slots with The Last Dinner Party and Paris Paloma have furthered her growing fanbase who are being wowed by her performances which includes elements of storytelling and theatricality. Even at this early stage her songs sound like classics to devour the words to.

Dork magazine have already called Luvcat “Britain’s most intriguing new artist,” and Breaking More Waves would like to endorse that statement.

Undoubtedly one to watch in 2025.

Luvcat - He's My Man

Luvcat · He's My Man

Ones to Watch 2025 - Introduction

 

We’re nearly at the end of the year which means it’s time for the 2 annual lists that Breaking More Waves has published ever since its birth in 2008.

First up is the Ones To Watch list. 10 artists that it may be worth keeping an eye out on for in 2025. As always this is not a tip list of who will be big (although previous years have included artists that have gone on to do very well indeed; from Lana Del Rey to The Last Dinner Party, from Florence and the Machine to Fontaines DC who stream below) but just a list of relatively new artists that are getting the Breaking More Waves thumbs up / seal of approval and I hope will have great futures, be that commercially, critically, for me personally or becoming even more awesome live.

This list was originally inspired by some of the other tip lists that get published in late November or December – especially the BBC Sound of list - which I was once a 'pundit' for (my 3 votes at the time were for Ellie Goulding, Stornoway and Unicorn Kid, two of whom made the final cut. In the past the BBC list was always an exciting list of new acts that provoked much debate amongst new music fans about the merits of such lists, the artists on them, major label influence and the power of London in terms of UK music, amongst many other things. For a few years a bunch of music blogs, including this one, created a poll that followed the exact same format of the voting of the BBC list to complement that list; arguably the Blog Sound of poll chose artists that were a little less established / newer in their careers, although there was some crossover with the BBC list.

However, unfortunately this year’s BBC list was very disappointing and has been pretty much universally panned. It feels here at Breaking More Waves towers like it's time to either abandon the thing or give it a complete revamp with a bunch of voters who follow new music avidly. Although there were a handful of artists that you’d probably expect to see on it (Myles Smith, Good Neighbours) a lot of the list consisted of artists that are already very well known / not new, their inclusion defeating the original purpose of the list. Chappell Roan being nominated for the list seemed very bizarre. Anyone who hasn’t heard of her has surely been living under a rock the last 18 months. Likewise Confidence Man- I included them on my Ones to Watch list 7 years ago when they were starting out! English Teacher was another odd one – having already won the Mercury Prize they're beyond new now. The BBC list seems to be a long way behind the curve this year. 

Unfortunately, with such a list forthcoming from the BBC it perhaps says something about an underlying trend for new artists – that it’s getting harder and harder to break through. Is the music industry losing interest in new music completely? Would it rather just re-release Dark Side of the Moon for the millionth time? Maybe next year Abba will feature on the BBC Sound of?

So with all that being said, welcome to the Breaking More Waves Ones to Watch 2025. 10 artists posted over the next 2 days on the blog in 10 posts through the 48 hours. All the artists chosen I hope you would consider as still relatively new. Everyone featured here has just released a small handful of songs, some only 1, others have got up to releasing a debut EP. Certainly none of them have released an album or had anything near a hit. This meant there were a couple of artists that I really wanted to include but decided were a bit too far off my criteria of newness for this year, namely MRCY (their 8 track EP is just a bit too long - its virtually an album) and Good Neighbours because their song Home spent 15 weeks in the UK Top 40. I'm sure those two bands will be on lots of other tip lists though and having seen them both live I can confirm they are worthy of any list. I'm just sticking to some fairly tight criteria on newness this year to contrast with the BBC list.

The first post will go up at 10am, so keep watching (and listening!) throughout the day for 5 artists today and 5 tomorrow. I'll also provide a playlist at the end of the list reveal so that you can dive into each act again.

Fontaines DC - Starburster

Fontaines D.C. · Starburster