This year has been an inspiring year for music. Living legends have further solidified their legacies and fresh faces have become new favourites.

In recent years, it has felt increasingly important to acknowledge and elevate those who use their art as a voice for the disenfranchised; the oppressed; the underrepresented; and the underprivileged. This year, I recognise those who spoke for more than just themselves - while at the same time indulging in the familiar, timeless themes of love, loss, hope, connection, courage, change, and the never-ending pursuit of happiness.

Here are the songs, albums, and EPs, that had the greatest impact in 2024.

The best songs

Nothing Matters - The Last Dinner Party

The Last Dinner Party dropped their debut studio album, Prelude to Ecstasy, in February 2024. It shot to the top of the UK Albums chart - propelled by their daisy-fresh, scorching hot, lead single, Nothing Matters. These days - as we plough into our shared, amorphous, meta-modernist future; where art is derivative, hybridised, and worn - nothing quite engages the ears like Nothing Matters. It's triumphant, arresting, fiercely catchy, and as kooky as a box of frogs. The Last Dinner Party are one of the headline acts of the year, and evidence that UK guitar music is as alive as it ever was.

I can't lose you - Confidence Man

Ever since the release of their debut LP in 2018, Confidence Man have been making waves across the music world. It seems as though, not matter what your genre preferences usually are, you love Confidence Man unconditionally. Indeed, their crowds include he young, the elderly, and and everyone in between. Confidence Man's captivating stage presence and unfettered energy is a unifying force. The light-heartedness, self-awareness, and determination NOT to take themselves so seriously is a gale of fresh air. I CANT LOSE YOU, a cut from their October release, 3AM (LA LA LA), is another great instalment in their discography.

The best albums

Romance - Fontaines D.C.

Released in August 2024, Romance is the fourth studio album by Fontaines D.C. Ever since the release of their second LP, A Hero's Death - in 2020 - this post-punk band from Dublin has been growing exponentially. Romance is the climax of all this work, an 11-track masterpiece, which will no doubt have a place in lists of the best albums within the post-punk/rock genre for decades to come. The music is biting, bold, and inspired - without sounding too derivative. The lyrics are poetic, moving, expansive and convey a nuanced magnetic relationship between lead singer, Grian Chatten, and his beloved homeland. The album cut, Bug, stands out as having taken the best possible notes from revivalilst 60s band, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, as well as a raft of other punk, indie and spaghetti-western sounds. Produced by the genius James Ford, the entire artistic direction of this LP has been tight, insightful and refreshing. A must-listen for any rock fan.

Prelude to Ecstasy - The Last Dinner Party

Alight here (once again) fans of Kate Bush, Sparks and Queen. In February 2024, The Last Dinner Party dropped Prelude to Ecstasy, which shot to the top of the UK Albums chart - propelled by the daisy-fresh, scorching hot, lead single, Nothing Matters. These days - as we plough into our shared, amorphous, meta-modernist future; where art is derivative, hybridised, and worn - nothing quite engages the ears like this album. It's triumphant, arresting, fiercely catchy, and as kooky as a box of frogs. Other great tracks include Sinner, The Feminine Urge, Caesar on a TV Screen, and Burn Alive. The Last Dinner Party are one of the headline acts of the year, and evidence that UK guitar music is as alive as it ever was.

The best EP

Shadows - Thalia Raye

There have been many quality EPs released this year, from artists big and small. One of my favourites was 'Shadows', by the up-and-coming singer-songwriter, Talia Raye. It was a big year for this Essex-based artist. Her debut EP, Shadows, propelled her into a succession of gigs and festivals around the country; national TV appearances - and even secured her a feature on David Gray's 2024 single, 'Plus & Minus'. Who doesn't love Gray? The headline track on 'Shadows' is Not A Heartbreak, which I had the pleasure of seeing live, from a small stage in Harlow, Essex, when Raye was just getting on her feet in 2022. Even back then, the raw emotion, honesty, and vocal talent blew me away. Expect big things from Talia Raye in 2025, and beyond.