Best of 2024 Entertainment - Favourite Albums, Songs, Movies and TV Shows
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Best of 2024 Albums and Songs
In previous years I’ve endeavoured to rationalise and explain my various choices. While it mostly boils down to what you were exposed to, and what sort of emotion that art elicited! Also how much time you have to pour through all the different choices and options. I tend to often work in split screen mode - and in particular for graphic work - I can watch a programme or listen to music at the same time. I tend to prefer dubbed films nowadays - as I rarely have the time or the necessary attentions span to read the subtitles - I know it’s not perfect - but it kinda works for me most of the time!
My tastes are relatively eclectic - and so there should be something here for most everyone. Peruse these selections as you see fit - and hopefully this will help you with your choices - even if it’s just to be in a poisition to eliminate and distil whatever choices are being presented. Each of these citations had some impact on me this year. Some of the top placements are relevant in their relative positions - while it’s often tricky to ascribe a tier ranking and position for each of these choices - there are some obviously cultural milestones - but largely this is all just personal subjective choice!
30+ Albums
There's a trio of Soulful House albums at the head of this selection - that's most of what I've been listening to for the latter half of this year - while Allie X dominated the first half - as did the Desire - Escape (2022) reissue which doesn't qualify. I did sneak in Barry Can't Dance though - which album was from October of last year - I alas overlooked it in 2023 - but it's been massive for me this year as part of my soulful house trifecta! Fred Again, Jamie XX, and Barry Can't Swim's Joshua Mainnie are surely the leaders of that movement!
Lots of different genres covered here - with some leftfield choices in the mix too! Hopefully something for everyone - no jazz or classical this year though!
2 : Fred Again - Ten Days
3 : * Barry Can't Swim - Where Will We Land [* late 2023]
4 : Allie X - Girl With No Face
5 : Fabiana Palladino - Fabiana Palladino
6 : Peggy Gou - I Hear You
7 : Kim Gordon - The Collective
9 : IglooGhost - Tidal Memory X
11 > 30+ Albums
- Rema - Heis
- Kendrick Lamar - GNX
- Tyler, the Creator – Chromakopia
- JPEGMAFIA - I Lay Down My Life For You
- St Vincent - All Born Screaming
- Kiasmos - II
- Monolake - Studio
- Kelly Lee Owens - Dreamstate
- Fontaines D.C. - Romance
- Magdalena Bay - Imaginary Disk
- Empire Of The Sun - Ask That God
- Lola Young - This Wasn't Meant for You Anyway
- Nia Archives - Silence Is Loud
- Serpentwithfeet - Grip
- Carli XCX - Brat
- A.G. Cook - Britpop
- Dua Liba - Radical Optimism
- Fat Dog - Woof.
- David Gilmour - Luck and Strange
- Jack White - No Name
- Mk.gee – Two Star & the Dream Police
- The Cure - Songs Of A Lost World
- Bring Me The Horizon - Post Human : New Gen
50+ Songs
As always I kind of got carried away with the singes / tracks / songs part of the music coverage. So much to love this year - and really eclectic for sure. There are some themes and patterns within this selection - but some fairly random entries too - mostly good clean fun though! While some of the hip-hop is somewhat sweary!
1 : Jamie XX - Life, Daffodil, Baddy On The Floor
2 : Fred Again - Places To Be, Peace U Need, Adore U
3 : Barry Can't Swim - Still Riding, Kimbara
4 : Allie X - You Slept On Me, Off With Her Tits, Galina
5 : Fabiana Palladino - Stay With Me Through The Night, Deeper, I Can't Dream Anymore, I Care
6 : IglooGhost - New Species, Coral Mimic, Alloy Flea
7 : Tyla - Jump, Push 2 Start, No.1
8 : St. Vincent - Big Time Nothing, Broken Man, Flea
9 : Lola Young - Messy, Flicker of Light, Outta My Mind, Wish You Were Dead
10 : Kendrick Lamar - TV Off, Squabble Up, Not Like Us
11 > 50+ Songs
- Jane Paknia + Hagop Tchaparian - Alice in Orchidverse, Orchid Underneath, Whirlpool
- Kim Gordon - Bye Bye, The Candy House, Psychedelic Orgasm, ECRP
- Charli XCX - Girl, So Confusing (Remix), 360 / 365, B2b, Von dutch
- A.G. Cook - Britpop, You Know Me, Emerald, Soulbreaker
- Nia Archives - Forbidden Feelingz, Crowded Roomz, Silence Is Loud
- Burial - Dreamfear, Phoneglow
- Shygirl - Encore, Mr Useless
- Nidia & Valentina - Rapido, Nasty, Sicilia
- Chappell Roan - Good Luck, Babe!, Femininomenon, Red Wine Supernova, HOT TO GO!
- Sabrina Carpenter - Espresso, Taste, Please Please Please
- Empire Of The Sun - AEIOU, Changes, Cherry Blossom, Music On The Radio
- Rosé feat + Bruno Mars - APT
- Fontaines D.C. - Starburster, Favourite, Here's The Thing, Bug
- Magdalena Bay - Image, Death & Romance, That's My Floor
- JPEGMafia - I scream this.., Sin Medo, I'll Be Right There
- Fcuckers - Bon Bon, Homie Don't Shake
- Sofi Tucker - Hey Homie, Bread, Woof
- Melt-Banana - Code, Puzzle, Whisperer
- GloRilla - TGIF, Whatchu Kno About Me, Hollon
- Asake + Travis Scott - Active
- Doechii - Alter Ego
- Verraco - Godspeed >
- Objekt - Ganzfeld (Djrum Remix)
- Olof Dreijer - Coral
- Floating Points - Key103
- Justice - Generator
- Kassie Krut - Reckless
- asterixhibit - HOODBYAIR
- Lola Brooke + Jeremih - No One Else
- Skaiwater - Rain
- Camilla Cabello - I LUV IT
- St. Paul - Colder (Belters Only RMX)
- Jade - Angel of My Dreams
- Empress Of - Lorelei
- Nick León and Erika de Casier – Bikini
- Yaeji - Booboo
- Porter Robinson - Cheerleader
- Fat Dog - Wither, Peace Song, All The Same, Running, King of the Slugs
- Amyl and The Sniffers - U Should Not Be Doing That
- The Cure - Alone, A Fragile Thing, And Nothing Is Forever
- Knocked Loose + Poppy - Suffocate
20 Movies
I seemed to have watched a lot of trash films this year as I struggled to come up with a quality 20 - but feel I finally got there - just by the skin of my teeth! Some interesting choices as always - and I went with the heartwarming nostalgia of The Holdovers, rather than the rather modern and post-modernist bravado take on the Serial Killer trope - Strange Darling - both would have been worthy winners - while The Holdovers is more family-friendly - and probably leaves you feeling a little better about yourself overall!
9 : Furiosa : A Mad Max Saga
11 > 20 Movies
- Gladiator II
- The Zone of Interest
- The Fall Guy
- Monkey Man
- Deadpool & Wolverine
- Late Night with the Devil
- Wolfs
- The Substance
- Wicked
- Abigail
60+ TV Shows
I kind of struggled to order and rank these - and indeed the order has changed several times. While I feel that Baby Reindeer was the most culturally significant International TV hit of the year, Mr Bates vs the Post Office obviously key for us Brits - but lower here because of the lack of actual resolution still to-date - there need to be reparations - which incredibly haven't happened yet!
Overall The Day of the Jackal was for me the most fun of those shows - and really polished in its production values - with plenty of intrigue, action and some spectacular chase scenes - I really loved it! Fallout obviously was a big hit for Amazon - and rightly so! While Apple TV+'s Silo is slightly more sophisticated sci-fi - but there is still no natural heir to The Expanse though - I really miss that show!
Netflix sometimes feels somewhat flooded with some substandard fare - as do all of the streamers at times - while there has been some really decent stuff out this year! And very eclectic!
1 : Baby Reindeer [Netflix]
2 : The Day of the Jackal [Sky / Now TV]
3 : Black Doves [Netflix]
4 : Fallout [Amazon Prime]
5 : Parasyte : The Grey [Netflix]
6 : Secret Level [Amazon Prime]
8 : Slow Horses S4 [Apple TV+]
9 : The Gentlemen [Netflix]
11 > 60+ TV Shows
- The Agency [Paramount+]
- Dexter : Original Sin [Paramount+]
- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder [BBC iPlayer]
- Sweetpea [Sky / Now TV]
- The Penguin [Sky / Now TV]
- Dune Prophesy [Sky / Now TV]
- 3 Body Problem [Netflix]
- Shogun [Disney+]
- Mr Bates vs the Post Office [itvX]
- The Brothers Sun [Netflix]
- Our Gentleman in Moscow [Paramount+]
- True Detective : Night Country [Sky / Now TV]
- Dark Winds [Sky / Now TV]
- Twisted Metal [Paramount+]
- The Responder S2 [BBC iPlayer]
- Sexy Beast [Paramount+]
- Lioness S2 [Paramount+]
- Tulsa King [Paramount+]
- Mayor of Kingstown S3 [Paramount+]
- House of the Dragon S2 [Sky / Now TV]
- The Boys S4 [Amazon Prime]
- The Walking Dead : The Ones Who Live [Sky / Now TV]
- Star Wars : Skeleton Crew [Disney+]
- Rivals [Disney+]
- Tracker S1/S2 [Disney+]
- The Artful Dodger [Disney+]
- The Diplomat [Netflix]
- My Lady Jane [Amazon Prime]
- Halo S2 [Paramount+]
- Avatar : The Last Airbender [Netflix]
- Those About To Die [Amazon Prime]
- Renegade Nell [Disney+]
- Dead Boy Detectives [Netflix]
- Reacher S2 [Amazon Prime]
- Death and Other Details [Disney+]
- The Red King [Sky / Now TV]
- Blue Lights S2 [BBC iPlayer]
- The Bear S3 [Disney+]
- Cross [Amazon Prime]
- Griselda [Netflix]
- Agatha All Along [Disney+]
- Only Murders in the Building S3 [Disney+]
- Nobody Wants This [Netflix]
- Wolf Hall : The Mirror and the Light [BBC iPlayer]
- The Walking Dead : Daryl Dixon S2 [Sky / Now TV]
- Bad Sisters S2 [Apple TV+]
- Bad Monkey [Apple TV+]
- Masters of the Air [Apple TV+]
- Vikings : Valhalla S3
- Star Wars : The Bad Batch S3 [Disney+]
- SAS Rogue Heroes [BBC iPlayer]
- Citadel : Honey Bunny [Amazon Prime]
- Citadel : Diana [Amazon Prime]