Spotify Wrapped and Radio Wrapped on the same day??? We aim to please.
To round off 2024 with a bang, our Digital Press Department asked UCLA Radio members across all departments for their top albums of the year. The results came in and, boy, do we have things to say. Now it’s your turn to dive in, explore our takes, and maybe find a new favorite—or at least a hot take to argue about. Don’t forget to check out our playlist at the end featuring standout singles from each album.
1. BRAT – Charli XCX
Zain Aslam: If 2024 were a color, it would be a sickening shade of green. When its cursed history is published in the annals, it’ll be in a pixelated Arial Narrow font. And of course, if this year gives an aura, it’s Brat. Since early in the spring, Charli xcx’s magnum opus has cannibalized all the hype. It’s unavoidable. It may have launched a doomed presidential campaign. It even died after the summer—though Charli certainly continues to haunt the cultural consciousness deep into the holiday season. Despite Brat’s omnipresence, the meaning behind this album title has remained a bit of a mystery. Charli gives cryptic, usually contradictory analogies when asked to give the moniker any definition. It’s an impossible word to unravel. This is partially why asking about or identifying with Brat is a problem, because it’s the set-up for a punchline that results in a devastating self-own.
In reality, anyone curious to get in on Brat simply has to listen to the record. Then they have to give it another spin after listening to all of Charli’s other records. There is a narrative, not unlike a künstlerroman, that comes full circle to the essence of this artist’s identity. For over a decade, Charli has straddled the tightrope between the concepts of mainstream pop and dance like a funambulist with no safety net beneath. Brat is the result of her fall into this electric and hybridized abyss, and she’s emerged triumphant. Everything that she’s gambled over the last sixteen years has paid off in spades, because pop music in 2024 was redefined on Charli xcx’s terms.
Normally the zeitgeist that Brat has captured is reserved for a single, a chorus, or a lyric in these days of shrunken attention spans. When it comes to whole albums of recent memory, only Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has held the airwaves, charts, critics, and dance floors concurrently hostage with such merciless strength. This sort of momentous takeover of the shared imagination can feel sudden, even surprising, but it’s just another chapter in Charli’s trajectory. Brat, more than anything, is the synthesis of her creative and personal maturity. It’s equally a revision of a style that the rave-obsessed teenager uploaded onto her MySpace page in 2008 (“Von Dutch”) and a poignant reflection of a woman, now in her thirties, recognizing the sacrifices she’s made to prioritize her work (“I think about it all the time”). Brat is no doubt a bonafide dance album (“360,” “B2b,” “Club classics”), but it moves listeners into unexpectedly melancholic headspaces like grief (“So I”), jealousy (“Girl, so confusing”), and self-doubt (“I might say something stupid”). As a songwriter, Charli has never been more challenging or poetic (“Sympathy is a knife”), with piercing insights into herself and her ecosystem. So while it’s inarguable that Brat has been a resounding success by every measure, let’s not forget that the album is also an incredible exercise in vulnerability, honesty, and risk by an uncompromising artist of exceptional genius.
Standout single: “Von Dutch”
2. Charm – Clairo
Kiara Mack: The best albums simultaneously feel like the culmination of their artist’s career and a natural evolution of their sound and songwriting. Clairo’s third studio album, Charm, is the epitome of this. It’s the vulnerable lyricism of Sling paired with the hypnotizing production of Immunity, but that of an elevated talent and an older, mature Clairo who just wants to be “Sexy to Someone.”
Charm is a true no-skip album that doesn’t let up on the groovy, nostalgic ‘70s vibes even once during its succinct thirty-eight minute runtime. This is also my dad’s favorite album of 2024 and he lived through the ‘70s if that says anything about how successful Clairo was at capturing the vibe she wanted. It’s an album that feels like dancing around your kitchen on a sunny Sunday morning in the coziest way. Plus, it’s not often that the viral single off an album feels earned, but “Juna” is pure indie pop perfection and the mouth trumpet outro is simply infectious.
Charm is by far the must-have record of the year for audiophiles and slow dancers alike, but most importantly, the Charm era has granted us the defining question of 2024: “is this Clairo shade?” Some would argue Brat getting more votes kind of is, but I think the differences between these two albums highlights how there truly has been something to satisfy the tastes of every kind of pop fan this year – nomads, 365 partygirls, and everyone in between.
Standout single: “Echo”
3. CHROMAKOPIA – Tyler The Creator
Audrey Bizzle: Tyler The Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA has become something of a cultural phenomenon since its release in late October, reaching its third consecutive week as No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. As a long-time listener of his work, I was thrilled to see the debut of CHROMAKOPIA in the form of cinematic videos: St. Chroma and Noid, with its dystopian monochrome color scheme contracted with bright colorful visuals that set the tone for the album’s release. Surprisingly, the album’s industrial framing and military imagery almost seem like a stark contrast to the lyrical themes.
CHROMAKOPIA seems to function as a turning point for Tyler’s previous evolutions. From mischievous, blunt, and sometimes antagonistic explorations of music to level-headed self-discovery, Tyler’s work has now evolved into a naked introspection of his adult experience. CHROMAKOPIA offers the listener a chance to enter Tyler’s inner world, exploring relatable themes of adulthood. Tracks like “Take Your Mask Off” explore identity, authenticity, and societal pressure. On a similar note, “I Killed You” offers a profound exploration of Black identity and the complexities of Black hair culture. Unlike the narratives of IGOR (2019) or Call Me If You Get Lost (2021), Tyler sheds his previous conceptual approach to projects, instead grounding the writing in his personal life. Notably, “Hey Jane” explores an unplanned pregnancy, an adventurous and introspective work that takes Tyler’s unique narrative writing to a novel, intimate level.
CHROMAKOPIA artfully weaves adult-like introspection with Cherry Bomb-like tracks like “Sticky,” which features band-like instrumentals that dancers from hip-hop to majorette have taken to platforms like TikTok. On the other hand, “Like Him” encompasses the intentionality of the album, taking a slower musical approach. In this track, Tyler comes to a revelation about his estranged father, featuring his mother’s voice that ties the intimacy of the album together.
Each track on this album offers a new experience for its listeners, encompassing the versatility of Tyler The Creator’s work. From each hard-hitting revelation to tracks that make you dance, CHROMAKOPIA actualizes the evolution of his work as an artist and human being.
Standout single: “Sticky”
4. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT – Billie Eilish
Ella Johnson: Billie Eilish’s HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is undoubtedly one of the most notable releases of this year. Co-produced with her brother, Finneas, it was released in mid-may and set the tone for Summer ‘24. It was the soundtrack to my daily solo drives to the beach. There’s no doubt that “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” has made it onto the top 5 of my personal Spotify wrapped, and I wouldn’t be surprised if “BLUE” or “WILDFLOWER” were up there too.
It fulfills its promises – hitting hard in composition and narrative, while softly pulling you in with each beat and lyric. Billie Eilish, already known across all fronts for her voice, writing, and production, has managed to add yet another impeccable piece of musical art to her portfolio. While this album – now her third studio album – echoes her previous work, the catchy, bold beats, blending of genres and way each track blends into the next shows how she continues to push herself as an artist.
A favorite moment is the lead from “BITTERSUITE” into “BLUE” –finishing the album in one last sweep of deep sound.
In all honestly, I would say this album is comparable to Frank Ocean’s Blond(e) – both no-skip pieces that showcase each artist’s range. Just like Frank uses Blond(e) to play with the masculine and feminine, Billie uses HIT ME HARD AND SOFT to dive into her own queerness (see “LUNCH”), while also covering the breadth of the human psyche, the complexity of relationships and intensity of all emotions.
Every move in this album is thoughtful. From every breath and pause to each scream and crescendo, it reverberates through you. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT was exactly what the world has come to expect from Billie Eilish – raw and human – while also exceeding every expectation.
Standout single: “THE GREATEST”
5. Submarine – The Marías
Clementine Daniel: The Marías sophomore album, Submarine, was a refreshingly haunting segue into Summer 2024, a season characterized by a number of mainstream pop releases and a return to hyperpop at front stage. In a year of so many hit releases, Submarine’s drop on May 31st signalled a turning point for the dream pop Latin psychedelic-soul band, and a needed reminder of what a dreamlike summer can look and sound like. Best known for their 2018 single, “Cariño”, among other electronic lounge-pop tracks off their 2021 album CINEMA, the Marías is composed of Puerto Rican and Atlanta-born María Zardoya and Los Angeles native Josh Conway, joined by Edward James and Jesse Perlman.
The 14-track album welcomes in a more mature and produced sound in contrast to CINEMA and prior EP Superclean, Vol. II. “Cariño” now feels small against the backdrop of Submarine’s electro-masterpieces like “Run Your Mouth” and “Echo,” which feature deeper lyricism and dynamic song structures. Critics and first-time listeners may argue that the songs on the album sound too similar to one another and are difficult to distinguish, but an attentive listener can appreciate the Marías’ intentional use of levels and instrumental composition to create moments of tension and suspense that are released like a deep breath into swaying chorus beats. The album is consistent in its sound, but dynamic enough to hold one’s attention through switches between Spanish and English, upbeat dance tracks, and heart wrenching ethereal ballads.
Despite the often painful and vulnerable lyrics of tracks like “No One Noticed” or “Vicious Sensitive Robot”, I found it difficult to actually draw emotion out of Maria’s voice because of her consistent vocal tone throughout each song. Though the instrumentation with synths, soft Latin-influenced drumming, and guitar strumming are strong conveyors of the songs’ messaging, I found myself seeking more pain and struggle from her voice to match the subject matter. That being said, Submarine is an exciting development for the Marías as they enter a month of opening for Billie Eilish’s national tour, an independent tour to South America in the new year, and a Spring onstage in Coachella Valley. The project’s smooth yet dynamic approach to electronic funk music will be echoed around the globe in the upcoming year for all to sway, sigh, dance, and float to.
Standout singles: “No One Noticed,” “Run Your Mouth“
6. Timeless – KAYTRANADA
Grayson Lockwood: Released at the end of June as school was getting out for most of us, KAYTRANADA’s Timeless brought us the pace and nostalgia of summer memories yet to come. Regardless of whether or not you like R&B Soul or Electronic, you will likely find a song on this album that resonates with the energy you have going into the summer months. The variety of the names featured on the album alone feels like a feat. Despite not being an avid listener, I can see just from the collaborations on the album why it has been deemed such a spectacular contributor to this year’s discography– Childish Gambino, Anderson.Paak, SiR, Don Toliver, and Tinashe were just a few of the incredible artists featured.
With twenty one tracks, spanning about an hour, the album is an impressive and densely packed feat for R&B and Soul, which is a genre that has declined in popularity this past year. Despite this, the collaboration of all of these artists in and around R&B makes it an important achievement in the genre. While I enjoyed the album as a whole, Yaya Bey, Childish Gambino, and Michael Kiwanuka all released R&B/Soul albums this year that I personally would consider to be superior to Timeless. I think it is an impressive album but I am uncertain whether I feel it deserves 10th place within all genres, though I would certainly put it in my top 5 R&B albums of the year. I understand the appeal of familiar and featured artists, as well as the versatility of his songs– working out, hanging out, at the club, etc. The album is formed like a DJ set, where each set fades into the next and has a variety of energies in which everybody can find something they enjoy.
To end with a comment on all of “Radio Wrapped,” I believe we, the members of UCLA radio, rest heavily on our indie roots. We find comfort in albums released previous to 2024 which is why the list may have looked like it did this year. Branching out beyond these roots, I would like to honorably mention The Smashing Pumpkins, Bon Iver, Hermanos Gutierrez, Vince Staples, and Fontaines D.C. for their albums released this year and kindly ask that you consider listening if you haven’t already.
Standout single: “Do 2 Me (feat. Anderson.Paak & SiR)“
7. Short n’ Sweet – Sabrina Carpenter
Birdie Appell: It’s no “coincidence” that Sabrina Carpenter’s new Short n’ Sweet album has topped the record charts in 18 countries.
A fiery tribute to her past relationships, Carpenter took 12 pop songs and turned them into a lyrical masterpiece. Although no stranger to releasing successful music, this album was special in that it merged multiple genres, from disco to r&b to country. The juxtaposition between the youthful, vibrant energy of “Slim Pickins” and the sultry, mischievous rawness of “Don’t Smile” proves that this artist is more than just a pop princess.
From the raspiness of her voice, the fast-paced jumping in her music, and her soft expression, there’s something about Carpenter that tickles my brain in all of the right places. To have the sheer confidence to write a whole album about sex positivity and how good you are at it, you have to be one of a kind.
If we’ve learned anything from Sabrina Carpenter, it’s that the key to our success lies in our “slim pickins”; a bundle of thrilling yet introspective failed encounters, a humorous perspective, and a butt load of passion is all you need to keep yourself going.
Standout single: “Slim Pickins“
8. Bright Future – Adrianne Lenker
Daniel Cheng: Bright Future is Lenker’s first independent release since the understated “Songs” of 2020. In the four years since then, it can feel like a whole lifetime has passed. It’s fitting, then, that the album has taken on the form it has. In many ways, it is a reckoning with time. Entire songs ring like endings, both to past sagas in Lenker’s life, as well as for the rest of us and the planet at large. Without Lenker’s signature style of songwriting, it would be easy to dismiss songs that cover such topics as “trite,” or “hamfisted.” Lenker, though, with her often startling vulnerability, is too disarming. Too earnest. When listening to her pour her heart out on an album, it’s difficult to be anything other than captivated.
I needn’t say more, if you’ve listened to Real House, the standout single of the album. Other artists might have made a song like this a ballad; an epic, if overwrought song whose sweeping instrumentation is only matched by the ambition of the lyrics. Instead, Lenker is incredible in her restraint. With nothing more than a stripped back piano accompaniment, it really is just you and her, transported into this space where faded memory and lyric gently intertwine. This is where Lenker is at her best: when her associative, almost dream-like style of songwriting can work its own wonders without having to compete for attention with a bombastic instrumental. Here, it’s as if her reckoning with the past has become your own: a dog is put down, a relationship with the person you loved disappears. You see your mother cry for the first time. Things end.
For an artist as emotionally honest as Lenker, of course, not all songs will be so preoccupied with such dour topics. The album takes cautious care to include a song here and there to remind us of lighter things. Fool, for example, has a much more lighthearted and playful instrumental while still having her trademark vulnerability and wistfulness. “We could watch a garden grow,” she muses to a lost love, while a guitar twangs in the background. “We could grow old.” Paying homage to her massively successful band, Big Thief, the new rendition of Vampire Empire adds a folk sensibility to the track that allows it to keep the same electrifying energy as the original without feeling too out of place amidst the more subdued songs. Emotionally devastating on the appropriate tracks while more airy and lighthearted on others, Lenker honors serious topics with the full spectrum of emotions they deserve.
Lenker’s embrace of impermanence can be seen as a defining trait of her body of work as a whole. It is a truth etched into every face of this album.
Her trademark stream of consciousness style
Passing thoughts recorded as they came.
, to the lyrics themselves, often reflections on loss and the passing of time.
allow the album to find hope, or at least comfort in accepting impermanence. It’s a kind of magic that Lenker weaves over you: a warm blanket, a spell, an earthy kind of wisdom that speaks to you the longer you listen to this album or any of her work. There’s no shame in reminiscing on the past, but don’t get stuck there. See what happens when time passes before your eyes, you might just be surprised.
Standout single: “Real House”
9. COWBOY CARTER – Beyoncé
Kiara Mack: Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter is one of the serious contenders for Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys and in my opinion, one of the more worthy ones. The album plays as a radio show, shuffling through stations and crafting an expansive, cinematic road trip through American land, music, and history.
Cowboy Carter comes nearly eight years after Beyoncé’s performance of her country track “Daddy Lessons” with The Chicks at the 2016 Country Music Awards sparked racist backlash. Despite being instrumental in the genre’s formation, Black people have never been welcomed in country music. We have a deeply personal connection to this music because of our ancestors, but when modern, mainstream country music is about daring us to step foot in the wrong neighborhood or is performed by men who are on-record using the N-word, it’s dehumanizing and alienating. With Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé masterfully toes the line between acknowledging and providing escapism from the racism that pervades the genre we yearn to love. While the album’s singles and big-name collaborations have all seen commercial and critical success, Cowboy Carter is a work of art that deserves to be experienced and savored all the way from “AMERIICAN REQUIEM” to twenty-six tracks down on “AMEN.”
There is no denying that music history is at the heart of Cowboy Carter: Beyoncé covers The Beatles’ “Blackbird,” samples The Beach Boys, and features Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, and Linda Martell. However, she is at her strongest here when she is fiercely riding into the future with the next generation of Black country artists. Cowboy Carter is how I was first introduced to Shaboozey who has gone on to tie for the longest running #1 song in Hot 100 history with “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” but still walked away empty handed from this year’s CMA’s. This is bigger than Beyoncé and the Grammys. This is about America and ensuring that our ancestors’ legacies as artists and activists aren’t erased. They loved and believed in this country even when that love and faith wasn’t reciprocated. They were cowboys too.
Standout single: “II MOST WANTED (featuring Miley Cyrus)”
10. Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat – Charli XCX
Dana Badii: Soon after Brat hit streaming services, I wondered if any of the songs that Charli xcx played in her NYC Boiler Room would ever reach the light of streaming services. I had worn out my wired earbuds listening to the “365 featuring Shygirl” remix and wanted to hear more rave-style beats. I was overjoyed when Brat and its completely different but also still brat was formally announced in early September and had the Spotify countdown open in the minutes leading up to its release.
The album itself didn’t feel like a collection of remixes, but a completely new project. There was something for everyone here: “Sympathy is a knife featuring ariana grande” for popheads who sympathize with the struggles of female musicians, “Club classics featuring bb trickz” for club-goers who crave bouncy beats, and “Guess featuring billie eilish” for the Friday-night crowd wanting to scream cheeky lyrics with all of their friends.
What surprised me was how much more raw this release was. “So I featuring a.g. cook” led me through the story of how she first got acquainted with the late producer SOPHIE. Even though the day I first heard about SOPHIE was the morning the tragic news of her passing hit my feed, I clearly saw the montage Charli xcx describes of all the good times she had with her dear friend. “Rewind featuring bladee” was a track I eagerly looked forward to as a fan of the Swedish cloud-rapper turned experimental musician. Seeing a new angle of Bladee, where he picks up where he left off on his earlier releases to rap about anxiety and keeping afloat in the music industry, gained me so much respect for his musical history. “Everything is romantic featuring caroline polachek” beckoned me to take another look at the city I’ve never lived outside of and find the beauty in its concrete jungle as autumn settled in.
Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat is ultimately a victory lap running alongside new and old friends alike. I can’t think of any other way that Charli xcx could have given thanks to her friends all at once.
Standout single: “Everything is romantic featuring caroline polachek”
11. Only God Was Above Us – Vampire Weekend
Arami Chang: 2024 saw the surprise resurgence of a handful of indie darlings of the late 2000s. From MGMT’s vastly underrated Loss of Life to Justice’s incredibly slick Hyperdrama to Cindy Lee’s sprawling Diamond Jubilee, it seems like the novelty of the late 2000s indie aesthetic has yet to show any signs of wear even in 2024. But in the ever-growing indie sphere, where younger artists are constantly setting new musical trends, it’s easy for older artists to get lost in the shadows of their successors. And yet somehow, Vampire Weekend’s Only God Was Above Us retained its staying power despite it all.
On the one hand, this is honestly kind of surprising. After all, some might argue that Vampire Weekend’s entire appeal has become a bit outdated at this point. They were once the cool indie band for hippie East Coast, Ivy League types by hippie East Coast, Ivy League types. But nowadays, plenty of musicians are understandably uninterested in catering to this specific demographic, especially when the audience for indie music has become so much broader and more diverse over the years. And it’s not like Only God Was Above Us necessarily throws out all the classic Vampire Weekend-isms either; you can still catch Ezra Koenig’s witty lyrics, his youthful singing, and his funky lead guitar melodies on this album. But on the other hand, what sets this album apart from a lot of other 2000s indie revivals is what they do differently this time around; now, Koenig is older and wiser, musical passages more complexly arranged and noticeably noisier, the histories of both the band and the country as a whole looming behind the mythos of this album.
Songs now shimmer with piano frost, jangling drum beats, lush string sections, and roaring brass arrangements. Press announcements claim that this album was inspired by the urban sprawl of 20th century New York City, but these songs are so tightly arranged and noticeably more crystallized than previous VW releases that they sound more than simply inspired. The tracklist is padded with so much sound and fury this time around that the end product isn’t simply evocative of the city. This album is the concrete jungle, shuffling feet and buzzing traffic and all, calcified in musical form, and it’s never sounded more magical.
Above all else though (not including God of course), Only God Was Above Us stands tall as a triumphant moment in Vampire Weekend’s discography not only because it’s a consistently well-produced, well-written album. Much like their contemporaries, all of whom have released great albums this year, Vampire Weekend also doesn’t let their trademark sound become merely a vestige of its time.
Standout single: “Classical“
12. I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU – JPEGMAFIA
Chloe Gonzales: Immediate to critical acclaim, SCARING THE HOES was touted by musicheads as the best experimental hip hop album of 2023. 2024’s follow up, I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU, is the fifth studio album delivered by JPEGMAFIA (also known by fans as Peggy). Peggy swung hard with his first two singles, “Don’t Rely on Other Men” and “SIN MIEDO” during the heat of the summer. “Don’t Rely on Other Men” was a surprise single, reflecting on Peggy’s authenticity and his high status in his niche. “SIN MIEDO,” the more “in-your-face!” of the two, showcases an addicting vocal sample and electric guitar mashup.
Throughout the album, we as the listeners hear Peggy’s reach into other genres, grabbing what he can and throwing into the mixer. While “I’ll Be Right There” seems more of a classic Peggy song, “vulgar display of power” for example thrusts itself onto the rock n roll stage with a constant voice saying “I bring the pain, I bring the pain.” The album itself touches on themes of loyalty, vulnerability, and sacrifices made for love, with the title itself suggesting a sacrifice. After listening to this album front to back, it’s clear to say that this is one of Peggy’s most hypnotic albums and highlights his talents as a producer.
Standout single: “JPEGULTRA! (feat. Denzel Curry)”
13. The Secret of Us – Gracie Abrams
Kiara Mack: Gracie’s sophomore album, The Secret of Us, saw her taking a poppier, Taylor-Swift inspired musical turn. The National’s Aaron Dessner continued to collaborate with her on both the writing and production fronts, while her best friend Audrey Hobert co-wrote several tracks on the album. It was the expected route to take after opening for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour, but it’s evident Gracie took what she learned from performing in stadiums and applied it to an album that largely departs from the whispery voice she’s become known for.
As UCLA Radio’s resident Gracie Abrams fan, I don’t think The Secret of Us comes anywhere close to most of the pop albums released this year, but I was pleasantly surprised she got just enough votes to make the Radio Wrapped cutoff. I am well aware UCLA Radio is not the best representation of Gracie’s popularity on the UCLA campus since I get compliments on my “Felt Good About You” sweatshirt every time I wear it to class. If The Secret of Us has accomplished anything, it’s commercial success with the album debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and “That’s So True,” an ear-worm bonus track, jumping to No. 6 on the Hot 100 at the time of writing. 2024 was rightfully the year of Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, and Sabrina Carpenter, but if I were to place my bets on the big breakthrough artist of 2025, I’d be betting on Gracie. I’m also well aware that I’m biased since I was in the pit at The Secret of Us tour and Gracie made direct eye contact with me while singing the outro to one of my favorite tracks, “Let It Happen,” but I digress.
If This Is What It Feels Like was isolation bedroom pop and Good Riddance painted a picture of a snowy cabin in the Northeast, The Secret of Us captures the catharsis of a midnight debrief session with your best friend. It’s not Gracie’s best work, but it’s incredibly fun live and a solid gateway into her earlier music. Plus, if there’s one thing Gracie does best, it’s giving the fans what they want. I spent years living off a thirty-second snippet of “Close To You,” so this album was going to make a mark on my Spotify Wrapped regardless.
Standout single: “Free Now”
14. my anti-aircraft friend – julie
Dylan Simmons: my anti-aircraft friend is a standout debut album that has both satisfied and pleasantly surprised fans like myself who’ve followed julie for years prior. julie first gained notoriety online as their first single, “flutter,” went viral among angsty, bored, doom-scrolling teens in 2020. To date, “flutter” is still their biggest song (amassing nearly 40 million streams on Spotify), but they’re far from a one-hit wonder. Tracks off their successive EPs have garnered millions of streams apiece, keeping a tight fanbase hooked for years before their first LP.
julie found their sound early with “flutter,” and it has persisted throughout the entirety of their discography. Their bass-heavy, distorted tracks have cemented their legacy at the forefront of the modern grunge and shoegaze revival, as a niche subgroup of today’s adolescents flock toward artists and albums from the ’90s when these genres peaked.
my anti-aircraft friend maintains the successful julie formula throughout, but in a more refined manner. Over the past four years, the band has matured from teenagers to young twentysomethings, a growth reflected in their evolution as a band. Consequently, despite not straying far from their sonic roots, my anti-aircraft friend still feels new and refreshing. julie’s poetic, melancholic lyricism persists from earlier releases, and Alexandria Elizabeth and Keyan Pourzand’s vocals shine even brighter over stripped-down tracks of primarily guitar, bass, and drums. Powerful tracks like “catalogue” are fast-paced and good for moshing, while slower songs like “stuck in a car with angels” are raw and moody, capturing julie’s impressive range.
julie’s ability to garner a fanbase without an LP to their name, and not just satisfy, but impress, this audience with their long-awaiting debut record is impressive in its own right, and their continued come-up will be worth watching.
Standout single: “feminine adornments”
Check out our Radio Wrapped 2024 playlist featuring all our standout singles!
