PEOPLE Picks the Top 10 Albums of 2024, from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to Billie Eilish

Mar. 15, 2025

01of 10Beyoncé, ‘Cowboy Carter’Beyonce, ‘Cowboy Carter’.Beyonce InstagramMoving from ballroom to honky-tonk, Queen Bey makes a country album her way: an ambitious, genre-defying opus.

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Beyoncé, ‘Cowboy Carter’

Beyonce, ‘Cowboy Carter’.Beyonce Instagram

Beyonce Instagram

Moving from ballroom to honky-tonk, Queen Bey makes a country album her way: an ambitious, genre-defying opus.

02of 10Charli xcx, ‘Brat’Charli xcx, ‘Brat’.Courtesy of AtlanticThe British pop star proves party girls cry too on this chaotic, zeitgeist-capturing collection of modern club classics.

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Charli xcx, ‘Brat’

Charli xcx, ‘Brat’.Courtesy of Atlantic

Courtesy of Atlantic

The British pop star proves party girls cry too on this chaotic, zeitgeist-capturing collection of modern club classics.

03of 10Sabrina Carpenter, ‘Short n’ Sweet’Sabrina Carpenter, ‘Short n’ Sweet’.Bryce AndersonSix albums into her career, Carpenter has carved a singular path to pop stardom with sexy, sassy, sardonic ditties about dating.

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Sabrina Carpenter, ‘Short n’ Sweet’

Sabrina Carpenter, ‘Short n’ Sweet'.Bryce Anderson

Bryce Anderson

Six albums into her career, Carpenter has carved a singular path to pop stardom with sexy, sassy, sardonic ditties about dating.

04of 10Taylor Swift, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’Taylor Swift, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.Poetic and prolific as ever, Swift bares her tortured soul singing of romances that turn into tragedies.

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Taylor Swift, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’

Taylor Swift, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.

Poetic and prolific as ever, Swift bares her tortured soul singing of romances that turn into tragedies.

05of 10Kacey Musgraves, ‘Deeper Well’Kacey Musgraves, ‘Deeper Well’.Kelly Christine SuttonMusgraves employs quick wit and Zen wisdom as she ponders existential questions and life’s simple pleasures alike.

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Kacey Musgraves, ‘Deeper Well’

Kacey Musgraves, ‘Deeper Well’.Kelly Christine Sutton

Kelly Christine Sutton

Musgraves employs quick wit and Zen wisdom as she ponders existential questions and life’s simple pleasures alike.

06of 10Billie Eilish, ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’Billie Eilish, ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’.William DrummThe moody pop proprietor adds some upbeat bops on love (“Birds of a Feather”) and desire (“Lunch”) to her repertoire.

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Billie Eilish, ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’

Billie Eilish, ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’.William Drumm

William Drumm

The moody pop proprietor adds some upbeat bops on love (“Birds of a Feather”) and desire (“Lunch”) to her repertoire.

07of 10

Courtesy of Nice Life Recording Company

Tinashe packs her seventh album with vibe-y R&B confections, including her meme-inspiring TikTok hit “Nasty.”

08of 10Ariana Grande, ‘Eternal Sunshine’Ariana Grande, ‘Eternal Sunshine’.Republic RecordsGrande hits all the right (high) notes while sifting through the fallout of a public divorce—and the scrutiny that comes with it.

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Ariana Grande, ‘Eternal Sunshine’

Ariana Grande, ‘Eternal Sunshine’.Republic Records

Republic Records

Grande hits all the right (high) notes while sifting through the fallout of a public divorce—and the scrutiny that comes with it.

09of 10Kelsea Ballerini, ‘Patterns’Kelsea Ballerini, ‘Patterns’.2024 Black River EntertainmentIn her most vulnerable songwriting to date, Ballerini tackles toxic habits and opens her heart. A country-pop therapy session.

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Kelsea Ballerini, ‘Patterns’

Kelsea Ballerini, ‘Patterns’.2024 Black River Entertainment

2024 Black River Entertainment

In her most vulnerable songwriting to date, Ballerini tackles toxic habits and opens her heart. A country-pop therapy session.

10of 10Anitta, ‘Funk Generation’Anitta, ‘Funk Generation’.Anitta gets the party started, embracing her Rio de Janeiro club roots on this experimental Latin dance record.

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Anitta, ‘Funk Generation’

Anitta, ‘Funk Generation’.

Anitta gets the party started, embracing her Rio de Janeiro club roots on this experimental Latin dance record.

source: people.com