I’ve really been enjoying Apple Music’s “Discovery Station,” a blend of AI-driven suggestions based on my listening habits, mixed with human curation and light algorithms. But when I reflect on 2024 as a whole – musically – can I say anything truly positive? Sure, I could point out that an obscure Dutch techno/dark electro concert blew my mind and had me dancing like crazy. Or that a new American alt-rock band “90s style” was so phenomenal at Primavera Barcelona Festival that 10,000 people applauded them – at 6 PM, no less – and it almost brought me to tears. Tears not just for the band’s performance, but for that feeling of rock’s past glory, and the fact that even if Primavera slotted them early, the crowd knew. I even bought one vinyl record from 2024 – and it’s a 10.
But that wouldn’t erase the underlying frustration.
And trust me, I’ve tried. I have searched through every top 50 or top 100 list of my favorite magazines on albumoftheyear.org – whether rock, alternative, electro, or pop – but the search did not end well. No great “Your Old Droog”-style rap record. No minimal techno savior. No breakout alt-rock buzz (just old 90s bands returning or bad punk imitators). Pop? Let’s not even start – too much feels curated for retail stores, not living rooms or concerts.
Maybe I’m spoiled. Being 18 in 1991 meant I experienced it all – Blur circa 1992 in front of 200 people, dancing to Nirvana in clubs six months before Nevermind breakthrough, and shoegaze blooming with Ride, Slowdive, and My Bloody Valentine’s best EPs. There are some gaps on my website, a few years with barely any records, but I guess I got used to being flooded with greatness. This is why 2024 feels like a letdown. I’m disappointed.
But hey – I’ll keep going. AI, Apple Music’s “Discovery Station,” the strange backroads of non-mainstream new or old music – let’s see where it leads. And here’s to hoping 2025 pulls through.
