Intro
Choosing my favorite albums of the year is always easier for me than deciding on specific songs. Throughout the year, as soon as I listen to an album and I love it. I put it in my Notion list, then around September, October I revisit it to see where we’re at and if I missed anything. Then I do my final check in December. Idk why, this year I just realized I can insert them into a list then when I move them around it automatically reorders them, so I don’t have to manually change them, lol. But that was incredibly helpful.
The closest I have to that for my fave songs right now is what I have in my Fave Songs ATM playlist. Maybe in 2025 I should make a specific playlist and have them all saved there, too. Yeah, that sounds a lot more organized than my current system of scrolling through my liked songs on Spotify and making sure they actually released this year and not the previous one.
Anyway, I have these in order of what albums stuck with me the most throughout the year, how much I enjoyed them, and how quickly they clicked for me.
Rank Explaination
Albums 24-12 range in frequency of me listening to them, not on ‘quality’. Some of them I forgot about and plan to have in rotation more in 2025. Some of them are newer albums that I haven’t had as much time to listen to compared to the ones that released earlier in the year, etc.
11-6 are the ones I listened to a lot and will easily continue to listen to going into the new year. I don’t have to remind myself to reach for them because I’m already thinking about them and listening to a few songs off it regularly.
The top 5 are the best of the best in my opinion. I listened to them constantly, thought about them constantly, interacted with them and the fandom the most, and ones I’d easily recommend to others.
So with all that out of the way, let’s get into it!
24.) NOW – Samuel
This one I feel like I have to put an * on it. I think Samuel is technically an R&B Pop artist now. Not necessarily a Kpop idol anymore. But that’s what I know him from. I’ve discussed how much I love “I Can’t Sleep” in my 2022 top songs article.
It’s still my favorite song of his, but there are bops on this album. I’m so happy he finally dropped this EP. It’s a continuation of Samuel’s R&B/Hip Hop sound. It works so well for him. I love that he’s back to doing what he loves to do. I can’t wait for more of it.
23.) <ASSEMBLE 24> – tripleS
This is straight-up forgot I loved it territory. I’ve been saying this for like two years now that I need to listen to tripleS more because I love their music. But I have to remind myself to listen to them more, so my Spotify plays them more when I list to my music on shuffle. I know how to trick the algorithm to play what I want.
22.) STRATEGY – TWICE
Of course, TWICE is on this list. Although I listened to songs from With YOU-th more, I liked STRATEGY more as a whole. It’ll definitely be played more in this household in 2025. I’ve talked about this album already in my Fall Mini Best Comebacks & Debuts article. I don’t really have anything new to say about it other than it’s my favorite TWICE album released this year.
21.) The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY – TXT
I love this album and I feel like I should have it higher up the list. But it still feels like a mix between filler and an epilogue. Very transitional and idk why. It’s very much a me thing. I had to include “Forty One Winks” this time because it’s my favorite song from the album. I have decided on that.
I think it’ll be some random point in 2025 I’ll fully click with it. But I just haven’t had much of a craving to listen to it as much at minisode 3: TOMORROW and technically, on paper, this album should have been on repeat for me immediately. So idk, I think I just need to sit with it more.
20.) Urban Ride – DKB
I still cannot believe we’re back!! I have to pick up a physical of this album to go with Autumn. I still truly enjoy this one a lot. I didn’t listen to it much throughout the rest of the year as I thought I would. But I think I’ll grab for it in 2025. Take a look at my Quick Thoughts for more details on this one.
19.) FANTASY – SF9
It’s so funny how much I’ve been going on about “BIBORA” and “Superconductor” for that album to make NO appearance on this list. Really, those were the only two songs I love from that album. FANTASY as a whole just flows so much better for me. This was an album I didn’t have enough to say on it for a QT, but enough to have it mentioned on this list.
I say this a lot with SF9 because they are just that damn consistent, but if you liked their previous stuff, you’ll enjoy this album as well. “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” is probably my least favorite title track they’ve released in a while, but it’s not bad. Just more of background music. Or if I didn’t feel like getting up to change the song, I’d be fine with it playing.
18.) Cosmic – Red Velvet
… Uh … why don’t I have a QT on this album?? It SLAPS. And it’s been such a long time since I had a RV project I was this into. I think I made a note to cover it and completely forgot to come back to it 😅. That’s so crazy. Anyway, now I guess is the time to talk about my fave songs from this one.
“Cosmic” is great. I love the retro vibes. It’s the opposite of SF9 with “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” in that it has been awhile since I’ve been so into a RV title track. Totally brought me back. “Last Drop” is a slightly slower pace song compared to “Cosmic” but it pairs perfectly with it on the album of the same name. I love when we get red songs.
“Love Arcade” is my favorite song on Cosmic. I didn’t do honorary mentions for fave songs of 2024, but this would have been on it easily. “Bubble” and “Night Drive” are midtempo tracks I enjoy too. “Night Drive” is my second fave b-side. I’d say “Night Drive” is more velvet, whereas “Bubble” is another red song.
17.) <Dall> – ARTMS
Full album visual???? SICK!!! Love it here. I talk a lot about Loossemble on here, but I love me some ARTMS as well. This is another case of me being distracted with other albums and not reaching for this one more. I totally will in 2025, though. Re-listening to it for this album really reminded me how flawless it is. I still get giddy over the “Air Force One” sample in “Air”.
16.) I Did – Yves
Yeah, we’re in the LOONA segment of this list, lol. I talked extensively about I Did in my QT article. Check it out here. I Did is a mix placement. I listened to “Viola” nonstop, but I didn’t listen to the entire album as frequent. So it’s another addition to the will listen to more in 2025 list.
15.) TTYL – Loossemble
And same thing for TTYL. I’m obsessed with the title track. Wrote a QT on this one too. I’m manifesting us getting more Loossemble in 2025. Maybe MODHAUS will pick them up? 🤞🏾🤞🏾
14.) dopamine – JUNNY
“Invitation” is still my favorite Junny song, but maaaaan he did the damn thing on dopamine. I meant to write a QT on this album as well. It’s solid, top to bottom. I think he’s a bit underrated, we need to have him in more discussions when we’re talking about Korean R&B.
I started listening to this album more at the end of the year. I took a small break from it, but I’ll definitely be continuing bumpin it in 2025. I should have written a QT on it too. I’ll do better in 2025 promoting you, Junny, my bad.
13.) Kep1gong On – Kep1er
Bye, tell me why working on this list made me realize Kep1er has a NEW album out!! How did I miss that?? I added it to my new music playlist, and I’ll probably do a Quick Thoughts on it next month. But I did keep my goal of listening to Kep1er more in 2024. In 2025, I need to increase it even more. Because every time I have one of their songs pop up on shuffle, I’m reminded of how much I love their sound.
And this full-length album, Kep1going On, is fantastic. Another one I will easily reach for over the next couple of weeks and throughout 2025. Highly, highly recommend checking it out.
12.) Depth – Yuta
I can’t recommend Depth enough. I had so much fun writing up the QT on it. If you’re into Rock music, you’ll totally enjoy this album.
11.) Call Back – Minho
I think this album could have been higher up my list if I listened to more than just “Because of You” on repeat, lol. But I love this album. It’s an extension of Chase in the best way. This is another one that’ll be easy for me to pick up in 2025. Check out QT here.
10.) Yugyeom – Trust Me
I listened to Trust Me so much early 2024 then fell off it hard. No particular reason why. Other than maybe because I didn’t add it or multiple songs from it to a specific playlist. So even though I was recommending it to people, I forgot to continue listening to it as much as I was previously.
“Dance” I still listened to quite a bit. But I think too, with GOT7 getting ready to come back, I’ll be very much in the mood to listen to the members’ solo projects in preparation for the full group release.
9.) YIN – Colde
YIN and YIN REMIX have been on repeat for me over the last couple of weeks. I expect this momentum to continue into 2025. I like Colde’s boring ballads. But I love his more upbeat songs like these.
8.) Eternal – Taemin
Because I was talking about “Crush” in the songs of the year article, I decided to include it here in the albums of the year article. I don’t even remember what I said was my favorite song on Eternal in my QT. But I love this album and the widespread appeal it has sound wise. I’m salty Taemin isn’t coming to Atlanta in a few months for the tour, but I’m still holding hope for him to stop by later on.
7.) DREAM()SCAPE – NCT DREAM
I’ve talked so much about NCT DREAM this year, especially this album and how it brought me back to NCT DREAM. I recommend checking out my March Best Comebacks & Debuts and my part 2 Fave NCT DREAM songs article for more of my thoughts on these songs. The only part in the March article that doesn’t hold up is the part about “Smoothie” but I still stand on my feelings about it at the time.
6.) DREAMSCAPE – NCT DREAM
I’m trying to switch it up a bit with the song choices in this article. “No Escape” is probably my third or fourth fave song off the album. I love the production and slight dread going on in the song. Check out my QT on Dreamscape for more info on this album.
5.) minisode 3: TOMORROW – TXT
I wanted to put this entire album on my fave songs of 2024 article soooo bad. But I settled on “Deja Vu (anemoia version)”. “I’ll See You There Tomorrow” I think was my most listened to song according to Spotify Wrapped from TOMORROW because I sure did listen to it a lot. But really all the songs on this album were on replay consistently throughout the year.
I had a lot of fun picking up the different physical copies of it, too, this year. One of my copies (the one loaded with Soobin inclusions, lol he really made himself my official second bias this year) I got while in LA on my 30th birthday trip, so I have super fond memories of that version.
When I think back about how much time this year I spent with TXT, I can’t help but find Deja Vu era to be one of my favorite as a MOA. I wrote a QT on this album as well. Highly recommend checking that out for more.
4.) NA – Nayeon
Not just one of my favorite albums released this year, but albums ever. I’m so so so proud of TWICE and their output this year. They’ve accomplished so much, and I love being a ONCE. I wasn’t expecting to love NA as much as I did. Nayeon’s solos might be like Taemin releases for me. Idk when we’re getting the next album, but every time I listen to one of the songs from NA, I fall so deeply in love with it again. I need every one to listen to this album at least once, you won’t regret it.
3.) ROMANCE UNTOLD -daydream- – ENHYPEN
I gushed about Untold earlier this year. Then “No Doubt” dropped, and I had to write another QT on daydream. I count repackaged albums as different projects in my brain. Because even though there are 98% of the same songs, it’s the last two or three that make it different in my mind.
However, not different enough for me to put both albums on this list, lol. That’s why I picked “Moonstruck” instead of “Daydream” or “No Doubt”. I wanted to put another fave song of mine here. And I still don’t really care about “Daydream”. It’s fine.
2.) Hello, World – Baekhyun
This was tough. Probably not too surprising because I also gushed about how much I love Hello, World in my QT article. I go back to it almost daily. It still sounds so good as the first time I heard it start to finish. Gotta get my hands on a physical copy.
I can’t wait for more Baekhyun in 2025. He’s quickly become one of my favorite musicians, and I need the world tour. I need the EXO world tour too, but I would ‘settle’ for a solo Baekhyun concert. The timeline needs it.
1.) J – Jaehyun
Lmaooooo I saw this tweet earlier today and I immediately thought it looked like Jaehyun, and I clicked the mentions. I was not let down by the responses, lol.
Anyway, last night when I worked on the fave songs articles, I thought I might choose Baekhyun over Jaehyun. But let’s be so fooking for real. I haven’t stopped talking about this album since it dropped. Hell, I was talking about it nonstop before it released. My Twitter account during this era was sooo heavily Jaehyun centric. If it wasn’t for his enlistment, it would probably still be nothing but Jae.
This kinda feels like the year I picked KAI as my album of the year. Where I feel like it was soooo obvious and a bit anticlimactic. But I like what I like. And Kai is back in a few weeks from his enlistment, so you know February, March 2025 SM is gonna have that comeback early. They know we’re pissed off with them, lol.
Back to Jaehyun, this album embedded itself into my DNA so quickly. I would literally wake up in the morning and have one of the many bangers stuck in my head. My first thoughts would be song lyrics. I had it bad. And I’m still not sick of it. It still feels fresh, and I cannot recommend it enough for the Korean R&B fans.
I’m incredibly impressed with the music released in 2024, and I’m so excited about the releases in 2025. Next article is the Wishlist one, the last one of the year, and I’m feeling superb about it. The last like two years, I’ve felt like I haven’t had much to talk about, but I’m jumping right into writing it after this article.
What were y’alls favorite albums of 2024? Let me know in the comments below.
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Take care!
Ash💫