My 2024 Year in Music
My 2024 Wrapped
What a year for music! In 2024, I scrobbled 8,997 tracks across 362 different artists and 586 albums. That’s roughly 525 hours of music - or about 21.9 days of non-stop listening. On average, the albums I listened to are 29 years old.
Pink Floyd earned the top spot with 207 plays (2.3% of your year).
Lets dive into the numbers and see what made 2024 special.
By the Numbers
Thats 21.9 days of music, or roughly 25 tracks per day. My peak listening month was August with 1,168 scrobbles.
Artist of the Year
Pink Floyd
With 207 plays (2.3% of my total listening), Pink Floyd dominated my 2024. They were my top artist in January.
- View Pink Floyd on russ.fm
Album of the Year
”The Very Very Best of Crowded House” by Crowded House
This album earned the top spot with 98 plays (1.1% of my listening).
Top 25 Artists
- 🥇 Pink Floyd — 207 plays
- 🥈 Genesis — 175 plays
- 🥉 Peter Gabriel — 159 plays
- 4. U2 — 148 plays
- 5. The Smashing Pumpkins — 137 plays
- 6. Tears for Fears — 133 plays
- 7. Crowded House — 133 plays
- 8. New Order — 119 plays
- 9. David Bowie — 119 plays
- 10. Jesus Jones — 116 plays
View artists 11-25
- 11. Pixies — 114 plays
- 12. Pure Reason Revolution — 109 plays
- 13. Nine Inch Nails — 108 plays
- 14. Radiohead — 105 plays
- 15. Steven Wilson — 103 plays
- 16. Split Enz — 93 plays
- 17. Amplifier — 92 plays
- 18. Faith No More — 91 plays
- 19. INXS — 91 plays
- 20. Oceansize — 86 plays
- 21. Bruce Springsteen — 85 plays
- 22. Kate Bush — 85 plays
- 23. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers — 85 plays
- 24. Manic Street Preachers — 79 plays
- 25. Stars — 76 plays
Top 50 Albums
- 🥇 The Very Very Best of Crowded House by Crowded House — 98 plays
- 🥈 Best Of Pixies by Pixies — 92 plays
- 🥉 The Dark Third by Pure Reason Revolution — 91 plays
- 4. Greatest Hits by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers — 84 plays
- 5. Songs from the Big Chair by Tears for Fears — 83 plays
- 6. The Joshua Tree by U2 — 77 plays
- 7. 1967-1970 by The Beatles — 74 plays
- 8. Yours For The Taking by Gene — 66 plays
- 9. Greatest Hits by The Police — 64 plays
- 10. Hounds of Love by Kate Bush — 63 plays
View albums 11-50
- 11. All Over The World - The Very Best Of by Electric Light Orchestra — 60 plays
- 12. The Complete Singles by Inspiral Carpets — 56 plays
- 13. Singles by New Order — 55 plays
- 14. Hand. Cannot. Erase. by Steven Wilson — 54 plays
- 15. Zeroes And Ones - The Best Of by Jesus Jones — 54 plays
- 16. Definitely Maybe by Oasis — 53 plays
- 17. So by Peter Gabriel — 52 plays
- 18. Set Yourself on Fire by Stars — 52 plays
- 19. Substance by New Order — 52 plays
- 20. The Platinum Collection by Queen — 51 plays
- 21. A Momentary Lapse of Reason by Pink Floyd — 51 plays
- 22. To The Limit - The Essential Collection by Eagles — 51 plays
- 23. Angel Dust by Faith No More — 49 plays
- 24. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie — 49 plays
- 25. Once Upon a Time by Simple Minds — 48 plays
- 26. Secret World Live by Peter Gabriel — 48 plays
- 27. Misplaced Childhood by Marillion — 47 plays
- 28. Dirt by Alice in Chains — 45 plays
- 29. Ten by Pearl Jam — 44 plays
- 30. Graceland by Paul Simon — 44 plays
- 31. Troublegum by Therapy? — 43 plays
- 32. Doubt by Jesus Jones — 42 plays
- 33. The Best Of Suede. Beautiful Ones. 1992-2018 by Suede — 42 plays
- 34. The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails — 42 plays
- 35. The Division Bell by Pink Floyd — 41 plays
- 36. The Unforgettable Fire by U2 — 41 plays
- 37. The Pleasure Principle by Gary Numan — 40 plays
- 38. Souvenir by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — 40 plays
- 39. Fashion Nugget by Cake — 40 plays
- 40. The Very Best by INXS — 40 plays
- 41. Much Against Everyone’s Advice by Soulwax — 39 plays
- 42. Mental Notes by Split Enz — 39 plays
- 43. God Fodder by Ned’s Atomic Dustbin — 39 plays
- 44. Songs for a nervous Planet by Tears for Fears — 39 plays
- 45. The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd — 38 plays
- 46. …And Out Come the Wolves by Rancid — 38 plays
- 47. Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails — 38 plays
- 48. Kid A by Radiohead — 37 plays
- 49. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins — 37 plays
- 50. Finn by Finn Brothers — 36 plays
Monthly Breakdown
Heres how my listening habits shifted throughout the year:
Most active month: August (1,168 plays)
Quietest month: June (494 plays)
Best quarter: Q4 (Oct-Dec) (2,526 plays)
View monthly data as table
| Month | Plays | Above Average |
|---|---|---|
| January | 870 | ✓ |
| February | 641 | |
| March | 706 | |
| April | 530 | |
| May | 803 | ✓ |
| June | 494 | |
| July | 585 | |
| August | 1,168 | ✓ |
| September | 674 | |
| October | 768 | ✓ |
| November | 889 | ✓ |
| December | 869 | ✓ |
Genre Breakdown
My top genres based on album metadata from my collection:
View as text list
- 1. Rock — 7,167 plays (79.7%)
- 2. Alternative — 3,675 plays (40.8%)
- 3. Pop — 3,655 plays (40.6%)
- 4. Adult Alternative — 2,973 plays (33%)
- 5. Alternative Rock — 2,440 plays (27.1%)
- 6. Electronic — 2,089 plays (23.2%)
- 7. Pop/Rock — 1,896 plays (21.1%)
- 8. Indie Rock — 1,764 plays (19.6%)
- 9. Pop Rock — 1,658 plays (18.4%)
- 10. Arena Rock — 1,248 plays (13.9%)
Hidden Gems
These albums might not have topped the charts, but they earned a special place in my rotation:
- “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” by The Smashing Pumpkins
- “Finn” by Finn Brothers
- “Pretty Hate Machine” by Nine Inch Nails
- “Kid A” by Radiohead
- ”…And Out Come the Wolves” by Rancid
- “Songs for a nervous Planet” by Tears for Fears
New Discoveries (Released in 2024)
These albums were released in 2024 and made their way into my rotation:
- “Songs for a nervous Planet” by Tears for Fears
- “Best Of” by Bruce Springsteen
- “Paris 1919” by John Cale
Featured Albums
The Very Very Best of Crowded House by Crowded House 🎶
98 plays in this year
Recording history & creation process 🎧
Released by Capitol/EMI in October 2010 as a 25th‑anniversary compilation, The Very Very Best of Crowded House is a label‑curated career snapshot that pulls singles from the band’s Capitol era (1986–2007). It isn’t a new studio statement so much as a retelling: the standard CD collects 19 singles, a deluxe digital edition stretches to 32 tracks (including a rare 1987 live cover of Hunters & Collectors’ “Throw Your Arms Around Me”), and a CD+DVD box set bundles 25 promo videos. The vinyl was notable — a 2×180g LP cut from the original analogue masters at Abbey Road — giving longtime fans a high‑quality analogue revisit. Band involvement appears limited; the set was largely an EMI effort to repackage and reframe the catalogue after the band moved labels.
Musical style, guitar work & rhythm section 🎸
This compilation distills Crowded House’s signature blend of pop-rock, jangle‑pop and alternative sensibility. Neil Finn’s songwriting — economical, melody-first guitar parts and unforgettable choruses — drives the songs: chiming Rickenbacker-esque strums (“Weather With You”), delicate arpeggios (“Fall at Your Feet”), and tight riffing (“Something So Strong”). Producers like Mitchell Froom and Youth added textured keyboards and sonic quirks, pushing some tracks into richer, more atmospheric territory. Rhythmically the record leans on Nick Seymour’s melodic, song‑shaping bass and Paul Hester’s feel-driven drumming; their interplay keeps ballads grounded and uptempo numbers buoyant. On reunion tracks (from Time on Earth) Matt Sherrod’s punchier drumming modernizes the groove.
Reception, legacy & streaming‑era role 🌍
The compilation reached the Top 20 in Australia and New Zealand on release and resurfaced in the ARIA Top 5 in 2016 around the band’s high‑profile “Encore” moments. Critics largely accepted it as the clearest single‑disc gateway to the band (AllMusic called the expanded set nearly definitive), even while noting its label‑driven timing. More importantly, the album functions as the default streaming anthology: it consolidates the band’s most shared and playlisted tracks — “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” “Better Be Home Soon,” “Four Seasons in One Day” — making their music discoverable to a new generation online.
Politics, themes & why it still matters 🕊️
Though primarily personal and introspective, the set includes flashes of social commentary — “Chocolate Cake” skewers consumer excess, while “Pour Le Monde” reads as a cautious plea about war and responsibility. The emotional clarity — themes of home, longing and resilience — plus the cross‑genre blend of pop craft and alt‑texture make these songs stubbornly timeless. In short: whether you hear it on vinyl, a curated playlist or in a social feed, this compilation frames Crowded House as masters of melodic storytelling whose subtlety and craft still resonate.
Wave of Mutilation: Best of Pixies by Pixies 🎸
92 plays in this year
Recording history & creation process 🛠️
Although released in May 2004 as a career‑spanning compilation, this “Best Of” is stitched from sessions recorded between 1987–1991: Come On Pilgrim, Surfer Rosa (Steve Albini), Doolittle (Gil Norton), Bossanova and Trompe le Monde. There wasn’t one new studio moment for the compilation — instead the label cherry‑picked the band’s defining snapshots. That back‑catalog spans Albini’s raw, room‑centric engineering (dry drums, live feel) and Norton’s more layered, hook‑focused productions. The compilation arrived alongside the Pixies’ 2004 reunion, acting as both a primer for newcomers and a tidy re‑introduction for a band whose original run rewired alternative rock.
Musical style, production & synths 🎧
What makes these tracks sing is a tension: jagged surf‑and‑noise guitar from Joey Santiago, Kim Deal’s detached harmonies, and Black Francis’s yelps and surreal lyrics held together by an obsessive loud‑quiet‑loud dynamic. Production is a study in contrasts — Albini’s abrasive immediacy versus Norton’s studio polish — and that balance is the compilation’s personality. Synthesizers barely play a role; when keys appear on later tracks they’re texture, not centerpiece. Studio effects (delays, room reverbs) add atmosphere, but the Pixies remain a guitar band first: abrasive, melodic, and strangely poppy in their hostility.
Reception, MTV, and the mainstream/underground tightrope 📺
Critics welcomed the collection as a compact, effective gateway to a band whose influence had already been canonized — Kurt Cobain famously pointed to Pixies as a direct inspiration for Nirvana’s dynamics. Commercially the compilation functioned more as confirmation than as a blockbuster; it reintroduced Pixies to a post‑MTV, early‑YouTube audience during their reunion. Their relationship to the visual era was ambivalent: a few videos got airplay, but the band’s unglamorous intensity and cryptic imagery never sat comfortably in glossy MTV rotation. That awkwardness is part of their charm — too odd for full mainstream assimilation, yet sonically irresistible to the alternative boom that followed.
Legacy: how it challenged rock conventions and influenced generations 🌀
The “best of” sequence highlights how Pixies redefined hooks — often replacing sing‑along choruses with explosive dynamics and abrupt song structures. They swapped blues solos for atonal textures and surfy lead lines, foregrounded violent, surreal, and religious imagery, and favored emotional rupture over polish. The result: a blueprint for ’90s grunge and modern indie. This compilation doesn’t just collect hits; it maps the fault line where late‑’80s indie cracked open and 1990s alternative poured through.
The Dark Third by Pure Reason Revolution 🎧
91 plays in this year
Recording journey & creation process 🎙️
The Dark Third arrived in 2006 as a surprisingly mature debut. Jon Courtney was the chief songwriter, and the record was tracked at Fairhazel Studios before the sessions moved into the higher-end rooms at RAK Studios in London — a sign the project expanded from cult buzz into a major-label-release ambition. Producer/engineer Paul Northfield (Rush, Porcupine Tree) helped shape a polished, spacious sound while the band stayed hands-on with arrangements, programming and electronics. The lineup boasted four lead-capable vocalists (Courtney, Chloë Alper, James Dobson, Gregory Jong), which meant the studio work focused as much on intricate vocal stacks and textures as on guitars and synth beds.
Musical style, compositional complexity & concepts 🎛️
Sonically it’s prog, but filtered through 2000s alt and shoegaze: long-form suites (the near-12-minute “The Bright Ambassadors of Morning”), multi-part tracks, recurring motifs and subtle meter shifts give it real compositional heft. At the same time, reverb-soaked guitars, electronic programming and vocal layers push it toward My Bloody Valentine meets Porcupine Tree. The album’s concept—the “dark third” of life spent asleep—threads lyrical concerns about dreams, sanity, escape and spiritual longing. Literary nods (an “In Aurélia” reference to Gérard de Nerval) and a deliberate echo of Pink Floyd in titles deepen the record’s dream-haunted ambition.
Reception, legacy & navigating the changing industry 🌐
Critically it landed very well within prog and alternative circles: reviewers praised its modern fusion of texture and songcraft, and fans quickly elevated it to cult status. Commercially it was modest — the single “Apprentice of the Universe” scraped into the UK charts — but the band secured festival slots and international releases (Holograph/Sony in the UK, InsideOut in Europe). The mid-2000s digital shift affected its life cycle: staggered regional editions, US/European “special” tracklists and eventual streaming availability on Spotify/Apple Music have kept the album discoverable for new listeners. In the broader 2000s prog revival, the record helped normalize a genre-fluid approach—blending prog forms with shoegaze ambiance and electronic color.
Standout facts & moments ✨
- Title concept: the “dark third” = sleep/dream time, a recurring psychological theme.
- Production pedigree: Paul Northfield’s involvement gave it a direct link to contemporary prog royalty.
- Structural quirks: multi-movement songs and an “Ambassadors Return” coda create album-level architecture.
- Editions: the US/European releases reshuffled tracks and added bonus/hidden cuts (e.g., “Asleep Under Eiderdown”), showing how mid-2000s releases navigated physical vs. digital markets.
The Dark Third still sounds like a band discovering a widescreen language—ambitious, textured and unmistakably of its millennial moment.
Greatest Hits by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers 🎸
84 plays in this year
Recording history & creation — how this collection came together 🎧
Released in November 1993, Greatest Hits collects 18 tracks spanning Tom Petty’s career with the Heartbreakers and a few solo-era contributions. The compilation isn’t a straight chronological anthology so much as a curated “career highlights” — it even includes three songs from Petty’s 1989 solo smash Full Moon Fever (which featured heavy Heartbreakers involvement) and two new studio recordings made for the set: “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” (the smash single) and a cover of Thunderclap Newman’s “Something in the Air.” Notably, the original release left out material from 1987’s Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough). The album has been reissued (2008, 2010) and pressed again on vinyl in 2016; it’s Petty’s best-selling record and was certified Diamond (10× Platinum) in 2003.
Musical style & musicianship — what makes the sound distinctive 🎶
This compilation crystallizes the Heartbreakers’ blend of heartland/roots rock and classic rock: plainspoken, hook-forward songwriting wrapped in rootsy textures. What defines it is economy — Tom Petty’s direct vocal phrasing, Mike Campbell’s tasteful, melodic lead guitar lines (always serving the song rather than showing off), and Benmont Tench’s warm keyboard counterpoints. The guitars alternate chiming, jangly rhythms and succinct solos; the arrangements favor memorable motifs over flashy virtuosity. Lyrically, Petty’s themes of freedom, restlessness and resilience sit in straightforward, radio-friendly structures.
Rhythm section & guitar work — the engine of the record 🥁
The Heartbreakers’ groove is central: Stan Lynch’s loose, punchy drumming (on earlier tracks) and Howie Epstein’s melodic, song-minded bass work lock into a steady, driving foundation that lets Campbell’s leads breathe. That push-and-pull — a steady backbeat under lyrical guitar hooks and Tench’s organ or piano — is the sonic signature across the hits, giving the songs both momentum and emotional clarity.
Reception, legacy & 90s context — why it still matters 📈
Commercially gigantic (millions sold; long Billboard life), the album reinforced Petty as a generational songwriter. Critically, it’s often cited as the most accessible entry point to his work. Dropping during the alternative/grunge explosion, Greatest Hits both contrasted with and complemented that movement: unlike grunge’s rawer angst, Petty offered concise craft and a rootsy authenticity that appealed to listeners tired of posturing — a DIY, working-class ethos rather than an indie aesthetic. The record helped keep classic rock songwriting alive through the decade’s diversity, and songs like “I Won’t Back Down” and “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” remain touchstones in American rock.
Songs from the Big Chair by Tears for Fears 🎧
83 plays in this year
Recording & creation 🎚️
Released in 1985, Songs from the Big Chair was Tears for Fears’ deliberate leap from the claustrophobic synth‑pop of The Hurting to a widescreen, arena‑ready sound. The title comes from the 1976 TV film Sybil — the “big chair” as a therapy trope — which reflects the band’s ongoing fascination with psychology and primal‑scream ideas. Production was led by Chris Hughes with heavy creative input from Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley; sessions stretched over months as songs were built, deconstructed and rebuilt. Fun fact: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” was the last song written for the album and came together in about a week, while other tracks ran over six minutes and forced the band to pare the vinyl to just eight expansive pieces.
Sound & style — what makes it distinctive 🎹
What sets the album apart is its hybrid identity: synth‑pop/new‑wave sensibilities married to pop‑rock dynamics. It keeps layered synth pads, arpeggios and sequenced patterns at its core, but overlays them with jangly guitars, live bass and drumming — producing warmth and a human pulse that pure synth records often lacked. The arrangements favor big choruses and dramatic builds (listen to the slow escalation of “Shout”), yet the lyrics keep an introspective and political edge: power and corruption in “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” catharsis in “Shout,” and tenderness in “I Believe.” The album’s bookending of “Broken” and “Head Over Heels” shows their artful use of motifs and sequencing, almost like personalities occupying the same “big chair.”
Production aesthetics & synth palette ⚙️
Mid‑’80s studio polish is all over the record: gated reverb drums, roomy digital reverbs, tightly programmed sequences and multi‑layered synth textures. Rather than replacing traditional instruments, synths provide atmosphere, hooks and rhythmic scaffolding — pads for emotional swells, arpeggiated lines for momentum, and melodic synth leads that sit beside guitar lines. The production balances electronic precision with live energy, giving the album both sheen and soul.
Reception, MTV & legacy 📺
Commercially it was a breakthrough: multi‑platinum sales worldwide, US No.1 and prolonged chart life in the UK. Singles — especially “Shout” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” — became MTV staples; their videos translated the band’s psychological seriousness into cinematic, accessible images and widened their audience. Over time the album has become a landmark of 1980s pop: a template for marrying thoughtful, darker themes to radio‑friendly production and a touchstone for later artists who mined the emotional, synth‑forward ‘80s sound.