Best of 2024: Staff Picks
It's time for the music-obsessed WFUV staff to weigh in on what we devoted our ears to in 2024. Our lists are below, and we're asking for your favorites in our Best of 2024 Listener Poll.
Scroll down for: Corny O'Connell | Alisa Ali | Dennis Elsas | Eric Holland | Darren DeVivo | Russ Borris | Delphine Blue | Paul Cavalconte | John Platt | Kara Manning | Benham Jones | Janet Bardini | Sam Sumpter | Laura Fedele
Corny O'Connell
Morning Host, Monday - Friday 6-10am
Top 10 Songs (alphabetical)
- The Black Keys, "Beautiful People (Stay High)"
- Leon Bridges, "Peaceful Place"
- Clairo, "Sexy to Someone"
- Brittany Davis, "So Fly"
- Billie Eilish, "Lunch"
- Sarah Kinsley, "Last Time We Never Meet Again"
- Michael Kiwanuka, "Floating Parade"
- Ray LaMontagne, "Step Into Your Power"
- Cassandra Lewis, "So Bad"
- Orville Peck and Beck, "Death Valley High"
Top 10 Albums (alphabetical)
- The Black Keys, Ohio Players
- Leon Bridges, Leon
- The Decemberists, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
- Fantastic Cat, Now That's What I Call Fantastic Cat
- The Heavy Heavy, One of a Kind
- Michael Kiwanuka, Small Changes
- Lake Street Dive, Good Together
- Ray LaMontagne, Long Way Home
- Kacey Musgraves, Deeper Well
- Maggie Rogers, Don't Forget Me
Music Discovery:
LA LOM
Alisa Ali
Midday Host, Monday - Friday 10am-2pm
Top 10 Songs (alphabetical)
- Billie Eilish, "Birds of a Feather"
- Ezra Collective feat. Yazmin Lacey, "God Gave Me Feet For Dancing"
- Fontaines D.C., "Favourite"
- Hurray for the Riff Raff, "Snake Plant"
- Kendrick Lamar, "Not Like Us"
- MJ Lenderman, "She's Leaving You"
- Mk.gee, "Rockman "
- Remi Wolf, "Cinderella"
- Reyna Tropical, "Cartegena"
- Waxahatchee, "Right Back to It"
Top 10 Albums (alphabetical)
- Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard and Soft
- Fontaines D.C, Starburster
- Ezra Collective, Dance, No One's Watching
- Girl and Girl, Call a Doctor
- Hurray for the Riff Raff, The Past is Still Alive
- Khruangbin, A La Sala
- Michael Kiwanuka, Small Changes
- Adrianne Lenker, Bright Future
- Nada Surf, Moon Mirror
- Jack White, No Name
Music Discovery:
Tipa Tipo - My fave "NY Slice."
Dennis Elsas
Afternoon Host, Monday - Friday 2-6pm
Top 10 Songs (alphabetical)
- Beach Bunny, "Vertigo"
- Cage the Elephant, "Neon Pill"
- Childish Gambino, "Running Around"
- Deep Sea Diver, "Billboard Heart"
- James Bay, "Up All Night"
- MJ Lenderman, "She's Leaving You"
- Remy Bond, "Summer Song"
- Royel Otis, "Murder on the Dance Floor"
- Thee Sacred Souls, "Live For You"
- U2, "Picture of You"
Top 10 Albums (alphabetical)
- Fontaines D.C., Romance
- Kacey Musgraves, Deeper Well
- Lake Street Dive, Good Together
- Maggie Rogers, Don't Forget Me
- Micheal Kiwanuka, Small Changes
- Nada Surf, Moon Mirror
- Nathaniel Rateliff, South of Here
- The Decemberists, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
- Vampire Weekend, Only God Was Above Us
- Various Artists, Silver Patron Saints - Songs of Jesse Malin
Eric Holland
Evening Host, Monday - Thursday 6-10pm
Top 10 Songs (Ranked order; If you get a song pick, you don't get an album pick and vice-versa)
- beabadoobee, "Beaches "
- Tunde Adebimpe, "Magnetic"
- JD MacPherson, "Sunshine Getaway"
- Leon Bridges, "Peaceful Place"
- Clairo, "Sexy to Someone"
- Pearl Jam, "Dark Matter"
- Sunflower Bean, "Teach Me to Be Bad"
- Maya Hawke, "Missing Out"
- Michael Kiwanuka, "Floating Parade"
- Khruangbin, "A Love International"
Top 10 Albums
- Various, Silver Patron Saints: The Songs of Jesse Malin
- Gary Clark Jr., JPEG Raw
- Jack White, No Name
- Real Estate, Daniel
- The Linda Lindas, No Obligation
- Fontaines D.C., Romance
- La Luz, News of the Universe
- Hermanos Guitiérrez, Sonidio Cosmico
- The Cure, Songs from a Lost World
- Nada Surf, Moon Mirror
Music Discovery:
Orla Gartland
Darren DeVivo
Nighttime Host, Monday - Thursday 10pm-2am plus Saturday 1-4pm
Top Songs (alphabetical)
- beabadoobee, "Beaches"
- Cigarettes After Sex, "Baby Blue Movie"
- Clairo, "Sexy To Someone"
- Billy Joel, "Turn the Lights Back On"
- Khruangbin, "A Love International"
- Michael Kiwanuka, "The Rest of Me"
- MJ Lenderman, "She's Leaving You"
- Tyler Ramsey, "These Ghosts"
- Soccer Mommy, "Driver"
- Ringo Starr, "Time On My Hands"
Top Albums (alphabetical)
- The Bad Plus, Complex Emotions - Coming up on 25 years together, original members Reid Anderson (bass) and Dave King (Drums) are joined by Ben Monder (guitar) and Chris Speed (sax). This is the second album by this piano-less lineup.
- The Black Keys, Ohio Players - Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney aren't the Ohio Players, but these boys from Akron are, indeed, Ohio players, alright!
- Madison Cunningham and Andrew Bird, Cunningham Bird - Cunningham and Bird cover the entire Buckingham Nicks album, a classic "lost" album. Released in 1973, it was Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks' only album as a duo and essentially became their audition for Fleetwood Mac, which they joined in late 1974. (Earlier this year, Bird released a trio album, Sunday Morning Put-On.)
- Al DiMeola, Twentyfour - One of three albums on my list from one of my favorite jazz guitarists.
- Dion, Girl Friends - The "King of Bronx Blues" offers his third consecutive album of collaborations. This time, it's some of the leading ladies of the blues: Rory Block, Carlene Carter, Shemekia Copeland, Sue Foley, Christine Ohlman, Susan Tedeschi and many more.
- Steve Forbert, Daylight Savings Time - A new Forbert album is like getting a visit from a dear old friend.
- David Gilmour, Luck And Strange - The former Pink Floyd guitarist and vocalist offers his first solo studio album since 2015.
- Ian Hunter, Defiance Part 2 Fiction - Hunter follows his 2023 album, Defiance Part 1, with more defiance and more guest appearances from his friends.
- Sean Lennon, Asterisms - A beautiful, very heady, prog-meets-jazz-fusion album; Lennon's third under his own name.
- Tony Levin, Bringing It Down to the Bass - The longtime member of King Crimson and Peter Gabriel's band, as well as a prolific session player, Levin is one of music's premier bassists. In between the myriad of projects he involves himself in, Tony has produced a new solo album that merges progressive rock, jazz and pop into a sophisticated and funky jam.
- MC5, Heavy Lifting - Yes, there is a new MC5 album, 53 years after their last one. The spirit and the attitude of the MC5 lives on this album, a reminder of what they stood for and a tribute to their legacy. At the heart is original lead guitarist and vocalist, Wayne Kramer, who unfortunately died this year at the age of 75. But before his death, he and legendary producer Bob Ezrin recorded one final MC5 salvo, with original MC5 drummer Dennis Thompson on several tracks. Sadly, Thompson also later died in 2024, as did the band's former manager, John Sinclair.
- Pat Metheny, MoonDial - One of three albums on my list from one of my favorite jazz guitarists. It's Metheny solo playing acoustic, nylon string, baritone guitar.
- Nada Surf, Moon Mirror - Nada Surf's 10th album, yet another winner from Matthew Caws, Daniel Lorca, Ira Elliot and Louie Lino. (I bought the deluxe double CD with demos!)
- Pearl Jam, Dark Matter
- Madeleine Peyroux, Let's Walk - Madeleine's first album in six years, and her tenth overall, is a collection of songs written with guitarist Jon Herington (who has been Steely Dan's guitarist since the late 1990s).
- Real Estate, Daniel - Album number six for this band whose roots are in in New Jersey.
- Mike Stern, Echoes And Other Songs - One of three "favorite jazz guitarists" albums on my list. Mike is joined by Jim Beard, Richard Bona, Dennis Chambers, Christian McBride, Chris Potter and Antonio Sanchez. Beard, who produced the album, died in 2024.
- Thee Sacred Souls, Got A Story To Tell - This is the follow up to the San Diego trio's debut album.
- Jack White, No Name - Jack's sixth solo studio album.
- Various, Silver Patron Saints: The Songs of Jesse Malin - Twenty-seven of Malin's songs get covered by his friends and admirers, including Billie Joe Armstrong, Bleachers, Counting Crows, Dinosaur Jr., Alejandro Escovedo, The Hold Steady, Ian Hunter, Low Cut Connie, Spoon, Bruce Springsteen, The Wallflowers, Lucinda Williams and Elvis Costello and many more. A worthy honorable mention goes to Jesse's live album, Chasing The Light, released earlier this year.
Music Discovery:
Lady Blackbird
Russ Borris
Music Director, Host of "The Alternate Side," Friday 9pm-Midnight
Top 10 Songs (ranked)
- Waxahatchee feat. MJ Lenderman, "Right Back to It"
- Bon Iver, "S P E Y S I D E"
- Fontaines D.C., "Starburster"
- Phosphorescent, "Revelator"
- Childish Gambino, "Lithonia"
- Mk.gee, "Rockman"
- Orville Peck and Beck, "Death Valley High"
- Aaron Lee Tasjan, "The Drugs Did Me"
- Katie Gavin, "Aftertaste"
- Gigi Perez, "Sailor Song"
Top 10 Albums (ranked)
- The Cure, Songs of a Lost World
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Wild God
- The Decemberists, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
- Waxahatchee, Tigers Blood
- Father John Misty, Mahashmashana
- Fontaines D.C., Romance
- St. Vincent, All Born Screaming
- Johnny Blue Skies, Passage du Desir
- Hermanos Gutiérrez, Sonido Cósmico
- Adrianne Lenker, Bright Future
Music Discovery:
Infinity Song
Delphine Blue
Host of "The Whole Wide World," Friday 6-9pm plus Saturday 10am-1pm
Top Songs (ranked)
- Jack White, "That's How I'm Feeling"
- Fontaines D.C., "Starburster"
- The Cure, "Endsong"
- Arooj Aftab, "Whiskey"
- The Smile, "I Quit"
- Paris Paloma, "Labour"
- Khruangbin, "Pon Pón"
- Brittany Howard, "Prove It"
- Sunflower Bean, "Shake"
- Lola Young, "Messy"
- Billie Eilish, "Birds of a Feather"
- Karen O & Danger Mouse, "Super Breath"
Top Albums (ranked)
- Jack White, No Name
- Kim Deal, Nobody Loves You More
- The Cure, Songs of A Lost World
- Hermanos Gutiérrez, Sonido Cósmico
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Wild God
- The Smile, Wall of Eyes
- Grace Bergere, A Little Blood
- Beth Gibbons, Lives Outgrown
- Khruangbin, A La Sala
- The The, Ensoulment
- The Linda Lindas, No Obligation
- Various, Silver Patron Saints: The Songs of Jesse Malin
Music Discoveries:
Billy Allen + The Pollies
LA LOM
Orla Gartland
Paul Cavalconte
Host of "Cavalcade," Sunday 6-9pm
Top 10 Songs (ranked)
- Fontaines D.C., "Favourite" - Mine for sure
- Kacey Musgraves, "Cardinal"
- Infinity Song, "Hater's Anthem" - A lover's question
- Fantastic Cat, "So Glad You Made It" - A group hug of a song
- MJ Lenderman, "She's Leaving You" - Clapton was god
- Faye Webster, "But Not Kiss" - There is no try. But kiss... hmmm
- The Heavy Heavy, "Happiness" - Car radios smiled everywhere
- Royel Otis, "Murder On The Dance Floor" - Four on the killing floor
- Bartees Strange, "Sober" - Wide awake and staring you down with a groove
- Aaron Lee Tasjan, "The Drugs Did Me" - What doesn't make you stronger kills you
Top 10 Albums (ranked)
- Fontaines D.C., Romance - Compelling, astonishing, addictive, deeply satisfying, like records should be
- Kacey Musgraves, Deeper Well - Sweet deep songs about life and what's beyond. Adulting, anyone?
- Hermanos Gutiérrez, Sonido Cósmico - Head spinning talent and vision from these soulmate brothers
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Wild God - Droll, dire, comical, pretentious, adorable Nick.
- The The, Ensoulment - The future will not be televised, it's in the grooves. Stunning indictment of modern times, unexpected comeback
- The Last Dinner Party, Prelude to Ecstasy - Knives on the left, forks on the .... argh. I always mix that up. They don't. A fine table setting of song.
- Laufey, Bewitched (The Goddess Edition) - Bewitching, bothering, bewildering is she.
- Fantastic Cat, Now That's What I Call Fantastic Cat - What I call music. With heart, fraternity, and love.
- Bleachers, Bleachers - See Jack Run ... to to grab a Tony.
- Aaron Lee Tasjan, Stellar Evolution - Not just another other voice. Probing, honest, wickedly sharp songwriter for the new age of anxiety.
Music Discovery:
Infinity Song - The Roches reborn?!
John Platt
Host of "Sunday Supper," Sunday 4-6pm
Top 10 Songs (alphabetical)
- Beyoncé, "Blackbiird"
- Chris Smither, "All About the Bones"
- Fantastic Cat, "So Glad You Made It"
- Jerry Douglas, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
- Kacey Musgraves, "Cardinal"
- Laufey, "Bored"
- Richard Thompson, "Trust"
- The Decemberists, "Oh No!"
- The Heart Collectors, "Carolina Mountains"
- The Rough and Tumble, "Love Them, Too"
Top 10 Albums (alphabetical)
- Amy Speace, The American Dream
- Aoife O'Donovan, All My Friends
- Billy Strings, Highway Prayers
- Chris Smither, All About the Bones
- Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Woodland
- Madeleine Peyroux, Let's Walk
- Richard Thompson, Ship to Shore
- Tom Rush, Gardens Old, Flowers New
- Tony Trischka, Earl Jam
- Various Artists, Bad Monkey soundtrack (20 Tom Petty covers)
Music Discovery:
Louie Lou Louis - Brooklyn songster Louis Apollon, who goes by the "nom de musique" Louie Lou Louis, blends jazz, folk & world music with a soothing voice to inspire joy and connection. Hewas one of the winners of Falcon Ridge's Emerging Artists Showcase this year.
Kara Manning
Host of "UKNY," Sunday 11pm-Midnight
Top Songs (includes albums/EPs):
- Raye, “Genesis”
- Fontaines D.C. “Favourite”
- Divorce, “Antarctica” + “All My Freaks”
- Fcukers, “Bon Bon” + “Homie Don’t Shake”
- Rachel Chinouriri, “Never Need Me”
- Honeyglaze, “Pretty Girls” + “Don’t”
- Chalk, "Tell Me"
- Antony Szmierek, “Rafters”
- Miso Extra feat. Metronomy, “Good Kisses”
- Romy, “Always Forever”
- Doves, "Renegade"
- Porij “Stranger”
- Magdalena Bay, “Death and Romance”
- Gruff Rhys, “Silver Lining (Lead Balloons)”
- The Smile, “Zero Sum”
- Reyna Tropical, “Suavecito” + “Conexión Ancestral”
- Yard Act, “Dream Job”
- Self Esteem x Moonchild Sanelly, “Big Man”
- Victoria Canal, “15%” + "Chamomile"
- Beyoncé, “Texas Hold ‘Em”
Top Albums (includes songs):
- English Teacher, This Could Be Texas
- Laura Marling, Patterns in Repeat
- The Cure, Songs from a Lost World
- Michael Kiwanuka, Small Changes
- Ezra Collective, Dance, No One’s Watching
- Underworld, Strawberry Hotel
- Fontaines D.C., Romance
- Nala Sinephro, Endlessness
- Nilüfer Yanya, My Method Actor
- Public Service Broadcasting, The Last Flight
- berlioz, open this wall
- Clairo, Charm
- Whitelands, Night-Bound Eyes Are Blind to the Day
- Nubya Garcia, Odyssey
- Cassandra Jenkins, My Light, My Destroyer
- Nia Archives, Silence is Loud
- Floating Points, Cascade
- beabadoobee, This Is How Tomorrow Moves
- Lucy Rose, This Ain’t the Way You Go Out
- The Last Dinner Party, Prelude to Ecstasy
- Peter Cat Recording Co., BETA
- Soweto Gospel Choir x Groove Terminator, The History of House
- Seafarers, Another State
- Erland Cooper, Carve the Runes Then Be Content with Silence
- Bill Ryder-Jones, lechyd Da
Music Discoveries:
Fcukers (Lo-fi, languidly electro-sleazy NYC ravers.)
Chalk (Intense storm squall of Belfast post-punk dance.)
Nectar Woode (British-Ghanaian newcomer's jazzy soul is smart, old-school sweetness with bite.)
Fat Dog (London punk-klezmer riot with a lunatic live show.)
Benham Jones
Host, Saturdays 8-11pm, Sundays 9-11pm
Top Songs (alphabetical):
- Big Thief, "Vampire Empire"
- Billie Eilish, "Lunch"
- Caroline Polacheck, "Starburned and Unkissed"
- Chappell Roan, "Good Luck, Babe!"
- Faye Webster feat. Lil' Yachty, "Lego Ring"
- Jamie xx feat. Honey Dijon, "Baddy on the Floor"
- Kim Gordon, "Bye Bye"
- Macklemore, "Hind's Hall"
- MJ Lenderman, "She's Leaving You"
- Tunde Adebimpe, "Magnetic"
Top Albums:
- Adrianne Lenker, Bright Future
- Charli XCX, BRAT
- Fontaines D.C., Romance
- Jessica Pratt, Here in the Pitch
- Julia Holter, Something in the Room She Moves
- Nia Archives, Silence is Loud
- St. Vincent, All Born Screaming
- The Cure, Songs of a Lost World
- Tindersticks, Soft Tissue
- Waxahatchee, Tigers Blood
Music Discovery:
The newly unearthed Mozart manuscript for string trio, discovered in the Leipzig Municipal Libraries while updating the Köchel catalog
Janet Bardini
Morning Host, Saturday 6-10am
Top 10 Songs (ranked)
- Fontaines D.C., "Starburster"
- beabadoobee, "Beaches"
- Clairo, "Sexy to Someone"
- Infinity Song, "Hater's Anthem"
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, "Wild God"
- Zach Bryan, "Pink Skies"
- Waxahatchee, "Right Back to It"
- The Heavy Heavy, "Happiness"
- The Cure, "A Fragile Thing"
- Say She She, "Never Say Never"
Top 10 Albums
- Fontaines D.C., Romance - Putting Irish rock back on the map.
- Faye Webster, Underdressed at the Symphony - Songs are so honest and personal.
- Maggie Rogers, Don't Forget Me - The hardest working gal in show biz
- Clairo, Charm - What a songwriter, like Nilsson, her mentor.
- Arooj Aftab, Night Reign - Arooj is always on my best-of list.
- Laura Marling, Patterns in Repeat - One of the best from across the pond.
- Bleachers, Bleachers - Jack Antonoff is the man of the hour, nothing he can do wrong.
- Adrianne Lenker, Bright Future - Shines.
- The Last Dinner Party, Prelude to Ecstasy - Not one music critic gave this band a bad write up, and rightfully so.
- The Heavy Heavy, One of a Kind - Brilliant.
Music Discovery:
Infinity Song - Thank you, Alisa Ali, for giving this band airplay. Well deserved, so original.
Sam Sumpter
Guest Host
Top Songs (alphabetical):
- Bartees Strange, "Sober"
- Dehd, "Light On"
- Fontaines D.C., "Favourite"
- Friko, "Crashing Through"
- Gigi Perez, "Sailor Song"
- Jana Mila, "Somebody New"
- JD McPherson, "Sunshine Getaway"
- Nancy Whitaker, "Don't You Know We're See Through"
- Ok Cowgirl, "Larry David"
- Rett Madison, "Flea Market"
Top Albums:
- Dehd, Poetry
- Fontaines D.C., Romance
- Friko, Where we've been, Where we go from here
- Go Home, Demon Dreams of a Clearing in the Woods
- Jana Mila, Chameleon
- Japandroids, Fate & Alcohol
- Mary Shelley, Bloodhounds
- Ok Cowgirl, Couldn't Save Us From My Gut
- Rett Madison, One More for Jackie
- Short Porch, The best of…Short Porch vol.1
Music Discovery:
Rett Madison
Laura Fedele
Digital Director
Top Songs (Ranked order - If you get a song pick, you don't get an album pick and vice-versa)
- The Head and the Heart, "Arrow"
- Faye Webster, "But Not Kiss"
- Mavis Staples, "Worthy"
- Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, "Heartless"
- MJ Lenderman, "She's Leaving You"
- Kacey Musgraves, "Deeper Well"
- Adrianne Lenker, "Sadness As a Gift"
- Clairo, "Sexy to Someone"
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, "Wild God"
- Lola Young, "Messy"
Top Albums:
- Hurray for the Riff Raff, The Past is Still Alive
- Waxahatchee, Tigers Blood
- Maggie Rogers, Don't Forget Me
- Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Woodland
- Michael Kiwanuka, Small Changes
- Amythyst Kiah, Still + Bright
- Iron & Wine, Light Verse
- Elbow, Audio Vertigo
- The Smile, Wall of Eyes
- Lake Street Dive, Good Together
Music Discovery:
Lola Young
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