Sparky’s Best Albums 2024

Article December 6, 2024 Maya Denaé Taylor

We worked hard to find out what our Sac State, Sparky-lovin’ community was listening to this year. Not only were there veterans KSSU DJs Rafterian, DJ Artrocks, and DJ Harrito BUT some new additons like ERDJ, DJ motherboard, DJ Wirehead, and DJ Audrenism, along with some KSSU extended family

All in all, 27 Sac State students helped us determine the shining stars of 2024.

The festivals and live events in Sacramento left it all on the floor. Despite Sol Blume’s postponement, Aftershock brought Sacramentans outside! Sleeping with Sirens, Iron Maiden, Slipknot, Evanescence, Cypress Hill, Pantera, and Mötley Crüe held it down at Discovery Park.

At local venues, Sacramento welcomed performances by the Daryl Rowland Band and Blame the Bishop and more artists from Blues Jam at the Torch Club on Sundays. Viral rap duo FLYANA BOSS, the sensational rapper Cupcakke, and our very own Shoebox Sessions’ guest Amelia Day took to the Harlow’s stage. Indie country artist, Beard Picker, brought the unique sounds of bluesy guitar and bass with special guests The Damn Liars and Wolf Creek Boys at Old Ironsides. Sacramento met Tinashe’s freak, selling out her Match My Freak World Tour with opening act Raveena, at Ace of Spades.

That’s just a taste of the hundreds of local and traveling artists, dance parties, and venues bringing in audiences this year. If you didn’t have a chance to catch any live acts in 2024, don’t sleep on 2025. There’s so much more in store!

We’ve been hard at work to make sure music from new and established artists filled our station’s library. Out of all of the responses to our “Sparky’s Best Albums” survey, the top-ranking entries went to:

Charli XCX – Brat (6 nominations)
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter (3 nominations. Thank you, Beyonce.)
Sabrina Carpenter -Short n’ Sweet (3 nominations)
Kendrick Lamar – GNX (3 nominations. MUSTAAAAAAAARRRRD.)
Clairo – Charm (3 nominations. Is this Clairo shade?..)
Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft (3 nominations)
Mk.gee – Two Star & The Dream Police (2 nominations. A surprise runner up!)

Listen to Sparky’s Best Albums of 2024, a 2 hour block airing every weekday from 9-11 a.m. on KSSU.COM or check out this Spotify playlist. Please note that this Spotify playlist contains explicit songs

Here’s what the KSSU extended family had to say about some of Sparky’s favorite albums of 2024:

BRAT by Charli XCX
- Audrey Utschig [DJ Audity]
  - Straight bangers. The entire album fits the vibe for any occasion. Truly music made for musicians.
- Donna Lavande [DJ motherboard]
  - Literally a cultural reset. This album set a standard for pop and ushered in a banger summer.
- Ethan Betanio [DJ Fierce]
  - CHARLI XCX’s “brat” made a lot of connections with K-pop lately in my show which is why I picked it as top 2 after “CRAZY”. Her song “Club Classics” can really connect with LE SSERAFIM’s “CRAZY”. If their songs were put back-to-back, it can really boost the mood anytime of the day.
- Eric Duplantier [ERDJ]
  - Cultural Phenomenon
- Casey Rafter [Rafterian]
  - My bf turned me into this one. No skips. Then the follow up collab album? Charlie spoiled us this year.
- Isaac Wells [DJ Issac]
  - It has been wonderful to see Charli launch into mainstream success this year through this album. Although I may have my grievances with some of that fanbase and culture shift, the music stands on its own. Really great stuff, with some cutting introspection sliced between club classics.

Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé
- Amantle Nteta [DJ sep.]
  - Vocals, story, transitions, it was honestly perfect. Feels like watching a movie with every single listen.
- Lindsay Cole
  - This one was done well! And I’m not even a Beyoncé fan. Every song is good and I love the association with her home state of Texas and crossover into country.
- Amber Button [DJ Charlie]
  - Texas Fan and she’s was a little bit cleaner than before.

Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter
- Casey Rafter [Rafterian]
  - Started hearing about SC through a friend (I’m old. Had no idea she’d been around) and immediately felt these songs in my bones. This album is my 2024.
- Angelica Pascual [DJ Lollipop]
  - I love her album. It is very creative and she is a very talented music artist.
- Travis McMains
  - Have you ever tried this one?

GNX by Kendrick Lamar
- Giancarlo Diloy [DJ Wirehead]
  - It was difficult selecting a third album from this year (there was too many that were deserving of the #3 spot!), though GNX is one record that I believe would stick around for a bit. Probably not the most sentimentally profound record in his discography, but I absolutely admire the palpability and “fun” factor from this album; after his beef with Drake earlier this year, this record was the icing on the cake. If Charli XCX’s brat is the party hit of the summer, this record just might take its place for the remainder of this year. Also, this album screams California –louder so than he did when name dropping DJ Mustard on “tv off”. I’ve never before felt prouder to be from here.
- Finn Brumbaugh [DJ Bumble and KSSU Music and Production Director]
  - Its Kendrick.
- Amber Button [DJ Charlie]
  - Self-explanatory

Charm by Clairo
- Daniela Torres Melendrez [DJ Dani]
  - The album is very calm and fun to listen to. Compared to her last album “Sling” this album feels more upbeat and fun.
- Kaelan-Marie Gore [DJ Kae]
  - Charm is a really clever approach of paying homage to the 70s’ music; all while blending soft-rock, r&b, and indie elements. The production is intricate and soft, but also goes really hard. I attended one of her shows off the Charm tour, and it was one of my favorite shows ever. It was a fleeting experience to see an artist bring a vision to life in real time and do it in such an articulate way. As for the album, I love how her singing style flows like a run-on sentence like a conversation we’re listening in on.. it’s very intimate to me. What stands out to me the most is her willingness to move past the sound of Immunity, she doesn’t cling to what people want to hear from her but rather creates what she wants, naturally. My favorite song is Second Nature.
- Donna Lavande [DJ wirehead]
  - A pop girly known for pioneering an entire subgenre for pop (bedroom pop). This album has a refined sound and her vocals are beautiful on this album!!

Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish
- Kaelan-Marie Gore [DJ Kae]
  - HMHAS is an album that encapsulates growth musically and personally. Compared to her past work, I noticed a big difference in the quality of this project as soon as I listened to this album. There’s a noticeable difference in the way she uses her voice, and her flow with the instrumentals. Having been in the spotlight from a young age, Eilish portrays a refreshing glimpse of vulnerability by reflecting on her growth and mistakes in her lyrics. It’s a really dynamic album but also very original. My favorite is the outro, Blue.
- Travis McMains
  - Because Billie.
- Lindsay Cole
  - She’s not a kid anymore and it’s fun to see her come into her own.

Two Star & The Dream Police by Mk.gee
- Kaelan-Marie Gore [DJ Kae]
  - Mk.gee’s debut album was a really pivotal album for me in terms of my music taste and inspirations as an aspiring musician. One thing that stood out to me about this album was the production. It’s so raw but also not– the best way I can describe it is that it is implied. There’s also not a specific genre this album clings to, it touches many corners of music and inspirations but it’s also so original. Hearing him live was an unmatched experience! My favorite song is always rotating, but as of now it’s “You got it”.
- Giancarlo Diloy [DJ Wirehead]
  - One of my personal favorite lo-fi indie pop/alternative R&B records to have released in a while, this project was such an insurmountably refreshing (yet nostalgic?! It feels like an undiscovered 80s yacht rock record that has been remixed and remastered into modernity) and intoxicating first listen –so I bumped this nonstop for the first five months after its release. Can’t really say much but how this record is the very epitome of lo-fi style production: reverbed, spacious vocals and synths; plucky, entrancing and super distinctive guitar tones (I would try relentlessly to mimic his tone on my own guitar amp but to no avail); addictingly abrupt, sharp distortion effects. It’s everything I look for and more in an indie record!

I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU by JPEGMAFIA
- Will Bremer [DJ sVed]
  - Jpeg shows off his superior creativity with another genre-bending and boundary-pushing project. Taking his production skills to new heights and brings together this further step into hip hop’s outer regions.
- Giancarlo Diloy [DJ Wirehead]
  - Favorite record from JPEGMAFIA thus far and quite possibly one of the most adrenaline-invigorating and artistically forward projects to date; dare I say revolutionary in the new age of hip-hop. Phenomenal samples, compositions, instrumentation and references that blend several different genres together into one musical body (who would’ve thought that everything from dubstep, hard rock, neo-soul and Brazilian phonk could work all so well in one album?! Also, Pantera and DMX inspiration littered throughout!). Lyricism throughout the record is top-notch (most notably the tracks “Exmilitary” and “either on or off the drugs” offer a profound and cathartic critique on both politics and self-introspection). I was also blessed to have seen him perform live for the tour following the album’s release, which I believe heavily contributed to my bias (the best and most physically abrasive concert I’ve been to yet!).
Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii
- Audrey Utschig [DJ Audity]
  - Been a long term fan of Doechii since before persuasion with SZA. I felt this was an experimental album for her as she expresses her new identity or Alter Ego lol. She takes hip hop and makes it her own- gives me.
- Maya Taylor [DJ Audrenism]
  - Watching an artist evolve, especially a Black femme artist define themselves is always satisfying. Doechii’s intentionality is persistent throughout the tracklist with songs like “WAIT” diversifying the intense rap sound. Doechii shows that she’s not afraid to take risks on ”DENIAL IS A RIVER” and “BOOM BAP”, subverting the typical rap scene. ”NISSAN ALTIMA” has one of the best flows I’ve heard from her yet. Fans of Kendrick and Tyler NEED to take a listen.
Submarine by The Marías
- Alexandra Garcia
  - Honestly I died listening to it. It’s an album about losing someone, losing yourself, falling out of love, and being left with a thought of how the future might’ve been. It helped me heal this year.
- Daniela Torres Melendrez [DJ Dani]
  - Some songs are about heartbreak and how they deal with it. Some songs talk about heartbreak and some of them talk about moving forward. My favorite song is “Sienna,” the song is a breakup song about a future they could have had.
Chromakopia by Tyler the Creator
- Audrey Utschig [DJ audity]
  - Straight bangers. The entire album fits the vibe for any occasion. Truly music made for musicians.
- Travis McMains
  - It’s gettin’ sticky.
I Hear You by Peggy Gou
- Eric Duplantier [ERDJ]
  - Such a good house album, encompassing such a vibe even for non edm listeners.
PARTYNEXTDOOR 4 (P4) by PARTYNEXTDOOR
- Alexis Saephanh [DJ Alexis]
  - I chose PARTYNEXTDOOR 4 (P4) as part of my top three albums of this year because of the nostalgic feel behind the production of every song on the album and the lyrics as well. PARTYNEXTDOOR expresses his experiences of love and life and I can relate to certain aspects of his new album. In addition to this, PARTYNEXTDOOR has not released any new music for years so this album was extra special since it he was hiding away for many years. I also got to see him perform many of the songs from his new album and old albums live this past June and he is a great performer.
Savior by Green Day
- Arthur Kunert [DJ Artrocks]
  - This album sounds exactly like their earlier pop punk sound that just is more my style than some of their previous albums recently. Savior got me interested back in their newer music because it sounds more like early green day which I appreciate.
Rejoice by Official Hige Dandism
- Koua Meng Xiong [DJ KulHmongIllest]
  - It’s a nice mix of some of their recent songs that I thoroughly enjoy alongside some others I hadn’t listened to before. Good way to explore their songs.
Timeless by Kaytranada
- Amantle Nteta [DJ sep.]
  - Just like the album title, the music here is timeless. There hasn’t been a day since it released where I didn’t listen to at least two songs from this album. Honorable mention for “Snap my Finger” that song made my entire summer.
WE DONT TRUST YOU by Future & Metro Boomin
- Palladen Lee
  - Future shows his undeniable longevity in this collaboration with legendary producer Metro Boomin, delivering killer bangers for the party and emotional cuts for the longtime fans. Sadly, due to his melodic style, Future is often left out of the GOAT rapper discussion, but producing this kind of quality this far into a career is really something special and should not be ignored.
We Still Don’t Trust You by Future & Metro Boomin
- Alexis Saephanh
  - I chose “WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU” as one of my top three albums for this year because of the amazing collaboration between two great artists and producers. Future and Metro Boomin released an album that somewhat connects to this second album but I chose this one because of the tracks that are so versa. From sounds of trap to r&b making the rhythms and beats flow so well together. Many of these songs can easily get me hyped and other songs on the album set my mood to be right. I was able to see these two live together on tour a few months ago in September at the Golden One Center and they did not disappoint with their performances.
Magpie by Peach Pit
- Logan Alexander [DJ Jaxxle]
  - Nice album to vibe to and just relax too. Really hard to pick a “bad” song out of the bunch for the album.
Guts (Deluxe) by Olivia Rodrigo
- Daniela Torres Melendrez {DJ Dani]
  - Guts by Olivia Rodrigo came out 2023 but the Deluxe version came out this year. Her songs “Obsessed” “So American” and “Stranger” are amazing songs that came out this year.
Return to Dust by Return to Dust
- Jordan Craft
  - This up and coming band is one of my favorite finds of 2024. They capture the authentic sound of grunge without being a copycat of the most popular ‘90s grunge bands, which is something I’ve noticed many of these “new grunge” bands have a tendency to do.
Chasing Moving Trains by Roy Blair
- Alexandra Garcia
  - Roy Blair has not released an album in 5 years and this is the highly anticipated one. I remember when he used to just sing background vocals for Brockhamptom’s Saturation Trilogy. This album takes me back to the 2016-2018 era of SoundCloud and aesthetic.
Cosmic by Red Velvet
- Harrito Andres [DJ Harrito]
  - Finally, Red Velvet definitely is an unexpected pick for me as I was originally going to say MEGAN by Megan Thee Stallion, however I can’t ignore how emotional this album is. I enjoyed every song but the song Cosmic made me so emotional? I don’t know why, but it evoked happy and sad feelings when I heard it for the first time and ever since it’s always been on repeat for me. Although it isn’t their final album, I feel like the line “I Just Can’t Say Goodnight” definitely hits hard. Shout out to Megan though as it evoked me with the urge to dance haha!
Bando Stone and The New World by Childish Gambino
- Will Bremer [DJ sVed]
  - Gambino really shows his full range and ability to create a very diverse but still cohesive album with masterclass production and songwriting. He is very unique and takes that with him throughout the whole thing, there’s no other artist that could have made this album.
ROOM UNDER THE STAIRS by ZAYN
- Alexis Saephanh [DJ Alexis]
  - I chose this album as one of my top three albums that came out this year because Zayn has not released for years and in this album he brought a new style to his music. In this album, you get the feelings of mixed emotions all around because of how each song differs with the lyrics, experiences, instruments, and so much more. Zayn’s last album was more of an R&B feel while his new album gives more of an alternative indie/soul/r&b feel to it and I love it since it’s not repetitive.
This is How Tomorrow Moves by beabadoobee
- Alissa Mozeb
  - This album felt nostalgic while maintaining that coming of age feeling. I personally related to the album and it was simply so fun to listen to.
with 2 by xaviersobased
- Palladen Lee
  - While keep it goin xav was the more popular pick, with 2 is my favorite xaviersobased project of the year. His neo-jerk style and flow returns, with soft and sparkly production and an almost too-laid back sound. Definitely not for everyone, I’m sure most would turn their nose up on first listen, but there’s something infectious about xavs music that hits just right for me.
Hardstone Psycho by Don Toliver
- Amantle Nteta [DJ sep.]
  - Deep in the Water, Tore Up, and Glock alone speak for how good this album is. Don Toliver is yet to miss. Wow, I truly have no words, what an album.
Eternal Sunshine by Ariana Grande
- Harrito Andres [DJ Harrito]
  - This was Ariana’s comeback moment and she did not fail. Yes And? was already really great and having an album having more bops like that genuinely made me so happy. Having Ariana sing something that also reflects feelings that audiences might relate to such as her song Bye really layers some relatability to her music.
MEGAN: ACT II by Megan Thee Stallion
- `Donna Lavande [DJ motherboard]
  - Another stellar release from the queen herself! Such refined sound, she knows who she is an isn’t afraid to own it. Great album from start to finish.
SPF Infini Genesis by TDJ
- Eric Duplantier
  - Amazing electronic album, everything i’m into right now.
Clancy by Twenty One Pilots
- Alexandra Garcia
  - Tyler and Josh carried out the story line of their albums by revisiting their album Trench. It’s too much lore but if you listen to all of the albums together there are themes to them. I recommend also listening to a YouTube video that has a lore explanation.
Sayso Says by Che
- Palladen Lee
  - Che returns with producer natecxo for an album as noisy as his last, but with a distinctly glossier sound. Che leans heavily into the early 2000s internet aesthetic, with edgelord track titles and sparkly, vocaloid- esque melodies. The percussion is punchy and fast paced, and his delivery is the impressionistic and often off-beat style that’s become popular in the underground. A fun and boundary pushing tape that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Blue Lips by Schoolboy Q
- Will Bremer [DJ sved]
  - Q is a hip hop artist that picks his releases well and doesn’t deliver anything but top quality that also has lots of weight and meaning. It has been multiple years since he has put out a project and it was like he never left. Great instrumentals mixed with his signature style and cadence makes this one of the best rap albums of the 2020’s.
Crazy by Le Sserafim
- Ethan Betanio [DJ Fierce]
  - This album is my top 1 because I have played a song from this album almost every episode of Oriental Vibes Season 1. Crazy, Chasing Lightning, and Pierrot have been played and 1-800-hot-n-fun is going to be played soon. A song from this album can really bring the mood up if it is played anytime of the week.
You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To by Knocked Loose
- Isaac Wells [DJ Isaac]
  - This album feels like yet another creative peak for Knocked Loose. It clicked instantly with me, but I’ve still found more and more to love with each listen. Highly recommend if you enjoy heavy music!
TRUST CEREMONY by Jhariah
- Hunter Paphavasit [DJ Ace]
  - The theatrical storytelling, the genre-blending, the themes its all amazing. Both Risk, Risk , Risk!!! and Eat Your Friends seem both balance introspection with explosive energy, just showcasing his ability to craft something so cinematic. I can’t help, but move along with songs like BIGSHOT, FIRE4FUN and PIN-EYE, this whole album was on repeat for a good half of this year.
Crazy by Bridge City Sinners
- Logan Alexander [DJ Jaxxle]
  - Dark, folk punk/bluegrass music that is just hard to get out of your head. Vocalist’s performance just hits in a way melts me with how she belts out certain lines with a screech.
How Sweet & Bubble Gum by New Jeans
- Harrito Andres [DJ Harrito]
  - This mini album is my absolute favorite this year and although it is a mini album, How Sweet is definitely the headliner there of the two! It gives a nostalgic feeling while also having very calming vocals. Depending on the vibe the single, Supernatural, from a different album by NewJeans would have been my pick but I see myself listening to this mini album more. Plus, it’s such a great pop beat with good instrumentals.
Good Kid 4 by Good Kid
- Hunter Paphavasit [DJ Ace]
  - This latest album is one that really connected with me specifically in the themes covered in Break and Dance class, the vulnerability and human connection. Good Kid as a whole has an infectious energy coming from their tracks especially on tracks like Bubbly, Summer and Premier Inn. Lastly the cover song, From the Start” was incredibly well done in their own style, probably my favorite track on that album.
Beyond Beyond Beyond by The Crane Wives
- Jordan Craft
  - Beyond Beyond Beyond is filled with songs that switch between tempos, reoccurring theme of the Crane Wives. I love this album because I feel like the beat keeps me interested, I want to sit down and listen to it all non stop!
Telos by Zedd
- Koua Meng Xiong [DJ KulHmongIllest]
  - Went to my first rave, Zedd’s Telos tour, with some family. Was a blast and glad to have experienced it!
The Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan
- Casey Rafter [Rafterian]
  - Yeah it came out in Sept 2023. No one was talking about Chappell until this year. And look at her go. So many great songs. A queer champion. I love her attitude and style.

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