To celebrate the release of the KVSC Top 88 of 2024, we asked the hardworking members of our music department to share thoughts on their personal top five lists for the year.

We continue the process with the top five list submitted by Rebecca. Hopefully, you’ve heard at least one of Rebecca’s meticulously themed episodes of Diversions by now. If not, tune your radio accordingly on Mondays at 5:00 PM Central time. Rebecca officially joined the music department in the fall of 2024, and she’s recently expanded her duties to coordinate our ticket giveaways. If you wind up at First Avenue because of free passes you won from KVSC, you’ve got Rebecca to thank!

Top 5 Albums of 2024 – Rebecca (Music Director)

1. Escaper – Sarah Kinsley
   Something shifted in me the first time I heard Escaper. I grew up listening to Aurora, and that same ethereal, otherworldly feeling I felt with her music hit me all over again with Sarah Kinsley. It was immediate. This album wasn’t just good—it was the album for me this year. My top album, without question.
   Earlier this year, I listened to it for Crispy Critics—my first time doing the segment, I think? Maybe not. We listen to so much music that it all blends together (in a good way.) But I remember Escaper standing out. It wasn’t just an album I liked; it was one I fell into completely, a world I didn’t want to leave. And once I fell in love with it, I was completely devastated to realize she wasn’t coming to Minnesota on her tour. I complained to anyone who would listen—friends, family, strangers at KVSC who made the mistake of mentioning live music in my presence… I had already resigned myself to the idea that by the time she did come here, it would be four years down the line, she’d be massive, and tickets would be so expensive that seeing her live would feel impossible.
   And then—pure fate. The day Jordana (my second pick of the year… but more on her later) liked my Instagram story, Sarah Kinsley announced a second leg of her tour. The next day, Sarah liked my story too. At that point, I had peaked—and this time, she was coming to Minnesota.
   The second I saw the artist presale go live, I bought tickets without hesitation. Not a moment of doubt—I had to be there. Now, I just have to make it to April.
   Maybe the best way to describe how much this album means to me is to go back to when I was first obsessing over it—listening to it on repeat, barely able to think about anything else. One afternoon, after a long day of science classes and my shift at KVSC, I came home, curled up in a hammock, and fell asleep for hours. Late September or early October, the air crisp but not cold, Escaper playing in my ears like a dream. That’s the feeling her music gives me. Warm, weightless, and completely at home.
   I love every song.
2. Lively Premonition – Jordana
   I’ve been a fan of Jordana for a long time—there’s just something about her music that has always pulled me in. It’s effortless, genre-fluid, and unapologetically her. When Lively Premonition dropped, it immediately became a close second for my favorite album of the year. I remember exactly where I was when I first listened to it: walking to downtown St. Cloud, heading to my favorite Greek place for lunch. The timing was almost cinematic—the album had just released, and the autumn leaves were at their peak, fiery reds and deep golds lining the streets. It was the perfect soundtrack for a fall afternoon, the kind of moment that imprints itself in your memory.
   A month or so later, John Drake and I covered Jordana and Soccer Mommy for an edition of Crispy Critics. Getting to talk about an artist who meant so much to me, who carried herself with so much confidence and creative freedom, was something special. With Lively Premonition, Jordana fully embraces being a chameleon, shifting effortlessly between genres, doing whatever she wants without fear of whether it’ll be popular or not. That’s one of my favorite qualities in an artist—the refusal to be boxed in, to make music for the sake of expression rather than expectation.
   That’s why it absolutely kills me that I can’t make it to her concert. But, unfortunately, college exists, and the show is on a Monday.
   Still, I knew I needed to own this album in some tangible form. Lively Premonition is one of only two albums I’ve ever bought brand new on vinyl (the other being The Now Now by Gorillaz). If I couldn’t experience it live, the next best thing was listening to it on a record player, letting the warm analog sound wrap around me. And it was perfect.
3. Bando Stone and the New World – Childish Gambino
   When I first listened to Bando Stone and the New World, I had just wrapped up a long, exhausting week as a camp counselor. The final task? Cleaning duty. Hours of scrubbing, sweeping, and organizing. Naturally, I needed something to keep me going, and this album was the perfect motivator—bold, dynamic, and bursting with energy.
   From the start, Bando Stone felt like an instant mood booster, carrying a sense of adventure and urgency. Childish Gambino dropped two albums this year, the other being Atavista, but Bando Stone was easily my pick for number three. While everyone else was having their brat summer, I was deep in my Bando Stone era—fully immersed in its world.
   What I love most about this album is its versatility. There’s a song for every version of me—whether I need something high-energy, introspective, or just straight-up fun. The storytelling, the production, the effortless genre-blending—it all feels meticulously crafted yet incredibly natural. That perfect mix of diversity and accessibility is what keeps me coming back, making it a true all-purpose album.
   If you don’t know, Bando Stone and the New World is actually set to be the soundtrack for an upcoming movie of the same title. And while I can’t wait to see how it all comes together on screen, I’m just grateful we got the music first. It already feels cinematic on its own—like a story unfolding with every listen.
4. May It Never Falter – Glaive
   Oh, how I love Glaive! He’s one of those artists I’ve been listening to for years, and since we’re the same age, it feels like I’ve grown up alongside his music. As I’ve matured, so has his sound, and May It Never Falter reflects that perfectly. In my opinion, it’s his best work yet—raw, emotional, and fully realized.
   Being part of this fanbase has definitely been an experience, especially with how much this album was teased before its release. The anticipation was unreal. When it finally dropped, I wanted to give it my full attention, so I found a quiet corner in the campus library, put my headphones in, and completely zoned out to the music and lyrics. It was one of those moments where everything else fades away—just me and the album I’d been waiting for.
   Before May It Never Falter even came out, I saw Glaive open for Kid Laroi at the Armory this summer, which only made me more excited for what was coming. Then, on January 28th, I got to see him again—and it was insane. I somehow ended up front and center in the pit, getting completely swept up in the energy of a nonstop mosh. The crowd was electric—everyone screaming every lyric, no one holding back. Worth every penny, including the $70 I dropped on a hoodie at the merch booth. No regrets.
   There’s something incredible about being in a space where everyone is just as passionate about the music as you are, especially at a sold-out show. It makes me even more excited to see what Glaive does next—and if you’re not already following along, you definitely should be.
5. This Is How Tomorrow Moves – Beabadoobee
   Beabadoobee is one of those artists who doesn’t hit me all at once—it’s not a sprint, but a marathon. Her music has this way of sneaking up on you, settling in quietly before you realize just how much it’s shaped your listening habits. While I wasn’t counting down the days until This Is How Tomorrow Moves dropped in August, the album steadily wove itself into my life, becoming something I returned to again and again without even thinking about it.
   I didn’t expect it to be my fifth pick of the year, but when I sat down to reflect on my favorite albums, it was undeniable. Not all music needs to be immediate—some albums are best when they unfold gradually, growing on you over time, and This Is How Tomorrow Moves is exactly that kind of record.
   At first, I liked just one track. Then another. And another. It became part of my routine—playing in the background while I studied, popping up on recommended playlists, catching my ear on random walks across campus. The cycle repeated itself until, over Christmas break, I finally sat down to listen to the album from start to finish, only to realize that I had already liked every single song. It was one of those moments where everything clicks—similar to when I checked my Spotify Wrapped and was completely blindsided by Vacations being my top artist of the year.
   What I love most about This Is How Tomorrow Moves is its understated nature. It doesn’t demand attention; instead, it lingers, slowly wrapping itself around you until it feels like an old friend. It’s not trying to be revolutionary, but it doesn’t have to be—sometimes, the best music is the kind that simply stays with you, revealing its brilliance in the quiet moments.

To see all this year’s lists, go to the Music News section of our website.