So many artists came out with their debut or their next studio album in 2024, showcasing a range of talent and stories. Here are YE’s top 5:

1. Joshua Bassett

Joshua Bassett’s long awaited debut album “The Golden Years” released on July 26, a follow up on his second EP “Sad Songs in a Hotel Room.” The album features the title track as its lead single, also including “Dancing With Tears in My Eyes” and “Biting my Tongue.” Joshua also treated fans this year with The Golden Years Tour through North America and will continue it into 2025 in Europe. The album perfectly encapsulates all the nostalgic feelings of being in your late teens and early twenties and feels like a journal entry that comes from the heart.

2. Sabrina Carpenter

Released on August 23, Sabrina Carpenter’s sixth studio album “Short n’ Sweet” was just the cherry on top of a record-breaking year for her. The album was Carpenter’s first Platinum-certified album and number-one record in the US, and the singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” both topped the Billboard Global 200 chart, with “Please Please Please” her first ever number-one song on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album is an ode to the ups and downs of love, highlighted by Carpenter’s lyrical confidence.

3. Eternal sunshine

Ariana Grande treated fans to so many things this year, from Wicked to getting back into the studio to record her seventh studio album “eternal sunshine”, released on March 8. The album was Grande’s first album in over three years and the name comes from the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Highlighted by the singles “Yes, And?”, and “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)”, the album and its singles were nominated for three Grammy Awards. We are so happy Ariana treated us to new and relatable music this year that spotlights vulnerable experiences.

4. Wicked Soundtrack

Ever since the Wicked soundtrack was released on November 22 in conjunction with the movie, we cannot get enough. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the film’s two main stars, are featured on seven out of the eleven tracks and the soundtrack has already made history on the Billboard charts, debuting at #2 to make it the all-time highest debut for a film adaptation of a stage musical. All the songs from the original stage musical are included, with their own fun and modern twists while also paying homage to the originals. From “Defying Gravity” to “Popular” and “One Short Day”, we’ll be listening until the second film is released with even more music in 2025.

5. Descendants the Rise of Red

Descendants: The Rise of Red, the latest film in the Descendants franchise, came out this year and with it, lots of new music. The soundtrack was released on July 12 and featured the iconic singalongs “What’s My Name (Red Version)”, performed by China Anne McClain and Kylie Cantrall, “Red”, sung by Kylie and Alex Boniello, and “Life is Sweeter”, sung by most of the ensemble cast. The soundtrack also paid homage to the 1950 animated film Cinderella with a rendition of “So This is Love”. We got to chat with the entire cast before the film’s release, to learn more about working together and what they learned from one another as actors and performers.