Top 10 compilations, reissues & historic recordings of 2024

This week on Global A Go-Go (Sunday December 29, 1:00-3:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site), I'm wrapping up a 3-week-long look at the top releases of 2024 by playing tracks from my favorite compilations, reissues and historic recordings of the year.

 

I admit to spending a lot of time keeping up with what's new in the world of world music.  At the same time, there's so much older music that I'm still unaware of and that I'd like to know more about.  How to work on both simultaneously?  That's precisely where compilations, reissues and historic recordings come in.  I make sure to pay special attention to this category every year -- it's one of the primary ways I backfill my own musical knowledge.

 

Without further ado, here are my favorite compilations, reissues and historic recordings of 2024:

Top 10 new singles & EPs of 2024

I've been recapping my favorite singles and EPs of the year for each of the last six years.  In the current era of home studios, direct-to-consumer distribution, mobile listening and streaming, the music industry has become more singles-focused than it's been since before 1967.  Singles aren't just for Top 40 any more -- whatever styles of music you like, if you're ignoring singles you're missing some of the best music being released today.

 

This year's edition (Sunday December 22, 1:00-3:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site) once again has killer material, every bit as good as what you heard on my best albums of 2024 episode last week.

 

Without further ado, here are my favorite singles and EPs of 2024:

Top 10 new albums of 2024

It's the most wonderful time of the year, the time to find out who's been naughty and who's been nice.  No, I'm not talking about the holiday season; I'm talking about when everyone's Best Of The Year lists come out.

 

I'll be rolling out my own lists over the next three Sundays on Global A Go-Go.  On this week's program (Sunday December 15, 1:00-3:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen and any old time at my podcast site) I'll present my top ten new albums of 2024 plus ten honorable mentions.

 

Next week on December 22 I'll play my favorite singles and EPs of the departing year.  And in two weeks' time on December 29 you'll hear selections from my favorite compilations, reissues and historic recordings of 2024.

 

Without further ado, here are my favorite new albums of 2024:

Charts December 2-8, 2024

WRIR World's NACC Top Ten

1 LAST POETS, THE AND TONY ALLEN | Africanism | Africa Seven

2 FLORENCE ADOONI |  "Vocalize My Luv" [Single] | Philophon

3 DJEUHDJOAH AND LIEUTENANT NICHOLSON | "Sarah Solo" [Single] | Hot Casa

4 SUPER DISCO PIRATA: DE TEPITO PARA EL MUNDO 1965-1980 | various artists | Analog Africa

5 JULIAN MAYORGA | Chak Chak Chak Chak | Glitterbeat

6 JUNIORE | Trois, Deux, Un | Le Phonographe

7 ORCHESTRE TOUT PUISSANT MARCEL DUCHAMP | Ventre Unique | Bongo Joe

8 NIGERIA 70: THE DEFINITIVE STORY OF 1970'S FUNKY LAGOS | various artists | Strut

9 TOGO SOUL 2 | various artists | Hot Casa

10 DOGO DU TOGO AND THE ALAGAA BEAT BAND | Avoude | We Are Busy Bodies

Charts Nov 25 - Dec 1, 2024

WRIR World's NACC Top Ten

1 JOAO SELVA | "Banho De Mar" [Single] | Underdog

2 AL-QASAR | Uncovered | Wewantsounds

3 HEPCAT | Scientific | Trust

4 FEMI KUTI | "Politics Don Expose Them" [Single] | Partisan

5 U BROWN | Still Chanting Rub-A-Dub | Irie Ites

6 WIZKID | Morayo | Starboy/Sony International/RCA

7 JAH 9 | "Match" [Single] | VP

8 BONGO HOP, THE | La Pata Coja | Underdog

9 MIRAMAR | "En Mis Suenos" [Single] | Ansonia

10 SONGHOY BLUES | "Gara" [Single] | Studio Mali/Transgressive