Best of 2024 - Sammies B's Picks (Cover Artwork)
Staff Pick

Best of 2024

Sammies B's Picks (2024)

Staff Picks




Years go by and here we are.



First of all, thank you all for continuing to read the site, without all of you… Would this place still exist? We put so much hard work into this place and sometimes get glimmers of kindness and community over here and am so appreciative of this support system and the glows of the site.

This year, I had to take a step back from here as I had to prioritize my own mental health, learning how to prioritize what “Sparks Joy” as Marie Kondo would put it, how I feel about things/life and what I want…like a cycle of life with highs and lows we live on and need to remember to take care of the things we need in life. To quote Chuck Ragan (hearing this in my delightful husband’s best Chuck impersonation)... “Coming up for air until the cycle starts again… starts again”.

Some key highlights to what sparked joy this year:
Took a trip to Taiwan and drank too much boba
Took a trip to Italy and had a Focaccin great time
Saw Justin Timberlake for the first time ever (My boy band loving heart is so fulfilled, now I continue to wait for an NSYNC reunion)
Saw Baby Metal!
Crocheted too many small plush things.

What I look forward to in 2025:

The actual release of your next favorite punk band’s debut release. Check out Not Gorgeous. (Shameless plug)
Seeing Spiritbox for the first time.
Possibly make another visit to the Louvre just to see another wing of the museum.

I am not good at segueing to things so here are my top records of the year and my Mixtape of songs that sparks joy for 2024.)]






Top 10 LP





10. Rain City Drive: Things Are Different Now



InVogue Records



Things Are Different Now have been all over my fall music listening rotation since it came out in September. The album is riddled with poppy but rocky tracks which are extremely catchy and will eventually turn into an earworm for days. They continue to build on their emotional post-hardcore back catalogue. “Medicate Me” is a shining beacon on the album featuring guest vocals by Rory Rodriguez of Dayseeker. The vocal pairing of Rodriquez and McAndrews complements the progression of the musical track too well.








9. Stand Still: Steps Ascending



Daze



Long Island based melodic hardcore band Stand Still isn't reinventing the wheel here, however they do hold the rich history of so many hardcore bands from the island with them in helping shape this band. Their debut LP, Steps Ascending, is high energy tracks of sing along and riffs that bridge the gap between hardcore, emo and pop-punk. “Mysticism” is my favorite track from this album.








8. Belmont: Liminal



Pure Noise Records



Chicago pop-punk band Belmont released their third LP, Liminal, this spring. The album is a metal, pop punk and electronic cross over filled with curated breakdown moments and grittier vocal progressions without forgetting their pop punk past.








7.Neck Deep: Neck Deep



Hopeless Records



To boil this down to a sentence, Neck Deep’s self-titled fifth album is simply catchy pop punk with some silly, fun and heartfelt lyrics splattered throughout the record.” It Won’t Be Like This Forever” is my favorite and the video for this single tugs on such relatable topics of growing old and dealing with life changes.








6. Fame on Fire: The Death Card



Hopeless Records



Florida based hard rock band Fame on Fire is here to give you the tarot reading of a lifetime. The Death Card is the band's third studio album and takes you on a rocky ride of the fiery deck. Each track is named after a specific card in the deck and with each track it weaves a story that will become an ever going evolution of emotion and eventual rebirth.








5. Shoreline: To Figure Out



Pure Noise Records



German based emo/punk rock band, Shoreline’s third album To Figure Out is filled with direct yet catchy lyrics with sprinkles of fun gang vocals over fun riffs with danceable moments. The 4th track of the record, Seoul, hits home too close to me. Having grown up in a suburban area where I was one of the only Asians in my class, the track speaks to my own feelings growing up. It has taken me years “to figure out” so THANK YOU Shoreline, for encapsulating this feeling for many of us out here.








4. One Step Closer: All You Embrace



Run For Cover



Working off the fantastic musical backbones of This Place You Know, One Step Closer released All You Embrace and pushed the boundaries of what influences of 90’s post-hardcore and emo should sound like. For followers of Fiddlehead, Koyo and Title Fight.








3. Justin Timberlake: Everything I Thought It Was



RCA



I am sure you are shocked to see another POP artist on my list. I am and forever will be a lover of NSYNC and pop music does course through these veins even before punk took over my life. Everything I Thought It Was is everything I thought it was… and a return to the vibes of early JT, basically has glimmers of nostalgic vibes from track to track and has zero skips in my opinion. “Technicolor” is my favorite track on this whole thing. I will continue to sit here and wait for a NSYNC Reunion. Please and Thanks!









2. Hot Water Music: Vows



End Hits Records



YEAH YEAH!!! Happy 30th HWM and thank you for this present. Vows seems to be a continuation of where they left off with their last stellar album. However, this one brings out some friends/with guest vocals. Overall, this album may be the full realization and seamless incorporation of the addition of Chris Cresswell vocal talents to the group.








1. Floya: Yume



Arising Empire



Hailing from some Metalcore background, Floya consisting of the magical duo of Phil Bayer and Marv Wilder debut album Yume came in like a bright and positive light to my life. Driven by electronic synth sounds and pop/rock hooks. The album is airy, dreamy and ethereal while crossing genres of Pop/Rock/EDM and Dance. “Stay” featuring some telephone noises is literally genius to the context of the song.






Top EP



1. WISP: Pandora



InVogue Records



WISP aka Natalie Lu went viral on TikTok for her track “Your Face”, having become an internet sensation, she quickly got picked up by Interscope records and here is her debut EP, Pandora. The entirety of Pandora is a shoegaze musical cross from bands like Nothing and Whirr to the breathy vocal pairing of Beabadoobee. Might be my perfect EP from front to back of the year and I cannot wait to hear more from them in the future.








[Thanks for reading and take care of yourselves out there. See you all in the eventual wild ride known as 2025!]