The year is coming to an end, so it’s time to share my list of the best (world music) albums of 2024. It's been another good year for music, and I’ve selected 100 albums that are absolutely worth a listen. The ranking is based solely on personal criteria, and if I were to reorder the list, many positions would probably change. However, it’s not so important which album is in which position; what matters is that there really was a lot of great music in 2024.
I’ve divided my list into two parts — this is the first part with the albums ranked 100 to 51, with two positions containing two albums each. You’ll understand why. Each album includes links to Bandcamp, Tidal and Spotify (where available), so feel free to check some of them…
Otava Yo - Loud And Clear (ARC Music/Navigator 2024.)
Russia // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Kosmo Sound & Imane Guemssy - Makasima (Zephyrus 2024.)
Belgium, Morocco // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Bára Zmeková - Jediný na světě (Tranzistor 2024.)
Czech // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Afla Sackey & Afrik Bawantu - Destination (Wah Wah 45s 2024.)
Ghana // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Congo Funk! - Sound Madness From The Shores Of The Mighty Congo River (Kinshasa/Brazzaville 1969-1982) (Analog Africa 2024.)
Congo // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Sutari - #kołysankidlaświata (Audio Cave 2024.)
Poland // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Omar Souleyman - Erbil (Mad Decent 2024.)
Syria // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Meril Wubslin – Faire Ça (Bongo Joe 2024.)
Switzerland, Belgium // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Franck Biyong - Radio Masoda (Tangential Music 2024.)
Cameroon // Tidal // Spotify
Sheherazaad - Qasr EP (Erased Tape 2024.)
India, USA // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Aga Khan Master Musicians - Nowruz (Smithsonian Folkways 2024.)
various // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Dar Disku - Dar Disku (Soundway 2024.)
Bahrain // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
The Bongo Hop - La Pata Coja (Underdog 2024.)
France // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Syriana - 1325 Ibn Battutah (Real World 2024.)
various // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Ngwaka Son Systéme - Iboto Ngenge (Eck Echo 2024.)
Congo // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Landless - Lúireach (Glitterbeat 2024.)
Ireland // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
ODD OKODDO - Negore (Altin Village & Mine 2024.)
Kenya, Germany // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Fifidroki - Figura Dziks (Gustaff 2024.)
Poland // Bandcamp
Kutiman, Dekel, Ouzo Bazooka, Lala Tamar - Aliza (Siyal Music 2024.)
Israel // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Nomade Orquestra - Terceiro Mundo (Nublu 2024.)
Brazil // Bandcamp // Spotify
Abdallah Oumbadougou - Amghar - The Godfather Of Tuareg Music Vol.1 (Strong Place Music 2024.)
Tuareg // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Yannis & The Yaw feat Tony Allen - Lagos Paris London (Transgressive 2024.)
England, Nigeria // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
The Last Poet feat Tony Allen - Africanism (Africa Seven 2024.)
USA, Nigeria // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Bassekou Kouyate & Amy Sacko – Djudjon (L'Oiseau De Garana) (One World 2024.)
Mali // Tidal // Spotify
Tiganá Santana - Caçada Noturna (Ajabu! 2024.)
Brazil // Tidal // Spotify
Sandman Project - Where Did You Go? (Batov 2024.)
Israel // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Bab L'Bluz - Swaken (Real World 2024.)
Morocco // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Accra Quartet - Gbɛfalɔi (Travelers) (FPE Records 2024.)
Ghana, USA // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Newen Afrobeat - Grietas (Lichens Family 2024.)
Chile // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Tinariwen - Idrache (Traces Of The Past) (Wedge 2024.)
Tuareg, Mali // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Sahra Halgan - Hiddo Dhawr (Danaya 2024.)
Somaliland // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Ayom – Sa.Li.Va (Selfreleased 2024.)
Brazil, Angola, Italy, Greece // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
KOKOKO! - BUTU (Transgressive 2024.)
Congo // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Lankum - Live In Dublin (Rough Trade 2024.)
Ireland // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Sanam - Live at Cafe Oto (Maius Um 2024.)
Lebanon // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Aba Diop & the Yermande Family - Revolution Sabar (Dal Diam Fall 2024.)
Senegal // Tidal // Spotify
Jembaa Groove - Ye Ankasa | We Ourselves (Agogo 2024.)
Germany // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Auster Loo - Collective (Igloo 2024.)
Belgium // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Ana Lua Caiano - You Ficar Neste Quadrado (Glitterbeat 2024.)
Portugal // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
La Pambelé - Nací Mestizo (Discos Elgozo 2024.)
Colombia // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper - Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper (Matsuli/Platoon 2024.)
Mali, South Africa // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Abdel Benaddi - A Dream In Essaouira (Worlds Within Worlds 2024.)
Morocco // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès - Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès (Buda Musique 2024.)
Senegal // Tidal // Spotify
Bedouin Burger – Ma Li Beit (PopArabia 2024.)
Lebanon, Syria // Tidal // Spotify
Bagedai - Bagedai (Sea Of Wood 2024.)
China // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Etran de L'Aïr - 100% Sahara Guitar (Sahel Sounds 2024.)
Tuareg, Niger // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Julián Mayorga - Chak Chak Chak Chak (Glitterbeat 2024.)
Colombia // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Dunije - Bilo je sada (Menart 2024.)
Croatia // Tidal // Spotify
Hizbut Jámm - Hizbut Jámm (Instant Classic 2024.)
Poland // Bandcamp
El Khat - Mute (Glitterbeat 2024.)
Israel, Yemen // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Dogo du Togo & The Alagaa Beat Band - Avoudé (We Are Busy Bodies 2024.)
Togo // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
Tarta Relena - És Pregunta (Latency 2024.)
Spain // Bandcamp // Tidal // Spotify
