It’s no surprise that 2024 was deemed the “Year of Music,” with a myriad of artists releasing their albums. From pop, to country, to rap, 2024 gave everyone a little taste of every genre. Yet, with all these amazing albums and music, it can be difficult to choose “the best” of the year, which is why the 2025 Grammy Awards are highly anticipated more than any other event.

Many of the albums and songs released in 2024 became integrated into pop culture, which means many artists submitted their works for multiple categories. With this, it’s hard to tell who would win the award. 

The award for Album of the Year (AOTY) is the most anticipated because of the nominations. This year, the nominees for the award are “Cowboy Carter” by Beyoncé, “New Blue Sun” by André 300, “Djesse Vol. 4″ by Jacob Collier, “Short n’ Sweet” by Sabrina Carpenter, “The Tortured Poets Department” by Taylor Swift, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” by Chappell Roan, “Brat” by Charli XCX, and “Hit Me Hard and Soft” by Billie Eilish.

Swift has won the AOTY award the past two years, and with her influence in the music industry these past couple of years, it is a possibility she could win again.

“I believe Taylor Swift is going to win AOTY with ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ considering the album hit a 17-week streak at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart,” Ashley Heather (12) said. 

Yet, others hope to find the award going to other artists that have also made an impact this year, especially with the rising icons that have defined the year of music. Especially being new to the industry, three artists in particular managed to come into mind when thinking of the music in 2024: Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, and Sabrina Carpenter.

2024 was the biggest year for rising start Chappell Roan, as she made headlines with her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.” Multiple tracks of hers became viral such as “Good Luck, Babe!” and “HOT TO GO!” and Roan had the chance to perform in one of the biggest festivals, Lollapalooza. Her impact in 2024 made headlines and helped popularized more diverse pop songs.

“She has popularized queer culture and the idea of drag into mainstream radio,” Alexa Corpuz (9) said. “Not many people have done this so successfully and quickly. I would say she is the Lady Gaga of the recent years.”

Though Charli XCX debuted her first album in 2008, her new album “Brat” quickly rose to the charts and became a staple in 2024’s pop culture. Some of the most popular tracks off of “Brat” were “360” and “Apple.” Her album transformed music in such a way that many were inspired to name the summer season “brat summer.” Truly an icon for music.

“All her music is so iconic. It literally inspired brat summer, and I think she tried something different and it worked really well,” Roxana Kalantari (11) said.

Also debuting earlier on, Sabrina Carpenter became a household name in the pop industry with her newest album “Short n’ Sweet.” Releasing two singles prior to the album’s release on August 23, Carpenter quickly blew up as her songs “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” played everywhere, with people bopping their heads to the catchy and playful tunes. 

“We saw her come out with a whole new album in a different style we haven’t seen her write before,” Heather said.

All of the artists nominated for the award deserve the nomination, and whether one artist wins over another, it is important to note that it doesn’t define the success and popularity of the others. 

“This is a very transformative year for music,” Corpuz said. “Each album that has become popular this year has been for a very good reason.”