2024 brought forth a wealth of Chicago music spanning all genres. As we look back, a few local projects stood out this year — from a Grammy-nominated new release by reigning local blues queen Shemekia Copeland to Ravyn Lenae’s South Side-inspired effort.
Here are 13 full-length favorites, selected by WBEZ and Vocalo.
Floop Records, Mar. 1
Pick a night of the week and more likely than not, Rachel Drew is playing a stage near you. The singer-songwriter has planted a flag for putting in the hours, and here are the spoils: 12 finely crafted songs torched with Drew’s sumptuous voice and pulsing with the nimble guitarwork of musical partner John Szymanski. There’s much to like here, from the sunny jangle-pop of “Please Don’t Wake Me Up” to the rocker “Summer’s Over,” and there isn’t a chorus that isn’t immediately catchy. But the allure of "Old Sky New" is the deeper yearning stretching throughout these songs, whether for a former confidant (“Old Friend”), outside connection (“Stuck in the House All Day”) or unrequited love (“Blaze For You”). —Mark Guarino
Joyful Noise Recordings, May 24
Collaborator extraordinaire Sima Cunningham and multi-instrumentalist Macie Stewart have a knack for popping up everywhere on Chicago’s indie music scene and beyond. But together as the duo Finom, the pair strike their most resonant chords. "Not God," released in the spring and produced by Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy, is marked by songs that start off seemingly pedestrian and then swell, touching on new motherhood (“Hungry”), loneliness (“Cardinal”) and even a rocking ode to the banal beats of daily life (“Haircut”). One of the brilliant things about this album is that, like life, just when you think you know what’s ahead, it swerves. — Cassie Walker Burke
Loma Vista Recordings, May 24
Andrew Bird, who now lives on the West Coast, channeled mornings at the Green Mill in Uptown and former WBEZ jazz programs for this album of jazz standards that is, as the title suggests, the ideal soundtrack to a lazy Sunday at home. The album is a pivot, even for the fluent improviser Bird, but he covers his jazz bases with a group of collaborators with serious bona fides: drummer Ted Poor, bassist Alan Hampton, guitarist Jeff Parker and pianist Larry Goldings. — C.W.B.
Pravda, June 7
Tracking Steve Dawson’s career requires always expecting the unexpected. The former frontman of ace roots-rock band Dolly Varden keeps expanding his sound palette. As a result, he has emerged as a first-rate soul singer, a jazz-minded lead guitarist and an uncompromising songwriter who weighs the emotional space between darkness and light. Far from a bedroom solo project, "Ghosts" boasts a full ensemble, featuring many of Chicago’s top players, to create a relaxing backdrop rich with vocal and instrumental harmonies. — M.G.
1st & 15th and Thirty Tigers, June 28
Lupe Fiasco’s short-and-sweet ninth album is a reminder why the Chicago rapper has reached icon status. Produced by nine-time Grammy winner Rudolph "Soundtrakk" Lopez, "Samurai" glides over its eight songs (led by its title track, with a music video shot in Chicago’s Ping Tom Memorial Park). To quote the album’s third song, there are a lot of good local projects out this year … “but this one takes the cake.” — Morgan Ciocca
A Terrible Thing to Waste x Classicks Never Die, Aug. 7
This project is as short as the title is long, but it packs a lasting punch — a testament to theMIND’s versatility. Originally from Philadelphia, the Chicago-based artist (given name Zarif Wilder) has worked across the city’s creative scene, dabbling in everything from music to film to fragrance. Certain tracks like “Point Nemo” recall British musician Sampha, but there’s a throughline distinctly Wilder’s own as he mixes R&B, funk, electronic and indie rock. The project is filled with short, clever songs — “Gina” and “Oh Deer (Damn, Love Really)” stand out as fan favorites with the most streams. The album’s fitting ending is a piano ballad, “Easy to Miss You.” — M.C.
Atlantic Recording Corporation, Aug. 9
In August, Chicago-raised, L.A.-based singer Ravyn Lenae released her highly anticipated sophomore album "Bird’s Eye" with an Instagram post, saying the 11-track project “has meant returning to the little girl inside of me.” She went on to reflect on her childhood and Chicago roots for inspiration, even revisiting her grandparents’ South Side house to shoot the album cover. Bird’s Eye only has two guest artists, Childish Gambino and Ty Dolla $ign, though it isn’t lacking. Lenae’s voice alone gracefully guides you along her introspective journey. — Jessica Martens
Black Unlimited Music Group, Aug. 30
You may have caught Chicago trumpeter and composer Marquis Hill commanding the Pritzker Pavilion at Vocalo’s Summer Finale. Less than a month earlier, he released "Composers Collective," a new project celebrating his friends and colleagues, whom he invited to contribute to the project. Of the album’s 18 tracks, six are Hill’s own compositions. The remaining 12 feature pieces by an ensemble that includes local guitarist Jeff Parker and the rapper Saba, plus members of Hill’s quintet. —J.M.
Alligator, Aug. 30
Many years ago, blues queen Koko Taylor publicly designated Shemekia Copeland as her musical successor, and for good reason: She has fire in her voice, and her music always has something to say. This latest album follows an impressive run of records that started during the first Trump presidency and confront the anxiety that prevails to this day. With guest spots by dobro ace Jerry Douglas and legendary Texas songwriter Alejandro Escovedo, the songs on "Blame It on Eve" span the Americana spectrum — gospel, soul, blues, folk and even a French ballad. The album’s centerpiece, however, is Copeland’s unique storytelling. Her vocals have never sounded more urgent, playful or proudly fierce. — M.G.
Pauper Sky, Sept. 16
In the early days of his career, Michael McDermott was hailed as a rock ‘n’ roll prodigy who stood firmly in the shoes of Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Bruce Springsteen. His latest double album continues to make good on that promise. Although a slight shift in tone separates the two — "East Jesus" is the rock-oriented epic, while "Lighthouse on the Shore" offers quieter, piano-driven songs — they share common ground in McDermott’s world-bruised lyrics and go-for-broke passion. Combined, the 20 songs range from stadium-sized power pop (“Behind the Eight”), folk rock (“FCO”), psychedelic (“Quicksand”), stately ballads (“Bradbury Daydream”) and others presented in full Technicolor from a mini-orchestra of musicians. —M.G.
Bayonet Records, Sept. 20
Tasha Viets-VanLear, who performs as Tasha, was one of the featured vocalists in "Illinoise," the Tony-nominated musical inspired by Sufjan Stevens’ 2003 album "Illinois." The production’s influence shows on this project: Big instrumental swells and eclectic mixes (think acoustic guitar, horns, flutes and futuristic loops) are reminiscent of Stevens’ "Illinois"-era sound, especially on Tasha’s lead single, “Michigan.” That’s not to say "All This" doesn’t stand distinctly on its own: The project is tender and vulnerable, finding the musician with an open heart amid expansive ballads and delicate musings on love and sadness, her voice trailing over dramatic electric guitar riffs (“So Much More”) and upbeat piano melodies. —M.C.
Alligator, Oct. 11
Blues guitarist Ronnie Baker Brooks admits his greatest inspiration is his father, the late Chicago bluesman Lonnie Brooks, a beloved figure in Chicago music over decades. As the title suggests, the son isn’t shying away from his pedigree, and the songs show why. "Blues in My DNA" is a high-stakes record with themes spanning everything from racism to struggling to get ahead to missing a parent and running against the clock. But make no mistake — "Blues in My DNA" is not about looking back. This is a proudly modern blues album that has a lot to say about contemporary life, both inside and outside the bedroom. —M.G.
HiyaSelf Recordings Unlimited, Nov. 8
"Trust the Stars" is angelic. With introspective lyrics exploring love and self-discovery, The O'My’s’ new album showcases the duo’s signature blend of soul, R&B and indie influences, delivering immediate dopamine hits with every track. Though Nick Hennessey and Maceo Vidal-Haymes stand strong on their own, their collaborations truly elevate the project. My favorite track, “Next to Me,” features a fierce verse from Chicago hip-hop duo Mother Nature (“It’s the passion I deliver, when I’m meant for something bigger, I can paint the perfect picture, but there’s always something missing.”). It transforms the seemingly romantic song into an expression of independence. —Nudia Hernandez
