[Graphic courtesy of Julia Weber]

By the ACRN editorial team

Each year, ACRN’s editorial team sits down together to discuss the year’s most notable moments in music — both good and bad. Unfortunately, many albums fail to live up to the hype and often fall short of fans’ expectations. We’ve chosen our top ten most disappointing album releases of 2024, which you can read our writers’ opinions of below.

10. VULTURES 1 — Kanye West [YZY]

Kanye’s talent has left with Kim. Donda had a certain appeal as Kanye wanted to make something important to immortalize his mother in his work, which at worst gives the album a sense of admirability. At best, VULTURES 1 is full of unfinished songs that might sound better if Kanye relied on someone aside from Ty Dolla $ign to accompany him on the album. The only standout track, “CARNIVAL,” has suffered from being overplayed, because it truly is the only playable song on the entire album. It’s a massive disappointment from someone who was once a titan of the industry. The funny lyrics he was once known for now seem sad and lonely. It’s a depraved and lonely album that operates mainly to track a decline in Kanye’s mental health. There is very little redeeming about this album. The best part about it? It’s not the worst project Kanye has released this year. 

— Cody Englander, Copy Editor

9. Radical Optimism — Dua Lipa [Warner]

Radical Optimism is Dua Lipa’s third studio album and the follow-up to her huge record, Future Nostalgia. It seemed like Dua was unstoppable from her 2017 debut to 2022. So why did Radical Optimism not make the same amount of buzz as her previous work? She didn’t craft a strong vision for this project, and it shows in the majority of the songs.

I was really excited when Dua announced the lead single, “Houdini,” which was released last November. After hearing the song, I thought Dua was on track to release another great album. Although the song was perceived well by her fans and other listeners, she was not seeing the same impact on the charts that she is known to have. Charting does not coincide with quality, but her next two single releases, “Training Season” and “Illusion,” also failed to be stable charting hits.

The singles I heard after Houdini felt like they were missing something. I wanted more big-hitting choruses with a similar drive to Dua’s past discography. There was still hope for the album, however. Unfortunately, the three best songs on the album were the singles. I only listened to the album a few times and have not come back to it. It lacks a lot of diversity in lyrical subject and production. Overall, the absence of a creative direction and the songs lacking substance made Radical Optimism very disappointing when compared with her previous work.

— Max Cartwright, Reviews Editor

8. INSANO — Kid Cudi [Wicked Awesome / Republic]

Kid Cudi’s INSANO is his first full-length release since Entergalactic in 2022, which garnered a great amount of attention from Cudi fans like myself. In a discography full of amazing and eccentric albums, INSANO is Cudi’s weakest piece of work. When held up against other projects of his, such as the Man On The Moon trilogy and KIDS SEE GHOSTS, INSANO is just flat and lacks the unpredictable and unique production that Cudi has been known for. Tracks like “KEEP BOUNCIN’” and “GETCHA GONE” are repetitive and hollow sounding, bringing a more straightforward rap vibe. Overall, this album is forgettable. I recommend listening to Cudi’s follow-up that came out a month after, INSANO (NITRO MEGA). NITRO MEGA has a much more full sound and a better production in general.  

— Dylan Thatcher, Features Editor

7. The Death of Slim Shady — Eminem [Shady / Aftermath / Interscope]

The Death of Slim Shady is Eminem’s newest concept album where he yet again brings out his alter-ego, Slim Shady. Although, in this one — If you haven’t already guessed — Slim Shady dies. I can appreciate a conceptual album where an artist wants to explore this other side of themself and metaphorically kill it off, but I don’t think Eminem did his best when realizing that vision.

Of course, this album is full of obnoxious bars. In the song “Lucifer,” Eminem raps about cancel culture and getting kicked off Twitter. He could have approached it in a less cringy way, but of course, Slim Shady must be direct and rebellious. All in all, a lot of these songs could have been more lyrically relevant in the early 2000s, when Eminem was at his prime, but in 2024 they just come off as tiring.

Another aspect that was disappointing is that there is no growth on this album. I am not an avid Eminem fan or listener, but compared to other songs of his I have heard of his in the past, it seems like he is at a stagnant point in his career and is trying to be who he once was. It seems returning to Slim Shady for this album was an attempt to stay relevant.

— Max Cartwright, Reviews Editor

6. C,XOXO — Camilla Cabello [Geffen / Interscope]

After her previous album centered around her Cuban-Mexican background, Camila Cabello did a total 180 on her fourth album, C, XOXO. Trying to pull off the similar sonic aesthetic as BRAT, Cabello reinvented her signature sound by taking inspiration from hyperpop and rap, which is almost successfully accomplished on “Dade County Dreaming (feat. JT & Yung Miami)” and “HOT UPTOWN (feat. Drake).” Sadly though, the album’s overall cohesiveness and lyrical subject matter was overshadowed by messy production and interludes, as well as several instances of copy and paste material seen in the discographies of famous pop girls like Britney Spears and Rihanna.

While this album does have inklings of a potential new sound and aesthetic for Cabello, it failed to highlight the themes of womanhood and fame that she intended to put across.

— Grace Koennecke, Managing Editor

5. VULTURES 2 — Kanye West [YZY]

Truly a “BOMB.” If you have ever doubted that Kanye or Ty Dolla $ign have had sex, the opening track eases your worries. Not even a full minute into the album, we are greeted with the lyrics “Ye got the rhythm, make the ladies go brazy / Dolla got the stroke, make her wanna have my babies”. The delivery is noticeably worse, even compared to VULTURES 1. The song “BOMB” is one of the biggest swings and biggest strikeouts of the year. For an entire album about depravity, having your daughter on the album is weird behavior, especially because the lyrics right after “BOMB” ends, go “SEX / Big-booty b—- I know who paid for it, yeah.” Truly not a standout track from this bunch. There seems to be Drake inspirations in this, so I’m not sure Kanye realizes the skill he once had. He’s become irrelevant: his worst possible nightmare. The most disappointing part? He has dug himself this hole every step of the way. Having released an ignored diss track in the Drake-Kendrick beef, and not having put out a good song since his Donda rollout, retirement should be in serious consideration. 

— Cody Englander, Copy Editor

4. The Tortured Poets Department — Taylor Swift [Republic]

As an avid Swiftie, the release of Taylor Swift’s eleventh album last April, The Tortured Poets Department, was one full of many disappointments following a massive and influential year for the singer. While this album’s latter half was beautifully crafted with the help of Swift’s long-time producer Aaron Dessnerm whose influence is evident on tracks like “I Hate It Here” and “The Bolter,” its beginning was almost too on the nose when talking about relationships, heartbreak and betrayal. 

For someone whose fan base relies so much on lyricism and relatability, this album failed to discuss these topics in a new way, with the singer repeating over and over again how her failed relationships continue to haunt her. It’s clear there was no significant growth on this record, which one can hear in songs like “But Daddy I Love Him” and “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”. Sadly,  Swift and The Tortured Poets Department did not leave as big of an impact compared to the rest of the pop albums released in 2024.

— Grace Koennecke, Managing Editor

3. SOPHIE — SOPHIE [Transgressive / Future Classic / MSMSMSM]

Earlier this year, the family of electronic artist, SOPHIE, released her posthumous self-titled album, SOPHIE. The 16-track album is a compilation of songs created before the singer’s untimely death and is littered with feature artists. Due to this, there is a distinct lack of that SOPHIE album ‘feel.’ Rather, the project comes off as disjointed. The album certainly harbors hidden gems such as the catchy “Reason Why”, featuring Kim Petras and BC Kingdom, or the poppy “Why Lies”, featuring BC Kingdom and LIZ. 

While songs like this stand out with their reverb and enchanting synth, there is still a sense of uncomfort when listening to the album. The knowledge of SOPHIE’s death lingers in the background along with the fact that her brother, Benny Long, ultimately had to finish production himself. This leaves the listener to feel slightly dejected and longing for an album that fully exists within SOPHIE’s creative vision. Despite this, the album leaves fans with a final taste of SOPHIE’s explorations in synth and techno. Though the uncomfort of the circumstances is unavoidable, the sentiment of its creation is a sweet tribute to the singer’s eventful life and career. 

— Sage Spirk, Contributor 

2. 143 — Katy Perry [Capitol]

An album whose downfall lies within its songwriting and collaborators, Katy Perry’s 143 was one of the most disappointing albums of 2024 for its serious lack of commitment. For someone as renowned in pop music for her outlandish and innovative albums, like 2008’s One Of The Boys and 2010’s Teenage Dream, Perry completely ruined her reputation with an album that sounded like ChatGPT wrote all of its songs. It also didn’t help that she consciously chose to work with controversial producers like Dr. Luke, who has been accused of emotional and sexual harassment multiple times in his career.

From outdated and cheesy feminist anthems like “WOMAN’S WORLD” and confused and weird accounts of intimacy on tracks, such as “I’M HIS, HE’S MINE (feat. Doechii)” and “GIMME GIMME (feat. 21 Savage),” this album was almost unbearable to listen to in its entirety because of how low the bar was set. 

— Grace Koennecke, Managing Editor

1. Y2K! — Ice Spice [10K Projects and Capitol]

After going viral with her breakout hit “Munch (Feelin’ U)” in 2022, Ice Spice quickly rose to stardom, releasing her debut ep “Like..?” and collaborated with the likes of Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift in 2023. This past summer, almost two years after the release of “Munch (Feelin’ U)”, Ice Spice delivered her debut full-length album, Y2K!

Before the release of Y2K!, it was easy to root for Ice Spice. Her music was fun and catchy with nonsensical lyrics like, “How can I lose if I’m already chose?” Moreover, with her perfect verse on Pinkpatheress’ “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2”, it was clear that she had the potential to be a huge star. She had the meme-ability and internet presence to gain attention and it seemed like she had the talent to maintain that relevancy through her music. 

However, Y2K! is less than satisfactory. For starters, the album is only seven minutes longer than her first EP, making it hard to take seriously as a “full-length” project. In listening to the songs, it is also clear that Ice Spice didn’t make anything longer because she was running out of ideas. The lyrics and the general production of the album are repetitive and unoriginal. Y2K! seems to show that Ice Spice is less of a star and more of a one-trick pony.

— Kate Wiselogel, Contributor