Charli XCX’s ‘Brat’ Named Best Album of 2024 in BBC News Super-Ranking

When Charli XCX recorded her sixth album, *Brat*, she initially believed her “prickly, abrasive dance anthems” would be “not going to appeal to a lot of people.” Despite this, the record ultimately topped charts and evolved into a significant cultural phenomenon. It received seven Grammy nominations, was referenced in the US presidential election, inspired a paint swatch, and was designated “word of the year” by Collins Dictionary. The album has now been recognized as the top new release of 2024 in a “poll of polls” compiled by BBC News. Across numerous year-end lists, critics lauded *Brat* as “brilliant from start to finish” and “pop music for the future,” commending its “painfully relatable” lyrics for articulating Charli’s insecurities, anxieties, and obsessions. Charli herself described the record as “chaos and emotional turmoil set to a club soundtrack,” a sentiment echoed by the Los Angeles Times, which stated, “The louder you play it, the more honest it gets.” The BBC’s poll, termed a “super-ranking,” was constructed from 30 year-end lists originating from globally influential music magazines, such as the NME, Rolling Stone, Spain’s Mondo Sonoro, and France’s Les Inrockuptibles. Albums were allocated points according to their placement on each list; for instance, the number one album received 20 points, the number two album 19 points, and so forth. *Brat* emerged as the clear victor, accumulating 486 points, a total almost double that of the second-place album, Beyoncé’s *Cowboy Carter*. Overall, critics identified 184 records as their favorites, ranging from The Cure’s highly anticipated return, *Songs Of A Lost World*, to the vibrant rap of Doechii’s *Alligator Bites Never Heal*. The complete top 25 list is provided below. Born Emma Aitchison in Essex, UK, Charli XCX has dedicated over a decade to the pop music scene. Early in her career, she achieved success with popular anthems like *Fancy*, *I Love It*, and *Boom Clap*. However, her musical style has progressively shifted towards a more volatile and aggressive sound. Underground tracks such as *Vroom, Vroom* and *Track 10* established her as a cult figure, yet, as