Anamaria Sayre’s favourite albums of the yr : NPR

As we wrap up our protection of the yr in music, we’re publishing lists of the music beloved greatest by particular person members of NPR Music’s group. For extra, try the total group’s picks for the 124 greatest songs and 50 greatest albums of 2024.

Yearly I spend days mulling, relistening to data, looking for the throughline of my private greatest albums of the yr. I finally all the time discover little threads that replicate sweeping cultural breakthroughs: the USA mainstream found dembow and preferred it, whereas younger Mexican People discovered neighborhood with accordion. However this yr, I am arising clean.

The music we love persistently says probably the most about the place we’re as a neighborhood. Each 4 years, it appears, folks on this nation notice that every one Latinos do not assume the identical. A buddy just lately commented to me that Latinos spend extra time in search of nationalistic credit score for our most beloved pan-Latin cultural touchstones than the rest (“Mi Burrito Sabanero” is Venezuelan, I have been schooled and concede.)

The US-perceptible traits in Latin music, the years of pan-Latin pop’s explosion, have not let the remainder of the world in on this by no means ending battle: to seek out neighborhood in Latinidad and preserve particular person cultural satisfaction inside our respective nations. That’s, till this yr. After years as a neighborhood rallying round our largest names, our most marketable, flashy genres, in 2024 it felt like we may actually simply be who we’re. There is no neat, bow-tied pattern to elucidate this yr in Latin music as a result of possibly, greater than ever earlier than, Latin music was allowed to be simply music, that occurs to be in Spanish.

Throughout Latin America, individuals are returning dwelling — Mexicans listening to Mexican music. Chileans to Chilean music, and so forth. We’re discovering solace and help in our dwelling nations with such unapologetic authenticity it is permitting music of all types (and quirks) from all locations to achieve recognition and air time on this nation too. There is a magic to re-localization, to loving our similarities, and on the identical time, celebrating and uplifting our variations. I’m proud to be Mexican, Latina, and born and raised alongside a mixture of all of those components of me on this nation.

Proudly native music discovered area to be beloved, cherished and uplifted by the individuals who perceive it greatest. As all of us return to loving dwelling, possibly there we will discover the highway map to loving the remainder of the world too.

My high 10 favourite albums

• Álvaro Diaz, SAYONARA
• Nathy Peluso, GRASA
• Sanje, De Repente Otra Vez
• Amaia Miranda, Mientras vivas brilla
• Ed Maverick, LA NUBE EN EL JARDÍN
• Trueno, EL ÚLTIMO BAILE
• Carin León, Boca Chueca, Vol. 1
• RaiNao, CAPICÚ
• Helado Negro, Phasor
• PJ Sin Suela, Todo Época Tiene Su Encanto