As we close out another huge year of rock and alternative music, we are counting down 24 of the biggest and best tracks of 2024.

24. Sum 41 – ‘Dopamine’

The farewell album from the Canadian pop punk legends was a bittersweet affair as they said goodbye with some of Deryck Whibley’s finest songwriting of his career. From the hazy intro to the driving verses and chorus, ‘Dopamine’ showcases exactly why the band will be missed.

23. Set It Off – ‘Creating Monsters’

Channeling the same madcap energy heard on breakthrough track ‘Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing’, this Halloween-inspired banger wraps everything you have loved about Set It Off in the past into one shiny, spooky package.

22. State Champs – ‘Silver Cloud’

Any band who releases a self-titled album is intending to make a real statement about who they are and, in the case of State Champs, that means another slice of bouncy yet refined pop punk with a chorus that just won’t quit.

21. ONE OK ROCK – ‘Dystopia’

OOR once again prove themselves to be truly unstoppable as Taka Moriuchi’s soaring vocals glide over the energetic riffs below. Another one to add to their ‘stadium-ready’ songs folder.

20. Ghost – ‘The Future Is A Foreign Land’

As they made their big screen debut, Ghost transported us back to the 1970s with this deliciously retro contribution to the soundtrack. Somehow, Tobias Forge manages to take us all by surprise once again.

19. Chrissy Costanza ft VOILÀ – ‘7 Minutes In Hell’

A perfect introduction to the Against The Current singer’s solo project, simultaneously dark and rocky but with an alt pop edge, as Chrissy once again proves what a vocal powerhouse she truly is.

18. The Home Team – ‘Brag’

Swaggering and confident, this highlight of ‘The Crucible Of Life’ showcases the fun side of these constantly rising stars who successfully bring the dance moves into the mosh pit.

17. Coheed & Cambria – ‘Blind Side Sonny’

A welcome return to the ‘Vaxis’ narrative for the New York natives with this fast-paced and frantic latest single. You can almost hear next year’s 2000trees crowd erupting into cheers of anticipation every time that intro plays.

16. Sleep Theory – ‘Stuck In My Head’

Metalcore’s next big players make their grand opening statement with a track that deservedly dominated US rock radio. With melodies as cleans and catchy as these, they are clearly set for nothing but bigger and better things in 2025.

15. The Warning – ‘Automatic Sun’

Powerful riffs lead the charge on this old school rock number from a band on the cusp of world domination. A true force to be reckoned with, and with songs like this at their disposal it is no wonder their live reputation has exploded over the last 12 months.

14. Poppy – ‘New Way Out’

Leaving the sounds of previous album ‘Zig’ behind, Poppy teamed up with former Bring Me The Horizon member Jordan Fish to create a punishing, surprising and effortlessly exciting slab of modern metalcore.

13. L.S. Dunes – ‘Machines’

As the supergroup prepare to return with second album ‘Violet’, this preview unexpectedly brought them into early 2000s NYC, channeling the likes of The Strokes or Yeah Yeah Yeahs while never losing their own unique personal touches.

12. Black Veil Brides – ‘Bleeders’

Andy Biersack has made no secret of the fact that playing the title role in the musical ‘Sweeney Todd’ would be a dram come true. With his bandmates at his side, he reimagines the character with a darker, heavier flare leaving listeners desperate to ‘attend the tale’.

11. Palaye Royale – ‘Showbiz’

If the title of latest album ‘Death Or Glory’ was something of a mission statement for the band then the confessional and personal ‘Showbiz’ could be their theme song, exploring the ups and downs of their journey so far.

10. BABYMETAL x Electric Callboy – ‘RATATA’

Some collaborations are just meant to be and, in the case of this huge and upbeat rager, two of the most exciting live acts in the world make for an explosive combination on record.

9. Ice Nine Kills – ‘A Work Of Art’

Accompanying the latest iteration of the ‘Terrifier’ movie franchise and featuring System Of A Down’s Shavo Odadjian, INK stepped up their game to meet the moment in their biggest and most entertaining crossover song to date.

8. Bilmuri – ‘BETTER HELL (Thicc boi)’

The country revival hits metalcore with remarkable results as Johnny Franck’s latest project brings chugging guitars and one of the catchiest choruses of the year into the mix.

7. Gojira – ‘Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)’

The first metal band ever to perform at the opening ceremony of the summer Olympic games, this updated take on the 19th century French anthem saw Gojira truly seize their moment, instantly elevating them to a new level on international stardom.

6. Spiritbox – ‘Perfect Soul’

Following up the monster success of debut album ‘Eternal Blue’ was never going to be easy but if this dramatic and anthemic cut from their upcoming sophomore record is anything go by then Spiritbox will have nothing to worry about.

5. Bring Me The Horizon – ‘Top 10 staTues tHat CriEd bloOd’

With a sky-high singalong chorus built for blowing the roof off the arenas they continue to conquer, BMTH give us their modernised take on the world of 2000s emo and post hardcore to great effect.

4. Knocked Loose – ‘Suffocate’ ft Poppy

2024 proved that this is Knocked Loose’s world and that we are all just living in it, the brutally heavy, Grammy-nominated collaboration standing out as a highlight of their diverse and cleverly constructed latest album ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To’.

3. Twenty One Pilots – ‘Next Semester’

Taken from the 2024 Rock Sound album of the year, ‘Clancy’, this garage rock number sees Tyler Joseph explores the universal idea of starting again; of picking yourself back up after a fall. With tight instrumentation, particularly from Josh Dun on drums, it brings a previously unheard indie-punk edge to a group that always likes to take their audience by surprise.

2. Linkin Park – ‘Two Faced’

Arriving just ahead of latest album ‘From Zero’, this old school nu metal banger takes us straight back into the early 2000s, with Joe Hahn’s signature DJ scratches and perfectly pitched vocal trade offs between Mike Shinoda and Emily Armstrong. Set to become an undoubted highlight of their live sets.

1. Bad Omens & Poppy – ‘V.A.N’

A metalcore banger that flits between industrial breakdowns and pop hooks at a breakneck pace across the space of four and half minutes, ‘V.A.N’ is Bad Omens most striking and experimental moment yet. With Poppy taking on lead vocals and perfectly personifying the unforgettable title character, it allowed the band to welcome fans further into their ‘Concrete Jungle’ world, while taking on increasingly relevant themes of AI dominance and technology fatigue.

Noah Sebastian and Poppy talk us through the development of the collaboration and their musical and visual influences in an all-new joint interview and photoshoot.

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