BEST OF 2024 – Bob Bannister (The Voice Guy) 🇨🇦
You can find the Collective List as well as all our Best of 2024 content including contributors’ individual lists and radio DJ shows here: CGCM’s Best of 2024 (Year in Review)
As 2024 draws to a close, I would first like to congratulate our ENTIRE team here at CGCM Rock Radio for not only producing some of the most exemplary radio ever, but also showing this old radio veteran just how much fun it is to create not only radio but multimedia. I am incredibly honoured to be a part of this team, never in my career in broadcasting has a group of people felt more like family. Thank you.
2024 has been an absolutely MASSIVE year in the world of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, in fact, I believe that I heard somebody say that there was too much and they were getting burned out on it, yeah, that was me, but at the same time, I am so stoked about 2025, if it ends up being anything like 2023 and 2024, we are in for a treat.
Now, it is usually at this time in my year-end article that I give my honourable mentions. Yes, there are MANY albums that I would have loved to give a nod to in my Top Ten list, but there were just too many. However, there were two albums released this year that deserve much more than the eponymous honourable mention. Two albums that were perfect in my mind, but due to the rules do not fit the parameters of the CGCM Rock Radio Top Ten Albums list. Therefore, I am creating two awards for these specimens of musical perfection.
The first is The Album of the Year Award. It is presented to an album that, as previously stated, is perfect. Format-wise, however, it does not fit CGCM Rock Radio. This album was released on the 25th of October and is this American singer-songwriter’s eleventh solo disk, and her first in five years. It features contributions from Slash and Eric Gales. The ONLY album EVER to make me cry. So, without further hesitation, the 2024 Album of the Year Award goes to Beth Hart – You Still Got Me.
The next award I am calling The Musical Event of the Year. The album deserving of this award is not simply an album, it is an event in and of itself. Again, an album not fitting the Top Ten parameters because it consists entirely of cover songs. The scope of this album was, to me epic. A guest list of musical who’s-who and a song list that exemplifies the cream of the crop of blues classics. Released on May 17th, I knew this album was special the first time I listened, and it continues to improve with each consecutive listen. It is my honour to present the 2024 Musical Event of the Year Award to Slash – Orgy of the Damned.
But enough preamble, that is not what you are here for, so, let’s get to my Top Ten. As many of you know, 2024 was a year of discovery for me, so, like my counterpart on the CGCM Train Wreck, Eric Lussier has a ton of German bands on his list, it should come as no surprise that I have a ton of Australian rockers on mine. I had no idea that country was so rich in musical talent, I am still discovering bands to this day and that well is showing no sign of drying up any time soon.
#10 🇦🇺
EMERGENCY RULE – The King of Ithica
Hailing from Adelaide, Australia, this band bills itself as “Sabbath with attitude.” While this is true, to me it sounds like what you would have gotten if Fred Turner from BTO replaced Ozzy in Sabbath. And as strange as that sounds, Emergency Rule are a foot-stomping, head-banging rock n’ roll sensation. Whether it’s the deal with the devil “Snake Eyes” or the bar room barfly of “Bartender,” this band is just fun. Now, strangely, the band seems to draw heavily on a hidden ELO influence on the track “Abuse,” the presence of strings and a Jeff Lynn aesthetic make this song my favourite on the album. For sure, this is an album I will keep coming back to in the future.
And their album art shows their fun side too, the figure is eerily reminiscent of Skelator with a gold tooth and wearing a bull mask. Coming in at 43 minutes, this is one of the longer albums on this year’s list.
#09 🇦🇺
GOATZILLA – Alien Nation
What do you get when you mix AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses and Rose Tattoo with a little bit of punk for good measure? You get GoatZilla, a four-piece hard rock band that comes from the Gold Coast on Australia’s eastern shores. If you haven’t heard of them, where have you been? This band is a serious contender to AC/DC’s throne. They are Ben Zilla (vox and bass) Pete Beardsley (guitar) Pete Janssen (also guitar) and Mick Davies (drums). Alien Nation, the band’s sophomore album, picks up where 2019’s Muthafukasaurus left off, with a tasty offering of nine tunes guaranteed to get stuck in your head, specifically “Wall Street Generals”. The most commercial song of the album, I would not be surprised to hear it has been blasting in almost every Aussie rock fan’s headphones since its release.
One of the bands set to headline February’s Rock is Not Dead festival, GoatZilla could very well become Australia’s next great musical export.
#08 🇦🇺
SISTER SWITCHBLADE – Don’t Try This at Home
Well, what can I say, another Aussie band… Sister Switchblade from Perth, Western Australia, released the album Don’t Try This at Home, in July, and it is not hard to tell why this is one of my favourite albums of 2024. It opens with the explosive track “The Gloves Are Off” and continues to deliver a heavy dose of the Sunset Strip through this 12-track tip of the hat to 80’s rock. Flavoured with, so much 80’s nostalgia sound, you can almost taste the Jack Daniels and Marlboro reds. This album is a 38-minute time machine for any of us who were lucky enough to experience those halcyon days firsthand. Further proof that, as long as there are bands making music like this, rock is NOT dead.
#07 🇦🇺
CICADASTONE – Future Echoes
Heavily influenced by Seattle band Alice in Chains, this Melbourne band has tapped into the sound of the 90s, and while not everybody’s cup of tea, Cicadastone has found a way to keep the sound fresh and modern. Much like the Young brothers were to AC/DC, Cicadastone (pronounced sick-ah-da-stone) was formed by brothers Mat and Mark Robins in 2013.
2024 has been a big year for this four-piece band. Not only did they release the amazing album, Future Echoes, but made a full tip of the hat to MTV Unplugged and released an acoustic EP titled Future Echoes (Acoustic EP). Stand out tracks of both of these releases, “Burn Your Name” and the title track to both, “Future Echoes.”
As we head into 2025 and the summer festival season down under, Cicadastone looks to have a busy year ahead as the Australian rock scene explodes.
#06 🇦🇺
SHOTGUN MISTRESS – Kings of the Revolution
Let’s stay in Melbourne for a bit and visit the band Shotgun Mistress. When I caught up with frontman Glenn Patrick on Rock Talk (the coffee talk edition), Kings of the Revolution had just been released, and the band was riding high on the endorphin rush of it all. The band have been riding the crest of that wave since then and do not look like they will be slowing down in 2025.
This album is SOLID! Eleven tracks of some really great rock n’ roll, that clock in at 43 minutes. This is a driving album and so damn good it is ridiculous. So, why didn’t it rank higher you may ask, simple, numbers 3, 4, 5, and 6 could fall in any particular order they are all equal to me. My favourite song from this album is the song “Mary Jane” and features another Rock Talk guest and Australian LEGEND, Rusty Brown from the band Electric Mary (look out for them in 2025).
Simply put, this album does not disappoint.
#05 🇦🇺
AUDIO REIGN – The Perfect Sea
Ok, so, this is the final Aussie band on my list. This time, we head west from Melbourne to Adelaide to catch up with Ashley Lovett (bass/backing vocals), Jake Fleming (vocals/rhythm guitar), Dieter Schoell (drums/backing vocals), and Alek Dyrynda (lead guitar) from Audio Reign. Their album The Perfect Sea, released in May, is a solid ten-song collection of amazing music. The opening track is the aptly named “Relentless,” an in-your-face rocker that makes you step back and realize these Aussies mean business!
The rest of the record seamlessly flows from one song to the next before hitting another very high note in the middle with “Breathe” a mid-tempo powerhouse highlighting the talents of Dieter on the drums, double kicks have never sounded cooler. Jakes vocals, Alex’s leads and Ashley’s bass combine perfectly. This band deserves all the accolades they have received. My ONLY complaint is that this album is only 46 minutes long and before you know it, the closing track “Gone” ends and the album is done and you have hit repeat and do it all over again.
#04 🇸🇪
VELVETEEN QUEEN – Consequence of the City
An album that I was POSITIVE for a long time would be my number one for 2024, in fact, I believe that it was when Eric Lussier and I did our Six-Month Top Ten show on the CGCM Rock Radio Train Wreck. These boys from Sweden impressed the hell out of me with this album, Consequence of the City. Reminiscent of G N’ R and Velvet Revolver, this album rocks and is a nice familiar trip back to the late 80’s and early 90’s. The highlight track on this album for me is the title track, a bouncy rocker full of attitude and something the other guys at CGCM have dubbed “The Bob Sound”. I don’t care if that is a compliment or a slap in the face, I’ll take it either way.
If you drive, this is a great album to put on during a road trip or longer commute. Just an FYI… Use your cruise control otherwise a speeding ticket might be the “consequence…”
#03 🏴
FLORENCE BLACK – Bed Of Nails
In the world of music, there have been many phenomenal power trios, most notably Rush, Triumph, ZZ Top, Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. A new name deservedly needs to be added to this pantheon, Florence Black.
It is not every day that we hear of Welsh bands, Florence Black comes to us from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, a small city just north of Cardiff. This power trio have released three EPs and two albums, with Bed of Nails being their sophomore effort. Released in February, this was one of 2024’s earliest surprises, “Taxman” hit me like a ton of bricks, its up-tempo power groove was unmatched by anything I had listened to in a LONG time, I could not stop listening to it. So, when the album finally dropped, I had to hear the rest of it, I was not disappointed. This album is a mixture of power and groove that just works. How a three-piece can sound so big is just amazing and Florence Black does it effortlessly.
#02 🇬🇧
JUDAS PRIEST – Invincible Shield
Out of all the albums that were promoted in 2023 to be released in 2024, this album was quite possibly, one of, if not THE most anticipated. The nineteenth studio album from heavy metal legends Judas Priest, Invincible Shield did not disappoint and after many listenings since its release, it still sounds fresh. Has Rob Halford sounded better? No, for a man in his seventies, he is still hitting it as hard as ever and is showing no signs of slowing down. Richie Faulkner continues to be a driving force within the band and for a second consecutive year is in my Top Ten. But let’s not forget to tip the hat to bassist Ian Hill who has been the sole continuous member of the band since 1970. That is dedication.
As for songs, can I pick a favourite? No. Is there one I gravitate to? Again, no. Simply put, this entire album just kicks ass, and I would venture to say it is Priest’s best in a long time.
#01 🇺🇸
MYLES KENNEDY – The Art Of Letting Go
Ok, I know what you’re saying. Myles Kennedy? Seriously? Yes Seriously! This album is crazy good, his best solo record ever. The sound is reminiscent of early Alter Bridge and much heavier than what you may expect. Myles’ voice seems to have matured and is not as screechy as on previous recordings and with it, his songwriting prowess continues to improve, but that is not surprising considering the musicians in his orbit, Slash, Mark Tremonti (2025 release coming), Wolfgang Van Halen just to name a few.
If you have not listened to The Art Of Letting Go, give it a listen, I think you will find it is better than you were expecting. There is a dark horse, cut that was released as the second single “Nothing More To Gain,” this song is easily the best song on the album and Kennedy has masterfully buried it as the eighth track on the album to make us listen through the rest of the album to get to it. Well done Mr. Kennedy. I will be enjoying this album for a long time to come.
Check out my interviews and articles here. Bob.
