BEST OF 2024 – Dave Wood (Radio Host) 🇨🇦
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)
I’m Dave Wood, the other Diamond Dave! I host the Dave’s Hard Rock Radio show here on CGCM Rock Radio each and every Sunday evening starting at 8pm Eastern Standard time. Stop by and check it out sometime!
Here’s my list of favourites from 2024:
Honourable mentions of albums I enjoyed that did make the top 10: Ron Keel – KEELWORLD, Jerry Cantrell – I Want Blood, The Black Crowes – Happiness Bastards, Honeymoon Suite – Alive, Ace Frehley – 10,000 Volts and Night Pleasure Hotel – Portraits
#10 🇸🇪
CRAZY LIXX – Two Shots At Glory
Crazy Lixx are back with their 8th studio album! I’d never heard of these guys before joining the ranks here at CGCM but they’re keeping that ‘hair band’ sound that I crave very much alive! I think fans of the band will enjoy this offering as it seems to fit in well with previous releases. Favourite tracks: “Fire It Up“, “Sword and Stone” and “Ain’t No Rest In Rock N’ Roll“.
#9 🇺🇸
MR BIG – Ten
2024 saw Mr Big release their 10th (and possibly final) studio album. I’ve always enjoyed the extreme musicianship of this band. I love Eric Martin‘s vocals, but the big draw is Billy Sheehan on bass. Man, what a monster of a bass player! Probably my favourite. I could listen to that cat play bass all day! Is this the end of Mr. Big? Some say yes; some say no. Ya just never know in the music biz! Favourite tracks: “Good Luck Trying“, “What Were You Thinking” and “Up On You“.
#8 🇺🇸
THE DEAD DAISIES – Light ‘Em Up
Light ‘Em Up from The Dead Daises saw the return of John Corabi to the band! (I was always of the opinion John Corabi never got his fair shake in Motley Crue, preferring his vocal talent to that of Vince Neil.) It’s a hard-driving record for the most part, easing up on the last track “Love That’ll Never Be” which has a southern/bluesy kind of feel. Favourite tracks include: “Light ‘Em Up”, “I Wanna Be Your Bitch” and “My Way And The Highway”.#7 🇺🇸
NICKOLOFF – Envy
Where the heck did these guys come from?! When this album made its way across my desk back in July, I KNEW it was a top 10 album for me! Never heard of these guys before, but they’re on my radar now! Straight-up good ol’ melodic rock from Florida? Who knew?! Favourite tracks: “Back Where I Belong“, “I Like It” and “If You Want Me“.#6 🇺🇸
BETH HART – You Still Got Me
Over the last decade, Beth Hart has become one of my favourite artists. Always on my radar. Blues-based, for sure; but she’s not afraid to rock out. She’s back this year with her 11th studio album. Nice to see Slash as a guest guitarist! (She also appears on his album Orgy of the Damned released back in May of this year) Not for everyone for sure, but I really enjoyed this album and played it so much since its October release, it deserves to be in my top 10. Favourite tracks: “Savior With A Razor”, “Wanna Be Big Bad Johnny Cash” and “Machine Gun Vibrato”.#5 🇦🇺
THE SOUTHERN RIVER BAND – D.I.Y
Another one of these ‘Where there heck did these guys come from?!’ Ok, Australia, but I’d never heard of them before! (Man, there was a lot of good music coming out of Australia this year!) I think they’ve been around since 2013? Don’t know much about them, but wow, I like what I hear. Gotta dig a little and check out their back catalogue. Looking forward to finding out more from this band. For me, it’s a great mix of melodic rock with an underlying southern feel. I dig it! Favourite tracks: “Vice City III”, “Do You Miss Me When I’m Gone’ and “Stan Qualen”.#4 🇺🇸
BLACKBERRY SMOKE – Be Right Here
I got into this band from a buddy of mine (shout out Todd Armstrong) who recommended them to me a couple of years ago. If you’re not familiar with them, for me, it’s a bit of a Georgia Satellites meets The Black Crowes vibe. Maybe throw in a touch of Lynyrd Skynyrd as well? Lots of well-written lyrics and those lyrics put them above the rest of the bands in what I’ve heard from ‘southern rock’ releases in recent years.#3 🇸🇪
THE GEMS – Phoenix
The Gems are a new band (featuring former Thundermother members Guernica, Emlee and Mona) from Sweden. Their 2024 debut album is very impressive! Melodic rock with a definite hard edge. An outstanding release that leaves me wanting more! Female-fronted hard rock is on the rise with The Gems. I already want more! Favourite tracks; “Queens”, “Domino” and “Kiss It Goodbye”.#2 🇬🇧
DAVID GILMOUR – Luck And Strange
Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour released his 5th solo studio album in 2024 and it’s a beauty! Being one of my all-time favourite guitarists, I get excited when he releases new music. At 78, the dude is still amazing; playing that guitar with such an emotional feel to it, and STILL has that cool voice that accompanies what he’s playing so well. He says it’s his best work since Dark Side of the Moon back in 1973.#1 🇺🇸
RUSSELL – GUNS – Medusa
The late great Jack Russell‘s last release saw him teaming up with Tracii Guns for Medusa. By far, my most listened-to album of the year! For me, this team-up works so well. Jack‘s legendary voice and some tasty guitar from Tracii made this the album of the year for me. Sadly, Jack passed away in August of this year.
