Stu on Tunes: A wannabe music critic gives you his favorite albums of 2024

Before I became a sportswriter, I dabbled with the idea of being a music critic.

I thought Boston’s first album had to be the best that would ever be made. I became obsessed with Bruce Springsteen but gave The River a bad review in the college newspaper. I went to every concert I could afford at $17 a pop — Springteen, Pink Floyd, The Cars, Romeo Void, The Doobie Brothers, Foreigner, X, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, The Who, Fleetwood Mac, The Clash and on and on.

But I never figured out how to write about music. Now, 40 years later, I’m going to try again, kind of.