Uncover the Musical Gems of 2024
The Best Pop Songs of 2024
The year's breakthrough music moments included a Taylor Swift comeback, an unexpected Internet-rap collab, and an absurdist sample of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." These musical gems showcased the diversity and creativity of the music industry in 2024.
Taylor Swift continued to dominate in the charts and in the culture, proving her enduring popularity. Charli XCX was transformed into a global superstar by way of "BRAT," and the months-long feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar produced not just a smash hit in "Not Like Us" but a pop-cultural saga whose ramifications will certainly stretch into next year.
Women in Pop Music: Having Fun in 2024
Camila Cabello's "I LUV IT" was an underappreciated highlight of the year. The strange and ecstatic track lives somewhere in the long tail of the hyperpop wave and features a clever interpolation of Gucci Mane's "Lemonade" and a warbly guest appearance from Playboi Carti. It shows the fun and creativity that women in pop music brought to the table in 2024.
GloRilla and Sexyy Red's union also made waves. Between the two of them, there could have been too much bravado for one track to contain, but instead, they casually balanced out each other's bold, self-assured energy. A full-length collaborative album is on many fans' 2025 wish lists.
Unexpected Hits and Collaborations
Tommy Richman's "Million Dollar Baby" became ubiquitous seemingly overnight. It's a canny reimagination of syrupy Southern hip-hop, suffused with the cadences and vocal inflections of R. & B. and soul. The low, squelching funk of the beat and Richman's high falsetto were tuned to a unique frequency that everyone loved.
Lil Yachty & ian's "Hate Me" is another example of an unexpected collaboration. Lil Yachty emerged as a screwball Internet sensation and has since evolved into one of the hardest-working, most curious, and inventive artists. This track shows his ability to draw dense, confident rapping out of his partner.
Music in Movies: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Luca Guadagnino's "Challengers" would not have been possible without the work of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Their epic, propulsive score provided the perfect backdrop for the film's tonal tightrope walk, establishing a unique pairing of techno and tennis.
The throttling, techno-informed title track began in perfect synchronicity with the camerawork, making for a bracing and unforgettable introduction. It shows how music can enhance the cinematic experience.
Music for the Family: Future and His Daughter
Before having her daughter, Future's "Plutoski" was a highlight off of his September release, "Mixtape Pluto." The song is quintessential Future, stubbornly entrenched in his flippant mode over a sinister, skittering beat. When his daughter seemed to connect with the song at seven months, it was a special moment.
It shows how music can bring families together and create memories that last a lifetime.
Taylor Swift's Bold Move
Taylor Swift's "The Tortured Poets Department" was a bold move. She released so many thinly veiled lyrics about her ex-boyfriend, Matty Healy, just as her relationship with Travis Kelce was becoming central to her public image. The title track is an unvarnished examination of her relationship, shoring up her lyric-writing bona fides.
One especially potent line applies not just to Swift and Healy's romance but to a generation of young people trapped in an overly nostalgic and referential culture. It's a song that packs a punch and shows Swift's artistic growth.
Online Music Culture: Rainbow
AyooLii, POLO PERKS <3<3<3, and FearDorian's "Rainbow" is a reminder that online music culture can still produce moments of utopian ingenuity. The trio hails from disparate geographic scenes but their album "A Dog's Chance" is gleefully untethered to time and space.
Using Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" in a harebrained conversation shows the creativity and experimentation that online music can offer.
Addison Rae's Pop Career
Addison Rae, once a poster child of the COVID-era TikTok dance boom, is leveraging her tens of millions of followers into a pop career. Her single "Diet Pepsi" is a whispery banger with some shades of Lana Del Rey's ultra-feminine camp.
It shows that social media stars can make a successful transition to the pop world and bring a new energy to the genre.
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