Did the Oscars feel late this year? I feel like they’re not usually in March, but since they’re so late, it makes my little 2024 recap feel less delayed. I’ve been working a lot this winter so I didn’t really get a chance to sit with my tunes until I finished a few projects.
But never fear! The bops are on the way!
100. Keke Palmer “Assets”
One thing about Keke Keepajob Palmer — she will drop a cute 1,2 step every other year or so that you can bop to.
99. Perrie “You Go Your Way”
Before I really paid attention to Little Mix, I just assumed the girl doing all the belting was the Black girl in the group. I know — don’t typecast people! But still, imagine my surprise when the blonde lady was the one with the chops, and she’s using them on this light soft-rock/pop number.
98. Chxrlotte “Don’t Leave Me Alone”
If you ever wanted to know what a Taylor Swift / St. Vincent collab would sound like, check out Chxrlotte’s album. A surprising treat from 2024.
97. Ateez “Selfish Waltz”
Not to be outdone by the girl groups, Ateez was the first K-Pop boyband to perform at Coachella last year. After 6 years and four albums, they’re hitting their stride with their own spin on R&B-influenced pop music.
96. Smashing Pumpkins “War Dreams of Itself”
I’ll be honest — I really don’t be knowing who is in Smashing Pumpkins at any given time and I don’t really pay all that much attention to whether it’s SP, Zwan, or some other Billy Corgan project. As long as his nasally whine is on the mic, I’m here for it.
95. Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars “Die With A Smile”
The kids were trying to pay this song dust because they are not used to hearing Singers actually Sing. These two put the coke away long enough to give us a classic ballad for any generation and many a karaoke night will be elevated or completely ruined from now on by two people trying to do this song justice forevermore.
94. Lil Eazzyy “On A Star” feat. FendiDaRappa & Raiche
Lil Eazzyy came busting out of Chicago, grabbing FendiDa Rappa along the way, and threw down a quick little club moment built on a Rose Royce sample sung by Raiche. It’s a lot going on, but it all works!
93. The Decemberists “All I Want Is You”
The Decemberists have settled nicely into their lane, and their 9th album is a solid output where you don’t need the skip button. This one stands out for the 2-part haromny — simple and understated, but effective.
92. Amaka “Undercover”
VanJess — the other R&B sisters who look like twins and aren’t Chloe & Halle — split up too, but only one of them is still making music. Fortunately, Amaka stands on her own just fine and still mining this Quiet Storm lane they were known for.
91. Sierra Ferrell
This is the lady who stole all of Beyonce’s Country Grammys! And with good reason too. From top to bottom, Sierra Ferrell packed that album with the best of American Roots from the storytelling to the performances.
90. Giant Rooks “Pink Skies”
Giant Rooks says their biggest influences are Bob Dylan and Bon Iver. I do not see that at all so maybe something was lost in translation (they’re from German), but what I do get is early 2010s indie-rock in the vein of The Ceasars or Phoenix.
89. Hemlocke Springs “heavun”
Our Nigerian-Carolinian Princess and her little awkward synth-pop jams! She got her Masters from Dartmouth right when music publications started calling her the next big thing, so I’m curious how her job interviews go when they pull up her online presence…
88. Aespa “Supernova”
MAMA’s (Mnet Asian Music Awards) song of the year, “Supernova” was inescapable in some parts of the Internet (the young, hip parts of which I am a part — obviously). Aespa doesn’t have the name recognition of Blackpink but the potential is there to be the next big thing.
87. GROUPLOVE “Chances”
GROUPLOVE has classic history made for telling — founding members Christian and Hannah met on the Lower East Side, she invited him to Greece the next week, and they met the next three members of the band. The rest is history. They’re not really notching hits anymore, but they’re still at it for the love the game.
86. Ariana Grande “don’t wanna break up again”
Ariana Grande’s latest album feels like it came and went, partly to get out of the way for the Wicked Marketing Monster. It’s worth revisiting (and the deluxe edition is coming out soon) because she did find a nice sweet spot between the pop music I want her to make and the R&B music she needs to leave to Victoria Monet. “don’t wanna break up again” is a nice example of what happens when she shots straight between the two.
85. Suki Waterhouse “OMG”
Perhaps the best model-turned-musician, Suki has been at it for almost a decade now and built quite a nice catalog. She broke into the big time opening for Taylor Swift on the Eras tour and dropped a nice project on the heels of that publicity. It’s a bit uneven, but when she hits — like the shiny indie-pop of “OMG” — she really hits.
84. Fredo Bang “You Hate Me”
I love rappers than not only stand for their city but you can also hear it in the music. “You Hate Me” is straight Louisiana from the opening sequence and you get that lift through the whole song.
83. Alice Chater “COME ALIVE”
Tate McCrae has kinda come through and stolen Alice Chater’s whole gig! How do we have two ballet dancing pop stars at the same time? Unfortunately for Tate, Alice can actually sing. Unfortunately for Alice, Tate has a lot more money behind her.
82. Chloe “Temporarily Single”
I hate to say it, but I can’t get behind Chloe. Voice can be a matter of personal preference, and I don’t really like how she sings most of the time — her vibrato is too wide and too fast for me and it always feels like she’s trying to prove she can sing as opposed to just living in the track. With her latest album though, Chloe was in every track instead of on top of them and it’s the first project I can listen to straight through. It’s so good my favorite song changes every few months, but “Temporarily Single” stays at the top of the heap so I landed on this pick for the list.
81. Kings of Leon “Mustang”
The Followills had their bright and shiny mainstream rock moment, but lately they’ve been giving early Aha Shake Heartbreak instead. “Mustang” is a great mashup of both eras.
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