TL;DR The Spotify playlist can be found here.
2024 was a year of change. It felt like everyone I interacted with had major life events occur that effected their trajectories. In moments like this, it’s really easy to be overwhelmed by the cycles of anxiety. Change creates tension and that can freezes our abilities to move forward.
This tension is reflected in the music I loved this year. No matter what it sounds like, most of the songs on this list are being held between two opposing forces. Being too much or too little. Being mad or happy. Being stoic or vulnerable. It’s been an emotional year and I’m glad there are artists that makes music that reflects that.
Top 25 Songs of 2024
| 25 | burn blister | cehryl |
| 24 | Lithonia | Childish Gambino |
| 23 | 城裡的月光 | Waa Wei |
| 22 | Now and Ever | James Alyn |
| 21 | favourite jeans | moon tang |
| 20 | SELF DESTROYER!!! | Elio |
| 19 | Right Back to it | Waxahatchee |
| 18 | Yes or No featuring Huh Yunjin | GroovyRoom |
| 17 | Slow Motion | Matt Champion |
| 16 | Easy | Le Sserafim |
| 15 | No Problems | Ginger Root |
| 14 | 漂流木 | LÜCY |
| 13 | I’m Blessed | HYBS |
| 12 | Magnetic | ILLIT |
| 11 | Mr. Feelgood | WIM |
10. Tears for Fun – Griff
80s inspired song showcases the vocals of this Jamaican-Vietnamese-Chinese Brit.
9. Stupid in Love featuring Huh Yunjin – MAX
Two years ago Max collaborated with one of my favourite artists in Keshi for one of the best songs of that year. This year he does it again with Yunjin from Le Sserafim.
8. Omakase – Cassandra Jenkins
Cassandra Jenkins is best when she walks the line between singing and spoken word. In Omakase, she uses this to devastating emotional effect.
7. My Day Off featuring Nourished by Time – Kacy Hill
Warmth radiates from this song where two lovers duets about the feelings of new love.
6. Bubble Gum – NewJeans
NewJeans creates the perfect nostalgic song again with this city pop inspired track.
5. Crypt Sustain – How to Dress Well
How to Dress Well moves further away from pop/R&B and into noise. When the finally melodies hit, it’s as powerful as ever.
4. Talk Talk – Charli xcx
What a year Charli xcx had. In Talk Talk, she turns the tension filled moment of meeting online connections irl into the song of the summer.
3. Smile For Me – Raveena
One of the few albums I actually listened to a lot was Raveena’s Where do Butterflies Go in the Rain. Smile for Me is one of many standouts where she sweetly sings about the rupture and repair cycles of relationships.
2. Soft Spot – Keshi
Keshi’s music is usually characterized by the bittersweetness of his lyrics. While that hasn’t completely dissapeared, Soft Spot is way further in the sweet part of the spectrum. Singing about being so infatuated with someone that he’s willing to change for his partner, he’s never sounded more emotionally open.
1. Soup – Remi Wolf
Remi Wolf makes incredibly catchy music. Her hooks are big and so are the characters she plays in her songs. With nostalgic, 80s influenced instrumentals and direct lyrics, Soup feels the most vulnerable Remi Wolf has ever sounded. Going between feelings of being too much and not enough, there is an universality to this song that makes it an instant hit.
