There are times when you really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The covers for the Neapolitan Novels by Italian writer Elena Ferrante look like straight-up stock imagery, but Ferrante’s prose and narrative prowess are unmatched. They don’t exactly speak to the quality of writing within them. With records, you can make a similar argument. I can think of several incredible records with horrendous, even off-putting artwork, like the clumps of hair on Dry Cleaning’s Stumpwork or the horrifying alien mask on M83’s Fantasy. But when an album does have a great cover, it stands out. When that cover’s visually representative of the music itself, it stands out even more.
Below is a list of some of the most notable album covers of 2024. Some caused controversy; some are laughably simple; some were outright painful to create; some are incredibly intricate. Each of the covers below is iconic in its own way.
Beyoncé — Cowboy Carter
Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
For Act II of Beyoncé’s trilogy, which started with 2022’s house and ballroom-indebted Renaissance, the pop powerhouse becomes a rodeo queen bee. The album cover of Cowboy Carter, Bey’s foray into country, makes this plainly apparent. It portrays Beyoncé riding atop a white horse, saddle in one hand, oversized American flag in the other, covered from head to toe in red, white, and blue regalia. A sash, reading “COWBOY CARTER,” cuts across her torso. Blair Caldwell’s photograph makes Beyoncé’s homage clear. She pays tribute to a historically Black genre that’s seldom been recognized by white Nashville institutions. With its cover, Bey intends to reclaim its lineage and contribute to its present form.
Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard And Soft
Darkroom/Interscope
The artwork for Billie Eilish’s third album, shot by photographer William Drumm, shows the pop titan submerged underwater, looking up at an open door right beneath the surface. It’s a tidy analogue for Eilish’s signature sound: sparse, muted drum beats; woozy synths; and barely audible vocals. On Hit Me Hard And Soft, though, her voice occasionally rises to a scream, breaking free from the suffocating waters, making herself heard. It was a long, grueling photoshoot, according to Eilish’s own account, but it resulted in one of the most striking album covers of the year.
Blood Incantation — Absolute Elsewhere
Century Media
Steve Dodd, the artist who painted the cover of Blood Incantation’s Absolute Elsewhere, is not an easy man to get in touch with. When I spoke with Paul Riedl, who fronts the death metal Colorado group, he told me that Dodd has no computer, no internet, no phone, and only corresponds via snail mail. But the remote painter perfectly understands Blood Incantation’s overarching universe, and its highly detailed cover, which pops with rich colors, an interstellar expanse, and mythic imagery, is proof.
Brittany Howard — What Now
Brittany Howard
When I spoke with Brittany Howard about the influences of her second solo album, What Now, she said she drew inspiration from Akira Kurosawa’s late-period film, Dreams. That movie features some of Kurosawa’s experiments with vibrant color, such as the vignette where its protagonist enters a Van Gogh painting and meets the artist himself. The album cover for What Now is similarly evocative; it’s a photograph with the dreamlike, surrealist qualities of a watercolor.
Charli XCX — Brat
Charli XCX
Pantone 3507C. Arial narrow font. Width set to 90%. Stretched and set to a visibly low resolution. These are the hallmarks of the immediately iconic, kitschy cover art for Brat, Charli XCX’s sixth studio album. There are now meme generators; its visual cues have been co-opted by politicians, TikTok influencers, and NYT Cooking. For a record that reckoned with its creator’s periphery to the mainstream on songs like “Sympathy Is A Knife” and “I Might Say Something Stupid,” Brat achieved what it didn’t set out to do. Its archly ugly album cover played a large part in Brat Summer, a cultural epoch that will be long remembered.
Denzel Curry — King Of The Mischievous South
The sequel to Denzel Curry’s 2012 mixtape is a homage to Southern hip-hop. At the same time, it’s a celebration of how its scene influenced Curry, both as a member of Raider Klan and as an emcee in his own right. Across the tape’s 19 songs and 51 minutes, the Miami rapper is joined by a rotating cast of characters, a roster that boasts names old and new alike: Juicy J, TiaCorine, That Mexican OT, Maxo Kream, Project Pat, 2 Chainz. The stark, black-and-white album cover plays into this idea, too. Curry sits in the center, easily recognizable, while a flurry of other figures, much less discernible, surrounds him. Guest performers come and go, but the glue holding the project together is, of course, Curry himself.
Doechii — Alligator Bites Never Heal
Doechii
In John Jay’s photograph, which serves as the cover for Doechii’s third mixtape, the TDE rapper is in full control. An albino alligator, her native Florida’s official state reptile, rests calmly in her lap. “This mixtape embodies my resurgence, my reclaiming of power,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “I am nobody’s prey; I was born to be the predator.”
Helado Negro — Phasor
4AD
When I look at the cover for Helado Negro’s excellent eighth album, Phasor, I’m reminded of the opening cutscene of Kingdom Hearts II, in which one of its characters draws a spiral staircase, and the camera zooms in to show that it has now become real, suspended in darkness, as Sora and friends climb it and battle through hordes of enemies. Crystal Zapata is the artist behind the cover, and she compiled various illustrations to create the highly detailed image. It perfectly captures how it feels to listen to Phasor: a psychedelic, maze-like experience that’s as dizzying as it is delightful.
Jamie xx — In Waves
Jamie xx
For Jamie xx’s 2015 debut, In Colour, the album cover lived up to its name. A rainbow pinwheel, adorned with a stray white block, dominates the field of vision. So it only makes sense that, for its long-awaited follow-up In Waves, the cover art — a collaboration between SJ Todd, Charles Britton, and Simon Guzylack — is very, very wavy. Like its artwork, the xx member’s second solo LP is sleek, hypnotizing, and rife with fine details that reveal themselves over time.
Knocked Loose — You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To
Pure Noise
The album cover for Knocked Loose’s fourth album, You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, stirred up so much discourse that fans began to wonder if their favorite metalcore band was, in fact, Christian rock. It’s the type of cover that’s eye-catching enough to generate discussion without even considering the music. But it ties into the central, spiritual ethos that the Kentucky quintet pose: only so much is in your control.
Magdalena Bay — Imaginal Disk
Magdalena Bay
The second LP from pop duo Magdalena Bay isn’t afraid to get weird. That much is conveyed via Maria Shatalova’s album artwork alone. Vocalist Mica Tenenbaum graces its cover. A strange, white light glares in the blue background behind her, and a cadaver-gray, extraterrestrial hand (replete with uncannily long nails and bony fingers) inserts a disc into her forehead. Tenenbaum is a stand-in for the protagonist of Imaginal Disk, Blue, who’s being subjected to alien testing to explore the missing evolutionary connection between apes and humans. It’s a simple image, but there’s a sci-fi novel’s worth of ideas contained within it.
Mavi — Shadowbox
Mavi
Designed by interdisciplinary artist Saint Ki, the platinum-palladium print cover of Mavi’s Shadowbox is a tour de force in contrasts. Mavi himself occupies the dead center, his gaze fixed on the camera, the negative space around him sharply delineating his figure even more. As the rapper mentioned in an interview, he has wanted to work with Saint Ki for a while now, and the stars have finally aligned.
Mdou Moctar — Funeral For Justice
Courtesy of Mdou Moctar
Tuareg guitarist Mdou Moctar’s rallying cries of resistance and empowerment course through his music. The album cover for Funeral For Justice achieves a similar feat, too. Robert Beatty’s artwork depicts a large crow with blood dripping off its talons, cascading onto a coffin below with an embossed outline of Africa. It’s a potent illustration, especially when paired with Mdou Moctar’s anti-colonialist anthems.
MIKE & Tony Seltzer — Pinball
MIKE
MIKE is one of the most prolific rappers working right now. He releases at least an album a year, and this year’s Pinball, his collaboration with producer Tony Seltzer, is easily among his best. Vinny Fanta’s intricate artwork — a highly detailed, lined pinball machine set against a white background — is an apt visualization of MIKE’s ornate rhymes and Tony Seltzer’s immaculate instrumentals.
Mk.gee — Two Star And The Dream Police
R&R
One of the biggest breakouts of the year goes to singer-songwriter Mk.gee, whose debut album, Two Star And The Dream Police, evokes everyone from Frank Ocean to Sting. These days, he’s fully leaning into his rising rock stardom by playing the same song 12 times in a row. But the cover art, cast in twilit shadows with a forest backdrop, posits Mike Gordon as something of an enigma, a person who dual-wields his guitar and mystique with canny finesse.
Peggy Gou — I Hear You
On “Your Art,” the opening track of Peggy Gou’s proper debut LP, I Hear You, Gou recites a poem by visual artist and environmental activist Olafur Eliasson. “Create your own view / Your own universe,” goes its first couplet. Eliasson’s poem isn’t the only thing he contributed to the record; he also designed the cover art, including the futuristic mirrored headpiece Gou wears, reflecting her ears at various angles. Even from the cover alone, you can tell that the DJ insists on being heard.
ScHoolboy Q — Blue Lips
Schoolboy Q
The cover art for Blue Lips, the masterful sixth studio album from TDE rapper ScHoolboy Q, is, yes, a picture of blue lips. It’s literal and to the point; Bethany Vargas’ photograph of Olivia Mackell is closed in on her painted-blue mouth, a Parental Advisory sticker placed just underneath Mackell’s gap tooth, the album title scrawled in the bottom-left corner. It’s an image as distinct and laser-focused as Q’s rapping.
St. Vincent — All Born Screaming
Virgin Music Group
When songwriter Annie Clark (AKA St. Vincent) and visual artist Alex Da Corte visited the Museo Del Prado together, they were both awestruck by Francisco Goya’s Black Paintings. For Da Corte’s cover of the seventh St. Vincent album, All Born Screaming, he painted the entire set black, capturing the void that lies at the heart of Goya’s series. Its main subject, Clark herself with sleeves ablaze, bursts from the darkness like a beacon to create an imposing image.
Tierra Whack — World Wide Whack
Tierra Whack
Another standout Alex Da Corte album cover goes to Tierra Whack’s World Wide Whack. The two Philly residents came up with the record’s protagonist, whose story is told throughout the album’s various videos. Whack herself portrays the nameless character, a glaring spotlight showcasing the crescent moon she’s lying against and the gargantuan joker card in the background.
Tyler, The Creator — Chromakopia
Tyler The Creator
With each album, Tyler, The Creator toys with different iconography to complement the music itself. 2017’s Flower Boy portrayed Tyler in a sunflower field, cartoonishly large bees whizzing by him. 2021’s Call Me If You Get Lost played into its international imagery with suitcases and travel licenses. The cover art for Chromakopia, however, displays its masked creator in a nondescript black-and-white setting, like the protagonist (or antagonist?) of an eerie noir. Photographed by Luis “Panch” Perez, Tyler has his mask on, but it’s only a matter of time before his introspective lyrics force him to take it off.
Vampire Weekend — Only God Was Above Us
Columbia
Taken by street photographer Steven Siegel, the album art for Vampire Weekend’s fifth LP, Only God Was Above Us, depicts a New Jersey subway graveyard in 1988. One of its subjects sits just out of frame, holding a newspaper with the headline “ONLY GOD WAS ABOVE US” taking up half of its cover. Given that VW’s latest album concerns itself with urban detritus and the band’s New York origins, it’s a fitting choice for its visual representation.
Saturday Night Live is obviously a pillar of the comedy community, but it has also played host to many moments in music history thanks to its long-running tradition of musical guests. SNL is going hard celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, and now Questlove has joined the effort: It was announced today (December 19) that he has co-directed a documentary alongside Oz Rodriguez, dubbed Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years Of SNL Music.
Questlove says in a statement, “Everyone knows the most famous SNL appearances, whether it’s Elvis Costello or Prince or the Beastie Boys, but they’re the tip of a huge iceberg. The process of going back through the incredible archival footage was like being in a time machine, DeLorean or other. I’m so happy I went on the trip and happy I now get to share it with everyone.”
Just about everybody was interviewed for the doc: Per a press release, that includes Bad Bunny, DJ Breakout, Elvis Costello, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish & Finneas, Dave Grohl, Debbie Harry & Chris Stein, Mick Jagger, Dua Lipa, Darryl DMC McDaniels, Tom Morello, Kacey Musgraves, Olivia Rodrigo, MC Sha-Rock, Paul Simon, Chris Stapleton, Justin Timberlake, Lee Ving, and Jack White.
And that’s just the musicians: Also involved are Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen, Conan O’Brien, Eli Brueggemann, Jane Curtin, Jimmy Fallon, Al Franken, Josiah Gluck, Bill Hader, Steve Higgins, Marci Klein, Melanie Malone, Tom Malone, Mary Ellen Matthews, Eddie Murphy, Ego Nwodim, Liz Patrick, Leon Pendarvis, Lenny Pickett, Joe Piscopo, Andy Samberg, Brian Siedlecki, Akiva Schaffer, Paul Shaffer, Sarah Sherman, Howard Shore, Robert Smigel, Jorma Taccone, Kenan Thompson, Maya Rudolph, Hal Willner, and Bowen Yang.
Year after year, Madrid, Spain’s Mad Cool Festival is one of the year’s top events, and that’s shaping up to be the case in 2025, too. Today (December 19), organizers announced the lineup for next year’s fest, which is set to go down from July 10 to 12.
Leading the lineup are Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams, Noah Kahan, Benson Boone, St. Vincent, Kings Of Leon, Alanis Morissette, Weezer, Justice, Iggy Pop, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Arde Bogotá, Residente, and Glass Animals.
Also on the poster are Foster The People, Jet, Kaiser Chiefs, Finneas, Artemas, Future Islands, Girl In Red, Leon Bridges, Royel Otis, Bloc Party, Bright Eyes, Blondshell, Tanner Adell, and more. Additional artists are also set to be announced.
Mad Cool members can get tickets at special prices from December 20 at 9 a.m. GMT to December 23 at 8:59 a.m. GMT. Those prices are 189€ (about $196) plus booking fee for general three-day tickets, and 350€ ($363) plus booking fee for VIP three-day tickets. Prices for the general on-sale will be 210€ ($218) plus booking fee, and 399€ ($414) plus booking fee for VIP three-day tickets. More information can be found on Mad Cool’s ticketing website.
Uproxx’s Philip Cosores attended the 2019 edition of the festival and wrote, “The event is a rising star in the festival world, and locals and travelers alike should pay close attention as it evolves and grows.”
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government issued the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant law to help keep the recording industry afloat after performing live — one of the industry’s main sources of income — became impossible due to live venues being shut down. However, in a new report from Business Insider, several entertainers, including Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, and Marshmello, are being accused of abusing those funds, using them to fund travel, parties, and luxury shopping sprees instead of paying employees and keeping the lights on.
Brown, who received a $10 million grant, reportedly spent $80,000 on his birthday party, which included models in body paint, an LED dance floor, and $29,000 worth of hookahs, bottle service, and fees incurred by damages to couches rented for the occasion. More than double that was spent on a celebrity basketball tournament broadcast on YouTube. Meanwhile, Lil Wayne, who received $8.9 million, allegedly spent the funds on private-jet flights ($1.3 million), luxury clothing ($460,000), and accommodations for female companions ($15,000) whose connections with Wayne are “unclear,” per BI.
Marshmello’s manager told the publication, however, that the DJ paid himself out of the $9.9 million grant he received. He “expensed the entire Grant balance to Payroll” via a loophole that allowed the SVOG funds to go to the artists’ business entities as “owner compensation” provided it was less than their income in 2019. They also had to show that their companies made 25% less in 2020 than in 2019 — which was more or less a given, considering how much of their income is made up of touring and live performances. This is how Steve Aoki paid himself $1.9 million out of a $2.4 million grant, Rae Sremmurd gave themselves $7.7 million, and Alice in Chains members Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney received $1.4 million each (Mike Inez took $682,000).
Meanwhile, the report says that while stars like Lil Wayne did use funds to pay their managers, attorneys, and agents, it was more than 13 times what sound techs and other contractors received. The Small Business Administration says it has recovered some misappropriated funds, but is still investigating open claims.
Dianne Warren has been nominated in the Best Original Song category at the Academy Awards a record 15 times — and never won. The songwriter will try for a 16th nomination at the 2025 Oscars, as her song for Tyler Perry’s The Six Triple Eight, “The Journey,” made it to the shortlist. All she has to do is beat Pharrell Williams… and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross… and Elton John and Brandi Carlile… and Maren Morris… and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The nominees will be announced on Friday, January 17. The Oscars air on ABC on Sunday, March 2, 2025.
Below, you can find the shortlist for Best Original Song at the 2025 Oscars, along with each track’s songwriters (the award goes to the lyricists, not the performers).
The Shortlist For Best Original Song At The 2025 Oscars
“Forbidden Road” by Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, and Sacha Skarbek from Better Man
“Winter Coat” by Nicholas Britell, Steve McQueen, and Taura Stinson from Blitz
“Compress/Repress” by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Luca Guadagnino from Challengers
“Never Too Late” by Elton John and Brandi Carlile from Elton John: Never Too Late
“El Mal” by Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard from Emilia Pérez
“Mi Camino” by Clément Ducol and Camille from Emilia Pérez
“Sick In The Head” by Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, DJ Próvaí, Adrian Louis Richard Mcleod, and Toddla T from Kneecap
“Beyond” by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear from Moana 2
“Tell Me It’s You” by Lin-Manuel Miranda from Mufasa: The Lion King
“Piece By Piece” by Pharrell Williams from Piece By Piece
“Like A Bird” by Abraham Alexander, Brandon Marcel, and Adrian Quesada from Sing Sing
“The Journey” by Diane Warren from The Six Triple Eight
“Out Of Oklahoma” by Lainey Wilson, Luke Dick, and Shane McAnally from Twisters
“Kiss The Sky” by Delacey, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack and Ali Tamposi from The Wild Robot
“Harper And Will Go West” by Sean Douglas, Kristen Wiig, and Josh Greenbaum from Will & Harper
Welcome to another installment of Ask A Music Critic! And thanks to everyone who has sent me questions. Please keep them coming at [email protected].
Here we are, not even (quite) in mid-December, and I feel like everybody has already posted their “Best Of 2024” music lists. Isn’t this weird? I know that websites have to chase clicks, but I feel like these lists run a bit too early. Why does this happen? Is it only about traffic? Or are there actual justifications for it? — Melissa from Akron, Ohio
Thank you, Melissa. It’s not often that I get an excuse to play my favorite game: Music Criticism Inside Baseball. My editor normally discourages me from putting on my Music Criticism Inside Baseball glove and throwing my hottest “nobody outside the industry gives a damn about any of this” pitches. But I think your observation (mild complaint?) is a common one. At least it’s one I have heard annually during this time of the year for as long as I have been in the business. I have even registered this low-stakes gripe myself (ironically!) from time to time. So, perhaps this is the proper occasion to finally clear the air.
I can actually think of two editorial justifications for running a year-end list during the first week of December rather than the third or fourth week. (Or — if you a true sicko when it comes to calendar purism — early January.) One is related to capitalism, and the other is borne from what I would call “seasonal philosophy.” But before we discuss this rationale, I want to address the concept of “chasing clicks.”
“Chasing clicks” has been used as a pejorative for as long as there has been online media. It is an epithet occasionally used by readers, and more often applied by self-hating media workers. “Chasing clicks” presupposes that websites are cravenly pursuing the attention of readers by any means necessary, and that this is done in the service of shadowy corporate overlords who greedily rub their hands together as the spoils roll in from all that disreputable online activity. You click on that “Best Of 2024” albums list, and off in the distance Scrooge McDuck and Logan Roy do dueling swan dives into a pile of money.
Oh, if only!
I’m going to make a confession: I chase clicks. That’s the business I’m in. The business is not “furthering the conversation.” It’s not overusing adjectives like “angular” or “shimmering.” It’s not even writing. I listen to music and write about it for fun and personal enrichment — it’s what I need to do — but I chase clicks for a living. Chasing clicks is the baseline task for anyone in my line of work. It is how, to quote the folk singer Todd Snider, I put food in my refrigerator. And let me tell you something: Chasing clicks is hard. Clicks are the most challenging game of all to hunt. You would have an easier time tracking and killing a Roosevelt elk than you would getting people to look for a damn second at your lil’ piece of insightful and clever music writing. But that’s the gig. I am Wile E. Coyote, and you are the Road Runner. If I don’t catch you, I get flattened by anvil. I know that. It’s what I signed up for.
What makes the hunt even more challenging is that if you have an ounce of integrity or shame, there are certain things you won’t do to make the hunt easier. Like, for instance, publishing something incredibly inflammatory, dishonest, or just plain stupid to get attention. The paradox of chasing clicks is that being good at your job — or simply trying not to be a clout-obsessed buffoon — might actually make you bad at your job. But sucking on purpose is an unacceptable compromise, as far as I’m concerned.
Here is an acceptable compromise: Running a year-end list in early December. That, to me, is not a big deal. Granted, sometimes someone like D’Angelo puts out a record like Black Messiah a week or so before Christmas, and you get burned a little. But given that 1) December is mostly bereft of new releases; 2) readers start to revert to holiday mode in mid-December; 3) list-reading fatigue is real; and 4) leaving a great album off a year-end list blows but it isn’t exactly the end of the world (nobody remembers what’s on these lists for more than 24 hours anyway). In the end, I think the cost/benefit analysis checks out.
Now, after all of that — the previous several paragraphs constitute a rigorous nine innings of Music Criticism Inside Baseball — what I’m about to say might come off as mere rationalization. And maybe it is! But I also believe these things to be true. So, take them as you wish.
There is a capitalistic reason for running year-end lists in early December. And it’s not just “chasing clicks,” though that’s clearly an additional capitalistic justification. But writing about these records three or so weeks before the holidays also helps to sell those records. I don’t have statistical data to support this, but I have reams of anecdotal evidence. People read about an album they don’t know about, they check it out, and they either buy it for a friend or family member or put it on their own holiday wish list. I know this. People have told me, many times, that this happens. And it probably would not happen as often if you ran these year-end lists at the literal end of the year, after the gift-giving season has concluded.
I don’t at all look at what I do as a “consumer guide.” But, at the same time, if something I write about an artist I admire can tangibly/financially benefit that artist, I feel good about that. So, there’s that.
There’s also the “seasonal philosophy” justification I mentioned earlier. And by that I mean this: Early December is when we start to look back at the previous 11 months. It’s a naturally reflective time. As the holidays approach, the outside world slows down and one’s thoughts turn inward. (I understand this argument doesn’t make as much sense in 2024, given the incoming president and news about at-large assassins getting apprehended at a neighborhood McDonald’s. But it’s still generally true.) It’s not just music — we do it with movies, politics, professional wins and losses, family drama, etc. But music seems like an especially attractive and effective way of marking time. In recent years, streaming platforms have capitalized on this by generating personal year-end lists for millions upon millions of consumers. It’s never been easier to track your own listening habits more thoroughly than even a professional critic does with his own. And when do these myopic inventories drop? Early December, of course.
Once the year ends, and we all find ourselves facing the blank slate that is January, this nostalgic impulse dissipates. It is no longer the time for looking back — it’s for imagining a version of yourself that exercises more and drinks booze less. Musically, you start to think about what’s on the horizon. Will this Ethel Cain record live up to her previous LP? Can I finally get into FKA twigs in 2025? Is Coachella going to flop in a few months?
I can’t wait. It’s all ahead of us. At least it will be then. But for now, we’re staring at the rearview mirror, and all that 2024 music is much closer than it might appear.
Singing along to a favorite song is always a good time, but the upcoming virtual reality application Realize Music: Sing will take it to a whole new plane.
The app, the debut venture of Realize Music, is set to launch for Meta Quest on January 23, 2025 in North America, with support for other platforms on the way. But, what is it?
In the video above, co-founder and CEO Mark Roemer explains, “When you put on the headset and select a song, you go into a beautiful immersive environment, and the lyrics are presented to you, and there are drums you can play virtually, and there’s painting that you can do in 3D all around you. And you create an experience that’s brand new every single time you do it.”
A press release calls the app “an innovative virtual reality application that brings people into a deeper relationship with their favorite music and artists,” and explains, “By creating immersive audio-visual journeys while utilizing vocalization aimed at providing therapeutic benefits, Realize Music: Sing seeks to offer a unique combination of entertainment and wellness geared towards reducing stress, promoting relaxation, and releasing endorphins.”
Furthermore, Realize Music has locked down licensing agreements with Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group, so thousands and thousands of beloved songs will be available in a continuously growing library, with new tracks being added weekly.
In a statement, co-founder Mike Wilson says, “Fear of judgment keeps more than 80 percent of people from ever enjoying one of the oldest human traditions, and that’s a real shame. Singing has perhaps the most well-documented physiological and psychological benefits in the burgeoning new science of music for wellness, and we are here to invite people to a personal, private, focused experience that will consistently produce joyous results.”
The app is set to launch with a discounted price of $9.99 per month, or $99.99 for an annual subscription.
It was a pretty wild year, all in all, and as we all bundle up and batten down the hatches for the year ahead, this is the time the Uproxx crew gets together to look back on the past 12 months of chart-topping hits and crowd-pleasing deep cuts to determine our favorites of the year.
Here are the best songs of 2024, from hip-hop to rock and everything in between.
1010Benja — “Twin”
Ten Total, the debut album from Kansas City multi-hyphenate 1010Benja, is an eclectic showcase for 1010’s wide-ranging artistry. On “Twin,” his voice glides over fluttering synths and a tightly wound drum pattern. Its best moments come in the breaks when 1010 harmonizes with himself, flaunting his gospel chops and majestic range while planning a backstage tryst with a lover. — Grant Sharples
21 Savage — “Redrum”
The ATL trap master’s murder music is accentuated by a surprise appearance from hometown connect Usher, who does his best impression of Vincent Price on “Thriller.” — Elliott Wilson
Addison Rae — “Diet Pepsi”
If you only know Addison Rae as a TikTok star, and therefore dismissed her, give her another chance. She won me over with the breathy “Diet Pepsi” (and later “Aquamarine”), and she’ll win you over, too. It might seem silly to call a song about having sex in the backseat of a car “mature,” but “Diet Pepsi” is an artist demanding to be taken seriously. — Josh Kurp
Anycia — “Back Outside” Feat. Latto
Although it was Latto’s not-so-subtle shot at Nicki Minaj in the opening lines of her verse that snatched much of the attention for Anycia’s coming-out party of a street banger, it was Anycia’s unique delivery that established her as worth watching past that. Setting up her debut release, Princess Pop That, “Back Outside” is a bold statement of intention for a breakout star, ready to live up to her Atlanta hometown’s rap legacy. — Aaron Williams
Ariana Grande — “The Boy Is Mine”
One of my favorite things about Ariana Grande is how she incorporates her real-life experiences into her music, but not in a straightforward and blunt way. Instead, she opts for the fun and playful “I’m joking, but at the same time, I’m not” approach. “Thank U, Next” and “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” are examples of this, as is “The Boy Is Mine” from her seventh album, Eternal Sunshine. Grande channels some “bad b*tch” energy for what she called an “elevated version” of a “bad girl anthem.” — Wongo Okon
Asake & Travis Scott — “Active”
On the face of it, a collaboration between Asake and Travis Scott sounds like trying to fit a square into a circle, but the two made it work and then some for “Active.” The highlight track from Asake’s third album Lungu Boy is a spectacle in afro house music and a true blast of energy for whatever setting it makes its way into. — W.O.
Belinda and Natanael Cano — “300 Noches”
Belinda channeled her heartbreak into a series of música Mexicana anthems this past year. The Spanish-Mexican pop icon teamed up with Natanael Cano for their alluring collaboration “300 Noches.” Belinda seamlessly blended her charming pop sound with Cano’s corridos tumbados edge. “Now I’m fearlessly taking on this genre, creating fusions, and making it so that it’s not just for men,” she told Uproxx in September. “Us women can also sing corridos tumbados.” Belinda’s refreshing spin on corridos was spellbinding. — Lucas Villa
Ben Quad — “You’ll Get Nothing And Like It”
How to describe “You’ll Get Nothing And Like It” in a single word? Is “this song f*cking rips” one word? Ben Quad’s joke tweet about “a screamo EP” turned into Ephemera, a frenetic showcase for the Oklahoma band — the next big thing in emo (and screamo) — at their heaviest. “We’re just putting out music that we like,” guitarist Edgar Viveros told Uproxx, and “if it’s cool and trending, f*ck it.” — J.K.
Beyoncé & Post Malone — “Levii’s Jeans”
Beyoncé and Post Malone dove into their respective country eras around the same time, so it’s only right for them to give us an absolutely stellar collaboration for the former’s Cowboy Carter album. “Levii’s Jeans” is a highly sensual and steamy record that makes use of many tongue-in-cheek phrases tied to Levi’s jeans and other aesthetics linked to the country world. — W.O.
Big Sean — “On Up”
While a number of his peers have embraced fatherhood in the past couple of years — think Drake, J. Cole, Kendrick, Pusha, and Wale — Sean might be the first to really lean into “dad rap” as a serious mode of expression, even going so far as to shoot the video for the song from the perspective of his son, Noah. He certainly seems well suited for it, as his style has always skewed autobiographical and been littered with more obvious “dad joke” style rhymes (complimentary). — A.W.
Billie Eilish — “Birds Of A Feather”
Billie Eilish is one of the most-listened-to musicians. The potential EGOT winner’s single “Birds Of A Feather” demonstrates why. Between Eilish’s dreamy vocals and whimsical lyrics, with each listen, the rules of gravity seem to be temporarily suspended. With each release, she unlocks a new creative peak, but it is hard to fathom how Eilish can top this. — Flisadam Pointer
Bon Iver — “SPEYSIDE”
This has to be the most straightforward and accessible music Justin Vernon has ever put out as Bon Iver. Singing in his natural, lower register and mostly eschewing the terror-techno digital distortions of his late-2010s work, Vernon more or less sounds like the man who shaped our current generation of sad-guy superstar singer-songwriters. (I refer to you, Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan, among many others.) — Steven Hyden
Bossman Dlow — “Get In With Me”
The only reason “I was bad in f*ckin’ school, now I’m tryna dodge a sentence” isn’t the most omnipresent line of the year is truly just a quirk of timing. While the January track dominated TikTok feeds for the first quarter, it was eventually overtaken by Kendrick Lamar’s feelings about the “big three,” and striking chords. Still, “Get In With Me” put Bossman on the national map, earning him a spot in XXL‘s Freshman class, and for that, we will gladly get in with the Florida native. — A.W.
Bryson Tiller — “Ciao”
Bryson Tiller’s best year as an artist will always be his 2015 arrival with Trapsoul, but his 2024 campaign was the closest to that we’ve seen in the years since. Tiller’s self-titled album was his strongest body of work in nearly a decade, and he has songs like “Ciao” to thank for the album’s success. A thumping anthem about walking away from an inadequate partner will always fare well with listeners, especially as they prepare for a carefree summer. — W.O.
Cash Cobain — “Fisherrr” Feat. Bay Swag
One of the year’s standout hits, “Fisherrr” turns on his clever intellectualization of a ubiquitous New York colloquialism and Cash’s slyly transgressive re-imagining of the Big Apple’s unofficial regional sound, drill. Its remix also made timely use of the waning popularity of breakout artist Ice Spice to re-energize both her and the song itself, while offering a blueprint for her to kickstart her career again in the new year. — A.W.
Chappell Roan — “Good Luck, Babe!”
It was all rise, no fall, for midwest princess Chappell Roan in 2024, yet she only officially released one new song this year. It’s one of her best. “Good Luck, Babe!” is about a closeted woman who refuses to embrace her feelings for Roan, and women in general. “You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feeling,” Roan sings with theatricality over a synthy beat. “Good luck, babe.” No one needs to wish Roan good luck: she’s doing just fine as is. — J.K.
Charli XCX — “Von Dutch”
Regardless of what Oxford, Cambridge Dictionary, and Dictionary.com say, “brat” is the word of the year for 2024. Charli XCX became a bigger star than ever before thanks to Brat, and it all started with lead single “Von Dutch,” a confident, pulsing, club-ready tune that would go on to get an Addison Rae-featuring remix. — Derrick Rossignol
Chlöe — “Temporarily Single”
Uproxx cover star Chlöe was positioned to be R&B’s next face, but it has become increasingly difficult to ignore her dance music calling. That’s where Chlöe’s most infectious music moments are rooted, including Trouble In Paradise’s “Temporarily Single,” on which she rides the waves of her creative intersectionality. “Temporarily Single” is sonically free-flowing, lyrically sensual, and, on the production end, a subtle homage to those who planted a flag before Chlöe’s arrival. This is the wave fans have desperately been begging the singer to ride. — F.P.
The Dare — “Elevation”
New York producer The Dare has had quite the year, with past Uproxx best song “Girls” going viral, production on one of Charli XCX’s biggest moments, and a long-awaited debut album. And through all that, maybe his best moment was the one that sounded the least like you’d expect The Dare. “Elevation” is less about good times and more about raw emotions, true music for the morning after. For a guy that gets comped to James Murphy a lot, he proves he’s got a bit of Casablancas in him as well, and that we shouldn’t pigeonhole his sound just yet. — Philip Cosores
DIIV — “Somber The Drums”
Many of the finest songs on DIIV’s latest album, Frog In Boiling Water, come toward the end: “Little Birds,” “Soul-net,” “Fender On The Freeway.” But the song that kickstarts that late-album stretch, “Somber The Drums,” also happens to be the best. It begins as a relatively sludgy dirge, but everything opens up midway through, with a sinister guitar line snaking its way through Zachary Cole Smith’s diaphanous, reverb-glazed vocals. — G.S
Doechii — “Nissan Altima”
Doechii’s musical talents were never up for question. She proved she’d be a mainstay in the music world thanks to previous collaborations with Isaiah Rashad, SZA, Smino, Janelle Monaé, and more, but the Florida-bred TDE artist stamped her future in 2024 with Alligator Bites Never Heal. The acclaim that project would later receive began with “Nissan Altima,” which put her rapping skills on full display thanks to rapid-fire bars and the confidence of a ten-year rap veteran. — W.O.
Drake — “Family Matters”
Aubrey’s finest moments in hip-hop’s greatest battle. The final salvo remains and rings true: “Kendrick just opened his mouth, someone go hand him a Grammy right now.” In due time, Mr. Graham. In due time. — E.W.
Empress Of — “Femenine”
Just before 2023 ended, Empress Of offered “Femenine” as a tease of her then-upcoming album For Your Consideration, and it’s a terrific ad for the project: The song is dynamic, catchy, experimental, and just a hell of a lot of fun, and that remains true for the rest of For Your Consideration. — D.R.
Flo Milli — “Never Lose Me”
Both a warning to a philandering lover and an anthem for scorned women everywhere, Flo Milli scored her first official entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with a hard swerve away from her usual approach. While listeners have always appreciated Flo’s… well… flow, the success of “Never Lose Me” is a stark reminder that today’s audiences still value melodic raps a bit more — which more women rappers can take advantage of in the months and years to come. — A.W.
Future & Metro Boomin — “Like That” Feat. Kendrick Lamar
Over Metro Boomin’s everlasting bass, guest Mr. Duckworth demolishes his closest competitors and asserts that he’s the best MC. He was right. — E.W.
Future Islands — “Glimpse”
Future Island hit their stride with the breakout 2014 album Singles, and they haven’t really left said stride since then. The band has consistently delivered quality albums in subsequent years, the latest being this year’s People Who Aren’t There Anymore. They followed the project a few months ago with the standalone single “Glimpse,” and it’s the sort of poetic, atmospheric, bass-propelled track that’s a pillar of the Future Islands oeuvre. — D.R.
GloRilla — “Yeah Glo!”
I cheated earlier this year when I paired “Yeah Glo!” with Rapsody’s “3:AM” as my twin picks for Best Songs of 2024 (So Far). While “Yeah Glo!” is a relentlessly catchy singalong, “TGIF” contains what may be the most quotable rap line of the entire year. Funnily enough, Glo herself couldn’t choose just one for her MTV VMAs performance either, opting to do both. — A.W.
GloRilla — “TGIF”
There are so many dope female MCs these days, but Glo is the one who makes anthems. Not even Rihanna could resist this infectious turn up. — E.W.
Gracie Abrams — “That’s So True”
Gracie Abrams landed her first top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “That’s So True.” Curiously, the sprightly track was left off the original version of The Secret Of Us. Fortunately, it was the first single from the deluxe edition of the album. “That’s So True” has Abrams exploring her conflicted feelings about her ex-boyfriend moving on with another girl. “Said that I was fine, said it from the coffin,” she sings in the Taylor Swift-like bridge. But where’s the vulgar version? — J.K.
Hovvdy — “Meant”
Hovvdy’s self-titled double album was one of the early highlights of the year. The camaraderie between songwriters Will Taylor and Charlie Martin has long been tangible, but it reaches a peak on their latest record. “Meant,” one of its finest tunes, embodies the coziness that comes packed in with loyalty, the comfort that stems from knowing someone will always be by your side. — G.S
Hozier — “Too Sweet”
Congratulations are in order for Hozier, who this year broke out of being just the “Take Me To Church” guy with “Too Sweet,” his first No. 1 single. (In fairness: Hozier hadn’t had a chart hit since “Take Me To Church,” but he has built a dedicated fan base and pumped out commercially successful albums in the years that followed.) “Too Sweet” is similar to “Take Me To Church” in that it’s a no-compromise Hozier hit, a song that doesn’t bow to current trends and wows with distinct and sharp songcraft. — D.R.
Jamie xx & The Avalanches — “All You Children”
The xx haven’t dropped a new album since 2017, and Jamie xx ended a drought of his own this year when he dropped In Waves, his first LP since 2015. It’s a solo project, but he’s not alone, as he teams up with The Avalanches to great effect on the kinetic “All You Children.” — D.R.
Jane Remover — “Magic I Want U”
Jane Remover is a wizard. Her music boasts some of the most imaginative production in recent memory. She’s always finding new sonic pathways, branching out and expanding her unmistakable digicore sound. That’s exactly what she does on “Magic I Want U.” Its chirping synth melody sounds like it was lifted straight from a ’90s rap song, and the various bleeps and bloops formulate a hypnotizing, percussive outro for Jane’s emo vocalizations to shine. — G.S
Jordan Adetunji & Kehlani — “Kehlani”
One of the best breakout stories in 2024 comes from Belfast singer Jordan Adetunji, who rose to stardom thanks to his sexy drill anthem “Kehlani.” Adetunji promoted the song heavily on TikTok, and soon enough, fans were not only begging for its release, but calling for Kehlani to acknowledge the song. The Oakland native did that, taking things a step further by remixing the record. — W.O.
Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”
Do we really have to explain this one?
Look, the only real downside to the months-long ubiquity of Kendrick Lamar’s victory lap over erstwhile foe Drake is finding out how many of y’all think you can get away with including yourselves with the titular “Us.” It’s like you missed the point entirely. — A.W.
Kendrick Lamar — “Euphoria”
After a week-and-a-half of baiting from his Canada-based rival, K. Dot’s sprawling, sinister song confirmed the West Coast Boogeyman was ready to rumble. — E.W.
Knocked Loose — “Suffocate”
One of the best heavy releases of the year, Knocked Loose’s You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To is a 27-minute adrenaline rush. Amid a record of heavy-hitters, the heaviest hitter is “Suffocate,” a collaboration with Poppy featuring gnarly, drop-tuned guitars, rapid-fire double kicks, and piercing, throat-shredding screams from Bryan Garris and Poppy alike. — G.S
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — “Die With A Smile”
When it was announced that Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, two of pop’s biggest stars, were joining forces for a new song, it was pretty clear that the song would be a massive hit — and that it was. “Die With A Smile” was an epic comeback single for both Gaga and Mars. The singers’ first song together was propelled by effortless chemistry and vocal runs that aimed to scrape the clouds. — W.O.
Lay Bankz — “Tell Ur Girlfriend”
There’s been so much chatter lately about how once-estranged cousins hip-hop and EDM have reunited over the course of the past few years, but Lay Bankz‘s standout single says it better than practically any of the many, many think pieces on esteemed pubs such as ours. “Tell Ur Girlfriend” pulls off a neat trick of uniting three or four of the disparate micro-trends all in one constantly evolving beat without giving any of them a chance to wear out their respective welcomes. — A.W.
Latto — “Brokey”
The South has something to say — and that includes rap’s women from the region. Latto paid tribute to her Georgia upbringing on her album Sugar Honey Iced Tea. However, “Brokey” is a message specially baked for the ladies. In the traditional view, women belong in the kitchen. But, Latto says a real Southern belle can only be spotted in and out of the bank. You can either get with it or get lost. — F.P.
Leon Thomas — “Yes It Is”
Leon Thomas’ sophomore album Mutt loveable for many reasons, but few of them match up to “Yes It Is.” Seated in the second half of the album, “Yes It Is” whisks the listener away on a roller coaster ride of emotions brought on by a woman with plenty of romantic red flags. The beauty behind “Yes It Is” lies in Thomas’ ability to make a bad situation sound so good. — W.O.
Maggie Rogers — “In The Living Room”
“In The Living Room,” Rogers’ first post-Don’t Forget Me single, is a wistful recollection of a common act among couples — in this case, dancing in the living room — that takes on greater meaning once you’re no longer with the other half. It’s painful, yet beautiful, like the song itself. — J.K.
Mannequin Pussy — “Loud Bark”
Marisa “Missy” Dabice’s vocal performance on “Loud Bark” is a master class in extreme dynamics. “I’ve got a loud bark, deep bite,” she repeats in the chorus, her voice rising in volume, taking on more and more aggression, until everything dissipates into another verse. The band follows her lead, making Pixies’ approach to the quiet-loud blueprint seem quaint by comparison. In just a handful of words, Missy encompasses an ocean of ideas: desire for another person, fearing that same person, delivering on your threats and promises while blurring the line between the two. — G.S
Manuel Turizo and Kapo – “Qué Pecao”
Two years after releasing his breakthrough hit “La Bachata,” Manuel Turizo tapped into the tropical genre once again. The Colombian heartthrob embraced his roots in his country’s coastal and Caribbean region for his fourth album 201. An alluring gem on the LP is “Qué Pecao” featuring rising Colombian artist Kapo. Turizo put a refreshing spin on bachata with the Afrobeats sound that Kapo is known for. Adding Turizo’s sultry baritone voice to the mix made this love song simply irresistible.
Matt Champion and Jennie — “Slow Motion”
Brockhampton is cooked, as the kids might say, but Matt Champion’s solo journey is just beginning. He’s solo but not alone on Mika’s Laundry, and guests include Blackpink’s Jennie on the lush and moving “Slow Motion.” — D.R.
Megan Thee Stallion — “Mamushi” Feat. Yuki Chiba
Shedding her old identities like a snake, Megan Thee Stallion made her transformation explicit with “Mamushi,” a track taking inspiration from the Houston rapper’s favorite hobby, anime, and the theme of her new album, Megan. “Mamushi” also features the return of Japanese rap star Yuki Chiba to prominence stateside, giving him his first-ever entry on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also inspired its fair share of viral videos thanks to an equally infectious dance, proving the Stallion’s “Savage” success was no fluke. — A.W.
MJ Lenderman — “She’s Leaving You”
“I read the news today, oh boy.” “The world is a vampire.” “It’s Britney, b*tch.” It’s time to add “you can put your clothes back on, she’s leaving you” among the most iconic opening lyrics ever. MJ Lenderman’s “She’s Leaving You” (featuring backing vocals from Wednesday’s Karly Hartzman) sounds like the missing late-1990s link between Brighten The Corners and Keep It Like A Secret, yet the guitar solo is timeless. — J.K.
Mk.gee — “Alesis”
I’m not sure if anyone outside of Chappell Roan had a more rapid ascent in 2024 than Mk.gee. Sure, those in the know already had him on their radar, but I don’t think any had “will play SNL by the end of the year” on their bingo card when he dropped his debut near the beginning of the year. Even if you aren’t spinning him yet, “Alesis” proved a common soundtrack in coffee shops and brunch spots, a sound ready-made for the wild. The innate tunefulness and melodic sensibility feels unstuck in time, in conversation with Bruce Hornsby, Bon Iver, and ’90s Matador Records in equal measure. — P.C.
Muni Long — “Ruined Me”
Wicked isn’t the only place you can experience theatrics brought to life: Look no further than Muni Long’s latest album, Revenge, especially the single “Ruined Me.” The greats, including Mariah Carey, have admired Long’s songwriting. But, on “Ruined Me,” her vocal ability is the true star. The reality behind the song’s existence is devastating, but selfishly, listeners can be glad it happened just for the R&B gold that is “Ruined Me.” — F.P.
Nilüfer Yanya — “Like I Say (I Runaway)”
At first, “Like I Say (I Runaway)” is fairly mellow. Will Archer’s acoustic guitars and light drums dominate the mix, all before Nilüfer Yanya decides it’s time to coat that same guitar loop in a wall of thick fuzz once the chorus hits. “The minute I’m not in control / I’m tearing up inside,” Yanya sings in a muscular refrain. Here, however, she sounds like she’s fully in control, able to scale her music back so that everything can arrive with maximum impact. — G.S
PartyNextDoor — “No Chill”
PartyNextDoor returned to vintage form with his fourth album, PartyNextDoor 4. One of the project’s best offerings is “No Chill,” a straightforward depiction of a down-to-earth woman over gloomy production. PND boasts about the woman being the “star of the show,” but on “No Chill,” the star is PND’s writing. — W.O.
Pest Control — “Time Bomb”
Pest Control named their latest EP Year Of The Pest. It sure is. I first became aware of the crossover thrash band from the UK after seeing their Charlie Brown and Snoopy shirt. Could they possibly live up to such great merch? They could: “Time Bomb” is an atomic blast of fury and riffs with a headbanging finale. — J.K.
Petey — “The River”
Petey had a big 2023 with his debut major-label album, USA, and while he had a quieter 2024 (aside from a fair amount of touring), he still made time to deliver some tunes on a new EP, The Closest Thing To Being Over Is Going On. The highlight here is “The River,” a characteristically introspective tune that gradually builds over the course of five delightful minutes. — D.R.
Post Malone & Morgan Wallen — “I Had Some Help”
2024 was the year Posty finally completed his inevitable career arch away from the melodic hip-hop that got his foot in the door. And yet, as much as I’d love to fault him for it, his country turn was so sincere, earnest, and charmingly in-character for him that it’s as likeable as practically anything else he’s done in the last six years. We’re to the point that audiences would probably let him get away with K-pop, Amapiano, or baile funk, and we’d all just nod and whisper, “Go Posty,” as we publicly turn up our noses — and our noise-canceling headphones. — A.W.
Rapsody — “3:AM” Feat. Erykah Badu
Rapsody’s first album since 2019’s Eve also turned out to be the North Carolina rapper’s most personal. Please Don’t Cry contains deeply introspective, therapeutic cuts throughout, from the cathartic “Diary Of A Mad Bitch” to the welcoming “A Ballad For Homegirls.” But the standout track, ironically enough, is the booty-call anthem “3:AM,” featuring the queen of seemingly incongruous aesthetic herself, Erykah Badu. Rap has long chafed at her perception among rap fans, so who better to help her shake things up than Ms. “Window Seat?” — A.W.
Rema — “Ozeba”
Few songs took over the afrobeats space like Rema’s “Ozeba.” “Ozeba” and Heis, the album it’s on, were all a part of Rema’s plan to push afrobeats in a different direction, rather than conform to society’s expectations of the genre. — W.O.
RM — “Come Back To Me”
As the BTS hiatus rolls on, the group’s members haven’t been on much of a break individually. RM’s contribution to the library of hiatus-era BTS solo material is the album Right Place, Wrong Person. It’s an impressively diverse project that closes with “Come Back To Me,” a 6-minute, John Mayer-y tune that easily justifies its runtime. — D.R.
Rosé — “APT.” Feat. Bruno Mars
In a monster year for Blackpink solo careers, it’s Rosé who had the biggest hit with the impossibly catchy “APT.,” a pop-punk earworm featuring Bruno Mars that’s inspired by a South Korean drinking game. Don’t take a shot after every time you listen, though: By the fifth play in a row, you’ll be on the floor. — J.K.
Despite her petite stature, Sabrina Carpenter took up a lot of space in this year’s crowded pop scene. Most fans were on a caffeine high, but “Please Please Please” was the true intoxicating offering from Short N Sweet (and her first No. 1 single). “Please Please Please” exudes pure femininity — prospective, vulnerable, yet understanding. Pop music is about identifying trendy sonics and monitoring public discourse (the “dating pool has pee in it“), and “Please Please Please” successfully does both. — F.P.
Schoolboy Q — “Thank God 4 Me”
If you needed a song to usher in Schoolboy Q’s return to rap, there’s few that get the job done like “Thank God 4 Me.” It’s the triumphant anthem we needed to hear from Schoolboy after his years without an album; horns blare throughout the song’s production as he raps about the many things he’s thankful for — women, cars, and cast of supportive friends who have his back, in more ways than one. — W.O.
Sexyy Red — “Get It Sexyy”
2024 was a year full of anthemic hits from the women of rap, and no playlist or night out on the town throwin’ ass could ever be complete without an appearance from Sexyy Red and her irresistible hit “Get It Sexyy.” Anyone who thought the St. Louis native was just another one-hit wonder after “Pound Town” has lost their leg to stand on. The ground under it is looking pretty shaky, too — mostly as a result of the magnificent bass line that powers Sexyy’s hypnotic chant. — A.W.
Shaboozey — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
“A Bar Song” is a really good song with an incredibly catchy hook, the perfect record to play to celebrate whatever feel-good moment has presented itself. It was the best song to release after Shaboozey landed two songs on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter. Somehow, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” became bigger than any of us imagined, as it tallied 19 non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, tying a record previously set by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road.” — W.O.
SZA — “Saturn”
“Saturn,” SZA’s lone release as a lead artist in 2024, combines the best of both worlds from SZA’s two albums. It boasts the clarity and honesty done best on SOS and the free spirit and optimism that Ctrl boasts. “Saturn” is an exciting preview of what lies ahead on SZA’s upcoming album Lana, as well as her growth since releasing SOS. — W.O.
Tanner Adell — “Whiskey Blues”
Long before her placement on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, Tanner Adell was a rising force on TikTok. Adell constantly pushes country music’s hidebound sonic confines into the modern day. On “Whiskey Blues,” yet again, she washes away any stale storytelling stereotypes with a burning shot of sass. It may be too early to call, but Tanner Adell sure seems to be trotting up the same innovative cross-genre blending trail of greats like Shaina Twain. — F.P.
Taylor Swift — “The Black Dog”
“The Black Dog” could have been titled “Old Habits Die Screaming,” which begs the question: What’s with Taylor Swift’s old habit of not releasing some of her best songs until deluxe editions/vault tracks/surprise double albums? Think: “New Romantics.” “Is It Over Now?” And now, “The Black Dog,” which leads off The Tortured Poets Department‘s “surprise” second album, The Anthology. It begins slowly, with a funeral-sounding Taylor singing about seeing an ex with someone new at the bar where they used to go, before she releases her cathartic anger in the chorus. It’s a track 17 on the “complete” TTPD, but a track 5 in the hearts of Swifties. — J.K.
TiaCorine — “Bonnet”
TiaCorine has bounced back tremendously from a vocal cord surgery in 2023 that left her unable to speak for two months. Earlier this year, she came through with the Almost There EP, and across eight short tracks, it’s quite the ride. The project is a series of zigs and zags in quick succession, and the breathy synths and rapid-fire rhymes of “Bonnet” are quite the turn. — D.R.
Tierra Whack — “27 Club”
In pop culture parlance, the “27 Club” is the name for the common age of death of a handful of popular stars throughout the past several decades. By naming the project after the phenomenon, the Philly battle rap vet offers listeners a window into her state of mind over the past six years since her breakout with the stellar Whack World EP. After hanging on, she throws down a lifeline to those who need it, a reminder that Tierra Whack is quite simply one of the most-needed names in hip-hop. — A.W.
Tinashe — “Nasty”
Tinashe’s hard work finally paid off in 2024, as the success of “Nasty” gave the singer her first gold plaque in a decade. Calls to “match my freak” became the theme of Tinashe’s latest era ahead of the release of her album, Quantum Baby. The song’s minimal, futuristic production creates the perfect backdrop for Tinashe to play with the tones of her voice and deliver something far from the status quo, breathing new life into her career at the same time. — W.O.
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross — “Challengers”
Since David Fincher enlisted Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for The Social Network soundtrack, the Nine Inch Nails duo have become Hollywood’s go-to composers for exciting, vital, and haunting scores, including Challengers. Never before has tennis sounded more like the club than it does on the title track. “He wanted full-on dance music all the way through,” Ross said about director Luca Guadagnino’s vision for the score. Enjoy it while eating a churro. — J.K.
Twice — “I Got You”
Twice reached a major milestone with their 2024 EP With You-th, which became their first No. 1 release on the Billboard 200 chart. (It’s also only the third-ever release by a K-pop girl group to top the chart, after Blackpink’s Born Pink in 2022 and NewJeans’ Get Up in 2023. Decent company!) The project is led by “I Got You,” a high-tempo synth-pop number that’s a homage to the group’s friendship and dedication to each other. — D.R.
Tyler, The Creator — “Like Him”
Wolf once again addresses his estranged father on this soulful tearjerker that climaxes with a shocking revelation from his mother. Cop a tissue box for this one. — E.W.
Tyler, The Creator — “Sticky”
“Sticky,” from Tyler’s new album, Chromakopia, achieves his hit-making goals more than any other song in his catalog, while remaining true to Tyler’s brand. “Sticky” brings Sexyy Red, GloRilla, and Lil Wayne onboard for a boastful, chanting record meant for showing off your best qualities. The first half sees Tyler, Sexyy, Glo, and Wayne drop off four bars at a time to the effect of a roll call track like “Shabooya,” while the second half watches Tyler tear through his verses and run off with the crown for most braggadocious. — W.O.
Vampire Weekend — “Gen-X Cops”
Only God Was Above Us is the “noisy” VW LP, the one with distortion in place of the impeccably clean guitar lines that have defined their aesthetic since the 2008 self-titled LP. In that respect, this feels like the album’s defining song, given that screeching slide-guitar riff jumping out from a propulsive rhythmic bed that isn’t quite as chaotic as it initially seems. — S.H.
Vince Staples — “Étouffée”
In addition to being one of my favorite Creole cuisines, “Étouffée” is also the standout track from Vince’s new album, Dark Times. Highlighting the contradictions of a life lived on the edge and at the bottom (“The ghetto will trap you, but I love it”), the single succinctly sums up Staples’ musical philosophy. — A.W.
Waxahatchee — “Right Back To It”
Tigers Blood is another product of Katie Crutchfield’s union with Saint Cloud producer Brad Cook, who helped the singer-songwriter assemble a supporting cast that includes MJ Lenderman, Spencer Tweedy, and Phil Cook. Lenderman is prominently featured on the instant-classic single “Right Back To It,” lending his laconic drawl to Crutchfield’s impossibly wistful cry of a voice. It’s the kind of song you know you’ll want to play again immediately within the first 60 seconds, and again and again after that. — S.H.
Wishy — “Persuasion”
Swirling alt-rock, ’90s dream-pop, and Midwest emo come together on Wishy’s excellent debut album, Triple Seven. It finds its most concise, affecting union on “Persuasion,” which sees dual vocalists Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites trade romantic lines rife with mentions of “you” and “I.” Its brisk pace makes it all feel like a dream that cuts itself short, too good to be true. — G.S
Yard Act — “We Make Hits”
“We Make Hits” (as a phrase) is quite the statement for a band that only had two albums under its belt, but it’s also hard to fight Yard Act on that point. 2022’s The Overload established the band as stars in their native UK, and this year’s Where’s My Utopia? continues the upward trend with the absurdly catchy “We Make Hits” and more. Sounds like a hit to me. — D.R.
Zach Bryan — “Pink Skies”
“I write and record music reckless and fast,” Zach Bryan tweeted earlier this year, alluding to yet another new collection of work set to drop. This prefaced “Pink Skies,” his latest top-10 hit and another example of Bryan’s seemingly endless well for timeless songwriting. Bryan writes the kind of songs that feel like they have been in your blood for a lifetime, instantly nostalgic for the kind of music you’d hear your parents dancing to after you went to bed. They’re the kind of songs that sound best in a truck or a garage or a campground or, as is the case these days, in a basketball arena or on a football field. They hug the middle ground between specificity and generality, where you never question their meaning to Zach, even as you impart your own experiences on them. In short, “Pink Skies” is another high point for what’s been several years of high points. As reckless and fast as he keeps wanting to bring these songs, we’ll be there as long as they stay this good. — P.C.
The nominations for the 2025 Golden Globes were announced today (check out the list here), and as is often the case, music stars are well-represented.
Unsurprisingly, Ariana Grande and Wicked are among the headliners. Grande is up for Best Supporting Actress, Any Motion Picture; while the movie itself is up for Best Picture, Musical Or Comedy and Best Cinematic And Box Office Achievement; while Cynthia Erivo is nominated for Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture, Musical Or Comedy.
Selena Gomez also finds herself nominated thanks to her work in both Emilia Pérez and Only Murders In The Building: She’s nominated for Best Supporting Actress, Any Motion Picture for the former and Best Actress In A TV Series, Musical Or Comedy for the latter.
Meanwhile, the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown is nominated for Best Motion Picture, Drama and Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of Dylan earned him a nomination for Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture, Drama.
Elsewhere, Donald Glover is up for Best Performance By An Actor In A Television Series, Drama for Mr. And Mrs. Smith, and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross picked up a couple nominations for their work on the music of Challengers.
Azealia Banks and The 1975’s Matty Healy aren’t on the best of terms right now, to put it lightly. In November, the two went back and forth online after Banks shared some unflattering thoughts about Charli XCX’s performance on Saturday Night Live, and now they’re back at it again.
As NME notes, the latest round of beef started with Banks again going after Charli, writing on X (formerly Twitter), “Charli used to be soooo pretty. Ugh. Boaaa, I swear them weho gays be having the girls questioning themselves meanwhile they all scraping k off a cookie sheet, eating cold bossanova and sharing panties. Tuh.”
Healy replied, “Azealia you seem to have a blind spot when it comes to your ‘reads’. All the women you attack seem to be culturally relevant, attractive, divisive and NICE people. I think this makes you jealous cos you’re so talented but everything else about you is a failure. Just rap bro.”
Banks then continued from there with a series of tweets, including one in which she said of Charli and Healy, “You both look like you share needles.” Healy responded, “I now you think your life is some episode of the library is open but I am not the one. Talk to me like that I’m not gonna side eye you at an awards do I’m going to f*cking slap you so hard I’ll get a Guinness world record for the highest a rat some b*tch calls a wig has ever flown.”
Healy later had some regret there, as he deleted the tweet and wrote, “Nah I can’t be saying I’m gonna hit a girl that’s insane I’m sorry. You just can’t keep being so mean about my mates and my mrs it’s really hurtful gets me well defensive.”
Then, in reference to Charli and Lorde’s “Girl, So Confusing” remix, Healy tweeted, “No but we should actually sort this out on the remix @azealiaslacewig.”
Banks didn’t seem interested in a reconciliation, though, as she later tweeted that The 1975 makes “urban outfitters music for tweenies.”
So, in conclusion, Healy and Banks: still not buds.
