Top 10 Songs of 2024
We're a little under two weeks until the new year, so I want to take a look back on my top songs of 2024.
With an interest in music across all genres, I’ve put together the list of my top songs of 2024. Hope you find something you like!
Honorable Mention: “Best For You and Me” - Helado Negro (4AD)
Released as a single for his most recent record PHASOR, Helado Negro’s “Best for You and Me” remains a standout of the year as Roberto mourns his parents’ marriage breaking down and searches for some reprieve by simply gazing up into the night sky. “Looking at the moon way too long,” he repeats over and over; it’s a quick lyric anyone would instantly gravitate to but given the circumstances holds sincere healing and nostalgic elements to it. It’s a track that feels magical despite the heartbreak and relishes in the simplicity of a moment so sacred and so common, a moment many of us have shared where the only thing that can offer guidance or rest is the moon herself. It’s a gorgeous track with stunning and at times delicate piano keys and a melody that could put a temporary smile on most anyone, no matter the gravity at hand.
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10.) “Faith’s Late” - Nilüfer Yanya (Ninja Tune)
In the middle of her latest - and phenomenal - record My Method Actor, Nilüfer Yanya has a run of four powerfully exceptional and softer songs that culminate into the stunning “Faith’s Late,” which tackles the feelings of unbelonging in relationships and in the world at large and how the they can so easily play off each other. Throughout the song, she stares her partner down and wonders how to even begin to ask for trust in intentionally abstract verses and choruses that never seem to fully reveal themselves in her classically ambiguous yet poignant songwriting. However, it’s the melody that takes center stage and continues to move the conversation along, both in her head and in person, until the eventual string section comes in to break the intensity for a moment of fated clarity. The entire track is an ode to the utter complication that life and inviting others into it can bring, and it’s carried out with such honesty and care, standing as one of the highlights the record and of Yanya’s entire catalogue.
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9.) “Jupiter’s Faerie” - Johnny Blue Skies/Sturgill Simpson (High Top Mountain)
Many outlaw country songs revolve around the similar themes of loss, disaffection, regret, heartbreak, and of course, grief, and on the best track off Sturgill Simpson’s newest record Passage du Desir, released under his new moniker Johnny Blue Skies, he writes one of his most heartbreaking and important songs about a former friend who passed away from suicide. He walks us through the narrative of the decline of their friendship, the inevitable intent to reach out, and ultimately finding out the news, releasing bits of this information through incredibly written verses and in a chorus that’s belt out in an agonizing display of grief, despair, and ultimately grace for himself and for his late friend. The gorgeous and nuanced metaphor in the title of the song and the heartbreak in Simpson’s voice come together as a standout moment for music this year, as well as a shoulder to cry on (or with) for anyone who’s lost a loved one no matter the cause.
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8.) Igual Que Un Ángel (with Peso Pluma) - Kali Uchis (Geffen)
It’s hard to imagine this year without Kali Uchis and Peso Pluma dominating the Latin music scene, both separately and with their joint song of the year contender “Igual Que Un Ángel,” a pulsating disco tinged anthem whose infectious beat and incredibly sincere and catchy chorus could get anyone running to the dance floor. Released in January, the song took on a life of its own, bringing in Mexico’s most streamed artist of the year and once again bridging the gap Kali has been working actively to prove shouldn’t exist between her United States and Colombian roots. It’s a gorgeous collaboration from two of the world’s biggest stars that reaches highs anyone could want from a pop song and keeps Spanish sung and Latin made music in the global spotlight.
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7.) “oração do mar” - sonhos tomam conta (Longinus)
Wrapped in grief and despair, Lua Viana’s “oração do mar” (translated as “sea’s prayer”) is a moment of spiritual release and a plea to the world around her as she mourns her late friend. The second song and first single off her incredible album corpos de agua, “oração do mar” acts as almost a thesis for the record that dissects finding equilibrium with and trust in the ocean and nature for guidance after trauma. It’s a stunning and captivating track that crashes like the waves she finds herself drowning in, where the lyrics speak of dissolving into the ocean and completely fading from existence while never feeling more alive because of it. She touches on the complexity of trauma and how the personal and political can be so intertwined, given the scope of the increasingly hostile climate for queer and trans people in her home Brazil, the environmental crisis, and the loss of her friend, all of which she finds herself grieving and writing from the center of.
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6.) “Good Luck, Babe!” - Chappell Roan (Amusement/Island Records)
It was nearly impossible to escape the Chappell Roan phenomenon (no pun intended) of this last year and the slow burn turned wildfire that her debut record The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess created. And even with all the hype, the eventual media drama, and the inflated controversies that left her unfairly villainized, the unforgettable single from the midst of it all stands as an absolute highlight of the year. “Good Luck, Babe!” for what it’s worth is an incredible display of queer storytelling, taking the classic tropes of many major pop songs and flipping them on their heals (pun intended) for the all too familiar story of a former lover, stranger, or even friend moving further into the closet under the near constant weight of heterosexuality. To see the world welcome and engage with this piece of work written and performed by a lesbian about her own experiences on such a large scale is something that, even if it now feels overplayed or borderline coopted by straight women, is still worth celebrating. And lest we forget about one of the most memorable bridges of recent years that, even on the 800th play of the day, could have anyone screaming “When you wake next to him in the middle of the night!!!!” with as much conviction as it would take to wake someone up and help them out of the closet.
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5.) “Chrome Dome” - Jeff Parker & ETA IVtet (International Anthem / Nonesuch)
On their remarkable live record The Way Out of Easy, acclaimed musician Jeff Parker is joined by the rest of the ETA IVtet, the band he used to perform with at the ETA Los Angeles every Monday night for seven years until it closed in 2023, for an incredible four song ride that expands and contracts over the course of nearly an hour and twenty minutes. The final song on the record is the stunning and magnetic “Chrome Dome” that brings the album to a spectacular close with a fluid and dynamic arrangement that feels both tastefully understated at times and nearly rejuvenating at others. It’s a piece of art that could be played for hours on end and seemingly not be enough, where Parker’s immense talent and knack for lively, rhythmic, and experimental compositions shine - but this time in the presence of his friends and in a club that no longer exists but still holds many wonderful memories for them all. It’s a unique recording that captures the trust musicians can build with each other through years of playing together, as well as, and maybe even more importantly, the magic and sentimentality that come with these smaller music venues, especially in this modern age where so many are closing.
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4.) “She’s Leaving You” - MJ Lenderman (Anti)
In this age of widespread male radicalization, the wild west of the internet, and a general absurdity that’s seeping into every social corner of this post pandemic world, much of the popular music landscape hasn’t been able to keep up with the exact struggles facing its audience. However, Jake “MJ” Lenderman seems to be one voice trying to make sense of the senselessness and attempt to piece together at least some parts of this incomplete puzzle. The Gen Z folk rocker from Asheville, North Carolina, offers some tough love in a nuanced and observational song that so perfectly teeters between the political and the personal, as he tells the tale of a middle-aged man caught cheating and who chooses to double down on his actions in some moment of toxic masculinity. “Go rent a Ferrari…believe that Clapton was the second coming,” Lenderman half heartedly jokes, referencing the celebrated musician and bigot who’s become somewhat of a figurehead of misbehaved, unapologetic men. Still, it’s one line from a whole song with more nuance to it than it would ever initially let on, touching on the growing political and social divide between cishet men and women - and yet the song is in first person in perhaps some recognition of the humanity of the situation. “It falls apart, we all got work to do,” Jake offers up in a moment of empathy that will nonetheless go ignored. It’s a brilliant display of songwriting that’s both complex and straightforward and ultimately leaves the listener (and the man in the story) with the clear and irrefutable fact: she’s gonna leave you if you act like that.
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3.) “Government Cheque” - Cindy Lee (Realistik Studios)
Comparing the dependence on someone else’s love to government assistance is something that is both immediately striking but also if done improperly or half heartedly could easily be forgettable or inconsequential. However, on the magnificent lofi rock project that is Diamond Jubilee, Cindy Lee transports us to another time and place on this heartbreaking and moving number that tackles the impermanent nature of love in the scope of an ever-changing life and an ever-changing self. Singing through what feels like an old radio transmitter from the 1970s, the song catches the record at a remarkably softer, more introverted point. “I can’t go on living in the way that I do, I can’t go on living without you,” Cindy grieves in their somewhat ghostly vocals in what feels like a sucker punch for anyone who’s ever hit rock bottom and been in clear need of an ending to a relationship or period of their life they still have so much stake in - and let alone no clear path out of. It’s a song that takes place in its own nostalgia and regret, offering both reprieve and even a bit of motivation as it captures the essence of a such elusive and transient but ultimately gorgeous and involved record.
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2.) “M M M” - Still House Plants (Bison)
“I wish I was called Makita. Like, I just want my friends to get me, I just want to be seen right,” the lead vocalist Jess Hickie-Kallenbach nearly moans over and over in one of the most memorable deliveries in recent years. It’s the opening track to the band’s third record, and Jess’ deep raspy yet steady voice immediately sets the tone in a near release of pain and distress that’s still able to convey incredible warmth. The song tackles connection, separation, and how to feel known in intimacy, whether platonic, familial, or romantic, and even after multiple listens, the track can still feel unfamiliar, challenging, or nondescript. It’s an intriguing piece of art with a notable depth to it that touches on some of the most foundational themes of young adulthood with an alluring and ultimately brilliant nuance.
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1.) “Right Back To It (feat. MJ Lenderman)” - Waxahatchee (Anti)
(The following essay was an original piece published on this substack on February 3rd, 2024. Find the original post here.)
The last time Waxahatchee dropped a solo record, the world had pretty much stopped along with it. The band’s 5th LP Saint Cloud came just two weeks after the initial lockdowns of March 2020. An album surrendering itself to grief and metamorphosis, its themes were welcomed by a society rightfully caught up in the worst and ruminating on all things existential.
The record dissects band mastermind, vocalist, songwriter, founder (etc.) Katie Crutchfield’s then recent journey with sobriety, tackling burning questions such as how does one keep going, let alone feel whole, in broken world? How can we reconcile new and old relationships as someone we are both shedding and becoming at the same time? And what can lastingly sustain a bond between two people, whether it be in friendship or romance? The record never gives any absolute answers, rather offering glimpses of hard-won wisdom in its heart wrung melodies and lyrics that double as poetry, so revelatory and potent they can have you coming back years later for any last bits of insight still hiding away.
Now, nearly 4 years later and with a side project released in between, Waxahatchee returns as the main artist with Katie at the forefront singing, “If I can keep up, we’ll get right back to it.” At its most straightforward, the song is a dedication to enduring love and a sentimental reminder of how quickly life moves, whether we’re paying close attention to it or not. But, as with most Crutchfield songs, there’s an “if” involved, alluding to her own predilection for and inclination towards the harder, more complex emotions - as well as her willingness to accept the fault for them, justly or not.
Featuring the fresh folk rock powerhouse Jake “MJ” Lenderman, the song also nods to the changing landscape of the music scene since Saint Cloud was released. Whole bands formed and dissolved, careers taking off and others falling apart, tours under unimaginable conditions with many musicians never making it back to the stage. The simple feature acts as a reference to where the band - and whole industry - has been, while connecting them to the right now and the journey it’s taken to get here. Katie and Jake’s distinct voices harmonizing feels like a surge of established and rising indie folk coming together for a moment of collaboration and kinship.
Sonically, the song is reminiscent of a warm southern evening by the lake, with the harsher lyrics begging for forgiveness and endurance in the face of a good but recalcitrant soul. “Lick a wound that was not ever mine,” Katie wrangles in the painstaking and cathartic melody, as she’s once again consumed by the anxiety of it all. But then the chorus hits, bringing the breakthrough that in the presence of someone who really knows her - or even in the presence of some sort of personal touchstone from another seemingly better, more familiar time, whether it be a place once called home, a song carrying more meaning than its lyrics let on, or the book that changed it all - there’s a chance to lean on them for a moment’s reconnection and pull through.
And so as the guitar melody and instrumentals end the song, the space where the two’s vocals once existed easily fills with the listeners’ own thoughts and memories, stirred up by the themes at hand. It’s not hard to identify Katie’s “if”s in our own lives, but there’s an established hope at this point, instilling a bit of faith in ourselves to get through and find some sense of our own reconnection - at least for the moment, if not for the lingering hours or days until we hit play again.