This past summer’s music charts were dominated by the pop queens. With “brat summer,” the Sabrina Carpenter effect, and the world domination of Chappell Roan, there is no denying that pop music has never been more alive.
Established veteran artists like Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Ariana Grande are all on the scene with new releases, but new artists have also been on the rise making cultural impacts.
The artist to keep an eye on: Chappell Roan. In 2023, Roan was getting 130,000 daily streams on Spotify; a year later, she is now up to 16 million daily streams. Roan’s special media footprint dates back a couple of years. On TikTok, she used to promote her music with occasional makeup tutorials and now she has cultivated the viral dance for her song “Hot To Go!”
Roan began the year opening for Olivia Rodrigo on the Guts tour, then making impactful performances and appearances at The Governors Ball Music Festival and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Since then, Roan won Best New Artist at the Video Music Awards and is considered a front-runner for the Grammy’s Best New Artist Award.
Other artists like Gracie Abrams and Sabrina Carpenter who have opened for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour saw new success following the releases of their summer albums “The Secret of Us” and “Short n’ Sweet,” respectively.
Gracie Abrams’ sophomore album “The Secret of Us” debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 – second only to Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” – and reached number one on the U.K. Albums Chart. The record is a beautiful exploration of heartbreak, guilt, and vulnerabilities that are challenging to openly discuss.
Abrams began recording and uploading demos on SoundCloud when she was 13, but it was not until the Covid-19 pandemic that her music career took its first big leap. With the release of her first EP “minor” and debut album “Good Riddance,” Abrams achieved her first Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Abrams is currently touring her sophomore album and is scheduled to open for Taylor Swift’s second U.S. leg of the Eras Tour.
Another Eras Tour opener has been making sweet headlines this summer: Sabrina Carpenter. Carpenter took on acting roles in her pre-teen years, gaining notable appearances in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “Girl Meets World.” Carpenter’s most success came from her recent releases of her fifth and sixth studio albums “Emails I Can’t Send” and “Short n’ Sweet.” Her single “Espresso” peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has become a defining tune of 2024’s summer pop landscape.
And of course, it could not be a female pop summer without Charli XCX. Charli has been on the music scene for over a decade, but has made significant cultural impact with her sixth studio album “brat.” The term “brat summer” became a meme-ified cultural phenomenon, attributing the power of social media. One of the most compelling aspects of brat summer is its rebellion against the pressure to maintain a perfect, curated online presence. Now, Charli is gearing up for her Sweat Tour this fall with fellow pop icon Troye Sivan.
Led by the next generation of female pop artists, 2024 is on track to being named one of the most influential and impactful years in music.