2024 was a fantastic year for music, so I thought I’d recommend some songs I liked just in case you missed them. Hopefully, most of them are new to you, but if not, then I think you have great taste in music. In no particular order, these are some of my favourite songs from 2024.
“Espresso” — Sabrina Carpenter
Alright not really (still a good song though).
“Elephant”— 070 Shake
Even if you didn’t know it, you’ve probably heard 070 Shake’s voice before. She’s featured on huge songs such as “Ghost Town” by Kanye West and “Escapism” by RAYE. Despite not quite breaking through to the mainstream yet, that hasn’t stopped her from consistently releasing great music. “Elephant” from her 2024 album Petrichor shows off everything I love about her music. If you like amazing production and unique voices, check her out.
“Killing Time” — Magdalena Bay
Big music fans may have heard the name Magdalena Bay at some point in recent memory, for good reason. Matt and Mica, the duo that makes up Magdalena Bay, have created something special with Imaginal Disk (and this song specifically). They blend so many genres that they’ve created a new one; transitioning from soft, smooth chords to grungy, distorted guitar makes this song super addicting. If you haven’t heard this song, do yourself a favour and give it a try! Imaginal Disk was my favourite album of the year for a reason.
“Maybe One Day” — Mina Okabe
Fans of Clairo and Laufey—this ones for you. While a little more upbeat than a majority of Laufey’s songs, Okabe rides a similar line. Overall the song is just super chill, which made it easy to feature on this list. It’s hard to say much more than that, so I’d rather let the song speak for itself.
“paris” — Mikayla Geier
This is another relaxing pick. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mikayla Geier started to get more popular in the next few years, as her natural songwriting ability really shines on songs like this one. If you have some time to spare, I recommend giving her album, here we go again… a full listen. At only 26 minutes long, it’s a soothing album to listen to when you’re walking to class or just grabbing some groceries.
“Burning Rubber” — Jordan Ward
Jordan Ward has a knack for writing earworms. His songs get stuck in your head for days and “Burning Rubber” is no exception. He’s figured out the flow that works for him, and while some might think that’s a problem, I’d have to disagree. This song is a must on any summer playlist, especially if you’re driving.
“Baddy On The Floor” — Jamie xx
Here’s a new song for your pre-games. I always find it impressive when a song without lyrics can be as catchy as this song is. For a few days after I first heard it, I was listening to this song four or five times daily, because I could not get it out of my head. I need to hear more disco influence in EDM, because “Baddy On The Floor” is a testament to how good that combination of genres can be.
“Happy World” — Debbii Dawson
This track takes heavy inspiration from ABBA. The bassline and guitar on this track are both stellar, which already makes this song great, but Dawson’s voice on top just helps solidify that.
“Human Sacrifice” — Childish Gambino
Childish Gambino isn’t exactly an underground artist, but I don’t think a lot of people know he released two albums in 2024. Before Bando Stone and The New World, he released Atavista; a remastered version of his 2020 album aptly titled 3.15.20. While almost all of the songs were on the original version, “Human Sacrifice” wasn’t.
This song has a bit of a story regarding its release. He first debuted the song at his stop in Vancouver for the This is America Tour in 2018. Clearly, I’ve been waiting a while for the official release (up until Atavista I’d been relying on camrips of various performances). The released version didn’t disappoint; this song has all of the talent and vocal ability I’ve come to expect from Gambino, and comes packaged in one of the most overlooked albums of the year.
“Little Homies” — Vince Staples
There were so many great hip-hop records released in 2024, but Dark Times by Vince Staples stayed in my rotation despite being released earlier in the year. “Little Homies” is a prime example as to why Staples has been able to stay relevant throughout his nearly decade-long career. The album itself tackles various social issues such as police brutality and racial discrimination. This track shows that even when the topics are dark, Staples is able to make it an oddly easy listen.
“Echo” — The Marías
The Marias got a lot of exposure in late 2024 opening for Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour in December. This track is a good example of why they were chosen to open for Eilish. Their songs have a similar vibe to Eilish which made them a great pick for the tour. While all of their album Submarine is worth listening to, “Echo” is a good temperature check to see if the rest of their songs are for you. If you liked HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, you’ll find something to enjoy from The Marías.
A link to a Spotify playlist with all the tracks listed above is available here.