20 Songs That Changed 2024 (rap beef notwithstanding)
Music is the most immediate art form we collectively engage with on a daily basis. Songs and albums underpin our days, weeks, months, years and lives, whether we seek them out or hear them involuntarily. Further, in the current streaming era, we are constantly inundated with new releases, sped up/slowed down/hyperpop versions of tracks that become inescapable in the short-form video abyss. I feel this detracts from the art itself, and finding what you like can be more difficult despite the illusions of choice and access. That makes it all the more important to share one’s finds with others. Shared music taste has bonded me with so many people, and it’s an effective litmus test to determine whether someone and I would get along.
This was originally going to be a top albums list, but there’s so much music coming out from so many different genres that it didn’t feel appropriate to make sweeping judgments on which complete projects were the “best,” especially given that many albums contain up to dozens of songs these days.
Instead, here’s 20 songs I loved last year (outside of the ubiquitous Drake/Kendrick beef).
These are not in order. Songs are linked in each card and playlists are below. Enjoy!
[1] Kendrick Lamar - “tv off”
ft. Lefty Gunplay
Self-explanatory. The West Coast instrumental. The MUSTARDDDDDDDDD beat switch. He’s giving us what we asked for. Kendrick is sharp, witty, funny and absolutely skates over the beat. He’s commandeering: “It’s the alpha and omega bitch, welcome home...I cut my granny off if she don't see it how I see it.” And that repetition of “crazy, scary, spooky, hilarious” from Lefty Gunplay on the outro has remained in my subconscious since GNX dropped.
[2] Tinashe - “Nasty”
I wasn’t really tuned into Tinashe’s music like that until I heard this song. Instantly infectious, has an undeniable bounce, and soundtracked some of my favorite moments of last year. The lyrics here are so good too and she really hits that pocket in the 2nd verse. I love that this song is laid-back and danceable at the same time. Tinashe is criminally underrated — go check out her album Quantum Baby if you haven’t already.
[3] Laila! - We’re So Over!
Laila! is a young phenom. I was impressed by her music before I knew she was Mos Def’s daughter. This was my favorite song from her project. The loop is so simple but the vocal runs over it make it so hypnotic. The melody was stuck in my head for weeks at a time. Her lyrics are so simple but so powerful. “How could you want me when you don’t even care?” Say it louder for the people in the back. Oh, and I forgot to mention: her debut “Gap Year!”was self-produced. So, so talented. Excited to see what she does next.
[4] NxWorries - “KeepHer”
This was my favorite track from one of my favorite albums of the year. Anderson .Paak is at his best when he teams up with Knxwledge. This song and album came 6 years after their first collab album, and man, it delivered. The lyrics on here are tried and true but you really feel it through .Paak’s signature rasp: “You drove the knife to my pride / There's no more words to say, but goodbye.” The catchy chorus and Thundercat’s ad-libs/intro/outro really tie the track together. Divorce has never sounded this good.
[5] SiR - “Karma” ft. Isaiah Rashad
I played this song over and over and over in 2024. SiR is the king of modern R&B, off of Chasing Summer alone. I love how he paints pictures with his lyrics, and how well they’re sung and strung together. He alludes to it himself on the first verse: “I could paint a picture so wavy the boat bends / But lately, I been burning the candle at both ends.” SiR and featured Isaiah Rashad are blisteringly self-aware here, and they make it sound like child’s play. The flows are effortless, the beat knocks, and the “karma coming, karma coming, karma coming” chorus had this track stuck in my head for months after its release.
[6] Doechii - “DENIAL IS A RIVER”
I’ve been following Doechii since 2021, when she blew up off of “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake.” Three years later, she dropped this phenomenal mixtape with this standout cut. The storytelling, neck-breaking beat, and her sharp presence on the mic make this song a heater. I’m so happy to have seen her found success in 2024, and this song was a testament to her talent. I was floored in a way that I haven’t been in a long time from a song built around a story. She doesn’t waste a single bar here, and makes a song so memorable that everyone was buzzing about it when the album dropped.
[7] Dear Silas - “Nasty Work”
Can’t even remember how I found this guy — must have been an algorithmic blessing — but he was so good at making Isaiah Rashad’s kind of music that I was satisfied not getting an album from Zay off this little EP alone. This song is a standout, bringing together Silas’s Southern drawl with undeniable flows all over a decidedly Southern beat that goes crazy in the car. It stayed on repeat for me in 2024, and I hope Silas keeps making good music that scratches the itch.
[8] Beyoncé - “BODYGUARD”
I remember right when this album came out. I was in the car with my friends waiting to pick someone up, and we threw this song on at max volume. I felt like I was being lifted out of the car into heaven. I’ve never been a huge country fan, or a huge Bey fan (until Renaissance), but this track solidified it for me. Upon getting hooked onto this track, I found myself tapping my fingers, stomping my feet and belting out the lyrics with such zeal that I really felt the country in me for the first time ever. Beyoncé can really do anything.
[9] MIKE - “On God”
ft. Earl Sweatshirt & Tony Shhnow
“Stop selling phones that’s wired to the federal government” is a phrase that’s entered, left, and re-entered my head since I first heard the song. MIKE, Earl Sweatshirt and Tony Shhnow body this beat, leaving no crumbs. MIKE and Earl usually rap over either audial detritus or complicated, gestating instrumentals, so hearing their talents over a more straightforward beat turned out to be not just listenable but instantly memorable. Earl’s chorus underpins an amazing verse from MIKE and an appropriate feature from Tony. MIKE is one of the most talented emcees out there, and this track felt like a wink to the public that he can do what they’re out there doing, any time he feels like it.
[10] Tyla - “Safer”
Thank you, Tyla, for bringing amapiano to the mainstream. Everyone knows and loves “Water,” but this song is even better to me. The way the drums come in, meld with the melodies and Tyla’s angelic voice made this an amazing shower/kickback/party song all alike. The lyrics here are simple, about contemplating running back to a past lover, but the way it’s presented here really makes you forget about it by the time you hit the 2nd chorus. I’m a sucker for this amapiano/R&B hybrid instrumental, and it really stuck with me throughout the second half of 2024.
[11] Paris Texas - RökKOut
Paris Texas is making some of the most innovative, forward-thinking music out today. The punk-rap duo was riding high off their amazing 2023 album MID AIR and offered fans a taste of what’s to come with this song. Louie Pastel and Felix are such good lyricists, feeding perfectly off each others’ energy and slipping in and out of Pig Latin mid-bar like it’s nothing. They’re mixing generational curses with flexes and introspection over a late-night-drive beat that sounds almost vampiric. This song was a treat, and I can’t wait for their next album.
[12] Tyler, the Creator - Noid
I wasn’t too crazy about CHROMAKOPIA — maybe I need to revisit — but I absolutely loved this song. The guitar-driven beat, Zamrock sample and subject matter felt new and fresh to me, after years of Tyler giving us the same kind of music from the last album and deluxe. It’s a testament to his undying creativity, and this song fires on all cylinders. The paranoia-fueled lyrics in a world increasingly filled with parasociality and mass hysteria felt simultaneously perfectly-timed, organic and relevant. The video is really cool, too.
[13] tg.blk - “can’t stand it”
This song was really special to me, as I found it while going through a tough family situation. I was at my parents’ house for most of the summer, and found myself frantically driving long distances on a daily basis to keep things together. I played this song on every one of those rides without fail. It felt so empowering, boomy and bassy that it let me escape my circumstances for its quick 3-minute runtime. Would definitely recommend the artist tg.blk — she’s kaleidoscopic in her influences, background and output. But this song was just a straight-up flex anthem. It’s a perfect pick-me-up in audio form.
[14] Cash Cobain - “Fisherrr”
ft. Bay Swag
To be honest, I’m not huge on Cash Cobain’s whole catalog or his newest album, but this song still ran the summer. “Sexy drill” was done to perfection here, with Cash and Bay Swag delivering buttery-smooth flows over a muted beat that did exactly what it needed to do. I love the B-side (dunk contest) as well. And this beat from Cash, not from YouTube.
[15] Future, Metro Boomin -
“Came to the Party”
Future’s moment got overshadowed by the rap beef. He had 3 #1 albums chock full of songs ranging widely in quality. This was definitely one of the hits, though. Simple concept, sleek beat, and doesn’t overstay its welcome. Songs like this remind me why and how Future is still on top commercially. His music just makes sense. It’s immediate, no-nonsense and so catchy that you can’t get his phrases or adlibs or hooks out of your mind. One of my friends had the entirety of WE DON’T TRUST YOU in his 2024 Apple Music Wrapped, and for good reason. “Came to the party for the photos.” Obviously!
[16] Freddie Gibbs - “Rabbit Island”
Gangsta Gibbs really came through with this album. He’s doing what he does best on this song — finding every pocket in a riveting, urgent beat and making the instrumental work for him. Many of his contemporaries find themselves getting carried by production, but Gibbs can really rap. “I never crash out, I got my life set on autopilot.” It’s effortless.
[17] Hiatus Kaiyote - “Telescope”
Hiatus Kaiyote is one of those artists whose music feels like an experience. The instrumental here is minimalist compared to the rest of their catalog, meaning it’s still lush and full, but relies more on vocalist Nai Palm’s insane melodies to carry the track. The lyrics are based on each of the artist’s birthdays and what can be seen through the Hubble telescope on those days. The concept is executed so masterfully, and the song feels like a warm hug. I can’t wait for the weather to get better so I can play this into 2025 and beyond.
[18] Ab-Soul - “All That”
ft. JasonMartin, Thirsty P
There’s a lot of TDE artists on this list, and for good reason. They’re absolutely killing it in the artist development department right now. Soulo came back with a vengeance in 2024. I grabbed the aux and played this song at so many parties, and even at a bar, this past fall. People had to hear it. One wouldn’t typically associate Ab-Soul with “bangers,” but he delivered just that on this one. The features on this track really came through, too. I’m here for the West Coast revival.
[19] SZA - “Saturn - Live”
Having been a SZA fan since 2014, I’ve always longed for more of that escapist vibe from her early music to seep through to her current output. This song, and specifically the live version, was just that. SZA here is spacey and philosophical, longing to be transported away from earthly problems to another dimension where they don’t exist anymore. The trappings of fame have her bored: “Nirvana's not as advertised / There's got to be more, been here before.” Removed from the topical, confessional Ctrl and SOS, this song brings me back to her existential roots, and does so masterfully.
[20] Leon Thomas - “MUTT”
I’m so, so sorry I ever slept on your music, Leon Thomas. This track and the album it’s named after are SO good. Everyone has heard this song at this point, but it felt too good not to include. It’s an anachronism, sounding old-school and modern and futuristic all at the same time. The violins in the intro really set the tone. The melodies he finds on here are crazy. I sing the hook to myself alllll the time. The Freddie Gibbs remix is amazing, too. We need more R&B like this in 2025.
