Singles Eligibility: I deemed eligible any single (be it radio, streaming, or video singles) released during the calendar year, or those released during 2023 that reached either their chart peak or greatest obvious visibility in 2024. Additionally, for the sake of variety, the number of singles entries is limited to one proper single per artist. However, an artist can appear multiple times if they were on a feature or collaboration with a different lead artist.
25) Jack White- “That’s How I’m Feeling” (Third Man)
The master of modern rock ferocity returned with a raucous anthem that immediately earned its place at the pinnacle of his impressive catalog. “Feeling” absolutely roars and screams at you in a way that only a classic Jack White record can, as the enigmatic superstar delivers every ounce of sweaty, trademark intensity that he can muster. The fact that it’s also backdropped by a no-frills cascade of classic garage rock guitar riffs makes it all the better, purely highlighting all of these other key qualities without any of the bells and whistles that define alternative music in the 21st century. Loud, greasy rock & roll. Pure and simple.
24) Post Malone and Morgan Wallen- “I Had Some Help” (Republic)
One of the most inescapable ear-worms of the year, as well as 2024’s undeniable song of the summer, and for good reason. Malone and Wallen’s charismatic and palpable buddy-chemistry is utterly irresistible, even if it doesn’t really track with the narrative POV of the song. It doesn’t really matter; the record is simply spilling over with effortessly bright pop energy. It’s a sturdy entry into the lexicon of great crossover smashes, further strengthening each man’s toe-dipping into the other’s respective genre, while also extending country music’s 2020s moment at the top of the pop mountain.
23) Yola- “Symphony” (Easy Eye Sound)
To say that Yola’s nearly three-year absence was a calm before a storm may be the understatement of the year, an argument solidified by this beautiful beast of a record. “Symphony” passionately trumpets the return from one of today’s most captivating artistic talents, with its fierce amalgamation of rock, soul, and R&B. The Americana favorite had already proven that there is simply no single sound or genre that can contain her powerhouse voice and talents, and it’s clear that theme will continue to be boldly displayed on her newest era of music. Her new project is easily one of 2025’s most eagerly awaited.
22) The Secret Sisters- “Same Water” (New West)
For a decade and a half now, the sweet and supple harmonies of The Secret Sisters have been among both the most comforting and sobering sounds across all categories of popular music. This has arguably never been more evident in their catalog as it is on “Same Water”. As the title suggests right out of the gate, this is a song of unity written for one of the most divisive times in history. But as is typically the case with these Sisters, the most impactful moments of emotional power arrive in the most subtle nuances. In this instance, it’s the fact that the hook of the chorus is that we’re not all swimming in the same water, but rather that we’re drowning. The weight of that lyric only further intensified as the political tension of the country escalated throughout the year.
21) Katie Pruitt- “White Lies, White Jesus and You” (Rounder)
The startlingly impressive culmination of all the unique greatness that Katie Pruitt’s heretofore catalog had been hinting at since her impressive 2020 debut. This is an intensely beautiful declaration of independence from all of the hypocrisy, judgment, and prejudice that can cast the cloud over one’s struggle to discover, accept, and ultimately embrace their own identity. The harrowing conflict depicted in the third verse makes the track not just an LGBTQ-anthem, but one for anyone who’s brave enough to risk it all to be true to themselves.
20) Shawn Mendes- “Why, Why, Why” (Island)
Mendes’ return single, and the entire album that surrounds it, serves as a moment of transformation for the pop heartthrob. It’s the evolution of a one-time teen-sensation into the full-bodied artistic force that his talent always suggested he was capable of becoming. And to be fair, this artistic vulnerability and confessional bravery is nothing new for Mendes; it was the definitive hallmark of one of his greatest chart successes in 2018’s “In My Blood”. But with his sound stripped down and reframed within a 2010s folk-rock backdrop, this serves as one of the most impressive artistic rebirths in recent pop history.
19) Carly Pearce- “Truck on Fire” (Big Machine)
Pearce resurrects the scorned-woman’s revenge trope from the 2000’s country hit-parade with confidence and perfection on this infectious delight. It strikes a perfect balance between polished contagion and rootsy sonics, and her vocal delivery is vibrantly colored with elements of coy bitterness and sassy indignation. What I love most is that, while this is Hummingbird’s obvious token bid for radio play, it doesn’t once sacrifice the grassy aesthetic of the album’s sound, stacking this one to the brims with steel and fiddle. Her mainstream profile has taken a backseat recently to the Laineys and Megans of the moment, but make no mistake Carly remains the cream of Music City’s current female crop.
18) Lucius- “Old Tape” (Mom + Pop)
It’s beyond cliche at this point to label any record by Lucius as a revelation, but that’s precisely what they delivered for the upteenth time with this marvelously hair-raising launch to their long-gestating new era. A deliciously brooding roots-rock palate provides a warm and contrasting varnish to their piercing, golden harmonies. The resulting combination serves as the perfect setting for the gorgeously bittersweet tones of nostalgia beating at the heart of the song’s story. I could get lost in their music for eternity.
17) Dua Lipa- “Houdini” (Warner)
A dazzling and intoxicating return from the dance dynamo who practically single-handedly got us through those halycon pandemic days. “Houdini” emphatically proved what last year’s Barbie success had merely suggested: that Dua Lipa’s magical pop wonders had done anything but disappear in the intervening years between studio sets. In suave fashion, she injects subtle psychedelic rock flourishes into her signature sound, and it only increases the glitzy bad-assery of her potent sonic wizardry. She sounds as entrancing here as ever before, and baby, that’s saying something.
16) Dawes- “House Parties” (Dead Ringers)
At the very core of their entire catalog has always been a deliriously sardonic tongue-in-cheek, and it’s in gloriously prime display on their initial bow as a duo. “House Parties” was written precisely for those socially averse, introverted home bodies with a low tolerance for human interaction. But, as in-tune as ever with their long-standing band brand, the Goldsmiths deliver it all with an amiable breeziness and sarcasm, buoyed by eye-popping lyrical quips. Ultimately, it effortlessly engages listeners of all social capacities to joyfully sing along.
15) Amythyst Kiah featuring SG Goodman- “Play God and Destroy the World” (Rounder)
Joined by the excellent SG Goodman on this astonishing roots-rock duet, Amythyst Kiah further establishes herself as an important and socially-conscious voice for these times, and one that increasingly sounds like its coming to us from a mythical universe. Kiah is well aware that her vocal gift is one that has a commanding and earthquaking presence, and how refreshing it is to hear her deliberately use that power for purposeful art. This record is a stunning jolt to your senses, chief among them your sense of place within today’s troubled world. But just as she sings, there is plenty of green to be found in the darkness of both this record, and the world as a whole.
14) Willie Nelson- “Last Leaf” (Legacy)
We’d be remiss not to painfully realize that there is ultimately a year on the not-too-distant horizon where Willie Nelson won’t be around to grace us with some of the best music we could ask for. And while this song finds the Red Headed Stranger professing to remain with us through eternity, he himself seems to be increasingly aware that this will be true for his music, but not for his physical self. Much like Johnny Cash’s latter-day recordings, this sense of mortality only further amplifies the power of Nelson’s performances, with his increasingly frail voice providing a bitterly beautiful element to his singing. He’s a timeless icon clearly intent on delivering great music until the very end, and what a gift these recordings are for us as listeners.
13) Shaboozey- “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (Empire)
There’s been a laundry list of artists that have tried for the past several decades to score a true cultural moment by merging country music and Hip Hop. Lil Nas X accomplished this to an impressive extent with “Old Town Road” five years ago, but nobody had truly accomplished a full-fledged conquering of this mountain until Shaboozey released “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” this past spring. The music world got more than just a little tipsy on this track, with it becoming a certified smash across the wide spectrums of metrics that exist in 2024, from outdated dinosaurs like country radio to streaming and viral benchmarks across all categories. So, what was the secret to Shaboozey’s success? Probably the fact that he delivers the song with such a steady and nuanced presence, and a confident lack of self-awareness. Unlike predecessor attempts at this style that were rife with crass overcompensation and crutches of gimmickry, he rightfully delivers his genre-blending here without a single consideration as to the styles ever not belonging together.
12) Foster the People- “Lost in Space” (Atlantic)
Speaking of stylistic collisions that succeed precisely for the sheer conspicuous nature of their audacity, enter “Lost in Space”, a head-spinning combination of disco, funk, and psychedelia. It’s all presented within the unique and expansive alt-rock confines of Foster the People’s signature sonic vision, which we’d be a bit foolish to forget walked on the mainstream charts so that Twenty One Pilots’ catalog could run. Besides being just flat-out hypnotic, it’s one of those insatiably fun records that offers a seemingly endless trove of little discoveries with each subsequent spin. This is alternative music’s golden goose of 2024 right here.
11) Dan & Shay- “Bigger Houses” (Warner)
Well folks, this was definitely not on my 2024 bingo card, but dammit if Dan & Shay didn’t hit me in my feels with this one, nearly making into our coveted top ten. And look, these two have always possessed some mighty fine voices, but they’ve never been given the opportunity to shine like they do here. These dudes were born to harmonize against a mandolin! But, it’s the message of the song that is the true hero and benefactor of the stripped production. There have been countless songs written about prioritizing love over materialism, especially in the country wheelhouse. Maybe it’s a timing thing for my own life personally, but few such efforts have resonated with me as remarkably profoundly as “Bigger Houses”. More like this, please D&S!
10) Wyatt Flores- “Running Out of Time” (Universal)
Flores is rightfully receiving plenty of breakthrough praise for the debut album he dropped this fall, but you’d be a fool to overlook the series of original EPs that he released prior to that. His explosive talent was fully on display on these releases, as best exemplified by this beautiful rumination on the passage of time and life’s fleeting nature. Again, similar to “Bigger Houses” above, artists have been waxing poetic on these topics since the beginning of commercial music. What sets Flores’ rendition apart is the sheer passion he sings it with. By the end of the track, he’s flat out pleading with the listener not to take their time for granted. And this line: “Most people die at twenty-seven, get buried at seventy-two”? The most prophetic lyric of the year, and maybe, the decade.
9) Noah Kahan- “Stick Season” (Republic)
As Noah Kahan’s 2022 album took on a grassroots movement of success throughout 2023, his music organically ignited a revival of the new folk-rock craze that shot acts like Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers to superstardom in the early 2010s. As an admitted fanboy of that era of music, Kahan’s chart dominance was a sentimental favorite among the pop music stories of 2024. It simply never gets old to hear a raw talent like Kahan, with instrumentally-driven but equally infectious music, get their flowers. May there be many, many more stick seasons ahead.
8) Zach Bryan- “Pink Skies” (Warner)
Zach Bryan’s ascendence among the lofty ranks of today’s truly great singer-songwriters reached a new benchmark with this beautiful portrait of the aftermath of a parent’s passing. Like all great songwriters, the strongest suit of Bryan’s storytelling is his gift with intimate imagery, of which every inch of this record is graced with. From the bittersweet memories encountered while cleaning and packing up the departed’s home, to the funeral gathering, to imagining his loved one’s thunderous entrance into Heaven, it all paints a beautifully layered portrait of the person lost. This song is more than a simple eulogy, it’s an all out celebration of a vibrant life lived by a vibrant individual.
7) Beyonce and Miley Cyrus- “II Most Wanted” (Columbia)
Sorry, “Texas Hold’Em”, this will forever be the ultimate Cowboy Carter single in my world. Vocally, it’s one of most sublime moments in the present pop music era. Ditto for the country universe as well. The blend between their two voices is to die for, and is refreshingly given its proper showcase via a rustic palate of mostly acoustics, and perfectly emotive electric riffs that never overstay their welcome. It’s easily one of the most under-appreciated singles of the year; I’m still astonished it wasn’t a smash. But it matters not; “II Most Wanted” will live on as a dark-horse highlight in the catalogs of both ladies.
6) Sabrina Carpenter- “Espresso” (Island)
“My give a fucks are on vacation.” Preach, Sabrina. Seriously though, Carpenter is one of the most charming pop arrivals in a generation, and all of the reasons why are perfectly packaged into this runaway smash. Her fetching way of concocting sonic blends, her cunning writing style, her comedic timing, and unapologetic sexual autonomy all coalesce into an addictive barrage of pop perfection. It’s no wonder both caffeine addicts and coffee-haters alike couldn’t get enough shots of this. Her two follow-up singles were equally entertaining, giving Carpenter a certifiable hat-trick before year’s end.
5) The Decemberists- “Long White Veil” (YABB)
This is classic folk-rock magic right here, the kind of song and performance that stacks right up there with the Buffalo, Byrds, and Burritos classics from that golden era during the back half of the sixties. Colin Meloy delivers a ruggedly soulful vocal performance worthy of Stills, Young, McGuinn, and Parsons, particularly on the impassioned chorus where the song’s devastating morbidity truly comes to life. Like a classic painting, the rich combination of jangly guitars and weeping steel brings the entire record together in gorgeously colorful and dramatic fashion. The Decemberists have always stayed consistent throughout their catalog, but this is easily their highest watermark since “Down By the River” more than a dozen years ago.
4) Sierra Ferrell- “American Dreaming” (Rounder)
A career-making performance from a prodigious talent who has been quietly casting a spell on the Americana circuit for several years now. A richly textured record graced with exquisite bluegrass musicianship and anchored by a vocal performance that is equal parts tender and soaring, Ferrell taps into the restlessly troubled spirit of the modern-day American dream. But while she thankfully doesn’t pander to the jingoistic and short-sighted stereotypes that dozens of mainstream songs with similar titling would have, her delivery is still not completely void of the hope and perseverance that is deeply needed in today’s societal climate.
3) Chappell Roan- “Good Luck, Babe!” (Island)
I shamefully overlooked Chappell Roan’s excellent debut album when compiling last year’s Best Of, but I would not be making the same mistake this year. Not that I would have been able to forget or escape “Good Luck, Babe!” this year if I had wanted to….but, who the hell would want to?! This glitzy, scintillating kiss-off number is 2020s pop music of the highest order. Her soaring performance on the blood-rushing chorus is so intertwined with both dismissive confidence and bitter heartache, but the true show-stealer is the spit-fire bridge: “When you wake up next to him in the middle of the night, with your head in your hands, you’re nothing more than his wife. And when you think about me, all of those years ago, you’re standing face to face with “I told you so!”. The way she so pain-strickenly eviscerates her lover for deciding that their feelings for one another was not enough motivation to stop living a false identity? That right there is the stuff that pop magic is made of, folks.
2) Ariana Grande- “Yes, And?” (Republic)
“Yes, And?” launched 2024 in terms of becoming the first bona-fide pop smash of the year, and nearly twelve months later, it remains among the last ones standing. Its limitless durability can be accredited to a litany of alluring qualities, among them Grande’s ever-charming vocal power, her unassuming yet suggestively saucy deliveries, an endless army of captivating house beats, and an unwavering sense of self-love and independence. It all builds to a fever pitch of pop music euphoria, while immediately establishing itself as a new dance classic, and a refreshingly modern empowerment anthem for the ages.
1) Kacey Musgraves- “The Architect” (MCA)
A the emotional epicenter to the album that returned Kacey Musgraves to her singer-songwriter origins, it should come as no surprise given her track-record that “The Architect” reigns as not only the year’s best single, but also it’s most impactful song. Backed by a simple acoustic guitar, it finds Musgraves grappling with the meaning and purpose of life itself. She does this by way of a conversation with the world’s creator, all the while questioning whether such a creator even exists. And while that premise on its own is undeniably beautiful, it’s the second verse where the song really reaches its next level, as Musgraves ponders her perceived flaws of her own bodily design. In one seamlessly poetic swoop, she once again proves her lyrical mettle by capturing humanity’s most common concerns and battles on both a universal, and intimately personal scale. She does all of this with a graceful combination of humility and vulnerability. But most importantly, also with acknowledgement that all of us struggle with the answers, and with the sense that it’d be grossly egregious to let anyone else have the arrogance to think otherwise. To hear this song during a time when our society seems more determined than ever to implode based on differing beliefs, is nothing short of soul-cleansing. But, the dialogue depicted by “The Architect” is an ever-timeless and universal one that could have resonated generations ago, and will continue to generations from now. Which is why Kacey Musgraves remains among the truly great musical scribes of our time.
Previous: Part I
The 706 