My Top 75 Songs of 2024
2023 was a year influenced by African music and Afrobeats. The Recording Academy announced a new Best African Music Performance award, and it seemed that Afrobeats had gone mainstream. But if I were to put my finger on the biggest influence of 2024, then – and I am not sure that I saw this coming - it would be Country Music. There were hits from stars like Zach Bryan, Shaboozey and Luke Combs. Other artists like Beyoncé and Post Malone took a definite side-shuffle towards Country Music (and Beyoncé became the first female African-American artist ever to achieve a number-one country song). In truth, it has been a great year all round, with big albums from top artists vying for attention alongside some superb break-through acts.
I hope that all this can breathe some much needed life into the local music venues, independent festivals and grass-roots initiatives that are still struggling to survive after the COVID years. In a year in which some people paid hundreds of pounds for a ticket to see Oasis, The Guardian newspaper reported that, of the 34 grassroots venues across the UK that took a chance and booked Oasis back in 1994, only 11 of those places still exist – the other 23 have closed for good. I try and support local venues, I volunteer at an independent festival, and I continue (through sites like Patreon) to champion artists for whom the music industry’s current financial model just does not work. I also continue to hold out against subscribing to streaming services like Apple Music or Spotify. All the songs listed below (and the 542 songs from which I have selected them) were either purchased as downloads from the iTunes store – or I bought actual CDs (often from the artists themselves). So, although I have included links to youtube below, I would urge you to show your appreciation for any artists you like by finding a way of paying them for what they do (and more than the 0.2p to 0.4p they get for each time their song is streamed on Spotify.)
Damn the Man and Save the Empire!
Here’s the list:
[Warning, some of the songs listed contain explicit content, such as profanity or sexual content/references].
75. Lucky Ones by Riley Catherall
Melbourne-based singer/songwriter Riley Catherall worked with the legendary Kasey Chambers when making his first album. Lucky Ones comes from his 2024 album ‘The Light, The Beautiful Liar’.
Listen to the song at
74. Shake It Down by C Turtle
Wax Music said that this song ‘reveals the open world of musical boundlessness, where a key ingredient like a vocal or an instrumental, is not obliged to follow a strict set of rules in order to radiate and infect others with explosive positivity; but setting itself as a reminder that lyricism and technical rhythm ought to be fun and random’. They add, ‘Without the latter, we would not survive in this grey, dull and monotonous mainstream adult world’.
See the official video at
73. Why Why Why by Shawn Mendes
He’s back! Shawn Mendes took a break from touring in 2022 in order to ‘protect his mental health’. This release marks his first solo release since his 2023 charity single ‘What the Hell Are We Dying For?’. During his recovery, Shawn Mendes clung to the adage: If you’re driving in the dark, all you need to see is 10 feet ahead of you to eventually find your destination. He told the New York Times, ‘I never could get stuck if all I had to think about was like, OK, it’s morning. My next 10 feet is to, you know, meditate and get a coffee. My next 10 feet after that is to work out; my next 10 feet is to call my mom.’
See the official video at
72. Shadow of a Doubt by SPRINTS
Karla Chubb, SPRINTS' lead vocalist, says ‘‘Shadow Of A Doubt’ is our most vulnerable moment to date. It very bluntly deals with the experience of trauma, depression and the aftermath. The slow and intensifying build, the crashing drums, swirling guitars and chaotic climax all symbolise that pure terrifying fall into darkness and the almost silent call for help. It’s the feeling of loneliness, abandonment and exile. It’s shouting out into the void and thinking everyone can hear you, but they can’t. The vocal was recorded in three takes with jagged breaths and some mis-stepped lyrics purposefully left in. Here, we felt emotion was more important than perfection’.
See the official video at
71. Ashes (Midnight Sessions) by Lyncs
Lyncs is the musical project of American songwriter and producer, Jacqueline Hynes. Drawing inspiration from a wide range of influences, including Lorde, The 1975, and The Japanese House, Lyncs’ songwriting and production is characterized by daydream choruses, electronic textures, and infectious melodies. Her songs explore relationships, nostalgia, and self-discovery.
See the lyrics video at
70. Lead Me On by FLETCHER
‘Lead Me On’ is the first track on FLETCHER’s sophomore album ‘In Search Of The Antidote’. She says, ‘“For some people ‘Lead Me On’ might sound like a breakup song, where I’m telling someone that I’ll take whatever crumbs I can get from them, or it might sound like a song where I’m speaking to a better, healthier version of me that exists in the future. It’s a version that’s a higher self in some way, and I’m connecting with her through these little moments of clarity or intuition and asking her to keep guiding me down that path’.
See the official video at
69. Reading Material by The Klittens
‘Reading Material’ was the third single taken from the EP ‘Butter’ by this quirky Amsterdam band. The song represents the push and pull of trying to appear energetic while there's little to no energy left internally. The song was written by guitarist Winnie Conradi during a period of extreme illness and fatigue. Winnie says: ‘This song was an attempt to uplift myself and I am happy to say that it did. In these periods of fatigue everything feels shallow - thoughts are short, emotions are stunned. These were the few notes and melodies I could come up with, while hearing the danceable beat that I had set the metronome to.’
See the official video at
68. What's Got You Down? (feat. Cass & Crossland) by Alex Crossland
Alex says that this song is ‘an anthem for anyone who feels stuck in an era of their life, a non-cautious approach to difficult questions’. He adds, ‘I wrote the song to be universal rather than personal, because I was afraid to publicly admit I was in a failing relationship. Now on the other side, I’m empowered by its specificity to me. This song is me being boiled over and word-vomiting all of the hard truths at once, and it gets a little ugly.’
Listen to the song at
67. Bad Time by Alkaline Trio
Guitarist Matt Skiba (who was also the guitarist for Blink-182) recalled a time when he and the other members of Blink-182 were locked down in their hotel room in Texas because of a nearby mass shooting. On another occasion, while living in Chicago, he and his roommate were caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting. ‘Bad Time’ is about the comfort he found in hearing the voice of a loved one when faced with such traumatic events.
See the official video at
66. Half Way Home by Eric Hirshberg
‘Eric Hirshberg makes for one interesting Google search,’ says music journalist Chris Dalla Riva. ‘Search his name and first, you’ll see all of his songs and music videos. Then you’ll see an Eric Hirshberg who was the CEO of video game giant Activision. Then you’ll see an Eric Hirshberg who built the award winning advertising agency, Deutsch LA. Shockingly, all of these Eric Hirshbergs are the same person.’
‘Half Way Home’ is a classic folky Americana track that has you singing along in no time.
See the official video at
65. I want you by Alex Dolphin
Alex Dolphin is a multi-instrumentalist from London, Ontario. Musically influenced by artists such as Fleetwood Mac, Gordon Lightfoot and many popular artists from the 60s-80s. Alex describes the song as ‘Trying to break into the folkrock space, focusing on lyrics that are short but impactful. This one is about missing someone when you have to be away from them’.
Listen to the song at
64. It'll Come to Me by Andrew Rumsey
This is the first appearance by a serving Church of England Bishop in my end of year round-up (present company excepted). Dr Andrew Rumsey is the Bishop of Ramsbury in the Diocese of Salisbury. He is the author of Parish: An Anglican theology of place and English Grounds: A pastoral journal. He is also a poet, musician and songwriter and recorded an album of folk songs on a summers day in All Saints, Ham, a tiny 12th century church off the beaten track in Wiltshire. He set out to ‘capture something of the magic of a country church in August - complete with bees, birdsong, and a whisper of wheezy organ’.
Listen to the song at
63. Burning Down the House by Paramore
As a rule, I rarely include covers in this list. However, just occasionally, an artist or band completely nails the song – and this is one of those times. The other tracks on ‘Everyone's Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense’ are good – but this is an outstanding cover of a Talking Heads classic.
See the behind the scenes video at
62. Bitch Get Out My Car by Say Now
Say Now are a London based trio from London consisting of Ysabelle Salvanera, Amelia Onuorah, and Madeleine Haynes. Say Now say: ‘‘Bitch Get Out My Car’ is about finding the confidence to stand up for yourself and get rid of anyone who’s holding you back on your journey. We’ve all had our own experience of this, so we wanted to create a song that you could scream with your best friends with the windows down.’
See the official video at
61. Voices in My Head by Hey Violet
Following the release of their 2024 Album ‘Aftertaste’, Hey Violet announced that they would be splitting up. They said: ‘It’s been a long, challenging and beautiful nine years and we three feel it’s time to allow ourselves to focus our energy on other projects in each of our lives. We love and appreciate each and every one of you who have made these years so full and special. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the time you let us be your life’s soundtrack. We thank you for the smiles and the tears and the ways you’ve allowed and continued to allow our songs to be a safe haven for your personal tribulations - and for being our safe haven too’.
Listen to the song at
60. BLUE by Billie Eilish
‘Blue’ is final track on the album ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’. The song combines ‘True Blue’ (which was one of the first songs Billie wrote with her brother Finneas) and ‘Born Blue’ (which was an aborted song that they started writing for ‘Happier Than Ever’). The song helps tie the album ‘Hit me Hard and Soft’ together. The melody of ‘Born Blue’ is used in the tracks ‘Skinny’ and ‘The Greatest’, while the melody of ‘True Blue’ is in the outro to ‘Bittersuite’ which leads into this song. The song ends with the line ‘But when can I hear the next one’ which may mean that a future release from Billie Eilish is not too far away.
See the official lyric video at
59. Die Happy by Emily Burns
Emily says that ‘Die Happy’ is ‘all about realising that success in life isn’t necessarily measured by the things you have, places you’ve been, or money you’ve made, but more about finding true happiness.’ Emily (born in Scotland and raised in Warwickshire) is a great example of a hard-working musician who invests everything in the continued improvement of their craft. If I had a ‘Sounds of 2025 - Artists to Watch’ list, then Emily would certainly be on it.
See the official video at
58. Headcase by Elle Coves
Elle was born in Germany to Spanish parents and, at the age of 13, moved to Ireland. After tours with Lewis Capaldi and Cate, Elle is another contender for my unpublished ‘Sounds of 2025 - Artists to Watch’ list.
Elle said ‘Headcase’ ‘is for those who read too much into mixed signals and end up feeling like a ‘Headcase.’ Overthinkers & over-complicators.’
Listen to the song at
57. I Know It’ll Never End by The Castellows
Ellie (lead guitar), Powell (banjo), and Lily (lead vocals and bass) are three sisters from Georgetown Georgia. Ellie and Powell are two-thirds of a set of triplets, while Lily is 18 months younger than her sisters. They grew up on a farm in Georgetown, Georgia, where, according to County Living Magazine, ‘they were homeschooled, leaving plenty of time for spontaneous horseback rides, learning musical instruments, singing in their church choir, and plenty of sisterly bonding’. Powell says, ‘There's five of us in total. Mama was like, okay, little break. Y'all go ride y'all's horses and have fun. But it taught us a lot about independence and how to handle something that's bigger than you. Situations that are bigger than you. Those animals are huge. And we were, you know, 11, 12, and 13 going on our own and figuring it out and breaking bones and having fun.’
See an Acoustic Sessions performance of this song at
56. Mother Don't You Cry by Tomo
Tomo is Thomas Walters, a British indie/folk singer-songwriter based in Bristol, UK. For me, there are hints here of a young Elliot Smith. Neon Music says that ‘Tomo’s lyrics are raw, capturing an unfiltered glimpse into the life of someone pushed to the edge. The song’s narrative is gritty, real, and unapologetically honest.’ They add, ‘Tomo doesn’t just tell a story; he makes the listener feel the pain, the struggle, and the fleeting hope of his character.’
Listen to the song at
55. It Could've Been You by Hannah Grae
UK singer/songwriter Hannah Grae says, ‘This is one of the only songs on my second body of work that I'd say is a happy, hopeful and all around positive song. The others are laced with a sense of doom even if they sound happier, which is my comfort when writing. So, 'It Could've Been You' (conceptually) is completely out of my comfort zone. I wanted it to be upbeat, funny, sarcastic and confident in what it is.’ She continued, ‘When writing, we referenced Bowling for Soup, Green Day, Paramore, American Hi-Fi, and Avril Lavigne as well as classic 2000s movies such as Mean Girls and Shrek. We played the opening scenes on loop while writing and this helps me get that magical 'this is something great' feeling. I'm so proud of this song and how I finally managed to get over my fear of writing about relationships. I hope that people can scream the lyrics, whether it's at one of my shows or in their car, and be confident in the decision they've made for themselves.’
See the official video at
54. still believe by Amistat
Magnet Magazine say, ‘The gist of Amistat’s therapeutic musical philosophy is hardly revelatory, but it is unabashedly sincere. Amistat is led by well-travelled, German-born twins Josef and Jan Prasil, and the group’s well-honed alt-folk sound conveys a message of healing initially inspired by their father’s brush with death in a motorcycle accident. It also helps that the brothers can carry a tune, as their preternatural harmonies supply much-needed emotional heft when the music is in danger of becoming a bit too precious.’
See the official music video at
53. We Need More Bricks by Neck Deep
Neck Deep are a Welsh pop-punk band from Wrexham. Lead Singer Ben Barlow says: ‘‘We Need More Bricks’ is, in my opinion, Neck Deep at their political best. Touching on everything from the monarchy, immigration, protest laws and international wars. We find ourselves at a cross section in the zeitgeist where bricks could be used to build something, or to be destructive. I’m calling on punks and those that want to make a difference, to do so. As well as being our most poignant political track to date, it also features my favourite riff/breakdown we’ve ever written, with a mosh call that, I hope, makes the listener think about their role in the world, and to speak up, take action on the many injustices the world faces today.’
See the official visual video at
52. Sit Down by FEET
Lead Singer George Haverson says: ‘The triumphant parking of your derrière is an active form of protest against our capitalist overlords. ‘Sit down’ is a celebration of that protest and our ongoing fight with gravity. We sit next to people everyday of our lives and that shared collective pause is a pretty central part of the human experience. Recognise the power of this ’non action’ and pull up a chair.’
Watch the official video at
51. For You by Giant Rooks
Giant Rooks are a German indie rock band from Hamm, Germany. They produce anthemic bangers such as ‘For You’ – which is every bit a UK-style arena-filling belter. Rising Artists Magazine said, ‘they sound like Red Hot Chili Peppers meet Foo Fighters while having an unbending indie edge that continues to shine no matter how big they’ve gotten’.
See them perform the song on Late Night Berlin at
50. Turn My Life Around by Ivan Newman
One thing I love about doing these lists is that you can go from people who fill stadiums to those more likely to be performing a living room concert. Ivan Newman is a US producer, songwriter and musician who ‘creates music with a feeling and spirit in mind that he wants the listener to feel’.
Listen to the song at
49. The Pain by Another Sky
Vocalist Catrin Vincent says, ‘‘The Pain’ is about looking back at your younger self with humour, compassion and fondness. It’s about missing the naivety of youth as well as embracing the wisdom of growing older, finally understanding why you’re drawn to people who hurt you. It’s an ode to living and thanking dramatic events for the lessons they teach you instead of wallowing in your mistakes.’
See the video at
48. TEXAS HOLD 'EM by Beyoncé
Ben Beaumont-Thomas in The Guardian said: ‘‘Texas Hold ’Em’ is made for do-si-doing on a dusty dancefloor, with banjo, line-dancing commands, and exclamations of ‘woo hoo!’ that might as well be ‘yee haw!’’ It would be easy to underestimate Beyoncé’s foray into Country Music. Beyoncé, the daughter of Louisiana Creole African American parents, has taken on a genre of music that has long standing associations with racism and white supremacy. Just four out of the 155 members of the Country Music Hall of Fame are Black. Lil Nas X’s hit ‘Old Town Road’ was excluded from Billboard’s Hot Country chart for ‘not being country enough’. The conservative, right-wing agenda of many Country Music supporters has even spawned a new verb for those who speak out of line – they will get ‘Dixie-Chicked’ (a reference to the treatment of the band The Dixie Chicks (now The Chicks) who spoke out against President George W Bush). Beyoncé takes all this in her stride. The song ’16 Carriages’ has a slow bashed-out rhythm reminiscent of the work songs of the African American slaves. Is this genius or just plain coincidence?
See the official lyric video at
47. Black Dog / White Horse by BIG SPECIAL
Lead singer Joe Hicklin says: ‘Black Dog / White Horse’ is about fear, about rumination, intrusive thoughts and cycles of depression. It’s about trying to figure out how to reach out when feelings of guilt and shame take hold. It’s about recognising these things in others, noticing the lost and undervalued, and their increasing numbers’. Speaking about the Album, ‘Postindustrial Hometown Blues’, he says it ‘is an album about depression. It's about the different shapes it takes; personal, social, generational... and it's about coming face to face with those ghosts and what we do or how we feel when that happens. The album offers no answers, it is just an honest expression of a working-class experience in modern England through the eyes of ill mental health, a pursuit of art and political disenchantment; a story of rumination, realisation and reaction. ‘Postindustrial Hometown Blues’ is about learning that we are connected by our common struggles and though dark and rageful, the album holds a quiet sentiment of love and hope. It's about laughing at the face of the void, recognising its oppressive weight, holding hands and moving forward.’
See the official video at
46. Tiny Moves by Bleachers
Jack Antonoff said to Vulture Magazine: ‘The real story [of ‘Tiny Moves’] is I started writing music when I was 14 or 15, and my younger sister was sick then. She died when I was 18, so all my formative experiences with writing music were writing about this massive, heavy, big loss and grief. Then, obviously, that grief grows and changes. It’s such a fertile place to write from, and I’d felt a little bit resigned, not in a comfortable way, just like, Okay, my place in life as a writer is to write about loss through the lens of age. And don’t get me wrong, there’s tons of that on this album. But I met my now-wife, and it feels like a lot of the mythology and armor that I wore — we all say, like, “I can’t get relationships right,” “I don’t do this,” “I’m bad at this.” And when you have a big shift like that, which was really meeting my person, it’s brilliant and amazing, but it’s also destabilizing ’cause you have to deal with all of the past, where you lived by this code that was bullshit. And within that, I found myself writing more conversationally, very deep and very intense. How do you have such a great loss and then also explore other parts of life? I wasn’t able to do that in the past, because I felt like it was not honoring my loss to write about anything else. So, this is the first album where I explore other things, and there’s presence to it that I haven’t had’.
See the official music video at
45. Poets and Philosophers by Cactus Tree
Tori Smith (aka Cactus Tree) is hardly prolific. Her YouTube channel has just five videos uploaded and only 400 subscribers. However, she has supported Anna Tivel and has played a number of festivals and shows. ‘Poets and Philosophers’ is a beautiful song that hints at an artist worthy of wider coverage and acclaim.
See the official music video at
44. Fingertips by powli
powli is a singer-songwriter and indie-pop artist based in Berlin. In 2023, she received funding from Musicboard Berlin, a crucial boost that catapulted her career into motion. Her soundcloud site says ‘powli not only delivers confident and empowering lyrics but also explores touching themes drawn from her own life, dreams, and the people around her. Dive into the broad spectrum of her music, which combines the emotions of love, fear, and dreams. The journey starts now!’
Listen to the song at
43. I Love You, I'm Sorry by Gracie Abrams
Gracie Abrams is the daughter the filmmaker J. J. Abrams and the film and television producer Katie McGrath. She started writing songs when she was just eight years old. Her debut album ‘Good Riddance’ was released in 2023 and she performed as an opening act on Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. She was also nominated for Best New Artist at the 66th Grammy Awards and, in late 2023, she performed with Noah Kahan on a remix of the song ‘Everywhere, Everything’. This song, from her second album, ‘The Secret of Us’, was a top 20 hit in the US.
See the official music video at
42. Running In Circles by Dead Poet Society
The band said: ‘‘Running in Circles’ explores the paranoid voices inside our heads. It’s about the struggle of being real with yourself - avoiding the ‘fake’. Sometimes, it feels impossible to avoid, It was written about not being true to yourself and the shame that follows.’
See the video at
41. Tell My Heart by Picture This
CoolFM describe Picture This as the ‘hottest musical export in decades’. They come from Athy, Co. Kildare, Ireland and were formed by childhood friends Ryan Hennessy (vocals and guitar) and Jimmy Rainsford (drums) who were joined on tour by two more friends – Owen Cardiff (guitar) and Cliff Deane (bass). They are recognised for their compelling songwriting and electrifying performances.
See this performance from the Parked Car Conversations at
40. Cheap Stolen Kisses by Little Man Tate
Little Man Tate are a British four-piece indie rock band from Sheffield. They formed in 2005, broke up in 2009 and then stayed away from the spotlight until early 2020 when they announced they would be reforming for a number of reunion shows in their home city of Sheffield. ‘Welcome To The Rest Of Your Life’ was their first new album in over 15 years, and this track is an absolute belter!
See the video (with footage from their sell-out gig at the Octagon Sheffield) at
39. To the Flame by The Nautical Theme
Their website says: ‘The Nautical Theme is an indie folk duo featuring the ebb and flow of male/female harmonies and honest straightforward songwriting ringing off ivory keys and steel strings. Based in Dayton, OH, The Nautical Theme was formed in March of 2017 by Tesia Mallory (vocals, keys) and Matt Shetler (vocals, guitar). The duo loves to write, record, perform, and make connections with their original music, classified as folk, singer-songwriter, and Americana. For Fans of: The Civil Wars, The Decemberists, Jimmy Eat World, Simon and Garfunkel.’
‘To the Flame’ comes from a delightful EP called ‘Do Something’ which, as a collection of songs, is as close to faultless as it gets.
Listen to the song at
38. Heartcrusher by Skyler Day
Skyler Day is an American actress and singer-songwriter. A committed Christian, she is married to actor Ian Nelson and she gave birth to their first child in December 2024.
Skyler says of this song: ‘I wrote this song about what it feels like to be abandoned by someone you thought had your back. the confusion. the embarrassment. the anger. the literal feeling of your heart being crushed. oof. this was a cathartic one for me to make so I hope it’s cathartic for you to listen to’.
See the official lyric video at
37. 1:5 by CHINCHILLA
Chinchilla says, ‘‘1:5’ is probably the most personal and vulnerable thing I’ve ever put out. It’s about a feeling of imbalance I guess and lack of power. ‘Do you really only love sometimes? At a ratio of 1:5’. It’s withdrawal. The heartbreak and longing of a feeling. The lyrics are straight from a note on my phone from a time when I was journaling about it, it came so quickly. My heart bled into it and I just fell in love with the song. It soothes me – music is therapy.’
See a live performance of the song at
36. Call Me Up by daydreamers
Indie pop band daydreamers were one of the emerging star acts of 2024. daydreamers is made up of Riley (vocals, guitar), from the Southampton area of the UK, Aurora (bass), described as half-Finnish and half-Spanish, Jay (drums), also UK-based, and Marco (guitar), from Italy. Reminiscent of early (Chocolate era) The 1975, this is a catchy feel-good song that won over audiences during a successful festival season. Clearly more to come from this band.
See the official video at
35. Rocket Science by Cate
This is the Cate whose brother was partially the subject of a great Maisie Peters song. She describes this release as her ‘soft launch back into doing more country-pop music.’ She says, ‘I had the line ‘loving me isn’t rocket science’ on my phone for a while. I’ve been in relationships in the past where sometimes things that would normally be common sense on what not to do in a relationship are done, and there’s this angry resentment that comes with it.’
Listen to the song at
34. Young Lion by Sade
This is the first song from 1980s legend (and former Colchester Institute student) Sade in more than six years. The track appeared on the TRAИƧA benefit album from the Red Hot organization in celebration of the trans community and to raise awareness of trans rights. The 46-track concept LP features collaborations between more than 100 artists including: Sam Smith, Laura Jane Grace, Devendra Banhart, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Bartees Strange, Faye Webster, Julien Baker, Moses Sumney, Hunter Schafer, André 3000, Arthur Baker, Fleet Foxes, Teddy Geiger and many more. ‘Young Lion’ is a loving tribute dedicated to Sade’s son, Izaak, a trans man.
See the official video at
33. All in My Head by The Linda Lindas
The Linda Lindas featured in my Top 60 Songs of 2022. They are sisters Lucia (guitar, 18 years old) and Mila de la Garza (drums, 14), their cousin Eloise Wong (bass, 17) and family friend Bela Salazar (guitar, 20). Lucia de la Garza wrote and provided lead vocals for ‘All In My Head.’ She said: ‘It has the most indie vibes we’ve leaned into so far because it was written on an acoustic guitar. Recording it was really fun, full of lots of dancing in the studio. She wrote ‘All In My Head’ from the perspective of a book character (from My Year of Rest and Relaxation: The cult New York Times bestseller
by Ottessa Moshfegh) which, she says, ‘kinda brought us out of our comfort zone.’
See the video at
32. Never Need Me by Rachel Chinouriri
The Observer said: ‘If you’ve ever had a secret crush, obsessed or felt utter despair over someone, Chinouriri’s direct way of discussing love and loss will resonate with you’. Her debut album ‘What a Devastating Turn of Events’ examines themes of love, self-deprecation, unworthy exes and establishing boundaries. This is an album that deals with grief, heartache, hurt, and what Chinouriri calls the ‘worst-case scenarios’ when these things are left unspoken for too long. ‘I’m a lot better now, she says, ‘And all of these topics don’t hurt me anymore, to a degree, but they shaped me and made me the person I am. When these things happen, you will never be the person you were before then, you adapt; and I think this album reflects that. It’s a healing tool, and I’m hoping people listening to it might feel less alone.’
See the official video at
31. I Want You To Know Me by Sea Girls
‘I Want You To Know Me’ is taken from Sea Girls’ third album, ‘Midnight Butterflies’. Lead Vocalist Henry Camamile said: ‘It feels and sounds like a fledgling band making their energetic untainted debut record. It’s super optimistic and euphoric. There was a huge freedom in making this record. It’s an exciting time for music across genres, and who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?’
Sea Girls actively support a number of charities focused on homelessness and environmental issues. These include Football Beyond Borders, Water Aid, and War Child UK.
See the official music video at
30. Hope by James Bay
It is ten years since the triple platinum ‘Hold Back the River’ featured as my number 1 song of 2014. He received the Best British Male Solo Artist at the 2016 Brit Awards. He has enjoyed some excellent collaborations with Alicia Keys, Julia Michaels, Brandon Flowers and he has recently been hanging around with Noah Kahan.
Iain Archer (who co-wrote ‘Hold Back the River’ with James) said of James, ‘He has a great set of tubes’. Those ‘tubes’ work wonders on this track.
See the official lyric video at
29. Holster by The Strumbellas
It was great to see the Strumbellas live at The Garage, London, last November. They are veterans of this list too (having appeared in both 2017 and 2019). The band’s social media feed said: ‘Holster is about feeling defeated and hopeful and the space in between, about how you feel when you're down but you're starting to see the way back up. This song, like many Strumbellas songs and many on Part Time Believer, are about being two things at once: depressed and optimistic, doubtful and self-assured, defeated and victorious. In Holster is the cry of almost overcoming your demons - but stumbling at the crucial moment every time. But more importantly it’s about roaring back and still believing that maybe this time you'll come out on top’.
See the official lyric video at
28. Nearly Daffodils by English Teacher
2024 was a great year for English Teacher. The album ‘This Could Be Texas’ won the 2024 Mercury Prize and the band were named Newcomer of the Year at the Northern Music Awards. Vocalist Lily Fontaine says: ‘‘Nearly Daffodils’ is about heartbreak and acceptance of unfulfilled potential. How, no matter how much you may want something, no matter how much effort you may put into something’s growth or development, no matter how beautiful you can envision its fruition; life is a bitch and about as unstoppable as a freight train.’
See the lyric video at
27. Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan
‘Good Luck, Babe!’ was NME's Best Song of 2024. They said: ‘Over subtly insistent synth-pop, Roan serves up home truths to someone desperately trying to deny their queerness. The chorus – 'you'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling' – is both pitying and empathetic: a rare combination. It also shows off Roan's gift for saying something profound in a way no one has quite managed before. If she wants it, the world's her oyster.’
See her perform the song at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards at
26. Miracle by Tors
Devon band Tors are made up of brothers Theo and Matt Weedon, grandsons of influential guitarist Bert Weedon, and Jack Bowden, a drummer whom the brothers recruited via an advert on Gumtree. Tors said: ‘‘Miracle’ is a song about chasing your dreams headfirst and without compromise even when all the odds feel stacked against you. It’s not that you won’t quit but rather that you don’t know how; something in your DNA keeps pushing you forward to the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s based on our own experiences being a band and fighting tooth and nail to keep our heads above the water, knowing that our own miracle was coming.’
See the lyrics video at
25. 360 by Charli XCX
The album ‘brat’ was shortlisted for the 2024 Mercury Prize for Album of the Year and nominated for nine Grammy Awards at the 67th annual ceremony, including Album of the Year. Metacritic, which compiles scores from music critics, ranked ‘brat’ as the highest-rated album of 2024 and the 16th-highest-rated album of all time. This was a phenomenal release. ‘brat’ was named the word of the year by Collins English Dictionary and Forbes named the ‘Brat summer" as one of the 2024 biggest pop culture moments. Charli XCX (who grew up just outside Great Hallingbury in Essex) has a knack for raising issues and sparking conversations. The song ‘Girl, So Confusing’ was seen by many as a diss track aimed at XCX’s rival Lorde, but this was then turned on its head by Charlie XCX collaborating with Lorde on the remix of the track. Instead, Charlie XCX shifted the focus on to how women are treated in the music industry, and how the industry fosters and encourages enmity between successful female artists.
See the official lyric video at
24. WE PRAY by Coldplay, Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna & TINI
On the origins of this song, Chris Martin said: ‘In Taiwan, in the middle of the night, I woke up and the song was in my head, and I don't know where it came from. So the sound of it sort of dictated itself and that's all. I just sort of followed the road map that it said’. He said that the song is ‘about all of these conflicts and people that hate each other. We're all praying for the same things, and we'd probably all get along if you just sat down long enough. I think that was the field into which it landed, and then it felt very natural’. The song involved the inclusion of artists from four religions and cultures. Chris Martin said that it ‘felt like it's a song about different types of people, so we should have different types of people singing it’.
See a video performance of the song at
23. Ego by Halsey
‘Ego’ appears on the album ‘The Great Impersonator’ which Halsey believed would be her last project after being diagnosed with lupus and a T cell lymphoproliferative disorder (in which her body is effectively fighting itself). The album deliberately incorporates a number of musical genres and nods in the direction of other artists such as Dolores O'Riordan, Dolly Parton, David Bowie and Stevie Nicks. In ‘Ego’, there is more than a hint of the 1990s and of artists like Alanis Morissette.
See the official video at
22. Alone by The Cure
‘Alone’ is the first new single by The Cure in 16 years. You also have to wait another three and a half minutes before the vocals kick in. This masterfully bleak and melancholy song was inspired by the poem ‘Dregs’ by the English poet Ernest Dowson:
The fire is out, and spent the warmth thereof,
(This is the end of every song man sings!)
The golden wine is drunk, the dregs remain,
Bitter as wormwood and as salt as pain;
And health and hope have gone the way of love
Into the drear oblivion of lost things.
Ghosts go along with us until the end;
This was a mistress, this, perhaps, a friend.
With pale, indifferent eyes, we sit and wait
For the dropped curtain and the closing gate:
This is the end of all the songs man sings.
See the official lyric video at
21. Give It Back to Me by Francis of Delirium
Francis of Delirium is Luxembourg born Jana Bahrich who has toured with The 1975, Soccer Mommy, and Kings of Leon. Jana explains: ‘‘Give It Back to Me’ revolves around the idea of fostering a community where people support each other whenever possible. When your chips are down you can ask for help and when your chips are up, you can be that pillar of strength for someone else.’
See the lyric video at
20. Keep It Up by Good Neighbours
With a sound more reminiscent of the late noughties, Good Neighbours have emerged this year with a huge online following and a string of sell-out London gigs. Speaking about the track, the band say: ‘‘Keep It Up’ felt like the birth of the band; we wrote this track about 20 mins after Oli had just been fired from one of his 4 part-time jobs at the time. It was a bleak time, but this was the song that we needed to hear to give ourselves some joy and optimism. We wrote it, and Good Neighbours was born.’ Another one to watch in 2025.
See the Live from the Neighbourhood video at
19. Lean on my Love by Elles Bailey & Redtenbacher’s Funkestra
This track appears on the five track EP ‘The Night Owl & The Lark’ and was recorded at Surrey’s Masterlink Studios, It features Stefan Redtenbacher on bass along with other members of his jazz/funk collective Redtenbacher’s Funkestra (Mike Sturgis – drums, Ross Stanley – keys and Tony Remy – guitar). Elles (who grew up in Horton, South Gloucestershire) appeared on this list in 2022. This song is slower, more sultry and – with Elles’ classically smoky vocals – feels like a classic blues ballad. If you are not joining in with the BVs by the end of the track, then I’d be surprised.
See the video at
18. Big Time Nothing by St. Vincent
This song begins with a stream of commands: ‘Don't blink, don't wait, don't walk, you're late. Don't fall from grace, behave…’ Songfacts describes her ‘painting a picture of a world obsessed with appearances and fleeting moments’ while launching a ‘scathing critique of modern life's superficiality’. They say that it's ‘a call to arms, urging the listener to look beyond the curated feeds and manufactured personas and ‘look inside’ for meaning’. All this is set within a bold synthesised soundscape that punches the air magnificently. A great track!
See the video at
17. Richard Petty by Billy Strings
Billy Strings (born as William Lee Apostol) had a troubled upbringing. His birth father died of a heroin overdose with Billy was just two years old. His mother remarried but she and her new partner then became addicted to methamphetamine. Billy left the family home aged 13 and went through a period of hard drug usage. Eventually Billy moved away from using hard drugs and is now married with a child. He is an extraordinary musician as this track shows.
See them perform the song live at (Live at State Farm Arena, Atlanta at
16. Witness Me (feat. Shawn Mendes, Stormzy & Kirk Franklin) by Jacob Collier
I was introduced to Jacob Collier by Emily Lynn of the Australian Pink Floyd Show. Jacob first gained attention on YouTube as a teenager with extraordinary virtuosic covers of songs, like Stevie Wonder's ‘Don't You Worry About a Thing’. He was signed up by Quincy Jones' record company. He has won a sequence of Grammys. In 2015, he recorded an a cappella version of the hymn ‘Jerusalem’ for the commercial which was shown on national television before each England match in the 2015 Rugby World Cup. In 2017, he performed as part of the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London. He has collaborated with artists like Pharrell, Coldplay, and Stormzy. The problem is that, like many musical geniuses, he defies categorisation. Wikipedia describe him as an ‘English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and educator’ and suggest that his genre is ‘Jazz/rhythm and blues’ – but he is bigger and broader and more versatile than that.
See the official music video at
15. Push N Shuv by LAVA LA RUE
Lava La Rue announced their debut album ‘Starface’ and simultaneously releasing their single ‘Push N Shuv’. Lava explains: ‘I wrote ‘Push N Shuv’ 5 years ago before Covid (the vocals you hear on the song are still my 21 year old voice) and I knew when I wrote it 2019 that if I made an album that’s what I wanted it to sound like. It’s literally been years in the making and honing in on that sound and it only feels fitting that this is the song that I announce the album with.’ The BVs on this track put me in mind of Bran Van 3000’s track ‘Drinking in LA’.
See the performance on Later… with Jools Holland at
14. Perfume by Pale Waves
There’s definitely more than a hint of the Cranberries about this track with jangly guitars and a vocal style that is evocative of Dolores O’Riordan’s distinctive and much missed voice. Lead vocalist Heather Baron-Gracie says: ‘It’s the perfect introduction into the new world we’ve created. It’s queer, it’s feminine and it’s romantic, and it encapsulates the essence of [the album] Smitten.’
See the video at
13. When the Laughter Stops (feat. Katy J Pearson) by Yard Act
James Smith says: ‘The sentiment of the lyrics gets to the heart of [the album] ‘Where’s My Utopia?’ almost immediately, and finds the cynicism first spawned from the same circumstance I found myself in during ‘Dream Job’ now giving way to a more genuine sliver of misery. Fortunately – spoiler alert – I’ve managed to find a way out of this pit, for the time being. Bristol-based Katy J Pearson adds some excellent vocals to the track and David Thewlis (Lupin in the Harry Potter films) was asked to recite Macbeth over the end of the song with great results.
See the video at
12. Vortex by Lizzy McAlpine
‘Vortex’ appears on the Lizzy McAlpine’s third album ‘Older’ released in April 2024. She has collaborated with a number of artists including Jacob Collier, Noah Kahan, John Mayer, Niall Horan, Finneas, and Thomas Headon. For me, her sound is wonderfully reminiscent of artists like Shawn Colvin and Catie Curtis.
Listen to the song at
11. Call Your Mom by Noah Kahan & Lizzy McAlpine
The second mention for Lizzy McAlpine – this time singing with the Vermont-raised superstar Noah Kahan whose collection of collaborations with artists like
Kacey Musgraves, Hozier, Gracie Abrams and Sam Fender appeared on ‘Stick Season (Forever)’. The UK Official Charts lists ‘Stick Season’ as the Number 1 song of 2024. They say: ‘The first Number 1 of 2024, the Vermont singer’s breakthrough hit Stick Season has proven to be a firm favourite in the UK where it spent a seven-week residency at the top of the Official Singles Chart at the beginning of the year. Stick Season has notched up a total of 1.99m chart units this year, including over 35,000 sales and 217 million streams, to claim the end-of-year singles crown’.
Listen to the song at
10. Cognitive Dissident by The The
‘Ensoulment’ is The The’s first studio album of new songs in a quarter century and was released in September 2024. It encompasses characteristic topics ranging from love and sex, war and politics, life and death – to the meaning of what it is to be human in the 21st century. Matt Johnson is joined by long-standing The The stalwarts James Eller (bass), DC Collard (keyboards), Earl Harvin (drums), and Barrie Cadogan (lead guitar). The album also marks the return of co-producer and engineer Warne Livesey, who previously worked on landmark The The albums ‘Infected’ (1986) and ‘Mind Bomb’ (1989). There are hints in this song of ‘Connected’ by Stereo MCs.
See the video at
9. 28 by Zach Bryan
songfacts.com note that ‘Zach Bryan first started dating Barstool Sports podcast host Brianna ‘Chickenfry’ LaPaglia in the summer of 2023’ and add that ‘it's pretty clear [‘28’] is an autobiographical song about their relationship’. Among the clues are that LaPaglia was born and raised in Boston, that Zach Bryan turned 28 on April 2, 2024 (about the time he would have written this song) and that the line ‘How lucky are we?’ is something that is tattooed on Brianna's arm. Shortly after releasing the album ‘The Great American Bar Scene’, Zach Bryan told fans that ‘28’ was inspired by his puppy, Boston. He tweeted, ‘Boston, our puppy, was going into surgery, and I told Brianna, 'How lucky are we?' to have had a puppy so beautiful… And she came out just fine’. He added ‘I wrote ['28'] the next day because I felt like the luckiest man on the planet’. Sadly, three months after ‘The Great American Bar Scene’ was released, Zach’s relationship with Brianna came to an end and the song's association with their time together came into question. In late November 2024, during his Quittin' Time Tour stop in Portland, Oregon, Zach Bryan introduced ‘28’ recounting a night bowling with his friends. He said, ‘I wrote this song because one night, me and all the boys were bowling in New York City. And I felt lucky to have each and every one of them and I was so glad to be alive’. songfacts.com says, ‘This new explanation may be Bryan's attempt to dissociate the song from his past relationship, aligning its meaning more closely with friendship and gratitude than with a failed romance’.
See him perform the song at
8. Don't Forget Me by Maggie Rogers
This is the title track from Maggie Rogers’ third studio album. Amazingly, Maggie wrote the entire ‘Don't Forget Me album’ in just five days - two songs a day, and in track list order. Most of the songs were recorded on the first take, capturing an unvarnished immediacy that studio polish couldn't replicate. In interview, Maggie likened the process to feeling ‘loose and free’. The result is extraordinary. The vocals strain slightly, but this means that they convey the raw emotion more powerfully. This is a tears-streaming-down-your-face belter (and would make a great song for a soundtrack when deep and ragged emotions need to find expression.
See her perform the song in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge at
7. Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter
This song is the living embodiment of an earworm. It won Best Song at the 2024 MTV EMAs and was the most-streamed song globally on Spotify in 2024, racking up over 1.6 billion streams. This song has to be in any ‘Best Songs’ list of 2024.
See the official video at
6. Would You Come To My Funeral by Crawlers
The Crawlers debut album ‘The Mess We Seem to Make’ was released in February 2024 and is a strong contender for one of my Albums of the Year. ‘Would You Come To My Funeral’ was chosen as BBC Radio 1’s ‘Hottest New Record’ upon its release as a single back in September. There’s some 90’s grunge, some Pretenders and some good old fashioned rock (with catchy chorus for the crowd to sing along to). Another track on the album, ‘Kills Me To Be Kind’, is set up for the crowd to clap along at the breakdown. This is good honest rock music – and I love them for it!
See the official video at
5. She’s Leaving You by MJ Lenderman
MJ Lenderman was someone whose star you could see ascending. I bought tickets to see him at The Fleece in Bristol in May 2025 and immediately announced that I doubted very much that the concert would take place there (which is a shame as The Fleece is an old haunt – I celebrated my 18th birthday there). The concert has since been moved to The Marble Factory. Meanwhile, MJ Lenderman’s brand of guitar-driven alt country rock (reminiscent of Warren Zevon or Neil Young) has found itself onto many people’s ‘Best of 2024’ lists.
See the video at
4. scared of my guitar by Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo told The Guardian, ‘A song is so not good if I can tell it’s coming from a disingenuous place. It’s like a little lie-detector test, a polygraph.’ Olivia’s songs, with her extraordinary vocal range and control, express the rawness and the extent of emotion in ways that are simply sublime. This is a song that doesn’t so much tug at your heartstrings as grab them with both hands and wrench them out.
See the official lyric video at
3. The Black Dog by Taylor Swift
‘Black dog’ maybe the name of a pub in Vauxhall, South London frequented by Taylor Swift and her former boyfriend, English actor Joe Alwyn, who lives nearby. It could alternatively be a reference to The 1975's Matty Healy. ‘Black Dog’ morphs from being a pub name to a metaphor for depression, a nod to the medieval association of black dogs with the devil himself. Taylor Swift wrote ‘Black Dog’ alone and co-produced it with the multi-talented Jack Antonoff (whose band Bleachers also appears on this list). Antonoff recruited his Bleachers bandmate Sean Hutchinson to play drums on the track.
Listen to the song at
2. Fixer Upper by Grace Petrie
This song breathed hope into a year dominated by the death throes of an unpopular Conservative Government and the recognition that this once proud country has been left in a pretty poor state. Grace describes it as a ‘fixer upper’ – a car in a scrapyard that is in need of repair – that she thinks ‘could be beautiful if we could only keep from losing heart, then we might still have time to build something better from the parts’. I even quoted some of this song in a sermon at a Civic Service in Colchester:
So grab a spade, yeah, grab a hammer
Plant some seeds and raise a banner
Roll your sleeves and rake the leaves left by the passing storm
Boil the kettle, build a movement, every day some small improvement
Ready ground to lay down all the world yet to be born
Lace your boots and find the shoots
Still strugglin' through the rotted roots
The saplings laid by other folks we will turn into mighty oaks
The battle scars, the broken parts, of dreams who outlasted those hearts
Oh, everything you dream is possible, it's waitin' to be made
So my comrade, come grab a spade
By the way, despite the relentless negativity aimed at the new Labour Government, I still have hope.
See her perform the song at
1. Beautiful Things by Benson Boone
Benson Boone says: ‘I wrote [Beautiful Things] on my piano September 29th [2023]. I’d just moved to L.A., and I’d moved my grandma’s old piano up to my living room. I couldn’t sleep one night, and I didn’t know what to do, so I came downstairs and started playing the piano. That’s when I wrote the melodies for ‘Beautiful Things’. About the inspiration behind the song, he says: ‘It was inspired by a relationship that I had just gotten into — for the first time in my life, I felt like I was extremely out of control of the way this relationship would turn out. Meaning like, in the past, I feel like I’ve always known that I could be the one to end a relationship. This one felt very different. It was the first time that I’d really been actually, genuinely terrified to lose something’.
See the official music video at