The music of 2024 felt like a soundtrack to our lives, with songs that hit us right in the heart or had us jumping up to dance the second they came on. From unexpected indie discoveries to massive pop hits, these tracks became part of our daily routines and memories. Notably, Chappell Roan stood out with two bops we just couldn’t stop playing. These are the songs that defined our year — the ones we kept coming back to again and again.
'APT.' by Rosé and Bruno Mars
“APT.” is a total vibe, and I can’t stop playing it! From the moment it dropped, I was hooked on its feel-good energy. It’s one of those songs that gets stuck in your head in the best way possible — you’ll find yourself singing along, even if you don’t know all the words yet! I’m so obsessed that I even convinced my daughter to do a couples costume with me this past Halloween, channeling Rosé and Bruno Mars. — Chrissy Nguyen, Arts Editor
'HOT TO GO!' by Chappell Roan
I think of "HOT TO GO" as a song for this year because my daughter and her friends were obsessed with it during their senior year of high school. This spring, my daughter and I sang it together on a road trip, just the two of us, to look at colleges. Then, when the entire family drove her to college in August, my husband had included the song in a special playlist. My daughter asked us to turn it up and was so happy it was part of her "moving to college" playlist. — Heather Milne, Director of Communications and Marketing
'Pink Pony Club' by Chappell Roan
I almost never listen to new songs, but I was ensnared by Chappell Roan for a while (I mean, who wasn't?). It's no surprise that "Pink Pony Club" had me unabashedly belting out lyrics on long car rides home when I needed something to keep me awake and bouncing in my seat. It's a fun, unserious song that lifts anyone's mood. I'm planting my flag on that mountain. — Leslie Gonzalez, Web Producer
'San Francisco' by Sleepy Pearls
Local indie-folk band Sleepy Pearls, led by Violette Larsen and Brendan Michie, just released their debut album this fall, "That's The Spirit." It's a gorgeous tapestry of sparkling, wistful and heartfelt tunes. I love the title track, "That's The Spirit," which is powerfully introspective and more about acceptance and tenderness than the fired-up title might suggest. But the track I keep coming back to (so often that it showed up on my Spotify Wrapped) is "San Francisco," a beautiful love letter to coming home (wherever that may be). Sonically, the song reminds me of shoegaze darlings Mojave 3 or Red House Painters. I can't wait to hear more from Sleepy Pearls in the future. — Julia Dixon Evans, Arts Reporter
'So Long, London' by Taylor Swift
My favorite song of 2024 was “So Long, London” by Taylor Swift. Since her new album, "The Tortured Poets Department," came out in April, I have had the whole thing on repeat, but this song especially. Something about "So Long, London" just hits the perfect spot, from its dreamlike melody to the devastating lyrics. I've grown to love it more with every listen. — Victoria Lechon, Lobby Student Assistant
'Starburster' by Fontaines D.C. and 'Angel of My Dreams' by JADE
I am going to cheat and do two: One is "Starburster" by Fontaines D.C., a great song squarely in the British guitar alt-rock tradition that harks back to both Arctic Monkeys and Oasis but still feels fresh.
The other is "Angel of My Dreams" by JADE, an alum of the 2010s-dominating girl pop group Little Mix. This is her first solo single, and while it retains the pristine, supremely catchy songwriting of her old group, the music is warped and a little dark, with unexpected turns.
I discovered both songs through their bizarre and memorable music videos, which, surprisingly, share an overlapping cinematic universe. In "Starburster," the singer wanders around the set for the video of "Angel of My Dreams" as an extra. This concept blew my mind — has that ever been done before? — Anthony Wallace, Arts Podcast Producer
'U Should Not Be Doing That' by Amyl and the Sniffers
The data doesn't lie — my Spotify Wrapped 2024 showed "U Should Not Be Doing That" by Australian rock band Amyl and the Sniffers was my most listened to song of the year. The lyrics and vocal delivery are sassy, confident and even funny, with singer Amy Taylor telling the haters to shove the heck off (she says it with non-FCC friendly language, of course). The song is off their 2024 record "Cartoon Darkness," which I highly recommend. — Lara McCaffrey, Web Producer
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