The 50 best songs of 2024

It’s been a fantastic, albeit unpredictable, year for music. It’s hard to summarise in 50 songs, but with this list NME celebrates some of 2024’s most glorious moments. The cultural phenomenon that was ‘Brat’ summer; the gleeful wrecking ball that was Kneecap’s debut; Chappell Roan’s dizzying, defiant ascent; the pleasant, late-year pop-punk surprise of ‘APT.’; the majestic, long-awaited return of The Cure – we loved it all and more.

Here are the songs that made our year – let us know what made yours…

Karen Gwee, Managing Editor (Music)

Words by: Abby Webster, Alex Flood, Alex Rigotti, Andrew Trendell, Ben Jolley, Crystal Bell, Damian Jones, Daniel Peters, Emma Wilkes, Fred Garratt-Stanley, Gladys Yeo, Hannah Mylrea, Karen Gwee, Kristen S. He, Kyann-Sian Williams, Laura Molloy, Liberty Dunworth, Nick Levine, Rhian Daly, Seth Pereira, Surej Singh and Ziwei Puah

50. METTE – ‘Bet’

With this lithe, dance-pop belter, METTE nailed the perfect summer song: a slinky bassline, heart-racing beats, euphoric vocals and a universal feeling: if they don’t fancy me now, I bet they will soon (“One day, soon you’ll be loving me madly”). It’s pure, carefree joy. HM

49. Halsey – ‘Lonely Is The Muse’

Something special happens when there’s a powerful wall of guitars behind Halsey. Evanescence homage ‘Lonely Is The Muse’ epitomises this beautifully, its smouldering verses building to an explosive chorus as Halsey fights against being distorted by the prism of someone else’s gaze. Angry and artful, Halsey reasserts herself as the main character. EW

48. Wishy – ‘Love On The Outside’

Indie rock infatuation rarely sounds so sweet. The sunny, singalong-ready ‘Love On The Outside’ captures Wishy’s knack for nostalgic alt-rock with pop hooks aplenty. Most thrilling is how the Indianapolis quintet, down bad with the lovesickness, nosedive into a gleefully clangorous conclusion. Brighter – and noisier – days are on the horizon. KG

47. JD Cliffe – ‘Buss Ur Head’

Bristling with the tuneful punk energy of a seminal FIFA anthem, this sharp, snappy bridge between UK rap and punk lit up social media over the summer, spawning a sensational Colors show. Cliffe’s combination of classic UK rap flows and cadences with a scratchy, guitar-heavy rhythm section makes ‘Buss Ur Head’ a rousing underground banger. FGS

46. Kiss Of Life – ‘Sticky’

It’s no coincidence that this flirty Kiss Of Life scorcher blew in during Earth’s hottest season ever. The unrelenting heat called for something mellower than K-pop’s high-energy, sexy summer anthems of old – and ‘Sticky’, with its bouncy, Afrobeats-inspired rhythm, delivered exactly what the balmy dog days required. Even those strings sound like they’re swooning. AW

45. Kneecap – ‘Fine Art’

With two snarky words, Kneecap established their riotous manifesto: revitalise the Irish language, narrate their lives as young people in post-Troubles Belfast, and piss off anyone who gets in their way. It’s admirably resolute and fun, and a signal of an exciting new future for the trio. AR

44. Addison Rae – ‘Diet Pepsi’

Addison Rae’s ascent from TikTok choreographer to burgeoning pop icon may have seemed unlikely three years ago, but for those attuned to early leaks of ‘2 Die 4’ it seemed written in the stars. So, when ‘Diet Pepsi’ arrived, rich in dreamy harmonies and transcendent musings on young love, it seemed those celestial forces had at last aligned. LM

43. Katseye – ‘Touch’

It’s one thing to make an earworm, and another to transform a pop song into something akin to muscle memory. That’s what K-pop does best – and with the extraordinarily dreamy ‘Touch’, plus its delicate dance of popped hips and winking hands, global girl group KATSEYE proved that they’re scholars of K-pop’s most important lessons. AW

42. Dua Lipa – ‘Training Season’

Dua Lipa had some year in 2024 – smashing a Glastonbury headline set and clocking her third UK Number One album with ‘Radical Optimism’. It had some notable bangers on it too and this was the pick of them: a stunning slice of disco pop backed by a throbbing, infectious beat. DJ

41. Geordie Greep – ‘Holy Holy’

With his first single as a solo artist, ex-Black Midi member Geordie Greep proved he was as provocative as ever with ‘Holy Holy’. Mining the theatrical energy of Latin music, it’s utterly batshit, with one-liners to make anyone guffaw (“I’ll bet your pussy is holy too!”). One of the most delirious take-downs of masculinity in recent memory. AR

40. Fcukers – ‘Homie Don’t Shake’

This year, New York trio Fcukers sauntered onto the dancefloor with ‘Baggy$$’, having already teased its blasé big beat revival at their chaotic, you-had-to-be-there live shows. The Beck-sampling, Cobrasnake-referencing single ‘Homie Don’t Shake’ is their nonchalant, nonsensical calling card. The Fcukers party has officially started – make sure you’re fashionably late. KG

39. Tyler, the Creator – ‘Sticky’ (feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne)

Short, adrenaline-fuelled verses are now the name of the hyperstimulated game, and on ‘Sticky’, Tyler is winning. Between the earworm choruses, the all-star line-up of GloRilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne join the cafeteria-table freestyle; combine that with horns, a drumline and thumping bass and you get a thrilling, unpredictable banger. SS

38. Nemahsis – ‘Stick Of Gum’

Why do we love how we love? Nemahsis mulls this question on the magnificent ‘Stick Of Gum’, reckoning with bitter realities and ruminating on her own psyche. Her conclusion, which she belts in the breathtaking chorus, is that love is painfully, confoundingly selfless: “You could plead guilty and I would do the time.” KG

37. The Last Dinner Party – ‘Caesar On A TV Screen’

The sweeping, dramatic ‘Caesar On A TV Screen’ is one of many epic anthems from The Last Dinner Party’s thrillingly distinct debut album. Harking back to the classic rock of Queen, its expertly arranged melodrama is built upon irresistible guitar riffs, pounding drums and a belting vocal from Abigail Morris. BJ

36. Ariana Grande – ‘Imperfect For You’

An overwhelmingly beautiful ballad with a touch of psychedelic soul, ‘Imperfect For You’ is as close as you can get to a hidden gem on one of the year’s biggest pop albums. Love has equal potential to hurt and to heal, and Ariana Grande carries both possibilities with boundless grace. KSH

35. Shaboozey – ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’

The brilliance of Shaboozey’s record-breaking ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ lies in its Zach Bryan-esque simplicity, combined with an ingenious, genre-blending J-Kwon interpolation and just good ol’ fun. Country purists might complain about not being able to two-step to this, but we say keep the drinks coming. ZWP

34. Clairo – ‘Sexy To Someone’

On her first two albums, Clairo crafted cosy and complex indie-pop songs – the kind of woozy, melodic tunes that instantly put you in a state of happy calm. With this funky standout of her more assertive third record ‘Charm’ – all catchy hooks and rhythmic basslines – she proved she could get us up and dancing, too. AF

33. f5ve – ‘Underground’

Take the frantic energy of hyperpop, pair it with Para Para dance moves and lyrics about escaping societal pressure, and you have f5ve’s defiant, rave-ready banger ‘Underground’. Its manic euphoria is underlined by creeping dread, beautifully mirroring the mood of partying on the weekend knowing that a return to the real world is just hours away. ZWP

32. Blondshell – ‘Docket’ (feat. Bully)

Blondshell and Bully both released impeccable albums in 2023 and then kicked off 2024 by joining forces. Unsurprisingly then, ‘Docket’ was another triumph. In this spiky, addictive indie rock song, the duo admit to having a wandering eye, beautifully navigate guilt and, finally, contemplate setting a partner free. RD

31. FLO – ‘Walk Like This’

The UK R&B trio set out their stall on this gleaming lead single from debut album ‘Access All Areas’. Co-written with honorary fourth member MNEK, it’s a bustling R&B bop on which FLO’s vocal harmonies float seductively over rubbery beats. A world-class single worthy of their Y2K heroines Destiny’s Child. NL

30. Taylor Swift – ‘But Daddy I Love Him’

The world’s biggest pop star returns to country storytelling for a grown-up ‘Love Story’ that hilariously rebuffs hand-wringing from fans and press alike over her personal life choices. Dramatic and satirical, self-aware but not self-serious, this ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ centrepiece is a classic showcase of Taylor Swift’s flair for confessional, poetic lyricism. ZWP

29. Mustafa – ‘SNL’

“I think I wanna be a good guy / But good guys die first,” Mustafa laments on ‘SNL’, a melancholic, finger-picked highlight of his debut album, ‘Dunya’. It encapsulates his power perfectly: an ability to put you in the centre of heartbreaking vignettes using the smallest details and his rich, evocative voice. RD

28. Pozer – ‘Kitchen Stove’

From its hypnotic hook to the commanding clarity of his South London cadence, Pozer brings all the ingredients together beautifully on ‘Kitchen Stove’. In less than three minutes, he memorably fuses Jersey club with UK drill, injecting new life into the latter in the process. And did we mention it’s his debut single? SP

27. ILLIT – ‘Magnetic’

“Baby, I’m just trying to play it cool / But I just can’t hide that I want you.” With that, ILLIT’s debut single ‘Magnetic’ pulls you in. Stuttering beats and fizzy synths shimmer beneath a bouncy, instantly addictive pop hook. This dreamy electropop delight is a captivating, brisk introduction that leaves you wanting more. CB

26. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Bed Chem’

Sabrina Carpenter has made owning her sexuality an art – to the point she’s had to deny being “the horniest girl in the world”. ‘Bed Chem’ hasn’t helped matters. Full of cheeky lyrics (“Come right on me, I mean camaraderie”) and winking euphemisms, this is the song that should have been as ubiquitous as ‘Espresso’. RD

25. YT – ‘Black & Tan’ (feat. Lancey Foux)

With the moreish earworm ‘Black and Tan’, YT and guest Lancey Foux have a certified UK trap classic. Its nostalgic blend of 2009 jerk rap and today’s frenetic and futuristic hyperrap make it an anthem that embodies everything about the rising UK scene: it’s fun, daring and forward-thinking. KSW

24. GloRilla – ‘Wanna Be’ (with Megan Thee Stallion)

The supreme team-up of GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion went to another level on ‘Wanna Be’, an anti-‘The Boy Is Mine’ that finds bliss in another realisation: “He don’t wanna be saved, don’t save him / That is not my n****, don’t claim him”. Saying “Exactlyyy” to your bestie has never felt so right. DP

23. Doechii – ‘Nissan Altima’

From the first second on, ‘Nissan Altima’ is a white-knuckled ride of braggadocious brilliance from Top Dawg Entertainment’s heir to the throne. Childish Major’s minimalist production is a perfect playground for Doechii to showcase why she’s undeniably top of the class in 2024. SP

22. Tinashe – ‘Nasty’

This year, Tinashe asked us: “Is somebody gonna match my freak?” In dire need of a sexy summer bop, the culture answered like it was a siren call. After years of grinding in pop’s undercurrent – and with the help of a quirked-up TikTok dancer – ‘Nasty’ became Tinashe’s resounding, final rejoinder to the ‘underrated’ allegations. DP

21. FKA Twigs – ‘Eusexua’

With four thumping kick drums, FKA Twigs heralded the beginning of a lustrous, hedonistic era known only as ‘Eusexua’. Her gossamer vocals soar into the stratosphere, connecting us to a state of euphoria only found in the sweating, heaving mass of warehouse raves. An astonishing, delicate take on techno. AR

20. Rachel Chinouriri – ‘Never Need Me’

On this shimmery indie-pop number, Rachel Chinouriri delivers an empowering and bittersweet goodbye to a codependent lover. Tied together by her warm, gauzy vocal tone and swelling instrumentation, it’s easy to see how ‘Never Need Me’ was the track to cement Chinouriri’s place as a Gen Z pop darling. GY

19. The Cure – ‘Alone’

‘Alone’ ended a 16-year drought and proved The Cure haven’t lost any of their magic. Through swirling synths and cinematic instrumentation, paired with Robert Smith’s poignant lyricism and melodies, this epic is a masterwork of ethereal beauty and raw emotional depth. One of their most captivating songs to date. LD

18. Nilüfer Yanya – ‘Like I Say (I Runaway)’

There are so many brilliant things about this post-punk earworm that it’s impossible to list them all, but here are our favourites: the wall-of-sound guitar riff. Yanya’s soulful vocals. That addictive whip-crack drum pattern. And this perfectly philosophical lyric: “Does it feel like all you have is put in black and white?” AF

17. Knocked Loose – ‘Suffocate’ (feat. Poppy)

With ‘Suffocate’, hardcore heroes Knocked Loose have one of the heaviest tunes of the year. Its onslaught of pit-starting violence and the band’s seamless synergy with Poppy already made it one for the books – but the pummelling reggaeton-inspired breakdown and Poppy’s blood-curdling scream are unbelievable knockout blows. SS

16. Tems – ‘Love Me JeJe’

Tems’ ‘Love Me JeJe’ drifts as gently as a soothing ocean breeze. Featuring an interpolation of Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 classic of the same name, it blends tender lyrics about unconditional love and a tinny guitar-infused groove. It’s perfect for sun-kissed afternoons – just let ‘Love Me JeJe’ wash over you. CB

15. MJ Lenderman – ‘She’s Leaving You’

Breakup songs can contain multitudes: despair, uncertainty, full-throated resentment. MJ Lenderman’s writing on ‘She’s Leaving You’, on the other hand, is characterised by a shrugging, clear-eyed sadness, leaning into the abject silence of heartbreak in its refrain: “It gets dark, we all got work to do.” Slacker rock melancholia at its most enlightened. DP

14. Rosé & Bruno Mars – ‘APT.’

Rosé’s first solo single in three years is a brilliant, unexpected blast. Few could have predicted that the BLACKPINK star would turbocharge her solo career with a rollicking pop-punk stomper that recalls noughties indie-poppers the Ting Tings. Bruno Mars’ presence only adds to the infectious sense of chaos. NL

13. Tyla – ‘Jump’ (feat. Gunna & Skillibeng)

After the stunning success of ‘Water’ in 2023, Tyla needed to prove she was more than a one-hit wonder. ‘Jump’, a slinky link-up with Gunna and Skillibeng, did the trick: the South African singer’s control over its hip-winding groove was evidence enough of a bonafide star cementing their place. RD

12. Billie Eilish – ‘Birds Of A Feather’

Is ‘Birds Of A Feather’ a pure love song, an attempt to undo a breakup, or a vision of her death? The Billie Eilish of a few years ago might have leaned into the darkness, but here, every element wants to pull her into the light – resulting in the most gorgeous melodies of her career. KSH

11. Charli XCX – ‘365’

When Charli XCX first unleashed ‘360’, it was hard to see how it could become more iconic. Then came ‘365’. Playing with the remix form and revelling in its creative possibilities, Charli went harder, faster and higher. “I wanna hear my track / Are you bumpin’ that?” she asked. How could we not? RD

10. Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Hiss’

2024 was the year Megan Thee Stallion took back control of her own narrative. With many legal troubles behind her and creative freedom in hand, she kicked it off with the exuberant ‘Hiss’, spitting venom at her haters and enemies. It was a memorable, vivacious preview of her empowered ‘Megan’ era. KSW

9. Aespa – ‘Supernova’

The NASA-approved ‘Supernova’ declares itself in its opening seconds: a sonic boom, surging synths and Aespa’s coolly confident delivery of “I’m like…some kind of supernova.” Bursting with a bouncy electro beat and a stellar hook, ‘Supernova’ affirms the girl group’s ability to thrive in uncharted territory. CB

8. Beyoncé – ‘16 Carriages’

Within the grand Americana of ‘Cowboy Carter’, ‘16 Carriages’ shows us Beyoncé’s beating heart. On this epic gospel-country ballad, she weaves the story of her teenage ambitions, motherhood and the sacrifices she’s made for her career – glancing toward her past, and continuing to rewrite her already-iconic legacy. KSH

7. Mk.gee – ‘Alesis’

With ‘Alesis’, Mk.gee invites you to step into his singular world. Michael Gordon’s voice pierces the haunting soundscape like a sunray through the treetops. His plainspoken, urgent questions punctuate the enigmatic storytelling, otherwise as inscrutable as an Escher painting: “Don’t you wanna get a move on?” Quietly stunning. KG

6. English Teacher – ‘Albert Road’

“And that’s why we are how we are / And that’s why we don’t get very far,” sings Lily Fontaine on the sentimental core of English Teacher’s ‘This Could Be Texas’. A missive from sleepy, dead-end towns, ‘Albert Road’ ironically boasts all the ambition that would take the Yorkshire indie heroes higher than their teenage dreams could have known. AT

5. JADE – ‘Angel Of My Dreams’

If there were a degree in pop music, then JADE is a star student. From the eerie, distorted sample of Sandie Shaw’s ‘Puppet On A String’ to the frenzied, Xenomania-esque production, ‘Angel Of My Dreams’ is the work of a pop star who truly understands pop culture – and how to create a song that’s truly her own.

The Little Mix singer invites us into her emotional state as she explores her complex relationship with the music industry, the whiplash-contrasts driving her point home. The push and pull of the electroclash sections with the dreamy, angelic chorus brings about a masterful tension that never quite resolves. Absolutely riveting. ZWP

4. Charli XCX – ‘Girl, So Confusing’ remix (with Lorde)

A screenshot shared by Charli XCX was our first taste of Lorde’s earth-shaking remix of ‘Girl, So Confusing’ – a document of pop culture history rendered in cartoonish iMessage bubbles, including two words by Charli that predicted how everyone else would react: “Fucking hell”.

Over glitchy A.G. Cook production and with lyrics destined to be scream-sung in arenas for years to come (“girl, you walk like a bitch”), two era-defining acts undo a decade of ‘rivalry’ – one imposed on them by external forces and internalised in dark moments alone. ‘Brat’ was cemented as a cultural phenomenon, loathing and envy disintegrating into a lurid green haze. LM

3. Fontaines D.C. – ‘Starburster’

Take a deep breath. The world can be a lot sometimes. Rather than make sense of it, often all you can do is spit back. Inspired by one of frontman Grian Chatten’s panic attacks, ‘Starburster’ is a bewildering fever dream of absurd imagery, punctuated by deep inhalations of anxiety – the bright green menacing underbelly beneath ‘Brat’ summer’.

Turning up all their extremes to the Nth degree, the launch track of ‘Romance’ is Fontaines D.C. at their most “neon and ridiculous” and another checkpoint on a band’s journey to becoming modern icons. You can’t stop them now. They gon’ hit your business. AT

2. Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us’

This year, Kendrick Lamar and Drake changed what we thought we knew about rap beef. ‘Not Like Us’ packaged intelligent, intensely researched character assassinations into a fierce, booming DJ Mustard-produced club hit. Though his savage, accusatory wordplay grabbed the headlines, it was Lamar’s dissection of Drake as “coloniser” that truly underlined his pure vitriol.

Lamar’s surprise album ‘GNX’ (and Mustard co-production ‘TV Off’) rubber-stamped his all-conquering status in November, but for many the battle was won months ago. Lamar set out to destroy Drake; with ‘Not Like Us’, he came out unquestionably top dog. FGS

1. Chappell Roan – ‘Good Luck, Babe!’

There are hits, and then there are career-making hits. Released in April, this standalone single sent Chappell Roan supernova and turned her debut album, ‘The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess’, into an overdue smash.

With ‘Good Luck, Babe!’, Roan set out to write a “big anthemic pop song”. It was an unqualified success: 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. NL

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