Music, maybe more so than any other popular medium, is staggering in terms of not only the quality but also the quantity of work produced each year. The Tiger’s list of the best songs of 2024, compiled by our TimeOut staff, includes both smash hits by established stars and lesser-known gems that may have escaped your notice. The list is sorted alphabetically by artist name.
Gracie Abrams- ‘Free Now’
Gracie Abrams’ “Free Now” captures the quiet, inevitable conclusion of a relationship that was never meant to last. The delicate guitar work and gentle melodies amplify the song’s introspective tone, creating a contemplative atmosphere. The bridge and outro stand out as some of the most impactful musical moments of 2024, evoking similar emotional weight to a life-altering scene from a film. With lines like “I don’t think / You’re a bad guy, that you’re damaged,” Abrams delivers a raw and honest reflection on a relationship shaped by unresolved struggles. She poignantly acknowledges that sometimes separation is essential for personal growth. Though Abrams’ song hints at the possibility of future reconnection, the core message remains pragmatic: Both individuals must first find the space and freedom to move forward independently.
Emma Bulman, Art Editor
Gracie Abrams- ‘I Love You, I’m Sorry – Live From Vevo’
Apologetic and from the heart, Gracie Abrams pours salt into the wound with her song “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” the lead single from her 2024 album “The Secret of Us.” Abrams’ song is defined by brilliant yet pitiful lyricism, setting the scene with a wistful undertone of nostalgia as she describes a distant summer romance. The song brings something new to the table by faulting the narrator, Abrams herself, for the tragic end of the relationship rather than her previous partner. Although the original recording of the song was heartfelt, Abrams brought the full punch with her live rerecording for Vevo. She added significant note changes, uniquely on the line, “Lay on the horn to prove that it haunts me,” in which Abrams included a new teary sense of longing and sorrow. Abrams’ whispers of regret build a feeling of sincerity on the first taste of her album.
Alyssa Dolina, Senior Reporter
Chappell Roan- ‘Good Luck, Babe!’
Released on April 5, 2024, Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” almost instantly became one of the biggest songs of the year. Roan reflects on the challenges of self-acceptance over a memorable synth pop instrumental. The song follows a woman who refuses to acknowledge her romantic feelings for another woman. Through her playful yet pointed lyrics, Roan wishes the other woman luck in maintaining that denial, knowing the truth will eventually surface. Nominated for song of the year, record of the year, and best pop solo performance at the 67th Grammy Awards, the track has already become a cultural touchstone for themes of identity and emotional honesty combined with an irresistible instrumental. At its core, “Good Luck, Babe!” captures the tension between societal expectations and personal truth, highlighting the futility of running from one’s true self. The outro is particularly notable. Its gradual tempo and pitch falloff reinforce the central message: “You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feeling.”
Emma Bulman, Art Editor
Charli XCX & Lorde- ‘Girl, so confusing featuring lorde’
When Charli XCX’s monumental and inescapable “brat” released to massive acclaim last June, critics and fans immediately latched onto one track in particular. In “Girl, so confusing,” Charli narrates her insecurities, measuring herself against a then-unnamed peer in the music industry. Speculation that the song was about New Zealand pop artist Lorde was confirmed in spectacular fashion when the song’s remix dropped a few weeks later. It’s not really a remix in the way one might expect, as the instrumental and Charli XCX’s verses remain the same between the two versions. Lorde’s contribution is instead a verse of her own, recontextualizing and addressing Charli XCX’s concerns before the pair harmonize for one last chorus, their relationship repaired and strengthened. Lorde’s verse is astonishing for both its vulnerability and also the ease with which she matches Charli XCX’s songwriting style without feeling imitative or anonymous. It’s one of the most impressively executed and most compulsively listenable pop songs of 2024, and the crowning achievement of the year’s best album cycle.
Thomas Merzlak, TimeOut Editor
Charli XCX & Caroline Polachek- ‘Everything is romantic featuring caroline polachek’
Charli XCX has mastered making vulnerability danceable, and her Caroline Polachek-featuring remake of “Everything is romantic” is no different. The two alt-pop icons have worked together before, and their chemistry as friends and artists is evident in this latest release. The remix begins by splicing the chorus of the original version in one word at a time. While the track’s original club beat is still retained, it’s situated in a heavier lyrical context. The remix brings in themes of existentialism, putting Charli XCX in conversation with Polachek about their complex relationships with love and fame. “It’s like you’re living the dream but you’re not living your life,” Charli XCX says. It’s a beautiful song with flawless imagery, contrasting the sparkling Italian coast of the original track with a gloomy English night. Polachek also does what I can only describe as a siren call over the chorus, and it sounds incredible. The track ends with a rhetorical question from Charli XCX: “Livin’ that life is romantic, right?” It perfectly encapsulates the uncertainty she’s feeling and is a nice call back to the much more brazen “Von dutch,” in which Charli XCX confidently declares that she’s “just living that life.”
Mercedes Dubberly, Associate Editor
clipping.- ‘Run It’
The most surprising thing about “Run It,” the lead single from clipping.’s upcoming cyberpunk-influenced album “Dead Channel Sky,” is how conventional it sounds. The group has become synonymous with noise and power electronics in hip-hop, but “Run It” is built on a lean, propulsive techno-inspired beat with only brief bursts of synthesized noise. It’s a far cry from the chaotic abrasiveness of “Pain Everyday” or “Body & Blood.” Conventional doesn’t mean boring, though. Jonathan Snipes and William Hutson weave subtle effects and synth stabs around the backing beat, while Daveed Diggs’ vocals are as lightning-fast and technically astounding as ever. He raps for almost the entirety of the song’s four-minute runtime, dropping a dizzying assortment of innuendos, metaphors and references as he narrates the story of a drug dealer in a paranoid, hypermodern future. “Run It” is a promising first tease of the group’s first new LP in five years and a fantastic track in its own right.
Thomas Merzlak, TimeOut Editor
Bob Dylan- ‘Desolation Row’ (featuring wrench)
Bob Dylan has been notorious for his erratic live performances for decades — he plays whatever songs he feels like, and there’s no guarantee that they’ll sound anything like their album versions. This volatility is generally maligned but can also result in transcendent performances like the hard-rocking rendition of “Shelter From the Storm” included on “Hard Rain” or the weathered, stripped-back “Tombstone Blues” on “Shadow Kingdom.” Last year, Dylan resurrected his legendary 1965 track “Desolation Row” for Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival. The humor evoked by the absurdist imagery in the song’s lyrics shone through despite Dylan’s famously gravelly voice, proving that the “Highway 61 Revisited” closer has lost none of its power or cleverness in the sixty years since it was written. Inexplicably, the octogenarian Nobel laureate tapped on his microphone with a tiny wrench for much of the song. It was baffling, amusing and somehow didn’t really detract from the overall quality of the performance, which hewed closely to classic full-band arrangements of the 11-minute epic.
Thomas Merzlak, TimeOut editor
IDLES- ‘Dancer (Live at Glastonbury 2024)’
According to frontman Joe Talbot, IDLES’ latest record “TANGK” is all about love. The album is unapologetically sentimental without sacrificing the hard-hitting melange of punk and electronic sounds that make them one of the most energetic bands around. While there are several standout tracks on the album — ”POP POP POP” and “Gift Horse” come to mind — no song exemplifies this intersection between hook-laden optimism and pummeling intensity as perfectly as the version of “Dancer” from their “Live at Glastonbury 2024” EP. The “TANGK” single, an ode to physical expressions of love, is great in its studio version but truly comes alive when performed in concert. Talbot’s shouted vocals and guitarists Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan’s rough-edged, rhythmic playing evoke raucous cheers from the festival audience, and the song’s choruses are cacophonous but undeniably catchy. “I’m a dancer,” Talbot barks at the song’s end, “you’re a dancer — let’s dance!” From the sound of it, the Glastonbury crowd was more than happy to do so.
Thomas Merzlak, TimeOut Editor
Kendrick Lamar- ‘Not Like Us’
In a year full of big announcements and big wins for Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us” is undoubtedly the jewel in his crown. “Not Like Us” was the culmination of two months of back-and-forth diss tracks between Lamar and Drake, and instantly secured Lamar’s victory. The song was an instant hit, topping Spotify and Apple Music’s 2024 rap charts, and it’s easy to hear why. Classic West Coast beats courtesy of DJ Mustard and energetic, instantly iconic lyrics from Lamar all but guarantee “Not Like Us” goes down as one of the greatest rap songs of 2024, if not the absolute best. It’s all but a lock for the Grammys and any other awards. While all of Lamar’s 2024 releases are great, “Not Like Us” stands above the rest as one of the definitive moments of the year.
Matt Herrick, Contributor
Magdalena Bay- ‘Vampire in the Corner’
Magdalena Bay lead singer Mica Tenenbaum’s sometimes whispery, sometimes Britney Spears-esque vocals are the portal through which the listener enters the other dimension which is “Imaginal Disk.” One of the standout tracks of the project, in my opinion, is track seven, “Vampire in the Corner.” It’s clever and perfectly crooned, leaning into themes of love and longing. Narrator True not only pines for love, but to understand it as it is a core aspect of human existence. The track begins with dreamy synths and a soft giggle from Tenenbaum before she starts singing. The second verse brings even more instrumentation into the chorus, with added drums, a more distorted synth and a fuller sound that washes over the listener like a flood. If you haven’t already visited the universe of “Imaginal Disk,” I highly recommend it.
Mercedes Dubberly, Associate Editor
Mk.gee- ‘Alesis’
In 2024, artist Mk.gee released his debut studio album “Two Star & The Dream Police,” which quickly gained attention for its distinct blend of indie, alternative and ethereal sounds. One standout track, “Alesis,” became the second most streamed song from the album despite never being released as a single. Mk.gee’s atmospheric production and haunting vocals create a dreamlike atmosphere that perfectly complements the song’s introspective nature. While the artist has not explicitly discussed the meaning behind the lyrics, “Alesis” appears to delve into themes of escapism and dissociation. The song captures the tension between complacency and a desire for change, as the narrator seems caught in a cycle of emotional detachment and yearning for something more. Fans have speculated on its deeper meaning, adding to the song’s mystique and emotional resonance. Mk.gee’s unique style has firmly positioned him as a promising figure in indie and alternative music, making him an artist to watch closely.
Bri Thomas, Contributor
Taylor Swift- ‘loml’
While “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” and the Post Malone-featuring “Fortnight” may have been the biggest commercial successes from Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department,” the standout song on Swift’s most recent album is “loml.” The track, a slow-burning piano ballad, displays Swift’s skill for poetic storytelling. The piano melody sets a somber tone that’s further developed through heartbreaking lyrics. The song is filled with images of cemeteries, phantoms, deception and loss. The titular acronym shifts meanings throughout the song as Swift lays out more and more of her heartbreak. The track eventually builds to a hypnotizing bridge, where Swift delivers some of her most damning lyrics before ending the song with the depressing image of her and her partner’s “field of dreams, engulfed in fire.” The last two lines of the song are the most gut-wrenching, leaving the listener in a haze of grief and regret long after the song ends. “I’ll still see it until I die,” Swift sings at the end of her genius monologue. “You’re the loss of my life.”
Caroline James Warner, Asst. TimeOut Editor
