The Best Songs of 2024, According to Berklee Listen to a playlist of the top songs of the year, as chosen by the Berklee community.
By
Tara Bellucci
December 18, 2024
To quote the musical that defined my formative years, how do you measure a year? When youre a music institution, the (partial) answer is in songs. We asked the Berklee community to share their top tracks of 2024, and its quite an eclectic mix to take us into 2025 and beyond.
Chappell Roan, Good Luck, Babe!2024 was undoubtedly a breakout year for Chappell Roan. Her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess released late last year, but her star truly ascended this summer with her tour and the release of single Good Luck, Babe! Morgan Milardo, managing and artistic director of Berklee Popular Music Institute, says it has so many iconic, classic elements of an '80s pop song, while breathing fresh, vibrant fun life into todays landscape.
Senior concert producer Maureen McMullan agrees. I thoroughly enjoy every aspect of this song, from the captivating musical performance to the quality of the songwriting, the narrative, and the art-pop production with its fusion of live instruments and sequenced layers. As a long-time fan of Kate Bush, I can hear her influence in the melodic writing, emotional expressiveness, and intricate sonic textures. Chappell Roans impressive dynamic control, wide vocal range, and unconventional use of falsetto further enhance the songs ethereal quality. Her weightless, crystalline, and theatrical vocal delivery is particularly striking. I was immediately drawn to the song upon first listen in my car.
Another Chappell fan, marketing manager Johanna Snow chose Red Wine Supernova from 2023s Midwest Princess, saying it had a moment this year.
Coco Jones, Here We Go (Uh Oh)Latoya Lee, director of industry relations, says the vocal performance coupled with the production, make this a top song. Theres an ex who keeps coming back every time she wants to move on. Also, the fight against herself and those who love her, when they advise her to stop. . . . The lyrics are simple yet tell a whole story.
Beyonc With Cowboy Carter being one of the biggest albums of 2024, its no surprise that Beyonc came up a number of times as we compiled our list. Here are the three songs that rose to the top:
TEXAS HOLD EMRodney Alejandro, dean of Professional Writing and Music Technology, says any song that breaks down of barriers and at the same time build bridges to pave the way for others is more than a song. Its the song!
Sarah Val Valente, director of business operations and project management, agrees. It's got everything-a killer hook, clever lyrics, and a vibe that's hard to forget. It's part of a crossover album that blends genres effortlessly. The storytelling and production are so good that it's been on repeat all year for me.
JOLENEClaire Machamer, senior vice president of communications and marketing, chose JOLENE because it unites two cultural icons-Beyonc and Dolly Parton-in a powerful reimagining of a timeless classic that bridges generations and fanbases. Beyonc brings her modern edge to Jolene, while honoring Dollys legacy as one of country musics most legendary storytellers. The result is a song that feels both nostalgic and groundbreaking.
BODYGUARDPat Healy, associate director of content creation for Berklee Online, chose another hit from Cowboy Carter. It combines so many disparate genres so seamlessly that it can sit next to almost any song on a playlist. The words are both sultry and funny: she wants to protect the subject of the song in the mosh pit? Didnt see that coming! She even name checks John Wayne in a way I also didnt see coming! The song has so many sounds-is that the instrument that Ive always called the Stand By Me fish in the left speaker?-and theyre all layered perfectly, with Beyonc 's voice riding effortlessly on top, just like the way she rides the horse on the album cover: she's having a blast and showing off some great tricks.
Beyonc Is a Disruptor: Why the CMAs Snubbed Cowboy Carter
Dean Emmett G. Price III spoke to NBC News about the lack of nominations for the pop icons country crossover album. Tyler, the Creator, St. ChromaBryan Parys, associate director of content strategy, sees a throughline in Tyler, the Creators career. He says, The first song I heard by Tyler, the Creator was Yonkers back in 2011, which opens with the line Im a f***ing walking paradox; no Im not. Hes changed an awful lot since then, from homophobic slurs to embracing his own queerness on 2017s Flower Boy, but that line remains the perfect thesis for his brand of brash poeticism. On St. Chroma, the opening to his latest album CHROMAKOPIA, the first voice we hear is his mother, whose bold imperative to her son is to never dim your light. It feels like the foundation that he built his paradoxical career on. Hes just as brash as he always was, but now its about a self-love that is incandescent and inviting. Can you feel the light?
Waxahatchee, Lone Star LakeBerklee Online academic advisor Eric Zawada is also a Chappell fan: Like the rest of the world Good Luck, Babe! dominated my listening in 2024. But his favorite non-Roan song is Lone Star Lake by Waxahatchee. The line my lifes been mapped out to a T, but Im always a little lost is probably my favorite lyric of this year. She sings it with such vulnerability, its just beautiful. I feel like Im floating down a gentle creek down south as I listen. The whole Tigers Blood record by Waxahatchee is incredible, and Id say its my favorite album of the year. Right Back to It is rightfully getting a lot of attention, but Lone Star Lake is my standout track from that project.
Mei Semones, TegamiDaedalus, assistant professor of electronic production and design, chose the Brooklyn-based indie artist with jazz influences. Tegami is
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The Best Songs of 2024, According to Berklee Listen to a playlist of the top songs of the year, as chosen by the Berklee community.
