The Ultimate 2024 Playlist

2024 was such a great year for music! From Chappell Roan to Eminem to Green Day, this year saw a number of comebacks and the explosive rise of many newer artists. There’s a lot to sift through, so we made it easier for our readers by making the ultimate 2024 playlist. All kinds of genres are represented in this list from jazz to pop to metal among many other genres. I’m sure there’s at least one song in this playlist that will be new to you, and we hope you’ll check it out! There’s something special about discovering a new song in a genre you never listen to. Enjoy! 

“Espresso” - Sabrina Carpenter 

This catchy single from Sabrina Carpenter’s album Short n’ Sweet was the song of the summer, and that’s a well-deserved title! 

“Birds of a Feather” - Billie Eilish 

Eilish continues to show off her vocal range with her latest album, and “Birds of a Feather” seems to be the most played among fans on Spotify. 

“Die with a Smile” - Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars 

The collab we didn’t know we needed, “Die with a Smile” is a perfect blend of Gaga and Mars’ incredible vocals, plus a fun, cowboy themed music video.  

“Beautiful Things” - Benson Boone 

The inescapable hit of the year that has even celebrities jamming along when it comes on.  

“Not Like Us” - Kendrik Lamar 

I dare you not to groove to this song. It was well loved upon its release, peaking at number two in the Billboard Songs of the Summer chart and spending 14 weeks on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop chart. 

“Good Luck, Babe!” - Chappell Roan 

2024 has seen the rise of queer pop singer, Chappell Roan, and with songs this catchy, it’s not hard to see why she’s blown up. This one’s for the gays! 

“we can’t be friends (wait for your love) - Ariana Grande 

Ariana Grande has got stiff competition in the pop sphere these days, but her beautiful voice and killer lyrics keep her in the hearts and charts of many.   

“Fortnight” - Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone 

Taylor Swift continues to dominate the charts and hearts of millions, and her latest album The Tortured Poets Department saw hundreds of millions of plays, even the 31-song anthology version. Yet the one that seems most popular among listeners is “Fortnight.” 

“Taste” - Sabrina Carpenter 

Carpenter really took over 2024 with a number of hit singles, with “Taste” getting extra attention for its music video featuring current it-girl, scream queen Jenna Ortega and a number of references to the 1992 film, Death Becomes Her.  

“Texas Hold Em” - Beyonce 

Who had Beyonce releasing a country album on their 2024 Bingo card? And who thought it would actually slap? Beyonce continues to one-up herself. 

“I Had Some Help” - Post Malone (feat. Morgan Wallen) 

Of course Post has a country album.

“Too Sweet” - Hozier 

Respectfully, this is the most radio-ready I have ever heard Hozier sound. Good news, I'll take any ear worm he has to offer.

“Never Lose Me” - Flo Milli 

“Never Lose Me” paints a story of Flo Milli doing all she can to not lose her successful man, and it is the biggest hit of Milli’s career.  

“Saturn” - SZA 

Variety magazine reviews “Saturn” best, saying it’s “an at-home addition to the pantheon of SZA's mercurial discography echoing the full-bodied mellifluousness of songs like ‘Good Days’ and ‘Snooze’” (Source) 

“Next Semester” - Twenty One Pilots 

The entire Clancy album is full of bangers, but “Next Semester” is the catchiest of them all. It’s a song that most people can enjoy, even if they haven’t liked the band’s music in the past. 

“Suffocate (feat. Poppy) - Knocked Loose 

Knocked Loose continues to dominate the modern hardcore scene with an explosive track featuring, yes you read that right, pop singer Poppy. It’s a collaboration that works insanely well and is one of the most popular tracks from the band’s latest album.  

“Landmines” - Sum 41 

Sum 41 has still got it! If you’re a longtime fan of Sum 41, “Landmines” will make you feel like it’s 2004 again.  

“The American Dream Is Killing Me” - Green Day 

Is it really a Green Day album if it isn’t making some political commentary? And what better year for a Green Day album to drop than on an election year? Green Day’s still got it.  

“Legendary” - Bon Jovi 

Bon Jovi is back with another catchy tune that’s great to throw on at a family party and captures Bon Jovi’s love of being a musician and the love/support he receives from his wife.  

“Doomed” - Mothica 

Lovers of the dark and moody will vibe with Mothica and her music, especially “Doomed” that captures the feeling of gifted child syndrome and being stuck in the suburbs. 

“Over the Garden Wall” - Like Moths to Flames 

Lovers of melodic hardcore are not going to want to miss out on the work from Like Moths to Flames, especially not “Over the Garden Wall” which is Moths at their best. 

“Miasma (Feat. Winston McCall)” - Northlane 

After Parkway Drive (singer Winston McCall features on the track) and Northlane toured together last year, a song collaboration 

“The Emptiness Machine” - Linkin Park 

The return of Linkin Park was controversial, not only because some fans couldn’t imagine the band without their deceased singer Chester Bennington, but also because the woman chosen to replace him has her own controversial past that many fans feel doesn’t fit the band and its message. That said, this is the first new song released by the band since Bennington’s passing, so it is worth putting in a list like this as a memory to look back on. Is it any good? That’s for you to decide. 

“See You in the Afterlife” - Foster the People 

With major inspiration from the 70s and 80s disco scenes, fans of the band’s groovy sound of their Supermodel album will really vibe with “See You in the Afterlife.” 

“Closer to Me” - Kandace Springs 

Springs describes her song, “Closer to Me” as a moment of “inspiration and talent merging” and that’s an apt description. You can feel the heart put into it.   

“Dream State” - Kamasi Washington (feat. Andre 3000) 

“Dream State” is a mesmerizing jazz track that explores the idea of moving forward, not being afraid to change or our connections with the future. 

“Inside and Out” - Cyrille Aimee, Jake Sherman 

Written while visiting the Costa Rican jungle during a pivotal moment in her life, “Inside and Out” is the seed for the rest of Aimee’s latest album, with lyrics that describe building a steady place for her to write and be inspired.  

“28” - Zach Bryan 

The Great American Bar Scene is poetry.

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” - Shaboozey 

After Cowboy Carter introduced me to Shaboozey, I couldn't turn around without hearing this song on some loud speaker above me. This song is so catchy and was such a powerhouse on the song charts. It made me think, Wait, do I like country music again?

“Fast Car” - Luke Combs 

While Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s classic may not hold a candle to the original, it has become very popular in 2024 among country music fans. 

“Stick Season” - Noah Kahan 

As an ode to growing up, folk-pop singer Noah Kahan put out a song full of vibey introspection.  

“Real Artificial” - Elsten Torres 

“Real Artificial” is the title track for Torres’ latest album, and it is an underrated gem anyone who’s a fan of Latin jazz needs to check out.  

“OKLOSER” - Doja Cat 

One of the catchier new tracks from the deluxe edition of Scalet 2 Claude, “OKLOSER” is bound to get stuck in your head. 

“Lose Control” - Teddy Swims 

The blues influence in this pop song creates a rich sound that earned it's spot in the Billboard Top 100--peaking at #1.

“Midnight Ride” - Orville Peck (feat. Kylie Minogue, Diplo) 

I will always listen to anything Orville Peck makes. This felt more produced than his previous albums, but the collab is so fun and it's on repeat for me.

“HISS” - Megan Thee Stallion  

This was a diss track (hiss track?) that made my mouth hang open for 3 minutes on the first listen. I'm still thinking about how piercing the viral "Meghan's Law" lyric was. She's that girl.

“Lovin’ on Me” - Jack Harlow 

Anyone not looking to be tied down might resonate with Jack Harlow’s song “Lovin’ on Me.” 

“Houndini” - Dua Lipa 

Such a fun summer disco-feeling! This is one that will grace your dance playlist for years to come.

“After Hours” - Khelani 

This is the perfect summer track has a nostalgic feeling and easy-to-dance-to beats that are going to make you wish you were on a tropical vacation. 

“Houdini” - Eminem 

Slim Shady’s back, but to say goodbye! Eminem dropped an album as his alter ego Slim Shady to see what the modern day is like, and “Houdini” was the first single of the comeback, featuring a sample of the 1980s Steve Miller Band classic, “Abracadabra.” 

“Apple” - Charlie xcx 

Could we really talk about 2024 without bringing up the takeover of “brat summer”? There are a lot of great songs to highlight off this album but there’s something so addictive about the song, “Apple” and its hard-hitting lyrics about generational trauma.  

You can check out the full playlist on Spotify here:

Check out the Spotify player

We love embarking on the journey of discovering and sharing music with our readers, and we hope this compilation is a good representation of the year. Has your favorite song of the year made it on our list? What’s on your 2024 playlist that we should check out? Let us know in the comments, and while you’re at it, we’d love for you to share this playlist with your friends. Thank you for reading!