In music, every year has its own styles and genres. Sometimes it's disco, sometimes it's hip-hop, but the last decade has definitely been the year of pop. Although, more than ever, defining pop is an impossible task and talking about genre would be unfair: instead, we want to understand popular music in its broadest sense. In the last twelve months we have had an impressive amount of radio hits, catchphrases and sales triumphs that have settled in the world charts for months, and still haven't come out. For the first time in who knows how long, this melting pot includes a multitude of expressions, trends and, yes, even genres, such diversity is difficult to remember. Above all, it finally seems that music for the general public is changing: country, folk and alternative rock are joining Afrobeat, K-pop and Latin music in the list of major international competitors.
We have witnessed some of the most memorable dissing of our time – one above all, that between an American and a Canadian. We have celebrated the brat summer and the invasion of British electronic music. We have celebrated a massive invasion of female hip-hop, the return of some great rock bands, the triumph of American roots and the most varied contaminations. Once again, music is a global phenomenon and barriers – at least in this case – are a distant memory. The artists you will find in this ranking come from Colombia, Thailand, New Zealand, Belgium, India, Nigeria, Argentina. For the second year in a row, we find ourselves seeing that, globally, women dominate, with an interesting change of direction.
It wasn't easy to choose our one hundred songs of the year, and for this reason we limited ourselves to only those releases distributed as singles, but we are sure of one thing, the last decade will mark a watershed in the history of music and many of those you will find in the following lines are destined to remain forever.
- 100. Caravan – I Patagarri
They presented themselves as the new singers of jazz in Italy, but this is not New Orleans: rather, we are in the Balkans area. Given the results, it's fine anyway. They already seem ready for Eurovision.
- 99. Sunday Best – Lauren Mayberry
If you think you know her, it’s because she’s the voice of Chvrches. Here on her solo debut, still talking about the same themes, but looking at 90s pop, with awareness and renewed verve. Pure dynamism.
- 98. Aquamarine – Addison Rae
She reminds many of early Lana Del Rey, but Addison Rae is also comfortable with synth and electropop, as she demonstrates here. Perhaps, she's more of a little sister to Charli XCX.
- 97. Adrianne Lenker – Free Treasure
The best thing about this song is that it's a very tender love song, with an equally tender melody and flow, as if the two things were born together.
- 96. How Far Will We Take It? – Orville Peck & Noah Cyrus
He’s the masked singer of country, she’s Miley’s sister. The duet is a melancholic pop (country, of course), about a couple who are breaking up. Like their contrasting voices.
- 95. Lost in Space – Foster the People
Foster the People meet the 80s, and go glam and psychedelic. The sound is sincerely evocative, and their first work since 2017 deserved more attention.
- 94. All in Good Time – Iron & Wine and Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple singing like Norah Jones, Iron & Wine reaching out to her in one of the hottest duets of 2024, one of those that go straight to the heart (you can find another one at position 49).
- 93. Nissan Altima – Doechii
The princess of rap – or the new hip-hop Madonna , as she calls herself – owns the title. It’s hard to disagree with her: when she punctuates every syllable we want to follow her, when she accelerates she’s electrifying.
- 92. In the Night – Childish Gambino feat. Jorja Smith & Amaarae
It seems like no one has noticed this release from Childish Gambino this year: a happy turn towards electronic and alternative R&B, in which the two exceptional collaborators turn the tables with verve and attitude.
- 91. Cinderella – Remi Wolf
Remi Wolf calls herself Cinderella, and not in a good way. But, just like in fairy tales, the sun can shine again. Sometimes it helps to just let go and shake your hips a little, and her song reminds us that music is also for that.
- 90. Death & Romance – Magdalena Bay
Mica Tenenbaum's voice blends into the piano chords and electronics as if it were one with the music, joyful, unpredictable and futuristic.
- 89. World on a String – Jessica Pratt
A song that seems to have come straight out of the Sixties, perhaps from the Simon & Garfunkel forge, which demonstrates how everything can be reinvented and can always be current, if done well.
- 88. Joyride – Kesha
Kesha is back, and this time she is more uninhibited, sexier and more insolent than ever, but with the awareness of her age and a complex sound construction. It seems like she's saying: try to stop me!
- 87. Beaches – Beabadoobee
Her voice is cut for teen pop, and she prefers alternative rock instead. And she knows how to do it very well, placing herself in a space that has rarely been occupied with such dexterity since the 90s.
- 86. Can't Be Still – illuminati hotties
For once, instead of quoting a song that went viral on TikTok, we propose one that would have been perfect: a few simple words and a finely produced melody make it a little gem to rediscover.
- 85. I Like the Way You Kiss Me – Artemas
The most popular dance track of 2024 actually hides a dark side, which reveals itself at the end, when it gives way to a very short punk-like turn. You remain under it, desperately attracted.
- 84. Carnival – ¥$ and Rich the Kid feat. Playboi Carti
A song that is certainly controversial for its verses, but with an insane production, from the dark sounds to the stadium-chorus-style chorus-type-ultras, which immediately introduces us to a fascinating and dangerous territory.
- 83. Omega – Rosalía feat. Ralphie Choo
A romantic ballad in Spanish with a spare and minimalist style, almost far from Rosalía's latest solo production, as well as the featurings of recent years. At the end it is intense as never before.
- 82. On Tonight – Rosali
At times reminiscent of the Irish Róisín Murphy, she is instead the American Rosali, a classy interpreter of an indie folk in which the guitar and her relaxed voice dominate unchallenged.
- 81. Sinceramente – Annalisa
It’s not so much that when, when, when, but rather those few initial notes, which foretell a sort of ineluctable, dramatic fatality. Repeated over and over again, they throw us into the vortex, and we can’t get out of it.
- 80. Broken Man – St. Vincent
Fiona Apple and Tori Amos take the background on this rough and tumble track where the singer-songwriter silences everyone. There’s plenty of personality here and an artist who’s set to make her mark again.
- 79. Lunch – Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish plays with her attraction to a woman, and she does it with the instruments of synth-pop. The result is magnetic, as those who are good at it say, worthy of a real club banger.
- 78. Commas – Ayra Starr
The Nigerian singer makes optimism her banner, through a mild and sunny melody that suits her timbre well, while inviting us to shake off negative energies.
- 77. Bed Chem – Sabrina Carpenter
The warmest track on the album Short n' Sweet , with that retro flavor that winks at disco and 80s pop and a not-so-subtle languor. Sweet, but also sexy.
- 76. Running Water – Soo Joo and Hudson Mohawke
Ethereal and elusive, elegant and mysterious: the Scottish DJ could only entrust a model – in this case Soo Joo – with the task of giving voice to this song that is a bit ambient and a bit house.
- 75. Docket – Blondshell feat. Bully
If female rock has two exponents not to be underestimated, these are Blondshell and Bully. Their voices sing in unison, to the point that this pairing could make a record, a tour – basically, anything.
- 74. Power to Undo – Brittany Howard Between the determined consistency of garage and the American
aftertaste of Brittany Howard, you come out of the listening stunned, but subjugated.
- 73. Worthy – Mavis Staples
Eighty-five years old and still going strong. Resolute and modern, the singer from Illinois is a slap in the face to anyone who wonders if it’s still possible to make soul music these days.
- 72. Darkest Hour (Helen Reddit) – Eric Church
Usually, every year has its own musician who sings about consolation and emotional relief: this time it’s Eric Church’s turn, with a wonderfully comforting country ballad.
- 71. Spite – Omar Apollo
Contemporary R&B finds one of its best expressions in the music of Omar Apollo, here grappling with an eclectic and Caribbean rhythm, which offers the best expression to his warm voice.
- 70. She's Leaving You – MJ Lenderman
Her performance may not be perfect, but it is in imperfection that she finds the best resolution to sing about a relationship gone to pieces. There is frustration in her notes, and you can feel it.
- 69. Fun! – May Rio
A piano and little else form the backdrop to this tender interpretation by the New York singer. Don’t expect fun: it’s introspection, slow and inexorable.
- 68. Perfume – The Dare
It's not so much the music, but the performance of Harrison Patrick Smith, aka The Dare, and his self-confident and unprejudiced way of singing, while he asserts that no one in the room can resist his perfume.
- 67. Melodrama – Angelina Mango
An atmosphere that plays with mixing Iberian sounds with electropop. Angelina could be our answer to Rosalía, in terms of style and inventiveness. Definitely a popstar worthy of the name.
- 66. This Is Nowhere – The Black Key
The Black Keys reinvent themselves by mixing up the cards on the table. The result is a very fresh mix of rock, folk and blues, inviting and joyful despite the singer’s desire to disappear into thin air. Go ahead, we’ll follow you.
- 65. New Woman – Lisa feat. Rosalía
Lisa does K-pop, Rosalía brings the music of her Spain: the pairing should clash on paper, but it sounds good. Oh yes, it sounds good.
- 64. Band4Band – Central Cee feat. Lil Baby
Money and power, that is, nothing new under the hip hop sun. But you can also feel a genuine desire for redemption, the confidence of someone who has made it, and the straightforward sound of English gangsta rap that meets American gangsta rap.
- 63. Doing Better – Fletcher
There’s no doubt that Fletcher has quite the attitude, which is reflected in both his lyrics and his melodies. With a bold and electrifying streak, we’re sure he’ll give other pop up-and-comers a run for their money.
- 62. Enough (Miami) – Cardi B
This era of hip-hop belongs to her. There is no one more authoritative and convincing when she steps up to the mic. You're either with her or against her: we chose the former.
- 61. ni de ti – TINI
The beginning heralds a burst of energy, but the impetuosity that reaches the halfway point and the magnetism of TINI's storytelling strike without predictions. Released as part of another single, it also works very well on its own.
- 60. Soulbreaker – AG Cook
The English producer and friend of Charli XCX is always moving in unpredictable directions. Just listen to his works to understand where electropop is going: most likely, that's the future.
- 59. In Front of Me Now – Nada Surf
We could have expected anything this year, except a return of Nada Surf with great fanfare. Here we are faced with one of their best works, a sign that they are still an authority when it comes to indie rock.
- 58. Dark Matter – Pearl Jam
Those who don’t know them might think they’re a young rock band. But no, they’re the ones who’ve been around for thirty years, with an enviable verve that gives a lesson in style to the new generations.
- 57. Messy – Lola Young
With a broken voice she says things like « And I'm too perfect 'til I open my big mouth », she who here is everything and its opposite. At twenty-three she sings the most uncomfortable and frustrated side of a relationship, and adolescence now seems to be over.
- 56. We Are Making Out – Mura Masa feat. Yeule
From England comes a new group of DJs and producers to keep an eye on. Mura Masa is one of them, and he proves it with a song that says little more than the title. Sometimes that's enough, if you have the right sound (see Daft Punk).
- 55. I Luv It – Camila Cabello feat. Playboi Carti
If you were asked what hyperpop is, you would answer with the title of this song. I Luv It lives on continuous sudden bursts and sprints, with synthesizers always pushed, and Camila Cabello is the first to be carried away.
- 54. I'm All Fucked Up – This Is Lorelei
Behind this song it seems like there's an entire band, or at least a duo, but instead there's only Nate Amos, his deceptive voice and a melody that proceeds quickly and overwhelmingly.
- 53. Anything – Griff
Griff would have done anything for love, even jumping off a bridge. The person she’s talking to has taken advantage of her, and now she lets out a cry of rage and pain. Penetrating.
- 52. Evergreen – Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners feat. Caamp
They're called sleeper hits, the songs that take months to reach the charts. But this one breaks all records: the original is from 2017, this year the remix arrived, even more vigorous, even more folk. Good thing they insisted.
- 51. Sailor Song – Gigi Perez
That an indie folk ballad went viral on TikTok is one of the (musical) miracles of 2024. Thanks to a chorus built on assonances like a nursery rhyme, the performer who increases in intensity, the music that follows in its wake: incredible that it is self-produced.
- 50. Born with a Broken Heart – Damiano David
Damiano without Måneskin has decided to follow a different path. The change of look was functional to the launch of this very pop melody, but of a pop from another time, which we did not know we missed.
- 49. Someone to Dance With – Robby Hecht and Jill Andrews
Here it is, another one of those duets that splits your heart in two. It has a wintry feel, something that needs warmth and comfort. Take the hand of the one you love and indulge in a slow dance.
- 48. Obsessed – Olivia Rodrigo
Betrayals, romantic replacements, jealousy: Rodrigo has sung them all, and now she adds an unhealthy obsession. Not for him, though, but for her ex. And to be even more authentic, she presses the guitar and turns to rock.
- 47. Doce Doce – Dadà
Dadà crosses Neapolitan musical tradition with experimental refinement, folk with electronics, reinventing a coffee brand jingle through the language of Naples. The vibrations are unstoppable.
- 46. Love Me JeJe – Tems
In the beginning there was a song (of the same name) by Nigerian Seyi Sodimu. Her compatriot reinterprets it, the sound of her country revives it in a joyful Afrobeat, and for a moment the whole world seems very bright.
- 45. Fantasy – Jade
Like a modern Diana Ross, Jade echoes 80s disco and 70s funk, even bringing to mind Nile Rodgers and a Mariah Carey-esque style: ready to hit the dance floor?
- 44. It Was Always You – Carín León and Leon Bridges
The first is Mexican, the second Texan: more than neighbors they seem like brothers, they understand each other perfectly, and enrich each other's tradition in one of the most beautiful ballads of the last twelve months.
- 43. Ma Meilleure Enemie – Stromae & Pomme
It was difficult for Arcane , the animated series, to have a more powerful soundtrack than Enemy by Imagine Dragons. And instead, our French-speaking friends arrived to make us change our minds: et voilà!
- 42. Alone – The Cure
Their last album came in 2008. Thank God, they’re back, and they’re changing again. Robert Smith’s band indulges in despair and depression, and it’s wonderful to let go: the result is epic.
- 41. Speyside – Bon Iver
It is not an easy song, with a structure far from conventions and a pessimistic theme: « Nothing's really happened like I thought it would ». Yet, many fans confirm a feeling of joy and sadness, together, that only the masters can give.
- 40. Big Dawgs – Hanumankind feat. Kalmi
Straight from India, a rapper who swaggers with a beat that sounds dirty and dangerous, worthy of an action blockbuster, with an adrenaline level that is sky high.
- 39. Genesis – Raye
A kaleidoscope of musical genres (jazz, soul, gospel, R&B) and themes (anxiety, stress, social pressure), in a small, intense masterpiece of seven minutes. To be listened to from beginning to end.
- 38. Dog Days – Dehd
Everyone I know is breaking a heart, or has a broken heart: this is what the band from Chicago essentially sings, but with an irony typical of cheeky and dreamy youth.
- 37. Training Season – Dua Lipa
It may be a dance hit, but that's not (only) why we like it: it's that experienced woman's attitude, of someone who is telling an incontrovertible truth, with which Dua Lipa reels off the chorus, knocking out every hypothetical interlocutor, up to that indisputable « training season's over ».
- 36. Apt. – Rosé and Bruno Mars
It might seem like a childish play on words and nothing more, but with each chorus it presses, raises the tone, and in the end it won’t leave your head. Energetic and nagging – but in a good way – like little else.
- 35. Right Back to It – Waxahatchee feat. MJ Lenderman
A little indie, a little country, a lot of folk: Waxahatchee hires MJ Lenderman and his guitar in one of the happiest unions of this year. Melancholic, sweet, even caressing, in a word: unforgettable.
- 34. Risk – Gracie Abrams
The excitement of beginnings, the fear of jumping in too quickly and falling in love before you're ready: Abrams is the new interpreter of young love, a mix between Rodrigo and Taylor Swift, with a cautious and trembling voice that can also be excited and quivering.
- 33. Now that I no longer have you – Cesare Cremonini
Last year Calcutta came to save us, when the game was almost over. This year it's his turn to make us melt, with his artistic maturity and his awareness: I only frequent places that you've never seen / Because I'm afraid of meeting you and of a "hi, how are you?".
- 32. Apple – Charli XCX
This year has seen a lot of viral hits. Apple is the one that beats them all, with its dreamy atmosphere, fashion look, and a handful of slightly nonsensical and very catchy verses.
- 31. Sexy to Someone – Clairo
Soft vocals and a few piano notes are enough to make this single sophisticated and seductive – the best of the whole album, itself hailed as one of the best of 2024.
- 30. Tailor Swif – ASAP Rocky
It starts with a relaxed synthesizer and atmosphere, followed by an acceleration of the rhythm and the trap begins: ASAP Rocky does his best, and he does it well. Don't try to explain the title, it's all a game.
- 29. May Ninth – Khruangbin
The definition of chill for 2024 are the Americans Khruangbin. To be listened to in the summer, despite the title, on a beach at sunset, and prepare to let go.
- 28. A Bar Song (Tipsy) – Shaboozey
It arrived a little late in Italy, after it had already been practically sanctified in the US. In those parts it will become a national anthem, and rightly so: not only did it take country to new levels, but they won't make another hit like it for another hundred years.
- 27. Yes, And? – Ariana Grande
Pure house-pop, so much so that even the fake music critics in the video start dancing at the end. Infectious and full of light, like a tutorial for those who want to regain their self-confidence.
- 26. Too Sweet – Hozier
Completely different from what we are used to, Hozier delivers in 2024 the most successful song of his career so far. Is this the beginning of a new era? If so, we like it a lot.
- 25. Mary Boone – Vampire Weekend
A nostalgic anthem about a (real) failed art dealer, the Mary Boone of the title already known to the chronicles. Vampire Weekend paint her with downtempo melodies and celestial choirs, in a mix of genius, pain and rock.
- 24. Joy – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Exactly forty years after his debut, Nick Cave writes one of the most beautiful songs of his career. He only needs a few sentences, not even exceptional ones, because he truly believes in it and infuses every word with palpable emotion.
- 23. Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido – Karol G
Can a summer hit be a great piece of music? Of course it can. Like this merengue, permeated by a melancholic aura (like many hits in reality), even if it makes you want to ride a train on it.
- 22. Screamland – Father John Misty
We know him well for his joyful musical expressions, but when he descends into the depths of his soul he has no equal. More than singing, here, he confesses, and it arrives powerful and painful like a punch in the stomach.
- 21. Like I Say (I runaway) – Nilüfer Yanya
A real race against time, to prevent the one you love from going away. There were many ways to interpret it, but those guitar notes seem to be the best choice in the end, in a crescendo that culminates exactly where we want.
- 20. The Feminine Urge – The Last Dinner Party
According to the all-female English band, this song is about anger and relationships between mothers and daughters, and that moment when you realize that every mother has a life that goes beyond this role. Original in its writing like little else, it oscillates between surges and relaxations that make it as captivating as going into a trance.
- 19. Tejano Blue – Cigarettes After Sex
We know the band’s imprint, and the tone of its frontman too. On their third album, they still know how to be touching and emblematic without giving up their style. Tejano Blue has the sound of a delicate nocturnal confession, or a last kiss before a farewell. It seems like you can even see the fog around you.
- 18. Please Please Please – Sabrina Carpenter
The most unusual thing we could expect from Sabrina Carpenter, especially after Espresso . Here we are still in the pop sphere, but with a pinch of disco and a sprinkling of soft rock, with the singer inviting her motherfucker boyfriend not to embarrass her: how can you not identify with him?
- 17. Tuta Gold – Mahmood
Mahmood's latest song at Sanremo has it all: Arabic roots, urban, R&B, but the best part is in the writing of the lyrics, at times memorable, at times even elusive. If there is a leading interpreter of black music in Italy, it is certainly him.
- 16. Pink Skies – Zach Bryan
It begins with a funeral and continues with preparations for a painful day to face. However, Bryan's voice is calm, it invites us to remember the best moments of those who have just left us and that life does not end there. It is moving, of course, but above all it is so sincere that it seems biographical, and for this reason all the more poignant.
- 15. Fortnight – Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone
Such a slow and (apparently) relaxed lead single takes us back to the Taylor Swift of the pandemic era. It's all so calm and subdued, that at first listen you are disoriented. But, as we know, appearances can be deceiving, and love here is without a happy ending. Bad weather is about to arrive – as it does in the video, in fact – and Post Malone is the one to give it voice, with a wonderful echo that makes us think they had to duet together.
- 14. Boredom – Angelina Mango
In an era of synthesizers, percussions and autotune (which are also appreciable, mind you), Angelina Mango reminds us that other instruments exist and, above all, how beautiful and vast pop is. Thanks to the recognizable intervention of Dardust, the cumbia is really heard and boredom is, fortunately, far away. She puts her own spin on it and sings divinely.
- 13. Starbuster – Fontaines DC
2024 will go down in music history as the year the whole world noticed Fontaines DC. Longtime fans will be outraged, but the fact remains that they have never been so good, convincing and alive. But not so turbulent and restless as to be scary.
- 12. What's Fair – Blondshell
The imagery that inspired the Californian singer is clear: it is that of the alternative rock of the Nineties, between punk and grunge. Don't think of it as an imitation, though, because it is an inspiration that we are talking about. Blondshell is in a state of grace. Here too, the complex relationship between mother and daughter is discussed, between reproaches and admissions of guilt. There is anger, but also the talent to let it out.
- 11. Like a Lesson – Pillow Queens
On their third album, the Irish Pillow Queens work on a more melodious and less harsh sound, always driven by a biographical and careful writing. With Pamela Connolly at the microphone, who manages to make heartbreaking verses like « I don't wanna ruin my life, but I wanna go home with you », in a crescendo of considerable emotion. Their rock is ripe for the international scene.
- 10. Birds of a Feather – Billie Eilish
There was a time when praising pop music could be a controversial gesture, but luckily Billie Eilish makes it easy for us. A song that talks about love and funerals at the same time and makes it sound like the most romantic thing ever in her hands becomes a winning bet. And, on top of that, she has the ability to pronounce every single line as if it were the most important she's ever said, transforming simplicity into excellence.
- 9. 360 – Charli XCX
She is a point of reference, she is everywhere: this is what Charli says about herself in this 360 , whose title refers to her status as a global icon, who has made a complete tour (of the world). Usually, presumption should annoy us, but instead we forgive her: because she is a textbook brat, she is innovative, different, unique, she has made electropop her mission and has become its undisputed lady.
- 8. Saturn – SZA
The nihilistic and pessimistic material of the song contrasts with the dreamy and mellifluous atmosphere of the arrangement, to which SZA herself contributes with her intonation. If R&B is rising from its ashes, we owe it above all to her, who here imagines the possibility of leaving this cruel world and moving to Saturn. We really hope she stays.
- 7. we can't be friends (wait for your love) – Ariana Grande
It seems to be a common opinion that Ariana Grande's latest production is indebted to Robyn, but in our opinion she went even further. This synth-pop hit – the best track on the album – is an intimate and collected diary entry, to the point that the previous Yes, And? seems a thousand miles away. The interpretation is subdued and painful, the atmosphere too, and the end of the relationship she sings about seems painful but also inevitable and liberating. If you're not moved, you have a heart of stone.
- 6. Angel of My Dreams – Jade
Jade’s debut solo single is best described as a “Frankenstein song.” Indeed, Angel of My Dreams combines completely different styles and tendencies – and even tempos – making it seem like the most natural thing in the world. This monster, however, is enchanting. It’s a ballad, a house hit, a techno track, it’s heartbreaking, it’s captivating, it’s a hypnosis session, and all for the price of one.
- 5. Not Like Us – Kendrick Lamar
If you haven’t had your head in the sand this year, you’ll surely know that the most famous diss of 2024 is the one between Lamar and Drake. Through a series of musical back-and-forths full of insults, all sorts of things have been said, but only one is the winner. Sorry for the other, but Kendrick came out with his head held high, with no holds barred (low) blows, with heavy accusations but with a tempo, a rhythm, a timing and a beat that are the work of a true master.
- 4. Beautiful Things – Benson Boone
At first listen it is unsettling: it starts in one way, and then, at the chorus, it becomes completely different, in music and lyrics. From a hymn to joy it becomes a desperate cry, reveals all its fragility, and Boone all his power. And that's where he conquers us. For a hit that has conquered audiences everywhere it has an unusual construction, but we like it also for this, as well as for the amazing performance of a debutant with the ability of a veteran.
- 3. Texas Hold 'Em – Beyoncé
Many pop stars have their decade of success. Beyoncé has transcended all boundaries, continuing to assert herself and confirm herself as an artist we can't do without. From R&B star she has transformed into a disco lady and, this year, she has reclaimed the black roots of country music. Texas Hold 'Em inaugurated a new era for the exquisitely American genre, opening its doors to the rest of the world. She did it thanks to a simple but impeccable arrangement, and a performance that deserves ten out of ten. Once again, thank you Beyoncé.
- 2. Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter
It takes talent to churn out a summer song that lasts all year. And here's Sabrina Carpenter's Espresso , in her dazzlingly sunny pop-funk package. It's an instant hit, that gets stuck in your head right away thanks to that damned irresistible groove and an ambiguous, nonsensical text that has already entered the collective pop imagination: « I'm working late cause I'm a singer » competes with « That's that me espresso » for the most emblematic line of the year.
- 1. Good Luck, Babe! – Chappell Roan
When Chappell Roan released his debut album last year, it was met with overwhelmingly positive reception. But no one could have expected what would soon follow. In fact, the signs were initially timid: Good Luck, Babe! came out in April, but didn’t immediately enter the charts. By the summer, however, we were all singing along. Now, in December, we can finally call it iconic. Bidding farewell forever to his beloved, who refuses to admit that she likes women too, Chappell Roan delivers one of the most successful choruses of recent times, destined to rewrite the history of catchphrases. Its ancestor is ’80s new wave, its inspiration is ’90s soft rock, its look is drag, its aesthetic is camp, its packaging is baroque, so much so that calling it just a pop song is reductive – and here too, we are sure that it will pave the way for a new school of musicians. It is so powerful that at a certain point it dragged along all the singer's previous songs, giving them new life in the charts all over the world. The fairy tale has come true, the happy ending has come true, the princess of the Midwest has become queen.
