1. Love Me Not by Ravyn Lenae
Most likely the biggest earworm to come from everyone’s TikTok feed, this R&B/retro-pop track was Ravyn Lenae’s breakthrough. The soft melodies blend with the undeniably catchy lyrics to make a song that many were singing whether walking, cleaning or just existing this summer.
2. Just Keep Watching by Tate McRae
The moment this fast-paced dance-pop song was released in late May, anticipation for “F1: The Movie” skyrocketed. Slowly creeping into mainstream pop stardom, McRae’s delivery is as excellent as the production quality.
3. Daisies by Justin Bieber
After his 4-year hiatus from music, Justin Bieber released his surprise seventh studio album, “SWAG,” and it immediately caught the attention of fans. The track about his wife Hailey Bieber is the best example of Bieber’s chemistry with his collaborators Mk.gee and Dijon. Mellow, silky and insatiably smooth.
4. What Was That by Lorde
The first single from Lorde strays from the psychedelic pop genre and returns to her pure and true signature dark-pop aesthetic. The chaos, the subtle grit, the soft desperation and the powerful conciseness in the lyrics make it a standout track of the year.
5. back to friends by sombr
Nearly overnight, sombr became the artist everybody is talking about. His music, notorious for capturing young love and heartbreak, is personal yet universal. Anybody who pines for their first love knows the entire song by heart and finds deep relatability within its content.
6. GNARLY by KATSEYE
The self-proclaimed “global girl-group” broke the internet with their unserious and experimental hyperpop track. After causing division online, the song faced serious backlash. That was, until, the famous ‘Gnarly Dance’ made it impossible to both look away and get the song out of people’s heads.
7. Mystical Magical by Benson Boone
Following the trend of unseriousness, the nonsensical and infamous “moonbeam ice cream” hook in this song quickly turned Benson Boone into an internet phenomenon. What followed was a Crumbl Cookie collaboration, a sold-out national tour and a hate train — further popularizing Boone and the song online.
8. Illegal by PinkPanthress
Her name is Pink, and she’s really glad to meet you. The unparalleled fusion of UK Garage and dance-pop that PinkPanthress is known for shines brighter than ever on this track. The song samples “Dark & Long (Dark Train)” by Underworld. If there’s anything the success of this song proves, it is that nobody can make you move like Panthress can.
9. Manchild by Sabrina Carpenter
Following the success of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” and “Short n Sweet” album in the summer of 2024, Carpenter made a quick comeback to announce that her synth country-pop song about lackluster men. Shortly after its release, it became a cathartic anthem for many, despite its comparison to Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!”
10. party 4 u by Charli xcx
Although officially released amidst the 2020 pandemic, Charli xcx’s melancholic, desirous and electronic hymn invaded the cultural zeitgeist over five years later. After numerous trends as well as being featured at the end of an episode of Benito Skinner’s “Overcompensating,” this song definitely deserves a mention.
