GL.24.06: Caseysimone Ballestas
GL.24.15: MARIO SANDERS
GL.24.16: Carl Anderson
GL.24.17: Jamie Pfeifer
GL.24.18: Lukas Brooks
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15 Songs For 2024 + One Honorable Mention
Some background: I was either late in high school or early in college when my cousin, Desa, told me about her friend’s music blog, that every year he posted his top 100 songs from that year. Like a lot of people that age, I was always looking for new music to listen to and she thought I’d enjoy it. She was right. If I had to make a guess, I wanna say that the first year I listened to one of Aaron’s end of year lists was either 2011 or 2012. Since I was a teenager, every year I’ve looked forward to the end of the year list. Unbeknownst to Aaron, he’s been a fairly significant influence on my music taste over the years. I’ve found some of my favorite artists going through these year end lists (Thanks Aaron!) so to have the opportunity to contribute a guest list feels pretty special.
Anyways, on to the music!
1. Waxahatchee - “Tigers Blood”
In mid-November I’ll start thinking about my Spotify Wrapped and try to guess which artists will make the top 5. Some years the number one spot feels like a toss up; this was not one of those years, it was Waxahatchee by a mile. Part of me wanted to just submit a link to the album and call this list a day. I bought tickets for her tour as soon as they went on sale and it’s one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. The album meant a lot to me this year and this song in particular wraps it up in such a fantastic way.
2. ILLIT - “Magnetic”
Every year there seems to be one K-Pop song that gets its grip on me and doesn’t let go. This year that honor belongs to the girls from ILLIT.
3. Sabrina Carpenter - “Espresso”
I never really got around to listening to any of Sabrina Carpenter’s other stuff, but I really should considering how much I enjoy “Espresso.”
4. Los Campesinos! - “Feast of Tongues”
Los Campesinos! is one of those artists that I first discovered going through one of Aaron’s lists and they have become one of those favorites. It’s incredible that they’re doing some of their best work all these years later and that their music continues to resonate so deeply.
5. Waxahatchee - “The Wolves”
There’s something to be said about my two favorite songs being the final two on the album. I don’t know what that is, but there’s gotta be something.
6. Origami Angel - “Where Blue Light Blooms”
Last year, some friends and I started the creatively titled, “music thing,” where each month we all make a playlist and share them with each other. Sometimes the playlists are meant to fit a theme; sometimes it’s anything goes. Origami Angel is a favorite of one of those friends so learning about them through one of his playlists only to then have them release new music was pretty great.
7. Chappell Roan - “Good Luck, Babe!”
This probably deserves to be higher, but of all the Chappell Roan songs I came to love in 2024, “Good Luck, Babe!” probably doesn’t crack the top 3 and so every time I play it, I want to be listening to “Pink Pony Club” or “HOT TO GO!” It’s probably a bit unfair, but still a great song.
8. Greet Death - “Same But Different Now”
Of all the bands I first started listening to in 2024, Greet Death is at the top of the list. I saw them open for Say Anything in San Francisco and they were phenomenal, one of those openers that you go listen to everything they’ve ever put out as soon as you leave the venue.
9. MJ Lenderman - “Wristwatch”
Unsurprisingly, “Right Back To It” led me to look more into Lenderman’s work and there are some gems. “Wristwatch” is just one.
10. Geordie Greep - “Holy, Holy”
“Holy, Holy” goes so many places musically and I love it. If you’re not head bobbing or toe tapping throughout, I don’t know what to tell you.
11. Charli xcx - “360”
Nothing says you’re getting old like learning brat summer was a whole thing after only learning about Charli xcx’s new album after hearing this song for the first time in like late August.
12. Sam Fender - “People Watching”
“People Watching” came out in November so I don’t feel like I can really justify putting it any higher than this, but I enjoy it quite a bit. It’s too bad it didn’t come out at the peak of John Hughes’ directing career, because it feels like it has “coming-of-age film soundtrack” written all over it.
13. Hockey Dad - “Still Have Room”
14. Hockey Dad - “Safety Pin”
I don’t know how to rank these two songs so they’re coming as a package deal.
15. Toe - “風と記憶”
toe’s 2012 album the book about my idle plot on a vague anxiety is my go to for coffee shop dissertation writing. Their new album isn’t quite as well suited for reading/writing but I’m very glad to have new music from them.
16. I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME - “GLOOMTOWN BRATS”
This came out as a single in December 2023, but the full album came out in 2024 so I’m counting it.
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