• Peso Pluma, Rompe La Dompe (feat. Junior H and Oscar Maydon) (Latin)- The prolific Pluma was back in January 2024 with another single in his more traditional Trap Corrido style, after experimenting with other latin genres recently.  As I’ve mentioned before, the goofy half-Mexican, half-Lebanese Pluma is an absolute sensation.  Since his mid-2022 debut, he has charted 22 Latin Top 10 hits and 3 Global #1’s.

The translation of this song title is:

Rompe (“Break”)....... La (“The”).....Dompe (“Dom Perignon”)

Remember, if you’re able to weave in the phrase “Rompe La Dompe” at a party, you will get major respect from the latinx hipsters……

• 21 Savage, redrum (Hip-Hop/Rap)- redrum reached #1 in the Global Streaming charts in January 2024.  Featuring a seductive sample from 1960’s Brazilian singer, Elza Laranjeira’s “Serenata do Adeus” against a reductive downbeat and a streetwise rap, “redrum” is an intriguing track.  Note that this song is off of 21 Savage’s “American Dream”, which is also by far the most streamed global album presently.

• Justin Timberlake, Selfish (R&B/Pop)- JT came back with his first new music in 5 years with this February preview single of his new 2024 album, “Everything I Thought It Was”.  This silky-smooth song is a welcome departure from his last release “Man of the Woods”, which seemed like an unintended parody of A River Runs Through It. 

• Beyonce, Texas Hold ‘Em (Country)- Queen Bey took an unexpected hairpin turn to Country with “Texas Hold ‘Em”.  However, this single, which was a preview of Beyonce’s #1 Country album, “Cowboy Carter”, doesn’t sport the typical modern country sheen of the current top Country hits.  Instead, “Texas Hold ‘Em” celebrates the black roots of country, featuring a gospel-like vocal against a thumping hoedown-style beat; compelling.

• SZA, Saturn (R&B/Pop)- SZA (pronounced Sizz-Uh) is likely the hottest new property in R&B music, having won the 2024 Grammy’s for Best R&B Song, Best Progressive R&B Album and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (with Phoebe Bridges)- giving her a combined 13 major music awards since 2019.  “Saturn” continues SZA’s sizzling streak reaching #2 in the US streaming charts in March.

• Conan Gray, Alley Rose (Pop/Alternative)- The 25 year-old LA//Japan/Texas native, Gray dropped out of UCLA to pursue his music career, but initially had more success modeling for Puma, Yves St. Laurent and Burberry.  “Alley Rose” from his 3rd album “Found Heaven”, sounds like Queen covering “American Pie”, demonstrating Gray’s acute awareness of pop music historical references- and an A5 vocal range.

Meg and I were accompanied by thousands of swooning girl fans when seeing Conan in at the Bill Graham Auditorium in Fall 2024.

• Dasha, Austin (Country)- Dasha Novotny is an unlikely new country artist, hailing from San Luis Obispo, California and being of Eastern European descent.  While “Austin” was released in late 2023, it went viral on TikTok as a line dance in 2024 and reached #1 or #2 in various European and US Country Charts; pioneering the 2024 trend of US Country hits crossing over to Europe.  “Austin” is Dasha’s first single and is a boot-stomping ode to a noncommittal lover.

• Khruangbin, May Ninth (Alternative/World)- “May Ninth”'s sound comes from a different time and place, with its French whisper-style vocals (think Air, Claudine Longet or Jane Birkin) and Easy Listening atmospheric guitar....... but the unexpected is expected from the Houston-based trio who eclectically combine psychedelic rock with Middle and Far Eastern sounds.  Despite their unique sound, Khruangbin has gathered more than a cult following with their 2020 LP “Mordechai” charting in the Top 5 in many countries.

• Shaboozey, A Bar Song (Tipsy) (Country)- “Tipsy” was undoubtedly the most popular US song of 2024, staying at #1 for 19 consecutive weeks (tying the Billboard 66 year-old record); remarkable for an artist who had never previously even reached the Top 200. While “Tipsy” borrows its chorus lyrics from J-Kwon’s 2004 hip-hop hit, they are completely reinvented by Shaboozey as a sing along barnstormer. Shaboozey’s name is derived from mispronunciations of his family name, Chibueze while growing up in Virginia as a 2nd generation Nigerian immigrant. 

• Tommy Richman, Million Dollar Baby (R&B/Rap)- April 2024's “Million Dollar Baby” was another unlikely hit, peaking at #1 globally- with several critic nominations as the 2024 Song of the Summer, even though the 24-year-old DC native Richman, had also never charted previously in the Top 200.  A Reddit commentator eloquently captured the song’s attraction in saying “yea this is some top tier funky shit- im gonna keep listening to it til my ears pop”.

• Benjamin Ingrosso & Purple Disco Machine (feat. Nile Rodgers and Shenseea), Honey Boy (Dance)- This dance earworm was quite a collaboration. Written and sung by the Swedish Benjamin Ingrosso, it was given a disco sheen by the German DJ, Purple Disco Machine and former leader of Chic, Nile Rodgers' guitar, with backing vocals from the Jamaican dancehall queen, Shenseea.  I’d recommend viewing the song video, which shows the metamorphosis of the ugly and sticky honey-covered Honey Boy into a slick dancing clubster. 

• Billie Eilish, Birds of a Feather (Pop/Alternative)- Sometimes it takes time to sort out which songs from an LP have staying power.  This is evidenced by “Birds of a Feather”, which reached #1 in the global streaming charts, eclipsing Billie’s earlier singles from her May LP, “Hit Me Hard and Soft”.  With an effortlessly poignant melody- and an understated accompaniment, FINNEAS and Billie may have crafted a pop classic.

• Orville Peck, Kylie Minogue & Diplo, Midnight Ride (Dance/Country?)- What is so special about this song?  Is it the teaming of gay icons Peck and Minogue….or mega-DJ Diplo’s continued pioneering of a new Country/Electronic crossover genre…..or Peck’s Elvis-like talkover….or maybe the uniquely memorable harmonies from Peck and Minogue?   Most likely, it’s how each of those seemingly incongruous characteristics combine seamlessly into “Midnight Ride”.

• Zedd & Bea Miller, Out of Time (Alternative)- While initially known as a dance DJ, the classically trained, Russian-born, German Zedd, teams with former X Factor contestant and pop singer, Bea Miller on “Out of Time”. Zedd’s pristine, but complex arrangement raises “Out of Time” beyond just being a well-crafted pop song.  “Out of Time” was a prerelease single from Zedd’s Telos LP, a Grammy nominee for best Dance/Electronic LP of the year. 

• Teddy Swims, Funeral (Pop/R&B)- “Funeral” is the follow up single to the unlikely popstar, Teddy Swims, global #1 “Lose Control”.  Swims (Jaten Dimsdale) is a face-tatted 5’6” stocky former high school football player from Georgia- who became famous singing on YouTube- and like his other hits, “Funeral” provides a platform for his rich baritone blue-eyed soul vocal.

• Kesha, Joyride (Pop/Dance/Electro)- What a long road it’s been for Kesha. She overcame an upbringing in a poor, single-parent household and later hospitalizations for eating disorders to chart 10 Top 10 singles between 2009 and 2013, including the presciently named “Tik Tok” (note that the TikTok App was not launched until 2016). In mid-2023, Kesha finally settled her 9 year-long lawsuit with her producer and label owner Dr. Luke, which included allegations of sexual assault. July's irreverent and liberating “Joyride” was her coming out single. Enjoy the ride!

• Charli XCX & Billie Eilish, Guess (Dance/Electro)- The brat summer continued with this remix of Charli’s “Guess”, featuring Billie Eilish, which debuted at #1 on the BBC radio UK and global streaming charts- and was viewed 14 million times in its 1st week on YouTube.  While this collaboration retains the thumping electro bass of the original “Guess”, the lyrical exchange with Billie has flipped “Guess” to a provocative sapphic ode. The result is a kinky banger which is conquering the clubs.

• Lola Young, Flicker of Light (Alternative)- Oh to be 23 again.................or not. Lola’s “Flicker of Light” takes us on a wild ride of chaotic emotions with her no-nonsense vocals and a tightly urgent sound. Lola attended the famous BRIT School of the Performing Arts- as did Adele, Amy Winehouse, FKA Twigs, RAYE, Imogen Heap, Black Midi, Leona Lewis and many more.

• Zedd & Jeff Buckley, Dream Brother (Electronic)- The classically trained, Russian-born, German DJ Zedd is the only artist to win Neuphoria voting twice in 2024.  Zedd updates Jeff Buckley’s 1994 brooding masterpiece “Dream Brother” with an orchestral electronic sound, while retaining Buckley’s singularly remarkable and emotive vocal.  Simply stunning.

Trivia- Tragically, Jeff Buckley drowned in 1997 at age 30 swimming in the Mississippi River. After spending the first 10 years of his career as a session guitarist, Buckley transitioned to a solo career, surprisingly displaying a multi-octave voice, releasing “Grace” named by Rolling Stone as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and being named by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest ever singers. Chart success for Buckley came posthumously; with his cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", hitting number 1 in 2008.

• Ella Langley, Weren’t for the Wind (Country)- 2024 was a landmark year for Ms. Langley.  She released her critically acclaimed debut LP, “Hungover”, had a 1st single reach #1 on the US Country Charts, appeared 3 times on Neuphoria playlists, but most importantly, was Neuphorian JoeMo’s #1 played artist on his 2024 Spotify Wrapped.

  In “Weren’t for the Wind”, Langley feigns introspection about her history of leaving relationships, ultimately blaming the wind for that “tumbleweed in me”, in another traditional, yet clever lyric.   

• GloRilla & Sexyy Red, WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME (Rap/Hip-Hop)- After already having 3 Top 10 singles in 2023 and 2024, GloRilla released her debut LP "GLORIOUS" in October. Reaching #1 on the US Streaming charts with “WHATCHU KNO….”, Big Glo is joined by hot Femcee Sexyy Red on this crunking banger.

• Celeste, This is Who I Am (R&B)- The 2019 BBC and BRIT New Artist of the Year, Celeste was chosen to write and sing the theme song to the newly released “Day of the Jackal” series, starring Eddie Redmayne as an assassin for hire.  As November's “This is Who I Am” progresses, it builds to an orchestral crescendo along with Celeste’s powerhouse wailing vocal.