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Global Pop Round-Up: May 2024 Edition

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Global Pop Round-Up

The Bias List is a K-pop blog that also covers a fair amount of J-pop. But just like most music fans, I enjoy tracks from all around the world. So, I thought I’d start a monthly round-up of some of the non-K-pop songs that have caught my ear. No ratings — just highlights!

February 2022 // March 2022 // April 2022 // May 2022 // June 2022 // July 2022 // August 2022 // September 2022 // October 2022 // November 2022 // January 2023 // February 2023 // March 2023 // April 2023 // May 2023 // June 2023 // July 2023 // August 2023 // September 2023 // October 2023 // November 2023 // January 2024 // February 2024 // March 2024 // April 2024

The American English – Velvet Lotus

For those of you who enjoy 80’s synth-infused rock with suggestive lyrics.

Bonnie McKee – Jenny’s Got A Boyfriend

Over a decade since its inception, Bonnie McKee’s album is finally set for release at the end of the month. This is one of the strongest pre-release tracks yet. Very retro!

Ellen Benediktson – Basic

Just a great, slamming pop/rock track.

Joel Corry x Pickle – Stay Together (Baby Baby) (ft. Vula)

Such a big sounding dance track. The beat has real grit.

Loreen – Forever

Not up there with Euphoria or Tattoo, but I love the dramatic trance sound.

Mileo – Stalker

The melodies here are a pure sugar rush. It’s very early-2010’s and that’s never a bad thing.

Nemo – The Code

While this was released earlier in the year, it officially won Eurovision last week. Watching the performance made everything click for me and it became my favorite so I’m glad it won!

Purple Disco Machine – Honey Boy (ft. Benjamin Ingrosso, Nile Rodgers & Shenseea)

We really need to compile all these great Purple Disco Machine singles into an album. They never miss, and this is no different.

SB19 – Moonlight (ft. Ian Asher & Terry Zhong)

SB19’s sound shifts around quite a lot. This collaboration finds them operating in full-on pop mode.

The Scarlet Opera – Catch Me If You Can

I need more people to know about this group. I love their glam Scissor Sisters meets Queen sound.

Silence Wang – One Hundred Thousand Volts

I don’t follow many C-pop artists anymore, but I’m here for any new dance track Silence Wang wants to release. This has quickly become one of my favorites of the year. It has such an immense, upbeat energy.

Solardo – Testify (ft. Kaleena Zanders)

Brings me back to the early 90’s when dance music would often have a big-voiced diva wailing over the beat. It’s so satisfying.

Sophie And The Giants – Shut Up And Dance

Sophie And The Giants are one of the most consistent dance pop acts around right now. This is another stunner, melding breathless beats with catchy pop hooks.

VÆB – Til Hamingju

This month’s global round-up may be the most global yet because now we’re jetting off to Iceland for this quirky, ultra-catchy bop.

Vanessa Williams – Legs (Keep Dancing)

I certainly didn’t expect a Vanessa Williams musical comeback in 2024! This is just the right level of camp to work. She sells the hell out of it.

Vincint – Good II Me / Lean / Another Lover (ft. Adam Lambert)

I somehow missed Good II Me when it was released earlier this year but have to include it in this round-up because it’s euphoric dance pop perfection. New track Lean is also a stunner and his just-released Adam Lambert collaboration is fun too. Vincint is absolutely killing it this year.


17 thoughts on “Global Pop Round-Up: May 2024 Edition”

  1. The Code really is a huge Eurovision highlight. Nemo’s vocals really brought the song to a new level, so I’m glad they won! Though Luktelk is a personal favourite, The Code is a real close second, though choosing between them is quite hard since at times I listen to Luktelk more and other times, it’s the opposite (wish the former got at least into the Top 10). And I also liked Europapa (sad over its disqualification, it’s such a cute, fun song even if I haven’t listened to it since the first listen) and Zari.

    Though, I also admit those four songs are the only Eurovision 2024 songs I’ve listened to as of now, I happen to like all of them 😅 (I’d rank it as Luktelk >= The Code > Zari > Europapa)

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  2. I’m really liking Radical Optimism. she misled everyone by promising a psychedelic pop album, but it’s a good album nonetheless. my favorites are These Walls, Whatcha Doing, Falling Forever and Happy For You.

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  3. Very late April release (just after you uploaded your Global round-up, Nick!) but I quite like Marianas Trench’s album opener that they released ahead of time for their upcoming album (their last album was back in 2019…) called ‘A Normal Life’. Need to hear the full album to properly appreciate this album opener.

    It’s got the slowburn theatrics with rousing vocals that I love Marianas Trench for. For anyone who would like to go on an epic journey, give this song a try!

    And for anyone who would like to hear their more tightly written melodic song that are as theatrical as ‘A Normal Life’…
    Give ‘The Killing Kind’ and ‘Echoes of You’ a shot 🙂

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  4. thank you for all the great reccs. This year is the first time i’ve watched eurovision after having seen you post about it over the years. It was pretty fun watching with other Europeans explaining to me how the contest work. I also 100% agree that Nemo’s performance completely sold me on the song.

    As of recent, I came across this artist, Belen Aguilera, by chance, and i’ve been digging her sound.

    ASDIS’s new song has also been on repeat for me: https://youtu.be/RBumKgJmZ3M?si=8GsLInzDMVAAzGdT

    Neea River’s new song, XOX, From Me, too!

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  5. I heard the Vanessa Williams song and it was so fun! For Eurovision I dug the Estonians (if you dig unhinged, eclectic folk-rock-folk, their album is so great), Baby Lasagna, Jako, Dons (not usually my cup of tea, but he sold it), and Lithuania. Code struck me as what if Cezar made a drum ‘n’ bass record, I liked it very much. For my taste, strongest Eurovision in about 5 years. And cameo from my girl Conchita! Liked Europapa a lot (what happened was a travesty) but I keep conflating it with this gem. Maybe someone should mash them up.

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  6. This week I have been enjoying Loreen’s Forever and Neea River’s new song XOX, From me. While both of them have slightly better songs, both new songs are great and both artists do grand pop songs very well so I am always happy to have more from them.

    Also, have you heard the teaser for Madison Rose’s new song coming out next week?

    I know not to put too much faith in teasers but she has not missed yet and it absolutely sounds like the summer pop banger we all need!

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  8. I’ve been crushing on Willow Smith’s new album. I never would have thunk it a decade ago, but its good stuff.

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  9. i recently started tracking music i discovered on apple music with music playlist “diaries” where any music i listen to for the first time i put in the playlist, it’s been pretty fun so far

    one of my favorite discoveries so far has to be this swedish band eldkvarn, which appeared on my home page after listening to the mo’s night at the zoo album. my favorites so far from them are hunger hotell (my first song i listened to) and de beromdas aveny

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  10. Just wondering what’s your opinion on Billie’s new album – Hit me hard and soft?

    I do have a mix feeling of it, but overall positive as the vocal and the track arrangement is good as Melodrama from Lorde.

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    • I’m sad to say I’ve… never listened to a Billie Eilish album before 😅

      The music just isn’t my thing. I’m hearing people like the new one, though.

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