To round out my mid-year countdowns, I’ve got a spotlight on some of my favorite songs and albums from music markets that aren’t Korea or Japan. To simplify things, I just call this category “pop.”
What were your favorite singles and albums during the first half of 2024?
TOP SINGLES
Bentley Robles – IAM IAM IAM
Bentley Robles was such a discovery for me this year. IAM IAM IAM‘s pulsing synth beat climaxes in a killer chorus that leverages everything it can from two simple syllables.
Blusher – Accelerator
This reminds me of Icona Pop’s I Love It in the best possible way. The production on the chorus is so satisfying.
Confidence Man – I Can’t Lose You
A super addicting Euro-rave track for the summer. The vocal production is gorgeous and the energy never lets up.
Dagny – Strawberry Dream
Big choruses are a hallmark of my list this year, and Strawberry Dream excels in this realm. It’s pop bliss, through and through.
Electric Fields – One Milkali (One Blood)
The blend of traditional Australian music and surging pop energy works perfectly here. Fantastic melodies tie it all together.
Florrie – Looking For Love
Chorus, chorus, chorus! What else can I say?
Gothminister – We Come Alive
My favorite novelty hit from this year’s Eurovision hopefuls.
Jannika B – SOS
A banging surge of electro fantasia. Finland is such a hub of pop magic.
Käärijä & Erika Vikman – Ruoska
Speaking of Finland, two of the country’s pop titans join forces for this aggressive, guitar-fueled highlight.
Neea River – Never Made It Out Alive
Yep, we’re still in Finland! Neea River has a perfect track record, releasing banger after banger.
Silence Wang – One Hundred Thousand Volts
Over to China now for this pummeling EDM standout. I love when he goes full-on dance music.
UBLU – Planetary Hearts
This is my kind of pop meets glam meets rock meets synth standout. I need more music from these guys!
Velvet – Beautiful Pain
Sweden’s pop queen is back with a total banger. The chorus is incredible, as is the strings-powered instrumental.
Vincint – Lean / Good II Me
I’ve been following Vincint for awhile, but their 2024 work is on another level. These two dance tracks have become staples on my playlist.
Zee Machine & Bentley Robles – Anyone But Him
Just a perfect pop song with pounding, synth-and-guitar propulsion.
TOP ALBUMS
Bentley Robles – Ugly Crier
A near-flawless run of pop bangers. The melodies are fantastic, the production is big and glistening and Robles’ perspective feels idiosyncratic.
Bonnie McKee – Hot City
A callback to the megawatt pop of the early 2010’s because… it was originally supposed to come out in that era! This makes for a fun time capsule but sounds even more potent today.
Dagny – Elle
Short and sweet, this eight track album captures Dagny’s pop prowess with surging melodies and hazy, nostalgic production.
Florrie – The Lost Ones
It’s nice to hear Xenomania bring their melodic, synth-powered sound to something a little smaller in scale. The Lost Ones is moody but upbeat, hinging on strong melodies and evocative production.
Jannika B – Tetris
Jannika B delivers an all killer, no filler suite of mammoth pop songs, coalescing the adventurous sound and high energy dominating this corner of Finland’s music scene.
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Ariana Grande – bye
Kiesza – Dancing and Crying
Olivia Rodrigo – obsessed
Conan Gray – Fainted Love
VINCINT – Good II – Me You deserve all the praise for this rec. An incredible singer
Dagny – Strawberry Dream
August Moon – Guard Down (The Idea of You) This fake boy band from a movie has released better stuff than 99% of bgs this year
Delta Goodrem – Hearts on the Run
LOLO – Kill the Girl
Angourie Rice – What Ifs
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Some of my fave songs would be:
we can’t be friends (wait for your love)- Ariana Grande
Von Dutch- Charli XCX (I always live for songs that doesn’t hesitate to go all the way or bonkers or both)
that boy is mine- Ariana Grande
Jenny’s Got A Boyfriend- Bonnie Mckee
I also liked the brat and Hot City albums
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Some of my favorite pop songs of the year so far:
And my favorite pop albums (not a lot but i think more of the artists I keep up on are releasing stuff in the second half of the year):
Would also love to spotlight Chappell Roan, whom I just discovered last month, because her album last year was pretty good. I love how campy and synth-focused her music is. Her latest single “Good Luck, Babe!” is nice but I find myself liking her upbeat songs more. Here’s to hoping that “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” blows up in the future.
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I might have to check out Bonnie McKee’s new album now because I’ve heard that it’s amazing and very nostalgic. 👀
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Giving Dagny and Florrie a spin, they sound fun
I don’t have my finger on the pulse of music releases like y’all do, but these did at least catch my eye/ear this year:
Change Shapes, Lauren Mayberry (CHVRCHES) – fun little bop
Into the Woods, PHILDEL – it’s sooo atmospheric. Like I can imagine a video game fantasy rpg being set to this
借过一下, Zhou Shen, Joy of Life 2’s ending song. Something a little different from the usual soppy cdrama ballads. I love how aggressive the chorus is in contrast to the verses.
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just a correction; vincint goes by they/them pronouns
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Didn’t know. Thank you! It’s corrected.
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Ruoska is amazing, reminds me how he really should have won that Eurovision… the live performance with the Scrooge outfit and sleep demons is so iconic
Also love Lean. Kinda surprised you didn’t add any of the Brat Charli XCX stuff given the buzz it’s received – my fav is Talk Talk but the whole album is crystalline.
Good Luck Babe is also wonderful, reminds me of vintage Kate Bush with truly acrobatic vocal work
I’d also add Lonely Dancers by Conan Gray.
Never thought I’d say this about a country song but I Had Some Help is terrific and a megahit for a reason.
Also, Cold Reactor by Everything Everything (if that counts as pop?)
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where’s beyonce and cowboy carter🧍♂️
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Didn’t care for it (which is wild because Renaissance was my favorite album of 2022).
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