Though The Bias List is first and foremost a K-pop review blog, each month I spotlight a handful of “global pop” tracks that have taken hold of my playlist. To cap off the year, I’d like to count down my top tracks that weren’t part of the K-pop or J-pop markets.
This was a weird year for pop music because there were so many returns by huge artists, yet almost every single one felt totally underwhelming to me. Because of this, my list is stuffed with lesser-known artists who made the year extremely solid. In fact, it was so solid I’m expanding this list from forty to fifty! Like last year, any track is eligible whether it was promoted with a music video or not.
SONGS 50-31
SONGS 30-11
SONGS 10-1
2024 YEAR-END MASTERPOST
30. Benjamin Ingrosso – Better Days
Timeless arena rock with a 2024 sheen. Ingrosso has found his musical lane and it’s thrilling to experience.
29. Adam Lambert – Wet Dream
A surprising return for the American Idol alum with its sights set directly on the dancefloor. The beat drop is gritty as hell.
28. Zee Machine – Killshot
A tour de force pop banger that pulls equally from the 80’s and the bombastic early-2010’s EDM era.
27. The Scarlet Opera – What Good Is Love
Soaring (and I mean SOARING) vocals on this gorgeous power rock anthem. The chorus is pure melodic nirvana.
26. Studio Killers – Valentine
My early 2010’s favorites return with a quirky pop track that’s every bit as strong as their peak work.
25. Jade – Angel Of My Dreams
The Little Mix star throws out the rulebook on this compelling pop bauble. We need more of this experimental touch in the mainstream charts!
24. Gothminister – We Come Alive
This is the kind of silly anthem that could only come out of something as knowingly cheesy as Eurovision. Yet look past the novelty and there’s an incredible song in there.
23. D.O.D – Dominos (ft. Hanna Boleyn)
This is largely just one line repeated over and over, but the richness of emotion contained in that single line bring me to my knees.
22. Dagny – Strawberry Dream
Chorus, chorus, chorus! What a freaking chorus. This is shimmering pop songcraft at its absolute best.
21. Electric Fields – One Milkali (One Blood)
Merging Aboriginal elements with glistening pop, One Milkali is the ultimate feel-good anthem.
20. Neea River – Never Made It Out Alive
My favorite underground Finnish popstar continued to churn out the hits regularly this year. She sounds especially fierce on this cathartic banger.
19. Samir & Viktor x Fröken Snusk – Sista beställningen
Any song that sounds like a festival is bound to get me excited, and having actually attended a Swedish music festival in my youth this brings back all sorts of good memories.
18. Neea River – Reach The Climax
Neea River again! The switch up she does at the end of each chorus gets me every time, twisting the song just enough to make it impossibly addictive.
17. Vincint – Good II Me
Vincint was one of my favorite pop stars of the year, releasing euphoric house music that felt quintessential to my summer. This one is downright religious in its fervor.
16. Rag’n’Bone Man – Rush Of Blood
I love when dance music brings in gospel inspiration for its vocal arrangements. Rush Of Blood gets thrillingly dramatic during its mammoth chorus.
15. UBLU – Planetary Hearts
This kind of glam/rock/pop is made just for me and reminds me of many of my favorite 2000’s-era Scandinavian bands. The chorus is perfection.
14. Blusher – Accelerator
I know everyone was feeling their Brat summer this year, but Blusher did for me what Charli did for most. This is every bit as fantastic as Icona Pop’s iconic I Love It, especially when the beat finally drops.
13. Atlas – Repeat
Atlas perfectly nail the late-90’s Nsync/BSB sound with Repeat. I spent way too much time this year searching for similar music, but these guys stood in a league of their own with this one.
12. Benjamin Ingrosso – All My Life
Life-affirming arena rock from one of the year’s most exciting artists. All My Life makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs in a crowd of concert goers.
11. Velvet – Beautiful Pain
There’s something almost archetypical about a perfect Scandi-pop song. Velvet has a few under her belt and we can safely add Beautiful Pain to the list. What a chorus!