Our 50 Favorites This Year So Far

Kicking in immediately with relentless piano chords, the driving beat of “Lose Control” conveys the song’s helplessness without a single word; this relationship is toxic, and yet there feels like no way out. But it’s Teddy Swims’ yearning vocal that really brings it home. He’s been a rising star for years, and Swims finally found the song that showcases the outer limits of his booming instrument and rode it all the way to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. – KATIE ATKINSON

As Knox told Billboard in March, following his major-label deal with Atlantic Records, a friend teased, “That’s cool, but you’ll never be Matty Healy.” But with “Not The 1975,” the singer-songwriter proves he can put a pretty damn good spin on the characteristic sound of that frontman — along with the rest of his band — as the pop-rock song (and 2024 pop radio hit) leans on ‘80s synth-fueled guitar, before exploding into a huge chorus that wraps its arms around your brain for weeks at a time. — JOSH GLICKSMAN

Bizarrap and Young Miko join forces in a striking cultural convergence on “Vol. 58.” The Argentine producer’s distinctive hype beats interlace seamlessly with the Puerto Rican rapper’s incisive lyricism to explore themes of fame, ambition and appreciation. She recounts her ascent with gritty imagery — jet-setting in luxury yet remaining grounded in her origins, her verses weaving through the super-producer’s electro-pop soundscape. This session celebrates two distinct talents rising in tandem, each amplifying the other’s global resonance. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

4Batz improved to two-for-two when he unleashed “act ii: date @ 8” to close out 2023. With his airy Brent Faiyaz-esque croon to accompany visuals of the Dallas native and his crew in Shiesty masks throwing up gang signs, it only added to the singer’s contrasting mystique. 4batz’s love chronicles with his ex Jade and atmospheric melodies caught Drake’s attention and he seemingly had a woozy verse ready in the stash for a remix. The OVO stimulus pack launched “act ii: date @ 8” to No. 7 on the Hot 100 in 2024 and gave 4batz a top 10 hit with just his second release. — MICHAEL SAPONARA

The lovechild of Milwaukee lowend, ‘90s gospel influences and vocal jazz-informed scatting shouldn’t be this catchy, and yet it’s the song that turned 19-year-old student rapper J.P. into one of the Internet’s favorite new rap stars. With two simple questions — “You ever told a b—h, ‘I got Gs?’/ You ever make a bitty hit her knees?” — J.P. introduces both one of the catchiest hooks of the year and a song that feels fresh by virtue of its timeless influences. — KYLE DENIS

Pound for pound, few tracks can match the eruptive energy of this pop-house battering-ram. The rhythm section bounds out of the gate like it’s trying to win the Kentucky Derby, and Salute ratchets up the energy with a barrage of martial horns. About 80 seconds in, listeners get a brief respite, as the beat drops away and Sawayama strings together five-word lines straight out of Hallmark cards: “Saving flowers for my love”/ “You’re so beautiful to me.” Then it’s back to the races, with bass like thunder and drums like hail, a blast of adrenalized affection. — ELIAS LEIGHT

Scotty McCreery felt a little young for his voice during his winning run on American Idol in the early 2010s and for a lot of his decade (and countin’) spent as one of country radio’s most reliable hitmakers. So it’s only appropriate that, now in his 30s, he’s grown into his voice both sonically and artistically. Like so many of the best country songs, “And Countin’” spends its entire three-minute runtime building on its title concept, expanding it thematically and raising its stakes numerically. And McCreery’s sonorous baritone is always there after a dramatic pause at the end of every verse or chorus with the titular punchline, as things just keep getting worse for him, but more fun for us. — ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Shakira cemented her música Mexicana era with “(Entre Paréntesis),” her first collaboration with Grupo Frontera that thrives on the group’s signature sound: cumbia norteña. A nod to the genre’s hold on Latin music culture, Shakira’s ode to the norteño style is chef’s kiss. Powered by a wailing accordion, Shakira and Frontera frontman Payo capture just how much it stings when you realize that the other person in a relationship is no longer interested. In May, “Paréntesis” became Shakira’s first song to rule Billboard‘s Latin Airplay and Regional Mexican Airplay charts simultaneously. — GRISELDA FLORES

Meg starts her methodical Hot 100-topping takedown by saying, “I’m finna get this s–t off my chest and lay it to rest.” And for the next three minutes, she proceeds to do just that, handing out disses to both everyone and no one in particular while serving up some of her most viral lines to date. Whether she could’ve predicted the chaos that would ensue after releasing “Hiss” is beside the point – the self-fulfilling prophecy of a Megan mention earning her foes 24 hours of attention rings true. — HANNAH DAILEY

“Cinderella” opens with a groovy vibe and bouncy beat, both key components for creating a belt-out-loud summer anthem. The lyrics “Low tide, moon so bright/ Moving my hips from left to right” will send your arms into the air uncontrollably as Wolf hypnotizes you with energetic vocals — and after the first verse you’ll be anticipating the next beat, resulting in an alt-pop fairytale you’ll happily play on repeat. — RYLEE JOHNSTON

This ballad dates back to the early ‘80s when it was written and released by singer-songwriter Ned Sublette, who was inspired in part by Boots and Saddles, the country-themed gay bar next door to his home in Manhattan’s West Village. After the success of Brokeback Mountain in 2005, Nelson released a solo version the following year that reached No. 52 on the Hot 100. At the time, the song was characterized as satire — and certainly there’s a whiff of camp in the lyrics — but the intertwining of Peck’s velvety baritone and Nelson’s weathered, conversational vocals make this version a natural for a last-call slow dance. — FRANK DIGIACOMO

As the song title implies, Willow bears her soul on “b i g f e e l i n g s,” the sweltering closer off her experimental sixth studio album, Empathogen. With simple yet impactful lyrics, its expertly-crafted, constantly fluctuating production is the heart of the song — as elements of rock, funk and pop atop a jazzy piano melody underscore some of the 23-year-old’s best vocals to date. Each “I know I have, I know you have problems” sung in the bridge is increasingly dissonant (in the best way), as she shows off more of her range and proves herself as a next-gen rock force. — DANIELLE PASCUAL

While the wait for SZA’s SOS deluxe (allegedly titled Lana) may be eternal, the R&B superstar hasn’t left fans totally empty-handed. Early this year, SZA dropped the airy daydream “Saturn,” in which she muses about life being better elsewhere, only to admit it’s her own mind that has her feeling trapped. “Sick of this head of mine/ Intrusive thoughts, they paralyze,” she sings, cementing her brand as one of the most real and relatable singers today – and affirming that, for those listening, her voice offers the exact kind of escape she herself is in search of. — LYNDSEY HAVENS 

With Jelly Roll’s fourth consecutive No. 1 Country Airplay hit, his raspy, weathered vocal pairs with thumping, rock-driven production and soaring electric guitars, signaling a party-ready moment. Meanwhile, lyrics such as “Jagged edges on my halo” and “Holy water with my bourbon” sketch a gradual redemption arc, capturing how both redeeming qualities and the pull toward familiar temptations are deeply intertwined. Throughout, the song nods to songs including Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried’ and the spiritual “Swing Low Sweet Chariot,” making for a song that blends a preacher’s fervor with a rock n’ roller’s heart. — JESSICA NICHOLSON

Kehlani switches lanes from introspective and sad to upbeat and cheerful for their first single from new album Crash (due Saturday, June 21). Pumping up the song’s flirty, freewheeling stance: a coolie dance riddim lift, via Nina Sky’s infectious 2004 top five Hot 100 hit “Move Ya Body.” And Kehlani and crew do just that in the vibrant, seductive “After Hours” video, replicating the viral TikTok choreography created by Darius Hickman, a dancer from Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour who also appears in the video. As Kehlani told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe upon the song’s April release, “I want my art to provide some kind of life and fun …  I wanna feel good.” — GAIL MITCHELL

Nearly four months after its release, this song still has New York City in a chokehold. The duo repping the Bronx and Queens, respectively, went viral in early 2024 after performing this song on the YouTube channel From the Block. The clips of them going back and forth like a horny Jada & Styles were everywhere, and the song even had a dance attached to it called “The Reemski.” The song has since become synonymous with NYC’s rising “sexy drill” scene and is still a viable contender for local Song of the Summer status. — ANGEL DIAZ

While there isn’t an exact recipe for a pop hit, one could argue that there is a formula — and Boone’s breakout hit nails it. “Beautiful Things” became an international soundtrack for romanticizing both love and life in general, swinging between tender, folky verses and an electrifying pop-rock chorus. The song’s virality (over 3.6 million posts on TikTok to date) and charting success (No. 2 peak on the Hot 100, seven weeks at No. 1 on the Global 200) made it one of the biggest breakout hits of early 2024. — MEGHAN MAHAR

The opener and title track to Future & Metro Boomin’s second full-length set of 2024, “We Still Don’t Trust You” felt like intermission for the year’s great hip-hop feud — coming after Kendrick Lamar kicked it off on the duo’s first joint LP and after J. Cole briefly dipped in and backed out of the fray, but before all the climactic drama really unfolded. And for their halftime entertainment, Future & Metro took us to the roller rink, with Dawn FM-era Weeknd in tow, for a gliding synth-pop anthem whose sublime groove is punctuated with Pluto intoning the title phrase, reminding us more sinister fare awaits after the break. — A.U.

It’s not the city of Austin that Dasha put on the map, but rather its line dancing: Thanks to a viral TikTok, in which the country newcomer line dances in a corral to the stomping song, her breakout hit about a breakup turned into a global smash. With its boot stomping beat and twangy guitar chords, “Austin” doesn’t dance around country and pop, but walks the line perfectly, proving that regardless of country’s mainstream presence this year, Dasha will be around far beyond this moment. — L.H.

In search of her second major solo hit, Long entered the studio with two of the greatest R&B writer-producers of the post-Babyface era: Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox, individually or collectively behind indelible tracks like Jagged Edge’s “Let’s Get Married,” Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together,” Usher’s “Confessions Part II” and Mary J. Blige “Be Without You.” These are all heart-on-sleeve piano ballads gussied up with enough potent drum programming to entrap rap fans, and “Made for Me” draws from the same lineage. Long, who spent years writing for pop’s A-list, pens gushing run-on sentences, adding to the track’s giddy, love-drunk appeal. — E.L.

There are no allusions in the first single off Bryan’s forthcoming album; the narrative is stated outright in the first line: “The kids are in town for a funeral.” And while Bryan has written often about grief and loss, and is one of the best contemporary songwriters in America on the subject, it’s the small details that make him such a compelling, relatable artist: a child standing on tiptoes to seem taller when measured against the doorframe, the smell of the grass the day you broke your arm. With Dylan-esque harmonica and simple-yet-effective melodies, Bryan bores a hole directly into the heart. — DAN RYS

Reports of GloRilla’s demise were greatly exaggerated. After a couple duds left fans inexplicably wondering if it was a wrap for her career, Glo bounced back with a forceful return to what made the Memphis upstart a fan favorite in the first place. Utilizing a Da Banggaz “Run Up Get Dun Up” sample, “Yeah Glo!” is modern crunk perfected with trunk-rattling bass and catchy braggadocious bars. Glo glides on the track, spitting witty one-liners (“Curban on curban”) and reassuring fans that she’s truly back on her bully with lines like, “Big Glo, where you been at?/ Mane, everywhere, I’m workin’ hard.” — DAMIEN SCOTT

This song’s jaunty melody belies a melancholy storyline in which, following a breakup, Kahan copes with depression. He even invokes “the darkness I inherited from Dad.” The title refers to a term for autumn in New England, the gray period between Halloween and winter’s first snow. Kahan fretted whether a song with imagery so specific to his home state of Vermont would connect with people who live elsewhere — but “Stick Season” proves, yet again, that the deeply personal can be universal. – PAUL GREIN

No one anticipated the massive impact at the onset of 2024, as an exhilarating new sound building off last year’s corridos revival exploded onto the scene via a then-unknown solo teen act. The world swiftly embraced Xavi and his breakthrough hit “La Diabla.” The riveting track, about a perilous romance, is driven by a spellbinding requinto riff (courtesy of his guitarist, Ivan) and Xavi’s haunting-but-resonant vocals. These elements quickly secured its spot at the pinnacle of the Hot Latin Songs chart for months. Melding the rebel spirit of corridos tumbados with tender romanticism, “La Diabla” signifies a defiant evolution in regional Mexican music, introducing a newcomer poised to reshape its future. — I.R. 

If the feeling of having butterflies in your stomach had a theme song, it would be Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather.” The standout track from her Hit Me Hard and Soft is as heartfelt as it is groovy, as lyrics that encapsulate being downright bad for someone alongside a dreamy uptempo pop production and Eilish’s trademark breathy vocals (which particularly soar as she sings “if it’s forever, it’s even better” ahead of the prechorus) create the ultimate recipe for a top Song of the Summer contender. — D.P.

Olivia Rodrigo’s most deliciously thrashing single yet had long been the subject of fan infatuation, following its release last year as a vinyl-only Guts bonus track — particularly once it made the setlist and became a live highlight of the pop-rock superstar’s Guts World Tour. Released to streaming this year as part of her Guts (Spilled) deluxe, the spiky “Obsessed” also became perhaps Rodrigo’s least-likely radio hit to date, reaching the top 10 on Pop Airplay, despite its sneering guitar riffs and fevered lyrics about secondhand romantic fascination. Or maybe because of? Hard to tell in 2024. — A.U.

Over a breezy guitar line and an Afrobeats drum pattern, the Nigerian singer/songwriter lays down her strong vocals to effortless effect. The first single off her excellent debut album, Born In the Wild, “JeJe” serves as the perfect distillation of where she is in her life — and is the perfect late-night summertime vibe, a soulful track that has just enough of a groove to get people up and moving. It’s exactly the type of song the young star delivers at her best. — D.R.

With a cheeky title, escalating synths and a slew of clapbacks, Ariana Grande found her own room in house music with the shimmering “Yes, And?” Recruiting Max Martin and Ilya to help her spearhead production, the pop titan brought us to the dancefloor to flex her perseverance and respond to negative press, while paying homage to both Madonna and Paula Abdul in the process. Oh, and as for the spoken-word bridge — 10s across the board. — JAMES DINH

21 Savage’s ascent to rap superstardom reached a new peak with the single “Redrum” and its accompanying LP release American Dream. His signature delivery shines brighter than ever over a trap beat that is infectious and menacing, punctuated by a haunting vocal sample. The track debuted at No. 5 on the Hot 100, marking Savage’s biggest solo release to date — and with references to The Shining in both its title and outro, “Redrum” shows that 21 Savage is not slowing down, even if it means he has to play the villain. — M.M.

Like John Prine and Iris Dement’s “In Spite of Ourselves,” “Right Back to It” is an Americana ode to worn-in love. According to Katie Crutchfield (singer-songwriter behind Waxahatchee), there’s beauty in comfort, but there’s also the occasional boredom and the fantasy of finding something more thrilling. “You just settle in/ Like a song with no end,” Crutchfield sings in her slightly raspy voice, with backing vocals and guitar from Wednesday’s MJ Lenderman. It’s a sentiment that could convey tediousness (if, say, the song were “99 Bottles of Beer”), an everlasting love, or perhaps both, which is a testament to Crutchfield’s needle-threading abilities as a songwriter. — CHRISTINE WERTHMAN

Teamwork indeed does make the dream work, and there has been perhaps no more mutually beneficial collaboration on record so far this year than Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s first link-up. “I Had Some Help” splits both the musical and thematic difference between the genre-crossing star duo’s respective predilections for breakup songs and self-destructive anthems, while their roster is fleshed out by an All-Star crew of writers and producers who give the song a breezy, Tom Petty-like melodic rush. We all get by with a little help from our friends, and in Posty’s and Wallen’s case, their squad has reigned undefeated on the Hot 100 since May. — A.U.

For all of the countless intricacies worth gleaning on repeat listens of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, it can be equally rewarding simply to let the superstar’s scaling voice in the chorus of “Bodyguard” wash over you like an ocean wave in the heat of summer. The song’s thumping country-pop twang is likewise affable from start to finish, with soft piano keys serving as a steadying presence to its production. But make no mistake: between references to “turn around and John Wayne that ass” and the riffing guitar in the track’s final minute, there’s plenty of delightful edge to go around here, too. — J.G.

Sexyy Red showed the world why she’s so Internet savvy with “Get It Sexyy.” The St. Louis rapper teased this song so much, she had her fans begging her to drop it on social media — and when she finally did, it was already a certified hit. The song is filled with funny (and vulgar) one-liners and the chorus is infectious, with the help of her background ad libs. She and Tay Keith crafted a strip club masterpiece with this one, which you’d be hard-pressed not to do her dance to whenever it comes on. — A.D.

Hozier’s track record on the Hot 100 following 2014’s “Take Me to Church” was pretty thin, but the Irish singer/songwriter came roaring back with this catchy song, which shot to No. 1 in just four weeks. “Too Sweet” tells the story of a couple’s incompatibility, and includes a WTF reference to the TSA. But it’s all about the instrumental backing track, which is so punchy and dynamic that the session musicians in the fabled Wrecking Crew might bow down and say, “Damn.” – P.G.

Kali Uchis has a knack for getting guest artists out of their comfort zones, and Peso Pluma here is no exception. Singing over a synth-pop beat, “Igual Que Un Ángel” finds Uchis’ voice as delicate and ethereal as ever singing about a woman who is an unattainable princess, an angel sent from heaven. Peso’s R&B-infused verses add to the already soulful performance. “They have sworn love and failed her,” the Mexican star sings emotively. The track reached celestial heights when it peaked at No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs in January. — G.F.

Charli enlisted longtime collaborator A.G. Cook – along with songwriters including proven hitmakers Blake Slatkin and Omer Fedi – for her Brat-era mission statement. The twinkling synth hook and most memeable lines (“I’m so Julia,” “You gon’ jump if A.G. made it,” “Bumpin’ that”) helped make “360” a viral sensation, but the song also captures why Charli’s stock has soared in the wake of Brat‘s release: “If you love it, if you hate, I don’t f–king care what you think,” she sings. — E.R.B.

For whatever criticism they’ve taken — some fair, much not — for their work together getting repetitive and monotonous, neither Taylor Swift nor go-to collaborator Jack Antonoff have ever made anything quite like “Fortnight” before. It’s particularly shocking as a lead single, with Swift’s voice so slow and low and the tempo so deliberate and patient that the entire thing almost sounds pitched-down from a peppier original. But the languidness becomes intoxicating, and once they get to the song’s signature hook (“I love you, it’s ruining my life”) — echoed by backing vocalist Post Malone, a truly inspired casting choice — the song reveals itself as the pop equal to the duo’s “Anti-Hero” or “Cruel Summer.” Just a little more tortoise than hare in getting there this time. — A.U.

Gentle piano, acoustic guitar and drums set the perfect sonic stage for the title single from Rogers’ third major-label studio. The song’s narrator watches one friend on the cusp of marriage and another who slavishly follows her boyfriend to parties. But with beautifully multi tracked vocals in her chorus, the singer yearns simply to be remembered by a lover — not if, but “when it’s time to leave.” In April, “Don’t Forget Me” became Rogers’ fourth No. 1 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart. — THOM DUFFY

Contrary to its title, “End of Beginning” marked the start of a musical breakthrough for Stranger Things’ Joe Keery, who reached the Hot 100 for the first time in his recording career with the nostalgic track, a full year and a half after it was originally released on 2022’s Decide. After a boost from TikTok, listeners were quick to grab onto the near-power ballad’s slow, cinematic build-up, retro embellishments and sweeping chorus, comfortingly punctuated by the earnest refrain, “Trust me, you’ll be fine.” — H.D.

Throughout her career, Kacey Musgraves has done a great job of moving between country and pop music with her finest work falling somewhere in the hazy middle. “Deeper Well” falls firmly in that overlap, tapping into the soft strength of Musgraves’ vocals and the deceptively wistful lyrics about saying goodbye to things that “are real good at wasting [her] time.” The melody feels as cathartic as the lyrics with the lead single off her sixth studio album hitting the listener like a much-needed breath of fresh air. — TAYLOR MIMS

We’re halfway through 2024 and Tinashe’s “Nasty” still has us reflecting on what may be the most pivotal question of our time: “Is somebody gonna match my freak?” With a thick bassline and sassy vocals, the song hears the cult-y pop star proclaim her bedroom prowess atop hypnotic Ricky Reed- and Zack Sekoff-helmed production. Courtesy of that viral hip whining, ‘Nashe (if you’re nasty) has achieved her first solo Hot 100 hit and is on a clear path towards summer anthem status. — J.D.

Forget Future’s opening verse and recurring hook, for which he’s clearly at his villainous heartthrob best. Forget Kendrick Lamar’s culture-igniting guest verse, even, a clear all-timer basically the second it dropped. The MVP of “Like That” is still the great Metro Boomin, who chops up two well-traveled ’80s hip-hop samples — the squelching doomsday synths of Rodney O and Joe Cooley’s “Everlasting Bass” and ominous kid-chant intro to Eazy-E’s “Eazy-Duz-It” — into the most bombastic, exhilarating and somehow fresh-sounding beat of the year, one so flammable it had to inspire the fieriest raps of 2024 (to that point, anyway). Those bars are what the history books will remember this song for, but “Like That” could’ve made this list as an instrumental. — A.U.

An anticipation-building TikTok teaser could explain some of the immediate success of Tommy Richman’s falsetto-showcasing trunk-rattler, but a song must bring a little something extra to the table for it to rack up 16.6 million streams in its first four days. The springy, squishy rhythm and pitched-down, stretched-out rap in the intro immediately recall 1990s-era Memphis rap, though Richman hails from Virginia (“VA next,” he calls out in the verse). And then the swaggering voice arrives, hitting sky-high notes that make it an impossible sing-along for most, but one you can’t help but attempt. At least he drops into a more achievable range when he references the song’s title: “’Cause I wanna make it, so badly/ I’m a million dollar baby, don’t at me.” After dropping in April, hitting No. 2 on the Hot 100 in May and setting a TikTok chart record with five consecutive weeks at No. 1 in June, “Million Dollar Baby” shows no signs of cashing out early. — C.W.

Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine is one of the year’s best pop records precisely because she doesn’t feign her vulnerability. Since 2013’s Yours Truly, the seemingly innate messiness of love has been the grounding concept for the Wicked star’s music, and her Hot 100-topping “We Can’t Be Friends” finds her carving out space to analyze her relationships with an ex-lover, (some of) her fans and the media. Over a pulsating Robyn-esque beat courtesy of superproducer Max Martin, Ariana croons about how taxing it is to experience a warped version of love from a fickle outsider. “Know that you made me/ I don’t like how you paint me, yet I’m still here hanging,” she yearns in the bridge, offering a glimpse into the unique mind of a post-Saturn-return pop titan. — K.D.

Coming on the heels of his prior near-hit “Let It Burn” and his work on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album, Shaboozey surged to the upper echelons of the Hot 100 thanks to this inescapable meld of hip-hop and country, with lyrics that focus on putting stressors brought on by work and financial struggles into sharp relief through with an alcohol-fueled night at the bar. The song, which smartly nods to J-Kwon’s mid-’00s smash “Tipsy,” meshes acoustic guitar, handclaps, layered vocals, and that viral hook — “Oh my/ Good Lord” — spinning it all into a truly dizzying summer smash. — J.N.

Eilish’s colorful celebration of cunnilingus is chock-full of career-best lyrical turns (“She’s the headlights, I’m the deer”) and a vocal performance that reaffirms that her nuanced, earnest delivery isn’t limited to her Oscar-winning balladry. Meanwhile, Finneas’ pulsing production – like someone beefed up mid-’10s alt-rock also-rans with a healthy serving of funk (and maybe even a little ska in there too) – propels the textured track, making it worth taking your full mid-workday break for. — E.R.B.

In February, Beyoncé staked her claim in the country arena by throwing not one but two singles into the ring to herald Cowboy Carter‘s arrival: the biographical “16 Carriages” and line dance ditty “Texas Hold ‘Em.” It was the latter — named after the poker game — that quickly lassoed another musical milestone for the dauntless Houston native, making her the first Black woman in Billboard history to reach No. 1 on Hot Country Songs. More important: between its country pop, soul and folk vibes, Rhiannon Giddens’ virtuoso banjo playing and Bey’s authentic vocals, the track became more than just the backdrop for “a real-life boogie and a real-life hoedown” as the lyrics intone. It brought needed education and conversation about country’s Black roots, and the lack of parity for Black country artists, to the forefront. — G.M.

What precisely was the catalyst that propelled Chappell Roan, an idiosyncratic purveyor of playful pop songs, to her current level of cultural dominance? Arguments can be made about her opening slot on Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts Tour, her headline-making festival appearances or her ever-growing following across social media. But all conversations lead back to “Good Luck, Babe!,” the star’s unrestrained anthem to messy queer romance. The maximalist production — featuring chunky ’80s synths and a multi-piece string section — fuels Roan’s octave-jumping voice as she wishes a closeted lover all the best, reminding them that no amount of “stupid reasons” will change the facts of their sexuality. As frustration, flirtation and self-confidence ooze from every syllable of Roan’s impeccable delivery, it’s no wonder why audiences are clamoring for more of the superstar’s exceptional artistry. — STEPHEN DAW

Unless you’ve been living in a cabin in the woods without cell service, you know how we got here. You how a multi-week beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar ended with what seems destined to ultimately become Lamar’s biggest solo hit to date. A clarion call to everyone on the West Coast, “Not Like Us” is as California as Randy’s Donuts. Produced by the No. 1 purveyor of left coast bop, DJ Mustard, “Not Like Us” is a simple but piercing affair built around a guitar lick that could double as a horror soundtrack. And despite the track’s, let’s say, blue lyrical content, Kendrick sounds like he’s having the most fun he’s had in years — as if he’s finally made peace with the idea that in order to be the best, “sometimes you gotta pop out and show n—as.” — D.S.

Sabrina Carpenter gave the year in music the jolt it needed when she served up a sassy shot of “Espresso” back in April, sending her career (and, likely, coffee intake worldwide) into overdrive.

Carpenter perfectly set up pop fans for this caffeinated confection with her last two tongue-in-cheek hits (“Nonsense” and “Feather”), so when she turned the lyrical sass factor up to 11 (from “My give-a-f—s are on vacation” to “My honeybee, come and get this pollen”) to prove just how much her love interest was wrapped around her finger, we were more than prepared. TikTok took the verse two opening line and ran with it, prompting everyone from Katy Perry to Adele to mimic, “I’m working late, ’cause I’m a singer.” Plus, the song’s sunshiny production and golden-hued beach party of a music video made the early case that we should all put our lattes on ice, because this could be the song of the summer.

It all added up to an undeniably frothy frolic that gets trapped in your head and sends lyrics dancing through your restless mind as you try to fall asleep. Carpenter managed to make a song that is just as energizing and addictive as caffeine itself. That’s that hit, “Espresso.” – K.A.