This article from the New York Times presents a selection of notable songs released in 2024. The author, Jon Pareles, emphasizes songs with broader cultural impact beyond their musical qualities.
"Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar: Described as a powerful and aggressive track marking a culmination of Lamar's conflict with Drake, reflecting the contentious atmosphere of 2024.
"Texas Hold 'Em" by Beyoncé and Rhiannon Giddens: A song challenging racial and musical assumptions within country music, featuring a traditional banjo intro and Beyoncé's bold vocals.
"Please Please Please" by Sabrina Carpenter: A pop song with comedic elements, portraying a singer's exasperation with a problematic boyfriend.
The article notes that this is not a ranked list but rather a curated selection offering a glimpse into the musical landscape of 2024. It explicitly excludes songs featured in the author's accompanying 'best albums' list.
Jon Pareles
Here’s a dipperful of worthwhile tracks from the ocean of music released this year. The top of my list is big-statement songs, ones that had repercussions beyond how they sound. Below those, it’s not a ranking but a playlist, a more-or-less guided cruise through what 2024 sounded like for one avid listener. I didn’t include any songs from my list of top albums, which are worth hearing from start to finish. But in the multiverse of streaming music, there are plenty of other possibilities.
Belligerent, accusatory and as tribalistic as its title, “Not Like Us” wasn’t an attack ad from the 2024 election. It was the coup de grâce of Kendrick Lamar’s beef with Drake, a rapid-fire, sneering assault on multiple fronts. Its spirit dovetailed with a bitterly contentious 2024.
“Texas Hold ’Em” isn’t just an invocation of Beyoncé’s home state. It’s a toe-tapping taunt at the racial and musical assumptions behind country music as defined by record labels and radio stations. Rhiannon Giddens picks an oh-so-traditional claw-hammer banjo intro and Beyoncé — raised in Texas — promises “a real-life boogie and a real-life hoedown,” singing about drinking and dancing and daring gatekeepers to hold her back.
Comedy is tricky in a straight-faced song, but Sabrina Carpenter’s eye-roll comes clearly through the shiny pop of “Please Please Please.” The singer tries to placate and possibly tame a boyfriend who sounds more obnoxious in every verse. “I beg you, don’t embarrass me,” she coos; eventually she reaches a breaking point.
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