When some people look back on 2024, they might remember the presidential election, the release of the Wicked movie, or even the excess of TikTok “brainrot.” While these things made 2o24 a memorable year, nothing was more influential than the music we listened to. From Taylor Swift to Eminem, or country to R&B, which artists, songs, and albums did 2024 favor?
To no one’s surprise, Taylor Swift was 2024’s most streamed artist. The drop of her new album The Tortured Poets Department and the continuation of the Eras Tour really helped her career flourish even after the drop of her debut album in 2006. Unless you live under a rock, there was no escaping her or her music. Some other popular artists who were favored this year were Bruno Mars with his single “Die With a Smile,” a duet with Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande with “we can’t be friends” from her new album Eternal Sunshine, and Charli XCX with “Apple” from her album Brat.
Artists like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter blew up this year. Chappell Roan’s single “Good Luck, Babe!” thrust her into the spotlight. Not only that but her album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, released in 2023, was streamed many times, despite its earlier release.
Although Sabrina Carpenter was known for co-starring in Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World in 2014 and she had existing albums, the launch of her album Short n’ Sweet and her Short n’ Sweet Tour quickly made her into a sensation.
The top five most-streamed songs globally this year were “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter, “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone, “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish, “Gata Only” by FloyyMenor, and “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims. These universally successful songs further expanded the careers of their artists.
After her 632-day tour, abundant media coverage, and extremely devoted fans, Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department, was unsurprisingly number one. The other most-streamed albums in 2024 were Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish, Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter, Mañana Será Bonito by Karol G, and eternal sunshine by Ariana Grande.
Truly, 2024 was a big year for all things music. Overnight sensations, tours, and the spread of music through social media brought many people together. Every genre was booming and in music, this was a year for the ages.
