By MARIA SHERMAN, Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Ten of the best songs of the year, as determined by Associated Press Music Writer Maria Sherman, in no particular order.
“A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey
It is not only the biggest song of the year, but one of the longest-reigning No. 1s of all time, as far as the Billboard Hot 100 is concerned — Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” tied Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” with an impressive 19 weeks atop the charts. It makes sense that these two songs resonated in similar ways: Both are cross-genre, monolithic musical moments, classically country and an amalgamation of styles forming something completely modern. Shaboozey’s earworm interpolates J-Kwon’s “Tipsy” and places it squarely on the faded bar stool of a hard-working weekend warrior. Like a few too many whiskey shooters, it’ll inspire a singalong of “Oh my, good lord” from anyone.
“Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar
There was a time where describing “Not Like Us” required a taxonomy of the freshly reignited beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, a period of diss tracks begetting diss tracks with dizzying alacrity — and a clear victor. The truth is, of course, the song stands on its own: a triumphant declaration of West Coast hip-hop, funny and bombastic.
“Like That,” Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar
Future and Metro Boomin have long made ideal collaborators, but this year’s joint album, “We Don’t Trust You,” felt like a long time coming. It was an event. Immediately upon its release, “Like That” stood out, not only for its fiery guest verse from Lamar, or its hyper-speed sample of Rodney O and Joe Cooley’s “Everlasting Bass” and Eazy-E’s “Eazy-Duz-It,” but for its ferocity. It’s the big … three?
“Good Luck, Babe!,” Chappell Roan
Face it: 2024 belonged to Chappell Roan. A veteran of the music industry now experiencing what feels like an unparalleled rocket launch into fame, Roan has long wielded her theatricality and sexual candor like a wand (and a rabbit) in her songs. But it’s “Good Luck, Babe!” that thrust her into the mainstream, a pop megahit that tackles lust, frustration and compulsory heterosexuality atop strings, ’80s synths, and a soaring vocal performance. How could you not fall in love with her?
“Espresso,” Sabrina Carpenter
For the caffeinated — or those in dire need of an energy boost — Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” emerged like all great pop hits should: Almost from nowhere, as addictive as its namesake and confounding in its lyrics, directly recalling the Y2K period of off-kilter pop songs with nonsensical lyrics atop sunny productions. (“That’s that me espresso” is up there with the Backstreet Boys’ declaration of “I never wanna hear you say / I want it that way.”) But this one isn’t simply fueled by nostalgia. It’s disco-pop when the genre was dead and buried, revitalized and made clever through Carpenter’s ever-present sense of humor. Cheeky!
“Texas Hold ’Em,” Beyoncé
For career-long fans of Beyoncé, the memory of the once-teenaged singer who spoke with a soft, pronounced Texas twang is all but distant. For them, a hybridist country album from the superstar performer was simply a prophecy fulfilled. When “Cowboy Carter” arrived, it became immediately clear that B was dedicated to reclaiming country music as a Black woman. But it was the introduction of this new era with “Texas Hold ‘Em” that solidified it — a honky-tonk stomper with a lot of western soul.
“Nasty,” Tinashe
Give her No. 1 for the best lyric of the year — “Is somebody gonna match my freak?” Tinashe’s “Nasty” is the hit fans of her smooth R&B-pop have been waiting for years; an exemplar of her particular talents. It’s a sultry, goodtime hit — a kick, a snare, bare production and a scare beat — melodic and stacked with backing vocals. No wonder TikTok immediately embraced it. “Nasty” is for dancing, a song that evokes a quote regularly attributed to Oscar Wilde: a vertical expression of a horizontal urge.
“I Had Some Help,” Post Malone and Morgan Wallen
Of any contemporary pop performer, Post Malone has benefitted the most from his ability to shapeshift. In an alternative universe, it might be hard to think of the “White Iverson” rapper launching a successful country career. In this one, it makes too much sense — the Texas musician has been dropping “ma’ams” and “sirs” in his speech since day one, and his signature autotuned vibrato works across the genre spectrum. (It’s that same idiosyncrasy that had both Beyoncé and Taylor Swift calling him for features this year.) But it is his red solo cup collaboration with controversial hitmaker Morgan Wallen that undoubtedly made waves, an immediate anthem for hanging out in the bed of a pickup truck or at a backyard barbecue.
“Igual Que Un Ángel,” Kali Uchis and Peso Pluma
One of the biggest music stories of the last few years has been the increasing popularity of regional Mexican music — a thrilling reflection of Latin music’s continued global growth. But the artists at the center of the movement, including Peso Pluma, know that their music succeeds because it both celebrates tradition and transcends it, like in his gruff rapping over corridos. In Kali Uchis’ “Igual Que Un Ángel,” Pluma experiments with new genres entirely, and she welcomes him into her world. Here, Uchis’ glossy, shimmery disco dream-pop is the foundation, and Pluma’s stony vocal tone a smooth accent. It’s an addictive song, and a reminder of the power at the heart of inventive collaborations.
“Right Back to It,” Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman
A vocal harmony between Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield and MJ Lenderman is a marvel from the jump — two kindred spirits, schooled in folky Americana and raised in DIY punk — but that’s only one fraction of the magic of “Right Back to It.” The song considers long-term relationships, the kind of love that can be tested, steady, reliable and, at times, restive. “I let my mind run wild / Don’t know why I do it,” she sings, “But you just settle in like a song with no end.”
