“Die With a Smile”
“Die With A Smile,” released on August 16, marked a highly anticipated return for two big music stars: Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. This was Gaga’s first release in two years, and Mars’ first release in three, which made this collaboration generate a great amount of excitement.“Die With A Smile” also marks the first time this pair has collaborated, and the artists explained to ABC News that recording it was extremely spontaneous. They had been thinking about collaborating in the past, and since they were both working in Malibu, they felt it was the perfect opportunity.
The track explores themes of love and loss, with lyrics full of raw emotion. The main message of the song is about the strength of someone’s feelings for their loved one, even with the world hypothetically ending. The emotional depth of the song is heightened by the intense instrumentals, and is written by two of pop music’s most influential stars whose combined musical genius is bound to make you add this song to your playlist.
“Pink Skies”
On May 24, Zach Bryan released his single “Pink Skies,” which quickly became popular for its exploration of grief and loss. Written as a tribute to his late mother, the song combines raw emotion with Bryan’s typical country-folk instrumental. The slow tempo and emotional lyrics make this song relaxing and heartwarming. After a long day, this song is sure to calm me down and is also a great song to sing along to.
Because of its popularity, this single skyrocketed to the top ten of Billboard’s Hot 100 only 15 days after its release. This song represents a more reflective side of Bryan’s songwriting, showcasing his ability to capture deep and relatable emotions in addition to his normal style.
“Espresso”
Catchy and upbeat, “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter always lifts my mood. Carpenter released this single on April 11 just in time for summer. “Espresso” was the first song released from her album “Short n’ Sweet,” which released in August. It quickly became a popular TikTok sound and was added to summer 2024 playlists everywhere.
The song is all about being the object of someone’s addiction, similar to espresso. Like its message, the song is addictive and will not fail to get stuck in your head for days.The lyrics are both fun and clever as Carpenter plays around with espresso imagery to say that, like a cup of coffee, she will keep someone up at night. Carpenter’s signature blend of sassy charm and catchy melodies make this track sure to keep you hitting replay.
“brat”
After Charli XCX released her album “brat” on June 7, social media flooded with lime green as many declared summer 2024 to be “brat summer.” The album cover evolved into an entire aesthetic; inspiring marketing campaigns, fashion trends and leading Collins Dictionary to declare “brat” the 2024 word of the year.
The album’s hit song, “Apple,” went viral as a result of a fan created TikTok dance. This song is not only fun to dance to, but deeply personal as it explores Charli XCX’s relationship with her parents and describes feelings of intergenerational trauma. The imagery of apples in this song is used to represent inherited traits, a hidden message masked behind cheerful instrumentals that make anyone want to dance.
This song, along with the entire album, truly dominated the media, from viral TikTok trends to endless meme references, making Charli XCX an undisputed member of the 2024 soundtrack.
