The summer of 2024 has served as a revival of pop music, whether that be through the number of albums that have been released this year, or the sheer star-power that was tied to this year’s release. 2024 marked the beginning of the post-pandemic era of music, following a four year long hiatus, where music adopted a slower and acoustic sound. Dwelling deeper into all eight major albums released, every artist and their signature tracks left a marking impression on listeners. On 12th January 2024, Ariana Grande released “yes, and?” a mixed song that dealt with the numerous controversies Ariana had found herself to be during the last quarter of 2023. Following the lead single, on March 8th, Ariana released her seventh studio album titled “eternal sunshine” that explored her divorce and received a respectable score of 7.2 on “Pitchfork.” Produced by the pop legend, Max Martin, Grade delivered her second single in the form or “we can’t be friends (wait for your love).” Both singles and the album debuted at #1 on Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 respectively. Beyoncé followed up her “RENAISSANCE”, releasing “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “16 CARRIAGES” on February 11th, 2024. These pivotal track became the lead single for her eighth studio album “COWBOY CARTER” and “Texas Hold Em” went on to be the first song by a black woman to top the Hot Country’s Chart. Adding to the list, the song went to reach the top spot at Billboard Hot 100, awarding Queen Bey her ninth solo #1 single. As the album released on 29th March, it debuted at #1 on Billboard 200 charts and included features from several notable artists like “Miley Cyrus” and American sweetheart “Dolly Parton.” During Grammys 2024, Taylor Swift announced her eleventh studio album titled “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT” and released it’s cover on an announcement post. On April 19th Swift released her anticipated album, occupying the top 14 spots at the Billboard Hot 100 (beating her previous record). “Fortnight” the lead single featured Post Malone, and became Spotify’s most streamed song in one day and the album itself became Spotify’s most streamed album in a day. Critically, the album received mixed reviews bagging a 6.6 on “Pitchfork.” However, Taylor eventually got the last laugh, releasing a double album in the form of “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY” which had an additional 15 songs. “Radical Optimism” was Dua Lip’s third studio album released on May 3rd. Prior to the album, Dua had released “Houdini” as the lead single which peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. On 15th February, Dua Lipa released the second single of the album “Training Season.” The album received mixed reviews, scoring a 6.6 on Pitchfork. However, the album was a commercial success debuting on #2 on the Billboard 200. Billie Eilish released her third studio album “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” on May 17th, which instantly became a critically acclaimed masterpiece containing 10 “bedroom pop” songs. Simultaneously Billie promoted her lead single “LUNCH” an explicit, sensual song, exploring aspects of her identity. Eilish further captured hearts of fans by releasing “CHIHIRO” and “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” latter of which struck a cord. The album debuted at #2 on Billboard 200, with all 10 songs charting in the Top 40 of Billboard Hot 100. Charli XCX returned to the pop scene with a vengeance in 2024, delivering a sonic punch with her fifth studio album, "BRAT". Released on June 14th, "BRAT" was a hyper-pop masterpiece showcasing Charli's undeniable talent for crafting infectious hooks and daring lyricism. The album was a departure from her previous work, exploring darker themes of fame, addiction, and self-destruction. Despite mixed reviews, the album was a commercial success, debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200. Charli's ability to push the boundaries of pop music solidified her status as one of the most influential artists of her generation. On August 23rd, Sabrina Carpenter released her sixth studio album “Short and Sweet”. “Espresso” the lead single of the album had been a smash hit, peaking on #3 of the Billboard Hot 100. Sabrina performed the song at Coachella and followed it up with “Please Please Please” the second single, which peaked at #1 on Billboard Hot 100. The post-album single “Taste” debuted on #2. The era was widely popular amongst fans, and included Sabrina’s best music videos with her partner Barry Keoghan starring in “Please Please Please” and Jenna Ortega starring in “Taste.” 2024 proved to be a landmark year for music, with major releases from all artists. Women dominated the year, scoring the top spots at Billboard charts and achieving critical acclaim. New artists rose to bigger heights and legacy artists cemented themselves as household names.
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