The Top 50 Pop Songs of 2024 (50-31)

Though The Bias List is first and foremost a K-pop review blog, each month I spotlight a handful of “global pop” tracks that have taken hold of my playlist. To cap off the year, I’d like to count down my top tracks that weren’t part of the K-pop or J-pop markets.

This was a weird year for pop music because there were so many returns by huge artists, yet almost every single one felt totally underwhelming to me. Because of this, my list is stuffed with lesser-known artists who made the year extremely solid. In fact, it was so solid I’m expanding this list from forty to fifty! Like last year, any track is eligible whether it was promoted with a music video or not.

SONGS 50-31
SONGS 30-11
SONGS 10-1

2024 YEAR-END MASTERPOST

Honorable Mentions:

Julie Bergan – Dive
Nova May – Mr. Bus Driver
Jax Jones – Never Be Lonely (ft. Zoe Wees)
Darin – Fantasi
Madison Rose – HAUS!
Bentley Robles – High Definition Lover
Confidence Man – So What
Ellen Benediktson – Maniac
Infernal – Touch Heaven
Madison Rose – Paradise
BRÆTZ – Følsom Player
Joel Corry – Stay Together (Baby Baby) (ft. Vula)
Mileo – You’re Mine

50. Rebecca & Fiona – Älskling

The best “da da da da da da da da” hook of 2024? Pure clubland bliss.

49. Jamie xx & Robyn – That’s Life

Life-affirming disco strings fantasia buoyed by one of pop’s coolest trailblazers.

48. METTE – Bet

A strong argument for METTE becoming a global pop superstar in 2025.

47. LEXXE – Queen Of The Night

Gothic synthpop with a sledgehammer of a chorus.

46. Confidence Man – Control

The chirpy vocal hook is unearthed gold from 90’s dance archives.

45. Benjamin – Vanha minä vainaa

Melds Nordic folk music with propulsive club music. What’s not to love?

44. Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!

My one concession to mainstream pop charts. If any artist deserves the plaudits, it’s Chappell. (She was in my top two songs of last year, after all…)

43. Janna – Onnistu elämään

More icy synthpop from Finland with a megawatt chorus.

42. Bingo Players x Pure Shores – Summer Dreaming

Euphoric summertime dance pop with gorgeous, Abba-esque keys.

41. Benjamin & Bess – Paremmin ku kukaan muu

A meeting of two Finnish pop icons. The song drips with charisma at every turn.

40. Kiesza – Dancing & Crying

Melding art pop with immense dancefloor energy, this climaxes in majestic peaks.

39. Chloe Jane – Dance Floor Emergency

A coiled, airtight groove so insistent it’ll have you out of your seat in seconds.

38. Fast Boy – Wave (ft. RAF)

A brilliant interpolation of a Laura Branigan classic, tied to an efficient club banger.

37. Cyan Kicks – Don’t You Say I Didn’t Warn You

This is my kind of pop-punk, buoyed by anthemic melodies and a bit of electronic influence.

36. Confidence Man – Real Move Touch (ft. Sweetie Irie)

Another loving re-creation of 90’s dance sounds, Real Move Touch is pure joy.

35. Marcus & Martinus – Unforgettable

Sweden’s Melodifestivalen beat The Weeknd at his own game with this icy synth bop.

34. Bonnie McKee – Jenny’s Got A Boyfriend

Bonnie delivered everything Katy Perry promised this year, melding tongue-in-cheek lyrics with bubbly pop bombast.

33. Robin Packalen – Amen

Robin made a dynamic turn to synthpop this year and no song was better than this majestic bop.

32. Benjamin Ingrosso – Angela

Utter pop perfection, from its soaring chorus to the gorgeous, piano-driven breakdown. What a classic sound!

31. Jannika B – SOS

Sleek and powerful and anchored by a whopper of a chorus. Finland just knows how to do pop music.

NEXT: 30-11