Best Music Video: Sabrina Carpenter - Espresso

 

As tempted as I was to award this to the chaotic energy of Shaboozey's A Bar Song (Tipsy) video, I haven't seen a video encapsulate a song as well as this one has. Espresso was arguably the song of the summer (and spring) for 2024, and its video matched that vibe perfectly. With a breezy vibe surely inspired by hits like Doja Cat's Say So, Espresso marked a major breakthrough for Sabrina, and its video played a big part in setting the vibe. Set on a beach, the video is playful, from the warm wash throughout to the tongue-in-cheek "storyline" throughout leading to an arrest (!) at the end, Espresso's video is cheeky and fun, just like the song itself. A prime example of a song's visual helping boost its standing for me!

 

I've not heard of dearALICE before but did think the name and picture looked very K-Pop-y before reading your explanation! Having a non-Korean group trained in a K-Pop way does sound very interesting.

Espresso is a great choice for video of the year! I love how it ends with her getting arrested and setting up the video for Please Please Please.

I've not heard of dearALICE before but did think the name and picture looked very K-Pop-y before reading your explanation! Having a non-Korean group trained in a K-Pop way does sound very interesting.

It very much was! Especially with the TV show in tow, I'm hoping this is setting dearALICE up to do well!

 

Espresso is a great choice for video of the year! I love how it ends with her getting arrested and setting up the video for Please Please Please.

Absolutely agreed! :wub:

 

Thanks both for your comments! :D

 

 

Live Artist of the Year: Girls Aloud

 

Coming into 2024, I already knew what my concert highlight of the year was going to be. I'd secured tickets to three shows of The Girls Aloud Show, the comeback tour of the iconic pop group after 11 years, at the end of 2023, and I couldn't wait. My first ever concert was Girls Aloud's What Will the Neighbours Say? Tour, and it was the only time I saw them as a five-piece. Whilst I'm grateful I got to see Sarah in action, I have few memories of that tour as I was only 8 at the time! Missing out on the Ten Tour in 2013 is a big regret of mine so I'm so happy I got the chance to enjoy another Girls Aloud tour with a greater number of their hit singles, albeit sadly without Sarah. Nevertheless, Cheryl, Kimberley, Nadine and Nicola put on a phenomenal show, and kept Sarah at the heart of it, from including her iconic verses in Something New and The Promise, and extending her Whole Lotta History outro alongside a montage of clips, and that's before we get to "Sarah's Version" of I'll Stand By You. I was in floods of tears at various moments the first time I attended, but the vibe of the night wasn't to be upset, it was to party and remember the good times, so as soon as sad songs finished, a chaotic one followed (Wake Me Up following Whole Lotta History within seconds was a rapid vibe change...!!!). It was an incredible show and the setlist was bulletproof, with underrated bangers like Long Hot Summer finally getting their flowers, and fan favourite album tracks rounding out the huge run of hits. I'm so happy it was filmed professionally to be able to relive it on ITVX now! :heart:

 

Nice to see Take That as your discovery of the year, Artemas will probably be a one hit wonder for me, because nothing he released matches "I Like The Way You Kiss Me" for me, also nice to see "Espresso" as your best music video! I'll guess the song will be higher on your song Year-End list!

Nice to see Take That as your discovery of the year, Artemas will probably be a one hit wonder for me, because nothing he released matches "I Like The Way You Kiss Me" for me, also nice to see "Espresso" as your best music video! I'll guess the song will be higher on your song Year-End list!

Thanks Sergej! :wub:

 

 

Artist of the Year: Benson Boone

 

The final award of this year goes to my favourite artist overall, and it had to be Benson Boone after the phenomenal year he's had. I've been a Benson fan since Ghost Town arrived in 2021, so to see him work his way up to becoming the artist behind arguably *the* biggest song released in 2024 is pretty special. The year began with Beautiful Things, which surpassed my expectations in week 1 alone, so its immense success that followed has blown me away. Lots more to come on that song later in the countdown, but of course there's more to Benson's 2024 than just his biggest hit. Parent album Fireworks & Rollerblades, also home to hit single Slow It Down as well as prior hits Ghost Town and In the Stars, was an impressive debut full-length release and showcased Benson's incredible vocal perfectly. I saw him live three times (including once at the Capital Summertime Ball), and thoroughly enjoyed it each time, as I knew I would! I met him at the VIP meet and greet at the first gig of the year too, my third time meeting Benson and it was just as great as always - he signed my PULSE and Fireworks & Rollerblades CDs, so all three of my Benson CDs have been personally signed by him! :heart: Soundtrack song Death Wish Love was a great addition to his canon, as well as late addition to the album Pretty Slowly, which really comes alive on stage. Benson's showmanship has come on in leaps and bounds, and it's crazy that in the space of a year, I'm now able to just openly mention Benson Boone without people giving me a weird look...!

 

 

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Artist of the Year: Benson Boone

Group of the Year: dearALICE

Live Artist of the Year: Girls Aloud

Breakthrough Artist: Artemas

Best Era: Benson Boone - Fireworks & Rollerblades *

Best Music Video: Sabrina Carpenter - Espresso

Discovery of the Year: Take That

 

* special shoutout to Charli xcx's BRAT which should've been given a nod here too!

 

NEXT: my EOY countdown officially begins, with the top 10 EPs of 2024!

EPs: Top 10

 

 

1 dearALICE - Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience (Original TV Soundtrack) | 1-2-3-2-3-1-2-…

2 Fred Roberts - Sound of My Youth | 3-6-7-9-12-15-15-15-x-1-5-8-…

3 Boy In Space - Copium | 3-7-7-13-x

4 Powfu - tell me your feelings and i won't tell you mine, Pt. 3 | 2-4-6-9-11-13-x

5 Ruel - Adaptations | 1-2-5-8-11-15-x

6 glaive - a bit of a mad one | 1-2-4-8-10-11-15-x

7 GUS - Taller Than the Trees | 3-5-5-8-10-13-x

8 Omar Rudberg - Every Night Fantasy | 3-8-15-x

9 Croixx - How I'm feeling now... | 3-7-x

10 Alex Spencer - There's Gotta Be More | 4-8-x

 

In a top 10 dominated entirely by male artists, it's newcomers dearALICE who score my favourite EP of the year! The soundtrack to Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience contained six songs, one introduced in each episode of the series, and I really enjoyed each one, as proven by all six songs debuting in my chart's top 20 upon the EP release, with four in the top 10. An impressive arrival for a brand new band! Fred Roberts also released his first EP this year, and Sound of My Youth finally made it to #1 last month after I saw Fred live, having just missed out in a busy week first time around. It's a really cohesive EP, and it's already clear that Fred knows the direction he wants to move in as an artist. Croixx is also a new artist to my chart, and though his EP only charted fleetingly, it spawned top 3 hit Higher in my chart.

 

No stranger to my EP countdowns, Boy In Space released his third short project this year, without a full length studio album to his name. Copium was a solid project, although with four of the five songs being singles and the fifth track being a voice memo, I've found myself going back to it less as a full project despite each song being individually great! Powfu released an EP recently, the third of a series called "tell me your feelings and i won't tell you mine", which featured death bed, Pt. 2. It's a great little project and only lost the #1 spot because of dearALICE releasing the same week! He also released two albums this year, both of which topped my album chart so they'll be featuring in the next part of the countdown.

 

Ruel released a covers EP in the middle of the year which became his fifth chart-topping project (four of which are EPs), glaive dropped an EP at the start of the year before his second album (both topped my album chart), and Manchester indie-pop artist Alex Spencer scored his first charting project with second EP There's Gotta Be More. GUS got a springboard from a support slot with Johnny Orlando to score his best performing EP so far, though I was only ever attending that alongside Calum, so it worked out well! I also saw Omar Rudberg live, which was meant to be with Calum too, and I enjoyed it even more than I expected, so his EP did well off the back of that.

Can't say I've heard any of those EPs but I did enjoy the two Boy in Space BJSC entries from way back when so maybe I should give some of his new stuff a listen!

Can't say I've heard any of those EPs but I did enjoy the two Boy in Space BJSC entries from way back when so maybe I should give some of his new stuff a listen!

Atom Bomb is my favourite from this EP if you want somewhere to start!

 

Thanks Pete :D

Albums: Top 40

 

 

31 Shaznay Lewis - Pages | 2-4-7-10-12-x

32 Jennifer Lopez - This Is Me…Now | 3-9-9-13-x

33 ROLE MODEL - Kansas Anymore | 2-6-14-x

34 Caity Baser - Still Learning | 5-8-10-14-x

35 Declan McKenna - What Happened to the Beach? | 3-8-11-14-x

36 Shakira - Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran | 4-8-x

37 James Bay - Changes All the Time | 4-13-x

38 Porter Robinson - SMILE! :D | 3-7-15-x

39 RHODES - (un-finished) | 4-x

40 Max Parker - 17 | 5-6-12-14-x

 

Every album in my top 40 this year reached my top 5, and we see some familiar names in this section. RHODES' third album felt quite under the radar, with its title looking like a collection of demos, but it's simply a more understated collection of songs which was a really lovely listen. James Bay's fourth studio album was another solid collection, albeit not a patch on his debut, much like Declan McKenna's third album, a more experimental direction than usual but it made for an interesting listen! Shakira's latest album was full to the brim with collaborations but I enjoyed much of it, including Cardi B collaboration Puntería, while Jennifer Lopez's This Is Me...Now felt like a welcome trip down memory lane, calling back to the album that housed Jenny from the Block over 20 years ago. ROLE MODEL's sophomore album didn't quite fare as well as chart-topping debut Rx, and Caity Baser's debut studio album didn't follow her prior EP to #1, but it's a solid listen regardless and I'm glad it includes prior singles like Pretty Boys.

 

In newer names, Canadian popstar Max Parker's 17 is actually a few years old, but I stumbled upon it this year as he promoted his latest single. It's a solid collection of pop tracks, and he has potential for sure so I'll be keeping my eye on him. I only knew Porter Robinson for his UK top 10 hit a decade ago, but a recommendation from Seven got me to check out Cheerleader, and that led to a full album listen upon its arrival! All Saints' Shaznay Lewis returned to release her first solo album in two decades, and therefore her first to make my chart - Pages is a really solid listen and one I really must relisten to!

OH YAHHH, GET IT KING!

 

 

OH YAHHH, GET IT KING!

 

:cheeseblock: your impact x

Albums: Top 40

 

 

21 Shawn Mendes - Shawn | 2-5-6-9-13-…

22 Paloma Faith - The Glorification of Sadness | 2-4-5-6-10-11-12-x-15-x

23 Dua Lipa - Radical Optimism | 2-5-7-9-12-15-15-x

24 Kylie Minogue - Tension II | 1-3-4-8-12-x

25 Benjamin Ingrosso - Pink Velvet Theatre | 2-8-14-x

26 David Kushner - The Dichotomy | 1-2-3-7-9-11-x

27 Katy Perry - 143 | 1-3-9-14-x

28 Griff - Vertigo | 3-5-7-10-11-13-13-x

29 ROSÉ - rosie | 2-6-…

30 Beyoncé - COWBOY CARTER | 3-6-8-11-14-x

 

2024 saw more movement at the #1 spot in my album chart than any year before. The #1 spot changed hands 44 times this year, which is a record (2014 and 2023 are in second place with 39 changes), and saw 27 new #1 albums (including three pre-2024 releases getting to the top for the first time), which matches the record. The result of that is a selection of #1 albums dropping out before we even reach the top 20. Katy Perry's 143 was critically panned, and her decision to work with Dr Luke was (rightfully) criticised. I did enjoy the new album, the songs individually are largely quite good, but it was much more faceless than you'd expect from a Katy Perry album. David Kushner's debut album was a solid listen, albeit quite long so I've not found myself going back to it too much. Kylie Minogue followed up the fantastic Tension with Tension II this year, a sister album which continues the sound and vibe of its predecessor. It's a consistent listen, albeit without the same high highs that Tension had.

 

Some established names tried out new directions this year, to varied results. Beyoncé naturally saw critical acclaim for her country album COWBOY CARTER, and it's the most I've enjoyed a new Beyoncé album in a long time. Shawn Mendes took a step back for a much more subdued album, and it became his first to miss my #1 spot (releasing in a week where I saw Benson Boone live), but I enjoyed hearing a different approach from Shawn as he released a much more open collection of songs than he previously has. Embracing his influences, Benjamin Ingrosso fully embraced his growing status in home country Sweden to throw everything at latest album Pink Velvet Theatre, which is his most confident and assured effort to date, and it's cemented him as one of Sweden's biggest stars in the process.

 

Griff's debut album Vertigo was a really solid and consistent listen, and despite being ballad heavy, I also liked ROSÉ's debut solo album too, though I wish there were a few more songs in the same vein as APT.! Paloma Faith reliably brings the quality and I really loved her honest approach on The Glorification of Sadness, from female empowerment anthem Bad Woman, to the iconic Eat Shit and Die...!!! Finally, Dua Lipa's Radical Optimism was a little disappointing for me. I did enjoy it, but it lacks the high highs both previous albums have contained, and feels like less of a progression, but it's a good album nonetheless and I particularly enjoyed Maria away from the singles.

Albums: Top 40

 

 

11 Camila Cabello - C,XOXO | 1-2-5-7-8-12-12-14-12-15-12-15-x

12 glaive - May It Never Falter | 2-4-1-3-5-7-8-10-8-7-…

13 Metteson - Look to a Star | 1-3-3-5-7-7-7-11-14-x

14 Powfu - Mafia & Mugs Rootbeer | 1-5-6-5-7-9-13-14-15-x

15 Sabrina Carpenter - Short n' Sweet | 1-2-3-6-9-12-x

16 Chance Peña - Ever-Shifting, Continual Blossoming | 1-2-4-6-4-10-10-11-12-15-x

17 Zara Larsson - VENUS | 2-4-6-7-8-11-14-14-x

18 Powfu - the fleeting life of a fool | 1-4-7-7-9-10-1-4-6-8-9-12-14-x

19 Taylor Swift - THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT | 1-2-6-10-13-13-14-x-12-x

20 Alfie Templeman - Radiosoul | 1-4-8-12-12-14-x-4-12-x

 

The quality, and time I've spent with each album, really steps up as we reach the top 20. Many albums here I've had the pleasure of hearing live in some capacity this year! Obviously, Taylor Swift made huge waves with The Eras Tour and her London dates were no different. I really enjoyed hearing some of my highlights from THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT live, including both singles as well as Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?, it really helped me appreciate quite a long album that bit more. I saw Zara Larsson on a proper tour date (as opposed to a Banquet Records album launch show) for the first time in 2024, and VENUS was a great album to do it with, as Zara embraced her pop roots and the result was her most cohesive album yet. I bought a ticket to Chance Peña on a whim after enjoying a couple of his songs, and with the album arriving after my purchase, it assured me I'd made a good decision, with his gentle folk-pop proving for a superb show. Alfie Templeman always delivers live, and I enjoyed his exploration of funkier sounds this era, helped along by a Nile Rodgers collaboration no less. I also saw Sabrina Carpenter at the Summertime Ball, but have yet to find a ticket to her O2 shows next year - I'd love to experience the fun, breezy vibe of Short n' Sweet live!

 

Though I've not seen her perform this album live, I did meet Camila Cabello at her album signing for C,XOXO, and I really enjoyed her exploring new sounds on this album; even though the result isn't super cohesive, there are many songs I enjoy. The Drake stuff can get in the bin though. glaive's May It Never Falter arrived out of nowhere, and I found it to be a little more of a slow burn than he usually is for me, but when it hit me, the album's really stayed with me since, with For God and Country, the album's opener, being my favourite. Powfu released two albums this year, and it's the second of the two, Mafia & Mugs Rootbeer, which proved to be my favourite, with a more versatile tracklist than earlier project the fleeting life of a fool (previously an EP, extended into a full album), which is still a good listen. Finally, Metteson dropped his debut studio album Look to a Star, and though I wanted a few less ballads and a few more electropop bangers like Waves, it's still a really strong listen, and his voice is *so* good!!

Albums: Top 40

 

 

10 Charli xcx - BRAT | 2-6-9-13-13-15-10-5-5-7-7-9-13-14-13-14-15-15-7-14-11-13-13-x-12-…

 

A viral phenomenon on arrival, 2024 really has been the year of Charli xcx. I've been a Charli fan for a long time now, and my varying opinions on each of her projects only speaks to her ability to change and adapt her sound. Whilst I typically love her more commercial albums like SUCKER and CRASH, I know Charli herself resonates more with her more experimental stuff, notably on mixtapes Number 1 Angel and Pop 2. BRAT felt like the perfect compromise, with CRASH giving Charli a leg up in the commercial stakes, allowing her to take more risks whilst also keeping an eye on the charts, lacing many of the songs with hook upon hook, not to mention recruiting big name collaborators for new versions of the tracks, which later became a remix album where almost every track was totally reinvented. It's a remarkable album, and despite its bolshy, clubby hits, it also has some real vulnerable moments. Hard to say it doesn't tick every box, and I know that this not peaking at #1 in my chart will be a regret I have!

 

Joseph's Hit 40 charting songs

01 Talk talk (Charli xcx & Troye Sivan)

02 Girl, so confusing (Charli xcx & Lorde)

03 Guess (Charli xcx & Billie Eilish)

07 Apple

07 Sympathy is a knife (Charli xcx & Ariana Grande)

12 360

18 Von dutch

36 B2b

 

 

9 Tom Odell - Black Friday | 1-1-4-5-7-6-7-9-9-9-12-12-14-13-13-x-4-15-x

 

With his major label era over, Tom Odell took a more subtle approach on fifth album Best Day of My Life. Every track felt a lot more subdued, often just Tom and his piano, with his vocal expertly dictating the vibe. This album builds on that approach. Led by its title track, a viral hit at the end of 2023, Black Friday is a consistent project, stepping up production values in some areas, notably the end of Black Friday the song, as well as the orchestral interludes scattered through the album. It was the album's fifth single, pushed alongside the album release, that became the highlight for me - Loving You Will Be the Death of Me peaked at #2, becoming Tom's highest charting song in three years in my chart, but more on that one later! Black Friday is another really strong addition to Tom's discography, which is remarkably consistent with six albums now under his belt.

 

Joseph's Hit 40 charting songs

02 Loving You Will Be the Death of Me

03 Black Friday

07 The End

13 Somebody Else

22 Answer Phone

Great to see 'BRAT' make your Top 10 albums of the year :cheeseblock: What an era!

 

These are the other albums I've heard:

 

11 Camila Cabello - C,XOXO | 1-2-5-7-8-12-12-14-12-15-12-15-x

15 Sabrina Carpenter - Short n' Sweet | 1-2-3-6-9-12-x

19 Taylor Swift - THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT | 1-2-6-10-13-13-14-x-12-x

23 Dua Lipa - Radical Optimism | 2-5-7-9-12-15-15-x

24 Kylie Minogue - Tension II | 1-3-4-8-12-x

27 Katy Perry - 143 | 1-3-9-14-x

28 Griff - Vertigo | 3-5-7-10-11-13-13-x

30 Beyoncé - COWBOY CARTER | 3-6-8-11-14-x

 

It's been such a strong year for female artists!

 

All fantastic winners in your "Awards" section! It was phenomenal seeing Girls Aloud again this year. :wub: Keeping everything crossed for dearALICE having success in 2025, excited to see how they progress! Such a solid EP.

 

The only film we've both seen is "I Am: Celine Dion" which was very heart wrenching and honest, a really powerful watch. I'll be watching Dune: Part Two later today so I'll let you know what I think of that.

 

So much good TV this year, happy to see Heartstopper as high as 2nd in your Returning Drama section!

 

I'm looking forward to the rest of the Top 10 albums reveal.

Conan to smash please x

 

Great to see 'BRAT' make your Top 10 albums of the year :cheeseblock: What an era!

 

These are the other albums I've heard:

 

11 Camila Cabello - C,XOXO | 1-2-5-7-8-12-12-14-12-15-12-15-x

15 Sabrina Carpenter - Short n' Sweet | 1-2-3-6-9-12-x

19 Taylor Swift - THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT | 1-2-6-10-13-13-14-x-12-x

23 Dua Lipa - Radical Optimism | 2-5-7-9-12-15-15-x

24 Kylie Minogue - Tension II | 1-3-4-8-12-x

27 Katy Perry - 143 | 1-3-9-14-x

28 Griff - Vertigo | 3-5-7-10-11-13-13-x

30 Beyoncé - COWBOY CARTER | 3-6-8-11-14-x

 

It's been such a strong year for female artists!

 

All fantastic winners in your "Awards" section! It was phenomenal seeing Girls Aloud again this year. :wub: Keeping everything crossed for dearALICE having success in 2025, excited to see how they progress! Such a solid EP.

 

The only film we've both seen is "I Am: Celine Dion" which was very heart wrenching and honest, a really powerful watch. I'll be watching Dune: Part Two later today so I'll let you know what I think of that.

 

So much good TV this year, happy to see Heartstopper as high as 2nd in your Returning Drama section!

 

I'm looking forward to the rest of the Top 10 albums reveal.

Conan to smash please x

Thank you so much for the comment Jay! :wub: The girls have been slaying for sure *.* now let's hope our boys dearALICE can have a big 2025, I feel invested now...!!