If anyone tells you 2024 was anything less than an absolute win for new music, they clearly spent the year with their head stuck in a bin. While the world outside might have been doing its best impression of a dumpster fire, our headphones have been blessed with an embarrassment of riches. From bright-young-things becoming even brighter to established faves finding new gears, the last twelve months have delivered more golden moments than we can count.
That's where this list comes in. Over the next few days, we'll be celebrating the very best tracks 2024 had to offer – from chart-destroying anthems to underground gems that deserve their moment in the spotlight. So grab your party hat, pour yourself something fizzy, and join us as we count down the defining songs of 2024.
20. Welly - Shopping
God bless Welly, a band who have finally given us a fitting nostalgia-laced tribute to the high streets of Britain's great mid-sized towns. The joy of wandering from The Original Factory Store to Peacocks and back again. Alongside the evocative subject matter, it's also a big indie tune which isn't afraid to go maximalist in its pursuit of a good afternoon on a trading estate or two. 'I want it trendy, but I also want a Costa and a massive Aldi' say Welly, and honestly we couldn't have put it better ourselves.
19. Confidence Man - I Can't Lose You
'I Can't Lose You' emerges like a late-night text from your most entertaining mate - delightfully unhinged and impossible to ignore. The track's birth story reads like the best kind of accident: Janet Planet and Sugar Bones, as they tell it, were "completely wrecked" at 3am when inspiration struck. No meditation apps or green juice in sight, just the kind of late-night alchemy that turns questionable decisions into pure gold.
Their London relocation proved the perfect catalyst. Rather than chasing studio polish, they tossed the rulebook straight into the Thames, embracing what they describe as "slightly shonky" production. The results speak for themselves. That chorus doesn't just demand attention - it grabs listeners by the collar and drags them straight onto the dance floor.
Even the accompanying music video leans into the sublime ridiculousness, featuring a helicopter striptease above London's skyline - exactly the sort of idea that only makes perfect sense in the small hours. It's that same spirit that makes every wobbly synth and off-kilter beat feel like perfectly captured moments of human connection.
