by Christina Zamudio
2024 was a great year for singles, and 360°Sound is pleased to introduce Christina Zamudio to highlight some of the top tracks that dropped in the year that was. Christina is a new voice, and she brings a refreshing new angle to our site. We know you’ll enjoy her recap of her favorite singles from 2024, and we hope she’ll stick around and offer plenty more of her fresh takes in the new year. Welcome Christina!
“Dame Beso//Muevete” – Kali Uchis
While listening through Kali Uchis’ newest album, Orquideas, I was satisfied but not astonished. Then I reached the closer, “Dame Beso//Muevete,” a romantic two-part song that features a sensual beginning involving kisses from a lover. The pace of the song increases as Uchis belts out a grito [a shout in Spanish], and it turns into a full-on Latin dance party about moving on to better things. It’s a fun track with intense energy.
“Burn the Witch” – PVRIS, Tommy Genesis, and Alice Longyu Gao
“Burn the Witch” features one of my favorite artists at the moment, hyperpop pioneer Alice Longyu Gao. It’s a short, aggressive track that gets my blood pumping. The message of a man pointing the finger at a woman, or a “witch,” for her wrongdoings provides a compelling image of toxic masculinity. PVRIS’s lyrics are raw and powerful, “I spoke my mind now I got a muzzle… now I gotta watch a grown man go and burn the witch.”
“Club Classics” – Charli XCX
I’ve been a huge fan of Charli XCX since my high school days, and “Club Classics” is a standout dance-club track. Charli has the chops to make excellent pop music, but reminds her listeners that she can also be vulnerable. The song’s production is noisy in the best way, but turns quite ethereal on the chorus. Basically, it’s all about having fun in the club and dancing the night away. Charli considers her music essential for a good time as she exclaims, “I want to dance to me… When I go to the club, I wanna hear those club classics.”
“Wave” – Remi Wolf
Remi Wolf is an indie pop artist who created one of my all-time favorite albums, Juno, in 2021. From my first listen to her latest album, Big Ideas, “Wave” became one of my favorite tracks of the year. It features a funky bassline, as the lyrics address the challenges of a long-distance relationship. These vocals could drop effortlessly into a ’90s rock song. Remi brought her electric live show to Texas for Austin City Limits, and on this jam her raw vocals paired with a full band amplified the rock power.
“Training Season” – Dua Lipa
One of my favorite pop artists of the ‘20s, Dua Lipa found her stride in 2024. On “Training Season,” Lipa’s voice sounds better than ever, and I love the disco feel paired with Spanish guitar. She opened with this in her headlining set at Austin City Limits in October, setting the stage for a full-blown dance party – one of the best pop shows I’ve ever seen.
“Eusexua” – FKA Twigs
FKA Twigs has dabbled in many genres, and her newest track, “Eusexua,” feels like it contradicts itself in the best kind of way. It is not only a low-key dance track, but at the same time it’s abrasive, most notably in the outro that feels almost as if glass is shattering. FKA Twigs creates a new feeling, ‘eusexua,’ that she describes in an interview as the “sensation of being so euphoric that one could transcend their human form.”
“Disease” – Lady Gaga
Gaga has done a lot of different projects in recent years, but I’ve been craving a pop record from her, and with “Disease” she has delivered. It feels like a return to form, an infectious pop song reminiscent of her Born This Way era. Gaga describes it as a battle with her inner demons, which is evident in the darker undertones in the production and subject matter. It’s a refreshing direction for Gaga, and features an ambitious music video.
“JOYRIDE” – Kesha
I love the pop music of the ’10s, and Kesha was certainly a power player of that decade. But the Kesha of “Tik Tok” and “We R Who We R” has been missing in her latest offerings. “JOYRIDE” brings back the swagger, as the singer declares she’s “earned the right to be like this.” An accordion drives the song’s breakneck pace, and she resurrects her quasi-spoken vocal style. Kesha released this as a single on her own label, Kesha Records, and it reminds the pop world of her legendary status.
“THE BADDEST” – Joey Valence & Brae
Joey Valence & Brae work their humorous lyrics into a Beastie Boys-type sound. “THE BADDEST” was the standout track on their fun 2024 rap album, No Hands. It’s reminiscent of an early-aughts club track, with Brae sounding like the late Fatman Scoop in his loud shouting delivery. This song is chock full of hilarious and somewhat childish bars, as the duo brag about being “the baddest bitch in this club,” with 7UP in their cups and bubbles up in their tubs. This track is a super-energetic modern jock jam.
“TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” – Beyonce
I’m not a fan of country music, so I was apprehensive about Beyonce taking on the country genre. But I have faith in Beyonce, and “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” proved she’s in her element with today’s country sound. This track was surprise-dropped during Super Bowl LVIII, and it became an instant earworm. Her familiar voice, juxtaposed with the imagery of drinking “rugged whiskey” and going to hoedowns, feels right and reminds us that we all just want to dance. Despite the first line being “this ain’t Texas,” Texans have embraced the song and give the Houston icon her flowers.
