best of GreatestLoveofAll's 2024: The Oldies and the Newbies- DONE! #1 Album and Song pg 4!!!

[GreatestLoveofAll]

Im sooooo excited to be back! I have been looking forward to this year's Best of since October to be honest cause I just felt like I had so much to say about the music I loved this year- whether it was of the year or 50 years ago. I know my taste is a bit predictable if you have seen my around here on the forum but hopefully we share some of the same faves and maybe (like I am likely to do with many of yours) someone can discover a gem they never knew before. As with my last 2-3 years doing these there here are the two categories I'll do.

 

Songs of the Year

&

Songs I Discovered

 

Alos this year, unlike the last two, I listened to plenty of new albums! I have some 15 that I will reveal alongside the other two categories and while dividing them might be a bit hard I'll figure it out. Heres too another year! 

Edited December 31, 2024 by GreatestLoveofAll
new title

[GreatestLoveofAll]

reserved.

[Saddy]

Excited to see everything 

[GreatestLoveofAll]

I intending to post earlier but that wasnt meant to be and rather than wait until tomorrow when I might be busy, I decieded the middle of the night would have to work for the first update.

 

Round One

 

Songs I Discovered

 

 

Murder on the Dancefloor- Sophie Ellis-Bextor (2001)

Like a lot of people, the movie Saltburn brought this song to my attention (though I never saw the movie). Its such a fun, very British sounding song that reminds me a bit of what the Spice Girls were doing during this late 90s/early 2000s period. I love when artists randomly get another chance to ride a new high with a song that came out decades ago- it proves that music has no time limit when its good. People of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy it and if the TikTok/streaming era has done one thing good its give people unlimited power to choose the music that speaks to them.

 

 

 

Don't You Know- Della Reese (1959)

... and speaking of ancient songs… this one is possibly the oldest on the list. I recognize Della from her later work as an actress, and so knowing she started her seven-decade career in music and performing was a bit of an eye opener for me, but I wasn't too shocked. Her voice even when speaking was grand and expressive, and she added a sense of drama and real emotion on this sweeping ballad from her youth. I'm a sucker for this kind of music when the quality is high and Della's voice soaring at the end with the movie-music orchestra was simply too good to resist. 

 

 

 

 

Violet Hill- Coldplay (2008)

One of the very few- if not the only!- artist to have some songs on the discovery list and the current year end. I don't remember if this has happened before but it's exciting for me. Anyways I did a mini Coldplay deep dive this year due to a Mic Snare video in which he did the same thing and while I still need to return to that, I discovered a song that would make me only respect their musical contributions more. "Violet Hill" is such a hard-hitting song production wise, and I really love the guitar playing during the chorus. Just excellent.

 

 

 

 

Im With You- Avril Lavigne (2002)

oddly enough one of the first song on my discovered list is one that I feel I should have known but I guess I didnt. Im not the biggest Avril fan outside of the big singles, but I can very clearly see why this song resonated with so many people her age when she dropped this. Her vocal chops are amazing- I wonder if she took any lessons.

 

 

 

Full Moon- Brandy (2002)

Like with many songs, I discovered this classic from the media I consume. As I have stated before on here, Black Music Archive, formerly known as iloveArethaFranklin, has been one of my favorite YouTube channels for their focus on great voices, how they work and why they sound the way they do. The channel is a great upholder of black music history and it teaches both fields almost equally. In a breakdown they did on Brandy's voice, they used this song to highlight her incredible layering, musical formatting and run skills and even if I had disliked the song before, such a deep dive in it would make me love it. Brandy is so musically underrated, and I really wish her commercial peak had lasted longer when she had so many hits on those 2000s material. 

 

 

 

Je ne sais quoi- Odd Eye Circle (2023)

Something far more recent! I really don't listen to this kind of music, but I made a lot of new online friends this year and one of them recommended this song to me for a reason I dont remember. Anyways I found it so charming that I added it here and have been bopping to it since. 

 

 

 

Back & Forth- Aaliyah (1994)

I saw a tweet that compared the debut singles of Brandy, Monica and Aaliyah and I found myself knowing the first two and not the latter. Aaliyah is an artist I have yet to do a deep dive for (2025 might be the year who knows) but I know a couple of her songs and this is one of the several I discovered and have been really into this year. Shes so cool and effortless- sounding both young and hip as she was but yet simultaneously a woman with a few years of experience under her belt. "Move its the L-I-Y-A-H" reminds me a bit of Will Smith's "Men in Black" and has been stuck in my mind for months.

 

 

&

 

Songs of the Year

 

Before I get into the real list, here are a few honorable mentions. Some of these songs were cut cause I liked them but not as much as the main list, or said artist already had too many songs on the list, or didnt hold my attention long enough frankly.

 

365- Charli xcx

Illusion- dua lipa

Please please please- Sabrina Carpenter

I forgive you- Sia

Bodyguard- Beyonce

**** me out 2- NLE Choppa

Never ending song- Conan gray

In your hands- Halle Bailey 

Million dollar baby- tommy richman

Nani- Saweetie

Georgia Peach- Latto

 

 

 

40. No One Noticed- The Marias

It took a long time to put this list final version together- the inclusion of songs exclusion of others happening as late as this morning. The song came on randomly when i was playing a popular playlist and I was captivated by the light, almost timid vocals and the ambience of the song. I want to be more diverse in my music taste and this is a prime example in a direction I've been heading in.

 

 

 

39. Happy Mistake- Lady Gaga

I will save my longer opinions on the Harlequin album later on this countdown, but that only makes talking about this particular song harder. Its the albums lead original number and seems to reflect more about Gaga than Harlequin herself in my opinion but works perfectly fine in the story. It falls in line with many of the great Gaga ballads of the past and the instantly memorable chorus run will always keep it in my head. When the album first came out, i really didnt think much about it. It wasnt until I saw her perform it on I think a late night show and it just clicked for me. 

 

 

 

38. Truth or Dare- Tyla

In general, I still have yet to really warm up to Tyla as once again, I dont typically listen to the type of music she makes. Yet as soon as i heard this I knew I had give her the 10s she deserved. She makes the lyrics so fun and you can imagine a music video in your head as she coos from line to line. 

 

 

 

 

37. Favorite- Chloe and anderson. paak

You know when a song plays and instantly know its your fave and in a fair world it would be a global smash? Yeah that was me with this amazing collab. Anderson was the last person I expected to see on a Chloe album track and yet they flow with each other seamlessly its as if they had been working on music for ages. 

 

 

 

 

36. Von Dutch

If only I had been open minded enough to take this era seriously when this electro gem dropped. Here's to it winning the Grammys its up for (ATRL ones too!)

[Suilen]

Je ne sais quoi is great. You might want to check out what the full group (ARTMS) came up with if you haven't already.

From the clown album I liked the title track the best.

The Chloe song was cute, though I kind of like her non-rnb stuff more.

[Alldeezy]

Violet Hill + I'm With You

[prézli]

5 hours ago, GreatestLoveofAll said:

Her vocal chops are amazing

Rihanna agrees.

[JGibson]

Discoveries: MOTDF + Full Moon + I'm With You + Violet Hill   

 

SOTY: Happy Mistake + No One Noticed  [HMs: Illusion + Please Please Please ] 

[gagacasanova]

Murder on the Dancefloor, we bop to this one 

 

Illusion, Please Please Please, BODYGUARD - all absolute masterpieces 

 

Happy Mistake 

[TalkThatRihanna]

I'm shocked you didn't know I'm With You 

 

But yeah I also discovered MOTD this year and was obsessed

[Mr. Blue_Shirt]

Murder on the Dancefloor, Full Moon and Back & Forth are such classics

 

Von Dutch & Truth or Dare I'm glad that The Marias has their breakthrough this year cause their new album is one of my favorites this year

[GreatestLoveofAll]

You can tell I was falling asleep cause the prompt kept getting shorter and I even forgot to put Charli's name on her song but we move!

 

Round Two

 

Songs I Discovered

 

Misty- Lesly Gore (1963)

TikTok is once again being threatened to be taken away and while I dont use it too much, I will miss it a little. Even for someone who listens to music all the time and a lot of older artists or artists some people wouldn't be familiar with, TikTok has been a breeding ground for songs that I have never heard and just waiting to enthrall me. I love Lesly's child-like vocals, showcasing the innocence that describes the narrator yet a sense of fervor that only grows as the song progresses. For me its a fun karaoke song as its not too rangy and I get to add little embellishments here and there. This might be my fave rendition too, though I'm sure that can change. 

 

 

 

 

Eternal Flame-The Bangles (1989)

Technically this song I discovered around this time last year, but I had already completed that list and this song stuck around as all 80s hits tend to do so so I tacked it onto this year's. I love the chorus alot and I always get so gagged when I find yet another hit that I have never heard as a new fave.

 

 

 

 

Cranes in the Sky- Solange (2016)

 I really did wish I liked R&B more cause if this is how good one song sounds, then imagine the album? I know Solange's last two albums were very acclaimed and have a strong following among stans but this was my first full taste of her (a friend was playing music and this is what she likes) and I can truly see what makes her so loved. I think I have yet another artist to get into with the new year coming around.

 

 

 

 

Home- Michael Bublé (2005)

Im sorry but him being here is reminding me of that twitter thing: "Why would a man be here???"  But anyways this is a calm, sweet song that really encapsulated the early winter months of the year for me. I'm so used to his Christmas music that I assumed this was yet another song from there, but I have already been proven that holidays or not Michael's music is quality. His voice is really one of the very best of this century.

 

 

 

 

Me & U- Cassie (2006)

I don't know, I feel like its a bit distasteful of Spotify to recommend this song to me during the year we officially discover the horrific challenges and harm this poor lady faced at the hands of #that man but here we are. Listening to some of the lyrics even makes me wonder if they were even written by her or with what she would want cause they can feel a little too inviting and she was so young. The song overall is strong, and the basic production actually helps Cassie's small voice by letting her ride freely without getting lost in the mix so I cant fully deny it a spot on my list but I couldn't shy away from the controversy either. 

 

 

 

 

Joya- Arca (2021)

And now to go completely left field! Another one of my online friends told me to listen to the album this was from and I'll be honest I don't get it. It's loud, clangy and a bit messy and I won't even lie, I much prefer a more typical music arrangement and sound. Yet at the very end of the album, as I'm struggling not to just give up, this track comes on. I don't know if it's the chime-like instrumental throughout the song or if it's gentler production and theme make it more approachable to me but this was the one song I liked and I've come back to many times since. Oddly enough my friend doesn't think much about this one. Or maybe not oddly now that I think about it. 

 

 

 

&

 

Songs of the Year

 

 

35. Joyride- Kesha

I admit that i was late to the party when it came to this bop. I dont follow Kesha as much after Gag Order and so when this came out I kinda put it off for a few months until I heard it on a 2010s pop girl edit and I was like wait a minuteeeee. I love how unconventional it sounds in the beginning, giving random musical assortments that sound like a video game more than a pop song. That bridge both before the first chorus and the one before the last music break are just excellent. This needs to be in the clubs all throughout the next year. It once again proves that Kesha never counts herself out and therefore neither should we. 

 

 

 

34. 16 CARRIAGES- Beyonce 

It was so so so hard to wittle down which Bey songs I was going to include on my year end. She was my second most played artist of the year and with the drop of another genre shifting and conversation starting album, she had pretty much countless songs that could have been on this list. I had to go with a mixture of what was objectively the best and which ones spoke to me the most. Either way 16 Carriages had a fair abundance of both and to avoid a top 10 of all Bey songs, I had to place it carefully on this list. Regardless of where it ranks however, this country/rock ballad is one of the many (and not even the most far reaching) examples of unparalleled versatility this legend has displayed. It begins somber and quiet and then grows to thunderous choruses, all the while Beyonce's vocal performance details story about a person who has worked hard every waking moment of their life to make their world the way they want it and give their children a life worth it. The lyrics to this song are some of the greatest ever on a Beyonce song, especially at the end when she sums it all up with legacy- one of the central themes to Beyonce's work in the past decade and one essential to Cowboy Carter's entire creation and heart. 

 

 

 

33. Smoke- Ari Lennox

I dont follow a lot of the artists featured on these list that closely, especially the less popular ones, so I am still not sure what happened to Miss Lennox that prompted such a lyrically fiery yet frighteningly normal vocal performance from her. I really dont want to be on the receiving end of such a song but the seething and seemingly pent up anger she's unleashing here is so appealing that I could hold back. I really do hope this is a preview to a new album coming soon as I got into both of her last two albums and one of the songs is featured on this list. She's a great one and I hope we get more in 2025! 

 

 

 

 

32. Legs (Keep Dancing)- Vanessa Williams

The song was simply made for me I fear. A 90s diva with some beloved hits? An actual comeback with some promo? A big fun dance pop song with fun tongue in cheek lyrics? I was more than happy to press play when I saw Vanessa had her a new bop out and I haven been disappointed since. The voice has a life to it, defying the wear and tear of age as she confidently struts along this track. I love it so much when women in entertainment actively push back on the concept of age and it being a "bad" thing. Halle Berry has been doing it and Vanessa is clearly on the same wavelength, keeping it pushing and strutting until she "cant do it no more!"

 

 

 

 

31. Like That- Future and Metro Boomin ft. Kendrick Lamar

Yeahh we getting into that territory. As a matter of fact I should warn that Kendrick's name will pop up on this list numerous times. Not that I think anyone has an issue with that but you know...

I like everyone else with a phone remember very well when this song dropped. I personally ignore it even when I heard Kendrick straight up dissed Drake (and J. Cole) cause even though he is my second fave rapper, my investment in hip hop is still growing and so I was like ehh I don't wanna listen to no beef music right now. Plus they had the misfortune of dropping this in March when at the time I was busy preparing for Beyonce to serve. So weeks passed and the song was being talked about constantly to my annoyance but then I heard the rumors of a Drake response... and then I got intrigued. I didnt really think this would go as a back and forth as I didnt think Drake, after his decisive loss at the hands of Pusha T back in 2018, would engage in another rap beef this time with the only other rapper who is close to his cultural dominance. Looking back on it and with the commentary of others, it is clear that he couldnt let this slide and for good reason. Kendrick is a master lyricist and often writes songs that can take on numerous meanings, have double, tripe entendres. In this case he is as direct as one can be and he drags Drake specifically, breaking loose almost a decade worth of tension with the line "******f*ck the Big Three, ***** its just big me". Little did we know what this would unleash for the summer. 

 

 

\\\\

 

And for the next category that I forgot about last update...

 

Albums of the Year

As with the SOTY ranking, here are some of the runner up albums that didnt make the cut. There were other albums that I didnt get to before the year ended so they wont be here which Im sure that i'll regret in a few months but oh well.

 

The Year I Turned 21- arya starr

Where I've Been Isnt Where I'm Going- Shaboozey

Quantum Baby- Tinashe

Trouble in Paradise- Chloe

 

 

 

17. Access All Areas- FLO

Once again, the musical peer pressure of my online people made me give these ladies a chance. I initially had a 10 spot list to keep it cute and simple but I ended up listening to more albums in the last half of the year than I did the first half and this one was one of them. They show great talent and love for their craft on this debut and its great to hear all three of them very capable of holding their own both solo and together vocally. If this album carries into the new year I might have to officially join their stans. Highlights include: Bending My Rules (both live and studio versions), Soft, Check and In My Bag.

 

 

 

 

16. Short 'n' Sweet- Sabrina Carpenter

It might be a bit odd for some of you guys seeing where I put this album versus what I have to say about a song or two of it in the future but it makes sense in my head so idk. I wont give my whole history about what I know about her music just yet but know that this album is prime example of what pop music is all about in 2024. A largely acoustic styled record framed with great pop bangers and a clear sign of a personal who has a distinctive writing style- you can tell all these songs originated from Sabrina one way or another. Her voice is supple- teasing when it needs to be, mournful on the slower tracks, even disgusted too. I did expect there to be more "Espressos" than "Slim Pickings" but I cant deny a solid project when its right in front of me. Here's to her name being a constant presence on these lists from now on. Highlights: Bad Chem, Slim Pickings, Taste and Juno.

Edited December 19, 2024 by GreatestLoveofAll
editing

[GreatestLoveofAll]

1 hour ago, Mr. Blue_Shirt said:

Murder on the Dancefloor, Full Moon and Back & Forth are such classics

 

Von Dutch & Truth or Dare I'm glad that The Marias has their breakthrough this year cause their new album is one of my favorites this year

yeah i didnt get to listen to the album yet so imma wait till my days off to give them their flowers cause ive had a lot of people say its a good album

 

1 hour ago, TalkThatRihanna said:

I'm shocked you didn't know I'm With You 

 

But yeah I also discovered MOTD this year and was obsessed

honestly i cant remember if i did or not so i put it here cause my memory is faulty sometimes lmao and yesss Sophie did her thing with that, 10s across the board for me.

 

2 hours ago, gagacasanova said:

Murder on the Dancefloor, we bop to this one 

 

Illusion, Please Please Please, BODYGUARD - all absolute masterpieces 

 

Happy Mistake 

this epic tasteeee and yes some Happy Mistake love 

 

5 hours ago, Suilen said:

Je ne sais quoi is great. You might want to check out what the full group (ARTMS) came up with if you haven't already.

From the clown album I liked the title track the best.

The Chloe song was cute, though I kind of like her non-rnb stuff more.

Ok i will check them out. one of my friends will be so happy lmao hes obsessed i think 

4 hours ago, Alldeezy said:

Violet Hill + I'm With You

10s! 

 

2 hours ago, prézli said:

Rihanna agrees.

omg i didnt know she was a fan 

 

2 hours ago, JGibson said:

Discoveries: MOTDF + Full Moon + I'm With You + Violet Hill   

 

SOTY: Happy Mistake + No One Noticed  [HMs: Illusion + Please Please Please ] 

you always have the best taste 

[prézli]

Just now, GreatestLoveofAll said:

omg i didnt know she was a fan 

Cheers samples the "ye ih ye" line:

 

 

[prézli]

Solange's album is 8 already.  I was never a fan, though.

 

Me & U CLASSIC!!!

[Album Leak]

I love the Songs I Discovered sections, especially with the nods to much older music. From the bunch I really adored Lesley Gore's '' Misty '' and I absolutely have to dwell deeper into her discography, I really vibe with her voice! 

 

Eternal Flame is an absolute banger, but I always thought it was by Atomic Kitten because it was their cover of the song I first heard. And... I don't know maybe it's sacrilege but I actually prefer the Atomic Kitten version just a little bit to the original.. But I have a huge soft spot and nostalgia for 2000s pop so it's kind of an unfair matchup. 

 

If you vibed with Murder On The Dancefloor I would also suggest Take Me Home and Groovejet by Sophie Ellis-Bextor if you haven't already heard them. Sophie is kind of a treasure trove of forgotten bops...

 

I'm one of the people who really loved Harlequin as a whole, but I honestly didn't like Happy Mistake a lot. I think the live performance was insane though and I gained some new appreciation for the song overall. It helped that the staging and costuming for Gaga was so immaculate. Sometimes some added visual aspects do enhance the reception for the song overall.

[Mr. Blue_Shirt]

Cranes in the Sky and Me & U are timeless classics Joyride, 16 CARRIAGES and Like That are kinda shape me this year tbh

 

Mrs. Williams serving MPG isn't in my 2024 bingo, but I'm here for it!

[gagacasanova]

Joyride - we enjoy a chaotic pop track 

 

16 carriages - Left me shooketh upon release. 

 

Short n Sweet - my first time listening to a Sabrina album and it didn't disappoint. 

Edited December 18, 2024 by gagacasanova

[Mezik]

Songs Discovered

- Murder on the Dancefloor; I laugh at how it blew up. Wish it had a Running Up the Hill moment, but it had a cute resurgence and I'm happy I got into it again.

- Violet Hill; I actually forgot about it. Today I enjoy it so much more than when it was initially released. 

- I'm With You; My childhood anthem.

- Eternal Flame; Dear lord is this a flash back.. but it's such a timeless tune. I'm glad you discovered it.

- Home; Ugh.. his voice is perfection in it. When I'm in a mood I will just cry to it.

 

Songs of the Year

- Von Dutch is a BOP. Deserves so much. Wish it was a smash, but it just goes off. My favourite song from the album.

- Joyride is cute, and fun. Definitely an explosive return to form. 

- 16 Carriages was such a strong song lyrically and it deserved all the fame Texas Hold 'Em got. I think it's the centre of the album as a whole.

 

Albums of the Year

- Not gonna lie, I've seen so many people tell me I need to give a listen to FLO.. but it's so long and my attention span can't handle it. May need to dive in an listen to it in full.

- Short N Sweet was non stop for me since it released. Such a happy and not so serious pop album, she really shines.

 

[JGibson]

Discoveries: Me and U  

 

Songs: 16 CARRIAGES

[poki]

Sophie Ellis-Bextor has a lot of hidden gems. I'm actually more familiar with Get Over You and Groovejet than MOTDF! At the moment her 2nd album Shoot From The Hip has been on heavy rotation for me.   

 

Avril has really good album tracks. Same for her unreleased tracks. 3rd album and onwards you can tell she got a vocal coach so even tho her voice is more squeaky, she really does have talent. I know IWY is quite infamous for how it has 2 versions of the music video (the last few scenes are different in one of the versions).

 

Eternal Flame is one of the tracks I most remember from when I grew up  (I was born in '98, somehow this track stuck around until like 2005 on the radio. Haven't heard it played anywhere in forever tho). 

[Alldeezy]

Me & U such a classic that one 

 

Sabrina

[K$Ellie]

Odd Eye Circle exactlyyyy  <Dall> from this year was even better

Joyride, 16 Carriages, Truth or Dare and Von Dutch all iconic

Arca and Cassie for discoveries too, big bops!!!

[TalkThatRihanna]

Me & U and Joyride

 

Also happy FLO got their flowers! But On & On is definitely a highlight for me

[rvx]

Short 'n' Sweet 

 

Violet Hill + i'm With You - classic songs