Like fresh flowers after a long winter, major new pop releases sprouted everywhere you looked last spring. In just a two-month stretch from March through May, the mainest of main pop girls nearly all dropped their latest albums – a historic blitz that ignited the stan world and carried our faves to new career heights.

 

Eternal Sunshine kicked off an incredible year for Ariana Grande, with two #1 hits that reaffirmed she could still play in the big leagues…when she wasn’t busy earning an Oscar nomination. On Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé reinvented country music, reminding the world of Black America’s critical contributions to the development of the genre — and finally earning her loooong-awaited Grammy for Album of the Year in the process. Taylor Swift’s surprise The Tortured Poets Department extended her imperial period, debuting with one of the largest sales weeks in pop music history and, controversially, managing her longest ever reign atop the album charts. Hit Me Hard and Soft found Billie Eilish shifting into a gorgeously ethereal new gear and earning her strongest reviews yet.

 

Now it’s your turn to decide which of early 2024’s monumental pop records did it best. You can help choose the winner by ranking each of these 64 songs on a scale of 1-10 and then sending me your ballot by Sunday, May 18. Please listen to everything again at least once before submitting. I want honest assessments, not scores based on your memory or biases. Up to two decimal points are allowed. Feel free to include commentary if you are so moved. And no trolling or your vote will be tossed. Happy listening!

 

Countdown

Spoiler

1. "Bodyguard" Beyoncé

2. "Ya Ya" Beyoncé

3. "Chihiro" Billie Eilish

4. "Supernatural" Ariana Grande

5. "Birds of a Feather" Billie Eilish

6. "L'Amour de Ma Vie" Billie Eilish

7. "The Boy Is Mine" Ariana Grande

8. "Eternal Sunshine" Ariana Grande

9. "Tyrant" Beyoncé and Dolly Parton

10. "Blue" Billie Eilish

11. "Ameriican Requiem" Beyoncé

12. "16 Carriages" Beyoncé

13. "Riiverdance" Beyoncé

14. "Daughter" Beyoncé

15. "We Can't Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)" Ariana Grande

16. "Bye" Ariana Grande

17. "II Hands II Heaven" Beyoncé

18. "II Most Wanted" Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus

19. "Don't Wanna Break Up Again" Ariana Grande

20. "Guilty As Sin?" Taylor Swift

21. "Sweet Honey Buckiin'" Beyoncé and Shaboozey

22. "Wildflower" Billie Eilish

23. "Levii's Jeans" Beyoncé and Post Malone

24. "Alliigator Tears" Beyoncé

25. "Bittersuite" Billie Eilish

26. "Lunch" Billie Eilish

27. "Fortnight" Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone

28. "Skinny" Billie Eilish

29. "Blackbiird" Beyoncé, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy

30. "The Greatest" Billie Eilish

31. "The Diner" Billie Eilish

32. "Yes, And?" Ariana Grande

33. "So Long, London" Taylor Swift

34. "Imperfect For You" Ariana Grande

35. "True Story" Ariana Grande

36. "The Boy Is Mine (Remix)" Ariana Grande ft. Brandy and Monica

37. "Clara Bow" Taylor Swift

38. "Amen" Beyoncé

39. "Spaghettii" Beyoncé ft. Linda Martell and Shaboozey

40. "Texas Hold 'Em" Beyoncé

41. "I Wish I Hated You" Ariana Grande

42. "Jolene" Beyoncé

43. "Protector" Beyoncé and Rumi Carter

44. "Desert Eagle" Beyoncé

45. "Flamenco" Beyoncé

46. "Fresh Out the Slammer" Taylor Swift

47. "Intro (End of the World)" Ariana Grande

48. "Down Bad" Taylor Swift

49. "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" Taylor Swift

50. "Florida!!!" Taylor ft. Florence + The Machine

51. "My Rose" Beyoncé

52. "Supernatural (Remix)" Ariana Grande ft. Troye Sivan

53. "Loml" Taylor Swift

54. "The Alchemy" Taylor Swift

55. "Just For Fun" Beyoncé and Willie Jones

56. "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" Taylor Swift

57. "The Tortured Poets Department" Taylor Swift

58. "Ordinary Things" ft. Nonna

59. "I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)" Taylor Swift

60. "But Daddy I Love Him" Taylor Swift

61. "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" Taylor Swift

62. "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?" Taylor Swift

63. "Yes, And? (Remix)" Ariana Grande ft. Mariah Carey

Participants

Spoiler

@wish @beyonceparkwood @a_d_22 @Sours @K$Ellie @Truth Teller @Spicy Pisces @theblackestday @Europe @Curaga @MP2K @Ken Lee @Hyune @kandicha @Quicksand @makeawish @Ewan Chaos @Mark Rih @jacklovesyou1 @Suilen @Eeveelution @Achilles. @glitch @Graves @MusicLoverDude @KatyPrismSpirit @Doogle @Helix @Ace Reject @Crashed @Reverie @Norte @Born to Run

Oooh fun! 

 

Lemme prepare my ballot 

Obviously I'm in

 

Quote

Why Beyonce look legit as **** in hers?

1 minute ago, Ewan Chaos said:

Why Beyonce look legit as **** in hers?

Slamming on Dua Lipa

i'm in, i know all these but i'll give them another listen first

11 required for 'yes and remix' i fear to counteract the haters 

This not immediately having 50 replies…is rate culture completely dead?

1 minute ago, supaspaz said:

This not immediately having 50 replies…is rate culture completely dead?

Perhaps - but it's also early! Waiting on Europe to go to sleep and wake back up!

Definitely doing this!

10 minutes ago, Ace Reject said:

Perhaps - but it's also early! Waiting on Europe to go to sleep and wake back up!

Isn’t it dinner time there right now? They better log on before bed.

The Billie and Taylor graphic 

 

Let me get to work on this! 

 

Edited April 21, 20251 yr by beyonceparkwood
im dumb

Where's Katy?

16 minutes ago, beyonceparkwood said:

This was hard as h*ll, but here ya go.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

ETERNAL SUNSHINE

"Intro (End of the World)" 8.00

"Bye" 8.80

"Don't Wanna Break Up Again" 7.50

"Eternal Sunshine" 7.10

"Supernatural" 8.00

"True Story" 7.25

"The Boy Is Mine" 7.50

"Yes, And?" 8.00

"We Can't Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)" 8.00

"I Wish I Hated You" 5.75

"Imperfect For You" 6.00

"Ordinary Things" ft. Nonna 5.50

"Supernatural (Remix)" ft. Troye Sivan 7.50

"Yes, And? (Remix)" ft. Mariah Carey 4.00

"The Boy Is Mine (Remix)" ft. Brandy And Monica 4.50

 

COWBOY CARTER

"Ameriican Requiem" 9.50

"Blackbiird" with Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy 7.50

"16 Carriages" 10

"Protector" with Rumi Carter 8.50

"My Rose" 6.50

"Texas Hold 'Em" 8.00

"Bodyguard" 10

"Jolene" 7.50

"Daughter" 9.50

"Spaghetii" with Linda Martell and Shaboozey 7.75

"Alliigator Tears" 7.50

"Just For Fun" with Willie Jones 8.00

"II Most Wanted" with Miley Cyrus 9.00

"Levii's Jeans" with Post Malone 8.00

"Flamenco" 8.00

"Ya Ya" 9.75

"Desert Eagle" 7.50

"Riiverdance" 8.75

"II Hands II Heaven" 9.50

"Tyrant" with Dolly Parton 9.25

"Sweet Honey Buckiin'" with Shaboozey 9.00

"Amen" 9.00

 

THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT

"Fortnight" ft. Post Malone 7.50

"The Tortured Poets Department" 5.00

"My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" 5.50

"Down Bad" 5.50

"So Long, London" 8.75

"But Daddy I Love Him" 7.50

"Fresh Out the Slammer" 7.00

"Florida!!!" ft. Florence and the Machine 7.00

"Guilty As Sin?" 6.50

"Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?" 7.00

"I Can Fix Him (No I Really Can)" 6.00

"Loml" 9.00

"I Can Do It With a Broken Heart" 5.00

"The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" 6.50

"The Alchemy" 6.00

"Clara Bow" 7.50

 

HIT ME HARD AND SOFT

"Skinny" 8.00

"Lunch" 7.50

"Chihiro" 9.50

"Birds of a Feather" 8.50

"Wildflower" 9.50

"The Greatest" 10

"L'Amour de Ma Vie" 8.25

"The Diner" 5.75

"Bittersuite" 6.75

"Blue" 8.25

 

Babe, you have to DM @supaspaz with your scores! 

15 minutes ago, Deadlocked said:

Where's Katy?

She'll be in the fifth and last of the 2024 rates, alongside J.Lo, Camila, and Normani.

 

I think you can guess what the tone and tenor of that rate will be! 

I guess Billie was overdue for a second visit. The agony of putting myself through an Ariana album tho…

 

 

1 minute ago, Ace Reject said:

I think you can guess what the tone and tenor of that rate will be! 

It's giving 0 participants. 

Just now, Achilles. said:

I guess Billie was overdue for a second visit. The agony of putting myself through an Ariana album tho…

 

 

It's giving 0 participants. 

"intro" is already kicking my ass - I forgot how good this album is! You being on the WRONG side of history is legend, and I say that with love!

1 minute ago, Achilles. said:

The agony of putting myself through an Ariana album tho…

Have you not listened to it yet? I actually thought it was vast improvement over Positions.

22 minutes ago, beyonceparkwood said:

 

Thanks so much. Make sure to send your ballot to me by private message so I know to count it!

 

And I would encourage everyone to listen to these albums again before voting to refresh your memory.

I lowkey want Sabrina and Dua in this

 

But the MPG purists won't allow it

 

3 minutes ago, supaspaz said:

Have you not listened to it yet? I actually thought it was vast improvement over Positions.

I've never been a fan of hers. She only has 8 songs I've heard more than 10 times, and nearly half of all her plays are just from Into You. She is a Demi Lovato boatmate as far as I'm concerned.
 

Great Bloom feature though, beautiful Bloom feature.

I feel like the only reason I ever listen to a Taylor Swift album is for an ATRL rate...First Loser, then MIDnights now this...

 

 

I shall be participating though!

4 minutes ago, Truth Teller said:

I lowkey want Sabrina and Dua in this

 

But the MPG purists won't allow it

 

dua's in the soft landings* rate, come do that

 

*flops

21 minutes ago, supaspaz said:

Have you not listened to it yet? I actually thought it was vast improvement over Positions.

ngl it's easily my favourite of these

Yee haw.

Loved the idea, i'll send my ballot