It’s officially half-way through 2024, and everyone is making “best of 2024” lists, so who are we to miss out on the fun? (Shoutout Cady Cornell for this wonderful idea) This year, the return of the “pop girlie” led to an onslaught of new music, as well as the quick (and well-deserved) rise in stardom for Chappell Roan. But were all of these albums really that good? And who had the best?
If you, like me, are wondering what a “pop girlie” is, you should know that the term is completely and utterly subjective, but is most associated with the prominent women in the music industry. It was a term that was used with the likes of Madonna, Britney, Christina, and so forth, but has once again found its way into the lexicon as women have dominated music the past few years.
You’re gonna see some names below and ask, “Dane, are they really ‘pop’ artists or are you lying to extend this list into 20 albums,” or “didn’t some of these come out in the winter,” and, sure, I could go into a whole diatribe about how the blending of “pop music” with every other genre has created an amorphous blob of a category that doesn’t really mean anything anymore OR that time is essentially meaningless just to distract you from the fact that I really struggled to find 20 girlies, but instead I’ll let you argue that the inclusion of some of these artists and albums is a dumb choice.
Jennifer Lopez - This Is Me… Now:
An album so bad and poorly received that it led to J-Lo canceling her entire world tour! Womp womp.
Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Department:
This is probably my least favorite album of the year, but if I put it dead last I think I’d get doxxed. What made it even worse? Taylor put out an entire extra hour of the album in the ‘Anthology’ version, all of which sounded the same as the first half.
Gracie Abrams - The Secret of Us:
The only thing a little less worse than a Taylor Swift album is a Taylor-adjacent album, just as flat and as boring as TTPD, but with less TS. It’s no wonder why Gracie was one of her openers for the Eras Tour.
Camila Cabello - C, XOXO:
It’s been four days, but I’m ready to say this is absolute trash. Camila put her identity crisis on display for the world to see, abandoning everything that made her previous album interesting and fun in favor of “experimenting.”
St. Vincent - All Born Screaming:
There’s a large jump between the quality of #17 and #16, just so we’re clear — I actually like this album. St. Vincent had some really powerful moments, but there is something about her songwriting that I can never completely connect with.
Sia - Reasonable Woman:
Sia is another artist I have struggled to connect with, but there are some excellent songs on this album that I actually paid attention to. It also seems to be the album with the least radio-friendly hits, which is maybe why I like it so much.
WILLOW - Empathogen:
WILLOW’s career has been a blast to watch, and while this is my least favorite album in her discography, she’s decided to shake things up album-to-album to keep fans interested.
Madi Diaz - Weird Faith:
I really like Madi — even though she doesn’t have the most unique voice, she has some infectious song-writing that I sing to myself randomly sometimes. I’m excited for what’s next.
Ariana Grande - eternal sunshine:
What to make of this one? If you ignore all of the iffy drama that led up to its release, there are some really great songs on here. Otherwise if you did consider it, there are some really uncomfortable moments that excuse infidelity. Take it as you see fit.
Kim Petras - Slut Pop Miami:
I absolutely adore Kim, and this is a fantastic follow-up to a classic in her discography. If you need some light, entertaining summer bops, this is not one to miss (but not to be played around the kiddos).
Kali Uchis - ORQUIDEAS:
Her second Spanish-language album, Kali’s ORQUIDEAS builds on everything that made Sin Miedo great and offers some great new collaborations with other rising artists. Kali seems to bring the best out of her peers.
Kehlani - Crash:
It really hasn’t been that long, but Kehlani’s absence from music seemed massive — Crash is a great statement on her personal journey while not abandoning what made her music so fun to begin with.
Maggie Rogers - Don’t Forget Me:
I may be in the minority, but 2022’s Surrender was one of my favorites that year and maybe my favorite in Maggie’s discography. Don’t Forget Me doesn’t strike the same chord for me, there are some unforgettable (hehe) moments across the album, including the show-stopping title track.
Billie Eilish - HIT ME HARD AND SOFT:
Billie’s albums are hit or miss for me, but this one hit me hard (I can’t be stopped). Tender moments mixed with the low-key slapper “LUNCH” equals a really unique entry into her catalogue.
Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well:
We all need to stop comparing Kacey’s works to Golden Hour because nothing will stand up to it, but Kacey moved just a step closer to the country sound that I’ve grown to miss from her.
Beyoncé - COWBOY CARTER:
I missed the memo when this album became not cool — everyone was raving about it and then one day everyone has turned their backs on it. A wild ride? Too long? Oh please. Go back and talk to missus #19 on this list then you can discuss this album with me. It’s been on repeat in my house since it dropped so it’s an easy top 5 on this list.
Normani - Dopamine:
Six years in the making. Six years! Any other artist might take these interruptions as a sign to move on from a body of work, but not the hard-working and diligent artist that is Normani. Here’s hoping the next one comes a little quicker.
Megan Thee Stallion - MEGAN:
Newly independent, MEGAN is the immaculate body of work worthy of its name, celebrating Megan’s roots, her rise to fame, and her ability to shake off everyone who would see her fail. Plus, how incredible is it she got a posthumous Pimp C verse??? Your favorite could never.
Dua Lipa - Radical Optimism:
It really saddens me that the Drake-Kendrick feud overshadowed this album, but I’m optimistic (someone help me) that this will stand as her most thought-out and best produced album. Kevin Parker is a great compliment to Dua’s talents, and I think she’s not afraid to seek out new producers which will only help her career moving forward.
Charli XCX - BRAT:
It’s a Brat summer, y’all. Charli turned some club sounds into some reflective and beautiful lamentations about fame, relationships with other women, and life in general. You don’t have to do drugs and go to clubs to enjoy this one — just nod along and enjoy the long trajectory of Charli’s career and celebrate that she's getting the praise she deserves.
What was your favorite album off of the list above? Did we leave anyone out? Leave a comment below!