CD Radio's Top 50 Songs of 2024 (Part 2)

Oh my god? What a fucking year. Excuse my french, but this year is more deserving of un peu français than anything else. It was a year full of uncomfortable situations, disquieting news headlines, rapid change, development, growth and somehow within it all, a painful stagnation. Media and entertainment has settled into the most bizarre, regressive and, once again, stagnated place it’s been in a very long time. Innovation is out, IP and AI are in…and it’s becoming harder and harder to make a living and stand out in the music industry especially. Not to mention—our digital world is in complete shambles, riddled with misinformation and the most aggressive and tactless advertising and e-comm strategies that are truly like, thee latest stage of capitalism. 11:59pm on 12/31/999999 capitalism.

But within such a fucked up, hyperconsumptive, completely oversaturated, revenue driven, and creatively bankrupt music industry, artists pushed boundaries in ways never seen before and helped make 2024 my favorite year of music this decade (so far). Being a listener is tough nowadays because there’s so much bullshit competing for your attention—not just bad or, much more commonly, milquetoast ass music but also distractions from the music itself—that it can be easy to be dismissive of modern day music. But, a bit of digging will reveal that artists are creating incredible music—technological advancements have unlocked levels of creativity and music accessibility that would’ve had Bach, Beethoven, and Aretha all GAGGING. But that’s why I’m here—to help you cut through the noise, skim off the top, and stay up to date with how much good ass music is still being created in these trying times! Let’s get into it.

Wait. First—shoutout to all my guest writers. Amara Austin Cedoni Gabriel Gio Hannah Logan Michael Mo Nate River Simi Skylar and Tsebi ily ily ily THANK YOU for lending your time, expertise and voice.

First, honorable mentions. These are additional stellar tracks that I loved this year—but we can’t include everything! As usual, I also limit how many songs an artist can have to avoid the list just being full of songs by Normani, Beyoncé, Doechii, Ravyn Lenae, Tyla, Leon Thomas, Willow, and Fousheé. So, a lot of this playlist is cuts from their albums that I also love but opted to leave off.

[**SPOILER ALERT** - TOP 50 PLAYLIST HERE]

25. false self - WILLOW

Willow perfectly articulates the emotional pitch of the moment with Empathogen, her 6th studio album. The project, named after ancient molecular compounds in indigenous medicine, is an adventure through internal reflection. “false self,” the fourth song on the album, begins with the long release that will later kick off the song’s hook. A needed release amidst dealing with Ignoring your actual needs, pretending to be someone else, and feeling like you can’t get in touch with who you really are. “Feel the answer change, I don’t wanna change, But I need to change.” How do we need to change? It is a quest that continues on, renewing daily. 

“false self” is the acknowledgment of our need to change, though we may thrash and resist the push and pull of the turning tides. —Tsebiyah Mishael Derry

24. Bad Idea - Ravyn Lenae

Situationships are spooky, and Ravyn Lenae leans into their horror with Hitchcockian precision on “Bad Idea.” Stuttering synths, piercing keys, attacking percussion, spectral backing vocals, and distorted bass wax and wane throughout, setting a scene of doomed lovers careening towards a fiery crash. Ravyn’s whispers, coos, and shouts illustrate a cycling through grief punctuated by the song’s eerie soundscape. The song is soul-stirring throughout, coming to a head at the bridge with a galvanized Ravyn coming to. As the joyride comes to a screeching halt and the proverbial vehicle crashes and burns, Ravyn emerges from the wreckage the final girl. Though injured, her spirit remains unbroken, ending the song with a shrug and a wink, cheekily exclaiming “That was a bad idea!” — Michael Santos

Also the Bow Wow/Ciara/Jermaine Dupri interpolation…she tore! Also, this is the “Venom” of Bird’s Eye, idk. — Cahleb Derry

23. I Do - Leon Thomas

Leon Thomas described this track as an affirmation, a premonition of love discovered: “And if the pastor ever ask, I do?/Oh, I, I do, I do, I do.” The song’s chorus-verse-chorus structure, and purposefully monotonous production make the song feel like a hymn. It’s feels like envisioning and manifesting, like putting your hands up to the sky, dropping to your knees and begging—the inescapable humility of desire.

Leon’s work is undergirded by his sheer level of musical sophistication. It lives in every bone in his body, bleeds all through every decibel and note, but the magic of his music is in what he chooses to hold back and how he decides to package and carefully curate this prodigal talent and sonic ingenuity in an accessible way. “I Do” is a stunning example of one of his most simplistic approaches in this regard and that’s why it’s a favorite from MUTT. —Cahleb Derry

BTW—the best Tori Vega songs were written by this nigga, and he co-wrote several top tier Ariana records (Safety Net, Nasty, Honeymoon Avenue, Tattooed Heart) and of course, Snooze, which y’all should know by now.

22. NISSAN ALTIMA - Doechii

They say “third time’s the charm,” and that couldn’t be more true for Florida’s very own Doechii after unleashing “NISSAN ALTIMA” as her third “Swamp Sessions” offering back in late July. Woven between the record’s barrage of braggadocious bars is the triumphant story of a woman who remembered who she was and vowed to never let herself– or you – forget it ever again.

With spattering, scintillating releases since signing with TDE in 2022 under her belt, Doechii has been hovering just below the surface of breakout success, waiting for the right time to strike. If “Persuasive,” “Crazy” and “What It Is (Block Boy) [Solo]” were alligator bites, consider “NISSAN ALTIMA” Doechii’s death roll…for now. —Nathan Vinson

Also, too many haven’t noticed the reference to “She’s A Bitch” by Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott!” — Cahleb Derry

21. Mary - Lucky Daye

Lucky Daye’s “Mary” is, dare I say, the most slept-on track of the most slept-on R&B album of 2024. Algorithm is an experimental lover’s dream: combining Stevie Wonder-like soul, Prince-esque funk, Lenny Kravitz-ish rock and a healthy dose of Daye and longtime collaborator D’Mile’s distinctively fused style. NOLA-raised Daye succeeded in “captur[ing] all the R&B…and throw[ing] it all in one pot, like some Louisiana gumbo” in this genre-bending project. The spirit of D’Angelo is alive and well on “Mary,” as Lucky Daye’s slick riffs (spread evenly across stanky bass, slinky guitar and drums played right in the pocket) remind us that only one lady is guaranteed not to leave you singing the blues: sweet mary jane. “Mary” is an effortlessly cool, yet yearning, sonic smoke break amidst the other more vulnerable tracks on Algorithm. This song and album nods to the history of rhythm and blues and its influence on every genre, while mapping out R&B’s potential future. —Hannah Lemmons

20. the boy is mine - Ariana Grande

“the boy is mine” is an ode to the iconic duet by Brandy and Monica of the same name—which spent over 3 months at number one in 1998. While the reference stops at the title (besides the remix we got featuring both ladies and a delicious bridge that washes the original completely), it imbues the same, now nostalgic R&B sound that made the 1998 hit so inescapable.

It also does mirror its original namesake when you consider how real life scandal might help promote the song—but musically “the boy is mine” rises above all the bullshit. The song is packed tightly at under 3 minutes but manages to squeeze in 2 verses, 3 choruses and a bridge. It kicks into high gear from the on-set with bouncy and shimmery Yours Truly coded production (You’ll Never Know’s cousin): “I’m usually so unproblematic/So independent.” I chuckled Ari, I did.

What really takes the perfectly crafted, pop-R&B bop to the next level is the simply exquisite decision to include a ritardando right before the chorus—it bundles the listener into a slingshot and flings them forward into the song. Suddenly, you’re running with her all the home. —Cahleb Derry

Shoutout other ritardando’s in pop music, @ Dua.

19. YES IT IS - Leon Thomas

A close listen to Leon’s music reveals that he is a lot like us—a hopeless romantic, yearning for love but rarely going about it correctly. It all comes through in his thoroughly honest writing and delivery: “When I'm talking to you, I don't know, who, what to say/But I can call up a stranger and talk my whole life away.” After a drunken marriage proposal (“Milwaukee Margaritas/I didn’t know that was a thing/Carry me home/Or marry me now, I promise you everything"—relatable tbh) the verse plunges into a declaration of everything he’ll do for her, the love he’ll provide her and slithers out of mania and into mellow: “My ears are sensitive/Tell me that it’s mine, oh/All I hear is yes it is.” That old school piano* colors underneath mixed with a modern 808 drum blend is sexy, languid and hypnotic. It’s a demonstration of everything that makes Leon Thomas’ music so intoxicating. —Cahleb Derry

*I’m like 99% sure this song is sampling a classic R&B song…like Jill Scott or D’Angelo but not. Am I bugging? Can someone help me?

18. Jump - Tyla feat. Gunna & Skillibeng

“Jump” sounded like it was already #1 in 20 countries upon my first listen. While “Water” was the infectious anthem that introduced Tyla to the US market, “Jump” is the true monstrosity of a record and blows “Water” out of the—well..water.

It’s an anthemic afrobeat smash, club ready and clad with perfect features from Skillibeng (who gets a longer feature in the video) and Gunna, who glides over the beat and adds to his impressive list of features with the girls (which—is maybe tied to his fallout with the boys?) The opening lyric is songwriting at its finest: “They ain’t never had a pretty girl from Jo’burg/See me now and that’s what they prefer.” The phrasing on “prefúr” paired with the sparse, bouncy intro before we dive into the sultry beat (ushered in by those iconic triplets) makes the song instantly memorable. It’s a masterclass in writing and the song that truly convinced me of her stardom. —Cahleb Derry

17. Nasty - Tinashe

If you’re an avid CD Radio reader, you know Tinashe has made a few appearances on my year-end lists in 2021 and 2022, but this was the year she entered a lot of other people’s lists (like Billboard, Rolling Stone, and NPR). And it makes sense—It’s simply not a best of 2024 list without “Nasty.”

“Nasty” is Tinashe’s breakout hit and first charting single since her debut single “2 On” almost a decade ago. Since then, she’s built a fanbase that adores her artistic innovation in the world of electro-R&B and arresting visuals. “Nasty” is the fruits of her labor–it has the replay value of your average radio hit but is laced with dissonant, crunchy moments. This dissonance is my favorite element of any hit song released this year and I believe contributes to the song’s power more than any of the more aurally satisfying and melodic parts of the song. Like—those haunted, cursed “Uh-huhs” in the chorus are insane—who the fuck came up with that (it was her). The dissonance attracted me to the song immediately and I talked my friends ears off about it, so I was pleased to hear her and Ricky Reed discuss how intentional it was when crafting the song. I think we are attracted as listeners to dissonance because it’s a lot more reminiscent of our lived experience, especially this year—a myriad of concurrent, fucked up truths orbiting around us. So why not find somebody to match your freak in the meantime? — Cahleb Derry

Also, shout out to Chloe for hopping on the best remix of the song.

16. war - Fousheé

Fousheé’s Pointy Heights heralds a pivot – a moment of seamless integration of her alternative rock musical beginnings and her Jamaican roots. The album is named for the town her grandfather Pointy founded, so-called because he was “pint-sized.” It seamlessly blends classic rock, reggae and ska, and a distinctly Caribbean sentimentality. No song better encapsulates this amalgamation than “War,” a mid-tempo tropical rock song chock full of adages so poignant they may as well have come from yuh granni. Fousheé sings of her desire to move away from conflict, to disallow petty things to take up space in her mind, because she’d “rather not be at war.” This refrain is preceded by spiritual musings reminiscent of gems Nigerians elders have shared with me: “what’s watered grows,” “we build our world with the tongue,” “I vow to suffer no more.” The lyrics speak to the power we have to create our own world, to choose where our energy is spent. I hope we can all have the same discernment and clarity in 2025. — Skylar-Bree Takyi

15. On The Run (Remix) — Kelela feat. River Moon and ThugPop

At the top of last year, Kelela shook the world with the release of her highly anticipated second studio album Raven. And this year she shook us again with the blueprint for how a remix album should reinvent itself, and is certainly the catalyst for a lot of the robust remix albums we saw this year.

While I loved the original “On The Run” from RAVEN, RAV:EN: The Remixes invites River Moon and Thug Pop on to completely destroy the original and put it back together again. In the spirit of “are we f*cking or naw?” being the thesis of many of Kelela’s most beloved songs, “On The Run” puts us right in that moment of pause–when you’re so certain the moment is right you’re almost questioning it. And if “On The Run” is that purgatorial moment, that pause–then River’s remix is the negative (positive?) space in between: the chaos, the crashout, the cravings; the euphoria, the erraticism, the eroticism–everything that makes the dance of love so toxically addictive. 

And when the purgatory ends and you decide to say fuck it and dive in? It’s that fucking beat drop. —Cahleb Derry

14. 16 CARRIAGES - Beyoncé

During a 2024 Super Bowl commercial, Beyonce ushered an unknowing world into her latest with “16 CARRIAGES.” The ballad employs a mix of steel guitars, drums, synths, trumpets and organs, evoking the feeling of vision blurred from crying or a looped memory in slow motion: it’s the agonizing and glorious realization of everything it has taken to arrive here.

Realistically, Beyonce has been working toward her present position since she was 9 years old. The kind of sacrifices necessary for any kind of real success are hard enough for most adults to manage, let alone as children. This song holds the weight of a lifetime of forks in the road.

And these forks are weighted by legacy—building it, preserving it. Cementing her efforts and artistry in history and the collective memory: “We got something to prove in your memory, on the highway to truth,” she says, toward the end. It’s the endless effort of a Black Woman artist to maintain her status as GOAT, from the darkest hours of her early tours to the brightest days. —Tsebiyah Mishael Derry

13. DENIAL IS A RIVER - Doechii

In 2021, twitter user @verythickvajjjj changed how stan twitter discussed music forever with a single tweet. The format has gone on to be tweaked and used hyperbolically to describe an iconic comeback. 

“DENIAL IS A RIVER” is Doechii’s version of this tweet, packaged into a dirty, 90s hip-hop, hydraulic bouncing beat that honors the best parts of classic hip-hop—brash confident, brutally honest and indelible storytelling. As for the latter, she recounts the last 5 years of her career–a breakup with a DL nigga, a home invasion by said DL nigga, an accompanying spiral into drug and alcohol abuse, and depression wrought on by all of the above in addition to her label forcing her to make “Tik Tok music.”  Doechii truly came on this bitch mad as hell, and if the story she tells on the track represents her at her lowest, then her GRAMMY-nominated mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal and its standout track DENIAL IS A RIVER is a prime example of taking back control. —Cahleb Derry

12. All Yours - Normani

Normani has glided through various sounds throughout her disjointed but ever-craved solo career, all woven together by her artistic dynamism. While the pure-Pop, Ariana Grande-penned hit “Motivation” is a fan favorite, something about her star shimmers brighter when she dives head-first into R&B, akin to her debut solo single “Waves” and evident by the success of “Wild Side” feat. Cardi B in 2021. If “Waves” was the initial proposal for Normani’s sonic identity and “Wild Side” was the graduate thesis, “All Yours” is the dissertation.

It’s dark and stormy pop-R&B with an incredibly effective song structure which, although traditional, creates a feeling where each verse and chorus feel like their own standalone device. Normani has long built her own onomatopoeic language in service of her music’s hypnosis, and its that “load it up like doo-doo-doo,” “in your head like/mm-ah/mm-ah” that sinks its teeth into you, as directed by the latter lyric and evident by its upwards of 1 million Tik Toks.

At the end, we get the release— an ever-satisfying outro coated in long whole notes from Mani, a rare move from the usually slinky, staccato singer. Hypnotic, engrossing, engulfing, and luscious. —Cahleb Derry

In another life, there’d be an insane video to this song and a remix with Ariana Grande but we can dream for now…

11. II HANDS II HEAVEN - Beyoncé

Each time I hear “II Hands II Heaven”, a familiar conflict roars in my head: what does it mean to dance - to enjoy shelter - when your neighbor’s house is burning? To eat when the owner of the hand that feeds you, through her silence, is complicit? When you are too.

The song gives us so much to love: a kick drum intro that mimics your own pulse, making each listen feel like a meditation; Beyoncé learning how to convincingly use “carry” in a sentence (accompanied by a twangy guitar, no-less); a gorgeous second act, which features a choir of harmonies so delicately stacked that they blend into a near-singularity. But with each listen, one lyric drowns out the rest: “in these dark times, I’m so glad that this love is blinding.” In it, I hear a jarring reminder that Beyoncé stands firmly in the choir of self-politicized leaders who remain publicly silent about Gaza. I hear the perennially-soiled American flag whipping in the wind of her photoshoots, and the product placements that remind us of her other true love.

When I manage to tune out the context in which this song lives, I hear the chord progressions and lyrical devotions borne from 2011’s “Dance For You” and the romantic and sonic transcendence achieved in Renaissance. In these rare moments, “II Hands II Heaven feels like shelter”. But at its best, love is illuminating. It allows - compels - us to see right through the walls of our shelter, sacred though it may be. —Logan Lewis

10. BIRDS OF A FEATHER - BILLIE EILISH

The most popular song on HIT ME HARD AND SOFT isn’t a hit because of the songwriting. “I’ll love you til the day that I die”, “I want you to stay, til you’re in the grave”, “I don’t think I could love you more”. The lyrics feel like the wedding vows of a retired Kappa Sigma brother, not the 22 year old woman on pace to surpass Beyoncé in Grammy Awards before she’s 30.

The song thrives on the element of Billie’s artistry that is her and her alone—her voice. And on “Birds of a Feather,” she stretches that voice into a relatively new emotion for her, desperation. A very sweet burning aching for someone that feels like it might only come from someone that young. Someone who’s earnestly working through new feelings through a series of cliche. This song stands on Billie’s vocal gifts and her stretching them to new places both athletically and emotionally. —Muhammad Eltahir

9. down - WILLOW

A deep, subterranean and shaky sigh, cracking your knuckles in slow motion, brushing knees and elbows—this is “down.” The tension of uncertainty coats every note: “So far/Not sure who we are.” The song expresses the darker side of sexual tension, too–where uncertainty is less of an aphrodisiac and more of an irritant. WILLOW pleads with the listener–”I don't wanna let you down…down…down…” As she repeats the word, it grows languorous and embellished. The accidentals sprinkled within the melody further complicate, and the song ends fading out on the chords it started on, but this time no words–it speaks for itself.

It takes a lot for me to rank a 72-second song in my top ten of the year–but it was earned via stunning composition, and WILLOW’s palpable, ever-evolving artistry and musicianship. The breathy, tentative whisper and clashed chords could not evoke the lyrics more: “down” is perfectly crafted.” WILLOW is a prodigal musician and relentless creative, who has consistently elevated her artistry with every project she makes–empathogen is one of many fruits of her labor, and “down” is the mamey sapote.

8. eternal sunshine - Ariana Grande

Ariana has a tremendously dense arsenal of gorgeous and reflective lost love anthems—see “My Everything,” “In My Head,” “better off,” and more. “eternal sunshine” is the latest addition to an esteemed club. The song rides a circular piano scale that feels like a winding stairwell and blends with Ariana’s now-signature, thank u, next and Positions-patented bouncy 808s. She reflects on a decaying love with dark, breathy vocals and a brutal honesty and acceptance. With every note and chord, the stakes feel raised—it’s clear the clarity about which she croons was almost certainly at one point unfathomable.

The song makes me want to shake my ass while I cry–particularly the beat drop in the chorus on “mirror.” The tense, unresolved harmonies throughout the chorus render the song so painfully wondrous, anxiously contemplative: “Now it's like I'm lookin' in the mirror/Hope you feel alright when you're in her.” But there’s something satisfying in the humility of accepting that a love simply came and went, and there’s questions you’ll never have the answer to. —Cahleb Derry

7. Crushin In Da Club - Cakes Da Killa

Cakes Da Killa released his third studio album Black Sheep this year and no rap project is as assured and raucous yet smooth and easy. It’s littered with iconic bars, including my personal favorite on “Problems 4 Problems:” “Ring the landline if I miss that call sheet/Too busy being out my mind like Doechii.”

However, “Crushin In Da Club” gets top-ten inclusion as the album’s standout track, and in my humble opinion, the best rap track released this year. There’s like, euphoria associated with listening to such a sumptuous but ruthless tri-state area native and not just understanding, but feeling so many of the references in my soul–”It’s no drama/Mary J up out the sauna.” Cakes makes rap for the girls and gays, period.

And he’s outrapping every last one of these niggas. His pre-Alligator Bites reference to Doechii is fitting because the two of them are igniting life into hip-hop right now in a way no other artist is. There’s an ode to 90s rap and icons like Da Brat and Lil’ Kim all over the track, found mainly in those sublime synth chords and crystal clear and confident delivery. Cakes is untouched–presence, bars, fashion, confidence, delivery, production, innovation and nostalgia. He’s got the full package and always has, which is why he’ll always be a NYC legend. —Cahleb Derry

6. ART - Tyla

All of Tyla’s strongest tracks are built around fantastic applications of metaphor. “ART” is by far the best example—she weaves the metaphor all throughout the song, almost like she’s painting an art piece herself: “I’ll be your piece/Your ART/Study my face/frame/Put me on the wall/If you show me off/I’ll be your peace.” She isn’t afraid to go all the way with the metaphor, even at risk of being corny. It’s that commitment to clever, adroit writing that makes her music resonate so fiercely around the world.

This summer I had a moment with thee iconic Hari Nef, who I had only met once or twice before in passing, where this song came on during a DJ set at the beach and we locked eyes and embraced each other and sang all of the words. That’s what’s this song’s power is. It stops the world around and blocks out all the noise–like the type of love described. —Cahleb Derry

5. Love Is Blind - Ravyn Lenae

Ravyn Lenae described her critically acclaimed debut studio album HYPNOS—an all-time CD Radio favorite—as an album to fall in and out of love to. Her follow-up Bird’s Eye, feels less raw and more reflective. If HYPNOS was the throes of love lost and found, Bird’s Eye is what its title suggests—an above ground retrospective look. “Love Is Blind” is the bridge between the two albums.

Bird’s Eye Executive Producer Dahi threads a deceivingly simple patchwork of iridescent production. You can feel the song build with every new element introduced—twinkly sparkles shimmer into the first verse, then a strong drum pattern enters and the shimmers are drowned out by filtered and distant whole notes. The synths grow and evolve throughout the song, creating what feels like a true dreamscape. Dahi and Ravyn Lenae are one of those production/songstress pairs that get together and make pure magic every time—put them in a museum somewhere with Brandy and Darkchild, Nelly Furtado and Timbaland, and Jermaine Dupri and Mariah.

Pain is woven all throughout the song but it feels more latent than debilitating: “Did I ever need you, baby?/Told myself too many times/Without you, who am I?” The track is laced with a melancholic romance that feels most apparent at the bridge, where the meticulous and dynamic beat we felt Dahi build almost all drops out except guitars. Then, we ride the outro off into the sunset with a tear drop in our eye and a smile on our face. —Cahleb Derry

4. Insomnia - Normani

I won’t use this space to lament how different the DOPAMINE era could have looked if there was more varied types of promo–namely music videos–because I’d rather focus on the brilliance of the project, which is the one plus of the albeit skeletal rollout—that’s our only choice.  

“Insomnia” is Normani’s career best–it’s lathered in honey with harmonies that interpolate Brandy’s “A Cappella (Something’s Missing)”, an incredibly underrated favorite from her 2008 album Human (also KAEDI absolutely bodies an a cappella cover of this song on the bass, first verse, chorus and bridge). The song is built around those harmonies, a bass line, and a heartbreaking melody with strong vocal performance from Normani. She burrows into the space between her head and chest voices for refuge as she pleads in the chorus: “I wish you didn't call me/There's so much it reminds me of/Cause every time you call me/It’s giving me Insomnia.” The emotions explode at the bridge, driven by a monstrous Purple Rain coded guitar solo. It’s a representation of all of the pieces coming together for an artist who has not had the easiest journey in the music industry. Bravo, Normani! —Cahleb Derry

3. Alter Ego - Doechii (KAYTRANADA Remix)[with JT]

Almost a decade and a half into his career, KAYTRANADA has long been busting doors down for Black and queer musicians in the electronic music world. And now, with most of the industry playing in his closet and emulating the distinct sound he’s crafted over the years, he’s on (one of many) victory laps. His impact will be studied forever. Nowadays, you can kind of tell when KAYTRANADA is just doing his job (and doing it damn well—don’t get me wrong) and when he’s doing his job and especially inspired. “Alter Ego” remix is the fucking definition of inspired.

For a song so explosive and in-your-face, the instinct might have been to dial up the maximalism in the remix—make it even more of a rousing, over-the-top banger. But Kaytra opts to buff it, leaving it slower and sexier. He builds the bedrock of the remix with the nastiest, jazziest bass triplet groove and a fragmented edit of Doechii saying “I’ma ge-,” the perfect staccato consonant to loop on BTW. It creates so much extra space to sink your teeth into the established groove and altered key. JT and Doechii’s verses are given new life to the point where you may have to double check if they re-recorded the vocals. While I loved the original “Alter Ego,” it hasn’t gotten a stream from me since the day this remix dropped I fear. This is how you do a motherfucking remix. —Cahleb Derry

2. BODYGUARD - Beyoncé

“BODYGUARD” is an Americana-tinged, soft Rock-rooted breath of fresh air, however fresh the air can be while you’re riding through the desert. Joining the ranks of her greatest love songs “VIRGO’S GROOVE,” “1+1,” and “Dangerously in Love,” “BODYGUARD” is another declaration of Bey’s frantic, frenzied and fervent love: “Sometimes I hold you closer/Just you’re know you’re real.” The melange of folky guitar, tambourine, a steady drum pattern, and melodramatic falsetto vocalizations in the chorus paint a perfect photo of this vigilante-love.

The visual reference to the NBC cult classic series Baywatch is apt—the record is vividly cinematic. Blended with nods to Fleetwood Mac, old Sheryl Crow, and Tina Turner, “BODYGUARD” just makes you want to spin around and throw your arms up in the air like the cast of Mamma Mia.

The co-vigilante who stands beside her criminal partner is (I hope…) a character Bey has played before, from “Bonnie & Clyde ‘03” and “Part II (On The Run)” to the end of the “Telephone” video. But BODYGUARD is a one woman show and it makes it all the more delicious. I cannot believe we get to listen to a Beyoncé song that sounds like this, and I’m grateful to receive yet another career best from this century’s biggest artist. —Cahleb Derry

1. Everything is romantic featuring Caroline Polachek - Charli XCX

“Am I stuck in a slump/Am I paying back time/ Did I lose my perspective?/Everything’s still romantic right?” Did they write this song about my life?

Upon release of BRAT, 2024’s most critically acclaimed album from 2024’s biggest breakout star (the gays have obviously been here for much longer—see my 2022 list.) “Everything is Romantic” was my immediate favorite but the remix featuring Caroline Polachek elevated it to GOAT status. (If you don’t know Polachek’s music, Beyoncé fans might know her pen).

The song is shapely at every level. The intro is stacked like a pyramid and the song, both lyrically and musically, is circular in nature. And it’s a powerful metaphor for life. In all its circularity—and Jersey Club beats and beautiful orchestral arrangements and sweet lullabye-like vocals—it’s easy to get lost and forget to find the beauty in the more banal parts of life: “Walk to the studio soaking wet/ACAB tag on a bus stop sign/Catch a face in the windowpane/Oh, what's up, it's me, that's mine/…/Late nights in black silk in East London/Church bells in the distance/Free bleeding in the autumn rain/Fall in love again and again.”

The remix’s beat drop elevates it to the next level though—a legato, sweet riff on “fall” is repeated on top of “fall in love again and again.” Simultaneously, Caroline Polachek moans and wails in and out of a falsetto and gorgeously strained chest choice while she she whispers the third verse. It’s a mantric, Gregorian Jersey Club chant that loops the listener around and around, “again and again.” Sonic innovation at its finest.

The song delivers a simple message with deep musical and lyrical complexity. When life is riddled with high highs and low lows, it can be easy to ride along—and risk ending up with motion sickness. Instead, find something to grab onto. Try to fall in love with the mundane and get lost in the quotidian, and when (not if) it gets hard, call a friend, get a grip, and try again. Find romance in commonplace, in ritual, in routine, in the small things that make you smile as you walk. With the “church bells in the distance.” With “six-pound wine.” With laughter. With music: “Headphones on, I hit play/All things change in the blink of an eye.” They do, don’t they? —Cahleb Derry

Want to see the full top 50? You can subscribe to CD Radio and find part 1 HERE.

CD Radio’s Top 50 Songs of 2024

1. Everything is romantic featuring Caroline Polachek - Charli XCX

2. Bodyguard - Beyoncé

3. Alter Ego [KAYTRANADA Remix] [with JT] - Doechii

4. Insomnia - Normani

5. Love Is Blind - Ravyn Lenae

6. ART - Tyla

7. Crushin In Da Club - Cakes Da Killa

8. eternal sunshine - Ariana Grande

9. down - WILLOW

10. BIRDS OF A FEATHER - Billie Eilish

11. DENIAL IS A RIVER - Doechii

12. II HAND II HEAVEN - Beyoncé

13. All Yours - Normani

14. 16 CARRIAGES - Beyoncé

15. On The Run - River Moon Remix feat. Thug Pop - Kelela

16. war - Fousheé

17. Nasty - Tinashe

18. Jump (feat. Gunna & Skillibeng) - Tyla

19. YES IT IS - Leon Thomas

20. the boy is mine - Ariana Grande

21. Mary - Lucky Daye

22. NISSAN ALTIMA - Doechii

23. I DO - Leon Thomas

24. Bad Idea - Ravyn Lenae

25. false self - WILLOW

26. Sideways - JT

27. Might As Well (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) - Chloë

28. HISS - Megan Thee Stallion

29. Love Me Not - Ravyn Lenae

30. Same Lingerie - Chloë

31. PUSH 2 START - Tyla

32. still around - Fousheé

33. Here We Go (Uh Oh) - Coco Jones

34. Soft - FLO

35. NERVOUS (feat. Wolfrum) - KAEDI

36. Bed Chem - Sabrina Carpenter

37. IMAGINARY FRIENDS - Tierra Whack

38. Eusexua - FKA Twigs

39. sweeeet - Amaarae

40. Saturn - SZA

41. Sweet (feat. Fousheé) - Teezo Touchdown

42. Edible (feat. Gunna) - Flo Milli

43. Back to Life - Rizwan, A Song For Life

44. Cómo Así? - Kali Uchis

45. AMERIICAN REQUIEM - Beyoncé

46. Love Me JeJe - Tems

47. Vintage - Moses Sumney

48. Farewell to Ghosts (feat. Elliott Skinner) - About You

49. Pluto - Raveena

50. Ruined Me - Muni Long

Follow @cdradio8 on Instagram and Tik Tok for more!

Subscribe to CD Radio to get all of my writing in your inbox as soon as it’s out.

CD Radio is run by Cahleb.

Cahleb is a music lover and culture aficionado originally hailing from Spring Valley, NY, where he grew up in an artistic family and fell in love with music before he could speak. This adoration as a vocalist and industry nerd developed into a passion for artist development, tastemaking, and creative producing. He got his formal starts in the industry in radio at Entercom/Audacy and later in live music at Wasserman/Paradigm, working under Head of Global Music Marty Diamond. He has since worked on the team of EMMY-award winning film composer aka Succession maestro Nicholas Britell and worked on the Music Marketing team at Spotify where he managed award-winning campaigns featuring artists like Doja Cat, Victoria Monét, Summer Walker, Doechii and Coco Jones. Cahleb now runs "CD Radio," a music and culture editorial platform and ecosystem where he curates new music recommendations, reviews tracks and consults several independent artists across LA and NYC.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in History & Literature and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.