In a year marked by the megastar arrival of Sabrina Carpenter, the mainstream debut of Chappell Roan, and Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake, the music of my life felt like it was all over the place. Emily Armstrong, in for the late Chester Bennington, brought forth a revival of Linkin Park, as Taylor Swift ended a historic Eras Tour, Beyonce became “Cowboy Carter,” and Twisters and Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll, and Lainey Wilson made country cool again. And who could forget that year-defining moment Celine Dion gave the performance of a lifetime with “Hymne a l’amour” from the Eiffle Tower during the Opening Ceremony of the thirty-third Olympiad? These were the sounds of my year — so without any further ado, The Bobby goes to:

Song of the Year: “Midnight Ride” by Orville Peck (ft. Kylie Minogue and Diplo)

What began as my song of the summer evolved into my favorite, most listened to song of the year. I’ve long been a fan of Orville Peck, but I was pleasantly surprised by a country-disco crossover with a resurging Kylie Minogue. “Midnight Ride” was the lead single from Peck’s third album Stampede and features Peck’s signature baritone, a whistle refrain, and mechanical guitars.

Breakthrough Artist: Chappell Roan

Was there a grander arrival in music than Chappell Roan? It’s as if she exploded overnight to dominate the platforms with “HOT TO GO!,” “Good Luck Babe,” “Red Wine Supernova,” and the comeback of a 2020 song “Pink Pony Club,” which was famously covered by Kelly Clarkson during her daytime talk show. The “overnight success” of Roan proved slightly contentious with the media, who found many clashes with her over photo requests and the way those were asked for. Roan seems to be unapologetically blazing her own trail in music in the strongest way possible fresh out of the gate.

Country Artist – Male: Jelly Roll

Jelly Roll emerged as a crossover country star, seemingly existing everywhere you looked or listened. He released several singles, coupled with a No. 1 album release, and a feature on the all-country soundtrack for Twisters. Jelly Roll explored beyond the genre with the likes of Post Malone, Wiz Khalifa and MGK, but collaborated with known country artists like Keith Urban and the legendary Brooks & Dunn.

Mainstream Group: Maneskin

Italian rock band Maneskin released their album RUSH! at the beginning of 2023, with an expanded release “(ARE U COMING?)” at the end of 2023. The album topped charts around the world and performed well in the United States, where singles like “Honey (Are U Coming?)” cracked into the US rock market and launched a solo career for lead singer Damiano David.

Collaboration of the Year: “Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

Was there ever a more perfect pairing of pop icons? “Die With a Smile” features perfect vocals from Gaga and Mars and their harmonies are undeniable. The song was a global sensation (topping the Billboard Global 200 chart for eight weeks) that received a retro, well-produced music video in accompaniment.

Pop Artist – Female: Sabrina Carpenter

As far as pop music is concerned, Sabrina Carpenter ruled the world. She went from opening for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour to releasing her sixth studio album Short n’ Sweet, which became her first No. 1 (and Platinum) debut and spawned singles you couldn’t avoid if you tried (“Espresso,” “Please Please Please,” and “Taste”), launched her first arena tour, and landed her partnerships with Skims, NBC (for the Olympics), and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Pop and Hip-Hop/R&B/Rap Artist – Male: Kendrick Lamar

Lamar’s 2024 was characterized by two things: success and Drake. The feud heard round the world featured a dominating smash, “Not Like Us,” which ultimately gave way to his fifth No. 1 [surprise] album GNX, which delivered “Squabble Up,” “TV Off,” and “Luther,” secured him the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and is launching a co-headlining tour with SZA. Kendrick Lamar was arguably the most popular male artist in the industry (another one of the “inescapable” artist, like Sabrina Carpenter).

Music Video of the Year: “Born With a Broken Heart” by Damiano David

Described by Damiano David as his personal fantasy where “everything is magical and beautiful,” the accompanying video for “Born With a Broken Heart” is a film-lover’s dream. From the costuming and choreography to the strobing floors and call-backs to Singin in the Rain and La La Land, “Born With a Broken Heart” is a luscious experience led through Damiano’s vocal, Lexee Smith’s (lead dancer) charisma, and Russ Fraser’s stunning cinematography.

Country Artist – Female: Lainey Wilson

Despite working in the genre and industry for a decade, Lainey Wilson reached her [current] peak in 2024 and became synonymous with the genre itself. Wilson was one of the artists featured (alongside Jelly Roll, Sam Williams, and Chely Wright) in Rebel Country, a documentary about artists redefining country music. She released her fifth studio album (Whirlwind), continued her role in the hit series Yellowstone (“Abby”), collaborated with megastar Jelly Roll, had an exceptional feature on the Twisters soundtrack with “Out of Oklahoma,” and opened a Cajun restaurant in Nashville (“Bell Bottoms”).

Rock/Alternative Artist or Group: Falling In Reverse

Falling In Reverse unveiled Popular Monster, an innovative rock album that feels fresh in a genre that relies on bands 20-40 years old. Collaborating with Tech N9ne, Jelly Roll, and professional wrestler Saraya Bevis (“Saraya/Paige”), lead singer Ronnie Radke led a charge against social sensitivities against the backdrop fusion of pop, rock, and rap. Notable songs included “Zombified,” “Ronald,” a reimagining of Papa Roach’s “Last Resort,” and two of my personal favorites of the year: “Bad Guy” and “Prequel.”

Dance + Electronic Artist: Kylie Minogue

The career longevity of Kylie Minogue, “The Princess of Pop,” should be studied. Eclipsing her global singles “The Loco-Motion” and “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” was always going to be a tall order, but decades later, with albums Tension and Tension II, Minogue managed with the hit single “Padam Padam” and “Midnight Ride” with Orville Peck. Minogue’s “underground” presence catapulted her into being named one of Time‘s most influential people in the world, who’s set to begin a Las Vegas residency.

Vocalist of the Year: Kelly Clarkson

The year 2024 will forever be known as the year Kelly Clarkson’s “Kellyoke” covers were ever-present. Clarkson asserted herself as an all-time great vocalist throughout the year as she covered names like Celine Dion, Chappell Roan, Chris Stapleton, Ariana Grande, and countless, countless others. My personal favorite of the year was her cover of “If I Only Had a Brain,” which felt haunting, soaring, and left me wanting a fuller cover single.

Album of the Year: Stampede by Orville Peck

Stampede Vol. I by Orville Peck is a collaboration album that combines defies the norms and combines country with disco, pop, old, and new. Featuring some of the biggest names in music from today and yesterday, Peck collaborates with Willie Nelson, Elton John, Noah Cyrus, Teddy Swims, and Mickey Guyton. Standout songs include: “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other” (ft. Willie Nelson), “Midnight Ride” (ft. Kylie Minogue and Diplo), “The Hurtin’ Kind” (ft. Midland), and a remake of “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)” (ft. Elton John).

Those are it – those are my Music of 2024 picks. Did you enjoy these alongside me, or were you listening to something/someone else?