Let’s get the obvious out of the way: There is just too much music, and not enough time to listen to it all. And despite the endless algorithmically-generated playlists and mixes available to me, I still find myself craving new music recommendations from actual people with taste I trust, rather than hyper-optimized digital “curators.”
Are there a million SEO-race-to-the-bottom best of lists out there already? Sure. But here’s what sets this list apart: We asked some of the Bay’s best music writers and critics to send us their five personal favorite songs of the year (and I threw in a couple of my favorites, too, rounding out the mix to an even 40). Some cuts are from clear 2024 MVPs — Kendrick, Charli XCX, and “Good Luck, Babe!” are well-represented, of course — while others highlight local heroes and niche stars. Call it the anti-algorithm.
You can stream the playlist on Spotify and Apple Music. (Songs listed in italics are not officially available to stream on either platform; instead, we’ve included links to wherever you can hear them.)
This exercise was as much for myself as it was for Gazetteer SF readers. I hope you enjoy it — and maybe even come away with something new to love. See you in the new year!
Nastia Voynovskaya, reporter and editor at KQED Arts & Culture
- Kendrick Lamar — "squabble up"
- GloRilla — "WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME (with Sexyy Red)"
- Chappell Roan — "Good Luck, Babe!"
- seiji oda — "a gentle gigg..."
- Megan Thee Stallion — "Mamushi (feat. Yuki Chiba)"
Timothy Karoff, culture reporter at SFGATE
- Bassvictim — “Alice”
- Coco & Clair Clair — “My Girl”
- Charli XCX — “360”
- Bladee, Ecco2k, and Thaiboy Digital — “TL;DR”
- LUCY (Cooper B. Handy) — “Same Thing”
John-Paul Shiver, columnist at 48 Hills, contributor at Mission Local and Treble
- Combo Tezeta — “Ritmo Interestelar”
- Fake Fruit — “Más O Menos”
- Chime School — “The End”
- Nick Andre — “Life Is Awesome Pt. 2 (feat. Lil B, Zion I, Casual, Grouch, and Lyrics Born)”
- foamboy — “Burnout”
Gabe Meline, senior editor at KQED Arts & Culture
- Paris Nights — “How’s it going down”
- Chief Keef — “Grape Trees (feat. Sexyy Red)”
- skaiwater — “rain”
- Future — “LOST MY DOG”
- Dj Anderson do Paraiso — “SADOMASOQUISTA”
Leah Isobel, contributor at 48 Hills and The Singles Jukebox
- Tomu DJ & blessingsnore — “Close”
- Zsela — “Still Swing”
- Allie X — “Off With Her Tits”
- Camilla Cabello — “I LUV IT (feat. Playboi Carti)”
- Julia Holter — “Sun Girl”
Daniel Bromfield, calendar editor at the Marin Independent Journal and contributor at Pitchfork and Stereogum
- Mount Eerie — “Broom of Wind”
- Shinichi Atobe — “Dub 6(six)”
- Molina & ML Buch — “Organs”
- Chappell Roan — “Good Luck, Babe!”
- Sisso & Maiko — “Kivinje”
Yousef Srour, columnist at Passion of the Weiss and contributor at the Vallejo Sun
- Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”
- Charli XCX — “Von dutch”
- Playboi Carti — “H00DBYAIR”
- EBK BCKDOE — “House Games”
- Future & Metro Boomin — “This Sunday”
Alex Ramos, editor at Sunstroke Press and contributor at Pitchfork
- Clairo — “Terrapin”
- claire rousay — “lover’s spit plays in the background”
- Chappell Roan — “Good Luck, Babe!”
- noa — “Any angle”
- aespa — “Whiplash”
And me, Joshua Bote
- NewJeans — “Bubble Gum”
- Erika de Casier — “Lucky”
- Tyla — “ART”
- Tyler, the Creator — “Balloon (feat. Doechii)”
