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The best songs of 2024, according to the Bay Area’s best music critics

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

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)”

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