The Singles Jukebox, 2024: August / September
I didn’t write many blurbs in August — by which I mean only one — or in September, so I’m combining two months’ worth. And whaddaya know: another Charli xcx remix and another 10, which I don’t give out all that often. I hate to sound like a broken record — “the best singles of the month were by Charli and Sabrina Carpenter” — but that’s the kind of year it was, and the kind of singles artists they were in it.
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Polkamania!
Oh look, vaguely recent pop hits set to polkas. <Miranda Priestly voice> Groundbreaking. </Miranda Priestly voice> [2]
Charli XCX ft. Billie Eilish - Guess
I'm obsessed with Eilish's seemingly tossed-off "Charli likes boys, but she knows I'd hit it" lyric; why is her dyke era feeling so right right now? And besides that, Eilish's verse completes "Guess," which was originally just the same verse 2x in need of something else. Between the brilliant additions of Billie putting her oh-so-California flat voice against Charli's Essex leer and her brother Finneas putting his oontz-oontz behind the boards, this version just bangs harder than its original — it interpolates Daft Punk's "Technologic" atop electroclash! And that's to say nothing of its stupidly brilliant video. Maybe, just maybe, Charli's made the best two singles of 2024? [10]
Chase & Status and Stormzy - Backbone
LTJ Bukem and MC Conrad (RIP) walked almost 30 years ago so that Chase & Status and Stormzy could run to a #1 UK single. Hearing DnB hitting the top in 2024 will never not make me happy. [7]
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars - Die with a Smile
Mars and Gaga sound nice enough together, but there’s no frisson, no spark; they’re just two famous singers, singing a duet for you to stream and buy. [5]
Sabrina Carpenter - Taste
Sharp songwriting -- that lyric in the chorus is so smart, so very Heathers -- paired with just the right touch on Carpenter's vocals. I'd normally say "+2 for the superb Death Becomes Her tribute video," but the song is so good it doesn't need it. [8]