To continue our selection of the best music of 2024, I want to share this compilation of electro hits I put together on Spotify. A playlist curated with sharp precision from a full catalog of genre variations that promises to keep you dancing and jumping from start to finish.
Synthpop, House, Techno, Drum & Bass, Vaporwave, EDM, and even a touch of Kpop. Dive into the varied menu this new Off The Stream playlist brings you, and discover below some of the artists who defined the electro sound this year.o.
The canonization and rise of Charli XCX finally happened
BRAT is the “event album” of the year. Metacritic ranked it as the best-reviewed record of 2024 with a 95/100. Anthony Fantano gave it a 10/10 on his YouTube channel. The album was nominated for seven Grammy Awards, and its rollout has already been described as the most important marketing gimmick of the 21st century. No doubt, everyone wants a piece of Charli right now. Beyond the sociological studies being written about the BRAT phenomenon, the British artist’s sixth LP isn’t just an Internet viral—it’s the consolidation of a music career that has been building for more than a decade. SOPHIE winks from a long distance.
A new wave of talent emerges: salute, TSHA, BIG WETT, and INJI
Late ’90s electronic sounds are everywhere. The fever is peaking, and in the hands of these creative producers and DJs, the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Examples abound. Salute dropped True Magic (2024), and Pitchfork went all in with praise, comparing it to Disclosure’s brilliant Settle (2013). Then TSHA released Sad Girl (2024) and was interviewed by the Grammys’ webzine to talk about the big moment in her career. Meanwhile, the still relatively underground Australian project BIG WETT released the single SHE GOT THAT THING (2024) and is gaining traction among trashy EDM lovers. Finally, Turkish artist INJI dropped BIG UP (2024) and Pepsi Cola (2024), bringing a fresh touch to her rising career in the pop industry.
The world bows down to Kpop (again)
It’s simply everywhere—and impossible to resist. The sound of Kpop keeps pulling in new fans around the globe. This year, ILLIT’s catchy house-infused track “Magnetic” became a favorite among thousands of young fans in the YouTube “KPOP in Public” scene. More recently, David Guetta teamed up with IVE for “Supernova Love” a hit flirting with French house/disco. But if there was one South Korean group on everyone’s lips in 2024, it was LE SSERAFIM. As if their massive 2023 with UNFORGIVEN wasn’t enough, the HYBE quintet performed at Coachella alongside Nile Rodgers in April, and just a couple of weeks ago, they tore down the MTV EMAs with a voguing-fueled performance celebrating their latest success, “CRAZY”. Total legends.
SG Lewis and Confidence Man break into the mainstream
After the spectacular release of Audiolust & Higher Love (2023), SG Lewis teamed up with Swedish pop star Tove Lo to deliver one of the most infectious EPs of the year: HEAT (2024). But that wasn’t the only material the British DJ dropped in 2024. Lewis also released “Paradise” with Loods and remixed “mr useless” one of the standout tracks from Shygirl’s latest EP. A prolific, thrilling year—one that rivaled the Australian duo Confidence Man, who released 3AM (2024) and literally flew over London in a helicopter completely naked to promote it. Yes, you read that right. Just as wild as their packed-out performance at Glastonbury 2024, where you couldn’t squeeze in another soul.
Drum & Bass wakes up in the Spanish-speaking underground
I’ve been tracing this curious eruption of hardcore proposals across the Spanish-speaking world, and I must confess—I still have hours of digging left to do. On one hand, I was blown away seeing LA CIVIT at the Fiestas de Sants in Barcelona, getting hooked on the frantic vaporwave pulse of “Si tú te vas.” On the other, it’s been truly satisfying to discover the Venezuelan-Peruvian producer MJ Nebreda and her striking work on “Así Nací” and “Tormenta,” both included in the recent Corazón Club Vol. 1 (2024). Whether this is just coincidence or the start of a new trend isn’t clear yet, but I’d suggest keeping a close eye on them.
The big names return: Empire Of The Sun, Jamie xx, Blue Hawaii & more
To wrap things up, I couldn’t leave out the high-profile projects that made their comebacks in 2024. Some returned triumphantly after many years away: Empire Of The Sun with Ask The God (2024) after an eight-year hiatus, Jamie xx with In Waves (2024) after nine years, and Blue Hawaii with Diamond Shovel (2024) after five. Meanwhile, other heavy-hitter producers like KAYTRANADA, Disclosure also came back into the spotlight with singles worth keeping on your radar.
Now, go check out all these tracks in our playlist: Hits Electro 2024.
