Music has always been at the heart of the annual Spotify Wrapped experience, offering fans a unique reflection of the year gone by. And 2024 was quite the year, showing up with its own set of trends, moments, and movements that redefined the music landscape.
A new batch of pop stars has entered superstardom, country is reaching new heights of popularity, and indie acts are achieving global streaming success: It’s been an exciting year for music. But what are the real stories behind the trends? Which genres surprised us, and which artists broke through the noise?
To unpack the musical moments that defined 2024 on Spotify, For the Record sat down with two of our editorial experts: John Stein, Head of North American Editorial, and Astrid Storm, Senior Project Manager, Global Editorial.
Happy Wrapped! Level with us: Which 2024 music trend surprised you the most?
John: Country seemed to further extend its dominance and reach in 2024. We had superstars like Beyoncé and Post Malone release incredibly successful albums in the genre, and we saw breakout moments from Dasha with “Austin (Boots Stop Workin’)” and Shaboozey with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”—the latter on pace to crack a billion streams in less than eight months. The sonic reach of the genre continues to impress on a global level.
Astrid: It’s also been really exciting to see how Afro house has captivated audiences worldwide. The genre has moved from street parties in Lagos to clubs in Mykonos and beyond. This summer’s hit “Move” by Adam Port, Stryv, and Malachiii is a perfect example of the blend of pop and Afro house, racking up more than 370 million streams to date. As a genre, Afro house is hitting the mainstream alongside Afrobeats and Amapiano, which are still resonating globally. Our dance editors are doing a brilliant job showcasing this trend in playlists like Umami, Tantra, and Afro House Pulse.
What about emerging genres or subgenres—what stood out to you both this year?
John: Each year we’re seeing listeners explore new spaces and discover new genres and artists. I’ve loved seeing hard techno have a moment in the dance space this year. It’s high bpm, aggressive, and makes you want to sweat in a packed club. An artist like Sara Landry is a prime example.
Also, the continued emergence of alternative country, folk, and Americana-leaning artists has been amazing to see. We house a lot of them in our playlist Homegrown, and in 2024 we saw the true audience potential of the genre and community.
Astrid: What we now know as “sexy drill” really had a moment in 2024. New York icons like Ice Spice, Chow Lee, Bay Swag, and Cash Cobain—who is widely considered the genre’s pioneer—paved the way for sexy drill’s explosive rise. Yet, it was artists like Don Toliver with his hit “ATTITUDE” and Belfast’s Jordan Adetunji with “KEHLANI” who propelled the sound to new heights on the charts. Artists from both hip-hop and R&B are now embracing sexy drill across the globe. In October, our hip-hop editors launched the Sexy Drill playlist, both a celebration and reflection of the growth in this sound.
How about your favorite music trend of 2024?
Astrid: One thing that took me by surprise this year was our rock editors opening my eyes—and ears—to the world of hardcore punk. In the wake of the pandemic, hardcore has made a global comeback, still becoming more diverse and striking a chord with younger listeners like myself. Bands like Turnstile, Speed, Scowl, DRAIN, High Vis, and Drug Church are at the forefront of this movement, capturing mainstream attention. Our playlists like The Breakdown and Hardcore Rising are helping me dive deeper into the adrenaline and raw energy of this subculture.
John: My favorite music trend of 2024 was pop star (re)emergence. It had been a slow couple years for emerging pop artists, but this year we had huge breakout moments for Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, among others. Not only did each of these artists have huge songs, but their albums resonated as well. For the first time in a while we had multiple huge albums all taking off at once. I think you could confidently say it was the year of women in pop, and our top albums list showcases that as well.
Social media influences everything these days. How did you see that reflected in music trends and discovery in 2024?
John: We’re not seeing the massive influx of viral tracks as we have in past years. What we are seeing is more dedicated fandoms emerge and create virality—Charli xcx’s BRAT summer meant that many tracks on her album had viral moments and lifespans beyond the release moment. In general, we’re seeing more depth of listening for artists and genres than the flash-in-the-pan moments of the past few years.
Speaking of influential forces, how has Gen Z influenced the music landscape this year?
Astrid: Something myself and our indie editors are excited about—which is particularly popular with Gen Z women—is “fantasy/theatrical indie.” It’s characterized by bold, expressive storytelling and worldbuilding, often with a darker, witchy tone. Think the mythical folklore of Yaelokre, or the baroque-pop renaissance of The Last Dinner Party, or the visceral narratives of Paris Paloma. For me, it follows in the lineage of otherworldly, slightly left-of-center stars like Björk and Kate Bush, but with a very modern twist.
John: Gen Z’s openness to music from any place and any time in history continues to shape the landscape at large. The fact that shoegaze, a genre that emerged out of the U.K. counterculture in the late ’80s, could have so much influence on American teenagers in 2024 really speaks to this. Shoegaze Now is one of the playlists where we’ve seen this discovery happen.
Turning to our influential editorial playlists, how did these shape music trends this year?
John: We’re always at the forefront of new trends, working to establish new genre spaces, introduce listeners to emerging artists, and provide context for listeners. Our Afro Ritmo playlist is a good example—the list encapsulates the crossover between the Afrobeats and reggaeton genres. Fans of individual artists might not even be aware of the cultural influences, but you feel this melting pot of sounds as you listen through the playlist.
You’ll also find an editorial Watch Feed featured on the playlist on mobile, a new feature that provides editor-written context on artists and tracks on the playlist. This is a very exciting new strategy for our editorial team. Editors spend all day, every day, listening to new music, researching the best new artists—it’s time we talk about those discoveries directly with listeners. On your mobile device, you can tap the rectangle under the Afro Ritmo playlist to read track reviews directly from the experts.
Let’s pull out your crystal balls: Any music trends you’re predicting here for 2025?
John: I think we’ll continue to see more and more new subgenres emerge. 2024 was probably the most sonically diverse year for popular music in history, and I don’t see that changing in 2025. The monoculture will never be what it was, but people are still looking for points of connection: brat summer, the Eras Tour, “Not Like Us.” These moments that cut through will be bigger than ever in 2025—look out for holiday listening to grow even more next year.
To make a more specific prediction, it feels like a ripe moment for confessional, theater-kid, pop-rock-inspired artists to emerge—imagine if Gavin Degraw and Lady Gaga had a baby, and they were addicted to their phone. Benson Boone, [the animated musical series] Hazbin Hotel, and Olivia Rodrigo are all clues for Gen Z preferences, from my perspective.
Explore your personalized 2024 Wrapped and learn more about this year’s campaign and experience on our 2024 Wrapped hub.
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