The 66th Annual Grammy Awards will air on Sunday, Feb. 5 with a wide range of nominees and winners. Since 1959, the Song of the Year Award has held its status as one of the most prestigious awards to be presented at the event, and the 2024 nominees introduce a cast of heavy-hitter songs to the category. As the realm of music can be highly opinionated, debates have already begun over the presentation of this award. We decided to throw our hats in the ring to share our top five picks from the 2024 Song of the Year nominees.
#5: “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s bright and flashy “Anti-Hero,” the lead single for her tenth studio album “Midnights,” was an instant hit. Synthesizers accompany catchy but straightforward lyrics and give it a unique sound that lands it on our list. The opening line, “I have this thing where I get older but just never wiser” draws the listener into Swift’s insecurities and struggles in a refreshingly transparent way. Despite all of this, we would have preferred another song off of “Midnights” to headline the album; some of the lyrics fall flat and can be repetitive.
#4: “What Was I Made For?” [From The Motion Picture “Barbie”] by Billie Eilish
It’s impossible to talk about this song without referencing the movie it was made for, “Barbie.” The iconic doll gains depth and emotion through the existential, revealing lyrics that glide over a delicate piano melody and backing vocals. The question “What Was I Made For” plays at a literal and figurative level, and it is a heart-wrenching delight to watch Eilish put herself in the position of Barbie in the music video.
#3: “A&W” by Lana Del Rey
This autobiographical, seven-minute-long ballad full of Lana Del Rey’s crooning, wispy lyrics has critics declaring it her best. Beginning with a psychedelic, acoustic tone, it switches halfway to an experimental vibe, which serves as a callback to her hip-hop-inspired beginnings. Due to its masterfully structured two-part composition and distinct sound, we placed it here to commemorate its unapologetic brilliance.
#2: “Kill Bill” by SZA
Garnering more than 1.5 billion listens on Spotify alone, “Kill Bill” rocketed to second place on the Billboard Hot 100 after major success on TikTok. SZA displays a moody tone with an emphatic beat, completing the song as an allusion to a 2003 film of the same name and a similar storyline of exacting revenge on an ex through murder. We found the song to break away from the more generic breakup songs in the industry, pushing the boundaries of musical topics while still serving a great listening experience.
#1: “vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo
Released in late June, “vampire” ruled the ears of teenage listeners throughout the summer of 2023. The song provides an emotional mood with an intensely upbeat feel, pulsing with the racing hearts of listeners and pulling them into the music. The song controlled social media and topped the Billboard Hot 100 immediately after its release as a single, and it returned to the top spot along with the release of its parent album. With such an impressive release and so much pleasure hidden in each moment of listening, this song cements itself as our #1 top spot for 2024 Song of the Year.
