To round out my mid-year countdowns, I've got a spotlight on some of my favorite songs and albums from music markets that aren't Korea or Japan. To simplify things, I just call this category "pop."
What were your favorite singles and albums during the first half of 2024?
TOP SINGLES
Bentley Robles – IAM IAM IAM
Bentley Robles was such a discovery for me this year. IAM IAM IAM's pulsing synth beat climaxes in a killer chorus that leverages everything it can from two simple syllables.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tQ1EptFY9vfRX7v5XVHKn2HeUod82rdFBq1OLFcIBMhdvmsIJ1I_5G47WtEHpfc99HkDIutTsEtxO8T9-lmcgP1I-p-HbEajk7mcDhDfU=s0-d)
Blusher – Accelerator
This reminds me of Icona Pop's I Love It in the best possible way. The production on the chorus is so satisfying.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_t5_W5noohfb-ZIYH-pB3fxOYhuvtNb4uSbEEzN5E70U8H29TChUYU88GAMnX5E87tt-ilNUyncg0ubZ4azhSrCR_xB9t85HHR4DMmPbQ=s0-d)
Confidence Man – I Can't Lose You
A super addicting Euro-rave track for the summer. The vocal production is gorgeous and the energy never lets up.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tY__xpJbXgZcrUPwr5SZbJIlOhJNjPp8RXg7jilIHDWlcCRSC00RKwebjK2yNW0XBaYkkKl-580F0d-0cdYLZrwRRq2aKFvqZk4_YmQA=s0-d)
Dagny – Strawberry Dream
Big choruses are a hallmark of my list this year, and Strawberry Dream excels in this realm. It's pop bliss, through and through.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vsVxNN7Jw3Y39Mni7iJFCoQRRNIBTbAK4ynFLGNAHBVnWzP-TnZjU0ot1Ytp0rcMsaFvpfM_eVi7IGdlkDRUtWg7hg2YZHS1sxmPqhH2M=s0-d)
Electric Fields - One Milkali (One Blood)
The blend of traditional Australian music and surging pop energy works perfectly here. Fantastic melodies tie it all together.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ts7vpE9krngGc8jfJXDrlPLs82IusbgdexMrLPOWI2jVIN_miSPu03oW3gZyXaG4rVyK6o_bpaITokVdqXnHEJoUPyh_02RoZai7q0J5w=s0-d)
Florrie – Looking For Love
Chorus, chorus, chorus! What else can I say?
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tcUO45MXKLddO5o5b_7GdIiW_iAsQqGnsGVMTeBRhUM6SSGcaH86SDRC-5MXEW7c7p5sAqkr16DMwJZmoCeU8KH3dJHsHfYMp9ORJUuZY=s0-d)
Gothminister – We Come Alive
My favorite novelty hit from this year's Eurovision hopefuls.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tMXSlqqKtM7Ex7J1rH8M8JXB-kJSRFFstRhcZ-8BA-aTsRa0YsDwYmXOhgmPJtExmMdHJypqWOhOkZpVQGGVL8ycsJ-lBlAYODnd2xX_0=s0-d)
Jannika B – SOS
A banging surge of electro fantasia. Finland is such a hub of pop magic.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tmmEo7VB96mz1mKPnLaNsB8rziknveSpTMv2LlbCNL8fXocRxtAWbemXp-lq0v9S-mIoGh3vfpOUXmY3CrDISrVfUiHjrCCcB6uVUBmss=s0-d)
Käärijä & Erika Vikman – Ruoska
Speaking of Finland, two of the country's pop titans join forces for this aggressive, guitar-fueled highlight.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vo-YSker0Hq72lgMA_u304KiHheq7nOA0B4sai_ezW7bKuiGAMFdBC4LQSjx0ES4xf1uA4qbsoKY4ggyQSWMDk5JEjS63xU4XMwr7mlxU=s0-d)
Neea River – Never Made It Out Alive
Yep, we're still in Finland! Neea River has a perfect track record, releasing banger after banger.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sfplN6kQ_eNtqHaMfRjTYYILG7cLC62CDNfu6TNiwC7NrMVSIZ2BuhzEhl8hBlaCSbHZrz9wquT-gplbnV4Z7hwboS3ruEuRRHx2A9bvc=s0-d)
Silence Wang - One Hundred Thousand Volts
Over to China now for this pummeling EDM standout. I love when he goes full-on dance music.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ua7QX9-gp8i1GcI8Z-SIezV7dK2nudk6KNR1fxUCtHNF0BGXP8srIRwbYvE6VDVaM-wqwwcbsN4Sh1MHlefrrV4zgxN7IBh86QkNiIfw=s0-d)
UBLU – Planetary Hearts
This is my kind of pop meets glam meets rock meets synth standout. I need more music from these guys!
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vdUT2-L0r7hvAYCuveI1WlTgokCGAU6_bi93Ni4UUzuvpyzyjjoztOcHAGOMNCLr-NxWyJ0hiwsvlHQR0GuvWcrJkIkiyKmNpoKSMyAeQ=s0-d)
Velvet – Beautiful Pain
Sweden's pop queen is back with a total banger. The chorus is incredible, as is the strings-powered instrumental.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sQ1vvLuTDLZIt5vI6xla9V7RLmoM9qlU4WKt1Qt8nVWD3OcS7CCeJiWlBkA5pT4FJWrC5nuRTmF0vAbEP8jEsR05g_XnhRgDTKY9NnYA=s0-d)
Vincint – Lean / Good II Me
I've been following Vincint for awhile, but his 2024 work is on another level. These two dance tracks have become staples on my playlist.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_t57QV2nQxShc0otEKrWareKq5roVOPbCnNJ1713Ry0SJjvrI9NP9k-iuoheAqqIQrMIl14z5IfC4xVDNq7GYNpqcwzgj0EaS8R_ckuB4c=s0-d)
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sl8PzgQKAJkyZYMmtLpnCLiuSPaTbcY8XYWCwm-zoGISuaENOb7lEUpX-7GOf6cAJ4Yu-7BseNBO0TFGKj2Ag4bdRkMvc4wk3pMWcXpf4=s0-d)
Zee Machine & Bentley Robles – Anyone But Him
Just a perfect pop song with pounding, synth-and-guitar propulsion.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tNYu0V8rAqL0F6XbGdqD2iUgB73vwUknSxqzhbxTmSsvwDblOa5it0dCuWKKbbKznT10ZVrcfZm_3YhQ_vKwbi0ctwYso8I5th98NWiQ=s0-d)
TOP ALBUMS
Bentley Robles – Ugly Crier
A near-flawless run of pop bangers. The melodies are fantastic, the production is big and glistening and Robles' perspective feels idiosyncratic.
https://open.spotify.com/album/57wbjTPvriburxWMxacPHS?si=wQz3k4dsSEGmpnEmSz8Jrw
Bonnie McKee – Hot City
![ab67616d0000b273be2009179ecf6b6d34fc4a5e](https://thebiaslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ab67616d0000b273be2009179ecf6b6d34fc4a5e.jpg?w=560)
A callback to the megawatt pop of the early 2010's because... it was originally supposed to come out in that era! This makes for a fun time capsule but sounds even more potent today.
https://open.spotify.com/album/7IEPLolpdghx1jkNiN2FMT?si=DOgJUZs_QQqua_fOsDLSpw
Dagny – Elle
![7c3aa1e0d43d763f1f62d2b08886b6b6.1000x1000x1](https://thebiaslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/7c3aa1e0d43d763f1f62d2b08886b6b6.1000x1000x1.jpg?w=560)
Short and sweet, this eight track album captures Dagny's pop prowess with surging melodies and hazy, nostalgic production.
https://open.spotify.com/album/3mufRbVLnu4dO8dP8fJRb0?si=DYLgdwk-TheDzxXB-2B8cw
Florrie – The Lost Ones
![The-lost-ones-digital-cover](https://thebiaslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/the-lost-ones-digital-cover.jpg?w=560)
It's nice to hear Xenomania bring their melodic, synth-powered sound to something a little smaller in scale. The Lost Ones is moody but upbeat, hinging on strong melodies and evocative production.
https://open.spotify.com/album/67vln5FBToyFmc5IML4aSm?si=hwe5aNt1RNO_CUnrYximCw
Jannika B – Tetris
![ff4efc59-1bda-4c9a-a6b6-22506b6fb286](https://thebiaslist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ff4efc59-1bda-4c9a-a6b6-22506b6fb286.jpg?w=560)
Jannika B delivers an all killer, no filler suite of mammoth pop songs, coalescing the adventurous sound and high energy dominating this corner of Finland's music scene.
https://open.spotify.com/album/6sexQ7ICbgcORT3tbFHD3A?si=zzcU_2eGQ-is9YOfraujoQ
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