WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK
It’s the second most important vote you could possibly make this week.
This year hit different – serving more plot twists than Taylor Swift has ‘Reputation’ era jumpsuits. English Teacher snatched the Mercury Prize with ‘This Could Be Texas’, a record that turns northern uproar into poetry sharp enough to cut through the fog of late-stage capitalism. It’s the sound of guitar music remembering it doesn’t need permission from the algorithm gods to exist, thank you very much.
The Last Dinner Party went from whispered myth to full-blown phenomenon faster than you can say “baroque pop revival.” ‘Prelude to Ecstasy’ didn’t just top charts; it spawned a thousand think pieces about authenticity – as if being dramatic in 2024 isn’t the most authentic response to gestures at everything. In an age where most pop feels AI-generated (and probably is), their theatrical maximalism lands like a rhinestone-encrusted rock lobbed into the front room of carefully curated aloofness – and aren’t we all better for it?
Speaking of shattering expectations – Charli xcx’s ‘BRAT’ turned hyperpop into arena anthems without losing an ounce of weird. ‘360’ became the soundtrack to main character moments everywhere, while ‘Von Dutch’ sparked a Y2K revival that not even Nostradamus could’ve predicted. That number one? Pure vindication served with a side of chaos. And if we’re going to talk remixes, Charli probably has it all sewn up.
Fontaines D.C. proved post-punk’s passport is still valid with ‘Romance’ – an album that dissects modern alienation with the precision of a heart surgeon having an existential crisis. Reinvented as a weird, wonderful, uniquely attired whirlwind of colours and man-made fabrics, they might well have made themselves the best band on the planet. Not bad going.
Sabrina Carpenter was everywhere. ‘Espresso’ took the song of the summer with glee, a wink, and a flash of wicked humour. In an era where even authenticity comes with a strategic rollout plan, her approach to pop stardom feels like a blast of fresh air through the industry’s stale corridors. As was Chappell Roan, who exploded from alt-pop icon to the biggest pull at every festival she rocked up to.
Looking ahead, 2025 glimmers with promise. Wolf Alice’s return feels like waiting for Christmas – if Christmas was still as magical as it was when you were a little ‘un. The 1975’s next chapter threatens to redefine their sound (again) – and probably create more social media warfare than ever before, and Ethel Cain’s upcoming opus might just make American Gothic even gothier.
As 5th November approaches – traditionally a time for commemorating ambitious attempts at political renovation through gunpowder – the Dork Readers’ Poll stands as a totem to music’s power to unite us all in friendly disagreement about which band peaked when. The future of music culture hangs in the balance, much like everything else these days.
So, while one vote next week might determine the fate of global democracy, ours will settle something far more pressing: which pop icon really was the ultimate winner of 2024? Think carefully – future generations might not judge us for our choice, but Music Twitter absolutely will.
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