O first semester of 2024 came to an end on Sunday (30). In the world of international pop music, the period was marked by release of major albums which broke records on the charts, broke hiatuses and heated up the competition for the awards season, which begins at the end of the year.
Trendsetters in the industry such as Beyonce , Taylor Swift It is Billie Eilish for example, presented new authorial works. Ariana Grande and his return to music after filming “Wicked,” as well as the solar celebration of Dua Lipa marked the semester.
see below five albums that dominated the first six months of 2024:
“Eternal Sunshine” — Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande launched “Eternal Sunshine” , her seventh studio album, on March 8, the date that marks International Women’s Day. The release signified the end of a four-year hiatus without music releases. During this period, the singer dedicated herself to other projects, such as adapting the musical “Wicked” for cinema.
The album features 13 songs, including the singles “yes, and?”, “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” and “the boy is mine”. The last song even got a remix version with Brandy & Monica, singers who created the song of the same name that inspired Ariana’s composition, and a video with actor Penn Badgley (“Gossip Girl” and “You”).
“Cowboy Carter” — Beyoncé
Beyoncé’s new album was released on March 29th, continues the trilogy proposed by the singer, succeeds “Renaissance”, released in 2022, and brings Beyoncé a deep dive into the history of country music.
With 27 songs, “Cowboy Carter” has several highlights, including “ll Most Wanted”, a partnership with Miley Cyrus and “Levii’s Jeans”, with Post Malone.
On the album, the singer also used a Brazilian funk sample in the track “Spaghetti”, written by Brazilian DJ O Mandrake.
“Hit Me Hard and Soft” — Billie Eilish
Owner of nine Grammys and two Oscar statuettes, Billie Eilish released her third studio album on May 17th. “Hit Me Hard And Soft” has 10 songs, including some hits like “Lunch” and “Birds Of A Feather”.
“Lunch”, in fact, became an LGBTQIA+ anthem by bringing a clear portrait of same-sex relationships to Billie Eilish’s discography. The song was listed as one of the ten songs that most impacted queer culture in history.
“The Tortured Poets Department” — Taylor Swift
On April 19, Taylor Swift surprised the world by releasing a double album with 31 songs. “The Tortured Poets Department,” the singer’s 11th studio album, featured songs about heartbreak and a period described as “the saddest story” of her life.
The album has not left the top position on the Billboard 200, the main album chart in the United States, since its release. Ten weeks have already been achieved thanks to the global phenomenon represented by Taylor and the successive new versions released by her.
“Radical Optimism” — Dua Lipa
Breaking a four-year hiatus after the album “Future Nostalgia”, Dua Lipa released, on May 3, “Radical Optimism”. The album was preceded by the singles “Houdini”, “Training Season” and “Illusion”, which set the tone for the 11 tracks that would follow.
On Friday, the British singer sang at the Glastonbury festival in the United Kingdom and released the extended version of the album. In the original version, the album was 36 minutes and 35 seconds in total; now the album is 57 minutes and 9 seconds long.
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Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
