“Brat Summer.” “Hot to Go.” “That’s that me-espresso.” These used-to-be-incomprehensive phrases could not be avoided in 2024, and it’s all thanks to the girlies who are dominating pop right now. Women artists shined through every chart and social media trend imaginable and the tremendous effort wasn’t out of the blue.
As Spotify Wrapped dawned on its devoted users, the streaming service broke the news that eight of its top-streamed albums globally were all created by women. Sabrina Carpenter deservedly had the most-streamed song of the year with “Espresso.” “I’m working late ‘cuz I’m a singer” rang through TikTok For You Pages with its buzzy and bizarre lyrics that lure you in to listen to it on repeat. Taylor Swift kept her pop reign supreme by being the most-streamed artist on the platform, and her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, became the most-streamed album globally. Billie Eilish also re-entered the global top artists chart with her experimentally nuanced second record, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT.
Though these humongous victories are monumental on the Spotify Charts, two artists that have notably blown up are Charli xcx and Chappell Roan. When you’re in an urban setting, Brat creeps up at every corner (quite literally—the Brat Wall was behind my climbing gym). Whether through the fluorescent green that everyone’s been wearing or the unmissable “Von Dutch” and “Guess” remixes everyone’s been hearing, Charli’s album sucker-punched pop and culture in the best way possible. Chappell Roan’s unprecedented growth sparked set time and stage changes at America’s biggest music festivals, and you can’t go to a function without hearing “H-O-T-T-O-G-O!”
It’s not surprising to Spotify’s team that these artists exploded the way they did—they actually anticipated it. Brat is a culmination of the ultra pop-stardom and celebration of rave culture that built up Charli xcx’s career. The intrepid catchiness and witty lyricism of Chappell’s “Good Luck, Babe!” resonated with queer fans across the nation. Three aspects these women artists have in common? Diving fully into their own vulnerabilities. Establishing firm boundaries. And cultivating tight-knit fanbases.
“The fact that these artists have banked and grown their core audience for many years, and they came primed and ready with a body of work that was exceptional sonically,” Global Head of Editorial Sulinna Ong told StyleCaster. “They were very clear in who they are as artists and that came from their artist development. So these women who really know who they are, and the time they took into their success at their seeing in this year plus in terms of what we want now in the world. The world is messy and noisy. People want things that are real.”
Each artist develops and hones their own sound, and fans spread the gospel and fame on social media. You can’t escape Kelley Heyer’s “Apple” TikTok dance or go to a concert (that isn’t Chappell Roan’s) without hearing the phrase: “I hope she plays ‘Hot to Go.’” (Another person follows up, “This is a [insert artist’s name] concert.”)
When art goes out into the world, listeners develop a relationship with it, Ong points out, referencing philosopher and critic Roland Barthes. “The artist births this piece of art, and it has meaning to them,” she says. “But it [has] added meaning when the listener listens to it and has their interpretation, and social media allows you to do that—whether it’s a TikTok dance or filming yourself at a concert.”
What’s next for women in music? Newer, younger acts that lean heavily into pop theatrics and harken back to revered icons, like Björk and Kate Bush, says Ong. Some names to watch: The Last Dinner Party, Yaelokra, and Paris Paloma. These acts may be early in their careers, but they’re gaining dedicated audiences—and fast.
The future is looking bright for the pop girlies, and there’s no stopping them now.
If you want to take a closer look at Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, and Chappell Roan’s impressive year, here are some stats provided by Spotify:
- Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” was the top track in the following major US cities:
- Austin, Texas
- Brooklyn, N.Y.
- Chicago, Ill.
- Houston, Texas
- NYC, N.Y.
- Philadelphia, Pa.
- Seattle, Wash.
- Washington DC
- Chappell Roan was on the Top 20 list of most streamed artists in the following major US cities:
- Boston, Mass.
- Nashville, Tenn.
- San Francisco, Calif.
- Charli xcx’s BRAT album was on the Top 20 most streamed albums in the following major US cities:
- New Haven, Conn.
- San Francisco, Calif.
- Boston, Mass.
