Twelve months of singles, album cuts and promotional tracks means as a listener you’re spoilt with choice. There’s always something new to take in and enjoy, both within the carefully-curated algorithm of your preferred streaming platform, or the unexpected rabbit holes you randomly find yourself in. A year-end songs list must encompass both of these lanes, and range from big hits and casual listening, to in-depth, artful pieces to truly appreciate all kinds of music in the year.
As a hip-hop focused platform, the year-end lists provide us a chance to showcase the best of the genre across the UK and US rap scene, but also highlight genres such as R&B, pop and tracks from the other sides of the world. Singles released in the last quarter of 2023 but land on a 2024 album are considered for selection. Take a dive, make a playlist, and enjoy Mic Cheque’s standout tracks of the year.
First, some honourable mentions…
- Addison Rae, “Diet Pepsi”
- Ayra Starr, “Commas”
- Billie Eilish, “CHIIHIRO”
- Charlie XCX, “360”
- Chief Keef, “Jesus”
- Erika de Casier, “Home Alone”
- FloyyMenor & Cris Mj, “Gata Only”
- Mk.gee, “ROCKMAN”
- Potter Payper, “Brandy in Your Cup”
- Yeat, “Breathe”
50. Meek Mill, “Giving Chanel” (ft. Future)
Album: HEATHENISM
When he’s not under the spotlight for his social media antics, Meek Mill put out a short but punchy EP. One of the standout tracks was “Giving Chanel”, a supremely loud anthem with Future that brings back the essence of 2010s trap.
49. Boldy James & Harry Fraud, “Speedy Gonzales”
Album: The Bricktionary
It was another busy year of output for Detroit’s Boldy James. With plenty tracks to choose from, his Harry Fraud-produced “Speedy Gonzalez” felt like his most accessible and addictive.
48. Ravyn Lenae, “Genius”
Album: Bird’s Eye
The opener for Ravyn Lenae’s Bird’s Eye deserved to be a hit. Her sweet vocals soar over the tender hook for “Genius”, a melody you can’t get enough of.
47. Beabadoobee, “Take a Bite”
Album: This is How Tomorrow Moves
The English singer’s lead single is a warm serving of indie rock backed by multiple phases, instrumentation and a deserving status as one of the best pop songs of the year.
46. Jungeli, “T’étais où?” (ft. Vegedream, Zaho & Alonzo)
Album: En Attendant Pour Le Peuple…
The French music scene continues to impress with an all-star collaboration consisting of Jungeli, Vegedream, Zaho and Alonzo.
45. Denzel Curry, “WISHLIST” (ft. Armani White)
Album: King of the Mischievous South, Vol. 2
Denzel Curry took it back to the dirty South on his latest album. With many standouts to choose from, “WISHLIST” employs one of the best hooks of Denzel’s career and unlimited crossover potential.
44. Billie Eilish, “L’Amour de Ma Vie (Over Now, Extended Edit)”
Album: N/A
The ending to Billie Eilish’s album cut “L’Amour de Ma Vie” is granted a deserving extended cut for its sparkling “Over Now” segment.
43. Jean Dawson, “Black Sugar”
Album: Glimmer of God
Dawson channels the closest thing we can get to Prince with “Black Sugar”. It’s weird, multi-phased, and full of creative prowess.
42. Doechii, “Bullfrog”
Album: Alligator Bites Never Heal
As much as Doechii led the year with her in-your-face branding, its her most subdued cut that demonstrated her at her best.
41. The Weeknd, “Timeless” (ft. Playboi Carti)
Album: Hurry Up Tomorrow
Three singles preceded Abel’s supposed final album under The Weeknd moniker. “Timeless” proved to be the best and most successful of the three, enlisting the enigmatic Playboi Carti to get the job over the line.
40. Clara La San, “Another Night”
Album: Made Mistakes
The viral Clara La San’s light-footed ballads bring serenity to a heavy mind. Her debut album Made Mistakes features “Another Night”, one of the many highlights of the record.
39. Kanye West & Ty Dolla Sign, “CARNIVAL” (ft. Rich the Kid & Playboi Carti)
Album: Vultures
Overplayed? Perhaps. Sick of it? Understandable. Kanye West is far from his artistic peak. But he still knows how to get a moment. “Carnival” channels the energy of 2021’s “Off the Grid”, driven by its booming ultra chants, hyper-rap production and precise verses from features Playboi Carti and Rich the Kid.
38. AP Dhillon, “Bora Bora” (ft. Ayra Starr)
Album: The Brownprint
Punjabi music in the 2020s has been on the map thanks to AP Dhillon. On “Bora Bora”, he crosses over with Nigerian singer Ayra Starr, who packs in multiple melodies across her addictive performance.
37. Pa Salieu, “Soda” (ft. Byron Messia)
Album: Afrikan Alien
Pa Salieu’s comeback was marked by the compulsive “Soda”, an irresistible collaboration with Byron Messia that can knock your speaker all day.
36. Ka, “Tested Testimony”
Album: The Thief Next to Jesus
The late Ka dropped one of the best rap albums of the year just months before his tragic passing. “Tested Testimony” fits the project’s Christian symbolisms to a tee, ghoulish in its makeup in hindsight of Ka’s passing.
35. Yeat, “As We Speak” (ft. Drake)
Album: 2093 (P2)
Yeat impressed throughout 2024, elevating his artistic status with his 2093 album. The bonus track “As We Speak” with Drake is a dramatic take on the cyber-rap template he expertly exerted.
34. Future & Metro Boomin, “Crazy Clientele”
Album: We Still Don’t Trust You
One of his many addictive tracks of the year, Future channels the spirit of his classic mixtapes on “Crazy Clientele”, produced by his Atlantan partner Metro Boomin. The first verse boasts a gripping cadence for its whole length that only Future can pull off. It’s a vivid track about, essentially, cooking crack, in a creative way matched only by fellow trap legends.
33. Childish Gambino, “In the Night” (ft. Jorja Smith & Amaarae)
Album: Bando Stone and The New World
Gambino’s long-awaited return was marked by a standout single, “In the Night”, featuring Jorja Smith and Amaarae. to remind listeners of his pop-R&B expertise.
32. Playboi Carti, “H00DBYAIR”
Album: N/A
The Atlanta cult crooner’s had a strange album rollout. Throughout 2024, Carti released YouTube or Instagram-exclusive teaser tracks unavailable on DSPs as of writing this. The best of the batch was the menacing “H00DBYAIR”, proving exactly why the rapper has the most hype of any rapper in recent years.
31. A$AP Rocky, “Hijack” (ft. Jessica Pratt)
Album: N/A
Another artist who’s teased an album throughout 2024 was ASAP Rocky. With many stop-and-starts to his name than Formula One races, “Hijack” was another attempt at getting his rollout off the ground. And to his credit, it’s a brilliant single. It channels a bit of Testing, a bit of At Long Last A$AP. Everything we like about Rocky is here, especially his eccentric choice of features, in this case being the fitting Jessica Pratt who closes out the single.
30. AJ Tracey & Pozer, “Heaterz”
Album: N/A
AJ Tracey has quietly gone about releasing quality single after single over the last few years. “Heaterz” is another one added to the collection, in collaboration with up-and-comer Pozer. The duo bring back the essence of grime with a modern twist.
29. Lancey Foux & Fimiguerrero, “Spanish Guitar”
Album: Conglomerate
The UK hyper-rap genre had a big year in 2024. It is accentuated by “Spanish Guitar”, the chaotically-brilliant track by Lancey Foux and Fimiguerrero off their collaborative album Conglomerate. The production in play here shouldn’t make sense, but that’s the appeal in this wholly-unique anthem.
28. OhGeesy, “Yacht Master”
Album: N/A
Shoreline Mafia made an unexpected return in 2024. Its member OhGeesy also impressed on the solo front, dropping a simple yet infectious single in “Yacht Master”. This is West Coast rap in full effect.
27. Vince Staples, “Little Homies”
Album: Dark Times
Vince Staples gave us the mantra of the year with this hook: “Life hard but I go harder.” Amen to that, Vince, amen to that.
26. Clairo, “Sexy to Someone”
Album: Charm
Once an underground bedroom pop singer, Clairo’s stardom is undeniable when she’s putting out songs like “Sexy to Someone”, a tender tune about that brings the feeling of yearning back to mainstream music.
25. Griff, “Last Night’s Mascara”
Album: Vertigo (Tour Edition)
This single was an afterthought to Griff’s debut album—but it ended up being one of the best songs of the year. The British singer powers through multiple melodic phases in under three minutes, coupled with compelling songwriting and a brilliant metaphor for her heartache.
24. YT & Lancey Foux, “Black & Tan”
Album: N/A
If you hadn’t placed your stocks into YT yet, you will after “Black & Tan”. The London rapper mixes abrasion, auto-tune and a dash of his signature British “Oi” sample to become one of the most promising up-and-comers out the country.
23. Chappell Roan, “Good Luck, Babe!”
Album: N/A
You couldn’t get many better pop songs than “Good Luck, Babe!” this year. Marrying 80s synths with a glamorous hook, Chappell’s hit track combines a classy composition to create a timeless track, one which carries focused subject matter and impressive vocals.
22. GIMS, “Sois Pas Timide”
Album: Le Nord Se Souvient
The French singer’s smash hit is the textbook definition of rhythm. “Sois Pas Timide” (“Don’t Be Shy”) essentially boasts two hooks, all while maintaining melody in the verses. It’s an infectious track that you can’t help leaving on loop.
21. Mk.gee, “I Want”
Album: Two Star & the Dream Police
You can’t get a song more intimate this year than Mk.gee’s “I Want”. All the singer-songwriter needs is a guitar and some soft vocals to land a truck-ton of emotion, conveyed masterfully in this feather-weighted ballad.
20. K-Trap & Blade Brown, “Mobsters”
Album: Smile?
UK trap is on the decline, but K-Trap and Blade Brown are making sure it goes out with a bang. “Mobsters” offers two memorable verses filled with quotables and an equally impressive hook by Gipsy Hill native to make you feel like you’re Scarface at the table himself.
19. Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Album: Rosie
Harmless, carefree pop came in the form of the South Korean singer’s breakthrough collab with none other than Bruno Mars. “APT.” merges Korean niches with Western flair to make for an apt crossover hit—pun intended.
18. Ab-Soul, “All That” (ft. JasonMartin & Thirsty P)
Album: Soul Burger
Remember how much the West Coast had shit popping this year? Ab-Soul was also here to remind you it was a West Coast kind of year. His single “All That” from the fantastic Soul Burger brings out the footwork from the first beat down to Soulo’s space-bar’d flow and braggadocious hook.
17. Kendrick Lamar, “TV Off” (ft. Lefty Gunplay)
Album: GNX
According to Kendrick Lamar, whatever he has is truly not enough. If his number one diss track was a victory lap, “TV Off” is the lit drive home. The two-part banger comes courtesy of DJ Mustard designed for Lamar’s Super Bowl performance. His message to Drake? Turn your TV off when I’m performing these disses in front of the whole world. Crazy, scary, spooky, sadistic.
16. Mach-Hommy, “POLITickle” (ft. Drea D’Nur)
Album: #RICHAXXHAITIAN
The Haitian legend’s “POLITickle” is chaotically beautiful. highlighting just why he is one of the best rappers of the decade so far. If the masterful rapping and production wasn’t enough, Drea D’Nur is the perfect cherry on top with her divine contributions throughout the song, but most particularly during the second half of the song.
15. Future & Metro Boomin, “One Big Family”
Album: We Still Don’t Trust You
An instant Future classic song is easy to tell. It’s usually minimal, emotive, and brings out the best of his rapping. “One Big Family” ticks all three checkboxes, using Metro Boomin’s spacey production to transcend Future into orbit. He’s floating on this one.
14. Kendrick Lamar, “6:16 in LA”
Album: N/A
The forgotten instalment of Kendrick’s slew of Drake diss songs is far from forgettable. “6:16 in LA” was the perfect warning shot in the midst of the storm that was to come. The only one unavailable on streaming, “6:16 in LA” uses its Al Green sample to mimic Drake’s style of lavish rapping, before speaking with God to check in before unleashing the most destructive bullets in his chamber. Think of Kendrick rapping this one with Ab-Soul on the Pop Out stage if you need a reminder of its brilliance.
13. ScHoolboy Q, “Thank God 4 Me”
Album: Blue Lips
Sound the horns, because ScHoolboy Q outdone himself on Blue Lips. One of its many standouts was “Thank God 4 Me”, a multi-phased banger with a hell of a jumper on it.
12. Pozer, “Malicious Intentions”
Album: N/A
The soundtrack to many 2024 montages, “Malicious Intentions” combines drill and Jersey club for the most cinematic UK rap song of the year.
11. Kendrick Lamar, “Meet the Grahams”
Album: TBW
If this list was Most Terrifying Songs of 2024, “Meet the Grahams” would comfortably be #1. In what was the most iconic night in hip hop of the century, The Alchemist provides the backdrop to the most haunting diss track released maybe ever, written in the form of letters to Drake’s family members—his mother, father, son, and alleged hidden daughter—and a direct response to Drake’s “Family Matters”, which was released under an hour before “Meet the Grahams”. The lore, conspiracies, and controversy surrounding this diss track will go down in history forever.
10. ScHoolboy Q, “Blueslides”
Album: Blue Lips
Music is often labelled as therapy. If “Blueslides” doesn’t fit the bill, then nothing will. The jazz-centred cut is a pure stream of consciousness from ScHoolboy Q, finding him at his most personal and vulnerable. It’s a vivid depiction of a man who’s gone through some shit, and is admitting it all.
9. Sabrina Carpenter, “Espresso”
Album: Short n’ Sweet
Yeah, a song about coffee was one of the best pop songs of the year. It’s not as simple as that in reality, as Sabrina Carpenter uses it as a metaphor for her lover’s sleepless nights. “Espresso” has a strong case for Song of the Summer, and Pop Song of the Year. It funk and disco elements gives it that vintage, throwback feel, while Sabrina’s girlish vocals give it that extra feminine touch that adds to its appeal.
8. Central Cee, “BAND4BAND” (ft. Lil Baby)
Album: Can’t Rush Greatness
West London met Atlanta on the biggest UK rap hit of the year. And all for good reason. Its virality largely stemmed from the difference in Central Cee and Lil Baby’s accents (for the Americans) and voices (for the Brits). “We can go band for band / Fuck that, we can go M for M” quickly became a quotable as a result. But virality aside, “BAND4BAND” is a rapid anthem. Central Cee’s verse is a career-best, while Lil Baby returns back to form after having a rocky few years. It’s no wonder “BAND4BAND” is set to be one of the best UK-US rap collabs of all time.
7. J. Cole, “Pi” (ft. Ab-Soul & Daylyt)
Album: Might Delete Later
J. Cole, Ab-Soul and Daylyt said “You want lyrics? You got lyrics.” The masterful “Pi” is nothing but a bar festival, leaving you shaking your head in awe for six minutes straight. Structurally, it’s one of the most unique of the year, finding its features go back to back for a bulk of the track, before handing over to its main artist for a solo venture. There’s many elements and genres that make a song qualify as hip hop, but “Pi” really brings that feeling of hip hop back to 2024 music.
6. Kendrick Lamar, “Squabble Up”
Album: GNX
The snippet of the year was finally granted release on Lamar’s surprise GNX album. Sampling the 80s electro track “When I Hear Music”, the nonsensical “Squabble Up” is nothing short of fun. Pure fun. From Kendrick’s odd vocal inflexions to the hyphy elements and aggression to end the second verse, there’s never a dull second in this insanely addictive cut.
5. Future & Metro Boomin, “Like That” (ft. Kendrick Lamar)
Album: We Don’t Trust You
You can’t define the biggest saga of 2024 without including the song that kickstarted it all. Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” was the jack-in-the-box we never expected to erupt. Sampling the iconic “Everlasting Bass” by Rodney-O.& Joe Cooley (famously sampled by Eazy-E), “Like That” is an anthemic trap cut that was, at the time, marked by a surprise, unlisted feature by Kendrick Lamar. “First Person Shooter, I hope they came with three switches”? It was go-time from there. Salute for your services, “Like That”. Your bravery will never be forgotten.
4. JPEGMAFIA, “Sin Miedo”
Album: I Lay Down My Life for You
“She had issues with her father, I had issues with my barber” is certainly one way to mark one of the most cracked songs of the year. JPEGMAFIA’s always been an experimental nutcase, but “Sin Miedo” finds the balance between brazen and barefaced. It has an opening segment comparable to Lamar’s “DNA”, before charging into an electronic break. Then you get the drums. Then you get the electric guitar. Then you get it altogether. It’s a melting pot of influences, highlighting just why Peggy’s one of the best visionaries in rap at the moment.
3. Kendrick Lamar, “Euphoria”
Album: N/A
We know, this list is full of Kendrick Lamar songs. But can you blame us? It would be wrong to leave out his first official response to Drake and his “Push Ups” track. Days, weeks passed. Radio silence from the Compton native. Akademiks said he’s on the clock. Charlamagne expressed similar sentiments. Doubts were settling on whether Kendrick would even respond. “Euphoria” quickly put the doubts to bed, not holding back on the delivery, disses and quotables. From “What is it, the braids?!” to “I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress” to “Lemme see you push a teee“. Outside of the diss, it’s generally an explosive song with elite rapping on display.
He may be greedy with these list entires, but it wouldn’t be fair to leave “Euphoria” out of 2024 history.
2. Future & Metro Boomin, “Streets Made Me a King”
Album: We Still Don’t Trust You
Statements always need to be made in a compelling rap song. It’s usually effective to prop yourself to high status. For Future’s case, he calls himself a king on one of the best songs of the year. But it’s not as simple as that, as he uses the self-proclamation to detail his upbringings as a drug dealer and how his rough upbringing’s got him to where he is today. When you read between the lines, there’s substance amidst Future making a simple trap anthem. “Streets Made Me a King” didn’t get the noise it deserved in 2024, but we’re here to give it the props it deserves as one of the best songs of the year.
1. Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Album: N/A
A whisper marked the beginning of the end. “Psst, I see dead people,” he utters at the start of the monumental “Not Like Us”, the song to mark Kendrick Lamar’s victory in the heated beef with Drake. Dropping less than 24 hours after “Meet the Grahams”, it was an instant smash hit. The song reached the pinnacle of Billboard Hot 100, has amassed over 1 billion Spotify streams, and is five-times Grammy-nominated for the 2025 ceremony. But not just that—it’s also a savage diss track. On the song, Kendrick doubles down on his allegations of Drake’s pedophilia and enabling of sex offenders in his circle, coupled with the song’s central theme of Drake being a cultural appropriator—bringing back the days when Drake was considered an outsider in hip hop.
Just like in all his diss tracks, Kendrick masters the art of humour in his bars. “Tryna strike a chord, and it’s probably A-minor” will never be lived down. “And Baka got a weird case, why is he around?” is still a question that remains unanswered. “Let me hear you say O-V-Hoeee” is hilariously childish. It’s a slew of quotable bars that were necessary in a) helping Kendrick win the beef, and b) making the song as entertaining as it is. The DJ Mustard beat is equally embroiled in the drama, driven by piercing strings that cut through just as hard as Kendrick’s metallic punches.
“Not Like Us” isn’t just a Drake diss song, it’s a celebration of Los Angeles culture. The hook, often misunderstood, is meant for his people, both geographically and ethnically. At the same time, it feels worldwide. It’s a call to watch over your shoulder, question people around you, and maintain integrity in all matters. This was the cherry on top of what was a massive year for rap, massive enough to be the best song of 2024.
Mic Cheque 