[Image credits, Eric Pederson via Deadline/Getty Images]
Pop girls ruled the charts, and their namesake, popular culture wholly in 2024. Which shaped this year’s Academy Awards into a glorious cocktail of memorable performances, lavish style, and artist-to-artist support which truly left us little to complain about. Elements of camp, flamboyance, and true feminine joy radiated the stage and audience as our prayers were finally answered. AT last, long-awaited, and deserved wins for long-standing writers and performers, Kendrick Lamar and Beyonce were accomplished. However, the true shining star of this year’s academy awards was the celebration of 2024’s guiding albums. With releases in the first half of the year from Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Dua Lipa, Charli XCX, Ariana Grande, and Billie Eilish. There’s no doubt about it when I say, they dominated and determined our listening through the year. To quote Chappell, we have just witnessed a true musical ‘Femininomenon’. From the pulsating, blistering splendid blends that shaped Brat, and coincidentally, the Brat Summer, to all our attempts at the ‘Good Luck Babe’ high note, or even muttering the words “that’s that me espresso”. Whether that be in the corner of a coffee shop or screaming with the car windows down in the minimal British summer sun, these ladies shaped our listening, and it’s finally being recognised.
These trends unfolding before us are particularly revolutionary as in 2019, the BBC notices a growing gender gap within the pop genre and our consumption of music, as listeners. With men dominating the charts by a staggering three-fold in the 2018 top 100 chart. A concerning 91 men, or all-male groups in comparison to the mere 30 women. Even more shockingly, it was revealed that between 2013-2019 a total of 90.7% Grammy nominations were men. In which invoked a rage unlike any other toward the ‘prestigious’ academy as #GrammySoMale heralded the charts on ‘X’ with Alessia Cara as the spearhead. As the only woman who won a category in the Grammys that year, her rage was put forward to the injustice of the pop girlies. Yet their crowns were certainly taken back. With AKAS consultancy reporting that 28% were women this year. Though the number has increased, it certainly does not reflect the reality of their influence and success in 2024.
Béyonce transcended cultural, and personal history as the first black woman to win an Album of The Year Award for Cowboy Carter, which also came home accompanied by the best country album trophy. This year, the nominations for AOTY were six out of the eight total. Even managing to dethrone Swift in her AOTY reign. Best New Artist was truly no surprise to me, and so very well deserved with your artist’s favourite artist Chappell Roan. With all the highlights of her debut album, Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess coaxing social media, dance trends, and creating all new ear-worms in all of our brains. Her significance is truly undeniable, and accompanied with her brilliant performance of ‘Pink Pony Club’ the award was truly cathartic to see. The musicality of 2024 truly cannot be described without mentioning the Short n’ Sweet queen that is Sabrina Carpenter, her taking the win for Best pop Vocal alongside Best Pop performance for ‘Espresso’ was one of the Grammy’s highlights for me. Our prayers to ‘please please please’ give this girl a grammy were finally answered. With summery, uplifting tracks embodied with crystal-sharp humour and quick-witted lines, the record was truly refreshing in it’s beautifully executed display of the heart. With Brat Summer officially declared the end of it’s life, Charli’s Brat revived kicking and screaming by winning her fist grammy for Best Dance/Electronic album. The album too the world by storm after her 17-year long career within the pop genre and DJ scene. Th imperious and vulnerable thumping album determined a genre of fashion and lifestyle through 2024 and the layered, underground textures bubbling to academy success the unforgettable record deserved all it’s acclaim.
[Image credits: John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy]
However, not all is as positive as it seems. Though the developments to recognising and awarding the hard work of winning. My article on last year’s grammy’s considered the underlying elements of controversy within it’s production, and it’s voting scheme. Which typically confounds of around 13,000 singers, song-writers, and producers. Their bias remains stagnant and a disease within their self-acclaimed “prestige”. In it’s disturbing actuality the Academy never washed their hand clean of Chris Brown, through his continuous nominations following his assault felony in 2009. Even as sexual assault and abuse allegations came to light, this year he won his first award in a decade. For best R&B album over Moni Long and Lalah Hathaway. Alongside, my personal grievance of their favourable attention toward heritage acts, as the Rolling Stones by awarding their ‘Hackney Diamonds’ Best Rock Album, despite various discontent and poor reception to what the Guardian deemed a record of ‘abysmal artwork’ and lack of memorable production. Especially over rising stars that transcend the genre with totally new listening experiences, such as Fontaines D.C and IDLES. Seemingly, longevity is more important to them than quality in this aspect.
Don’t worry, I will end on the positive note of, Doechii winning Best Rap Album for Alligator Bites Never Heal, and taking the stage with a radiating surge of joy, her win was my personal favourite. Even her emotional acceptance speech where she corrects her statement that “only two women have won” to “three” in the visceral remembrance that she has won herself. Really tugged on the heartstrings. Truly goes to show that iconic women have conquered all categories this year. Even in the songwriting department with Amy Allen, and Shakira winning best Latin Pop vocal album. It’s evident the grammy’s exist within a cesspool of controversy and confusing calculation, the resurgence of the ‘Pop Girl Icon’ was undeniable and the celebration of this ceremony towards the success of women was cultural significant.
[Image Credits: Kevin Mazur via Getty Images for the Recording Academy]
