Pop Divas Reign on Airwaves
The Year of the Women
2024 was a great year for the ladies of the music industry. Many female pop stars thrived, reaching new heights in their careers and shattering records. Here are some standout female pop stars who dominated the airwaves and made their mark.
Taylor Swift
2024 saw the end of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which raked in over US$2 billion (RM8.9 billion) in revenue, making her shows the highest-grossing in history. As of this year, Swift is the first musician to become a billionaire solely from her music and performances.
Apart from her tour, the 35-year-old also had commercial success with her eleventh album The Tortured Poets Department. Swift’s album became the first to receive over 300 million streams on Spotify. It is also the best-selling album of 2024.
Ariana Grande
This year saw the return of Ariana Grande, who took a four-year hiatus from music. She released her seventh album Eternal Sunshine and solidified her dominance, becoming the first artist to have a number one song, album, and movie in the US.
Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish kicked off 2024 with her historic Oscar win for Best Original Song for What Was I Made For? The 22-year-old then followed it up with the release of Hit Me Hard and Soft, which featured hits such as Lunch, Birds of a Feather, and Chihiro. On its release day, the album became her most-streamed album on Spotify, receiving over 72 million streams.
Rose
This year marked a new chapter for Rose, who left Blackpink after eight years to pursue a solo career. She released her debut album Rosie under a new music label and collaborated with prominent artiste Bruno Mars on the record’s lead single APT. The single topped the charts in various countries, earning Rose numerous accolades.
Lisa
Following suit is fellow Blackpink member Lisa, who left her old music label to release new music under RCA Records. She has since released three singles: Rockstar, New Woman, and Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me). Her success as a solo artist includes performing at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards and Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Lisa is set to push the envelope further, teasing fans with the release of her debut album Alter Ego next February.
Sabrina Carpenter
After years in the industry, Sabrina Carpenter finally saw the fruits of her labour in 2024. Coming off as an opening act on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, the former Disney star rose to mainstream stardom upon releasing Short n’ Sweet. The album became the singer’s first chart-topping LP. Its lead single Espresso shared the same success, reaching the summit on numerous musical charts.
Tyla
Tyla has risen as the first South African global pop star. Her single Water made waves on TikTok, going viral after the hashtag #TylaWaterChallenge blew up on the platform. The song then won Tyla the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music, making her the first South African artiste to take home the golden gramaphone.
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan took the world by storm with The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The singer gained traction for singles Hot to Go! and Pink Pony Club. Her popularity skyrocketed with the release of Good Luck, Babe! – other career highs include performing at Coachella and earning Grammy nominations.
Beyoncé
The veteran R&B artiste made waves with her latest record Cowboy Carter. Intended as a tribute to black musicians’ contributions to the country and western genre, Beyoncé received 11 nominations at this year’s Grammy awards. It remains to be seen if the LP will receive the Album of the Year gong, an award that has thus far eluded the former Destiny’s Child member.
Conclusion
2024 was a remarkable year for female pop stars, with many achieving great success and breaking records. From Taylor Swift’s record-breaking tour to Beyoncé’s Grammy nods, the ladies of the music industry shone bright. As the year comes to a close, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for these talented artists.
FAQs
Q: Who was the highest-grossing artist of 2024?
A: Taylor Swift, with her Eras Tour raking in over US$2 billion (RM8.9 billion) in revenue.
Q: Who won the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music?
A: Tyla, for her single Water.
Q: Who is the first artist to have a number one song, album, and movie in the US?
A: Ariana Grande, with her album Eternal Sunshine, single, and movie.
Q: Who is the first musician to become a billionaire solely from her music and performances?
A: Taylor Swift, with her album The Tortured Poets Department and tour.
Q: Who released a tribute album to black musicians’ contributions to the country and western genre?
A: Beyoncé, with her album Cowboy Carter.