The Best Songs Released in October 2024

Happy November 🙂 here are our picks for the best songs released in October 2024!

Also – don’t forget to vote if you’re eligible!!!!!

Noteworthy album & EP releases:
TRENCH, Audrey Nuna
with you in spirit, Balance and Composure
Melt, Beach Weather
Tell My Therapist I’m Fine, Bishop Briggs
SABLE, Bon Iver
show time, Buffchick
Honey, Caribou
East My Love, Current Joys
I SHOULD CALL THEM, Dua Saleh
Another Touch, Elderbrook
For Cryin’ Out Loud!, Finneas
ache in my tooth, flowerovlove
With A Lightning Strike, Genevieve Stokes
See You At The Maypole, Half Waif
A Modern Day Distraction, Jake Bugg
Glimmer of God, Jean Dawson
Lively Premonition, Jordana
OBSERVATIONS FROM A CROWDED ROOM, Joy Oladokun
The Great Impersonator, Halsey
What a Relief, Katie Gavin
Tension II, Kylie Minogue
Patterns in Repeat, Laura Marling
Leon, Leon Bridges
No Obligation, The Linda Lindas
Older (and Wiser), Lizzy McAlpine
Everyone Needs a Hero, Orla Gartland
Magpie, Peach Pit
Memory of a Day, Phantogram
Mirror Starts Moving Without Me, Pom Pom Squad
The Drive Home, Samara Cyn
coin toss, Sierra Spirit
Sofía Valdés, Sofía Valdés
Pure Bliss Forever, Sydney Ross Mitchell
wings, thûy
born blue, Tommy Lefroy
Wonderland, Vienna Vienna

In chronological order:

“Easy” – Sierra Spirit
Release date – October 10

Singer-songwriter Sierra Spirit released her debut EP, Coin Toss, on October 10—a six-track project showcasing her beautiful vocals, understated production, and introspective lyrics reminiscent of artists like Phoebe Bridgers and Lizzy McAlpine. Hailing from Tulsa Oklahoma, the home of both her tribes (Otoe-Missouria and Keetoowah Cherokee) Spirit finds inspiration from her cultural background as part of the Native community.

Despite “easy” being the lowest streamed track on the EP, sitting at just about 3,000 plays (on Spotify), it’s definitely the one that resonated with me the most. “easy” tells the painfully relatable story about allowing someone to treat you poorly and how it’s seemingly “easy” for that person to act like they don’t care about you while simulatenously controlling your every thought and move. It’s a beautiful ode to toxic relationships and I’m sure once more people hear it and discover Sierra’s music, they’ll find even more ways to relate. – Kristin

“APT” – Rose ft. Bruno Mars
Release date – October 18

Blackpink’s Rosé has made an electrifying solo debut with her new single, “APT.” This track, inspired by a popular Korean drinking game, captures an upbeat, carefree energy that feels both fun and spontaneous. Known for her sultry vocals and charisma, Rosé brings a unique twist to the song’s playful theme, blending her distinct style with lyrics that invite listeners to join in on the fun. The song’s lively beat and catchy chorus make it a perfect anthem for fans ready to celebrate and unwind, as it draws on the thrill and camaraderie that come with classic party games.

Teaming up with Bruno Mars for “APT” was a brilliant choice. Mars’s knack for upbeat, feel-good music shines here, adding a retro pop and R&B vibe that complements Rosé’s vocals perfectly. His influence is unmistakable in the song’s groove and layered harmonies, giving the track a universal appeal that’s bound to resonate beyond just K-pop audiences. Together, Rosé and Mars have crafted a track that feels fresh yet timeless, blending cultural influences into a fun, dance-worthy hit that’s sure to become a staple on playlists everywhere. – Jesse 

“(Isn’t It) Obvious” – Alessia Cara
Release date – October 21

Alessia Cara’s new song, “(Isn’t It) Obvious,” marks a captivating return for the artist, blending her signature lyrical depth with a touch of laid-back, soulful sound. The track explores themes of self-reflection and relationships, capturing the bittersweet moments when we’re forced to confront feelings that were there all along. Cara’s smooth, expressive vocals give the song a relatable warmth, inviting listeners to connect with the story in a very personal way. It’s introspective yet irresistibly catchy, a combination that Cara has always excelled at.

Adding to the magic of “(Isn’t It) Obvious” is a standout collaboration with John Mayer, whose unmistakable guitar work elevates the track with a rich, bluesy solo. Mayer’s signature style fits seamlessly into the song’s tone, bringing a depth and texture that complements Cara’s voice beautifully. His guitar solo is a perfect balance of subtlety and emotion, adding a hint of classic rock vibes to the track. Fans of both artists are thrilled by this unexpected pairing, as Mayer’s contribution gives “(Isn’t It) Obvious” an extra layer of soulfulness that makes it even more memorable. – Jesse 

“Aquamarine” – Addison Rae
Release date – October 25

Addison Rae’s latest release, “Aquamarine,” has quickly turned into a viral sensation, capturing TikTok by storm and inspiring countless Halloween costumes across the platform. The song showcases Rae’s shift toward a more mature, introspective sound, with lush, dreamy production that feels worlds away from her earlier releases.

Fans are raving about the evolution in her music, applauding her exploration of new sonic territory and emotional depth. The music video for “Aquamarine,” directed by the renowned Sean Price Williams and creatively helmed by Mel Ottenberg of Interview magazine, is equally mesmerizing. Together, they’ve crafted a stunning visual experience that perfectly complements the song’s mood, blending high fashion with a soft, surreal aesthetic. The video has everyone talking, as Rae’s distinct, edgy new look feels like a bold statement about her artistic direction. – Jesse

“That’s Life” – Declan McKenna
Release date – October 25

The indie king goes indie. That is exactly how Declan McKenna announced the fact that, after releasing three full-length albums under his former record label, he’s now officially a fully independent artist. And funnily enough, this is the first time he’s released anything independently since “Brazil,” his 2015 single that is one of the reasons for some of his new-found fame in the past few years (Thanks Tiktok, I guess). As part of a double A-side, “That’s Life” has received a lot less attention than its other half “Champagne” –which to be fair is also an amazing song– but can be even catchier in my opinion and will hopefully be received just as well.

Both the instrumental and melody seem a bit more everyone-friendly than a lot of other Declan singles, but still undoubtedly includes all of the ambiguousness and abstract meanings McKenna’s lyrics are known to have (re: his entire discography). It’s indie pop at its core, and also proof that Declan’s years under a label didn’t destroy his soul and artistry, because the music is really not that far off from what he’s been already releasing. I can’t wait to see how Declan plans to experiment with this new freedom, because (fingers crossed) it can only get better from here. – Javi

“The Baton” – Katie Gavin
Release date – October 25

Yet again, I’ve opted to include a song by MUNA’s Katie Gavin in our monthly round-up! I can’t help but shout out all of her music that she’s released over the past couple months because it’s just so beautiful. I got to see Gavin open for Bleachers in Los Angeles this past September, and we were graced with the opportunity of hearing some of Gavin’s unreleased songs from her debut album, What A Relief, which dropped on October 25. “The Baton” is definitely the stand-out track for me, and hearing it live before hearing the recorded version was such a treat. Gavin performed solo, switching between playing an acoustic guitar and a fiddle, and hearing the different versions of the same song was such a treat.

“The Baton” is a perfectly-written track (in my humble opinion) about generational trauma and how your relationship with your mother and what you learn from your family is passed on throughout families. I admire Gavin’s vulnerability on the track—and for many songs on the album—where she writes about these concepts frequently. Gavin’s sound is much more folksy and singer-songwriter on this album, which is quite different than MUNA’s electro-pop sound. But Gavin sounds right at home here as much as she does as the front woman of MUNA, and it’s an amazing showcase of her talent and artistry. – Kristin

“Yoke” – Medium Build, Julien Baker
Release date – October 25

I wasn’t raised in any sort of religious upbringing, I consider myself to be pretty agnostic and I’ve only ever been in church for weddings and funerals. With that being said, it usually takes a pretty powerful song to impact me when it comes to the trauma that many people my age deal with after growing up in a religious household and/or community.

However, the people who could do this better than anyone are definitely Julien Baker and Medium Build, two artists who have discussed their relationships with religion at length in a lot of their music, so it makes total sense that their collaboration in “Yoke” came to fruition. I actually didn’t know before this collaboration was announced that they became friends in college and bonded over their shared experience in church, and this song touches on growing up queer in the southern church.

Given their long friendship, it’s fitting for Baker to feature on the track where they sing, “I gave them my youth, made some lifelong friends, who no longer acknowledge me,” capturing the essence of feeling shunned from a community you gave so much to. – Kristin

she’s everything but mine – Thomas Headon
Release date – October 25

Up until recently, Aussie artist Thomas Headon has always had an almost goofy approach to his music and songwriting. His lyrics have always been simple and fun, usually accompanied by funky instrumentals that bring a DIY-feeling to his overall sound—it’s what I would describe as music that is more based on the vibes than on the meaning behind it. But the 24-year-old just went through a major breakup with a long-term girlfriend, and naturally released his best project yet.

I did in fact add his new EP wasn’t a fighting kid to my personal “best albums of 2024” list –which you will hear more about in the upcoming months– but I chose “she’s everything but mine” as my current favorite track because it’s one that I think perfectly encapsulates the growth he’s (still) going through both personally and artistically. The lo-fi, handcrafted energy that Headon seems to be fond remains as one of the layers in this song, a track that also seems to be heavily inspired by The 1975’s Being Funny In A Foreign Language record, particularly songs like “Looking For Somebody (To Love)” and “Wintering.” The free-falling cadance and kind of rambling approach to the lyrics and vocals feels like our boy really just needs to let off some steam and put into words how the breakup has hit him.

It’s so refreshing and makes me so happy to see him finally feel so free and vulnerable in his music, even if it comes from a place of pain. I believe he was forced to reconstruct himself in some ways, one of them being the way he approaches his music, turning it into an emotional outlet. – Javi