New chart data from the UK’s Official Charts Company suggests that high-energy pop and dance music are on the decline in 2024, as more folksy singer-songwriters rise in popularity. The first three months of the year saw three out of the four biggest hits come from artists like Noah Kahan, Teddy Swims, and Benson Boone. Kahan’s Stick Season, which debuted back in 2022, was the most popular song of the year after seven weeks at the top of the charts, followed by Swims’ Lose Control, which has been in the top 10 for 13 weeks.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2001 hit Murder on the Dancefloor broke the trend in third place, with Boone’s Beautiful Things coming in fourth. Kahan’s popularity has been on the rise, with his most recent album Stick Season’s deluxe re-release and his collaboration with Sam Fender on the track Homesick propelling him into the mainstream. A Billboard profile on the artist noted his far-reaching influence, calling him a “greater sound of modern pop.”
Swims, a Georgia native, started releasing songs in 2019 but only recently found his stride in a blend of R&B, soul, and rock, culminating in his debut album, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy, and his hit single Lose Control. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Boone rose to fame on TikTok and American Idol, gaining six million followers on the former platform alone.
All three artists bring vulnerability to their music through lyrics and vocal range, incorporating guitar-led tracks with folk elements. The rise of these artists marks a growing interest in storytelling-based guitar music, often found across various genres like country, Americana, and roots. The likeness to country music is familiar, illustrated by the popularity of Beyoncé’s country-inspired album Cowboy Carter.
While the UK’s relationship with country music is nothing new, the genre’s appeal and growing popularity on social media platforms like TikTok demonstrate a desire for easily digestible lyrics and the cowboy aesthetic. With the recent move by Taylor Swift into folk-pop, a door has opened up for more guitar-playing singer-songwriters, marking the beginning of a resurgence of more instrumentation-led repertoire
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