2024 has been an eventful year for the music industry, with new releases from multiple big artists, it’s safe to say that there’s a lot to talk about. This summer has been a great time for new releases in the music world. These include “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” by Billie Eilish, “brat” by Charli XCX, and “Short n’ Sweet” by Sabrina Carpenter. Starting off with an album that debuted number two on the Billboard 200, Billie Eilish’s “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT”. This album was released on May 17, 2024 and is Billie’s third album. Prior to dropping this album, Billie had just gotten out of a relationship with singer-songwriter Jesse Rutherford, which had an immense impact on the overall theme of the album. This album shows off some of Billie’s amazing vocals in songs like “THE GREATEST” and “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”, but also shows off her poetic lyricism. The album shows a more vulnerable and unique side of Billie that she hasn’t  shown before. Reese Oehler, a student here at Herriman High said that Billie Eilish is “a really talented artist and I love her different types of songs.” Lidia Anderson, another student here at Herriman High said that “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” is a good album because “the lyrics have a deep meaning to them and the melodies are so beautiful.” Overall, “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” has definitely impacted Billie’s career and the music industry. 

 Another album that has gone viral this summer is “brat” by Charli XCX. This album was released June 7, 2024 by British pop star Charli XCX. Some popular songs from this album include “Apple” and “360” which have gone viral through different social media platforms such as Tiktok and Instagram. But, there is one song in particular that is being talked about for the drama surrounding it and who it might be about. The song “Sympathy is a knife” is rumored to be about American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, which obviously sparks up some drama from both Taylor Swift and Charli XCXs fan bases. One lyric in particular shades Taylor Swift for her previous relationship with Matty Healy, the main singer of “The 1975.” It says “Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show. Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up quickly.” This would make sense since Charli XCX is dating George Daniel, who is also in “The 1975.” 

One last album that was released this summer is “Short n’ Sweet” by Sabrina Carpenter. This album has been blowing up not only over social media, but also in the charts. Sabrina released the hit single “Espresso” in late May. This song blew up for its off-kilter phrasing and its overall summer vibe. It could be considered as “The song of the summer.” The release was closely followed up by her next single “Please Please Please” which went viral for the music video, since it featured her then boyfriend Barry Keoghan, which was a risky move. Then, on August 23, 2024, Sabrina dropped her album “Short n’ Sweet.” This album featured her two main singles along with other catchy songs such as “Taste.” Sadie Kogelschatz, a student here at Herriman High said that she loves the song “Taste because it’s so catchy.” Overall, this album is a flirty, fun album that shows off Sabrina’s talent. 2024 has been an amazing summer for music, showing off new talent and new skills from artists we know and love.