Kurated No. 234
Readers’ Choice 2024
Part 4
PLAYLISTS
• Jan Vochten: Playlist 2 of 3 : 32 songs (2 hrs)
• Full Playlist: 95 songs (6 hrs 15 mins) on Spotify
TRACK LIST
• 32 titles and artists
HEAR AND READ
• Playlist 1 of 3 on Spotify
• Kurated No. 234 Part 4
Today’s playlist features some of the most popular songs and artists of the year worldwide. Previously unknown artists Shaboozey (top) and Chappell Roan had breakout success in 2024. Shaboozey’s folk/rock/country hit A Bar Song (Tipsy) notched 1,039,370,206 plays on Spotify. Roan’s Good Luck, Babe! garnered 1,149,105,084.
Today’s playlist is the second of three sections from Jan Vochten‘s 95-song playlist which has been divided into three for easy and accessible listening.
His playlist contributions to Readers’ Choice have always been slightly epic in length. This year’s offering was trimmed to 95 titles because he left out the classical section.
The 7th Annual Readers’ Choice
One of Kurated’s aims is to share music with you. In turn, readers often mention new music, upcoming concerts, offer musical opinions and more.
Once a year you’re invited to act as guest curators to highlight music that’s caught your attention during the last year in the annual Readers’ Choice series. Anything musical is welcomed whether its new, an old favourite, something self-composed and more.
Thanks to all of you contributors for participating!
18 January 2025
Playlist 2 of 3
THE YEAR’S MOST POPULAR HITS, A REDISCOVERED ARTIST AND OTHERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Jan Vochten’s playlists cover a lot of musical territory. Sifting through the variety will undoubtedly introduce you to engaging artists you’ve never heard as well as longstanding veterans.
Here are a few that caught my ear:
Tucker Zimmerman (Dirk Leunis photo)
• Tucker Zimmerman is an American expat singer-songwriter from the 60’s who eschewed the war in Vietnam and settled in Belgium in the early 70s. While musically active over the years, his career caught an unexpected boost in 2024 from a collaboration with US folk band Big Thief and its singer Adrianne Lenker. They produced the 83 year-old folk singer’s album and Lenker sings back-up on one song while her brother produced a video. The record – Dance of Love – has given Zimmerman new found fame and he’s actively touring.
British singer-songwriter Laura Marling has been recording since 2008
• Laura Marling‘s eighth solo album is winning the 34 year-old UK singer 5 star kudos and sees Patterns in Repeat hovering with a 91 point rating at the top of this week’s Metacritic’s aggregated charts. The album focuses on motherhood and her new family of two children. The Independent writes: “It’s a record that celebrates motherhood as an expansion of creativity, rather than the stifling of it that she had expected.”
Teddy Swims (Everynight Charley photo)
• Teddy Swims’ well received debut disc is I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy. It’s a powerfully sung, soulful, from-the-heart gift to himself and anyone who cares to listen. The Atlanta-based singer admits, “there’s a deep-seated fear within me when it comes to considering therapy. Maybe it’s because I’m afraid of getting answers to questions I didn’t even want. That’s why this album, for me, is my first step into trying to accept that some things are out of my control; and that I can openly talk about my insecurities and hopefully be candid about my issues.”
Other noteworthy musicians in today’s playlist include the UK’s Sarah Alex Sloan, the late Italian Ennio Morricone and Belgium’s Isaac Roux.
