Noah Kahan, Teddy Swims and Benson Boone: US singer-songwriters are pop’s breakout stars

In 2024, if new chart data is anything to go by, we’ll see vibrant pop and dance music, as well as folk-tinged singer-songwriters.

Kahan’s painful fork truck stick seasonwas originally released in 2022 and became the most popular song in the first three months of this year after staying at the top of the charts for seven weeks.

Swimming addiction themed lose control After spending the past 13 weeks inside the top 10, it sits at number two.

Kahan’s appetite for music in particular has been steadily increasing. The recent deluxe re-release of his third studio album, also titled ‘Stick Season’, and collaboration with Brit Award winner Sam Fender on ‘Homesick’ have propelled the 27-year-old into the mainstream helped propel him to stardom.

Elements of his “detailed storytelling, vulnerable vocals” [and] The dirty guitar strumming, which can lead songs anywhere from folk to rock to country to pop, can also be heard in other artists, the music magazine said.

Swims’ rise to stardom was a little different. The 31-year-old Georgia native has been releasing his music since 2019, but only recently has he perfected his sound, which blends R&B, soul, and rock.

“Lose Control” was included on his first album, “I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy,” which was released last year, but failed to break into the UK Top 20 at the time.

Boone is also a newcomer, having made a name for himself on TikTok and American Idol, but decided to leave the TV talent show after passing an audition.

“Beautiful Things” is his biggest hit to date and appears on his debut album “Fireworks and Rollerblades,” released Friday.

The 21-year-old has been able to generate a level of hype about his music online thanks to his over 6 million followers on TikTok, which helped push the song onto the charts. In fact, all three of his have been fueled by his social media success.

All three also bring vulnerability to their music through their lyrics and vocal range, choosing to incorporate folk elements into their guitar-driven tracks.

Meanwhile, another emerging American singer-songwriter, Michael Markazi, is about to embark on his first UK tour.

Martin Talbot, who runs the Official Chart Company, told the BBC that they were all “staking out the rights to drums and guitars in the top 10 of the current Official Singles Chart”.

“In recent years, there has been a growing interest in guitar and storytelling music that spans country, Americana, folk and roots,” he added.

Katie Atkinson, Billboard’s executive digital director, said of the magazine: pop shop podcast He said the rise of this new singer was a “state-driven trend.”

She said artists like Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs and Zach Bryan have had huge success in the U.S. over the past year, but they “set themselves apart” from more obvious country singers. Ta.

Country music certainly has its fans in the UK, but it hasn’t yet achieved the same level of success there.

Beyoncé’s country-inspired album “Cowboy Carter,” released last week, could help boost the genre on radio and streaming playlists this year.

The first single from the album, “Texas Hold’em”, sits at No. 7 on the list of this year’s biggest hits so far, after spending four weeks at No. 1 in February and March.

Country music journalist and podcaster Holly Smith said songs like “Stick Season” resonate with listeners because they cover a theme.

“Noah Kahan is vulnerable and honest and has an emotional heart that connects with people,” she told the BBC. “He’s able to blend it with a very traditional rock and pop sound that’s catchy and draws people in.”

Of all the up-and-coming stars, Boone is the least attuned to the country sound, she says. “But his lyrics are confessional and have an acoustic vibe, so they fit well into country and it’s easy to see how people make that connection.”

The relationship between Britain and country music is certainly not new. The Country Music Association’s Country to Country Festival has featured established American stars such as Brad Paisley and Carly Pearce, and has sold out arenas in cities such as London and Glasgow for more than a decade. About this year’s lineup.

The genre connects well with fans on TikTok, Smith said. “Country music has a very simple, conversational storytelling that always makes it resonate, and social media loves that because social media has the ability to boil things down and distill them down. Because there is a way,” she says.

Smith added that the “easy-to-understand lyrics” and cowboy aesthetic all help increase its appeal to viewers.

Another artist who originally started out in the country scene is Taylor Swift, whose fans have adopted the cowboy hat as part of her uniform on her current Ella tour. Her recent move into folk-pop may be another factor that opened the door to more guitar-playing singer-songwriters.

Martin Talbot has seen the impact of a new wave of stars on the charts so far this year.

“In recent years, we’ve probably seen a resurgence of a more instrumental repertoire after a period of predominantly beat-based pop music,” he says.