As 2024 draws to a close, many people have begun to debate which Dancehall track deserves the honour of being described as the song of the year. Artistes such as Squash, Kraff, Armanii, Kranium and Vybz Kartel are being lorded as some of the biggest hit makers of 2024.
2023 saw the release of hits such as Teejay’s Drift and Byron Messia’s Talibans. The songs not only grabbed the attention of local fans but also brought international recognition for both artistes, with Teejay inking a deal with Warner Music and Byron securing a collaboration and remix with Burna Boy.
On the shortlist of contenders for 2024, declared to be the song for the summer by many Dancehall fans is Armanii’s April 17 release titled HAAD (Fiesta).
After Rvssian reignited major interest in riddim juggling with his Dutty Money Riddim, 2024 saw a resurgence of the beloved Dancehall tradition. DJ Mac’s Fiesta riddim remains a standout, with the beat sampling R. Kelly’s hit song of the same name.
According to the producer, his intent was to deliver an old-school summer vibe with a modern sound, and Armanii delivered, combining modern Dancehall with Fiesta‘s old R&B instrumentals. While Armanii was known for tracks like Dunce Barbie, the song HAAD (Fiesta) breathed new life into his career.
The song was a staple on YouTube trending, it made the young artiste land his first major corporate deal with Flow Jamaica, and has so far acquired over 13 million views and 127,000 likes on YouTube.
Another prominent single of 2024 was also a Fiesta riddim release, Kraff’s 100 Watt. The track was released June 13, and like HAAD, 100 Watt was jointly produced by DJ MAc and Crash Dummy.
At the time of the track’s release, Kraff was still on a high from his late December release, Nursery Rhymes. 100 Watt became another favourite for Kraff’s fanbase, and the deejay would go on to release another notable local hit, Ikation.
Produced by Slingerz Records, The Budu Dem, and BlackSpyda Records, Ikation shows off the deejay’s more gritty style in contrast to 100 Watt‘s more party-driven lyrics.
Ikation, Kraff’s second most-viewed song for the year, has acquired over 8.8 million views and 68,000 likes since its release in September, while 100 Watt has acquired over 6.3 million views and 67,000 likes on YouTube.
After reports that he had been detained in Florida on immigration-related charges by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, Squash went on a hiatus. Following the reported 2023 incident, the Montego Bay native returned with several notable tracks for 2024.
For many, his single Big Breeze remains a standout, not only from his releases this year but also as one of the best Dancehall releases. Produced by Attomatic Records/6ix Real Records, Big Breeze‘s hard-hitting lyrics were a declaration of the deejay’s supremacy and that of his 6ix Camp.
The single was released on April 21 and has amassed over 21 million views and 125,000 likes.
Changing up the pace of the summer’s party-fuelled and hard-hitting tracks, Kranium’s Higher Life provided Dancehall fans with some Reggae-like energy. While still unmistakably Dancehall, Kranium’s collaboration with Chronic Law offered fans a chill backdrop for summer fun with its positive and aspirational lyrics.
The Cj The Chemist-produced song was released on May 15, acquiring over 7.6 million views and 63,000 likes since its release.
It is nearly impossible to discuss a Dancehall artiste’s impact in 2024 without the inclusion of Vybz Kartel. The deejay received his long-awaited freedom this summer, and fans eagerly anticipated his first musical release.
Prior to Kartel being declared a free man, many questioned if the artiste would be able to return to his place at the top of the Dancehall arena. It did not take long for Kartel to release his first track, with The Comet arriving on September 13, a little over a month after his prison release.
While reviews were mixed, fans propelled the track to the top of trending, where it maintained supremacy for weeks. To date, The Comet has amassed more than 10.1 million views and 255,000 likes.
If we had to select one of the several songs mentioned, Yardhype would select Squash’s Big Breeze as the song of 2024.
