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The Contenders, Vol. 16: The songs we can't stop playing this week

NPR | By Anamaria Artemisa Sayre,

Lars Gotrich, Robin Hilton

Published September 10, 2024 at 9:09 AM EDT

Angélica Garcia's "El Que" is one of the songs we can't stop playing this week.

The latest update to our running list of the year's best songs includes the wild, shape-shifting rock of Caleb Landry Jones, dystopian grooves from Angélica Garcia, a searing look at infidelity from singer-songwriter Damien Jurado and more.

Alt.Latino's Anamaria Sayre joins NPR Music producer Lars Gotrich and host Robin Hilton as they share their latest contenders for the best tracks of 2024.

Featured songs and artists:

1. Caleb Landry Jones: "Hey Dawn," from Hey Gary, Hey Dawn
2. Angélica Garcia: "El Que," from Gemelo
3. Damien Jurado & The Fremont Abbeye: "Sheets ('24)," from Sheets ('24)
4. Laura Marling: "Patterns," from Patterns In Repeat
5. Carlos Ares: "Cigarra," from Peregrino
6. Melt-Banana: "Stopgap," from 3+5

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Anamaria Artemisa Sayre

Anamaria Sayre is a multimedia producer for NPR Music with a focus on elevating Latinx stories and music. She's the producer for Alt.Latino, NPR's pioneering radio show and podcast celebrating Latin music and culture, and the curator of Latin artists at the Tiny Desk.

Lars Gotrich

Listen to the Viking's Choice playlist, subscribe to the newsletter.

See stories by Lars Gotrich

Robin Hilton

Robin Hilton is a host and senior producer for the All Songs Considered podcast and Tiny Desk, a series he helped create -- and named -- in 2008.

See stories by Robin Hilton

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