Top essays of 2024
The most-read essays of the year are here! (Plus a few honorable mentions)
Whatta year
I’m continually stunned by the stories shared here on TSCML, and want to extend my heartfelt thanks to every single person who has contributed writing to this project (48 of you this year, 70 in total, and many more on the way in the new year).
Thank you, also, to every reader following along!
You all make this such a special place to be on the internet, and I’m so pleased to be here with you.
x Grace
Top 10 Essays of 2024 🏆
1. Lee Havlicek
Dead Man's Bones’ “My Body’s a Zombie for You” changed my life | Read→
2. JJ Tauil
Kendrick Lamar’s “Institutionalized” changed my life | Read→
3. MJ Sieber
Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al” changed my life | Read→
4. Jonathan Rooke
Vampire Weekend’s “Hannah Hunt” changed my life | Read→
5. Thato Noinyane
Fred again..’s “Kyle (i found you)” changed my life | Read→
6. Elaine Bleakney
Cécile McLorin Salvant’s “Thunderclouds” changed my life | Read→
7. Brandon Madsen
Jackson Browne’s “Something Fine” changed my life | Read→
8. Erin Barnhart
Roy Orbison’s “You Got It” changed my life | Read→
9. Oren Peleg
Gal Costa's “Baby” changed my life | Read→
10. Khanyi Mlaba
Bright Blue’s “Weeping” changed my life | Read→
Honorable mentions 🌸
Here are some other excellent essays from 2024:
🌸 Joe Kubler
Van Morrison’s “Caravan” changed my life | Read→
🌸 Brinna Feist
Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” changed my life | Read→
🌸 Karabo Lediga
Incognito’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” changed my life | Read→
🌸 Duane Lauginiger
“Mother Sent Me to the Store” changed my life | Read→
🌸 Gabi Cinkova
Scott McKenzie’s “San Francisco” changed my life | Read→
Excited for 2025?
I’m honored that you spent time reading TSCML this year, and I have lots of new essays on deck that I’m eager to share with you in the new year.
In 2024, I published 48 Friday essays, 34 Monday Bites, 24 Diary posts, and 12 secret playlists — and our community doubled in size! The future is looking bright…
But the reality is, I can’t afford to keep running TSCML indefinitely without getting more paid subscribers.
(Many 2 a.m. nights, working weekends, and skipped holidays go into this project.)
TSCML is reader-supported, so when you chip in through a paid subscription, you make a concrete impact on its continued existence…
Feeling angelic?
If you’d like to make an even bigger impact on sustaining TSCML, please consider becoming an “Angel” ($250/year) 😇
Bonus: In addition to paid-subscriber-only content, you’ll get a personalized thank you video and a digital portrait of yourself or a loved one.
You know who you are
To those of you who are already paid subscribers, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I see you and I’m so grateful for you <3