Franklin Avenue

In no particular order, I've selected the favorite tracks from 2024's playlists for my 23nd annual Choice Cuts end-of-year mix. And once again I am doing my Casey Kasem impression and turned it into a radio show as well. Here ya go:

Michael Schneider · 2024 Choice Cuts Radio Show

Also, check out the Choice Cuts 2024 YouTube playlist here, or stream the full playlist on Spotify playlist here.

Or you can listen and watch each one below!

1. "Cinderella" — Remi Wolf

Last year's Choice Cuts comp featured Remi Wolf on a duet with Benny Sings, but this year we have her solo. The Palo Alto native released her second album, "Big Ideas," in 2024 , featuring her biggest hit to date, "Cinderella." Let's go hang with her and the boys in the hotel lobby!

2. "Love Me Not (feat. Rex Orange County)" — Ravyn Lenae

The original version of Ravyn Lenae's track "Love Me Not" appears on her album "Birds Eye," which was released in August. She later released a remix of the song featuring new vocals from Rex Orange County. It's perhaps an unexpected collab, but their voices truly mesh.

3. "Cheerleader" — Porter Robinson

Born in Atlanta and raised in Chapel Hill, electronic music producer Porter Robinson crafted a fast paced, catchy tune for his first release in two years. A song about parasocial relationships, "Cheerleader" meshes emo with synthpop. It's pretty irresistable.

4. "Every Night Every Morning" — Maoli

Originally released by the country duo Maddie & Tae in 2022, the song "Every Night Every Morning" got a Hawaiian reggae makeover by the group Maoli, led by Glenn Awong. You couldn't escape this song in Hawai'i this summer, and for good reason.

5. "DANCE NOW" — JOEY VALENCE & BRAE

No, it's not an old Beastie Boys track. Hailing from Pennsylvania, Joey Valence and Brae bring plenty of bravado and humor to a dope beat. We DIY, yeah we're Etsy.

6. "Take A Bite" — beabadoobee

We featured Beabadoobee's song "Talk" in our 2022 Choice Cuts mix. This time out we've got the lead single from her third album "This Is How Tomorrow Moves." Beabadoobee once again takes us back to the 90s with an another infectious tune, "Take A Bite," in which she embraces her chaotic side. Go ahead, take a bite.

7. "Starburster" — Fontaines D.C.

Formed in 2014 and based in Ireland, rock band Fontaines D.C. released their fourth album "Romance" in 2024 and hit it big with "Starburster," which was named song of the year by Spin and landed a Grammy nom for best alternative music performance.

8. "Hell of A Ride" — Nourished By Time

Marcus Brown, a.k.a. Nourished By Time's 2024 EP "Catching Chickens" features the track "Hell of a Ride" which now feels a bit prescient... is it really about proclaiming the end of late-stage capitalism and the fall of America as we know it? Well, it has been a hell of a ride. Sigh.

9. "Love To Walk Away" — The Vaccines

Formed in West London n 2010, The Vaccines have already released six albums, including most recently 2024's "Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations." That title was inspired by Don McLean's "American Pie" as frontman Justin Young decided to make an album about the "loss of dreams." "Love to Walk Away" set that tone.

10. "Don't Forget Me" — Maggie Rogers

Maggie Rogers kicked off 2024 by releasing her third album "Don't Forget Me," and even sneak previewing the title track on New Year's Day. Turns out we didn't forget her this year.

11. "You Need Me Now? (feat. Sabrina Carpenter)" — girl in red

During Taylor Swift's lengthy Eras tour, both Girl in Red and Sabrina Carpenter served as opening acts. So it probably was inevitable that they would collab on their own track together. It was a big year for Sabrina Carpenter, and she's featured here backing up Girl in Red on "You Need Me Now."

12. "BODYGUARD" — Beyoncé

In yet another groundbreaking year for Beyonce, she played with various genres, especially of course country, on her eighth album "Cowboy Carter" and then ended the year breaking records as the halftime extravaganza during the Christmas Day NFL games. This was my favorite song off Cowboy Carter, the 70s-ish "Bodyguard."

13. "blindspot" — Charlotte Sands

Off her LP "Can We Start Over," Charlotte Sands channels the 1990s -- hey it seems to be a common theme here -- in "Blindspot." In the song, Charlotte opines over falling in love with a friend. Sands says she was inspired by artists like Michelle Branch and Jewel in "Blindspot." Take a listen.

14. "Just My Luck" — Obongjayar

Obongjayar is a Nigerian singer based in London, real name Steven Umoh. His music mixes soul, electronic music, hip hop influences, Afrobeat and more. And then there's that falsetto voice he uses in the catchy tune "Just My Luck." You won't be able to get him shouting "Lucky! Lucky" out of your head. But don't worry, it's just your luck.

15. "Lego Ring (feat. Lil Yachty)" — Faye Webster

Faye Webster and Lil Yachty were middle school pals in Atlanta, and then took different creative paths. And yet, Faye's indie folk rock and Yachty's trap and rap background both come from experimental places. So of course, it completely works to bring them together on "Lego Ring." Stay in touch with your childhood friends!

16. "Sexy to Someone" — Clairo

Clairo, the performing name for Claire Cottrill, received a Grammy nomination for her third album "Charm," featuring tracks like Sexy to Someone, a plea for love that is nevertheless bright and groovy.

17. "Otherside (feat. Holly Walker) — Maribou State

Maribou State is an electronic music duo out of the UK featuring Chris Davids and Liam Ivory. But they regularly work with singer Holly Walker, who shows up here in the track "Otherside," off their upcoming album "Hallucinating Love."

18. "Right Back to It (feat. MJ Lenderman)" — Waxahatchee

Waxahatchee, the band project from Katie Crutchfield, wowed critics this year with "Tigers Blood," her sixth album. Nominated for a Grammy as best Americana album, "Tigers Blood" features the power collab between Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman. Inspired by classic country duets, "Right Back to It" was named one of the best singles of the year by the New York Times. Let's get right back to it.

19. "squabble up" — Kendrick Lamar

You'd think winning his battle with Drake via the instant classic "Not Like Us" would make enough of a victorious year for Kendrick Lamar. But in November he dropped the surprise album "GNX." That album immediately cemented Kendrick's MVP status in 2024; the track "Squabble Up" I particularly love, of course, thanks to the "When I Hear Music" Debbie Deb sample.

20. "Pretending" — FLETCHER

Fletcher, real name Cari Elise Fletcher, released her second full-length album this year, "In Search of the Antidote," featuring the track "Pretending." Fletcher says the song is about having that person at that back of your mind who makes you keep wondering, " Is it going to be us that end up together one day?" For now, we'll both keep on pretending.

21. "Good Luck, Babe!" — Chappell Roan

When Chappell Roan announced the release of her single "Good Luck Babe," she described it as the "first song of the next chapter" and she was most certainly right. It was a big year for the singer, although that did come with plenty of controversy over her struggles with fame. I try not to include too many mega hits on this list, but NPR named it the best pop song of the year and "Good Luck Babe" continues to be a grand, anthemic listen.

22. "Nothing Would Change" — The Linda Lindas

They've come a long way from the LA Public Library. You heard the Linda Lindas' hit "Growing Up" this summer in "Inside Out 2," and more recently the Linda Lindas released their second album, "No Obligation." As they prepare to embark on a North American tour in 2025, the Linda Lindas are truly growing up. And this track, "Nothing Would Change," takes another melancholic look at how growing up means that, well, everything changes.

23. "Crown" — Billie Marten

UK singer songwriter Billie Marten has been playing the song "Crown" in concert for some time, but finally released a recording of the song, which Billie describes as "a song of longing, of accepting who you are, a truthful interlude." Try on this "Crown."

24. "Girl, so confusing (featuring lorde)" — Charli XCX

This may be one of my favorite music moments of the whole year. The original "Girl, So Confusing" appears on Charli XCX's album "Brat," which took the world by storm. In it, she talks about her rivalry with another musician. In this remix, we find out who it is: Lorde, who adds a verse as the two air out their issues -- and promise to break the Internet in the process.

25. "God Gave Me Feet For Dancing (feat. Yazmin Lacey)" — Yazmin Lacey & Ezra Collective

For their third album, "Dance, No One's Watching," Ezra Collective partnered with London singer Yazmin Lacey to give us the smooth, jazz-infused groove "God Gave Me Feet For Dancing." Bandleader Femo Koleoso says the song is meant to look at dancing in a more spirtual capacity. "It's our God-given ability to share away the badness of life and dance instead." Something to remember as we head into 2025.

It was our biggest walk yet. Thanks to the recent Los Angeles Times feature on the Great Los Angeles Walk, hundreds of Angelenos joined us on Saturday morning, Nov. 23, at Exposition Park (and at the oldest palm tree in Los Angeles) to kick off the 19th annual Great Los Angeles Walk. This year, we were inspired by the day's USC vs. UCLA game (as well as my son at UCLA and nephew at USC) to walk from USC to UCLA — about 13 and a half miles.

And it was a beautiful day for a walk. The temperature was mild (not too cold, not too hot) and the rain stayed away (other then a bit of a mist, particularly by the end of the walk -- but it was a welcome, refreshing mist!). There was plenty of serendipity along the way too, as walkers were treated to all sorts of extra experiences along the way. That started with free copies of the L.A. Times' walking issue, as well as free hats and water bottles from the folks at Noom.

After a few words, I introduced L.A. Times' Wellness editor Alyssa Bereznak to say a few words about the issue. I shouted out Cat and Steve Whalen, the now-married couple who first met a few years ago on the walk, and gave everyone the rundown on the day. And then we were off!

First thing, we checked out check out the Natural History Museum's new NHM Commons wing, featuring Gnatalie the dinosaur and Barbara Carrasco's recently installed landmark mural “LA History: A Mexican Perspective.

After the NHM Commons, we started heading north on Vermont and then moved west on 24th street, checking out some of the historic homes as we made our way to Normandie — where we headed back north.

At Washington, we ducked into the Angelus Rosedale Cemetery, where the old, turn-of-the-century gravestones are fascinating to see. Also as we kicked off on Washington, there was a special treat: The "Meeting of Styles" event, featuring street/graffiti artists from all over the world, creating new designs in alleys and in various places. Different hubs also featured music, vendors and other cool things.

That included the new art for the Hungarian Cultural Center. And there was event some tribute to Ray Charles, whose memorial library, Ray Charles Square, recording studio and even post office were in the area.

This may have been the most art-intensive street; besides the "Meeting of Styles" street art, there were murals throughout Washington Blvd. There's also arts institutions like the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center and many, many art galleries.

Later, a lucky handful of us hit the 7th Ave. Garden just as creator/founder David Horvitz was there to open the gate and allow us explore. See, serendipity!

Mid way through, walkers found plenty of places to eat. The Pacific French Bakery offered walkers a deal (their famous french roll, free with purchase of a treat), while plenty of folks discovered Re/creation cafe. And Roscoe's Chicken n Waffles (where a bunch of us had lunch) is always a hit.

Making our way to Culver City, we visited the Helms Bakery complex, the Culver Steps, the Culver Hotel, City Hall, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Veterans Memorial Park. We then headed north on Overland (got to see the "Crapi Apartments") and then turned west on Pico, in time for the Apple Pan.

Heading north on Westwood, there were plenty more sights to see, including the UCLA Nimoy Theatre and later, the free Hammer museum. We ended our day at the Broxton Brewery & Public House, right next to the Broxton Plaza Holiday Market — were the tree was lit and Santa was in full force.

What a day! Thanks to everyone who made all of the trek, some of it, or even just helped give rides to their friends. Check out The Great Los Angeles Walk's Instagram feed for more pics, and the hashtags #glaw and #greatlawalk for more as well.

But here are just a few highlights from the day:

At the Natural History Museum's new NHM Commons entrance: Barbara Carrasco's recently installed landmark mural “LA History: A Mexican Perspective"

Walkers checking out the brand-new NHM Commons wing

Also in the new NHM Commons wing: Gnatalie the dinosaur!

Looks to be a pretty harmless prank on game day: Someone spelling "UCLA" out in from of the USC campus in... baby powder?

At the Bird's Nest Cafe, one of the businesses we may have overwhelmed today

I mean, when you're playing the Lotto, this can't hurt, right?

Walkers check out the West Adams homes on 24th street.

Street art under way as part of "Meeting of Styles"

With Steve and Cat Whalen, our Great LA Walk marriage success story! Let us know if there are any more!

SCOOP: We found where those delivery robots live!

Fantastic new Ray Charles mural

The Hungarian Cultural Center gets a glow-up

7th Avenue Garden creator David Horvitz happened to be at the gate, about to show some people who want to hold an event there, when we showed up. It was total luck of the draw that we got to see it.