Few artists in modern pop have managed to reinvent themselves as boldly and consistently as Charli XCX. From her early bubblegum club bangers to the hyperpop-influenced, critically-lauded sonic experiments of her Brat era, Charli has carved out a uniquely her own space in the global music landscape. Whether you are a longtime fan discovering the best Charli XCX songs from the beginning or a new listener drawn in by her recent cultural explosion, this list covers the essential tracks you need to hear.
Charli XCX, born Charlotte Emma Anning, has released music spanning over a decade, collaborating with industry heavyweights and underground producers alike. She has a rare ability to feel simultaneously ahead of her time and deeply in tune with the cultural moment. If you love great pop music, you can also explore more top songs across genres on GlobalMusicVibe. Here are the 20 best Charli XCX songs of all time, including her greatest hits and standout new releases.
Boom Clap
“Boom Clap” remains one of the most iconic pop songs of the 2010s and a career-defining moment for Charli XCX. Originally written for the soundtrack of The Fault in Our Stars (2014), the track’s euphoric chorus and bright, infectious melody captured the emotional tone of the film perfectly while simultaneously launching Charli into mainstream global consciousness. The song peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum multiple times over, proving that Charli had the commercial songwriting chops to match her artistic credibility.
Break the Rules
Released in 2014 as part of her album Sucker, “Break the Rules” showcased a harder, punkier side of Charli XCX that many fans had not yet seen. Built on a gritty guitar riff and an unapologetically rebellious attitude, the song was a statement of intent that she was not just another manufactured pop star. Its anthemic “I don’t want to go to school” hook resonated strongly with younger audiences and remains one of her most energetic live performances.
I Love It (with Icona Pop)
While technically credited to Icona Pop, “I Love It” was co-written by Charli XCX and served as a significant stepping stone in her career before mainstream recognition. The song became a global smash hit in 2012 and 2013, reaching the top 10 in dozens of countries and becoming one of the defining party anthems of the era. Charli’s knack for writing sharply relatable, emotionally immediate lyrics was on full display, and the track’s explosive energy still hits just as hard today.
Fancy (by Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX)
Another co-write and feature that helped define Charli’s early career, “Fancy” topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2014 and introduced her voice to millions of new listeners. Her memorable hook — a sugary, swaggering earworm — was widely praised as one of the catchiest pop moments of that year. The song demonstrated Charli’s exceptional ability to craft a chorus that feels simultaneously carefree and larger than life.
Unlock It
“Unlock It,” released in 2017 on the mixtape Pop 2, is one of Charli XCX’s most experimental and beloved deep cuts from her hyperpop era. Produced by A. G. Cook, the track features a glitchy, maximalist production style that was years ahead of mainstream pop trends at the time. Its dizzyingly layered synths and Charli’s airy vocal delivery make it a fan-favorite that still sounds thrillingly futuristic today.
1999 (with Troye Sivan)
Released in 2018, “1999” is a joyful, nostalgia-drenched collaboration with Australian pop star Troye Sivan that celebrates the pop culture touchstones of the late nineties. With references to everything from Backstreet Boys to Titanic, the song is a playful time capsule wrapped in a modern electropop production. It became one of Charli’s biggest streaming hits and highlighted her chemistry with collaborators who share her love for self-aware, clever pop songwriting.
Good Ones
“Good Ones,” released in 2021 ahead of her album Crash, marked a pivotal stylistic shift for Charli XCX toward sleeker, more polished pop production. The song’s pulsing synth bassline and bittersweet lyrics about self-sabotage in relationships showed a new level of emotional maturity and accessibility in her writing. It received widespread critical acclaim and became her biggest solo charting single in years, peaking high across European charts and introducing her to a new generation of pop listeners.
Beg for You (ft. Rina Sawayama)
One of the standout tracks from the Crash album (2022), “Beg for You” is a breathtaking collaboration with British-Japanese pop artist Rina Sawayama that channels the euphoric melancholy of early 2000s dance music. The two artists’ voices complement each other beautifully over a production that recalls Y2K pop club tracks with a contemporary polish. The song is an emotional centrepiece of the album and a fan-favourite that regularly features in discussions of the best collaborations in recent pop history.
Used to Know Me
“Used to Know Me,” also from Crash, is a dance-floor-ready anthem built around a sample of Amber’s classic rave track “Yes.” The song’s euphoric energy and Charli’s confident delivery make it one of the most uplifting tracks in her entire discography, and it became a staple of DJ sets and pop playlists alike. It stands as a testament to her ability to bridge nostalgia and freshness in a way few contemporary pop artists can achieve.
Club Classics
Released on her landmark 2024 album Brat, “Club Classics” is a love letter to the underground dance music that shaped Charli’s artistic identity. The track opens with a slinky, minimal groove and builds into one of the album’s most hypnotic moments, with Charli reflecting on the music that made her who she is. It is a deeply personal song wrapped in a deceptively simple production, and it speaks volumes about her authentic connection to club culture.
Von Dutch
“Von Dutch” was one of the lead singles from Brat and immediately became one of the most talked-about songs of 2024. Its propulsive, high-energy production courtesy of A. G. Cook and Cirkut gave it an addictive momentum, while Charli’s deadpan, confident delivery of lines about haters and self-belief made it an instant cultural touchstone. The song became a defining anthem of the Brat era and soundtracked countless viral moments across social media platforms.
360
Perhaps the song that best encapsulates the entire aesthetic of the Brat era, “360” is a stylistic statement wrapped in a razor-sharp pop production. Released as the opening track of Brat, its confident lyrical boasts and name-dropping of influential fashion and music figures set the tone for the entire album’s self-assured worldview. The accompanying music video, featuring a roster of cool-girl internet figures, amplified its cultural impact and helped define the visual identity of the Brat movement.
Apple
“Apple” from Brat (2024) is one of Charli XCX’s most emotionally raw and universally relatable songs, exploring themes of generational patterns and the complicated relationship between children and their parents. Built on a stripped-back, melancholic production, the song’s intimacy stands in contrast to the more aggressive tracks on the album and showcases the range of Charli’s songwriting. It became one of the most shared and emotionally resonant tracks of 2024 across streaming platforms and social media.
Sympathy Is a Knife
“Sympathy Is a Knife” is one of the Brat album’s most intense and emotionally confrontational moments, tackling feelings of jealousy and insecurity with unflinching honesty. The production is angular and abrasive, perfectly matching the turbulent emotions described in the lyrics, and Charli’s vocal performance is one of the most compelling on the entire record. Critics widely praised the track as a highlight of the album and evidence of Charli’s growth as both a songwriter and a confessional artist.
Girl, So Confusing (ft. Lorde)
Originally released on Brat as a solo track, the remix featuring Lorde became one of the most talked-about musical collaborations of 2024. The song explores female rivalry, insecurity, and the complexities of female friendships in the music industry, and Lorde’s verse — in which she responds to Charli’s anxieties with her own — was widely celebrated as one of the most candid moments in recent pop music. It sparked widespread conversation about women in the industry and became a cultural phenomenon beyond just the music itself.
Talk Talk
“Talk Talk” from Brat is a frenetic, high-BPM track that showcases the more abrasive, club-oriented side of Charli’s artistic vision. Produced by A. G. Cook, the track’s aggressive synth stabs and relentless energy make it one of the most physically exhilarating songs in her catalogue. It is a firm favourite in live settings and has been praised for capturing the raw, visceral feeling of being on a dance floor at peak euphoria.
365
One of the newer additions to Charli’s catalogue, “365” from Brat doubles down on the album’s signature hyperpop aesthetic with a production that feels both chaotic and meticulously crafted. The track’s lyrical theme of relentless hustle and self-reinvention aligns perfectly with the Brat ethos, and its bold sonic choices make it one of the more adventurous cuts on an already boundary-pushing album. It has garnered significant attention from music critics as an example of Charli pushing the boundaries of mainstream pop in real time.
Everything Is Romantic
“Everything Is Romantic” is a standout Brat track that leans into lush, almost dreamy production while Charli reflects on love and heightened emotional states with her signature mix of earnestness and irony. The song has been highlighted by fans and critics as one of the more accessible entry points into the Brat album for listeners new to Charli’s more experimental work. Its layered production rewards repeated listening and cements its place among her finest recent work.
Speed Drive
Featured on the Barbie the Movie soundtrack in 2023, “Speed Drive” was a high-octane, retro-futuristic pop gem that became one of the most beloved songs from one of the biggest movie events of that year. The track channels the energy of classic 1980s pop production with a thoroughly modern sheen, and Charli’s playful, assured vocal performance makes it one of her most purely fun recordings to date. It introduced her to an entirely new wave of listeners and demonstrated her versatility as a pop artist operating across multiple cultural contexts.
B2b
Closing out this list is “B2b” from Brat (2024), a track that many fans and critics consider one of the emotional centrepieces of the album. The song explores the intensity of a deeply personal relationship with a vulnerability that is striking even by Charli’s increasingly confessional standards. Its production is spacious and restrained, allowing the lyrical content to breathe and connect, and it serves as a powerful reminder that beneath all of Charli XCX’s artistic bravado lies a genuinely gifted songwriter capable of real emotional depth.
Final Thoughts
Charli XCX’s catalogue is one of the most consistently fascinating and creatively daring in contemporary pop music. From the euphoric mainstream breakthroughs of her early career to the hyperpop experimentation of Pop 2 and the cultural dominance of Brat, she has never stopped pushing forward. Whether you are listening through headphones or earbuds, her music is best experienced with high-quality audio — check out our guides to compare headphones and compare earbuds to find the best gear for your listening experience.
Her ability to evolve while staying true to a uniquely personal artistic vision is what places her in a category of her own among pop artists of her generation. The songs on this list are not just great pop songs — they are documents of an artist in constant, thrilling motion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Charli XCX’s most popular song of all time?
“Boom Clap” is widely regarded as Charli XCX’s most commercially successful solo single, having charted in the top 10 in multiple countries and been certified platinum several times over. However, within her fan community, tracks from the Brat era such as “360” and “Von Dutch” have arguably surpassed it in cultural relevance and critical esteem in recent years.
What album is the Brat era from?
The Brat era refers to Charli XCX’s sixth studio album, Brat, released in June 2024. The album was produced primarily by A. G. Cook and received widespread critical acclaim, with many publications naming it one of the best albums of the year. Its distinctive lime green aesthetic and unapologetically raw lyrical content made it a defining cultural moment in pop music.
Is Charli XCX considered a pop or hyperpop artist?
Charli XCX began her career as a mainstream pop artist but became one of the central figures in the hyperpop movement through her work on the mixtapes Number 1 Angel and Pop 2 (2017), as well as her collaborations with producers like A. G. Cook and SOPHIE. Her most recent work blends hyperpop aesthetics with mainstream pop accessibility, making her difficult to categorise neatly but all the more interesting for it.
What are Charli XCX’s best songs from 2024?
Her best songs from 2024 include “360,” “Von Dutch,” “Apple,” “Sympathy Is a Knife,” “Girl, So Confusing (ft. Lorde),” “Club Classics,” “Talk Talk,” “365,” “B2b,” and “Everything Is Romantic,” all from her critically acclaimed Brat album. The year was widely regarded as one of the most successful and culturally impactful of her entire career.
Did Charli XCX write songs for other artists?
Yes, Charli XCX is a highly accomplished songwriter who has written hits for other artists including “I Love It” for Icona Pop, “Fancy” for Iggy Azalea, and songs for Selena Gomez, Rita Ora, and Melanie Martinez, among others. Her songwriting ability has been recognised across the industry as one of her most significant talents alongside her work as a recording artist.