The Tracks Choreographers Couldn't Stop Using
Walk into any regional comp this spring and you'd hear the same songs echoing through ballrooms from Orlando to Sacramento. That's the thing about lyrical dance music — when a track hits, it hits, and every choreographer in the country reaches for it at once. 2024 delivered a handful of those rare songs that work across age groups, skill levels, and emotional registers. Here are the ones that actually defined the year on the floor.
"Beautiful Things" — Benson Boone
This was the song of the comp season, full stop. Boone's vocal build from hushed verse to full-chorus belt gave dancers exactly the kind of dynamic arc they need. You could watch five different routines to this track in a single weekend and each one told a different story — grief, gratitude, letting go. The piano-to-explosion structure practically choreographs itself, which is both its strength and why so many judges started groaning by April.
"Saturn" — SZA
SZA's ballad became a favorite for older teen and senior solos. The tempo sits in that sweet spot where a dancer can actually breathe between movements without losing the audience. Choreographers like Talia Favia and Andrew Winghart leaned into its contemplative mood, and their convention pieces pushed it further into the lyrical mainstream.
"Lose Control" — Teddy Swims
Swims' raw, cracking vocal does half the emotional work before a dancer even moves. The song showed up most in duets and trios — the swelling chorus gives partners natural moments to reach, lift, and separate. It's harder needle to thread than people realize: you need dancers who can match that level of vocal vulnerability without tipping into melodrama.
"Too Sweet" — Hozier
Hozier has been lyrical-dance gold since "Take Me to Church," but "Too Sweet" brought something different — a playful swagger that worked for jazz-lyrical hybrids. The groove underneath the melody gave choreographers permission to play with rhythm accents instead of just sustained lines. Refreshing after a year of straight-ahead emotional ballads.
"Wildflower" — Billie Eilish
This one crept up on people. Not the obvious single, not the loudest track, but choreographers who found it early built stunning pieces around its whispered intimacy. Best used for contemporary-lyrical crossovers where the dancer stays grounded and close to the floor. The sparse production means nowhere to hide — every movement choice gets exposed.
"The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" — Taylor Swift
The Tortured Poets album dropped right in the middle of nationals prep, and this track's bridge section — that explosive, almost-violent build — became an instant favorite for high-impact solos. It demands a dancer who can hold stillness and then detonate. Not for beginners.
"BIRDS OF A FEATHER" — Billie Eilish (yes, two entries)
Eilish showing up twice says something about where lyrical music is heading — softer, more intimate, less reliant on big orchestral swells. This one worked beautifully for younger dancers and groups. The repetitive hook gives formations natural synchronization moments, and the warmth in the vocal suits pieces about friendship and connection.
"i love you, i'm sorry" — Gracie Abrams
Abrams had a real moment in 2024, and choreographers latched onto this track's fragile honesty. It's become a go-to for emotional solos in the 12-14 age range — the lyrics hit that adolescent heartbreak frequency without feeling overwrought. The stripped-back production rewards clean technique over theatrics.
What This Year Told Us
The pendulum is swinging. After years of cinematic, heavily produced lyrical tracks, 2024's most compelling routines lived in quieter spaces. Judges at comps like Radix and NUVO started rewarding subtlety — the held breath before a fall, the stillness between phrases. The best lyrical choreographers this year weren't choosing the biggest songs. They were choosing the truest ones.
If you're building a 2025 routine, start with the music that makes you stop scrolling. The rest follows.
