When making any top ten list at the end of the year, even if in no particular order, there are bound to be some artists that just barely go under your radar. It’s already a difficult challenge to compile a list that reflects your tastes and covers enough genres to accurately show the variety of music released in 2023. But, out of all the music that came out, whether from established artists making a comeback or newcomers just making a name for themselves, I went with the songs that stuck with me and reminded me why music excites me so much.
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1. DEBBY FRIDAY “I GOT IT” (feat. Uñas)
At the speed and pulse of a UFO flying at lightspeed, “I GOT IT” by Toronto-based artist Debby Friday is a slicked-back rager that stands out from other electronic artists for how eclectic it is in sound. The techno-inspired rave anthem makes its presence known immediately with an alien-like bass that transitions into a dance beat. Debby Friday and Uñas trade-off braggadocious bars as if on the run, never slowing the track down nor lowering the high energy carried from start to finish.
Stream the song via YouTube or Spotify.
2. Y La Bamba “Hues” (feat. Devendra Banhart)
Lucha, the seventh album from Portland-based indie folk band Y La Bamba, has a whole host of tracks that range in genre while still capturing lead singer-songwriter Luz Elena Mendoza Ramos’ unique voice. However, “Hues,” which features singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart on an unforgettable duet during the song’s hypnotic chorus, lives up to its colorful title and wonderfully blends all the elements of Lucha. The percussion-inflicted folk sound stacks up with the emotional vocals and digs deep into what it means to move on from a past lover.
Stream the song via YouTube or Spotify.
3. The Lemon Twigs “Corner Of My Eye”
Without being told otherwise, one might confuse songs like “Corner Of My Eye” by The Lemon Twigs as a reissue of a 60s or 70s deep cut. Singer-songwriters and brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, known together as The Lemon Twigs, could have fit firmly among duos like Simon & Garfunkel if they were born in a different generation. But “Corner Of My Eye,” while still paying homage to decades past, is a gem of lovestruck songwriting that suits the twinkly yet melancholic folk music found on their album Everything Harmony.
Stream the song via YouTube or Spotify.
4. James Blake “Tell Me”
Outside of his solo work, British singer-songwriter James Blake is perhaps one of the most influential hip-hop and pop producers. But those who have closely followed his career since his self-titled album in 2010 would know he has more in common with someone like Trent Reznor than Frank Ocean. “Tell Me” taps into Blake’s industrial and experimental side through its grinding synths and cybernetic alarm sounds. Unlike Blake’s collaborations with Metro Boomin and Travis Scott, “Tell Me” is in a league of its own and among his best tracks.
Stream the song via YouTube or Spotify.
5. Caroline Polachek “Pretty In Possible”
Although “Dang” is probably her catchiest single this year, former Chairlift member and art-pop singer Caroline Polachek already struck gold back in February with “Pretty In Possible.” Any song off Desire, I Want To Turn Into You could have taken this spot, but “Pretty In Possible” perfectly shows Polachek’s adventurous taste for revolving sonic textures. From the first little “Da-da-da-da” melody at the start, her naturally glitchy voice sounds finely tuned to the electronic and break-beat production.
Stream the song via YouTube or Spotify.
6. Paramore “You First”
On top of releasing their best album to date — yes, better than Riot! and the self-titled album in 2013 — Paramore has evolved so much since their debut in 2005. On “You First,” the band finds their sweet spot between the “old” and “new” Paramore, with the track combining their long-standing frenetic brand of pop-punk and mature, introspective lyrics. Hayley Williams, in particular, pushes herself songwriting-wise and explores the complex gray area of good and evil.
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7. Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar “The Hillbillies”
Before rappers Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar would headline Camp Flog Gnaw as The Hillbillies, the cousin duo unexpectedly dropped “The Hillbillies” after a world tour and slew of collaborations from the past two years. With Drake’s “Sticky” flow and a Bon Iver sample that makes the folk singer sound like a synthetic android, “The Hillbillies” is Keem and Lamar at their most lighthearted. Even though the track doesn’t have an overarching story or meaning, the two do more than enough by going bar for bar over a tastefully inspired Jersey club beat.
Stream the song via YouTube or Spotify.
8. Kelela “Contact”
“Contact,” the fourth single off singer Kelela’s album Raven, exemplifies why she is one of the few people who can successfully blend house and R&B music. Featuring an underlying breakbeat that keeps the track moving steadily, Kelela takes up the space and sings her heart out without drowning in various electronic instrumentations. She might not be the first to combine elements of dance and R&B music, but how she goes about it makes it sound revolutionary and groundbreaking in 2023.
Stream the song via YouTube or Spotify.
9. The Dare “Good Time”
“Let’s have some fun tonight,” Harrison Patrick Smith, better known by his indie sleaze project The Dare, shouts on “Good Time.” Aside from some obvious LCD Soundsystem comparisons, “Good Time” still manages to make, well, a good time out of buzzing electroclash synths that could probably overpower a thousand powerlines going off at once. The Dare might not be reinventing the wheel, but that’s okay when the song knows exactly what it’s doing and revels in its debaucherous fun.
Stream the song via YouTube or Spotify.
10. Jungle “Back On 74”
British producer project Jungle already had four full-length albums under their name, but it wasn’t until the music video for “Back On 74” exploded online and drew a new audience around their nostalgic throwback music. With vocals from singer Lydia Kitto, “Back On 74” celebrates the R&B and soul artists who dominated the 70s by making a track that’s nearly impossible not to dance along to.
Stream the song via YouTube or Spotify.
A couple of honorable mentions:
Liv.e – Wild Animals
Yves Tumor – In Spite of War
Sufjan Stevens – Goodbye Evergreen
Amaarae – Sociopathic Dance Queen
King Krule – Seaforth
Lil Yachty – drive ME crazy!
Words: David Sosa
See part 1 and part 3 of our favorite songs of 2023.
