Best Music of 2023: What counts as “this year” anyway?
2023 in Music
I’ve heard multiple theories and approaches. Because critics need to start getting these lists together before the year’s end, they have to have a cutoff point for selections. My understanding is that early December is normative.
The Grammy’s just released their list of 2024 Grammy nominations. This includes “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift from her recent album Midnights, which was released in October 2022.
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A lot of people are going to say Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘GUTS’. I’ve listened to it. It’s earnest and well-done. I don’t know that it will hold up over time. She works her influences into the tracks well. All this bodes well for a young artist creating better and better work throughout their career. It’s a little early to start saying someone peaked. I think she’s going to do better given a few years and a couple more albums.
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Blink-182’s ‘One More Time’ is fun but not amazing. The drumming is good, no surprise. In some ways, the musicians did grow up. Surprise surprise. In other ways… not so much.
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Lotta talk of young boy Zach Bryan. He has done a nice collab with Maggie Rogers (‘Dawns’).
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Overall, the new The National simply doesn’t seem up to snuff. The best tracks feel like a pastiche of their modern classics.
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As I’ve said before, I dislike having different genres battle for top spots. But that is the state of play. So, let’s give it a shot.
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Ok, so I gave it a shot and what I’ve determined is that, overall, 2023 was not a good year for music. At least in my highly subjective opinion based on the music I was exposed to. These days, even if it’s your 9-5 job, good luck trying to listen to a good amount of the music that is released in a single year (or 15 months based on the above).
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Here’s my unserious list of best albums and songs for 2023…given my above statement…
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Top 10 Best Albums
1. boygenius – the record
2. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
3. ?
4. ?
5. ?
6. ?
7. ?
8. ?
9. ?
10. ?
Top 10 Best Songs
1. Luke Combs – Fast Car (Wonderful to see Tracy Chapman recognized!)
2. Carlone Polachek – Welcome to My Island
3. SZA (feat. Phoebe Bridgers – Ghost in The Machine
4. Arlo Parks (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) – Pegasus
5. boygenius – True Blue
6. boygenius – Emily I’m Sorry
7. boygenius – Not Strong Enough
8. Omar Apollo – Live For Me (The whole EP is good imho)
9. ?
10. ?
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So, what songs/albums have you gone back to again and again in 2023? Or the last 15 months? What are your favorites?