Top 50 songs of 2023
If you checked out my top 20 albums, thank you. If not it’s on the next page and make sure to check those out. Now it’s for the songs and this year had some really great songs. The albums were pretty good but the songs here were all really solid. Previous years (especially the past two lists when I started to listen to a lot more music) the song list was a challenge but nothing to the extent that this one was. After making some tough cuts, I had difficulty making more and I had 100 songs left. When I was organizing, I made some more and got down to about 75. Those I had to just cut like ripping off a band-aid. I did it fast since I knew my top 50 couldn’t be changed and I needed to stick with my list. I feel pretty good about that decision. So here it is, a top 50 and a playlist link. My only honorable mention is Switchfoot’s “Meant to Live” since it got re-recorded and it was an anthem of my year.
50. Vines - “I don’t mind”
I honestly don’t remember how I discovered Vines. I don’t think it was from TikTok but I honestly don’t remember her from Discover Weekly. I was like her song appeared in my playlist and when it came time to rotate her out, I decided to listen more to her music. Vines has an experimental ambient sound that are all slow burn layered songs with very interesting vocal processing. “I don’t mind” is a somber song that has the listener feeling what she is singing about as it builds up to more emotion without the song getting explosive. Vines has become an inspiration to me and a goal. An artist that I would personally love to collaborate with at some point. And they aren’t even a high caliber artist, but certainly still has a crowd listening to her. So here’s to hoping in the near future that maybe something can happen.
49. Cobra Man - “Take a Rest”
What a weird song. But there’s something about it that just works. There’s a lot of creative expression that I really appreciate that they are willing to be strange. It’s not that far out there of a song but it does have an energy that isn’t my typical song. The combination of synths, production, and acoustic guitar with a good rhythm and they made themselves a pretty good song.
48. Citizen - “When I Let You Down”
Picking a song off this album was difficult since it’s a pretty consistent album. But I chose this song for its solid verses and memorable chorus. The drums keep this song moving forward and the guitars play along and feels like it guides the vocalist to tread the same ground. There’s an energy to this song that keeps me coming back to it.
47. Chase Petra - “Reliable Narrator”
I remember hearing this on discovery weekly and I just fell in love with it. It has the usual indie rock vocals over alt indie rock music but it works for the song. I like how she doesn’t stick to the usual song format of “verse-chorus” but she doesn’t disrupt it either. She embellishes upon it to keep it interesting. It’s just a solid song that hits the nail on the head for me for this type of genre.
46. Dominic Fike - “Bodies”
Dominic was someone I found through the Barbie album because I loved his song a lot on there. I checked out his record and it was a cute album and liked his sound overall. But this song really stayed in my brainwaves. It shows his rapping-singing that he does occasionally. The thing that I gets me is the hook and the catchy chorus. It’s not a long song but it’s one I enjoy every moment I get with it.
45. HM Surf, Arbee - “Gava”
HM Surf is a lo-fi artist I follow and it’s always nice to add some music of that genre into my daily listening. This one stuck with me through the whole year for its incredibly designed drop and atmosphere. It’s a truly incredible listening experience and stands above the rest in a genre that’s difficult to stand out in.
44. Liquid Girlfriend - “Spongebob Halftime Show”
It’s a great title that’s meta and gets your attention. It’s a solid indie rock song that has a great flow to the song as it builds and breaks. And I can feel the energy of the recording session also. It’s one of those songs that the band loves playing live as much as the audience loves to hear it live and all of that is transferred into the recording.
43. Ed Sheeran - “Plastic Bag”
Ed put out two albums and my rule is that if an artist releases two albums in a year, that they are allowed two songs on a list if they qualify. So I will say that Ed will show up again. This song really showcased what I loved about Ed being raw with his emotions and incorporate it into what made us fall in love with his music. The acoustic guitar is more rhythmic than melodic and he finds a chorus that’s easy to sing along with.
42. Michigander - “Stay Out of It”
Michigander has been an artist that I haven’t committed to listening but has been floating around the same circles so I’ve heard a decent amount of songs. I did check out this EP and I was sold. There’s plenty to go back to listen to but I’ll at least hear the stuff coming out. This song was the one that got me listen more. It hooked me with the guitar and melodies. It’s just a solid song and showcases how good Michigander is at their craft.
41. Tilly Louise - “Join the Club”
There’s something so charming about Tilly and her music. Her charisma bleeds into her music as she’s able to put an energy into her song that most artists struggle to do. It’s an indie rock song that acts like a pop song. It’s catchy, it’s fun, and makes you wanna hit the replay button. I listened to her EP and I’m excited to hear what comes next for this artist.
40. Charlie Martin - “Splash”
This is the second time I came across this artist and luckily this song was released this year. He’s got a nice indie folk sound but also incorporates some midwest emo influences into the song through the vocals. It’s a song that’s good at slowing me down and getting me to feel the moment.
39. CARR - “Spiral City”
I can’t but help to smile when listening to this song. It’s so ridiculous while also being a solid rock song. It’s a song that is really fun to show other people just to see people’s reactions. There’s a couple more on the list like that but this one will be the start of that trend. It’s one of those songs that if you aren’t listening to the lyrics, you’re still gonna have a good song.
38. Switchfoot, Dayglow - “Adding to the Noise”
This felt like a match made in heaven, it’s my favorite artist with one of my wife’s favorite artist. And it was the song that she loved most from the Switchfoot concert too. I loved what Dayglow did with the song. He made it his own without changing the core of the song. It always feels difficult putting cover songs on a list like this since history plays a lot into a song. But this one was one that I just couldn’t get enough of. Dayglow did amazing.
37. Liza Anne - “Cheerleader”
You can’t tell me this song doesn’t get you on your feet. Its bass line is so infectious and the melody is so catchy. And the brass incorporated makes this song that much better. The song doesn’t let an ounce of creativity go to waste as she puts everything into this song to be the new icon of her sound.
36. Daisy the Great, illuminati hotties - “Time Machine 2”
Daisy the Great has become one of my favorite indie artists as of late as they continue to prove how good of songwriters they are. And illuminati hotties took one of their songs and made something special with it. It’s electrifying and the build up is perfect. I can hear how much they also love Daisy the Great. Hopefully there will be more collaborations from Daisy if they are gonna sound like this.
35. Foo Fighters - “Show Me How”
I don’t think anything sounds more like healing and trying to move forward than singing a song with your daughter. Losing a family friend and a mother/grandmother isn’t easy, especially when it’s close together and this song feels like the embodiment of those emotions. I’m glad they don’t try too hard to make a really depressing or dramatic song. Foos made something that feels like them and having Dave’s daughter here is one of the most natural fits.
34. Crown Lands - “Starlifter: Fearless Pt. II”
Bear with me here, it’s almost a 18 and half minute song so it’s long even for prog standards. But this band is like if Ledd Zeppelin did prog. It seamlessly blends the multiple parts of the song with call backs to 70’s rock and 80’s synths but with a modern approach. It’s a journey that I love going on with this band. This was the song that got me to check out their record. And while that didn’t fancy my tastes as much, this song encompasses all that you need to hear from the record in one amazing song.
33. Jacob Collier - “WELLLL”
I can’t thank my brother enough for introducing me to Jacob Collier. He’s a really talented songwriter and hearing his next project feels like watching a future veteran paving their career path. And this feels like a moment in his career that is worth paying attention to. He flipped the script on us since he’s known for his well produced electronic pop music and he made a solid alt-rock song in his style. It’s layered to the heavens and back with a great hook.
32. Petey - “I’ll Wait”
Petey went from my TikTok page to my discover weekly and I feel like I should be checking out his album now since I’ve already liked two of his songs and this one is making my year end list. But this song just hits me in the heart somehow. It’s got the energy that I crave and Petey’s voice is amazing. I really enjoy the timbre of his voice, especially in the higher range. Man this song is fun… I should check out his record.
31. Teenage Wrist, Softcult - “Still Love”
This was another record to find the stand out song. I went with this one because of the Softcult feature. I’m not even familiar with the band but I adore how the vocalists sound together. It’s the pure rock bliss that feels like two soulmates singing together. The post grunge of this song is strong and that final chorus is just chef’s kiss.
30. Fwango - “Cover My Eyes'“
I’m not sure if myself or my wife found this song or if we individually found it ourselves but she really loves this song, and so do I. I think she would have it towards the top of the list but I’ll place it here. It’s still a great indie rock jam that has a little bit of a bedroom rock influence in it, especially in the chorus’ melody. It’s definitely been the sound of the year since she likes to play a new found song a lot.
29. Wolves of Glendale - “Loud Ass Car”
I found Wolves of Glendale early this year and I’ve heard their releases as they came out this year and this one was the one that got me to laugh the most. It’s a great synth rock song that works even outside the great lyrics. This is a great comedy band that I can’t wait until they put out their first record.
28. Sam Smith, Calvin Harris, Jessie Reyez - “I’m Not Here to Make Friends”
This is the club song that I love most from the two on the record. This one is more so the pop song between the two but the bass line on here is groovy and the chorus is so much fun to sing along too. I’ll admit that the chorus carries the majority of the song for me but it really is that good to me.
27. Hannah Wyatt - “40 years of holy rain is looming overhead”
Hannah is able to paint a canvas of time with an instrumental track that is able to make a setting and tell its story with melody and notes. It’s haunting, it’s moody, and it feels impending. The doom washes over you as every instrument tells you what the rain will entail. It’s well crafted and beautiful.
26. Sweet Pill - “Starchild”
Sweet Pill is another band that’s made their way into my heart with their insanely great rock songs. Great guitars, vocals, and drums this band has it all. And this wasn’t even part of a record release. It may have been a left over track but I love their music. I hear their vocalist and I just want to have them on repeat, even if it is a slow burn of a track.
25. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors - “Find Your People”
Drew probably has written the book that tells you how to write the next big folk, country, pop song that reaches the hearts of many. He’s become incredibly consistent with writing heartfelt songs that are also just fun to hear. And you can picture hearing them live and the energy that’s there too. It gets the crowd on their feet and it really makes their fans feel like a family. But that’s all the neighbors wanted, was a family to sing their songs and that their music was what brought them together. It was about finding your people.
24. Zach Bryan - Ticking
Another hard choice since the record is so consistently good but I chose a song that embodies the record for me. The guitar being played in the outskirts within the south for a small audience. Zach really wasn’t made for the fame that came his way and the only thing he knows what to do is make music about it and say it something from his heart and that just makes the world fall more in love with him. I think this song really showcases his personality the most and what kind of musician he is.
23. sundial - “grass is greener”
sundial was found through discover weekly. It was this song that got me interested in them and checked out their ep and got me hooked so I would be following, They make cute indie pop songs but with a very organic sound with two vocalists that compliment each other really well. But I love the storytelling that they do in these songs that pulls me in. Across their whole ep they write in a way that pulls me into the song. It’s relatable but it’s also not my story. They know how to make the small details be theirs but also resonate in a different way with the listener.
22. Royal Blood - “Shiner in the Dark”
Royal Blood still has rockers even on their albums that don’t hit the way you remember. Something about the distorted guitar/bass and the infectious beat that keeps me coming back. But really it’s the shiny sound during the chorus that I love the most. It’s not over done but done enough that it doesn’t keep you waiting. It’s overall just well made and rock out every time I hear it.
21. Flowers for Emily - “Sitting Confused”
Something about midwest emo really hits my heart. I didn’t listen to the genre specifically but there were influences in some of the music I heard this year. But this is a full on representation of the genre and I just break down from these songs. Something about the formula of the genre. And nothing did it quite like this song for me. It’s reflective, it rocks, and it's emotional.
20. blink-182 - “ONE MORE TIME…”
This song is so incredibly written. It tells the story of the band and why they are doing a reunion album in such a raw and heart on sleeve way. I know that Tom’s singing sometimes is a little silly but they commit to the heartfelt nature of the song regardless and I think it pulls it off. A goofy band getting serious is sometimes the way to really pull at the heart strings. It’s a well composed song and I adore the bells during the chorus and adds to the room of the song.
19. Sears - “House Song”
I don’t get a lot of songs from TikTok since it’s usually not my genre, I’ll hear it a thousand times in the app already, and discovering artists on there feels like a nightmare. But this has been an exception for me. Every time I heard this song, my heart sank. The poetry tiktoks, the depressing slideshows, and the motivational ones. This track slowly wrote itself on me and it helped me in times when the hours felt long and hopeless. Sitting in my car during lunch break as the sun sets over my work building. It’s dystopian but it’s beautiful in its own way.
18. Gregory Alan Isakov - “Sweet Heat Lightning”
Nothing painted the picture of the album quite like this one for me. The beautiful piano accompanies the guitar and gives a rich picture of a white desert. It’s lonesome and begging to be endured. I feel like I came out the other side alright but it was still brutal to get through. Alan captures this all so well.
17. Avenged Sevenfold - “Nobody”
Hearing this song as the lead single sent shivers down my spine. Avenged Sevenfold had made a comeback for themselves with The Stage and this lead single felt like the marriage between classic Avenged with the new one. The rest of the album was kind of all over the place but this song still stands out as being something only a veteran act could make. It’s like a homecoming in a way and a great one.
16. Blue October - “Sobriety”
The Blue October I knew at the beginning of the year isn’t the same one at the end of the year. I won’t get into the details but the reddit fan page has been debating it back and forth. Regardless of my feelings of the band currently, “Sobriety” is a well crafted song that feels like the new sound put on the overdrive. The softer atmospheric new sound with the rock sound. It molds itself into something different from the beginning to the end. It feels like a progression through life and overcoming. It’s the one of the best metaphors put through sound alone, especially in a commercial aspect.
15. Point Taken - “Stranger in the House”
My buddy has a band in Nashville and they finally came out with their music this year with an ep. It’s a rock band that uses brass to embellishment on top of it with influences from classic rock, pop punk, and prog. It’s a really interesting sound. The more songs they put out, the better they get. They released a single after the ep and this is that song that feels like pop punk meets prog. It’s a song that feels very intentional with every part and only great musicians could have put together. If they keep this up, they’ll be touring big in no time.
14. Waterparks - “Closer”
I’ll let the song do the talking on this one. I’ll just input that the vulnerability on this song hit me right when I needed it. The Waterparks album was more having fun with their struggles this time but this song stripped it all away and it really spoke to me.
13. Benny Sings, Remi Wolf - “Pyjamas”
This song is so damn cute. The metronome kinda irritates me but when the song gets going, it’s easy to ignore. But they made a song that just wouldn’t leave my brain. The chorus and how they say the words with the circus like piano. Showcases Benny’s production skills really well. The fact that he committed to the metronome and I still love this song proves how much he knows what he’s doing. This song along with Paramore’s has got my ears looking out for Remi too.
12. Genesis Owusu - “Leaving the Light”
There were great songs on this album and it was hard to pick a favorite when this song was just so objectively good. The force of this song that makes you pay attention and it opens up the album. It’s insane how Genesis was able to come up with this song. It’s an engine of a song that when it gets revving, it doesn’t stop. And it thematically sets up the album really well. Just impressive.
11. The Maine - “I think about you all the time”
The album kind of sounds pretty similar with all the songs so picking a stand out was a little hard but this song kept standing out to me. I love this chorus of the fun pop rock. The Maine captured an infectious energy with this album and kept it running throughout it. I think what really makes this song standout the most is that the verses stand out compared to the other songs since they all have this really great chorus.
10. slimdan - “Nosebleeds”
What a song to find on discover weekly. It’s just a simple mostly acoustic song but he wrote a song that every mid-20’s person is feeling that is feeling behind in life. So you know… perfect for me. I feel like I'm doing alright mentally and all that. I have days I struggle like everyone but I just look at where I am and it gets me feeling like I’m still in the nosebleeds. Man… it’s hard to be open about this year.
9. Paramore, The Linda Lindas - “The News”
This was a tough one to count on the list or not. I went with it cause it was the year I fell in love with The Linda Lindas. They took one the rockier songs from the This is Why and went harder. I already liked the original but they produced this song really well and added a lot of energy to the song that wasn’t there before. Their drummer is insane and I think she’s the youngest too out of this teen band (like 14 or 16). I think Hailey Williams saw herself in this band and really wanted them to be part of their remix album. And they blew this song away.
8. Movements - Tightrope
As much as a rocker album Movements made, it’s the softer song that feels more like their classic sound that I loved the most. Probably cause it felt the most relevant to me. I feel like all someone has to do is look at these emotional songs and read the lyrics and they can peel back the cover of my book. Regardless, the music here is super well crafted. It honestly doesn’t even sound like Movements until after the first chorus. I remember when it came up on shuffle and I didn’t remember liking a heartfelt pop song but the lyrics were telling me why I hearted it. Then it got rolling and I knew who it was. But the intensity of something like this is very Movements. Only something they could make.
7. Sleeping At Last - “Bright Sadness”
Sleeping at Last had a really tough time since they lost their mother. I felt the sadness through my own lost grandma and through my hard year. This song’s piano fading from left to right and how it replicates a tide. It’s beautiful and love the lyric “It’s been a year at the mercy of a merciless tide.” What a line. And I can feel it all in my throat as he tries to accept the merciless tide. It’s been a year of growth hasn’t it. Then he hits with the violin and it’s over for me at the bridge.
6. Ed Sheeran - “F64”
I still don’t know what this title is but I stopped caring when this song hits me the way it does. Ed did the hip hop thing that he’s really good at with piano underneath it. And a great bass line that’s kinda poorly produced but it’s also why I kinda like it. It feels like a song that was made quickly and it’s messy but that’s how he feels. Ed’s lost a lot of people too and it feels like it all comes out during this song and the meme of Ed feels like it gets shedded off. If he made stuff like this and did a whole album, I think a lot of people would take him seriously again.
5. NEEDTOBREATHE - “The Cave”
I may have felt like they missed hard on their album but this song… THIS SONG is something else. It’s anthemic, it’s suspenseful, and it’s exciting. It’s built up so well and I couldn’t stop thinking about this song and how well crafted it is. It’s no wonder the album fell short when this song is on it. They took notes from somewhere and they ran with it.
4. Spanish Love Songs - “Haunted”
This is the type of stuff I wanting to hear from the band. Something new enough but it didn’t betray the band’s sound. There’s a push in this song that I hope they end up exploring more for later. The synth feels seamless with their sound and the lyrics are still gripping and feel like ripping apart the rib cage. Me and my homies all get scared of Spanish Love Songs.
3. Arm’s Length - “Arm’s Length”
I have always thought it was kinda weird to have a song after your band name. Very few do it but Arm’s Length pull it off and it really does make sense as it represents what the band does for music. Their post hardcore sound influenced by pop punk and midwest emo. I fell in love with their sound at the beginning of the year and haven’t been the same since. It makes me want to cry my eyes out and turns my spirit blue. I’m really excited for any new music from them since they just manage to make music that just hits me every time.
2. Glen Hansard - “Sure as the Rain”
You’re on an old boat that creaks and it’s dusk. The sailors are singing a folk song from one of the mountain lands they visited, even incorporates foreign language into the song. Their deep growly voice is used for soothing than anger. It’s slow and loving. This song was something I was waiting Glen to do and he even went above what I was wanting. It’s a song that feels timeless already.
Billie Eilish - “What Was I Made For?”
I don’t really think this could have been anything else. No other song kept me up at night like this one. Even thinking about the song makes me emotional. Listening to it literally breaks me. This song is almost solely the reason why the Barbie movie has the emotional weight it does. And I don’t even think of it within the context of that movie. In a year that was as emotional as it was, this just felt like it was its calling card. “I don’t know how to feel / but I wanna try” has basically been the motto for me. Despite all that’s happening with the economy, the war, my relationship, my job, my goals, my bad days… it all can feel like a mess and shutting down feels appropriate to not think about it. But I want to try. Try to feel it all, accept it all and move forward. Billie captured an amazing song here and I hope she can keep up with the high bar this song sets for herself here. At the same time, she keeps doing just that.