100 Best Songs of 2023. #1 Posted, Playlist in first post (1 Viewer)

[Northern Voice]

According to me, starting now. One song per ALBUM rules in effect, there are a couple artists who will show up more than once. You're all going to hate #1.

Matt Best of 2023

Matt Best of 2023 · Playlist · 101 songs · 9 likes

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[Northern Voice]

100. Muriel's Big Day Off - Being Dead
New band to me - very fun surf rock tune that kind of breaks down part way through then picks itself back up again.

Muriel’s Big Day Off

Being Dead · Song · 2023

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[Pip's Invitation]

You're all going to hate #1.

Which means either it is Taylor Swift, or it is not Taylor Swift.

 

[Northern Voice]

99. Shiver - Fever Ray
I love Fever Ray and everything Karin Dreijer has been involved with going all the way back to The Knife. Are there 98 better songs than this released this year? Maybe not but it's also not super groundbreaking by her standards so there's others that grabbed me more.

Shiver

Fever Ray · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

98. Dirt Diamond - Generationals
I don't know much about this NOLA based pop-rock band but this song got a lot of play on one of the Sirius new music stations (XMU or Alt Nation) and stuck with me all year long.

Dirt Diamond

Generationals · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#97 - Locket - Superviolet
Catchy as hell strummy guitar pop that grows on you and sticks around in your head all day long. "I'M A LOCKEEEEEEEEHT"

Locket

Superviolet · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#96 - In Your Love - Tyler Childers
Just a really sweet, simple, classic country love song.

In Your Love

Tyler Childers · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#95 - Dummy - Portugal The Man
Not the best Portugal The Man song but another solid summer singalong classic in their catalog. Sounded great when I saw them this summer which always carries some weight. It's kind of dumb but that's implied.

Dummy

Portugal. The Man · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#94 - Plague Dogs - The Rural Alberta Advantage
One of my favourite bands, their album this year was a disappointment to me but this song is classic RAA. Come out firing, slow it down for the chorus, bring it back up, work in a bunch of OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHS at some point. Bam, another winner.

Plague Dogs

The Rural Alberta Advantage · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#93 - Nobody Tells You When You're Young - Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
ex Jack's Mannequin/Something Corporate lead singer/songwriter has a pretty solid solo career. This one is fairly sparse - mostly just him and the piano throughout, save from a flourish towards the finish. Reflective and sweet. Maybe I'm getting old or something.

Nobody Tells You When You’re Young

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#92 - Float Away - Slaughter Beach, Dog
Another former punk dude who's slowing things down, this is Jake from Modern Baseball with his new country tinged band. This has a fairly melancholy feel to it, partially disguised by a sweet chorus. This whole album is pretty solid.

Float Away

Slaughter Beach, Dog · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#91 - Penthouse - Kelsea Ballerini
I don't know this artist well, apparently she played SNL this year. It's hard not to hear this as heavily indebted to Folklore era Taylor Swift but I love Folklore and I despite its obvious influence and the fact it's pretty cheesy country piano pop, I like what I like and I like this song.

Penthouse

Kelsea Ballerini · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#90 - Caffeine - Jack Kays
Great chorus, big bridge. That's all it takes sometimes. Plus he does that thing where he sings the same lyrics he's been singing the whole time but a little more unhinged towards the end ("I WANTED MORE THAN YOU COULD GIVE ME"). I should be a music writer.

Caffeine

Jack Kays · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#89 - Why - Chat Pile
Heavy, sludgy, rock. This song is... not subtle.

Why

Chat Pile · Song · 2022

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[Northern Voice]

#88 - Fog Machine - White Reaper
Classic White Reaper, which means big guitars, catchy vocals, big chorus and don't pay attention to the lyrics.

Fog Machine

White Reaper · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#87 - Landmines - Sum 41
Sum 41 have re emerged for a final album and tour to come in 2024. This is the most pop punk song they've released in like 17 years and I will take it all day long. It sounds a lot like Sum 41, luckily that sound has come back in style in recent years (thanks PUP!)

Landmines

Sum 41 · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#86 - Bug Like An Angel - Mitski
Extremely pretty song from an extremely pretty album. I will always be here for anything Mitski puts out, though I do prefer both her rock and synth stages to this more relaxed vibe she's currently going with. Still there's no denying the effect of the choir sounds she employs here.

Bug Like an Angel

Mitski · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#85 - Trust Your Gut - Worriers
This is like a long lost 80s pop rock song in parts. This is Franz Nicolay (The Hold Steady) on synths. Big chorus (that is the single most recurring theme here obviously), his voice goes well with the music. Yeah, I really like this.

https://open.spotify.com/track/2UifzypyFYQp3qVU3GPDQ3?si=7e90a25e5fc7419a

 

[Northern Voice]

#84 - Touching Yourself - The Japanese House
Slinky, shimmery, sexy indie pop goodness.

https://open.spotify.com/track/1HfsmNlg8xxhOr9N2i4Q0n?si=720acc6c51a0422a

 

[Northern Voice]

#83 - The Trench Coat Museum - Yard Act
The Overload was my favourite album of 2022, so having these guys back again this year, with an 8 minute epic, was a blessing. Now 8 minutes of a guy with an accent speak-singing about trench coats may not be everyone's cup of tea but there are some real steps forward in their sound here, as it goes in the dance-punk direction, complete with steps, cowbells and more.

The Trench Coat Museum

Yard Act · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#82 - When We Were Close - Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
The best song on Isbell's new album is also a loving, if slightly haunting tribute to Justin Townes Earle. What a fantastic songwriter.

When We Were Close

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#81 - Over - CHVRCHES
I'm a little worried about where Chvrches goes over the next few years with Lauren Mayberry pursuing a solo career. If this song is the last we get for a while, it's a great way to go out (and to my tastes better than any of her solo material released to date).

Over

CHVRCHES · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#80 - Steamroller - feeble little horse
Shoegaze is back baby! Fuzzy guitars, pretty voice, one of the best opening lyrics in recent memory ("Steamroller, you **** like you're eating")

Steamroller

feeble little horse · Song · 2023

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[Jayrod]

So far I've never heard of any of the songs or even the artists.

I may be getting old.

 

[Northern Voice]

#79 - Suburban Solutions - Wild Nothing
Do you like 80s sounding indie synth pop? Me too.

Suburban Solutions

Wild Nothing · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#78 - Username - Equipment
Thankfully, emo music absolutely refuses and while this is 8th wave emo or something ridiculous, it would fit right in in the early 00s (think Jimmy Eat World) if it weren't about being eternally online.

Username

Equipment · Song · 2023

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[El Floppo]

Doot doot

 

[El Floppo]

Do you have these on a Spotify playlist? I hope so.

 

[Northern Voice]

#77 - Certain Father - July Talk (featuring Spencer Krug)
July Talk is the rare Canadian band that most other people actually tend to enjoy more than I do. This one really grabbed me though. Probably because of the big synth baseline throughout and I just love how Spencer Krug's (Wolf Parade) voice plays here.

Certain Father

July Talk, Spencer Krug · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

Do you have these on a Spotify playlist? I hope so.

Yeah I'll post it at the end, just took it private for the time being to add some suspense in here.

 

[Northern Voice]

#76 - Ghostwriter - Speedy Ortiz
My favourite song on their new album, they say this is nu-metal inspired, which you can sort of hear in the background but really it's just another really great Speedy Ortiz song. It certainly does rock.

Ghostwriter

Speedy Ortiz · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

Alright, that feels like a natural place to stop for a lunch break. The top 75 are legitimately non stop bangers. I'll probably run through a bunch of this, this afternoon. Working from home the next couple days so I actually have the opportunity to be around for a change.

The 76-61 grouping includes songs from a legendary 90s mainstream alternative rock band, the biggest? Swedish indie rock band ever and the best stadium band to come out of the past 25 years. Also a bunch more bands no one has ever heard of including me before this year.

Songs all rip though.

 

[Juxtatarot]

Are we still doing a 2023 new music draft?

 

[El Floppo]

Alright, that feels like a natural place to stop for a lunch break. The top 75 are legitimately non stop bangers. I'll probably run through a bunch of this, this afternoon. Working from home the next couple days so I actually have the opportunity to be around for a change.

The 76-61 grouping includes songs from a legendary 90s mainstream alternative rock band, the biggest? Swedish indie rock band ever and the best stadium band to come out of the past 25 years. Also a bunch more bands no one has ever heard of including me before this year.

Songs all rip though.

The Leather Nun put out an album!!??

 

[Northern Voice]

Are we still doing a 2023 new music draft?

I haven't finished the last several drafts I've started, so I'm not.

 

[El Floppo]

Are we still doing a 2023 new music draft?

I haven't finished the last several drafts I've started, so I'm not.

Those were your yearly rankings... I think we can just do a top10 or 20 draft style best songs of the year thread instead of you having to do all the work.

 

[El Floppo]

Alright, that feels like a natural place to stop for a lunch break. The top 75 are legitimately non stop bangers. I'll probably run through a bunch of this, this afternoon. Working from home the next couple days so I actually have the opportunity to be around for a change.

The 76-61 grouping includes songs from a legendary 90s mainstream alternative rock band, the biggest? Swedish indie rock band ever and the best stadium band to come out of the past 25 years. Also a bunch more bands no one has ever heard of including me before this year.

Songs all rip though.

The Leather Nun put out an album!!??

Best song of that year... https://youtu.be/wm89uy4_pNE?si=0BXBwe3dtI23aTh3

 

[Northern Voice]

Are we still doing a 2023 new music draft?

I haven't finished the last several drafts I've started, so I'm not.

Those were your yearly rankings... I think we can just do a top10 or 20 draft style best songs of the year thread instead of you having to do all the work.

I haven't finished the last few songs drafts (i.e. mid year etc) either

 

[El Floppo]

Are we still doing a 2023 new music draft?

I haven't finished the last several drafts I've started, so I'm not.

Those were your yearly rankings... I think we can just do a top10 or 20 draft style best songs of the year thread instead of you having to do all the work.

I haven't finished the last few songs drafts (i.e. mid year etc) either

Me either... But those just each 9f us posting our favorite songs in slow reveal/draft... No? So you being a horrible flake won't mess anything up?

 

[Northern Voice]

I haven't finished the last few songs drafts (i.e. mid year etc) either

Me either... But those just each 9f us posting our favorite songs in slow reveal/draft... No? So you being a horrible flake won't mess anything up?

Very true. And I'll have some left after this

 

[Northern Voice]

#75 - Bogus Operandi - The Hives
Any year where we get new music from The Hives is a good year. This was the first single and the best song on the album IMO. Classic Hives all the way through.

Bogus Operandi

The Hives · Song · 2023

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[Eephus]

I was deferring to NV for the year-end song draft but will start the thread later today if he's out.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

So far I've never heard of any of the songs or even the artists.

I may be getting old.

Through 100-76:

Songs I've heard of: 0
Artists I've heard of: 4.

But that's to be expected as most of my listening is middle-aged dummy music.

 

[Northern Voice]

#74 - Family Ties - Charles Wesley Godwin
Folk-country from the same vein as Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, I think he got some hype from some association with the 2023 phenomenon that is Zach Bryan.

Family Ties

Charles Wesley Godwin · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#73 - Your Side of Town - The Killers
A return to the synth rock side of things for The Killers after a foray into Springsteen-rock. This was on their new Greatest Hits album and doesn't feel out of place on it whatsoever, which is a pretty damn high compliment.

Your Side of Town

The Killers · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

I was deferring to NV for the year-end song draft but will start the thread later today if he's out.

Yeah realistically I'll be mostly absent from the boards again after Wednesday/Thursday, save for check ins here and there.

 

[Northern Voice]

#72 - Lexicon - Vagabon
Rostam from Vampire Weekend produced this album and you can hear his fingerprints all over this song. low-key Indie R&B, there are a few great songs on this album but this is the one that best held up to repeated listens for me.

Lexicon

Vagabon · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#71 - You Shatter - Sweeping Promises
80s inspired post-punk from 2023 that sounds closer to 80s post punk than most early-00s post punk did. Or something like that. There's just a great beat running all the way through this, then it gets all swirly and sing songy in the second half in the best way possible.

You Shatter

Sweeping Promises · Song · 2023

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[Northern Voice]

#70 - Ring of Past - Men I Trust
One off single from this great band, it's got a funky baseline and some stabby synths. Her soft voice floats above it beautifully. Saw them this summer. Good band. I was mildly distracted by the kids in front of us taking all kinds of drugs which felt oddly out of place at a low key Men I Trust show.

Ring of Past

Men I Trust · Song · 2023

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[Jayrod]

#73 - Your Side of Town - The Killers
A return to the synth rock side of things for The Killers after a foray into Springsteen-rock. This was on their new Greatest Hits album and doesn't feel out of place on it whatsoever, which is a pretty damn high compliment.

Your Side of Town

The Killers · Song · 2023

open.spotify.com

I've heard of the Killers!!