Another caveat: most of these songs came out in 2023 (some just barely, like “Flowers”) but some I only just discovered in 2023, so I counted them.
I make the rules here, not you.
I have included the Bandcamp link to the tracks whenever possible because I like it when artists are still paid for their music.
Above are the tracks from this past year-ish that I thought deserved to be highlighted. I have just a few notes on these.
I have listened to Nation of Language “Weak In Your Light” many, many times. I jokingly use the term “obsessed” but it’s not really that far off. While I now have other favorites from entire album, I keep going back to this one. As it’s the very first track, that’s not so hard to do, but still, SO good.
Again, Memento Mori is strong, so there are plenty of tracks to pick, but I kept going back to “Before We Drown” again and again. Yes, I’m obsessive and yes, there’s a trend.
I seldom listen to terrestrial radio, but occasionally I hear something that is so catchy I can’t stop listening. That would be Doja Cat “Paint The Town Red.” I can’t really explain it, but that song became and earworm for me and I am sure I annoyed my daughters with the number of times I listened to it. The same can be said for Miley Cyrus “Flowers.”
I won’t retread what I said about VNV and OMD sounding reinvigorated on their respective albums, but I do find it interesting that I selected title tracks for both of them. Both are solid tracks that call back to what they’ve done before while still sounding current.
Lastly, “Light of Day” didn’t come out in 2023, but I did discover (or rediscover it as I apparently already own the album digitally) in the last month of 2023 and listened to repeatedly before the end of the year. It’s the perfect balance of electronic dance music, but also very chill. I love to throw on the entire album while I’m working.
Was there something particularly good released in 2023 that I should have been listening to?
© 2024 Michael A. Diaz