1. Olivia Rodrigo, Guts (20 votes)
boygenius, The Record (20)
3. Sufjan Stevens, Javelin (19)
4. Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want to Turn Into You (15)
5. Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other (13)
6. Lana Del Rey, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd (12)
7. Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (11)
8. Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time (9)
9. The Mountain Goats, Jenny From Thebes (8)
10. The National, First Two Pages of Frankenstein (7)
Mitski, The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We (7)
Jesse Ware, That! Feels Good! (7)
Slowdive, Everything is Alive (7)
Janelle Monáe, The Age of Pleasure (7)
Runners up: Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor’s Version); Paramore, This is Why; Victoria Monet, Jaguar II
Notes: This might be the closest Music Poll ever. With 70 respondents, it was down to the wire between Olivia Rodrigo, boygenius, and Sufjan Stevens, with the first two narrowly winning in our first-in-25-years tie. Rodrigo and boygenius are each making their second appearance on the poll, with their first wins. It is Stevens’ third appearance, Troye Sivan’s second, Lana Del Rey’s fourth, Carly Rae Jepsen’s fifth, Janelle Monáe’s fourth, and Jessie Ware’s second. The National makes their sixth appearance, tying Taylor Swift for the most top tens in the past 25 years. Mitski and The Mountain Goats, who have long been on the list below the top ten, finally crack it, with the Mountain Goats doing it by being the first choice of four voters. Chappell Roan and Slowdive also debut on the list. Also worth noting is that while the Barbie soundtrack didn’t make the list, if you look at the singles choices, many singles lists have at least one song from it.
Now, to the individual lists…
For my list, Desire wins a close race
This year’s list is a very, very close call for me, with no obvious winner. When forced to choose, I’ve put Caroline Polachek on top, because it feels like such a singular album and also doesn’t have any songs that I feel drag the high points down. Chappell Roan is a second, with some of my favorite songs of the year – but also a few that are nothing-special. Same goes for Lana Del Rey, who gets points taken off for spoken-word, though songs like “A&W” are among the best she’s ever done. Romy’s album is very consistent, and is the one I suspect I will keep listening to in order to discover new things within it. Olivia Rodrigo didn’t just do the Billie Eilish soft-loud thing, but also proved to be a pretty solid 90s alt-rocker. The triumph of boygenius was undeniable this year, and I found myself in many “I swear, I’ve liked all of them from the start!” conversations. (Yes, it’s come to that.) I know I could be accused of bias, but the Ballad soundtrack was superb – although, alas, interspersing dialogue from the movie within otherwise wonderful songs was a stupid move. The National, a perennial on my annual lists, released not one but two albums this year; clearly, I preferred one, though both are worth a listen. Near misses are Sufjan’s album, which was just too sad for me to listen to, at first; the fantastic return of Everything But the Girl; and CMAT’s Crazymad, For Me, which is excellent oddball, twangy pop.
My favorite album list:
1. Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
2. Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
3. Romy, Mid Air
4. Olivia Rodrigo, Guts
5. Lana Del Rey, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
6. Boygenius, The Album
7. Soundtrack, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
8. The National, First Two Pages of Frankenstein
My favorite songs:
1. Chappell Roan, “HOT TO GO”
2. Florence & the Machine, “Mermaids”
3. Olivia Rodrigo, “Vampire” and “Get Him Back”
4. boygenius, “Not Strong Enough”
5. Lana Del Rey, “A&W”
6. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, “Death Wish”
7. Belle & Sebastian, “I Don’t Know What You See in Me”
8. Holly Humberstone, “Antichrist”
9. Everything But the Girl, “Nothing Left to Lose”
10. Rhiannon Giddens, “You’re the One”
Emily S starts the javelin’s arc
Best album of the year:
1. Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
2. Lana Del Rey, Did You Know…
Best single, more upbeat than my best albums!:
1. Dua Lipa, Dance the Night
Justine L offers a throwback
I just obsessively listened to [Streisand’s] Live at the Bon Soir. And thus have no opinions about albums released in 2023.
Laura H, on the record
Boygenius, The Record/The Rest
Mitski, The Land is Inhospitable and So are We
Lana del Rey, Did You That There's aTunnel Under Ocean Boulevard?
Romy, Mid Air
Janelle Monae, The Age of Pleasure
Troye Sivan- Something to Give Each Other
Dylan M, even Stevens
1. Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
!!
For Anna Q, Guts is glory
Olivia Rodrigo, Guts.
Nothing else even comes close.
David A pumps up the ‘jan
Most essential album:
Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
Other essential albums:
Eluvium, Whirling Marvels in Consensus Reality
Gregory Alan Isakov, Appaloosa Bones
Olivia Rodrigo, Guts
Boygenius, The Record
Kevin K’s Ray of light
Girl Ray, Prestige
• Palehound, Eye on the Bat
• Geese, 3D Country
• Bully, Lucky For You
• McKinley Dixon, Beloved! Paradise! Jazz?
• Chris Farren, Doom Singer
• Wednesday, Rat Saw God
• Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time
• 100, gecs, 10,000 gecs
• Kara Jackson, Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?
• Cut Worms, Cut Worms
• Be Your Own Pet, Mommy
• Indigo De Souza, All of This Will End
• Who Is She?, Goddess Energy
• Belle and Sebastian, Late Developers
• Blondshell, Blondshell
• Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
• Ratboys, The Window
• The Front Bottoms, You Are Who You Hang Out With
• Lydia Loveless, Nothing’s Gonna Stand in My Way Again
• Kate Davis, Fish Bowl
• Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Sarah L takes it back to 1989, accompanied by those who weren’t born then
I have listened to exclusively Taylor Swift (and songs like “Chicken Nugget Dreamland” and “It’s Raining Tacos” -- the boys’ favorite tunes at the moment. Someday? I hope to reclaim my ability to listen to music I love (although I loved the 1989 Taylor’s Version release tremendously).
Mike R lets us know Why
MY (PERSONAL, SUBJECTIVE) TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2023:
1. Paramore, This Is Why
2. Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
3. Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
4. Meshell Ndegeocello, The Omnichord Real Book
5. Maisie Peters, The Good Witch
6. Jessie Ware, That! Feels Good!
7. Cinco Paul, Schmigadoon!: Season 2
8. The Menzingers, Some Of It Was True
9. Vagabon, Sorry I Haven’t Called
10. Candidate, Point Clear
11. Raye, My 21st Century Blues
12. Mark Ronson et al, Barbie the Album
13. Jeanine Tesori & David Lindsay-Abaire, Kimberly Akimbo
14. Daniel Donato, Reflector
15. Corinne Bailey Rae, Black Rainbows
16. Janelle Monáe, The Age of Pleasure
17. Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS
18. Bethany Cosentino, Natural Disaster
19. SG Lewis, AudioLust & HigherLove
20. Jake Shears, Last Man Dancing
PADAM:
1. Padam
Brandon H’s tunnel vision
Here are my favorites of 2023!
1. Lana Del Rey -- Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
2. Jessie Ware--That! feels good!
3. Blur -- The Ballad of Darren
4. Yo La Tengo -- The Stupid world
5. Boygenius -- The record
Chris K thinks Heaven can’t wait
Album of the Year: Outer Heaven, Infinite Psychic Depths
2. Jesus Piece, ...So Unknown
3. Mutoid Man, Mutants
4. Moonlight Sorcery, Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle
5. Master's Call, A Journey for the Damned
6. Hellripper, Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
7. Aodon, Portraits
8. Bandit, Siege of Self
9. Horrendous, Ontological Mysterium
10. Portrayal of Guilt, Devil Music
1
1. Squid Pisser, My Tadpole Legion
12. Alucard, Pale Fallen Angel - Demo MMXXIII
13. The Gauntlet, Dark Fire and Steel
Paul G’s got Guts
New stuff (2023):
Olivia Rodrigo, Guts
Lana Del Rey, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
Boygenius, The Record
Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
Julie Byrne, The Greater Wings
Yo La Tengo, Stupid World
U2, Songs of Surrender
Yeule, Softscars
Old stuff:
Linda Ronstadt, Canciones De Mi Padre, Jardín Azul, Duets, The Best of LR (The Capitol Years)
Wynton Marsalis, All Rise
Alexandre Desplat, soundtracks for The Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs
Dan P cheers on the USA
1. Petey, USA
2. Iron & Wine, Who Can See Forever
3. Pink, Trustfall
4. boygenius, the record
5. Miley Cyrus, Endless Summer Vacation
6. Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
7. Indigo Desouza, All of This Will End
(ESPECIALLY THE SONG: Younger and Dumber)
8. Japanese House, In the End It Always Does
9. Runner, like dying stars, we're reaching out
10. Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
So
albums I just found out about that I hope are great:
Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time
Ben Folds, What Matters Most
Jesse Ware, That! Feels Good!
Mitski, The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We
For Jeramey K . . . ‘Chek, Please!
Essential 2023 Album:
Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Runners Up:
Fever Ray, Radical Romantics
Jessie Ware, That! Feels Good!
Janelle Monáe, Age of Pleasure
Lana Del Rey, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
Essential Album New To Me in 2023:
Willie Nelson, Red Headed Stranger
Amy K consults the Sundial
Noname, Sundial
That's it. That's my list.
Zach F’s sweet Caroline
Top album wasn't even close this year. I'm usually tired of an album after a quarter as many plays as I've given this one, and I'm still obsessed:
Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Other standouts:
Dudu Tassa and Jonny Greenwood, Jarak Qaribak
James Holden, Imagine This is a High Dimensional Space of All Possibilities
Lorena Álvarez and Alejandro Palacios, Paisajes Para Torcer al Reloj
J
ake Shears, Last Man Dancing
El Búho, Strata
Ki Oni, A Leisurely Swim to Everlasting Life
Olof Dreijer, Rosa Rugosa EP
Andy P horses with Troy(e)
I’m going to continue my tradition of being terrible at this and include only one album - Troye Sivan Something to Give Each Other. Why? Because I’m that person who goes to Apple Music and hits the play button on some random station and lets someone else curate everything. And then I’ll wait until you send the email with the tabulated results and will enjoy the sense of discovery that everyone else has had over the previous year. :)
Heather D follows the Lede-r
Here are my picks:
Dessa, Bury the Lede
Andrew Bird, Outside Problems
Dudu Tassa & Jonny Greenwood, Jarak Qaribak
Samantha M dives in
1) Slowdive, Everything is Alive
2) PJ Harvey, I Inside the Old Year Dying
3) The Kills, God Games
Ryan Y’s past and present list
Looking back at my Spotify wrapped, it is clear to me that most of my most essential albums of the year were not released in 2023. But, staying true to the prompt, here are my top five from 2023 alone:
1. Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor's Version) -- it's my fav Taylor album of all time, and she delivered on the rerecord !!
2. Hozier, Unreal Unearth
3. Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time
4. KAROL G, MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO
5. Taylor Swift, Speak Now (Taylor's Version)
That said, here is my list of the five albums that were ACTUALLY essential to my 2023, even though most did not come out last year. This is also the first time that I was absolutely #blessed enough to see all FIVE of my top five artists of the year in concert IN THE SAME YEAR, so that had a heavy impact on my listening.
1. Beyoncé, RENAISSANCE --- this album was that girl, still is that girl, and will always BE that girl
2. Maggie Rogers, Surrender
3. David Byrne & Fatboy Slim, Here Lies Love: Original Cast Recording
4. Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor's Version)
5. Hozier, Unreal Unearth
Top three songs I danced alone in my room to:
1. Beyoncé, Baby Boy - Homecoming Live
2. Beyoncé, CUFF IT
3. Arcángel con Bad Bunny, La Jumpa
Top three songs I screamed in the shower and/or car to:
1. Maggie Rogers, Shatter
2. Noah Kahan, Stick Season
3. Taylor Swift, Cruel Summer
Lyric of the year (from I, Carrion by Hozier), best enjoyed while looking pensively out an airplane window:
I do not have wings, love, I never will / Soarin' over a world you are carryin' / If these heights should bring my fall / Let me be your own / Icarian carrion
Crissa C’s list bursts through
essential album:
Bibio, Sunbursting
favorite singles:
Four Tet, Three Drums
Tycho, Small Sanctuary
Matthew B, inhospitable
These are my three favorites and if none of them are the #1 I would like a list of your "friends" so I can confront them all.
Mitski, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Matthue R tries on some NewJeans
Most essential: NewJeans, Get Up
I love listening to music in a language I don't know. I love the light touch of their precise, calculated rhymes over this music that feels like it's being piped in from the coolest elevator in the world, a hidden party that ends the moment you reach your floor. I have so many thoughts about their songs and, if I understood Korean, they'd probably all be wrong. I wrote a zine based on these songs a few months ago (bit.ly/newjeans-zine) and I wish I could be back in that moment, of having their music wash through me and make poems, forever.
Also essential:
Nick Shoulders, All Bad: Making sad, gay yodeling country music is why Nick Shoulders was put on this Earth. I might have been put here to listen to it.
Olivia Rodrigo, Guts: I was like, this guitar solo is exactly like the one in "Take the Power Back" and I thought I was the only person who's jumped on my bed listening to that song in about 20 years, and wouldn't you know it, a few days later Katie was reading an Olivia interview where she says her biggest influence is Rage Against the Machine. Olivia gets a bad rap for plagiarism, not always unwarranted, but I think her music is way more pastiche, like what the Avalanches did but more so, and I think this is the way we listen to music these days, and kind of the way we think: Tiktoked away a second after it enters our heads, but irrevocably imprinted nonetheless.
Twice, Ready to Be: One of my all-time faves, I cringed when I heard their first all-English song (see above), but, honestly, it's so weird and random that maybe Twice's Korean lyrics are everything I've always hoped they would be.
Milliseconds, So This Is How It Happens: Eric Aexelson spent a long time playing bass in the Dismemberment Plan and not singing anything. Now he does, and it's as awkward and sweet and nice as you could ever hope it would be.
Boygenius, The Rest: I loved The Record but I think this is even sadder, which means better.
Andre 3000, New Blue Sun: Did you see the meme that said, Andre 3000 is a wandering flautist and Big Boi is a Master of Owls and that OutKast has become real life Zelda characters? I think that's all I can say.
Lizette S welcomes us to the Jungle
Jungle, Volcano
Kaytramine, Anime
Berlioz, Jazz is for Ordinary People
Bad Bunny, nadie sabe lo que va a pasar manana
Phil B says viva Olivia
Best Albums of 2023:
Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS
SZA, SOS (even though released in December 2022)
Best Songs of 2023
Kylie Minogue, Padam Padam
Miley Cyrus, Flowers
Carrie N unearths some gems
UNREAL, UNEARTH by Hozier
THE RECORD by Boygenius
THIS LAND IS INHOSPITABLE AND SO ARE WE by Mitski
THIS IS WHY by Paramore
Deborah H plays the circle game (over and over)
Joni Mitchell, Joni Mitchell at Newport.
Jennifer T’s Utopian choices
My essential album(s) of the year:
Travis Scott, Utopia & Victoria Monét Jaguar II
My honorable mentions/other essentials:
Daniel Caesar, Never Enough
Kaytranada & Aminé, Kaytraminé
Janelle Monáe, The Age of Pleasure
Jessica S goes with her Guts
1. Olivia Rodrigo, Guts
2. Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
3. Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (is this cheating? I really loved the tracks from the vault on this one!)
Justin W sets the Record
This year it was boygenius, the record for me.
I also discovered a 2022 release The Beths, Expert in a Dying Field that I really enjoyed.
For deeply idiosyncratic reasons, 2023 featured a lot of The Zombies, This Will Be Our Year . . . and a lot of A Moth Goes to the Podiatrist’s Office by Chingada (and Norm McDonald).
Maggie S plays it Safia
EASY
1) SAFIA - A Lover's Guide to a Lucid Dream
The first time I heard SAFIA, it was a balmy Miami night and I was in a fast red car; SAFIA's sound became inextricably linked to that feeling, which . . . if you've heard SAFIA, is good and correct. This new album came out just at the end of the year, when I was in a place quite the opposite of balmy Miami, but these seductive bangers took me right back to those sizzling streets anyway.
2) Kishi Bashi - Music from the Song Film: Omoiyari
Every year, Kishi Bashi steps further away from his singer-songwriter-violinist roots and closer to some sort of orchestral Japanese-American demigod, and I'm here for it.
3) Death Cab for Cutie - An Arrow in the Wall
This single took me right back to the beginning of Death Cab, allowing me to mercifully forget everything DC put out in later years.
4) Metric - Formentara II
Infinitely listenable synth pop in a minor key, just how I like it.
5) Will Butler + Sister Squares - Will Butler + Sister Squares
There are a few bands who make songs I think get better and better (or make more and more sense) with every listen. The Shins, Animal Collective. Add Will Butler + Sister Squares to that. "Stop Talking" and "Me & My Friends" are my favorites here.
6) Tom Rosenthal - "This Little Life"
Tom puts out 41,023 songs each year, but that's ok, I've sorted them for you this year, "This Little Life" is the nicest one he did in '23.
7) Baaba Maal - Being
This is an album to just listen to. Throw open the windows, start making dinner, and listen.
8) Polish Ambassador - Diamond Hands
This is a single to just listen to. Throw open the windows, start burning dinner, and listen.
9) Manchester Orchestra - The Valley of Vision
I would love to tell you why to listen to this one, but I own three Manchester Orchestra t-shirts, which makes me the worst possible person for that job.
10) MisterWives - Nosebleeds
Enjoyably rageful girl synth-pop.
11) Christine the Queens - Stayin' Alive! (Chris Version)
Special mention for this cover of Stayin' Alive, which makes you feel like you're having a dream about losing consciousness in the corner of a French club.
Joel P: Calico Him Maybe
1) Ryan Beatty, Calico
2) Jungle, Volcano
3) Jessie Ware, That! Feels! Good!
4) Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
5) Ben Howard, Is It?
6) The Beaches, Blame My Ex
7) Japanese House, In the End It Always Does
8) The Aces, I've Loved You For So Long
9) Ashnikko, Weedkiller
10) Victoria Monet, Jaguar II
Lucas K sufs no fools
I'm rooting for a three-peat:
Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
May all your sufs be jan in 2024!
Kathleen P, Valley girl
Ilsey, From the Valley
Noah Kahan, Stick Season
Romy, Mid Air
Cannons, Heartbeat Highway
Olivia Rodrigo, Guts
Noname, Sundial
Aimee F, seeing pink
Here are my top singles for 2023 (the Barbie soundtrack is heavily represented) 😊
Lizzy McAlpine, Ceilings
Sza, Kill Bill
Lizzo, Pink
Ryan Gosling, I’m Just Ken
Billie Eilish, What Was I Made For?
Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, Barbie World
Taylor Swift, I Can See You
Olivia Rodrigo, Vampire
Emma L Gets her Goats
The Mountain Goats, Jenny From Thebes all the way! Thanks!
Gianfranco L bops from the gut
2023
albums I bopped to:
Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS
Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Reneé Rapp, Snow Angel
Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other
Taylor Swift, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
Kim Petras, Feed the Beast
2023 singles I bopped to:
Beyoncé, My House
Beyoncé, Grown Woman (FINALLY released in 2023)
Beyoncé & Madonna, Break My Soul - The Queens Remix
Dicks: The Musical, Out
Alpha The Alpha
Loreen, Is It Love
Conan Gray, Never Ending Song
Alex K-N shows shows some real Chemistry
Favorite Albums
1) Kelly Clarkson, chemistry (Deluxe)
2) Reneé Rapp, Snow Angel (Deluxe)
3) Alex Vaughn, The Hurtbook (Homegirl Pack)
4) Maeta, When I Hear Your Name
5) Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
6) Jessie Ware, That! Feels! Good!
7) Aly & AJ, With Love From
8) Kylie Minogue, Tension (Deluxe)
9) Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
10) The National, First Two Pages of Frankenstein
Favorite Songs
1) Kelly Clarkson, "lighthouse"
2) Ingrid Michaelson, "If This Is Love"
3) Reneé Rapp, "I Hate Boston"
4) FLO, "Control Freak"
5) Alex Vaughn & Ari Lennox, "Demon Time (Remix)"
6) Nemahsis, "i wanna be your right hand"
7) Jon Batiste & Leigh-Anne, "Running Away"
8) Lucius, "Stranger Danger"
9) Omar Apollo, "3 Boys"
10) Coco Jones, "ICU"
11) METTE, "MAMA'S EYES"
12) Freya Ridings, "Face in the Crowd"
13) Black Pumas, "More Than A Love Song"
14) Annie Tracy, "Clothes Are So Obnoxious"
15) Sufjan Stevens, "So You Are Tired"
16) Maeta, "Cool Cat"
17) Aly & AJ, "Open to Something and That Something is You"
18) The Veronicas, "Perfect"
19) boygenius, "Emily, I'm Sorry"
20) Holly Humberstone & MUNA, "In My Room"
Scott T’s Abstrakte take
I've continued to ride the Dark Wave in 2023
Essential Album of 2023 (full album and EP released weeks apart)
VOITH, Abstrakte Emotionen/A Dreamer's Kiss
Other 2023 Essentials
Night Music, Position II
Leathers, Fascination
slowdive, everything is alive
Motorama, Sleep, and I Will Sing
Gert Emmens, Mysteries of Dawn
Matthew U was thinking ‘bout boy(geninuse)s
Here are my pics for this year. I realized that during the pandemic years, I wasn’t listening to nearly as much music as usual, but now that I’ve finally gotten back to the gym and am driving more, my prime listening venues are back. And for most of the year, my choices were decidedly more upbeat than typical, probably for the same reasons. And then boygenius and The National released albums and I was back in my usual groove. I ranked their albums in the first and second spots and it was almost a coin toss between them but ultimately I decided on boygenius because I keep returning to a few of their songs more often. So, here we go:
Most essential album:
1. boygenius, The Record
Other essential albums:
2. The National, First Two Pages of Frankenstein & Laughtrack (the second feels like B-sides to the first, so I’m counting them together, maybe it is…?)
3. The Revivalists, Pour It out into the Night
4. CMAT, Crazymad, for Me
5. The Beaches, Blame My Ex
6. Romy, Midair
7. Miley Cyrus, Endless Summer Vacation
8. Portugal the Man, Chris Black Saved My Life
9. Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other
10. Everything but the Girl, Fuse
11. MGMT, Little Dark Age
12. Cub Sport, Jesus at the Gay Bar
13. Nation of Language, Strange Disciple
Two from 2022 that I didn’t know about until 2023, otherwise they would have made the list too:
Noah Kahan, Stick Season
Rina Sawayama, Hold the Girl
Jonas R brings some Joy to the list
1. Jenny Lewis, Joy’All
2. Yo La Tengo, This Stupid World
3. The Watson Twins, Holler
4. Andrew Bird, Outside Problems
5. Youth Lagoon, Heaven is a Junkyard
6. Margo Price, Strays
7. Laufey, Bewitched
8. The Rolling Stones, Hackney Diamonds
9. Feist, Multitudes
10. boygenius, the record
And one that was issued in 2012 and re-released (and discovered by me) last year:
Charlie Hunter, Not Getting Behind is the New Getting Ahead
Danielle P loves the Stones, particularly Diamonds
Rolling Stones, Hackney Diamonds!
Tis the Season for Elana M
Noah Kahan, Stick Season
Also, The Revivalists, Pour It Out into the Night
Favorite rediscovered song -- Tracy Chapman, Telling Stories. Wow. Beautiful melody, fantastic lyrics.
And, because it's a great pick-me-up, Pink Martini, The Lemonade Song
Daniel H Re-Fuses
albums:
Everything But The Girl, Fuse
Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
song:
The National, “Eucalyptus”
newly (re)discovered:
Mighty Lemon Drops, World Without End
MGMT, “Time To Pretend” (thanks, Saltburn, for reminding me how much this song makes me cry)
Jinny W rings a Bell
Most essential album of 2023:
Joshua Bell, "BUTTERFLY LOVERS" with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, conducted by Tsung Yeh. Growing out of an ancient Chinese legend, the "Butterfly Lovers' Concerto" was composed in 1959 by Chen Gang and He Zhahao, who were students at the Shanghai Conservatory. It's been loved across the world ever since. Bell's alluring version includes traditional Chinese instruments. Recognizable hits by Sarasate, Saint-Saëns, and Massenet fill out the album. SONY Classical.
Another essential album:
Eric Whitacre, composer and conductor, "HOME" sung by VOCES8. Settings of poetry originating in Walt Whitman and in poet Charles Anthony Silvestri's elegy for his late wife. Mellifluous and meditative vocal power, with cello and piano. Generous supply of comfort in a fraught world. DECCA Classics.
Collin R finds God on a Wednesday
TOP ALBUM
Wednesday, Rat Saw God
Honorable Mentions
boygenius, the record
Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time
Mitski, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
Miya Folick, ROACH
Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Yves Tumor, Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
Samia, Honey
Paramore, This Is Why
Andy Shauf, Norm
TOP SONGS
Wednesday, Bull Believer
Yaeji, For Granted
Clairo, Bags - Recorded at Electric Lady
Carly Rae Jepsen, Psychedelic Switch
Baths, Projecting a Life
Sampha, Only
ANOHNI, It Must Change
Kyle R has the Loveliest Time
1. Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time
2. Miley Cyrus, Endless Summer Vacation
3. Various Artists, Barbie the Album
4. Ellie Goulding, Higher Than Heaven
5. Olivia Rodrigo, Guts
6. Manchester Orchestra, The Valley of Vision
7. Jessie Ware, That! Feels! Good!
8. Ava Max, Diamonds and Dancefloors
9. Kelly Clarkson, Chemistry
10. Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
It is with immense pleasure that I place CRJ’s The Loveliest Time in the top spot. This album knocked it out of the park. I mean absolutely KICKED. ASS. It took everything I could have expected from her and turned it up to 11. Highlights from the album include Kamikaze, which takes typical Carly pop and infuses a slightly darker sound into it, and Psychedelic Switch, which quite frankly was entirely ignored of the proper promotion as a homerun single that Carly so desperately deserved. To be completely honest, I could probably replace either of those songs with any other track on the album and still gush about it. Come Over, Shy Boy, Kollage, So Right, even the funky borderline-hyperpop After Last Night (which almost didn't even make the cut!), they are all pinnacle Carly. The more I listen, the more it feels like she made this album specifically for me. It resonated so powerfully in me, from the adventurous sounds to the lyrics. If I was a fan before, I’m a stan now. I seriously play all songs from this album constantly.
Miley Cyrus had a similar renaissance in my rotation this year, thanks to Endless Summer Vacation. Tracks like “Island” and “Violet Chemistry” get weekly play. Not to mention, her live performances of the album tracks during her Backyard Sessions live specials really set the tone for an excellent summertime album. Until CRJ’s The Loveliest Time released, Miley’s latest effort was my top-played of the year.
With a lack of ten albums of significant quality this year to create a top ten list for myself, I decided on including Taylor Swift’s reproduction of 1989 in the final spot, if only for the sheer effort of recreating one of her most well-known albums and the drama saga that tags along with it. On first listen, I had noticed several issues with the quality of the production (namely, strange hissing and audio glitches on specific tracks, most egregiously in Style and Out of the Woods). I thought I was alone until the internet agreed with me. Thankfully, the tracks seemed to be reuploaded on Spotify and the issue no longer exists.
The only album that seems truly out of place in this list is Manchester Orchestra. I had only recently discovered their music at the end of 2022, and after discovering a cute little tidbit of info that I share the same birthday as the lead singer, I tried to absorb all the scorpio energy he could sing at me. And boy, did it work! Although my favorites include I Know How to Speak and The Gold from previous albums, Andy once again combines an ethereal sound with a voice that sends you into deep thought in order to create a body of work that induces an almost meditative state.
Out of all the albums on my list this year, there is one album I wouldn’t even qualify for the Top Ten if it weren’t for the lead single. I might be one of the few feeling this way, but I absolutely cannot find myself enjoying Olivia Rodrigo’s sound for most of her work. It is only because of the absolutely gargantuan anthem that is Vampire that the album even made its way onto my list. It was my most played song of the year and it wasn’t even close. In my opinion, no other song from either her first album nor this one even comes remotely close to the quality of Vampire. And with the way she has spoken about her meticulous process of writing and the collaboration on the production of it, I have doubts she will be able to catch that lightning in a bottle for me again. I understand her pop-punk sound, for sure, but compared to the rest of her work, Vampire is in a league of its own.
Shelly R’s Token choice
Most Essential Album:
Sleep Token, Take Me Back to Eden
Gotta love a metal band that incorporates and mixes different genres and styles into their sound. And I did, indeed, find them thanks to TikTok.
Honorable Mentions:
• Daisy Jones & The Six, Aurora
• Nuovo Testamento, Love Lines
Top 10 Essential Songs Released in 2023:
• “You Wish” — Flyana Boss
• “Love From The Other Side” — Fall Out Boy
• “The River” — Daisy Jones & The Six
• “Heat” — Nuovo Testamento
• “El Jefe” — Shakira & Fuerza Regida
• “Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem)” — Halsey & SUGA
• “Gasoline” — Måneskin
• “You First” - Paramore
• “Dance the Night” — Dua Lipa
• “Let’s Have a Satanic Orgy” — Twin Temple
Michael T declares a tie
For me it’s a tie between SZA and Andre 3000.
Hillary B, staying Alive
Favorite album of the year: Slowdive, everything is alive
Second place: Danny Brown, Quaranta
Third place: Kevin Drew, Aging
For Melissa W, the Butler did it
Ok my new fave is:
Will Butler + Sister Squares, Will Butler + Sister Squares
(Album name is band name as far as I can parse! Went to the show, loved the energy, can recreate it with a dance party at home when I'm feeling low) 🧡
Eugene K, energized by the Bunny
1. Bad Bunny, nadie sabe lo que va pasar mañana
2. Akriila, 001
3. TINI, Cupido
4. Cristina Vidoni, Ludovico Minasi, Teodoro Bau, Del Cinque: Sonatas for Three Cells (2022, but I think I forgot to list it last year)
5. Matthew Halsall, Triangles in the Sky
Benjamin W – all Lahais, no Lalows
Most Essential:
Sampha, Lahai
Also:
Feist, Multitudes
Troye Sivan, Something To Give Each Other
Blue Lake, Sun Arcs
boygenius, the record
Big Discovery From Previous Years (and a truly ridiculous and wonderful song):
Born a Worm (a song by Dan Reeder)
Brent G’s hunger for Games
Gotta say this year was a little harder than others, nothing totally creamed me this year and I think I listened to older records.
So here goes nothing
the weird year of
2023:
DAUGHTER, Stereo Mind Games
JUNGLE, Volcano
KILLER MIKE, Michael
100 GECS, 10,000 gecs
VAGABON, Sorry I Haven't Called
EXTRA:
MINI TREES, Always In Motion
(2021, discovered in 2023 and listened to it more than anything else this year)
Also I'm not counting Taylor Swift TV albums....she's my favorite but it doesn't feel fair or new. haha :)
Nico M loves the Tension
What else can I say but, "Padam!"
Kylie Minogue, Tension
My kween was back and better than ever in 2023!
Cecil C, live from Ocean Blvd
Lana del Rey, Did You Know there’s a tunnel under ocean blvd
Boygenius, The Record / The Rest
Feist, Multitudes
Rufus Wainwright, Folkocracy
Jenny Lewis, Joy’All
PJ Harvey, I Inside the Old Year Dying
Explosions in the Sky, End
Jolie Holland, Haunted Mountain
Billie Ellish, (Single) What was I made for
Taylor Swift - Taylor’s Version (all of them)
Who can Brant R turn to? Jenny, Jenny
My Essential Albums of 2023:
The Mountain Goats, Jenny from Thebes
The Reds, Pinks & Purples, The Town That Cursed Your Name
Avalon Emerson, & the Charm
Janelle Monae, The Age of Pleasure
Nourished by Time, Erotic Probiotic
2
Parannoul, After the Magic
Elder
Albums I Found Essential in 2023:
Dorothy Ashby, The Fantastic Jazz Harp of Dorothy Ashby
Miles Davis, Filles de Kilimanjaro
Ivy, Long Distance
Ahmad Jamal, Ahmad Jamal Trio at The Pershing: But Not for Me
Albert King, Blues for Elvis: King Does the King's Things
Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., I Hope We Get to Love in Time
Janelle Monáe, Dirty Computer
P.M. Dawn, Jesus Wept
The Primitives, Lovely
Jonathan V’s Language skills
These were the new-to-2023 albums that I really dug this year, with my favorite at the top:
1. Nation of Language, Strange Disciple
This was the best year for electronica since...well, I guess we can argue about the "since" year? But it likely starts with the digits 1, 9, and 9. And that's why it's pretty amazing that my #1 album from this year...wasn't technically electronica! That's how good the (new) synth-pop classic "Strange Disciple" from Nation of Language is. This album is so compelling that I've heard about it multiple times through actual word-of-mouth...and people don’t use MOUTHS anymore! I even heard about this album once from the Substacker John Halpin. (I was expecting a post on democratic party reform, and I got him saying, "Hey folks, in other news, if you like synth-pop, there's a band in Brooklyn you should know about...")
2. ODESZA & Yellow House, Flaws in Our Design
This is technically an EP, but it's still my runner-up for album of the year--what it lacks in playtime, it makes up for in distinctiveness. I love ODESZA's collaborations, they never sound quite like ODESZA, but they always have this cohesive feeling, a "nothing else quite sounds like this"-ness.
3. ford., Guiding Hand
I am always thrilled when there's an electronica artist whose sound is specific to them. This is such a difficult genre to do anything original with! It's as challenging as folk in that regard. A decidedly "chill" electronica artist, ford. manages to do that bougieass Washed Out trick, where he writes relaxing music that’s so good, it makes calming the f*ck down seem profound. Get the track "Tell Me (Anew)" for your gateway drug.
4. The Chemical Brothers, For That Beautiful Feeling
Speaking of drugs! What a gift this damn band is. Back in 2019, they released "No Geography," which was, at the time, their best album since "Further." Now we get "For That Beautiful Feeling," which is just as good as "No Geography," but also a kind of spiritual sequel to "Further”—embracing similar shifts in tone, and that album’s cohesive, experiential structure. It even ends so that the closing moments of the last track lead directly into the beginning of the first track--so, if you keep it on repeat, you are treated to the feeling of a neverending Chemical Brothers album. Talk about a beautiful feeling!
5. Lusine, Long Light
I had been wondering when Lusine would do a follow-up to the endlessly rewarding "Sensorimotor." "Long Light" picks up right where it left off in the continuum.
6. Fever Ray, Radical Romantics
I feel a little guilty about including this? It's like Karin Dreijer's having a midlife crisis, and we're the ones who get to drive the muscle car. But here we are.
7. The National, First Two Pages of Frankenstein
I confess, whether it's having lived in their zip code, or being in their sad dad age category, I'm zoned for them.
I didn't even *get* to hear the new OTR album because I wanted to save it for my winter visit to Vegas. I did that same thing last year with Moderat's "More Data," and it paid off. Speaking of which...
BEST ALBUM FROM 2022 THAT I HEARD IN 2023
Moderat, More Data - The first time I heard this album, on a walk through Peoria in February of last year, I thought, "Wow, why so many instrumentals?" But now? I can't even tell you which tracks are instrumental and which ones have vocals, because my brain has filed them all under "Moderat tracks I love from an album I can't stop listening to." If you've never treated yourself to this band, and you like foreboding electronica that makes you not mind living in the dystopian hellscape they are soundtracking, which happens to be your actual dystopian hellscape, you are in for a treat.
Alex K’s Pleasure principle
Janelle Monae : Age of Pleasure
Gorillaz : Cracker Island
Tim D just Kant
Here is my music list from last year:
Descartes a Kant, After Destruction
Fletcher, Girl of My Dreams
Tove Lo, Dirt Femme
Jukebox the Ghost, Cheers
Duran Duran, Danse Macabre
... and the singles:
Tim Minchin, Play It Safe
The Last Dinner Party, Nothing Matters
I
honestly gave Taylor Swift a good, college try and couldn't get into her music. Such is life.
Austin R Enters the Dragon
Little Dragon, Slugs of Love
Jungle, Volcano
Troye Sivan, Something To Give Each Other
Omar Apollo, Live For Me EP
Larger Than Life, Brent Faiyaz
Victoria Monét, Jaguar II
Stephen Sanchez, Angel Face
Maeta, When I Hear Your Name
Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS
Juliette Armanet, Brûler le Feu 2
Maya M, all about the Goats
Most essential:
The Mountain Goats, Jenny from Thebes
On repeat:
Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS
Teri Y’s got Something to Give
Troye Sivan, Something To Give Each Other
Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor's Version)
Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time
Kylie Minogue, Tension
Miley Cyrus, Summer Vacation
Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Conan Gray didn't put out a new album in 2023, but he did release some singles from a forthcoming one and I had "Never Ending Song" on repeat for a long time--it's still one of my top songs of the year.
Elizabeth K’s oldies but goodies
Bille Eilish, Happier Than Ever
Matthew E White, Gentlewoman
Paul Simon, Here comes rhymin Simon
single: Self-Esteem, I do this all the time & Lisa LeBlanc, Dans l'jus
Josh L, alongside goats, climbs ev’ry Mountain
The Mountain Goats, Jenny From Thebes
Honorable mentions:
Boygenius, The record
The National, First Two Pages of Frankenstein
David G, continuing the Javelin’s arc
Albums:
Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
Mitski, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
Lana Del Rey, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
Flyte, Flyte
Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other
Boygenius, The Record
Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Rufus Wainwright, Folkocracy
Olivia Rodrigo, Guts
Glume, Main Character
Barbie The Album
Songs
"Grandfather Please Stand on the Shoulders of My Father While He's Deep-Sea Fishing" by Lana Del Rey
"One of Your Girls" by Troye Sivan
"Even on Bad Days" by Flyte
"Bug Like an Angel" by Mitski
"What Was I Made for?" by Billie Eilish
"Harvest" by Rufus Wainwright featuring Andrew Bird and Chris Stills
"Are You Awake" by Lauren Mayberry.
And, of course, I am enjoying the return of "Murder on the Dance Floor" just like everyone else.
Jake S defends his Property
ESSENTIAL ALBUM:
Waterparks, Intellectual Property
EVERYTHING ELSE:
Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Reneé Rapp, Snow Angel
Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time
LE SSERAFIM, UNFORGIVEN
Nickel Creek, Celebrants
Victoria Monet, Jaguar II
Baby Queen, Quarter Life Crisis
Tinashe, BB/ANG3L
FIZZ, The Secret to Life
Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS
Janelle Monáe, The Age of Pleasure
Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
Troye Sivan, Something To Give Each Other
Raye Zaragoza, Hold That Spirit
Mitski, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
Dolly Parton, Rockstar
Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
Paramore, This Is Why
PinkPantheress, Heaven knows
Shania Twain, Queen of Me
Bayonne, Temporary Time
SPECIAL MENTIONS FOR SOUNDTRACKS & MUSICAL THEATER
Original Broadway Cast Recording, KPOP
Original Broadway Cast Recording , Days of Wine and Roses
Everything Heather Christian wrote & released in 2023.
METRO BOOMIN PRESENTS SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
Jacinta Clusellas, AZUL
The Barbie Soundtrack
SPECIAL MENTION FOR PLAYLIST EXCELLENCE
The Heartstopper Season 2 playlist is absolutely unmatched (except, perhaps, by the Heartstopper Season 1 playlist).
SPECIAL MENTION FOR GENERIC DANCEFLOOR EXCELLENCE
Jessie Ware, That! Feels! Good!
SG Lewis – AudioLust & HigherLove
Ava Max – Diamonds & Dancefloors
Kylie Minogue – Tension
JAKE’S OBSESSIONS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS UNEARTHED IN 2023
The entire back catalogs of Shania Twain, Beyoncé, Dolly Parton, and Jazmine Sullivan.
Let us underscore Wilson R’s choice
I’ll keep it simple.
1) underscores, Wallsocket
This album is absolutely stellar for so many more reasons than I possibly hope to cover in an email.
Ben L, now and Later
My list below in no particular order:
Tate McRae, Think Later
Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other
Omar Apollo, Live for Me
Model/Actriz, Dogsbody
Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Tinahse, BB/ANG3L
Melanie Martinez, Portals
Renee Rapp, Snow Angel
Rate, My 21st Century Blues
Carly Rae Jepson, The Loveliest Time
Kelly Clarkson, Chemistry
Maisie Peters, The Good Witch
Ryan Beatty, Calico
Jessie Ware, That Feels Good
Caroline Polachek, Desire I Want to Turn Into You
Boygenius, The Record
Lana Del Rey, Did You Know That There’s…
Kelsea Ballerini, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat
Kelela, Raven
Nick E, rides fast with the Slowdive
1) Slowdive, Everything Is Alive
2) Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
3) William Fitzsimmons, Covers, Vol. 2
Kristin E also throws the Javelin
1) Sufjan Stevens, Javelin
2) Avalon Emerson, & the Charm
3) Anything Wilson Rumble shares with me when he’s unloading the dishwasher, because multitasking …
Gabriel D crowns his Princess
1.) Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
2.) Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time
3.) Lana Del Rey, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
4.) Aly & AJ, With Love From
5.) Mariah the Scientist, To Be Eaten Alive
Bryant P, a National treasure
Most Essential Albums of 2023:
The National, First Two Pages of Frankenstein
Youth Lagoon, Heaven Is a Junkyard
Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other
