25. Terrace Martin - "Final Thought: (Feat. Kamasi Washington, Robert 'Sput' Searight & Larry Goldings)
Review
This is a cover of the Kamasi Washington track of the same name, but Kamasi himself even contributes to this cover of it. In fact, the heart of the track is still the same, the refrain and groove of the track stays the same, but the saxophone and keyboard solos are completely new, each of which goes on for quite a few minutes. It does feel like Kamasi is doing the saxophone soloing here, but there is no telling for sure. The groove of the track keeps everything interesting for the time being, especially with the way the percussion is layered. Selfishly, my connection to the track will always be watching them do this version at Coachella this year with Robert Glasper. Hearing multiple of the most accomplished jazz and jazz-fusion artists of the past decade soloing on the same stage was a sight to behold! This track is an encapsulation of that feeling.
Favorite Moment: The last minute of the saxophone solo or the percussion in the background
Selling Point: Some of the greatest in their field coming together to remake one of their own classics
24. The Weeknd - "Popular" (Feat. Madonna & Playboi Carti)
Review
I’m still in denial that The Idol ever happened. The only reason I haven’t completely blocked every piece of information about that show from my memory banks is because a few of the songs that came from it were actually pretty good. Somehow, this song with The Weeknd, Madonna, and Playboi Carti ended up being a fantastic all around pop song. The production here from Metro Boomin and Mike Dean is a throwback to early 2000s pop and R&B, especially songs that were produced by Timbaland. The Weeknd takes the lead on the track, with both Madonna and Playboi Carti only having a specific part of their own to shine in. Of course, the lyrics here aren’t about much, but I don’t think it matters when a song is this catchy and this well-produced.
Favorite Moment: The production mixed with the chorus
Selling Point: A unique collaboration of artists that you won’t find anywhere else
23. Travis Scott - "Meltdown" (Feat. Drake)
Review
Drake really gave his best verse of the year to Travis Scott. He put out an album that was over 20 songs and almost 90 minutes long, and then a deluxe of six more songs showcasing his rapping ability, but this is easily his best verse of 2023. Sure, Travis still put this whole song together, but Drake’s verse on here steals the show. Everything from his incredible flows to his tonal delivery is something that shows how great of a rapper Drake can be when he tries. The menacing production on the first part of the track is another highlight that shows how insane someone like BNYX can be as a producer. Travis does still deserve a little credit because it’s his track. Even though Utopia was slightly disappointing as a whole, “Meltdown” is still a fantastic follow up to 2018’s classic track, “Sicko Mode”
Favorite Moment: Drake’s verse
Selling Point: A fantastic mainstream, bombastic banger
22. Lil Uzi Vert - "Suicide Doors"
Review
This song goes unbelievably hard! Lil Uzi Vert is someone whose music I’ve never fully got, but when they dropped The Pink Tape this year, I was impressed! They pull off plenty of different styles in this mammoth release of mostly creative tracks, but “Suicide Doors” is on another level. Most of this is due to the production of the track, which is at least partly handled by Arca and is always a nice treat. The hard-hitting drums and metallic synths create one of the best beats I’ve ever heard in this new rage-fueled hip-hop! It’s not a sound that they’ve done before, but wow did they create a fantastic track. Their vocal melodies do make the song better, but the production here is what makes this easily one of my favorite bangers I’ve heard in a long time!
Favorite Moment: The original beat drop with the abrasive synths
Selling Point: An incredibly hard beat to go crazy to
21. PinkPantheress - "Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2" (Feat. Ice Spice)
Review
Every year, PinkPantheress is just getting bigger and bigger. “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2” is by far her biggest song, and was even one of the biggest songs of 2023! It gained almost 750 million streams on Spotify alone this year! Thankfully, this track is also one of PinkPantheress’s most instantly catchy tracks. Adding Ice Spice to the remix only added to the playful and 2000s feeling that is being given off on this song. Everybody from Nicki Minaj to Taylor Swift has been getting Ice Spice on their songs, but none of the songs have come anywhere close in popularity or quality as this one. Even with her stellar debut album being released at the end of the year, none of those songs come to this level of enjoyability out of context of the record.
Favorite Moment: The twinkly production
Selling Point: One of the best pop songs of the year
20. Mick Jenkins - "Show & Tell" (Feat. Freddie Gibbs)
Review
Sometimes hip-hop should just be two fantastic MCs trying to outdo each other with the more clever line. That’s what we get here with “Show & Tell”. While Freddie can flow really well, he can’t compete with Mick lyrically. The entire first verse that Mick does here is just one double entendre after another. Just look at this line that he says in the middle of it, “Opinions quickly turn into trash, we flippin' the page. Penny saved, money aged like grapes. N****, we getting fermented bags”. The connection between saving money and things aging like fine wine is preposterous. The entire verse, and song, is just one stank face after another. It doesn’t need to be extremely deep or personal, it’s just using words to say the most creative things you can think of.
Favorite Moment: The entire first verse from Mick Jenkins
Selling Point: A classic hip-hop track with impeccable writing
19. Zach Bryan - "Boys of Faith" (Feat. Bon Iver)
Review
It’s not lost on me that the least country song by Zach out of his two projects from this year is my favorite, but oh well. Let’s get the negative out of the way, the vocal filtering on this track is pretty weird, but after you get used to it, everything else about “Boys of Faith” is great! Having Bon Iver harmonizing on the chorus only elevates Zach’s voice, and giving him the outro to sing alone provides a nice ending to the track. The lyrics on here really connect, especially the second half of the chorus where they go, “We're tryin' to get our pockets up. This year has just been movin' f****n' slow”. Sure, it’s a pretty literal translation to how my current life is going, doing Grubhub and Doordash is fairly dependent on other people. And since the job search isn’t yielding many positive full time results, feeling a little stuck is bound to happen. So this one might be a bit more personal than some of the other ones on here, but I still think everyone can find their own way to enjoy it!
Favorite Moment: Everything about the chorus
Selling Point: Hearing the newest country superstar making an indie/americana track with a newer legend
18. Tinashe - "Needs"
Review
This is a perfect pop/R&B track! It doesn’t fall completely into either category, and one could even argue that there is some hip-hop influence as well, but no matter how you classify it, it's a perfectly done infectious track! There isn’t much to this track though. The production is fairly simple, the lyrical content is straightforward, and there isn’t much to the track. Heck, she herself said the track is practically a freestyle. But even though what is here is limited, the vocal melodies on here are all amazing! The melody she does on the chorus is so satisfying, and easily one of my favorites of the entire year! “Needs” is a perfect party song to play with your friends while having a good time.
Favorite Moment: The melody during the chorus
Selling Point: The catchiest chorus you’ll hear in an R&B-influenced track all year
17. James Blake - "Tell Me"
Review
After his pivot back into dance music this year, I was wondering how well it would end up going. Of course, it is James Blake, so I knew it was going to be really good, but I wasn’t sure if there would be anything that broke into my echelon of favorite James Blake tracks. Luckily, “Tell Me” instantly became one of his best tracks, and maybe my personal favorite dance track from him! Obviously, James’s voice is still fantastic, but it’s the production here that makes the song! The drop is a perfect combination of experimental sound design, but also having a driving force and catchy melody for people to grab onto. It’s the type of dance song that works just as well in headphones than it would when being played live. I have no idea what James Blake will do next, but I have faith it’ll be fantastic!
Favorite Moment: The production on the drop
Selling Point: An incredible dance song from an incredible artist
16. Teezo Touchdown - "5 O’Clock"
Review
I know Teezo dropped his awesome debut album this year, but this loosie ended up being my favorite song of his from this year! It’s a fairly simple song, lyrically. It goes through a day in the life of Teezo Touchdown, before he gets stuck in traffic at five and just jams out. Sonically though, this track is a love letter to old school Atlanta trap music. The first half is along the lines of the hard-hitting bangers of Gucci Mane, whereas the second half incorporates more melody while being drenched in autotune. Teezo seemed like he was going to drop an album of this sound before scrapping it due to the rollout not getting the traction he wanted. I do hope he eventually goes back to this weirder hip-hop mixed with his eccentric vocal performances. I’m not sure what it’ll sound like, but I know he could do it justice.
Favorite Moment: The way Teezo says, “1:30, take a nap 'cause all this got me tired. 1:31, I can't sleep 'cause I'm wired”
Selling Point: An insanely creative and fun hip-hop track
15. Zelooperz - "Arbyz"
Review
In true Zelooperz fashion, no one makes weird hip-hop bangers better than him. While I still find most of his projects to be an enjoyable mixed bag, there are always a few tracks that feel otherworldly levels of energy in a completely new and incomprehensible way. For example, I don’t even know what the song is about. It could be about Arby’s, but the lyrics that I do understand don't make that likely. There’s one line that’s about having beef like Arby’s, but that’s it. The production here from Connie immediately made me a fan, even if nothing he’s done since is on this level. Zelooperz can make incredible bangers like this in his sleep, and “Arbyz” is yet another notch in his ever-growing collection.
Favorite Moment: The beat from Connie
Selling Point: Another incredible weird hip-hop banger
14. Overmono - "Is U"
Review
I may not have loved the entire debut project from UK electronic duo Overmono, but the single, “Is U” was an immediate earworm. While the album focused more on the overall feeling of UK garage music and sounding immaculate than the actual tracks themselves being entertaining, this one clearly feels like a fully thought out track. The wavering synths that drive the track are fantastic! I have no idea how they made the synth sound like that, but it works perfectly with the more tame drums below it. The way they tease they manage to keep this seemingly simple track interesting throughout the entire three-and-a-half minute runtime is impressive, especially since there really isn’t much here besides the vocal sample, a synth or two, and the drum pattern. It’s not a complex song, but it’s masterfully done!
Favorite Moment: The final build up to the chorus dropping back in one final time
Selling Point: A perfectly produced piece of UK garage music
13. JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown - "Fentanyl Tester"
Review
I know I already had a Danny Brown track on here, but this song is so much more JPEGMAFIA than it is Danny Brown, so I’m allowing an exception to my rule because of that. Anyway, the track is nothing more than an incredible experimental hip-hop banger. The beat from JPEGMAFIA is amazing, especially with how the percussion and synths interact. And for some reason, he decided to make the last 30 seconds of the track be a remix of the Kelis classic, “Milkshake”. Both Peggy and Danny sound fantastic on their respective verses. It’s a seemingly impossible beat to rap on, but they both find a way. Especially with the track not having a chorus, both of them have enough memorable lyrics to keep the listener engaged throughout the entire track. It’s nothing that was unexpected from a collaboration between these two, it’s just amazing!
Favorite Moment: The production from JPEGMAFIA
Selling Point: An amazing experimental hip-hop banger from two of the subgenre’s best
12. 100 gecs - "I Got My Tooth Removed"
Review
Almost all of the songs from the new album from 100 gecs are on the same level of enjoyability for me, but I think the novelty of this song puts it over the rest! I love it, but the song is so stupid. It’s literally about needing to get your tooth removed, but not wanting to go to the dentist. Eventually, Laura caves and goes to the dentist because it’s the right thing to do for long term health. There’s an absurd melodramatic bridge that is similar to a classic R&B track, before it goes back into the ska song about getting your tooth removed that sounds like the America’s Funniest Videos theme song. Even though it is hilarious, the musicality behind the track is still fantastic and the chorus is still insanely catchy. But still, this is easily one of the most fun and stupid tracks on the list this year.
Favorite Moment: The overall feeling the song gives off
Selling Point: An absurd song about the simple things in life
11. Sampha - "Spirit 2.0"
Review
While Sampha’s whole album is incredible, I think “Spirit 2.0” balances everything that’s in the record while still being accessible. Most important, it has the fast paced percussion that most of Lahai revolves around. These drums are mixed perfectly, so even though there are tons of details, it doesn’t overpower the mix at all. There is a plethora of background vocals that again, is very important and detailed, but also doesn’t overpower the sonics of the song. Of course, Sampha’s voice is as buttery smooth as always. It fits perfectly with this spacey, otherworldly track that touches on many real life issues. Sampha may not release music very often, but it’s always incredible when he does!
Favorite Moment: The mixing of all these detailed sounds
Selling Point: A beautiful introduction to this era of Sampha
10. ISOxo - "Moonspell"
Review
I almost left this off the list, which I can’t believe. Even though the song only came out a couple months ago, it’s easily one of my most played tracks of the year! It’s a perfect combination of electronic music that will keep people dancing and enough sound design for everyday listening by yourself. It’s a fairly simple sounding track, but it’s clear that a lot of thought went into this song. The second drop especially is perfect! It changes the first drop slightly, but then adds these deep, sliding bass synths over the repeating sample that drives the track. I’m not sure if the guitar that’s in the track is a sample or not, but it is the most prominent melodic feature of the track. ISOxo is one of the best young artists in the genre, and is already surpassing quite a few of his peers.
Favorite Moment: The second drop
Selling Point: An incredible electronic track
9. Big Thief - "Vampire Energy"
Review
Big Thief may have only put out two songs this year, but I still had such a hard time deciding which one to put on the list. In the end, I had to go with the more iconic track. Whereas “Born For Loving You” is still a fantastic country-tinged indie rock track, “Vampire Energy” just has that “it” factor. As usual, Adrianne’s writing is full of vivid imagery while describing her relationship issues. Her vocals on here are still great, but the emotion she uses during the third verse is rarely matched by anything they’ve ever done! The instrumental matches it beautifully, knowing when to be just a minimal drum beat and when to bring in the massive guitar chords and the tin percussion. This track may be an instant classic for Big Thief fans, but hopefully it can still become recognized by as many people as possible.
Favorite Moment: The way Adrianne sings the third verse
Selling Point: An incredible track from one of the best indie-folk groups out there
8. billy woods & Kenny Segal - "Year Zero" (Feat. Danny Brown)
Review
Billy woods has fully established himself as the best rapper in his little subgenre of drumless, esoteric hip-hop. This track with Danny Brown is the most straightforward song he’s had in a while, production wise, but the lyrics are just as poignant as ever. Woods uses his verse to look at gun violence in the United States. Everything in his verse is worth a read, but two of the most straightforward lines are, “Sooner or later it's gon’ be two unrelated active shooters. Same place, same time. Great minds, Thomas and Edison”, and, “My taxes pay police brutality settlements.” Each of those have a lot of sonic weight with them that we don’t have the time to dig into right now. Danny Brown then goes on for almost two minutes during his verse, which is a treat to hear him and woods on the same song! His verse is nowhere near as serious as woods’s, but it matches the energy of the beat perfectly. This is easily one of the best hip-hop tracks of the year, and might go down as an underground classic.
Favorite Moment: The wordplay on both of their verses
Selling Point: Two incredible rappers finally working together
7. Lil Yachty - "the BLACK seminole."
Review
Well this was a surprise. I never would’ve thought a Lil Yachty song would ever make my top 50 songs list, let alone in my top 10. But then again, this song is unlike anything Yachty has ever released before! It’s very influenced by Pink Floyd, but the auto tuned vocals and more updated production helps separate it enough. The production here from a myriad of different producers is what makes this seven minute odyssey special. Having Diana Gordon give a hair-raising outro was the perfect way to end the track! She’s not even saying any words, but just the melodies of her singing and how she sings them is something special! Even though Yachty’s vocals are still the worst part of the track, they are enjoyable and add some character to the song. It may just be someone trying to be like Pink Floyd in 2023, but I still absolutely love it!
Favorite Moment: The last two minutes with Diana Gordon’s vocals
Selling Point: Pink Floyd in 2023 by a former Soundcloud rapper
6. Skrillex - "Xena" (Feat. Nai Barghouti)
Review
There were plenty of Skrillex tracks from this year that deserved to be on this list, but “Xena” did end up taking the cake due to one small factor, the congas. I know that’s a very specific thing, but they add so much to the track. They provide the melody for the drops throughout the track, no matter how the drums beneath them are changing. I had always assumed it was a sample, but after looking on Genius, these were actually played by Skrillex himself! It just adds another layer to how exceptionally skilled of a producer Skrillex is. Even without the congas though, it’s still an incredible banger! Nai Barghouti’s vocals are great, even if I have no idea what she’s saying because it’s in another language. Everything on the track is produced and mixed to perfection as well! He even plays an edit live that breaks up the congas during that drop that I wish was in this version, but “Xena” as released is still my favorite electronic banger of the year!
Favorite Moment: The congas throughout the song
Selling Point: An incredible electronic song
5. Jorja Smith - "Little Things"
Review
I’ll say it, this is my favorite Jorja Smith song! It’s the perfect combination of everything she’s ever done! Her vocals have the R&B feeling that she came up with, while the afrobeat mixed with drum and bass is improved from the similar songs in this style she did before. I want to give a shoutout to P2J and New Machine for producing this track. I have no idea who they are, but they absolutely killed it! Everything from the bassline to the percussion to the whirling dubstep synths that play during the outro is perfect! Even before there was the official remix with Nia Archives, this song would be absolutely perfect for a dance club! If you can listen to this song and not move a muscle, I think something’s wrong with you.
Favorite Moment: Everything about the production
Selling Point: The best dance-pop track of the year
4. Raye - "Mary Jane"
Review
This is a messed up song. Raye herself describes it as, “a love song to my addiction.” In this case, the addictions she is referring to are different drugs. Throughout the song, she sings about missing the levity that weed brought, the closeness of codeine, the courage from wine, and a full year of ecstasy with MDMA. Thankfully, she has overcome these addictions, but the song isn’t about the success of that process. It’s solely about how these substances helped her. Sonically and subject matter-wise, it’s very easy to make the Amy Winehouse comparison with this song, but it’s well warranted here.This feels like it could’ve been a Back To Black throwaway! I understand that Raye doesn’t feel like she’s on the level of Amy, but a song like “Mary Jane” makes it seem like she could be someday. Raye is a special artist, and this is such a unique and special song from her breakout album.
Favorite Moment: Her vocal performance during the chorus
Selling Point: A special blues track with a unique take on a familiar subject matter
3. Boygenius - "True Blue"
Review
Before we get into these top three, I just want to make it clear that these were all really close. In fact, I thought that this song was going to top this list for most of this year. It’s the perfect blend of emotional writing mixed with a detailed indie-rock instrumental that progresses beautifully over the runtime. The song is Lucy Dacus finding someone in her life that she can be 100% herself around after throwing herself into a brand new environment. She keeps repeating the line, “I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself,” which is easily one of my favorite lines from 2023. The juxtaposition between wanting to hide things about yourself from everybody, including yourself, but you can’t even hide them from someone else is a beautiful and scary thought. They have to know your every move, what you’re thinking, how you think, how you act in every situation, and so much more. It’s a chilling thing to have happen, but as Lucy always says before this line, “It feels good to be known so well”. She does an amazing job at capturing that dichotomy, which helps make “True Blue” the special track it is.
Favorite Moment: The lyrics
Selling Point: A wonderful look into the benefits and perils of human connection
2. Underscores - "Locals (Girls Like Us)" [Feat. Gabby Start]
Review
Sometimes, you just need to have fun, and “Locals” is the most fun I’ve had with a song all year. At first, the more introspective and meaningful tracks on Wallsocket spoke to me the most, but after digesting the project, having fun is needed. The song still lightly revolves around the concept, but the sound of the track is much more important to the subject matter. There’s no way to define this track as anything besides just a smash pop hit! The group vocals during the chorus creates this incredible energy, whereas the electronic drums and synths provide the backdrop! There are around three different refrains in this song that are each catchier than almost anything else this year, one of them just being the repetition of the phrase, “Arms, body, legs, flesh, skin, bones, sinew.” Hearing a crowd of people repeating that phrase over and over again while getting ready to go crazy was an incredible experience! Gabby Start also delivers a fantastic guest verse that starts off with a Portishead reference. If you wanted to have fun this year, there is no song better than this Underscores anthem!
Favorite Moment: Everything about Underscores’s production
Selling Point: The most fun track I’ve heard all year
1. Navy Blue - "Life’s Terms" (Feat. Zeroh)
Review
This was a surprise, even to myself. I never realized that this was going to be my favorite song of the year, but each time I listened to it the past couple months left me speechless. There’s not a single thing about this song I would change. The beat from Budgie is great, but simple enough to let the listeners listen to their lyrics. Zeroh comes in with a fantastic opening verse, including the monster of a line, “Read what I wrote, just to see if I'm perceiving my scene right.” I could write a whole article just on that line, but then comes Navy Blue.
Navy Blue (Sage) has always been a therapeutic figure to his fans, so much that they make memes about him giving them free therapy through his music. On this track, Sage gives one of his most impactful verses ever. I can’t even do his words justice, you just need to listen to it. There are lines about self-harming and being deep is despair, but then there will be lines like, “I'm turning sorrow into self-care. I hope tomorrow brings me calm, I say a long prayer” right next to it that lets the listener know that even if it isn’t alright now, it will be someday. I’ll leave you with one of the final sections from his verse, and I’ll be back soon with the projects list. Hopefully this song can be as impactful for you as it has me.
“Tryna take it upwards when I'm deep in that below state
You know I'm gone, wait
The weight of what I don't say is real heavy
Real heady, all alone, my spirit known many outcomes
How come I'm hurting in my twenties?
I guess it's life, I guess it's right for me to mention
The lower I would go was catapulting my ascension
Destined for happiness, I'm destined for greatness
Destiny is heavenly, it's all to my amazement”
Favorite Moment: Everything about Navy Blue’s verse
Selling Point: A special hip-hop track that’s extremely emotional
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