Printable version of thread

Posted by: Ansel 3rd January 2024, 05:13 PM

I'm a bit late starting this year so keeping the graphics lo-fi! Anyway as in previous years I'll be counting down my top albums, artists, and songs of 2023.

I'll start soon with a countdown of the biggest artists of the year, plus new rising stars who've caught my attention in the last year. Feel free to start predicting what'll show up!

Countdown so far:
Rising artists:
1. Tainy
2. Aitana
3. Rakky Ripper
4. Danna Paola
5. Domiziana

Artists:
1. Caroline Polachek
2. Troye Sivan
3. Carly Rae Jepsen
4. Kylie Minogue
5. Bad Bunny
6. Lana Del Rey
7. RAYE
8. Taylor Swift
9. Rose Gray
10. PinkPantheress

Albums:
1. Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loveliest Time
2. Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
3. Troye Sivan - Something to Give Each Other
4. Sugababes - The Lost Tapes
5. Paramore - This Is Why
6. Lana Del Rey - Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
7. Kesha - Gag Order
8. Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
9. Kylie Minogue - Tension
10. Tainy - DATA
11. RAYE - My 21st Century Blues
12. Christine and the Queens - PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE
13. SZA - SOS
14. Olivia Rodrigo - GUTS
15. Kali Uchis - Red Moon In Venus
16. Måneskin - RUSH!
17. Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!
18. Miley Cyrus - Endless Summer Vacation
19. Joesef - Permanent Damage
20. Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)

Songs:
1. MOJABI GHOST - Tainy ft. Bad Bunny
2. One Of Your Girls - Troye Sivan
3. BABY HELLO - Rauw Alejandro ft. Bizarrap
4. La Jumpa - Arcángel ft. Bad Bunny
5. Padam Padam - Kylie Minogue
6. Welcome To My Island - Caroline Polachek
7. Cha Cha Cha - Käärijä
8. Rush - Troye Sivan
9. Blood and Butter - Rose Gray
10. Ecstasy - Rose Gray
11. Ghost - Sigrid
12. AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM - Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar
13. No Regrets - Sugababes
14. Angel - PinkPantheress
15. Tension - Kylie Minogue
16. 1Trago - Danna Paola
17. Los Ángeles - Aitana
18. Nochentera - Vicco
19. Tenemos que hablar - Danna Paola
20. Speed Drive - Charli XCX
21. Nevera (Lei, lei) - Harmonija disonance
22. Gato De Noche - Ñengo Flow ft. Bad Bunny
23. LAS BABYS - Aitana
24. Samo mi se spava - Luke Black
25. Story - Kylie Minogue
26. VAMPIROS - ROSALÍA & Rauw Alejandro
27. Nobody Gets Me - SZA
28. Anything To Be With You - Carly Rae Jepsen
29. What’s The Time Where You Are? - Troye Sivan
30. bad idea right? - Olivia Rodrigo
31. Kill Bill - SZA
32. Spalarkle (Alys) - felicita ft. Caroline Polachek
33. Kamikaze - Carly Rae Jepsen
34. Novi plan drugi san - Filip Baloš
35. Al menos ahora - Marc Seguí
36. Tattoo - Loreen
37. Escapism. - RAYE ft. 070 Shake
38. Echolalia - Yves Tumor
39. One That Got Away - MUNA
40. Got Me Started - Troye Sivan
41. 4EVA - KAYTRAMINÉ (KAYTRANADA & Aminé)
42. Green Honda - BENEE
43. Enchanted - Taylor Swift
44. Last Orders - Joesef
45. Boy’s a liar - PinkPantheress
46. Moonlight - Kali Uchis
47. I Believe - Caroline Polachek
48. A&W - Lana Del Rey
49. Black Mascara. - RAYE
50. mariposas - sangiovanni ft. Aitana
51. Black British - V V Brown
52. I Might Be Fake - Master Peace ft. Georgia
53. Prada - Cassö ft. RAYE & D-Block Europe
54. PLUSH - Simona
55. Whenever I Want - Mura Masa
56. Shy Boy - Carly Rae Jepsen
57. Flowers - Miley Cyrus
58. Ohne Benzin - Domiziana
59. Sun Comes Up - Rose Gray
60. DOGTOOTH - Tyler, The Creator
61. Out Of Time - Slayyter
62. I Been Young - George Clanton
63. The Bend - King Princess
64. Back To December - Taylor Swift
65. SOS - Domiziana ft. Blümchen
66. Full of life - Christine and the Queens
67. TRACCIÓN - Rakky Ripper
68. Aeroplanes - Carly Rae Jepsen
69. LA CHAMBA - Arcángel ft. Peso Pluma
70. Tears can be so soft - Christine and the Queens
71. Kiss Me - Empress Of ft. Rina Sawayama
72. ghosts - yeule
73. Zone 1 to 6000 - Nabihah Iqbal
74. Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd - Lana Del Rey
75. Not Strong Enough - boygenius
76. Houdini - Dua Lipa
77. RUIDO - Rakky Ripper ft. Rizha
78. Never Ending Song - Conan Gray
79. I Wish You Roses - Kali Uchis
80. Muñekita - Kali Uchis ft. El Alfa & JT
81. Goodbye Evergreen - Sufjan Stevens
82. Sanity (demo) - Paramore
83. Psychedelic Switch - Carly Rae Jepsen
84. Affirmations - Hannah Diamond
85. Sunset - Caroline Polachek
86. For Granted - Yaeji
87. Eat The Acid - Kesha
88. Is It Love - Loreen
89. Running Out Of Time - Paramore
90. River - Miley Cyrus
91. COLMILLO - Tainy ft. J Balvin, Young Miko, Jowell & Randy
92. VOLVER - Tainy ft. Skrillex, Four Tet & Rauw Alejandro
93. Dang - Caroline Polachek
94. Summer Of 99 - Sugababes
95. Can’t Catch Me Now - Olivia Rodrigo
96. Promise Me - Rose Gray
97. Boys - Sugababes
98. get him back! - Olivia Rodrigo
99. Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 - Bizarrap & Shakira
100. Pierdo el sentido (YUNG PRADO Un Kiss Remix) - Alizzz

Posted by: Ansel 3rd January 2024, 11:45 PM

Starting off with...

🆙⏫☝️⤴️⬆️👆💹↗️🔝🔺🔼📈
RISING ARTISTS .·•*°
📈🔼🔺🔝↗️💹👆⬆️⤴️☝️⏫🆙

5. Domiziana

Domiziana is a name I first heard through BJSC with her song Ohne Benzin. I really got into the Charli-XCX-if-she-HAD-been-big-in-Germany vibes and it's become one of my fav BJSC discoveries, even if I never bothered charting it! Then later in the year she collabed with another German BJSC icon Blümchen on the song SOS, which this time I did chart. I love her kind of hyperpop meets techno sound and it's soundtracked a lot of 2023 moments.
Domiziana's 2023 chart history:
2023 07 SOS (ft. Blümchen)

4. Danna Paola

Danna was not totally new to me - I'd seen her in Elite and listened to her Mika collab (Me, Myself) a few times. But this year 1Trago changed all that, a hugely catchy pop song that reminds me of some of the biggest recent dance pop hits like The Motto. It was an instant #1 for me, and the followup 'Tenemos que hablar' did just the same. This song is still fast paced but in a more reflective, quiet way, leaning into 80s synthpop. Then she capped off the year with an Aitana collab - more on that later!
Danna's 2023 chart history:
2023 01 1Trago
2023 01 Tenemos que hablar
2023 30 AQYNE (with Aitana)

3. Rakky Ripper

Rakky has had a great year, starting off with appearing in Benidorm Fest with TRACCIÓN - unfortunately she didn't make it as far as the final, let alone Eurovision, but it was great to see hyperpop represented in a national final and on primetime TV. She's followed that up with an album containing loads of great tracks like the high-energy RUIDO. On top of all that, I bumped into her twice at Primavera Sound in Madrid (once at former BJSC entry LVL1's pre-festival show where she performed LVCKY alongside them and once in the crowd for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu) and she was so lovely!
Rakky's 2023 chart history:
2023 36 TRACCIÓN
2023 10 SALVAR EL POP (ft. KICKBOMBO)
2023 05 RUIDO (ft. Rizha)
2023 30 ROTTEN
2023 15 NO PUEDO DORMIR (ft. LVL1 & eurosanto)
2023 32 MALOS DÍAS (ft. Delgao & D3llano)

2. Aitana

Aitana was a name I knew through some kinda meh song contest entries around the site, but it wasn't until I heard 'mariposas' on the radio that I really got into her, eventually sending that song to BJSC and earning what at the time was my best result yet. This year she launched the Alpha era, drawing off different dance genres like trance and house. Two of her songs in particular (Los Ángeles and LAS BABYS) have absolutely made my 2023!
Aitana's 2023 chart history:
2023 05 Los Ángeles
2023 06 LAS BABYS
2023 22 miamor (ft. Rels B)
2023 20 Ella Bailaba
2023 30 AQYNE (ft. Danna Paola)

1. Tainy

Tainy is a name that's been around for actually quite a long time but he really caught my attention this year - and I think it's fair to say 2023 was the year his career really reached new heights. His album DATA received huge praise (named the 3rd best album of the year by Rolling Stone!) and features big name collabs with Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Rauw Alejandro and more. Tainy's role is producer and he really shines on a varied collection of sounds brought together by a futuristic concept. I'll leave the rest of my DATA thoughts for my albums countdown but it's fair to say that with his song MOJABI GHOST spending 6 weeks at #1, the all-time record, Tainy is the rising artist of 2023.
Tainy's 2023 chart history:
2023 01 MOJABI GHOST (ft. Bad Bunny)
2023 11 VOLVER (ft. Skrillex, Four Tet & Rauw Alejandro)
2023 14 PASIEMPRE (ft. Arcángel, Jhayco, Myke Towers, Omar Courtz, Arca & Bad Bunny)
2023 20 FANTASMA / AVC (ft. Jhayco)
2023 08 COLMILLO (ft. J Balvin, Young Miko, Jowell & Randy)

Posted by: Sergej 4th January 2024, 01:41 PM

Hi Ansel!

Can't watch from your list, heard of Domiziana (obviously because I'm German), Aitana and Tainy. Don't know if any of them will catch on for me, but we'll see.

Really need to catch up on my list as well.

Posted by: Ansel 4th January 2024, 10:25 PM

Hey Sergej! Maybe you'll see something you like by some of them when the songs countdown starts! Thanks for commenting

Posted by: Ansel 4th January 2024, 10:26 PM

🥘🌸🐅🕶️🎮🤬🧜‍♂️🔴🦷⛲📌
ARTISTS OF THE YEAR
�🚦🍩🔑🧩🐰🌅🐎🚖🦠💱

10. PinkPantheress
PinkPantheress reached new heights with 'Boy's a liar' this year, and she's absolutely continued that momentum with a series of hits. The biggest of those has been Angel, her contribution to the Barbie soundtrack, which deserved to be one of the movie's big hits alongside Billie, Dua and Charli's tracks.
PinkPantheress's 2023 chart history:
2023 06 Way Back (with Skrillex & Trippie Redd)
2023 03 Angel
2023 28 Turn Your Phone Off (ft. Destroy Lonely)
2023 10 Mosquito
2023 17 Capable of love
2023 05 Nice to meet you (ft. Central Cee)

9. Rose Gray
Rose's chart history for 2023 might not look too impressive, but all the singles from her EP Higher Than The Sun (including this year's hits Sun Comes Up and Ecstasy) have hugely soundtracked my year. She's moved further into 90s dance, even sampling Groove Is In The Heart on her song Happiness, and I'm looking forward to what comes next for her.
Rose's 2023 chart history:
2023 03 Sun Comes Up
2023 01 Ecstasy
2023 11 Happiness
2023 31 Afraid Of Nothing (ft. Kungs)

8. Taylor Swift
Obviously Taylor has had a big year, with two albums to talk about. For me the highlight of the two was Speak Now, which has long been a favourite of Taylor's albums for me, with songs like Enchanted and Back To December finally getting a chart moment. 1989 was a more muted moment as Taylor album bombs go, given that it's actually one of my least favourite of her albums, but you can't deny the impact of charting so many songs in 2023.
Taylor's 2023 chart history:
2023 03 All Of The Girls You Loved Before
2023 21 If This Was A Movie
2023 23 Safe & Sound
2023 28 Eyes Open
2023 39 The Alcott (with The National)
2023 10 Hits Different
2023 01 Enchanted
2023 04 Back To December
2023 05 Sparks Fly
2023 06 Better Than Revenge
2023 10 Speak Now
2023 14 Long Live
2023 16 Mine
2023 19 The Story Of Us
2023 24 Innocent
2023 27 Castles Crumbling (ft. Hayley Williams)
2023 35 Timeless
2023 23 Haunted
2023 02 You Are In Love
2023 04 I Know Places
2023 09 Out Of The Woods
2023 11 I Wish You Would
2023 12 Style
2023 15 Say Don't Go
2023 18 How You Get The Girl
2023 20 Clean
2023 23 Wonderland
2023 25 Blank Space
2023 30 New Romantics
2023 39 Is It Over Now?
2023 06 You're Losing Me

7. RAYE
RAYE's renaissance as an independent artist has been so great to see, from Escapism to another huge hit with Prada. I really enjoyed the rest of her album too, including Black Mascara being a big hit for me, and one that I think could've been big given a push IRL.
Raye's 2023 chart history:
2023 05 Black Mascara.
2023 14 The Thrill Is Gone.
2023 22 Environmental Anxiety.
2023 37 The Weekend (with Stormzy)
2023 07 Prada (with cassö & D-Block Europe)

6. Lana Del Rey
Lana returned brilliantly this year with Did you know (etc), earning her 2 new top ten hits to join the albums title track from the end of 2022. I love that she brought back some pop influences for this album without sacrificing the more folksy direction that she's gone down since Norman Rockwell.
Lana's 2023 chart history:
2023 06 A&W
2023 06 Peppers (ft. Tommy Genesis)
2023 17 Fishtail
2023 25 Grandfather please stand on the shoulders of my father while he's deep-sea fishing (ft. RIOPY)
2023 33 Kintsugi
2023 32 Say Yes To Heaven
2023 39 Take Me Home, Country Roads

5. Bad Bunny
Bad Bunny started the year at #1 with La Jumpa, and hopped his way across the top ten with several more features throughout the year - including the year's longest-running #1 MOJABI GHOST. I have to be honest, I sometimes find Bad Bunny's solo stuff a bit one-note, so I really enjoy when he shines on another artist's track and matches their vibe instead.
Bad Bunny's 2023 chart history:
2023 05 Gato de Noche (with Ñengo Flow)
2023 10 Tormenta (with Gorillaz)
2023 38 WHERE SHE GOES
2023 01 MOJABI GHOST (with Tainy)
2023 14 PASIEMPRE (with Tainy, Arcángel, Jhayco, Myke Towers, Omar Courtz & Arca)
2023 17 K-POP (with Travis Scott & The Weeknd)
2023 16 UN PREVIEW
2023 37 MONACO
2023 40 TELEFONO NUEVO (ft. Luar La L)

4. Kylie Minogue
Kylie didn't just reinvent the English language this year, she launched a hugely successful era. 3 consecutive #1s have proven Tension to be a smash album, with two more top tens to boot.
Kylie's 2023 chart history:
2023 01 Padam Padam
2023 01 Tension
2023 01 Story
2023 08 Hands
2023 10 Love Train
2023 22 Vegas High
2023 26 Things We Do For Love
2023 29 Hold On To Now
2023 39 Green Light

3. Carly Rae Jepsen
After The Loneliest Time, I was a little unsure what to expect next from Kylie. It was still a great album, but with more filler than she usually gives us. Still, tracks like the title track and Western Wind continued to rack up big streams for me this year. Then we got The Loveliest Time - a no-skip album that charted in its entirety and might be her best work since Emotion. Songs like Anything To Be With You and Aeroplanes lean heavily into the weirder pop Carly has curated post-Emotion, while Kamikaze is full-power pop perfection.
Carly's 2023 chart history:
2023 28 Bad Thing Twice
2023 02 Shy Boy
2023 02 Anything To Be With You
2023 04 Kamikaze
2023 03 Aeroplanes
2023 07 Psychedelic Switch
2023 13 So Right
2023 16 Come Over
2023 19 Shadow
2023 21 Put It To Rest
2023 25 Stadium
2023 31 After Last Night
2023 23 Kollage
2023 40 Weekend Love

2. Troye Sivan
Troye has long been one of those artists whose chart success doesn't reflect their popularity, and I'm so pleased he finally had a much deserved breakthrough with this era. The singles were perfectly chosen and already iconic, tapping into gay culture and imagery with perfect precision.
Troye's 2023 chart history:
2023 03 Rush
2023 03 Got Me Started
2023 01 One Of Your Girls
2023 04 What's The Time Where You Are?
2023 17 In My Room (ft. Guitarricadelafuente)
2023 26 Honey
2023 29 How To Stay With You
2023 34 Still Got It

1. Caroline Polachek
Caroline had to be my #1 artist, after an impeccable second album. The eclectic mix of pop subgenres is absolutely addictive - who knew bagpipes could sound so good? I saw Caroline live at Primavera this summer and it was one of the highlights of the whole festival (probably only matched by Rosalía, Christine and the Queens and Villano Antillano), she put on an incredible show and proved herself as the biggest pop star outside of the charts.
Caroline's 2023 chart history:
2023 02 Blood and Butter
2023 01 Welcome To My Island (Charli XCX & George Daniel remix)
2023 03 I Believe
2023 19 Fly To You (ft. Grimes & Dido)
2023 01 Spalarkle (with felicita)
2023 02 Dang

Posted by: Jade 4th January 2024, 10:48 PM

Hey Ansel

Caroline is a fabulous pick for your Artist of the Year she has been such a highlight of mine as well with that flawless second album! I actually went back and listened to pretty much everything she's ever released, including with Chairlift, off the back of it. Obsessed with her voice in general and the quirky choreography in her videos too *.* Taylor is also a great shout, from the re-recorded albums to watching the Eras tour movie in the cinema, cannot wait to see her live for the first time in August!!

Troye has also had such a good year, snap #1 in our charts with 'One Of Your Girls' <3 of course Lana as well ('A&W' and 'Peppers' as her highest charting for you this year? taste!) and RAYE, 'Escapism.' at #1 was such a good start to the year in 2023. 'Environmental Anxiety'. is my favourite album track from her latest record so nice to see that in your chart history too!

Looking forward to the rest

Posted by: JosephCarey 5th January 2024, 12:54 PM

Hey Ansel! Some great picks in your artist list there, especially Troye, Carly, Kylie and Taylor. Glad One of Your Girls was the Troye track that hit the top spot for you, it's my favourite from this era!

Posted by: Ansel 5th January 2024, 09:29 PM

Hey Jade! Yay glad you've enjoyed Caroline this year too - ashamed to say I've only heard a couple of Chairlift songs actually but have to agree she has such a distinctive voice and I've loved the whole aesthetic around this album! Hope you have a good time at the Eras tour, so jealous!
Glad we've had so many songs in common too, quite a few of the ones you've mentioned will show up later (spoilers!)


Hey Joseph! Taste, serious faves of mine there and they're all gonna show up a lot more here. One Of Your Girls is gorgeous and I've loved the way it turned into a genuine hit for Troye!

Posted by: Ansel 5th January 2024, 09:30 PM

📀🕺🔭💿✉️🍽️💽🥏🏐👼🤿
ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
⏳📀🏝️💽🚇📼⚽⁉️🎱🪐🔮

20. Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
19. Joesef - Permanent Damage
18. Miley Cyrus - Endless Summer Vacation
17. Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!
16. Måneskin - RUSH!
15. Kali Uchis - Red Moon In Venus
14. Olivia Rodrigo - GUTS
13. SZA - SOS
12. Christine and the Queens - PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE
11. RAYE - My 21st Century Blues

So we can hurry up and get onto the top songs of the year, here's a slightly shorter commentary on the first half of my favourite 2023 albums! Yves Tumor first caught my attention with Echolalia and I've really enjoyed everything since, including seeing them live in the summer! Joesef's album feels very 00s UK soul a la Amy Winehouse, especially on my favourite track Last Orders. Miley Cyrus's megahit Flowers might be a bit overplayed now, but there's some great gems on the album like Island and Handstand, even if it's an uneven listen overall. Next we have Jessie Ware, who doesn't quite live up to What's Your Pleasure but any album with Free Yourself on it deserves every bit of praise. Måneskin have lost a bit of their appeal for me since the switch to mostly English songs, but there's still an infectious energy on tracks like SUPERMODEL, TIMEZONE and GOSSIP. Kali Uchis launched a stunning era with a very deserved minor UK hit from Moonlight, while Olivia Rodrigo leaned heavier into pop-rock for her second album and is all the better for it. SZA's SOS is slightly bloated (and that's before the deluxe has dropped!) but features some of her best (Good Days, Nobody Gets Me, Kill Bill). Christine and the Queens put on an incredible theatrical show at Primavera this summer, playing almost exclusively songs from his new album which is an incredible feat of world-building (although again, rather long). Finally, RAYE's long awaited debut lands at #11, thanks to its varied genres and powerful messages about the environment and music industry misogyny.

Posted by: Jade 5th January 2024, 10:10 PM

Now my turn to be jealous in return with you seeing Yves live Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) is an incredible album 'God Is A Circle' got me into it but 'Echolalia' is certainly essential as well <3 also totally agree that 'Handstand' is a highlight on Miley's album!! A refreshing swerve on it *.*

Posted by: Ansel 6th January 2024, 08:33 PM

Ah yeah they were amazing live! Glad you liked Handstand too - I wish the album had gone more in the quirkier electronic direction that song and River seem to hint at.

Posted by: Ansel 6th January 2024, 08:33 PM

📀🕺🔭💿✉️🍽️💽🥏🏐👼🤿
ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
⏳📀🏝️💽🚇📼⚽⁉️🎱🪐🔮

10. Tainy - DATA
9. Kylie Minogue - Tension
8. Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
7. Kesha - Gag Order
6. Lana Del Rey - Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
5. Paramore - This Is Why
4. Sugababes - The Lost Tapes
3. Troye Sivan - Something to Give Each Other
2. Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
1. Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loveliest Time

My top ten albums of the year reaches the top ten with Tainy's DATA at #10. This album features a lot of big names on vocals like Bad Bunny, and blends electronic/synth sounds with more conventional reggaeton and R&B. Up next is Kylie, bringing her sound into 2023 and beyond with her boldest sounding album in a long time. Then comes Sufjan, whose Javelin is a stunning heartwrenching collection that blends together various sounds throughout his career, from the acoustic sound of Carrie & Lowell to Age Of Adz style electronic grandeur.
Next is Kesha with a huge return to form after the middling High Road. Gag Order is unapologetically raw and honest about Kesha's struggles, from the quiet reflection of Fine Line to the existentialism of Eat The Acid. Lana's Ocean Blvd injects energy back into Lana's sound after a slower few albums, although the high moments come on the more NFR-esque title track, Grandfather, and the R&B influences of A&W/Peppers. I dare you to skip a single track on Paramore's This Is Why, a short-but-sweet record bringing together everything that solidifies Hayley's experimentation during her solo era.
The Sugababes long-awaited return may have come in the form of previously unreleased tracks from around a decade ago, but the mature R&B and pop sound absolutely gives the group a reason to exist again in 2023. No Regrets is an anthem, and alongside Flatline it firmly feels like the perfect grown-up wintry album. Troye went full main pop boy on Something To Give Each Other, a masterclass in dance pop via singles Rush and Got Me Started, followed by pure pop emotion in One of Your Girls. Then we come to Caroline Polachek for a whirlwind ride through varied sounds from triphop to Celtic (and I still firmly believe that in a parallel universe Mabel could've recorded Bunny Is A Rider).
Finally, it's time for my defining album of the year. That award without a doubt goes to Carly for her gorgeous The Loveliest Time, a collection of songs that prove how she's managed to keep such a diehard fanbase. She's dug harder into the offbeat and is all the better for it, with every song having its own quirks and personality.

Posted by: Ansel 6th January 2024, 10:17 PM

Before I start on the songs countdown proper... fancy another one?

I've deemed "retro" as anything pre-2021/2022 (I think the newest thing here is 2019?) so don't worry, I'm not trying to call anyone old! This is just the songs I've streamed the most this year which won't make my countdown, despite soundtracking my year heavily.

20. Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You
19. Sal Solo - San Damiano
18. Madonna - Swim
17. Madonna - La Isla Bonita
16. Madonna - Skin
15. Gustavo Cerati - Engaña
14. OBK - El cielo no entiende
13. When In Rome - The Promise
12. Madonna - Drowned World / Substitute For Love
11. All Saints - Pure Shores
10. Madonna ft. Anitta - Faz Gostoso
9. Madonna - Nothing Really Matters
8. Lana Del Rey - Radio
7. Timbaland ft. Katy Perry - If We Ever Meet Again
6. Madonna - Don't Tell Me
5. Madonna ft. Lil Wayne - Revolver
4. Kylie Minogue - Some Kind Of Bliss
3. Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha (Norman Cook Remix)
2. Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven
1. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger

My biggest "retro" song of the year is Madonna's Beautiful Stranger - in fact it's my #1 song of the year according to Spotify! It might seem rather random but I've spent the year really delving into Madonna's catalogue (hence the amount of her here). Beautiful Stranger features on my cooking playlist so that's been a staple throughout the year, Revolver (don't judge x) is a pre-drinks staple (my flatmates are definitely not sick of it), and La Isla Bonita is pretty much the central piece of my dissertation! Other specific songs to draw attention to are the gorgeous (Feels Like) Heaven, and Gustavo Cerati, another artist I fell in love with (especially his Bocanada album).


And a second countdown - these are songs from before 2023 but a little more recent, mostly having charted before the cut-off in January.

10. Beyoncé - PURE/HONEY
9. Central Cee - Ungrateful
8. Charli XCX - Used To Know Me
7. Sebastián Yatra - Tacones Rojos
6. Shygirl - SLIME
5. Bizarrap & Villano Antillano - Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 51
4. Carly Rae Jepsen - Western Wind
3. ROSALÍA - DESPECHÁ
2. Charli XCX - Hot Girl (Bodies Bodies Bodies)
1. Bizarrap & Quevedo - Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52

The big winner here is Bizarrap - I love the summery feel of his Quevedo collab and Villano Antillano really shows off her personality on her track (she was also incredible live, everyone was jumping to this song!). Elsewhere, Charli's Hot Girl really grew on me with its tongue-in-cheek vocal-fried lyrics, and a friend introduced me to Central Cee's Ungrateful which turned out to be a revelation.

Posted by: Jade 6th January 2024, 11:07 PM

The Caroline, Lana, Paramore and Sufjan albums were all big highlights of the year for me too great list!

Love the idea of a retro countdown too. Ray of Light is one of my all-time favourite albums and definitely top Madonna record, here for that invasion <3

Posted by: Ansel 7th January 2024, 10:13 PM

Yay I'm glad you enjoyed those albums too! And ugh definitely feel like I've been missing out by not getting into Ray Of Light til now, what an album!

Posted by: Ansel 7th January 2024, 10:21 PM

100. Pierdo el sentido (YUNG PRADO Un Kiss Remix) - Alizzz
It would be wrong not to include this song somehow - 'Pierdo en sentido' gave me my first song contest win! I really didn't expect it as this doesn't really sound like the sort of thing that would set the pop forum alight, but the pitched up vocals and powerful beat have made it a perfect party anthem.

99. Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 - Bizarrap & Shakira
Again, I couldn't not include this - I was living in Spain when this came out and it was just unavoidable. At the school where I worked, the kids would sing this all day (one teacher even set her class the task of translating it into English in the hopes they'd get bored of the song!), then I'd hear it on the bus home, and then I'd play it myself

98. get him back! - Olivia Rodrigo
As I said before, something I really liked about Olivia's album is that she doubled down on the rockier sound of 'deja vu' and 'brutal' rather than focusing on ballads. This song is a great example of that, with a shouty chorus and talk-sung verses. Importantly it doesn't take itself too seriously, and is screaming out to be sung along to.

97. Boys - Sugababes
Boys is the first of 3 Sugababes songs to come - I think I was drawn to this because it's exactly what you expect from the Sugababes, pure pop fun. On an album balancing pop bops with more serious sounding fare, this definitely stood out to me.

96. Promise Me - Rose Gray
Promise Me actually reached #75 on last year's countdown, but it did well enough at the start of this year to earn itself a repeat! Promise Me, as I probably said last year, reminds me a lot of Madonna's Ray Of Light with soaring vocals over a dance beat making for a hypnotic combination.

95. Can’t Catch Me Now - Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia has had a big year, and she topped it off with an appearance on the latest Hunger Games soundtrack! Regardless of recent events and manufactured drama that may or may not (emphasis on the latter) exist, Olivia has often mentioned Taylor's Speak Now as a favourite album of hers, so it seems like a full circle moment for her to replicate the Eyes Open / Safe & Sound soundscape in her own way. I might not have seen the film in question, but the bridge is so dramatic and cinematic it's surely a perfect fit for the movie.

94. Summer Of '99 - Sugababes
Apparently it's not been long enough since I talked about the Sugababes, so here they are again! Summer Of '99 is a fast-moving pop song but equally reflective on the band's early years. If I'm going to compare it to anything else they've done, the production feels a bit About You Now-y, with the same sort of catchy chorus and singability.

93. Dang - Caroline Polachek
Dang is a great encapsulation of how Caroline fits an offbeat sense of humour into her music. It's hugely catchy but equally about nothing at all, and its biggest selling point is a frankly iconic performance on American primetime TV where she turned the entire thing into a lecture - I need the slides in PDF form asap.

92. VOLVER - Tainy ft. Skrillex, Four Tet & Rauw Alejandro
VOLVER is a great example of what makes Tainy's album so good, mixing futuristic electronic production with artists usually known for reggaeton. Skrillex/Four Tet deliver an instrumental worthy of A.G. Cook's PC Music work, with Rauw Alejandro (who will never be forgiven no matter how good the music is, Team Rosalía x) on lyrics.

91. COLMILLO - Tainy ft. J Balvin, Young Miko, Jowell & Randy
Straight back into Tainy (without spoiling anything you won't hear from him for quite some time, but he will be back) - this song was originally left off the album but later re-added. It's club-ready and features a fair few vocalists (including Young Miko, who also added a great guest feature to the remix of Bad Gyal's Chulo).

Posted by: k👠th 8th January 2024, 04:19 AM

Oh my god. Not the biggest fan of 'Dang' and kinda glad it was left off the album, but how good is that TV performance

Posted by: Tafty³³³ 8th January 2024, 12:46 PM

My faves and some comments of those I have heard:

Albums:
1. Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loveliest Time > I haven't been *too* enamoured by a Carly album since 'EMOTION'. A couple of gems though! <
2. Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You > Heard this for the first time like a month ago, it was ok. Nothing I'd go back to though tbh. <
3. Troye Sivan - Something to Give Each Other > A great album. Took a while to grow on me to the level of 'Blue Neighbourhood' and 'BLOOM', but it's up there now! SO GOOD! <
4. Sugababes - The Lost Tapes > STUNNING album. <
9. Kylie Minogue - Tension
11. RAYE - My 21st Century Blues
14. Olivia Rodrigo - GUTS
18. Miley Cyrus - Endless Summer Vacation > It's a very under appreciated album! Glad to see you name 'Island' as a highlight! <

Songs:
94. Summer Of 99 - Sugababes > They should release this as a single and see it smash!!!! <
97. Boys - Sugababes
98. get him back! - Olivia Rodrigo
99. Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 - Bizarrap & Shakira > Very unexpected but a BOP! I actually forgot to add this to my top 100 when doing my countdown lmao oops x <

Posted by: LewisGT 8th January 2024, 04:22 PM

I love the two Olivia tracks so far. She's yet to release a bad single in my opinion

I really enjoyed the Bizarrap/Shakira song and it was brilliant to see it get Shakira back in the UK charts!

Posted by: Roba. 8th January 2024, 05:14 PM

Hey Ansel, from your retro one first

20. Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You
19. Sal Solo - San Damiano
18. Madonna - Swim
17. Madonna - La Isla Bonita
16. Madonna - Skin
13. When In Rome - The Promise
12. Madonna - Drowned World / Substitute For Love
11. All Saints - Pure Shores
9. Madonna - Nothing Really Matters
7. Timbaland ft. Katy Perry - If We Ever Meet Again
6. Madonna - Don't Tell Me
3. Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha (Norman Cook Remix)
1. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger

so much Madonna a big fan of the Timbaland/Katy one as well despite how dated it appears now! Loving the Olivia appearances, haven't checked any of the Sugababes tracks oops. Will try and do so at some point lol!

Posted by: JosephChalamet 8th January 2024, 08:14 PM

I adore Can't Catch Me Now, it was my favourite Olivia song of 2023! The Lost Tapes was such a great album for Sugababes too so glad to see some songs from that appearing.

Posted by: Ansel 8th January 2024, 09:27 PM

Thank you guys for all your comments

So good!! Absolutely iconic, I need her to do a full lecture series


Really glad you're a fan of all those too! Absolutely agree on Summer of 99, it sounds so single-worthy and lyrically would've made perfect sense to sum up The Lost Tapes!


Olivia absolutely knows how to choose a single, even if Guts wasn't as big as Sour she definitely made the right choices! And a Shakira comeback, let alone in Spanish, absolutely wasn't what I expected for 2023


Taste! Definitely a Madonna overload but this year was the first time I'd listened to most of her albums so a huge revelation for me. The Timbaland one definitely sounds of its time but I kinda love that about it definitely recommend the Sugababes album!!


I definitely didn't expect to enjoy a 2023 Sugababes album so much (no shade to them at all!), but it's so good! There's one more song on the way from it still.

Posted by: jimwatts 8th January 2024, 09:38 PM

'Promise Me' is my favourite from 100-91, the first I'd heard from Rose Gray and her vocals over the dance beat gave me festival vibes. 'Alizzz' was one of my more useful guest votes in a contest, an infectious tune!

Posted by: Ansel 8th January 2024, 09:54 PM

90. River - Miley Cyrus
I feel like River got a bit overshadowed at the time, but it really was the perfect follow-up to Flowers. I wish the entire album sounded more like this, with a fun synth line and a really quirky delivery on the verses from Miley.

89. Running Out Of Time - Paramore
Running Out Of Time is on the poppier end of This Is Why - it's fun and catchy, and we can all relate to not having enough time sometimes!

88. Is It Love - Loreen
Is It Love doesn't fall into the trap of sounding too similar to Euphoria/Tattoo, which I think is a great choice. Instead it blends Middle Eastern and Spanish flairs with a soaring chorus. It could be a little longer, and I'm a bit disappointed it didn't manage to ride on Tattoo's success to chart, but it's still a stunning follow-up track.

87. Eat The Acid - Kesha
Kesha deserves much better than the horrors she's had to deal with, and on her latest album she really lays that bare. Eat The Acid is a song about drugs, religion, self-introspection, and its brooding dark production makes it a really interesting listen.

86. For Granted - Yaeji
For Granted starts off relatively chilled, eventually transforming into energetic drum and bass. To quote the title of its follow-up single, it Passed Me By at the time but actually massively grew on me with repeat listens!

85. Sunset - Caroline Polachek
Sunset was #26 on last year's countdown, and doesn't quite scale the same heights this year. It's very Legend of Zelda meets flamenco, and goes off live with everyone joining in the wailing!

84. Affirmations - Hannah Diamond
Hannah Diamond finally returned with a new album, led by Affirmations. It could be horrendously cheesy, with a spoken word section of literal affirmations, but Hannah is able to make it work with glistening pop perfection.

83. Psychedelic Switch - Carly Rae Jepsen
Psychedelic Switch is a futuristic disco-house song that doesn't feel out of Carly's comfort zone but is definitely a slight slide into a new sound for her. It works great, although it is one of the more conventional tracks on the album and some of the less predictable fare is yet to come.

82. Sanity (demo) - Paramore
Leaving Sanity off such an already short album feels like an odd choice, but it does give me a reason to return to the remix album. It's a song about anxiety and loneliness, but is still super catchy and features stunning vocals from Hayley as ever.

81. Goodbye Evergreen - Sufjan Stevens
Goodbye Evergreen is almost cinematic, starting off quiet and understated before transforming with the addition of grand electronic production. I went to a pre-release listenthrough for the album and this was *the* track I couldn't wait to hear again, it reminds me a lot of Planetarium which is one of my favourite Sufjan projects. It's the first song on Javelin and makes perfect sense as an introduction.

Posted by: Roba. 8th January 2024, 10:01 PM

'River' is okay but not been invested as much in Miley this era oops. I guess that's what happens when she set bar high with Plastic Hearts!

'Is It Love' is fine but a little abrupt for my liking lol.

Posted by: Jade 8th January 2024, 10:06 PM

My favourites from your singles countdown so far are:

100. Pierdo el sentido (YUNG PRADO Un Kiss Remix) - Alizzz - gave this my bronze medal in the relevant PFSC, tune *.* looking forward to listening through the current edition!
99. Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 - Bizarrap & Shakira - haha at the omnipresence in Spain, when I went on holiday last year I heard it already within about an hour of being there
96. Promise Me - Rose Gray - easily the best song I've heard from her to date <3
95. Can’t Catch Me Now - Olivia Rodrigo - Hunger Games music never misses for me tbh, from our Lorde and saviour to Taylor to this beauty from Olivia!
90. River - Miley Cyrus - totally agree that the album should've followed more of a style similar to this and 'Handstand'!
87. Eat The Acid - Kesha - great to see this in your countdown as well <3 she knocked this return out of the park
81. Goodbye Evergreen - Sufjan Stevens - amazing that you went to a pre-release party the album is incredible!

Posted by: Ansel 9th January 2024, 10:30 PM

Glad you liked Promise Me! A lot of what she's done in the last year or so definitely fits that festival vibe. Thank you for voting for Alizzz too!


I have to agree, Plastic Hearts blows Endless Summer Vacation out of the water by a fair few miles! But I think River is a good indication of what could've been.


Yay glad you liked 'Pierdo el sentido' too 😎 as series go The Hunger Games definitely has one of the best soundtracks, they've chosen perfect artists for it! And re Sufjan - forever thankful for living so close to a Rough Trade store 🙏

Posted by: Ansel 9th January 2024, 10:31 PM

80. Muñekita - Kali Uchis ft. El Alfa & JT
Muñekita is the lead from Kali's upcoming album (out this Friday!), which is a return to Spanish-language after a mostly English album. I don't listen to quite enough reggaeton to tell if this is ripping off BIZCOCHITO or just making a common production choice, but it's certainly a fun track! JT from City Girls feels like a slightly bizarre feature choice but she fits in really well.

79. I Wish You Roses - Kali Uchis
A less upbeat Kali song now - I Wish You Roses actually didn't catch my attention until I fell in love with the following single Moonlight. But this is a really smooth R&B song with gorgeous shimmering production.

78. Never Ending Song - Conan Gray
Never Ending Song is heavily 80s - it sounds like it's straight off the Stranger Things soundtrack. Conan uses a deeper part of his register which he doesn't usually show off in his songs, but I think it works really well here!

77. RUIDO - Rakky Ripper ft. Rizha
RUIDO is one of my favourite Rakky Ripper songs because it's just upbeat and fun. The energy is dialed up and lyrically it talks about the bright lights and loud noises of the city, comparing this chaos to a past relationship.

76. Houdini - Dua Lipa
Dua racked up 4 weeks at #1 with this, so it may seem a little low but that's only because it's just come out! Houdini isn't that far from the disco-pop sound that Future Nostalgia made into Dua's trademark, but it's infused with quirkier elements like the synth breakdown that transforms into something Daft Punk / The Weeknd esque. I'm very excited for whatever this new Dua era brings!

75. Not Strong Enough - boygenius
I have to say I've struggled a bit to get into boygenius despite loving Phoebe Bridgers' solo stuff, but Not Strong Enough is a clear highlight. The lyrics are really quite devastating, but hearing "I don't know why I am the way I am" over such an uplifting instrumental is strangely reassuring.

74. Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd - Lana Del Rey
Spawning a million memes about Lana's iconic long titles, this song feels like another career great. The orchestral production feels so classic and cinematic, and her lyrics about wondering how she'll be remembered are hugely emotional. In recent years, Lana is definitely at her best when she gets self reflective and this is no exception.

73. Zone 1 to 6000 - Nabihah Iqbal
Not really a 2023 song, but BJSC gives me an excuse to put this here! The English Lit student in me loves that this is basically a modern retelling of William Blake's poem 'London', borrowing the original's lines and rhythm by applying them to the city as it stands today, with commuters and weekend parties. I've had to study this poem a ridiculous amount of times so I'm glad it led to this, one of my all-time fave BJSC wins!

72. ghosts - yeule
ghosts is a really beautiful little song that really surprised me. The processed vocals and extremely slow pace give it an eerie feel (as well as the fact that it's about ghosts!).

71. Kiss Me - Empress Of ft. Rina Sawayama
Empress Of and Rina coming together was not necessarily top of my collab wishlist, but it really delivers! The end result feels very 00s, with chilled production and a lyrical sense of yearning. When it first came out I remember posting on my story that it reminds me of Frou Frou's cover of Holding Out For A Hero for the Shrek soundtrack, and a fair few people agreed - hopefully some of you hear it too?

Posted by: Roba. 10th January 2024, 12:09 AM

'Zone 1 to 6000' *.* also 'Houdini' is another bop for Dua!

Posted by: jimwatts 10th January 2024, 08:27 PM

'Houdini' and 'Eat The Acid' were both inspired songs to launch new eras - Dua's I was anticipating, but Kesha coming back with an actual psychedelic switch-up and recounting some of her darkest moments so vividly was something I hadn't prepared for.

Posted by: Jade 10th January 2024, 10:15 PM

The synth breakdown of 'Houdini' is indeed wonderful what a great start to whatever this era may turn out to be called... can't wait for more!

'Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd' was also a promising start to an album campaign, such a gorgeous song <3

Delighted that 'Zone 1 to 6000' was sent to BJSC (and did so well) as Nabihah has been a revelation, her DREAMER album is lush.

Posted by: Ansel 10th January 2024, 10:57 PM

Summericia smashery such an incredible entry, so glad you introduced us all to it!


Agreed it was definitely not what I expected from Kesha - but all the better for it!


So excited for whatever's next from Dua! Loved Nabihah's album too, This World Couldn't See Us was great in a similar vein to Zone 1 to 6000 but I loved the chilled vibes of songs like Sunflower too.

Posted by: Ansel 10th January 2024, 10:59 PM

70. Tears can be so soft - Christine and the Queens
Bringing in a trip hop sound over a Marvin Gaye sample, this song talks about loss and healing. It's understated but really effective.

69. LA CHAMBA - Arcángel ft. Peso Pluma
I struggled with Peso Pluma for quite a while but I'll make an exception for this song. Lyrically I guess it's quite clichéd, all about coming from humble origins and working hard, but it's a good message. Like with Arcángel's previous #1 La Jumpa which featured Bad Bunny, having a featured artist definitely helps as I've struggled to get into any of Arcángel's solo stuff.

68. Aeroplanes - Carly Rae Jepsen
Aeroplanes is definitely one of the odder songs on The Loveliest Time - every part of the melody takes you by surprise, and the next note is never the one you expect. But I think it's a beautiful song and really leans into the beachy chilled vibe of the Loneliest/Loveliest dual era. More of this please Carly!

67. TRACCIÓN - Rakky Ripper
TRACCIÓN is a huge banger which became an immediate fave when I watched Benidorm Fest early last year. Seeing hyperpop on primetime TV was so refreshing, although it didn't fully translate live and definitely works better in studio form!

66. Full of life - Christine and the Queens
Pachelbel's Canon in D is one of my favourite classical pieces, and due to some personal family connections to the piece it's always been a very emotional listen for me. But equally I'm aware it's been hugely overused in modern music. Chris really puts a beautiful spin on it, letting the original score do most of the heavy lifting with emotionally charged lyrics layered on top. It goes from pain to anger to vulnerability - in all honesty and without being too dramatic it's almost a religious experience, surprising even me by becoming one of my 2023 #1s.

65. SOS - Domiziana ft. Blümchen
One German BJSC queen met another German BJSC queen and together maximised their joint slay by releasing this song! It's a fun techno-pop (I think x) tune which even sneaks in a snippet of Blümchen's Herz an Herz at the very end.

64. Back To December - Taylor Swift
Another one that's not *really* a 2023 song but also kind of is. Speak Now deserves its moment in the spotlight and Back To December is absolutely one of the jewels in its crown, a mature track blending longing and regret in a formula that built the foundations for another Taylor classic years later, 'tis the damn season.

63. The Bend - King Princess
This track was released without much fanfare on an NME/Bose compilation album but definitely deserves attention. It's a gentle guitary song with varying intensity that really does make you feel like you're "getting over the bend" along with the lyrics.

62. I Been Young - George Clanton
I Been Young has all the hallmarks of a 90s British boyband single - you can hear Take That all over the chorus. In recent years there's been a lot of revivals for older sounds (mostly 80s) but I think this very specific sound hasn't been one of them, so it's quite a bizarre listen!

61. Out Of Time - Slayyyter
Out Of Time fits firmly into Ava Max territory in all honesty - but it works really well and sees Slayyyter giving full main pop girl energy. The pulsing synths and carefully curated melody sample in the chorus make this an absolutely stomping pop tune.

Posted by: Roba. 11th January 2024, 12:41 AM

'I Been Young' and 'Back To December' both good tracks to pop up there!

Posted by: PeteFromLeeds 11th January 2024, 08:52 PM

Nice to see I Been Young here! Very much enjoyed it in BJSC, it definitely does have that retro feel to it and I guess that's what adds to its charm, even if the lyrics are a little more sombre.

Posted by: Ansel 11th January 2024, 09:16 PM

Glad you're a fan of both!


Oops I forgot it came from BJSC, my bad as that's where I would've first heard it! 2023 was definitely a great year for BJSC discoveries for me.

Posted by: Ansel 11th January 2024, 09:16 PM

60. DOGTOOTH - Tyler, The Creator
DOGTOOTH's chorus is probably not ideal family fare given the specific action Tyler doesn't want anything in return for, but overall it's a song where Tyler brags about his own superiority and success, to the point he might buy his neighbour's house just to turn it into a garden. Tyler does not miss and it's been great watching him grow into a big chart name over the last few years!

59. Sun Comes Up - Rose Gray
Sun Comes Up is less uptempo than some of Rose's recent dancey stuff, but still feels like a really atmospheric late night track and feels indebted to 00s British pop like much of her work.

58. Ohne Benzin - Domiziana
Another BJSC discovery, this time via Pupok. It's really interesting that this was such a big hit in Germany (even getting to #1 there!) as I can't imagine it doing the same in the UK (obviously language barrier aside). It's firmly techno-pop with a hint of hyperpop and a huge banger.

57. Flowers - Miley Cyrus
Considering how big this song was everywhere, even on my chart, it feels unfair to place it so low here. But in all honesty, it's been so overplayed I'm a bit sick of it! I remember just after it came out, one of my classes was listening to some English music so I put this on for them. For the rest of the year, any time those kids heard it they'd excitedly point out it was "my song" and while it was very cute, I felt a little guilty about passing off the biggest song in the world as something I'd found especially for them

56. Shy Boy - Carly Rae Jepsen
Carly launched The Loneliest Time with this silky disco number. The instrumentation and vocal delivery feel very live - it's easy to imagine this on stage, possibly helped by her amazing Glastonbury performance. If further proof was needed that Carly can do anything, she even samples Midnight Star's Midas Touch which adds to the songs jam-like feel.

55. Whenever I Want - Mura Masa
This song is deceptively simple, with just one vocal line repeated ad nauseam. But you'll soon be dancing along, with chopped vocals transforming that one line throughout the song.

54. PLUSH - Simona
You may be familiar with this as a Pestolian BJSC entry, which made 34th place as part of a recent stint around the 30s for us. I discovered this song through a friend, who was staying with me for Primavera Sound in Madrid and so this song would play as we were getting ready to go out. Because of that it's become a real hype song, with dramatic campy lyrics about being "your pop star, porn star, dealer, your baby, your angel, your devil, your mother and father too". Just look at the range!

53. Prada - Cassö ft. RAYE & D-Block Europe
Buzzjack will love this: yesterday I got an email from Spotify to tell me I'm one of D-Block Europe's top fans and that's ENTIRELY from this song, which is a huge tune and absolutely goes off on a night out. I saw a video comparing the tune of "pull up in the Bentley, I want Christian, I want Fendi" to the sound of the points going down on Pointless which I can't unhear but it doesn't affect the song being an absolute tune!

52. I Might Be Fake - Master Peace ft. Georgia
This song was promoted on TikTok pre-release by pretending it was a 00s Calvin Harris song and asking people if they remembered it. In all honesty, I was almost convinced - Georgia's vocals are giving La Roux and it could totally be a lost 00s gem.

51. Black British - V V Brown
V V Brown wasn't a name I was familiar with before (I knew of Shark In The Water but not who sung it, although this song is miles away from that), so this song was a great introduction to her. As you can probably guess from the title, it's a song that celebrates the Black British identity and calls for both education and liberation. There's a distinct 00s/early 10s flair to it but it still feels fresh and new.

Posted by: Lunar 11th January 2024, 09:57 PM

Hey Ansel! big catch up but here are my favourites so far:

get him back! - Olivia Rodrigo
Can’t Catch Me Now - Olivia Rodrigo
River - Miley Cyrus
Houdini - Dua Lipa -> such a great start to the new era and has me SO excited for what's still to come *.*
Back To December - Taylor Swift -> absolute classic, one of my highlights of Speak Now for sure
Flowers - Miley Cyrus -> though I definitely share your thoughts in terms of becoming a little sick of it unfortunately!

Endless Summer Vacation, GUTS & My 21st Century Blues are my favourites from your top albums and great to see RAYE, Taylor & Troye appear in your top 10 artists too.

Looking forward to seeing your top 50! <3

Posted by: Jade 11th January 2024, 10:13 PM

Oh 'Tears can be so soft' was my favourite from that era have you heard his version of 'Stayin Alive'? It was in my release radar last week and it's oddly compelling

'Back To December' is a fab Speak Now pick <3 I remember that and 'The Story of Us' being my favourites when the album originally came out and still love them both!

I discovered 'I Been Young' via 6Music and was thrilled it got sent to BJSC and did so well totally agree that it has a 90s boyband charm to it, especially coupled with the video!

That anecdote about 'Flowers' is cute! Totally agree about the overplay though, at its peak I remember hearing it 4 times when out and about while I was getting my hair done

Posted by: jimwatts 11th January 2024, 10:30 PM

'SOS' is a fun tune, I'd made the 'Herz an Herz' connection but hadn't clicked that Domiziana also appeared on a BJSC song I had given points to in 'Ohne Benzin'. I got the same email about D-Block Europe 'Sun Comes Up' and 'I Might Be Fake' are both great - shame about Radio 1 causing the BJSC veto for the latter as that might have done quite well!

Posted by: Ansel 12th January 2024, 08:49 PM

Taste! Love all the songs you've mentioned - super excited for what Dua brings this year! And Back To December really is such a Taylor classic.


Yes, I did quite enjoy his version of Stayin Alive! Unexpected but fun. Ooh The Story Of Us is a great choice too, really got into that with the Taylor's Version. I Been Young was a welcome different sound and ah, I guess we all suffered from a Flowers overload at some point


Phew, glad I wasn't the only one getting the DBE email definitely bad timing with I Might Be Fake, I do think people would've enjoyed the throwback 00s sound of it!

Posted by: Ansel 12th January 2024, 08:51 PM

50. mariposas - sangiovanni ft. Aitana
For a time 'mariposas' was (briefly, until When in Rome in the very next edition) my most successful BJSC entry, and it's a song I've really enjoyed this year despite actually never charting it. I heard it on the radio in Spain at the end of 2022 and it continued to soundtrack my 2023, also introducing me to Aitana. Interestingly it's actually a remix of 'farfalle', a song sent to Sanremo by sangiovanni, with the majority of the lyrics translated into Spanish other than the bridge.

49. Black Mascara. - RAYE
Black Mascara is a song that lays everything bare, in which Raye addresses a man who treated her badly. I wish they'd pushed this after the success of Escapism, because I think it has a similarly dark but club-ready sound and feels like a lyrical continuation.

48. A&W - Lana Del Rey
A&W starts off vulnerable and reflective, with Lana singing about her childhood and living out of hotels. She talks about "the experience of being an American whore", a character she's played with throughout her career. These lyrics repeat and distort, until the song changes entirely. An R&B beat and "Jimmy Jimmy cocoa puff" lyrics take its place, creating a really interesting song of two halves that builds into something huge and dramatic.

47. I Believe - Caroline Polachek
This song is dedicated to the incredible producer SOPHIE who we sadly lost in 2021. The lyrics address her passing - "I don't know but I believe we'll get another day together", and Caroline's trademark vocal wailings convey the agony of that loss. Caroline has described the song as a love letter to opera and big vocalists like Celine Dion, and that influence can certainly be seen, down to the impassioned call to "feel my embrace".

46. Moonlight - Kali Uchis
Moonlight was a huge #1 for me at the start of the year, spending 4 weeks on top - despite that, I stopped listening to it quite quickly which explains how low down it is here! Despite that, I really enjoyed seeing it sneak into the lower reaches of the UK chart, a welcome bilingual hit for Kali following 'telepatía'.

45. Boy’s a liar - PinkPantheress
While it's far from PinkPantheress's first hit, 'Boy's a liar' definitely pushed her up into the big leagues. I took a while to warm to the Ice Spice remix but I actually think it's really fun and both artists clearly have great chemistry together. The production is also really cute, with a little chiptune motif that feels straight out of an old video game.

44. Last Orders - Joesef
Joesef really embodies the British soul sound that felt inescapable in the mid 00s, but brought into the modern day. Last Orders is a song about still thinking about someone even as you know you're leaving them behind, with grounded lyrics about scrolling through your phone and having a "face as cold as the iamspamspamamifloor" which makes it all feel relatable and realistic.

43. Enchanted - Taylor Swift
Enchanted is a beautiful song and one that I'm so glad has belatedly turned into a Taylor classic. It really does capture that fairytale feeling that Speak Now is all about, with cautious verses leading into a big explosive chorus. We see right into Taylor's mind through lyrics like "please don't be in love with someone else" and truly feel the nerves and excitement associated with meeting someone for the first time.

42. Green Honda - BENEE
There is an important rule in music, the Vroom Vroom principle, which states that songs about cars tend to be bangers. This is no exception, a high energy song that makes you feel like you're racing along with BENEE as she drops attitude-filled lyrics about leaving someone in your dust.

41. 4EVA - KAYTRAMINÉ ft. Pharrell Williams
KAYTRAMINÉ is the supergroup made up of KAYTRANADA and Aminé, and they launched their collaborative album with this song alongside Pharrell Williams. It's a great summery funky tune with each of the three artists working to their strengths.

Posted by: Sergej 12th January 2024, 09:07 PM

Hi Ansel!

Really like almost all of the artists of the year category, except #9 (because I haven't heard much of her, sorry.), I also like "The Loveliest Time" being your album of the year.

And from your songs of the year list, here are the songs that I like:
99. Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 - Bizarrap & Shakira
98. get him back! - Olivia Rodrigo
95. Can’t Catch Me Now - Olivia Rodrigo
90. River - Miley Cyrus
89. Running Out Of Time - Paramore
88. Is It Love - Loreen
85. Sunset - Caroline Polachek
83. Psychedelic Switch - Carly Rae Jepsen
76. Houdini - Dua Lipa
68. Aeroplanes - Carly Rae Jepsen
57. Flowers - Miley Cyrus
56. Shy Boy - Carly Rae Jepsen
53. Prada - Cassö ft. RAYE & D-Block Europe
50. mariposas - sangiovanni ft. Aitana
49. Black Mascara. - RAYE
47. I Believe - Caroline Polachek
45. Boy’s a liar - PinkPantheress
43. Enchanted - Taylor Swift

Great list so far!

Can't wait for the rest!

Posted by: LewisGT 13th January 2024, 08:07 PM

Houdini, DOGTOOTh and Boy's a liar are all great

I'm especially happy to see some more love for 'DOGTOOTH'. Tyler has been on top form for so long and it's just another classic from him.

Posted by: k👠th 14th January 2024, 12:36 PM

87. Eat The Acid - Kesha
85. Sunset - Caroline Polachek
76. Houdini - Dua Lipa
74. Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd - Lana Del Rey
73. Zone 1 to 6000 - Nabihah Iqbal
72. ghosts - yeule
70. Tears can be so soft - Christine and the Queens
66. Full of life - Christine and the Queens
65. SOS - Domiziana ft. Blümchen
62. I Been Young - George Clanton
61. Out Of Time - Slayyyter
57. Flowers - Miley Cyrus
48. A&W - Lana Del Rey
47. I Believe - Caroline Polachek
45. Boy’s a liar - PinkPantheress

Hey Ansel 👋 here's my faves so far! Love those 2 picks from Caroline especially 'Sunset' with its ikonec "OoooOooOoooHhoo" ad libs, although 'I Believe' is probably the best album track (if not the best). 'ghosts' is really nice subtle moment on the yeule album.

Oh my god @ 'SOS', I have been playing the Baran Kok remix of it so much lately, what a TUNE Was tempted to send it to BJSC but then discovered that both artists recently went top 10 with different songs and it probably would get vetoed Yay for 'Out of Time' getting some recognition! A really underrated (on this site at least) polished pop gem.

Posted by: Roba. 14th January 2024, 11:52 PM

'mariposas', 'Enchanted' and 'boys a liar' are all great from that last lot!

Posted by: Ansel 15th January 2024, 10:35 PM

Hey Sergej! Glad you liked all those - more to come from quite a few of those artists.


Yes at the DOGTOOTH love! Such a tune


Wow thanks Kath, so many faves SOS is such a tune, love that remix too! Would be here for a cheap Kathaldazia moment tbh x


Glad you liked those songs, mariposas especially is so underrated!

Posted by: Ansel 15th January 2024, 10:54 PM

Now that we're into the top 40 I'm adding a few more stats and extra YouTube links! Enjoy x
40. Got Me Started - Troye Sivan
Troye's latest era has been so fun to witness (spoiler: I loved it enough that there's 2 songs yet to come!) and this was no exception. It's a more chilled-out late night type of track compared to Rush, and uses its sample surprisingly well. The dance is already iconic - if it's good enough for Timothée Chalamet and the combined forces of Boygenius, it's good enough for me!
Troye's EOY history:
2020 89 Easy
2020 90 IN A DREAM
2023 40 Got Me Started

39. One That Got Away - MUNA
MUNA had an incredible 2022 with their self-titled album proving to be perhaps their best work yet. They followed this up with One That Got Away - a stomping anthem with Janet Jackson-style percussion stabs. It's a huge tune and - despite their already elevated star following their last era - shows that MUNA deserve to be even bigger.
MUNA's EOY history:
2021 08 Silk Chiffon (ft. Phoebe Bridgers)
2022 02 Home By Now
2022 10 What I Want
2022 21 Anything But Me
2022 70 Kind Of Girl
2023 39 One That Got Away

38. Echolalia - Yves Tumor
This song introduced me to Yves Tumor and I've loved everything since (though it's definitely stayed my favourite). The title itself is a term for a repeated speech pattern, which is reflected in a sort of grunted sound that repeats throughout the song and turns into an almost bassline. It's a really funky song that does in fact get stuck in your head.
Yves Tumor's EOY history:
2023 38 Echolalia

37. Escapism. - RAYE ft. 070 Shake
Escapism just snuck into last year's EOY at #97, but has had a much bigger 2023. I love that it turned into such a big hit for RAYE considering how much of a swerve it is from her previous label-approved dancier fare, and I'm sure it must've been hugely affirming to see such success for the sort of music she really wanted to make.
RAYE's EOY history:
2022 97 Escapism. (ft. 070 Shake)
2023 37 Escapism. (ft. 070 Shake)
2023 49 Black Mascara.
2023 53 Prada (with cassö & D-Block Europe)

070 Shake's EOY history:
2022 97 Escapism. (with RAYE)
2023 37 Escapism. (with RAYE)

36. Tattoo - Loreen
Last January I don't think I would've expected to see Loreen in my EOY top 40! But Tattoo is such a deserved Eurovision winner, a huge spectacle on stage and an incredible dramatic song otherwise. It's not my absolute Eurovision fave from 2023, as you'll see later, but I can't deny it is an all-time classic.
Loreen's EOY history:
2023 36 Tattoo
2023 88 Is It Love

35. Al menos ahora - Marc Seguí
This song flopped a bit in the BJSC Foreign Language spinoff but it's a favourite of mine. It's a pop-rock track about a failed and possibly toxic relationship (because is there anything else pop-rock songs are allowed to be about?). I think I just happened to listen through the Spanish NMF playlist that week and got into it, so I'm glad I did and should probably do so more often!
Marc's EOY history:
2023 35 Al menos ahora

34. Novi plan drugi san - Filip Baloš
'Novi plan drugi san' is another BJSC discovery via Serbia's national Eurovision final (judging from the holy trinity of this, Konstrakta and Luke Black, I need to start paying it more attention!). I wish it had made it to Eurovision as I can just imagine how well it would've gone down, with fast-paced lyrics and an infectiously vogueable post-chorus.
Filip's EOY history:
2023 34 Novi plan drugi san

33. Kamikaze - Carly Rae Jepsen
Carly is known for emotional pop perfection and this is no exception. It feels like a continuation of Anxious from The Loneliest Time, with confessional lyrics delivered with a sense of caution (the verses are breathy and restrained before a chorus where Carly asks uncertainly, "you mind if I need to come kamikaze crash into your way?"). It's an instant highlight and a Carly classic.
Carly's EOY history:
2020 03 Trouble in the Streets (with BC Unidos)
2020 10 Summer Love
2020 25 Comeback (ft. Bleachers)
2020 47 Want You In My Room
2020 59 This Love Isn't Crazy
2020 69 Never Get to Hold You
2020 73 Julien
2020 98 Let's Be Friends
2022 28 Western Wind
2022 34 The Loneliest Time (ft. Rufus Wainwright)
2022 36 Anxious
2022 41 Talking To Yourself
2023 33 Kamikaze
2023 56 Shy Boy
2023 68 Aeroplanes
2023 83 Psychedelic Switch

32. Spalarkle (Alys) - felicita ft. Caroline Polachek
Spalarkle is a stomper of a track. The instrumental is pounding and intense, and features Caroline singing absolute nonsense ("mantis with a radish, dashing"). The repeated cry of "Alys!" has tones of Alice in Wonderland, and it's fair to say this song sounds like a descent into madness.
felicita's EOY history:
2023 32 Spalarkle (Alys) (ft. Caroline Polachek)

Caroline's EOY history:
2020 11 La vita nuova (with Christine and the Queens)
2020 99 So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings
2021 16 Bunny Is A Rider
2021 47 Breathless
2021 96 New Shapes (with Charli XCX & Christine and the Queens)
2022 04 Billions
2022 26 Sunset
2022 96 Welcome To My Island
2023 32 Spalarkle (Alys) (with felicita)
2023 47 I Believe
2023 85 Sunset
2023 93 Dang

31. Kill Bill - SZA
Kill Bill was a deserved massive hit for SZA, and I feel it's firmly cemented her as a huge star. I love that it's a bit tongue in cheek and overdramatic, taking delusion to the next level by turning post-breakup jealousy into murderous intent. It's definitely the opposite of some of the more peaceful tracks on the album like the gorgeous Good Days, but still infinitely singable!
SZA's EOY history:
2021 04 Good Days
2023 31 Kill Bill

Posted by: Sergej 16th January 2024, 08:06 AM

Great to see "Escapism.", "Tattoo" and "Kill Bill" on here!

Posted by: JosephChalamet 16th January 2024, 06:44 PM

Tattoo was of course such a triumph, amazing song brought to life with incredible staging and powerful vocals! Got Me Started is a bop too, I preferred Troye's other two singles last year though.

Posted by: jimwatts 16th January 2024, 08:32 PM

Those three big hits Sergej mentioned are fabulous *.* and I wish 'A&W' had the chart success that 'Say Yes To Heaven' did, as cool as that was. 'One That Got Away' was the first song I noticed from MUNA, very Rhythm Nation era Janet in sound.

Posted by: PeteFromLeeds 18th January 2024, 09:02 PM

As with everyone above I'll mention Tattoo! A fairly decent song and definitely my favourite of the contenders to win Eurovision, the fact it did so well officially was an added bonus on top!

Posted by: Roba. 18th January 2024, 09:48 PM

From the last batch my faves would be 'Escapism', 'Tattoo' and 'Novi plan drugi san'. 'Got Me Started' is alright but the other two were better!

Posted by: Ansel 18th January 2024, 10:12 PM

Glad you liked those! More SZA to come


Such a moment, it just felt like an instant winner with that performance! Agreed on Troye, both his other two are on their way


Ugh yes, Say Yes To Heaven is great but I love that A&W is a little less conventional! Glad you got into One That Got Away, you might also like Anything But Me which has a similar sound?


Tattoo is worth every mention while it wasn't my absolute favourite it's undeniably such a showstopper!


Glad you liked all those! More Troye coming right up

Posted by: Ansel 18th January 2024, 10:20 PM

30. bad idea right? - Olivia Rodrigo
'bad idea right?' is a real departure from the ballads that Olivia's first era was mostly known for. The most interesting thing on Sour for me was 'brutal', and these two songs have a lot in common. The lyrics are fun and tounge-in-cheek ("just tripped and fell into his bed"), and the chorus is perfect for shouting at the top of your lungs.
Olivia's EOY history:
2021 25 deja vu
2021 35 good 4 u
2021 46 drivers license
2021 90 brutal
2023 30 bad idea right?
2023 95 Can’t Catch Me Now
2023 98 get him back!

29. What’s The Time Where You Are? - Troye Sivan
This album track from Troye is an ode to long distance relationships, and trying to imagine how the other person is going about their day in another timezone. I really love what Troye said about the inspiration for this song - the title is a question you could easily Google but instead it's about making that connection and keeping the conversation going. The production is also really fun: threaded throughout the song is a spoken sample ('Anoche, una puta locura') which helps build the party atmosphere.
Troye's EOY history:
2020 89 Easy
2020 90 IN A DREAM
2023 29 What’s The Time Where You Are?
2023 40 Got Me Started

28. Anything To Be With You - Carly Rae Jepsen
Anything To Be With You is the opening track from The Loveliest Time, and it's an absolutely cacophonous intro to the album's eclectic sound. The repeated 'Never over' chorus is almost eerie and strained, while the verses descend into walls of clashing sound. It's noisy and fun, with a slightly retro charm, and easily one of the most exciting thing's Carly's done.
Carly's EOY history:
2020 03 Trouble in the Streets (with BC Unidos)
2020 10 Summer Love
2020 25 Comeback (ft. Bleachers)
2020 47 Want You In My Room
2020 59 This Love Isn't Crazy
2020 69 Never Get to Hold You
2020 73 Julien
2020 98 Let's Be Friends
2022 28 Western Wind
2022 34 The Loneliest Time (ft. Rufus Wainwright)
2022 36 Anxious
2022 41 Talking To Yourself
2023 28 Anything To Be With You
2023 33 Kamikaze
2023 56 Shy Boy
2023 68 Aeroplanes
2023 83 Psychedelic Switch

27. Nobody Gets Me - SZA
SZA got into her Mazzy Star bag with this one, a stripped-back song where SZA's emotional vocals shine. I think this got a single push but unfortunately feels like it's been sidelined in favour of several other tracks from SOS, but I love the nostalgic, reflective tone and it's a surefire classic.
SZA's EOY history:
2021 04 Good Days
2023 27 Nobody Gets Me
2023 31 Kill Bill

26. VAMPIROS - ROSALÍA & Rauw Alejandro
Despite overlooking this when it first came out, I really got into it months after release when I saw ROSALÍA live - an absolute highlight of 2023! The dark, industrial sound feels perfect for late-night city drives and there's so much atmosphere to it.
ROSALÍA's EOY history:
2020 09 TKN (ft. Travis Scott)
2022 05 DESPECHÁ
2022 24 CHICKEN TERIYAKI
2022 91 SAOKO
2023 26 VAMPIROS (ft. Rauw Alejandro)

Rauw's EOY history:
2023 26 VAMPIROS (with ROSALÍA)
2023 92 VOLVER (with Tainy, Skrillex & Four Tet)

25. Story - Kylie Minogue
Story is a blissful piece of pop, with a soaring chorus that will test your vocal range. It's a fun, inspirational song about believing that the stars are aligning for you and taking a leap. There's also a great message of coming together, with Kylie assuring us that 'you're part of my story'.
Kylie's EOY history:
2020 85 Say Something
2020 94 Magic
2023 25 Story

24. Samo mi se spava - Luke Black
More Eurovision now, and still more to come! Serbia have been killing it lately and this is no exception, with creepy church-organ production and whispered lyrics about sleeping forever. I'm shocked (SHOCKED!) it only came 24th as it's an easy top 5 for me, but I always love hearing something a bit darker in Eurovision so hopefully Serbia keeps it up!
Luke's EOY history:
2023 24 Samo mi se spava

23. LAS BABYS - Aitana
Now this is a huge tune. Aitana decided to follow up the dark, moody Los Ángeles with something the complete opposite: a Whigfield-sampling bop about dancing all night. It might not say that much, but it is a lot of fun and a camp anthem!
Aitana's EOY history:
2023 23 LAS BABYS
2023 50 mariposas (with sangiovanni)

22. Gato De Noche - Ñengo Flow ft. Bad Bunny
Gato De Noche is, yet again, proof that Bad Bunny's best work is his features xx This is a great chilled reggaeton tune, with lyrics about sharing a romantic partner with another person and wanting more than that.
Ñengo Flow's EOY history:
2023 22 Gato De Noche (ft. Bad Bunny)

Bad Bunny's EOY history:
2023 22 Gato De Noche (with Ñengo Flow)

21. Nevera (Lei, lei) - Harmonija disonance
I think I came across this song for the first time in the Eurovision forum's Rejects contest - a definite favourite and I wish it had made the actual contest! It reminds me a lot of SHUM, with traditional folkloric sounds blended with an energetic dance beat.
Harmonija disonance's EOY history:
2023 21 Nevera (Lei, lei)

Posted by: Sergej 19th January 2024, 11:03 PM

Nice to see "Bad Idea Right?" and "Samo Mi Se Spava" in your top 30, with "Bad Idea Right?" my favourite of the two.

Posted by: Ansel 20th January 2024, 08:26 PM

Thanks Sergej, glad you liked those!

Posted by: Ansel 20th January 2024, 08:33 PM

Slowing it down slightly now that we're into the top 20...

20. Speed Drive - Charli XCX

Barbiemania gave Charli a well-deserved return to the top ten, and it was equally a big hit for me! The combination of samples is *chef's kiss*, and it absolutely sounds like a wild car chase. Charli established herself long ago as the queen of songs about cars, but this is a great addition to her canon.
Charli's EOY history:
2020 34 claws
2020 39 i finally understand
2021 09 Good Ones
2021 22 CHARGER (with ELIO)
2021 71 911 (with Lady Gaga & A.G. Cook)
2021 96 New Shapes (ft. Christine and the Queens & Caroline Polachek)
2022 25 Beg For You (ft. Rina Sawayama)
2022 27 Baby
2022 29 Used To Know Me
2022 39 Every Rule
2022 44 Yuck
2022 46 Crash
2022 59 Constant Repeat
2022 63 Lightning
2022 80 Twice
2023 20 Speed Drive

19. Tenemos que hablar - Danna Paola

Tenemos que hablar followed up #1 hit 1Trago and turned into a second chart-topper for Danna Paola. It's more subdued than it's predecessor, with fast-paced 80s synths and almost whispered lyrics about a relationship that didn't make it. The video features Danna taking to the streets laying on the bonnet of a speeding car and slowly turning into a demon, images that perfectly sum up the dark-tinged synth production.
Danna's EOY history:
2023 19 Tenemos que hablar

18. Nochentera - Vicco

I remember seeing this song on Benidorm Fest and really rooting for Vicco - but ultimately her staging and performance didn't live up to the studio version. It's a fun song about a houseparty and having a good night, and I've heard it so much I know it off by heart. This was actually one of the biggest hits in Spain of 2023, so it was quite bizarre to walk into class and have the kids I taught saying "play Vicco!" while it was #1 on my personal chart
Vicco's EOY history:
2023 18 Nochentera

17. Los Ángeles - Aitana

Los Ángeles was a great introduction to Aitana's latest era, with an infectious dance sound that you might've recently heard in the latest PFSC! Lyrically it blends religious lyrics (references to Genesis and sin) with a longing for physical touch and another night with someone. This was another inescapable hit while I was living in Madrid, always playing on the radio and in clubs, and my favourite thing Aitana has put her name to.
Aitana's EOY history:
2023 17 Los Ángeles
2023 23 LAS BABYS
2023 50 mariposas (with sangiovanni)

16. 1Trago - Danna Paola

1Trago (not named after the Mills) is a huge dance-pop banger. It's a bit The Motto but in the best way, with a stomping chorus about drinking to get over someone (maybe not the best message) but equally trying to be the bigger person. Based on the strength of this and 'Tenemos que hablar', I'm really looking forward to what 2024 brings for Danna.
Danna's EOY history:
2023 16 1Trago
2023 19 Tenemos que hablar

Posted by: Ansel 21st January 2024, 09:24 PM

15. Tension - Kylie Minogue

More stomping dance-pop now, with maybe Kylie's most daring offering in years. After DISCO being a bit more of a look backwards in terms of sound (no bad thing), it was refreshing to hear Kylie on something so new and relevant again, refusing to play it safe by any means.
Kylie's EOY history:
2020 85 Say Something
2020 94 Magic
2023 15 Tension
2023 25 Story

14. Angel - PinkPantheress

This somehow not sneaking into the UK charts is a serious offence that deserves an inquest in all honesty. It's a cutesy romantic song that does what PinkPantheress does best, with a surprisingly Irish flair at times.
PinkPantheress's EOY history:
2021 21 Just for me
2023 14 Angel
2023 45 Boy’s a liar

13. No Regrets - Sugababes

This song came out right at the end of 2022 but soundtracked the start of my year so heavily that it's definitely a 2023 song too. To me, this just feels like winter (which is why it and its parent album have had a bit of a resurgence for me with the recent cold weather - Flatline is on repeat!) with its devastatingly emotional chorus about choosing to live your life and valuing what you have. I can only apologise for the person I become when I put this in the queue.
Sugababes' EOY history:
2023 13 No Regrets
2023 94 Summer Of '99
2023 97 Boys

12. AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM - Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar

This song wasn't a big highlight when I first went through Renaissance, but that's now been heavily corrected. Kendrick's verse really gets you hyped up and then Beyoncé comes in with hook after hook. A little detail I love about this song is the echoing "no" going back and forth between Bey and Kendrick; like the rest of the album, the production is immaculate. I also really appreciate how adding Kendrick didn't involve cutting out part of the original song: instead the remix is longer than the original song to give both artists the chance to shine without compromising the original track.
Beyoncé's EOY history:
2022 33 ALIEN SUPERSTAR
2022 35 PURE/HONEY
2022 45 BREAK MY SOUL
2023 12 AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM (ft. Kendrick Lamar)

Kendrick's EOY history:
2023 12 AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM (with Beyoncé)

11. Ghost - Sigrid

This is such a gorgeous emotional song that really took me by surprise in how much I got into it. It's a slow ballad which is actually Sigrid at her best (another fave of mine is her beautiful Home To You), with lyrics about promising to follow someone, no matter where they go. However, the song shows that that feeling isn't necessarily felt both ways and Sigrid's vocals hugely capture that sense of something unreciprocated.
Sigrid's EOY history:
2022 54 A Driver Saved My Life
2023 11 Ghost

Posted by: Ansel 24th January 2024, 10:30 PM

10. Ecstasy - Rose Gray

Ecstasy is an infectious dance tune that is Rose at her best. I really love the 90s-00s dance pop that she's made into her signature sound and I really think we need her to break through into the mainstream. This was, at long last, Rose's first #1 in my chart and it remains an anthem.
Rose's EOY history:
2020 44 Same Cloud
2021 66 Easy
2021 70 Nothing Can Stop Us
2022 32 Prettier Than You
2022 38 Cupid
2022 75 Promise Me
2023 10 Ecstasy
2023 59 Sun Comes Up
2023 96 Promise Me

9. Blood and Butter - Caroline Polachek

Blood and Butter took a moment to grow on me, being a much more jarring combination of sounds than predecessors Billions and Bunny Is A Rider. The verses feature 90s William Orbit-esque production, while the latter parts of the song transform into a spectacular bagpipe solo. Caroline proves that she's unafraid to reference or not reference by interpolating the verse melody from album track Fly To You in the aforementioned bagpipe section, creating an intricate soundscape of her very own.
Caroline's EOY history:
2020 11 La vita nuova (with Christine and the Queens)
2020 99 So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings
2021 16 Bunny Is A Rider
2021 47 Breathless
2021 96 New Shapes (with Charli XCX & Christine and the Queens)
2022 04 Billions
2022 26 Sunset
2022 96 Welcome To My Island
2023 09 Blood and Butter
2023 32 Spalarkle (Alys) (with felicita)
2023 47 I Believe
2023 85 Sunset
2023 93 Dang

8. Rush - Troye Sivan

Troye feels safely in the main pop boy camp now, and despite it being a long time coming this feels like the song that really kicked that into gear. I love that it turned into such a big recognisable hit yet is so celebratory of queer culture - from the Eastern European cinema/photography influenced music video (which has received its criticism for the lack of diversity in its dancers) to the various connotations of the title! Either way it's safe to say I certainly felt the rush in 2023.
Troye's EOY history:
2020 89 Easy
2020 90 IN A DREAM
2023 08 Rush
2023 29 What’s The Time Where You Are?
2023 40 Got Me Started

7. Cha Cha Cha - Käärijä

We are finally at our last Eurovision song of the year! Cha Cha Cha was instantly huge for me - I remember seeing it in the national final thread here on Buzzjack and immediately thinking it had winner potential. Of course that wasn't the case in the final, but 2nd place can hardly be sniffed at! It's so different and such a breath of fresh air, ranging from growled verses about coming alive with a few piña coladas to a hyperpop-infused second half with its own iconic dance moves. I watched Eurovision with a few friends last year and they were blown away (for better or worse) by this, and who wouldn't be?
Käärijä's EOY history:
2023 07 Cha Cha Cha

6. Welcome To My Island - Caroline Polachek

Last year, this was my EOY #96, but it's shot up a neat 90 places this time! That's thanks in part to the Charli XCX / George Daniel remix, which basically strips the original of any semblance of it being a Caroline Polachek song and firmly transports us to Charli's Island. Both versions are huge bangers. A friend of mine loves Caroline but *hates* this song, and says it sounds like a Disney princess song but I disagree!
Caroline's EOY history:
2020 11 La vita nuova (with Christine and the Queens)
2020 99 So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings
2021 16 Bunny Is A Rider
2021 47 Breathless
2021 96 New Shapes (with Charli XCX & Christine and the Queens)
2022 04 Billions
2022 26 Sunset
2022 96 Welcome To My Island
2023 06 Welcome To My Island
2023 09 Blood and Butter
2023 32 Spalarkle (Alys) (with felicita)
2023 47 I Believe
2023 85 Sunset
2023 93 Dang

Posted by: jimwatts 24th January 2024, 10:48 PM

Yes at 'Ecstasy' top 10, such an infectious tune from Rose with the throwback dance pop sound she's making her own - it should appear quite high on my EOY too if I get to complete it. Really hope she can have a mainstream breakthrough!

Posted by: Lunar 25th January 2024, 09:33 PM

Here are my favourites since I last commented!

Black Mascara. - RAYE
Enchanted - Taylor Swift -> one of her absolute best imo
Got Me Started - Troye Sivan
Escapism. - RAYE feat. 070 Shake -> has aged like fine wine!
Tattoo - Loreen
bad idea right? - Olivia Rodrigo
Speed Drive - Charli XCX

Rush - Troye Sivan

Looking forward to your top 5 <3

Posted by: Ansel 27th January 2024, 08:23 PM

Thanks Jim! Definitely waiting on a breakthrough too - Rose seems to be working with bigger artists lately (Kungs, Mel C) so hopefully the industry support will kick in some time soon!


Thanks Lunar! Great choices, Enchanted is such a classic and Escapism was such a stunning reinvention for Raye!

Posted by: Ansel 27th January 2024, 09:56 PM

5. Padam Padam - Kylie Minogue

Padam... padam? Kylie not only birthed a new universal language but relaunched her singles chart career with a huge dance anthem. It's so great to hear her on something so current, as I feel a lot of acts start to play it safe once they shift into being album sellers, but Kylie refuses to follow that rule. A song with a made-up word chorus could've been a big risk but it really paid off and has certainly been a bit of a 2023 anthem for me!
Kylie's EOY history:
2020 85 Say Something
2020 94 Magic
2023 05 Padam Padam
2023 15 Tension
2023 25 Story

4. La Jumpa - Arcángel ft. Bad Bunny

This song hit #1 right at the end of 2022 but stayed there into January 2023 and remained a pre night out (or even during, in the right clubs!) staple all the way through the year. Arcángel himself is a bit hit or miss with quite a distinctive voice (there's a meme on Spanish Twitter about how Dua Lipa sounds like him when she speaks Spanish!) and definitely needs a feature to balance him out - and Bad Bunny makes the perfect companion. Together they rap over a house-influenced beat with an infectious confidence that you start to feel too.
Arcángel's EOY history:
2023 04 La Jumpa (ft. Bad Bunny)
2023 69 LA CHAMBA (ft. Peso Pluma)

Bad Bunny's EOY history:
2023 01 MOJABI GHOST (with) Tainy)
2023 04 La Jumpa (with Arcángel)
2023 22 Gato De Noche (with Ñengo Flow)

3. BABY HELLO - Rauw Alejandro ft. Bizarrap

Obviously #TeamRosalía all the way, but I will allow Rauw a banger when I hear one. BABY HELLO features Bizarrap on production duties, and he brings a thumping electro beat that sounds just as huge as his previous Shakira or Villano Antillano collabs. On the same day as this song, Rauw & Biza dropped Bzrp Music Sessions Vol 56, but I find this song vastly superior just due to how much more dialed-up the energy is.
Rauw's EOY history:
2023 03 BABY HELLO (ft. Bizarrap)
2023 26 VAMPIROS (with ROSALÍA)
2023 92 VOLVER (with Tainy, Skrillex & Four Tet)

Bizarrap's EOY history:
2023 03 BABY HELLO (with Rauw Alejandro)
2023 99 Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 (with Shakira)

2. One Of Your Girls - Troye Sivan

One Of Your Girls couldn't NOT be up here - the music video was a Moment™ with Troye in drag and Ross Lynch collectively really giving something for everyone. Lyrically it's quite typical Troye with a strong sense of longing that won't be requited, with Troye singing about being desperately attracted to a straight guy and wanting to be 'one of [his] girls'. I think it's something a lot of people can relate to and it's done so heartbreakingly here, with robotic vocals doing their best to hide the yearning on the chorus, and when Troye breathily whispers 'look at you!' on the verses, the Australian accent has never sounded better.
Troye's EOY history:
2020 89 Easy
2020 90 IN A DREAM
2023 02 One Of Your Girls
2023 08 Rush
2023 29 What’s The Time Where You Are?
2023 40 Got Me Started

1. MOJABI GHOST - Tainy ft. Bad Bunny

Both Tainy and Bad Bunny have had such great years, each notching up 3 entries on this year's EOY chart. This song was an instant favourite from Tainy's DATA album, with 80s synth production suiting Bad Bunny perfectly. This song and its parent album soundtracked the very end of my year in Madrid (I came back to the UK in July) so I have a lot of good summery memories associated with it, from watching sunsets in the park to hearing it in the Uber speeding across the city at 4am. It's a song about feeling alone and trying to convince yourself you're over someone, with a catchy chorus that I would so use as a teaching aid for gerunds if the verbs in question were a bit more reputable. With 6 weeks at #1 on my chart, and 28 weeks charting in total - both all-time records - there really couldn't be any other #1 song of the year. So with that, it joins previous winners On The Floor by Perfume Genius, Amoeba by Clairo, and Firefly by Shygirl, becoming the first non-English song to score my EOY #1!
Tainy's EOY history:
2023 01 MOJABI GHOST (ft. Bad Bunny)
2023 91 COLMILLO (ft. J Balvin, Young Miko, Jowell & Randy)
2023 92 VOLVER (ft. Skrillex, Four Tet & Rauw Alejandro)

Bad Bunny's EOY history:
2023 01 MOJABI GHOST (with) Tainy)
2023 04 La Jumpa (with Arcángel)
2023 22 Gato De Noche (with Ñengo Flow)