Best Songs of 2023 (50-21)
Part two of my list of the best songs of 2023!
50. Post Malone - “Chemical”
I remember last year feeling a bit worried about Post Malone’s trajectory. Twelve Carat Toothache was a compromised mess of an album where Post tried to be darker and more personal, yet was constantly derailed by his label’s insistence on keeping up the hits. As much as parts of that album still worked for me, none of it felt like it was making the most of Post’s talent as a pop star. Hearing “Chemical” for the first time was a massive wave of relief. A driving pop-rock anthem indulging the chemical addiction of love (or the rush of fame?) and trying to quit it for your own sake, but falling back into it every time. The driving guitars and percussion bring to mind that kind of propulsive indie rock with enough pop instincts to appeal to a wider audience, but with a sound that’s more built on explosive emotion rather than trying to make you dance. Post Malone nails that vibe immaculately with his performance. He sounds more alive, driven, and passionate than he ever has, and his distinct growl is a perfect fit for this kind of pop-rock sound. This ended up being one of my most played songs of the year, and it’s solely because it has an energy so infectious that I couldn’t put it down. One of Post Malone’s best-ever hits, maybe his very best.
49. boygenius - “We’re In Love”
Heartbreaking, but somehow in the most romantic way possible. Which is ironic, considering this song is an ode to friendship, but I mean it. It stands to reason that my favorite song off of the record would be one where Lucy Dacus takes the lead, easily my favorite member of the trio. But then again, this song wouldn’t be possible without the rest of the trio either. Because it’s about them, and how their bond is so unbreakable that even when they see the worst of each other and lose their way, they’ll find a way back to one another. Lucy’s words are unbelievable. Every little scene, every little conversation, every metaphor of their struggles and love for one another. She knows her friends at their best and their worst. She promises to always be present in their life, even when they’ve long since passed and reincarnated as different people. The ending always gets me, without fail. If one of them were to forget the times they had together, Lucy would remind them. Tell them all their stories and all the special moments that make their bond. Quoting Taylor Swift, she could go on and on and on… and she will. Apparently, this song was so emotionally intense that Julien Baker initially rejected it and later admitted to still having a lot of internal issues to process that this song reminded her of. I don’t blame her. This kind of love is… overwhelming. Honest in the most cutting and uncomfortable way possible. But that’s how you know it’s real.
48. Creeper - “Cry To Heaven”
Sanguivore could not have come out at a better time. Smack dab in the middle of the Halloween season and full of over-the-top, gothic bangers to completely rule my life the rest of the month. “Cry To Heaven” might be their best-ever song, delivering all the reasons why this band has become a staple of my Halloween playlist every year. The story of a vampire girl seducing her way through an unsuspecting man’s soul, complete with a choir of gothic vocals, blaring guitars, and the subtle whisper of an organ. There’s so much over-the-top blasphemy and Transylvanian theatricality in this song. Will Gould sings his heart out with a sneering, oozing hush that makes it sound like he’s enjoying the carnage just as much as the vampire girl in question. The chorus is what makes the song what it is. Hannah Greenwood takes the lead with the choir, playing off of Will Gould hamming it up as they command you to give in to the call and offer your soul up to the devil. Maybe it’s not completely serious in its presentation, but that’s what I love about it! They put so much into this song, from the production to the chorus to the aesthetic that swarms the song like bats flying out of a cave. That final whistle note that rings across the final guitar solo is such delicious icing on the cake. Halloween song of the year, maybe of the decade.
47. Romy - “Enjoy Your Life”
Here’s your obligatory Jamie xx appearance on the list. Of course, he’s not even close to the star of this song. Romy is. I’ve been waiting to hear more solo Romy for years. “Loud Places” is my favorite vocal song of all time, and whenever she branched out to find her footing in dance music, it was always a delight. “Enjoy Your Life” is the fruit of that labor. The climax of the album where Romy finds the will to take her mother’s words to heart and truly enjoy herself. The echoes of a sampled Beverly-Glenn Copeland sprawl across the pounding beat and lively piano. Romy truly sounds free on this song, moving along to the elegance of the beat and singing the words “enjoy your life” with the kind of freeing catharsis you can only find when you’re letting loose at the club. The lyrics have plenty of anxiety and self-doubt, but all of it is drowned out by the bursting lights and colors filling the air. “Enjoy your life” starts to sound more and more like a mantra. A reason to keep going, to embrace the life ahead of you instead of running away from it. After the album has had so many songs about yearning for love, trying to reconnect with lost lovers on the dance floor, and generally feeling like you’re hitting a dead end every single time, this song is the joyous moment where Romy just lets it all go. Hearing the interlude just before this song where Romy and Beverly sing the song in acapella in an empty, quiet space before the song explodes into true euphoria… that’s magic.
46. Dave & Central Cee - “Sprinter”
I don’t have a great relationship with Central Cee. He blew up with “Doja” which opens with the incredibly corny line, “How can I be homophobic? My bitch is gay”. Didn’t help that immediately after he had a terrible song that interpolated Passenger’s also terrible song “Let Her Go”. I gotta admit, hearing he was getting a massive overseas hit with Dave, a rapper I respect, made me roll my eyes a bit. When I did listen to the song though, I found myself surprisingly drawn to it! The beat was sickeningly good. A slick acoustic guitar groove set against an aggressive bass and skittering percussion. Dave and Central Cee flowing their asses off, yet doing it so effortlessly as they brag about their cars and the girls they pull. Dave in particular was excelling on his part. “We been through thick and thin/She already thicc so we’re halfway there” is an all-timer punchline, and his cool, unbothered delivery was a great contrast to Central Cee. He was trying a liiittle too hard, but something about that dumb dorkiness, where his girl makes fun of him for calling himself “Cent”, made him more endearing than anything else I’d heard him on. Even if I grew to like the song, it took this TikTok for “Sprinter” to fully click for me. This kid looks so confident and content with himself. He blows off the interviewer so easily after telling him what song he’s listening to, and that strut he makes as the song plays off behind him and the interviewer is left stunned is permanently etched into my brain.
45. Zach Bryan ft. Kacey Musgraves - “I Remember Everything”
There’s a lot of unspoken history behind this song and the artists behind it. A painful conversation between a couple on the rocks, each with their own demons to fight and both shifting blame onto each other while their heart aches for the days they can love without pain. Zach’s guitar behind the faint strings and howl of the chimes paints the image of two people by the fire, one strumming along on his guitar and the other wrapped up in a blanket. The air is melancholic, full of regret, but mostly exhaustion. Zach reminisces on the best moments of their relationship, the stories they share, and the feeling of two souls united. And holding on to that feeling is why it’s hard to break a relationship that is no longer living in those times. Obviously, Zach’s performance and writing on this song are great, but Kacey is where this song is elevated for me. Right from the first line, you can tell she’s seen this scene before. “You’re drinking everything to ease your mind/When the hell are you gonna ease mine?”. Kacey sounds worn and hurt, calling out her partner’s neglect and bullshit over his attempts to win her back. But she knows just as well that she harbors lingering feelings for him. He really does remind her of her dad in his ‘88 Ford. It’s not exactly hard to connect this song’s frustrated sadness to Kacey’s real-life divorce from Ruston Kelly (hell, you can connect this to Zach Bryan’s own divorce too), but the unspoken ambiguity between both artists and their relationship is what makes this song so compelling. No one is in the wrong. Times just change, and people do too. Sometimes the memories are worth holding on to, just as much as they’re worth letting go.
44. Jessie Ware - “Beautiful People”
I feel like my favorite song on That! Feels Good! also happens to be the most underrated. I hear a lot of people gush about the title track, “Free Yourself”, “Begin Again” and even “Freak Me Now”. For me, however, the magic was always at its strongest with “Beautiful People”. The percussion has this sort of bouncy island jingle that plays off the stellar bass guitar, slowly building itself through swanky guitar licks and the cleanest-sounding horns you will hear all year. A lot of the mix is taken up by Jessie Ware and her background singers, all singing along to her night out on the town looking for something/someone beautiful to indulge herself in. This crowd is so infectious! I love the way they accent Jessie’s lyrics and make the whole song feel like one big musical number. Jessie really gets lost in the beat here, which gets better and better as the song progresses. The way it plays off of the crowd, the rhythm, and all of it blending into a truly life-changing party is nothing short of delightful. It even gets a sick-as-hell saxophone to cap off the song! This is pure unadulterated joy. The kind of music that gets the people going and lights up the party. I mean, I don’t go to parties, but I dance along to this when no one’s watching anyway.
43. Post Malone - “Sign Me Up”
I’ve never really been that drawn to Post Malone’s love songs. Come to think about it, how many love songs has he really made? I guess you can count “Sunflower” and “I Like You (A Happier Song)”, but he’s mostly in the business of either breakup songs or bragging about all the models he’s sleeping with. Which is fine, of course! He’s done great in both lanes! But “Sign Me Up” is the first song I can recall that really feels like Post Malone is falling in love. Granted, it’s for all the wrong reasons and it’s a relationship that will backfire on him, but at least the journey is fun, right? This song certainly makes it sound like so. The driving percussion over the waves of guitars and synths leads Post Malone into a stellar hook, where every bad decision and impulsive gesture is the result of pure, infatuated bliss. I love the details of Post and this girl stepping over passed-out, hungover bodies while sneaking out to have sex. The vivid picture of two people instantly attracted to each other and riding that high for as long as they can. Post’s pure disregard for his own well-being is kind of scary, but also kind of exhilarating. He literally compares devoting himself to her to a cult, and he’s fully on board no matter what. Which makes it all the funnier when after all this big talk of devotion and forever, their relationship ends the minute she tries to get him to stop drinking. It’s kind of fucked up, definitely unhealthy, but when it’s this much fun, who cares?
42. Chika ft. Freddie Gibbs - “TRUTH OR DARE”
Chika is no doubt one of the brightest talents coming out of hip-hop right now, but her path is also incredibly thorny. She’s propped up to have all this industry support and major cosigns from respected artists, but Chika still feels like every day a new hurdle pops up to slow her down. A lot of it has to do with fake friends in the industry, and even the burden of having fans who think they know her and try to tear her down off of misunderstandings and malice. Behind the song’s incredibly strong horn section and skittering percussion, Chika flows her ass off as she describes the ways the “famous life” dissatisfies her and leaves her wondering why she even keeps going. Despite sounding grand and powerful, Chika feels powerless against the constant pressure of being a public figure, especially with her being bipolar. She delivers these bars with such sheer confidence, yet her words show her being chipped down again and again. Right when she feels like she’s at her lowest though, Freddie Gibbs comes in with the assist of the fucking year. This is his sharpest, wittiest, absolute best verse since the days of Alfredo. You’d think him being more braggadocious and vicious against the people tearing him down would come off as unfocused or not paying mind to the subject matter, but if anything I see this verse as the pick me up Chika needs to keep fighting. Freddie’s wicked flows and unflinching confidence shows him fighting back against the bullshit to make a name for himself. It’s something that can still apply to Chika too, who is just as powerful and commanding of a presence even in a song where she doubts herself. For her sake, I hope she can get back on top and prove those haters wrong.
41. Beyoncé - “CUFF IT”
Yeah, yeah, I know. This album came out last year, as did this song. I know. But like I said in the intro, hit singles that reach their peak relevance in 2023 are allowed. And last year I neglected to put this on my list anyway, which was a massive mistake. I still love “PLASTIC ON THE SOFA” with all my heart, but the more time I spent with “CUFF IT”, the sooner it managed to replace the former as my favorite song on RENAISSANCE. This is almost too perfect of a dance song. The shining disco groove and the elegant strings coming together to make a song that just sounds like a shiny disco ball? All paired up with Beyoncé’s effortless performance as she sings about taking over the party and falling in love in the dead of the night? It’s unbelievable how much fun this song is. From Beyoncé’s playful adlibs to the fact that this song never stays in one place. Every new melody, every new chorus, every new instrument added to keep the party going, this song never sleeps! It’s kind of a marvel how this song never manages to be boring, and how every new development is more exciting than the last. The song really peaks near the end, where the horns start coming in, the strings start swelling even louder, and Beyoncé gets lost in the groove and starts beckoning, “Come and cuff it, cuff it, cuff it, baby!”. This isn’t just a song to fall in love to, this is a song to make memories to.
40. Lil Durk - “B12”
This was one of the most unexpected surprises of the year. I’ve always liked Lil Durk, but he hadn’t made a song I truly loved yet. Guess all it took was taking a page from Yeat’s book and making one of the nastiest, grimiest, absolute most banging rap songs of the year. I LOVE this beat, it might be my favorite rap beat of the entire year. The ring of the bell against the swirling vocal sample, the sounds of guns cocking, and the stomping “BWAMP BWAMP” of the synths. The beat sounds like toxic sludge swarming the floor and slipping beneath your feet. It sounds SO GOOD!! Lil Durk doesn’t say anything that different from his usual gang posturing, but his careening voice and slippery flow are a perfect match for the kind of dark, threatening aura of this song. It makes his threats sound genuinely dangerous, yet so alluring in its sheer badassery. I feel like I can’t give this song its flowers without also acknowledging the influence that Yeat had on it. While not exactly akin to Yeat’s unhinged, gooey rage bangers, there’s still the same creeping atmosphere and unnerving menace that’s drawn so many people looking for their next headbanger from Yeat. If his influence is what can produce a song as excellent as “B12” from a rapper who's been in the game for over a decade, I wouldn’t mind other rappers taking notes from him.
39. RAYE ft. 070 Shake - “Escapism”
I mentioned earlier that I regret not talking about the second half of my list last year. “Escapism” was actually on that second half, as it’d started popping off late into the year and I was so immediately floored by it that I had to put it somewhere on my list. As the hype transferred into this year and RAYE was finally able to get her debut album out, I figured it was time I’d give this song the attention it deserves. This is an unbelievable song to become a hit. A song driven by narrative rather than any one hook, where RAYE recounts her days spiraling into a self-destructive bender off the end of a long-term relationship. The production swirls and twists with sharp, violin-esque synths, cavernous drums, and a somber choir beholding a weeping piano. The dull rumble of the bass in contrast with the rest of the different melodies and chords throughout the song paints RAYE’s nights out as bleak, empty, maybe even a little dangerous. But RAYE’s sultry delivery and the sheer majesty of the production all coming together still keep you hooked to the rampage of drugs, alcohol, and sex that RAYE goes through every night. RAYE’s delivery, though perfectly content hooking up with strangers and indulging in her worst instincts, starts to careen towards the end as the creeping sadness and regret of her lost relationship seeps into her. After 070 Shake’s eerie verse only tempts RAYE into further debauchery, RAYE starts to belt and desperately plead for those feelings to go away, only for it all to crash in slow motion with pitched-down vocals and an overwhelming haze of noise. Ending on a more stable, yet still broken passage where RAYE stumbles through her hangover and prepares to go through it all over again. Holy shit. THAT is how you craft a story beyond just your words.
38. Maisie Peters - “Lost The Breakup”
The Good Witch wasn’t quite the pop staple classic I was hoping it would be, but “Lost The Breakup” alone should prove that Maisie Peters has incredible potential. A bright, explosive pop anthem where Maisie copes with a breakup and yearns for the day she not only gets over him but realizes that he’s the real fool for leaving her. A lot of this song is, as I said, a cope, but Maisie manifests it with so much conviction that you fully believe her proclamation of being the greatest love that he wasted. The shimmering guitars against the smashing drums and electric guitar flair alone sound like an incredible triumph. It doesn’t matter that she’s not quite over it yet, finding joy in yourself and believing to be the better half of the deal is enough to keep you dancing along to your own beat. But what really sells this song for me is the bridge where she makes up an anecdote of running into her ex at the club sometime later. He notices her among the crowd, the two make eye contact and catch up again, and when her ex tries to ask her out on a date to hopefully win her back, she nonchalantly tells him she’s busy and walks away. “Oh shit! I won the breakup!” is such a stellar twist of the titular lyric that makes the ultimate celebration of this song even sweeter. Is it a fantasy? Probably. But that catharsis in knowing that she can and will do better brings me so much giddy happiness.
37. Turnpike Troubadours - “Chipping Mill”
I started getting into Turnpike Troubadours right as they went on hiatus over Evan Felker’s struggles with alcoholism which led to a divorce from his wife. Regardless of how you feel about A Cat In The Rain, it’s great to not only hear a new Turnpike Troubadours album again but it’s nice to see Evan Felker take up sobriety and actually manage to patch things up with his wife, now remarried. “Chipping Mill” is the song that makes me the happiest from this album. A jaunty romp of soaring fiddle, sandy drums, acoustic guitars, and Evan Felker’s familiar vocals. A lot of this album is about Evan weathering the worst of his mental spiral and making it out alive, but this song, in particular, is a serenade to his wife and promises that even during their farthest time apart, his heart always belonged to her. On top of just the joyous band playing along, with fiddle and steel solos for the soul, it’s also an undeniably charming song where you can tell Evan means every word that comes out of his mouth. My favorite line on the song is “Despite what’s reported, my love for you remains”. It references some tabloid news about the instances where he’s found love elsewhere during their breakup (including with Miranda Lambert of all people). Try as they might to say he’s moved on though, his path was always going to lead right back to her. And there’s something so simple, yet romantic about that. There isn’t much to this song that hasn’t been present in their previous albums, but the additional context of knowing this is a truly changed man reaching out to a woman who learns to forgive him and love him again, makes my heart swoon a little. Me and who?
36. Janelle Monae - “Champagne Shit”/”Black Sugar Beach”
“Black Sugar Beach” should be listened to directly after “Champagne Shit”
Yep, I’ve combined another two songs into one entry once again. I kind of needed to for this song in particular, as Age of Pleasure is very much an album built on its transitions and keeping the vibes going. “Champagne Shit” was immediately my favorite deepcut on the album, continuing the braggadocious momentum from “Float” and switching over to the party where Janelle and her partygoers having the time of their life. The line of horns, tropical-trap percussion, and whistle of the synth melody in the background are unbelievably catchy. Janelle talks about all the different ways they dance to the music and make out with the other partygoers. You can tell they’re the life of the party itself, guiding you through the area and inviting you to dance along with them. The song by itself is brilliant, but it jumps up to a whole other level when it transitions into the brief instrumental interlude, “Black Sugar Beach”. All it does is expand on the song and give it an outro, but the way the production steps it up with a faster tempo, fuller synths, and the horns taking more of a backseat to just revel in the vibes of this song mesmerized me the first time I heard it. It really felt like I was right there, basking in the sun, standing by the pool, and joining in the festivities with everyone.
35. The National ft. Phoebe Bridgers - “This Isn’t Helping”
“This Isn’t Helping” is one of two collabs with Phoebe Bridgers on this album, but it’s handily the better one. The somber piano building off of the sharp synth arpeggio leads into an upsetting instance of Matt Berninger watching his partner be optimistic and kind, yet it provokes him to lash out at her. He’s so deep into his depression that every attempt to cheer him up just feels like another stab in the back. Accusing her of doing this for her own selfish reasons, essentially painting her as willfully ignorant and dismissive of his true feelings. This is harsh and borderline awful, but I think that’s where Phoebe’s voice, though she doesn’t have any lyrics of her own, adds a new subtext that draws me to this song. She’s repeating his own words back to him. “This isn’t helping at all”. For as much as Matt may have a point in how being overly nice can come off as naive and even condescending, it’s not like Matt’s relentless cynicism and refusal to accept her kind words is doing much to fix things either. It’s a helpless situation where both sides are frustrated and angry with each other. Stuck at an impasse where no matter the approach, it always just leads to walls being put up and the danger of the reality that maybe they’re not meant for each other. The production swells up more and more to feature more strings, more atmospheric synths, a waning guitar, and cavernous drums. It builds into this beautiful, yet honestly overwhelming sense of scale where all the emotions are bubbling up to the surface. And the release only happens when the two of them stop talking. One of those songs you listen to when everything feels so… hopeless.
34. The National - “Tropic Morning News”
Sorry, we’re not done with our “The National Takes Us On A Train Ride of Emotional Baggage” tour. I struggled all year deciding whether my favorite National song this year was this or “This Isn’t Helping”, and I ultimately decided that there was a reason this song alone convinced me to finally listen to The National’s earlier albums. While a lot of their music this year was slow and melancholic, “Tropic Morning News” is closer to the rock gallop that the band is so well known for. The percussion runs at a steady pace as the guitars gleam throughout the track, keeping up the momentum as Matt Beringer goes through a similarly tough situation as the previous song. “Tropic Morning News” is more of an internal struggle, recognizing one’s self-destructive impulses and watching as they slowly destroy a relationship that was already on the verge of breaking apart. Matt’s low, exhausted voice can’t even find it in him to get angry anymore. He knows his partner’s every move, every attempt to win over the argument and come out on top. But he also knows how much he lets on to his own internal frustrations. At this point, he’s got nothing to lose. Just say it, say it all. Watch it all fall apart, even if he ends up on the losing end by the bridge. Despite being an ultimately devastating song, there’s still something persistent in the production that keeps it from being a completely taxing experience. The way it ramps up and delivers on these incredibly catchy riffs keeps it upbeat but never loses sight of the stakes of the song is amazing. It’s such a perfect middle ground between aggravation and liberation. In a way this is freeing, no longer holding back against someone who you let your thoughts about fester on for too long. But who knows if the damage will be worth it in the end?
33. Chappell Roan - “Casual”
The first time I heard of Chappell Roan was when I stumbled upon the video for this song. I think it was in the recommended section for another queer artist like Hailey Kiyoko or something, and as someone always on the lookout for more sapphic pop music, I thought I’d give it a peek. Almost by fate the album announcement with this song on it came soon after, and now I had a brand new artist to look forward to. “Casual” was such a great introduction to Chappell Roan. It paints a very real queer struggle of attaching yourself to someone who doesn’t seem to treat your relationship with them as anything more than “casual”. Except, they do. Over time, Chappell has gotten to meet her partner’s family and friends. They’ve shared so many intimate moments together, and I mean that in the raunchiest way possible. The chorus literally opens with the scene of Chappell Roan getting eaten out in the front seat of her car. I mean sure, the sex is great, Chappell isn’t denying that. But this relationship means so much more to her. When you’ve gone through so much together that you can recount every memory of your experience together, at some point, it stops being casual and starts being something deeper. She’s not even asking to commit to anything long-term, she just wants an acknowledgment that they legitimately shared something, even if that wasn’t the intent. The pulsing production grows and grows throughout the song, bringing together strings and echoing percussion throughout the final refrain. Chappell really shows off her emotional strengths in this final leg, building in frustration as she once again shares too much about their time together, and ultimately ending with a bitter, angry yell. “Hate that I let this drag on so long, YOU CAN GO TO HELLLLLL!!!”. I’ve unfortunately been pretty deep in the queer dating app scene for a while, and I’ve lived this relationship, however brief, way too many times. Whether it was the other person’s fault or not… it still hurts.
32. Daniel Donato - “Lose Your Mind”
Do you ever hear a song for the first time that so immediately digs its claws into you that it becomes all you think about for the rest of the day? That’s what it was like when I previewed the first song off Daniel Donato’s Reflector. Kicking off with a twangy intro into the driving guitar that sticks in your head and never lets go. The breeze of acoustic guitars in the back and saloon-like piano surfing across the desert landscape is an awesome backdrop against Daniel Donato’s nasal drawl. It makes you feel like you’re on the greatest cowboy adventure of your life. Daniel Donato likes to brand his music as “cosmic country”, and this song is probably the best showcase of how that sound works. This sounds like an adventure. The riffs are strong, the hook is vigorous, and the imagery of losing yourself to the music and reaching a new level of transcendence, all sounds GLORIOUS. I can practically envision myself galloping on my horse, racing across trippy-looking deserts in search of a great treasure that’s out there waiting for me. It almost sounds like the greatest drug trip you’ve ever had, which I guess would fit well with the concept of “cosmic country”. But more than anything this song promises to take you to a higher plane and through its insane production and scale it does.
31. Zach Bryan ft. Maggie Rogers - “Dawns”
So I have a really early morning commute to go to work. Over the past couple of months, I’ve seen the dawn of a new morning more often than I usually do as a former night owl. It’s such a different feel to sunsets and dusks. Much more melancholic, almost dreadful in how the light slowly seeps into the sky. In that experience, Zach Bryan’s titular song has grown on me, despite already being one of his best when it first came out. The production of this song captures that odd, stale melancholy. The harsh strum of the guitar playing over these ghostly backing vocals and faint sounds of police sirens, things being dragged out and moved around, makes it all so unsettling. Yet, when the violins and cellos come in for the chorus, it almost feels like a shot of light contrasting with the dark of the heavier drums. For someone where production isn’t usually the highlight of his music, this is one of Zach’s best-produced songs. But the story at the core of this song is just as powerful. A breakup song angrily reminiscing on what used to be there and feeling like even the good memories have been tainted by the wasted potential. He’s realized all the ways she wasn’t good for him and how doomed the relationship truly was. As much as Zach vents about the relationship falling apart, Maggie Rogers adds new dimensions to their relationship. Both of them clearly had different aspirations and beliefs, and the more the two dwell on it, the more they realize that their relationship was always going to end up here. Still, the two have the same fear that love is fleeting and they’ll never find someone better. It’s the stark realization that love requires work, and the more they chase the highs the more they’ll realize how truly unprepared they are for it. Feeling that bitter frustration and exhaustion as I walk through the dark blue skies every morning on my way to work… That hits.
30. Aidan Canfield - “Technicolor”
I think it’s easier to say that you want to listen to new underground talent over actually seeking them out. The reliable artists you’re already familiar with are much easier to jump into than someone who you only just learned about and don’t know if they’ve got the sauce until you actually listen to them. It can be a gamble, but usually, all it takes is one great first impression to get me into them, and that’s exactly what happened with “Technicolor”. A delightful little love song with an awesome guitar riff that describes falling in love like a burst of color after a long period of black and white. I love songs like this, the ones where that special person brings someone out of a depressive funk and gives them the will to truly live again. I love the use of technicolor as a metaphor for how much Aidan’s life lit up after meeting his partner. It was a big moment in television to see color in their media instead of the expected black and white tones, and it led to a creative renaissance of what film was capable of. Likewise, that revelation with Aidan finally finding someone who makes the world that much brighter feels just as important to him. Just off of Aidan’s lovestruck voice and the bright, adventurous feel of the production, you truly believe this love is life-changing. I love this chorus so much, it’s what immediately drew me to Aidan Canfield and convinced me to listen to his album. As if it wasn’t already such a great song, it suddenly switches into a faster tempo and a driving guitar solo for an explosive, kick-ass outro.
29. Post Malone - “Novacandy”
I’m a little surprised that this ended up being my favorite song on AUSTIN. “Chemical” and “Mourning” were in my ten most played songs of the year, and “Sign Me Up” was the one that immediately hooked me when the album came out. But over time, I kept coming back to “Novacandy” more and more often. The soft intro with Post’s crooning vocals and waterdrop-like melody, shifts into one of the best pop hooks of the year. Complete with splashes of multicolor synths and bass-shaking percussion as Post reaches new highs in a flurry of drugs and mistakes he’ll regret later. He showcases an incredible spirit as he lives in the moment and enjoys the greatest party of his life. There’s a slight darkness in the song, especially toward the end when it slows down into this hazy, almost ambient interlude that leads into the hangover of “Mourning”. But amid the party itself, it all feels so wonderful. This is Post Malone’s greatest strength as an artist. The reckless, yet lovable personality that livens up the party and makes the worst-sounding ideas sound like reaching nirvana. Normally I’d roll my eyes when a chorus starts going into those “OH WOAH OH WOAH” choruses, but the way it’s used by this song right at the end when emotions are at their highest is magical. I can see myself truly losing it to this song and singing along with the crowd at a concert.
28. Lay Bankz - “Ick”
Sometimes a song goes viral because the artist strikes gold and makes the most of it. I’m not sure of Lay Bankz’s future beyond this song, especially if she’s going to keep trying to chase the same viral moment without any of the spark, but when you’re signature song is this good, can you really blame them? I could not stop listening to “Ick” when I first heard about it. The low growl of the piano against the thumping bass, snaps, and claps, and crowds yelling “ICK!” are so infectious. Especially when Lay Bankz’s flow is so on point with the beat. Fierce delivery, breathless flow, and an incredibly engaging attitude sell how embarrassing the guys trying to impress her are. She’s still gonna engage for the sex, obviously, but it’s like at every turn the guy does or says something so pathetic that she can’t help but get the ick. It’s mean as hell, but that’s what makes it SO GOOD. The hook is perfect, I have no notes. It’s just the same word repeated over a clanking bell melody, but the timing, the intensity of how Lay Bankz and the crowd say “ICK!”, and the beat itself are insanely catchy yet purposefully obnoxious, I could listen to it all day. The song is barely under two minutes, which is exactly how long it needed to be. The perfect song to just listen to over and over and over again, and somehow I never get sick of “Ick”.
27. Maisie Peters - “Therapy”
I was so sure that “Lost The Breakup” was the pop song to beat earlier in the year. Who knew that even Maisie Peters herself would top it? Which is kind of wild, because by all accounts, “Therapy” is a much less ambitious song. A relationship that once was the wind beneath her wings suddenly ends, and she finds herself back in the rock bottom she sat in before their relationship started. The production is such a blatant 80s throwback even my dad dismissed it as a shallow imitation. It doesn’t have nearly the same narrative power that “Lost The Breakup” had. And yet, I found myself more and more drawn to this song. Part of it is off the strength of the hook. Yeah, the production is 80s pastiche, but I love 80s pastiche! The brightness of the guitars, the pounding drums and hi-hats, the bouncing synth beat, it’s ridiculously catchy! And the repeated melody of “Back to therapy, therapy/Oh lord, I’m going back to therapy, therapy” gets in my head all the time. Plus, I like how despite how deeply sad this song is about the end of a relationship, there’s still some nostalgic magic to it that the fading memory of a relationship tends to leave behind. Don’t get me wrong, I love the more ambitious, story-driven pop songs like “Lost The Breakup” that paint a clear and engaging picture, but sometimes keeping the simple stuff at its best resonates with me more.
26. Zach Bryan ft. The War and Treaty - “Hey Driver”
Despite the song being written by Zach way before they were brought on board, “Hey Driver” feels like The War and Treaty’s song. Michael Trotter Jr. takes the lead on the chorus, with his wife Tanya harmonizing alongside him. Zach Bryan sings the verses but sticks to the counter-melody for said hook and lets Mike bellow out as much as he wants. I love the intro where you can tell there’s a lot of comradery between the two. Another instance where it feels like two people singing with a sparkling campfire in front of them. The song itself is world-weary, sinking into the cushions of the driver’s backseat and brooding on the state of the world. There’s cynicism in the song, but there’s something more in the way these artists just want to let the road take them anywhere. The soft strum of the guitar contrasts with the more upbeat piano, the passion in Mike and Tanya’s voices soar across the orange sky, and the pure, harmonized joy of the chorus brings light into the darkness. I can’t lie, this song makes me tear up from time to time. I’ve been the exhausted passenger of a driver who will listen to my woes many times, bus or taxi. I don’t know, even with all this mourning and fear for the future, finding solace in that brief intermission between getting home and facing the real world again is beautiful. A feeling I don’t see explored as often. Topping that with some gorgeous harmonizing, production, and that little yelp Mike lets out at the end of the third chorus… makes everything a little better.
25. Chris Stapleton - “White Horse”
Chris Stapleton has to have the best track record of lead singles in country music. “Broken Halos” for From A Room Vol. 1, “Starting Over” for Starting Over, and now “White Horse” for Higher. Unlike the previously mentioned lead singles though, Chris Stapleton blew the doors open with a full-on Southern rock BANGER!! I remember when I first put this song on, I was immediately intrigued by the slow build from the rattling hi-hat, gentle acoustic chords, and smoky steel guitar. The lead into the thrumming electric guitar, crashing into Chris Stapleton’s signature twang kept me listening. And once it finally exploded into that wildfire of a chorus, drums, and guitars soaring as Chris Stapleton howled to the sky, my heart was ELATED. I was pumping the air and yelling “YEEEEAAAAAHHH!!!” the whole way through! The guitars and drums blast through with such grand-sounding riffs and chugging intensity. There’s never a boring moment in this song, every moment you feel like you’re charging into battle on your way to save the world. The song itself touches on how Chris isn’t quite ready to be the man his partner wants him to be. He’s not the knight in shining armor on a white horse, he’s got demons to fight and progress to make. But rather than push her away or make her leave him, he tells her to hang tight because the road ahead of them is rocky and harsh. But they’re gonna gallop through it anyway. There’s still an optimism that he will be that man she wants out of him. It’s just going to take some hardship, and she needs to be ready to weather the storm with him. “Storm” is right.
24. PinkPantheress ft. Ice Spice - “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2”
Yeah, yeah, you’ve seen this on best-song lists before. Everyone and their mother has raved about this song, and it’s not like they’re wrong to do so. Not to be that person, but I actually loved “Boy’s a Liar” back when it was just PinkPantheress. The dinky little retro game beat is so sickeningly catchy under the jersey bounce of the bass. PinkPantheress herself is always fire, her soft adorable voice cooing over a lost love and learning to move on without him. There’s a hint of sadness in the way she feels betrayed, but the cheery bounce of the production keeps her spirits up. The more she lets herself forget him, the more she realizes he isn’t worth it. For a while, I wasn’t sure if part two was better, but now I can’t imagine this song without Ice Spice. Now I love Ice Spice, but I’ll be honest and say that her music can have diminishing returns the more she sticks to that expected flow. I think that’s why this song in particular is such a breath of fresh air for her. Her flow is a bit sharper and more focused. She hits every note of this song with perfect accuracy, yet she never loses that carefree, vicious attitude that made her famous. But that’s the secret to this song’s success. Even with Ice Spice’s incredible confidence in dumping this guy and knowing he’ll never get over her, she ends her verse with a sudden shot of honesty. She drops her guard and admits she’s not having the best time moving on from him, and some of her posturing is… well, just that. Posturing. Still, as I said before, the bounce of the song and hook keeps the spirits up. It makes this kiss-off to a boy feel almost communal. The chants of “good enough, ough, ough” twist the meaning from “I’ll never be good enough without you” to “I’m good enough without you”. Also, Schmoyoho’s cover of this song using Barack Obama and Joe Biden AI is the only good use of AI covers this year and maybe ever.
23. McKinley Dixon - “Tyler, Forever”
While I’m glad to see McKinley Dixon get a huge boost in popularity this year, part of me wishes it happened just a few years earlier with For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her. Which is not only a better album but “Never Will Know” remains the best rap song of the decade three years in. And yet, even with that honor, McKinley Dixon will never cease to blow me away. “Tyler, Forever” was the instant standout when I first heard Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?, and it was nearly the second instance of McKinley making the best rap song of the year. Just the opening with the roll of timpanis and an army of trumpets kept me on edge. The flutes and McKinley leading into the explosively catchy chorus cemented this as a banger for the ages. McKinley dedicates this song to one of his closest friends who tragically died too early. And while the first half is this triumphant burst of horns and shattering trap percussion is a celebration, McKinley can’t hold it for too much longer and the song sinks into a softer bed of woodwinds and a more somber trumpet melody. The song then gets more reflective of why McKinley makes music and if he’s really doing it for the ones he fights for, or just himself. I like how near the end of the song, McKinley imagines how the titular Tyler would respond to that and he just kinda laughs it up with a “That shit’s unheard of”. I think every artist has that moment of concern that all their art is just a selfish means to an end, but there will always be people around you to pull you out of your own head. There’s no real conclusion to this song, but I don’t think there needs to be. Sometimes, you just need to lie down and stop thinking for a bit. Let the music speak for itself.
22. Olivia Rodrigo - “get him back!”
So listen. I still love “good 4 u”, my favorite song off of SOUR. But the rock songs on GUTS make it seem so small in retrospect. It didn’t go far enough, it mostly stuck to a rockin’ guitar and shouty chorus. “get him back!” by comparison is a crazy big upgrade! The guitars are gnarlier, the drums are fuzzier and the general chaos of the production ups the stakes. As do the lyrics, which go from petty breakup drama to incredibly bad decisions that she DESPERATELY wants to make. The thing that grips me about this song beyond the spiral of guitars and drums is the duality between Olivia’s thoughts as she struggles between taking revenge on her ex and falling back into his arms like a helpless lamb. Some great innuendos balance the anger and loneliness coming out of this train of thought. She can identify all the ways he sucked and took advantage of her while also fawning over the giddy crush she had on him. By all accounts, I am fully on the side of “don’t fucking fall for it”. But then again, I’ve also been on that end of “fuck, I really need to see them again”. The contrast between the two states of mind and all the ways they want to fall into their impulses is also genuinely really funny! Her about to send a text to him until she envisions all her friends looking at her with disappointment is such a great visual! Going from the wide-eyed “I wanna meet his mom!” followed with a bitter “Just to tell her her son SUCKS!” made me laugh out loud the first time! But the thing that made this a personal favorite of mine is the chorus. The sea of Olivias yelling “IIII WAAAANNA GET HIM BACK, I WANNAMAKEHIMREAL JEALOUS WANNAMAKEHIM REAL SAAAAD!!!” in unison over the driving production is SO infectious! It’s that perfect balance between schoolyard taunting and genuine anthemic power. Equal amounts battle cries and declarations of love for all the wrong reasons. Regardless of the outcome, it’s gonna be a whole mess.
21. Luke Combs - “Where The Wild Things Are”
While I’m personally of the camp that artists should write their own music, that doesn’t mean they’re less talented or worthy of attention if they don’t. In some cases, being able to sell a song you didn’t write as if you lived it is even more impressive. “Where The Wild Things Are” is a song written by Randy Montana and Dave Turnbull, one that they’ve been looking to sell for years. They almost gave it to Eric Church before it wound up going to Luke Combs, which was ultimately the right call. Luke is a fantastic storyteller, able to deliver on the story of a brother who leaves the small-town life and thrives in the bigger, wider city. On top of that, he injects so much passion into his performance that you can feel the range of emotions upon realizing his brother is truly happier away from the home they grew up in. It’s a little mournful, but there’s a bit of pride that comes with seeing his brother at his best self living up the Hollywood lifestyle. It’s not a lifestyle that’s for him, but rather than hold any resentment or bitterness, Combs knows that this is where he belongs. And it’s ultimately where he’s buried when a horrible accident takes his brother away far too soon. The build-up to that final reveal, with the revving guitars, explosive drums, and Luke’s bellowing voice is one of the most intense and exciting moments of the entire year. It hits you in the gut when you least expect it, and the stakes are so massive that you feel every hurricane of emotions rush past you as it ends so suddenly. No elongated mourning, no moment of reflection or regret. It’s just how it was always going to turn out. It’s an intense ending that still leaves me reeling. What a bold and daring choice for a radio single.