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100 Best Albums of 2023: 100-76

Jump to: Songs | 75-51 | 50-26 | 25-1

I apologize in advance because I went sicko mode this year. But looking down at the list of albums & songs this year, how could I not. 2023, just like nearly every year, delivered an incredible amount of excellent music, with hundreds of albums not getting the national coverage they deserve. So I had to go to the extreme and talk about 100 albums.

The year started off cold. There were a number of albums from both big-name veterans and personal favorites that disappointed. New releases from Miley Cyrus and Metallica were dead on impact. Damon Albarn went 0-2 with a disappointing Gorillaz album and a disappointing Blur album. The Dirty Nil, a band I’ve previously called the best band in music, released one of the worst albums of the year. It was a dire start which, thankfully, was a red herring for the rest of the year. Because when things started to tick up, they really ticked up.

I really wanted to write about so many more albums than what’s already here. My final tally was 346 new releases, with another 100 still on my list. I also manipulated the list a bit, which originally included Bad Bunny and Peter Gabriel towards the bottom – but do they really need more coverage? I am already sacrificing tons of under-the-bubble groups. You know whether or not you like Bad Bunny & Peter Gabriel.

From experimental bedroom pop, to French indie, to a dozen hardcore albums, bluegrass, new wave, indie veterans, bubblegum pop, religious black metal and a handful of the loudest noise records ever produced – it’s all here.

#100. HEALTH – RAT WARS

One of the very last albums I listened to (somehow I missed the release) sneaks in at the bottom. Ever since I saw HEALTH for the first time in 2019, they’ve been one of my favorite bands. They’re still chasing the highs of their best album, but this industrial-heavy album comes damn close. This is heavy, pounding music, always offset by the distant, high vocals. There is more of a sweaty club vibe on this one which really aids the slower tracks. Rarely does a band capture the 80’s industrial intensity as consistently and successfully as HEALTH does.

RIYL: Nine Inch Nails, Author & Punisher, getting into a fight at the sex club

#99. Slaughter Beach, Dog – Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling

The trajectory into slightly Americana-based indie is simply not what I would’ve predicted for Jake Ewald. When Modern Baseball split – the pop-punk group beloved by all, even me who does not like pop-punk – Ewald ramped up his side project. Now a decade later, he’s doing folksy indie, and this album is his best SB,D work yet. These are songs with rich characters and storied histories, with love and tenderness inserted each time. While these songs are not upbeat, there is a consistent engaging quality to them, one that nags at the listener. This is Ewald’s best songwriting to date! 

RIYL: Real Estate, Grizzly Bear, finding your old ripped CBGB’s shirts a decade later

#98. The Beaches – Blame My Ex

I dropped the ball on this one. In advance of Boston Calling, I received a dozen interview requests from the Beaches’ PR person. I passed, not having the time or knowledge of the group. Well now they’re big! And rightfully so. The band’s sophomore album is a spunky, catchy indie-punk record filled with snarl. These songs are built around melodies, but they come straight from the heart. The amount of energy and earnestness across this record is apparent immediately, especially on the aptly-named opener “Blame Brett.” They have hooks for days.

RIYL: Beach Bunny, Clairo, knowing your break-up will end in a defamatory radio hit

#97. Suzie True – Sentimental Scum

This is the first of a handful of blisteringly fun, feminine indie-punk records on this list. Suzie True does fast and heavy songs, loud enough to be punk and catchy enough to be indie, all wrapped up in compact records. The overly girly imagery of the group matches with the old-school punk riffs in just the right way to piss off some old gatekeepers. Listen closely for what I believe is an uncredited Sean Bonnette on vocals (from AJJ – more on them later). Fast, fun, angsty, loud – perfect for 2023. 

RIYL: Teenage Halloween, Oceanator, reading your old diary

#96. Speedy Ortiz – Rabbit Rabbit

Rabbit Rabbit. It’s what Sadie Depuis tweets on the first day of every month. A new start, a new beginning. The first Speedy Ortiz album in five years (following an excellent Sadie solo release) is kind of more of the same, kind of not. A great indie-punk album, it’s got some of the fiery energy of old Ortiz tunes, with a lot of maturity and patience thrown in. This is maybe the most well-rounded Speedy album yet, and they’ve always had a handle on complete packages. I was not anticipating another Speedy Ortiz release, so this was a delightful surprise.

RIYL: Hop Along, Charly Bliss, getting too old for street punk shows

#95. Deerhoof – Miracle-Level

I will not claim to be remotely knowledgeable about the experimental group Deerhoof or their approximately 100 albums. But I know fun experimental indie when I hear it, and that’s exactly what they provide on Miracle-Level. It’s unpredictable stuff, often manic, but without the abrasive unpleasantness of a lot of experimental rock stuff. This is their first album to be sung entirely in Japanese, further removing it from any curious normie audiences. But it’s a celebratory album, a joy in a scary world.

RIYL: Xiu Xiu, Battles, getting hypnotized 

#94. Chris Farren – Doom Singer

Chris Farren the person is a hysterical and respectful guy I’ve always loved, especially as a lifelong friend of Jeff Rosenstock (more on him later). Chris Farren the musician has never really done it for me, his brand of smooth pop-punk/indie has chronically been a bit soft for my taste. So imagine my surprise when his newest – which doesn’t really deviate from the formula! – grabbed me. It’s a high-energy and just fun indie-punk record. Farren’s voice is always smooth and his production clean, resulting in a brisk listen and a nice antidote to much of the depressive music on this list. It’s fun!

RIYL: Chumped, Lemuria, living in Brooklyn baby

#93. Wilco – Cousin

Wilco might be considered one of the premier dad bands, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t still have the juice. Wilco’s 13th album sees them hand off the production reins for once, to test themselves. We’re in a creative boom for Wilco, too – following last year’s excellent country double-album Cruel Country, we’re now getting the most experimental Wilco album in over a decade. Now it’s nothing like Yankee Hotel of course, but these songs pack a lot of little punches. There are a lot of intricate details here, aided by Cate le Bon on production. Wilco could easily be producing “another Wilco album” but they’re still finding ways to stay fresh, instead. 

RIYL: Arcade Fire, Spoon, being the cool uncle

#92. Body Void – Atrocity Machine

Finally music that really answers the question, what would body horror sound like? In a list filled with abrasive and off-putting metal, this is one of the most intense records. It also purposely refuses alignment with any specific metal subgenre, incorporating elements of doom metal, black metal and industrial. While the songs are lengthy, they’re also completely unpredictable. There’s something for nearly all metal fans in here (except power metal, thankfully). Add in body horror lyrical concepts and you’ve got yourself one of the wildest metal releases of 2023. 

RIYL: Full of Hell, Primitive Man, scaring your neighbors

#91. Joanna Sternberg – I’ve Got Me

Folk music should always be honest and vulnerable. Sternberg’s sophomore album, written during COVID, as they pulled away from substances and from a manipulative music industry, is chock full of it. This is a painful record, with heartfelt grief sessions peppered in frequently. But don’t think it’s a sob session, because many of these songs are fun, too. Complex emotions with layered lyrics and uppity acoustic guitar make for a well-rounded folk record. There’s never any certainty to what the next song holds. And what’s more like life than that?

RIYL: Julie Byrne, Cassandra Jenkins, having a breakthrough at therapy

#90. Agriculture – Agriculture

One of the last albums I listened to in prep for this list, this one left me blindsided. I’ve never heard something like this. This is black metal, but with roots tied in experimental music. It is beyond heavy and extreme, with raging guitars and screamed vocals, all meshing together in lieu of a sense of melody. Sometimes. Other times, it’s got steel guitar and harmonies. It’s totally unpredictable and thrilling, something wholly new even in the black metal world. I mean, the band is called Agriculture. Black metal bands are normally named like Sancti Stigmata or Festering Gushes or something. Anyways, this is sick as hell.

RIYL: Vile Creature, Mizmor, black metal that pisses off Nazis 

#89. Capra – Errors

You’ll notice a trend on this list – boundary-pushing hardcore. There were a great number of hardcore albums this year that pushed out of genre barriers, usually in the form of sheer intensity. Capra is a little more standard, but they’re still very unique. Errors is a fiercely intense hardcore punk record, one that comes with some variations and some scant outside influences. It sounds closer to Gouge Away, with songs that balance volume and heaviness with leveled tempos and mature rhythms. And all of this comes with rough, rough vocals that give the group a lot of credibility. 

RIYL: Ithaca, Gouge Away, slamdancing in a 100-degree church basement 

#88. Cattle Decapitation – Terrasite

Cattle Decap has been a band for a very long time and I’ve always considered them one of many interchangeable, not particularly interesting death metal-adjacent groups. But when I heard a single on the radio, it caught my attention. These are some of the most well-written metal jams of the year, all crafted with a graceful touch and ceaseless brutality. Not to mention, the production is immaculate. This goes beyond death metal into deathgrind territory, but the nomenclature doesn’t matter. What does matter is riffs, headbangers, and songs called “Scourge of the Offspring,” and this one delivers on all fronts.

RIYL: Cannibal Corpse, Aborted, earplugs

#87. Alex Lahey – The Answer is Always Yes

There’s a couple albums on this list that blend indie and punk, which is Lahey’s specialty. These songs are a little too energized to be indie, but a little too patient to be punk. Really, this album – more so than similar ones on the list – are the advancement of the more memorable emo bands of the mid-10’s. These songs are emotional, but often affirming, and mix rhythmic melodies with just enough oomph to be bangers. There were a few great emo-punk albums on this list – this one should not get lost in the shuffle. This is a special collection of songs that are both fun and deeply personal.

RIYL: Camp Cope, Swearin’, smiling through the pain

#86. Squitch – Tumbledown Mountain

RIP Squitch long live Squitch. The final offering from one of the best local indie bands is a delightful and emotional journey. Despite the opening track “Not The End,” this is definitively the final album, and the band is going out on top with their best record. The guitar-based songs here are both catchy and complex, drawing on strong vocals, dense production and heart-on-sleeve emotions. It might be the end, but there’s still time to get Squitch on your radars.

RIYL: Puppy Problems, Real Estate, a little cry in a comfy bed

#85. Worriers – Trust Your Gut & Warm Blanket

Similar to Squitch, Worriers have always occupied a space in indie that hints at punk edges but never truly explores them. While classified as punk, Worriers – mostly the solo project of Lauren Denitzio – craft intricate and vulnerable singer-songwriter tunes. Much of the lyrical material here is derived from small interactions, misunderstandings, and hurt feelings, and not any grand, vague scopes, which helps give these songs a raw earnesty. It was a busy year for Denitzio, releasing two great albums. “Gut” is a bit edgier than the very low-key “Blanket,” but they play off of each other very well.

RIYL: The Menzingers, the Gaslight Anthem, sneaking liquor into a poetry reading

#84. Be Your Own Pet – Mommy

One of my favorite bands, and it’s a marvel they reunited. They split up in 2008 as quietly as they had lived, a garage punk that was always bubbling a little too under the radar to make an impact. But they’re back – at the request of Jack White! – and they haven’t missed a beat. I was concerned that they would be too mature these days, and while these songs don’t necessarily have the same unfiltered chaotic energy of the band’s debut, there is still a healthy amount of inappropriate and loud stuff. I mean, look at the title and cover, not to mention lead single “Worship the Whip.” This borders on the ledge between indie and punk, but it’s meant purely for the latter’s crowd. Long live Be Your Own Pet.

RIYL: Ty Segall, Heavens to Betsy, crashing a wedding for fun

#83. Russkaja – Turbo Polka Party

This is easily the biggest guilty pleasure on this list. It’s the only one that I’ll reckon isn’t “good” but it is fun. A Russian group that blends polka and ska into punk and metal, something that’s loud and laughable. There’s a healthy mix of genuine cultural appreciation via traditional Russian music, and tongue-in-cheek songs about the somewhat ridiculous mix of genres. This is the type of thing I would’ve loved in high school. The band mixes a lot of “uncool” genres, and to double down on that, there’s a genuine cover of “Last Christmas” towards the end (and the album came out in February).

RIYL: Alestorm, Korpiklaani, Weird Al if he had an attitude

#82. Orbit Culture – Descent & The Forgotten

Many of the acts on this list are artists who experiment around and toss genre templates out the window. But in order to appreciate music like this, there has to be a base love of the bands that can do basic templates well. Orbit Culture, a death metal group out of Sweden, play standard death metal songs, they just do them ridiculously well. These songs are heavy and brutal, direct, and all the while insanely catchy. Descent is a proper studio album, while The Forgotten is a follow-up EP with a couple of longer songs. There isn’t a bad track across the two releases, a serious breakout year for the band. If you like your music to be a quick punch to the brain – these guys are for you.

RIYL: Suffocation, Machine Head, throwing your voice out trying to growl along

#81. The Mountain Goats – Jenny From Thebes

After releasing approximately 1001 records that didn’t really have themes, John Darnielle et co. have begun to do conceptual albums. And this album takes on the toughest concept yet – a full album about Jenny, a character who has existed on the fringes of Darnielle’s lyrics dating back to 2003. Whether you’re invested in the intricacies of Darnielle’s lyrics or you just appreciate their gleefully depressive music, then you’ll love this back-to-basics album. This one sounds like it came out in 2004, in Goats lore. The songs are lean and simple, yet super catchy and always tinged with paranoia, American loneliness, and outright depression. The indie-folk legends never left, but in a way, they’re back.

RIYL: Neutral Milk Hotel, the Decembrists, crying in a hotel room alone

#80. Ragana – Desolation’s Flower

Black metal for the sake of black metal can be excellent on its own. But black metal with a message can be powerful. Ragana have always held this to be true, and their new record is downright stunning. A queer duo, Ragana bring antifascist politics to a genre that is historically, well, fascist. This record is visceral, complex and angry, with lengthy and relentless metal songs. But the band puts on the brakes frequently, knowing the power of somber bridges and interludes. In fact, a lot of this album rests, and it makes the metal songs all the more powerful. Think this is the only queer black metal album on the list? Think again.

RIYL: Mount Eerie, Thou, the film “The VVitch” 

#79. Year of the Knife – No Love Lost

Grindcore albums shouldn’t be long. This one is 9 songs and 20 minutes, a blissfully short blast of sonic warfare. I know little about this band, only discovering this one on a metal station shortly before I began writing these entries – but on this mini-album, the group is joined by insane heavy-hitters like Full of Hell and Sangusiugabogg, two bands who both narrowly missed this same list. This is super intense, super abrasive and super quick stuff. Not for the faint of heart, but also not the same song 9 times over. There’s care put into separating these songs, even the ones that are under a minute. Brutal, brutal things are afoot.

RIYL: Nails, The Locust, getting 13 songs into your 15 minute set

#78. Dreamwell – In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You

Hardcore often gets more interesting when bands don’t stick to a rote one-two-one-two formula. Dreamwell, a group from my neck of the woods, don’t so much follow a new path as they do take the hardcore formula and set it on fire. They are a deeply original and thrilling group, channeling the best days of Fucked Up (more on them later). The band explores so many territories that it no longer feels like hardcore, but Keziah Staska’s consistent growled vocals always bring things back home. 

RIYL: Converge, Deafheaven, trying to get your friends into metal

#77. Squirrel Flower – Tomorrow’s Fire

Another local artist, at least formerly so. Squirrel Flower has always made great guitar-based bedroom indie, but this is her finest work yet. Ella Williams is always one to keep things honest, and this record is emotions on full display. It’s still the indie rock that fans expect, but things are a little bit darker, a little bit heavier. Many tracks move away from the folksy influences and into a heavier rock atmosphere. And some don’t – diversity is a strength here. But everything here is unexpectedly grimier than before. Straightforward, but dense and cathartic, it’s a great set of old-school indie rock tunes.

RIYL: Indigo de Souza, Cat Power, pretending you’re Gen X

#76. Palehound – Eye On The Bat

Normally, indie groups that come out of the gate with high-energy, fun tunes eventually settle down into midtempo stuff. But Palehound is only getting more fun. The rest of the album never quite hits the high of the raucous title track, but the whole journey is a blast. El Kempner is always one to wear their heart on their sleeve, and does so here. These songs are earnest and emotional, mostly chronicling the unsteady nature of the last couple years. And yet, it’s an absolute blast to listen to. 

RIYL: Adult Mom, Jay Som, early-00’s goofy indie bands with names like “Structural Integrity in Istanbul”

Thank you for reading! My hope is that you, dear reader, find at least something you’ll like and may have missed. Check back tomorrow for entries 75-51. What can you expect? Some new wave legends, a bit of bubblegum pop, back-to-back folk albums, back-to-back moody rap, and a pop singer getting more honest than ever before.

35 Songs I Loved This Year

Jump to: Fav albums 100-76 | 75-51 | 50-26 | 25-1

Hello and welcome to another edition of excessively long year-end coverage courtesy of me, someone who has had too much time on their hands lately. 2023 was a great year for music, yet again. My Spotify playlist where I dump all new songs I like is up to 563 (!!) tunes as of the time of writing. And while a condensed version of songs I loved is at 77 entries, I decided to cap it at 35 for my own sanity. I have a lot of album posts coming up.

These are 35 songs, from 30 artists, that I really enjoyed. I didn’t put a great deal of thought into these since there were so many to choose from, and I’ve left this list alphabetical. Also, I should note, much of the new music I discovered this year was thanks to the Sirius indie station I listened to on my commutes, so both my songs and albums lists are heavily indie-skewed this year.

100 Gecs – “Frog on the Floor”

I mean how else could this start? One of Gen Z’s most shining bands is out here reflecting their generation in shedding away any sort of musical norms. Is this a pop band dropping a ska song in the middle of the album? Yes. Is this just a song about a frog? Yes. Is it catchy as hell? Yes. I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t one of my most-played songs this year, despite really sounding like a children’s song. Hell it’s basically made by children. 

KEY FROG PUN: I heard he was telling croaks at the party.

Arlo Parks – “Devotion”

The sophomore Arlo Parks album was excellent, but it did see the alt-R&B singer move away from jazzy indie in favor of more rote pop beats. So it makes this song – which starts off as a sultry coital anthem before doing a hard reset into straight rock – all the more out of place. Catch a Deftones namedrop early as a hint of what’s to come. Loud and catchy R&B rock; it’s simple, yet unique.

KEY NAMEDROP: Shaking to Deftones, glitter in my bones

Big Thief – “Vampire Empire”

Even in a year where indie titans Big Thief have only released two songs, they make the list. The Best Band In Music is known primarily for disastrously sad songs, so this seemingly genuine love ode feels extra suspicious. But whether there’s a flipside to this one or not, it’s one of the band’s most inventive tracks yet, with some of Adrienne Lenker’s best-ever vocals. 

KEY LYRIC: I wanted to be your woman, I wanted to be your man / I wanted to be the one that you could understand

Bully – “Days Move Slow” & “Lose You”

There’s a few instances on this list where I couldn’t narrow it down to one song per artist, and they always relate anyways (except one instance). Alicia Bognanno’s grunge-flavored indie has always been filled with a certain sense of ennui, but on her best-yet album, it comes with a purpose. The album is dedicated to Alicia’s late dog, Mezzi, and these two tracks about the impermanence of life – and the impermanence of grief – represent some genuine and complex emotion. Some assistance from Soccer Mommy bolsters the latter track, but they’re equally great.

KEY GOOD BOY: RIP Mezzi, the best boy

Cherry Glazerr – “Ready For You”

Cherry Glazerr have always been an indie group of the guns-a-blazing type, edging closer to straight rock than anything else. The second single off their new album is their best track yet, with heavy melodies and Clementine Creevy’s best-ever vocals. Her powerful vocal rhythm dominates this song and adds a hefty layer of confidence into the lyrics. Although the lyrics are actually quite vulnerable, they sound vaguely threatening under the guitars and vocals. Side note: catch this band live if you have the opportunity.

KEY I’M THE JOKER: Wish I could meet you with my eyes / I’m sick inside my twisted mind

Clark D – “It’s a Stickup!”

I didn’t listen to much rap this year, just wasn’t in the mood really! But this song by local rapper Clark D fell into my lap at the end of the year and hot damn is it one of the most fun tracks of 2023. An absolutely manic and tongue-in-cheek track with the highest possible energy. It’s a banger to the max, and doesn’t even stretch to 2:30. Add in a wild verse from kei and you’ve got a monster song. He cleaned up at the Boston Music Awards and proved that this song translates very, very well to a live setting.

KEY SCREAM IT: BITCH YOU GETTIN’ ROBBED

Death Cab For Cutie – “An Arrow in the Wall”

It’s been 15 years since I said “hey I really like this new Death Cab song,” and naturally this is the one that sounds the least like Death Cab. The Postal Service tour must have had a positive effect on Ben Gibbard’s primary indie group, as they trade in their guitars for a gloomy, minimalist beat. There’s a sense of foreboding in this that is totally foreign to DCFC, and it’s a welcome change.

KEY LYRIC: This machine was built to be broken

Faye Webster – “But Not Kiss”

Faye Webster exists in the same tragic indie-folk sad girl scene as, say, Phoebe Bridgers, but she’s always had a comical innocence to her music. That’s stripped away on this cold, baroque tune centered on a pounding, two-chord piano line and a simple but powerful “yeah yeah” in the chorus. It’s simple, but good luck getting it out of your head.

KEY LYRIC: I want to sleep in your arms………..but not kiss

feeble little horse – “Steamroller”

I’ve obviously been listening to mainly indie here this year, but there aren’t many indie bands like this anymore. These young upstarts are channeling the likes of Dino Jr. and Pixies in the way they layer their stuff under fountains of distortion. Underneath all the peels is a paranoid and apologetic tune about personal space, but it’s okay if you never make it that deep. Just enjoy the experience.

KEY RELATABLE PARANOIA: I’m the only one who sees me naked

Genesis Owusu – “Leaving the Light”

This list isn’t ordered at all (hopefully you’ve figured that out by now), but if it was, this would be #1. This absolute banger is my favorite song of the year, as it stands. It isn’t a particularly unique or wheel re-inventing song, but it is a paranoid dancehall banger. Owusu’s album STRUGGLER, which will be found on my albums list, is an album that is about a paradoxical concept – humans surviving an apocalypse. The song’s lyrics are simultaneously paranoid and prideful, and the music is blood-pumping synthy funk. It’s extremely easy to overlook the fact that the song is intended to be violent and depressing! The biggest party of the year is, in fact, the apocalypse.

KEY EARNED BOAST: Crush me with your holy hell, I feel no damage

The Hives – “The Bomb”

God bless the Hives. Their first album in 11 years sees the dance-punk legends stretching out a bit, crafting some songs that aren’t quite as high-energy as before. Logical – they’re in their mid-40’s now, even if Pelle Almqvist did split himself open and soldier on recently. But the Hives blueprint still works. “The Bomb” is a barely-two-minute track with a BPM of 1000 and the most ridiculous lyrics of the year. There isn’t a point to songs like this, it’s just extremely high-energy, goofy fun. And if the Hives can still do it this well, then they’re never going to lose it.

KEY PELLE ALMQVIST: What do you wanna do? Get down! What don’t you wanna do? Get up! What don’t you wanna not don’t do? Not get down! What don’t you wanna not don’t wanna not do? Not get up! 

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – “Deathwish”

I’m a big fan of everything Isbell has done, but there’s something specific that permeates all of my favorite tracks of his – vocal melodies. This song, the first track off his country band’s “Weathervanes” album, starts immediately with a lengthy but simple and effective vocal rhythm. It’s something that runs through the course of the whole song, very repetitive but never tiring. Isbell’s songs are often lyrically despondent, but not necessarily sad songs – this one feels downtrodden immediately, which only adds to the effectiveness. This is downright hopelessness.

KEY EXTREMELY RELATABLE OPENING LINE TO YOUR ALBUM: Have you ever loved a woman with a deathwish? 

Jenny Lewis – “Psychos”

I love dirtbag Jenny Lewis. Twenty years ago, she was singing youthful and introspective indie ballads about love and loneliness. Now, she recognizes that her era has passed, and is singing offhand country-folk songs like this one with vaguely problematic lyrics like a cool aunt. To be clear, the lyrics of this song are not good, but the 11pm-on-a-weeknight-in-a-bar vibe of this song is excellent. And, her voice has improved significantly since the Rilo Kiley days. I hate to say it, but she’s a lot cooler now than before. 

KEY RELATABLE NONSENSE: This shit is crazy town

Jungle – “Back on ‘74”

I get that I have a broader spectrum of music than most people, but one of my hardest beliefs around music is that I can’t trust anyone who doesn’t like funk. The band’s latest hit, their biggest in both America and their native UK, is a smooth and sultry vocal song ripped out of the 70’s. The nostalgic lyrics touch on past innocence and lost opportunities, but it’s more than acceptable to shut the thoughts out and just enjoy the fluid melodies. This is a banger, after all. I believe this song has gotten big on The Tik Tok website, so here’s to a whole new generation getting into soul music. Oh, and if you’re only going to watch one video on this list, make it this one.

KEY CRY-DANCE: Never gonna cry anymore, where did it all go?

JW Francis – “Swooning”

Some of the artists on this list are ones I’m extremely knowledgeable on. This is not one of them. I know absolutely nothing about this guy, but I do know that this is one of the most well-constructed songs of the year. At its core, it is a simple indie song about struggling to find the words to tell someone you’ve fallen for them deeply. But there is a lot going on – a rumbling guitar rhythm backs a sweet synth, there’s a guitar freakout, there’s a riff that mimics a butterfly, and there’s a late-song octave change. For people who like to analyze individual elements of songs, this one is a goldmine. Really fun stuff.

KEY LYRIC THAT REFLECTS THE MUSIC: Oh my, I’m swooning / I think we hit the right chord, new tuning

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – “Gila Monster”

The second proper Gizz metal album is unlike the first, which was loose thrash. This album is dense, slow and heavy. But much like “Infest the Rat’s Nest,” it centers on an apocalypse and the animals that take over afterwards. In this one, we’re praising the new king, a Gila Monster, whose adorable face graces the album cover. This one is raw and catchy, bolstered by Ambrose taking over for vocals at the bridge and pumping things into a new gear. 

KEY SCREAMABLE CHORUS: Gila! Gila! Gila!    Gila! Monster!

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – “Set”

I couldn’t keep these together. The second Gizz album of 2023, “The Silver Cord,” is an electronics one, cashing in their Kraftwerk tickets. Like “Gila” this one is just fun as hell. And like “Gila,” it kicks into high gear off a bridge where Ambrose loses his mind. There’s five different things going on at once musically, which doesn’t even address the cryptic lyrics about ancient Egypt. Everything here is manic. I didn’t think I would like electronic Gizz this much, but I was wrong.

KEY NONSENSE: Eighty years of conflict, crocodile dog birth, Lucifer inverted, slender usurper, piece of work

Lifeguard – “Alarm”

My, where did this one come from? One of the most rousing rock songs of the year comes out of these upstarts, literal children who are channeling the best days of Pixies and Bikini Kill. The song is intensity above all, but it remains extremely catchy too. It’s an absolute bruiser, and it makes the band sound both as youthful as they are, and far more experienced than it. Although I’ve heard this one on indie rock radio, I’d hesitantly call it punk.

KEY VAGUE BUT SCREAMABLE CHORUS: Switch! Switch! Trip or take me!

Lil Uzi Vert – “Nakamura”

Almost no one has a better entrance theme in the world of professional wrestling than Shinsuke Nakamura, so much so that he had to add Japanese lyrics to it to try and quell American audiences from singing it throughout his matches. It was also begging to be sampled. Well Uzi was of course the man to do it. That wildly memorable violin line serves as the foundation of this song, with Uzi rapping over it. This was an easy slam-dunk for any artist, and a shoo-in for this list.

KEY GO WATCH IT RIGHT NOW: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn from NXT Takeover: Dallas

Little Dragon – “Slugs of Love”

There isn’t much to say about this one other than it’s just one of the most fun bangers of the year. There’s a sax hit just seconds into the song that lets you know it’s gonna be a fun one. The music is fast and funky, the vocals are upbeat, and the lyrics are chaotically funny and sexual. Try getting this one out of your head.

KEY NO THANKS: Have a feast at the table / slugs of love 

M83 – “Amnesia”

Easily one of my favorite songs of the year; I absolutely did not think that Anthony Gonzalez had songs like this one left him. The slow synth build-up feels ominous, building to one of the biggest cinematic choruses you’ll ever hear. It’s Kaela Sinclair’s short but powerful lines during the chorus that really make this one stand out. The song sounds like a late night drive through a crowded but sleepy city on a warm night. It’s got a fullness to it that feels free and warm, even with a touch of dread thrown in. It might be the best song of 2023.

KEY PHRASE I’VE BEEN SHOUTING IN MY CAR: Four minutes with you

Mandy, Indiana – “Pinking Shears”

One of the best new bands of 2023 is also one of the most confounding. Quite possibly the shortest song on this list, this Mandy, Indiana track mixes mechanical percussion, heavy synths and buried vocals into one burst of sound that is very catchy while still dense and wholly unique. Oh, and it’s all in French. The end result isn’t really classifiable, and it sounded out of place on indie rock radio. It isn’t quite my favorite song of the year, but it might be the new one I’ve listened to the most times.

PHRASE CLÉ: Je suis fatiguée, tu sais parce que je suis fatiguée

MJ Lenderman – “Rudolph”

It wasn’t enough for the band Wednesday to drop an all-timer album on us, the guitarist had to drop this excellent solo track too. A crisis of faith plagues the speaker, professing his love to someone from within the walls of a seminary. Throw in some self-doubt, Rudolph the Reindeer and a Pixar reference, and you get a rollicking spellbinder. As with his other solo songs, this is an americana-grunge tune, with rough guitar and loose vocals.

KEY LYRIC: I wouldn’t be in the seminary if I could be with you. 

Model/Actriz – “Donkey Show”

The opening track from my favorite debut album of 2023 is a manic mess. The group starts hauntingly soft, with just a little synth line that sounds like a bug crawling around, until the rest of the band kicks in heavily. The song wastes no time in getting intense – singer Cole Haden sounds like a man who has just realized he is in deep trouble. On the first few listens of this song, I thought “wow this is heavy.” After a few more, I thought, “this is also….groovy.” It’s not like anything I’ve heard before. The song sounds comparable to “City Song” by Daughters, but it swaps out 50% of the paranoia in favor of funk. You can absolutely dance to this, but it might only happen in the nightclub from Blade. 

KEY TROUBLING VAGUENESS: All night, me and my wretched device

The New Pornographers – “Really Really Light”

There’s hardly anything new about the pornographers, who admittedly wear out the formula a bit on their ninth album. But the opening track is an absolute delight of breezy indie. The lyrics are both poetic and empty, singing about nothingness. The fading guitar lick that runs the song sounds like wind entering your car windows on an empty Midwestern highway. There’s a certain listlessness to this song, like everything about it exists only to kill time, but it’s a pleasant feeling. A distinct balance that only a band this deep into the game can pull off. 

KEY BOREDOM: We sit around and talk about the weather / My heart just like a feather / really, really light

Orbit Culture – “Vultures Of North” & “Descent”

Sometimes you just need some good death metal. Orbit Culture’s newest album is a victory lap and a breakthrough, with a bunch of great songs that do a lot with a little. These two songs feature rhythms that are, quite frankly, very simple! But they’re super fun and incredibly catchy while still being heavy and brooding. The growled vocals are top notch and the production is stellar. The metalheads probably have this band on radar already, but here’s a note in case you don’t.

KEY BROODING: The descent into madness is all I see, and it’s all I’ve seen

Palehound – “Eye on the Bat”

How much fun can one song be? Local legends Palehound hit an absolute home run (pun intended) on their latest album’s title track. The song kicks off with a fun and complex acoustic guitar line, with bright and cheery vocals and one quick slide guitar hit thrown in too. Although the song is ostensibly about how grueling a tour can be, the lyrics cherry-pick some nostalgic moments too. This feels like a song we’ll still be listening to in a decade. Spin it a couple times:

KEY SAME: Black Sabbath as the sun goes down ‘cause I like heavy metal / We’re the only people for miles around and we’re headbanging to Paranoid.

The Rolling Stones & Lady Gaga – “Sweet Sounds of Heaven”

I’m not gonna sit here and pretend that the new Stones album is anything really worth listening to, but you’re doing yourself a disservice if you skip this one. This 7+ minute track is possibly the best Stones song since…the 80’s? Gaga brings the best out of the Stones, who face down mortality on this apocalyptic track. Her background vocals provide a moving aura that earnestly feels akin to “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” There is also a vulnerability here that we don’t see from Mick much, though it’s still wrapped in ego too. 

KEY LYRIC: No, I’m not goin’ to Hell, in some dusty motel / And I’m not goin’ down in the dirt.

Sleep Token – “The Summoning”

One of the first new songs I heard in 2023 ended up being one of the best, a heady and highly conceptual song that acts as metal, but dissuades any real classification. A simple and pounding riff comes and goes as huge choruses rise and fall, as the song meanders between radio rock and straight metal. The whole thing has this aura that there’s a great bridge coming, but where it ends up going is unpredictable – an extended ambient segment followed by a poppy, jazzy coda. The song messes around with genres and expectations, with supreme confidence.

KEY RADICAL TONAL SHIFT: Oh, and my love, did I mistake you for a sign from God?

Slowdive – “Alife”

This is aural Xanax. We should be so thankful that Slowdive reunited back in ~2015 because the niche they left behind had been imitated by countless bands, but never perfected. While many of their shoegaze contemporaries like My Bloody Valentine and Ride often searched for bliss and clarity in sheer volume, Slowdive did it in minimalism. “Alife” recaptures the stunning and cathartic aura of their original 90’s work. Everything is so slight that it feels improvised, but it’s all so polished that it could’ve only been done by perfectionists.

KEY LYRIC: Two lives are hard lives with you. 

Slow Pulp – “Cramps”

Slow Pulp is an indie-pop group that would usually not get mistaken for doing anything heavy or edgy, but the first single off their newest album is just that. The song, which yes is about period cramps, comes complete with fuzzy guitar and full-to-the-brim vocals. It’s an extremely fun song, reminiscent of a more 90’s indie pedalboard sound, and helps the band expand their sound some. It’s a simple song, but I spun it a whole bunch this year.

KEY I AM NEVER JEALOUS OF PEOPLE WITH PERIODS: I play out the same scene, bleeding on my new sheets / I wanna bake out on the concrete

Wednesday – “Bull Believer,” “Chosen to Deserve,” “Quarry”

One of these things is not like the others! I couldn’t help but include three songs by the Band of the Year in here. For those unfamiliar, Wednesday deliver a brand of americana-infused indie with a healthy amount of heavy guitar, in a total package that feels similar to Neil Young on paper, though not in practice. “Chosen to Deserve” and “Quarry” are country-fried indie tunes that tell tales of American loneliness; the former is a first-person tale of two bored people forcing a relationship, the latter is a walk down a poor street deep in the suburbs. “Bull Believer,” meanwhile, is a 8+ minute dose of heavy grunge that culminates in minutes of screaming. You simply won’t believe it’s from the same album. 

KEY STORYTELLING TIME: Somebody called the cops on Mandy and her boyfriend / When they busted in they found that her house was a front for a mob thing / Pulled guns and cocaine from the drywall wrapped in newspaper / We gathered in the tall grass and watched unblinking as they cuffed ’em and hauled ’em away

There were of course many, many other songs I wanted to write about for this list. Real quick, here’s five that just missed the cut: 26Fix – “Stonekiller” (electronic/indie), Full Body 2 – “wonder limit” (shoegaze/hyperpop), The Kills – “New York” (guitar indie), Nation of Language – “Sole Obsession” (electronic/indie/new wave), Slaughter to Prevail – “Viking” (deathcore)

Check back in tomorrow when I start my official countdown of *cough* my 100 favorite albums of 2023!