The music world in the second half of 2023 was definitely significantly crazier and more interesting than the first half. To be honest, I was pretty let down by a lot of the music that came out in the first half of the year. There were a ton of projects I was looking forward to that dropped the ball. The focus of artists on creating viral singles instead of focusing on albums led to a decline in the quality of the music overall. I would say this changed for the most part in the summer, though. To me, it feels like a lot more of the projects in the second half of the year were more experimental, leading to some very cool music coming out. One thing I noticed is that so many artists were trying to throw everything they could possibly make at the wall to see what sticks. There are so many very long projects from the second half of 2023 where the artist made a wide variety of music that one would not typically expect from them. Artists like Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, and Post Malone, made extremely wide-ranging records in terms of sound and style and hit in major ways in some circumstances and totally dropped the ball in other ones. I, for one, love when artists are willing to take big risks, even when they do not always work out. Because of the nature of these releases, there are fewer stand-alone singles(or singles in general) on this list than there were on my list for the first half of 2023. There still are some singles, but this list contains quite a few deep cuts from these albums that came out in the second half of the year. Like my list for the first half, this list is not in order from worst to best, but rather in order of when I discovered them(I will indicate what my absolute favorites were in the descriptions of the songs, though). With that being said, here is my list of some of my favorite tracks from the second half of 2023. Please comment below how many of these songs you love too, and also comment what some of your other personal favorites were.

SIGN ME UP – POST MALONE

Post Malone’s 2023 album AUSTIN is not as high-quality as his first two releases, but it is a bit of a return to form when compared to his last two. Post Malone found a few styles of music in this record that he seems to excel at, and I hope he expands upon them in the future and makes them more fine-tuned. ‘Sign Me Up’ is one of the songs that explores a different sound for Post that works very well, and it is easily the highlight of the record for me. This song has an anthemic Country-Rock sound which bodes well with Post Malone’s strong vocals on the track. It is a powerful track that I can imagine would be awesome to see performed live. I hope Post Malone continues to go in this direction in the future, because I think he found something great with ‘Sign Me Up.’

ENDLESS FASHION – LIL UZI VERT FEAT. NICKI MINAJ

Lil Uzi Vert’s The Pink Tape was easily one of the most polarizing records of the year. It was very experimental and unexpected, and many people did not appreciate this. Even though it is not perfect(and is not on my best albums of the year list), I think there is a lot to love about The Pink Tape and I appreciate it a ton(I also believe it could end up aging very well, but I digress). There are quite a few songs I could have picked from this album that I loved, such as ‘x2’ and ‘Nakamura,’ but the song I had to choose is ‘Endless Fashion.’ I can not get enough of this track; I have to consider it one of my favorite songs of the year considering how much I still listen to it. The nostalgic sample(which comes from the 1990s EuroPop hit ‘I’m Blue) is so entertaining, and both of the vocal performances are excellent. Lil Uzi Vert and Nicki Minaj match massive energy of the instrumental perfectly. ‘Endless Fashion’ is an example of Lil Uzi Vert at his peak, and I hope we see more of it in 2024.

TURN YO CLIC UP – QUAVO FEAT. FUTURE

I was unfortunately very underwhelmed by Quavo’s 2023 album Rocket Power. I feel like it was way too bloated, and that Quavo played it super safe. This album did produce one of my favorite Trap songs of the year in ‘Turn Yo Clic Up,’ though. It was the lead single from the project and was the best thing it had to offer. ‘Turn Yo Clic Up’ is a high-octane and heavy banger that brings out the fierce sides of both Quavo and Future. Quavo and Future add to the menacing nature of this track, making it feel so gigantic. It is an epic track where Quavo and Future are at their best. Quavo may not have delivered with Rocket Power as a whole, but he did create something special in ‘Turn Yo Clic Up.’

WIGGY – YOUNG MIKO

Young Miko continued to make a name for herself as one of the best young artists in Latin America in the second half of the year. Not only did she assist Bad Bunny on his hit track ‘FINA,’ but she also had a hit of her own in ‘Wiggy.’ This is a unique Trap track that is driven by its retro interpolations. ‘Wiggy’ interpolates Mac Miller’s ‘Nikes On My Feet,’ Snoop Dogg and Pharrell’s ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot,’ and Las Ketchup’s ‘Aserejè in a genius manner. Young Miko’s rap flow on this ‘Wiggy’ is incredibly smooth, giving the song this mesmerizing quality that makes it so appealing. Young Miko is proving that she is one of the best-rising stars in the Latin Music scene with songs like ‘Wiggy.’

TELEKINESIS – TRAVIS SCOTT FEAT. FUTURE AND SZA

Travis Scott delivered one the more off-the-wall and most polarizing records of 2023 with UTOPIA. I will get into how I feel about his album and everything surrounding it in my favorite albums of 2023 list, but I do have to shout out ‘TELEKINESIS’ in this list. ‘TELEKINESIS’ is easily one of my favorite songs of the year. I would even go so far as to say that it is one of Travis Scott’s best songs in general. This song has an ethereal, atmospheric feeling to it I love. All the vocal performances are great and enhance the song, with SZA especially delivering an insanely memorable performance. UTOPIA is a crazy album where Travis Scott sonically pushes himself farther than ever, and ‘TELEKINESIS’ is an example of that at its peak.

DELI – ICE SPICE 

Since late last year, Ice Spice has been taking the world by storm. There is so much about her that is captivating, from her look and ambiance to the style of music she makes, Ice Spice is someone that stands out. ‘Deli’ was a track that was not even released as an official single(it is a track on the deluxe version of her debut mixtape Like..?), and it is still one of the bigger Hip Hop songs of the year. It is easy to see why this track took off in the way it did, as it is so fun and injects energy into anyone who hears it. ‘Deli’ is intense and upbeat, and it is the kind of song that will get any dance floor jumping when it comes on. It has the kind of sound that will make anyone want to party because it is audacious and massive. ‘Deli’ is one of many examples of why Ice Spice is popping off right now, and I hope she continues with this kind of music in the future because she is so good at it.

ballad of a homeschooled girl – OLIVIA RODRIGO

Olivia Rodrigo followed up her excellent debut album SOUR with an even better sophomore album in GUTS. This was easily one of the best albums of the year(in my opinion there is only one of two that are maybe better), it has many songs I adore that I could have picked for this list. As good as songs like ‘all-american bitch,’ ‘get him back,’ and ‘love is embarrassing’ are, ‘ballad of a homeschooled girl’ takes the cake for me. Everything about this song is honestly great. This track has a gritty and distorted feeling to it that reminds me of 1990s Alt-Rock bands like Weezer. It has an impressive and unique sound compared to the music being made by her peers, and its lyricism is equally as stirring and distinct. ‘ballad of a homeschooled girl’ is one of the many songs that solidify Olivia Rodrigo as one the most exciting young artists in music right now.

 

SWEET – TEEZO TOUCHDOWN FEAT. FOUSHEÉ

Teezo Touchdown’s How Do You Sleep At Night? was the definition of experimental. It was the most diverse record of the year, with some of its risks working out splendidly and others not so much. Even though this album has a lot of crazy sounds on it, my top track from it is probably the most tame one. ‘Sweet’ has a warm and cozy neo-R&B sound that makes me think of the late 1990s. Its instrumental is simple, delicate, and pleasant. The vocals on ‘Sweet’ are zestful, which gives it so much life. Teezo Touchdown’s slightly abrasive vocals contrast the instrumental nicely, and Fousheé’s dainty vocals create a juxtaposition with Teezo Touchdown while gliding on the instrumental. Teezo Touchdown may be an artist who has no limits to the kinds of music he can make, but I still think he is at his best when he is a bit more reigned in.

BLUE – V

Although I am making a dedicated list of my favorite K-Pop tracks from 2023, as with Agust D’s ‘Haegum,’ I had to include V’s ‘Blue’ on both lists. ‘Blue’ is the lead single from V(of BTS fame)’s solo project Layover, and it perfectly captures the essence of that wonderful EP. This is a melancholy and Jazzy R&B track with a classy, old-school feeling to it. The track has the energy of the modern Jazz-infused Hip-Hop made popular by Mac Miller but also has a retro feeling that is similar to artists like Al Green or Marvin Gaye. V’s deep, sultry vocals glide on this instrumental perfectly. His husky tone fits the sunken feel of the instrumental and makes ‘Blue’ feel so all-encompassing. ‘Blue’ is a great track that shows V’s versatility, and I hope we hear more solo music from him like this in the future.

GRAVITY – TINASHE

Tinashe is an R&B artist who I have always thought is massively underrated, and unfortunately that stayed the case in 2023. She delivered one of the best projects of the year with her EP BB/ANG3L, proving that she is still setting the standard and pushing boundaries within the R&B genre. The most outside-the-box song of the project is ‘Gravity,’ making it the best one as well in my opinion. This song has a quirky beat that is reminiscent of 1990s UK Garage and House music. The melody and vocals of ‘Gravity’ are dark and otherworldly; this song makes me feel like I am floating when I listen to it. ‘Gravity’ is a great example of how Tinashe is still way ahead of her peers, even if she does not get the credit.

PAINT THE TOWN RED – DOJA CAT

To be honest, after all of the drama surrounding her over the last couple of years, I did not have high hopes for Doja Cat’s Scarlet(go read my review of that album if you haven’t after this to see why I felt that way). I was happily surprised by the album, though, and there are a lot of songs to love from it. As much as I enjoyed some of the other tracks, I knew I had to include ‘Paint The Town Red’ on this list. This song went insanely viral on TikTok, and it became the first rap song of the year to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100(which is honestly nuts). ‘Paint The Town Red’ will be remembered as one of the songs of the year like ‘Boy’s a liar pt. 2) and Kill Bill. It is easy to see why this song caught on like it did because it is honestly just so catchy. ‘Paint The Town Red’ has a simple and super fun Pop-Trap beat, and Doja Cat’s delivery on this track is addicting and perfect to sing along to. ‘Paint The Town Red’ is not the most interesting song on Scarlet, but it is honestly just great for what it is.

DIE TODAY – EARTHGANG

If you know me or have been following this blog for a while, you probably know about my appreciation of Earthgang. I have long thought they are one of the most underrated artists in Hip Hop, and they are making a style of Trap music that makes them very distinctive from their peers. ‘Die Today’ was a single from their 2023 mixtape RIP HUMAN ART. This song does not reinvent the wheel in terms of Southern Trap music or in terms of Earthgang, but it is just a really solid track. ‘Die Today’ has a funky and triumphant instrumental that feels commanding, and the vocal performances from Johnny Venus and Doctor Dot are vibrant and compelling. ‘Die Today’ is a fun track that shows Earthgang is still carving their own path and staying great at it.

I WANT THAT – (G)I-DLE

As with the K-Pop track ‘Blue’ by V, I had to include (G)I-DLE’s ‘I WANT THAT’ here as well because of how frequently I listen to it(I also could have included their song ‘’Flip it’ on this list for the same reason). ‘I WANT THAT’ was one of the singles from (G)I-DLE’s 2023 all-English EP I FEEL, and it encapsulates the raw and flamboyant energy of this perfectly. ‘I Want That’ is a rambunctious, fast-paced Downtempo House track that will give anyone who hears it positive energy. This song has a sassy and angst element to it that makes it so entertaining and compelling. All of the vocal performances on this track match the potency of the instrumental. The instrumental for this track is so vigorous and makes me want to party when it comes on, and the vocals enhance that feeling tenfold. (G)I-DLE is one of the most talented and riveting acts in K-Pop right now, and ‘I WANT THAT’ is a great example of this.

RICH BABY DADDY – DRAKE FEAT. SEXXY REDD AND SZA

Drake had easily one of the most controversial albums of 2023. He led fans to believe they were going to get a very specific kind of album then dropped an oversaturated mish-mash of tracks. Even if FATD feels underwhelming and bloated, I have to admit there are some undeniable bangers. ‘Rich Baby Daddy’ is the kind of track that will stand the test of time, and people will probably remember FATD as a whole more fondly in the future because of it. This track is goofy and fun in the perfect way; it feels silly and tongue-in-cheek, and it has the kind of energy that can get any dance floor jumping when it comes on. ‘Rich Baby Daddy’ has the kind of dance floor energy that Drake’s song ‘Hotline Bling’ has. Even though it is cheesy, it still makes you feel good whenever it comes on.

BATICANO – BAD BUNNY

Is it any surprise that Bad Bunny made it onto both of my lists of the best songs from 2023? At this point, most general music fans know about his popularity and impact; he is the biggest artist in the world for a reason. There were multiple songs from his new album nadie sabe… that I could have chosen for this list. Songs like ‘FINA’ with Young Miko, ‘UN PREVIEW,’ and ‘MONACO’(which is making the rounds on TikTok right now), are tracks I enjoy a ton. My favorite song from nadie sabe… has to be ‘BATICANO.’ It has become one of my favorite songs of the year in general. This song has a raucous, brazen energy to it that I love so much; everything about it, from the instrumental(which alternates between House music and Trap) to the vocals, is jarring in the best way. ‘BATICANO’ is yet an additional example of why Bad Bunny is one of the most important people in music, and songs like this are why everyone is trying to catch up to him.

FLATLINING – HOLLY HUMBERSTONE

Holly Humberstone is a rising Alternative Pop star that I believe deserves way more credit(especially over here in the United States). Holly is the girl next door who’s exciting and different. Her songwriting is so crisp and relatable, and she is willing to push boundaries and explore sounds that one may not expect from an artist in her scene. ‘Flatlining’ is a great example of this, as this track is pretty weird and awesome. It has a glitchy and robotic instrumental that sounds like it is from the future. Holly’s vocal performance on this track is emphatic and diverse; at times, it is heavily doctored, going well with the otherworldly sound of the instrumental. Songs like ‘Flatlining’ show that Holly Humberstone is in a lane of her own and is one of the most talented rising Alternative Pop artists.

WORTH IT – OFFSET FEAT. DON TOLIVER

Unlike how I felt about fellow Migos member Quavo’s 2023 album, I was pleasantly surprised by Offset’s SET IT OFF. Whereas it felt like Quavo was playing it safe on his album, Offset pushed himself and took tons of risks. My favorite moment on the album is ‘WORTH IT,’ which has a sound I would have never expected to hear from an Offset track. ‘WORTH IT’ has the kind of sound that I would not expect to hear in 2023 in general. This track has a 2000s R&B sound that reminds me of artists like Usher or Mario. Both Don Toliver and Offset are incredibly natural on this instrumental, with both of their deliveries being just as smooth as the instrumental. ‘WORTH IT’ is an awesome track with a sound that not only sticks out for Offset but sticks in today’s music landscape, and I hope Offset realizes he hit on something and goes in this direction in the future.

MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE – BRENT FAIYAZ FEAT. COCO JONES

Like Tinashe, Brent Faiyaz has been one of the most dynamic artists in R&B music for years, pushing the genre further and further and paving the way for fellow artists. His 2023 project LARGER THAN LIFE was not the most boundary-pushing in terms of his own sound, but it is still a high-quality mixtape that proves he is still at the peak of the genre. This project has two great tracks, ‘WYA’ and ‘MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE,’ both of which were singles and both of which I could have picked for this list. I went with ‘MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE’ because of the exceptional Coco Jones feature. Both songs have intriguing instrumentals and Brent sounds great on both tracks, but Coco Jones takes ‘MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE’ over the top because of how rich and eloquent her vocals are. I hope this is not the only collaboration that ever comes from these two, and this track makes me want to learn more about Coco Jones’ solo music.

SOMEBODY – JUNGKOOK

‘Somebody’ is the third track I will be including on both this list and my K-Pop list. Now, most people would have expected me to pick Jung Kook’s ‘Seven’ considering how popular it is, but I had to shout out ‘Somebody’ instead because it has emerged as one of my top songs of the year in general. This song has a massive sound and energy that enthralls me so much as a listen. The dark and almost foreboding melody and beat that make up this instrumental have a looming element to them, and Jung Kook’s vocals are just as powerful as the instrumental. As cool as this instrumental is, Jung Kook’s vocals are what draws me in. I love the range he exhibits on this track. And the emotion he is singing with is so palpable. ‘Somebody’ is an example of Jung Kook at his peak vocally, sonically, and lyrically; it shows his major potential as a solo artist.

Nice to meet you – PinkPantheress feat. Central Cee

‘Nice to meet you’ is a song by two British artists who were on my list of songs from the first half of 2023, albeit on separate songs. PinkPantheress and Central Cee are carving their own paths and pushing boundaries within the British Alternative Pop and Hip Hop scenes respectively, and their track ‘Nice to meet you’ from PinkPantheress’ album Heaven knows is easily one of my favorites of 2023 as a whole. This song has a colorful, joyful melody and a brittle Jungle beat with a glitchy element to it that makes this song sound like it is from the future. Central Cee’s dark, harsh vocals contrast the airy and wispy sound of PinkPantheress, giving this song vibrant textures. PinkPantheress and Central Cee are two of the more electrifying young artists in music right now, and their collaboration on ‘Nice to meet you’ shows how talented each of them is while also showing their chemistry together.

WATER – TYLA

After playing a heavy influence on Pop and R&B music in the United States for much of the 2010s, AfroPop music has started to finally get the respect it deserves on a worldwide scale over the last couple of years. The latest AfroPop track to take the world by storm is ‘Water’ by South African artist Tyla. This track has gone insanely viral on TikTok over the last several months, turning it into one of the bigger songs of 2023. It is not tough to see why the world latched onto this song in the way it did. ‘Water’ is a song that is infectious in every way. Its melody is light and breezy, its vocals are graceful, and its beat will get anyone moving their feet when it comes on. Tyla created something special in the song ‘Water,’ and I am confident she can continue to make international hits in the future. 

yellow tape – REI AMI

If you know me, you know I’m always going to be attracted to quirky and animated Alternative Pop artists who are making music that is totally unlike what their peers are doing. This is a sentiment that fits Rei Ami perfectly, and her song ‘yellow tape’ is an example of how much she sticks out from her peers. This is a glitchy, unordinary track with an overall sound that makes me think of the Y2K era but lots of elements to the mix that make it sound ultramodern. Somehow this track feels retro and futuristic at the same time; it is a track that will provide a sense of nostalgia for Pop music fans while still sounding special among the other Pop music being made today. Rei Ami’s vocal performance on this track is wide-ranging and emphatic; her vocals feed into the retro-yet-current feeling the song has overall. ‘yellow tape’ is a great Pop track by an extremely underrated artist in Rei Ami, and I hope she starts to get her flowers in 2024 because she is setting a riveting standard for her peers.

GREEDY – TATE MCRAE

Tate Mcrae took the music world by storm when she dropped ‘greedy’ a few months ago. It immediately went viral on pretty much every app and has been breaking streaming records. ‘greedy’ has this powerful quality about it that makes it feel so huge. ‘greedy’ has a sound and presence to it that is reminiscent of the music from Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera from the early 2000s. There are lots of artists right now who are making music that is reminiscent of the Y2K era, but not many people have done it as well as Tate Mcrae does with ‘greedy.’ Tate Mcrae has been billed by many in the industry as the next big thing to happen to Pop music, and ‘greedy’ helps them build their case with that argument.

we’re all eating each other – Juliet Ivy

As I have stated so many times in this blog(and will probably continue to state), my favorite thing about TikTok is how it helps me discover rising Indie artists. Someone who has recently gone viral on there(for good reason) is Juliet Ivy, with her song ‘we’re all eating each other.’ Now this may be recency bias(although I do not think it is considering how much I enjoy this kind of music in general), but ‘we’re all eating each other’ is probably my favorite song of the year. This track has a magical feeling to it that is so cool; it provides an awesome sense of nostalgia with its sound, and lyrically hits the listener in a place where everyone needs to be hit. ‘we’re all eating each other’ is so delightful and cheeky, and I hope it is the start of a very successful career for Juliet Ivy.  

MADONNA – KEVIN ABSTRACT

Kevin Abstract’s(former leader of BROCKHAMPTON for those who do not know) album Blanket was one of my most anticipated albums of 2023. Although it was very good, it did not quite live up to my way-too-high expectations. It did produce one of my top Pop singles of the year in the track ‘Madonna.’ Compared to the other music from Blanket, ‘Madonna’ sticks out like a sore thumb. Whereas most of the music on the record has a lo-fi Grunge sound, this song has a luminous 2000s R&B sound. When I hear this track, I think of the soulful R&B music artists like Chris Brown or Neyo made about 15 years ago. The vocals on this track are heavily pitched up, which sounds very unique on this kind of instrumental and makes the song feel so fresh. This song has a sing-along energy to it that makes it addicting; it is the kind of song I would love to listen to at a kickback with friends as we all belt the lyrics into the sky. ‘Madonna’ is an example of how talented a pure Pop and R&B artist Keven Abstract can be, and I do hope that his next album fully goes in this direction. 

FTCU – NICKI MINAJ

To be honest, there were multiple songs from Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 that I could have picked for this list. I am sure that people would not have been surprised if I had decided to go with songs like ‘Everybody’ with Lil Uzi Vert or ‘Needle’ with Drake(I actually think ‘Needle’ might age the best out of everything on this record, and I would not be surprised if it ends up being the biggest hit from this album in a year or two when the dust settles). The song I had to pick for this list from Pink Friday 2 because of its raw energy and power is ‘FTCU.’ This is a massive and hard-hitting Trap track where Nicki is at her absolute best as a rapper. Everything about this one is excellent. The instrumental is brash and intense; it has the kind of sound that will pump anyone up when it comes on. Nicki Minaj delivers an intense and bold vocal performance that goes so well with the booming energy of the instrumental. ‘FTCU’ is a certified banger with a larger-than-life energy that makes it one of the best Trap songs of 2023.