As I have stated in my 4 other posts about the music of 2023, it was a very strange year for music. As apps like TikTok continue to influence the direction of the music industry more and more, artists have tried their best to adjust. One of my favorite things about TikTok and its effect on the music industry is how it helps expose up-and-coming or not-as-well-known artists. TikTok is a great place for artists to expose themselves to a new audience, and for more experienced artists to try out new sounds they may not have put on an album. I have noticed that a ton of the singles that go viral on TikTok end up being attached to/included in EPs. Most of my favorite EPs from the year were discovered because of singles that went viral on that app. Overall, I would say I enjoyed the quality of the EPs I listened to in 2023 more than I did the albums I listened to. I feel like so many of the albums I listened to were bloated and saturated, and the EPs were more concise and exploratory. When you do not include 4 songs in a row that sound the same, you can get a more pointed and impactful feeling out of your project. One thing I learned this year is that EPs are huge in K-Pop. Because of that, a lot of my top EPs below are K-Pop projects I enjoyed a ton(associated with singles on my K-Pop songs list). This list is full of a ton of rising or foreign artists that I did not listen to before 2023, and that is pretty cool. Some honorable mentions I wanted to shout out before I get into my list are Jeon Somi’s GAME PLAN, Ice Spice’s Like..?, and G(I)-DLE’s I feel. I enjoyed these three projects a lot, and they just missed the final cut. With that being said, here is a list of my favorite EPs from 2023. Please let me know in the comments below if you enjoy these projects too, and also comment the names of some other artists who dropped great EPs in 2023.

SARAH KINSLEY – ASCENSION

My first EP of this list is by an ascending Alt-Pop singer named Sarah Kinsley who has been making waves over the last year or so. I came across her music while looking into other artists who make music in a similar vein to hers, and I am glad I was exposed to it. Ascension is a deep and powerful project that is drowning in colorful feelings and emotions. There are elements of this EP that make me think of Lana Del Rey, and there are also elements that feel like modern versions of music by The Cure. Ascension has a classic feeling to it while also staying current with its sound. The best thing about this project is Sarah’s lyricism and vocals. Her lyrics are important and cut deep, and the emotion she sings with is so palpable. Sarah Kinsley is an Alt-Pop artist who is on the fast track to stardom, and Ascension shows off her potential.

TWICE – READY TO BE

As they seem to do every single year, K-Pop superstars TWICE delivered listeners with another great EP in 2023(TWICE has released at least one EP every year since 2015, which is an incredibly productive run). Last year, TWICE switched up their sound a bit and leaned into a type of music that has become big among American Pop artists in 2023. READY TO BE is a project with a ton of Disco and 1970s Motown Pop music influence in it. The instrumentals for the songs on this project make me think of artists like Diana Ross or Earth Wind and Aretha Franklin. The way these instrumentals are arranged gives them a current Pop music feeling, but they have a retro Funky element to them. The best thing about READY TO BE to me is how it shows TWICE’s versatility. There seems to be no limits as to what this group can do because of how talented they are, and READY TO BE is the latest example of this.

JIMIN – FACES

FACES is the second EP in a row on this project that comes from a legend in the K-Pop industry. Instead of coming from a legendary group, though, FACES is a solo project from a member of the iconic boy band BTS. Jimin was the first member of BTS to release a solo project in 2023, and it produced a lead single called ‘Like Crazy’ which was the first song to debut on top of the Billboard Hot 100 List by a K-Pop solo artist. This point alone makes FACES special, but the greatness of this project goes beyond that track. The vocals on FACES are excellent(as expected from Jimin) and the instrumentals are cool, but my favorite thing about this EP is the lyricism. Jimin bears all about isolation from COVID and his relationship with a partner through this isolation, and one can feel how serious he is about these things through his lyricism. FACES is an EP that shows Jimin can be as successful a solo artist as he wants to be, and I can not wait to see what he does next.

DEB NEVER – THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

Deb Never is an Alt-Pop artist whom I have been a huge fan of for the last couple of years. I have always thought she deserves so much more credit, and sometimes it feels like the general Pop-listening world is not quite ready for her. She pushes boundaries in a way that other artists in her scene have not been willing to push them, and is willing to take risks that push her genre forward. Her 2023 EP Thank You For Attending was not as eclectic and crazy as some of her past work, but it is still just as high-quality. If you are a fan of early-2000s post-Grunge music, this is a project you need to check out. It takes some of the best elements from that kind of music and makes them modern and fresh. Thank You For Attending is a great Alternative EP that has a sound that can appeal to fans of Alt-Rock from the early 2000s and Alternative music from today, and it is the latest example of why Deb Never is at the forefront of her genre.

GENIA – 4PM IN THE VILLE

As I stated in the introduction, TikTok has been one of my favorite ways to discover new music because of how often random songs by unknown artists go viral there. Genia is an artist I discovered due to her track ‘Introducing’ doing numbers on TikTok at the beginning of the summer. This single led me to check out her debut EP 4PM In The Ville, and I am so glad I did. This is a project that sounds very inspired by early-to-mid 2000s R&B but makes these sounds very fresh and current. When you listen to this EP, you can hear the influence of artists like Beyoncé. Rihanna, and even Alicia Keys. Even though Genia wears her influences on her sleeves, the songs on this EP still fit into the R&B landscape because of how they are arranged. Genia goes with a fresh take on a style of R&B music that I have an affinity for(since I grew up with it), and I am excited to see what she does in the future.

XG – NEW DNA

Ever since I discovered XG late in 2022, I have been trying to get people to listen to them. They are so unique, and their music is distinctive and fun. XG is a rising all-Japanese K-Pop group who makes most of their music in English. As weird as this may sound, it works out so well. After seeing some viral success with their single ‘SHOOTING STAR’ early in 2023, XG released an EP called NEW DNA near the end of the year. My favorite thing about this project is how eclectic it is. Every song has a different sound and feeling to it, and I feel like there is something for all kinds of modern music listeners. Whether you like Pop-Trap, Electronic Music, or tougher Hip Hop beats, XG has something for you. If you are into K-Pop and have not listened to XG yet, please check them out because they are an exciting group that deserves so much more credit.

JIHYO – ZONE

Shortly after MISAMO, a sub-unit from TWICE, released their EP Do Not Touch(which just barely missed my list for best EPs of 2023), TWICE’s Jihyo came out with her solo project called ZONE. Jihyo has always been seen as a phenomenal vocalist, which is more evident than ever on ZONE. The best thing about ZONE to me, however, is not the vocals(as great as they are). It is the diversity that she shows as an artist on this project. The range of the instrumentals on ZONE is so eclectic and wide-ranging. This project has a variety of very different kinds of instrumentals, and Jihyo adapts to each style of song very well. Jihyo is an excellent singer who has no limits to the type of music she can make, and she proves that on ZONE.

V – LAYOVER

Like so many other members of BTS did in 2023, V came out with his first solo project late in the year. Out of all of his BTS counterparts, V is the one who went the most outside the box with his solo work. Layover has a sound that is unlike anything ever made by BTS; in fact, it is unlike any other K-Pop music I have heard in general. This is a Jazzy R&B project with an old-school feeling that I adore. I would say the artist who these instrumentals remind me of the most is Mac Miller; Layover has a sound that makes me think of albums like Swimming or Circles. V’s deep, sultry voice works so well in these kinds of melodies and beats. His vocals give these songs an all-encompassing feeling, and his lyrics make them so poignant. V took a risk and did something no one would have expected of him on Layover, and in my opinion, it paid off hugely.

TINASHE – BB/ANG3L

There are certain artists who have been actively trying to push their genre forward for years, and have never gotten the credit they deserve for their innovation and eclecticism. Tinashe is an artist who fits this description so well. Her 2023 project BB/ANG3L is a perfect example of what makes her such an important part of the R&B genre. This EP takes modern R&B and Hip Hop and pushes it into something that sounds futuristic and fresh. BB/ANG3L has an overall sound and feeling that sounds retro and ultra-modern at the same time. There are elements of this EP that are reminiscent of 1990s Dance music and R&B, but the way these tracks are mixed almost makes them feel otherworldly. Tinashe is one of the most important and interesting artists making R&B today, and BB/ANG3L is the latest example of her greatness in this regard.

G(I)-DLE – HEAT

G(I)-DLE is one of my favorite artists that I discovered in 2023. Not only did I love their EP I feel(which I shouted out in the intro), but their EP HEAT is one of my favorites of the year. G(I)-DLE is a K-Pop group that thinks outside of the box and makes music that is so exclusive from their peers. HEAT is an EP that exhibits G(I)-DLE’s willingness to go against the grain of what one would expect in K-Pop. The first thing about this EP that makes it stand out is that it is completely in English. Most K-Pop artists do not make full-English projects, and this shows how unique and talented the group is and how they can appeal to Western music listeners so easily. As much as I appreciate the English lyricism, the thing about this EP that makes it so great is how fun and strong its instrumentals are! The instrumentals on this EP range from retro to newfangled and from hard-hitting to soft, giving the EP such a huge range. HEAT is an awesome EP from my favorite K-Pop artist right now, and I can not wait to hear G(I)-DLE’s upcoming album(slated to release at the end of January 2024).

JACK KAYS – CAFFEINE

Jack Kays is another rising artist that I discovered in 2023 on TikTok. Differently from the other artists on this list in this vein, I actually did not discover Jack Kays through a viral song of his. Instead, I came across his cooking videos and got obsessed with a song that was always in the background of them. It turns out that song was ‘Caffeine,’ the lead single of his 2023 EP. Caffeine is a short and powerful project that provides a sense of nostalgia that I appreciate so deeply. The songs on this project immediately make me think of the Indie and Garage Rock that was big in the early 2000s. When I listen to Caffeine, I think of artists like The Strokes, The White Stripes, or The Arctic Monkeys. As much as I appreciate the sound of the tracks, the best thing about Caffeine is the raw emotion in Jack’s lyrics and vocals. He sings about touchy subjects on this project, and one can feel how he feels through how he sings these tracks. Jack Kays is a riveting Alternative Rock artist whose music is a breath of fresh air, and Caffeine shows off his immense talent.

ATARASHII GAKKO! – ICHIJIKIKOKU

Out of all of the artists on this list, Atarashii Gakko! Is probably the strangest and most polarizing one. They are a rising Japanese artist with an extremely diverse and eclectic sound that is unlike anything being made by anyone else today that I have heard. Their 2023 EP ICHIJIKIKOKU is an insane and super fun project that exhibits all the qualities that make AG great. Everything about this EP, from its strong and empowering lyricism to its powerful and intense music videos to its hard-hitting sound. AG is an artist who is trying to make a lasting impression with their message(which is meant to inspire young women to be leaders), and all the aspects of their artistry drive their message home. AG is an awesome artist who stands out in every way possible and ICHIJIKIKOKU shows how important and interesting they are.

REI AMI – SHHH

Like Deb Never, Rei Ami is a rising Pop artist who I have always thought deserves way more credit. She has a sound and overall energy that is so distinctive and unique, and she is willing to push boundaries in Pop music in a manner that goes way further than her peers. Rei Ami’s 2023 EP shhh is a short yet powerful EP that packs a hell of a punch. This project combines Synth-Pop and Trap music with Industrial music in a way that sticks out in a major way. There are elements of these instrumentals that are light and free-spirited, and there are elements that are intense and brash. Rei Ami’s vocals on shhh are just as dynamic as the vocals. In some moments, she brings a bold and brazen nature to her vocals that match the high energy of the Industrial sounds, and at other points, she has a more reserved delivery that contrasts those sounds. shhh is a great Pop project that is nothing like anything Rei Ami’s peers are making, and I hope she continues to push her sound this way in the future because she is onto something special.

NEWJEANS – GET UP!

If you are active on TikTok at all, I would guess you have heard something by NewJeans at some point. They had multiple songs go incredibly viral on the app in 2023; NewJeans had as big an impact on the music of TikTok as any other artist did in 2023. The new K-Pop sensations released their debut EP, Get Up!, in the summer of 2023, and it proved that they are indeed meant to be superstars. Get Up! has a fresh and sweet sound that will make anyone feel good when they hear it. This EP has undertones of 1990s R&B and Garage music but makes these sounds feel modern and current. This is an exceptional project that shows how talented its members are individually and as a group. Each member of NewJeans shines in their own way on Get Up!, bringing something to the table that makes the EP extra special. NewJeans became one of the premier groups in K-Pop in 2023, and Get Up! proves that all the hype around them is warranted.

JULIET IVY – PLAYPEN

Now some may say that my favorite project overall in 2023(EPs and albums) is one of the last ones I listened to. I have not been able to get the music from Juliet Ivy’s playpen out of my head since I first heard it about a month ago. There is so much about this project that is captivating and draws me in so much. As with multiple artists above, Juliet Ivy is an artist I discovered due to one of her songs going viral on TikTok. I am so happy she is seeing the success she is seeing because I think she struck gold and created something so special with playpen. I can not say enough about how much I enjoy this EP; everything about it is great. The instrumentals, which provide a sense of nostalgia due to their 1990s Alt-Rock influence, still feel so fresh because of how they are arranged. The lyricism on this album is very deep and heartfelt but also tongue-in-cheek, hitting hard yet feeling light at the same time. Juliet Ivy’s dainty and sweet vocals make these songs so warm and all-encompassing, driving the feeling of the lyrics home. playpen is a truly excellent project from a new artist with an insane amount of talent; I am so excited to see Juliet Ivy build on this success and I can’t wait to see what she does next.