{"id":83086,"date":"2023-12-14T19:00:47","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T19:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/?p=83086"},"modified":"2023-12-14T19:00:47","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T19:00:47","slug":"the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/","title":{"rendered":"The best songs of 2023, a critic\u2019s choice"},"content":{"rendered":"

By <\/span>Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Our critic\u2019s pick of the songs of the year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Save articles for later<\/h3>\n

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.<\/p>\n

2023 has been a strange year of ups and downs, but there\u2019s always been good music to get us through. We said hello to exciting new artists around the world, welcomed fresh tracks from mainstays, and bid a fond farewell to some trailblazers (most notably Camp Cope in Australia, who challenged and changed the local music landscape). From big-screen soundtracks and household names to a few lesser-known artists, here are 10 of our critic\u2019s top picks for songs of the year.<\/p>\n

Not Strong Enough, <\/b>boygenius <\/b><\/h3>\n

They might have made listeners wait five long years since their debut EP was released for a full-length, but ask anyone in the know \u2013 boygenius\u2019 full-length debut was worth it. The supergroup, made up of American singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, combined their gorgeous harmonies and razor-sharp observations on the album, simply titled The Record<\/i>. Not Strong Enough<\/i> is classic boygenius, spotlighting the best of each songwriter\u2019s abilities and styles, all while referencing a classic Sheryl Crow song. This is modern indie at its very best \u2013 the future is bright for \u201cthe boys\u201d.<\/p>\n

Stay Blessed, <\/b>Genesis Owusu<\/b><\/h3>\n

In August, the chameleonic Canberra-based rapper and musician Genesis Owusu released his second record, Struggler<\/i>. Inspired by Franz Kafka\u2019s Metamorphosis<\/i>, the concept album centres on an alter-ego, The Roach, as a metaphor for the challenges of life in the modern age. This angular track is one of the album\u2019s highlights, fusing 2000s Bloc Party-style indie rock guitars with Owusu\u2019s rapid-fire vocal delivery. It\u2019s been a pleasure to see the musician go from strength to strength, carving out a truly unique niche in the Australian music landscape and pushing the boundaries of his songwriting and craft.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Genesis Owusu.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Wolter Peeters<\/cite><\/p>\n

Speed Drive, Charli XCX<\/b><\/h3>\n

Love it or hate it, you have to hand it to her \u2013 Greta Gerwig truly dominated the culture in 2023 with Barbie<\/i>, and the film had a star-studded soundtrack to boot. While many of the songs on that soundtrack might not stand the test of time, Charli XCX\u2019s contribution is buckets of memorable fun, perfectly capturing the manic, weirdo energy of the film while also slotting comfortably into the English pop star\u2019s canon alongside songs like Vroom Vroom<\/i>. Its cheeky interpolation of Toni Basil\u2019s 80s hit Hey Mickey<\/i> makes it an earworm that\u2019s impossible to shake off.<\/p>\n

Flowers, Miley Cyrus <\/b><\/h3>\n

Alongside Kylie Minogue\u2019s Padam Padam<\/i>, this might have been the comeback single of the year. Miley Cyrus\u2019 instantly recognisable voice sounds better than ever on this iconic kiss-off, which puts a new spin on Bruno Mars\u2019 2012 hit When I Was Your Man<\/i>. Flowers<\/i> has it all: a catchy melody, a compelling vocal delivery and celebrity gossip fuel \u2013 it\u2019s thought to be about Cyrus\u2019 ex, Liam Hemsworth, who once dedicated the Mars song to her. With its message of independence and empowerment, this one is sure to have soundtracked countless breakups this year, reasserting how good it feels to look after number one \u2013 no one else required.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Miley Cyrus.<\/span>Credit: <\/span> <\/cite><\/p>\n

You\u2019re Losing Me<\/em>, Taylor Swift <\/b><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s no denying it \u2013 2023 was the year of Taylor Swift. The superstar\u2019s Era Tour broke records around the world, causing a squabble in Australia when tickets went on sale in June and sold out instantly. You\u2019re Losing Me<\/i>, a bonus track from Midnights<\/i>, encapsulates what the songwriter does so well \u2013 it\u2019s an understated and heartbreaking song about the end of a relationship, with her literal heartbeat laying the foundations. Swift is the queen of the pop song bridge, and this one\u2019s a killer. The song recently was finally released on streaming platforms after months of being a bootleg favourite, so get a box of tissues ready.<\/p>\n

Squid<\/em>, <\/b>RVG<\/b><\/h3>\n

If you haven\u2019t yet heard of RVG, what are you waiting for? The post-punk band has been one of Melbourne\u2019s best-kept secrets for years, and their latest album, Brain Worms<\/i>, is their most daring yet. Squid<\/i> is its sprawling, enigmatic centrepiece \u2013 in the thundering, synth-soaked song, singer Romy Vager describes stepping on a squid and then becoming one herself. Turns out that being a cephalopod doesn\u2019t save you from the existential despair of modern life. Adventurous, compelling and strange, this is one of the best local releases of the year that shows a songwriter at the peak of her powers.<\/p>\n

Letting Go<\/em>, <\/b>Angie McMahon <\/b><\/h3>\n

Melbourne singer-songwriter Angie McMahon\u2019s second album, Light, Dark, Light Again<\/i>, is a soothing balm for the anxious mind. It\u2019s brimming with mantras and self-affirmation, acknowledging how difficult life can be, but also appreciating the small but wondrous things about the world. Letting Go<\/i>\u2019s expansive, dreamy atmosphere recalls the likes of The War on Drugs, with McMahon\u2019s powerful vocals soaring above the chugging sound, moving ever forward. At the song\u2019s climax, she repeats, \u201cit\u2019s okay, make mistakes\u201d \u2013 a reminder that even in the dark times, there\u2019s always hope and redemption to be found.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Angie McMahon.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Taylor Ranston<\/cite><\/p>\n

Silent Assassin<\/em>, Tkay Maidza feat. Flume
<\/b>Two of Australia\u2019s finest team up on this single, which will lodge itself deep into your brain. The first single from Zimbabwe-born, Australia-raised and now Los Angeles-based rapper Maidza\u2019s album Sweet Justice<\/i>, this one clocks in at just over two minutes but leaves a lasting impression. The insistent, mosquito-like buzzing and chimes of Flume\u2019s production provides a perfect backdrop for Maidza to take centre stage, showing off her immaculate flow. It\u2019s a singular track that takes its cues from various influences and eras \u2013 a bit of Missy Elliott, a bit of 90s industrial \u2013 and emerges as entirely its own thing.<\/p>\n

Spring to Life<\/em>, Tia Gostelow<\/b><\/h3>\n

This track from Indigenous singer-songwriter Tia Gostelow snuck into my most played for the year, according to Spotify Wrapped \u2013 and it\u2019s not too hard to see why. The Queensland musician seamlessly melds contemporary and 80s influences on the first single from her third album, Head Noise<\/i>. It\u2019s a slice of pop perfection, ruminating on the yearning and overthinking that often comes with the experience of love in one\u2019s younger years. Saxophone flourishes dot the tune before an extended outro, bringing to mind the best of the previous decades while also pushing Australian pop music forward into a new sphere.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Tia Gostelow<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Kiss Me<\/em>, Maple Glider<\/b><\/h3>\n

Longtime fans of Maple Glider will be familiar with this song from her live shows, but its official release this year has doubtlessly introduced it to many more listeners. The Melbourne folk musician, real name Tori Zietsch, has the ethereality of Cat Power and Lana Del Rey. Don\u2019t Kiss Me<\/i> is a quietly angry song about consent and violation. Side by side with Dinah<\/i>, both from her second album I Get Into Trouble<\/i>, it\u2019s a confronting look at how girls and women are raised and treated, wrapped up in Zietsch\u2019s beautiful, gentle songwriting and glorious voice.<\/p>\n

Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. <\/i><\/b>Get The Watchlist<\/i><\/b> delivered every Thursday.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Most Viewed in Culture<\/h2>\n

Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen Our critic\u2019s pick of the songs of the year. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. 2023 has been a strange year of ups and downs, but there\u2019s always been good music to get us through. We said hello to exciting…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe best songs of 2023, a critic\u2019s choice - posterboyedit<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The best songs of 2023, a critic\u2019s choice - posterboyedit\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen Our critic\u2019s pick of the songs of the year. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. 2023 has been a strange year of ups and downs, but there\u2019s always been good music to get us through. We said hello to exciting…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"posterboyedit\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-12-14T19:00:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.73828125%2C$multiply_0.7725%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/78c438993aae2adca32b80c727e7dff5ae6c4a72\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"mediabest\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"mediabest\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/\",\"name\":\"The best songs of 2023, a critic\u2019s choice - posterboyedit\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-12-14T19:00:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-12-14T19:00:47+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/#\/schema\/person\/abc9aeefdadf991087d66599cfc40c8d\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Lifestyle\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/category\/lifestyle\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"The best songs of 2023, a critic\u2019s choice\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/\",\"name\":\"posterboyedit\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/#\/schema\/person\/abc9aeefdadf991087d66599cfc40c8d\",\"name\":\"mediabest\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e73c98805c733847e7bd8261624c7373?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e73c98805c733847e7bd8261624c7373?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"mediabest\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The best songs of 2023, a critic\u2019s choice - posterboyedit","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The best songs of 2023, a critic\u2019s choice - posterboyedit","og_description":"By Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen Our critic\u2019s pick of the songs of the year. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. 2023 has been a strange year of ups and downs, but there\u2019s always been good music to get us through. We said hello to exciting…","og_url":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/","og_site_name":"posterboyedit","article_published_time":"2023-12-14T19:00:47+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/static.ffx.io\/images\/$zoom_0.73828125%2C$multiply_0.7725%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_0\/t_crop_custom\/q_86%2Cf_auto\/78c438993aae2adca32b80c727e7dff5ae6c4a72"}],"author":"mediabest","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"mediabest","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/","url":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/","name":"The best songs of 2023, a critic\u2019s choice - posterboyedit","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2023-12-14T19:00:47+00:00","dateModified":"2023-12-14T19:00:47+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/#\/schema\/person\/abc9aeefdadf991087d66599cfc40c8d"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/lifestyle\/the-best-songs-of-2023-a-critics-choice\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Lifestyle","item":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/category\/lifestyle\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"The best songs of 2023, a critic\u2019s choice"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/","name":"posterboyedit","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/#\/schema\/person\/abc9aeefdadf991087d66599cfc40c8d","name":"mediabest","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e73c98805c733847e7bd8261624c7373?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e73c98805c733847e7bd8261624c7373?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"mediabest"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83086"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83086"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83086\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":83087,"href":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83086\/revisions\/83087"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/posterboyedit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}