Hoopla's Top 50 Songs of 2023
Let's do the rare non-hoops post to talk about some bangers
It’s that time of year again everyone.
At one point, this newsletter was supposed to be twice a week, and half about non-Big Ten women’s basketball happenings. Those random posts have… mostly disappeared. Sorry about that, and thank you to those who have stuck around.
But as for this, it’s a list of my 50 favorite songs that were released in 2023. Emphasis on *my* as it strictly came down to my love for these songs and how I would rank them. Feel free to disagree with me in the replies or on any social media you can find of me.
The only other rule is that I have limited myself to one song per artist. These usually go long, so let’s not waste any more time. Here’s my Top 50, in order from 50 to 1.
Apple Music and Spotify playlists of this list are at the end.
50.) Red Wine Supernova - Chappell Roan
49.) are you feeling it now - mazie
48.) Flooded The Face - Lil Uzi Vert
47.) Eat The Acid - Kesha
46.) GLOW - MICHELLE
45.) Snow Angel - Reneé Rapp
44.) After Midnight - Phoenix ft. Clairo
43.) Silent Assassin - Tkay Maidza and Flume
42.) Gila Monster - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
41.) Baby Lay Your Head Down - Aly & AJ
40.) SAY MY GRACE - Offset ft. Travis Scott
I owe an apology to Offset, I wasn’t familiar with his game. This song goes nuts, plain and simple. The beat, Offset’s performance, the Travis feature toward the end, it all works in a big way.
39.) Forbidden Doors - Tennis
This was an early 2023 release that continued to stay in the rotation for me. Tennis' lead song off “Pollen” was a hit, with a great use of guitars with the more synth production, and an excellent vocal showing from Alaina Moore.
38.) Let Me Go - Daniel Caesar
Daniel Caesar’s best song in years, if you ask me. The emotion that comes through every word he says here grabs you immediately, and refuses to let go throughout the rest of the track.
37.) Heaven - Mitski
Could have went with a variety of songs off Mitsuki’s spectacular album, but “Heaven” has the best tune to match with the potent lyrics for my money. This song, and entire record, deserves your full attention.
36.) Weightless - Arlo Parks
There’s just something about Arlo Parks that hits me. Her voice is so silky smooth, her beats so nice to the ears, and all of that is so evident on “Weightless.” It is, in the simplest definition, just a lovely song to listen to.
35.) the BLACK seminole. - Lil Yachty
Lil Yachty decided he wants to make a psychedelic rock album, and he not only did that, but he made a pretty damn great one. “the BLACK seminole.” kicks that album off with a near-seven-minute odyssey that goes through beat switches, instrumental sequences and a whole lot of excellence.
34.) Leaving The Light - Genesis Owusu
Genesis Owusu is very much in his own lane as an artist, and it’s hard to think of anyone else who could make a track quite like this. It’s manic, it’s outlandish, but it’s also so damn catchy and fun.
33.) Blame Brett - The Beaches
Speaking of catchy! “Blame Brett” is the type of song you just want to scream the lyrics to when you hear it. This song, and specifically, this chorus, completely rules. I also love how specifically cruel the lyrics are, it matches the tone and it’s all brilliant.
32.) Hollywood Baby - 100 gecs
I will defend my beautiful gecs until the end of time. This duo makes some of the wildest nonsense I’ve ever heard, but the key is that it always just works. “Hollywood Baby” is about as straightforward as they will get, and it’s a spectacular banger all the same.
31.) MY HOUSE - Beyoncé
I’ve only had a few weeks to digest this one, but good lord Beyoncé. This song has two phases that both work individually and as a cohesive whole. It’s a song only someone as outrageously talented as Beyoncé could pull off.
30.) Mosquito - PinkPanthress
It was a massive year for PinkPanthress for a different song than this, and while “Boy’s a Liar” is great, this single off her album was more of my jam. It’s that same quick-hitter she’s so good at, but the rhythm of this one hits me in a different type of way.
29.) To Love - Suki Waterhouse
Suki Waterhouse was another artist I really found myself coming back to in 2023, mostly thanks to this song in particular. This track is gorgeous from start to finish, but the extra gear it finds during the bridge is what lands it here. A true wow moment.
28.) White Horse - Chris Stapleton
In a genre I don’t have nearly as much insight on as others, Chris Stapleton is the artist that has made me regret that. His vocals on “White Horse” are spectacular, as are the electric guitar sequences, and about everything else from this lovely track.
27.) I Wish you Roses - Kali Uchis
In a word? Stunning. This song makes me feel like I’m floating out in space. Kali Uchis’ singing melts into this production and sends me into another realm.
26.) Double Trio - By Storm
Injury Reserve’s first release with the trio becoming a duo certainly left an impact. The death of member Stepa J. Groggs left ripples throughout the group’s final record with that name, and this song, spanning almost seven minutes, makes me very excited for what By Storm can do moving forward.
25.) Out of Your Mind - MisterWives
Just a total banger. The MisterWives album from this year didn’t grab me as much as the singles they dropped in 2022, but this single goes so outlandishly hard. It’s a really fun punk rock turn for the group.
24.) Super Shy - NewJeans
One of the catchiest songs of the year, without a doubt. This Kpop group found lightning in a bottle here, as “Super Shy” has the perfect rhythm and the perfect simplicity to get stuck in your head in all the best ways.
23.) SNAKE EYES - Aries
Landing at just over two minutes, this quick hitter from Aries has such an electric energy to it that kept me coming back. The melodic flow, the punchy beat, it comes together for something wonderful.
22.) You’re Losing Me - Taylor Swift
Picking one Taylor Swift song from this year was like choosing a favorite child. But, even with strong contenders out of the TVs (“I Can See You” and “Is It Over Now?” the primary ones), it’s this “Midnights” vault track that hits me hardest. This is as raw and powerful as Taylor Swift gets, and it’s a song that hits me to my core with every listen.
21.) What Was I Made For? - Billie Eilish
Yes, it’s from “Barbie,” but what Billie Eilish crafted here transcends the film. “What Was I Made For?” is a touching, hard-hitting, beautiful song about finding inner worth. It can stand on its own and may just be one of Billie’s best songs.
20.) Evangeline - Stephen Sanchez
One of a few songs on this list I found thanks to a Music League I was in (shoutout Jess for submitting it), “Evangeline” is a fantastic, breathtaking song with a fantastic vocal performance and beautiful little instrumentation behind it.
19.) Running Out of Time - Paramore
Ohhhhh yes, Paramore was always going to be here. The band that refuses to miss ever released an album in early 2023, and “Running Out Of Time” is just another example of this. It’s not a rager, but the pace works perfectly within the song, elevated as always by a terrific Hayley Williams vocal performance.
18.) Houdini - Dua Lipa
A Dua Lipa bop with Tame Impala production? It turns out that is as good as it sounds on paper. Few are putting out as much consistent heat in the pop game as Duo Lipa, and “Houdini” is the exact type of single that gets me so excited for wherever she is going next.
17.) First Light - Hozier
One of the best closers of the year. Hozier’s “Unreal Unearth” was a very solid album, but “First Light” elevates it thanks to what might be my favorite vocal performance he has ever done. The emotion hit on this chorus is nothing short of masterful.
16.) One That Got Away - MUNA
No one is quite doing it like MUNA right now. We only got singles from this trio in 2023, but they still land here with “One That Got Away” an outrageously catchy synth pop hit that plays to all of the group’s strengths.
15.) 4EVA - KAYTRAMINÉ ft. Pharrell Williams
God damn I love this song. It’s just so much fun. The Aminé-KAYTRANADA collab project had it’s fair share of highs, but the first single they dropped together was the big winner. The Pharrell beat, the phrase “pussy percussion,” it’s all so good.
14.) I Believe - Caroline Polachek
Caroline Polachek put crack in this song. On her masterful album released this year, “I Believe” is the standout. It puts her vocals at the forefront, and brings the house down with a chorus that was, without a doubt, one of 2023’s best.
13.) Rush - Troye Sivan
“Rush” is one of the catchiest, most enjoyable listens of the year, and it’s Troye Sivan’s best song to date. This is just so FUN, from front to back. The rest of the album felt a bit lackluster, but maybe that’s just because I knew he had THIS in his bag.
12.) Love From The Other Side - Fall Out Boy
Yeah… yeah. I would be lying if it was any lower. Fall Out Boy had some incredible hits over a decade ago, released a lot of mediocrity in the years following, then came out with one of my favorite songs they’ve ever done in 2023. Rest of this album be damned, this song goes CRAZY, and brought me right back to 2008 in the best ways.
11.) Burfict! - JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown
On their quest to “SCARING THE HOES,” the JPEG-Danny duo made some of 2023’s most outlandish rap music. The singles were great, but “Burfict!” is the one that stuck for me. It has home run performances from the duo, a despicably nasty beat and just enough silliness to work without going overboard.
10.) TELEKINESIS - Travis Scott ft. Future and SZA
There’s a lot to love on Travis Scott’s expansive “UTOPIA,” but the highlight comes with its penultimate track. Here, Travis slows it down, brings a fantastically simple, but effective beat to go along with a pair of great features. The real standout, though, is with SZA, who gives an all-time great performance to close it out.
9.) Shit Talk - Sufjan Stevens
In a song spanning 8:32, Sufjan Stevens doesn’t pack “Shit Talk” with expansive lyrics about his heartbreak. No, instead it’s a mix of hard-hitting words and some of Sufjan’s all-time best production and vocal deliveries. The results will take your breath away.
8.) Suspended - Sampha
Sampha’s long-awaited follow-up album to “Process” was a lot of what I was hoping for, and while the two singles were excellent in their own right, he saved the best he had for “Suspended.” It’s a quick-hitter on the album, but packs a major punch thanks to the urgency felt in the beat and the vocal effects he adds in the second half that stops me dead in my tracks every time I hear it.
7.) A&W - Lana Del Rey
I’m a fair-weathered Lana Del Rey fan, and often feel her albums are hit or miss. That being said, “A&W” might very well be her best song. It’s over seven minutes long and leaves every second earned. It’s beautifully performed by Lana, as lyrically poignant as she’s ever been, multi faceted and stunning all the way through.
6.) The Hillbillies - Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar
The Baby Keem-Kendrick Lamar cousin duo is one of the best in the business. When these two come together, true magic happens, as is the case on “The Hillbillies.” This song is ridiculous, from its Bon Iver-sampled beat to the zany lyrics and tag-team style verses. This song, above all else, is a total blast.
5.) SORRY NOT SORRY - Tyler, The Creator
Tyler, The Creator’s renaissance into one of the most exciting and innovative artists working today has been a treat, and this LEFTOVER from the latest album is one of his best. This is Tyler at his most introspective, but doing it his way. The lyrics are the standout, but they come with tremendous production and a delivery that has such conviction and passion behind it. And the way it all reaches a climax by the end, phew.
4.) Prescription (Extended) - Remi Wolf
This song — and specifically the extended version of this song — is a gorgeous acid trip I never want to leave. Remi Wolf has made a lot of great music, but this one strikes a chord with me. It’s fantastically performed and beautifully crafted all the way through. This was the song I started my 10K with and it took me into another world, as it does every time I listen.
3.) Not Strong Enough - boygenius
When Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus come together, magic happens. It’s clear how well these three work together all throughout “the record,” but the trio is at its best on “Not Strong Enough.” Here, all three bring beautiful verses in front of a lovely acoustic guitar, all coming to a head with Lucy’s home run concluding moments. It’s perfectly sad and upbeat, enjoyable and heartbreaking, just as so much of boygenius can be.
2.) Psychedelic Switch - Carly Rae Jepsen
Carly Rae Jepsen will never get the credit she fully deserves for being one of the truly great pop artists alive, but I won’t let myself add to that travesty. CRJ has released banger after banger after banger, but “Psychedelic Switch” is on a whole other level with the likes of “Run Away With Me.”
This song has a groove among the best pop songs in recent memory, a vocal performance to match and lyrics you cannot help but gravitate to. It’s a beautiful masterpiece that combines everything great that Carly Rae Jepsen does in the most spectacular of ways.
1.) vampire - Olivia Rodrigo
Miss Olivia Rodrigo, take a bow.
At just 20 years old, Rodrigo released “GUTS,” a sophomore album that manages to improve on an already-great debut in every way. It’s an unbelievable feat that shows just how much talent and ability she has as an artist already. But we should have known this was coming from the first song we heard.
“vampire,” gave us everything we needed to know. This song has it all — Rodrigo’s unbelievably good vocals, lyrics that manage to both feel childish and mature in the best of ways, and a frantic energy that few in the genre can ever match even at their best. Dan Nigro’s consistently excellent production is just the icing on the cake.
Yes, there are other great songs from this album that could have been on the list instead, but “vampire” got my attention and never let go. It’s my top song of 2023 because as I complied this list, I found that I kept trying to find reasons why it wasn’t instead of why it was. “It’s a popular song,” “picking the lead single how original,” who cares.
“vampire” is a special song by a special artist that deserves all the credit it has received and then some.
Listen to my Top 50 Songs of 2023 on: