The 50 Best Songs of 2023
Featuring Lana Del Rey, Kelela, Olivia Rodrigo, NewJeans, Carly Rae Jepsen, Ice Spice, and more...
It might be said every year, but 2023 was actually an amazing year for music. Between exciting breakthroughs for artists like PinkPantheress and Ice Spice and long-awaited releases from the critically-acclaimed such as Kelela and Olivia Rodrigo, 2023 followed suit with delivering great music following the huge wave of last year’s prominent releases.
Quite frankly, there was almost too much new music released this year to keep up with. However, that made for an exciting task to fill the first “Best Of” list for MUSHMIX. Read along below as we take a journey through this year’s best ten songs.
You can listen to the entire list on Spotify.
10. A&W - Lana Del Rey
2023 was a huge year for a lot of female artists - one of them being Lana Del Rey. Ever since her “question for the culture” fiasco (AKA 9/11 for Lana stans), it seemed like everything she did kept bringing down her star status. Almost three years later and two albums post-NFR, she drops “A&W”, the second single from her ninth studio album. Perhaps her most experimental record (yet), and what will probably be recognized now as her best, “A&W” is the quintessential Lana we had been missing over the last three years. Her songwriting is stronger than it’s ever been and the desire to push her sound (with the assistance of frequent collaborator, Jack Antonoff) has never felt more exciting. “A&W” is unlike anything Lana has ever made before.
9. Home To Another One - Madison Beer
If there’s one song this year that deserved to be a huge hit, it’s Madison Beer’s “Home To Another One”. Taking a bite from the signature Tame Impala sound they’ve become known for, the record is a major genre-jump from her previous releases. It’s perhaps the most exciting record she’s released - yet. Her sophomore release Silence Between Songs feels like Beer is finding her footing as an artist, so I’m excited to see where she goes from here.
8. I like u - Tove Lo
Tove Lo’s constant output of hits seriously needs to be studied. After last year’s club banger-filled Dirt Femme, “I like u” feels like an extension of that album. The lyrics are simple but it’s the 90s eurodance-inspired production that feels like pure ecstasy each time the chorus comes in. You could say it’s like the “afters” of Dirt Femme. Congrats, Tove Lo. You did it again!
7. Co-Star - Amaarae
I unfortunately arrived late to the Amaarae show but thank god I showed up. “Co-Star” is a ridiculous banger. Amaarae’s vocals and delivery glides so smoothly like ice over the video game-like crystal synths. But when that chorus kicks in - my god. Although I’m a newer listener, it’s obvious that Amaarae definitely knows her way around a strong, catchy ass hook. A sweet treat for the astrology girls, “Co-Star” is going down as one of my summer staples.
6. Super Shy - NewJeans
Super sweet and super catchy - “Super Shy” is one of this year’s finest K-pop records. Blending Jersey club with their signature liquid drum n bass bubblegum sound (crafted with the touch of the iconic Erika De Casier), the song feels like zooming through an episode of The Powerpuff Girls. It actually does really feel like that considering they sample the drums from the OG Powerpuff Girls theme song. Following the current trend of two minute songs, “Super Shy” is criminally short but that’s why each listen feels like crack. You simply cannot get enough of it.
5. Needs - Tinashe
I’m probably biased, but Tinashe never misses. “Needs” was this summer’s sexy, dick-appointment anthem. It’s short and only features one verse, but my god does Tinashe eat it up. Her pitched vocals shifting throughout that single verse tickle my ear in the most satisfying way as she slides effortlessly throughout. “Eat my pussy, boy, don’t call me”, is probably the most iconic line she’s ever written.
4. Deli - Ice Spice
Ohhhh my god. I’m not lying when I say that my mouth dropped upon hearing this for the first time. The production is menacing in the best way possible and Ice Spice’s delivery feels like a huge improvement over her releases from earlier this year. It’s been quite a huge year for her as well with four top ten hits already under her belt, three of those being collaborations with industry giants Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj. Regardless of what the future looks like for Ice Spice, no one will ever be able to top “I’m the shit, I’m that bitch, I’m miss poopie”, and no one will ever be able to take that away from her.
3. Boy’s a liar Pt.2 - PinkPantheress, Ice Spice
Alongside Ice Spice, 2023 was a major breakthrough year for the lowkey TikTok music star turned pop starlet PinkPantheress. Although their names were already making rounds on the scene, it was this collaboration that brought them both to newfound success. What could’ve been a clunky situation thankfully turned into an amazing remixed collaboration. Ice Spice’s simple lyrics and breezy attitude blended magically with PinkPantheress’ minimalist pop sound and emotionally driven writing. It was my top song of the year on Spotify. And rightfully so. It was hard to escape it’s catchiness and serotonin-boosting effects. What made this song more lovable for me though was the coming together of two young acts who I genuinely want to see succeed.
2. Contact - Kelela
Kelela the mother that you are. Placed on an album between bangers and slow jams, “Contact” is that beautiful middle ground between the two. Her vocals are velvety smooth through the haziness that gets heavier as the track goes on. It’s production feels extremely sleek, warm, and sexy (thanks to frequent collaborators like LSDXOXO), like it’s constantly inviting you to get on the dance floor, leaving all your inhibitions behind. Between pregaming for the night’s escapades, to entering the packed neon lit club, and ending up at the back of the room with a lover, “Contact” has a little bit of something for every part of the night, as Kelela desccribed it herself. This was an extremely hard to decision to put this at #2 and not #1, so depending on the context, this and the #1 song are interchangeable for me.
1. Vampire - Olivia Rodrigo
And here we have it - our best song of 2023. There was immense pressure for Olivia’s comeback single following the end of her SOUR era. Although the cover art felt a little underwhelming upon Olivia dropping it 2 weeks before the song’s release, it in no way prepared me for what “Vampire” was about to be. It starts off as a piano ballad, following a model similar to “Driver’s License”. However, after the first chorus, we realize that Olivia’s focus isn’t on heartbreak. It’s turned into rage. And hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
“Vampire” took a second to grow on me, but god damn did it take over. The songwriting chemistry between Olivia and Dan Nigro feels even stronger than it did on SOUR. Although it’s not a huge departure sonically, it does feel like a natural progression for Olivia, maturing from the sound and themes from “Driver’s License”. Each chorus gets better as the song becomes more hurried and jittery. It’s at the bridge though that Olivia’s cathartic release becomes a fully realized emotional performance. She went in for the kill and succeeded. It’s the performance of the year.
Listen to the entire list here on Spotify.