In the past year, the music industry was marked with many chart-topping and noteworthy releases, that spanned various genres.
Starting with the rock-pop band Paramore’s “This Is Why” and ending with notable pop-star Taylor Swift’s “1989 (Taylor’s Version)”, these are my six top records from 2023.
“This Is Why” by Paramore
This album really stood out to me, showing the band’s ability to craft such meaningful and creative tracks. Through both lead singer Hayley Williams’ vocals and the band’s satisfying instrumentation, “This Is Why” is easily one of the best in Paramore’s discography.
“Red Moon in Venus” by Kali Uchis
Released on March 3rd, Kali Uchis’ “Red Moon in Venus” encapsules the mesmerizing R&B sound, while also mastering Uchis’ distinctive sound. Tracks like “I Wish you Roses” showcase her soothing vocals, while others such as “Deserve Me” featuring artist Summer Walker, include more upbeat rhythms.
“The Record” by Boygenius
This year, the “supergroup” of Indie artists Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker released their first album this year, and it did not disappoint. With Phoebe Bridgers famously haunting vocals, Lucy Dacus’ poetic and intimate lyrics, and Julien Bakers fun guitar yet emotional vocals, “The Record” showcases a harmonious blend of their own distinct songwriting styles, creating powerful and poetic tracks.
“Get Up” by NewJeans
Five member K-pop girl group “NewJeans” new album is short yet is a memorable one. While the album is only a short twelve-minute run-time, their fun tunes, impeccable choreography, and fun personalities are still conveyed. NewJeans have taken over all Social Media platforms with their track “Super Shy” and have rocked the K-pop industry with their songs named after everyday abbreviations “ASAP” and “ETA”. With the youngest member of the group being fifteen, they’re still young and new, so I wonder what’s next for NewJeans.
“GUTS” by Olivia Rodrigo
Stepping away from her previous album “Sour”, Olivia Rodrigo heads in a totally different direction than her old music with her new Pop-Rock album, “GUTS”. My personal favorite from the album is the misleading track, “Ballad of a Homeschool Girl”, which is in fact not a ballad. I hope to see more releases like this in the future from Olivia Rodrigo in the future, because I think this might just be her best yet.
“Bewitched” by Laufey
All I have to say this that Laufey’s new album “Bewitched” is a masterpiece. Icelandic-Chinese Singer-Songwriter Laufey has skyrocketed her fame with this album, bringing back and popularizing traditional jazz. This album has many diverse tracks, ranging from the emotional deep dive into her past on “Letter to my 13-year-old self”, to the upbeat song “Lovesick”. Out of the six tracks listed, “Bewitched” is no doubt my favorite.
