The 2023 End of Year music lists thread

NME's Best Albums of 2023
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2161-nmes-best-albums-of-2023/

https://www.nme.com/features/music-features/best-albums-2023-3554171

Number 1: 1. boygenius - the record

7. Sofia Kourtesis - Madres

25. Loraine James - Gentle Confrontation

popmatters THE 80 BEST ALBUMS OF 2023
https://www.popmatters.com/the-best-albums-of-2023

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2160-popmatters-80-best-albums-of-2023/

1. Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!

Glad to see Madres placing

makes a change from 20 years ago when we had that idiot Conor McNicholas in charge of the NME, the bleak landfill years.

That slant list with a rare (and low) placing for Roisin Murphy

why was the picked when tension was far superior?

"padam padam" was the hit though i still don't really understand how or why

Still Listening magazine, new music website, that I was previously unaware of.

UK based formed in 2020
https://twitter.com/MagazineStill

still listening magazine - The Top 50 Albums Of 2023
https://www.stilllisteningmagazine.com/features/the-top-50-albums-of-2023

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2163-still-listenings-top-50-albums-of-2023/

1) JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown - Scaring The Hoes

djmartian, how do you choose your "selected highlights"?

just quick notes, personal faves of mine and/or previous ilm faves or artists that others have mentioned on this thread.

Creeper's Sanguivore is Metal Hammer's album of the year

Huzzah! Definitely in my top 10. It's so ridiculous and grand and committed to the bit. And hooks in every song.

For those who care about the horserace, LDR has slipped to 5 and Boygenius has taken the lead

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/summary/2023/

I was not aware that people thought the boygenius record was all that.

it got very good reviews so that isn't surprising but i still don't quite understand the hype. it's not as strong or interesting as any of their solo work, less than the sum of its parts

The Best Albums of 2023: Essential Releases
https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2023/the-best-albums-of-2023-essential-releases

these were all the albums mentioned in the article:

Chief Adjuah
Bark Out Thunder, Roar Out Lightning

Shana Cleveland
Manzanita

Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru
Jerusalem

Liturgy
93696

Kabeaushé
The Coming of Gaze

KMRU
Dissolution Grip

L’Rain
I Killed Your Dog

MC Yallah
Yallah Beibe

Nourished By Time
Erotic Probiotic 2

Silicone Prairie
Vol. II

upcoming
And next week, our genre columnists weigh in with their picks for the year’s best records.

UK based music website, musicOMH

musicOMH’s Top 50 Albums Of 2023
https://www.musicomh.com/features/lists/musicomhs-top-50-albums-of-2023/

1. Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good!

it got very good reviews so that isn't surprising but i still don't quite understand the hype. it's not as strong or interesting as any of their solo work, less than the sum of its parts

― ufo, Friday, December 8, 2023 9:52 AM (twenty-nine minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

yep

yeah, I thought the consensus was that it was good but not great, which is why it's an odd #1.

I think it's more like "very good" than "good" — I count 8 great songs out of 12, which is a lot of great songs — but also I think people just love the idea of Boygenius. Which I do, too.

another music website, i am not previously familiar with;

optimistic underground (david james)

60 Best Albums of 2023
https://optimisticunderground.com/2023/12/08/60-best-albums-of-2023/

provides links to bandcamp

seems to be on the same wavelength as The Wire magazine.

tipsy mothra otm ... i think it's half great and half good to meh, but those three *and* those three together is just catnip for so many people ... i'm surprised they haven't run away with the aggregate by now. they're a conceptual (not the right word) juggernaut and unless they make an album that really stinks, people - both critics and norms - are going to eat it up.

number 41
Kylie Minogue, "Padam Padam"

why was the picked when tension was far superior?

it's all about the cultural moment Kylie had w/this song, one which i think is vv good, but "Tension" is actually great.

I'm surprised Water From Your Eyes isn't trending; I had thought that would be more of a favorite.

I like Water From Your Eyes, it's 415 on my list currently :)

I tried to get onboard with Creeper's Hollywood goth take on Meatloaf. I like the concept, just wasn't compelled to revisit. It's nice to see Royal thunder, Maggot Heart and Blood Ceremony on another list other than my own. And yes, everyone listen to unpurson's recommendation to check out Spirit Adrift, my #2.

Shindig is the first list to mention my album of the year, Large Plants - The Thorn, as well as my #18, Emile - Spirit. The Beatles-y psych pop of Vanity Mirror and third album from Dentists spinoff The Treasures of Mexico (psych/jangle/power pop) are nice discoveries for me.

The Shindig! Writers' Poll
1. The Lemon Twigs - Everything Harmony
2. Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection - 2
3. The Coral - Sea of Mirrors
4. Say She She - Silver
5. Mapache - Swinging Stars
6. Large Plants - The Thorn
7. The Ironsides - Changing Light
8. Jonathan Wilson - Eat the Worm
9. Belbury Poly - The Path
10. Meg Baird - Furling
11. Teenage Fanclub - Nothing Lasts Forever
12. The Clientele - I Am Not There Anymore
13. Shana Cleveland - Manzanita
14. Thomas Walsh - The Rest is History
15. Julie Byrne - The Greater Wings
16. The Evening Sons - Tracks
17. Emile - Spirit
18. Co-Pilot - Rotate
19. Novelty Island - Wallsend Weekend Television
20. Uni-Boys - Buy This now!
21. Emma Tricca - Aspirin Sun
22. Simon Rowe - Everybody's Thinking
23. Soft Hearted Scientists - Waltz of the Weekend
24. Vanity Mirror - Puff
25. The Treasures of Mexico - Burn the Jets
26. Pete Molinari - Wondrous Afternoon
27. Lael Neale - Star Eaters Delight

Some of my new discoveries in the past week:

1. Upper Wilds – Jupiter (Thrill Jockey)
2. Deeper – Careful! (Sub Pop)
3. Volksempfänger – Attack of Sound (Cardinal Fuzz/Feeding Tube)
4. Death And Vanilla – Flicker (Fire)
5. Catatonic Suns – Catatonic Suns (Agitated)
6. HMLTD – The Worm (Lucky Number)
7. William Tyler & The Impossible Truth – Secret Stratosphere (Merge)
8. Vanity Mirror – Puff (We Are Busy Bodies)
9. The Treasures Of Mexico – Burn the Jets (Spinout Nuggets)
10. En Attendant Ana – Principia (Trouble In Mind)
11. Shredded Sun – Each Dot and Each Line (Shredded Sun)
12. Star 99 – Bitch Unlimited (Lauren3)
13. The Psychotic Monks – Pink Colour Surgery (Vicious Circle3)
14. Coventry – Our Lady of Perpetual Health (Septic Jukebox)
15. Vipertime – Arise (HPBC,)
16. Matt Ulery – Mannerist (Woolgathering)
17. Truth Club – Running From the Chase (Double Double Whammy)
18. Mapache – Swinging Stars (Innovative Leisure)
19. Mos Eisley Spaceport – Further (MES)
20. Soft On Crime – New Suite (Eats It)
21. Musta Huone – Valosaasteen Sekaan (Paa Jotaki)
22. Sun June – Bad Dream Jaguar (Run for Cove)
23. Will Johnson – No Ordinary Crown (Keeled Scales)
24. Holy Tongue – Deliverance And Spiritual Warfare (Amidah)
25. Abstract Concrete – Abstract Concrete (State51 Conspiracy)
26. Sans Merit – Early Grave (Zen 2000)
27. Lorelle Meets The Obsolete – Datura (Sonic Cathedral)
28. Hayden Pedigo – The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored (Mexican Summer)
29. A Certain Ratio – 1982 (Mute)
30. Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society – Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
31. Matthew Halsall – An Ever Changing View (Gondwana)
32. Lost Under Heaven – Something Is Announced by Your Life! (LUH)
33. Thomas Walsh – The Rest is History (Curation)
34. 12 Rods – If We Stayed Alive (American Dreams)
35. Cloth – Secret Measture (Rock Action)

oh thanks for the heads up about the lost under heaven album, i had no clue they'd put out a new one this year

what is Shindig? googling didn't help much...

printed music mag

shindig magazine
https://www.shindig-magazine.com/?page_id=34
Shindig! is full of quality journalism, columns, music and film history; exciting new bands and culture. From the most far-out ’60s sounds through country-rock and folk to soul and electronic experimentation. And more. Brought to you with passion and sincerity every month.

huh. interesting. never heard of it, and it appears to be up my alley (i.e. i am old and like rock music)

by 'i am old' i mean i still like print publications

and thanks DJ! sorry for the three posts that could've been one.

World of Echo have now published their Hindsight 2023 list

Can I just say I absolutely hate the album title 'That! Feels Good!'

It! Sucks Ass!

It's better than "Ooh Rap I Ya" at least

I hate that one too

Shindig is the first list to mention my album of the year, Large Plants - The Thorn, as well as my #18, Emile - Spirit. The Beatles-y psych pop of Vanity Mirror and third album from Dentists spinoff The Treasures of Mexico (psych/jangle/power pop) are nice discoveries for me.

Digging that Large Plants album!

In my review I said those who like Lankum's latest would like Large Plants, as long as they're open to majestic, progressive psychedelic riffs instead of somewhat tedious drones. RIYL Fairport Convention, Trees and Pentangle, and contemporary artists like Lisa O'Neill, Sam Burton, and the more haunting albums by Lucid Sins, David Eugene Edwards and The Keening.

If yer old enough to struggle with reading tiny type on some of the print magazines even with reading glasses, Shindig is also available on Readly which I read on my Kindle Fire. For just $10/mo I get access to that, Classic Rock, MOJO, Uncut, Metal Hammer, Prog. Rolling Stone, Record Collector, Blitzed, Billboard, Guitar World, Wired, Total Film, Guardian Weekly, The Week, New York, etc. Quite a bargain, so much so that I've renewed my print subscriptions for Decibel, Fistful of Metal and Vive Le Rock out of guilt.

Some brief descriptions I wrote for a friend last night of some of the new discoveries:

Upper Wilds – Jupiter | Noise pop with strong hooks from Brooklyn, solid vocals, if Floor were less bottom heavy, plus Parts & Labor. Really liked Mars (2018) and Venus (2021), and can't believe I just last weekend found they had their fourth album out since July.

Deeper – Careful! | Third album from Chicago post-punk band. They vary their sounds and approaches with some arty experiments on some tracks, but I'm a sucker for the Joy Division influenced droney approach too.

Volksempfänger – Attack of Sound | Netherlands shoegaze/noise pop with bits of Detroit pre-punk, Jesus and Mary Chain bubblegum pop and motorik chugs.

Death And Vanilla – Flicker | Swedish psych pop/dream pop/kosmische.

Catatonic Suns – Catatonic Suns | Third album from Allentown, PA band, satisfyingly heavy, noisy shoegaze like early Ride with some Swervedriver.

Shredded Sun – Each Dot and Each Line | Second from indie/garage punk/surf band from Chicago, formerly The Fake Fictions. May sound twee after listening to the likes of Upper Wilds and Catatonic Suns, but it's charms digs it's hooks in.

Star 99 – Bitch Unlimited | Pop punk with an endearingly scrappy sound you don't hear much in that subgenre these days.

Peter Gabriel getting shafted on these lists is wild to me

I made an album dump playlist of everything from the Shindig list I hadn’t heard before (which is probably about 20 of their 25). Put the whole thing on shuffle while I make dinner and having a grand time this evening. No duds so far.

ALBUMISM SELECTS: The 50 Best Albums of 2023
https://albumism.com/lists/best-albums-of-2023-index

#1 | Meshell Ndegeocello | The Omnichord Real Book

UK based poptimist blogger, Lee Bennett presents:

Teases & Dares’ Top 100 Albums of 2023
https://teasesanddares.wordpress.com/2023/12/09/teases-dares-top-100-albums-of-2023/

1. Ricky Wilde X Nina, Scala Hearts
2. Jack River, Endless Summer
3. Lana Del Rey, Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard
4. Tina Arena, Love Saves
5. Slayyyter, Starfucker
6. Josh Caffe, Poppa Zesque
7. Bunny X, Love Minus 80
8. Tom Rasmussen, Body Building
9. Claire Richards, Euphoria
10. Louis La Roche, Admittedly
11. Cailin Russo, Influx
12. Romy, Mid Air
13. Alison Goldfrapp, The Love Invention
14. Kylie Minogue, Tension
15. PYN, Beat Drama
16. King IV, Psychopomp
17. Maraschino, Hollywood Piano
18. Jenny Lewis, Joy’All
19. Leela James, Thought U Knew
20. PRIZM, Rumours In The Night
21. Julie Byrne, The Greater Wings
22. Jessie Ware, That! Feels Good!
23. U.S. Girls, Bless This Mess
24. Tiga & Hudson Mohawke, L’Ecstasy
25. Jake Shears, Last Man Dancing
26. 79.5, 79.5
27. Samantha Urbani, Showing Up
28. Emm Gryner, Business & Pleasure
29. Molly Burch, Daydreamer
30. SG Lewis, AudioLust & HigherLove
31. Chappell Roan, The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess
32. Tensnake, Stimulate
33. Michael Medrano, LoveSexDrugs
34. Beverley Knight, The Fifth Chapter
35. Nuovo Testamento, Love Lines
36. Olivia Dean, Messy
37. Debby Friday, Good Luck
38. Yota, Room 412
39. Alan Palomo, World Of Hassle
40. L’Avenue, Club Tropez
41. Abracadabra, Shapes & Colours
42. Lucinda Chua, Yian
43. Jayda G, Guy
44. Tennis, Pollen
45. Laura Groves, Radio Red
46. Cub Sport, Jesus At The Gay Bar
47. Nabihah Iqbal, Dreamer
48. Wolfclub, Desert Hearts
49. Dragon Inn 3, Trade Secrets
50. Idina Menzel, Drama Queen
51. Gretta Ray, Positive Spin
52. Jennifer Touch, Midnight Proposals
53. Cannons, Heartbeat Highway
54. Cherry Cinema, Crystal Clear
55. Corine, R
56. Katy Steele, Big Star
57. Moyka, Movies, Cars & Heartbreak
58. Reve, Saturn Return
59. YATTE & Duett, The Minute
60. Leony, Somewhere In Between
61. Drew Sycamore, Superfaith
62. Incognito, Into You
63. SUPER-Hi, Summer Vol. 1
64. AC Soul Symphony, Metamorphosis
65. Metric, Formentera II
66. Sue Clayton, Rookie
67. Jessy Lanza, Love Hallucination
68. Daddy Squad, All Day All Night Automatic
69. Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra, Racing The Storm
70. The Paper Kites, At The Roadhouse
71. Snow Strippers, April Mixtape 3
72. Jennifer Vanilla, Castle In The Sky
73. Tonique & Man, Opening Soon
74. Sofia Kourtesis, Madres
75. RAYE, My 21st Century Blues
76. Mayah Camara & SelloRekt/LA Dreams, Emotions
77. Rein, God Is A Woman
78. Bella Boo, DreamySpaceyBlue
79. Heartracer, The Feel
80. MUNYA, Jardin
81. Haiku Hands, Pleasure Beast
82. Moon Boots, Ride Away
83. Poolside, Blame It All On Love
84. Seb Wildblood, Separation Anxiety
85. Gunship, Unicorn
86. Yaeji, With A Hammer
87. Mandy, Indiana – I’ve Seen A Way
88. Foley, Crowd Pleaser
89. Girl Ray, Prestige
90. Strange Ranger, Pure Music
91. Free Love, Inside
92. Le Couleur, Comme dans un penthouse
93. Train To Spain, Nothing To Win
94. Poppy, Zig
95. Avalon Emerson, & The Charm
96. Ladytron, Time’s Arrow
97. Nothing But Thieves, Dead Club City
98. ARXX, Ride Or Die
99. GRETA, Portals
100. Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time

also a link is provided to a Spotify playlist that includes 1 track from each album.

Maybe the PG album came out too late

Pitchfork 2023 Readers’ Poll
https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/2023-readers-poll-results/

Top 50 Albums

1.
CAROLINE POLACHEK
Desire, I Want to Turn Into You

Top 50 Singles

1.
LANA DEL REY
“A&W”

FEATURE
You can also see top album voted for each US State.

FEATURE
Filter the top albums to see how readers like you voted

AGE
GENDER
READERSHIP
LOCATION

DIY’S TRACKS OF THE YEAR 2023
https://diymag.com/feature/diy-songs-of-the-year-2023

1. THE LAST DINNER PARTY - NOTHING MATTERS

note

8. HEARTWORMS - RETRIBUTIONS OF AN AWFUL LIFE

great textured track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thC-C_Bk8H0

14. CREEPER - FURTHER THAN FOREVER

standout track on the album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8mtjGWJ1Ck

There's really no excuse for dropping the ball with the Peter Gabriel album. Every track was released to all platforms between January and November leading up to the official Dec 1 album release. On the other hand I know at least a couple longtime fans who are failing to feel anything when they hear it. I like it, it's in my top 50.

The Abysmal Hymns list is great, happy to see Spiritual Cramp get some love. I've been a fan since their early EPs, saw them live in 2018, and their first official full-length has been a long time coming. Good call on Final Gasp, it was just outside my top 100, but I'm digging it more than ever right now. 1476 is cool along similar deathrock-ish lines. The Dust EP, everything in that list is worth checking out.

Electronic Sound top 10. There’s a top 50 on their site, but it’s subscribers only.

10 Sleaford Mods - UK Grim
9 Vanishing Twin- Afternoon X
8 Free Love - Inside
7 Kosmischer Läufer - The Secret Cosmic Music of the East German Olympic Programme 1972-1983: Volume 5
6 John Cale - Mercy
5 Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
4 Holy Tongue - Deliverance snd Spiritual Warfare
3 Nabihah Iqbal - Dreamer
2 Vince Clarke - Songs of Silence
1 Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan - The Nation’s Most Central Location

Edgar Wright’s top 50, actually 55, tracks of the year.

https://linktr.ee/edgarwright?utm_source=linktree_admin_share

People really excited about that boygenius album huh

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The tyranny of singer-songwriters continues! The appearance of boygenius on SNL a while back, including their cute cameo in one of the sketches, was a nice boost for their mainstream exposure. I wonder if Foo Fighters will be the last rock band to play the show in the foreseeable future? I wish they would change it up now and then. If not something like Truckfighters or Tomb Mold, how about at least Creeper? That would be fun.

Creeper is the kind of band that an SNL appearance could actually launch to stardom, but sadly only 6 people in the U.S. outside ILX have even heard of them.