It’s the most wonderful time of the year because we get to look back, reflect, and yes, count down the biggest hits
This was the year of Taylor Swift, it seems. While she continued to give us hits from her “Midnights” era, it seemed 2023 really gave us multiple “eras” of Swift, with the majority of her hits coming from different periods of her career. Beyonce dominated the touring world, but she didn’t really make a dent on the charts while Morgan Wallen was everywhere but sadly failed to make the cut here. So before you can say WTF, a little introduction to this annual chart of mine.
This is my personal list of The Top 100 Songs Of 2023. Like every year before this, my chart is made up of my personal favorites ranked by my own chart based on several factors, including the likeability of the song upon original listen, its repeat value (and tally), production value, lyrics, vocal performance and of course its pop culture impact.
To ensure there is a greater diversity of artists, no artist with more than two tracks is eligible as the lead artist. This year, a number of artists would have featured several tracks had this rule not been in effect. All songs eligible for the chart had to be released between December 1, 2022, and December 1, 2023.
For those of you who follow my weekly column #HITSOFTOMORROW – you will notice quite a few tracks getting attention again on the charts (it’s no surprise given that I highlight the best new tracks of the week!). From country to dance, pop to soul, collabs to covers, 2023 proved to be quite the eclectic playlist. And without ado, let’s get things started!
Kicking things off is a #HITSOFTOMORROW alum Ashley Singh with “Duvet Cover”. The Stratford singer-songwriter has been making dents over the past few years and with this track, he really comes into his own as the track is not just slickly produced and performed but incredibly catchy. While the track didn’t impact the way it deserved, it doesn’t change the fact that the song was a great step forward for the artist and here’s hoping 2024 gets him the Top 40 hit he’s overdue!
Listen“Used To Love You” is all about growing pains. I wrote it about becoming an adult and realizing that not everyone progresses together through life in all the ways that we picture them too.” ROZES shared with Rolling Stone India exclusively. “When creating this song with Jaida Dreyer and Tawgs Salter, I was at a point in a friendship where I was realizing that the efforts I was putting in didn’t feel like they were being matched by the other person. I’m a fixer and I also tend to ruminate on things, so I spent a lot of time worrying about this friendship and what it meant for us if I stopped trying. Writing “Used To Love You” was the only way I knew how to voice those emotions and essentially mourn the loss of the friendship”. A single I still believe is begging for inclusion on a killer soundtrack! Programmers really failed to lift this song to the massive heights it deserves. They need to stop ignoring this immense talent!
ListenSo my love for Bob Moses is pretty well-documented (they’ve been featured on multiple years of my year end list). Ditto for Hayden James. So the two coming together for “Do You Want Me” was just perfection. This isn’t the first time the two have had their names attached to a song. My 2018 #1 song of the year was Bob Moses’ “Back Down” and my favorite remix for the single was done by none other than Hayden James. So to now have both acts actually work together on the single is just divine. “The ethereal, euphoric energy that both already exude just reaches even greater heights with the track and while both are traditional “dance” artists – this single is just too good to be relegated to genre playlists and radio stations. This is Top 40 material, hands down.” Another HOT alum that will stand the test of time.
ListenFun fact, the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 the week I was born was “Best Of My Love” by The Emotions. So it made me giddy to hear the intro of that iconic girl-group classic lead into Paul Russell’s instantly likeable Tik Tok viral hit “Lil Boo Thing”. This happy pop/rap bop seemingly came out of nowhere during the summer and has blasted its way all the way to the top thanks to Russell energetic flow and yes, that sample that can’t help but get you moving. We don’t get many rap/sung hits anymore and between this and Jack Harlow’s “Lovin’ On Me”, here’s hoping these is a true resurgence happening in 2024!
ListenBrittany Howard can do no wrong and she proves that yet again with “What Now”. The Alabama Shakes lead singer has always found a way to infuse rock, pop, soul and blues into all her singles but this hits a bit harder. In fact, Howard has never sounded better and the single is exactly what’s missing from Top 40 – a sonically fitting jam so confident and catchy – where the heck are the programmers. This deserved to be a global smash hit!
Listen“I wrote “Oops! Ur Single Now” in a session just a few hours before breaking up with my ex, and I hope the song serves as a reminder to my fans that they should never settle for anyone who doesn’t empower them.” Rhea Raj shared with Rolling Stone India exclusively. “Breakups are the best time for self-discovery and exploring the world, and I wanted the music video, which I filmed in Korea, to capture that carefree energy”. The mutli-hyphenated talent keeps growing from strength to strength and this breakout single really proved that Raj was ready for the big leagues. Not shying away from her ethnic background but also not using it just get ahead, Raj has been perfectly balancing what it’s like to be a 2023 iteration global pop star in the making.
ListenIcona Pop returned this year with another instant classic, this time working alongside a Hits Of Tomorrow fave, Yaeger. “Shit We Do For Love” hits hard, a rave bop that gets you moving from the get-go with no pause required. Icona Pop have always been able to get folks dancing and singing along and this ditty is no different. Much like their “I Love It” collaboration with Charli XCX, this too was radio friendly, begging for prominent feature on streaming show or films in the coming years. I love it!
ListenBritish singer/songwriter Myles Smith’s “Solo” is a smash from every side – from the production to the lyrics to the melody to Smith’s delivery – this is what a Top 40 hit requires. Smith exudes emotion and joy while we all sing along. If this track doesn’t get the love it deserves, I can’t see admakers not jumping on the track to make it part of several commercial campaigns! I wrote earlier on HOT that “this is a track with legs so mark my words – even if it doesn’t “hit” now, it will get its flowers’. This late 2023 release still has time to actualize my words, 2024, don’t fuck it up!
ListenJelly Roll has had an incredible year that is getting topped off with critical acclaim and a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist to boot! “Need A Favor” was the highlight of his album besides “Highway To Hell”. The track encapsulates the perfect marriage of country and rock and Roll’s soulful voice help to create for the perfect 2023 Top 40 hit. With music becoming so binary, it’s been great to see the artist garner acclaim and play across multiple genre formats – something I hope in the coming days continues for many more artists who are now opting for their own sound rathen than conforming to what programmers think we want to hear on the radio.
ListenI love when a deserved track goes viral and such was the case this fall with Kenya Grace’s “Strangers” which felt like it came out of nowhere to only end up being played everywhere. The DnB single made Grace an overnight star and her followup releases further solidified her as not just a one-hit pony. Arguably one of the least likely to crack the Top 10 singles, this #1 dance smash crossovered big time and the moody, unconventional hit also happened to be one of the coolest of the year.
ListenAs expected, the “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” became a huge hit at the box office over the summer. While the first animated Spiderman went on to the win the Oscar, it also left behind a mammoth musical legacy that is “Sunflower” – the Post Malone/Swae Lee collab that hit #1 and has generated billions of streams. Dominic Fike has been on the rise for quite some time now and while “Mona Lisa” may not seem like the traditional monster hit from a soundtrack, it had all the right ingredients to keep us singing along this entire summer and since!
ListenConsistency is not usually a word I associate with DJ/producers but Tensnake has been a master class in giving super-catchy jams year after year without a dip in quality or catchiness! Chicago-based duo DRAMA joined him for “Rooftop” this year, a song that gets you smiling then moving and there’s no stopping from there. Disco never sounds fresher than in Tensnake’s hands and years in, we still just can’t get enough.
ListenSpeaking of just can’t get enough, what is it about Carly Rae Jepsen that even when she releases her B-sides, there is brilliance all over to be devoured and enjoyed. At the top of the list this time around from her “The Loveliest Time” LP is “Psychedelic Switch”, a Daft-Punkesque dancefloor anthem that only builds as the song progresses and by the end we’ve got strings, chipmunks and more, oh my! Jepsen is a star no matter where her tracks reach on the chart and this one, deserved our A-list attention.
ListenAnother viral Tik Tok hit that deserved the attention. Tyla’s “Water” is smooth, sexy and most importantly damn catchy. That the song crossed over and became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, it makes for one of the best launches for a new artist, especially from the Afrobeats community this year. Tyla scored a Grammy nod for the single too and here’s hoping the young talent gives us many hits in the future cause without Rihanna, there’s a big Top 40 hole needing to be filled.
Listen“I’ve been a huge fan of Emotional Oranges and likewise of ZHU. Did I ever think the two acts would come together, definitely not. But any doubt I may have had upon seeing the two names paired together goes away with that beat. ZHU has got to be one of the most interesting producers out there right now – somehow, he’s able to bring different artists into his world to give them that “Zhu-ness” yet the acts never lose their own identity in the process. Much like the Bob Moses collab “Desire” – this is a proper union of two individual sounds coming together in the best possible way. “Not Like This” is a winner through and through and would be a perfect addition to radio playlists this summer.” I wrote this about the track for HOT and while the single didn’t reach those heights I’d have hoped, it doesn’t take away from how awesome a track this truly is and repeat listens only heightened that for me as time went by.
ListenTove Lo is a regular in my yearly Top 100 as it’s really difficult for her to do wrong. After giving us the fantastic “Dirt Femme” LP just last year, she returned with the single “Borderline”, a song she co-wrote with Dua Lipa! Yup, the two already had collaborated back when Lipa was recording her “Future Nostalgia” record and Lo is even credited for the single “Cool” from that album. The two actually wrote this single together at the “very start of our friendship” as Lo wrote on social media. The single is yet another infectiously catchy bop from Lo and at a time when so many songs have the disco-laced sound down, only a select few are actually as melodically solid and catchy as this one.
ListenWhen Tyler James Bellinger dropped his EP “Perfect Stranger” earlier this year, there was no doubt in my mind that the title track would become the breakout hit. Inspired by the end of a relationship, the track focuses on the idea of what happens when the person you are with are with is not who you thought. “I changed a lot in that relationship” Bellinger shared exclusively with Rolling Stone India. “But it made realize I also was not who I thought”. Reminiscent of those early Adele production days “Perfect Stranger” is a slow-burn banger that Top 40 was a fool to not feature in heavy rotation. Bellinger’s vocals are first-rate and the production by Kyle Kelso and Johnny Black is first-rate. Can a Netflix show please help revive this track to justice!
ListenJust about anyone dueting with Chris Stapleton is in for an elevated surprise. This year, Carly Pearce benefited from his presence on “We Don’t Fight Anymore”. The heartbreak both Pearce and Stapleton deliver on this country ballad made it a country music highlight and Pearce has never sounded more vulnerable and accessible at the same time. Stapleton adds his natural swag but here because of the lyrical depth, his voice helps to create a stronger bond between the two as they contemplate where exactly their relationship and the love went.
ListenShe was gone for a minute but Rita Ora came back this year with a string of radio-ready, Top 40 hits and she found a way to incorporate her beau, filmmaker husband Taika Waititi into the mix. “Praising You” was a brilliant interpolation of Fatboy Slim’s iconic “Praise You”. Ora’s version featuring Slim adds a personal narrative to the single, taking an otherwise melancholic indie dance track into a romantic hype song about one’s partner. Ora has always given us hits but this one’s added nostalgia and getting Slim in on the fun made for a commendable update to a smash from the 1990’s.
ListenEasily the highlight of his “11:11” LP, Chris Brown comes together with Fridayy for “No One Else”, one of the R&B star’s stronger single in years. Brown’s career has spanned nearly 15 years now and while the last few years has found the singer still giving us hits, he’s not had a mainstream Top 40 success since his 2019 hit “Under The Influence” went viral this past year. Of course that song got all of its buzz from TikTok while this track deserves all the attention just based on its merits. Brown hasn’t sounded as confident and open in his vocals in years and the production feels current yet also very reminiscent of Brown’s early career pop work. This better make a dent in 2024!
ListenODESZA seems to be doing no wrong lately and this somewhat of a surprise EP “Flaws In Our Design” as a collab with Cape Town-based songwriter/producer Emile van Dango aka Yellow House proves to be yet another feather in their cap. Highlight of their work together is the track “Waiting Forever” featuring Preston. The single is an instant bop and had radio took notice, this could be a global smash for all the artists involved. I don’t understand why their recent tracks have failed to get attention on mainstream playlists but they really deserve our attention and yes, this single is that good!
ListenAnother viral TikTok hit that deservedly became a major crossover smash – PinkPantheress got the right partner here with Ice Spice as “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2” shot straight up to the top of the charts. Spice had quite the incredible year jumping from this track to featuring on the “Karma” remix with Taylor Swift to “Barbie World” with Nicki Minaj to her own hit “Deli”. Despite being everywhere, this track remains her best and for once an indie fave conquered the charts. Here’s hoping PinkPantheress continues to get love on Top 40 in the coming year.
ListenRecently featured here as on the 10 Most Daring Singles Of 2023 (https://rollingstoneindia.com/10-most-daring-singles-of-2023/) – I’ll say it again, It takes balls to sing “I’ll be fucking you right” with such innocence. K-pop Moms were left with jaws dropped when they heard their daughters singing along to “Seven”. If they heard it on radio, of course, it was the sweeter “loving” word used but Jung Kook did it right – proving in one word that he had blossomed into a mature solo artist and well, K-pop will never be a strictly G-rated world again.
ListenEmeli Sande seemed to return to form this year and “All This Love” was everything we remembered and loved about the singer who seemingly has fallen off charts over the past few years. The track is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that showcases Sande’s vocals and lyrically we are in familiar territory of pain, love and beauty – three emotions the artist has always been able to put together in the most ethereal of ways. We need to shower the singer again with the same love she got when she first burst onto the scene with “Heaven” and “Next To Me”.
ListenI’ve accepted that the current trend of dance classics getting resurrected is not coming to an end until there seemingly will be no old records left to update. But mad props you when it’s done well. Brazilian DJ Alok comes together with Ava Max for “Car Keys (Ayla)” – a dance pop update featuring Tiesto’s iconic “Ayla”. The track produced by Cirkut was written by UK hitmaker Raye. In fact, it’s very easy to imagine her voice on the single but while she’s having her own pop moment with her own album, Max stepped in and gave us a fun summer track that lit up the charts, the dancefloors and every festival stage.
Listenaespa’s “Better Things” is their best track to date! The girl group have been jumping from one strength to another and it’s as I mentioned when I featured the track on HOT – “this is the single to catapult them into mainstream hearts much like NewJeans has seen success this year too.” Boy was I right for once, programmers took note and made room for more than one K-pop girl group at a time! A well-deserved extremely memorable, likeable hit (and once again, co-written by Raye!)
Listen“It’s been more than a minute since Black Pumas released their Grammy-winning self-titled debut album. Finally ready for round 2 the twosome gives us “More Than A Love Song” as a fantastic first single from the upcoming “Chronicles Of A Diamond” LP. Positioned as psychedelic soul, the song actually is far more than that – it’s a return to the rock soul world we’ve seldom heard in the mainstream in the last few decades but with the country resurgence currently catapulting many country singers into Top 40 superstars and the Silk Sonic style embraced by modern pop listeners, there’s absolutely no reason why this couldn’t exactly be the case for Black Pumas as the single is just perfect for radio.” I wrote when featuring the track on HOT. An old school/new school smash!
Listen“You know the saying that if it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it? Well, Cannons seem to be on a forever groove mode these days. The band keep playing within their wheelhouse but each and every track they release has that bop to it that gets you moving like it’s the first disco record you’ve heard in a while. “Loving You” is just as good as any of their previous releases but there is a seductive simplicity that singer Michelle Joy exudes here specifically that makes the sound out.” I’m still shocked this band is overlooked at Top 40 but their time has to come and until it does, they’re still going to be pushed by me, on HOT.
ListenMashup DJ Duo Switch Disco struck gold this year teaming up with the always reliable Ella Henderson for the single “REACT”. Much like “Ayla”, the track prominently samples a dance classic – this time the Robert Miles’ 90’s instrumental “Children”. The track works big time because the melody layered atop the sample flows naturally and doesn’t come across as gimmicky. Angel City managed to do the same nearly two decades ago with “Do You Know (I Go Crazy)” but here with far more expressive vocals, the single hit an emotional chord that Miles’ piano managed to conjure up in the original. “Hopefully with the right push the track won’t just become a club favorite but also burst onto the Top 40 charts across the globe!” I wrote at the time of release and I’m thrilled this song exploded the way it did, rightfully so!
ListenAlready featured as one of the Weirdest Collabs of 2023 (https://rollingstoneindia.com/10-weirdest-favorite-collabs-of-2023-jungkook-weeknd-shawn-mendes/) – the legendary Nile Rodgers finally found his place in the K-pop genre alongside the ladies of LE SSERAFIM. With a clever sample of Ennio Morricone’s theme from the spaghetti western film “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”, the track offered a “fearless” introduction to the artists and Rodger’s presence made it all the stronger case to push the track out of the K-pop universe and into the global atmosphere and it thankfully did just that!
Listen“Up In My Head” does just that, gets stuck in your head! “I had attended an Indian wedding not long before writing the song and the ‘dhol’ drums plays a pretty significant role in Indian weddings, which inspired me to capture that energy into ‘Up in My Head’. I love how the ‘dhol’ makes everything feel so bombastic and celebratory and I think capturing the essence of that felt really important for the song.” ASHWARYA shared exclusively with us at Rolling Stone India. When I asked her about the response – “It’s been so incredible, in particular when I played the track at my headline shows. When that chorus kicked in the energy in the room shifted and I could sense that the song was translating in a way that I didn’t witnessed before”. Like I wrote before when featuring the track on HOT, ASHWARYA is the perfect Top 40 artist with an edge and mainstream radio needs to take notice cause this smash is just the beginning.
ListenOh my! When I first praised “Dancing Is Healing” in my HOT by Rudimental, Charlotte Plank and Vibe Chemistry, I honestly wasn’t sure the track would catch on as Rudimental has this strange track record of every few singles sticking and becoming a huge crossover hit despite each and every release being a banger but somehow, this track crossed over and boy did it! The track was everywhere and that whole #dancecry movement that Dua Lipa has been pushing is getting quite a few new entrants in recent times. Truly there is nothing more healing than dancing so finally a song said as much!
ListenArlo Parks gave us another wonderful album with “Soft Machine” this year and the highlight of the LP had to be this collab with pre-boygenius’ Phoebe Bridgers. “Pegasus” is the type of Lilith Fair single that back in the 1990’s would have easily parlayed from modern rock stations to Top 40 but sadly we are not living in those times. Still, Parks has made an impressive dent with just two albums and this track will live on as her music legacy continues to build.
ListenWhat is it about Sufjan Stevens wanting unconditional love that struck such a chord? When Stevens previewed “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?”, the second single from his “Javelin” album, there was an assumption the track would fit very easily with his discography of melancholic, lonely anthems. But age, time and perhaps reflection helped to create a far brighter and dare I say optimistic sonic tone to the otherwise somber track. The production here soars much like some of his best songs, where indie pop intersects with Top 40 and in an ideal world, they’d coexist and Stevens would infact have a mainstream hit. But regardless of its chart success, this is one of his finest singles ever (I’d put this up there with “Jacksonville”) and something tells me this song is only going to chart even higher in the years to come.
ListenJust spotlighted as one of the 10 Best Comeback Singles of 2023 (https://rollingstoneindia.com/top-10-comeback-singles-2023/) , “Tattoo” by Loreen proved second time’s a charm. 11 years after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012 with “Euphoria”, the Swedish pop artist Ldid it again, winning in 2023 for this single. While I’ve been a loyal Loreen fan through the years, it was so great to see the star get her due, again. Winning the second time, being the only female artist to do it twice, this was a great comeback for the singer who honestly has been giving us hits for years but sadly, they didn’t really make an impact on the global charts. I’m still quite not sure why Loreen hasn’t become a certified hitmaker like Dua Lipa but it’s not for the lack of bangers – she’s amazing.
ListenAnother HOT alum, “Sugar Dive” was just so fucking cool. Wesley Joseph’s entire “Glow” LP was actually just as fantastic. But this track, a collaboration with South Korea’s DEAN was easily the highlight. The British artist perfectly gets our attention over the midtempo groove. It’s soulful, but it’s also sultry and catchy. DEAN’s feature fits perfectly not seeming out of place at all, in fact, it only further enhances the vibe created by the single. Why this didn’t blow up, God knows but hands down one of the best mood tracks of the year.
Listen“BABY HELLO” brings Rauw Alejandro and Bizarrap together after the latter’s mega success with his collab with Shakira (you’ll see that later!). Serving as the first single from Alejandro’s next album “Playa Saturno”, the single comes marinated in 90’s dance (yes, it’s everywhere). Despite such major success with Spanish language tracks on global streaming, there is still a lack of Latin artists getting actual radio airplay on mainstream channels. I don’t understand the logic, but then again, are we lobbying enough for it or are we just content with finding and supporting the content elsewhere. “BABY HELLO” was a global smash and there is truly no reason the single shouldn’t have found love on playlists everywhere, in any language, no exceptions.
Listen“Rush” was a smash straight out of the floodgates. Sivan has had some successes at Top 40 to varying levels but the single hit all the right notes for a global smash – and that sing-along chorus by a chorus was a genius move (alongside the controversial now Grammy-nominated music video). At a time when everything sounds the same and we can’t seem to have an opinion about anything, Sivan felt like a true pop star this year, pushing boundaries and expressing himself exactly how he wanted, and we ate it all up!
ListenNot since Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” has there been a Top 40 collab between three male artists that felt as spot-on and an instant hit. The Kid LAROI, Jung Kook and Central Cee on paper sounded like a global hot mess but “Too Much” was perfection. Central Cee has been riding high in Europe but he is not a global star yet and The Kid LAROI hasn’t necessarily managed to get another big hit like “Stay” (incidentally with Justin Bieber and this track is also co-written by him) since – so the truth was, at the time of release – Jung Kook was the safe hitmaker bet here. After his #1 hit “Seven” with Latto (already featured) and “3D” with Jack Harlow, “Too Much” completed a trifecta of smash hits, probably with this single being the one that deserves long legs and all the attention it gets. Of course, Jung Kook managed to keep us guessing getting Justin Timberlake and then Usher for even more collabs (the latter of which is eligible for next year!)
ListenOlivia Rodrigo is many things but playing it safe is not in her DNA. “get him back!” is classic 90’s modern rock – we get everything comical lyrics interspersed with deeply emotional unfiltered reflection making the track one of the many standouts from her “Guts” LP. The sing along chorus is pop rock perfection and Rodrigo is single-handedly expanding the scope of the Top 40 sound, helping rock once again become mainstream. One single at a time she’s changing the game – we all should be thankful for, truly.
ListenTOMORROW X TOGETHER gave us perhaps their most Top 40-ready single with “Back For More” featuring Anitta. The odd pairing actually proved to be a winning combination. While the YouTube views and streaming numbers were all but guaranteed, both artists found success with the single on the mainstream charts, an accomplishment that had alluded both acts. At a time when so many K-pop acts are maturing alongside their fans, it was welcoming change to see the band put their best dancing feet forward on this jam – proving with age, they are only getting better.
ListenA slow-burn soulful song about running away from enslavement is not necessarily what we expect to hear in 2023. But if you’re Madison McFerrin, the daughter of jazz great (and “Don’t Worry Be Happy”), it won’t come as that much of a surprise. The younger McFerrin actually gets her father to accompany her for what is perhaps the most compelling story of a song in our Top 100. The artist had connected to a distant cousin over an ancestry website and discovered that her great-great-great-grandmother was a runaway slave. Her story became the catalyst for the exception “Run” – a way for the artist to connect to her past and to encourage her ancestors that yes running will be worth it, and that she is living proof of that.
ListenLittle Mix’s Leigh-Anne succeeded at going solo this year. “My Love”, her collab with Nigeria’s Ayra Starr proved to be a smash. The Afro-pop single was surprisingly natural and did not feel like a calculated choice to take advantage of the Afrobeat movement in the mainstream. The two work well together, making us move along to the beat and sing along to the incredibly catchy chorus. While her debut solo single “Don’t Say Love” was a great intro to her solo career, this single cemented her solo power status and once again proved just how amazing Ayra Starr really is!
ListenI don’t care what anyone says. The minute I heard “Feather” by Sabrina Carpenter, I immediately thought about Paula Cole’s “Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?” with those “Do-do-dos”. The track, co-written by Amy Allen and John Ryan alongside Carpenter herself is an ode to overcoming a relationship and it seems that the artist has been taking advice from Taylor Swift (she was Swift’s opening act) as the song is both melodious but also cleverly personal and honest. And kudos for Carpenter for using the music video and not TikTok to push a controversy. We haven’t seen the Church this upset in years about a music video!
Listen“Rising electronic artist TSHA teams up with Ellie Goulding and Gregory Porter for an eclectic electro pop/soul single “Somebody” that is as catchy as it is moody, cinematic and well, proof that TSHA is one of the brightest up and comers today, across any genre. The fact that Goulding and Porter are supporting the talent and easily their contributions outshine even their own recent personal outings showcases the fact that this single is special.” I highlighted this exceptional single in HOT and I’m bummed that programmers missed the chance to make the track the Top 40 smashes it deserves to be! I’m not worried though – this WILL be making it on to many streaming soundtracks in the future, guaranteed.
ListenThe amazing thing about Sophie Ellis-Bextor has been her ability to so seamlessly move from a club banger to an indie-pop ditty to well, the kitchen disco. “Lost In The Middle” from her latest LP “Hana” fit much more in the indie-pop world but the conviction with which Ellis-Bextor sings about that sunny day with her lover might as well take you onto the dancefloor as she is moving to that loving feeling. A special shoutout to ACIDTONE who transform the single with their remix from the lazy sunny single into a euphoric anthem, something that equally fits the track and of course Ellis-Bextor!
ListenSpanish rapper and singer Quevedo has been running on a high since his 2022 #1 smash with Bizarrap. “Columbia” proved to be an equally bombastic followup. The “Mr. Sandman” like intro notes lead into a reggaeton beat that lets the artist build quietly but assuredly a single that not only gets you nodding along but by the end, you’re wanting to move with him. In a year that offered so many Spanish-language crossover hits, this one felt like a breath of fresh air thanks to a fresh-sounding production and of course Quevedo’s spirited vocals.
ListenThe best single from “Gag Order”, Kesha’s latest LP had to be “Only Love Can Save Us Now”. It was truly the perfect hybrid single between the artist we formerly knew as chartkiller Ke$ha and the post-“Praying” critically acclaimed Kesha. The single takes us to church, literally. I’m not exactly sure why Top 40 slept on this record as it is so damn catchy and for those complaining that Kesha lost her pop sensibility along the way, the track was a reminder that she knows how to get us melodies that stay with us for days. Highly underrated!
ListenWhile Lady Gaga herself doesn’t make an appearance this year on the chart, her name proved to be a winning choice for breakthrough artist Peso Pluma. The track also featuring Gabito Ballesteros and Junior H helped cement Pluma as a bonafide Mexican crossover superstar this year and the genius of the track isn’t the “Shallow” singer’s name but rather an infectious melody and lyrics that showcase the Mexican’s exploration of a more affluent lifestyle. Who would have thought a centuries-old style of music would be one of the best tracks to decipher modern pop culture?
ListenTate McRae did something this year that just a few years ago would have felt so ordinary. She unabashedly brought back pop music! While Britney Spears was selling books, Christina Aguilera was busy recording in Spanish, and Rihanna was busy doing everything but music, McRae stepped in and not only gave us a catchy AF ditty, she brought back the choreo too in her video! It’s no surprise the track went viral and has perhaps become one of the biggest success stories whereby an artist truly benefits from their TikTok hit to become a genuine pop star. Don’t get me wrong, McRae has given us some hits in the past, but this is a whole new level, deservedly so.
Listen“Already a two-time Grammy nominee and with a legion of fans and followers, Joyner Lucas has quickly become one of the most interesting rappers in recent time. That’s likely to gain even more traction with the release of “What’s That?” in advance of his upcoming LP “Not Now, I’m Busy”. The single showcases Lucas at his best, fact-checking some truths about himself (and his net worth) along the way. At a time when hip-hop all but ceases to exist at Top 40, Lucas would be a welcome presence on the charts as the rapper doesn’t need an 80’s hit to sample to get attention, he’s just that good.” I wrote this about Lucas for HOT and while the artist didn’t get the big breakthrough I was hoping for with the track, his cred continues to build and his future looks even brighter now.
ListenCritical darling and uber-talented Jon Batiste gave us something special with “Calling Your Name”. The song was a big step in the pop direction much like many of the tracks from his Grammy-nominated “World Music Radio” LP. Instantly reminiscent of Stevie Wonder circa 1980’s when listening to the single (thanks to that harmonica), the track really had what it takes for the artist to get that Top 40 hit. But when his album rolled out collabs featuring everyone from JID to Lana Del Rey to Fireboy DML to Lil Wayne, it unfortunately seemed to take away steam from this gem of a track that really deserved to be a hit.
ListenKali Uchis is one of those rare artists that somehow has created a whole style and niche for herself. “Moonlight” was classic Uchis – sultry, sexy and of course full of passionate emotion. We don’t really have sensual performers anymore. Pop stars are too busy trying to act cool or showcasing their vocals so the romantic part is left for artists like Lana Del Rey and Billie Eilish on one side and SZA and Kali Uchis on the other. The only thing I want to see in 2024 is that #1 global smash that the artist hasn’t garnered yet but it is well overdue.
Listen“She may not be a household name as an artist herself but Kamille has already been part of some of the biggest hits of the last decade. Most recently, we just heard her songwriting chops behind Kylie Minogue’s latest single “Tension” (don’t worry, it’s featured later!). Releasing her “K1” LP – the album is full of hits that other artists only wished they got their hands on. The self-released album is a winner and here’s hoping all the big acts who have utilized her talent show their love and promote the album because it’s a winner all the way. The highlight of the album is “Don’t Waste My Time”, a smash if you ever heard one. This MUST be pushed to radio as it is a worldwide hit waiting to happen. There are far too many talented songwriters that aren’t getting their moment as recording artists themselves. Kamille deserves all of our attention!” I stand by this and I hope 2024 doesn’t waste time and the track gets deserved chart justice!
ListenTy Dolla $ign has always been open to experimentation and he’s never shied away from collabs with pop artists. So it was delightful summer surprise when he dropped “Motion”, arguably the most dance pop single ever where he’s not the guest feature – this is all him! The song gets you moving instantly and not since Snoop Dogg had us moving with the David Guetta produced “Sweat” has a rapper been able to so easily groove without it feeling forced or piggybacking a trend. It’s about time Dolla $ign delivered a massive Top 40 hit all on his own. No wonder Chris Brown jumped on the remix!
ListenNoah Kahan has had quite the year and it wrapped up with a Best New Artist Grammy nomination. One of his strongest outings this year happened to be his collab with Post Malone.
Malone was so excited to work with Kahan that he wrote his own verse on the track co-written by Noah Levine alongside Kahan. The track blends folk with indie rock and of course with Malone there, there is also a Top 40 sensibility that helped the track become one of Kahan’s most commercially successful.
Listen“Padam Padam” was so chock full of instantly memorable hooks, literally any female pop artist would have killed for the song. The gay community recognized that and they really deserve the credit here for turning this charmer into another smash for the 50+ Minogue. While ageism truly stopped the single from becoming a massive #1 global hit like “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” became, it was wonderfully refreshing to witness a Kylie Renaissance. Minogue has been consistent in giving us bangers over the years and for once, I’m glad I’m not the only one singing her praises at the year end.
ListenNobody expected this collab between last year’s “it” rapper Central Cee and Dave to become the massive global smash that it did. But “Sprinter” proved that two rappers can be better than one as the lyrical wordplay catapulted this joint from just a good vibes collab to a bonafide hit. Social media of course helped but really the track offered a brilliant showcase for Cee to come into his own as a rapper capable of being honest and humorous at the same time, not just a one-hit/era wonder.
Listen“With his new album “Boy Meets World” out, Sleepy Hallow is proving that there isn’t just life in the New York drill scene but there’s a world of healing possible too. “Anxiety” is the highlight of the album for me as the artist speaks his truth over Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” while Doechii gives us a haunting Kimbra-like level of support as the song isn’t just a vibe, it’s a treatment. I know hip-hop for the most part has lost its focus lately but there are bright stars amidst the nonsense and Sleepy Hallow is shining bright amongst them. I really hope the rapper gets the level of mainstream success he deserves and this album has many single-worthy hits to boot! But for me, this is the instant hit!” A former HOT feature and I stand by every word.
ListenRapper Gunna was at his most emotionally raw and vulnerable state on his latest LP “A Gift & A Curse”, so it’s actually kind of surprising that his biggest hit and frankly the best track on the album also happens to be the least lyrical. “Fukumean” worked big time because of the rapper’s flow over some ace production. The artist shines anytime the beat and his flow sync up – something many of even his successful collabs have failed to do. This is was superlative turn and damn if that chorus weren’t so catchy!
ListenRapper Gunna was at his most emotionally raw and vulnerable state on his latest LP “A Gift & A Curse”, so it’s actually kind of surprising that his biggest hit and frankly the best track on the album also happens to be the least lyrical. “Fukumean” worked big time because of the rapper’s flow over some ace production. The artist shines anytime the beat and his flow sync up – something many of even his successful collabs have failed to do. This is was superlative turn and damn if that chorus weren’t so catchy!
ListenSpeaking of catchy, one of the most the most basic productions of the year also happened to result in one of the catchiest tunes. “If We Ever Broke Up” from Mae Stephens reminded me of early Kate Nash in it is clever lyricism and don’t give a half-fuck attitude. Stephens excels in this surprise hit making us all sing along albeit with low to no energy, but damn it, we still bought in!
ListenA straight country cover of Tracy Chapman’s far-too-often-covered classic “Fast Car” shouldn’t have worked but Luke Combs earnestness and wanting to honor the song by simply recording the track in its original lyrical form resulted in one of the finest covers of the year. It also went a long way to show how impactful Chapman’s song was across genres, ages, races and all parts of the country. Chapman even gave a thumbs up to Combs’ version which ended up winning Song Of The Year at the Country Music Awards, making Chapman the first black songwriter to ever receive the award in the process.
ListenDoja Cat’s “Scarlet” LP proved to be another triumph after “Planet Her”. At the moment, nobody can compare to the true versatility that the artist projects. “Agora Hills” is one of the standout cuts from the album because much like Cat herself, the single is a playful ode to the multiple music genres. The track sails through hip-hop, pop, soul and even rap, making for the perfect showcase of the range we’ve now grown to accept to be a more complete picture of the star.
ListenThe more successful and international Afrobeats becomes, the more eclectic the style evolves into. At the top of his game and the genre is FIreboy DML who offered us “Someone”, a brilliant fusion of his Nigerian native sound with a club feel that gets everyone moving, no matter where they come from in the world. Masterfully produced, the track is arena ready, yet another benchmark highlighting the fact that the artist is no longer just an African artist, but a global superstar.
ListenAfter the death of their drummer Taylor Hawkins, Foo Fighters came roaring back with the most appropriate tribute to their bandmate in the form of the single “Rescued”. One of the strongest tracks period put out by the band in years, the single finds Dave Grohl giving his most emotional vocals in years as the pain we feel is echoed in his delivery which makes for a painfully euphoric moment of grief, anger and reflection all coming together to ultimately heal.
Listen“The Age Of Pleasure” album from Janelle Monae garnered a surprise Album Of The Year nod at the Grammys this year. While the LP was critically acclaimed, none of the singles Monae released became certified hits. Of course, programmers are often far more fickle than the actual mainstream audience. “Water Slide” is an incredibly infectious and double entendre-laced bop that really should have been a radio smash as Monae served us with attitude, sensuality and her truth – something we think we’re getting with artists but actually rarely do.
ListenGorillaz have made it a point to work with some iconic artists over the years but this one seemed even stranger than usual. The track in question is “Oil”, perhaps the best track from their “Cracker Island” LP. Co-written and co-produced by hitmaker Greg Kurstin, the single is probably their most Top 40 ready single in years. So adding Stevie Nicks into the mix only helps to make the track sound bigger than perhaps any Gorillaz record ever has. Brilliant collab.
Listen6LACK “Since I Have A Lover” LP was a mixed bag. After a five-year gap there was great expectations from the Atlanta rapper and he partially delivered on that. The standout track from the album had to be “Talkback” where the artist is speaking to God over the phone and talking up his big plans. The track nicely balances his mellow side with his grit, both production and performance wise making for a welcome return of the perennially underrated artist.
ListenI’ll be honest, I wasn’t really aware of the series “Run The World” let alone had I seen it. But the STARZ series is now into its second season and thanks to this track, I binged the show! Robert Glasper’s “Back To Love” is everything great soul should be – emotional, sensual and a vibe that gets built within the first few seconds of the track. It is certainly aided by the featured vocals of SiR and one my faves Alex Isley. Their voices blend beautifully with Glasper’s production to create soul perfection now even recognized by the Grammys! What will it take for tracks like this to make a dent at Top 40 again? Remember those days when Anita Baker, Poison and Debbie Gibson all played on the same radio station!
Listen“We’ve not heard anything new for a while now from Thundercat but that changed this week with the release of “No More Lies”, an awesome team-up between the talent and Tame Impala. The single works to both artists’ strengths and sonically feels like the perfect blend of both of their styles. Thundercat is set to play a series of concerts with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Strokes soon and this single is likely to resonate with fans of those legendary bands, creating an even larger much deserved fanbase for the Grammy-winning talent. Here’s hoping mainstream radio takes a crack at this, because it would be a shame for this to be strictly relegated to alternative radio stations.” I was gaga for this track in my HOT earlier this year and I’m thrilled the track got the attention it deserved. This is a collab I hope that results in further collaborations between the two artists.
ListenThe Weeknd collaborating with either Playboy Carti or Madonna makes perfect sense. Playboy Carti collaborating with The Weeknd or Madonna also makes sense. Madonna collaborating with either of them also total sense. But the three of them together – either it was going to be a hot mess for the ages, or a stroke of genius. Thankfully, the result was the latter and it resulted in Madonna’s biggest hit in years (even decades). The Weeknd and Madonna give us a 1980s style bop that we only wished we’d have gotten back then between the Material Girl and Michael Jackson. While the Playboy Carti part is basically filler, it does give the track the modern touch which likely helped “Popular” become big Top 40 hit.
ListenFrom the Traveling Wilburys to Pistol Annies, supergroups have a way of not always panning out beyond a couple of tracks. I feel kind of the same way about boygenius as most of the tracks from their album “the record” don’t feel as collaborative as you’d expect. It also could simply be because “Not Strong Enough” is such the perfect record, everything else pales in comparison. Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus blend perfectly on the track with each artist’s respective style and voice feeling present, heard and in all, giving us a sum that is far greater than the parts.
ListenBurna Boy has been in the mainstream spotlight now for the past couple of years and that spark doesn’t seem to be fading anytime soon. “City Boys” was the perfect single, expanding on the Nigerian artist’s ability to transport us to his culture without compromise and sonically giving us his signature Afrobeat style with engaging vocals and interesting lyrical wordplay. Sure the single became a viral TikTok challenge but even without that, this is a banger and Boy knows exactly how to keep our attention.
ListenMuch like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Jessie Ware has the ability to transport us whereever she is sonically taking us. But “Hello Love” feels like the perfect amalgamation of the different Ware’s we’ve heard during her most recent eras. Production wise the single is in step with the remainder of her “That! Feels Good!” LP, disco-era feels but much more reliant on funk instrumentation – more Chic/Nile Rodgers. Vocally and stylistically the song is more in step with anything from her “Glasshouse” era. The result is an astonishingly breezing slice of instantly classic soul-pop that sounds both modern and retro at the same time. How this woman continues to get ignored at the Grammys and mainstream Top 40 is a head scratcher for the ages. Pop just doesn’t get catchier than this.
ListenA lot has happened in the last couple of years for Tems. From scoring a massive global hit (and Grammy!) for “Wait For You” by Future and Drake (the single was actually based on Tems’ song “Higher” from her debut EP “For Broken Ears”) to scoring a Oscar nod for co-writing “Lift Me Up”, the Rihanna ballad from the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” film and soundtrack, the artist has been unstoppable. Things only got brighter with the release of “Me & U”, an infectiously catchy R&B number that perfectly slides between contemporary soul and Afropop. There is much to love lyrically here as well as sonically, Tems exudes a passion here that sounds both comforting and very radio friendly. I have a feeling, this is the just beginning for the artist and 2024 is gonna give us a lot more!
ListenArguably the biggest comeback of the year belonged to Miley Cyrus. “Flowers” came out of the gates a massive smash and Cyrus didn’t look back, giving us hit after hit from the “Endless Summer Vacation” LP. While the single felt like a winning successor to the “I Will Survive” school of music empowerment, sonically the track seemed more inspired by Raye’s “Natalie Don’t” which itself had the Gloria Gaynor track as inspiration too. Nevertheless, the Cyrus single stood tall on its own merits and her heartfelt vocal delivery on the track made for one of pop’s finest moments this year.
ListenIt isn’t easy to land a global #1 hit but Myke Towers managed to accomplish that feat this fall with the amazingly addictive “Lala”. Reminscent of the other modern “La La La” song from Naughty Boy with Sam Smith, the track works big time because of the retro synths overlaying the vocal loop atop the reggaeton beat. Towers vocals and vibrant delivery propel the track from just a banger instrumental into a three-dimensional slice of pop. The Argentinian has always had a way with words, helping the lyrics become the fourth wall of the track to create truly, an instant smash for the ages.
ListenWhile the original “Kill Bill” by SZA is lyrically brilliant, there was something about the addition of Doja Cat on the remix version that added an additional layer to the track. Perhaps it’s because of Cat’s persona that she felt like the absolute perfect artist to inject a verse and make the track even wilder and dare I say even more believable? “Kill Bill” released at the very end of 2022 but managed to have a major impact nearly throughout this entire year. SZA has truly had one of the best years of any artist and this year’s Grammy nominations certainly celebrate that fact. The two already won a Grammy together for “Kiss Me More”. Here’s hoping their winning streak continues.
Listen“Daydreaming” was just that, dreamy. NxWorries – the collaboration project between Anderson .Paak and Knowledge didn’t disappoint. The single builds as the track progresses as .Paak’s vocal delivery just instantly makes us wanna relax, chill and follow him. .Paak rarely has had a musical misstep and after Silk Sonic (and that awesome feature on Hailey Steinfeld’s “Coast”), NxWorries was the perfect next step. We need an album .Paak!
ListenTwo critically adored artists came together this year to give us one of the best duets of the year. Country staple Miranda Lambert and old soul rocker Leon Bridges shine on “If You Were Mine”. The track comes at a critical moment for Lambert as she left her record label of nearly two decades to go independent and “stretch” her “creativity” as she posted on social media. She opted to reach out to fellow Texan Bridges a few weeks later to record this heartfelt, heartbreaking ballad. We’re excited to see exactly what’s cooking for Lambert next but if her track record has anything to say about it, whatever it is, it’s gonna be amazing.
Listen“It’s been a long time since Top 40 had such a brutally confessional song like “Ice Cream Man” with a message, that also happens to be incredibly catchy. RAYE’s brilliance even during her caged-up years at her label was that despite not having creative control, she always left her mark in even the most standard dance-pop fair. That’s because at her core, she’s a fantastic songwriter and she’s always been able to spit bars without batting an eye no matter what the content (from “Tequila” to “Natalie Don’t”). I really hope this is released as the next single because empowerment never sounded this big a hit!” I wrote this when Raye released her LP “21st Century Blues” and featured the track on HOT. While the song did generate praise and the video is a tough one to get through, I’m sorry that programmers opted not to follow up the success of the artist’s “Escapism” with this. I’m sure the song has already helped so many out there, radio and playlists embracing the song and giving the track attention could have been even proven more powerful. Shame on the Grammys for omitting the artist from all categories. Hands down one of the best songs written this year.
Listen“Can We Do This?” by Speakers Corner Quartet featuring Sampha on vocals may possibly be the dopest track of the year. The London-based group that brings together elements of electronica, hip-hop and jazz seamlessly really nailed it on this. “The beat was made when my best mate had died by suicide, actually two of my best friends killed themselves in 2019” shared Biscuit, the band’s flutist and beatmaker with Rolling Stone India. “I made that beat with Sampha in mind and hearing it come together with his vocals on top, I was in tears”. Some tracks end up meaning as much to the audience as they do to the band and this is certainly one of those. The production is top notch sounding as good when blasted from the car speakers as it does while sitting quietly with your headphones on. With so many talented musicians coming together – this one just hit different.
ListenWinter just got a little steamier with Kelela’s latest single “Contact”, the fourth single she’s previewed from her upcoming “Raven” LP. From the first second you’ll be immediately hypnotized by the atmospheric sound of the single. A perfect “pre-gaming” single as the artist proclaimed in a statement, this is the kind of single that would have instantly connected with listeners in another era but now, we need to push it out there cause Kelela brings us the universe and we are so for it! One footnote, Kelela’s vocals are just so mesmerizing here, it sort of reminded me of Brandy, which in turn then made me want those layered vocals to even further encapsulate the world the artist creates here for us. Cherry-picking I know but that’s just how drawn in I was!
ListenFor those of you not familiar with Lana Del Rey and the impact she’s had spanning more than a decade now, “A&W” may be the definitive single of her entire discography. The seven minute plus track is as far removed from Top 40 sensibility, format and length as possible. But that doesn’t matter here as we hear different eras of Del Rey seemingly come together – creating a musical masterpiece that is provocative and perceptive. It’s the kind of song only she can release and we will lap up. Now that’s the sign of a brilliant artist.
ListenThe U.S. version of “The Voice” has produced perhaps the least number of actual stars versus seasons compared to “American Idol” (even the rebooted version) so it took a minute to realize that the booted-too-soon Libianca from the reality competition singing show was actually the one behind one of the year’s most successful global smashes. “People” became a viral favorite thanks to its truer than you’d ever actually expect lyrics and Libianca’s authentic Cameroonian vocals. The song became so big we ended up get any mixes featuring different artists and the best of the lot was the surprising mix with Becky G. Somehow the Afrosoul track interspersed with Spanish lyrics created a feeling of universality that reverberates at the center of the track’s line “did you check on me?”.
ListenKids singing the chorus to a hip-hop track is one of the surefire winning formulas for a crossover Top 40 hit. Lil Durk and J. Cole cash in on the knowledge of that to give us “All My Life”, one of the best hip-hop tracks of the year, and perhaps a resurrection for a style of reflective rap we’ve been sorely missing for a good number of years. The song was instantly memorable and for a change, every age range that has enjoyed 50 years of its evolution could come together and say they all dug the same track – that’s a big feat in and of itself.
ListenSometimes when you see too many names together, you wonder if the collaboration will work. Thankfully, in the case of “Submarine”, the dreamy tropical single by Seeb with BANNERS and SUPER-Hi, it worked perfectly. “The lyrics tell the story of a past love that’s hard to forget” shared SEEB with Rolling Stone India. “BANNERS’ style of vocals really fits the vibe we were hoping for on this song and to have him onboard was a great pleasure and honor. We have been fans of SUPER-HI so to be able to collaborate on a production like this is a big thrill for us”. Easily one of the catchiest singles of the year, this collab proved when you have the right acts coming together, you will get that hit!
ListenShakira came out guns blazing with the release of “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” with Bizarrap. The track gave the artist complete ownership over her marital complications and the way in which she so smoothly dissed her ex and questions everything about him and his flame made for perhaps the best revenge song of the year, possibly of the decade and beyond. One of Shakira’s greatest assets has always been her ability to inject a relatability to her life so this track, despite its lyrical specificities became an anthem for lover’s scorned, breathing new life into the artist’s own personal life as well as her career!
Listen“Driver’s License” this isn’t, but that doesn’t mean “Vampire” is any less of a powerful, incredible single. The track marked the start of Rodrigo’s second LP “Guts” era and she delivered such a “fuck you” to any hater thinking she was a one single/one album wonder. The album Is perhaps an even stronger body of work than “Sour” and “Vampire” is straight out of the pop rock playbook of yesteryears, delivering not just an emotional punch but a genuine modern rock sensibility, further establishing Rodrigo as this generation’s Alanis Morrisette.
ListenBad Bunny kept churning out a great number of hits this year but none actually showcased the global icon on a global Top 40 scale better than “Mojabi Ghost” with Tainy. Tainy’s productions have always been stellar and here he finds a way to make Bunny sound even bigger than he usually does, because sonically this is a far more moody, 80’s-tinged single. Bunny doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon and if he kicks giving us bops like this, he’s truly going to become perhaps the biggest artist of our times.
ListenOkay, keep in mind how high the track is before I begin what I have to say. Zach Bryan can’t really sing. His folksy, country style is let’s be honest, an acquired taste. While some of his music is lyrically compelling, it sometimes fails to strike a chord because there is a certain vocal depth that makes everything sort of feel and sound the same. But “I Remember Everything” kind of changed everything for me. Here, thanks to the back-and-forth nature of the duet and the pairinig with one of the smoothest, clearest voices in country, Kacey Musgraves, the song feels more like a theatrical ballad where Bryan’s vocals feel genuine because you believe he’s right for the part of the story they are both delivering. Musgraves hardly has had a misstep in her career and this odd and unlikely pairing resulted in perhaps the best duet pairing of the year.
ListenConfession. I have never really loved loved Billie Eilish the way most critics and of course her fans do. That’s not to say I didn’t appreciate her sound and style but rather it didn’t ever work for me as a comprehensive effort. So it was wild for me to be so emotionally connected to an Eilish record, and that too the one she and brother Finneas created for the “Barbie” film soundtrack. The lyrics are universally heartbreaking and haunting, and it captures a pivotal scene in the blockbuster film with such perfection, you almost wonder what came first, the scene or the song. I am thrilled the track became a smash hit for Eilish and also has been showered with all the award season recognition. I have a feeling it won’t win what it deserves because the artist has already won both the Grammy and the Oscar for her previous single for the James Bond series which honestly pales so dramatically to this in comparison. But then again, Eilish has set a lot of records already, but two-time Academy award winner is in the cards?
ListenWhen KAYTRANADA and Amine became KAYTRAMINE, I was beyond elated. Now throw in Pharrell Williams for that extra hit of coolness and you’ve got one of the best collabs of the year. “4EVA” hits hard from the get-go and the track is such a vibe, you feel like you are listening to a lost Anderson .Paak record (who incidentally is mentioned in the lyrics). This is summer any time of the year the minute you play it. You feel warm, you wanna dance and of course Pharrell is there so you know you’re going to have lots of repeated hooks that you’ll be singing in your head even when the song isn’t playing anymore.
ListenIt was a joy to hear Tori Kelly return with “Missin U”, a breath of fresh pop air. Kelly’s collaboration with Jon Bellion wasn’t thankfully just a one-time affair. It manifested in an EP and for me, “Shelter” is THE best record Kelly has put out that really should have been a spectacular return and dare I say perhaps her career’s biggest Top 40 record. I don’t know why the track wasn’t pushed as it is such a fantastic single, carried by Kelly’s outstanding vocals. Her ode to 90’s R&B is so on point here, you really wonder why despite huge industry love and respect the artist is unable to make a dent at radio. Honestly, in my mind, and as reflected on the charts here, one of the biggest pop records of the year.
ListenOne of my #HITSOFTOMORROW favorite features makes a huge dent at the end of the year. “Three acts that I never really would have thought would organically come together have done just that. “Something On My Mind” features Purple Disco Machine who blends his disco vibes with the electronic soul of Duke Dumont and then paired with the indie sensibility of Nothing But Thieves, the track becomes a perfect blend. There are so many dance collabs coming out these days yet this one is special, not just because of the interesting pairing but because it feels like all the parts are equal in the equation and fans of any of the three artists will dig – that’s not easy to accomplish but here, it works!”
Listen“Walk On By” has been covered so many times by so many artists over the decades, I actually think no one has done it justice (with the possible exception of UK’s Gabrielle). So to hear Dionne Warwick’s voice appear right at the start and hearing those famous 3 words of the legend Burt Bacharach commence at the start of Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red”, I was already sold. But Cat did the sample justice by giving us the best hip-pop record of the year. She is perfection here, giving us rhymes, the perfect beat, and a loop that helped Top 40 take the singer all the way to the top of the charts. And major kudos for the edited version (without “Bitch) working as perfectly. This is an artist that thinks and creates. And this year the “Scarlet” LP proved there is truly no one even remotely close to her range and talent in the game right now.
ListenI usually avoid featuring the same artist twice within the same calendar year on #HITSOFTOMORROW because I want to make sure different artists get an opportunity to benefit from the spotlight. But I broke my own rules after Kylie Minogue’s roaring return with “Padam Padam”. Desite that single going viral and becoming her biggest hit in decades, radio programmers failed to play the dance icon. How is it that TikTok isn’t as ageist as Top 40? Still I gave the benefit of the doubt and thought okay, maybe the song just doesn’t fit the landscape. But then came “Tension”, a futuristic bop that in my opinion, out-padamed (yes I’ve made it a word) its predecessor. The insanely catchy track should have been massive hit but I’m just thankful it made a dent on the charts and well, younger kids now know, oh wait! – there was another Kylie before the Jenner one and she’s kinda awesome!
ListenVictoria Monet has been slaying it for years and I’m thrilled the exceedingly talented singer and songwriter is getting her flowers (or at least the Grammy attention) this year. “On My Mama” is the perfect slice of old school R&B presented with a 2023 bow that you are hooked within just one listen. Monet’s vocals here are slick and expressive, giving us more grit than a Ariana Grande track could ever could but with the same level of Grande hooks, melodic bells & interlude whistles. Slay Monet Slay!
ListenSensual, seductive and refreshingly simple seem to be the words that most often tag my favorite kind of Jessie Ware. While her entire “That! Feels Good!” was 70’s funk/disco/soul triumph, it’s the one song that kind of bulks that style that felt the most timeless. “Lightning”, much like “Remember Where We Are” from her last LP “What’s Your Pleasure?” feels like the real Jessie, a combination of everything else we heard on the record but the mature, pensive voice that exudes the kind of love that any amount of saccharine makes you wanna believe. The song has such a vibe and Ware so nonchalantly presents it to us, like oh no big deal. A classic from the first listen.
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