best of khalyan’s best of 2023 | top 10 throwbacks! what could be #1?

[Mr. Blue_Shirt]

Can't Tame Her, My Love Mine All Mine are so good

 

New Bottega is also really good too but kinda want to listen to OG version that she was teasing when she dragged Torren Foot for the reason the song totally flop on Spotify lmao

[Kern]

22 hours ago, khalyan said:

#28 "New Bottega" Azealia Banks

Azealia still knows how to make a bop, which is why I will never understand the threads about her saying she's lost it for years. In the past few years she has fed us this masterpiece alongside FHAN, and Tarantula. I do wish she would deliver us another full-length project eventually but for now I just enjoy the ride, and appreciate what she does decide to put out.

 

#27 "On & On (Again)" Confidence Man & Daniel Avery

The second Confidence Man droplet to make my countdown. I'm so incredibly ready to hear the direction they are going to take for their next project. Their droplets this year were more dance than Tilt so I'm curious if they'll continue with that trend or scale back to some more pop ready sound? Regardless, I'll be here to soak it up whatever they do!

oh yes, this is good  I don't believe Azealia will ever release an album but I hope CM will soon cause those droplets are fine

[khalyan]

Let's keep this going!

UPDATE #4 - Best of 2023 #25-21, Best Throwbacks #25-21

 

Best of 2023

#25 "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" Chappell Roan

Chappell appeared this year as a new and improved King Princess. I love the queer coded anthems both of the bring and Chappell was able to energize those even more and we got the perfected Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl. Love to see the acclaim she got this year and I can't wait for more!

 

#24 "Rush" Troye Sivan

Troye was such an enigma this year. Rush was absolutely fantastic, and I truly think it could have been a decent sized US hit if they decided to push it after the success it was immediately receiving on streaming. The music video is also one of the obvious best of the year. Unfortunately for me, nothing else on his album sounded like this and I was let down. Hopefully Troye gives us more tracks like this in the future.

 

#23 "Strangers" Kenya Grace

This year was filled with these throwback UK garage songs (not making my throwback list was the Why Mis-teeq UK garage remix that eats most of this years releases up). To me, Kenya Grace served the most successful return to that sound. She's likely destined to be a one hit wonder, but I do like her other tracks this year as well.

 

#22 "I Wrote A Song" Mae Muller

It's such a shame she cannot sing live at all, because this song is SO GOOD and her persona is absolutely fantastic. I much prefer songs like this over snoozes like Spaceman, so I was sad to see the UK not rewarded with a good result at Eurovision this year. The studio still eats and I listen to it often though!
 

#21 "Mermaids" Florence + the Machine

Unfortunately, the Dance Fever era somehow came and went for me. I think it's the heavy Jack Antonoff influence that didn't click, as all her most successful songs from the era do not include him (My Love, Daffodil). This track also escaped Antonoff's touch and you can tell with how excellent the instrumental here is. We want more of this Florence!

 

--

 

Best Throwbacks

#25 "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" Saint Etienne (1990)

I had unknowingly added this to a playlist of mine for traveling in the desert for vacation, and when I went to the desert this year I pulled up that playlist, listened, and had absolutely no recollection of this song but became immediately hooked. I kept realizing it was released in 1990 and was shook every time, it's so forward sounding that you could have told me it was released in the mid-10s and I would have believed you. 

 

#24 "One Word" Kelly Osbourne (2005)

Scrolling through Twitter one day and saw someone posting their 5x5 which included this album on it and they were speaking so highly of this album in their post. This was deep into my throwback era this summer so I had to check the album out and was pleasantly surprised by several tracks on it, but One Word was the easy hit of the album. With this one track, she became the best musician of her family so congrats to her for that!

 

#23 "Shake Ya Body" Tyra Banks (2004)

Every year, I end up rewatching ANTM cycles 1-8 as one of my comfort shows and Tyra famously had her models appear in this music video for this song in cycle 2. In years past I didn't think anything of the song itself, but this year I watched the music video directly after the relative episode and realized how much of a bop the track actually is. It's a shame it's not on streaming, but thankfully someone uploaded a remastered version to YouTube and I had it saved to my Apple Music library where it gave me energy for every workout this entire summer.

 

#22 "I Want Your (Hands on Me) Sinead O'Connor (1988)

First discovered years ago in a chatroom for Platinum Hit players back in 2014/2015 by the incomparable @MattyTacos this track reentered my daily listening after the unfortunate passing of Sinead. For me, this is her best track and Sinead had proved how fearless she was with her talent. When she had MC Lyte featured on this track, it became one of the first tracks to feature a female hip-hop artist on a pop track, something that is so commonplace today. RIP.

 

#21 "Addictive" Truth Hurts ft. Rakim (2002)

I discovered this track after the rumors that Cardi's Bongos was going to sample this. Bongos would have been MUCH better if it actually did. This track is a smash, a perfect influence of the Bollywood sounds popular in the early 00s. Rakim is also VERY Azealia Banks-coded with how he delivers his verse. This song really is just so excellent.

 

[khalyan]

14 hours ago, worldwide angel said:

shy boy

a&w

my hit, mine all mine

 

 

12 hours ago, JGibson said:

My Love Mine All Mine 

One of her best tracks  

 

12 hours ago, Legend E said:

For me, Screen Violence was an excellent album, and Over continued on that same note  

 

Evidemment was great, but I wouldn't particularly call it a risk. A&W and Shy Boy  

 

My Love Mine All Mine is...okay  

 

Excited for the rest!  

I think Evidemment was a risk compared to the standard French ballad like Voila or Mon Amour that their delegation likes to send. I truly do not know what went wrong with her either, I still think it deserved top 5

 

7 hours ago, Kiss It Better said:

you just reminded me to add New Bottega to my list cause i forgot it was this year  but we don't claim the Torrent Foot's Version though

My Love Mine All Mine is so good  best song she's released since maybe 2018 

Shy Boy and Speed Drive were nice bops

I'm also not a Lana fan but agreed A&W is so good

 

Definitely do not claim Torren Foot, thankfully AM makes it so easy to add music from elsewhere to your library.

 

My only gripe with A&W is that it could have been more successful as two separate songs.

 

2 hours ago, Mr. Blue_Shirt said:

Can't Tame Her, My Love Mine All Mine are so good

 

New Bottega is also really good too but kinda want to listen to OG version that she was teasing when she dragged Torren Foot for the reason the song totally flop on Spotify lmao

The OG version is on YT, and is far superior to the mess Torren Foot created. It reminds me a lot of what her song Venus went through, initially it was great but as more and more producers/DJs got ahold of it, it transformed into something much worse.

 

2 hours ago, stupidjock said:

oh yes, this is good  I don't believe Azealia will ever release an album but I hope CM will soon cause those droplets are fine

Hopefully we get that CM album very soon into 2024! 

[Album Leak]

Rush definitely seems to be appearing on a lot of people's list, deservedly so. 

 

Florence + The Machine is a weird one for me because either I love her albums, or they are complete skips. Dance Fever was a total skip. Mermaids definitely feels like a good path correction for her though.

[JGibson]

Addictive in Throwbacks 

[rvx]

Strangers 

[K$Ellie]

rewatched a few ANTM seasons this year too, timeless show and the pinnacle of 00s reality shows

looooove the Chappell and Troye songs, both albums were a bit of a mixed bag tho!

Contemporary Love ASC smash exactlyyyy  love Shygirl but thicc was too Jessie'd for me

[Legend E]

Quote

I  think Evidemment was a risk compared to the standard French ballad like Voila or Mon Amour that their delegation likes to send. I truly do not know what went wrong with her either, I still think it deserved top 5 

well yes and no, Fulenn was a bigger risk imo (and the better song). Plus they did send bops before, one of my faves being Anggun's entry.

 

Nice to see Chappell here.

 

Only Love Can Break Your Heart omg  I didn't listen to that in forever, what a stunner 

[GreatestLoveofAll]

6 hours ago, khalyan said:

#24 "Rush" Troye Sivan

Troye was such an enigma this year. Rush was absolutely fantastic, and I truly think it could have been a decent sized US hit if they decided to push it after the success it was immediately receiving on streaming. The music video is also one of the obvious best of the year. Unfortunately for me, nothing else on his album sounded like this and I was let down. Hopefully Troye gives us more tracks like this in the future.

i agree tbh. maybe thats why the album doesnt click with me completely yet? like it took me a while to really start stanning rush but the other songs pale in comparison sonically so it might be a harder fight for them

 

 

[Mr. Blue_Shirt]

Rush and Mermaids are one of my favorites this year I Wrote a Song is cute but it kinda sounds like a scrapped song from Dua Lipa debut album nn

 

The way Kelly Osbourne lowkey made one of the best albums back in 2005 because Sleeping in the Nothing aged really well in 2023 imo Thank you Linda Perry!

[ARTPØP]

Speed Drive & Shy Boy are bops, for sure 

 

Couldn't really get into Troye's "Rush" but it's starting to grow on me 

[abelfenty]

Slae Muller top 25 

[Mr. Loco]

Troye has been releasing bops this year, but Rush is definetely the best of them all 

 

Strangers is cute 

[KasioKas]

"Can't Tame Her" Zara Larsson

Don't Look Down" Jai Wolf ft BANKS

 

Idk tame got old quickly for me but don't look down was a bop

[MusicLoverDude]

Rush, Speed Drive

[Alldeezy]

One Word

[khalyan]

UPDATE #4 - Best of 2023 #20-16, Best Throwbacks #20-16

 

Best of 2023

#20 "Psychedelic Switch" Carly Rae Jepsen

Hopefully in the future she'll use less complicated words to spell than Psychedelic but this song is such a classic, maybe her best pop song since Run Away With Me? It's everything that Carly does well just amplified to the next degree.

 

#19 "Padam Padam" Kylie Minogue

Serving us this classic right before pride month was the smartest thing Kylie could have ever done tbh. It was every gay's anthem this year for pride. I was disappointed with the album not containing more Padams and Tensions but at least Kylie gave us two of her best tracks with this era.

 

#18 "Giving Me" Jazzy

This is such an easy track to listen to and her EP this year was absolutely excellent. Due to the ease of this song, it's ended up one of my most played songs of the year and is featured in almost every playlist I have. I'm definitely excited for what she brings in the future. 

 

#17 "By The End of The Night" Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding served us one of the best pop albums of the year and this is one of the standout tracks from the album. In a similar way as Giving Me above it, this song is so easy to listen to it became one of my most played songs and comes on my playlists often, even if I didn't actively search it myself. 

 

#16 "Prada" cassö, RAYE, D-Block Europe

I'm a sucker for good EDM and the UK always serves us some classics with their chart toppers, and Raye delivered with her vocals on this. I'm so happy that with her newfound freedom as an independent artist, she still enjoys contributing to dance tracks like her label forced her to make for so long.

 

--

 

Best Throwbacks

#20 "Dreamer" Livin' Joy (1996)

My absolute favorite genre of music is 90s dance, and I've researched and listened to so many songs from that era so it's rare for me to come across something I heard in my youth but I haven't heard since. That happened with Dreamer this year and it was such a great reunion!

 

#19 "Utopia" Goldfrapp (2000)

A long time Goldfrapp fan but I've always been a little ambivalent to Felt Mountain and it all somehow clicked with me at the beginning of the year. The Plaid Remix gave the energy to the song that I usually crave with my daily listening while keeping all the aspects of the original that I love so much. 

 

#18 "Sweet Dreams My LA Ex" Rachel Stevens (2003)

The first of three Rachel Stevens songs on my countdown, Sweet Dreams was something I casually listened to after listening to Come & Get It and I got stuck on it directly after the Britney/Justin drama was happening. Obsessed with the ribbons they used in the video and every single performance.

 

#17 "Zero" Yeah Yeah Yeahs (2009)

While I have loved this song for years and years, it became a full-blown obsession this year after seeing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in concert and hearing this live. It's really special to hear a song performed live that you've known and loved for so many years. Their concert will go down as one of my favorites I've ever seen.

 

#16 "Girls on Top" Girl Thing (2001)

Thank you so much to my Apple Music for putting this song on my personalized radio station this year. This actual Spice Girls knock off group gave me everything I needed; high energy, a cheesy chorus, campy choreography, and a perfect mix of throwback sounds. I can't believe this song flopping was the reason the group broke up  

[khalyan]

thank you everyone for being so involved with my countdown so far!  

 

On 12/16/2023 at 10:30 AM, Album Leak said:

Rush definitely seems to be appearing on a lot of people's list, deservedly so. 

 

Florence + The Machine is a weird one for me because either I love her albums, or they are complete skips. Dance Fever was a total skip. Mermaids definitely feels like a good path correction for her though.

I've loved every album of Florence's but this one has the least amount of replay ability for me unfortunately. I find myself going back to High as Hope more often, HBx3 is probably my all time fave album, and her first two are such great nostalgia trips for me.

 

On 12/16/2023 at 12:48 PM, JGibson said:

Addictive in Throwbacks 

Do you have any more songs of hers that you like? I don't know much other than Addictive but it's so good!

 

On 12/16/2023 at 1:41 PM, rvx said:

Strangers 

She did that  

 

On 12/16/2023 at 3:39 PM, K$Ellie said:

rewatched a few ANTM seasons this year too, timeless show and the pinnacle of 00s reality shows

looooove the Chappell and Troye songs, both albums were a bit of a mixed bag tho!

Contemporary Love ASC smash exactlyyyy  love Shygirl but thicc was too Jessie'd for me

ANTM is really one of the best rewatch shows ever

I agree about both Chappell and Troye's albums! And Shygirls track took me a few listens for it to finally click maybe it'll click for you at some point!

 

On 12/16/2023 at 4:37 PM, Legend E said:

well yes and no, Fulenn was a bigger risk imo (and the better song). Plus they did send bops before, one of my faves being Anggun's entry.

 

Nice to see Chappell here.

 

Only Love Can Break Your Heart omg  I didn't listen to that in forever, what a stunner 

Oh I LOVED Fulenn too and I was so irritated that it performed that bad. Europe truly has no taste!

 

On 12/16/2023 at 4:42 PM, GreatestLoveofAll said:

i agree tbh. maybe thats why the album doesnt click with me completely yet? like it took me a while to really start stanning rush but the other songs pale in comparison sonically so it might be a harder fight for them

 

 

It's such a weird mix sonically. I can see what they did, giving us Rush first that had the most energy and then giving us Got Me Started which kinda transitioned the sound from Rush to the rest of the album, but trying to listen to the whole album is sometimes like listening to a Lady Gaga track in the middle of a Harry Styles album.

 

On 12/17/2023 at 6:53 AM, Mr. Blue_Shirt said:

Rush and Mermaids are one of my favorites this year I Wrote a Song is cute but it kinda sounds like a scrapped song from Dua Lipa debut album nn

 

The way Kelly Osbourne lowkey made one of the best albums back in 2005 because Sleeping in the Nothing aged really well in 2023 imo Thank you Linda Perry!

Kelly's album was SO GOOD?! I was shocked. I know her best for her talk show blunder and the TV show with her parents that was on when I was a kid. Totally surprised with how hard she served but all the reality queens from that time were serving hits.

 

On 12/17/2023 at 1:09 PM, ARTPØP said:

Speed Drive & Shy Boy are bops, for sure 

 

Couldn't really get into Troye's "Rush" but it's starting to grow on me 

Rush is definitely hit or miss judging off of everyone's reaction here!

 

On 12/17/2023 at 1:33 PM, abelfenty said:

Slae Muller top 25 

Placed 22nd on my list, higher than her Eurovision result  

 

On 12/17/2023 at 6:22 PM, Mr. Loco said:

Troye has been releasing bops this year, but Rush is definetely the best of them all 

 

Strangers is cute 

Hopefully Kenya gives us more Strangers in the future

 

10 hours ago, KasioKas said:

"Can't Tame Her" Zara Larsson

Don't Look Down" Jai Wolf ft BANKS

 

Idk tame got old quickly for me but don't look down was a bop

So happy to see Don't Look Down getting some love, I didn't see many people talking about it this year!

 

9 hours ago, MusicLoverDude said:

Rush, Speed Drive

Two bops  

 

3 hours ago, Alldeezy said:

One Word

I think I remember you talking about this song earlier this year as well, the taste  

[JGibson]

Padam Padam 

 

Throwbacks: Sweet Dreams My LA Ex + Zero 

 

[Legend E]

Fulenn did deserve a lot more!

 

So so happy to see By The End of the Night here. One of the best songs of the year! Padam x2 and Psychedelic Switch are also great!

 

Goldfrapp have always been kinda overrated for me, but Alison ate this year so maybe I should give them another shot

[Alldeezy]

Kylie + Carly + Raye + Ellie 

 

 

[TRF.]

Kylie, Carly and Ellie on the current songs and Goldfrapp, Rachel and YYYs on the throwbacks  

[khalyan]

UPDATE #5 - Best of 2023 #15-11, Best Throwbacks #15-11

 

Best of 2023

#15 "Freak Me Now" Jessie Ware

Slightly amplified by Roisin Terphy, Freak Me Now stood out as the strongest track from Jessie's newest album this year. I was so lucky to see her perform in October and it was such a great show, and this track stood out among her immaculate discography at the show as well.

 

#14 "Greedy" Tate McRae

I still do not hear the Promiscuous inspiration, but the track is still magnificent on its own! So catchy, straight to the point, maybe TikTok music does make a few points with its length at time? I had really liked Tate from She's All I Wanna Be and I'm glad she's transitioning to becoming a full blown pop star.

 

#13 "Capable of love" PinkPantheress

I have to admit, I have been so against PinkPantheress for some reasons since her debut but this song converted me into a fan! A find a lot of her music, this album included, to sound immature and cheaply produced at times, but this song is SO RICH and SO MATURE it's honestly one of my biggest accidental discographies of the year. 

 

#12 "Dance the Night" Dua Lipa

Who better than to create the perfect disco-bop for the biggest movie of the year?! Dua serves as she usually does with this song, and I'm happy she got to wrap up the incredible disco inspired sounds she has used the last few years with this release. 

 

#11 "River" Miley Cyrus

If only this song got to be as popular as Flowers! I was so confused this flopped when they tried to release it, it stood out against the sea of mediocre tracks Miley included on this album. 

 

Best Throwbacks

#15 "Girl on the Verge" Sarah Hudson (2004)

Rewatching season 1 of Project Runway, I saw an episode centered around creating a performance look for new pop-rock singer Sarah Hudson. The song being promoted was this one and is such a campy, fun throwback anthem with the early 00s pop rock energy around it. I looked up Sarah Hudson to see what she's done since the show and she's helped write massive hits for others such as Dua Lipa's Physical and Levitating, Katy Perry's Dark Horse, and Iggy Azalea's Black Widow. 

 

#14 "So Good" Rachel Stevens (2005)

The second of three Rachel Stevens tracks on this album. This one featured on Come & Get It, which is an album I discovered somehow by browsing Reddit and seeing someone compare this album to Goldfrapp's Supernature album but more pop. That description was enough to sell me and it's become one of my favorite albums since. So Good is just one of the many highlights featured on that classic!

 

#13 "I Wanna Love You Forever" Jessica Simpson (1999)

This year I did a deep dive into Jessica Simpson's discography for the first time and came out with so many gems, this debut from her being one of those. I usually don't do ballads but Miss Successica SINGS on this track and it's so fun to scream along to in the car. 

 

#12 "Smooth Operator" Sade (1984)

This discovery was inspired by it going viral on TikTok, a first interest into F1, and the purchase of a different Sade record recently. Her music is so unique, such a smooth listening experience, and really creates such vibrant images for me while listening. I've typically associated Sade with rainy, stormy weather and this one kept the same energy while giving me sultry summery masterpiece.

 

#11 "Who Do You Love Now" Dannii Minogue (2003)

When are we going to all realize Neon Nights is on par with her sister's magnum opus Fever?! The album is so good and gives me similar energy. Who Do You Love Now immediately stood out against the new tracks I heard when listening to this album, as I've only been familiar with I Begin to Wonder before this year. Great discovery for me!

 

 

[Legend E]

FMN, DTN and River  but FMN without Roisin is better than the one with her. Capable of Love is actually nice, in spite of my PP hatred.

 

Hope you get to discover Sade's discography even more, it's absolutely stunning