best of Kiss It Better's Best of 2023

[Kiss It Better]

 

Welcome to Kiss It Better's Best of 2023!

As usual, I will be doing lists of my favorite albums, songs, artists, and music videos. Stay tuned!

 

previous years:

2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016

Best of Decade

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by Kiss It Better

[Kiss It Better]

for starter, as i didn't get the chance to do Best of 2022 last year because... nvm   even though i was SUPER excited to do it last year because everything was SO GOOD so anyway here it is... exactly how i liked/ranked/commented it last year, no editing to my current's liking whatsover (cause if i were to re-rank them right now it would be different) so here it is...
 

Spoiler

1.      Sabrina Claudio

MY ARTIST OF THE YEAR!! She gives everything this year, the music, the visual, the live performances, the tour, everything and did great at all of them. Not just the new music, the old music is still hitting too, that’s why she’s my most played artist of the year and also my artist of the year.

 

2.      Alex Isley

Beside MARIGOLD the album, she was also featured on several singles with the likes of Tank, Rory, PJ Morton, Robert Glasper and Tank and the Bangas, while also featured as producer and background vocalist for couple songs on Lucky Daye’s Candydrip album . She was my Artist of the Year for the first half of the year actually. Really rooting for her to be the next artist after Jazmine Sullivan to get her flowers, what she does is magical, it’s beautiful, perfect, her vocals is heavenly, her music is immaculate, she just DOES it for me and this year was a great year for her.

 

3.      Beyoncé

This year she released the first act out of the 3 acts (possibly) coming later. Impeccable body of work, great v- wait no she did not… She could’ve been my Artist of the Year had she released the Renaissance visuals like… what is she waiting for?

 

4.      Lucky Daye

My Male Artist of the Year, solid sophomore album, great visuals and his concert was great too (I watched on youtube). The deluxe version of Candydrip just cemented this, and his social media presence is also admirable and needed.

 

5.      The Weeknd

My Artist of the year for the first 2-3 months of the year with Dawn FM dropping, I thought he would drop more singles and visuals but he didn’t (well he did drop some videos, but that’s not what I meant), though he still had a very successful year this year with the tour and his older music randomly smashing (Die For You, I Was Never There, on top of Save Your Tears and Blinding Lights still smashing 2 years later), great year for him and still waiting for Less Than Zero (which was a skip for me when it first came out but now I CANT GET IT OUTTA MY HEAAAAAD) to be a single.

 

6.      Channel Tres

This year he released a dance instrumental EP (produced by himself) and a couple singles which were great, his Coachella set was amazing and his debut studio album is due for next year and I’m so excited.

 

7.      FKJ

He’s so talented, he’s just great at what he does and I love it. V I N C E N T was a flawless body of work that I’ve been waiting for from him since debut in 2017 and Ylang Ylang EP in 2019. His COLORS show performance was stunning, so was his Tiny Desk performance, which just like Mac Ayres, he did his performance by himself playing all the instrumentals by himself, what a talent.

 

8.      SZA

She was the last-minute addition to this list because for 10 months of the year I barely listen to her (except for CTRL deluxe in June but that was it really) until she (finally) released Shirt and (FINALLY!!) the album just about 3 weeks ago and she’s already in my top 10 most played artist of the year, that shows how good this album is and how great she is as a musician. Looking forward to see what she has in store for us in 2023 with the deluxe and more.

 

9.      Moonchild

I guess I can say that Moonchild is my group of the year. Dominating the first quarter of the year with their new album “Starfruit”, I was also almost saw them live last month but I canceled because I’m broke and I had another thing going on.

 

10.   Kelela

My most anticipated comeback of the decade finally happened!! Kelela is back with 3 (THREE!!) BRAND NEW SONGS this year (Washed Away, Happy Ending and On The Run) and scheduled to drop her long-anticipated second studio album “Raven” on February 10^th 2023 (that’s less than 50 days to go), loving all these 3 tracks she’s dropped so far and based on these 3 songs she’s aiming for that 2023 AOTY already.

 

Spoiler

1.      Sabrina Claudio – Based on a Feeling

THEE ALBUM OF THE YEAR!! This was #2 up until I made up my mind last minute because I realized that I always go back to this album like no other album released this year, this was just… the best. Very cohesive, solid, no skips, this was like this year’s Magic 8Ball even if I didn’t realize it, this was perfect, there’s a song for every mood, so sensual, therapeutic, sexy, beautiful. With only 11 tracks and about 7 months, this album already has over 2k plays and according to my lastfm it stayed at top 5 every months. What made this even more special and better is that this album is completely solo, no features, just Sabrina Claudio herself, and in the year where there are tons of great R&B album (this year was probably the most active year for R&B in the last decade) she standouts and this is probably her best album too, her most mainstream one for sure and the music videos were high budget, Put On Repeat sounded like a very luxurious, expensive song and it also showed in the music video. I can see myself still going back to this album a year from now.

Key Tracks: IOU, Basic Needs, Still Strangers, Protect H.E.R., Favorite Part

 

2.      Alex Isley & Jack Dine – MARIGOLD

This was my AOTY, I considered this as the album of the year up until I changed my mind last minute when finalizing these lists. This was the female equivalent of last year’s Mac Ayres’ Magic 8Ball I think. Immaculate production, beautiful-soothing vocals, great lyrics, very cohesive and solid, I really love short R&B albums like this because it gets me wanting more, hence why even though it only has 9 tracks, this album already has over 2k plays. This was the most underrated album of the year.

Key Tracks: Without, Under the Moon, Such a Thing, Love Again, Square Zero

 

3.      Beyoncé – RENAISSANCE

This was the album of summer 2022 basically, she did it again, I consider Renaissance as the sister of BEYONCÉ (2013), astonishing production, outstanding vocals as always, very cohesive and solid, no skips, this was perfect and so good that this was my most played album of the year and had 1k plays in less than a month since its release, fastest album to do so. She did all of that without visuals too (come on Bey, release it!) if this wasn’t such an R&B year I might’ve considered this as my AOTY too but yeah, basically these top 3 are tied as AOTY for me, these are neck and neck in plays (all 3 have over 2k plays with a big gap to #4). It starts with I’m That Girl that sets the mood for the groundbreaking dance album that it is, to the smash hit Cuff It with perfect transitions to Energy and then to the #1 hit Break My Soul, then slow it down a bit to Plastic off the Sofa which is basically one song with Virgo’s Groove, it gets hotter with Heated and sexier with Thique, and she took us to the gay club with Pure/Honey and it closes with the victory song, Summer Renaissance. To top it all off, this was just the Act 1, can’t wait to see what she has in store for us in the next acts (and the VISUAL).

Key Tracks: Cuff It, Plastic Off The Sofa, Summer Renaissance, Virgo’s Groove, Heated

 

4.      Lucky Daye – Candydrip

So this was the male AOTY for me, perfect R&B album. The album cover was so sexy and perfectly captured the album and the title. The deluxe that was just released recently was all great and enhanced the album, though I feel like it might have been sounding more like his debut, Painted, though I wish these songs were released earlier.

Key Tracks: Over, Compassion, Ego, NWA, Guess

 

5.      The Weeknd – Dawn FM

Basically the AOTY for the first quarter of the year, it had me on a chokehold, released on the very first Friday of the year, this album was very cohesive and solid, with the purgatory radio theme going on, arguably his best pop album in terms of theme, production and lyrics.

Key Tracks: How Do I Make You Love Me, Out of Time, Don’t Break My Heart, Less Than Zero, Is There Someone Else

 

6.      SZA – SOS

After 5 years FINALLY!!! If this was released earlier, it probably would’ve made top 4 because CTRL was my AOTY in 2017 and this is just as good and 23 tracks?? COUNT ME IN!! to top it off she’s not even including several songs and the deluxe is coming so yeah, good music all around. A problem that most albums with long tracklist has is bad sequencing, I feel like it could’ve been better, and I made it better with my version. Also, even though I wish this came out earlier, I feel like the timing is actually perfect like first, it came out exactly 5.5 years since CTRL and second, I’m having a relatable moment with some of these songs right now, which helped this album to *HIT* harder for me.

Key Tracks: Snooze, Open Arms, Blind, I Hate U, Good Days

 

7.      Christian Kuria – Suspension of Disbelief

If this wasn’t him this would probably not even be on the top 10 because, so this EP has 6 (read: SIX) tracks, and 5 of them were already released as singles since 2020 (there’s even a single released in 2020 and now it’s gone on all DSPs so it’s not available anywhere anymore) leaving just one new track from this release that’s basically just an outro (not exactly an outro, but it felt like one) LIKE… DUDE… COME ON!! Can’t he just put out a 9 track album at least?? LORD!! But good music is good music, and dude every songs on this EP is *chef’s kiss*

Key Tracks: So, Deep Green, Sunbleach, Toroka (I prefer the Alex Isley remix though)

 

8.      FKJ – V I N C E N T

After 5 years, finally a full-length album from FKJ again, this was perfect and it came out at a perfect time too. Not much to comment about this, the album was perfect.

Key Tracks: Different Masks For Different Days, Once Again I Close My Eyes, Us, The Mission, Way Out

 

9.      Taylor Swift – MIDnIGHTs

“MID n IGHT” that’s what I thought when I first listened to this album on a very LQ leak because I hate midnight (no pun intended) EST releases, then when the album came out officially I listened again and it was still alright, 3 hours later she released the deluxe and these new tracks were… bad, I liked probably just one of them. Beside, I was holding myself to not listen to her too much because she’s somehow at #2 of my most played artist of all time the last 5 years, but it ended up growing on me and yeah now it’s one of my favorite pop album of the year.

Key Tracks: Lavender Haze, Karma, You’re On Your Own Kid, Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve, Question…?

 

10.   Tove Lo – Dirt Femme

When this album came out I was sick so I didn’t really get to *feel* this album through and I was just like “this was disappointing” because I barely felt any of the new songs, until it started to grow on me and I think that this was better than Sunshine Kitty at least, and overall this was more cohesive. Also wishing she didn’t wait so long to drop this because the album was finished since spring and she released this in October, could’ve been a June/July release instead.

Key Tracks: How Long, 2 Die 4, Call On Me, Attention *****, Kick In The Head

 

11.   Duckwrth – Chrome Bull

This was such a long wait (just like every other Duckwrth’s projects this decade) but this one specifically, I didn’t get a hype from it at all due to the mediocre singles, Power Power was meh (I prefer his collab Favorite with RuAreYou), I didn’t feel Ce Soir when it first came out even though it featured one of my favorite artists, Syd, it took me a while for it to start growing on me. The album (or should I say EP?) itself was very short, just 8 songs (including 1 interlude) and 21 mins long and 2 songs that he debuted on his ongoing tour aren’t present either, concept wise this was disappointing honestly, but again, good music is good music, 4/8 songs are stunning dance records.

Key Tracks: 11:30, Sneaky, Super Saiyan, Pray, Ce Soir

 

12.   Moonchild – Starfruit

This was my favorite album of the beginning of the year, however as the year went by it kinda got old and I got bored so yeah, and their album “Voyager” remains their best album. But, Starfruit showed another side of Moonchild and this might be their most mainstream album yet, filled with collaborations from the likes of Lalah Hathaway, Alex Isley, Ill Camille, Rapsody and Tank and the Bangas.

Key Tracks: Tell Him, You Got One, What You Wanted, The Long Way, Love I Need

 

13.   Yuna – Y5

Originated as 5 separate EPs released throughout 2022, the first one (Y1) was released in March, up until the fourth one (Y4) released in September and in November 11^th it was released as one full album with the 4 new tracks (from what could’ve been the fifth EP). This rollout reminds me of H.E.R. type rollout that she did in 2016-2019 with her two (compilation) albums, which honestly in Yuna’s case while it did work and each EPs showed different sound and vibes, as a last.fm user this ruined my scrobbles, the album had it been released in full since beginning would’ve made top 10 most played album of the year but it didn’t because of these EPs, but alas it still a good body of work nonetheless and I also wish the full-length album version had a rearranged tracklist instead because it had so much potential.

Key Tracks: Fool 4 U, Kiss The Moon, Risk It All, Cigarette, Can’t Get Over You

 

14.   Ella Mai – Heart on My Sleeve

Coming off Boo’d Up and Trip hype, she released Not Another Love Song in 2020 which honestly I thought at the time was not a good song, but after the album came out I feel like it made sense and it was a good song. However, I still feel like this era could’ve been bigger if she released different songs as singles (How, Sink or Swim, Didn’t Say). Overall, this was a good album but not better than debut.

Key Tracks: Sink or Swim, Didn’t Say, How, Leave You Alone, Not Another Love Song

 

15.   Avril Lavigne – Love Sux

The long-awaited acclaimed body of work from the motherfucking princess of pop-rock is finally here!! What a solid body of work, no skips, every songs are bangers, this is what we’ve been waiting for from her in the last decade, honestly.

Key Tracks: F.U., Bite Me, Love Sux, Cannonball, Kiss Me Like The World Is Ending

 

 

Spoiler

BEST 100 SONGS OF 2022

 

1. Alex Isley & Jack Dine - Without
2. Sabrina Claudio - IOU
3. Sabrina Claudio - Basic Needs
4. Alex Isley & Jack Dine - Under The Moon
5. Lucky Daye - Compassion (feat. Chiiild)
6. Beyoncé - CUFF IT
7. The Weeknd - How Do I Make You Love Me?
8. Beyoncé - PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA
9. Kelela - On the Run
10. Beyoncé - SUMMER RENAISSANCE

11. Rihanna - Born Again
12. Channel Tres - 6am
13. SZA - Snooze
14. Tove Lo - How Long
15. The Weeknd - Don't Break My Heart

16. Kelela - Washed Away
17. Sabrina Claudio - Still Strangers
18. SZA - Open Arms (feat. Travis Scott)
19. FKJ - Different Masks For Different Days
20. Alex Isley & Jack Dine - Love Again
21. Christian Kuria - Deep Green
22. Yuna - Fool 4 U
23. NxWorries - Where I Go (feat. H.E.R.)
24. Tove Lo - 2 Die 4
25. Beyoncé - VIRGO'S GROOVE

26. Sabrina Claudio - Impersonator
27. SZA - Blind
28. DOMi & JD BECK - PiLOT (feat. Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Anderson .Paak)
29. FKJ - Once Again I Close My Eyes
30. Moonchild & Lalah Hathaway - Tell Him

31. Alex Isley & Jack Dine - Such A Thing
32. SZA - Far
33. Yuna - Kiss The Moon
34. Taylor Swift - You're On Your Own, Kid
35. Beyoncé - HEATED
36. SZA - F2F
37. Disclosure & Zedd - You've Got To Let Go If You Want To Be Free
38. Sabrina Claudio - Protect Her
39. Ella Mai - Sink or Swim
40. Kendrick Lamar - Mirror

41. Taylor Swift - Lavender Haze
42. Chloe - Surprise
43. Duckwrth - 11:30
44. FKJ - Us
45. Alex Isley & Jack Dine - Square Zero
46. Kehlani - everything
47. Tank and The Bangas - Stolen Fruit
48. Samara Joy - Can't Get Out of This Mood
49. Moonchild - The Long Way
50. Alex Isley & Jack Dine - 105

51. Christian Kuria - Sunbleach
52. Sabrina Claudio - Favorite Part
53. Ella Mai - Didn't Say (feat. Latto)
54. Lucky Daye - Guess
55. The Weeknd - Out of Time
56. Muni Long - Hrs & Hrs
57. Rory, DRAM, Alex Isley - I WANT YOU BUT YOU'LL NEVER KNOW...
58. Lucky Daye - Ego
59. Kendrick Lamar - Crown
60. The Weeknd - Less Than Zero

61. Tinashe & Channel Tres - HMU for a Good Time
62. Beyoncé - BREAK MY SOUL
63. Alesso - When I'm Gone (with Katy Perry)
64. Calvin Harris - New To You (with *******, Tinashe & Offset)
65. Taylor Swift - Karma

66. Duckwrth & Syd - Ce Soir
67. Kehlani - little story
68. Sabrina Claudio - Don't Make Me Wait
69. Moonchild - What You Wanted
70. Sabrina Claudio - Put On Repeat
71. Lucky Daye - God Body (feat. Smino)
72. Beyoncé - AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM
73. The Weeknd - Gasoline
74. Tove Lo - Call on Me (with SG Lewis)
75. Channel Tres - Just Can't Get Enough
76. Lizzo - About Damn Time
77. Duckwrth - Super Saiyan
78. Demi Lovato - HAPPY ENDING
79. Avril Lavigne - F.U.
80. Kendrick Lamar - Savior (feat. Baby Keem, Sam Dew)

 

81. LION BABE - Harder (with Busta Rhymes)
82. Sabrina Claudio - Subtle Things
83. Kehlani - get me started (feat. syd)
84. Steve Lacy - Bad Habit
85. DOMi & JD BECK - TAKE A CHANCE (feat. Anderson .Paak)
86. Ari Lennox - Boy Bye (feat. Lucky Daye)
87. Christian Kuria - Santorini
88. Alex Isley & Jack Dine - On & On (feat. Bas)
89. FKJ - The Mission
90. Doechii - Persuasive (with SZA)
91. Buddy - Or Something
92. IDK - Taco
93. Doechii - Crazy
94. Babyface - Keeps On Fallin' (with Ella Mai)
95. The Weeknd - Is There Someone Else?
96. Muni Long - Time Machine
97. Channel Tres - No Limit
98. Beyoncé - ENERGY (feat. Beam)
99. Duckwrth - Sneaky (feat. Juls)
100. Rihanna - Lift Me Up

BUBBLING UNDER 

 

101. Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa - Sweetest Pie
102. Sabrina Claudio - Better Version
103. Alex Isley & Jack Dine - Too Bad I Forget
104. Steve Lacy & Matt Martians - 2Gether (Enterlude)
105. SZA - Nobody Gets Me
106. SZA - Special
107. Foudeqush - Con La Brisa
108. Kelela - Happy Ending
109. Beyoncé - ALIEN SUPERSTAR
110. Charli XCX - Yuck
111. Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loneliest Time (feat. Rufus Wainwright)
112. Syd - Goodbye My Love
113. Yuna - Enough
114. India Shawn - SAME FLOOR
115. Beyoncé - THIQUE

116. SZA - Shirt
117. Carly Rae Jepsen - Sideways
118. Brent Faiyaz - ROLE MODEL
119. Yuna - Relax Your Mind
120. Lizzo - Coldplay
121. Demi Lovato - FREAK (feat. YUNGBLUD)
122. Ella Mai - How (feat. Roddy Ricch)
123. Tove Lo - Attention ***** (feat. Channel Tres)
124. Ava Max - Maybe You're The Problem
125. Charli XCX - Selfish Girl

 

126. Latto & Mariah Carey - Big Energy (feat. DJ Khaled) - Remix
127. Megan Thee Stallion - Budget (feat. Latto)
128. Channel Tres - antigua
129. Buddy  - Long Day (***** Crazy) (feat. Gwen Bunn)
130. Ari Lennox - Queen Space (with Summer Walker)
131. SZA - Too Late
132. Calvin Harris - Obsessed (with Charlie Puth & Shenseea)
133. Megan Thee Stallion - Plan B
134. Drake - Massive
135. Bodysync - Body (feat. Tinashe)
136. Lucky Daye - NWA (feat. Lil Durk)
137. Ella Mai - Leave You Alone
138. Muni Long - Baby Boo (feat. Saweetie)
139. Snakehips - All Around The World (with Duckwrth)
140. Yuna - Risk It All

141. Channel Tres - prada
142. Yuna - Can't Get Over You
143. Muni Long - Plot Twist
144. Taylor Swift - Would've, Could've, Should've
145. Sabrina Claudio - Sunset Eyes
146. Tinashe - Something Like A Heartbreak
147. Syd - No Way
148. Moonchild - Need That (feat. Ill Camille)
149. Yuna - Cigarette
150. Tove Lo - Kick In The Head
 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by Kiss It Better

[Kiss It Better]

RECAP

 

Artists of the Year

Spoiler

Albums of the Year

Spoiler

Songs of the Year

Spoiler

SONGS OF THE YEAR

 

1. Kelela - Contact | SOTY!!!!!!!!!!!!! this was such a grower and i couldn't had enough of this, basically summed up my 2023

2. Tinashe - Talk To Me Nice | also SOTY for me specifically for second half of the year, this is the sound Tinashe excels best at, there was no day where i didn't play this song since it was released

3. Mac Ayres - I’ll Be Your Home Now | an old soundcloud track got Taylors Version'd, he revamped it and i got to hear this live ahhh

4. Kelela - Sorbet | only kelela can make a sensual song about sex sounds like a sad song

5. Tinashe - Tightrope | need more nashe x machinedrum collab, when she premiered this at that tv show... i was shaking it's so good

6. Usher & H.E.R. - Risk It All | collab of the year, the fact that it was a surprise release i was bout to sleep and when i checked AM it was there... shaping up to be one of 2024 hits

7. Mac Ayres - If You’re Feeling Lost | such a sad lost hopeless depressed song and being a guitar driven song

8. Sabrina Claudio - Right Decision | this is the ultimate R&B song, she did it again... should've made the OG album

9. Alina Baraz - Don’t Buy Me Roses | didn't like KMIL but this is sooo good now this is classic Alina... can't wait for the new album

10. Kelela - Raven/Bruises (Tied) (Counted as One Song) | always considered these as one song cause i can't play one without the other, such an immaculate production and lyrics and vocal delivary... love this so much

11. Kelela - Raven/Bruises (Tied) (Counted as One Song)

12. Snakehips & Rochelle Jordan - Sumthin Crazy | such a fun song, this became my introduction to Rochelle, she's so good

13. Austin Millz & Duckwrth - Familiar | another fun dance feature from Duckwrth and it's a new rising DJ Austin Millz, he's such a great DJ

14. Tove Lo - I Like U | this is lady wood/blue lips type of greatness i missed from her... need more of these

15. Channel Tres - All My Friends | a fun dance track

 

16. Lucky Daye - That’s You | that outro made the song and he cut it from streaming  thank God for Apple Music though i still have it downloaded 

17. Mac Ayres - Comfortable Enough

18. Kaytranada & Rochelle Jordan - Lover/Friend

19. Channel Tres - Walked In The Room

20. Disclosure - Talk On The Phone

21. Austin Millz & Sabrina Claudio - Inhale/Exhale

22. Mac Ayres - Something’s Gotta Change/I Can’t Go On (Tied) (Counted as One Song)

23. Mac Ayres - Something’s Gotta Change/I Can’t Go On (Tied) (Counted as One Song)

24. Mac Ayres - Pretending

25. Sabrina Claudio - Leave While I Love You

26. Maeta - Clarity (feat. Lucky Daye)

27. Tinashe - Gravity | i feel like i'm floating when i listen to this

28. Maeta - **** Your Friend

29. Snoh Aalegra - Sweet Tea

30. Mac Ayres - Cuts In Heal Time

 

31. Disclosure - Looking For Love

32. Rory - Otherside (feat. Phonte & BeMyFiasco)

33. Maeta - Questions

34. Duckwrth - Mr. Nice 2 Know U

35. Kylie Minogue - Tension

36. Shay Lia - Upside Down

37. Christian Kuria - Ride

38. Victoria Monet - How Does It Make You Feel

39. Jorja Smith - Falling or Flying

40. Mac Ayres - Living’s Too Much Giving

41. SG Lewis - Another Life

42. Jorja Smith - Little Things

43. Tyla - Truth Or Dare

44. Amaarae - Water From Wine

45. Mac Ayres - Again

46. 6lack - Stories In Motion (feat. Wale)

47. Terrace Martin & Alex Isley - 2 Step In The Living Room

48. Amber Navran - Easier

49. Jessie Ware - Hello Love

50. Victoria Monet - Stop (Askin Me 4shyt)

 

51. Beyonce - America Has A Problem (Remix) [feat. Kendrick Lamar]

52. Sabrina Claudio - Moan

53. Jessie Ware - Freak Me Now

54. Disclosure - We Were In Love

55. Amaka - Undercover

56. 6lack - Playin House

57. 6lack - Fatal Attraction

58. Daniel Caesar - Do You Like Me?

59. Kelela - Enough For Love

60. Kaytranada & Channel Tres - Stuntin’

61. Tinashe - Treason

62. Amaarae - Aquamarie Luvs Ecstasy

63. Kaytramine - Sossaup (feat. Amaarae)

64. Amaka - Leave It Behind

65. Austin Millz & Alina Baraz - Breathless

 

66. Disclosure - Go The Distance

67. Snakehips & Tkay Maidza - Show Me The Money

68. Daniel Caesar - Shot My Baby

69. Maeta - S(Ex)

70. Jessie Ware - These Lips

71. Masego - Who Cares Anyway

72. Tinashe - None Of My Business

73. Shay Lia - E.G.O. (feat. Buddy)

74. Jorja Smith - Go Go Go

75. 6lack - Since I Have A Lover

76. Billie Eilish - What Was I Made For?

77. Summer Walker - New Type (feat. Childish Gambino)

78. H.E.R. - Any Worse

79. Yaeji - Happy (feat. Nourished By Time)

80. The Weeknd - Popular (feat. Madonna & Playboi Carti)

 

81. 6lack - Chasing Feeling

82. Rochelle Jordan - What You Done (feat. Key N Krates)

83. Jessie Ware - Pearls

84. Ava Max - Hold Up (Wait A Minute)

85. Tyla - On And On

86. Amaarae - Sociopathic Dance Queen

87. Daniel Caesar - Disillusioned (feat. Serpentwithfeet)

88. Dua Lipa - Houdini

89. Tove Lo - Borderline

90. Shay Lia - The Way

91. (((O))) - Travellin’

92. Mac Ayres - Anymore

93. Channel Tres - Big Time

94. Disclosure - A Little Bit

95. Rory, Ari Lennox & James Fauntleroy - My Phone Can Die

96. Mac Ayres - Me Vs. Myself

97. Amber Navran - Away From The Noise

98. Kali Uchis - Moonlight

99. Janelle Monae - A Dry Red

100. Mac Ayres - & That’s Alright

 

BUBBLING UNDER

 

101. SG Lewis - Lifetime

102. Channel Tres - Sleep When Dead

103. 6lack - Talkback

104. Tyla - Water

105. Victoria Monet - On My Mama

106. Tinashe - Needs

107. Kelela - Closure (feat. Rahrah Gabor)

108. Sg Lewis - Missing You

109. Bas - Choppas

110. Robert Glasper, Alex Isley & Sir - Back To Love

111. Amber Navran - When Will I Learn

112. Doja Cat - Skull And Bones

113. Terrace Martin & Alex Isley - Only In The Moment

114. Snakehips & Madeintyo - Pretty Girls

115. Snoh Aalegra - Wait A Little Longer

 

116. 6lack - Preach

117. Chloe - Cheatback (feat. Future)

118. Sabrina Claudio - Nurture

119. Mac Ayres - Everything Changes

120. 6lack - *** For Tat

121. Bas - Decent (feat. Amaarae)

122. Snakehips & Bryce Vine - Water

123. Beyonce - My House

124. Miley Cyrus - Handstand

125. Chloe - Body Do

126. Daniel Caesar & Ty Dolla $ign - Homiesexual

127. Diddy & H.E.R. - Space

128. Disclosure - Purify

129. Ava Max - Ghost

130. Duckwrth - 007 (Jersey Mix)

131. Mac Ayres - It’s Not

132. Daniel Caesar - Valentina

133. Doja Cat - Love Life

134. Kaytramine - 4eva

135. Olivia Rodrigo - Get Him Back!

 

136. Dua Lipa - Dance The Night

137. Kelela - Divorce

138. Tinashe - Uh Huh

139. Disclosure - Someday...

140. Doja Cat - Agora Hills

141. Yebba - Waterfall (I Adore You)

142. Mitski - My Love Mine All Mine

143. Disclosure - Higher Than Ever Before

144. The Weeknd - Double Fantasy (feat. Future)

145. Janelle Monae - Phenomenal (feat. Doechii)

146. Nao - Balance (feat. Skillibeng)

147. Yaeji - Done (Let’s Get It)

148. G.L.A.M. - Sleepin On Me

149. Victoria Monet - Hollywood (feat. Earth Wind Fire & Hazel Monet)

150. Thundercat & Tame Impala - No More Lies

151. Kelela - Let It Go

152. Kiefer - It’s Ok, B U/I Mean That (Counted as One Song)

Videos of the Year

Spoiler

• Usher & H.E.R. - Risk It All
• Kylie Minogue - Tension
• Dua Lipa - Houdini
• Austin Millz & Sabrina Claudio - Inhale/Exhale
• Austin Millz & Alina Baraz - Breathless
• Channel Tres - Walked in the Room
• Tove Lo - i like u (scene 14)
• Victoria Monet & Lucky Daye - Smoke
• Victoria Monet - On My Mama
• Tinashe - Needs
• Tinashe - Talk to Me Nice
• Kelela - Enough for Love
• Kelela - Contact
• Sabrina Claudio - Nurture
• 6LACK - Preach
• 6LACK - Temporary
• Olivia Rodrigo - get him back!
• Dua Lipa - Dance the Night
• Taylor Swift - Lavender Haze
• Taylor Swift - Karma

 

 

 

Edited January 7 by Kiss It Better

[JGibson]

Cannot wait for what is coming up. 

[GreatestLoveofAll]

!!! here for it

[Alex]

ready

[Mr. Blue_Shirt]

On The Run being the VOTY of 2022 is so real Also one of my favorite MV of hers too

 

Perched for the 2023 lists!

[Alldeezy]

can't wait

[rvx]

Interesting lists

[Kiss It Better]

On 12/10/2023 at 6:24 PM, JGibson said:

Cannot wait for what is coming up. 

On 12/10/2023 at 6:26 PM, GreatestLoveofAll said:

!!! here for it

On 12/10/2023 at 6:55 PM, Alex said:

ready

On 12/11/2023 at 6:35 AM, Alldeezy said:

can't wait

On 12/11/2023 at 6:39 AM, rvx said:

Interesting lists

thank you

On 12/10/2023 at 10:34 PM, Mr. Blue_Shirt said:

On The Run being the VOTY of 2022 is so real Also one of my favorite MV of hers too

 

Perched for the 2023 lists!

OTR was such a great video i wish she incorporated some choreo in it though

[Kiss It Better]

Spoiler

1. Mac Ayres

MY ARTIST OF THE YEAR… AGAIN (no pun intended) honestly at this point he might be my artist of the decade, finally saw him live in August, he was soooo great but too bad they cut it short cause it was at a random festival I wish it was a full set, honestly the best concert I’ve seen.. hands down… this year he also dropped his first ever music video for Again which was cute

 

2. Kelela

one of my most anticipated comeback finally happened…  honestly was expecting her to be the artist of the year but oh well…  it’s been a great year for her, I wish she dropped more music videos for Raven, that Raven/Bruises/Sorbet trio is literally begging for a short film esque music video like… come on… I even wrote a treatment for it… anyway next year will be exciting as well with the remix album coming in February

 

3. Tinashe

my OG fave had a great year this year, dropped such an immaculate (short) project and several music videos… one of the things I regret the most this year was fumbling not seeing her in a random festival at the beginning of the year, cause I thought it was a scam nnnn  the fact that the tickets were cheap too like… ugh

 

4. Rochelle Jordan

I just discovered her this year with her song with Snakehips, “Sumthin Crazy” which was sooo good but it took me a while to finally decided to get into her discography and at first it was underwhelming until a few weeks/months later the album Play With The Changes finally hit me as a whole (literally listening to this will typing this…) Dancing Elephants, Already, Love You Good, Count It, Situation, Nothing Left GOD THEY’RE ALL SOOOOO GOOD and the remixes album too… wow… can’t wait for her new album whenever that comes out + her new song with Kaytranada is a whole bop

 

5. Sabrina Claudio

started this year with the B-Side of Based on a Feeling (which was my AOTY last year and still on heavy rotation), Archives and Lullabies which has a couple gems, and then her dance collab with Austin Millz (a new artist) called “Inhale/Exhale” which was a bop with a great music video and she also dropped some feats and her first ever Spanish song "Modo Avion"

 

6. Beyoncé

QUEEN MOTHER!!!  Over a year later RENAISSANCE still hit like it just dropped yesterday, it’s still sooooo good + the live versions on the tour enhanced the album for me, can’t believe we’re still waiting for the visuals though…. 

 

7. Channel Tres

he was supposed to drop his debut full length album this year but once again it got reduced to an EP, which was amazing btw, and beside that he also dropped several features with other artists with the latest being with Kaytranada titled “Stuntin” which is a bop, and he also recently just dropped his new single this month titled “Walked In The Room” which is a banger, if you love dance music you need to check him out

 

8. Disclosure

my #1 favorite DJ surprise released their brand new album this summer and with that release of Alchemy alone they made this year’s list at #8 

 

9. 6LACK

always been a fan of his features he always made songs better with his addition (e.g. Nao’s If You Ever, Selena’s Crowded Room, Snoh’s I Want You Around, etc) but I don’t necessarily be a huge fan of his solo music except a couple songs, but this year he dropped such an outstanding album and that cover…. one of the best albums covers ever

 

10. Rihanna

well yes she didn’t release anything new this year, but thanks to her outstanding Super Bowl Halftime Show performance it made her discography felt like brand new again to me, it gave it a new life… I don’t know when the hell will R9 gets released at this point… hopefully next year but yeah….

 

Spoiler

 

Edited December 16, 2023 by Kiss It Better

[Kiss It Better]

some highlights from my ARTISTS OF THE YEAR:

 

[JGibson]

Bey + Rih 

[Mr. Blue_Shirt]

Kelela, Tinashe, Rochelle Jordan, Beyonce, Channel Tres and Rihanna

 

I honesly forgot that Disclosure released new music this year. Let me check it out!

[K$Ellie]

Renaissance tour was such a moment, probably the best tour I've been to in terms of visuals

Contact + Raven are fantastic  the Tinashe EP was really fun as well

[GreatestLoveofAll]

bey and rih (despite no new music!) and tinashe 

[Legend E]

Kelela should've snatched the top spot  she slayed this year  

 

Beyonce and the make up girlie slaying  

nice to see Renny and Dirt Femme slaying last year!

[TalkThatRihanna]

Rih’s Super Bowl performance really did give even more life to her discography

 

We can’t wait to get R9 in 2024

Spoiler

Let me be delusional 

 

[TRF.]

Kelela, Tinashe and Rochelle Jordan oh the taste  

[Ace Reject]

Sis? Don't leave us hanging!

[TheWayWeWere]

Kelela's comeback was one of the best moments of the year for sure

Rih's name kinda hurts me every time when I remember its been 8 years since ANTI

[Kiss It Better]

On 12/16/2023 at 4:25 PM, JGibson said:

Bey + Rih 

with no new music

On 12/16/2023 at 8:09 PM, Mr. Blue_Shirt said:

Kelela, Tinashe, Rochelle Jordan, Beyonce, Channel Tres and Rihanna

 

I honesly forgot that Disclosure released new music this year. Let me check it out!

their new album is so good, i was so obsessed with it during the summer

On 12/17/2023 at 4:29 AM, K$Ellie said:

Renaissance tour was such a moment, probably the best tour I've been to in terms of visuals

Contact + Raven are fantastic  the Tinashe EP was really fun as well

yes yes and yes 

On 12/17/2023 at 5:18 AM, GreatestLoveofAll said:

bey and rih (despite no new music!) and tinashe 

queens 

On 12/17/2023 at 5:45 AM, Legend E said:

Kelela should've snatched the top spot  she slayed this year  

 

Beyonce and the make up girlie slaying  

nice to see Renny and Dirt Femme slaying last year!

honestly Kelela was my Artist of the Year up until August maybe if she released a Raven/Bruises music video

On 12/17/2023 at 7:50 AM, TalkThatRihanna said:

Rih’s Super Bowl performance really did give even more life to her discography

 

We can’t wait to get R9 in 2024

  Hide contents

Let me be delusional 

 

it really did! when she drops R9 on new years *2019 flashback*

On 12/17/2023 at 1:20 PM, TRF. said:

Kelela, Tinashe and Rochelle Jordan oh the taste  

the holy trinity 

On 12/24/2023 at 1:07 PM, Ace Reject said:

Sis? Don't leave us hanging!

it's coming now  i was still finalizing the lists 

16 hours ago, TheWayWeWere said:

Kelela's comeback was one of the best moments of the year for sure

Rih's name kinda hurts me every time when I remember its been 8 years since ANTI

yes and yes... i really thought R9 would drop with the super bowl

[Kiss It Better]

first of all, to me this has been such a weak year for music videos, barely any outstanding music videos that i could say out loud "VIDEO OF THE YEAR" so instead of ranking it like previous years, below i will be mentioning 15+ videos that i enjoyed this year in no order

 

(better than the official one that is the anime themed)

 

 

(i love kelela with the blonde bob)

 

(honestly had this been solo version and she continued the weirdness of the first verse i would've called this video of the year)

Edited December 28, 2023 by Kiss It Better

[TheWayWeWere]

yeah, the videos are pretty bad this year, but Tension is the ONE for me, especially after watching analysis of it  

[Legend E]

Houdini is probably one of my faves, even if it is so simple. Tension is also nice. Enough for Love  

 

Taylor's videos are starting to look very cheap to me with all the unnecessary effects