best of Achilles’s Best of 2023

[Achilles.]

After several years of very ambitious year end lists followed by several years of absolutely no year end lists, I thought that I’d make a comeback this year with a happy medium: actually posting lists, but putting no effort into them!

 

Top Albums and Singles today, a **** ton of music stats sometime after the calendar changes. That’s all. 

[Achilles.]

Albums That I Listened To:

listed alphabetically

Amaarae, Fountain Baby

Ryan Beatty, calico

Black Belt Eagle Scout, The Land The Water The Sky

boygenius, the record

Kelly Clarkson, Chemistry

Miley Cyrus, Endless Summer Vacation

Mitski, The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We

Janelle Monae, The Age of Pleasure

The National, First Two Pages of Frankenstein

Caroline Palochek, Desire I Want To Turn Into You

Arlo Parks, My Soft Machine

Seinabo Sey, The One After Me

The War and Treaty, Lover’s Game

Jessie Ware, That! Feels Good!

 

Also 2023 Releases, But Also Kinda Not:

Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor’s Version)

Taylor Swift, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)

[Achilles.]

Albums That I Actually Like, Remember, And Still Listen To (Conveniently, A Top Ten List):

ranked from least favorite to most favorite

 

10. Dolly Parton, Rockstar

 

9. Baby Queen, Quarter Life Crisis

 

 

8. Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other

 

 

7. Brandy Clark, Brandy Clark

 

 

6. Kelela, Raven

 

 

5. Kesha, Gag Order

 

 

4. Cher, Christmas

 

 

3. Kylie, Tension

 

 

2. Rhiannon Giddens, You’re The One

 

 

1. Sufjan Stevens, Javelin

Edited December 31, 2023 by Achilles.

[Achilles.]

Top 50 Singles

 

50. Carly Pearce, We Don’t Fight Anymore (feat. Chris Stapleton)

 

49. Lori McKenna, The Town in Your Heart

 

48. HER, The Journey

 

47. Sam Smith, Vulgar (feat. Madonna)

 

46. The Aces, I’ve Loved You For So Long

 

45. Declan McKenna, Sympathy

 

44. Hayley Kiyoko, Greenlight

 

43. Carly Rae Jepsen, Shy Boy

 

42. Empress Of, Kiss Me (feat. Rina Sawayama)

 

41. Kylie, 10 Out of 10

 

40. Selena Gomez, Single Soon

 

39. Dolly Parton, World on Fire

 

38. boygenius, Not Strong Enough

 

37. Baby Queen, Dream Girl

 

36. SZA, Snooze

 

35. Kesha, Only Love Can Save Us Now

 

34. Kelela, Enough for Love

 

33. Brandy Clark, Dear Insecurity (feat. Brandi Carlile)

 

32. Jessie Ware, Begin Again

 

31. Ashley Monroe, Over Everything

 

30. Troye Sivan, Got Me Started

 

29. The National, The Alcott (feat. Taylor Swift)

 

28. Griff, Vertigo

 

27. serpentwithfeet, Gonna Go

 

26. Troye Sivan, One of Your Girls

 

25. Taylor Swift, Cruel Summer

 

24. Taylor Swift, Is It Over Now?

 

23. Lainey Wilson, Wild Flowers and Wild Horses

 

22. Omar Apollo, 3 Boys

 

21. Doecchi, What It Is

 

20. Zach Bryan, I Remember Everything (feat. Kacey Musgraves)

 

19. Joy Oladokun, We’re All Gonna Die (feat. Noah Kahan)

 

18. Miley Cyrus, Used to Be Young

 

17. Kelela, Contact

 

16. SZA, Kill Bill

 

15. Kylie, Tension

 

14. Kesha, Eat the Acid

 

13. Baby Queen, We Can Be Anything

 

12. Kesha, Fine Line

 

11. Troye Sivan, Rush

 

10. Kara Jackson, why does the earth give us people to love?

 

9. Darren Hayes, Feels Like It’s Over

 

8. Kylie, Padam Padam

 

7. Sufjan Stevens, So You Are Tired

 

6. Cher, DJ Play A Christmas Song

 

5. Brandy Clark, Buried

 

4. SZA, Nobody Gets Me

 

3. Taylor Swift, Karma

 

2. Billie Eilish, What Was I Made For?

 

1. Sufjan Stevens, Will Anybody Ever Love Me?

[Ace Reject]

Yes!

[JGibson]

50. Carly Pearce, We Don’t Fight Anymore (feat. Chris Stapleton)

47. Sam Smith, Vulgar (feat. Madonna)

45. Declan McKenna, Sympathy

39. Dolly Parton, World on Fire

38. boygenius, Not Strong Enough

29. The National, The Alcott (feat. Taylor Swift)

25. Taylor Swift, Cruel Summer

24. Taylor Swift, Is It Over Now?

23. Lainey Wilson, Wild Flowers and Wild Horses

20. Zach Bryan, I Remember Everything (feat. Kacey Musgraves)

18. Miley Cyrus, Used to Be Young

15. Kylie, Tension

8. Kylie, Padam Padam

6. Cher, DJ Play A Christmas Song

3. Taylor Swift, Karma

2. Billie Eilish, What Was I Made For?

 

 

[TheWayWeWere]

Tension, Gag Order, Chersmas, Raven in top 10  

nice to see some love for Nobody Gets Me  it's so underrated

Padam in top 10  

[Achilles.]

Top 50 Most Played Artists of 2023

Spoiler

1 Taylor Swift 10,037

2 SZA 2,685

3 Kylie 2,605

4 Sufjan Stevens 2,355

5 Tina Turner 1,965

6 Troye Sivan 1,875

7 Halsey 1,434

8 Lorde 1,405

9 Dolly Parton 1,127

10 Beyoncé 1,052

 

11 Cher 1,001

12 Baby Queen 1,000

13 George Michael 824

14 Rina Sawayama 738

15 Kesha 726

16 Brandy Clark 723

17 Josef Salvat 712

18 Madonna 553

19 Florence and the Machine 544

20 Miley Cyrus 512

 

21 Amy Winehouse 473

22 Rhiannon Giddens 408

23 Carly Rae Jepsen 332

24 Barbra Streisand 291

25 St Vincent 282

26 MUNA 265

27 The Chicks 264

28 Natalia Kills 252

29 Yola 240

30 Ellie Goulding 239

 

31 Jessie Ware 222

32 Leona Lewis 205

33 Griff 202

34 Miranda Lambert 201

35 Ingrid Michaelson 192

36 Billie Eilish 186

37 Janelle Monae 174

38 Kelela 164

39 Sara Bareilles 158

40 Darren Hayes 151

 

41 Shakira 128

42 Joni Mitchell 112

43 Phoebe Bridgers 105

44 Selena Gomez 96

45 Kelly Clarkson 95

46 Celine Dion 65

47 Ashley Monroe 64

48 Carly Simon 64

49 Aretha Franklin 61

50 serpentwithfeet 61

 

Women: 43

LGBT: 16

POC: 15

Debuted Before I Was Born: 11

Straight Men: 0

 

[Achilles.]

Top 50 Most Played Albums of 2023

Spoiler

Top 50 Most Played Albums

1 SZA, SOS [NEW]

2 Taylor Swift, evermore*

3 Taylor Swift, folklore*

4 Taylor Swift, Midnights

5 Sufjan Stevens, Carrie & Lowell*

6 Halsey, If I Can’t Have Love I Want Power*

7 Taylor Swift, Speak Now

8 Lorde, Melodrama*

9 Kylie, Tension [NEW]

10 Tina Turner, Foreign Affair [NEW]

 

11 Taylor Swift, Red

12 Sufjan Stevens, Javelin [NEW]

13 Troye Sivan, In A Dream*

14 Beyoncé, Renaissance*

15 Troye Sivan, Bloom

16 Cher, Christmas [NEW]

17 Baby Queen, The Yearbook*

18 Kesha, Gag Order [NEW]

19 Amy Winehouse, Back to Black*

20 Taylor Swift, 1989

 

21 Kylie, Aphrodite*

22 Tina Turner, Wildest Dreams [NEW]

23 Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other [NEW]

24 Dolly Parton, Dolly

25 Rhiannon Giddens, You’re The One [NEW]

26 Josef Salvat, Islands*

27 Florence and the Machine, Lungs*

28 Tina Turner, Private Dancer*

29 Lorde, Pure Heroine

30 Brandy Clark, Brandy Clark [NEW]

 

31 Carly Rae Jepsen, Emotion*

32 Rina Sawayama, Sawayama*

33 Beyoncé, 4

34 Kylie, Fever

35 St Vincent, Masseduction*

36 Taylor Swift, reputation

37 Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift

38 George Michael, Older*

39 Miley Cyrus, Plastic Hearts*

40 Brandy Clark, 12 Stories*

 

41 Baby Queen, Medicine*

42 Rina Sawayama, Rina*

43 George Michael, Faith*

44 Ellie Goulding, Halcyon

45 Baby Queen, Quarter Life Crisis [NEW]

46 Natalia Kills, Trouble

47 George Michael, Ladies & Gentlemen*

48 Barbra Streisand, The Essential Barbra Streisand

49 Rina Sawayama, Hold the Girl*

50 Ingrid Michaelson, Lights Out

 

2023 Releases: 8

Album Earned Its Biggest Play Year: 24*

 

Artists with Multiple Albums:

8: Taylor Swift

3: Baby Queen, Beyoncé, George Michael, Kylie, Lorde, Rina Sawayama, Tina Turner, Troye Sivan

2: Brandy Clark, Sufjan Stevens

I can’t remember the last time that Taylor didn’t top this list. 2018? 2013? 2007?

[Achilles.]

Top 50 Most Played Songs of 2023

Spoiler

Top 50 Most Played Songs of 2023

1 Taylor Swift - Timeless

2 Taylor Swift - cowboy like me

3 Kylie - Somebody to Love

4 Sufjan Stevens - Will Anybody Ever Love Me?

5 Taylor Swift - cardigan

6 Taylor Swift - peace

7 Taylor Swift - marjorie

8 Taylor Swift - Dear Reader

9 Taylor Swift - Karma

10 Taylor Swift - illicit affairs

 

11 Taylor Swift - tis the damn season

12 Taylor Swift - right where you left me

13 Taylor Swift - Better Man

14 Taylor Swift - Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve

15 Taylor Swift - happiness

16 Troye Sivan - could cry just thinking about you

17 Taylor Swift - tolerate it

18 SZA - Nobody Gets Me

19 Taylor Swift - the 1

20 Taylor Swift - the last great american dynasty

 

21 SZA - F2F

22 Taylor Swift - august

23 Kylie - Padam Padam

24 Taylor Swift - mirrorball

25 Taylor Swift - Midnight Rain

26 Taylor Swift - this is me trying

27 Taylor Swift - Glitch

28 Taylor Swift - invisible string

29 Cher - DJ Play A Christmas Song

30 Taylor Swift - gold rush

 

31 Tina Turner - Foreign Affair

32 SZA - Kill Bill

33 Taylor Swift - willow

34 Sufjan Stevens - Should’ve Known Better

35 Sufjan Stevens - The Only Thing

36 Troye Sivan - Rush

37 Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell

38 SZA - Seek & Destroy

39 Taylor Swift - coney island

40 Sufjan Stevens - Death With Dignity

 

41 Sufjan Stevens - All of Me Wants All of You

42 SZA - Low

43 Taylor Swift - seven

44 Sufjan Stevens - Blue Bucket of Gold

45 Taylor Swift - champagne problems

46 Sufjan Stevens - Drawn to the Blood

47 Sufjan Stevens - Eugene

48 Sufjan Stevens - Fourth of July

49 Sufjan Stevens - John My Beloved

50 Sufjan Stevens - No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross

 

Artists with Multiple Entries

27: Taylor Swift

12: Sufjan Stevens 

5: SZA

2: Kylie, Troye Sivan

 

Albums with Multiple Entries

Sufjan Stevens, Carrie & Lowell (11)

Taylor Swift, evermore (10)

Taylor Swift, folklore (10)

SZA, SOS (5)

Taylor Swift, Midnights (5)

Kylie, Tension (2)

Yes, that is the entire tracklist of Carrie & Lowell. 

[Mr. Loco]

OMG!! Glad to see some love for the superior Taylor song 

 

cardigan & Marjorie are also beautiful 

[Brandon]

Quote

35. Kesha, Only Love Can Save Us Now

25. Taylor Swift, Cruel Summer

24. Taylor Swift, Is It Over Now?

18. Miley Cyrus, Used to Be Young

3. Taylor Swift, Karma

[TheWayWeWere]

Taylor smashing like that queen tbh

[Achilles.]

Top 50 Most Played Artists of All Time

Spoiler

1 Taylor Swift

2 Lady Gaga

3 Madonna

4 Shania Twain

5 Florence and the Machine

6 Beyoncé (+1)

7 Lorde (+2)

8 Troye Sivan (+2)

9 Kylie (+3)

10 Miley Cyrus (-2)

 

11 Rihanna (-5)

12 Natalia Kills (-1)

13 Sufjan Stevens (+16)

14 Cher (+3)

15 Faith Hill (-3)

16 SZA (+189)

17 Kacey Musgraves (-3)

18 Dolly Parton (+5)

19 Sam Smith (-4)

20 Selena Gomez and the Scene (-4)

 

21 Halsey (+21)

22 Tina Turner (+77)

23 Selena Gomez (-5)

24 David Bowie (-5)

25 The Chicks (-4)

26 Shakira (-6)

27 Brandy Clark (+8)

28 Barbra Streisand (-3)

29 Kesha (+11)

30 MUNA (-3)

 

31 Tegan and Sara (-9)

32 George Michael (+27)

33 Baby Queen (+43)

34 Ellie Goulding (-3)

35 Rina Sawayama (+22)

36 Josef Salvat (+19)

37 Miranda Lambert (-7)

38 Hannah Montana (-14)

39 Adam Lambert (-13)

40 Amy Winehouse (+3)

 

41 Lana Del Rey (-13)

42 Adele (-10)

43 Celine Dion (-10)

44 Carly Rae Jepsen

45 Leona Lewis (-7)

46 Union J (-12)

47 Evanescence (-11)

48 Pink (-11)

49 Janelle Monae

50 Ingrid Michaelson (+1)

 

OUT

52 Britney Spears (-13)

53 Carrie Underwood (-12)

55 Harry Styles (-8)

56 Shawn Mendes 45 (-11)

57 Coldplay (-9)

58 Joe Jonas 46 (-12)

59 Haim 50 (-9)

 

[Achilles.]

Top 100 Most Played Albums of All Time

 

Spoiler

1 Taylor Swift, 1989

2 Taylor Swift, Speak Now

3 Taylor Swift, Red

4 Taylor Swift, Fearless

5 Lady Gaga, Born This Way

6 Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster

7 Taylor Swift, folklore (+4)

8 Taylor Swift, evermore (+5)

9 Florence and the Machine, Ceremonials (-2)

10 Taylor Swift, reputation (-2)

 

11 Taylor Swift, Midnights (+6)

12 Beyoncé, Beyoncé (-3)

13 Shania Twain, Up! (-3)

14 Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift (-2)

15 Lorde, Melodrama (+10)

16 Lorde, Pure Heroine

17 Shania Twain, Come On Over (-3)

18 SZA, SOS [NEW]

19 Natalia Kills, Perfectionist (-4)

20 Troye Sivan, Blue Neighbourhood (-2)

 

21 Madonna, Ray of Light

22 Halsey, If I Can't Have Love I Want Power (+30)

23 Taylor Swift, Safe & Sound (-4)

24 Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour (-4)

25 Rihanna, Rated R (-3)

26 Taylor Swift, Lover (-2)

27 Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park (-4)

28 Sufjan Stevens, Carrie & Lowell (+54)

29 Lady Gaga, Artpop (-3)

30 Troye Sivan, Bloom (+8)

 

31 Rihanna, Good Girl Gone Bad (-4)

32 Selena Gomez and the Scene, When the Sun Goes Down (-4)

33 Madonna, Rebel Heart (-4)

34 Natalia Kills, Trouble 

35 Beyoncé, 4 (+1)

36 Lady Gaga, The Fame (-6)

37 Miley Cyrus, Can't Be Tamed (-4)

38 Shania Twain, The Woman in Me (-7)

39 Faith Hill, Breathe (-7)

40 Madonna, Like A Prayer (-5)

 

41 Tegan & Sara, Heartthrob (-4)

42 Amy Winehouse, Back to Black (+9)

43 Ellie Goulding, Halcyon (+1)

44 Kylie, Aphrodite (+14)

45 Madonna, The Immaculate Collection (-5)

46 Adam Lambert, Trespassing (-7)

47 Barbra Streisand, The Essential Barbra Streisand

48 MUNA, About U (-2)

49 David Bowie, The Next Day (-8)

50 Adele, 21 (-8)

 

51 Union J, Union J (-8)

52 Miley Cyrus, Meet Miley Cyrus (-7)

53 Kylie, Tension [NEW]

54 Tina Turner, Foreign Affair [NEW]

55 Madonna, Confessions on a Dance Floor (-7)

56 Ingrid Michaelson, Lights Out (+7)

57 Baby Queen, The Yearbook (+58)

58 Madonna, Celebration (-8)

59 Shakira, Shakira (-6)

60 Troye Sivan, In A Dream (+137)

 

61 Lana Del Rey, Born to Die (-12)

62 Brandy Clark, 12 Stories (+8)

63 Janelle Monae, Dirty Computer (-4)

64 Madonna, Madonna (-9)

65 Florence and the Machine, Lungs (+39)

66 Joe Jonas, Fastlife (-12)

67 Miley Cyrus, The Time of Our Lives (-7)

68 Florence and the Machine, How Big How Blue How Beautiful (-12)

69 Kylie, Fever (+21)

70 Evanescence, Evanescence (-13)

 

71 Beyoncé, Renaissance (+195)

72 Madonna, True Blue (-11)

73 Madonna, Erotica (+3)

74 Selena Gomez, Stars Dance (-12)

75 Sufjan Stevens, Javelin [NEW]

76 Cher, Closer to the Truth (-7)

77 Sara Bareilles, The Blessed Unrest (-4)

78 Carly Rae Jepsen, Emotion (+29)

79 St Vincent, Masseduction (+24)

80 Selena Gomez, Revival (-15)

 

81 Haim, Days Are Gone (-17)

82 Nick Jonas, Nick Jonas (-16)

83 Brandon Flowers, The Desired Effect (-15)

84 Fergie, The Dutchess (-17)

85 Kesha, Warrior 

86 Miranda Lambert, Platinum (-5)

87 The Chicks, Home (+4)

88 Rina Sawayama, Sawayama (+41)

89 Shakira, Laundry Service (-15)

 

90 Tina Turner, Private Dancer (+81)

91 Josef Salvat, Islands (+90)

92 Joni Mitchell, Blue

93 Sufjan Stevens, Call Me By Your Name (-14)

94 Coldplay, Ghost Stories (-23)

95 Hannah Montana, Hannah Montana (-23)

96 Selena Gomez and the Scene, A Year Without Rain (-21)

97 Madonna, MDNA (-19)

98 The Chicks, Taking the Long Way (+4)

99 Shania Twain, Today is Your Day (-22)

100 Jessie Ware, What's Your Pleasure? (+12)

 

OUT

Of Monsters and Men, My Head is an Animal

Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball

Celine Dion, Taking Chances

Britney Spears, Femme Fatale

Shania Twain, Greatest Hits

Imagine Dragons, Night Visions

Pink, The Truth About Love

Leona Lewis, Glassheart

Marina, Electra Heart

Disneymania 5

Harry Styles, Fine Line

Rihanna, Loud

Hannah Montana, Hannah Montana 2

fun, Some Nights

Hayley Kiyoko, Expectations

For a few brief, glorious months in early 2023, Red finally managed to surpass Speak Now as my #2 album of all time. Then the Speak Now rerelease dropped and it reclaimed the runner-up slot that it's held for nearly a decade, and will probably hold forevermore. 

[Achilles.]

Top 100 Most Played Taylor Swift Songs of All Time

(All stats are combined with (Taylor's Version) when available)

 

Spoiler

1 Safe & Sound

2 Out of the Woods

3 Shake It Off

4 Love Story

5 Enchanted (+1)

6 New Romantics (-1)

7 State of Grace

8 Haunted

9 Sparks Fly

10 Begin Again

 

11 All Too Well

12 I Knew You Were Trouble. 

13 Better Than Revenge (+1)

14 Fearless (-1)

15 Style

16 Blank Space

17 Wildest Dreams

18 We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

19 Mine

20 You're Not Sorry

 

21 You Are In Love

22 Delicate (+1)

23 Wonderland (-1)

24 Holy Ground

25 Speak Now (+1)

26 Clean (-1)

27 Mean

28 Back to December

29 Last Kiss (+6)

30 The Story of Us (-1)

 

31 Sad Beautiful Tragic (+2)

32 White Horse (-2)

33 I Wish You Would (-2)

34 Long Live (+2)

35 Look What You Made Me Do (-3)

36 Starlight (-2)

37 cardigan (+19)

38 You Belong With Me (-1)

39 Red (-1)

40 Dear John (+4)

 

41 Innocent (-2)

42 peace (+29)

43 This Love (-3)

44 cowboy like me (+37)

45 All You Had To Do Was Stay (-3)

46 I Know Places (-3)

47 the last great american dynasty (+20)

48 Our Song (+2)

49 Getaway Car

50 Should've Said No (+1)

 

51 Picture to Burn (-10)

52 Forever & Always (-7)

53 Don't Blame Me (-6)

54 The Way I Loved You (-8)

55 Welcome to New York (-7)

56 august (+24)

57 the 1 (+26)

58 gold rush (+21)

59 seven (+16)

60 willow (+22)

61 marjorie (+51)

62 tis the damn season (+43)

63 mirrorball (+23)

64 this is me trying (+24)

65 invisible string (+22)

66 tolerate it (+32)

67 Treacherous (-5)

68 happiness (+34)

69 I Almost Do (-8)

70 Mary's Song (+2)

71 Dear Reader (+44)

72 Tim McGraw (-19)

73 Change (-21)

74 right where you left me (+36)

75 Timeless [NEW]

 

76 Everything Has Changed (-22)

77 champagne problems (+7)

78 coney island (+16)

79 illicit affairs (+50)

80 Ours (-17)

81 Karma (+50)

82 Call It What You Want (-25)

83 Teardrops on My Guitar (-28)

84 Glitch (+22)

85 Midnight Rain (+22)

86 Would've Could've Should've (+36)

87 …Ready For It? (-29)

88 Bad Blood (-29)

89 22 (-29)

90 Eyes Open (-26)

91 Better Man (+62)

92 If This Was A Movie (-27)

93 long story short (+10)

94 Dress (+2)

95 False God (-26)

96 Lavender Haze (+21)

97 Anti-Hero (+23)

98 All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (+1)

99 Tell Me Why (-33)

100 Come Back… Be Here (-3)

 

OUT

Gorgeous (-33)

ME! (-35)

How You Get The Girl (-30)

The Last Time (-32)

The Best Day (-36)

Cornelia Street (-25)

Crazier (-38)

The Archer (-30)

Stay Beautiful (-34)

Never Grow Up (-17)

The Lucky One (-31)

Fifteen (-25)

I Did Something Bad (-32)

A Place in This World (-38)

Lover (-32)

 

Albums with the most Top 100 Entries:

Red: 16

Speak Now: 16

1989: 15

evermore: 11

folklore: 10

Fearless: 9

reputation: 7

Midnights: 7

Taylor Swift: 6

The Hunger Games: 2

Lover: 1