This was supposed to be the year. The Mets spent a ton on high-priced talent but forgot how to play fundamental baseball. The Giants were coming off their best season in a while (and even won a playoff game last January), but who are these guys in 2023? And the Knicks? Well, they’re definitely on the rise, but with no championships since 1973, don’t hold your breath!
Thank God for the power of music to help overcome life’s heartaches. Can’t watch a miserable game anymore? Switch it off and crank up some tunes instead!
2023 brought us the return of some forgotten favorites (Peter Gabriel & Blur), debuts from newly discovered artists (Milky Chance, Flyte, Briscoe, Olivia Dean & Jess Williamson), and more gems from my usual suspects (Wilco, Spoon, David Gray & Ben Folds). I’ve also included a track released in 2022 (Sway Wild’s “Waves of the Wind”) that’s not technically from this year, but it’s so damn catchy, I had to include!
Happy holidays and all the best in 2024!
For Spotify users, click here for the playlist.
You can also download a zip file of MP3s here.
.
Here are the 20 songs I enjoyed most in 2023:
01. “Modern Girl” – Bleachers
02. “Purple Tiger” – Milky Chance
03. “They Wait” – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
04. “Tough Love” – Flyte (with Laura Marling)
05. “Waves of the Wind” – Sway Wild
06. “Sugar Babies” – Spoon
07. “Rushin’ River Valley” – Fruit Bats
08. “Kansas” – Whitney
09. “Stay Right Here” – Allison Russell
10. “Sarah’s Place” – Zach Bryan (with Noah Kahan)
11. “The Narcissist” – Blur
12. “Winslow Gardens” – Ben Folds
13. “Hunter” – Jess Williamson
14. “Place to Be” – David Gray
15. “Evicted” – Wilco
16. “The Well” – Briscoe
17. “The Hardest Part” – Allison Russell
18. “I Got You” – Albert Hammond, Jr.
19. “Carry It Around” – Ha Ha Tonka
20. “i/o” – Peter Gabriel
The "Best of the Year" Collection 