It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas means holidays, presents, family and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It also means it’s ‘end of year reflection and ranking time.’ Today we rank our favourite 15 songs of the year.
Whether the song was huge on radio, a single release or part of a wider project is immaterial. Here are our favourite 15 songs that rocked our world in 2023.
15. Something Real – Dierks Bentley
Coming out of the same stable as previous Dierks bangers like ‘I Hold On’ and ‘Riser’, ‘Something Real’ is an anthemic song with a real yearning for authenticity and lyrics that show a different side to Dierks.
14. Breakfast in Birmingham – Tanya Tucker (ft Brandi Carlile)
Continuing the flourishing stage of Tucker’s ‘later in life’ career explosion, this song is a beautiful troubadour’s song about moving on and searching for a particular place and person. The best song from Tucker’s ‘Sweet Western Sound’ album, it has a timeless ‘Littlest Hobo’ feel to it.
13. Creek Will Rise – Conner Smith
We found out this week that Conner will be at C2C in London in March and we can’t wait to hear this song. He’s released some decent songs over the past couple of years but this early Dierks-influenced banger stands head-and-shoulders above everything with its ‘What Was I Thinkin’ vibes.
12. Save Me – Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson
A recent number one and probably the best pure, dramatic duet of the year, ‘Save Me’ features the two zeitgeist-grabbing artists of the year in one 3 minute gut punch of redemption with both artists excelling at what they do perfectly.
11. White Horse – Chris Stapleton
The best, adrenaline-packed moment from Stapleton’s new album, ‘Higher.’ This song gives us Bon Jovi ‘Wanted: Dead or Alive’ vibes as Stapleton rocks out in a way that he should do more often judging by how good this song is. Dolly did a rock album this year. Meh. But if Stapleton did one it would rule!
10. American Gothic – Stephen Wilson JR and Hailey Whitters
Stephen Wilson JR had such a fecund year this year, drip-releasing music from beginning to end and ultimately culminating in his powerful ‘son of dad’ album whilst Hailey Whitters seemed to spend most of her year out on the road, building on her excellent ‘Raised Album’ from 2022. Her new EP ‘I’m in Love’ will see us through to an expected new album in 2024 but when these two forces collided on this tribute to a rural American childhood it provided us with an absolute gift of a song.
9. Different Kind of Blue – Tyler Booth
We had the pleasure of meeting and watching this talented old-school newcomer at the Long Road festival in August. This banger features Booth’s deep, rich vocals and a real moody, slow build to a chorus that just won’t quit. We look forward to hearing more from him in 2024.
8. Alaska – Caitlyn Smith
We didn’t think Smith could top 2022’s gut-wrenching ballad ‘Maybe in Another Life’ but she went and did it with this heartbreaking look at a marriage in crisis on ‘Alaska.’ This song would also win our award for ‘best opening line in a song’ for 2023 too! When she goes for the big note at the end of the song? Wow!
7. Where the Wild Things Are – Luke Combs
Imagine if Luke Combs recorded a song written by the genius that was Jim Steinman!? This song, with its emphasis on Hollywood storytelling, was a slight departure into Classic Rock / LA vibes for Combs and it sure looks and sounds good on him. An absolute joy to sing along too, we were thrilled to see him sing this in Amsterdam this year.
6. Oklahoma – Chase Rice (ft Southall)
Rice re-invented himself on his 2023 album, ‘I Hate Cowboys and All Dogs Go to Hell.’ This song was the best on the album: a long, swampy seven and a half minutes slow-burn anthem that carries echoes of the wild west with its whistling and harmonicas. We also love the three minute guitar outro from Southall. Great stuff all round.
5. Shut the Truck Up – Matt Stell
A ‘nailed on number hit that somehow never was’ for Stell this year. Powerful, anthemic and yet insanely catchy, this song was the best one from Stell’s very strong February EP ‘One of Us.’ Muscle meets melody all the way here and we loved seeing him singing it from the stage of the O2 Arena in London at the C2C festival in March.
4. Tennessee Orange – Megan Moroney
The first of what could be many number ones for this talented writer and performer. This song was something of a phenomenon this year, capturing both the early, exciting feelings that come at the start of a relationship and a strong rivalry between college football teams too! What a sweet spot! Do you go to a Moroney show in Vols orange or in a Georgia Bulldogs shirt? That’s the million dollar question!
3. Next Thing You Know – Jordan Davis
We never expected Davis to follow up, let alone outdo, the emotional heft of ‘Buy Dirt’ but boy, he did it with this look at a life well lived. From the moment we heard this song in an advance stream of Davis’ ‘Bluebird Days’ album we knew it was a sure-fire number one hit and you can’t help but be moved by it, whether you are hearing it for the first or five hundredth time.
2. Some Songs Change Your World – Tim McGraw
Similar to Chase Rice’s ‘Oklahoma’, this song has a cracking long guitar outro that we’d love to hear live that adds gravitas to what is already a fairly emotional song. McGraw’s 2023 album, ‘Standing Room Only’ was his best this century and this song is the best of a strong set. We love the classic vibes, the emotions and the cadence of the melody on this song about music, love and how the two intertwine.
1.Dear Insecurity – Brandy Clark (ft Brandi Carlile)
Brandi Carlile’s second appearance on this end of year list! We had the privilege of seeing Brandy Clark sing this in an incredibly intimate room in London with about 30 or so other people earlier in the year and the hairs on our arms have only just gone back to normal! Such a lovely melody and powerful lyrics, ‘Dear Insecurity’ should be a worldwide hit / rallying call to people everywhere in these times when anxiety and self doubt is rife.
