Discover the albums that shaped 2023 and are a must-listen. From Olivia Rodrigo’s irresistible sophomore album “GUTS” which left fans eager for more, to Taylor’s Version of “1989″ which claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top 200, as well as Grammy-nominated for Best New Artist, Gracie Abrams’ with her album “Good Riddance.”
SZA’s “SOS”
SZA’s “SOS” album which was released in December 2022 was too late for roundups for “Best Albums of 2023″ but this album deserves its moment. After a five-year break, SZA dropped one of the most popular albums of 2023. The album was the third most listened album of 2023 and made No. 1 on top R&B/Hip-Hop albums. Taking the lead for most nominations for the Grammy awards, 2024 will be her year.
Gracie Abrams’s “Good Riddance”
Coming off her solo tour and opening up for Taylor Swift, Abrams has had a successful year. In her album “Good Riddance,” emotional transparency takes over as she intricately laces her thoughts into a melodic narrative. It stands as a testament to the power of raw emotion and resonates with fans. The popular songs “I know it won’t work” and “Amelie” are emotional ballads that hold the singer’s inner thoughts.
Daniel Caesar’s “Never Enough”
“Never Enough,” is the R&B singer-songwriter’s third album and it proves that Caesar is a genius when it comes to lyrics of love and heartbreak. After major success with his songs “Best Part” featuring H.E.R. and “Get You” featuring Kali Uchis, Caesar has done it again with his songs “Always” and “Let Me Go” on the album. Each track delivers emotional ballads that create an intimate bond with the listener.
Jonas Brothers’ “The Album”
From their Las Vegas residency to an international tour, the Jonas Brothers released their seventh album “The Album.” The tracks from the album include whimsical, soothing and uplifting melodies. Some hit songs you may know are “Wings,” “Waffle House” and “Vacation Eyes.” Currently, they are on an international tour singing not just one album but five of their most popular albums. Fans have been obsessing over Joe Jonas’ solo performance to “Vacation Eyes, " a popular song on “The Album.”
Drake’s “For All the Dogs”
Some of you may know him as Drizzy or Champagne Papi but Drake released his long-awaited album “For All The Dogs” back in October and fans loved it. Released while finishing up his “It’s All A Blur Tour” with 21 Savage, Drake’s album features a star-studded lineup of collaborators. From J. Cole to Lil Yachty, the beats to the album are great for a girls’ night out. In an album review, Drake had the best ten collaborators that added their own twist to each track.
Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS”
Want him back? More like “get him back.” The track is one of the most popular songs on Rodrigo’s sophomore album “GUTS.” The album gained popularity as fans created their own TikTok dancing trends to multiple songs off the highly-anticipated album. “GUTS” was filled with various music genres such as pop-punk, emo, and alt-rock. Songs like “all-american bitch” and “ballad of a homeschooled girl” had lyrics that explained what it feels like to be a girl who lives in America with social anxiety. At her one-night-only concert in LA, Rodrigo mentioned that she took a poetry class at USC which helped her write “lacy.”
Jack Harlow’s “Jackman.”
“Lovin On Me” and “Lovin” on Jack Harlow. Some may have not liked Harlow’s album “Jackman,” but this album showed the authenticity of who Jack Harlow is. Unlike most artists who write music, Harlow put out an album that spoke from his heart, his past and his childhood. It was personable and explained who he (Jackman) really is.
Sabrina Carpenter’s “emails i can’t send”
After releasing her album “emails i can’t send” in July 2022, Carpenter decided to re-release it with the new title “emails i can’t send fwd:” in March 2023. The album came after a long pause for the singer but showed a more vulnerable side to her as it gave fans an inside scoop into her personal life. With major hits, “Feather,” and “Nonsense,” the world fell in love with Carpenter’s witty lyrics. Carpenter is currently on tour opening up for Taylor Swift and is known to adjust the ending of her popular song “Nonsense” to fit the city she is in. Carpenter also recently released her own Christmas album “Fruitcake” which features a holiday version of “Nonsense,” which has become the “it” jingle of the season.
Bad Bunny’s “nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana”
With his fifth solo album, Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny released “nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana” this year. This album was highly anticipated by many worldwide and pays tribute to the singer’s early days of Latin trap music. With popular songs “PERRO NEGRO” and “WHERE SHE GOES,” Bad Bunny’s voice and addictive beats will even capture the ears of non-Spanish speakers. The song “MONACO” has taken the world by storm with its captivating intro and has been a popular sound being used by TikTok users all over the world.
Taylor Swift’s “1989 (Taylor’s Version)”
After re-recording most of her albums, the singer known as “mother” to many of her fans has been listed as the most-streamed artist globally in 2023 according to Spotify Wrapped. Her re-recordings of popular songs of “Style” and “Wildest Dreams” can be heard almost everywhere. Taking the runner-up with six Grammy nominations, Taylor Swift continues to put out music that is loved by nearly everybody and is currently on her international tour.