2023 Music Review: My Favorite Songs Pt. 2 (25-1)

Part two of the much-anticipated list (50-26 here) of my favorite songs of 2023 is now here for your judgment.

25. boygenius: Satanist (boygenius)

Why this song: On paper, a song called "Satanist" looks bad, but each singer in this indie supergroup asks if you'd like to be various things, including a nihilist and an anarchist. The group is comprised of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus, who have all had varying levels of success as solo artists but found the perfect recipe to earn top song honors from media outlets like Spin, NPR, and Vice to name a few. They first got my attention when they performed on SNL and I liked it, so here they are.

24. corook: if i were a fish feat. Olivia Barton (Single)

WTS: As corny and overdone as this song was, it's still really catchy, short, and sweet. It's an earworm for sure.

23. Lil Durk: All My Life feat. J. Cole (Almost Healed)

WTS: It's the 2023 version of Nas' "I Can" if it was set in Chicago.

22. Mom Jeans.: Alameda County Fair (Single)

WTS: The winner for the band that I really got into this year was Mom Jeans. This is their first appearance on the list but certainly not their last. 

21. Hawthorne Heights: The Storm (Lost Lights EP)

WTS: This song is very early to mid-2000s and the nostalgia factor is so appealing to me.

20. Coi Leray: Players (COI)

WTS: Look there's a reason this beat has been sampled from "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash or "Been Around the World" by Puff Daddy and it's because it's a certified banger. She's definitely inspired more by the latter but it's a fun one to not listen to around the kids.

19. Blink-182: More Than You Know (One More Time...)

WTS: This sounds like it could have easily been on untitled or Neighborhoods (the good songs on that record) and it gave me much more confidence about what this album would sound like after the first two singles.

18. Real Friends: I'm Not Ready (There's Nothing Worse Than Too Late)

WTS: If you read the last list then you already know that I've been loving Real Friends since they came onto my radar 10 years ago. Of the pop-punk revival bands, this is easily my favorite and it's thanks to their emotional choruses and catchy hooks that make it work.

17. Armani White: GOATED feat. Denzel Curry (Road to CASABLANCO)

WTS: This song had me at "Lookin' like Bane in a beater." Denzel Curry's fingerprints were all over the 2022 countdown so any song that he's contributing to in 2023 is getting my attention. This is nerd rap covered up by hooks and beats. In another part of the song, he compares himself to Josh Brolin because of his different colored diamonds because Thanos is GOATED.

16. boygenius: Not Strong Enough (boygenius)

WTS: Very rarely does my taste overlap with people that decide what makes really good music and this song was in the middle of our Venn diagram. All three vocals are beautifully mixed together with each getting a chance to shine throughout.

15. Foo Fighters: Rescued (But Here We Are)

WTS: This song is a weird blend of three different eras of the Foo Fighters in one song. Some parts are from There is Nothing Left to Lose, there's a mix of In Your Honor, and finally a dash of Sonic Highways. It's just a big song from arguably one of the few big rock bands left that still puts out new music.

14. Mom Jeans.: What's Up? (Wassup Single)

WTS: This song entered my thoughts and I feel violated. Also, this is the alternate mix to their song "Wassup" and it is far superior.

13. Blink-182: Dance With Me (One More Time...)

WTS: I wanted to hate it because it is incredibly immature but then it got stuck in my head and I remembered that I'm still immature.

12. Mom Jeans.: clown (Bear Market)

WTS: Another remix of a song that wasn't as good as the version they re-released.

11. The Story So Far: Big Blind (Single)

WTS: If Real Friends is my favorite Pop-Punk revival band then The Story So Far is a close second. If this is indicative of what the rest of their new album will look like, I anticipate a lot of appearances on the 2024 list.

10. Lupe Fiasco: SentRock (Single)

WTS: This is just an extended metaphor with birds mixed with children being interviewed about what their favorite birds are. It might be terrible to many but I cannot stop bopping to this, especially with headphones.

9. Doja Cat: Paint the Town Red (Scarlet)

WTS: Recommended by a student who is obsessed with Doja Cat, I was immediately drawn to the weirdness and the color palate of the video. That led to a successful penetration of this earworm into my brain, which I then shared with the wife and now we spend a good portion of washing dishes humming this song.

8. Olivia Rodrigo: Can't Catch Me Now (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Soundtrack)

WTS: I have not seen the movie yet but I have listened to this song plenty of times. She's literally putting out music that I would've pretended to publically hate in 1997 but listened too in my room in secret. Now, I don't care and I think this song is lovely.

7. Can't Swim: Nowhere, Ohio (Thanks, But No Thanks)

WTS: I am a sucker for anything with Ohio in the title. Then, Can't Swim put out this song very early in the year and it did not leave heavy rotation for the remainder of 2023.

6. KennyHoopla: Marry Kill F***// feat. Travis Barker (Blink and You'll Miss It//)

WTS: A super catchy, but very NSFW, tune amped up by Travis Barker's drumming. KennyHoopla snuck in a 50 with his other song, but this song has been living in my brain since the first half of 2023 and I find myself trying to sing it at the most inappropriate times.

5. Neck Deep: Take Me With You (Single)

WTS: Inspired heavily by Blink-182, this time, Neck Deep has joined the "Aliens Exist" club with their song about wanting to be abducted because Earth sucks.

4. Yellowcard: Hiding in the Light (Childhood Eyes)

WTS: This record was rough but this song is peak Yellowcard.

3. Drake: Search & Rescue (Single)

WTS: A great song for headphones, a bassline that soothes, and a weird part that is just a clip from Keeping Up with the Kardashians. I could not get enough of this song especially when I was trying to wind down for the night. In fact, it was the second-most-played song on this list. What's number one you ask?

2. Noah Kahan: Dial Drunk (Stick Season: We'll All Be Here Forever)

WTS: Why, it's this song that clocked in at number one by a landslide. Some in this house prefer the Post Malone remix, but I'll stick with the original. Noah Kahan was the top-played artist in the Pool household thanks to this song and 2022 favorites "Stick Season", "All My Love", and "Northern Attitude." Kahan continued the streak of SNL performers that I enjoyed when he made his appearance alongside host Emma Stone's fifth hosting appearance.

1. Bring Me the Horizon: AmEN! feat Lil Uzi Vert and Glassjaw (Single)

WTS: Though I'm the only person in the house to listen to this chaotic mess, it certainly got a lot of playtime in the car. I love the weird choices that BMTH take in their music and this was one of two collabs with Lil Uzi Vert (though . his verse could be committed despite his Human Centipede reference). The cherry on this song was the addition of Glassjaw's Daryl Palumbo to the anarchy. "So tell all your friends, this is the end of everything!" I couldn't have said it better Oli.

2023 Music Review: My Favorite Songs (50-26)

 The unwarranted list-making has officially begun with this year's entry of music I liked from 2023. I liked a variety of sounds that came out in 2023 and had a lot to choose from for this list. Still, it's chalked full of familiar faces and it should be no surprise that Blink-182 had my favorite album because I'm a basic Stanboy when the day is done. Here's a look at the first half of the list:

50. Kenny Hoopla: You Needed a Hit// (Single)

Why this song: Short and to the point, like many songs on this list, it checks in under 3 minutes and I'm fine with that. It was able to hold off strong contenders, The Wonder Years, Knuckle Puck, Ben Folds, Death Cab for Cutie, and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness to secure the final spot. Kenny Hoopla has one other song in my top 50.

49. MxPx: This Is What You Told Me (Find A Way Home)

WTS: MxPx returned with four songs in my top 100, however, this list only yields one of those songs. It's about the middle of the road for their catalog, but a good song is bound to be in the middle when you've been a band for over 30 years. 

48. Can't Swim: "can you help me?" (Thanks, But No Thanks)

WTS: Chris LoPorto has such a distinct voice that blends perfectly with the angsty tunes that Can't Swim put out on Thanks, But No Thanks. Can't Swim gets three appearances on this list, with one more on this half and another coming much later.

47. Story of the Year: Afterglow (Tear Me to Pieces)

WTS: This whole album is like a reimaging of their first hit record Page Avenue which was released 20 years ago, even with eerily similar cover art. I liked that record, so no doubt, I brought a few songs with me on this list. The nostalgia is deep on this list.

46. Silverstein: Stitches (Misery Made Me:Deluxe Edition)

WTS: Misery Made Me was one of my favorite albums in 2022 and Silverstein has been steadily rising up my list of favorite bands since they came out in 2003. "Stitches" is catchy enough, but I can see why it was a bonus track that didn't make the original album.

45. Hawthorne Heights: Lucerne Valley (Lost Lights EP)

WTS: I really wish I could've made it down to this year's Ohio is for Lovers festival in Cincinnati. Hawthorne Heights has found a resurgence in their plays in the Pool household. This would've been good enough, but this EP also boasts a song in the next half of the list.

44. Yellowcard: Three Minutes More feat Pierce the Veil (Childhood Eyes)

WTS: 2023 was the year of unexpected cameos and combos in music, but Yellowcard had already shown their willingness to work with bands like Piece the Veil when they released "The Deepest Well" with Memphis May Fire's Matty Mullins. This is the first record since they band broke up in 2016, so it was good to see them back. Overall, the album is not great, but it did provide two songs for this list.

43. AJJ: Dissonance (Disposable Everything)

WTS: AJJ (formerly Andrew Jackson Jihad) are back with their upbeat tunes and downtrodden lyrics of despair while their songs clock in under 2 minutes. It's just enough to briefly ponder existence and then move on.

42. Blink-182: Terrified (One More Time...)

WTS: The first of many songs off this record. I had been anxiously awaiting Tom's return to Blink, but when they released "Edging" I was less excited. Fortunately, for me anyway, that's one of the worst tracks on the new album and the rest is a mix of the untitled album, Box Car Racer, and Angels and Airwaves.

41. Olivia Rodrigo: All-American Bitch (Guts)

WTS: Seeing her perform this song on SNL gave it a huge bump up the list in recent weeks. I have no shame in saying I'm here for the angsty lyrics and also the not-so-subtle commentary on society.

40. Real Friends: Six Feet (There's Nothing Worse Than Too Late)

WTS: Real Friends have yet to skip a beat after lead singer Dan Lambton left on good terms. Cody Muraro has come on in and continued to make Real Friends one of my favorites of the pop-punk revival.  There's Nothing Worse Than Too Late is my second favorite album and "Six Feet" is just one of many from it that appears on this list.

39. AJJ: Death Machine (Disposable Everything)

WTS: See the above description of their previous song and then amp up the despair and shorten the song.

38. Charli XCX: Speed Drive (Barbie: The Album)

WTS: The Barbie movie was not only one of the best in 2023 (that's a different list though) but it also provided a perfect soundtrack that flowed perfectly with the movie. "Speed Drive" fits right in with the fast and catchy vibes that are on the rest of this list.

37. Blink-182: Cut Me Off (One More Time... Bonus Track)

WTS: The album wasn't even out a day and then they added bonus tracks. I guess it doesn't fit the flow of the rest of the record, but it's fun, almost dancey, once you get into the chorus.

36. Rocket Pengwin: Save Me (Polar Opposites)

WTS: I first found this band when they did a pop-punk cover of "Anti-Hero" and then found this song shortly after. I love it because it's a guy and then someone in a penguin costume playing guitar. They also spell Pengwin the same as Pittsburgh's mascot, so how could I not love it.

35. Alice Merton: Waste My Life (Single)

WTS: It is an absolute must that the Pool households' favorite Canadian-German makes an appearance on every end-of-year list.

34. Story of the Year: Sorry About Me (Tear Me to Pieces)

WTS: It's just "Sidewalks" for 2023.

33. Blink-182: Anthem Part 3 (One More Time...)

WTS: Every album should open with a song that sets the tone for the rest of the album and this one does just that. 

32. Olivia Rodrigo: Get Him Back! (Guts)

WTS: I love wordplay and the title is interpreted on the lines in the song that she either wants to get him back (reconnect) or get him back (seek revenge).

31. Foo Fighters: Under You (But Here We Are)

WTS: The first Foo Fighters record after the death of Taylor Hawkins sounds a lot like There Is Nothing Left to Lose era Foo Fighters and since that is my second favorite Foo record, all is good.

30. Green Day: Look Ma, No Brains (Saviors)

WTS: Green Day has been so hit or miss the last ten years but this one is so good they put it in a Taco Bell commercial.

29. Real Friends: The Damage is Done (There's Nothing Worse Than Too Late)

WTS: Like I said, I love Real Friends.

28. Blink-182: Fell in Love (One More Time...)

WTS: Some lines are kind of cringe but the overall vibe is fun enough to overcome.

27. Lil Uzi Vert: Werewolf feat. Bring Me the Horizon (Pink Tape)

WTS: Without Bring Me the Horizon this song would be forgettable but with BMTH the chorus is amped up and improved. When I talk about this record with my students, this and the song with Babymetal are their least favorites but are my favorite two. Kids these days.

26. City and Colour: Hard, Hard Time (The Love Still Held Me Near)

WTS: The country revival is alive and well in 2023, so it's no wonder that Canadian rocker and songwriter Dallas Green would put out one of my favorites. City and Colour have been hit or miss for me on the last few releases, but I think this record was better than they have been for quite some time.