2023 Year End Review top 200 albums, singles complete

[Razzle Dazzle]

Have to say i didn't get past the The Smashing Pumpkins singles and the songs they put out to promote the album for this one but i liked what i heard but Foo Fighters, Green Day, Biffy, when bands release double or triple albums it is usually the worst thing they have ever released 😨

[greendemon]

Nov 29, 2023 13:09:20 GMT 1 Razzle Dazzle said:

Have to say i didn't get past the The Smashing Pumpkins singles and the songs they put out to promote the album for this one but i liked what i heard but Foo Fighters, Green Day, Biffy, when bands release double or triple albums it is usually the worst thing they have ever released 😨

In general I agree with the exception of M83 where it was the best thing they ever released or probably will ever release.

I listened to all of ATUM when the final part released and thought that while there were a lot of songs, on the whole they were pretty good. Have I played it once since? Nope, because I can't really handle listening to that much Smashing Pumpkins in one sitting.

2023 was the year of the unnecessarily long/double album. Christine and the Queens was another one. Some good songs but again, who needs that much of one artist in one go unless it's a best of?

[TheThorne]

39 Inhaler - Cuts & Bruises



The second album from the Irish band. It is not as good as their debut but it is still a pretty strong album it is maybe a bit generic and needs a bit more oof in places. Second albums are always tricky but just feel they played this a bit too safe. Nothing I don't like but only a couple of songs I really love. The record reached #2 in the UK.

4/5

[TheThorne]

38 The Japanese House - In the End It Always Does



The second album from the indie pop act. One of the few newer artists that I found mostly through radio, I have liked her stuff before but so many of these songs totally got under my skin especially "Sad to Breathe". It is just gorgeous pop that I didn't listen enough to in 2023. I had hoped Mitski would have made this list but was not keen on her going in a more Lana Del Rey direction. The record reached #29 in the UK.

4/5

[TheThorne]

37 Royal Blood - Back to the Water Below



The fourth album from the UK rock band. This may seem a bit low but I must admit, I did find this album quite patchy, was not a fan of the quite dodgy Beatles influenced songs, why?? There are so brilliant singles and some total anthems as you expect but not sure this album works as a hole. It has grown on me though, this was #81 at one point on this list, yes I know. Anyway the best thing is we have a very successful rock band in the Uk who have achieved another Uk number one. It has charted all over the world but still surprised they don't make any impact in the US.

4/5

[TheThorne]

36 The Gaslight Anthem - History Books



The sixth studio album from the New Jersey band. This is something we never thought we would get. Although I am happy they are back, I feel this album is missing something, a little magic I don't know. "Positive Charge" is a brilliant return but some of the rest is a little flat, I dunno. It is a late year release so it may grow on me more in 2024, this is still a very good placing. The record reached #23 in the UK and #162 in the US.

4/5

[TheThorne]

35 Fall Out Boy - So Much (For) Stardust



Their eighth album and I think it is a real return to form, this is my favourite record by them since 'Infinity On High', not sure why it got so many bad reviews on RYM and other places, I guess there is probably nothing they can do these days. They are back to being a guitar band with catchy songs, rather than whatever they were for the last 5 years or so. The album reached #3 in the UK and #6 in the US.

4/5

[TheThorne]

34 Boys Like Girls - Sunday at Foxwoods



Did not see this coming, I should have as they actually reformed in 2019 but didn't get a chance to tour or anything due to Covid. So after an 11-year gap they return with a 4th record. If you have been more of a fan of The Night Game rather than BLG then you will find not a lot has changed. The songwriting, production and general vibe is not actually that different. Yes there is less synthy tracks but this is still not really pop punk. Why only #34 well the standard is so high now and there are so many brilliant tracks but it is kinda fall off near the end and gets a bit samey. Nothing bad just not quite strong enough overall.

4/5

[TheThorne]

33 Blink 182 - One More Time...



Their ninth album and one we thought we may never get, the best lineup back together. This is not a classic Blink album or a dodgy one, it is pretty strong but maybe a bit generic but I guess that is all part of the nostalgia, this is meant to sound like the Blink of 20+ years ago so we can't really complain too much. A big hit reaching #1 in the US and #1 in the UK.

4/5

[TheThorne]

32 Tigercub - The Perfume of Decay



The third album from the band from Brighton and the influences on this record are plain to see, it is a better Royal Blood album than their record but it also the best album from the band yet as well. Taking in hints of Deftones and emo into their sound as well, one of the best rock albums of 2023.

4/5

[TheThorne]

31 Gorillaz - Cracker Island



First of two albums featuring Damon Albarn. This is their eighth album and after a few more experimental or hip hop albums, they are back to pop. The title track is their best single in years and so many brilliant collabs and tracks, I would say this is their best album since their 2nd record for sure. The record reached #1 in the UK and #3 in the US.

4/5

[TheThorne]

30 Hundred Reasons - Glorious Sunset



Their fifth album and a comeback album after 16 years. It was way better than I expected, totally like they never went away and their sound still sounds current today. Four singles from this record and they were all great. 'Replicate' and 'New Glasses' especially.

4/5

[TheThorne]

29 Day Aches - One Last Dream Before Dying



The debut album from the grungegaze band from Washington DC. This was one of my random picks and it definitely did not disappoint, another brilliant example of the genre of which we have plenty more to come. There is not a weak track on this at all.

4/5

[TheThorne]

28 Slowdive - Everything Is Alive



The fifth album from the UK shoegaze veterans. Not everything works for me on this, but at least they do try many different things within the genre, and you are never quite sure what you are going to get yet. But the best tracks are totally amazing, I don't believe anyone suspected their return would be so good. The record reached #6 in the UK, their first top 10 hit and #63 in the US.

4/5

[TheThorne]

27 Narrow Head - Moments of Clarity



A great departure in sound for me, we have the third album from the Texan band. Yes it is another grungegaze band, with heavy Deftones and Pumpkins influences. They have had a few good singles before but this album is a huge step-up. We are in heavy-duty records of the year territory now.

4/5

[TheThorne]

ready for fruit being thrown

26 Nothing But Thieves - Dead Club City



Their fourth album and probably their first album not to be in my top 10 of the year. This is a yes an excellent album but it is not a good Nothing But Thieves album.  I think this is even less successful than Royal Blood's disco rock excursion. It has grown on me on my last play but i don't see any of these being all-time faves. It was a very successful album worldwide and reached #1 in the UK.

4/5

[TheThorne]

Top 25

25 Bombay Bicycle Club - My Big Day



The sixth album from BBC, one of my favourite bands of the last twenty years. This is a rarity in their catalogue as they at last hark back to the more indie sound of their debut on many of these tracks especially "I Want to Be Your Only Pet" , yes we still have the more pop focused songs as well like 'My Big Day'. "Turn The World On" though, is like the best of Bombay all in one song, a future classic. Half a mark deducted for that sleeve though It reached #3 in the UK.

4/5

[TheThorne]

24 Blondshell - Blondshell



The debut album from the indie rock band from LA.  One of my finds of 2023 and I am not alone as I see it appearing in many year end lists. I am really not sure how to describe this album, it is just pure quality. I think you can hear acts like P J Harvey, Hole and Interpol on this. My favourite song is 'Joiner' which reminds me of Patti Smith Group. It is just so good, will be following this band for sure.

4/5

[TheThorne]

23 Sleep Token - Take Me Back to Eden



No surprises here, the third album from the breakthrough metal band of 2023. It is also one of the most divisive albums of 2023. Many think it is a 5 star record and just as many hate it. I totally get why, it goes from boy band ballads to the odd song that is too heavy for me, but there is enough awesomeness inbetween for me to love this. Honestly it is a crazy record especially DYWTYLM which could be a Beiber track but somehow it works! The best song is though 'The Summoning', obvious but true. The record reached #3 in the UK and #16 in the UK.

4/5

[TheThorne]

22 Wayside - What Does Your Soul Look Like



Another of my finds of 2023 introduced to me through the Radio 1 Rock Show and I have loved everything I heard since including this album. That song was 'Parallax Error' which is just so dynamic, I can't explain why it is so brilliant. Of course all the usual markers are here, grungegaze, Deftones, all sorts it is just a brilliant alt-rock album. It is the production which marks this above similar bands below, it is just so on point. This is the second album from the Melbourne band and they deserve to be noticed. Will see where they finish in rock mag/sites year-end lists

4/5 ( a high one, well they all are from now)