Every 2023 Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 Song Ranked (In My Opinion)

Photo Courtesy of Emma McAdams at The Post

Another year has come and gone, and thus, we have a fresh batch of Billboard Hot 100 Top 10-peaking songs to rank. Yes, I know the Billboard charting year ends earlier than this, but...screw that noise, I rank this way; Billboard’s rules are weird. Anyway, 2023 as a year in music was...strange. There was plenty of great music across the board, no doubt, but when it comes to the songs that were peaking in the Top 10 of the Hot 100...this year felt weird. Compared to other years, it felt like there was a lot more stuff this year that made me kinda shrug my shoulders and go “eh.” Yes, you will probably note by the end of the list that I have more entries in the “Loved” tier than in, say, the “Okay” tier, but do also note that a disproportionate amount of the songs in my highest tier are by Taylor Swift. I really enjoyed a lot of what she charted in the Top 10 this year, but without Taylor having so many Top 10 peaking songs, things would be slanted a lot differently.

There were other factors at play that I think made this year’s Top 10-peaking songs a little weirder; with fewer exciting “mainstream” albums, it felt like fewer album bombs were clogging up the charts (and some of the albums that got a ton of chart success were underwhelming *cough cough Drake cough cough*), or rather, many of the album “bombs” didn’t lead to as many big Top 10 hits. The charts were also dominated at times by songs from years ago (hence why the “I’m Cheating” tier I added last year got particularly filled out), and Christmas came early for the Top 10...ugh...thus meaning some later-year songs had their potential peaks nullified by the typical yearly wave of Christmas music. All in all, the Hot 100 felt particularly weird this year, which means this ranking will probably look weird. But it’s the best I can do, and hopefully, that’s good enough.

As always, let’s have a quick refresher in case you forget how this list goes. When creating these lists, I divide them into five (okay, it’s actually seven) distinct “tiers,” place every song into one of the specific tiers and rank them as well as I possibly can from worst to best. Naturally, I also have roughly a paragraph written about each song summing up my opinions of them. Once more, I will stress that this list is merely my opinion. There will be songs on here that I enjoyed more than others did, and perhaps songs I was a bit harsher on than others. You are more than welcome to disagree, but let’s just try to keep those disagreements civil in the comments below, okay? Great. Now, let’s get into the list:

THE CHRISTMAS SONGS TIER

Sleigh Ride by The Ronettes / Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano / Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! by Dean Martin / It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams / A Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives / Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee / All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey / Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms

Another year, another tier devoted entirely to the Christmas songs. I’ve explained my lack of interest in Christmas before, and I’ve given my feelings on these songs plenty of times. I don’t think I need to go over them again, so I won’t. I mean, sure, “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” jumped into the Top 10 for the first time, but...oh, golly jeepers gee willikers, there’s that Christmas spirit I’ve been missing for the last six years. I did consider ranking these songs separately alongside a few other Christmas songs you’ll actually see later in the list, but it just didn’t seem worth it. But hey, for as cynical as I can be about these kinds of songs...keep on reading. There might be a little Christmas cheer as you get further into the list.

I HATED THESE!!!

72. Try That In A Small Town by Jason Aldean

Yuck...just everything about this song makes me say “yuck.” You all know the controversy behind this song, so I don’t need to get into very deep detail about the level of outrage bait and reactionary bullshit Jason Aldean is trying to play into right here. I don’t have to talk about his lyrics discussing sucker punching, burning American flags, or “good ol’ boys.” I don’t need to discuss his nonsensical - intentional or otherwise - decisions to film the video at a cathedral where an 18-year-old black man was lynched, or how he featured stock footage of riots that he claimed was “real news footage.” I don’t need to get into how Aldean wants you to believe he knows what a “small town” is like when he was raised in a large city in Georgia. No...because what if I told you...controversy or not...the song still sucks ass? Yeah, it’s a garbage song. Even if it didn’t have headline-baiting writing or any semblance of controversy attached to it, this is every unsavory element that, at times, makes country music the butt of my jokes...which is a shame because as we’ll see later in the list, there was plenty of GOOD country music to hit the charts this year. But this? With its royalty-free guitar instrumental and Jason Aldean trying to put on the “tough guy” pants only to give us these buttery-smooth vocals that sound so babyish in the process? Yeah, no, this is terrible. Awful music like this is what gives country music a bad name. There’s fantastic country music beyond the mainstream, but songs like these that make it on the radio are what make me ignominiously refer to “radio” country music as “fuck your cousin-core.” This, however, has totally leapfrogged over “fuck your cousin-core,” this shit is “I’m not racist, I buy a black coffee every Martin Luther King Jr. Day-core.” Hey Jason, how about instead of infecting the airwaves with your terrible music, you focus on NOT wearing blackface or cheating on your wife in public with “Insurrection Barbie?” How about you try THAT in a small town?

71. Search & Rescue by Drake

What on Earth happened? How did we get to the point where even I, a Drake defender who actually enjoys some of his “weaker” projects, can’t find a lot of nice things to say about his music anymore? What an awful song. The wildest part is that I wouldn’t consider this one of Drake’s most profoundly terrible songs; it’s not exactly “I’m Upset” or especially “Currents” levels of utter embarrassment. It’s not to the ridiculous level of awfulness that was Drake singing “YoUR PUSSsssssYYYYY is CALLING MY name.” Rather, I think this song is so bad because it perfectly embodies the sheer complacency that Drake has at this point in his career. I talked about this when I first listened to and reviewed “Certified Lover Boy” two years ago, but Drake is at a point where he has no reasonable competition within his lane, and therefore probably feels as though he can coast. He’s reached the top and has nothing left to prove, so all he’s left to do is ask, “Now what?” Little did I think that complacency would lead to this, an utterly boring song with a bland instrumental, autotuned singing that makes Drake sound like he’d rather be anywhere else, and ridiculously corny lyrics and vocal passages (the Pitbull reference and the “that’s why I American ExprEEEEEEEEEeEeEeeeeeEeEeEss my love” parts were by far the worst). This is basically what I picture a Drake song made by AI to sound like...or rather, it WAS until ACTUAL AI Drake songs came out that were, I hate to say it, far better than this. I shouldn’t be saying something like this (especially because this beef really shouldn’t have lasted as long as it did), but if someone knows this guy, relay a message for me: Pusha T, please diss this man again so that he can actually get in the booth and make something that sounds like it fucking matters. Ugh...at least it wasn’t included on “For All The Dogs.” That album was bad enough as it is.

I DIDN’T LIKE THESE!

70. Thinkin’ Bout Me by Morgan Wallen

In case it wasn’t obvious, no, I didn’t go anywhere near Morgan Wallen’s 36-song odyssey of a new album. I applaud that he’s put his past controversy squarely in the rearview mirror and grown from it, but as an artist, this dude is way too inconsistent in my eyes. Be that as it may, five of that album’s 36 songs (WHY SO MANY?!?!?!) landed in the Top 10, so I had to listen to at least some of it. This was probably the weakest of the bunch. While I’m sure it’s just a genuine influence of his, I don’t get Morgan’s insistence on adding trap drums to certain songs. It genuinely adds nothing of value and only serves to make the track more awkward than it already is. Sure, the vocals are impassioned enough, but that instrumental just throws this off for me a lot. It’s not the worst thing ever, but it’s not very good either.

69. One Thing at a Time by Morgan Wallen

Okay, work with me here; I’ve probably only listened to about ten or so of his songs in my lifetime, but there’s an important theory I have about Morgan Wallen. I’ve done some research, connected a few dots, and I may have cracked the code...I think Morgan Wallen has a drinking problem. I don’t mean that as a joke, the sheer amount with which he talks about alcohol is concerning. I know he said that he spent most of his last tour sober, but he’d better keep it that way; we’ve seen what alcohol did to him before. But anyway, this was one of the other Top 10 songs to come from that album bomb, and while it’s not as bad as “Thinkin’ Bout Me,” it’s not good either. If anything, it’s only better by way of not having that trap-country production, as at least this one has an upbeat instrumental. Otherwise, do I want to listen to three minutes of Morgan Wallen gaslighting a romantic partner into staying with him by basically telling her that he’ll continue being addicted to drugs and alcohol if she leaves him? No, because when I hear that, I go “Eww.” And that’s what this song is to me; one big “eww.”

68. IDGAF by Drake ft. Yeat

Yep, Drake released another album this year, so we have a bunch of songs from him that hit the charts. As someone who very much didn’t like “For All The Dogs” (or “FATD,” as it’s known), I can only be kinda lucky that most of what hit the Top 10 was more “eh” than “terrible.” Sure am glad that “Gently” didn’t hit the Top 10...wow, that song was terrible. Anyway, one song that I didn’t like slipped through the cracks, and it was “IDGAF.” While this was on, I barely realized I was listening to a Drake song because he’s hardly there. And sure, he gives a fine performance when he shows up, but he barely does so I’m barely inclined to care. And as for the rest of the song...I mean, if you’re not tired of rage rap yet, you’ll probably like it, but I feel like I’ve heard it done so much better in other places. Nothing against Yeat, he just doesn’t interest me all that much. Ultimately, yeah, one of the tracks I’d personally consider a throwaway from “FATD.” Not one of Drake’s worst, but...I guess you can’t make something your worst if you’re hardly on it, right?

67. 3D by Jung Kook and Jack Harlow

Oh, how much it pains me to put this song in this tier. One-seventh of the famed K-pop boyband BTS, Jung Kook got a lot of buzz off of some solo material this year (not the only member of the group to do so). It seems that, while the band has taken a hiatus to complete mandatory military service, some of the individual members are biding their time with music as solo acts. If I’m being honest, BTS’s viral singles they’ve released since their last album haven’t really impressed me much, so I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the solo music. In the case of “3D,” I REALLY wanted to like it...but I just couldn’t. While I love how the song sounds like old-school Justin Timberlake (or his former boyband *NSYNC), there’s not much to the song other than its worship of JT. There’s really not much of a strong hook here, and there isn’t a whole lot about it that sticks out. Jack Harlow also shows up, but his verse also doesn’t really do all that much to me (especially with how much he rhymes the same words). It’s not agonizingly bad, but it’s just not all that great to me, and that’s disappointing.

THESE WERE OKAY

66. Rich Men North of Richmond by Oliver Anthony Music

You think his last name is actually “Music?” That would be fun...wait, his name isn’t even actually Oliver? Goddamn industry plants (I don’t actually think he’s an industry plant don’t hurt me). Okay, sorry, I was trying to ease into this one because it’s got me...conflicted. With all the buzz I was hearing, I was a bit worried I’d somehow lump this in the same category as “Try That In A Small Town.” It’s nowhere close (though truly, my YouTube recommendations are gonna be shot after these two songs), but it’s...strange. From a purely musical perspective, I do respect the song for how “naked” it is, being just a dude with his guitar, though I do think his vocals kind of annoy me at points. I know the point is that it’s not necessarily supposed to be “cleaned up,” but some of the cracks and slight oversinging get to me a bit. As far as the writing...a bit hit-or-miss, I’d say. Again, I do kinda respect how “naked” the song is, and how it feels like he’s kinda going more from the heart than the brain and describing how he feels, as opposed to finding a solution to the problem. I think it adds to the authenticity of this track a bit...but if the song was more like the second verse, oh boy, would it be worse. The second verse alone makes his views seem pretty fucked, especially with the whole “blaming fat people on welfare” shit and the potential allusion to the racist “welfare queen” stereotype. It’s one of those things where it’s not *all* bad on the surface, but digging a little deeper might bring you more of the unsavory elements. But all in all, I don’t hate the song; I see what it was trying to do, but I think the overall awkward framing (especially on that second verse) can sink it a bit. And from a pure musicality standpoint, it’s got other issues. I’d say between the two big songs right-wingers kept peddling around this year, this is by far the lesser of the two evils...and it’s also strange that they’ve peddled it so much when it’s kinda talking about them...no surprise there. But this song - and Oliver Anthony’s intentions as a “man of the common, working-class people” who actually owns 90 acres - has been dissected to death at this point, so I can’t add much other than...the song’s not as bad as I was expecting it to be. I’ll most certainly take it over “Try That In A Small Town.” At least this one *tried* to keep its racism a bit subtle...key word being *tried*.

65. You Proof by Morgan Wallen

More Morgan Wallen, indeed. One of the five songs from his new album to hit the Top 10 was the return of one of last year’s Top 10 songs, one that I wasn’t all that crazy about. I said last year that this song felt very average, and yeah, it still feels that way. Only difference is that this is now lower than a few other tracks in the “Okay” tier, which I would attribute to the fact that I live with people who blast country music very loudly across the house, thus I heard this song approximately nine more times than I needed to. The things I do for people...

64. Thought You Should Know by Morgan Wallen

Oh, speaking of songs I heard way too many times thanks to living with people who blast country music...another Morgan Wallen track. I remember when I saw that five Morgan Wallen songs hit the Top 10 of Billboard, I thought “Okay, let me at least check out these three I don’t know.” Then, as soon as this started, I went “Oh right, I have heard this one.” Should I retaliate and play the music I listen to on the speaker in our house? I’ll do it; it’s been proven by science that profanity-laden hip-hop makes for perfect dinnertime music. Okay, anyway, this song is fine; I do think it’s one of Morgan’s better-written songs, being a message to his mother about how she raised him, but the rest of the song just feels kinda standard. Certainly have heard worse out of Morgan Wallen, but I’ve also heard better.

63. Rich Flex by Drake and 21 Savage

Yet another holdover from 2022, this was one of those songs I wanted to try to like, but just couldn’t fully get behind. I listened to it quite a bit over the course of the year, largely thanks to a Drake DISCOGRAPHY DIVE video that I did for my YouTube channel, but I always just found it kinda okay. There are elements I like about it, but it just doesn’t really go the distance for me. Ah well, you win some, you lose some.

62. Unholy by Sam Smith and Kim Petras

I heard this song in passing more times than I thought I would after its initial jump on the charts in 2022. While I did enjoy singing along to the chorus at points and the vocals are nice, I still couldn’t get behind the song as a whole. There was just too little for me to get into with it, to the point where I couldn’t appreciate it for much more than it being the first Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper from a trans artist and a non-binary artist. Oh, sidebar, though; it wasn’t until this year that I realized, on the second part of the chorus, Sam is actually saying “Oh-ee-oh-ee-oh.” I always thought they were saying “Oh, we go we go.” So now, I can never look past that part of the song because I keep thinking Sam is yodeling for some reason, and it takes me out of it.

61. I’m Good (Blue) by David Guetta and Bebe Rexha

Another holdover from 2022 that I could only appreciate from the outside, the “enjoyer of Bebe Rexha music” in me was happy to see her grab another Top 10 hit but couldn’t totally get into the song. Once more, I love the sampling of Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” and the hook is catchy, but it just doesn’t do much that I couldn’t get out of the original. Bebe sounds good, and thankfully the post-chorus drop isn’t obnoxious, but it’s just kinda whatever. But hey, if this gets Bebe a hit, good for her. And I guess good for David Guetta; shoutout to his family. *snickers*

60. Barbie World by Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice with Aqua

Okay...yeah, how about 2023, right? The “Barbie” movie was a wild cultural moment this year (and for good reason; it was a great movie), and its soundtrack was home to some big artists. The big example that landed in the Top 10 was a track featuring Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice (more on that situation later) flipping a sample of Aqua’s novelty camp icon “Barbie Girl” into a drill song. I feel like I’ve gone mad just typing those words out; just when you thought you’ve figured the world out, it does something like this to you. Of course, Nicki was gonna find her way onto this soundtrack somehow given all the Barbie references she’s had in her music (and her fanbase literally being called “Barbs”), but...I still find it funny to explain this song out loud. But anyway, I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this stunningly short song (and I do put heavy emphasis on “stunningly,” because the song’s only 1:49, not even hitting the two-minute mark), and ultimately, it didn’t do much for me. I mean, the drill beat is cool, and Nicki and Ice Spice have some chemistry, but it just doesn’t really have much of a hook to me. Maybe it’s because it’s so short that it doesn’t grab me. Maybe it plays well into the camp charm of the movie itself (even if it’s barely featured in the movie), but for the most part, I feel like this song would’ve just been made for fancams and TikToks if it wasn’t attached to a major motion picture. Also, there were several better songs attached to the soundtrack...more on that later.

59. fukumean by Gunna

I mean...it’s perfectly listenable...hey, hey, look, not many Gunna songs can say that. Give credit where it’s due here; I didn’t hate it. But yeah, “fukumean” is most definitely listenable, and it doesn’t do anything to piss me off, but as usual with his music, there’s nothing that exciting about it. Gunna himself sounds like a Future run-off, the beat is pretty average, and the only thing that catches my attention is that goofy “e-yeah” that keeps playing throughout the song. Oh, and I guess that “shittin’ on all you lil’ turds” bar got a quick little giggle out of me. Otherwise, yeah, nothing I’ll remember, but nothing I’ll be super angry about either.

58. MONACO by Bad Bunny

Sometimes, I wonder if it’s just that I can’t get into Bad Bunny. Don’t get me wrong, dude’s talented as hell, but for some reason, I never find myself reacting to his music with much more than an “eh, that was fine.” “MONACO,” a track off of his new album “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana,” is another example of that. Essentially, it’s just a trap song that sees Bad Bunny flexing a lot, complete with some...rather wild lyrics. He talks about everything from having a flight attendant suck him off in the sky - that’s one way to join the mile-high club - rappers becoming podcasters, and giving his haters F-40s without brakes so that they kill themselves...yes, haters are annoying, but that sounds like something that should be worked out in therapy. Regardless, the song itself is pretty much just “fine” to me; not super exciting, not much of a hook to it, nothing that really gets me going. It’s fine while it’s on, but I’ve heard much better from Bad Bunny...which we’ll actually see later in the list.

57. Virginia Beach by Drake

Drake pulled a Frank Ocean sample out and still managed to waste it. Sad. But yes, another track off of “For All The Dogs” that went in one ear and out the other for me. I think the beat is plenty mellow and emotional enough, and Drake’s sing-rapping actually works pretty decently here. The problem is that the song itself is utterly forgettable, without much of anything to make it all that interesting. At times, the song even comes across as pretty silly, with Drake dropping all these goofy punchlines like “You keep talkin' 'bout some, ‘period,’ but where you 'bout to end the sentence at?” (the ultimate fuckboi line), or “He gon' find out that it's on-site like W-W-W / On site like dot com.” Yeah, no, these punchlines are not good. The song is fine as a vibe, but it’s very forgettable.

56. Fear Of Heights by Drake

Going back to this track, I found it to be one that actually had a ton of potential and did some things right. After all, given how bored Drake tends to sound, it was kinda nice to hear him sounding pretty hard on “Fear Of Heights.” The rage-influenced production also worked out pretty well for Drake and made this a track with the potential to be a banger. The only problem is that Drake didn’t seem to want to put much effort into the construction of it. Sure, his performance was impassioned, but the song is basically one long verse, making it feel like an extended interlude. What’s more, when it comes to the writing...dude, why the hell are you dissing Rihanna on this track? First of all, it’s goddamn Rihanna; a part of me feels like losing Rihanna is a “you” fumble, and not the other way around. Second...dude, didn’t you guys break up in 2016? For someone who claims to not be hung up on her, the fact that you’re talking about her makes it feel like you’re hung up on her. She has two kids with someone she loves enough to settle down with, while you’re damn near 40 still talking on tracks about “cumming at the same time like ‘jinx.’” So, who’s the REAL loser here?

55. Daylight by Drake

Adonis carried “For All The Dogs,” I fear. With “Daylight,” Drake took another shot at the rage style, and honestly kinda sounded alright on it. The Scarface sample was cool, Drake’s performance actually had some decent energy to it (yeah, I know, I couldn’t believe it), and it’s a decent little head-nodder. I don’t really care as much for the hook, though, and once again, Drake’s writing doesn’t really grab me all too much. Especially that set of bars where he discusses the whole “Drake killed XXXTentacion” conspiracy theory, because whatever happened to “a wise man once said nothing at all?” Now, it sounds like Drake’s trying to say everything when he really shouldn’t. Not only that but like “Fear Of Heights,” this song is so short that it barely has any time to make an impression on me. But right when hope was lost, a light shined a little brighter, as Drake’s five-year-old (at the time) son came in to drop a quick little hook over a boom-bap beat. Drake may not have been trying his hardest on this album, but at least he understood what peak music is by not only giving Adonis that hook, but letting him drop a larger freestyle of the song later on. This kid’s going places, believe it. Okay, if I’m being unironic, the Adonis verse was stupidly catchy, and it was genuinely one of my favorite parts of “For All The Dogs.” Helps that there weren’t many other good parts, but...damn, Drake, you got out-rapped by a five-year-old? You gotta just hold the L on that one, Drizzy.

54. Calling For You by Drake ft. 21 Savage

But Draaaaake, we just got a full ALBUM of you and 21 Savage! Did we really need mooooore? I’m kidding, work with who you want. Anyway, this song actually could’ve been a lot higher on the list; I really like the production here, as the beat kinda mixes nicely between being booming but also having something of an emotional sound and vocal samples to it. Drake sounds pretty good on it, and the beat switch is perfect for 21 Savage to give a more subdued performance. So what keeps this song from going higher? That interlude. God, did it just take me out of the song right then and there. I get that it might be Drake trying to take another sideline shot at Pusha T or whatever, but Jesus, it lasts about a minute and a half and it’s smack dab in the middle of the song. Without it, I’d be able to go back to the track a lot easier, but instead, it messes up what could’ve been a saving grace on “For All The Dogs.”

53. All My Life by Lil Durk ft. J. Cole

A lot milder than I was expecting it to be. Lil Durk has some hits under his belt, and J. Cole has a habit of bringing out the best in the artists that he works with, so I was expecting this to jolt what was a pretty slow year for music up to the point of its release. Sadly, despite the pretty solid writing (and the nice enough choir vocals on the chorus), very little of the song did much else for me. It just sounded like a rather standard emotional trap song, and while the performances of Durk and Cole were not bad, they didn’t really jump out and grab me much. The only part I was intently paying attention to was the back end of J. Cole’s verse, where he talked about young rappers who are dying far too soon these days. That was interesting, but the rest of the song kinda went over my head. Nothing bad, but nothing I’ll be returning to all that much.

52. Ella Baila Sola by Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma

A regional Mexican song landing in the Top 10 of the Billboard charts? Has that ever happened? *checks notes* No, not before this moment. Wow, that’s really something. I definitely can give credit in that regard, even if the song is something I can only keep at arm’s length and respect as opposed to wanting to go back and listen to it over and over. I mean, the horns are most certainly impassioned and I think Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma have some vocal chemistry, but the big issue for me is that the song really lacks anything resembling a hook. I can listen to it for a moment and appreciate the musicality, but it kinda exits my head a bit quickly because there’s not much else that hooks me in and makes me want to go back. Cool to see it have as much success as it did, though, and hopefully it opens the door for more underrepresented genres to have sudden breakthroughs on the charts. Hell, this wouldn’t even be the only regional Mexican song to hit the Top 10: more on that later.

51. Favorite Song by Toosii

Usually, I really like these kinds of lowkey, emotional mixes of R&B and trap (if you’ve followed previous years of this list, you may remember how much I loved “Calling My Phone” by Lil Tjay and 6LACK), but this one...I dunno, I just got very little out of it. It starts off kinda cool, with the chipmunked sample of Tatiana Manaois’ “You Might As Well” sounding pretty nice, but it doesn’t really do much from there. I mean, yeah, I like the sentiment of this track (wanting to make a lover’s “favorite song”), and Toosii’s vocals are clearly pretty impassioned, but there’s not too much of a hook to this thing and those vocals don’t really “carry” the song, so to speak. It’s fine while it’s on, but for me, it’s not as impactful as it could be.

50. Just Wanna Rock by Lil Uzi Vert

Wait...that was it? Okay, this is wild; Lil Uzi Vert scores their first Top 10 song on Billboard in a few years, aided heavily by a TikTok trend. Now, I had heard this song in snippets and pieces A LOT before it actually hit the Top 10, but I had never heard the song in its entirety...or so I thought because I had no idea those TikTok snippets WERE pretty much the full song. When I finally sat down to listen to the track in its entirety, I was kinda blown away to learn that what I hadn’t heard of it was just the first part repeated. I had such a moment of “what the fuck?” going on afterward. And it’s sad because the skeleton of a good song is here; the mix of hip-hop and Jersey club makes for an insanely infectious beat, the hook itself is pretty fun, and I know if Uzi spat on the beat, it would be amazing. But that’s the thing; Uzi is hardly an entity on their own song, and it makes this feel shockingly incomplete. I feel like if it was fully completed, this would be another strong track on the level of “Futsal Shuffle 2020.” Instead, we just got an unfinished interlude-esque track that could’ve used more time to cook. That’s disappointing.

49. Players by Coi Leray

Yet another example of a song I didn’t realize I knew from TikTok until I actually sat down to listen to it for this list. I definitely see why that part of the refrain went viral because it’s probably the catchiest, most memorable part of the song. Otherwise, while I love the classic sample of Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five’s “The Message” and the way it allows the song to feel pleasantly old-school, the verses do frighteningly little for me and the actual chorus itself is a total nothingburger. Shame; this is actually kinda like “Just Wanna Rock,” in that both are tracks that I wish were more than what they ended up being.

48. Un x100to by Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny

It’s been said a bunch before but I’ll repeat it; I have to respect that, as popular and mainstream as Bad Bunny is, he continues to put on and uplift so many Latin music styles. I feel like I’ve seen foreign acts become popular in America to the point where they start making largely English music that can often abandon what made them famous in the first place (as much as it pains me to say it, I’ve kinda felt that with some of BTS’s recent singles). As an outsider to his music, it’s cool that Bad Bunny is still like a Latin music ambassador who puts on so many different styles of Latin music. This song is a prime example, being another case of a regional Mexican song hitting the Top 10. Ultimately, this is a song I’m not sure I’ll really return to much, but I can put a lot of respect on it. Grupo Frontera obviously puts a lot of love into the song, and Bad Bunny puts together a solid vocal performance as well. It’s not gonna be something I put in my regular rotation, but I definitely see the appeal of it and, much like “Ella Baila Sola” earlier, I think it’s cool to see a song like this hit the Top 10.

47. Like Crazy by Jimin

So we have a bit of an interesting one here; Jimin, another member of BTS, topped the charts with the second single from his debut EP...but it’s interesting to me. See, Jimin seemed to release two different versions of the song, one in English and one in his native Korean. Now they aren’t THAT different...initially, but the original version seems to be written about losing a loved one while the English version is about losing oneself to fame. At the end of the day, they’re very similar songs, which means both are just kinda fine to me. There’s a decent enough groove here, but the problem is that Jimin’s vocals feel kinda swallowed up in the filters and the bombast of the instrumentation. It’s why I slightly prefer the English version because it sounds like that’s not going on nearly as much there as in the original. All in all, though, it’s fine; nothing I’d really go back to for constant repeat listens.

46. TQG by Karol G and Shakira

Shakira grabbing two Top 10 Billboard hits this year made me quite happy, I can’t lie. We’ll talk about the other one a bit later, but the second of the two singles was a collaboration with Karol G that dug deep into the reggaeton roots. I like the vocal chemistry between these two, and the “firing back at their toxic exes” angle of the lyrics is good too, but I just find the production to be a little too bland. It feels very “heard it all before,” to the point where I don’t feel motivated to go back to it. Still, not a bad track, and it’s always nice to see Shakira in the Top 10 (and see Karol G pick up her first Top 10 hit).

45. Standing Next To You by Jung Kook

As we saw earlier, Jimin had some company in the Top 10 on the Billboard charts. All three singles off of Jung Kook’s “Golden” album landed in the Top 10, but unfortunately, none of them really blew my mind. “Standing Next To You,” for example, I had largely forgotten about after listening to the album, much like the other singles. The only reason I remembered it when I went back to it for this list was because I remember thinking “Oh yeah, the song that reminded me of ‘Hang On to Your Love’ by Sade.” Yes, they have their differences, but this is still pretty damn similar. And that was emblematic of my issue with Jung Kook’s album: it felt like he took a lot of different styles and sounds, but didn’t necessarily do anything that interesting with them. I mean, the groove is nice, and there are a few nice vocal melodies on this thing, but...yeah, I think I’ll stick with “Hang On to Your Love,” personally. That song is a classic. This? It’s listenable while it’s on but it’s nothing that crazy from one of the former BTS boys.

44. Seven by Jung Kook ft. Latto

Which speaking of! Yes, Jung Kook got his own lead single pretty high on the chart (specifically the #1 spot) with “Seven.” And ultimately...yeah, while it’s a totally different song from Jimin’s “Like Crazy,” a bit of what I said about that track can apply here; there’s a strong groove, and I’ll say that Jung’s vocals don’t feel as autotune-lathered as Jimin’s on his solo song. The hook is fun, but the song as a whole doesn’t really stick in my memory all that much, nor does Latto’s verse. Maybe without her, I’d like the song a bit more, but all in all, it’s just okay. Not too bad, but could’ve been better in some parts.

43. Princess Diana by Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice

I was hinting at this when I talked about “Barbie World” earlier, but Nicki Minaj has her own label now, and she has supposedly signed Ice Spice to it. Given Nicki’s...contentious history with other women in hip-hop, I am BEGGING the music gods to keep them from having some stupid beef that the media sensationalizes because it makes for exciting headlines. I dealt with enough of that with the Nicki vs. Cardi bullshit, please let that not happen this time. Thanks. Anyway, this song is actually a remix of a track from Ice Spice’s debut EP that Nicki jumped on. The beat is pretty slick, but something about Ice Spice’s hook and verse doesn’t do a whole lot for me. I’m not in the boat of “Ice Spice is trash” like so many others are, I think this track just didn’t do a lot for me. It honestly would’ve done a lot less for me if not for Nicki Minaj; she does a great job with this beat and it makes the song a bit more enjoyable for me (though who knows? That “I hold the control like the gamers” line might’ve buttered me up). Either way, the song is decent, just nothing I feel like I’ll be returning to. If anything, Nicki did a nice job with her appearance, so I’ll take the good with the bad here.

42. Used To Be Young by Miley Cyrus

I didn’t expect Miley to drop more music after “Endless Summer Vacation,” but it appeared she had a post-album single lined up for the Deluxe Edition reissue in the form of...well, this. Honestly, though, while the subject matter of it is pretty interesting (Miley reflecting on her “wild” younger years), the song itself doesn’t really land to me. I think I can just repeat what I said about the album in this entry, but everything about it just felt “fine.” There wasn’t much I didn’t like, but outside of the narrative, very little about it stood out to me. I love how reflective it all feels (although I think it’s weird hearing her say she “had a great run” when...she’s 30, she’s got plenty of time left), but very little else sticks out, unfortunately.

41. Slime You Out by Drake ft. SZA

Drake actually showing a little bit of hunger on a leadoff single for a new album? How about it; good things can happen every once in a while! Okay, so let me say this, I don’t think “Slime You Out” is some insane, unbelievable single that had me screaming “OH SHIT, FATD IS GONNA BE AOTY!!!!!” or anything like that, but it was honestly pretty decent. It’s a spacey, R&B-leaning song, which is a direction I actually kinda like from Drake, and when he started singing I was like “Oh...for once, he doesn’t sound bored!” (even though that “whipped and chained you like American slaves” line is absolutely terrible). I think hearing a more impassioned Drake vocal performance might’ve buttered me up a bit, but hey, it was refreshing! And then SZA comes in and does what she always does - in other words, she bodybags it and runs away with the song - and I’m like “Wow, we’ve got a good first song!” But then, it starts to linger for a little; that final Drake verse didn’t do nearly as much for me, and I start thinking the song could’ve been at least a minute or so shorter. But even with that, I can at least say it was a pretty solid lead single. Nowhere close to being one of his best, but after some of his recent stuff (and with how bad “For All The Dogs” turned out to be), I’ll take the good with the bad and hold the Ws where I can.

40. Bad Blood (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift

Heh, yeah, even though I joke that I’ve become a lowkey Swiftie, I’m not someone who just throws every song she makes into the highest tier on my list. Hell, last year, I had the wherewithal to put “Vigilante Shit” in this very tier, at pretty much this very spot on the list. I can admit she’s got some songs I don’t like, and “Bad Blood,” despite how iconic and popular it is, is another one of my least favorite Taylor Swift singles. While I like how booming the percussion feels on it, and Taylor does bring some good vocals here and there (especially on the bridge), this cut is heavily brought down by its chorus. Of the Taylor Swift hit songs I’ve heard in my life (which is...most of them?), “Bad Blood” has by far one of Taylor’s most annoying hooks to me; it just sounds silly, and I honestly can’t hear the song now without hearing the Game Grumps mockingly singing it. I respect how big the song’s gotten, but as far as Taylor’s big hits, this is far from being one of my favorites. That said, while it didn’t chart in the Top 10, the Kendrick Lamar appearance on the remix was cool, and respect to Kendrick for coming back and re-recording his appearance on the album. That’s honestly super cool.

I LIKED THESE!

39. First Person Shooter by Drake ft. J. Cole

A broken clock is right twice a day. As bad as “For All The Dogs” was, there were a few good songs on it. This is what happens when you have 23 tracks on an album, though; you throw enough shit at the wall, something’s gonna have to stick at some point. I had a feeling a track with J. Cole would stick, and sure enough, “First Person Shooter” succeeded. I love how boastful and triumphant the production is, and while Drake does a good job with it, it’s J. Cole who truly steals the show here. Cole’s been on an especially strong feature run lately, and here, he stands head and shoulders above Drake. The beat switch is pretty cool, though Drake does sound a little silly on the back half. Still, it was nice to hear a little bit of energy out of him here. I know that sounds like praising the bare minimum, but given that the name of Drake’s game IS the bare minimum at this point (or perhaps even less than that), I’ll take what I can get.

38. Fast Car by Luke Combs

Even despite some of the previous entries, country music went down nicely for me this year, and there was a lot more good charting country music in 2023 than I expected. Of course, it’s not like this year turned me into a superfan of the genre (I already deal with enough of that hoopla given, as I mentioned, the people I live with playing a bunch of it), but at least I was able to enjoy some of it while it was on. This was another example; while the instrumental feels like your standard country stuff, this cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” succeeds on the strength of Luke Combs being a pretty damn strong vocalist here. It helps that the original “Fast Car” is a pretty hard song to mess up, and Luke plays it pretty straight without trying to deviate too much. But the safe, simple approach works to the song’s benefit, making for a very nice cover. Luke didn’t try to do too much, and the result is a nice country track to have in the Top 10. And speaking of country music...

37. Rock and A Hard Place by Bailey Zimmerman

Was 2023 a fever dream? Did I expect coming into the year (or at any point in the year, for that matter) that a prime source of enjoyment as far as Top 10 songs would be country music? Seriously, there was quite a bit of mid on the charts this year (as the previous tier might clue you in on), but from what I enjoyed, there were a fair few more country tracks than I expected. At first, I thought it was just that being around people who listen to it so much had something to do with it. But no; it just so happens that country artists were putting out some quality stuff in 2023, and general audiences were listening. Here’s another example; I’m not sure I’d go back to it very often, but I can applaud the solid songwriting, simple production and nice vocals from Bailey Zimmerman. Way to go, country music; even with a few gross moments, you done good this year. And there’s more to come as far as country music I liked in 2023. For example...and to a bit of my surprise...

36. Last Night by Morgan Wallen

Literally, look at the cycle of how Morgan Wallen has gotten Top 10 singles, as well as my subsequent feelings on them; I liked “7 Summers,” didn’t like “Wasted on You,” got behind “Don’t Think Jesus,” and didn’t really care for “You Proof.” Now, the “good-bad” pattern continues because his next Top 10 track, “Last Night,” is one I actually like. You see why I didn’t want to deal with that for 36 tracks? I don’t even want my favorite artists to drop 36-song albums. But I digress; as much as this song falls squarely into Morgan Wallen’s typical themes of “lovin’ and drankin’,” I think there’s a solid acoustic-led instrumental here, and Morgan Wallen’s vocal flow is pretty damn catchy. I can give credit where it’s due; the dude’s got a nice voice, and every once in a while, he can put together a pretty good track. I’d honestly say this is probably one of the better singles I’ve personally heard out of him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes in my playlist alongside “7 Summers” in the future. But it still doesn’t justify a 36-song album to me...nope.

35. Flowers by Miley Cyrus

While I didn’t love Miley Cyrus’s latest album (especially in comparison to 2020’s fantastic “Plastic Hearts”), I did think its big single was an enjoyable romp. A somewhat disco-oriented track, Miley takes a masterclass in petty against her ex Liam Hemsworth. Seriously, the amount of petty to this is insane: she released the song on Hemsworth’s birthday, filmed the music video in the house where Hemsworth seemingly cheated on her with 14 women, and interpolated Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man,” a song Hemsworth previously dedicated to her. All this, despite their divorce being a full album cycle ago...hey, write what you know. Anyway, I think the groove of the song is nice, Miley’s vocals are strong as usual, and that Bruno interpolation sings to me as a huge fan of his. It isn’t the most exciting song she’s put out, but it’s a nice little jam while it’s on.

34. Lovin On Me by Jack Harlow

I’ll give it to Jack Harlow: he’s nothing if not inconsistent. After dropping an album that I really loved in “Jackman.” that saw him going for something more lyrical, “Lovin On Me” sees him going right back to the well with something I could’ve imagined hearing on “Come Home The Kids Miss You.” Now as someone who found that album to be a snoozer, I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this, but honestly...I kinda like it. Do I think it’s amazing? No, definitely not. But I think it’s got a fun little vibe to it thanks largely to that prominent sample of "Whatever (Bass Soliloquy)" by Cadillac Dale. Yes, it may be another attempt at redoing the formula of “First Class,” but as one of the few people who liked that song, I don’t mind seeing Jack try it here. It mostly works, the hook is fun, and Jack is as charismatic a presence as ever. I do wish the verses were a bit longer and had a bit more to them beyond the emphasis on spelling (and...whatever that Lord Farquaad reference was), but all in all, I kinda like it. No, it’s not anything amazing, but it’s a decent little track I can vibe to while it’s on.

33. greedy by Tate McRae

It was only a matter of time before Tate McRae landed in the Top 10 of the Hot 100. She’s been making some big noise in the pop world over the last few years, especially with her hit “You Broke Me First” going big on TikTok. Even though I’m not the most familiar with her music, I did like her song “that way,” so I was interested to see what her first Top 10 hit would be like. As it is...it’s a fun little song. A nice little dancy pop song with a fun chorus and some nice self-empowering lyrics as well. It’s not the most insane or groundbreaking thing I’ve ever heard, and the short length is a touch off-putting, but she still manages to stuff enough structure in here to succeed despite the short length. All in all, this is a pretty fun song that I was happy to see become a hit this year.

I LOVED THESE!!!

32. Paint The Town Red by Doja Cat

I’ll stand by it that, for as much time as Doja Cat spent pissing off her fanbase in the leadup to “Scarlet,” the album didn’t really deliver for me and fell into quite a few of the same traps as her previous records. I’ll also point out the irony that, for as much as Doja called her last few records “cash grabs” and lambasted the poppier songs on them, this turned out to be one of the few songs I genuinely loved on the album...and it was by far one of the record’s most commercial moments...damn. Either way, I really like how the production mixes jazz and hip-hop, while Doja reminds me of her charismatic personality very well in the song. The hook is also plenty memorable, and it rounds out a solid hit really well. I guess I’ll repeat it: Doja Cat has yet to prove to me that she can be a great “albums artist,” but man, she can drop a fantastic single when she wants to...kinda wish “Agora Hills” got to the Top 10.

31. K-POP by Travis Scott, Bad Bunny and The Weeknd

Naturally, Travis Scott got a few tracks off of “UTOPIA” into the Top 10 and, as usual with an album bomb, none of them happened to be my personal favorites on the album. Don’t get me wrong, I like the songs that did hit the Top 10, but...come on, couldn’t “DELRESTO (ECHOES)” get in the Top 10? It has Beyoncé on it, dammit! Ugh, anyway, as much as many didn’t like this song, I honestly had a blast with it. Yes, I get that people felt it was a weird stylistic choice for Travis Scott to go with a dancehall sound, but I think he does it nicely with a memorable hook and some great features. Bad Bunny owns the sound, and The Weeknd does a great job too (even if that “Even though she Korean (Mm-mm) / Get her wet like tsunami” lyric was...meh). There are definitely better songs on “UTOPIA,” but I liked this one quite a bit.

30. FE!N by Travis Scott ft. Playboi Carti

Speaking of “UTOPIA,” this was another one that broke the minds of many on the Internet. And why not? It took until I was writing this piece to realize it wasn’t Playboi Carti on the hook. It seems Travis had a hit of what Playboi Carti typically smokes, while Carti himself decided to go through puberty. Okay, I kid, but yes, this is basically Travis making a rage rap song, and he does it extremely well. His voice fits perfectly for the emphatic production, and as repetitive as the “FE!N” is on the hook, it’s extremely catchy. Carti also does pretty well, although...I’m really gonna have to get used to that deep voice if he’s gonna be doing it a lot on the new album. Either way, very good song.

29. MELTDOWN by Travis Scott ft. Drake

Who would’ve thought it? Drake has some hunger left in him. Yes, stuff like this is what tends to keep me in Drake’s corner; every once in a while, when he actually wants to put some effort in, he can drop something great. And his appearance on “UTOPIA” was pretty great; he goes for a sound that’s a bit understated (even whispering at points), but his delivery is so cold and cutthroat, I even had a moment of “WHOA DRAKE” when I heard this for the first time. Yes, his petty beefing remains silly, but at least it sounds like he’s trying to make music that matters...now do it with your own shit. The beat switches are also really sick and hazy, and Travis manages to hold his own as well. I’ll stand by it that I feel like Drake should’ve had another verse on that second beat switch, but the song itself is so good that I can forgive it.

28. Calm Down by Rema and Selena Gomez

This is another one of those songs that, when I sat down to listen to it for this list, I responded with “Oh right, I did hear this before.” This song got some TikTok buzz for a while, and it appears that buzz helped it earn a remix with Selena Gomez. And what a pleasant surprise it was! It’s an afrobeat jam but it has a prominent guitar lick that grabbed me right away; I can’t put my finger on what it reminds me of but the first thing that popped into my mind when I heard it was “Adam’s Song” by Blink-182? Terrible comparison, I know, but either way, it’s an awesome addition that Rema sounds very good over. And Selena does a really good job with her appearance, too; she flows amazingly on the song and her lighter tone really adds to the vibe. This was a track I wasn’t expecting to love as much as I did, but it’s a nice one! A smooth, comforting song that, to me, feels as nice as curling up with a blanket and drinking tea...well, I don’t really curl up in a blanket when I drink tea, but...tea is really good. And so is this song.

27. Water by Tyla

I don’t think I’ll ever properly put my finger on TikTok trends, but when they give me songs I like, I won’t question them...well, unless they truly *need* to be questioned. But yeah, “Water” became a hit thanks to TikTok, and its success actually led to Tyla becoming the youngest South African artist (and the first South African soloist in 55 years) to land on the Hot 100 in any capacity. And I’m glad to see this song landed in the Top 10 because it’s very nice. It’s a pretty simple formula - a song where a woman wants a man to truly blow her mind in bed - that’s been refined very nicely. I love how Tyla’s beautiful R&B vocals mix nicely with the smooth, afrobeat-influenced instrumental, and man, is that hook damn infectious. I had heard the hook before properly sitting down to listen to the song, and it’s definitely one I was singing along to quite a bit after finally hearing the track fully. This is right up my alley, and I love it. One of those moments where I can be happy with TikTok making a song a hit. It could’ve landed even higher on the list if it didn’t hit the Top 10 so late in the year, but keep in mind that these lists are a pretty loose order. Outside of the tippy top and the very bottom, a lot of these could be interchanged. Regardless, fantastic song.

26. Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 by Bizarrap and Shakira

Hey, in the last tier, we were talking about women dissing men who cheated on them...Shakira’s back in the Top 10! First time since 2007? Damn, well, welcome back Shakira, and we have a nice one to come back with. Bizarrap’s electropop production had a few moments here and there that I initially wasn’t as crazy about, but the song was definitely a grower for me. Plus, Shakira always knows how to come through with a catchy hook and her vocal presence as a whole is solid on this new sound. Oh yeah, and what a dark timeline we’re in; a Shakira diss track...against her ex-partner of 11 years...who cheated on her with a 22-year-old. I’ve heard the perspective of “Why diss the man you had kids with, given that they’re gonna hear it?” and I understand, but I think Shakira’s within her right to say her piece about the situation. Plus...dude, you cheated on goddamn Shakira, what the hell is wrong with you? Okay regardless, this was a very good song and it honestly grew on me a bit as the year went on.

25. Where She Goes by Bad Bunny

Okay, see what Drake was trying to do last year with “Honestly, Nevermind” with all the dance and club influence? Yeah, I think this is what he should’ve been trying to do. Bad Bunny jumps on the Jersey club vibe, and he owns this sound. The beat is emphatic but also deep, spacey and dark while maintaining that strong, hypnotic and dancy feel (also, not to continue the Drake comparison, but he handled the “squeaking” instrumental FAR better than “Currents” did). Bad Bunny comes through with a lot of the typical sex-driven lyricism we’ve come to expect from him at this point, and his performance is plenty charismatic between his singing on the chorus and his rapping on the verses. I’ve never denied that Bad Bunny is talented as hell, but I feel like I listen to a lot of his songs and say “Cool, that was decent.” This was one of the first ones that made me go “Okay! Hell yes!” Maybe that once again might be the “slow year for music” thing talking, but even if it was, this bangs. Bad Bunny knows how to captivate an audience, and this song had me from the word “go.”

24. As It Was by Harry Styles

One of 2022’s biggest songs held over in 2023, and I’m cool with it because I do really like this track. A super pleasant 80s throwback vibe combined with a very immediate and catchy hook made this a nice way for Harry to start off the promo cycle for “Harry’s House.”

23. Say Don’t Go (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) by Taylor Swift

Okay, is it time for me to make myself look like a lowkey Swiftie? It looks like it. With Taylor’s re-recorded version of “1989,” all five of the “Vault” tracks hit the Top 10, a first for any of these records. I really enjoyed the “Vault” songs from “1989,” and I can easily place all of them in this tier. “Say Don’t Go” is the new-age ballad of the bunch, with Taylor trying to maintain a relationship that’s just not going to stay together. It’s mellow, but it has some nice swells into something a bit busier, and Taylor puts together another incredibly beautiful hook on this one, aided by her typically great vocals. This is actually one of the “Vault” songs from “1989” that I feel like you could stick on almost any of Taylor’s albums (keyword: almost) and it wouldn’t be out of place. It’s like the culmination of all of her eras put together into one nice little ballad. Great song, just like this one from Taylor…

22. Suburban Legends (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) by Taylor Swift

When Taylor said “And you kiss me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever” on this track, holy crap...yeah, I felt that a little too hard. But my personal tales aside, “Suburban Legends” was another of the five “Vault” tracks from “1989” to land in the Top 10 on Billboard. This one has a bit of the mellow “Midnights” kind of vibe, but it’s a little bouncier with a somewhat brighter feel, too. It’s an incredibly pleasant track that sees Taylor perfectly in her emotional element, and it’s topped off by a short but beautiful synth-driven outro. It’s another great track, and yeah, that line I mentioned in the opening really slapped me in the face. Taylor’s just got that way of doing it, and she does it often with the “Vault” tracks. The “1989” set of them is consistently fantastic, and I feel like they’re all songs I’m gonna be coming back to often. On a slightly different (but still Taylor Swift-related) note, though...

21. Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift

Forgive me, “Cruel Summer,” for to quote the preceding song on your original album...“I Forgot That You Existed” for a while. A track from Taylor Swift's 2019 album “Lover,” I actually didn’t consider this one of my favorites back when I first reviewed that project. To see it randomly return and dominate the charts this year had me surprised and wondering, “How?” It turns out Taylor planned to release it as a single during the “Lover” era but got disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, only to rectify that when the massive Eras Tour led it to receive viral popularity. I’m glad it did, because it helped me realize how good the song is; it’s a dreamy piece of synth-pop with some lovely vocals and a hook I gloriously slept on in my original review. Oh, and that viral line where she says, "For whatever it's worth / I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?" is really damn good, too. I’m glad this got a belated single release because it helped me re-evaluate the song and realize, “Hey, this is really good!” Oh crap...maybe I am becoming a secret Swiftie...quick, next song!

20. vampire by Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo made her triumphant return in 2023 and it was exactly what I needed in a year where it felt like the biggest, most mainstream albums weren’t landing as well as they could’ve. It’s right in the wheelhouse that “SOUR” existed in as it begins, being a light piano ballad about being taken advantage of, but the song really pumps itself as it moves along. As the song starts to swell, Olivia reminds us of her incredible vocal prowess as she powerfully hits back at the “bloodsucker, fame fucker” that tore her heart in half. There are quite a few tracks off of “GUTS” that I like better, but it should show how much I love that album that this song lands so high on the list. It’s a great opener that kicked off this album cycle wonderfully.

19. bad idea right? by Olivia Rodrigo

Speaking of Olivia Rodrigo, let’s talk about rockstar Olivia. On this track, Olivia Rodrigo goes back and forth about the idea of reconnecting with an old ex, and she does it over this incredibly fun pop-rock instrumental with some killer riffs and amazing use of distortion. I’ve seen a lot of people talk about this song feeling like it comes from a 2000s teen movie, and honestly, I think that’s why I love it so much. Granted, I haven’t watched a ton of 2000s teen movies...I just love the vibe. It also helps that Olivia is an incredibly charming vocal presence in the song, especially on that pre-chorus. She very clearly knows that reconnecting is a bad idea, but then just kinda throws her hands up in the air and says “ehh, what’s one night, right?” The hook itself is also really fun and rounds out this single fantastically. Now, Olivia (or your team), I’m not trying to speak for anyone here but I think “all-american bitch” would be a great choice for a single...just saying...might be hard to market a song with the word “bitch” in the title, but...give it a try.

18. I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift

Back to Taylor Swift, though, it probably won’t be much of a surprise seeing so much of her across this part of the list. It also probably isn’t much of a surprise to see Taylor grabbing another huge hit off of her re-recording of “Speak Now.” This is a fantastic blend of rock/pop/country that carries a very seductive vibe to it, and the guitar lick that plays throughout this is amazing. It’s interesting to hear how a song like this, written in 2010, influenced Taylor’s later sound and direction on future albums, while simultaneously featuring those same reinventions it would go on to inspire thanks to the fact that it’s a re-recording. Trust you’re gonna see even more Taylor as we get into this list, by the way...being a secret Swiftie is no joke.

17. “Slut!” (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) by Taylor Swift

Hey, speaking of Taylor Swift...her again! I know some of you might be getting out your torches and pitchforks because of how much Taylor Swift is in this tier, but...hey, I like her music, so put those down! After all, more Taylor Swift is coming, so you’ll need to save them for later in this list. Anyway, this was one of the more talked about new “Vault” songs from “1989,” and I think it’s a pretty interesting one. For a song called “Slut!,” it does a lot to juxtapose its very direct (and harsh) title. Sonically, it’s a smooth and mellow piece of dreamy synth-pop where Taylor talks about a romance so strong that no amount of media scrutiny could break it up. So already, “Slut!” is much lighter than one might think if they’re just looking at the name, and the writing is pretty lighthearted, too. It’s kinda like Taylor takes some shots back at the media for the slut-shaming she’s put up with along with the heavy dissections of her dating life. All of this, combined with Taylor’s angelic vocals, makes for a very compelling song that I’m glad got to come out of the “Vault.”

16. golden hour by JVKE

Wow, this instrumental feels heaven-sent. Those light pianos and those strings took me for a ride, it grabbed me almost as soon as the track started and I was pleasantly surprised by it. My minimal experience with JVKE (I didn’t even know he was a TikTok artist) made me unsure how the song would go past that, but I think he held it together really nicely with some beautiful vocals and even some decent rap verses. No, the rapping may not have been the most compelling thing ever, but the combination of everything together made this a surprisingly compelling cut.

15. Last Christmas by Wham!

I think I’ve explained a few times already and don’t need to do it again, but “Last Christmas” remains the rare example of a Christmas song that hits the Top 10 of the charts that I can ACTUALLY enjoy. So many of these kinds of songs get so old to me, but this one just never does, even with my lack of interest in the Christmas season. But if you are a Christmas song lover, I’ve got a surprise for you...

14. The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You) by Nat King Cole

Okay, I’ll admit it; there are TWO fantastic Christmas songs I can put in this section of the list. Genuinely, how can I say no to the late, great Nat King Cole’s incredible voice on a song like this? “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” is a genuine Christmas classic that more than hits the mark as a lowkey but beautiful jazz ballad that warms my cold, cynical, hardly-caring-about-Christmas-anymore heart for the three minutes that it's on. Look, I know I’ve complained a lot about “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande not hitting the Top 10 (it’s getting there, though! Maybe next year!), but if we can keep this song charting up there around the holiday season, you may actually see a Matt that complains a little less about the constant flood of holiday songs reaching this high on the charts...key words: *a little* less. But I’ll accept two Christmas songs I genuinely like up in the Top 10.

13. Boy's a liar Pt. 2 by PinkPantheress and Ice Spice

I can’t lie, this took a bit to grow on me. I think it was the somewhat unstructured feel of PinkPantheress’s first verse that made me kinda raise an eyebrow and wonder what I was getting myself into. But then once that adorable, synth-heavy dance-pop beat with the Jersey club influence kicked in, I started to pick up what she was putting down. And then, that hook came in...DAMN was it fucking catchy as hell. Already, the song would’ve been a bop in that form, but this charting version was a remix that added Ice Spice to the mix. I hadn’t heard any of her stuff before this, but she comes through with a really strong verse that fits the song nicely. And hey, maybe I’m also loving it so much because I get a kick out of hearing Ice Spice use the term “duh-duh-duh” to describe her...you know. But stuff like that is why this works; the song is pure goofy fun, and it makes for a compelling listen. Just like the rest of PinkPantheress’s debut album: go listen to it if you haven’t already.

12. Dance The Night by Dua Lipa

Hey, look at that! For having to listen to “Barbie World” multiple times this year, I have been thrown a bone; another song from the “Barbie” soundtrack landed in the Top 10! With that said...we as a collective still could’ve gotten “What Was I Made For” into the Top 10...that probably could’ve topped this list...but at least I got this! Honestly, I had all the faith in the world in a Dua Lipa song on the “Barbie” soundtrack, and naturally, she rewarded me here. A song like this is perfectly in her wheelhouse, and she nails it with a great hook and fantastic vocals to go along with the easily danceable production. I talked about this when I reviewed the “Barbie” soundtrack, but I really love that despite being a star-studded soundtrack for a movie, the soundtrack largely respected each artist’s typical sound and let them make something in their wheelhouse. “Dance The Night” is a perfect example, and it’s a reminder of why Dua Lipa is one of my favorite artists today.

11. Creepin’ by Metro Boomin, The Weeknd and 21 Savage

In 2022, Metro Boomin took it upon himself to “bring back the old Weeknd” (as fans desperately cry), and the song held over in early 2023. Good thing, because it’s a great track. It pretty much sounds like what a “Trilogy”-era Weeknd track would sound like with modern touches, complete with lovely Weeknd vocals, a great interpolation of Mario Winans’ “I Don’t Wanna Know,” and a very good verse from 21 Savage as well. Good stuff once again, Metro...still wish a song from your “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” soundtrack could’ve landed in the Top 10.

10. I Remember Everything by Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves

We’ve made it; a country song has landed in my highest possible tier on one of these lists. And well deserved here; on “I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves sing a very reflective and reminiscent song about the messiness of a breakup. It’s an absolutely sobering ballad overloaded with emotion. Zach’s more slurred vocal delivery adds to the song's emotion, and Kacey offers up a powerful performance of her own. It’s a devastating song that, frankly, I didn’t expect to see in the Top 10, let alone at #1. Songs like this don’t top the charts so often, but it’s incredible to see Zach Bryan putting out some beautiful tracks, and using his sudden “hitmaker” status to boost the profiles of deserving artists (frankly, it’s about time Kacey Musgraves had a hit this big). What an incredible song and a great reminder that, for as much nonsense that comes out and clogs the Top 10, country music is a truly beautiful genre. Which speaking of...

9. Something in the Orange by Zach Bryan

Holy shit, Zach Bryan. This man came up to me and said “Listen here, you fuck: I’m gonna make you like country music” and then basically dragged me by the leg and said, “Now listen.” Well, congratulations, Zach Bryan, because you’re damn good (seriously, go listen to his self-titled album; it’s fantastic). On “Something in the Orange,” a track that was not on his self-titled album (rather, it’s a track from his 2022 album “American Heartbreak”), Zach Bryan pens a heart-wrenching, afflicting and raw song about a doomed relationship that he tries to maintain faith in, even though every bit of hope is lost. It’s a topic a lot of people can relate to (I’ve never been in a proper “relationship” but it hit me where it hurt), and I think it’s tackled with such a palpable sense of pain and regret. This is by far one of the best country songs I’ve heard in a long time, and it’s nice to see that it got some attention on the charts. I do prefer the more stripped-down “Z&E’s Version” over the single version, but either way, this is amazing.

8. Kill Bill by SZA (Remix also features Doja Cat)

Holding over from 2022, I’m glad to hear this one did because hell yes. A song that succeeds at being both dreamy and playful with its dark, self-aware lyrics, SZA bodies this one with her beautiful vocals and makes it a great song. I’m glad this became a hit off of “SOS,” a great late-year album in 2022 that I’m happy to see put up some incredible numbers. The remix that was released this year with Doja Cat was also pretty awesome: some fantastic storytelling on her verse, a verse I’d argue might be one of her best. Sure, Doja might’ve spent at least a part of 2023 pissing off her fanbase, but at least she gave us this.

7. Bad Habit by Steve Lacy

Even though I didn’t review it, I finally checked out “Gemini Rights” in 2023 and yeah, it’s a wonderful album. And this track remains a stellar song after being one of 2022’s bigger hits. The gentle but smooth neo-soul instrumental with fantastic vocals and an incredible switch-up near the back of the song make it a real winner. I know a lot of the conversation around Steve Lacy was about his “suffering from success” moments at concerts, but pushing that stuff away for a minute, this song still bangs.

6. Karma by Taylor Swift (Remix also features Ice Spice)

Okay, I’m gonna cheat a little bit here, but the Top 10-peaking songs in 2023 were giving...damn near nothing, so let me have this one. This song showed up on my list last year on the strength of the “Midnights” album bomb, and that album still has quite a chokehold on me, which really helps this cut. It was a track I really enjoyed off that project, being one of the poppiest moments on it and featuring a very pronounced and bright feel, and that remains true here. The reason I ask you all to let me have this one, though, is because the version that charted when this returned to the Top 10 in 2023 was the Ice Spice remix. Now, this remix is not bad (mainly by way of the original song still being good), but Ice Spice added very little to it for me personally. Even with a few clever moments, the remix didn’t do nearly as much for me. But the original song is still great, so...fuck it, I’m putting this here. 2023 gave a lot of mid as far as Top 10-charting songs, I’m giving myself one.

5. Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift

So have I ACTUALLY become a Swiftie? Well...maybe not to that degree (I’m still not into “reputation”), but the past three years have made me supremely enjoy Taylor’s music a lot more. “Midnights” is an album that I know was polarizing, but dammit if I didn’t go back to it all the damn time. I still wish “Labyrinth” hit the Top 10, as it’s by far my favorite song on the album, but I’ll gladly accept “Anti-Hero.” It’s too much fun to stay away from, and it has some interesting discussions of hero worship sprinkled in for good measure.

4. Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift, you keep giving me music I like listening to. People might be annoyed or talking about an “oversaturation” but honestly, I’m more than good with what you’re putting out. Keep it up. “Now That We Don’t Talk” is yet another “Vault” track from “1989” that is right in my wheelhouse as far as Taylor’s sound. It’s almost as if “Maroon” and “King Of My Heart” had a baby, if I can compare it, and I love it. It’s a bit faster-paced but nevertheless loaded with emotion, and it also succeeds thanks to some witty lyricism here and there and Taylor’s tasteful jumps into her falsetto. Even as the shortest song in Taylor’s discography (at 2:26 in length), it still manages to satisfy. Wow, I love this song. 

3. Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) by Taylor Swift

Oh, man...of all the “Vault” songs from “1989,” I’m glad to see this not only made the Top 10 but hit #1 as well. Unless we’re counting the 10-minute version of “All Too Well,” this has to be my favorite “Vault” song in Taylor’s re-recording saga thus far. As a noted “Midnights” lover (and perhaps defender, you could say), the luscious and spacey production gives me huge “Midnights” vibes (though slightly brighter) with many of the poppier touches to fit snuggly in the “1989” era. I saw someone say that this song feels like a mix between “Out Of The Woods” and “Labyrinth,” and yeah...I’d agree. Taylor also matches that production well with her stellar vocals, and the writing is also really good stuff, too, discussing a doomed romance with some kind of rhetorical questions directed at an ex-lover (which I assume is Harry Styles, given what I’ve heard?). This song wrapped the bow up nicely on Taylor’s Version of “1989,” and it’s probably gonna go down as one of my all-time favorites from her as I continue listening to it.

2. Snooze by SZA

It might sound wild, but I do think I like “Snooze” better than “Kill Bill.” Funny thing is, I had kinda forgotten about this song after my initial review, and that’s not out of malice; I just listen to so many albums between reviews and TEN YEARS LATER that my brain is so “on to the next one” with albums. Seriously, my retention skills are shot; I constantly forget songs I’ve put on these very lists sometimes, even when I’ve just listened to them. So when this hit the Top 10, I had forgotten it was a track off of “SOS” for a minute, but when I saw that it was a track I considered a “favorite” in my review of the album, I thought “Oh...well good! Then I’ll probably look forward to going back to it!” And then I listened to it again, and I was like “Oh, thank you GOD for picking this as a single.” This is the kind of mellow, soft R&B that I don’t think I can ever get enough of. That light guitar mixed with SZA’s usual angelic vocals...I just hit the replay button again while I was typing this out. Holy crap, I love this song. Thank you, Billboard Top 10, for reminding me how much I love it.

1. CUFF IT by Beyoncé

Look, better late than never. It might have taken about half a year after the release of “RENAISSANCE” for this to hit the Top 10, but I’m just glad it did. This song is an absolute disco jam that makes me, as Beyoncé says, “feel like falling in love.” The production on this is absolutely emphatic and irresistible, enough that I feel like I’ll want to get up and dance to it no matter what kind of mood I’m in. There are also like five or six hooks on this thing, but they all land incredibly because they’re so damn sticky, and of course, it can’t be dismissed that Beyoncé being an unbelievable vocalist only adds to the joyousness that this song provides. A Beyoncé dance record was everything I needed and then some when this dropped in 2022, and I was more than happy to see another hit from the album jump on the charts in 2023. Even though this reached the Top 10 early in 2023, the fact that it ended the year at the top just shows how incredible the song is. They call her “Queen Bey” for a reason.

THE “IT MIGHT BE CHEATING TO PUT THIS AT #1” TIER

0. Style (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift

The “I’m Cheating” tier makes its return in a big way in 2023. Last year, I added this tier to my list because I felt it would be cheating to rank a song like “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush alongside last year’s big hits. I expected it would be a one-off thing, but apparently, 2023 gave me more to work with than I thought. As I outlined earlier in this list, this year saw Taylor Swift put out her re-recording of “1984,” though unlike other re-recordings - which only saw “Vault” tracks land in the Top 10 - this one brought some older Taylor songs back into the Top 10. One of those songs was “Style,” the original album’s third single that reached all the way up at #6 on the Hot 100 back then. And hey, if any older “1989” songs could’ve reached the Top 10, I’m glad it was this; even dating back to when I first heard this song in 2015 - a time when I was just starting to get out of the “pop cynic” phase but still wasn’t too into Taylor’s music - “Style” has always been one of my favorite Taylor Swift singles. That slick guitar riff, those groovy synths, Taylor’s angelic vocals, and the chorus being one of the most immediate and memorable that Taylor’s had in a single...it’s got it all for me. I’ve loved this song ever since my first listen, and even though the re-recording sounds a little compressed, this song is still pop perfection in either form.

Keep in mind what I said earlier, though: I’ve been listening to this song since 2015(!). It’s been a favorite Taylor Swift song of mine for eight years now. How can I even begin to compare a song like that to other songs that have made this list, which I’ve comparatively only listened to for a few months? I mean, sure, I can knock some points off of “Bad Blood” because it’s a song I haven’t been as crazy about, and I can make an exception with “Cruel Summer” since I wasn’t as crazy about that song when it first came out and it took it becoming a hit for me to appreciate it more, but this? No, I can’t. I’ve gotta throw it in a special tier because it’s had too much of an impact on me and gotten too many spins out of me. And speaking of “older” songs reaching the charts that I’ve listened to way too many times...

Also 0. Die For You by The Weeknd (Remix also features Ariana Grande)

I didn’t think I was even going to need an “I’m Cheating” tier again in the first place this year, but it only took two charting weeks to prove that theory wrong. And this time, I needed it for TWO songs...wow. Look, I’m more than glad to see that “Die For You” jumped into the Top 10 thanks to TikTok; “Starboy” was one of the first albums I fully listened to and it’s always going to have that sentimental attachment to me, so seeing this song have success is awesome. It’s a fantastic track with beautifully dark and mellow production, as well as a passionate, painful, emotional vocal performance from Abel that still gets me to this day. And while the eventual Ariana Grande remix didn’t add much to the song for me, her vocals are beautiful and a nevertheless good addition to the song.

In a music world where “Dawn FM” didn’t score many big hits (which I owe a bit to its surprise release), I’m more than glad to see “Starboy” get some retrospective love...but consider what album I’ve been saying is getting retrospective love; “Starboy,” The Weeknd’s third studio album from *checks notes* 2016!!!!! This is a similar predicament to the one I found myself in last year when “Running Up That Hill,” a song from several years prior, became a retroactive hit, but this was to a MUCH different personal degree.

Whereas “Running Up That Hill” was a 1985 hit that I, like probably many others, heard for the first time through watching “Stranger Things,” “Die For You” is a song I’ve known of since 2016 when I first listened to “Starboy” and have probably replayed hundreds of times in the seven years since the album’s release (has it really been seven years since “Starboy?” Holy fuck). Much like “Running Up That Hill,” a song so classic that it felt unfair to have it steal a #1 spot from a 2022 hit, I thought it would be unfair if I took a song from 2016 and chose it as the best Top 10 hit of 2023. A 2022 song topping the list is fine to me, but a song from seven or eight years ago stealing the top spot felt a bit wrong. Thus, the “I’m Cheating” tier returned. And guess what? We’ve got a third song in here, too. I couldn’t even believe it myself, but here we are...

Also ALSO 0. Now And Then by The Beatles

The fuck am I supposed to do with this? This is honestly the last thing I would’ve expected I’d ever be writing about, and even though I know that life is unpredictable in general, I would’ve never even entertained the possibility of a “new” Beatles song landing on my 2023 bingo card. Now granted, this isn’t exactly a “new” song, so to speak, and that’s a big reason it also lands in this tier. See, “Now And Then” was actually a song The Beatles had recorded back in 1977 before John Lennon’s death, but it was shelved largely because George Harrison thought it was “fucking rubbish.” Still, it seemed like surviving members of the band still wanted to bring it back in some capacity, at one point even considering it for “The Beatles Anthology” project released in the mid-1990s. That never materialized, but now the song has been properly released, complete with some machine-learning-based audio restoration tactics on John’s voice and marketing indicating that this is the “final” Beatles song.

Truly, a “new” Beatles song is something I never thought I’d talk about in my lifetime. Even if I have to use air quotes around the word “new,” something like this seemed close to an impossibility to me. And even beyond all that context behind its release...I honestly adore the song. As soon as I listened to it the first time, I didn’t want to stop listening to it. It’s such a lush and lovely-sounding song that, instrumentally, feels as authentic a Beatles song as you could possibly get. The way that John’s vocals have been integrated, beyond how technologically fascinating it is, is beautiful, and he sounds right at home on this one. Same could be said for Paul, who adds in a few vocal melodies and sounds wonderful in doing so. And I love the writing, too; while on the surface it appears to be a love song, I feel like it almost sounds like a wistful moment where John and Paul are longing for each other. I can see in that sense why Paul wanted to get this song out in some official form, specifically for his old friend John. And as the “final” Beatles song, it’s a pretty fitting way to go out. I don’t think they could’ve picked a better one.

Again, though, in the context of this list, it’s hard for me to rank it among the other tracks. Yes, as it was finished this year, it’s technically “new,” but a 1977 song touched up by machine learning is “new” in the same way that qualifying for social security benefits makes you “young.” In spirit? Perhaps. Physically? Yeah, I don’t know about that one. Plus, like the other two songs in this tier, I did love the song enough that yes, it would’ve probably topped the list, but something about a 45-year-old song with a proper touch-up topping this list just didn’t feel right. I may not have the experience with this song that I have with the other two entries in this tier, but I still feel like I’d be cheating if I ranked this in the same league as songs like “CUFF IT,” “Snooze” and “Something in the Orange.” The combination of this, “Style (Taylor’s Version),” “Die For You” and “CUFF IT” made this year’s list a tough one to crack, but hopefully, this is sufficient. Either way, all of these are phenomenal songs.

And there you have it! Another year of Billboard Top 10 hits ranked! These lists don’t usually get a ton of views (especially given that this blog isn’t really used much anymore), so if you took the time to check this out, thank you very much! And as always, thank you to everyone who showed me any amount of support in 2023. It was a really crazy year that was equal parts great and awful (sometimes at the same time), but at least it gave me some great memories. Here’s hoping 2024 takes it a bit easier on me and on the people around me; I feel like we all need it. Either way, what were your favorite and least favorite songs to hit the Top 10 in 2023? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!