00:00 "Watch me dance, dance the night away"
00:04 Welcome to MissMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the absolute best in music
00:09 that 2023 had to offer, taking into consideration critical acclaim as well as commercial and
00:15 cultural relevance.
00:16 "Yeah, I can love me better than you can"
00:22 Number 10.
00:23 Is It Over Now?
00:24 Taylor's Version (From The Vault)
00:26 Taylor Swift
00:27 Taylor Swift's 2014 album 1989 is widely credited with transforming her into the pop
00:34 icon she is today.
00:35 "Baby, was it over then?
00:38 Is it over now?"
00:42 The re-recorded version, released on the 9th anniversary of the original album, included
00:46 five From The Vault songs that didn't make the cut in 2014.
00:51 Among them is "Is It Over Now?"
00:53 An electro-pop ballad that finds Swift reflecting on a past relationship marred by mistakes
00:58 from both partners.
00:59 "Dread awkward blind dates later, if she's got blue eyes I was surmised that she'll
01:05 probably date her"
01:06 Believed by some to be referencing her romance with singer Harry Styles, the song was praised
01:11 for its catchy production and Swift's distinctive songwriting.
01:15 Nearly two decades into her career, Taylor Swift's reign as a pop icon is certainly
01:21 far from over.
01:22 "So the one thing I've been wanting, I've been waiting for"
01:28 Number 9.
01:29 "Say Koom Saa" (Paramore)
01:32 No one knows what exactly the future holds, and sometimes it's best to simply embrace
01:36 things as they come.
01:45 This sentiment is perfectly captured in Paramore's 2023 dance-punk single "Say Koom Saa".
01:51 The biting track, released as the third single from their long-anticipated sixth album "This
01:56 Is Why", featured lead singer Hayley Williams delivering verses in an unusual spoken-word
02:02 style.
02:03 "Lucky for me, I run on spite and sweet revenge, it's my dependence on the friction that really
02:08 hinders my progression"
02:09 "Say Koom Saa" is greatly influenced by the styles of British post-punk bands like
02:14 Dry Cleaning and Yard Act, and explores the singer's apprehension about a bleak future
02:19 and the chaos needed to survive.
02:22 Backed by an equally chaotic production, this song showcases Paramore's willingness to
02:27 experiment without ever compromising their roots.
02:37 Number 8.
02:38 "Vampire" (Olivia Rodrigo)
02:40 Following the success of her debut album "Sour", which launched her into superstardom, fans
02:45 had sky-high expectations for Olivia Rodrigo's sophomore effort.
02:50 Needless to say, the singer did not disappoint.
02:59 Rodrigo gave fans a lot to sink their teeth into with "Vampire", the lead single from
03:04 her second album "Guts".
03:06 Lyrically, the bloody infectious song employs gothic metaphors to describe a past lover
03:12 who exploited and ultimately drained the life out of her.
03:19 Sonically, the track stays true to Rodrigo's signature style, opening as a piano ballad
03:27 before evolving into an epic pop rock smash.
03:31 "Vampire" claimed Billboard's number one spot for two non-consecutive weeks and
03:36 bagged Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo
03:41 Performance.
03:45 Number 7.
03:46 "Paint the Town Red" (Doja Cat)
03:49 Love her or hate her, Doja Cat continues to prove she is a rebel with enough talent to
03:54 back it up.
03:55 The rapper/singer opened the year with a more diabolical appearance, providing fans with
04:00 a glimpse of what was to come.
04:09 That persona took center stage on "Paint the Town Red", a jazz-influenced hip-hop
04:14 track that seemed to address her controversial behavior towards her fans.
04:18 Her smooth rap flow, combined with the bouncy production, solidifies this as the most devilishly
04:24 wicked song of the year.
04:33 It not only gave Doja Cat her first solo number one US single, it also became the fastest
04:38 solo female rap song to reach 100 million Spotify streams.
04:42 Consider the town officially painted red.
04:50 Number 6.
04:51 "Princess Diana" (Ice Spice)
04:55 This list would be incomplete without the biggest breakout star of 2023.
05:04 Ice Spice solidified her status as rap's new princess by teaming up with none other
05:09 than the queen of rap herself for this fiery hot remix of "Princess Diana".
05:15 Nicki Minaj takes the burgeoning star under her wings, lacing Ice Spice's laid-back
05:19 flow with her lethal heavy-hitting bars.
05:29 Despite their distinct rap styles, the two are able to blend them seamlessly into a cohesive
05:34 and electrifying collaboration with an undeniable pull.
05:38 The song propelled Ice Spice further into the spotlight, securing her second top ten
05:43 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
05:50 She previously achieved this feat with "Boyz A Liar Part 2", a joint effort with British
05:55 singer Pink Pantheress.
06:02 Number 5.
06:03 "A&W" (Lana Del Rey)
06:06 Coming in at a staggering length of around 7 minutes, "A&W" is Lana Del Rey at her
06:11 absolute finest.
06:17 Released as the second single from her ninth album, the song unfolds as a two-part narrative,
06:22 presenting a sensual coming-of-age story.
06:25 It begins with the singer reminiscing about her innocent California childhood over a classic
06:30 folksy acoustic vibe.
06:34 Then, around the four-minute mark, Del Rey flips things on its head.
06:43 The song takes on a more down-tempo trap sound as she mumble raps about her sexual maturity
06:49 and involvement with a mysterious man named Jimmy.
06:54 "A&W" earned rave reviews for its subversive production and earned Del Rey Grammy nominations
07:04 for Song of the Year and Best Alternative Music Performance.
07:08 Number 4.
07:09 "Last Night" (Morgan Wallen)
07:12 Morgan Wallen, the country music sensation, dominated the charts in 2023 with his album
07:17 One Thing at a Time.
07:19 Not only did it spend 15 weeks atop the Billboard 200, it also produced his first number one
07:25 single "Last Night."
07:32 The song vividly recounts a drunken conversation between Wallen and his lover on what seems
07:37 to be their final night together.
07:40 With minimal production backing the track, Wallen's vocals take center stage, allowing
07:45 him to narrate the tale with raw emotions.
07:55 Just like its parent album, "Last Night" was a massive success, reigning supreme on
07:59 the Billboard Hot 100 for 16 non-consecutive weeks, tying for the second longest run ever.
08:06 It also earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song.
08:16 Number 3.
08:17 "Kill Bill" (SZA)
08:18 Murder never sounded as good as it does on SZA's revenge fantasy track "Kill Bill."
08:31 Inspired by the Quentin Tarantino films of the same name, SZA applies the good old-fashioned
08:37 revenge plot to her own romantic life.
08:39 The song's lyrics detail the singer's elaborate plot to take the lives of her ex-boyfriend
08:44 and his new girlfriend.
08:51 What begins as a rather harmless fantasy takes a tragic and pretty heartbreaking turn by
08:56 the end when the singer executes her plan, revealing her own profound loneliness.
09:01 "Kill Bill" received overwhelming praise for its candid songwriting and relatability,
09:07 to a certain extent.
09:08 It hit the top of the Hot 100 following a remix with Doja Cat, earning SZA her first
09:13 number one single.
09:22 Number 2.
09:23 "Dance the Night" (Dua Lipa)
09:25 The 2023 blockbuster Barbie is widely credited for a lot of things.
09:30 It boosted box office revenues around the world, led to a global shortage of a specific
09:35 shade of pink paint, and gave us the infectious disco hit that is "Dance the Night."
09:46 Performed by Dua Lipa, who also co-wrote it, the song talks about dancing through all of
09:50 life's challenges and appears, rather fittingly, in the movie's choreographed party scene.
10:02 With its shimmery synth production and funky bass line, "Dance the Night" seamlessly
10:06 extends the thematic vibe of Lipa's album Future Nostalgia.
10:11 It foreshadowed the film's eventual box office dominance, peaking at number six in
10:15 the US and topping the charts in the UK.
10:24 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:28 "Padam Padam" (Kylie Minogue)
10:30 More than 40 years into her career, Kylie Minogue is still serving bops.
10:36 "Love from the Other Side" (Fallout Boy)
10:41 Fall Out Boy returns to form with this anthemic rock opus.
10:46 "Fly Girl" (Flo)
10:53 Flo featuring Missy Elliott.
10:55 This slick collab brilliantly fuses old-school and futuristic R&B sounds.
11:07 Back on 74.
11:08 "Jungle" (Fall Out Boy)
11:09 All of the extravagance and allure of 70s disco in under four minutes.
11:15 "White Horse" (Chris Stapleton)
11:22 Don't let the cowboy hat fool you.
11:25 Chris Stapleton has the makings of a rock star.
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11:50 "Flowers" (Miley Cyrus)
11:54 Miley Cyrus has come a mighty long way from the regular teenage girl leading a double
11:59 life as a pop star on Hannah Montana.
12:09 These days, she's fully embodied the latter identity, undoubtedly proving her worth on
12:14 2023's "Flowers."
12:16 The track has been described as an anthem of self-love and acceptance and reflects on
12:21 Cyrus' newfound independence following a breakup.
12:31 With subtle nods to her past marriage to ex-husband Liam Hemsworth, "Flowers" brilliantly incorporates
12:37 Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man," flipping the entire song on its head.
12:41 Cyrus kicked off the year with a bang as "Flowers" soared to the top spot in the US and 37 other
12:47 countries, breaking global Spotify records along the way.
12:54 Which of these tunes was the soundtrack to your 2023?
12:58 Sound off in the comments below.
13:05 Do you agree with our picks?
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