Most Neglected Songs of 2023
Nov 27, 2023 19:27:01 GMT -5
Post by IndieAdvocate / Spectrum on Nov 27, 2023 19:27:01 GMT -5
So you all remember when someone made a thread about it, and before that, it used to be a yearly tradition ran by RodrigoPasta (seems like they moved on from Music Socials with all videos on the YouTube channel purged, RIP... 
)? I wanted to see if I can renew that myself, at least for this year.
Really the only criteria is if it did decent numbers or was a decent presence in the music world, but wasn't exactly what you would call a smash hit. It didn't necessarily have to chart on your country's top songs list or Billboard's Global 200. But basically, if it deserved more success than it ultimately got, and you could make a case for a song or artist, it's eligible.
---
By the way, here's my list if you want any inspiration. For me, most of these are off currents that I added to my mock station this year. And also how its roughly ranked won't reflect in my eventual Best-Of 2023 ranking...mostly.
HM: Phillip Phillips - "Dancing With Your Shadows" (Made for adult contemporary, sure, but I resonated with this one a lot this year.)
HM: Foo Fighters - "Rescued" (Oh, mood...)
HM: Paramore - "Running Out of Time" (Moooood...)
HM: Kesha - "Only Love Can Save Us Now" (I hope Dr. Luke continues to never know a moment of peace ever again...and also get permanently blacklisted in the music industry.)
HM: YOASOBI - "アイドル (Idol)" (I know it's one of the biggest hits in Japan's history and is centered around idol culture, but I'd rather that be a hit stateside, too. Certainly better than propping up Kim Petras, Melanie fucking Martinez, and a bunch of other less-vile hacks. I mean, for Christ's sake, there's even an English version of the song! How could you not try?)
HM: Shiki Miyoshino - "hanahaki syndrome" (If PRISM's Iku Hoshifuri could walk with "Artificial" last year, then surely her agency-mate would be able to run with her major label debut. Right? Hey Japanese music labels, y'all can try to cross over here, too! And speaking of V-Tuber music that should've been huge...)
HM: Midnight Grand Orchestra - "I'll wait for the night" (Certainly a better indie rock-esque song than a lot of actual indie rock and pop punk that went to alt radio this year. I mean even one of the commenters on the video agreed that it should be given a mainstreamed, crossover push. But instead of a V-Tuber takeover in the public conscious, we got "Loli God's Requiem" and a bunch of slop from the Regional Mexican scene. With the latter camp, I'm sure there's better songs in the genre, but a lot of it wasn't enticing at all.)
HM: Genesis Owusu - "Leaving The Light" (Dude is one or two steps away from having a TikTok hit, mark my words.)
HM: Ed Sheeran - "Life Goes On" (Need to listen to the album, but here's its placeholder entry for now. Y'all don't give current-day Ed Sheeran enough credit.)
HM: Sam Smith & Ed Sheeran - "Who We Love" (If the world weren't so heartless most of the time, we would all be singing this in full unity. One of my favorite ballads of the year.)
#10: Conner Smith - "Creek Will Rise" (We should've had this guy take control of the bro-country subset, and not Morgan goddamn Wallen. One of the few guys from Music Row that I can somewhat endorse...so long as he also doesn't blow it for himself.)
#9: Em Beihold - "Roller Coasters Make Me Sad" (A future One-Hit Wonder taking it all out on Music Industry and the systems around it, and she has every right to!)
#8: Post Malone - "Something Real" (Kind of blown out in the production, even if I do get why. But this was another one that resonated deeply, fulfilling appetites with pleasures that ultimately don't mean very much in the end. Your own excuse of escapism from your own problems that you continue to deflect and ignore. You'll always find yourself asking if all of that was really worth it. Kind of goes against how ESPN is using it as their college football anthem, though; that I actually don't get.)
#7: Jessie Ware - "Freak Me Now" (Yes, the original solo version, not the remix with that one TERF. And even if Roisin Murphy didn't turn out a disgusting human being, the original would still be better, thanks to the more professional-sounding production.)
#6: Käärijä - "Cha Cha Cha" (An absolute banger that got snubbed at Eurovision this year. AND I'M NOT EVEN A EUROVISION GUY!)
#5: RAYE - "Worth It" ( If "Escapism" or most of her album was too much or triggering for you, here's a more approachable track off it. The fact that Adult R&B and AAA radio have not gotten fully on board with this, it's a damn shame.)
#4: boygenius - "Not Strong Enough" (I may be cooler on these woman than most, but this is one of the best songs of the year to get popular. Just wished the radio business would care more, outside of Alt & AAA.)
#3: Niall Horan - "Meltdown" (Capital / Universal should've taken notes from Niall's colleague at Columbia / Sony, when it came to promotion. "As It Was" was a year-long smash, after all.)
#2: Hozier - "Eat Your Young" (The only thing about this song that would've made it even better, is if it led a massive Robin Hood-esque operation. Only then would there be some sort of peace in the world.)
#1: Libianca - "People" (This song absolutely destroyed me the moment it crossed over to the U.S., and I'm kicking myself for not getting to it sooner. Maybe it would be too depressing for radio, but the fact that it went viral globally (but underperformed stateside) and didn't become a meme to laugh at means so much to me, as someone with his own issues. I hope Libianca is doing okay.)
)? I wanted to see if I can renew that myself, at least for this year.Really the only criteria is if it did decent numbers or was a decent presence in the music world, but wasn't exactly what you would call a smash hit. It didn't necessarily have to chart on your country's top songs list or Billboard's Global 200. But basically, if it deserved more success than it ultimately got, and you could make a case for a song or artist, it's eligible.
---
By the way, here's my list if you want any inspiration. For me, most of these are off currents that I added to my mock station this year. And also how its roughly ranked won't reflect in my eventual Best-Of 2023 ranking...mostly.
HM: Phillip Phillips - "Dancing With Your Shadows" (Made for adult contemporary, sure, but I resonated with this one a lot this year.)
HM: Foo Fighters - "Rescued" (Oh, mood...)
HM: Paramore - "Running Out of Time" (Moooood...)
HM: Kesha - "Only Love Can Save Us Now" (I hope Dr. Luke continues to never know a moment of peace ever again...and also get permanently blacklisted in the music industry.)
HM: YOASOBI - "アイドル (Idol)" (I know it's one of the biggest hits in Japan's history and is centered around idol culture, but I'd rather that be a hit stateside, too. Certainly better than propping up Kim Petras, Melanie fucking Martinez, and a bunch of other less-vile hacks. I mean, for Christ's sake, there's even an English version of the song! How could you not try?)
HM: Shiki Miyoshino - "hanahaki syndrome" (If PRISM's Iku Hoshifuri could walk with "Artificial" last year, then surely her agency-mate would be able to run with her major label debut. Right? Hey Japanese music labels, y'all can try to cross over here, too! And speaking of V-Tuber music that should've been huge...)
HM: Midnight Grand Orchestra - "I'll wait for the night" (Certainly a better indie rock-esque song than a lot of actual indie rock and pop punk that went to alt radio this year. I mean even one of the commenters on the video agreed that it should be given a mainstreamed, crossover push. But instead of a V-Tuber takeover in the public conscious, we got "Loli God's Requiem" and a bunch of slop from the Regional Mexican scene. With the latter camp, I'm sure there's better songs in the genre, but a lot of it wasn't enticing at all.)
HM: Genesis Owusu - "Leaving The Light" (Dude is one or two steps away from having a TikTok hit, mark my words.)
HM: Ed Sheeran - "Life Goes On" (Need to listen to the album, but here's its placeholder entry for now. Y'all don't give current-day Ed Sheeran enough credit.)
HM: Sam Smith & Ed Sheeran - "Who We Love" (If the world weren't so heartless most of the time, we would all be singing this in full unity. One of my favorite ballads of the year.)
#10: Conner Smith - "Creek Will Rise" (We should've had this guy take control of the bro-country subset, and not Morgan goddamn Wallen. One of the few guys from Music Row that I can somewhat endorse...so long as he also doesn't blow it for himself.)
#9: Em Beihold - "Roller Coasters Make Me Sad" (A future One-Hit Wonder taking it all out on Music Industry and the systems around it, and she has every right to!)
#8: Post Malone - "Something Real" (Kind of blown out in the production, even if I do get why. But this was another one that resonated deeply, fulfilling appetites with pleasures that ultimately don't mean very much in the end. Your own excuse of escapism from your own problems that you continue to deflect and ignore. You'll always find yourself asking if all of that was really worth it. Kind of goes against how ESPN is using it as their college football anthem, though; that I actually don't get.)
#7: Jessie Ware - "Freak Me Now" (Yes, the original solo version, not the remix with that one TERF. And even if Roisin Murphy didn't turn out a disgusting human being, the original would still be better, thanks to the more professional-sounding production.)
#6: Käärijä - "Cha Cha Cha" (An absolute banger that got snubbed at Eurovision this year. AND I'M NOT EVEN A EUROVISION GUY!)
#5: RAYE - "Worth It" ( If "Escapism" or most of her album was too much or triggering for you, here's a more approachable track off it. The fact that Adult R&B and AAA radio have not gotten fully on board with this, it's a damn shame.)
#4: boygenius - "Not Strong Enough" (I may be cooler on these woman than most, but this is one of the best songs of the year to get popular. Just wished the radio business would care more, outside of Alt & AAA.)
#3: Niall Horan - "Meltdown" (Capital / Universal should've taken notes from Niall's colleague at Columbia / Sony, when it came to promotion. "As It Was" was a year-long smash, after all.)
#2: Hozier - "Eat Your Young" (The only thing about this song that would've made it even better, is if it led a massive Robin Hood-esque operation. Only then would there be some sort of peace in the world.)
#1: Libianca - "People" (This song absolutely destroyed me the moment it crossed over to the U.S., and I'm kicking myself for not getting to it sooner. Maybe it would be too depressing for radio, but the fact that it went viral globally (but underperformed stateside) and didn't become a meme to laugh at means so much to me, as someone with his own issues. I hope Libianca is doing okay.)
