2023 is sure to be one for the books for new music releases in pop culture, especially from those who have been in the industry for a long time but may have taken hiatuses or gone under the radar. As a music enthusiast, I’m excited about what’s to come very soon. Here are my top 5 albums that I’m looking forward to listening to most this year, in no particular order.
- Skrillex – (Unnamed)
-
Skrillex is one of the biggest names in EDM; specifically, he was a driving force in EDM’s popularization in the early 2010s through his innovative and catchy dubstep productions and collaborative projects. Skrillex has been laying low for a while, with his last solo album released in 2014. But on this past New Year’s Day, Skrillex announced with a teaser video that a new era is unfolding, with the caption “QFF/DGTC 23”. Some people speculate this means that two albums are coming this year. The exact dates they’ll be released and the albums’ titles are still mysteries. But one thing’s almost certain: they’ll be additional groundbreaking bodies of work from Skrillex, especially with the promotional singles “Rumble” and “Leave Me Like This” already blowing people’s minds.
- Gracie Abrams – Good Riddance
-
I discovered the bedroom pop singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams from her song “Stay” in an Apple Music playlist back in 2019, when only one other song of hers was officially released. “Stay” struck a chord with me, with her delicate voice and emotional lyricism. Then “21” was released, and it was history from there, both in my dedication to listening to her music and in her rise in popularity. I saw her at the Something In The Water festival in DC this past summer, and I thought that she was incredible. She’s now officially made it as one of the openers for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. Currently, Gracie Abrams has released numerous singles and a couple of awesome EPs, and her debut album Good Riddance will be released on February 24.
- Quinn XCII – The People’s Champ
-
In just a few days on January 27, the Detroit-raised singer Quinn XCII will release his album The People’s Champ. The promotional singles thus far include “The Low”, “Backpack”, and collaborations with Cheslea Cutler (“Let Me Down”) and the one and only Big Sean (“Common”). His 12-track album will also include collaborations with AJR and Adrian Cota. So far these singles have been smash hits in my book, and his versatility and fluidness really shines. I also saw him at the Something In the Water festival and was amazed at his ability to get an audience energized. He really has a way with inflecting his voice and writing relatable stories to bop to.
- Paramore – This Is Why
-
Coming February 10, the album This Is Why by the band Paramore has 3 singles released thus far — “This Is Why”, “The News”, and “C’est Comme Ça”. This album so far shows Paramore going back into their pop-punk roots, and even more punk than pop than ever. Because of pop-punk’s resurgence in the 2020s, partly due to artists such as Machine Gun Kelly and YUNGBLUD, Paramore is taking the opportunity to show their true colors again with fierceness, agility and a new spin. They are also another opener for Taylor Swift’s next tour. Led by singer Hayley Williams, whose song with B.o.B called “Airplanes” will always be my favorite childhood song, Paramore is officially back with new influences and a new generation to be discovered by.
- Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation
-
Miley Cyrus led a TV New Year Eve’s celebration this year, and some performances included duos with FLETCHER and Dolly Parton. I could tell from watching some of the program from that evening that she was destined to return with greatness soon, and indeed she has. On March 10, Miley Cyrus will release Endless Summer Vacation, and so far the song “Flowers” has been released from the album. It features a groovy bassline and delicate strings with a self-empowering message and vocals. As one of the most famous female singers of this generation, I’m sure that Miley will have even more to showcase with this album.
There’s an endless amount of music being released now that the industry is more democratized. So these upcoming albums are just several examples to get you started for this year’s releases. I hope that the list has helped you look forward to new music and also has enabled more discovery!