When Epik High returned with their ‘Strawberry’ EP back in February, it wasn’t obvious at the time how one lyric would become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Looking back at the hip-hop trio’s year now, though, and “It’s an all-time high / Baby, I’ve been on one” from ‘Catch’ feels like the perfect summation of their 2023.

• READ MORE: Epik High: “We’ve mastered our craft – now we need to go back to being more childlike”

It’s rare that you find an artist in any genre celebrating their 20th anniversary in music while feeling like they’re still moving forward, not yet stuck in a nostalgia loop of doing victory laps for past glories. But Epik High still feel like they’re continuously growing, still making big, exciting, new strides, still have plenty left to show us, even after two decades of doing just that.

Although 2023 has been a little quieter for the three-piece in terms of music – just one EP and one single – what they have shared hasn’t found them merely resting on the laurels of their previous work. Across the ‘Strawberry’ EP and November’s ‘Screen Time’, they gave us new collaborations, new perspectives and new sounds. ‘God’s Latte’, the final track on ‘Strawberry’, moved them into an atmospheric, reflective space that gently underpinned lyrics that wrestled with ideas of heaven and hell, good and evil, and God. On ‘Screen Time’, they explored loneliness and separation through the smartphones we’re all glued to – a new evolution in Epik High’s knack for big, broad topics feel specific and relatable.

When they haven’t been gifting us new tunes, the trio have been touring the world, lighting up each spot they visit with electrifying performances. They are shows so full of life and energy that it seems like there must have been a mistake made somewhere – that they couldn’t possibly be hosted by artists two decades into their career. For every dynamic concert, the world has responded in kind – with more interest and enthusiasm, with bigger venues, sold-out crowds and invitations to perform in places Epik High have previously never been. At festivals, they’ve raised the bar for other acts on the line-up and, at their own headline gigs, given fans perfect nights to remember.

Epik High’s year is culminating with two big moments on the live side of their story. First, the introduction of their own official lightstick. In their typical irreverent style, it’s shaped like a raised middle finger and forms a playful, tongue-in-cheek way for fans to show their continued allegiance to Epik High’s story. Last weekend, Seoul’s Olympic Handball Gymnasium was lit up by hundreds and thousands of the new item as the group celebrated its 20th anniversary with three concerts that highlighted their standing in the industry.

Taking place at the 6,500-capacity venue, the shows constituted Epik High’s biggest in their home country for years, adding to that feeling that they’re far from done yet. At these three-hour extravaganzas, they commemorated their catalogue so far, pulling out fan favourite hits, deeper cuts, their newest releases and – on one night – an unreleased track. Each show boasted two guest appearances, including legends from across the spectrum of Korean music, like Dynamic Duo, NELL, Psy, ballad singer Sung Si-kyung, Younha and Ha Dong Qn. The stature of the line-up highlights not just the connections they’ve made in the past, but the respect the industry still holds for them – that such artists would be willing to show up to celebrate them.

Although these concerts looked back on 20 years of Epik High, they were far from a full stop on the group’s whole story, but just on one chapter. At the end of each night, Tablo teased the crowds that there was still plenty to look forward to. “Epik High reborn,” he declared of their 2024 on the second night, promising 24 hours later that their fans could look forward to “a lot of new shit” after the turn of the year. The last 12 months might have been an all-time high for Epik High, but it doesn’t look like they’re coming down anytime soon.

The post Two decades into their story, Epik High don’t look like they’re coming down from their “all-time high” anytime soon appeared first on NME.

In partnership with Beyond the Valley

When you think about the world’s calendar for music festivals, December isn’t a month that springs to mind – but Beyond The Valley is changing that. Over a few years, the music festival has established itself as a New Year’s Eve tradition not just for Australians but increasingly for lovers of good music worldwide.

What better way to shake off the year-end blues than by soaking in a southern-hemisphere summer, taking in top-notch performances at world-class stages and indulging in all the perks that a good festival has to offer? It’s no surprise that Beyond The Valley’s eighth edition is officially sold out, with tens of thousands of fest fiends ready to party in the Barunah Plains in Victoria next week.

If you’re wondering what the fuss is all about, read on to find out why Beyond The Valley is a special festival. Of course, nothing beats actually being there, but this list is a close second…

Beyond The Valley’s stunning location is almost beyond belief

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a music festival elsewhere in the world with a more picturesque location than Beyond The Valley, which takes place on the Barunah Plains, on the lands of the Wadawurrung and Eastern Maar Peoples. BTV makes full use of a gorgeous natural amphitheatre that makes you feel like you’re doing more than just rocking up to a festival – you’ll be entering a haven with your fellow music lovers for an ecstatic celebration of community and good vibes.

This little idyll isn’t inaccessible, either – Beyond The Valley is just a 90-minute drive from Melbourne (the festival offers buses from the city’s CBD if you’re not planning on taking your own car). And BTV allows you to customise your festival experience: either use day passes and leave the fest each day, or take advantage of top-of-the-line camping facilities and enjoy your time on-site to your heart’s content.

Mix up your festival experience with all the different stages

Beyond The Valley, like any good large-scale festival, has multiple stages – but what differentiates BTV is that organisers really make them worth your while. All stages have been kitted out with unparalleled tech and production that mean wherever you go, you’ll have a NYE blowout to remember. Of course, you can’t miss the massive Valley Stage with its lights, pyro and huge soundsystems, nor the custom-built Dance Dome for the ravers and players (where you can also expect two secret sets this year – keep your eyes peeled).

But make time for the more idiosyncratic and intimate stages too. At the Dr Dans stage, which was named in loving memory of fest friend Daniel Christidis and has garnered itself a cult following from BTV diehards, you can expect to dance your arse off to incredible DJs and thrilling takeovers (such as the Poof Doof’s pinktastic Barbie Party on day 4).

Or find the hidden entrance and squeeze yourself into Schmall Klub, a concealed, limited-capacity party that will transport you to an industrial European club. This space was proposed in 2019 by RÜFÜS DU SOL, the homegrown heroes who are headlining the festival this year. Will you see them in the venue that was their brainchild? Well, you’ll have to find it first…

You-had-to-be-there performances from a world-class line-up

Beyond The Valley isn’t any ordinary music festival – you can expect to make some massive memories here. Expect performances you’ll be talking up to your mates for months – you’ll be telling them, “you simply had to be there.” Last year BTV played host to pop queen Nelly Furtado’s first-ever performance in five years, and she had a special treat for revellers: a rendition of her TikTok-viral collab with Dom Dolla, the slinky ‘Eat Your Man’.

And for 2023, the fest has secured not only stellar performers but also culture-changers who’ve made songs that have defined our year: UK rap frontrunner Central Cee spun gold with Dave on the massive single ‘Sprinter’, and Seoul’s finest Peggy Gou made our 2023 when she dropped the fresh-yet-classic banger ‘(It Goes Like) Nanana’. RÜFÜS DU SOL, the only act nominated at the 2023 Grammys, will stage the transcendent live show that has made them a name the world over.

The BTV line-up, overall, is world-class. Some of Australia’s best and most beloved artists will be here this year – from pop-rock legend, queer icon and drummer extraordinaire G Flip to beloved duo Flight Facilities, who will present their Decades Show at BTV – alongside local rising stars you’ll be bragging about seeing on the smaller stages, like Yolŋu surf rock stars King Stingray and the larger-than-life ‘slut-pop’ provocateur Big Wett. And we haven’t even mentioned the likes of Ferg, Jayda G, Mall Grab, DMA’S, Overmono… This is canny curation of the highest quality.

Eclectic experiences to keep you guessing

BTV makes it a point to go above and beyond – which means that there’s heaps of fantastic extramusical experiences to complete your time at the fest. Yearning for a bit of pool time? Head to the Better Beer Beach Club and grab a pint while you’re at it. Itching for some retail therapy? Check out the Market Village. Want some food for thought? Be a fly on the wall at the Podcast Stage, which makes a splashy return after its well-received debut last year, and attend live and interactive recordings with a line-up of podcasters curated by The Daily Aus. Talk about the footy at The Mason Cox Show, contemplate community with Yarning Up First Nations Stories with Caroline Kell and get into Scheananigans with Vanderpump Rules personality Scheana Shay.

There’s tons more fun to be had too with Poof Doof, who’ve been curating iconic queer programming for BTV since 2018. Expect games and giveaways, drag performances from Jimi The Kween, Justin Teliqure and more, and even dance classes. Memorialise your BTV experience by booking a festival tat with Dylan Davis Tattoo – and if you’ve been meaning to tie the knot or renew your vows, why not do it at BTV with its pop-up inflatable wedding chapel? Remember to bring your own dress and suit…

Rest, relax and recharge for 2024

When the final pyro fires and the last stage light powers down at Beyond The Valley, you’ll inevitably be dreading a return to the real world – and a whole new year. But you’ll be leaving only after having experienced the finest of BTV hospitality with its New Year’s Day Recovery program. For the first time, organisers will keep food, hydration and wellness activities open until 6pm on New Year’s Day so you can recover from the festivities before heading home.

Stretch or be stretched with yoga, pilates and massages – or commune with your fellow fest attendees with communal art activities or lawn games on the Main Street. If you’re in dire need of a straightforward lie-down, drop by the fruit and hydration station before commandeering a beanbag or hammock – or your corner of the pool at the Better Beer Beach Club.

And if the year has really run you ragged and you need that r’n’r before January 1, you can head to the Sanctuary throughout BTV for a plethora of fun and restorative activities. Get in touch with your body through yoga, pilates, dance classes, meditation, massages and breathwork – or exercise your mind with trivia and mindset coaching. You could even meet the love of your life at Beyond The Valley with its speed dating program. They do say ‘new year, new me’ after all…

Beyond The Valley takes place December 28, 2023 to January 1, 2024. Find out more about the line-up, stages and experiences on the official BTV website

The post Only one in the world: 5 reasons Beyond The Valley is the Australian music festival you can’t miss appeared first on NME.

The end of each year might feel like a celebratory moment and a chance to remember all the greatness that has filled the previous 12 months. To look back on only the positives, though, would be to forget the many musical legends that sadly left this mortal coil. In 2023, there’s been a lot of them, all of whom have had big impact – whether on a breadth of modern music or in the scenes that raised them.

Gangsta Boo (August 7, 1979 – January 1, 2023)

Lola Chantrelle Mitchell – known professionally as Gangsta Boo – first rose to fame as a member of Memphis hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia, whom she joined at the age of 14 after being discovered by founding member DJ Paul. She appeared on five of the outfit’s albums before leaving to focus on solo projects and quickly became a star in her own right. Her second album, 2001’s ‘Both Worlds *69’, entered the Top 40 of the Billboard 200, while the rapper became a go-to collaborator for many of hip-hop’s biggest and brightest names, from Eminem and Run The Jewels to rising stars like Latto and GloRilla. Mitchell died of an accidental drug overdose in January at the age of 43.

Jeff Beck (June 24, 1944 – January 10, 2023)

One of music’s most revered guitarists, Jeff Beck influenced many of the last six decades’ axe-wielders – and beyond. The guitarist replaced Eric Clapton in The Yardbirds in the ‘60s and first made his mark on the world as a pioneer in psych rock and early hard rock. He was later fired from the band and struck out on his own once more, first with The Jeff Beck Group and then simply as Jeff Beck, consistently impressing with his distinctive and masterful guitar playing. Beck died in January from meningitis, aged 78.

Lisa Marie Presley (February 1, 1968 – January 12, 2023)

Although better known as Elvis’ daughter than an artist in her own right, Lisa Marie Presley followed in her father’s footsteps as a singer and songwriter in 2003. That year, she released her debut album ‘To Whom It May Concern’, kickstarting a 15-year career of hit singles and big-name collaborations. Throughout her time of releasing music, Presley often paid tribute to Elvis, including on her final release, ‘Where No One Stands Alone’, which found her “duetting” with her dad. The star suffered a fatal cardiac arrest in January at the age of 54.

David Crosby (August 14, 1941 – January 18, 2023)

Throughout his career, David Crosby was a pioneer – first, of folk rock and psychedelia with The Byrds and, later, of the Laurel Canyon sound with Crosby, Stills & Nash. He also enjoyed an illustrious solo career – particularly in his later years – in which he kept innovating, crafting new trends in freak folk and weaving elements of jazz into his compositions, and speaking out on societal and political issues. His final album, ‘For Free’, arrived in 2021 and reunited him with another luminary of Laurel Canyon in Joni Mitchell. Crosby died in January at the age of 81.

Tom Verlaine (December 13, 1949 – January 28, 2023)

A leading light of the early New York punk scene, Tom Verlaine was a founding member and the singer/guitarist of the seminal Television. A regular fixture of CBGBs and Max’s Kansas City, the band swiftly became a cult favourite in the city before spreading their influence far and wide with ‘Marquee Moon’, one of the era’s defining albums. Television split after their second album ‘Adventure’ (although later reformed in the ‘90s) and Verlaine continued on his own, releasing 10 solo albums between 1979 and 2006. In January, at the age of 73, he died following a battle with prostate cancer.

Burt Bacharach (May 12, 1928 – February 8, 2023)

Often cited as one of the most influential figures in music in the 20th century, Burt Bacharach composed countless songs with his songwriting partner Hal David across seven decades and penned 73 US hit singles and 52 UK ones. His songs have been recorded by the likes of Dionne Warwick (‘Walk On By’) and Tom Jones (‘What’s New Pussycat?’), and Dusty Springfield (‘The Look Of Love’) and Neil Diamond (‘Heartlight’). Bacharach’s own releases also bore a huge influence on easy listening, while he frequently contributed to movie soundtracks. He died in February at the age of 94.

David “Trugoy The Dove” Jolicoeur (September 21, 1968 – February 12, 2023)

While he is best known as one-third of De La Soul, David “Trugoy The Dove” Jolicoeur’s story started with individual undertakings. The Long Island rapper forged his own path initially before teaming up with Vincent “Maseo” Mason and Kelvin “Posdunos” Mercer to form the hip-hop group. Together, they brought positivity to rap, releasing nine albums since 1989’s ‘3 Feet High And Rising’. They went on to collaborate with Gorillaz on their 2005 single ‘Feel Good Inc.’, picking up a Grammy along the way. Jolicoeur was diagnosed with congestive heart failure towards the end of his life. He died in February at the age of 54.

Steve Mackey (November 10, 1966 – March 2, 2023)

Sheffield’s Steve Mackey joined Pulp in 1989, playing bass for the band from their ‘Separations’ album and appearing on every album through 2001’s ‘We Love Life’. The group split after that record but, when they reformed in 2010, Mackey was with them, touring the world with his bandmates until he decided to bow out of their planned 2023 dates to focus on other projects. Outside of the Britpop act, the musician turned his hand to production and songwriting, collaborating with the likes of M.I.A., Florence + The Machine, Kelis, The Horrors, Palma Violets, and others. Mackey died in March from an undisclosed illness. He was 56 years old.

Wayne Shorter (August 25, 1933 – March 2, 2023)

A titan of jazz and funk, Shorter lived and performed with them all: he played crucial roles in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis’ Second Great Quintet and of jazz fusion band The Weather Report. Over a 70 year performing career, he was considered a saxophonist and composer that few could match, and inspired rising talents such as Domi and JD Beck, London Brew and more. He died aged 89. Thomas Smith

Ryuichi Sakamoto (January 17, 1952 – March 28, 2023)

Acclaimed Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto was one of music’s great innovators. He consistently expanded the scope of electronic music and created film soundtracks for the likes of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and The Revenant that were as moving and thrilling as the action on screen. An artist with a voracious appetite for the works of other creatives, he collaborated with musicians from different worlds – like Japan frontman David Sylvian, Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour, and BTS rapper Suga – and was a member of seminal Japanese group Yellow Magic Orchestra. Sakamoto died in March at the age of 71 following a long battle with cancer.

Seymour Stein (April 18, 1942 – April 2, 2023)

US music executive Seymour Stein’s impact on the music world was considerably large, even before he had landed his first job in the industry. As a teenage intern at Billboard, he was involved in the creation of the Billboard Hot 100 – still America’s reigning singles chart with influence across the globe. When he later co-founded Sire Records, he turned music fans around the world on to now-legendary artists like The Ramones, Talking Heads and a little pop star called Madonna. Stein was recognised for his impact with an induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2005. He died from cancer in April at the age of 80.

Paul Cattermole (March 7, 1977 – April 6, 2023)

Though once the founder of heavy metal band Skua, Cattermole found fame as a vocalist in the ‘00s pop group S Club 7 between 1998 and 2002 and contributed to all but their final studio album. In February 2023, the group announced a reunion tour with Cattermole set to feature in the line-up. He died suddenly in April from heart failure aged 46. TS

Ahmad Jamal (July 2, 1930 – April 16, 2023)

The Pittsburgh pianist was a master of his craft. His 1958 live album ‘At the Pershing: But Not for Me’ was recorded at his residency at the Chicago hotel and was an immediate best-seller, his mastery best encapsulated on the hypnotic tinkle on the standard ‘Poinciana’. His skills as a bandleader and performer were on display for much of his life, and he released his final studio album in 2019. He died from complications following a prostate cancer diagnosis aged 92. TS

Moonbin (January 26, 1998 – April 19, 2023)

South Korean singer and actor Moonbin got his start in the entertainment world early on, appearing in TVXQ’s ‘Balloons’ music video and the K-drama Boys Over Flowers before he turned 11. These initial appearances led to a celebrated career straddling music and TV, with the star debuting as a member of boyband ASTRO in 2016. He quickly became known for his all-round talents – including smooth dance skills and distinctive voice – as well as his songwriting chops, as seen on the likes of ‘Candy Sugar Pop’ and ‘By Your Side’. In the midst of a tour as part of ASTRO sub-unit Moonbin & Sanha, Moonbin was found dead in his apartment in April, aged 25.

Harry Belafonte (March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023)

New York singer, actor and activist Harry Belafonte worked with genres across the musical spectrum in his career, but he is often credited as one of the artists who popularised calypso music in the mainstream. His third album, fittingly titled ‘Calypso’, reinforced that fact – it became the first LP to sell over a million copies by a single artist. Over his journey, he released 30 studio albums and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s Early Influence category in 2022. He died in April from congestive heart failure. He was 96 years old.

Andy Rourke (January 17, 1964 – May 19, 2023)

The Smiths might not be typically associated with funk, but co-founding member Andy Rourke used influence from the genre in his bass playing – both in the band and in later projects. Rourke’s melodic style would help him become regarded as one of the best bassists of his generation and would earn him collaborations with stars such as Sinéad O’Connor, The Pretenders and, in the band Freebass, fellow Manchester legends Mani and Peter Hook. Between 2009 and 2014, Rourke hosted a weekly radio show, Jetlag, on New York’s East Village Radio, showcasing his voracious appetite for music. He died in May at the age of 59 from pancreatic cancer.

Tina Turner (November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023)

The “Queen of Rock’n’Roll” might have started out as part of ex-husband Ike’s The Kings Of Rhythm, later gaining more attention as one half of the duo Ike & Tina Turner, but she hit her dizziest highs all on her own. After largely unsuccessful solo releases in the ‘70s, her 1983 single ‘Let’s Stay Together’ became an unexpected hit, sparking not just one of the most stunning comebacks in music history, but a wealth of beloved and beguiling records to follow. Turner went on to become one of the best-selling artists ever and is considered one of the greatest artists of all time. She died in her home in Switzerland from natural causes in May at the age of 83.

Astrud Gilberto (March 29, 1940 – June 5, 2023)

The voice that lit up ‘The Girl From Ipanema’. Astrud Gilberto’s contribution to ‘Getz/Gilberto’ – one of the best-selling jazz LPs of all-time – is immeasurable, her cool vocal delivery chiming alongside the smooth bossa nova played by her husband João Gilberto, Stan Getz and Antônio Carlos Jobim. The worldwide smash gave Gilberto a life-long career and in 2008 she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Latin Grammys. She died at her Philadelphia home aged 83. TS

Dan Lardner (August 22, 1991 – June 12, 2023)

Capturing the scuzz and sleaze of New York City is daring work, but few bands in the 2010s did it with such style as QTY. Signed to Dirty Hit, the duo released their sole debut album in 2017 which was produced by Suede’s Bernard Butler. He most recently toured with The Lemonheads’ Evan Dando as his guest of honor opening for the Psychedelic Furs. He was 31. TS

Tony Bennett (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023)

One of America’s finest crooners, Tony Bennett’s talents spanned decades and generations. After serving in World War II, the star returned home and began his music career on an instant high – his debut single ‘Because Of You’ hit Number One on the charts, setting the bar high. In the ensuing decades, Bennett didn’t disappoint – even when he fell out of favour to rock’n’roll, he found a way back by sticking to timeless sounds. His influence never wavered since, and he found a close collaborator in pop star Lady Gaga, with whom he released two albums. Bennett died in July after a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Sinéad O’Connor (December 8, 1966 – July 26, 2023)

Sinéad O’Connor was known for her powerful voice – both in her music and in her commitment to speaking out on the issues she believed mattered. When she appeared on SNL in 1992, she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II in protest of child abuse in the church. Throughout her career, she spoke openly of her struggles with mental health, using her platform to raise awareness and to advocate for other female artists, like Britney Spears. After releasing 10 albums and scoring five Top 40 singles in the UK, O’Connor died in July at the age of 56.

Rodriguez (July 10, 1942 – August 8, 2023)

Sixto Diaz Rodriguez spent much of his life and career as a relative unknown in his home country of the US but, unbeknownst to him, became a huge star in South Africa. The Detroit musician was so beloved in the country, he is said to have sold more records there than Elvis Presley and, inspired by rumours about his fate, fans set out on a hunt to trace him. The results of their search saw him finally get the recognition he deserved, with the Oscar-winning documentary Searching For Sugar Man sparking new interest in the folk and psychedelic rock artist. He died in August, aged 81, after suffering a stroke in February.

Robbie Robertson (July 5, 1943 – August 9, 2023)

Before Robbie Robertson guided the birth of Americana with The Band, the Canadian guitarist (and his bandmates) backed up Bob Dylan. The troubadour wasn’t the only musician on stage at his shows touched by greatness – in the spotlight, Robertson proved his own inimitable talents through rich and deep songwriting, and guitar playing that has since seen him declared one of the greatest guitarists of all time. After establishing The Band, the musician began collaborating with Martin Scorsese, crafting soundtracks and scores for his movies, like Raging Bull, Gangs Of New York, and, before his death, Killers Of The Flower Moon. Robertson died in August at the age of 80 after a battle with prostate cancer.

Magoo (July 12, 1973 – August 13, 2023)

Melvin “Magoo” Barcliff first met his musical partner Timbaland as a teenager in Norfolk, Virginia and, in 1989, became a hit rap duo together. Their debut album ‘Welcome To Our World’ spawned the chart-conquering single ‘Up Jumps Da Boogie (feat. Missy Elliott and Aaliyah)’ and served as the first part in a trilogy of releases. In 2003, they shared their last release – ‘Under Construction, Part II’, intended as a sequel to Missy’s own ‘Under Construction’. Magoo died in August from a heart attack. He was 50 years old.

Jimmy Buffett (December 25, 1946 – September 1, 2023)

Few artists are as synonymous with the laidback idea of island life as Jimmy Buffett. Through his tropical sound and pursuits outside of music, like the Margaritaville resort chain, he portrayed a lifestyle of breezy joy. Among his hits were “The Big 8” – eight songs that he never neglected to play, including ‘Margaritaville’, ‘Cheeseburger In Paradise’ and ‘Why Don’t We Get Drunk’. But his songwriting palette was made up of far more than those tracks exhibited, with his talents stretching beyond feel-good hits to character sketches and observational lyricism. Buffett died in September due to complications from a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer.

Steve Harwell (January 9, 1967 – September 4, 2023)

After leaving his position as rapper in F.O.S. (Freedom Of Speech), Steve Harwell formed Smash Mouth with Greg Camp, Kevin Coleman and Paul De Lisle in 1994. Their debut single, ‘Walkin’ On The Sun’, was released in 1997, earning them early success, before ‘All Star’ gave them their biggest hit two years later. That track went on to feature on the Shrek soundtrack, keeping the band in the public consciousness for years to come. Harwell retired from Smash Mouth in 2021 citing health issues and died in September this year of liver failure.

Rudolph Isley (April 1, 1939 – October 11, 2023)

Alongside his brothers Kelly, Ronnie and Vernon, Rudolph “Rudy” Isley formed The Isley Brothers when he was a teenager in Cincinnati. Together, the brothers (minus Vernon, who died in 1957) illuminated the R&B and funk scenes with hits like ‘Shout’ and ‘It’s Your Thing’. Despite their success, Isley decided to leave the music industry in 1989 to become a Christian minister. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and died this October from a heart attack at the age of 84.

Kevin “Geordie” Walker (December 18, 1958 – November 26, 2023) 

After joining Killing Joke in 1979, Kevin “Geordie” Walker quickly became known for his unconventional style of guitar playing. It was a technique that added electricity to the band’s albums, on which Walker played on 15, beginning with their 1980 self-titled debut. Outside of Killing Joke, Walker was also a member of Murder Inc, and The Damage Manual, while he also dabbled in producing. He died in November aged 64 after suffering a stroke.

Shane MacGowan (December 25, 1957 – November 30, 2023)

Irish punk poet Shane MacGowan might have had a reputation for his destructive personality, but beneath it all, he was also a master at crafting evocative lyrics that pulled you into the worlds he wrote about. In 1982, he co-founded The Pogues, with whom he would become best known, penning the seminal album ‘Rum Sodomy & The Lash’ and making an indelible mark on the Christmas music market with Kirsty MacColl collaboration ‘Fairytale Of New York’. In 2018, he was celebrated in Dublin for his outstanding contribution to Irish life, music and culture while, upon his death, Irish president Michael D. Higgins described him as “one of music’s greatest lyricists”. MacGowan died in November at the age of 65 from pneumonia.

The post Remembering the musical greats we lost in 2023 appeared first on NME.

For a second year in a row, the ladies are leading the charge in K-pop. It didn’t matter if their songs were vulnerable confessions of love or empowering, tongue-in-cheek anthems, whether the groups were rookies itching for their first hit or seasoned veterans showing everyone how it’s done, they were all one simple thing: inescapable.

• READ MORE: The 50 best songs of 2023

Beyond their popularity and catchiness, these girl groups also managed to capture the essence of pure joy in their songs. While music can teach important life lessons or impart sage advice – and these tunes accomplish those as well – who’s to say they can’t do all that while having us, say, twerking on the runway?

While the boys did try to put up a fight – special shout out to the likes of Key, SEVENTEEN, Kai and more – 2023 was a girl’s world, and we were all just living in it. From hypnotic Jersey club bangers to macabre love stories, here are the 25 best K-pop songs of the year.

Puah ZiWei, Commissioning Editor (K-pop)

Words by: Daniel Anderson, Tássia Assis, Sarina Bhutani, Carmen Chin, Sara Delgado, Rhian Daly, Lucy Ford, Tamar Herman, Joey Levenson, Ivana E. Morales, Puah ZiWei, Tanu I. Raj, Abby Webster, Gladys Yeo

25. RIIZE, ‘Memories’

In many ways, RIIZE’s ‘Memories’ is less one song than three – which makes sense as a boyband under SM Entertainment, whose groups have made a trademark of whiplash-speed tempo and melodic breaks in their tracks. ‘Memories’ builds on that legacy, with distinct verses, pre-choruses and rap breaks all building towards one of the most euphoric choruses of the year.

• READ MORE: RIIZE carve out a refreshing, distinct sound for themselves on ‘Get A Guitar’
  

If the start of this year was all about Y2K, we’re rounding it out with a move slightly into the future. The song’s stellar chorus screams 2010s pop euphoria, all sun-drenched key changes that sound like the promise of a never-ending summer. LF

Best bit: The joyful crash of the very first chorus. It makes way for one of the finest, bounciest, most ‘ain’t life grand’ choruses of the year that will have you punching the air.

24. IVE, ‘I AM’

The soaring sound of a jet plane doesn’t typically open up glittery dance tracks promoting self-love and discovering one’s best life, but IVE leaned into the high-flying journey towards finding one’s own way in ‘I AM’.

Built on thumping beats and shimmering synths, ‘I AM’ spends its time pushing and pulling between back-and-forth harmonising and building high notes. It’s as if the song is pacing itself with moments of melodious contemplation and bursts of dynamism, before ultimately deciding that it wants to surge forward once and for all, declaring itself a high-octane pop declaration to find out who ‘I AM’. TH

Best bit: The phrasing of lines like “Life is a beautiful galaxy” and “Be a writer, the genre is fantasy” bring a sense of wonder to the intimate journey towards self-discovery and self-love.

23. Jeon Somi, ‘Fast Forward’

Who said K-pop has left house music behind? Jeon Somi’s ‘Fast Forward’ kept the beat pumping and our heads banging. The singer quite literally cycled through aesthetics and eras in the search for true love – going from anime-core barbie to futuristic fantasia.

Ironically, it seems this search would also be an endless loop much like the progression of the song – keeping us trapped in a melodic prison of longing and loneliness. Ridiculously catchy, fast-paced – ‘Fast Forward’ was a much-welcomed throwback to the era of crying in the club. TR

Best bit: Somebody crown Somi as the queen of the catchy chorus, because it took us a while to get this one out of our heads.

22. NMIXX, ‘Roller Coaster’

NMIXX may have fallen off the radar for many K-pop fans, but not us – and so the underrated ‘Roller Coaster’ has not gone unrecognised. The song evokes the tropical house mastery of classic K-pop bangers – think SHINee’s ‘View’ and f(x)’s ‘4 Walls’ – but lends it a tinge of innocence and girlhood that makes it feel like a spritz of cool water in the hot summer.

NMIXX’s roster of gifted vocalists are given plenty of space to prove their mettle and absolutely do; Lily and Sullyoon in particular lift this song to breathtaking heights. Some may argue that ‘Roller Coaster’ doesn’t exactly fall under NMIXX’s brand of experimental music, but it’s hard to fight against a feel-good tune evoking the inherent romance of summer. CC

Best bit: The song could not have ended on a better note than the outro performed by Kyujin and Jiwoo.

21. Jungkook, ‘Standing Next to You’

Few times has a song hit the bullseye of “K-pop with a Western focus” like Jungkook’s ‘Standing Next to You’. In fact, this might be the best example that K-pop can export uniqueness without losing itself in the process – even when sung entirely in English.

• READ MORE: Jungkook – ‘Golden’ review: a new pop king prepares to take his throne
  

It envelopes the listener in brass, bass and glitter, and the BTS maknae has never sounded so confident. Although largely inspired by Michael Jackson – complete with falsettos and dance moves – it’s Jungkook’s star power that shines through, and ultimately asserts him as a global pop prince in the making. TA

Best bit: The second part of the chorus, where Jungkook is passionately proclaiming the deepness of his love (“You know it’s deeper than the rain / It’s deeper than the pain”), yet finds the time to cram in a BTS reference (“When it’s deep like DNA”) into the mix.

20. IVE, ‘Blue Blood’

Pulsating percussion forms a steely spine throughout this number, elevating the frosty anthem into a marching battle hymn. Each member’s husky voices adds delicious layers to their sibilant siren song, crescendoing with piercing strings that are as every bit as haunting as the resolute declarations of “I’m blue”.

• READ MORE: IVE: “We’re going to shine at the top, we belong at the top”
  

While ‘Blue Blood’ had the unenvious responsibility of kicking off IVE’s much-anticipated debut studio album, ‘I’VE IVE’, it delivered aloof seduction as the girls wrap South Korea’s curiosity about blood types around their manicured fingers. DA

Best bit: Each time they ask, “What’s your blood type”, but you know it’s rhetorical because they are too cool to ever be a match with you.

19. NewJeans, ‘ETA’

There’s an inherent paradox in ‘ETA’. The poppy, uplifting beat belongs right at the heart of a Brazilian baile funk, mixed with influences from Baltimore club classic ‘Samir’s Theme’ and a deconstructed ‘Think’ break sample. It’s a pocket-size dancefloor hit meant to be played on loop.

But then, the lyrics coax the listener to break up with a cheating boyfriend, all in intimate, journal-like anecdotes. “The day you couldn’t come to my birthday party / The day Hyejin got in so much trouble,” the quintet whisper in angelic voices, as if we were just there, living through these moments with them. It’s that relatability that makes ‘ETA’ another instant classic by industry-igniters NewJeans. TA

Best bit: The addictive “What’s your ETA? What’s your ETA? (Mm-mhm-mm)” chorus. Good luck not getting it stuck in your mind for months.

18. KISS OF LIFE, ‘Sugarcoat’

There have been many attempts by K-pop acts to recapture the magic of ’90s R&B, but Natty’s ‘Sugarcoat’, which served as a precursor to KISS OF LIFE’s banger debut, hit the nail right on the head. The groove of ‘Sugarcoat’ hinges almost entirely on Natty’s smooth but powerful vocal delivery, of which she offers up plenty.

She fully leans into the sound and takes control of the music, letting her voice come to the forefront. Not only does it highlight how adept Natty has become as a singer, but KISS OF LIFE’s general musicality as a four-piece that’s unafraid to steep themselves into nostalgic genres and reinvent them for new and old audiences alike. CC

Best bit: Natty hitting every single note of that beautiful rapid-fire, falsetto pre-chorus with razor sharp accuracy.

17. BIBI, ‘Hongdae R&B’

In this moody R&B number dedicated to Seoul’s famed Hongdae street, BIBI peels back the vibrant exterior of its bustling nightlife and promise-filled music scene, diving into its gritty underbelly.

The song takes us on a journey through the “toothless, needlessly pricey” neighbourhood, introducing the motley cast of characters lurking in its background: the half-hearted indie guitarist and his intoxicated girlfriend, “gangster” underground rappers and celebrity oppas notorious for seducing young women. A tragically astute exploration of youthful aspiration and where it goes to die, BIBI’s soulful, vulnerable pen and voice are the perfect instruments for bringing that image to life. GY

Best bit: The languid, seamlessly fluid sing-rap delivery in the second verse.

16. fromis_9, ‘Attitude’

Born of humble beginnings, fromis_9 have truly come into their own, and ‘Attitude’ is an emblem of their newfound carefree confidence. The song feels like a spell wrapped in a satin veil that unfolds into a risk-taking adventure for the ages – those that go into the unknown but linger forever in the memory.

• READ MORE: fromis_9 – ‘Unlock My World’ review: a treasure trove of pop gems
  

Vivid yet seductive, with an air of burning desire, fromis_9 declare their intent to take on the liberation that’s just within reach: “Don’t stop me now / Watch me / My flame that explodes silently.” IM

Best bit: The delightful pre-choruses where Jiwon and Hayoung give us the track’s most unabashed declaration: “Waiting for the show / now count to three and throw me all.”

15. ATEEZ, ‘Bouncy (K-Hot Chilli Peppers)’

What would K-pop be without a little earworm? Whether you love it or hate it (or Stockholm-syndromed yourself into liking it), there’s no denying that ATEEZ’s ‘Bouncy (K-Hot Chilli Peppers)’ will leave an impression that won’t be easy to forget after just one listen.

ATEEZ have always trafficked in extremes, with a penchant for irreverence and sonic noise, but ‘Bouncy’ takes it a step further. Undoubtedly their most playful and successful title track to date, ‘Bouncy’ revels in chaos, mixing distorted arrangements with aggressive autotune and, somehow, it pays off. SD

Best bit: The infectious trifecta of pre-chorus, Hongjoong-led chorus and post-chorus.

14. aespa, ‘Drama’

The K-pop canon has no shortage of badass anthems but, in November, aespa offered up one of 2023’s strongest, most intriguing additions to the collection. ‘Drama’ put the girl group in the driver’s seat, confidently taking the wheel as they warned the world of what to expect from them. “I bring all the drama-ma-ma-ma,” they cautioned over a metallic, ominous instrumental that was both experimental and accessible.

In case you didn’t get the message the first time, Winter made it crystal clear in the outro, with a declaration that could double as a comment on aespa’s trajectory this year delivered in deceptively sweet tones: “You know, I’m savage / Unstoppable, baddest.” RD

Best bit: The whole first verse is packed with lines that scratch your brain exactly the right way, from Karina’s “Ziggy, ziggy, zag, I’m new” to Ningning’s infectious “I li-li-like me when I roll / Li-li-like me when I’m savage”.

13. NCT Dream, ‘Broken Melodies’

Leave it to NCT Dream, the cheeriest of the NCT units, to gift us with an unexpected glam rock-leaning gem. ‘Broken Melodies’ is NCT Dream at their most anthemic, showing a sonic side of the septet we’d never quite seen before.

Soft-strummed guitar riffs lead the arrangement, intermixing with skittering drum beats and honeyed harmonies. Though the bridge might seem slightly out of place with the guitar-drum patterns upon first listen, the impossible-to-resist melody of the staccato chorus fully seals the deal. SD

Best bit: Chenle’s final high note.

12. VIVIZ, ‘Untie’

Remember when GFRIEND dropped the magnificent ‘Mago’ and (sadly) dipped? It’s taken VIVIZ a moment, but Eunha, SinB and Umji have finally picked up where their original group left off, and the result is a provocative, bewitching runway banger that feels like a natural evolution for the beloved trio.

While you’re hypnotised by the four-on-the-floor beat, VIVIZ cast a spell with their raspy, whispered vocals, compelling you to keep the song on repeat – not that we’d have refused – all while commenting on the hollowness of social media. No notes. PZW

Best bit: Try to resist the urge to go “Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta, all tied” randomly after listening to this masterpiece.

11. tripleS, ‘Speed Love’

In tripleS sub-unit LOVElution’s B-side ‘Speed Love’, crush-induced nerves verge on panic, as sparse piano chords capsize into flighty woodwinds and slick drum ‘n’ bass. Stumbling through a romantic confession, the girl group seem impatient to get it all out of their system: “I just want to rush this,” they sing, and the giddy production is all too happy to oblige.

• READ MORE: tripleS LOVELution – ‘ↀ’ review: a dizzying, enthralling kaleidoscope
  

Clocking in well under three minutes, ‘Speed Love’ extends the experimental rookies’ run of short bops with real staying power. (Even sans their usual ‘la-la-la’s, this chorus is guaranteed to race through your head for days.) The group’s breadth of releases this year have ranged from good to great – and if K-pop is an endurance sport, surely that qualifies them for both marathon and sprint. AW

Best bit: The mercurial flute that quite simply runs laps around the already impressive instrumentation.

10. Kai, ‘Rover’

‘Rover’, a remake of Bulgarian singer Dara’s song ‘Mr. Rover’, is, to put it bluntly, a song to shake ass to. Kai has an airy, husky timbre that pairs beautifully with the stripped-back nature of his previous releases, but, with ‘Rover’, the incubator of this year’s most infectious hook and dance challenge, he shows how addicting it can be while floating above something more thunderous and demanding.

• READ MORE: Kai talks NME through his ‘Firsts’
  

The song, dripping with confidence and sex appeal, is a showcase of how well his voice can meld to what’s beneath it, as it bobs and weaves between sultry R&B verses, Reggaeton-thumping choruses and a spine-tingling bridge that gives his stunning lower register a moment to shine. LF

Best bit: The final chorus and outro that is a feastful tour of what Kai can do with his voice, as it blends from a rapturous riff over the song’s main hook into some ASMR-adjacent speak-singing straight from his lower register.

9. Red Velvet, ‘Knock Knock (Who’s There?)’

One thing about Red Velvet? Every one of their songs takes you into a world of its own, whether it’s a jungle safari bursting with life or a violently kaleidoscopic theme park.

• READ MORE: Red Velvet – ‘Chill Kill’ review: deliciously dark, delightfully macabre
  

With ‘Knock Knock (Who’s There?)’, the quintet combine an eerie sample of ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’ with the sophisticated harmonies often associated with their sensual “velvet” side, lulling listeners into a fantastical yet desolate supernatural realm where Halloween is forever. Musically and lyrically, ‘Knock Knock (Who’s There?)’ is an atmospheric track overflowing with artfully constructed imagery, making it one of their strongest offerings to date. GY

Best bit: The angelic harmonies towards the end of each chorus as they sing: “Got a devil, on my shoulder / A gently whispered voice.”

8. NewJeans, ‘OMG’

NewJeans’ deeply-infectious ‘OMG’ perfectly encapsulates the group’s spirit. With a touch of sass, the song’s prominent bassline and funky drumbeat do all the moving while their vocals take on a more laid-back, effortless approach.

• READ MORE: NewJeans: “We want to show the industry that music shouldn’t be divided by language”
  

Their perennial cheeky lyricism is also on full display here, as the girls pine hopelessly: “Oh my, oh my God! 예상했어 나 (I knew this would happen) / I was really hoping that he will come through.” When you inevitably catch yourself singing along, you can’t help but feel as though you’re in a back-and-forth with all five members. It’s a masterclass of immersive world-building in a simple, short-and-sweet track. JL

Best bit: The surreal, yet somewhat beautiful music video that accompanied the release of the song.

7. SEVENTEEN, ‘Super’

“Feels like I turned into Son O-gong,” SEVENTEEN shared on ‘Super’, a statement that, by the end of 2023, became something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. The mythical Chinese character is known for his colossal strength and ability to defeat the best warriors and, while the boyband might not have gone into battle, this year they dominated K-pop, racking up record-breaking sales and their first Album Of The Year award at MAMA 2023.

• READ MORE: Exhausted by the grind? ‘Second Wind’ by SEVENTEEN trio BSS is a perfect pick-me-up
  

Is it any wonder when the music was as good as this blistering single – a high octane ode to the group’s resilience and determination whose power never weakens, no matter how many times you listen to it. RD

Best bit: It’s a toss up between every gleeful “Da-rum da-rim-da” and Woozi’s ending moment full of “ener-energy”.

6. FIFTY FIFTY, ‘Cupid’

FIFTY FIFTY’s meteoric rise in the K-pop scene was marked by both triumph and adversity. Their retro-pop breakout hit, ‘Cupid’, took the entire world by storm with its infectious bubblegum vibes and disco-inspired synths. An equally catchy (if not better) English version catapulted the song to even greater success, thanks in-part to a reworked bridge and the quartet’s flawless English pronunciation.

• READ MORE: FIFTY FIFTY on joining K-pop’s new wave of powerhouse girl groups: “We wanted to show ourselves and stand out”
  

However, behind the scenes, the group faced challenges with their agency ATTRAKT, with three members – Sio, Aran and Saena – now no longer part of the group. Despite these setbacks, FIFTY FIFTY’s musical impact with ‘Cupid’ remains undeniable, proving that their talent and resilience shine through even in the face of adversity. JL

Best bit: (Former) Lead singers Sio and Aran flexing their talent with powerful vocals across the song’s bridge.

5. Key, ‘CoolAs’

From its sparkly opening notes to the a capella final seconds, ‘CoolAs’ is one of 2023’s masterpieces. It grabs you with a slinky bassline, reminiscent of Beyoncé’s ‘Virgo’s Groove’ and Moloko’s ‘Sing It Back’, and grounds the boat while Key is, well, being Key. By that, we mean to repeat his own lyrics: “I’m impeccable, I’m exceptional.”

• READ MORE: Key – ‘Good & Great’ review: exactly what it says on the tin
  

Thankfully he knows, because this B-side (that should very well have been a single) captures his versatility, sass and panache like few others. And his confidence is contagious – once it’s over, you may not be “dripping ice” or hearing a “choir full of angels”, but you’ll feel at least a little bit as cool as one of K-pop’s best soloists. TA

Best bit: The conviction with which he delivers lines like “Turning these heads like spectacle / Green with envy like vegetable”, making them iconic instead of ludicrous.

4. NCT DoJaeJung, ‘Perfume’

Though NCT’s sound is typically that of sensory overload, sub-unit DoJaeJung find their calm in the chaos with ‘Perfume’, the group’s sweet, yet sultry debut single.

The track’s top notes are the trio’s honeyed harmonies, with each member’s vocals perfectly complimenting that of the others, while the base note, the soul of the track, is its musky, R&B melody that can’t help but linger in your mind. Together, Doyoung, Jaehyun and Jungwoo create impact through surprising softness, uncovering new layers to the beloved veteran boyband. SB

Best bit: Jaehyun’s silky smooth solo during the interlude hits all the right nerves (and is even better when accompanied by its equally satisfying choreography).

3. LE SSERAFIM, ‘Eve, Psyche, and the Bluebeard’s Wife’

What’s so great about ‘Eve, Psyche, and the Bluebeard’s Wife’ is how understated it is. The Jersey club-inspired, uptempo track rests on a consistent electro progression, rarely deviating from a beat that’s nothing short of addictive. To this, LE SSERAFIM add almost laid-back vocals, weaving a story of power that fosters and simmers in silence rather than break down the door with a bang.

• READ MORE: LE SSERAFIM: “Walk your own path, even if you might become the villain”
  

The steadiness is a spell meant to keep us bound; the lyrics, our call to wake from the slumber of submission. But what’s more devastatingly beautiful are moments building up to it – the “boom, boom, boom” of your heart when you go from wishing for “what’s forbidden” to actually breaking the rules. TR

Best bit: Yunjin’s deep vocals kicking off the song with “I’m a mess, mess, mess – safe to say, we were left “mess-merised”.

2. (G)I-DLE, ‘Queencard’

After last year’s ‘Nxde’ and ‘Tomboy’, (G)I-DLE returned in May with yet-another tongue-in-cheek take on bold femininity, challenging the status quo with confidence-booster ‘Queencard’. A sassy, campy ode to loving oneself and being the queen bee of your own life, this tune masquerades as hot girl shit while letting listeners in on the joke regarding double-standards about women, especially those living in the spotlight.

• READ MORE: (G)I-DLE – ‘I Feel’ review: destined to be their most divisive release yet
  

Quirky, tempo-shifting pop-rock drives the push-and-pull of the melody, as the members drop deadpan, sassy one-liners, conversationally driving the song towards the rousing chorus that celebrates twerking on the runway. TH

Best bit: “Queencard, I’m hot / My boob and booty’s hot” – but I’m still wondering… Which boob?

1. NewJeans, ‘Super Shy’

When NewJeans arrived in 2022, it was both swift and surprising – without any lead-up, Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein entered into our lives and held us rapt with lowkey, ’90s-inspired R&B singles, a shock to the K-pop ecosystem. Their sophomore EP, ‘Get Up’, is likewise understated: NewJeans moon over boys and catch all the feels to minimal club beats. Each offering is chock full of that girlish magic, but the soft, dreamlike drum ‘n’ bass of ‘Super Shy’ has its own special way of worming into hearts (and minds).

• READ MORE: NewJeans – ‘Get Up’ review: no one can hold a candle to K-pop’s rising wonder girls
  

In their quest to court a crush, the quintet serve up schoolgirl doubts with a quiet confidence: “I’m super shy, super shy / But wait a minute while I make you mine, make you mine”. Their hushed talk-singing charms the most, and that’s part and parcel of NewJeans’ success – they’re able to make themselves heard with only a whisper because everything from the marketing to the music itself beckons you to lean in and listen. ‘Super Shy’ comes together as the perfect K-pop package, solidifying NewJeans’ status as the girl group we’re sure to be talking about for years to come. AW

Best bit: Hyein and Minji’s staccato ask-out: “Find a lil’ spot, just sit and talk.” Name the time and place.

The post The 25 best K-pop songs of 2023 appeared first on NME.

Madison Beer is an artist who has experienced the best – and very worst – of the internet. Her origin story reads like a Gen Z daydream: after Justin Bieber shared her YouTube cover of Etta James‘ ‘At Last’, Beer’s name began trending on Twitter and she landed a record contract with Island Records. The Long Island native was just 13 at the time, but after the label tried to mould her into a “Disney queen”, she went independent and continued to cultivate an online fanbase. Today, she has 37.7 million Instagram followers and 18.8 million on TikTok – if she were an influencer, she would be able to command huge fees.

But it’s music that has always been Beer’s calling. In 2019, she signed a new deal with Epic Records – her home to this day – and scored her first big hit: ‘All Day And All Night’, a house collaboration with producers Jax Jones and Martin Solveig. The following year, her stripped-down solo song ‘Selfish’ climbed to number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. Beer was a bona fide pop star, but she was also grappling with the toxic pitfalls of being a young woman with an online presence. In 2021, she told NME that she had opened Twitter to find #MadisonBeerIsOverParty trending “probably five or six times over the course of the past few years”.

Beer even had to deal with unimaginable slut-shaming when intimate teenage photos were leaked online – a soul-crushing episode she details in her recent memoir The Half of It. Yet throughout it all, Beer has remained an open book, especially when it comes to her mental health. She was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in 2019 and has spoken about experiencing PTSD and suicidal thoughts as a result of her leaked nudes. “I do get affected by people saying negative things about me and I get my feelings hurt very easily,” she says today when we meet at her label’s London office. “I’m a sensitive person. So I just don’t engage [now]; I just shut it off.”

Despite all the online vitriol, Beer has blossomed into a vital and surprising artist who takes genuine musical risks. Her 2021 debut album ‘Life Support’ deftly blended pop, R&B and indie, but this year’s follow-up ‘Silence Between Songs’ finds her venturing into more psychedelic territory. There are echoes of her heroine, Lana Del Rey, but also ’60s icons including the Beatles and the Beach Boys. In addition to co-writing every song, Beer co-produced the album with Leroy Clampitt and Timothy ‘One Love’ Summers. “Both of them really have allowed me to flourish as an artist and producer and, like, not be afraid to ask for [a producer’s] credit,” she says. “I do think the industry has pushed back [on that]. And I think a lot of that is power dynamics. I know for me and a lot of other women, we feel intimidated to ask; we don’t feel like we’re worthy.”

Here, in a typically candid conversation, Beer talks about her musical evolution, strategies to protect her mental health and plans to tour ‘Silence Between Songs’ in 2024.

Who were your main musical influences when you were making this album?

“This album had completely different musical inspirations than my first one. Mainly, we were listening to a lot of Beach Boys, Beatles, Zombies. I mean, the list is pretty endless, but those were kind of the main influences. And we wanted to kind of capture something that felt timeless in a lot of ways. I wanted people to be able to listen to this [album] and maybe not know what year it was from. I wanted it to have that, like, essence of classic-ness.”

When did you start getting into those ’60s artists? Did you listen to them growing up?

“No, I actually listened to ’50s music a lot growing up. I really was intrigued by it and thought it was so beautiful. And then I didn’t really deep-dive into ’60s [and] ’70s music until much later. I think it probably began with the Beatles. That was when I really was like, ‘Cool – this is what I am now going to make my entire personality trait.’ So yeah, I really loved the Beatles, and then I started to learn about the Beach Boys and Queen and so many other iconic groups that have shaped me so much. They were later discoveries, but very, very important ones.”

The song ‘King Of Everything’ deals with powerful men in the music industry. What was going through your head when you wrote it?

“There’s a few topics, honestly, within that song. There’s the direct relationship I’ve had with a few people – many people – who are those men in positions of power that I feel have maybe abused their power or not been great with it… I don’t quite know how to say it. You know, [there are] things I’ve seen and been through where now I’m older, I’m like, ‘That’s crazy.’

“But then also, [the song draws from] growing up around so many successful businessmen and big celebrities and billionaire managers and seeing how, like, truly lonely a lot of those people were. How you could have all the success and money and whatever in the world, but if you’re a miserable person, you’re gonna be miserable no matter what. It was pretty eye-opening to me and something I always recognised. So yeah, in the least harsh way possible, we wrote ‘King Of Everything’ [about all of that].”

In February you published your memoir, The Half of It. Did you want the book to clear up misconceptions about you? Or are you at the point now where you don’t want to think about that?

“The book is out [and] it’s like I closed it. I said everything I needed to say.  If you read the book and afterwards you still want to have judgments or whatever [about me], I can’t change your mind and that’s fine. I know I’m still young, but I am starting to realise that in life, you create your circle and you create people that do know who you are. And I think when you’re exposed to millions of people on such a big scale, there are always gonna be people who judge you wrongly – everyone’s gonna have an opinion. ‘I don’t like what she did here.’ ‘I don’t like the way she looks today.’ 

“I can’t spend the rest of my life dying on a hill that I don’t need to, frankly. Like, I have people and fans that see me [for who I am] and I can’t spend forever trying to beg the people that refuse to give me a shot. I can’t always be like, ‘Please, I promise I’m a good person.’ So yeah, I try not to pay too much attention.”

You could waste all your energy doing that and still get nowhere.

“And I’ve done it for years: being a teenage girl and having what feels like everyone on the internet have the wrong idea of you and spread rumours about you. I mean, we all know what it was like to have a rumour go around high school about you. Imagine how it feels having the whole internet [do that]. There’s just an endless string-line of hate and mean comments, and it’s extremely difficult to grapple with.

“So I’ve spent a lot of years trying to figure out, like, ‘If I’m gonna continue pursuing this career, this is something that I’m going to have to accept and be OK with, even though I don’t think it’s OK.’ And I am very big on explaining to everybody that your words do matter and you should take them seriously. You shouldn’t just say things because you think that you’re safe behind the keyboard – that’s total bullshit. Being someone in my position, I have to accept that people aren’t going to just suddenly wake up and be like, ‘Oh, I’m never gonna leave a [negative] comment again.’ So I have to figure out what I can do to be OK with that. And I think the answer is that I have to love the person I am and then feel like no one can mess with that.”

Who is top of your collaborations wish list?

“Paul McCartney is top of my wish list for collaborations. Yeah, that’s all I’ll say, because everyone else I’m actually trying to work on. But Paul, if you’re watching this, hit me up.”

A few years ago you made a big dance hit, ‘All Day And All Night’, with Jax Jones and Martin Solveig. Would you be interested in doing something like that again?

“I love all music, so yeah, I would definitely be open to that. I think there’s so many awesome DJs and you know, I don’t know what you would categorise it as, but electronic [or] EDM [music]. So I would love to do something like that again. And people loved that song.”

Madison Beer’s album ‘Silence Between Songs’ is out now via Epic Records. She tours the UK in March and April 2024

The post Madison Beer: “I can’t spend forever trying to beg people who refuse to give me a shot” appeared first on NME.

In 1990, Orbital performed your debut single ‘Chime’ on Top of the Pops. Name any other two acts who appeared on the same episode.

“Snap! and Big Fun. I jumped into the audience and danced to Snap! afterwards.”

CORRECT. Apart from the Eurodance group and boyband, you could have also had Liza Minnelli and They Might Be Giants.

“Afterwards we tried to speak to Snap!, but they turned their noses up at us, so we left and went to a party Pete Tong had invited us to and were gobsmacked because Neneh Cherry and Boy George were there. We felt we’d hit the big-time!”

You performed with your keyboards’ plugs visible, mocking Top of the Pops’ miming policy…

“We were banned from Top of the Pops afterwards for six years for being utterly boring! [Laughs]. We were doing something new and ‘other’ than rock and roll, so having to do something as old-fashioned as miming your music on Top of the Pops felt like a crock of shit. I’m quite Lars von Trier about things. If it’s not happening for real, I can’t do it. They didn’t let us bring our own equipment, and had to get tables from the BBC canteen because we refused to use their fancy keyboard stands. I’d only stand there twirling a plug or playing with the on/off switches, so we stood looking awkward.”

What pseudonym did Alison Goldfrapp use for the tracks she sang on Orbital’s 1996 album ‘In Sides’?

“Auntie.”

CORRECT.

“She’s brilliant. We met because she was an acquaintance of Phil’s [Hartnoll, Orbital’s second member and his brother]. She had the voice of an angel and nonchalantly didn’t seem to care – you’d ask her to sing and she’d treat it casually like you’d asked her to make a cup of tea. She even asked us to help her start a [solo] career, but I was always looking for unconventional psychedelic hooks and was crap at working with singers at that time, so it didn’t work out. But then she met Will Gregory and Goldfrapp exploded. I remember her bringing her first album [2000’s ‘Felt Mountain’] to the studio, muttering ‘Oh yeah…done this…look’. I grabbed my Sharpie and said: ‘Sign this bloody record because when you’re famous, it’s going to be worth something’. She incredulously told me to piss off! [Laughs]”

At 2010s Glastonbury festival, you brought out Matt Smith for Orbital’s cover of the Doctor Who theme tune. In the show, what number Doctor he is?

“I know all the Doctors! You’ve got: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, John Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant… so Matt Smith is the Eleventh Doctor?”

CORRECT.

“The controversial thing is whether we’re counting Peter Cushing’s [1960s] Doctor as canon, and whether John Hurt’s War Doctor, who is supposed to come in between Paul McGann and Christopher Eccleston, counts!”

Eek…just take the point and run! What was it like being joined by the, er, eleventh Doctor?

“There’s nothing more fun than walking around Glastonbury on a Saturday night with Doctor Who if you want to see people off their faces freak out. He’d never been in front of a crowd that big before and was loving it.”

As a die-hard Whovian, did you ever consider throwing your Fez into the ring to compose the music when the show was revived in 2005?

“I got vaguely close to doing it. The BBC asked me to submit a demo – which was a bit lazy and a revamp of the Orbital one that already exists – but it was a done-deal that [Who supremo] Russell T Davies would be working with composer Murray Gold. I would have loved to do it.”

On the subject of sci-fi, Orbital sampled a speech by Klingon Lieutenant Worf (played by actor Michael Dorn) from Star Trek: The Next Generation on the 1993 track ‘Time Becomes’/’Moebius’. Did Dorn ever hear it?

“I won’t say whether we did or didn’t sample it, but Michael Dorn came into a club of some DJ friends of ours, who waited for him to be on the dancefloor and then played ‘Moebius’ at him – he fell about laughing!”

Back to Glasto: its founder Michael Eavis credits your legendary NME Stage headline slot in 1994 as bringing rave to the masses…

“We were supposed to go on before Björk, but she swapped set-times with us so we could go on in darkness. Watching her go on, I lost all my bodily fluids when I heard the roar of the crowd and just thought: that’s you next. But it was amazing and Glastonbury had been craving dance music. I was there the year before when The Orb played the same slot and when they dropped ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’, it was immense. I thought: ‘Somebody’s got to do this with full-on banging techno’. I didn’t know it was going to be me the year after!”

Orbital’s Tilda Swinton-featuring promo to ‘The Box’ was nominated for Best Video at the 1997 BRIT Awards. Who beat you?

“Ah you’ve got me there! We walked off in disgust as soon as we didn’t get it [Laughs]. No, we knew we weren’t going to win. The audience was cheering for each band in the category until they announced ‘and Orbital…’ and it was tumbleweed. Who beat us?”

WRONG. You were pipped to the post by the Spice Girls’ ‘Say You’ll Be There’.

“Bollocks! I nearly said them! They recorded their ‘Spice’ album in the room below ours at the Strongroom studio [in London]. We used to have our lunch watching Neighbours with Mel C. Mel C is the only DJ on the planet to have a copy of ‘Spicy’ [Orbital’s live ‘Wannabe’ remix]. She said she loved it, so I said: ‘Here you go – have it’.”

In 1997, Orbital played Lollapalooza. Which Manchester indie band claimed they once stole golf buggies before knocking your dressing room wall down on that touring festival?

“If that’s not James, I’ll eat my hat!”

CORRECT.

“They became our party buddies on that tour. It was Brits abroad gone mental. We were put in the same dressing room as them, with curtains separating us down the middle. As banter was flying through the curtain, Saul [Davies, James member] started climbing up it, so we just removed it. James would go on at 4pm, and our set was at midnight, but when we finished, they’d still be partying, bless them. They probably just smashed a dressing room wall down of another band – but thought it was ours! [Laughs]”

Reviewing Orbital’s EP ‘Times Fly’ for Select magazine in 1995, which mothership-loving musician raved: “They got a funky drummer – I’d like to play on top of it”?

“Was it Jamiroquai?”

WRONG. George Clinton of Parliament-Funkadelic.

“Whoa! I didn’t even know that!”

Ever meet him?

“No, I saw him at an airport once during festival season. I once sat on a flight to Japan next to Peter Hook chatting all the way – and didn’t realise it was him until we got to the gate and I saw a sign saying ‘Mr Hook’. I’ve met some mad people. I even had Ennio Morricone bless my unborn child at one point. When we played ‘Where Is It Going?’ at the Paralympic Games opening ceremony with Stephen Hawking in 2012, we discovered he [Hawking] was a trickster and funny. He even wore our torch-glasses even though he could see sod-all to feel part of the band.”

“But if we’re name-dropping the two most incredible people I’ve met were David Bowie and Kate Bush. We played with Bowie at Phoenix festival [in 1997], and afterwards, he asked us to do a remix for him and my biggest regret is turning him down because I was stressed with work – my toes are curling thinking about it!”

How many times have you asked Kate Bush to work with you now?

“Hmmmm…only once. It won’t be the last time I ask either. I’ve not given up. I asked her on the last album [2023’s ‘Optical Delusion’] because I had a big sample of hers, but she replied: ‘No, I don’t want my music taken out of context. But I do remember you from Buckingham Palace!’”

“Because we’d met at an industry soiree at Buckingham Palace and we were told we had to stay together in a group because the Queen was coming through. Then we sneaked into the other room and tried to play their harpsichord, creating this awful din! I couldn’t believe I was playing an out-of-tune harpsichord sharing a piano stool with Kate Bush, as every face you’ve ever seen on Top of the Pops turned around looking at us thinking: ‘Who’s making that fucking racket? Oh, it’s Kate Bush and some herbert!”

For a bonus half-point: In a later Select magazine feature titled ‘If Pop Was World War 2’ in 1996, comparing Britpop to historical figures, who were Orbital bizarrely likened to? For example, Noel Gallagher was compared to Stalin*

“[Laughs] Did anybody get compared to Hitler?”

Yes! Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder. “Demonic, vegetarian leader of forces of darkness, hell bent on enforcing American longhairs,” according to the Select writer.

“Jesus! [Laughs] I would like to think we’d have been compared to Monty, but even by ’96, the rock ‘n’ roll world treated electronic artists suspiciously – like witches. They still thought: ‘ I don’t know what they’re doing! The music makes itself!’. As we’ve found out with AI, the music didn’t make itself. Watching all the people afraid of AI now, I think: ‘Oh yeah, that’s what you used to accuse me of in the early ‘90s!’. Possibly we were compared to some kind of V2 rocket engineers or inventors of some war-related equipment?”

CORRECT-ISH. Close enough – you were likened to Sir Barnes Wallis, inventor of the bouncing bomb, for being ‘Top boffins’. 

“I love discovering weird, obscure old articles. The first ever publication to print something about Orbital was our local newspaper the Sevenoaks Chronicle. Reading it recently, I wondered why all the quotes were attributed to Phil, until I got to the end where I say something like: ‘A few weeks ago I was in this paper because of the evils of acid house – and now I’m being applauded for doing an acid house record. Funny that, isn’t it?’ Then I remembered I was furious because the police had beaten the hell out of us ravers for having an illegal rave [then outlawed by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994] and the local paper had taken the side of the police!”

*Noel G was compared to Stalin because the latter was a “big-moustachioed leader of [the] biggest country in world, on whom victory depended. Many of [his] original political compadres vanished’, while the Oasis icon was judged: ’Similarly hirsute chief of world’s biggest band, on whom victory depends. First drummer not seen since last year.”

Complete the following lyrics: ‘Blaming everyone in hospitals/Blaming everyone at the bottom of the English Channel…’?

“Blaming everyone who doesn’t look like a fried animal.”

CORRECT. From the track ‘Dirty Rat’ – Orbital’s 2023 team-up with Sleaford Mods.

“That’s my favourite reference to gammon without saying the words! Sleaford Mods are absolute diamonds.”

Which novel does the mother wash in the video to Orbital’s 1992 single ‘Halcyon’?

“I’d put money on it being Jilly Cooper’s Riders!”

WRONG. It’s Barbara Catlin’s Shotgun Wedding.

“Goddammit! Of course. It’s implying the poor woman in the video was unhappy with her life. That’s a piece of trivia I should have known!”

You DJ-d in a 2002 episode of medical drama ER. Which character crowdsurfs during your scene?

“That’s unfair because I didn’t watch ER so I don’t know the characters’ names!”

WRONG. It’s Dr. Jing-Mei Chen.

“We’d been doing an album launch in New York, and Phil decided he wanted to go home, but our film agent said they were happy for me to do it on my own. I remember debating with one of the actors if the Royal Family could have bumped off Princess Diana, while Maura Tierney [who played Nurse Abigail Lockhart on the show] was just tutting in the background, not having any of it! [Laughs].”

Which 2004 American teen movie uses ‘Halcyon + On + On’ for its final scene?

“Mean Girls?”

CORECT.

“That intro to ‘Halcyon’ is all over TikTok at the moment which is brilliant. I’d like the upcoming Mean Girls musical remake to use a Jon Hopkins or Bicep track for that scene, so the next generation get their ambient intro.”

You’ve composed myriad film soundtracks. What’s been the most surreal Hollywood experience?

“Probably pretending to play live in [2002] film xXx, in complete silence, with Vin Diesel walking through the crowd.”

The verdict: 6.5/10

“I wish I’d just guessed the Spice Girls for that extra point!”

Orbital’s ‘The Green Album – Live – 2024’ tour, celebrating the duo’s 1991 debt album, tales place April and May 2024. Full dates can be found here

The post Orbital: “We were banned from Top of the Pops for being utterly boring!” appeared first on NME.

This year was a rush, wasn’t it?

Twelve months have gone by and it felt like a whirlwind. Our list of the best Australian music reflects the eclecticism of 2023, from the massive pop comebacks to revelatory folk songwriting to boundary-pushing hip-hop artistry.

There’s much more to come – and more that isn’t on this list – but here are NME’s 25 best Australian albums and EPs of 2023.

Karen Gwee, Regional Editor (APAC)

Words by: Greta Brereton, Mikey Cahill, Tom Disalvo, Sosefina Fuamoli, Jackson Langford, Chris Lewis, Ben Madden, Jared Richards, Angela Skujins, Caleb Triscari, Doug Wallen, Cyclone Wehner and David James Young

25. Peach PRC, ‘Manic Dream Pixie’

A sugar rush of spacey bubblegum, pristine production, and earworm hooks, Peach PRC’s ‘Manic Pixie Dream’ is an ecstatic pop confection. Whether she’s revelling in celebrity crushes on ‘Kinda Famous’ or ridding herself of toxicity on the Robyn-indebted ‘F U Goodbye’, the TikTok star-turned-pop princess colours new shades into her candy-coated persona.

• READ MORE: Peach PRC is the Australian star making pop pretty again

The 2000s influences of glittery Auto-Tune and heavily digitised vocals never outshine Peach’s vulnerability, as she muses on heartbreak and mental health in these brisk tracks that never overstay their welcome. ‘Manic Pixie Dream’ is pure pop high without the comedown. TD

Key track: ‘Kinda Famous’

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24. Forest Claudette, ‘Everything Was Green’

Hailing from The Patch outside Melbourne, Forest Claudette has steadily gained momentum with their abundant synth’n’B. Following their 2022 debut EP ‘The Year Of February’, which was widely compared to Frank Ocean, the resonant vocalist has arrived with ‘Everything Was Green’ – scoring an ARIA Award (Best Soul/R&B Release) for the cruisy lead single, ‘Mess Around’, featuring Atlanta’s EarthGang.

Claudette ponders Black queer identity while navigating their surrounds and life’s flux in intimate lyrics prompted by a transformative trip to California. But, if ‘Mess Around’ and ‘Motor In The Sand’ are respectively decadent and archly self-destructive, then ‘Violence’ is haunting, a lament of police brutality over quiet acoustics. Revelatory. CW

Key track: ‘Mess Around’ (featuring EarthGang)

Like this? Try this: Stevan, KYE

23. G Flip, ‘Drummer’

G Flip’s sophomore album ‘Drummer’ is inextricable from the instrument that started it all. While percussion is the muse that energises the entire tracklist – from the subtle snares of ‘7 Days’ to the thunderous solos and shimmering cymbals of ‘Made For You’ – ‘Drummer’ is also a showcase of G Flip’s versatility.

• READ MORE: G Flip on their new album ‘Drummer’, their six ARIA nominations and becoming the queer non-binary role model they always wanted

Guitar often pulls focus, like with the warm acoustics of ‘Australia’ or ‘Love Hurts’’s country twangs, while G Flip’s vocals are their best yet, flitting between pop punk sneers (‘Worst Person Alive’) to breezy drawl (‘Baked’). Through it all, G Flip bluntly lays bare their reflections on exes, gender roles, and simply being “done with all your bullshit.” TD

Key track: ‘Rough’

Like this? Try this: Lauren Sanderson, FLETCHER

22. The Kid LAROI, ‘The First Time’

The Kid LAROI became a Gen Z pop-rap phenom by universalising his teen angst. And the themes remain similar on the First Nations prodigy’s ambitious debut, ‘The First Time’ – he remains conflicted about romantic commitments and fame.

But LAROI reveals a new sonic, and curatorial, flair, transcending algorithmic emo-trap (jazz pianist Robert Glasper even guests). Ironically, the vintage soul samples on ‘Sorry’ and ‘Where Do You Sleep?’ belie the recriminatory lyrics.

However, LAROI still delivers massive bangers: ‘Too Much’ with K-pop superstar Jungkook and UK rap frontrunner Central Cee a particularly smooth triumph. Most auspicious? The closer ‘Kids Are Growing Up’, on which the 20-year-old looks to the future. CW

Key track: ‘Love Again’

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21. Daine, ‘Shapeless’

“And the portal’s open,” Daine purrs on ‘Portal’, the fourth track from their mixtape ‘Shapeless’. The emo-pop artist’s sophomore project is amorphous and striking in its composition and otherworldliness. Replete with flashes of hyperpop and hardcore, the eight tracks writhe with maximalist flavours and breakdowns, making it perfect listening for rotting in a dank basement or living large at a house party.

• READ MORE: Daine: future emo phenom fighting for fiery artistic vision

Incorporating songwriting from some of Australia’s most unique musicians – Sione Teumohenga aka Lonelyspeck and Maurice Santiago aka Hearteyes, to name a few – ‘Shapeless’ establishes Daine as a tastemaker. AS

Key track: ‘Doom’

Like this? Try this: Ninajirachi, 100 Gecs

20. Skeleten, ‘Under Utopia’

As one of Sydney’s unsung musical heroes, Russell Fitzgibbon played in various bands over 15 years – from quirky indie-pop to alt-country to glitch-electronica – before launching solo project Skeleten. That history weaves its way into the tapestry of ‘Under Utopia’, a far more fully realised debut than your average.

Its shapeshifting grooves are accentuated by pristine production, with lush electronic soundscapes revelling in warmth and texture. It’s Fitzgibbon’s vocals, however, that are the biggest revelation. Rarely a singer in previous projects, his understated lilt provides ‘Utopia’ a key human touch. Before he’s dust and bones, Skeleten deserves his flowers. DJY

Key track: ‘Heart Full of Tenderness’

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19. Babitha, ‘Brighter Side Of Blue’

Imogen Grist has discussed the role Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ played in the genesis of the Babitha project, and the influence of that song – with its folksy flair and narrative weight – is felt all throughout her kaleidoscopic album, ‘Brighter Side Of Blue’. Like Parton, Babitha weaves intricate tales of optimism with the leisurely cadence of an afternoon stroll through rural suburbia.

• READ MORE: Babitha: rising alt-country artist looking to the ‘Brighter Side Of Blue’

Babitha stretches folk’s boundaries with classic Americana and ’70s pop rock flourishes, punctuating tracks with a lush mix of spaghetti-western riffs, heady melodies and irresistible vocal twangs. “Everyone was singing,” Babitha croons, almost prophetically, on the title track “my ears, they are still ringing.” With a debut as stellar as this, ours are too – in a good way. TD

Key track: ‘In My Own Time’

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18. Cable Ties, ‘All Her Plans’

Sidelined by the pandemic just as they were releasing 2020’s ‘Far Enough’, Cable Ties make up for lost time on this layered third album. The Melbourne trio’s churning punk still arrives frontloaded with singer/guitarist Jenny McKechnie’s defiant roar, but this time her lyrics detail the failures of Australia’s healthcare system, especially regarding mental health.

• READ MORE: Cable Ties – ‘All Her Plans’ review: amid the righteous anger, a new kind of intimacy

Meanwhile, ‘Time For You’ directs the band’s focused fervour into an anthem of personal devotion and ‘Mum’s Caravan’ is a striking autobiography flecked with acoustic guitar and piano from guest Michael Beach. McKechnie’s singing is more delicate than ever on the latter, finding a new way to cut to the bone. DW

Key track: ‘Time For You’

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17. Cash Savage and the Last Drinks, ‘So This Is Love’

It’s a hard pill to swallow, but heartbreak suits Cash Savage’s music. She’s been through a rough divorce, six lockdowns and a crisis of confidence in whether her other big love (The Last Drinks) would continue.

• READ MORE: Cash Savage and the Last Drinks – ‘So This Is Love’ review: potent and tumultuous

Lucky for us, she stayed the course and recorded a nine-song album about this exceptionally difficult period. Savage’s distinct mix of brooding twang, barely disguised vitriol and pounding rock’n’roll are on full display here. “My mama told me crying doesn’t suit my face,” she snarls on ‘Push’, then throws it back at her: “what about this neediness mama?” Catharsis hits different when Savage is behind the mic. MC

Key track: ‘$600 Short On The Rent’

Like this? Try this: Angie McMahon, Lucinda Williams

16. JK-47, ‘Revision For Regrowth’

On his second album ‘Revision For Regrowth’, JK-47 is older, wiser, and ready to reach the next generation. Rapping with a sense of confidence and clarity that only comes from true introspection, the Tweed Heads MC lays out his mission statement on tracks like swirling opener ‘Introspect’ and the purposeful ‘Victory Speech’: “I take my time when I speak, really tryna teach truth to these kids”.

Teaming up with producer Jay Orient for the entirety of the album, JK-47 touches on the importance of family and faith, while also acknowledging that in order to grow, we must first accept our mistakes. His 2020 debut album, ‘Made For This’, showed that he could be one of the most important voices in Australian hip-hop. ‘Revision For Regrowth’ proves it. BM

Key track: ‘Rain’

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15. a.s.o., ‘a.s.o.’

The ’90s revival continues with this deeply satisfying nod to the trip hop era (think Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps and so much ‘erb). a.s.o consists of respected Australian DJ/producer Tornado Wallace and the singer-songwriter and DJ Alias Error.

Wallace showed his downtempo range with Sui Zhen a few years back, and now he’s gone full widescreen cinema, soundtracking mellow kick-ons rather than delivering his usual four to the floor fare. The bruised vocals excel at capturing young, tumultuous affairs, the inevitable broken hearts and the questions that follow. The a.s.o. project feels evergreen, at home, on café playlists as well as in dingy after-hours Berlin clubs. MC

Key track: ‘My Baby’s Got It Out For Me’

Like this? Try this: Portishead, Goldfrapp

14. Kylie Minogue, ‘Tension’

How does she do it? Over more than three decades, Kylie Minogue has reinvented herself time and time again. On ‘Tension’, she’s embraced the tried-and-true formula of classic EDM beats, piano house backings and unforgettable pop hooks. Her messages of love and desire are crystal clear, universally felt and destined to be played on a dancefloor.

‘Tension’ was something of a renaissance for Kylie, with ‘Padam Padam’’s prolific rise becoming the track that launched a thousand TikToks. That one word lured in a new generation of fans, and who can blame them? With Kylie, you hear it and you know. CT

Key track: ‘Padam Padam’

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13. Teether & Kuya Neil, ‘Stressor’

Following on from debut mixtape ‘Glyph’, future-rap duo Teether and Kuya Neil turned more heads with this year’s dynamic and hard-hitting record, ‘Stressor’. Together, these producers and songwriters represent the exciting nature of Melbourne’s underground hip hop and electronic scenes; their chemistry is undeniable, their influences diverse, as they lean into furious rap and production that feels punk.

‘Stressor’ shifts between pace and vibe relentlessly, not giving the listener much space for their attention to wander. It is commanding and musically, fiercely intelligent. The record brims with a frustrated, chaotic energy. Undeniably charismatic. SF

Key track: ‘Purgatory’

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12. Polaris, ‘Fatalism’

The triumph of Polaris’ third studio album, heartbreakingly, cannot be discussed without acknowledging the tragedy of the late, great Ryan Siew – who passed away just weeks out from its release. This context adds further weight to an already-heavy LP of the band’s hardest-hitting material yet.

With churning guitars and walloping drums, Polaris can build up empires just as quickly as they can tear them down. At a time when most heritage heavy Australian bands are resting on their laurels, they continue to evolve with distinct, determined defiance. Death shall have no dominion. DJY

Key track: ‘Nightmare’

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11. Collarbones, ‘Filth’

Formed across state lines after Marcus Whale and Travis Cook met on the now-quaint space of 2000s post-rock message boards, Collarbones have genre-hopped over the past decade but always traded in ideas of queer longing and distance.

‘Filth’, their fifth and final album, dives deepest via a coalescing of their many sounds: glitchy, skittering electronica, nu-metal-tinged intensity, and transcendent post-rock ballads. Whale sings of absolution through not love but consumption, of swallowing and being swallowed whole. Sensual, explicit (see the lyrics of ‘Lack’) and playfully dramatic, ‘Filth’ is a bittersweet swansong. JR

Key track: ‘Edging’

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10. Cub Sport, ‘Jesus At The Gay Bar’

Beautifully riding the wave of a changing Australian pop landscape, Cub Sport have never felt more authentically themselves or empowered than on their fifth studio record, ‘Jesus At The Gay Bar’.

The record brings together threads of euphoria, melancholy and wistful yearning with a comfort in self that Cub Sport’s Tim Nelson’s songwriting has relished in recent years. Singles like ‘Always Got The Love’ and ‘Keep Me Safe’ exhibit nuanced songwriting and intimate arrangements. A celebration of love and identity, this record is a clever collection of music that is forward-looking yet unafraid to reflect.

Club-ready music begging to be danced to, this album confirms Cub Sport as one of Australia’s best pop outfits. SF

Key track: ‘Always Got The Love’

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9. Body Type, ‘Expired Candy’

Vocal harmonies straight out of the ’60s? Check. Angular guitar riffs that Nick Zinner would be jealous of? Check. Some of the sharpest songwriting in Australia right now? Yep. It’s ‘Expired Candy’ by Body Type, an album that straddles the line between post-punk and pop while exorcising a few demons along the way.

The Sydney quartet sound as confident and raw as they were on their 2022 debut, but this time everything feels looser, even downright fun – from the smouldering singalong ‘Summer Forever’ to the caustic takedown of ‘Creation of Man’. And when guitarist Sophie McComish exclaims on the ode to pandemic loneliness “Miss the world but mostly I miss B-O-D-Y-T-Y-P-E” – it’s enough to make you want to start a band of your own. CL

Key track: ‘Weekend’

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8. Tkay Maidza, ‘Sweet Justice’

Tkay Maidza’s ‘Sweet Justice’ is the soundtrack – or slaytrack – to her own superhero movie. The exuberant rapper/singer released a pop-coded debut album, ‘Tkay’, back in 2016, but later expressed dismay about industry pressure. Unimpeded, Maidza then explored her multifaceted artistry on the celebrated ‘Last Year Was Weird’ EP trilogy.

‘Sweet Justice’ represents the culmination of an idiosyncratic character arc as an empowered Maidza finally frees herself of foes, heartbreakers and past setbacks. (Hear the drill&B track, ‘Won One’, a takedown of misogynists.)

Now Los Angeles-based, Maidza proves her new stature, connecting with high-calibre producers like Flume (the explosive single ‘Silent Assassin’) and Kaytranada. And, again, she advances her stylistic aspirations – as on the dreamy R&B of ‘Love Again’. This record, indeed, does justice to Maidza’s talent. CW

Key track: ‘Silent Assassin’

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7. Maple Glider, ‘I Get Into Trouble’

Subtlety is often in short supply on a Maple Glider record. Tori Zietsch has made this clear on ‘I Get Into Trouble’, her second LP in just over two years and a graceful evolution from her debut.

While several of the first album’s themes appear on the second – sexism, agency, personal relationships with religion and family – ‘I Get Into Trouble’ is more textured, without sacrificing any cohesiveness. Take ‘Dinah’ with its playful, folk-pop quality, and an equally as cheeky music video, that sucker-punches you with its stark lyrics about the church and sexual assault.

Elsewhere, ‘Scream’ and ‘Surprises’ recall the lightly strummed guitar and dreamy vocals that Zietsch excels in. Her development as an artist is abundantly clear on this record, which is equal parts serenading and serious. CT

Key track: ‘Dinah’

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6. Floodlights, ‘Painting Of My Time’

The melodrama of The Bad Seeds, the melodies of The Smiths, the expansive sonic canvases of The Church: Floodlights are a guitar band from a time when that label wasn’t a pejorative.

Lead singer Louis Parsons sings with urgency and the conviction of a man whose entire world hangs on the note that’s being played. All the better to convey the seriousness of this record’s subject matter: ‘Painting Of My Time’ offers poetic reflections on life, death and what it all means. It’s an album that demands your attention and pays dividends for it. CL

Key track: ‘Moment of Distraction’

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5. Jen Cloher, ‘I Am The River, The River Is Me’

“Being human is listening,” sings Jen Cloher on their fifth album. Self-realisation and continuous learning are central themes of this persistently powerful album, on which the Melbourne artist connects with their Māori heritage and queer identity in a multiplicity of ways. But Cloher doesn’t stop there, calling out our imperilled planet on the title track and stolen land on ‘Being Human’ and even questioning the nature of truth itself on ‘Protest Song’.

• READ MORE: Jen Cloher: “My heart is opening up to my culture. With that comes grief and unpacking trauma, joy and connection”

After the startling intimacy of their 2017 self-titled album, here Cloher strikes out to penetrating new places with an unmatched boldness of spirit. Among some of the more sombre themes here, ‘My Witch’ swaps out indie rock and folk methodology for simmering electronics and knowingly lusty R&B. DW

Key track: ‘Being Human’

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4. RVG, ‘Brain Worms’

RVG have been responsible for some of the most tender, heart-wrenching moments in Australian rock over the last half-decade. There’s plenty more on the Australian Music Prize-winning ‘Brain Worms’, from washed-out opener ‘Common Ground’ to the stark slow-burn of ‘You’re The Reason’. But perhaps the album’s defining trait is its pitch-black, wry humour. “I’m too old for this shit,” Romy Vager yelps on the title track against a clatter of drums. “I used to be a journalist!”

• READ MORE: Romy Vager faces our modern hellscape on RVG’s ‘Brain Worms’

Elsewhere, on the tragic ‘Tambourine’, she sneaks in digs at both Train and Google Chrome into gut-punch pandemic-era balladry. They say if you don’t laugh you’ll cry, but ‘Brain Worms’ makes time and space for both – and is honestly all the better for it. DJY

Key track: ‘Squid’

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3. Angie McMahon, ‘Light, Dark, Light Again’

On her second album, Angie McMahon captures all the confusing, heavy, and hopeful parts of the twenty-something experience and spins them into lyrical gold.

She explores the collision of her internal self and the external world poignantly – pondering her place in the vastness of it all, as a complex human in a humming universe. The stories she tells on ‘Light, Dark, Light Again’ are her own, but they’re relatable ones, from spending days in a depression hole to drunken exchanges with a lover.

This album is a warm embrace – a salve for anxiety, a soothing balm for when the world feels too big. It’s a reminder to breathe, to come home to yourself, to push on through the darkness. Because after the dark, comes the light again. GB

Key track: ‘Making It Through’

Like this? Try this: Alice Skye, Maple Glider

2. Genesis Owusu, ‘Struggler’

Genesis Owusu’s first album ‘Smiling With No Teeth’ was a monumental point in Australian hip-hop and music in general. Brash and ambitious, it marked the introduction of a star. ‘Struggler’ cements that this supernova isn’t burning out anytime soon.

• READ MORE: Genesis Owusu: the show-stealing hero banging the drum for musical outsiders

Refined and focused, Owusu’s second album is firm in its conviction that to struggle doesn’t mean to crumble, but to persist. ‘Struggler’ is a multi-terrain expedition through the psyche, from the frantic strums and claustrophobic gasps of ‘Leaving The Light’, to the all-consuming, ominous warps of ‘The Old Man’, and woozy, genre-hopping acceptance of ‘What Comes Will Come’.

The vision Genesis Owusu paints is clear – this is a story of a roach on the run, and there’s no time to slow down. JL

Key track: ‘Stay Blessed’

Like this? Try this: Paris Texas, Agung Mango

1. Troye Sivan, ‘Something To Give Each Other’

Troye Sivan’s third album pulls through on the glimpses of greatness of 2018’s ‘Bloom’, where the pop star embraced not merely his queer identity but the sensuality of it.

But where that album traded in sly innuendo, ‘Something to Give Each Other’ is assured, bold and direct, speaking to a transformation that comes when a queer person liberates themselves into unbridled fun without the hangover of shame.

• READ MORE: Troye Sivan has entered his party boi era

Lead single ‘Rush’, a house throb of pure hedonism, sets the mood: Sivan against a sweaty four-to-the-floor, the thrill of making eyes (and making out) on a dancefloor propelling the track forward.

The ecstasy of endless parties, flings and a sheer enjoyment at being alive pulse through ‘Something’, whether with the shimmering ‘Got Me Started’ or mid-tempo moments, like the sultry ‘In Your Room’ or the sweet ‘What’s The Time Where You Are?’. And at just 33 minutes, Sivan sneaks out of the bedroom before the bliss bursts. JR

Key track: ‘Rush’

Like this? Try this: Cub Sport, Ryan Beatty

The post The 25 best Australian albums of 2023 appeared first on NME.

All emerging musicians know that when you want to make a major statement, you make your debut album. The past 12 months have seen a wealth of talent tick off this achievement: Hak Baker, who has been putting out music since 2017, capped off a long but remarkable creative process with ‘World’s End FM’. Blondshell, meanwhile, decided to strike while the iron is hot, unveiling her self-titled debut a mere nine months after the release of her first-ever single.

Each and every artist below has been on their own unique journey, but what unites them all is a collective determination to go all-in on what matters: speaking to the moment. Across these 10 albums, you will find different perspectives on ambition and political rebellion, as well as calls for revolution via a range of sounds from buoyant, scrappy indie to pristine electronica.

Throughout 2023, these essential artists made themselves known at new music showcases across the world, and set high expectations for the debut albums that followed. As the year reaches a close, here’s the very best of the bunch.

– Sophie Williams, Associate Commissioning Editor (New Music)

Blondshell – ‘Blondshell’

Who: An uncompromising star for a new generation of rock fans

What NME said: “‘Blondshell’ is a complete triumph in several ways. Rarely do emerging artists recalibrate their sound and allow their lived experiences to develop and find their way into the music.”

Key track: ‘Salad’

Hak Baker – ‘World’s End FM’

Who: Underdog anthems leaving a bold impression on UK indie music

What NME said: “‘World’s End FM’ successfully introduces Hak Baker as a 21st Century troubadour speaking to modern problems with empathy and requisite anger.”

Key track: ‘Windrush Baby’

Holly Humberstone – ‘Paint My Bedroom Black’

Who: Next-generation indie star newly invigorated by pop experimentation

What NME said: “‘Paint My Bedroom Black’ finds an artist trying to do right by her loved ones and make sense of her own turbulent world, but it’s also a cue to listeners that things could go anywhere from here.”

Key track: ‘Into Your Room’

Grrrl Gang – ‘Spunky!’

Who: Uber-charismatic trio manifesting their rockstar dreams in real-time

What NME said: “If a debut album is supposed to capture the youthful zeal and urgent, electric energy of a band in the early throes of their creativity, then Grrrl Gang’s ‘Spunky!’ is very successful indeed.”

Key track: ‘Blue Stained Lips’

Leith Ross – ‘To Learn’

Who: Canadian songwriter with a powerful vision of what indie music can encompass

What NME said: “Fans see their own heartache in Ross’ thoughtful, if anguished storytelling, which serves as a reminder that the most striking perspectives often come from those who are underestimated.”

Key track: ‘Guts’

Militarie Gun – ‘Life Under The Gun’

Who: Melodic hardcore scene-leaders with a killer debut LP to their name

What NME said: “‘Life Under The Gun’ transcends the limits of what hardcore can be in 2023, leading with a melodic approach that can open the wider scene up to a whole new audience.”

Key track: ‘Do It Faster’

Paris Texas – ‘Mid Air’

Who: Innovative duo whose debut combines the rhythmic energy of hardcore with the grittiness of underground rap

What NME said: “As a record, ‘Mid Air’ feels truly – and brilliantly – emblematic of the sharp, controlled chaos that Paris Texas have honed over a handful of previous EPs.”

Key track: ‘Everybody’s Safe Until…’

PinkPantheress – ‘Heaven Knows’

Who: Modern British pop’s eclectic it-girl

What NME said: “What makes ‘Heaven Knows’ such a compelling debut is its ability to create British wistfulness. The emotions and sounds are familiar enough to pull you in, and peculiar enough to make you stay.”

Key track: ‘Capable Of Love’

Sofia Kourtesis – ‘Madres’

Who: Peruvian-born artist’s emotional, otherworldly songs are a beacon of hope

What NME said: “This debut album cements Kourtesis’ position as a bold and crafty producer of house-infused dancefloor heaters.”

Key track: ‘Habla Con Ella’

Yaeji – ‘With A Hammer’

Who: Korean-American artist whose firecracker energy has made her a notable name in dance music

What NME said: “Thorny and tangled, this is dance music for drifting home from the club on deserted pavements; the moment of reflection after the euphoria fades.”

Key track: ‘Done (Let’s Get It)’

The post The 10 best debut albums of 2023 appeared first on NME.

Phoebe Bridgers is driving “through the canyon” on the way to meet her Boygenius bandmates when NME calls the trio in early December. Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker are already together, waiting for her arrival and to celebrate yet more good news together. After a year of big feats, the boys are ending 2023 with their debut album, ‘The Record’, being crowned NME’s Album Of The Year.

• READ MORE: The Best Albums of 2023

Despite all the highs this year has brought them, Dacus had some trepidation going into it. “I was afraid of the vibes being off,” she shares. “We’re all so important to each other that I worried working so much together would become work, and we’re all prone to overworking ourselves, and I just didn’t want to symbolise exhaustion to each other.” Thankfully, that hasn’t been the case – “We all got tired, but we’re not tired of each other,” she confirms – and, together, the band came out of the studio with an album that turned their immense individual talents into one electrifying force.

The stakes weren’t exactly low for ‘The Record’, either. Five years ago, the trio released their self-titled debut EP and elicited almost universal praise, while each member has carved out their own space in the pantheon of indie heroes for their own sound and style of songwriting. The album, though, didn’t buckle to the weight of the anticipation around it and instead shone as an album with huge emotional depth and beautifully enthralling storytelling. Wherever the boys go next – whether solo or together – ‘The Record’ stands as a testament both to what you can make when you allow yourself to be your most ambitious, most honest self and to the creative power of great friends.

When you were sat in Shangri-La making this album, you probably weren’t thinking about end of year lists or what other people would think of it. What does it mean to you to have seen ‘The Record’ resonate so strongly with so many people this year?

Phoebe: “It rocks. I’ve never put something out so early in the year, for one, and then been reminded that people like it after the tour’s after. I think if we’d done it a little differently, it would have timed out weirder. So much has changed since the beginning of the year, and it’s been our whole lives, so it’s nice to be reminded that people loved it.”

Lucy: “It’s nice to be validated that we made something to our taste and that other people also liked it. It helps us to be able to relate to our own fans because we actually like it. One thing about end-of-year lists that I like is that I’ll go back to, like, Best of 2017, or I’ll look up an end-of-year list randomly for a year that I am feeling nostalgic for and listen to stuff that I missed or stuff that I liked at that time. I know people have gripes about lists, but I think I’m a big list-maker myself, so I’m into it.”

Who would be on your personal albums of the year list?

Lucy: “Billy Woods and Kenny Segal, Mitski, Palehound, Charlotte Cornfield…”

Julien: “That Allegra Krieger record, SZA…”

Phoebe: “Arlo [Parks].”

Lucy: “Yves Tumor!”

Phoebe, you just said so much has changed for you this year. What have been the biggest changes?

Phoebe: “To do business jargon, I think it’s like proof of concept. We were actually thinking about how we were going to feel at the end of this project or the end of the year. I started a notebook on January 1, 2022, and now the album’s out, people have been listening to it all year and I’m almost done with that journal. I don’t know, I just like a cycle. It just feels nice, and I’ve certainly changed a lot, but I don’t know what the fuck the biggest change is!”

Lucy: “Julien definitely has [changed], and I definitely have [changed] separately as people, but then also, of course, as Boygenius, everything has changed for us as a unit. In our own lives, I just feel like we are growing a lot.”

How did you expect to feel at the end of this year compared to how you actually feel?

Phoebe: “In my wildest dreams, I was going to feel this way – and that’s cool. I don’t think we went into the project with any fear, but it’s just nice now, being in the middle of it and looking back on this year being like, ‘We did everything we said, we feel as good as we ever hoped to feel, and better’.”

One of the main narratives that has been picked up around ‘The Record’ has been centred around your relationship with each other – it feels like you’ve almost become ambassadors for this kind of very close friendship in a way.

Julien: “I love it! I think it’s great if that’s the thesis statement that people are taking away from this band. Representing the validity of making something with your friends for your own fulfilment is a great thing for people to take away from this. That’s why I also felt a little apprehension of, ‘What if it flops?’. Then I was like, ‘If we play a tour where people are stoked at the shows and no one’s throwing tomatoes, and beer bottles at us and kids are remembering lyrics, we already accomplished what I would have wanted to accomplish in my purest idealisation of a band’. So I’m happy with it.”

Phoebe: “I like that the concerts ended up being like a Rocky Horror Picture Show type experience, where you go with a bunch of people, and you dress weird. I like that it was interactive. It represents friendship in that way too, which I love – the friendship that is completely outside of us.”

Right, it feels like your shows have been really safe spaces for your audiences this year. When I was watching you on stage in London this summer, it also felt like perhaps they’ve become that for you as well. Is that accurate for you?

Lucy: “For sure, you can tell by how unhinged we’ve gotten over the course of touring.”

Julien: “Phoebe and Lucy talk about this a lot, and I feel it, but when your persona or your identity as a human being gets wrapped up in your job, there’s some cognitive dissonance there with the rest of the life you lead. Personally, going home and visiting my family for Thanksgiving is kind of jarring cos I’ve been out on the road and in one mode, and then I’m just someone’s weird cousin at the family function. But for that hour and a half [on stage], we get complete agency over how people perceive us. We built the show, we wrote the songs, we’ve constructed the lyrics and the execution and the performance to represent who we are to people. So, in a sense, it’s like a performance that feels more authentic than just the performance you put on at the office. I get to totally embody something of my choosing; I’m in a costume that tells you about myself.”

Let’s talk about some of the huge shows you’ve played this year, like Madison Square Garden recently. Phoebe, before you’d even finished making the record, you were convinced the band would play there. What made you so sure?

Phoebe: [laughs] “Well, I’ve been on tour for a long time already and watching that grow, watching Julien and Lucy grow in the same way post-COVID, and the lore around Boygenius – I couldn’t do an interview without being asked about it. I was doing interviews knowing we were making a record the entire time I was promoting my last album. So I was just aware of the excitement, I was stoked, and I was like, especially with Julien’s sensibilities, ‘I think we’re gonna make a heavier album than I would make my own’. So it was just a thing that felt tangible.”

What was it like actually stepping out on stage when that show did come around?

Lucy: “It was dreamlike.”

Julien: “When I was a kid, I used to play [Fall Out Boy’s] ‘From Under The Cork Tree’ top to bottom and teach myself chords, and imagine I was in a stadium in front of a bunch of people. Then I started playing solo shows, and I would close my eyes and just imagine I was in my bedroom because I was so nervous. I feel like on this tour, especially big meaningful shows like Madison Square Garden, I was in the experience that felt dreamlike, feeling really present. Also, I’ve been thinking a lot about Phoebe recognising the excitement or lore around the band, and I was like, ‘Yeah, we live up to it’. Because we really fully dedicated ourselves to something that’s been vital to us since childhood and that is the crux of our friendship. It felt really… empowering is cheesy, but it did feel powerful. Like, ‘This is awesome, these kids are freaking stoked!’ Giving that [joy] to people, I was like, ‘Oh, my life means something’.”

You also played Hollywood Bowl on Halloween, where you went through what feels like a rite of passage for modern rock bands and had Dave Grohl come out and drum on ‘Satanist’. How did that come about?

Phoebe: “I made friends with Dave backstage at a Billie Eilish show. He’s the coolest guy ever. I was texting the boys, being like, ‘I met Dave Grohl, and he exceeds every expectation of how a rock star can be in the world’. I think we, as a group, look for that a lot – like, who is living their life the way that we want to get old and live our lives?”

Lucy: “He’s so game. I just want to stay game the way that he is.”

Phoebe: “Yeah, exactly. He’s the best. He was like, ‘I’m gonna be a priest, by the way’, when I told him what we were gonna be for Halloween.”

Who suggested which song he would come on for? Was it him or you guys?

Lucy: “I think it was us?”

Phoebe: “Yeah, well, we also have a friend who knows him and toured with Foo Fighters, and there was this missed connection where Dave was actually going to come to the studio and play on [‘The Record’]. Then he slept through it or whatever, and we didn’t end up meeting. So it was actually kind of a perfect full circle moment of having him play on that song because we knew we wanted the drums to be crazy on that.”

As well as being NME’s Album Of The Year, ‘The Record’ has earned you a bunch of Grammy nominations. Lucy and Julien, this is your first time being nominated – what was that moment of getting the news like for you?

Lucy: “I think for a band that over-intellectualise a lot, I was surprised by how simple my excitement was. I was just like, ‘Wait… this rocks, and I don’t really need to think about it or theorise or make it any deeper than that – it’s just kind of sick’. If you know us personally, that is a huge thing – not having to write a whole thesis statement about something. So it feels really pure.”

Phoebe: “Like, Julien thinks that birthdays are a capitalist construct.”

Julien: “It was also crazy – I have aversions to any institutionalised thing where it’s sometimes a little bit funny when, like, The Ramones are in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, or Sid Vicious’ fucking tie is on display at the British Library in a punk exhibition. It’s weird to see institutions recognise historically anti-establishment art-makers. But then, I don’t know, I also have to be like, ‘Dude, the institution is recognising you – you did something, you waved your weird flag high enough that someone had to recognise it’. With any progressive ideology, with queerness, with anti-nationalism, with anti-establishment, being so dedicated to something and pulling it off well enough to be recognised for it is validating no matter what. So all that went out of the window when they were like, ‘You got nominated for six Grammys!’ I was like, ‘Hell yeah!’”

You’ve spoken recently about not knowing where Boygenius goes from here or whether you’re going to be separating back off to solo projects next. Whether the band does keep moving forward next year or whenever you reconvene, what are your hopes for your future together?

Julien: “I like it being a surprise. I like having this band be something that, because it’s more ephemeral or whatever, it’s not concretely tied to one of us or a person we have to live in every day. It’s something we can revisit when we feel motivated to, or it’s a place we can retreat to. I like saving it as something sacred instead of feeling like I have to constantly grind on it.”

Read the full Albums Of The Year list here

The post Boygenius on the enduring power of ‘The Record’: “We feel as good as we ever hoped to” appeared first on NME.

There was nary a moment in 2023 where music fans were left wanting for long-form greatness. At every turn, a record harnessed the pain, hurt, love, joy and everything in between felt all year long. Perhaps it was loss (Sufjan Stevens’ ‘Javelin’, Depeche Mode’s ‘Memento Mori’), reckless abandon (Militarie Gun’s ‘Life Under The Gun’, Grrrl Gang’s ‘Spunky!’) or inquisitive experimentation (Amaarae’s ‘Fountain Baby’). These 50 records – as selected by NME’s global team of writers – encapsulated the full human experience and are worth treasuring and holding tightly.

Thomas Smith, Commissioning Editor (Music)

Contributors: Alex Rigotti, Anagricel Duran, Andrew Trendell, Andy Brown, Ben Jolley, Emma Wilkes, Hannah Mylrea, Hollie Geraghty, Jenessa Williams, Jordan Bassett, Karen Gwee, Kyann-Sian Williams, Liberty Dunworth, Mia Hughes, Rhian Daly, Sophie Williams, Surej Singh, Thomas Smith, Will Richards and Ziwei Puah.

50. Lil Yachty – ‘Let’s Start Here’

Where do you stand on 2023’s most divisive record? The rap superstar took an about-turn on ‘Let’s Start Here’, embracing psych-rock for a rebirth that was only gazumped by André 3000’s flute-heavy adventure. Lil Yachty got there first, though, on this mesmerising journey down the creative rabbit hole. TS

49. Depeche Mode – ‘Memento Mori’

The synth-goths’ best album this side of the millennium was already underway before the tragic death of founding member Andy Fletcher, but this jet-black meditation on mortality took on an even darker hue in the context of that terrible news. Though its Latin title translates to “remember you must die”, the shell-shocked duo’s collection of stadium-sized electro anthems offered catharsis and creative uplift in equal measure. JB

48. Grrrl Gang – ‘Spunky!’

Listening to Grrrl Gang’s debut album felt like an instant ticket to the sort of basement show where sweat rolls down the walls. With an energetic, youthful scrappiness, guts to spill, and truckloads of personality (not to mention some fantastic one-liners), the Indonesian punk trio were unafraid to embrace their riot grrrl influences, and had a hell of a time doing it. EW

47. Ive – ‘I’ve Ive’

After introducing themselves as contenders for K-pop’s crown in 2022, the group solidified their excellence with their debut album, ‘I’ve Ive’ in April. The record showed off Ive’s full spectrum of strengths, going on a thrilling journey from the bratty, brash pop of ‘Kitsch’ to the soft resilience of ‘Heroine’ and the upbeat rush of ‘Not Your Girl’. It fully justified the buzz around them, shining from beginning to end with fresh ideas and immaculate energy. RD

46. Karol G – ‘Mañana Será Bonito’

Colombian singer Karol G continued to pave the way as a history-maker with her fourth studio album, which earned the Number One spot on the Billboard 200 chart upon its release. She swung big by bringing in legends such as Romeo Santos, Shakira and Sean Paul to feature on a few tracks, creating a heavyweight reggaeton LP bound to withstand the test of time. AD

45. Olivia Dean – ‘Messy’

Brimming with hope and promise, Olivia Dean’s sublime debut reshaped the early ‘00s neo soul-inspired sounds of her earlier material into something newly exhilarating. ‘Messy’ addressed Dean’s family history and her own romantic failings – these topics led to a creative revitalisation, not only in her forthright lyrics but also in a more rhythmic sonic palette. It felt like watching an ascendant star lean into a bolder, braver version of herself. SW

44. CMAT – ‘Crazymad, For Me’

CMAT possesses an uncanny talent for making songs that sound as much like country ballads as they are chaotic voice note exchanges with friends. Described as an “abstract break-up album”, the Irish artist’s second record captured the ache and denial of heartbreak in a way that was both beautifully impactful and totally wacky, whether she was making silly pop culture references or hollering gut-wrenching lyrics like “Good enough to know you / Was all I wished to be”. HG

43. The Rolling Stones – ‘Hackney Diamonds’

61 years, 24 albums and one member down (RIP Charlie Watts), you’d have been forgiven for thinking the world’s greatest rock’n’roll band had come to the end of their journey. You’d have been wrong, of course. This long-gestating new record from The Rolling Stones arrived courtesy of producer Andrew Watt, who recently coaxed rowdy albums out of Iggy Pop and Ozzy Osbourne, and helped the Dartford rockers knock up some of their best tunes since the ‘70s. Cameos from Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder and Elton John didn’t hurt, either. AF

42. Geese – ‘3D Country’

Though this was just the second album from Brooklyn five-piece Geese, ‘3D Country’ played with a sound far more expansive than most bands at this stage of their career. Overwhelming instrumentals and half-wailed vocals from singer Cameron Winter meant that ‘3D Country’ courted all-out chaos on this rambling, proggy epic. AB

41. Benefits – ‘Nails’

In the midst of the Tory mission to Make Britain Grey Again, what can you do? When punk proves futile and there are no answers, all you’re left with is noise, bile, and a glimmer of empathy. This towering debut from Teesside’s Benefits proved a monument to standing up for yourself when no one else will. As Kingsley Hall barked on ‘Flag’: “Privilege won’t save you / Eton won’t save you / People who speak Latin will not save you.” AT

40. James Blake – ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’

A decade before he was in studios producing for Travis Scott and Beyoncé, James Blake was making some of the most innovative electronic music of his generation. On the London-born post-dubstep pioneer’s sixth album, he went back to his club roots to deliver a record that was consistently inventive and hard-hitting – even in its quieter moments. BJ

39. Holly Humberstone – ‘Paint My Bedroom Black’

Grantham-born singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone’s candid debut was filled with everything that she does best: diaristic confessions on friendships, crushes and heartbreaks; softly-sung lyrics; brooding melodies for fans to escape within. But her first album was also more than that, serving as a hopeful portrait of an artist outgrowing the 20-year-old who first broke out during lockdown, instead looking ahead to a future that could take her – and her sound – anywhere. HG

38. Agust D – ‘D Day’

“Future’s gonna be OK,” Agust D – aka BTS rapper Suga – declared in the opening line of ‘D-Day’. The fiery album wrapped up his trilogy of solo releases with more sharp, thought-provoking societal observations and reflections on his own life, but with room for a new sense of peace, acceptance and hope. That it was all set to hard-hitting hip-hop and featured starry collabs with BTS’ J-Hope, late Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and more only made ‘D-Day’ more spectacular. RD

37. Paris Texas – ‘Mid Air’

The electrifying debut from Californian duo Paris Texas mixed up its vibe with every track: punk, rap, rock and pop would all feature. Whether it was the lyrical wit of ‘tenTHIRTYseven’, scuzzy aggression of ‘Bullet Man’, or poignancy of ‘…We Fall’, ‘Mid Air’ was impossible to predict – and even harder to stop listening to. AB

36. Corinne Bailey Rae – ‘Black Rainbows’

Low-key opener ‘A Spell, A Prayer’ acted as an incantation that elevated listeners to the singer-songwriter’s new spiritual plane: wonky nu-jazz, woozy alt-pop and loud-as-fuck grunge guitars. No, do not adjust your sets – we are thinking of the same Corinne Bailey Rae, she of tasteful neo-soul that was once big in the ‘burbs. Inspired by a visit to Chicago’s Stony Island Arts Bank centre of Black culture, Rae exploded expectations with this thrilling, genre-busting revelation. JB

35. Hak Baker – World’s End FM’

With ‘World’s End FM’, east London’s Hak Baker may have restored your faith in contemporary protest music. An interplay between indie and scruffy-edged pop, the LP concerned itself with a central theme of perseverance in the face of endless turmoil. Whether condemning music industry leeches, or decrying working-class appropriation, the record exuded an infectious and topical energy – and, arguably, was unfairly snubbed from this year’s Mercury Prize nominations. SW

34. Wednesday – ‘Rat Saw God’

This year saw Wednesday become the hottest band in the indie-rock underground, and for good reason. ‘Rat Saw God’ was an album on which they solidified their potential, making a truly great collection that could only be theirs. They combined dirtbag country with slacker rock and crushing shoegaze, and told stories of suburban Americana that were both desperately sad and darkly funny. It was gnarly, scuzzy and full of heart. MH

33. Laufey – ‘Bewitched’

Laufey pulled off a subtle conjuring trick on her sumptuously detailed second album. The record’s songs, which elevated her modern jazz sound with elements of pop and bossa nova, all felt effortless despite being so tightly constructed – it made for a triumph of introspection and restraint. If 2022’s ‘Everything I Know About Love’ was the introduction to this prodigious talent, ‘Bewitched’ offered proof that she’s arrived. SW

32. The National – ‘Laugh Track’

2023 was a creative rebirth for a band stuck in a rut. Despite meeting bigger audiences during the pandemic through their work with Taylor Swift, frontman Matt Berninger told NME that The National were struggling to connect with each other amidst his writer’s block. They released two albums, the sensitive ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’ to break the ice, and then September’s ‘Laugh Track’, a gnarlier, brighter companion record that was rapidly completed once their mojo had been reignited. Had they combined the two collections, their placing may have been much, much higher. TS

31. Kaytraminé – ‘Kaytraminé’

In a sweaty summer dripping with seasonal bops, no one brought the heat quite like producer-rapper duo Aminé and Kaytranada. From Pharrell-assisted dance banger ‘4EVA’ to the smooth, lazy river vibes of R&B chillaxer ‘Rebuke’, there was no better album to crack open a cold one to or, if you were feeling more energetic, soundtrack a sticky night out in the clubs. AF

30. Le Sserafim – ‘Unforgiven’

For a group whose name unscrambles to form the phrase “I’m Fearless”, K-pop rookies Le Sserafim certainly put their money where their mouth is on this ambitious debut. ‘Flash Forward’ nailed sugary pop as readily as ‘Impurities’ did glacial R&B, while the touching ballad ‘FEARNOT’ found strength in shades of twinkling emo-rock. It was the triple threat of ‘UNFORGIVEN’, ‘ANTIFRAGILE’ and ‘Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s Wife’ which really coined their signature style though – rebellious, bassy anthems that put the empowerment in the party. JW

29. PinkPantheress – ‘Heaven Knows’

Who else would reinterpret Shakespeare’s King Lear on a pop record in 2023? Her commitment to her vision is impressive and pays dividends on debut ‘Heaven Knows’. The ability to write hooks goes unmatched – see the insanely catchy ‘Nice To Meet You’ – and there’s plenty of sonic experimentation that challenges the PinkPantheress sound whilst extending it into exciting new territory. The Grammys ought to be kicking themselves for snubbing this star. AR

28. Water From Your Eyes – ‘Everyone’s Crushed’

Has there been a more joyful success story this year than that of Water From Your Eyes? The duo released four albums before they hit their breakthrough moment with ‘Everyone’s Crushed’: a record of invigorating pop songs, given greater heft thanks to a much-talked about festival run over the summer. Here, they made music to reflect their own core idiosyncrasies, and were embraced with open arms by a whole new audience. SW

27. Killer Mike – ‘Michael’

Race, inequality and masculinity: Killer Mike tackled it all on this sprawling opus. Yet the Run The Jewels rapper’s first solo record in over a decade was also an intimate affair (the clue’s in the title!), as Michael Render shared his honest, unvarnished worldview. Hooky, heart-breaking and, sometimes, humorous too. JB

26. Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist – ‘Voir Dire’

‘Voir Dire’ had a curious beginning. Producer The Alchemist claimed in 2021 that the pair had released a ‘secret’ album on YouTube under an undiscovered pseudonym. Cryptic clues eventually led to this, a sharp fusion of both of their finest skills when it was formally released in August 2023: ‘Vin Skully’ and ‘Heat Check’ were delightfully slinky and flashy. TS

25. Loraine James – ‘Gentle Confrontation’

Listening to Loraine James is an act of reverence, and ‘Gentle Confrontation’ is astonishing in its ability to capture compassion. It was equal parts lush, layered, and fragmented, but hearing James interpret vulnerability in so many creative ways – from incorporating personal genre influences to the voices of her family – made for an exciting, tender listen from the underground club scene. AR

24. Yaeji – ‘With A Hammer’

Yaeji’s long-awaited debut album found the Korean-American artist at her most ambitious. While ‘With A Hammer’ was undoubtedly fuelled by rage, the record’s sonic contrasts – veering between electronic frenzies and moments of calm – proved there are many different ways to channel such emotions. BJ

23. Lana Del Rey – ‘Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd’

‘…Ocean Blvd’, which starred Father John Misty and Tommy Genesis, might have been Lana Del Rey’s most collaborative album to date but it also felt like her most personal. Over 16 tracks that flew through hushed experimentalism, intricate folk and arresting instrumentals, she explored the idea of family – the one we were born into, might conceive in the future, or might find in a partner. A record of great depth, it further confirmed Del Rey’s position as a master of her craft. RD

22. Blondshell – ‘Blondshell’

Blondshell’s self-titled album distilled her most personal and intense emotions into a triumphant alt-rock smasher. From the sensual rawness seen on ‘Kiss City’ (“Just look me in the eye when I’m about to finish / I think my kink is when you tell me that you think I’m pretty”) to the fierce ‘Salad’ (“Look what you did, you made a killer of a pacifist”), each song spotlighted a special rising talent. AD

21. Sleep Token – ‘Take Me Back To Eden’

After finding their footing over recent years, on ‘Take Me Back To Eden’ Sleep Token established themselves as arguably the most important metal band of 2023. On paper, the album’s genre-defying, experimental approach could have been contrived, yet with tracks like ‘The Summoning’ and ‘Granite’, the end result was one refined enough to establish the band as arena headliners and a breath of fresh air for today’s rock scene. LD

20. Jessie Ware – ‘That! Feels Good’

“I think I finally know the artist I’m meant to be now,” Jessie Ware told NME ahead of the release of her ‘70s disco-inspired fifth album. Across 10 shimmering tracks, the singer embraced her sensuality and indulged in excess, oozing with a new-found artistic confidence that just felt so damn good. She said it best herself on the slinky, seductive title track: “Pleasure is a right.” HM

19. Militarie Gun – ‘Life Under The Gun’

On their debut full-length, Militarie Gun’s approach to hardcore reflected the genre’s mainstream boom. As frontman Ian Shelton spat and snarled his way through these tracks, the band behind him was playing big, hooky, polished rock that looked more towards the airwaves than the basement. It played not as a cash grab, but as an attempt to write a timeless, undeniable record unbeholden to punk snobbery. Mission accomplished. MH

18. Genesis Owusu – ‘Struggler’

On Genesis Owusu’s second album, his star was glowing ever brighter. A concept album centering around a character called The Roach, Owusu’s output was an assured thrill, weaving rippling basslines, bursts of disco and funky riffs into a vibrant patchwork. In both its story and sound, ‘Struggler’ was brimming with bright ideas. EW

17. Yves Tumor – ‘Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)’

Yves Tumor’s transformation into a glam rock star became complete this year on their fifth album. It swung for the fences with unashamedly huge melodies, but managed to not sacrifice their inherent urge for experimentation. ‘Meteora Blues’ had huge ‘90s alt-rock guitars, but ‘In Spite Of War’ lent itself closer to 21st century indie. It’s almost no surprise, then, to learn that Tumor’s birth surname is Bowie – they both appear to have the same iconic look and restless nature. WR

16. Foo Fighters – ‘But Here We Are’

Given that Foo Fighters’ origins were born out of Dave Grohl’s grief for Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, it added another bleak layer to the tragic death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in March 2022. ‘But Here We Are’, their first album since his passing, exceeded expectations: from the serene ‘Show Me How’, a gorgeous duet with Grohl’s daughter Violet, to the emotionally vulnerable ‘Hearing Voices’, the record brought fans closer to the band than ever before. LD

15. JPEGMafia and Danny Brown – ‘Scaring The Hoes’

US alt-rap titans JPEGMafia and Danny Brown teamed up in March for this explosive collaborative album which was a chaotic playground where both of their respective crafts were showcased, respected and pushed. Produced by JPEGMafia in its entirety, there was scarcely a dull moment. TS

14. 100 Gecs – ‘10,000 Gecs’

Emotional depth wasn’t the strength – or the point – of 100 Gecs’ second album, but if you bought into the hilarity of ska songs about sad frogs at parties and gruesome dental procedures, it was in the running for 2023’s wildest listening experience. It avoided novelty through the sheer excellence of its pop melodies; Laura Les and Dylan Brady were having a laugh, while remaining deadly serious about the quality. WR

13. Romy – ‘Mid Air’

After more than a decade as lead vocalist of The xx, Romy Madley Croft stepped out of the shadows and into the light with her euphoric debut album. Showcasing a new, vibrant side to her artistry, the 11-track record soared thanks to life-affirming pop-house bangers like ‘Enjoy Your Life’, ‘Strong’ and ‘Loveher’. BJ

12. Queens of The Stone Age – ‘In Times New Roman…’

A half-decade of turmoil (a messy and highly-publicised divorce from the Distillers’ Brody Dalle; a cancer diagnosis; the loss of friends including Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins and former bandmate Mark Lanegan), left Josh Homme ambivalent about making another record. Yet the veteran rocker found himself, as he put it to NME, “walking deeper into the darkness”. The result was QOTSA’s most bludgeoning sonic assault yet – and that’s saying something. JB

11. Sufjan Stevens – ‘Javelin’

Amidst a serious health episode, and the loss of his partner in April, Sufjan turned to “full singer-songwriter mode” for the first time since 2015’s ‘Carrie & Lowell’. A collection of intimate indie-folk, layered vocals and lush instrumental arrangements accompanied Stevens’ devastating lyrics: another triumph from the prolific cult hero. HM

10. Blur – ‘The Ballad of Darren’

When Britpop heroes Blur announced their reunion in late 2022, ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ was barely a kernel of an idea; Damon Albarn later credited the impending Wembley Stadium shows in the diary – initially booked to celebrate ‘Modern Life Is Rubbish’’s 30th anniversary – as creative momentum to get the whole band back in the studio. Following disparate recording sessions (2015’s ‘The Magic Whip’) and an absent Graham Coxon (2003’s ‘Think Tank’), ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ would prove their best album since the ‘90s, a reckoning of lost relationships and middle-aged malaise. TS

9. Mitski – ‘The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We’

Mitski writes about heartbreak like no one else, but on her last few albums she’s coated it in glossy synths and upside-down pop songs. Not here. Acoustic guitar, slide guitar and strings reigned on Mitski’s seventh album, giving it a mournful country feel. When the instrumentation was rich it was like she was building a whole universe, and when it was sparse, it was like devastating desolation. Mitski’s stunning voice was the centrepiece, smokey and plaintive as her melodies jerked in unexpected directions like on marionette strings. By now, there’s little denying that she’s one of the best songwriters of this generation. MH

8. Amaarae – ‘Fountain Baby’

A record that redefined the boundaries of alt-Afropop. Ghanaian-American Amaarae demonstrated her ability to craft a luxurious sound all the while steering the album with direct storytelling. Her second album drew from a myriad of global influences – including the awe-inspiring Arabic scales and the brash, rebellious nature of punk rock – and these diverse elements, paired with Amaarae’s signature syrupy register, made for a memorable experience. KSW

7. Sofia Kourtesis – ‘Madres’

The debut album from Peru-born, Berlin-based DJ and producer Sofia Kourtesis was dedicated to neurosurgeon Dr Peter Vajkoczy, who saved her mother’s life after a 2021 cancer diagnosis. “He really makes me brave and makes me take more risks,” Kourtesis told NME, and this gratitude and strength shone through on an album bursting with joy and healing. Kourtesis’ beats are filled with sunshine and jubilation: “Come on, let’s move forward,” she sang on highlight ‘Si Te Portas Bonito’, one of countless moments of emotional breakthrough on this special album. WR

6. Caroline Polachek – ‘Desire, I Want To Turn Into You’

The expansive ‘Desire, I Want To Turn Into You’ saw Caroline Polachek blast open her sonic world. Following on from ‘Pang’’s avant-pop, here the innovative artist fearlessly played with genre, instrumentation and arrangement. Throughout the record you heard Spanish guitar and bagpipes; trip-hop and UK garage; even Grimes and Dido, who appear on the same track. But despite the far-reaching sonics, on ‘Desire…’ she managed to mould these disparate sounds into something that’s distinctly unique. HM

5. Paramore – ‘This Is Why’

Bringing their love of British indie to the fore, ‘This Is Why’ saw US stalwarts Paramore hone in on the spiky, claustrophobic emotions of trying to be the best human, bandmate, lover and social advocate you can without losing yourself in the process. With a quirky pop-rock flourish, the danceable moments went hard (‘Running Out Of Time’, ‘C’est Comme Ça’), but so did the more intimate ones, with epic Pixies-on-piano closer ‘Thick Skull’ making thrilling use of the subtleties and strength of Hayley Williams’ vocals. With all three members clearly pulling in the same direction, the group’s collective future has never looked brighter. JW

4. Troye Sivan – ‘Something To Give Each Other’

Beneath the many, many moments of ecstasy on ‘Something To Give Each Other’ – the hot, dripping lust that defined ‘Honey’! The perfectly-timed Bag Raiders sample on ‘Got Me Started’! – there was also a deep sense of grace. Between a breakup and acclimating to his adopted home of Melbourne, Troye Sivan has had a tricky few years: he put it all into this career-best effort, which saw him abandon regret and hollow out any feelings of shame.

These songs cut to the core of why pop music can be a guiding light during heartache. The possibilities of desire and a brighter, sexier future intensified in tandem with the BPMs (‘Rush’, ‘Silly’); an act of assertion that cemented Sivan as a newly emergent icon. SW

3. Young Fathers – ‘Heavy Heavy’

With their fourth album ‘Heavy Heavy’, Scottish trio Young Fathers affirmed their creative power. It’s a record so joyously executed, so steeped in humanity and creativity, that putting your finger on why a single song or moment is so affecting feels fruitless. ‘I Saw’ is one of the year’s finest rock belters, both direct and explorative; ‘Rice’, meanwhile, touched on the plundering of Africa’s natural resources.

“It’s a mark of the band’s strong songwriting nous that such politicised lyrics are subtly imbued across a project that still manages to be equal parts anthemic and infectious,” NME’s five-star review swooned. Masterful work. TS

2. Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Guts’

No one does fun, unabashed theatre kid maximalism like Olivia Rodrigo. These 12 biting and often feverish songs were stuffed with admissions that others would find too embarrassing to share with a friend, let alone broadcast to a global audience of millions. “Every guy I like is gay!,” the 20-year-old cried on ‘Ballad Of A Homeschooled Girl’, her exaggerated matter-of-factness underscoring the album’s main takeaway: ‘Guts’ was born from fresh pain.

Here, Rodrigo often wondered if she’s ever going to figure life out now that she’s entered young adulthood. This outlook was wrought through adrenaline-pumping guitar passes and the occasional screamed vocal; she righteously chose to indulge in her own intensity, and celebrated herself for doing so. SW

1. Boygenius – ‘The Record’

Few bands dominated 2023 like Boygenius did. Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker might have been the focus of intense fandom before, but this year saw them reach new levels of cult worship, largely thanks to ‘The Record’, their long-awaited debut album.

Although the album covered the ground of relationships of many different forms, at its core it centred on the friendship between three of this generation’s most incisive songwriters – both lyrically and the performances captured on it. It took what might seem like mundane anecdotes about driving in the wrong direction with your mates and turned them into touching odes to connection and what it means to really be known by someone (‘Leonard Cohen’). It asked questions about how far friendship could go – even through satanism? – and found strength in getting vulnerable on one of many highlights, ‘Not Strong Enough’. That song might have positioned Boygenius as “always an angel, never a god”, but ‘The Record’ deservingly vaulted them much closer to musical deity status. RD

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