I have no idea how John Peel narrowed songs down to a Festive 50 every year, he must have received 1000 times the number of songs I receive on a yearly basis. Maybe if I did a Singles of the Year 2023 blog again tomorrow or the next day, things would change slightly as I think of another song that needs to be included, as in the singles round-ups (links to all the round ups of the year at the foot of the blog) I must have listed between 400 and 500 songs this year, another bumper year for new music. Here goes…
50 – 25
50 The Bluebells – Anyone Could Be A Buzzcock
49 Jemma Freeman & the Cosmic Something – Huge
48 pMad – Fire
47 Grrrl Gang – Spunky
46 Drunk Gods – Lovesick
45 Mint Mind – Contemporary Jaguar
44 The Joshua Hotel – Queer Holiday
43 The Tenementals – Peat Bog Soldiers
42 The Soup Dragons – Love is Love
41 Kohla – Sweetest Love
40 Savage Cut – The Debt
39 Tuslaqueen – October
38 Dead Pony – MK Nothing
37 Gates of Light – Need You Now
36 Xan Tyler – You’re My Muse
35 Kirsten Adamson – My Fathers Songs
34 Pedalo – Better
33 The Claudettes – No Matter How Much
32 St Mungo – Goodbye
31 Bin Juice – Cookie Coma
30 The Kidney Flowers – Legs Running
29 Dream Wife – Love You More
28 The Filthy Tongues – Tricky Nicky
27 Diablofurs – Dream Skies
26 Nadine Shah – Topless Mother
25 – 11
25 Casual Worker – Flooding
24 bis – Shopping for Tattoos
23 Carla J Easton – One Week
22 The Countess of Fife – Trapped
The Countess of Fife “Trapped” Official Music Video from Nexus Digital Media Limited on Vimeo.
21 The Jesus Bolt – Essoldo in Lights
20 The Hedrons – Heartache
19 His Lordship – Buzzkill
18 The Laurettes – Witches
17 Sacred Noise – Home
16 Lloyds House – In Houses
15 Gutterblood – Gardyloo
14 Meryl Streek – If This is Life
13 Sister Madds – Room 601
12 Ruby Gaines – Holier Than Cows
11 Avocado Hearts – Everest
The Top Ten
10 Big Girls Blouse – I’m Scared of Men
A band you must see live in 2024 if you didn’t catch them this year. Songs like Everybody Nearly Dies All of the Time and this single need to be seen live to capture the full essence of the band. Onwards and upwards into 2024.
9 Bottle Rockets – Back Burn
I think I played this on repeat several times when I first heard it. Bottle Rockets them impressed live at Tenement Trail and have since picked up the accolade of SAMA’s Best Alternative/Rock band.
8 Quad 90 – Le Blank
A 12″ that has rarely been far from my turntable this year, the debut from Amelia Lirioni and Naomi Mackay is nothing short of stunning.
7 Tina Sandwich – Sick Girl
One of the first bands I saw live in 2023 in King Tuts, I will be experiencing their live show again at the same venue this January, headlining this time around. Their next single Joni will be coming out in January, and if the live version is anything to go by, it will be in the top 10 singles of 2024.
6 Keeley – Seeing Everything
2023 saw me finally catching the Keeley live experience and meeting the artist behind the songs of love and devotion to the cause of Inga Maria Hauser. I hope that was the first of many of these nights. Seeing Everything is just one highlight from Keeley’s releases of 2023.
5 Young Fathers – Rice
An earworm from the first listen, Rice is just one of many highlights from the stunning Heavy Heavy album, and seeing it live in Barrowland was a must see (and hear) moment of 2023.
4 The Bathers – Garlands
More about The Bathers Sirenesque in the albums of the year blog. This song was the first offering from the first Bathers release in 16 years and it had me hook, line and sinker from the off.
3 Brenda – Microscopic Babe
I could picked any of Brenda’s singles for this, there is nothing not to love about this band, from their glorious synth based three part harmonies, through to their live performances, verging on the chaotic at times. ‘Mon the Brendas!
2 Scorpio Leisure – Give Us Some Space
Give Us Some Space got a re-release on Ramrock Records. A song that everyone should get to hear, one of the freshest most hypnotic sounds of 2023. 2024 will see the release of the bands debut album on LNFG, and gigs already lined up with The Filthy Tongues.
1 Water Machine – Water Machine Pt 2
Band of the year at GQ towers, possibly the band I’ve witnessed live most often in 2023, and hope this continues into 2024 as the release of their debut album looms. Just remember, you can never have enough water…
Singles Round Ups 2023
September/October