2023 was a year when music once again provided much-needed escape as the UK slumped even further into the abyss.
The cost of living crisis, greedy oil and energy companies, a worn-out infrastructure, strikes everywhere and the Tories’ continued mismanagement of the economy, left the feeling that Britain is truly broken.
Thank whichever false idol you worship then that it’s been a great year for music, even if the cost of attending gigs and buying records has, like everything else, soared.
This is my fifth year of doing this website. In 2019, the first year, I produced a list of my top 20 albums, (which you can read HERE), and in 2020 expanded that to a Top 30 (read that HERE).
2021 produced so much good music that I did a Top 40 (read it HERE), and that was the case again for 2022 (read it HERE).
Top 40 has a nice ring to it, so I’ve stuck with it again this year. Thanks to anyone who sent or recommended music for me to listen to – bands, labels, PR people or fellow music fans.
I try to listen to everything which sounds interesting a few times and give it a fair review. I also buy far, far more music than I should … but apologies if I didn’t get round to reviewing your record, or it’s not as high in this very personal list as you think it should be.
As was the case previously, any of the top dozen could have been No 1, so I’ve tried to rank albums by the ‘wow’ factor they had when I first heard them, and how often I’ve gone back to them over the course of the year.
I haven’t included EPs, mini-albums, compilations, live albums or reissues, and there’s a handful of artists who may have missed out purely because I didn’t get round to listening tho them.
There are plenty of other good albums I’d thoroughly recommend, which just missed out on a slot in my Top 40. Take a bow, and in no particular order … (deep breath) … Haest, Out Of Control, Frenzal Rhomb, Spiritual Cramp, Skinny Lister, Jim Bob, Skids, Headstone Horrors, Shit Present, Bad//Dreems, The Subways, Stanis, Wingmen, Dealing With Damage, Ruts DC, Lucius Malcolm, The Gaslight Anthem, The UndaClass, Public Image Limited, Grian Chatten, Parker, The Kingcrows, Suburban Toys, Split Dogs, Stomper 98, Heavy Lungs, The Woodsman, Suburban Toys, Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers, Saturday’s Heroes, Maverix, Dwarves, Animal Shithouse and, last but not least, Militarie Gun.
All the above are 7/10 albums or more, and well worth investing time in.
So without further ado, and in reverse order, here’s my Top 40 albums of 2023. Most are reviewed elsewhere on this website, so click away, and I hope you find something new and pleasing to your ears.
