After several years listening almost exclusively to K-pop, I’m in a fun space where my playlist is open to any music from any country. This brings added focus to global pop, which I feature on the blog each month.
And now that global pop has its own year-end countdown on the blog, I thought I’d do a quick mid-year round-up as well!
What were your favorite singles and albums during the first half of 2023?
TOP SINGLES
Alok & Ava Max – Car Keys (Ayla)
This has only been out for a few days but it already owns my heart. Ava’s album is fantastic (more on that below), but I think this may be even better. What can I say? I’m a massive fan of trance music.
Bebe Rexha – Satellite (ft. Snoop Dogg)
This has ‘song of summer 2023’ written all over it. It’s so much fun.
Benjamin – Hoida Mut
My most-played pop song of the year so far, and deservedly so. It’s pretty much perfect.
Calvin Harris – Miracle (ft. Ellie Goulding)
Trance music again! I’ll keep my fingers crossed, but it seems we may actually be in for a trance revival, and Miracle‘s European success adds fuel to that fire.
Dagny – Same Again (For Love)
My favorite Dagny song yet. I’m a sucker for classic pop melodies, and Same Again feels absolutely timeless in sound and execution.
Jake Shears – I Used To Be In Love
It’s all about that massive strings sample during the chorus. It’s a disco inferno — every bit as cheesy and delightful as that term suggests.
Loreen – Tattoo
A deserved Eurovision winner, bringing widescreen, megawatt pop drama back into vogue.
Neea River – All The Way
Finland’s been on fire this year, embracing driving synthwave elements and fusing them to epic pop tracks like this one.
Portion Boys – Samaa taivasta katsotaan
Speaking of Finland, I’m smitten with how big and bombastic they’re willing to go with their pop music. This is pure 80’s schlock rock with pomp and circumstance to spare
Slayyyter – Out Of Time
Slayyyter’s music gets a propulsive makeover with this tease of her upcoming album. This is my favorite kind of pop beat.
Tyla – Been Thinking
An intoxicating groove that grows more robust and addictive as it goes. Tyla is one to watch this year!
The Weeknd – Popular (ft. Madonna & Playboi Carti)
I didn’t watch The Idol (nor do I care to), but I’m happy for its existence if only for this song. The early-00’s hip-hop beat is so nostalgic.
TOP ALBUMS
Ava Max – Diamonds & Dancefloors
I’ve seen way too many people trying to filter Ava Max through some weird critical lens. It’s much simpler than that. She delivers well-crafted, catchy dancefloor bangers — and this album features one after another.
Bebe Rexha – Bebe
This is way stronger than it has any right to be. Bebe Rexha wasn’t on my radar before this year, but she’s found her voice with this delightful blend of dance, disco and country.
Ellie Goulding – Higher Than Heaven
An ethereal collection of slick synthpop and dance music. This is one of the year’s most consistent albums.
Jake Shears – Last Man Dancing
This is my favorite pop album of 2023 so far. I love how it’s divided in half — the first section delivering six perfect pop tracks and the second segueing into a weird, twisted suite of nonstop dance music.
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
speaking of the idol, that show is an absolute NO for me. its misogynistic, downright glorifies rape, and the weeknd is a shitty actor. also that final plot twist is the worst
“fuckin stretch that tiny little pussy” – an actual quote from the show
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I never cared to watch The Idol whatsoever because of these issues but damn, the show had some really nice songs (“Popular” being one of them, of course).
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Diamonds and Dancefloors is my overall favorite album of the year so far. Kim Petras’ Feed The Beast is decent, but her scrapped debut album was miles, miles better. I’m hoping those songs get sold to aespa or some k-pop girl group because they’re bangers.
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Ava Max’s album really is amazing. Sleepwalker is my SOTY so far. Gotta give you props for shining a light on Benjamin. Pretty much can’t miss at this point. Have also really enjoyed Jonas Brothers Waffle House, Ultraboss Like a Man Who’s In Love, and Olivia Rodrigo vampire.
There are some other good songs from The Idol, particularly Suzanna Son’s haunting track called Family. The discourse over that show has gotten a little off the rails imo. It’s weird but nothing too surprising if you have seen some HBO shows over the last 20 years.
Special shout-out to the boomers in Metallica for making a pretty killer album for my workouts, too.
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Vampire is so good too! I’ m not on board with all the raving about the supposedly deep lyrics though.
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The pattern here is interesting: singers I don’ t care for releasing songs that I love on first listen (because I had not heard most of these songs before reading this post). In general, it looks like we are fully returning to dancepop and I am here for it. Goodbye mellow mumbling and sorrowful subduedness!
Diamonds and Dancefloors is unbelievably good – I never saw it coming because I downright dislike some of her previous songs.
Bebe Rexha is another one of those singers who I decided I don’ t like based on previous material, but this album could change my mind.
Same story for Ellie Goulding, although I feel like her album is much more typical of her sound (which I’m not a fan of).
Jake Shears is new to me, but I’ ll have to go check out that album because I love what I’ m hearing so far.
All this dancey goodness comes an interesting time for me – my music taste has recently mellowed out a little and regressed at the same time. I am revisiting One Direction and Taylor Swift and, this time around, I’ m enjoying the relatively more mellow songs that I never appreciated as a tween.
My current favourite album is The Show by Niall Horan and I’ m very excited for the release of Speak Now (Taylor’ s Version) this weekend.
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It’s funny you love “Car Keys” because the verse and somehow the general melody are very similar to Seventeen’s “SUPER”
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I’d say Loreen was a deserved Eurovision winner, but Cha Cha Cha was right there. Still a great song though, deserved 2nd place 😉
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I have a lot less passion for this one. Western pop music hasn’t really been all that exciting but I’ll try.
Some of my favorite songs
Carly Rae Jepsen – Shy Boy; this lady has my whole heart and soul and everything she’s ever done is perfect.
Anderson Paak – Daydreaming and Where I Go
Niall Horan – Save My Life
Sam Smith – I’m Not Here To Make Friends
Ava Max – Million Dollar Baby
Some of my favorite albums
Big Time Rush – Another Life
Paramore – This Is Why
Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good!
Ellie Goulding – Higher Than Heaven
Ava Max – Diamonds & Dancefloors
Tyler The Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost
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honestly…..ive been incredibly lazy and havent checked out that many new albums this year LMFAOOO 😭 i will say however that 757 by 100 gecs is by far my fav song to come out this year. like yeah 100 gecs is. an acquired taste to say the least but if ur on their wavelength then ud know that theyre masters of experimental pop and taking years worth of pop history and throwing it in a blender…..idk how else to word this lmao
but yeah if u want an idea of my fav music some of my fav pop albums r food houses self titled album (HANDS FUCKING DOWN the best representation of being young queer and autistic in music form imo) worlds by porter robinson art angels/visions by grimes (changed my life at 15 years old…..before elon happened unfortunately) the 1991 ep from azealia banks (unfortunately) and jane removers frailty (not rlly a pop album in the traditional sense its more shoegazey but if u want ur mind to be blown go fucking listen to it RIGHT NOW)
anyways long autistic ramble over lol
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