The top 91 songs of 2023 represent the best of what has come out this year and what was played on WYEP, from new and upcoming, and from legendary to local. This was a big year for heritage acts releasing new music from The Rolling Stones, Depeche Mode, Lucinda Williams, U2, and the final new song from The Beatles.
The supergroup of boygenius (Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus) were nominated for multiple Grammys, and 2023 also marked the return of Black Pumas, Mitski, Brittany Howard, and Blur.
There were several new acts that made an immediate impression on us and listeners from the soul of Abraham Alexander and Oh He Dead, to the all-female London indie rock band, The Last Dinner Party.
This was also quite the year for quality new soul with top tracks from Durand Jones, Devon Gilfillian, Say She She, and Thee Sacred Souls making our list.
From heritage rock, Pittsburgh music, soul, indie rock and folk, and electro pop this year’s list shows off the discovery and diversity that you get daily, on the airwaves and streams of WYEP.
WYEP's Top 91 Songs of 2023
Rank | Artist | Song Title |
1 | boygenius | Not Strong Enough |
2 | Hozier | Eat Your Young |
3 | Black Pumas | More Than A Love Song |
4 | Devon Gilfillian | Love You Anyway |
5 | Lana Del Ray | Say Yes To Heaven |
6 | Manchester Orchestra | The Way |
7 | Jenny Lewis | Psychos |
8 | Oh He Dead | California |
9 | The Heavy Heavy | Go Down River |
10 | The National | Tropic Morning News |
11 | Brittany Howard | What Now |
12 | Durand Jones | See It Through |
13 | Wilco | Evicted |
14 | The Revivalists | Kid |
15 | Peter Gabriel | Road To Joy |
16 | Blur | The Narcissist |
17 | Abraham Alexander | Tears Run Dry |
18 | Allison Ponthier | Character Development |
19 | Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds | Council Skies |
20 | Bully | Days Move Slow |
21 | Depeche Mode | Ghosts Again |
22 | Sarah Jarosz | Jealous Moon |
23 | Middle Kids | Highlands |
24 | The Beatles | Now and Then |
25 | Dave Matthews Band | Break Free |
26 | Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit | When We Were Close |
27 | Jamila Woods | Tiny Garden |
28 | City and Colour | Underground |
29 | Mitski | Bug Like An Angel |
30 | The Last Dinner Party | Nothing Matters |
31 | Animal Scream | Cannibals |
32 | Josh Ritter | For Your Soul |
33 | Phoenix | After Midnight |
34 | Sunny War | No Reason |
35 | The Record Company | Talk To Me |
36 | Tyler Childers | In Your Love |
37 | Obongjayar | Just Cool |
38 | Local Natives | NYE |
39 | Say She She | Trouble |
40 | Lucinda Williams | Rock N Roll Heart |
41 | Gov't Mule | Dreaming Out Loud |
42 | The Rolling Stones | Sweet Sound Of Heaven |
43 | MGMT | Mother Nature |
44 | Benji. | Terms and Conditions |
45 | Briston Maroney | Body |
46 | Ratboys | Morning Zoo |
47 | Declan McKenna | Sympathy |
48 | Allison Russell | Stay Right Here |
49 | Genesis Owusu | Tied Up! |
50 | The Beths | Watching The Credits |
51 | Deer Tick | Forgiving Ties |
52 | Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors | Find Your People |
53 | Chris Stapleton | White Horse |
54 | Thundercat & Tame Impala | No More Lies |
55 | Briscoe | The Well |
56 | Stephen Sanchez | Be More |
57 | Geese | I See Myself |
58 | Joy Oladokun | We're All Gonna Die |
59 | Yves Tumor | Echolalia |
60 | Low Cut Connie | Are You Gonna Run? |
61 | Beck | Thinking About You |
62 | ALO | Hot Damn |
63 | Danielle Ponder | Roll The Credits |
64 | Everything But The Girl | Nothing Left To Lose |
65 | Rodrigo Y Gabriela | Descending To Nowhere |
66 | Metric | Just The Once |
67 | Thee Sacred Souls | Love Is The Way |
68 | Caroline Polachek | Sunset |
69 | The Japanese House | Sunshine Baby |
70 | Sufjan Stevens | Will Anybody Ever Love Me? |
71 | Bleachers | Modern Girl |
72 | Fruit Bats | Rushin' River Valley |
73 | U2 | Atomic City |
74 | Inhaler | Just To Keep You Satisfied |
75 | Bahamas | I'm Still |
76 | The Arcs | Eyez |
77 | Margaret Glaspy | Act Natural |
78 | Chet Vincent and the Music Industry | Guerilla Love |
79 | Feist | Borrow Trouble |
80 | Michael Franti & Spearhead | Big Big Love |
81 | The 1975 | Oh Caroline |
82 | Bakar | Alive! |
83 | Sports Team | The Drop |
84 | LoRen | Pardon Me |
85 | Weyes Blood | Children Of The Empire |
86 | Ruen Brothers | Hi-Yo |
87 | Kahone Concept | I Like You But Don't Talk |
88 | The Tallest Man on Earth | Looking For Love |
89 | Emily Kinney | B or C for Effort |
90 | Jess Williamson | Hunter |
91 | Ames Harding & The Mirage | Rain Won't Fall |