Curious what notable personalities in the scene think was great this year? So is TGEFM! So we reached out to some of our favorite luminaries ranging from musicians, label personnel, and more for their “Best of 2023” lists. Now, listen: TGEFM is not a taskmistress. Contributors can write these out however they want. So if it doesn’t actually look or read like a list… and sometimes it really is just a list with no other observations! Who cares?
Nuremburg, Germany’s skate-punk act Melonball dropped the fantastic record Breathe earlier this year on Thousand Island Records. As part of our year-end roundup, we were joined by Batsi Voller to discuss their favorite singles and albums of the year.
Linktree
There are a gazillion absolutely awesome records that accompanied me in 2023. Some of them came out in 2023; others I (re-)discovered in 2023, and a few have been on my heavy rotation for many years. It took me quite some time to come up with a decent top 10 list, and I think I’ve updated the lists at least 20 times, but in the end, it still does not contain half as much great music as I’d love to share with you guys.
Every record or single represents a special personal moment in 2023, and I was lucky enough to share most of those moments with my best friends. Similar to the songs on my top 10 lists, some of those friends I met in 2023, with some of them, I re-connected; some of them have been on my heavy rotation for many years.
Nevertheless, here’s my personal approach to the top 10 records and the top 10 singles for 2023. Oh yeah, it’s in a completely random order since I love all the bands and musicians equally.
Top 10 album
Samiam – Stowaway
March – Get In
Clowns – ENDLESS
Antillectual – TOGETHER
The Dead Krazukies – From The Underworld
Two And A Half Girl – Evidence Of A Broken Mind (released in 2022)
John Coffey – FOUR
The Meffs – Broken Britain Pt. 2
Bad Religion – The Gray Race (released in 1996)
The Interrupters – In The Wild
Top 10 singles
DARKO – “What I Cannot Be”
Antillectual – “From City To City”
The Dirty Nil – “Celebration”
Dawner – “Unspoken Truth” (released in 2019)
Cigar – “In Armor” (released in 2022)
Clowns – “FORMALDEHYDE”
Social Distortion – “Dear Lover” (released in 1996)
Two And A Half Girl – “Fire” (released in 2022)
Ghost – “Dance Macabre” (released in 2018)
Victorious – “Dinos And Dragons” (released in 2022)
