My (Unofficial) Spotify Wrapped
10 Artists who defined my music tastes in 2023
Every year, I always look forward to Spotify Wrapped. For those of you unitiated, Spotify Wrapped is the culmination of your listening habits using the music app, providing your top genres, songs and artists. Sometimes, it can be quite surprising to find what crops up, as it is very possible that if you listen to an act quite a lot early on in the year and less later on, they can still appear. Therefore, whilst I do appreciate the data tracking Spotify undertakes to provide us with our year in music, I do believe the system can be quite basic and not in depth. As a result, I have done my own (unofficial) version of Wrapped, involving a bunch of music acts who held an important part in my life during 2023.
Part 1 — Rap & Grime
Nas
I thought I would start off with my top artist for the past 2 years, Nas. The New York-based MC has been in heavy rotation since I decided to first listen to Illmatic back in 2020. I probably chose the best time to get into Nas, as his last 3–4 years has seen a second/arguable third prime for Queens’ top rap artist. His continued work with Hitboy on the King’s Disease and Magic series, releasing 6 albums in 3 years, is an amazing feat, especially considering the consistency shown across these projects. My dream is to one day see Nas perform before he retires, and hopefully he continues to release new work, even following the conclusion of his collaboration streak with Hitboy.
Top Listening Month — September
Top Song — I Love This Feeling
Travis Scott
My second top artist was Travis Scott, and it is easy to see why. Similar to Nas and Don Toliver below, he features heavily on a number of my playlists. Happy, Workout, Top Songs — the number of tracks in particular is an egregious amount of Scott’s back catalogue. This was expanded upon this year, with the Houston native’s latest album, one of my records of 2023. I feel like Travis Scott is just one of those rappers who continues to expand their sound and I can see him being a heavy favourite for top artist going into 2024.
Top Listening Month — August
Top Song — Til Further Notice
Don Toliver
5 years following his now infamous introduction to the world stage on Travis Scott’s Astroworld, Don Toliver has continued to solidify himself as one of the best vocalists in the Hip Hop arena. Featuring on a number of other records, such as Metro Boomin’s various works, and dropping his third studio album Lovesick, the Cactus Jack label member has truly found his own lane and is pushing superstar status. I have to admit, this is the year I truly became obsessed with the 29 year old’s back catalogue, and I was not surprised to see him claim Top 3 in my yearly artists and top song. (I think he may have released my top deluxe album ever).
Top listening month — March
Top Song — Embarassed
Griselda (Westside Gunn)
Griselda are currently in a weird pocket of Hip-Hop. They are well known and well respected in the rap community, but would not be considered a household name or even in top rap group conversations. However, I believe they could very well be one of the finest groups in the 2020s. They satisfy both modern and retro hip-hop fans, with solid flows and good storytelling mixed with soulful sampling popularised by Kanye from one of the top producers currently in the industry, Conductor Williams. The way the 3 main acts fit perfectly together reminds me of the Migos, but I think the breakout artist would be Westside Gunn, who is conveniently my personal favourite. Whilst I was disappointed with his recent release, it is clear all 3 key members will only grow in 2024, both in terms of popularity and on my top artist list.
Top Listening Month — November
Top Song — Le Djoliba (Westside Gunn)
Skepta
Moving back across the pond, my final rap artist representing my burgeoning adoration for the UK Grime scene is Skepta. He may not be the artist I listen to most, but he is my entrance into that genre, and therefore is important in my top artists of the year list. It is crazy how he is also now making waves in the US, through collaborations with Drake, A$ap Rocky and Kid Cudi. Many consider Skepta to be the pioneer of popularising Grime into chart-worthy music, and it is easy to understand why. Even if the Tottenham MC’s work has started to deteriorate, he will still be always in rotation with me.
Top Listening Month — July
Top Song — Bullet from a Gun
Part 2 — Rock ‘n’ Roll
Superheaven
Maybe as the year has gone on, and the nights have got darker, my taste in rock has, too. I wish Superheaven had been introduced to me sooner, and also not through the blowing up of Youngest Daughter on Tiktok, but I am glad I was informed of the band. It saddens me that they are no longer releasing new music, as I do believe their two records in the 2010s are some of my favourite of the 21st century rock landscape. All I can do is appreciate the tracks previously released and see if I can find similar bands in the Shoegaze-style genre.
Top Listening Month — October
Top Song — In On It
Linkin Park
It is crazy to think I never tried out Linkin Park earlier. My first exposure to the band was, like many other Gen Z children, through the Transformers Movies. Although, I had heard other hits like Faint and No More Sorrow of my own volition, and only really decided to try them out when I saw a live concert rerun on TV during my post-camp America trip to Green Bay, Wisconsin. Listening to the band now is truly a saddening experience, following the loss of Chester Bennington. I am glad his legacy lives on through his life’s work, and I do think I will have to explore more of their early releases soon to find some further gems.
Top Listening Month — January
Top Song — Somewhere I Belong
Eagles
In a slightly stranger selection in my wide pantheon of listening pockets are Eagles. Maybe it was missing those American summers, but the classic southern rock group really were special during their small stint together. I think if I had started listening to them last winter, they would have for sure made my top 5 artists. For now, we can safely assume that as my southern rock playlist grows, two things are certain — I will miss Michigan even more, and more Eagles tracks will make their way onto my headphones.
Top Month — May
Top Song — Witchy Woman
Part 3 — Indie/Alternative
Mac Demarco
He may have been a top 5 artist last year, but Mac Demarco slipped down in my rankings this year. It may have something to do with the fact that last year I was heartbroken and needed his music to make myself feel better? (it most certainly did not, but it sure sounds pretty.) The release of the surprising One Wayne G, which was an album over 7 hours long, was truly a great day, until I realised that the majority of the project was instrumental-only. I was happy to gleam the little songs involving vocals and add them to my own Mac Demarco greatest hits playlist, and there were some all-timers on here. Who knows what love waits for me this year, but I know whatever is, Mac will be included, either in a burgeoning romance or a heartbreaking moment.
Top Month — February
Top Song — I Like Her
Vacations
My final choice of this list is the Australian band Vacations, who are in a similar niche as Liverpool-based bands The Night Cafe and Spinn, so much so that I have them on a personal favourite playlist of mine. Vacations do pip the other two acts this year though, as to me they have a more varied sound across their two full length projects. Another Tiktok find, I first listened to them whilst travelling Mexico, and since then have been intoxicated with the twangly guitars and optimism displayed by the band. They are as quintessentially summer to me as the smell of fresh washing or a cold drink in the sunshine, and I cannot wait for their new album early next year to soundtrack Summer 2024
Top Listening Month — April
Top Song — Next Exit
