Say goodbye to 2023 with these 30 songs

There is no doubt about it that Usher has won the year 2023, from his Las Vegas residency, to headlining festivals, to viral Internet moments, and to being announced as the next Super Bowl halftime performer — he's the king of the year. To top it all off, Usher returned with brand new music with his single "Good Good." Teaming up with Summer Walker and 21 Savage, the song details how romantic relationships may not always work out, but it's cool if the two parties can still mutually respect one another and be cordial. 

After massive success with her Planet Her album, Doja Cat returned with her fourth album Scarlet featuring the lead single "Paint the Town Red." With a sample of Dionne Warwick's 1964 track "Walk On By," Doja uses the song to call out people who've criticized her for changing up her appearance. 

Miley Cyrus encourages self-love on her 2023 anthem "Flowers." On the track, she highlights how relationships may not always last, but she doesn't need a relationship to fulfill her happiness as she can be happy all on her own. As she says on the hook, "I can buy myself flowers / Write my name in the sand / Talk to myself for hours / Say things you don't understand / I can take myself dancing / And I can hold my own hand / Yeah, I can love me better than you can."

Victoria Monét used her music video for "On My Mama" as an ode to Black culture. With a dance routine choreographed by Sean Bankhead, Monét pays homage to the South, Black fraternities and sororities, Internet memes, and shows inspiration from the likes of Ciara and Mya. The song itself is a self-confidence anthem that samples Chalie Boy's 2009 hit single "I Look Good." 

BTS member Jung Kook took the year to focus on a solo career with his debut album Golden. He teamed up with rapper Latto on the lead single "Seven," in which the two highlight being intimate with their partners on a daily basis. Naturally, the song shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 

In the spring of 2023, Luke Combs released a cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car." Just 35 years after the song's original release, Combs' version swiftly became a hit and charted higher than Chapman's version. At the 2023 Country Music Association Awards, "Fast Car" won for Song of the Year, making Chapman the first Black woman to win a CMA. 

Bad Bunny is arguably one of the hardest-working men in show business and he's showing no signs of slowing down. He returned with his latest album Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, which features the hit single "Monaco." With a smooth sample of Charles Aznavour's "Hier encore" mixed with his Latin trap sound, "Monaco" makes for an enticing track. It's no wonder it's one of the trending sounds on TikTok. 

In addition to a massive tour, Drake released his eighth album For All the Dogs. One of the tracks that quickly became a fan favorite was the J. Cole-assisted single, "First Person Shooter." Granted, Cole and Drake have collaborated a few times in the past, but this track became Cole's first song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Barbie became one of the most talked-about films of the year, and it had the soundtrack to match. One of the soundtrack standouts is the catchy Dua Lipa tune "Dance The Night." Blending elements of disco and psychedelic pop, Lipa encourages people to continue dancing even when life gets hard. 

Sometimes when artists form supergroups, magic happens. Such is the case for producer Kaytranada when he partnered with rapper Aminé as the newly formed duo Kaytraminé. The duo's first single "4EVA," which was co-produced by Pharrell Williams, beams with dance-heavy elements, making it an essential summer track.  

Tyla is ready to take a night of intimacy to another level on her hit song "Water." On the track, Tyla highlights how she's ready for lover to make her feel things that she's never felt before. As she says on the track, "Can you blow my mind? / Set off my whole body / If I give you my time / Can you snatch my soul from me?"

Just five years since his previous album, Troye Sivan returned with his third album Something to Give Each Other. On the lead single "Rush," Sivan reflects on how someone's presence and touch makes him excited in the moment. The upbeat production of "Rush" makes it a perfect dance record. 

Just two years after releasing her previous project, Jorja Smith returned with her sophomore album Falling or Flying. On the second single "Little Things," Smith describes running into a potential lover while out on the town and is curious if they can sneak away from everyone else. As she sings on the hook, "It's the little things that get me high / Won't you come with me and spend the night? / Just a little thing for you and I / And if it's meant to be, then that's alright."

After a five-year hiatus since her previous album Dirty Computer, Janelle Monáe returned with her fourth album The Age of Pleasure. On the lead single "Float," Monáe gives fans a boastful anthem on being grateful and feeling confident in themselves. As she says in the second verse, "I'm light as a feather, I'm light as a feather, yeah, baby, I float / It's hard to look at my resume, hoo, and not find a reason to toast." 

Country music fans were in for a real treat when Zach Bryan teamed up with Kacey Musgraves on his hit single "I Remember Everything." On the track, the two reflect how Bryan is drinking whiskey to ostensibly help ease his mind, but in reality, it's making him remember the ups and downs of a past relationship. 

Burna Boy continues to dominate the Afrobeats space and he returned with his seventh album I Told Them... The album's lead single "Sittin' on Top of the World" may sound familiar to '90s R&B lovers since it samples the Brandy single "Top of the World." On the track, Burna details how he's going to show his partner the finer things in life. 

Just two years after her massive debut album Sour, Olivia Rodrigo is ready to show her growth on her sophomore album GUTS. On the album's lead single "Vampire," Rodrigo describes a past lover who sucked the life out of her with his lies and infidelity. As she sings on the hook, "I used to think I was smart / But you made me look so naive / The way you sold me for parts / As you sunk your teeth into me." 

For any music fans who keep ranting the old tale of R&B being dead, they clearly aren't paying attention to Lucky Daye. His frequent collaborator D'Mile, as well as Bruno Mars co-wrote and co-produced Daye's latest single "That's You." On the track, Daye sings about having fame and fortune to get anything he wants, but he's missing one thing — the love of his life. 

Kali Uchis wants to spend blissful moments with a lover on her smooth single "Moonlight." Even when times are hard, Uchis knows that her lover can make her feel better with his presence and touch. As she says on the track, "Baby, it's been a hell of a day / But I know a place we can escape / Find out how it feels to let go of everything, be free / When you're here with me."

Megan Thee Stallion is embracing a new chapter professionally and personally, so it makes sense that her 2023 single is titled "Cobra" as the animal symbolizes strength and fearlessness. On the track, she details different bouts with depression and sadness, but the bottom line is that she continues to stay resilient and push forward. 

Myke Towers keeps things steamy and intimate with his hit single "LaLa." On the track, Towers is all about keeping things hot and sensual with his partner during their sexual encounters, to make sure they are both pleased. 

Although SZA released her sophomore album SOS in December 2022, it wasn't until the spring of 2023 that she dropped "Snooze" as a single. Co-produced and co-written by Babyface and Leon Thomas, "Snooze" finds SZA reflecting on having a ride-or-die type of partner by her side. 

Sometimes love can make people do some dumb things. That's somewhat the sentiment on Fifty Fifty's single "Cupid," in which they highlight being lonely and longing for love, but Cupid keeps letting them down. The song became a top-20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Just over a year since his previous album, rapper Gunna returned with his fourth album A Gift & a Curse. On the second single "fukumean," Gunna reflects on his wealthy and successful lifestyle in the most boastful ways. 

Whether it's a stage performance or a song, any collaboration between Ciara and Chris Brown brings magical moments. On their 2023 single "How We Roll," Ciara and Brown reflect on being attracted to their partners and the desires for being intimate with them. 

Pop singer Tate McRae is all about self-confidence and self-assurance on her single "Greedy." On the track, she reflects on a guy meeting her and wanting to know more about her, but McRae is very selective with how much she's presenting herself to others. "Greedy" topped a number of international charts and became a top-20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Since Nicki Minaj's collective of fans is known as the Barbz and a Barbie doll is just one of her alter egos, it was only right that the rapper had a song laced on the soundtrack of the film Barbie. Teaming up with rising rapper Ice Spice, her single "Barbie World" uses a sample of Aqua's 1997 hit single "Barbie Girl." Naturally, "Barbie World" references the many elements of being Barbie. As they say on the hook, "And I'm bad like the Barbie / I'm a doll, but I still wanna party / Pink 'Vette like I'm ready to bend / I'm a ten, so I pull in a Ken."

Sexyy Red took over radio airwaves and TikTok with her single "SkeeYee." She uses the term "SkeeYee" as more of a chant in the song as she details her looks with confidence, highlights moments of men making advances at her, and how much money she makes. 

While PinkPantheress first released the original "Boy's a Liar" single back in November 2022, in early 2023, she called on Ice Spice to collaborate on the remix. Throughout the track, the two highlight dealing with a man that simply doesn't treat them right. "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" quickly became a TikTok favorite and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

In March 2023, country singer Morgan Wallen released his third album One Thing at a Time. It was the album's third single "Last Night" that earned Wallen his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. On the track, Wallen describes a night of drinking and chatting with a former lover, who he then questions if they could ever rekindle their relationship.