Though The Bias List is first and foremost a K-pop review blog, each month I spotlight a handful of “global pop” tracks that have been on my playlist. This culminates in a countdown of my favorite forty tracks of 2023.
This year, I’m doing things a little differently. Rather than focus solely on singles, I’ve decided to expand eligibility to any song released within the year. Because of this, I’ve also decided to limit each artist to a maximum of three songs on the countdown. Otherwise, a few albums would certainly dominate.
Read on for the the second half of this year’s countdown: songs number twenty to one!
20. Alok & Ava Max – Car Keys (Ayla)
A trance-powered workout that catches both artists at their catchy best.
19. Jake Shears – Devil Came Down the Dance Floor (ft. Amber Martin)
A disco throwdown of the highest order. All hail Amber Martin on that mighty second verse!
18. Dua Lipa – Dance The Night
Probably the biggest grower of the year, and another ironclad hit for Dua.
17. Sigala – Feels This Good (ft. Mae Muller, Caity Baser & Stefflon Don)
Life-affirming dance music is Sigala’s schtick, and this effusive chorus certainly gets the job done.
16. Slayyyter – Miss Belladonna
Gaga-esque theatricality meets a generous supply of power notes in this ravishing pop track.
15. Troye Sivan – Got Me Started
This is how you do subdued pop music. Find a sticky groove and luxuriate in it.
14. Kylie Minogue – Things We Do For Love
Power dance pop honed to perfection by an icon of the genre. It drips with singalong melody.
13. Tyla – Been Thinking
The year’s most addictive groove, and one that only grows more entrancing as we reach the breathless climax.
12. Kylie Minogue – Hold On To Now
The latest in a line of euphoric, emotional pop highlights, Hold On To Now is Kylie in peak form.
11. Darin – Satellit
Punchy and to the point, with a great vocal and chugging tempo.
10. Theoz – Mer Av Dig
This is just a ball of bounding sunshine. It’s an instant mood lifter, and one of the catchiest tracks all year.
9. The Scarlet Opera – I’ve Been Waiting For You
I love nothing more than an dynamite blast of dramatic pomp rock. This song absolutely soars.
8. Loreen – Tattoo
A mammoth sound from an artist who made a very welcome return this year. The passion in the vocal is goosebump-inducing.
7. Gunship – Weaponised Love
One of the most accessible tracks on the excellent Gunship album, Weaponised Love is 80’s sleaze pop with bite. Think INXS, but more electronic.
6. Jake Shears – I Used To Be In Love
That swirling strings loop! Years into pop music’s disco revival, the genre continues to scale new heights. This is everything I love from Jake.
5. Slayyyter – Out Of Time
My favorite track from an incredible album, Out Of Time is a perfect electro dance thumper with memorable storytelling and a bravura crescendo.
4. Neea River – All The Way
Neea River has been one of my favorite discoveries this year, and All The Way encapsulates why her music is so phenomenal. Synthwave meets powerful, emotive vocals and cathartic peaks of singalong melody.
3. Rêve – Contemporary Love
I mean, this is just a perfect pop song, right? The multi-pronged chorus is so satisfying and the chugging electro-disco beat carries the torch from Dua’s Future Nostalgia era.
2. Chappell Roan – Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl
Boasting the year’s biggest chorus, Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl slaps you around in the best possible way. It’s a shout-from-the-rafters classic.
1. Benjamin – Hoida Mut
Hoida Mut was unveiled within the first weeks of 2023 and never left my top spot. The melodies and production are absolute perfection, tied together by Benjamin’s charismatic performance.