12.31.23

The final post for this year and it’s the Best of Music 2023. We look to Billboard for all things music.

And we cannot forget Mic the Snare and his take on Best Music and Top Ten Albums of 2023.

Do we have our lists? Of course, we do!

New Blue Sun – Andre 3000

SOS – SZA

GUTS – Olivia Rodrigo

Pink Friday 2 – Nicki Minaj

Barbie The Album

Heaven – Cleo Sol

I would add Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) to our list, but I’m not going to. I’ve listened to this album back when it first came out in October 27, 2014. Just as this version was released in October 27, 2023.

Back then, I was a hardcore Swiftie and I eagerly awaited 1989 at the time when Taylor went from country to fully pop and never looked back. Once the album was in my hands, I played and replayed it until I couldn’t get a tune out of it. The sound of synth-pop was all over the place and that was a good thing. Swift and her frequent collaborator, Jack Antonoff put together a blueprint of what I called the Taylor formula. So how does this version compare to the original?

Well, the vocals are a bit clearer, punchier. Swift has matured in her singing, especially the added vault tracks. We hear more of her mature sound in “Slut” and “Now We Don’t Talk”.

So, did I enjoy this version of 1989? Yeah, I did, but I don’t think of it as the best album of 2023. I have since grown out of my Swiftie obsession and matured into more interesting artists who have a bigger songwriting pallet, but I would say that Swift is maturing in her music and songwriting. I know we will get Reputation (Taylor’s Verson) soon.

With that, we say goodbye to 2023 and get ourselves ready for 2024. Thank you to all of you who have enjoyed our creative content and we got so much more in store!

Featured and other images: Pexel & Koimoi