More Favorite Songs of 2023

    I recently listed my Top 10 Favorite Songs of 2023. Just for clarification let me explain that those songs all had to meet the eligibility for that list by reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 during 2023. I happen to be one of those people that believes that "It's not a hit until it's a hit on Billboard". Just in case you don't know, in order to reach the top of the Billboard HOT 100, a song must get the most sales, streams and radio airplay for any given week.

There were lots of other songs that I loved in 2023 that failed to make the top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart. Here's a list of some of my other favorites in 2023. One thing that I can say about all of these songs is that it's a shame it didn't get more sales and airplay to do better on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart.

In the ideal world, great songs from Country, Pop, Dance and R and B would all find their way to the upper positions of the Billboard HOT 100.

If You Go Down (I'm Goin Down Too) - Kelsea Ballerini: Just listening to this song is a lot of fun, but Kelsea took us a step further and delivered the visuals to elevate this to best of the year status! The official video is comedic, campy fun and entertainment perfection. But her performance of the song on the CMT Video Music Awards was a grand slam hitting it out of the park. The joyful exuberance of seeing so many of our favorite drag performers on stage with her was the cherry on the top of this fantastic song.         

In Your Love - Tyler Childers: This is genuinely the most truly heartfelt and wonderful love song ever. But the fact that this love is conveyed with a music video showing two men who find each other, share their love for each other and heartbreaking lose each other makes it a cinematic work of art worthy of awards.         

Dancing In The Country - Tyler Hubbard: First and foremost, a favorite song of the year has to be catchy with a great beat that makes me want to dance and sing along with it. From the first time I heard this to the millionth time I simply had fun and enjoyed it. It has a really fun and entertaining video as well.      

I'm Not Here To Make Friends - Sam Smith: Starting out the year with a #1 hit (Unholy) didn't necessarily mean that the follow up singles were going to get support. This one is preferred to have been the big hit, but the fickle fans didn't agree with me.        

Same Here - Brad Paisley: When country music gets it right it's able to tell stories that bring diverse people together. This is a beautiful song that illustrates how we fundamentally have so much in common with the people of Ukraine as they fight for their country. This song not only gets it right - it exemplifies country music at its best.      

Lottery - Latto: Talk about a pop anthem that checks all the boxes! This one has it all. A great beat. Fun lyrics. Catchy hook. It is absolutely mind boggling how it went overlooked on the charts this year! I am very happy that I found it and at least had it in heavy rotation on my own playlist.      

Tell Me Ray - Jon Wayne Hatfield: With a song this great it's shocking to believe that this American Idol contestant didn't even make the Top 20! But the love and support he has for his grandpa, Ray, comes through so beautifully in every word. For this reason alone, he will always be a winner.      

Waffle House - Jonas Brothers: This boy-band of brothers do a great job not just serving up the fun pop jams, but also serving them up with a little unexpected twist that keeps them from being basic cookie cutter, run of the mill songs. After enjoying this song I have never wanted to have a deep conversation at a Waffle House this much!       

Rock and a Hard Place - Bailey Zimmerman: This new guy comes along with this great song that is all over the place. That's it. It's a good song.       

Thank God - Kane Brown: Despite his ever-growing catalog of great music, Kane remains one of the most underrated artists out there. When he should be getting nominations and winning CMA's, ACM's and Grammy's he remains completely over-looked. But at least this song, with his wife as his duet partner, took home the (fan voted) 2023 CMT Award for Video of the Year.     

Top 10 Songs of 2022

 The Top 10 songs of 2022!!

2022 has been a great year for fun pop songs getting into the upper portion of the Billboard HOT 100 Singles chart. Here's my Top 10 favorite songs of the year:

About Damn Time - Lizzo

The world is so lucky to have a genuinely dynamic and interesting artist like Lizzo giving her voice and personality to such fun, catchy and great music. She is truly a breath of fresh air in the toxic environment of social media attention seekers. It's About Damn Time that she gets the recognition, accolades and awards she deserves.      

Late Night Talking - Harry Styles

From the moment the beat kicks in you are transported to the disco ball illuminated roller rink to thoroughly enjoy this slice of artfully crafted pop music perfection.    

Shivers - Ed Sheeran 

Ed's follow up single to last year's Bad Habits proved that he means business when it comes to being more than just a sweet and nice balladeer. Shivers kept us dancing tapping our toes all the way into the new year.        

I Like You - Post Malone and Doja Cat

While it's been a couple of years since Post Malone delivered an across the board pop smash, Doja Cat has been on a hot streak for three years in a row now. The two of them together guaranteed a sure fire across the board crowd pleaser.           

Big Energy (REMIX) - Latto and Mariah Carey

Tom Tom Club's Genius of Love has to be the most well-liked song for sampling in history. Already a huge #1 hit used in Fantasy by Mariah Carey in 1995 it came back again this year and Latto was very smart to invite Mariah back for the ride. The song was stalling on the charts until the remix breathed new life into it and suddenly it was inescapable.          

Sun Roof - Nicky Youre and Dazy

This song came out of nowhere from a completely new artist and it became an immediately memorable part of the pop music soundtrack for the year.          

Bad Habit - Steve Lacy

Gotta love it when a rap/hip hop artist comes out as bisexual - sparking your interest - and then listening to find that you genuinely enjoy the song.         

The Kind of Love We Make - Luke Combs

For two years in a row now he has won the CMA Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year and it's because he knows how to crank out powerful love songs with a great beat. Play this with the man you love and see if it doesn't help put you both in a good mood.    

As It Was - Harry Styles

He's a text book case study for the artist who wants to be the most successful break out solo act after being a part of the biggest boy band in history. The high fashion persona, the sexually fluid appeal to anyone and everyone along with the catchy hits with a great beat. Turn on any radio station for the entire year and this song was playing - SUCCESS!   

I Ain't Worried - One Republic 

One of the best parts of the first Top Gun movie was the hit packed soundtrack. While the Top Gun sequel all these years later failed to deliver multiple hits, it did serve this very buoyant jam to entertain our ears as we left the theater.