Here we have it folks, our third and final installation of the Best New Songs We’ve Had On Repeat Throughout 2023 list! With so many amazing new songs that came out this year, we had a difficult time deciding which were our soundtrack to 2023. In this last batch of songs you’ll see tunes from acts like NOAHFINNCE, SpiritBox, Beauty School Dropout and more!
As mentioned in the first two rounds of our favorite songs, we’re only including new, original singles that have been issued in 2023. These tracks are not in favorable order but instead listed by their release date. We just couldn’t rank them, therefore, all songs deserve the same amount of attention and praise. In case you missed our first batch of songs, you can check it out here and our second here.
Thanks for being along for the ride with us in 2023! We are grateful you trust us here at idobi to discover new music and keep you up to date on your favorite artists. Here is our final picks for the Best New Songs We’ve Had On Repeat Throughout 2023!
“Tightrope” — Movements
Released: August 18, 2023
Movements’ leading single, “Tightrope,” from their latest effort RUCKUS! orchestrates a soul-stirring journey that stretches nearly five minutes, navigating through a melancholic pop ballad formula with inspiration drawn from pop luminaries such as Justin Bieber. The track unfolds with a hauntingly contemplative arrangement, casting a somber essence reminiscent of introspective pop melodies. Lead vocalist Patrick Miranda enchants with alluring, lingering coos that convey a sense of vulnerability across the track, encapsulated in the lyrics, “And you took my breath like water in my lungs/I would die to be somebody you could love, oh oh oh.”
The song’s assertive percussion assumes the helm, propelling the rhythm forward with unyielding power and establishing a robust foundation for the track’s evolution. Intricate guitar work weaves patterns that add layers of depth and texture, creating a mesmerizing shoegaze tonality, a signature of Movements, that enhances the song’s atmospheric charm. With each note and lyrical line, the intensity builds, immersing the listener in a torrent of emotions that elevates listeners to an out-of-body experience. —Paige Owens
“Jaded” —Spiritbox
Released: August 25, 2023
Since the release of their debut record Eternal Blue, Spiritbox has had a stranglehold on the heavy music scene. With the world clamoring for new music, the group has teased the masses over the last year with two EPs. Their latest, The Fear Of Fear, exudes the most refined version of Spiritbox to date. “The Void” offers an outing that is technical, devastating, and beautiful all at once. From Micheal Stringer’s incredible guitar work to Courtney LaPlante’s magnificent vocals to the addition of former As I Lay Dying bassist Josh Gilbert, who offers a massive low end and gorgeous harmonies. The band has a bright future, and this seems like only the tip of the iceberg of what they can bring to the table musically. —Sean Mott
“Landmines” — Sum 41
Released: September 27, 2023
Kicking off what will ultimately be the band’s final (double) album Heaven :x: Hell, due out in March 2024 via Rise Records, Sum 41 comes out firing on all cylinders and shows everyone they won’t be going out quietly. Up there with career staples such as “Fat Lip,” “Over My Head,” “In Too Deep,” and countless others, “Landmines” feels like a classic Sum 41 song right from the first listen…because it is. You’ll be woah-oh-ohing over and over again.—Patrick Walford
“You’re On The List (Minus One)” — Koyo
Released: September 29, 2023
Koyo is the sort of band that comes along once in a generation. A bridging gap between the hardcore and emo scenes, with chest-pounding passion and earnest emotion at the forefront, 2023 has seen them go from strength to strength. Much of that has to do with the release of their debut album, Would You Miss It?, which was launched with “You’re On The List (Minus One).” Matching bright and breezy pop-punk licks with lyrical turns ready-made for mic grabs, it’s the sort of song that feels like it has been stuck in your head since 2003. Plus, there’s a cameo from the one and only Frank Iero in the music video, which is the sort of seal of approval that you can’t make up. —Jack Rogers
“Sunshine!” — Beartooth
Released: October 13, 2023
Spending the last decade producing music that is as heavy in scope as sound, Beartooth’s latest era represents how there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Influenced by Caleb Shomo’s intentions to love himself and share that love with the world, The Surface was the result of a long journey out of the swamp. And “Sunshine” is one of the best representations of this newfound confidence and clarity. Focused on how vital Vitamin D is to making you see the world differently whilst losing now of the debauched heft that has carried Beartooth over the years, it’s a perfect pop song for the moshers. —Jack Rogers
“dying to be you” — Beauty School Dropout
Released: October 13, 2023
“dying to be you” off of Beauty School Dropout’s 2023 release, READY TO EAT (named one of idobi Radio’s Best Albums of the Year), shows the undeniable versatility of the band. Not only can they tear through a more fun pop-leaning song, but they also prove they already possess a discography of arena-ready rock songs and could easily command the stage of the world’s largest arenas. Ask them to prove it—they fucking will. —Fish
“Scumbag” — NOAHFINNCE
Released: October 26, 2023
NOAHFINNCE has left an indelible mark in 2023. Emerging as a transformative force in the pop-punk world, he has discovered his rhythm and confidently stepped into his stride. On the verge of his debut studio album release, Growing Up On The Internet, slated to arrive on March 8 via Hopeless Records, NOAH‘s crowning achievement of the year was undoubtedly marked by the release of “Scumbag.”
Across the sharp contours of the track, NOAH skillfully blends distorted guitars with shimmering alt-drenched synths, creating a dynamic sonic landscape. The pointed lyrics, delivered with fierce precision, not only establish “Scumbag” as the diss track of the year but also elevate it to a powerful anthem that fearlessly confronts and condemns transphobia. Weaving evocative lines like: “But joy can be found in the dark/Words that were spat at the boy with the mark” and “I am what I am, and I won’t be ashamed/I take Umbridge with hate that you scratched on your page/This ‘inclusion delusion’/And ‘gender confusion’/Why are you assuming there’s room for debate?”
NOAH masterfully connects the dots to a narrative centered on acceptance and love. And if you haven’t watched the Harry Potter-inspired accompanying video, do yourself a favor and amend that error immediately. It absolutely stands as this writer’s “video of the year.” —Paige Owens
“S’old” – Taking Back Sunday
Released: October 27, 2023
Taking Back Sunday bridges a mature sound that encaptures the instrumentation of a popular indie-rock track blended with the crushing emo energy we all love. Like past singles, there is a tinge of heartbreak; however, this track is more of a lay-on-the-floor-of-your-studio-apartment contemplating a relationship and how your life is progressing type song versus scream-singing into the mirror to feel something. It’s still the same TBS yet there’s a feeling of growth after years of agonizing feelings and working on coming out on the other side.
“A little less your high hopes/A little more of your love” illustrates a coming-of-age moment many encounter. The rawness of singer Adam Lazzara’s vocals makes damn sure that it’s a gut-punch while, in tandem, utilizing the analogy of moving on after getting rid of deadweight that maybe you sold on the Facebook marketplace to start anew.—Lizzie Baumgartner
“Torn From Your Silhouette” — Dying Wish
Released: November 3, 2023
Dying Wish feels like a band ripped straight out of the 2000s with a modern metalcore twist. In support of their new album, Symptoms Of Survival, the band just finished their headline tour. It sold out 18 out of the 23 shows. “Torn From Your Silhouette” brings out the band’s signature metal guitars, hard-hitting drums, and Emma Boster’s ferocious vocals. While the song is aggressive at the surface, the lyrical context offers an emotional and vulnerable narrative. It focuses on rejection and seeking deeper connections with the people in your life. With the announcement of an appearance at next year’s Sonic Temple, 2024 seems like another landmark year for the Portland-based outfit. —Sean Mott
Offworlder — Silent Planet
Released: November 3, 2023
Everything about this track is a perfect blend of electronic elements, breakdowns, and a chorus that will have people moshing and headbanging for years to come. From the build-up in the opening to a huuuuuuge main riff, the track goes 150% and never lets up. Garrett Russell’s vocal ability and range are shown throughout the song in a big way. This track proves the band can continue to evolve and progress into new territories without abandoning their core sound.—Patrick Walford
Gold Tooth Guru — HourHouse
Released: November 10, 2023
The title track of HourHouse’s debut album is one that showcases the impressive arsenal and flow of vocalist Milly. To say he has bars for days would be an understatement. It also highlights their ability to fuse rap and metal seamlessly in a new and exciting way. This track shows HourHouse isn’t just knocking on the door, they’re fucking kicking it down.—Patrick Walford
Seeing Red — Architects
Released: December 3, 2023
So many naysayers said they couldn’t or wouldn’t write heavy tracks anymore…boy, were they wrong. Everything about this track oozes Hollow Crown.
Architects came off the top rope out of absolutely nowhere to cap off a year that has seen them play stadium shows with Metallica and have some of their biggest headlining shows ever. They threw the ridiculous “they can’t be heavy anymore” assumption out the window, lit it on fire, and screamed expletives at it. What would a heavy Architects track be without a legendary BLEGH?! You know Sam Carter had to do it to ’em. Play count since release: 1,000+—Patrick Walford
A Further Showing of Violence feat. Gage Goss of Vamachara — Psycho-Frame
Released: December 8, 2023
Psycho-Frame released the nastiest, heaviest breakdowns and bone-rattling blast beats of the year by a landslide. Pick any track off of Automatic Death Protocol, and it will melt your mind every time with shades of the Myspace deathcore era. If you love deathcore, death metal, or anything with breakdowns and blast beats galore, drop everything you’re doing and listen to this track right now. Psycho-Frame is most definitely on their Winds Of Plague 2008 shit!—Patrick Walford
