The Top 50 Songs of 2023

Dave’s Music Database: Top 50 Songs of 2023

These are the top 50 songs of the year based on their overall performance in Dave’s Music Database, which is determined by combining chart data, sales figures, streaming, video views, and aggregates from year-end lists and charts. Note that songs which were originally released or charted prior to 2023 are ineligible for this list. Check out “Top Songs and Albums of the Year” lists here. Spotify Podcast: Check out the Dave’s Music Database podcast episode The Top 20 Songs of 2023 based on this list. DMDB Top 1%: 1. Miley Cyrus “Flowers” DMDB Top 2%: 2. Morgan Wallen “Last Night” 3. Teddy Swims “Lose Control” 4. Olivia Rodrigo “Vampire” 5. Billie Eilish “What Was I Made For?” DMDB Top 5%: 6. Zach Bryan with Kacey Musgraves “I Remember Everything” 7. Doja Cat “Paint the Town Red” 8. Luke Combs “Fast Car” 9. Jack Harlow “Lovin’ on Me” 10. Dua Lipa “Dance the Night” 11. Noah Kahan with Post Malone “Dial Drunk” 12. The Beatles “Now and Then” DMDB Top 10%: 13. Pink Pantheress with Ice Spice “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2” 14. Boygenius “Not Strong Enough” 15. Taylor Swift “Is It Over Now?” 16. Blink-182 “One More Time” 17. Tate McRae “Greedy” 18. Olivia Rodrigo “Bad Idea, Right?” 19. Jung Kook with Latto “Seven” 20. Bizarrap with Shakira “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 53” 21. Dave with Central Cee “Sprinter” 22. Doja Cat “Agora Hills” 23. Ed Sheeran “Eyes Closed” 24. Oliver Anthony “Rich Men North of Richmond” DMDB Top 20%: 25. Linkin Park “Lost” 26. Chris Stapleton “White Horse” 27. Estabon Armado & Peso Pluma “Ella Baila Sola” 28. Jimin “Like Crazy” 29. Drake with J. Cole “First Person Shooter” 30. Victoria Monét “On My Mama” 31. Tyla “Water” 32. The Rolling Stones “Angry” 33. Travis Scott & Drake “Meltdown” 34. Drake “Search & Rescue” 35. Teddy Swims “The Door” 36. Fall Out Boy “We Didn’t Start the Fire” 37. Noah Kahan & Hozier “Northern Attitude” 38. Luke Combs “Love You Anyway” 39. Drake & SZA “Slime You Out” 40. Dua Lipa “Houdini” 41. Foo Figthers “Rescued” 42. David Kushner “Daylight” 43. Lil Durk & J. Cole “All My Life” 44. Zach Bryan & Noah Kahan “Sarah’s Place” 45. Nicki Minaj with Ice Spice & Aqua “Barbie World” 46. The National with Taylor Swift “The Alcott” 47. U2 “Atomic City” 48. John Mellencamp “The Eyes of Portland” 49. Morgan Wallen “Thinkin’ ‘Bout Me” 50. Miley Cyrus “Used to Be Young” Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: Top Songs and Albums by Year lists Dave’s Music Database: Songs of the Decade lists First posted 12/30/2023; last updated 12/26/2024.

2017: Top 25 Albums

First posted 1/8/2021.

Dave’s Music Database: Top Albums of 2017

Based on a combination of year-end lists and overall status in Dave’s Music Database, these are the top 25 albums of 2017: Kendrick Lamar Damn. Ed Sheeran ÷ (Divide) Lorde Melodrama The Greatest Showman soundtrack Taylor Swift Reputation Jay-Z 4:44 SZA CTRL Luke Combs This One’s for You Beck Colors LCD Soundsystem American Dream Drake More Life The War on Drugs A Deeper Understanding Chris Stapleton From a Room: Volume 1 The National Sleep Well Beast Roger Waters Is This the Life We Really Want? Tyler, the Creator Flower Boy St. Vincent Mass Education Khalid American Teen U2 Songs of Experience Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile Lotta Sea Lice Harry Styles Harry Styles Bob Dylan Triplicate Pink Beautiful Trauma H.E.R. H.E.R. Lana Del Rey Lust for Life Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Year-End Album Awards”

Tracy Chapman charted with “Fast Car”

Fast Car Tracy Chapman

Writer(s): Tracy Chapman (see lyrics here) Released: April 6, 1988 First Charted: May 7, 1988 Peak: 6 US, 4 CB, 8 GR, 8 RR, 7 AC, 19 AR, 1 CO, 5 UK, 11 CN, 4 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 3.0 UK, 3.44 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 490.10 video, 1000.35 streaming

Fast Car Jonas Blue with Dakota

Released: December 4, 2015 First Charted: April 2, 2016 Peak: 98 US, 2 UK, 39 CN, 11 AU (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 1.8 UK, 5.78 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 58.18 video, 1133.36 streaming

Fast Car Luke Combs

Released: April 18, 2023 Peak: 2 BB, 14 BA, 13 DG, 3 AC, 12 A40, 15a CW, 54 UK, 2 CN, 2 AU, 9 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 5.0 US, 0.4 UK, 6.34 world (US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 122.23 video, 630.09 streaming

Awards (Tracy Chapman): Click on award for more details. Awards (Jonas Blue):

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Awards (Luke Combs):

About the Song: “Tracy Chapman was a hardened veteran of Boston coffeehouse gigs (she once got a demo-tape rejection letter suggesting she tune her guitar) when a classmate at Tufts University told his music-publisher dad to check her out. Soon after, she made her 1988 debut, featuring this haunting meditation on escape.” RS Chris Gerard of Metro Weekly describes the song as “a grittily realistic story of a working poor woman trying to escape the cycle of poverty.” WK Critic Dave Marsh called it “an optimistic folk-rock narrative.” WK Chapman said “It’s not really about a car at all…basically it’s about a relationship that doesn’t work out because it’s starting from the wrong place.” SF Chapman was relatively unknown when she was booked as one of the acts for the Nelson Mandela 70th birthday concert at Wembley Stadium. Her appearance at the June 11, 1988 event served as a catalyst for her career breakthrough. She performed a few songs in the afternoon and thought she was done for the day, but was called back when Stevie Wonder’s performance was delayed. She performed “Fast Car” in front of a huge prime time audience and the song subsequently raced up the charts. SF It went to #1 in Canada and was a top-ten hit in the United States, the U.K. and Australia. It was nominated for Grammys for Record and Song of the Year. The song got renewed attention in 2011 when Britain’s Got Talent contestant Michael Collings performed the song. Chapman’s original re-charted in the UK, besting its original #5 ranking by one spot. WK In 2015, British record producer Jonas Blue released a dance version featuring singer Dakota. It reached #2 on the UK charts and hit #1 in Australia, giving the remake greater chart success than the original in those countries. Blue said Chapman’s song was a favorite of his mother’s. WK Among other artists to perform the song: R.E.M., Matchbox 20, and Kelly Clarkson and Chris Daughtry in a duet. BC The song charted yet again in 2023 when country singer Luke Combs covered it for his Gettin’ Old album. It was released as a single and went all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the country airplay chart. It made Tracy Chapman the first black woman to have a sole songwriting credit on a #1 country song. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Jonas Blue DMDB encyclopedia entry for Luke Combs BC Brad Carl (2015). 50 Songs from the 70s and 80s That Still Hold Up. Pages 36-37. RS Rolling Stone (4/7/2011). 500 Greatest Songs of All Time SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 11/14/2019; last updated 1/17/2025.