There were 93,596 uploads to the Newgrounds Audio Portal in 2023. While I haven't listened to all of them, here are some of the ones I've heard that really made a lasting impression on me, in chronological order of upload date. As usual, there's a limit of one song per artist.
"Kings & Queens" by @Trackers
If you're in the mood for powerful vocals and some serious guitar shreddage, please check out this banger. With a feature from YouTube rock vocalist Rob Lundgren, "Kings & Queens" feels more like a metal track than the pop song it's labeled as on Newgrounds. Also, I'm a total sucker for ambiguous and cryptic lyrics, and this song has a line I particularly like for that reason. The refrain speaks of kings and queens "having one thing binding them," but NEVER mentions what that thing is. :D
"Barely Here" by @LLAAPPSSEE
From the energetic to the downtempo and moody. LLAAPPSSEE absolutely nails the introspective vocals and jazzy instrumentals here, with an experimental twist towards the end that keeps the listener paying attention. The E-piano defines a rich atmosphere, and the glitchy details give the song a distinct sense of unease, speaking to the feeling of anxiety and isolation implied by the title.
"Worlds Between" by @BeyondOurEyes
Back to something more upbeat. BeyondOurEyes effortlessly combines rock and electronic influences to produce this sometimes-dreamy, sometimes-hard-hitting banger. There's plenty of variety and bold melodies to keep the energy up, with some fun rhythmic sections providing a break from the frantic lead guitar riffs. BOE covers a lot of ground here - between worlds indeed.
"Clad" by @Waterflame
It was an incredibly prolific year for Waterflame, but one of the more unique and creative tracks of his this year was this hip-hop-inspired set. Rife with vocal samples and jazzy instrumental breaks, it will get your foot tapping while instilling a strong sense of nostalgia (assuming you were alive in the 90s, that is). Watch out for the upright bass solo about 3/4 of the way through, too - no matter how many times I listen to this track, that solo is always a pleasant surprise.
Speaking of nostalgia, Ajtastic brings a strong dose of 2000s-era coffee shop rock with "Eyes." I love the lyrics for their visceral description of anatomy and the instrumentals for their mellow tone and good use of blending. The vocal layering is also quite impressive, with some good "call-and-response" moments between different recordings. This track has really grown on me since I first listened to it in July.
"Suntrap" by @florianscreek
Criminally underrated artist alert. The relatable lyrics. The smoothly-executed combination of indie and rap. The gentle pacing and subtle atmospheric details. This guy is delivering professional-quality tracks (and yes, he has several others on Newgrounds), but only has 18 fans! Florian's Creek claims to make music for "introverts and outsiders," and boy is he succeeding at it.
"100.000" by @ColBreakz
ColBreakz made this track to commemorate passing 100,000 subscribers on YouTube. Sometimes, tracks released specifically for milestones are kinda half-ass. This one is absolutely full-ass. It's an upbeat, energetic EDM banger with a ton of variety and some really creative tempo changes, transitions, and rhythmic content. Really captures the euphoric sensation of getting to a 6-figure sub total. Well-deserved, ColBreakz!
It was a good year for hip-hop on Newgrounds, and Wushyx is a big reason why. This track is incredibly memorable and well-structured considering how short it is. Wushyx's vocal performance is full of passion and (according to Google Translate) hurt feelings over a love interest who slipped away. The raw, gritty synth riff backing the vocals fits perfectly with the sharp-edged lyrics, too, and overall the piece is really well-produced. You don't need to speak Russian to appreciate this one.
"Aztec Reaper" by @Ryzmik
Ryzmik could've saved this one for Halloween, but instead he posted it in June. It's creepy as hell. Isolated woodwind riffs, exotic percussion, dramatic sweeps, and an angry synth bass will chase you as you're trying to escape the haunted forest before nightfall. It's a great balance of cinematic flair and danceability, really. Super creative stuff.
"Dancing On Our Graves" by @CrossCarrasco
And once the Aztec Reaper has completed its work, the afterlife is portrayed perfectly by this morbid masterpiece. Inspired by Chicano culture, and complete with maracas, castanets, and brass flourishes, "Dancing On Our Graves" describes a night out among the undead. It's a fun piece with a great guitar solo and vocal melodies - one might even say it's to die for.
"Toy Soldiers" by @ZaneLittle
Cutest piece you've heard in your life. The sound design just perfectly encapsulates life as a toy soldier - the militaristic percussion, the cutesy melodies, the VGM-caliber synths, you name it. The "wind up" and "wind down" effects bookend the piece so nicely, putting a vivid image in the listeners' heads, and a bittersweet and wistful feeling in their hearts.
Equal parts eerie and adventuresome, "Eclipse" has all the authoritative vocals, four-on-the-floor beats, and catchy synth riffs to round out another EDM banger. In a fun twist, the climax of the piece occurs at the end of the bridge, right around the 2-minute mark, and with the most prominent melody up to that point, it feels rather cinematic. @ADR3-N said it best in her August 25th review: "This is about as good as house sound design gets!"
"Locked In" by @CrowdDoll"
CrowdDoll has a ton of more popular uploads from the past year, but I don't care. "Locked In" is just so damn soothing, and the sub-bass sits really well in the mix. The first drop gives me chills every time. Another piece with killer sound design, it also has a good amount of variety and a great atmosphere. My favorite sound design choice is probably the vocal yelps that first appear about halfway through - they really add a sense of urgency and conflict to an otherwise laid-back track.
"Emerald Funk" by @Walpang
How does this track not have more hits? It's very relaxed at the beginning, but really hits you with a slow-burning, funky vibe by the end. The sound design is great, the rhythmic content is SO CATCHY, and all the saxophone riffs and mini-solos flow into each other very well. No wonder the saxophone is an original recording, because it's incredibly expressive. Fantastic track. Sounds like I'm walking through a snooty, upscale hotel before finding a bunch of hippies partying on the roof.
"Summer Fan" by @SPIRALi
Blissful. Catchy. Well-produced. Cute vocals and other sound design. Punchy drums. A ton of prominent melodies. What more do you want out of a summer hit? There's a ton of EDM on Newgrounds, but tracks like this really stand out to me in a good way.
"Moonlighting" by @Troisnyx and @DisOmikron ("Two Meeps")
This is one track where I'm going to let the artists speak for themselves about the piece. The tags include "angry," "angsty," and "rock-opera." The lyrics speak of "false memories" and "pretty lies." The author's description alludes to suicide and the abuse of power and authority. Please read it in full as you listen to get the full story behind the piece.
"Be That As It May" by @Spoonman420
This meditative indie ballad will lure you in with its soothing vocals and strummed acoustic guitar riffs. The lyrics, however, betray an underlying anxiety and desire for escape, which ultimately yields to a full acceptance of the present moment in the end. It's a really beautiful narrative arc, and the texture of the piece mirrors that narrative well. Spoonman420 also has a number of other tracks that are stylistically very similar to "Be That As It May," if you're curious.
"Guest of Honour" by @Mischa-head
Another guitar track that lures you in with some soothing riffs and gentle vocals towards the beginning. This one goes in a bit of a different direction, though, with a powerful refrain whose lyrics discuss world-changing ambition. The verses have a characteristic ascending bass line that gives the piece a distinctly unstable feeling, like the quaking of internal conflict and unrealized potential. At least that's my interpretation. But regardless of the thematic content, Mischa's authoritative vocals and strong guitar work will have you coming back for multiple listens here.
Unlike the last two, there's nothing soothing or gentle about this piece. KayozKun hits the listener over the head with frantic synth riffs and a variety of vocal samples. The melodic content is rather blissful-sounding, but is interspersed with rhythmic club beats and sometimes-chaotic transitions. If you're ever in danger of falling asleep during a late-night study session, this track will wake you right up again, and maybe help you start a dance party to boot.
"Different Shapes" by @ALGOfficial
Another EDM banger with some great sound design. This one is spacey and offbeat, with quirky chopped vocals and clubbish drums that eventually yield to a dreamy atmosphere and more breathy vox. It's rare to find an EDM track on Newgrounds that has such a strong narrative appeal, but the reinvented energetic refrain in the last minute really hits the piece home. ALGO also really tested my one-song-per-artist rule for this list; Mallet is another baller track of his from 2023.
"My Infinity" by @LucidShadowDreamer
Just about no one on Newgrounds has been as consistently and incredibly good at what they do for more than a decade like LucidShadowDreamer has been at original piano compositions. This one also incorporates some ethnic flutes and strings that, in his words, "transport you into a different world as you listen; one filled with complex events and emotions." The cinematic appeal of the piece is self-evident. The melodies and progression are indeed packed with an incredible level of complexity and emotion. I feel like I've experienced the entertainment value of a feature-length movie in just 5 minutes.
"A Star Like Me" by @Lordant
In case you haven't heard, @Lordant won the NGADM this year by producing 5 amazing cinematic beauties over the course of about 3 months. Any of them could have easily made this list. But I like "A Star Like Me" for capturing such a sense of wonder that I associate both with outer space and with the process of self-discovery. It also happens to be Lordant's winning track from the final round of the contest. Speaking of a sense of wonder, a close second in my mind is "Rain Elegy."
"Resolution" by @Papkee
Much like Lordant, Papkee also saved his best work in the NGADM for last in my opinion. With tranquil mallets and subdued strings, this orchestral majesty slowly blossoms into a triumphant and melodious masterpiece. The pitter-pattering piano riff also gives the piece a restorative flair, as if the titular resolution only yields a new beginning (2024, perhaps?).
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Here's to another year of inspiring Newgrounds artistry! But I'm not sure I like how I've set a precedent that I match the number of tracks I put on my year-end favorites list with the year itself. Will I come up with 87 best tracks of the year for 2087? Stay tuned to find out! ^_^
Mischa-head
Thank you for the kind words! You made my day :D