10 Biggest Music Moments of 2023

2023 was an exciting year in music. There were returns, reunions, awards-show milestones, massive tours, and movies about those same massive tours. Emerging genres took hold of the mainstream, and Artificial Intelligence began to see widespread use among artists and imitators alike. Without further ado (and in no particular order), here are our 10 Biggest Music Moments of 2023. 

Hip Hop Turns 50

Hip Hop is one of the most influential music genres today, and 2023 marked 50 years since it all started at a party in the Bronx in 1973. The 50^th anniversary of Hip Hop inspired high-profile tributes and events around the world, but none more than in its birthplace of New York. The city that never sleeps went all out for the celebration with multiple concerts (featuring Hip Hop pioneers like Run DMC and LL Cool J), exhibits, and block parties including one hosted by the legendary Grandmaster Flash. Here’s to another 50 years of the music and culture that defined a generation.

RELATED: 15 Iconic Hip Hop Songs Featuring Auto-Tune

The Return of blink-182

In late 2022 pop-punk pioneers blink-182 announced that original vocalist/guitarist Tom Delonge was re-joining the band for a new album and tour - the first to feature the band’s “classic” lineup in almost a decade. While the announcement was made last year, 2023 was the year it all went down - blink-182’s new album, “One More Time,” debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 while the supporting tour experienced unprecedented demand from fans. The tour saw stops in the US, Canada and Europe, as well as a surprise appearance at Coachella for Delonge’s first show back with the band in nearly nine years. 

RELATED: blink-182 at Coachella and the Truth About Auto-Tune

Peso Pluma Makes History at the VMAs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCOJEnZEmAo

Mexican singer Peso Pluma has been in the spotlight all year thanks to his latest album, Genesis - certified Platinum in the US and officially Billboard’s highest-charting regional Mexican album ever. At the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, Peso Pluma performed his single “Lady Gaga” and made history as the first mexican artist to ever perform on the show. Watched by almost 4 million people, this year’s VMA show was the most watched in years, exposing an entirely new audience to Corridos Tumbados, the modern urban twist on traditional Mexican music that Peso Pluma has become known for.

RELATED: Spotify Playlist - Latin Gets Loud

The Beatles - Now and Then

Anyone else have the return of The Beatles on their 2023 Bingo card? Originally recorded as a demo by John Lennon before his death in 1980, “Now and Then” was almost finished by the Beatles during the mid-90s but was put aside due to the low-quality of its recording. After three decades on the shelf, director Peter Jackson and his production company WingNut Films were able to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to extract Lennon’s vocals from the original demo, making it possible for remaining band members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to finally finish the song. Released in November, “Now and Then” became a #1 single in the UK and US, and has become an example of how technology and AI can have a positive impact on music creation and preservation. 

Rihanna Makes Super Bowl Halftime Show History

Rihanna certainly knows how to stage a comeback. At the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show, the Barbadian songstress re-emerged from a seven-year hiatus for a show-stopping performance of her greatest hits that featured a floating stage, fireworks, and several dozen backup dancers. The performance also marked the first time Rihanna showed off her new baby bump, revealing that she was pregnant with son Riot Rose, born just a few months later. Rihanna’s performance at the Super Bowl Halftime Show attracted over 121 million viewers, surpassing Katy Perry’s performance from 2015, making it the most watched Halftime Show in history. 

Beyonce Becomes the Most Awarded Artist in Grammy History

Beyonce made Grammy Awards history in 2023 by becoming the most recognized artist in the award show’s 65 year history. Queen Bey took home four Grammys, bringing her total to 32 and putting her ahead of the previous record holder, Hungarian-British conductor Georg Solti. Paying homage to Black and queer dance music of the 1970’s with her latest album, Bey made sure to give her sources of inspiration their due recognition during her acceptance speech by thanking the queer community “for your love, and for inventing the genre.” 

BTS Enlists

BTS may be worldwide K-pop megastars, but that isn’t stopping them from fulfilling their mandatory military service back at home. South Korean law requires men between the ages of 18 and 28 to serve 18-21 months in the military. While there are special exemptions for some performers and athletes, K-pop singers are still required to serve. Echoing the draft of Elvis Presely to the US Military all the way back in 1957, BTS have stated that they’re “honored to serve,” and will return to the music world once all members have completed their service.  

Afrobeats Surges in Popularity

Originating in Nigeria during the 1960’s, the popularity of Afrobeat has grown exponentially over the last few years. According to Spotify, the number of people streaming the genre has increased by 550% since 2017. This year saw the once obscure genre hit several milestones - Rema’s hit “Calm Down” topped the Billboard charts and hit over a billion streams on Spotify, the Afrobeats-centric music festival Afro Nation made its US debut, and artists such as Davido and Asake received mainstream exposure on popular TV shows like Good Morning America and The Tonight Show. 

Auto-Tune Wins a Grammy

Not to shamelessly self-promote, but we can’t help but be proud of Auto-Tune’s founder Dr. Andy Hildebrand, who received a Technical Grammy Award this year for his contributions to the recording industry. A geophysical engineer and mathematician, Dr. Andy created what would eventually become Auto-Tune by repurposing geographical mapping algorithms he originally created while working in the oil industry. Officially debuting at the 1997 NAMM show, Auto-Tune was an immediate success and has come to define the sound of modern music. Congratulations, Dr. Andy!

RELATED: Auto-Tune Inventor Dr. Andy Hildebrand Wins 2023 Technical GRAMMY®!

2023 (Taylor’s Version)

To name all of Taylor Swift’s 2023 accomplishments would require a dedicated article (or a book). Swift released two chart-topping albums in 2023 and has been recognized as the most streamed artist of the year by both Spotify and Apple Music, but it was Swift’s Eras Tour, a traveling celebration of her entire recording career, that really shook things up. The Eras Tour saw unprecedented ticket demand and has been credited with boosting local economies at stops throughout the US and around the world. A sold-out show in Seattle caused measurable seismic activity – a 2.3 magnitude earthquake! To celebrate its success, a film version of the Eras Tour was released to cinemas in August and quickly became the top-grossing concert film of all time. The film also out-performed the latest entries in the Indiana Jones, Mission Impossible, and Fast and Furious franchises. Taylor’s Eras Tour is continuing through 2024 and we look forward to seeing whether or not she can top herself again.