Adam Grundy’s Top Albums of 2023

2023 was absolutely S-T-A-C-K-E-D from top to bottom with some incredible music from so many talented artists. Below is a collection of my favorite albums (which include several EPs, for the first time on my year-end list, because I adored them so much), a separate call out for EPs, a playlist of my favorite songs, the best concerts I attended, my favorite books I read during the year, as well as my favorite interviews I conducted. Also, be sure to check out my favorite movies and TV shows that kept my attention in 2023. I wish all of you a very happy New Year, and I’m thrilled to spend another year with everyone on this site and in the forums.

My Top Albums of 2023

1. Ratboys – The Window
2. The Maine – The Maine
3. M.A.G.S. – Destroyer
4. Foo Fighters – But Here We Are
5. The Menzingers – Some Of It Was True
6. Koyo – Would You Miss It?
7. Fall Out Boy – So Much (For) Stardust
8. Chase Tremaine – Accidental Days
9. Zach Bryan – Zach Bryan
10. The Gaslight Anthem – History Books
11. Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS
12. Taking Back Sunday – 152
13. Yellowcard – Childhood Eyes (EP)
14. Thrice – The Artist In The Ambulance (Revisited)
15. The Struts – Pretty Vicious
16. The Japanese House – In The End It Always Does
17. Arrows In Action – Built To Last
18. Blink-182 – One More Time
19. AJR – The Maybe Man
20. Boys Like Girls – Sunday At Foxwoods
21. Sarah and the Safe Word – The Book of Broken Glass
22. Broadside – Hotel Bleu
23. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Weathervanes
24. Record Heat – Welcome To Record Heat Country
25. PONY – Velveteen
26. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – Tilt At The Wind No More
27. Paramore – This Is Why
28. STMNTS – Tendencies (EP)
29. Boygenius – The Record
30. Greta Van Fleet – Starcatcher
31. Story of the Year – Tear Me To Pieces
32. Gorillaz – Cracker Island
33. Spiritbox – The Fear of Fear (EP)
34. Have Mercy – Numb
35. Bully – Lucky For You
36. Out of Service – Reflections and Refractions: Vol. 1
37. Charlotte Sands – Good Now (EP)
38. Silent Planet – Superbloom
39. The National – First Two Pages of Frankenstein
40. Babyfang – In The Face Of (EP)
41. Cal Stamp – Leather (EP)
42. PVRIS – Evergreen
43. Anberlin – Convinced (EP)
44. Cold War Kids – Cold War Kids
45. The Rocket Summer – Shadowkasters
46. Vacationer – Cherish
47. The Aces – I’ve Loved You For So Long
48. White Reaper – Asking For A Ride
49. Post Malone – Austin
50. The Bouncing Souls – Ten Stories High

My Favorite EPs of 2023

1. Yellowcard – Childhood Eyes
2. STMNTS – Tendencies
3. Spiritbox – The Fear of Fear
4. Charlotte Sands – Good Now
5. Babyfang – In The Face Of
6. Cal Stamp – Leather
7. Anberlin – Convinced
8. Hawthorne Heights – Lost Lights
9. Arcane Ghosts – Distant Youth
10. Texas King – Capsize
11. Bad Suns – Infinte Joy
12. Nicotine Dolls – How Do You Love Me
13. Zach Bryan – Boys of Faith
14. MS MR – Saturn Return
15. Soccer Mommy – Karaoke Night
16. Boygenius – The Rest
17. Taylor Acorn – Certified Depressant
18. Better Lovers – God Made Me An Animal
19. Bad Luck. – Books On Tape
20. Palette Knife – DLC Pack 01

My Favorite Songs of 2023

1. Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire”
2. The Menzingers – “Come On Heartache”
3. Lily Meola – “Without You”
4. The Maine – “Blame”
5. Blink-182 – “One More Time”
6. Ratboys – “Morning Zoo”
7. Billie Eilish – “What Was I Made For?”
8. Zach Bryan ft. Kacey Muysgraves – “I Remember Everything”
9. PHNTMS ft. April Rose Gabrielli – “Lost On Your Love”
10. Spiritbox – “Jaded”
11. Chase Tremaine – “Settled in the Unsettled”
12. Boys Like Girls – “Blood and Sugar”
13. Fall Out Boy – “Heartbreak Feels So Good”
14. Record Heat – “Run”
15. Cal Stamp – “Radio is Dead”
16. Koyo – “Life’s a Pill”
17. Sarah and the Safe Word – “Sky On Fire”
18. Hawthorne Heights ft. Emo Orchestra – “The Storm”
19. The Maine – “How To Exit A Room”
20. Taking Back Sunday – “S’old”

My Favorite Concerts I Attended in 2023

1. The Maine – Sweet 16 Tour @ The Fillmore (Silver Spring, MD)
2. Silverstein – This is How The Wind Shifts Anniversary Tour @ The Fillmore (Silver Spring, MD)
3. Cal Stamp @ Pie Shop (Washington, D.C.)
4. Liz Miele w/ Neil Rubenstein (Comedy) @ Port City (Baltimore, MD)
5. Sarah and the Safe Word w/ Spring Silver @ Quarry House (Silver Spring, MD)
6. Papa Roach w/ Spiritbox @ Rams Head Live (Baltimore, MD)
7. Sleeping With Sirens w/ M.A.G.S. @ The Fillmore (Silver Spring, MD)
8. The Slang/Dead Like Disco @ Recher Theater (Towson, MD)

My Favorite Books I Read in 2023

1. ”Where Are Your Boys Tonight?: The Oral History of Emo’s Mainstream Explosion 1999-2008″ by Chris Payne
2. ”Someone Who Isn’t Me” by Geoff Rickly
3. ”The Storyteller: Expanded…Because There’s More to the Story” by Dave Grohl
4. ”Why Cats Are Assholes” by Liz Miele
5. ”60 Songs That Explain the 90’s” by Rob Harvilla
6. ”How To Ru(i)n a Record Label: The Story of Lookout Records” by Larry Livermore
7. ”Corporate Rock Sucks: The Rise and Fall of SST Records” by Jim Ruland
8. ”Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir” by Matthew Perry

My Favorite Interview I Conducted in 2023

1. Shane Told of Silverstein
2. Ryan Key of Yellowcard
3. M.A.G.S.
4. Chris Payne
5. Neil Rubenstein
6. Thomas Nicholas Band
7. Lily Meola
8. Chris Dudley of Underoath
9. Sarah and the Safe Word
10. Letter Kills

My Favorite Movies I Saw in 2023

1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
2. Scream VI
3. Barbie
4. Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3
5. Oppenheimer
6. Saw X
7. John Wick 4
8. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
9. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
10. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

My Favorite TV Shows in 2023

1. Ahsoka (Disney+)
2. The Last of Us (HBO)
3. Yellowstone (Paramount Network/Peacock)
4. Loki (Disney+)
5. 1923 (Paramount +)
6. Secret City (Netflix)
7. Bridgerton (Netflix)
8. Reacher (Amazon Prime)
9. 1883 (Paramount+)
10. Marvel: Secret Invasion (Disney+)