We’re speed running 2023. It’s already July. We made it through the cold dark months and we’re into sweaty summer festival season. You know what that means? We’re talking about our favourite songs of 2023 so far. If you’ve already checked out our Best Albums Midway Through 2023 list you may feel at home with some of our picks but that doesn’t mean you aren’t going to see some new faces. Writing a song and making an album use a lot of the same muscles but it’s a different category all together. Besides, some new favourites have already dropped since the album list was put together. Let’s get into it!



You can’t talk about summer without talking about the summer blockbusters. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie gave us a brand new Charli XCX track called Speed Drive, which has been on repeat since the day it came out (hot!). Yo La Tengo and Jenny Lewis spent 2023 giving us a masterclass on longevity in music with their tracks Fallout and Psychos. Hardcore is having a huge year in the post-Glow On world and bands like Militarie Gun and Jesus Piece are proving that it’s not a fluke. Newcomers like MSPAINT, PONY and Wednesday all brought formidable hits to the table and when you pair that with huge tracks by Caroline Polachek, Yves Tumor and King Krule it starts to feel like the first half of the year will be hard to top.



This list highlights some of our favourite songs of 2023. It was put in order but as you all know, these things are fluid and can be hard to pin down. What is certain is that 2023 has been a great year for music so far. Fire up Spotify to stream the playlist and and then if you’re so inclined hop on bandcamp and support the artists. This is Northern Transmissions Best Songs Midway Through 2023.

Wednesday – Quarry
Caroline Polachek – Welcome To My Island
Jenny Lewis – Psychos
Boygenius – Cool About It
King Krule – Seaforth
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Meshuggah
Charli XCX – Speed Drive
Yves Tumor – Echolalia
Bully – Change Your Mind
PONY – Sick
Beach Fossils – Don’t Fade Away
Greg Mendez – Maria
Militarie Gun – Do It Faster
Ratboys – Black Earth, WI
Feeble Little Horse – Steamroller
Slowdive – Kisses
Grian Chatten – Fairlies
The National – Tropic Morning News
Youth Lagoon – Prizefighter
Water From Your Eyes – Barley
Sweeping Promises – Eraser
MSPAINT – Delete It
Yo La Tengo – Fallout
Alaska Reid – Back To This
The Beths – Watching The Credits
Samia – Honey
Shame – Fingers of Steel
Generationalists – Dirt Diamond
Daughter – To Rage
Lana Del Rey – Let The Light In
Queens of the Stone Age – Emotion Sickness
M83 – Amnesia
Jockstrap – Greatest Hits
Blondshell – Salad
Spiritual Cramp – Phone Lines Down
Mandy, Indiana – Pinking Sheers
Jesus Piece – An Offering to the Night
Woolworm – Bangs
Debby Friday – So Hard To Tell
Squid – The Blades
Billy Woods, Kenny Segal – Soft Landing
Ex Pilots – Live Forever
Dazy – Peel