We've rounded up all of our top recommendations from 2023 into one playlist to highlight FRXDAY's best new albums of the year. The playlist is sorted alphabetically into both Brennan and Sabrina's individual Top 4, and then alphabetically by genre. Playlist is available at the bottom of the post.
Brennan's Top 4
Artist: Adult Leisure
Album: Present State of Joy and Grief EP
Listen to First: "You Weren’t There When I Needed"
Artist: Sundara Karma
Album: Better Luck Next Time
Listen to First: "Wishing Well"
Artist: Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers
Album: I Love You
Listen to First: "I Used To Be Fun"
Artist: Viji
Album: So Vanilla
Listen to First: "Sedative"
Sabrina's Top 4
Artist: BAMBII
Album: Infinity Club EP
Listen to First: "One Touch"
Artist: Deb Never
Album: Thank You For Attending EP
Listen to First: "Momentary Sweetheart"
Artist: Ralphie Choo
Album: Supernova
Listen to First: "GATA"
Artist: Vagabon
Album: Sorry I Haven’t Called
Listen to First: "Can I Talk My Shit?"
Alternative
Artist: Black Honey
Album: A Fistful of Peaches
Listen to First: "Weirdos"
Artist: Breeze
Album: Sour Grapes
Listen to First: "Heart Attack Waiting to Happen"
Artist: Cam Kahin
Album: WHEN IT’S ALL OVER EP
Listen to First: "what are you waiting for"
Artist: Chasms
Album: Glimpse of Heaven
Listen to First: "Ache"
Artist: Chika
Album: SAMSON: The album
Listen to First: "PLAIN JANE"
Artist: Citizen
Album: Calling the Dogs
Listen to First: "If You're Lonely"
Artist: crushed
Album: extra life EP
Listen to First: "bedside"
Artist: cruush
Album: Wishful Thinker EP
Listen to First: "Sombre by the Weekend"
Artist: Dove Armitage
Album: Concernless EP
Listen to First: "Brittle"
Artist: Eli Hurts
Album: Ouch, Eli Hurts
Listen to First: "Them ft. Love Fame Tragedy"
Artist: Extranauts
Album: The Alchemist
Listen to First: "Lazarus"
Artist: Fever Ray
Album: Radical Romantics
Listen to First: "Shiver"
Artist: Fiddlehead
Album: Death is Nothing to Us
Listen to First: "Sullenboy"
Artist: Haviah Mighty
Album: Crying Crystals
Listen to First: "Room Service"
Artist: Hey Colossus
Album: In Blood
Listen to First: "I Could Almost Care"
Artist: Hurry
Album: Don’t Look Back
Listen to First: "Beggin' For You"
Artist: Last Dinosaurs
Album: RYU
Listen to First: "Afterlife"
Artist: Lucky Lo
Album: The Big Feel
Listen to First: "Casual Love"
Artist: The Luka State
Album: More Than This
Listen to First: "Bring Us Down"
Artist: Magic Wands
Album: Switch
Listen to First: "Falling Trees"
Artist: MAUVEY
Album: BEFORE THE ALBUM 2: a brief overview
Listen to First: "EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE"
Artist: MAY-A
Album: Analysis Paralysis EP
Listen to First: "ifyoulikeitlikethat"
Artist: Meg Myers
Album: TZIA
Listen to First: "My Mirror"
Artist: the moss
Album: Insomnia EP
Listen to First: "Insomnia"
Artist: Nathan Connolly (of Snow Patrol)
Album: The Strange Order of Things
Listen to First: "Fires"
Artist: Never
Album: No Guarantee EP
Listen to First: "Hard to Go"
Artist: Now More Than Ever
Album: Creatrix
Listen to First: "Heart To Heart"
Artist: promqueen
Album: szn one
Listen to First: "liteweight"
Artist: sadie
Album: Tides EP
Listen to First: "Tides"
Artist: Sarah Morrison
Album: Attachment Figure
Listen to First: "Gray Apples"
Artist: Skinny Pelembe
Album: Hardly the Same Snake
Listen to First: "Like A Heart Won't Beat"
Artist: Slaney Bay
Album: Why Does Love Mean Loss? EP
Listen to First: "Move On"
Artist: Slauson Malone 1
Album: EXCELSIOR
Listen to First: "New Joy"
Artist: Susanne Sundfør
Album: blómi
Listen to First: "leikara ljóð"
Artist: Thy Slaughter (A.G. Cook and EASYFUN)
Album: Soft Rock
Listen to First: "Reign"
Artist: Twin Princess
Album: Blood Moon
Listen to First: "Allston"
Artist: The Velvet Hands
Album: Sucker Punch
Listen to First: "Holiday in My Head"
Artist: Widows Gold
Album: Love Drops
Listen to First: "Inside"
Artist: Wings of Desire
Album: Life is Infinite
Listen to First: "Choose A Life"
Ambient
Artist: Bailey Miller
Album: love is a dying
Listen to First: "cul-de-sac"
Americana
Artist: BAILEN
Album: Tired Hearts
Listen to First: "Change Your Mind"
Artist: Charlie Kaplan
Album: Country Life in America
Listen to First: "Gas Station Bathroom"
Artist: Lori McKenna
Album: 1988
Listen to First: "Killing Me (feat. Hillary Lindsey)
Artist: Max Jury
Album: Avenues
Listen to First: "Is This Love?"
Artist: Parker Millsap
Album: Wilderness Within You
Listen to First: "So Far Apart"
Artist: SUSTO
Album: My Entire Life
Listen to First: "My Entire Life"
Bluegrass
Artist: Mighty Poplar
Album: Mighty Poplar
Listen to First: "Up on the Divide"
Country
Artist: Brooke Eden
Album: Outlaw Love EP
Listen to First: "Outlaw Love"
Artist: Dougie Poole
Album: The Rainbow Wheel of Death
Listen to First: "High School Gym"
Artist: Ruston Kelly
Album: The Weakness
Listen to First: "Hellfire"
Artist: Willie Jones
Album: Something To Dance To
Listen to First: "Something To Dance To"
Electronic
Artist: 99LETTERS
Album: Zigoku / 地獄
Listen to First: "Shi"
Artist: Aho Ssan
Album: Rhizomes
Listen to First: "Le Tremblement" ft. Nicolas Jaar
Artist: Grandbrothers
Album: Late Reflections
Listen to First: "North/South"
Artist: Iris Ell
Album: Undergod EP
Listen to First: "Moderation"
Artist: Kelvin Krash
Album: HARSH
Listen to First: "PROMISE YOU'LL WAIT"
Artist: Lamorn
Album: Forever
Listen to First: "Who We Are"
Artist: MJ Nebreda
Album: Arepa Mixtape
Listen to First: "Rápido" ft. Ana Macho
Emo
Artist: Can’t Swim
Album: Thanks But No Thanks
Listen to First: "i heard they found you face down inside your living room"
Artist: Kicksie
Album: Slouch
Listen to First: "Wish I Was (Anyone Else)" ft. Mei
Artist: Teenage Halloween
Album: Till You Return
Listen to First: "Getting Bitter"
Folk
Artist: Abraham Alexander
Album: SEA/SONS
Listen to First: "Stay" ft. Gary Clark Jr.
Artist: Photo Ops
Album: Burns Bright
Listen to First: "You Must Not Need A Friend At All"
Artist: Runnner
Album: Like Dying Stars, We’re Reaching Out
Listen to First: "i only sing about food"
Artist: Wilder Woods
Album: FEVER / SKY
Listen to First: "Maestro (Tears Don't Lie)"
Hip-Hop & Rap
Artist: FUFU
Album: 7Z7
Listen to First: "COMPL1CADO"
Artist: H31R
Album: Headspace
Listen to First: "Backwards"
Artist: JasonMartin, Problem, The Melodiks
Album: I Owe Myself
Listen to First: "FUPAYME (feat. Nate Curry)"
Artist: KAMAUU
Album: Lacuna in the House of Mirrors
Listen to First: "switch up"
Artist: Luv Leek
Album: Lethal Luv
Listen to First: "WILLEM DAFOE"
Artist: Miso Extra
Album: MSG EP
Listen to First: "R10"
Artist: Oddisee
Album: To What End
Listen to First: "Try Again"
Indie
Artist: Ailbhe Reddy
Album: Endless Affair
Listen to First: "Inhaling"
Artist: ANOHNI and Antony and the Johnsons
Album: My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross
Listen to First: "There Wasn't Enough"
Artist: Babebee
Album: A Prophecy EP
Listen to First: "VIDEO GAME"
Artist: Bad Veins
Album: Imposter
Listen to First: "Wendy"
Artist: Becca Mancari
Album: Left Hand
Listen to First: "You Don't Scare Me"
Artist: Best Fern
Album: Earth Then Air
Listen to First: "See Me"
Artist: Blondshell
Album: Blondshell
Listen to First: "Veronica Mars"
Artist: Cody Lawless
Album: Sunshine State of a Happy Camper
Listen to First: "I'm So Lucky"
Artist: Crooks & Nannies
Album: No Fun EP
Listen to First: "Sorry"
Artist: Dirty Nice
Album: Surrenderland
Listen to First: "Sophie, What's Up"
Artist: Elizabeth Moen
Album: For Arthur EP
Listen to First: "I Couldn't Say It To Your Face
Artist: Evangeline
Album: Fuzzy
Listen to First: "Hermione"
Artist: Flawes
Album: One Step Back, Two Steps Forward
Listen to First: "Is It Any Wonder"
Artist: The Hails
Album: What’s Your Motive
Listen to First: "Caligula"
Artist: Hak Baker
Album: Worlds End FM
Listen to First: "Bricks in the Wall"
Artist: Helena Deland
Album: Goodnight Summerland
Listen to First: "Bright Green Vibrant Grey"
Artist: JayWood
Album: Grown On EP
Listen to First: "Thank You (OG Version)"
Artist: Johanna Samuels
Album: Bystander
Listen to First: "Inside Girl"
Artist: Kabeaushé
Album: HOLD ON TO DEER LIFE, THERE’S A BLCAK BOY BEHIND YOU!
Listen to First: "GO WITH GUT"
Artist: Kris Ulrich
Album: Big in the USA
Listen to First: "Friends on the Internet"
Artist: La Fonda
Album: We Are Infinite
Listen to First: "The Calling"
Artist: LANNDS
Album: Music for the Future
Listen to First: "Overseas/BACK 2 U"
Artist: Lauren Auder
Album: the infinite spine
Listen to First: "hawthorne81"
Artist: Léa Sen
Album: You of Now, Pt. 2 EP
Listen to First: "Dragonfly"
Artist: LIES (Mike & Nate Kinsella)
Album: Lies
Listen to First: "Blemishes"
Artist: lilo
Album: I Don’t Like My Chances on the Outside EP
Listen to First: "Spit Up"
Artist: Liza Anne
Album: Utopian
Listen to First: "Shania Twain Is Making Me Cry"
Artist: Lutalo
Album: Again EP
Listen to First: "PLPH"
Artist: Milku
Album: You Make Me Feel Beautiful EP
Listen to First: "Alone"
Artist: Nakhane
Album: Bastard Jargon
Listen to First: "Standing In Our Way"
Artist: néomí
Album: after EP
Listen to First: "red balloon"
Artist: Overcoats
Album: Winner
Listen to First: "New Suede Shoes"
Artist: PJ Western
Album: Here I Go
Listen to First: "Human Machines"
Artist: The Royston Club
Album: Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars
Listen to First: "Blisters"
Artist: Sad Boys Club
Album: Lullabies From The Lightning Tree
Listen to First: "To Heal Without a Scar (Is a Waste of a Good Wound)"
Artist: Safree
Album: Ritual
Listen to First: "Melocotón"
Artist: Selines
Album: Ojos Vacios
Listen to First: "Todos Es Falso"
Artist: Sen Morimoto
Album: Diagnosis
Listen to First: "Pain"
Artist: Softcult
Album: see you in the dark EP
Listen to First: "Someone2Me"
Artist: Steve Marino
Album: Too Late to Start Again
Listen to First: "Got You (In My World Now)"
Artist: Tei Shi
Album: BAD PREMONITION EP
Listen to First: "¿QUIÉN TE MANDA?"
Artist: Tiberius b
Album: DIN EP
Listen to First: "Twofer"
Artist: tofusmell
Album: Humor
Listen to First: "Basil Noodles"
Latin
Artist: dadá Joãozinho
Album: tds bem Global
Listen to First: "Ô Lulu"
Artist: Marco Mares
Album: LOS FELIZ
Listen to First: "autodistruir"
Artist: MAVICA
Album: sometimes a person never comes back (but that’s okay)
Listen to First: "no puedo decir que no (no regrets)"
Artist: Paula Cendejas
Album: FOMO
Listen to First: "x ti'
Metal
Artist: Ihsahn
Album: Fasination Street Sessions
Listen to First: "Contorted Monuments"
Pop
Artist: GUNNAR
Album: Best Mistake
Listen to First: "The Chase"
Artist: N NAO
Album: L’eau et les rêves
Listen to First: "11:11"
Artist: Tungz
Album: A Good Dream
Listen to First: "Messages"
Pop Punk
Artist: Meet Me @ The Altar
Album: Past // Present // Future
Listen to First: "Say It (To My Face)"
Artist: Unarmed
Album: It’s Like That EP
Listen to First: "The Perfect Summer"
Punk
Artist: The Bouncing Souls
Album: Ten Stories High
Listen to First: "Ten Stories High"
Artist: CIVIC
Album: Taken By Force
Listen to First: "Born In The Heat"
Artist: Deeper
Album: Careful!
Listen to First: "Sub"
Artist: Equipment
Album: Alt. Account
Listen to First: "Hollister Henleys"
Artist: Frost Children
Album: Hearth Room
Listen to First: "Got Me By The Tail"
Artist: Lathe of Heaven
Album: Bound By Naked Skies
Listen to First: "Ekpyrosis"
Artist: Low Praise
Album: DRESSING
Listen to First: "Time Is Calling"
Artist: Scowl
Album: Psychic Dance Routine EP
Listen to First: "Psychic Dance Routine"
Artist: Trophy Eyes
Album: Suicide and Sunshine
Listen to First: "Blue Eyed Boy"
Artist: Who is She?
Album: Goddess Energy
Listen to First: "Shania"
Artist: With Honor
Album: Boundless
Listen to First: "Open Hands"
R&B
Artist: Jonah Yano
Album: Portrait of a Dog
Listen to First: "leslianne"
Artist: KayCyy
Album: TW2052
Listen to First: "NO COLD (prod. Gesaffelstein)"
Artist: Reggie Becton
Album: SadBoy Vol. 1 EP
Listen to First: "Life - Extended Version"
Artist: Renao
Album: A Space Between Orange & Blue EP
Listen to First: "BLIND"
Artist: SIPHO.
Album: Prayers & Paranoia
Listen to First: "SOBER"
Artist: Winny
Album: Winny EP
Listen to First: "Don't Leave"
Artist: Young Fathers
Album: Heavy Heavy
Listen to First: "Geronimo"
Rock
Artist: Ibex Clone
Album: All Channels Clear
Listen to First: "Nothing Ever Changes"
Artist: Me Rex
Album: Giant Elk
Listen to First: "Giant Giant Giant"
Artist: Narrow Head
Album: Moments of Clarity
Listen to First: "Moments of Clarity"
Artist: Object of Affection
Album: Field of Appearances
Listen to First: "Half Life"
Artist: PÆRISH
Album: You’re in both dreams (and you’re scared)
Listen to First: "Houses of American Style"
Artist: Pigeon Wigs
Album: Rock By Numbers
Listen to First: "Death Of A King"
Artist: Purling Hiss
Album: Drag on Girard
Listen to First: "Yer All In My Dreams"
Artist: Single Mothers
Album: Roy
Listen to First: "Sad Dumb Game"
Artist: Sun Room
Album: Outta Their Minds EP
Listen to First: "Cadillac"
Singer-Songwriter
Artist: — Murray A. Lightburn (of The Deers)
Album: Once Upon a Time in Montreal
Listen to First: "Oh But My Heart Has Never Been Dark"
World
Artist: Baaba Maal
Album: Being
Listen to First: "Boboyillo"