This list of NPR Music's best songs of 2023 looks unlike any we've ever made before. It's not just the number of songs that has changed. There are no rankings here — in fact, the 123 songs below ...

A side effect of the way we listen to music in the streaming era is that it's harder than ever for new stars to break through. Or it was until 2024, anyway. This year, it felt like a page turned, the ...

Have you ever been ambushed by an irresistibly catchy tune? One minute you're driving or working, the next a tune like Wannabe by the Spice Girls comes on the radio, and suddenly you're a full-on pop ...

What made a great song in 2022? Was it an irresistible beat and a sense of humor? An introspective, bittersweet dream? An absolute dance floor banger? Was it lo-fi, high-res, loud, soft, twangy, poppy ...