end of year favorites
find your next hyperfixation! here's a long long list of recommendations of things i enjoyed this year.
As someone whose hobbies include tracking things online and consuming an obscene amount of media, I have so many goodies to share with you this year. I find that often my media consumption goes in phases - depending on the year, my focus shifts on different mediums. Which is to say, this year, I watched a hell of a lot of television and listened to a lot of music. I read a few books, but most of them were rereads, and while I went to the movies upwards of 20 times, there were a limited number of stand-out films I added to my list.
Going into 2023 I felt like I needed to refill my soul and find the joy in art that I lost in 2021 and 2022. I wanted to revisit things that I loved and try lots of new things to see what would spark something in me. And I found that my brain was in a very malleable mood for once. I listened to a lot of slow singer-songwriter music, I watched a lot of dramas. It felt good to stretch my legs and focus less on reading and movies and more on other things.
But it was a very rich year!!!
A playlist of songs I loved or found in 2023.
A playlist of 200 (ish) songs released in 2023 that I’m obsessed with.
A playlist of 150 (ish) songs I had on repeat in 2023.
Follow me on Letterboxd or Goodreads or Spotify or my lyric Instagram.
television + mini-series
This category is probably the most difficult one to make because this year I watched upwards of 20 shows in some way shape or form. (The last time I watched this much television was in 2018.) Even though most of this year was taken over by the strike, there were a lot of shows that were made before the strike even happened. So much of the television I binged this year was new releases, but I also got stuck watching some older shows I didn’t anticipate loving. Overall it was an excellent year for TV, and I’m already sad it’s over.
🏳️🌈 Our Flag Means Death Season 2
What if I told you this show sent me into a month long spiral about love and depression and queer community? I adored the first season of this when it came out and I was beyond nervous that season 2 wouldn’t match up…but this season was everything I wanted and so much more. It’s made by queer people for queer people, and it brought me so much joy when I was in a deep depressive spiral. It’s the perfect mirror to Black Sails, and while I adored Black Sails…OFMD is my comfort show. I rewatched random episodes from this season over and over for weeks. I wish I was kidding.
🏴☠️ Black Sails Seasons 3-4
In April (?) Hulu announced that Black Sails was leaving their service. I had watched two seasons last year and got side-tracked, so this news was devastating. I had ten days to watch two full seasons of a drama series that I was still not fully interested in. (It’s slow, okay! I’m bad at dramas!) But I worked my ass off and binged like a crazy person and holy shit. All-timer. You know I love pirates, but Black Sails is such an insane show because it’s Michael Bay produced (stay with me) but it’s also queer and kind of a comedy (that’s a lie) and it’s all about Stories. You cannot understand it without watching the full show obviously, but as my friend Soph said when she recommended it… it’s worth it. I am Changed.
(Great news, BS is coming to Netflix in January!!! Watch it!!!!!)
🍽️ The Bear Season 2
Look, if you aren’t watching this show then you need to stop and look at your priorities. It’s the best thing on television right now, period. (Yes, it’s my number three on this list. It makes sense.) The acting, the cinematography, the script, it’s flawless. Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri are just as good as the critics say, and that Christmas episode was delicious. Add in some Taylor Swift references and you have a perfect show! Watch S1-2 before S3 drops (like four years from now, let’s be real).
💚 Loki Season 2
I’m just as surprised as you are! The truth is, Marvel is all over the place now and you cannot trust anything I say about this show because I’m a Loki stan and I do believe that Loki and Mobius are in love. Season 2 was so pivotal for me personally because a huge portion of the plot revolves around Friendship. And also the season finale is some of the best work the MCU has done since End Game. Tom Hiddleston the man that you are…
🧠 Shrinking Season 1
I ended up watching this season more than once this year, it’s just that good. From the mind of Brett Goldstein (of Ted Lasso fame), this lovely little show is about therapy and communication and grief and it hit me right in the gut. The cast is incredible, the writing is hilarious and heart-wrenching, and the whole thing just made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Perfect show!
🧙🏻♂️ Mythic Quest Seasons 1-3
Possibly the biggest shock of this year was my obsession with Mythic Quest. I clicked on it after I watched Shrinking because I was curious about watching another Apple show and this one clicked with me almost immediately. It’s made by the people who did It’s Always Sunny, but this series focuses on video games and the power of friendship. There’s a particularly moving quarantine episode (hello 2020, my old friend) and while I’m not a huge fan of where things went in season 3, one of the final episodes in that season has one of the greatest platonic love proclamations in all of television. Come for the laughs, stay for the friendship. I am so stoked that they’re working on S4!
👩🏻❤️👨🏻 Couples Therapy Seasons 1-3
One of my friends begged me to watch this series and it became one of my favorite obsessions this year. Orna is truly a master at her craft, and it was so insightful to get to look into the lives of these couples as they undergo therapy. It helped me do a lot of personal work and encouraged me to find a new therapist, and I’m so glad we got new episodes this year. I think everyone should watch this show - it’s streaming on Showtime!
🐦⬛ The Fall of the House of Usher
As you may know, I’m a Flanagan fan. That man can do no wrong in my eyes, and this series was no different. While it isn’t my favorite horror series of his, it’s definitely third in line, and I was obsessed with this story. Mike does such a great job mixing relevant modern themes with antiquated stories and writers, and he always finds an interesting and scary way to reinvent older works. I’m not a huge Poe person, but I knew some of the main stories he was replicating and I had so much fun watching these rich people get destroyed. This is like if Succession was set in the Hill House universe.
⚽️ Ted Lasso Season 3
While this season ended…horribly…I did have so much fun watching my silly little sports team having fun. I think there were some really incredible episodes (Amsterdam, am I right?) and wonderful moments, and overall it was a very enjoyable season. I just really wish it hadn’t ended quite like that, ya know? If you haven’t checked out Ted Lasso, all three seasons are streaming on Apple TV and I highly recommend it if you like laughing and crying and doing those things at the same time!
👔 Severance Season 1
I’d heard the buzz about this show and didn’t connect with the first episode when I tried it in 2022…but holy cow. When I finally committed to this season, I was flabbergasted. It’s excellently twisty and I am actually really upset that we don’t have season 2 yet. Great acting, great concept, great execution. Perfect for fans of Black Mirror.
film
As I approach the ominous thirty (I still have a year and a half left, fear not), I’ve made it a goal to hit 1,000 films on my Letterboxd. Not a difficult feat, I only have like 20 films to go, but it encouraged me to try a lot of movies this year that I normally may not have. I didn’t watch a lot of 2023 releases that I enjoyed (although I went to the movies a lot…), but overall there were some pretty fun films on my list! And honestly a lot of the winners were big surprises I did not expect.
🎭 Theater Camp (2023)
I didn’t even know this movie was coming out this year until my friend Hailee saw it and told me I would love it. I know some people might say there was a better best picture for this year, but Theater Camp is truly an all-timer for me. Not only is it beautifully shot, but it’s the funniest film I’ve seen in years. It had me in tears the first time I saw it I was laughing so hard. It’s the perfect movie for anyone who has a theater background and it’s both heartfelt and hilarious.
🎀 Barbie (2023)
Yeah, yeah. You’ve seen it. You know.
🚙 Driveways (2019)
I stumbled on this one day while I was scrolling through Showtime’s listings and my oh my, this blew me away. It’s a quiet film by the same guy who directed Fire Island (I was shocked too), and it’s all about grief. Hong Chau has become one of my favorite actresses and she absolutely shines in this. I cried. And then I bought it on blu-ray because I need it in my collection. I think everyone should watch this.
🍯 Christopher Robin (2018)
Speaking of crying…I turned this on when I was in a Winnie the Pooh phase in September (I was very sad and blue and needed a comfort movie), and I did not expect to adore it so much. Ewan McGregor is kind of the love of my life and he did a wonderful job in this, but I was oddly enamored with the CGI they did for the hundred acre wood animals. I think the film does a great job reflecting on the idea of grieving your childhood and coming to terms with adulthood, and it made me feel very safe when I was drowning.
📣 Bottoms (2023)
What more can be said about this film that hasn’t been said already? It’s the perfect modern high school comedy. Belongs in the hall of fame right next to Mean Girls, honestly. Even though I need to watch it again to fully appreciate it, I had a blast watching this the first time and I think about it constantly. Great jokes, great acting, great music.
🌅 Before Sunrise (1995)
I meant to watch this ages ago especially since it came out the year I was born. I turned it on one day for a comfort film vibe and even though it’s fairly simple and very driven by the dialogue, it is so lovely and I hope to watch the other installments in this series in the near future!
🛸 Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
I saw this for the first time in January with my best friend Laura and I think both of us were shocked at how much we loved it. The music is amazing, the premise is bizarre, and it’s kinda the future gays want. One day I hope to see it in a live setting but for now I’ll just keep singing the time warp!
⚽️ Next Goal Wins (2023)
While I don’t really feel like I can speak too deeply about this film because of my identity as a white cis person, I have to say that I really enjoyed this movie. It’s a delicate topic because there is some transphobia that was really jarring for me, but as it’s a true story it’s important to show it on screen, and I absolutely loved the fa'afafine actress/character in this film. And why lie, the sportsmanship found-family grief got to me and I bawled for like the last twenty minutes. Taika’s all over the place nowadays but the man still knows how to make a damn good movie.
🪞 Oculus (2013)
As a Flanagan fan I’ve been trying to watch more of his backlist because I haven’t seen a lot of his films. This is an oldie but a goodie (and after I watched it Mike announced that Karen was coming back to work with him on a new project, so I kinda summoned her!) and I love the implications it has on the great Flanaverse. Evil mirrors are terrifying and the apple scene is still one of the most horrifying moments I’ve seen on screen. An honorary mention here is also Gerald’s Game (2017) which is an adaptation of the Stephen King book - sufficiently creepy and scary, definitely gave me some night terrors, but I think Oculus is slightly more compelling to me personally.
🪓 Pearl (2022)
While I didn’t entirely hate X, it definitely was not my cup of tea and so when I turned on Pearl I was hoping I enjoyed it a little bit more…and I think Pearl is superior to X in so many ways. While I think X is a little more classic, I just enjoyed the characterization and plot of Pearl a lot more. I think the two work great together (obviously), but the magic of Pearl is that this film is somehow more bubbly. It takes the horror and makes it a little tragic, a little less scary, but a lot more dramatic. Mia Goth was amazing in X, but she really shines in Pearl. The monologue she gives at the end still sticks with me. I cannot wait to see the third installment!!
books
🇫🇷 Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
My one concrete resolution for 2023 was to read all of Les Miserables before the end of the year. I’ve been stuck at page 550 for ten years now, and I’m sick of seeing it on my currently reading shelf. Even though I started it late (Thanksgiving…oops), it was so clearly my favorite book of the year and I am very confused and baffled as to why I never finished it in the past. But my god. It’s a classic for a reason. Definitely an all-timer.
🕰️ Vita Nostra + Assassin of Reality by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko
I’ve had this book on my TBR for years now, and I finally bit the bullet and turned on the audiobook. (Conveniently I started book one about a month before the translated sequel came out, so I got to read both!!) And as a fan of dark academia and absolutely strange meta books, this hit all the high notes I wanted. It kind of makes no sense, especially since it’s translated from Russian, but I absolutely love the ideas behind it and I spent a lot of times just running around going “WHAT THE FUCK!” which is kind of my ideal reading experience. The sequel wasn’t quite what I was expecting so it felt a little bit flat, but I still highly recommend this series if you love magical schools or dream books. Read my review of VN on Goodreads!
🐇 Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
What can I say, I’m a sucker for this series. Book two was so different than book one, but it was fun and funny and full of cool twists. Leigh took this in such a weird direction (in a good way) and I truly cannot wait to see where this series goes next! I have a playlist for this below and you can also read my review on Goodreads!
🌊 Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
This has been on my TBR for a few years, and it’s a delightfully short audiobook that packs a real punch. It can be included in the very specific genre of “sentient houses” and also “books whose main character is a sweet little guy” which is the best place to be. It’s mysterious and whimsical and sad and a little bit meta, but at its heart it’s about humanity and the meaning of life and it’s a real head-scratcher. Highly recommend if you need a quick read that will make you think and that will also have you guessing what will happen next!
🕹️ Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
If you’re a fan of Mythic Quest or books about friendship or stories that span over the course of many years, then this is the book for you. It’s all about video games, but it’s also about relationships and growing up and grief and so many things in between. While it didn’t hit me quite as I was hoping, it’s still a very powerful book and I absolutely adored it. Read my review on Goodreads!
albums
A lot of people may not realize this, but 2023 was probably the best year in music since at least 2020. There were so many hot debuts, incredible comebacks, and overall just great tunes that were put out in the last twelve months. I listened to over 1,500 artists and 4,700 songs, and at the end of the year I actually don’t have as many albums to recommend as I thought. I did a lot of revisiting older music, a lot of listening to just singles or one-offs, and most of the albums I did love were by artists I’ve been waiting for. For the sake of everyone involved, blondie is not included on this list. If you aren’t a Sw*ft** in the year of our lord 2023, I can’t change that!
🫀 Paint My Bedroom Black - Holly Humberstone
In a shocking turn of events, this is my album of the year. I’ve been following Holly for a few years now, and I was eagerly waiting for this release. The first time I listened to it was in a rainy car ride at night with my best friend, and that’s exactly how this album sounds. It’s exactly what I needed and I’m still obsessed with it. It scratches an itch in my brain and it has songs about friendship. Win win.
👑 The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess - Chappell Roan
I think Chappell Roan is the next pop princess. She’s been on my Spotify wrapped since 2020 and I’ve waiting a very long time for this record. I got to see her on tour this year (and met her!!) and she’s just the best person and performer. This album is a pop dream, full of bops and jams, and I cannot wait to see where she goes next. A close second to Holly!
💓 AR - EP - Addison Rae
Not even ashamed to say this EP deserves a Grammy.
📱 Rolling Up the Welcome Mat - Kelsea Ballerini
I’ve been a lowkey fan of Kelsea for years (how can you not love her!), and I think I speak for everyone when I say that she has never put out a record as good as this one. When it came out in early 2023, I immediately latched onto it. I love a good divorce record, and this one was on repeat non-stop. Excellent sound and lyrics and the rerelease kicks ass.
🩵 The Good Witch - Maisie Peters
I never really loved Maisie Peters (sorry bestie!) but this album changed my whole perspective on her. The lyricism alone on here is Taylor Swift levels of insane, and practically every single song on this album hits. Pop perfection!
🍬 Quarter Life Crisis - Baby Queen
The final debut I was waiting on this year was miss Bella and she did not disappoint! This album is a powerhouse full of bops, but more than that it has some hard-hitting ballads. Bella does such an amazing job of being relatable in the most niche way. There are a lot of tracks on here that feel incredibly aroace coded, and I just adore her sound and her personality and her style.
🌱 In the End it Always Does - The Japanese House
I accidentally fell in love with this album as I was driving to and from work this summer. It’s weirdly comforting, and I love the new direction Amber took her sound. Even though I didn’t get to see this live, I still have so many great memories with this album and it’s a true work of art.
🛒 HOPE - NF
I haven’t kept up with NF since The Search because I didn’t love where his mixtapes were going, but holy shit this album is incredible. The lyricism and sound he went for were life-changing to me personally. Cannot recommend him enough if you like rap.
🍂 Stick Season (We’ll Be Here Forever) - Noah Kahan
I was coerced into loving Noah Kahan this year and honestly, I’m not that mad. I listened to this for real for the first time in October on a drive to Kentucky and found myself in tears by the time I reached the end. Maybe it’s the northerner in me, but Noah gets it. I am not immune to his charms.
🎙️ Aurora - Daisy Jones and the Six
As someone who didn’t really love the DJATS book (it’s a solid 4 star read, don’t get your panties in a twist), I was the prime audience for the Daisy Jones show. While I recognize this band and record is Not Great, I had so much fun listening to it and some of the lyrics in this album are just excellent. Sorry not sorry!
playlists
One of the things I discovered this year (I already knew this) is that my favorite hobby is actually playlist-making. Some might even call it a special interest! It’s so relaxing to me to make playlists and the only way I can sift through my 11,700 songs in my Spotify library is by coding them based on mood, useage, feeling, and vibe. I almost exclusively listen to playlists. I made a lot this year, most of which are not worth sharing simply because they’re for my own personal useage, but I wanted to share some of my favorite public ones. They’re my pride and joy!
🌧️ stop feeling!
Kind of my favorite playlist at the moment. I started it when I was at the peak of my depression in early October because I needed a place to put the songs that helped me dissociate on my drive home from work. (Sorry, it’s true.) Unfortunately, all the best music is about repressing your feelings and being bored and sad. If I could actually track my brain this year, I think this playlist is the best map.
🍂 my ninth house fanmix
The sequel to Ninth House dropped early this year and so when I was rereading and diving into it, I felt compelled to make a playlist. It’s in order. It may or may not have some vampire references in it.
👑 my chronological throne of glass fanmix
This is my magnum opus. When I reread TOG this summer I went through and put all my random Throne of Glass songs into chronological order complete with film scores. It’s all eight books starting with The Assassin’s Blade. Full of cinematic pop. Makes me feel insane if I listen to it.
⚔️ my locked tomb fanmix
Even though I didn’t reread TLT this year (next year I will…), I had to make a crazy chaotic playlist for this series. It’s mostly chronological from what I can recall, and it’s the perfect blend of 80s, hyperpop, and emo. Gideon would love it.
🇺🇸 my updated red white and royal blue fanmix
I reread RWRB for the first time in a long time and decided my 2020 playlist needed a refresh. Lots of new stuff on here now, same great feeling of Alex and Henry!
🧣 taylor breakup playlist
Someone I know went through a breakup over the summer and the only way I knew how to cope was to make a Taylor break-up playlist. Because obviously. And it slaps, by the way.
🍁 autumn music masterlist
When fall hit I decided to go crazy and make a huge master playlist of any and every song I had on hand that felt like autumn. We’re talking foggy mornings and cold dark nights and rainy days and crisp sunny afternoons and everything in between. Oldies, new releases, cult classics, you name it. It’s all on here.
💖 my updated full taylor swift ranking (oct 2023)
Every few months I shift around my rankings for Taylor’s full discography (usually when she drops an album), and since we got two re-recordings this year I had my work cut out for me. Last I looked at this was right after 1989TV dropped. It’s very unique. Yes, “End Game” does deserve to be that high!
honorary mentions
I consumed so so so much media this year you guys. And a lot of things from the backlog, a lot of non-current things. But since there’s so much, I wanted to highlight some things that haven’t quite made an impact on me the way that my natural favorites have, but that also are very important to me to share with you! These are the honorable mentions…that may or may not be quite so honorable…
Big Bite - EP - Hannah Cole
While I spent more time listening to Hannah’s older stuff (“The Space Between the Bed and the Wall” fueled many a depression drive), I absolutely love the EP she put out this year. Her sound is excellent, really fuzzy and unique, and her lyrics are fantastic. Definitely an artist to watch!
vert1go Vol 1 - EP - Griff
More people need to listen to Griff! She is such a pop powerhouse, and I love this EP because the lyricism is top notch. “Into the Walls” in particular has been spinning on my playlist because it’s the perfect depression track.
This Is Why - Paramore
I probably don’t even need to put this on here because we all know just how great this band and this album is. It’s not my favorite Paramore album by any means, but “You First” has been on repeat for me almost all year.
Mirror - Lauren Spencer Smith
This album is for people who went through a best friend breakup with a narcissist, and that is all you need to know.
Drummer - G Flip
When I found G Flip a few months ago, I was unaware of just how cool they are. They’re NB and currently dating someone from Selling Sunset (I think?) but the coolest thing about them is that they’re a drummer. I love their sound and this album in particular has some really great lyrics. “The Worst Person Alive” and “Rough” are stand-outs for me!
Light, Dark, Light Again - Angie McMahon
A friend introduced me to Angie’s music this year, and I would describe her as Florence meets Boygenius. The title track of this album (“Making It Through”) has made such an impact on me and the title itself really reverberates in my own life. Angie has such a way with lyrics and she’s so deeply relatable. I’m obsessed.
Drop Cherries - Billie Marten
I saw Billie live a few weeks ago on a whim, and even though I’ve loosely been a fan of her work in the past, I really adore this new album she put out this year. It’s very acoustic-guitar driven, and her voice drips like honey. Perfect for relaxing on a cold night or a warm summer’s day.
Certified Depressant - Taylor Acorn
Yes, I found her in a reel. But Taylor’s sound is so 2003 Avril and I’m kind of obsessed with her. She’s making the exact genre of music I want to hear and “Coma” is an all-time favorite.
Comedy & Tragedy - Catie Turner
Catie Turner deserves to be bigger. She writes some great tunes and is incredibly relatable, and while I didn’t fall in love with her until late in the year, I do think I’ll be following her from now on. “Hyperfixations” and “Empty” got me through a lot this year.
Jubilee - Japanese Breakfast (2021)
Sometimes you gotta read Crying in H Mart in order to really Get Japanese Breakfast, but luckily I did that this year so I had a nice little JB phase a few months ago. Jubilee kinda goes hard. “Paprika” and “Slide Tackle” especially!
Montevallo - Sam Hunt (2014)
Yes, Sam Hunt was my number two artist on wrapped this year. I’ve loved him for many years now but I really fell in love with the rest of Montevallo this year. He may not be a perfect person and I don’t really like his personality that much, but the way he writes and makes music is weirdly compelling to me? Like for a guy who definitely is a cheater who drinks too much…he’s kinda romantic. What can I say, this is my red flag.
Greywaren by Maggie Stiefvater
For whatever reason, I felt compelled to pick this up even though I did not enjoy Mister Impossible at all. I will say, I turned on the audiobook at like 3x speed and only slowed down when I got some Pynch content, but overall it was enjoyable! I think this series falls flat in a lot of ways and could have been better if Maggie got to do her vision rather than her publisher’s, but as someone who loves the Lynch brothers…it was exactly what I needed. Read my review on Goodreads!
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
I did a buddy ready of this with my mom, and while it didn’t impact me quite as much as I expected it to, I am so glad I picked it up. Michelle does such a great job making you feel things, and I loved getting to see into her world and her grief.
Descendants 2 (2017)
My friend Haley convinced me to do a Descendants marathon when she visited for my birthday and while I recognize these movies are nothing special…they’re kinda the gayest thing Disney’s ever done and I am STILL singing the soundtrack to this day. If I had watched this in middle/high school it would have been my shit. And it is still my shit today!
Heartstopper Season 2
I forgot that Heartstopper is the absolute cutest show ever! Season 2 did not disappoint (in fact, it was even better than S1), and my favorite thing about it is that we have a canonically aroace character on screen - and they actually TALK ABOUT IT! I watched this on my phone on a plane to/from LA and it took everything in me not to scream at the top of my lungs when Isaac had his big scene.
Shoresy Seasons 1-2
If you’ve watched Letterkenny you may be familiar with Shoresy. If you haven’t watched LK, Shoresy is a hockey player who is a complete asshole and nobody should care about him…but shouldn’t they? This show is all about Canada and found family and hockey, and I did not expect to love it so much. It isn’t for everybody, but it brought me so much joy, I have to recommend it.
Succession Season 4
Even though I’m not a big drama person and I don’t think Succession is a show I’ll ever rewatch, I cannot deny that S4 was a powerhouse. Insane acting, insane plots, just insane. That wedding episode…whew. Big fan of the ending as well. They really pulled it off!