Top 30 Songs for July 16-22, 2023

After a long, steady climb up my chart, I’m happy to announce that “Essence”, the stunning electro-pop collaboration between young Danish DJ and electronic house music producer Refeci (aka Victor Cornelius Tommerup) and Canadian-American singer-songwriter and musician Shimmer Johnson, has reached #1. They’ve each released an impressive amount of music both as solo artists and in collaboration with numerous musicians and vocalists. Refeci composed the mesmerizing and sensuous music, while Shimmer wrote the lyrics that speak to the importance of having faith in ourselves to forge our own path: “Don’t ever ever doubt your life. Make a wish and just believe. Find the path that’s right. It’s the essence of life.” It’s Shimmer’s second song to top my chart, her first being “Starts With You” early last year.

In other notable changes this week, “The Narcissist” by Brit pop band Blur enters the top 10 at #8, and “Psychos” by American singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis leaps 10 spots to #10. Three songs enter the chart, the first of which, “Vampire”, by 20-year-old Southern California-based singer-songwriter and actress Olivia Rodrigo, debuts at #11. Released on June 30, the heartrending song debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, her third single to do so (the others were her 2021 monster hit “Drivers License” and “Good 4 U”). “Call Me What You Like” by British indie rock band Lovejoy, enters at #29, and “Good Vibrations” by Texas duo MISSIO (which I recently reviewed) enters at #30.

  1. ESSENCE – Refeci & Shimmer Johnson (2)
  2. RESCUED – Foo Fighters (1)
  3. RESCUE ME – Dirty Heads (4)
  4. LEAVING – Au Gres (5)
  5. NOT STRONG ENOUGH – boygenius (3)
  6. WHY – Future Theory (7)
  7. PINEAPPLE SUNRISE – Beach Weather (9)
  8. THE NARCISSIST – Blur (12)
  9. IN MY HEAD – Mike Shinoda & Kailee Morgue (10)
  10. PSYCHOS – Jenny Lewis (20)
  11. VAMPIRE – Olivia Rodrigo (N)
  12. HELLO – GROUPLOVE (15)
  13. KID – The Revivalists (8)
  14. EAT YOUR YOUNG – Hozier (11)
  15. WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE – Joy Oladokun & Noah Kahan (17)
  16. STUCK – 30 Seconds to Mars (18)
  17. PUPPET SHOW – Beck Black (19)
  18. EMPTY NEST – Silversun Pickups (16)
  19. GO DOWN RIVER – The Heavy Heavy (6)
  20. DUMMY – Portugal. The Man (13)
  21. SAY YES TO HEAVEN – Lana Del Rey (24)
  22. THOSE EYES – New West (14)
  23. SPELLBINDING – The Smashing Pumpkins (23)
  24. BONES – HEALER (25)
  25. WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – The Frontier (26)
  26. ORBIT – Gooseberry (28)
  27. OVERRATED – dwi (29)
  28. LAST TIME EVERY TIME FOREVER – Grian Chatten (30)
  29. CALL ME WHAT YOU LIKE – Lovejoy (N)
  30. GOOD VIBRATIONS – MISSIO (N)

Top 30 Songs for July 9-15, 2023

The Foo Fighters remain on top for a third week with their cathartic “Rescued”, while the mesmerizing “Essence”, by Danish electronic artist Refeci and Canadian-American singer-songwriter Shimmer Johnson, slides into the #2 spot. Rounding out the top five are “Not Strong Enough” by supergroup boygenius, “Rescue Me” (lots of rescuing going on!) by L.A. ska band Dirty Heads, and “Leaving” by Michigan singer-songwriter Au Gres. Entering the top 10 are “Why” by British alt-rock band Future Theory, at #7, “Pineapple Sunrise” by Beach Weather, at #9, and “In My Head” by Mike Shinoda and Kailee Morgue, at #10.

The biggest upward mover this week is “The Narcissist” by legendary British band Blur, leaping 10 spots to #12. Two fantastic new songs make their debut: “Overrated” by the brilliant Canadian artist dwi, who’s wonderful album Zoo Life I reviewed last Friday, at #29, and the gorgeous “Last Time Every Time Forever” by also-brilliant Fontaines D.C. front man Grian Chatten. The song is one of the singles from his superb debut solo album Chaos For The Fly

  1. RESCUED – Foo Fighters (1)
  2. ESSENCE – Refeci & Shimmer Johnson (3)
  3. NOT STRONG ENOUGH – boygenius (2)
  4. RESCUE ME – Dirty Heads (5)
  5. LEAVING – Au Gres (6)
  6. GO DOWN RIVER – The Heavy Heavy (4)
  7. WHY – Future Theory (11)
  8. KID – The Revivalists (8)
  9. PINEAPPLE SUNRISE – Beach Weather (13)
  10. IN MY HEAD – Mike Shinoda & Kailee Morgue (14)
  11. EAT YOUR YOUNG – Hozier (7)
  12. THE NARCISSIST – Blur (22)
  13. DUMMY – Portugal. The Man (9)
  14. THOSE EYES – New West (10)
  15. HELLO – GROUPLOVE (15)
  16. EMPTY NEST – Silversun Pickups (17)
  17. WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE – Joy Oladokun & Noah Kahan (18)
  18. STUCK – 30 Seconds to Mars (19)
  19. PUPPET SHOW – Beck Black (20)
  20. PSYCHOS – Jenny Lewis (21)
  21. MARRY ANOTHER MAN – Wise John (16)
  22. 1982 – Morgendust (12)
  23. SPELLBINDING – The Smashing Pumpkins (24)
  24. SAY YES TO HEAVEN – Lana Del Rey (29)
  25. BONES – HEALER (26)
  26. WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – The Frontier (27)
  27. CHEMICAL – Post Malone (23)
  28. ORBIT – Gooseberry (30)
  29. OVERRATED – dwi (N)
  30. LAST TIME EVERY TIME FOREVER – Grian Chatten (N)