Well, now everyone and their dog is doing some kind of Spotify Wrapped style year in review, but we’ve been doing this gig for a few years now and we’re not about to stop. So who’s ready to take a trip down memory lane and look at some of the very best music that soundtracked your videos in 2023?
This article will reveal all the top mainstream artists, songs and playlists that were the most popular with creators in 2023. Hopefully providing you with some inspo along the way!
Before you dive into it, take a second to see if you can guess which artist and which song will take the number 1 spot. Done? Let’s go!
Bonus round this time (because we couldn’t help ourselves), is a shoutout to a few of the creator videos that made our year.
Top Artists
1. Coldplay
Ah, Coldplay. They enchant with heartfelt lyrics, mesmerizing melodies, and captivating performances. Blending alternative rock, pop, and electronic elements, their music resonates globally and has won them Grammys as well as allowed them to influence generations, and create an indelible mark on the music industry.
Top Tracks: Viva La Vida, Paradise, Fix You, Yellow
2. Linkin Park
Pioneering rock band renowned for their fusion of rock, rap, and electronic elements. With iconic hits, they shaped the 2000s music scene, influencing countless other artists. Their emotional depth and genre-bending sound earned them a dedicated global fanbase.
Top tracks: In The End, Numb, One Step Closer, Faint
3. Dua Lipa
Known for her infectious energy, powerful vocals, and empowering lyrics, Dua Lipa is a pop icon. Besides being a gifted songwriter and electrifying performer, she’s a fashion icon and advocate for diversity. With multiple Grammys, BRIT awards, and MTV VMAs under her belt, her impact is undeniable, making her one of the most exciting artists of her generation.
Top tracks: Don’t Start Now, New Rules, Break My Heart, IDGAF
4. Justin Bieber
Top Tracks: Ghost, Sorry, Beauty And A Beat, What Do You Mean
5. David Guetta
Top hits: Titanium, Memories ft KiD CuDi, ‘Remember’ by Becky Hill, Would I Lie To You
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6. Tiësto
Top tracks: The Motto, The Business, Don’t Be Shy
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7. Nicki Minaj
Top tracks: Barbie World, Beauty And A Beat
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8. Lil Uzi Vert
Top tracks: Just Wanna Rock, XO Tour Llif3, Yessirskiii
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9. Macklemore
Top hits: Can’t Hold Us (with Ryan Lewis, ft. Ray Dalton), Thrift Shop (with Ryan Lewis, ft. Wanz)
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10. The Offspring
Top hits: The Kids Aren’t Alright, Pretty Fly (For A White Guy), You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid
Top Songs
Now this is the part you’ve probably been waiting for – the top 10 tracks of 2023. Let’s get into it!
1. Glass Animals – Heat Waves
This track was a big hit on last year’s highlights article. It was insanely popular in 2022 and could probably take the title of soundtrack of the year for most people, especially for content creators and the TikTok-obsessed. Turns out it was so damn good and catchy that most of us kept it going throughout 2023 as well! It’s always a crowd-pleaser, so if you want a great soundtrack for your video, this is a solid choice.
2. Macklemore – Can’t Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton)
This is a banging throwback tune that topped the charts globally back in 2011 (who else feels old now 🙋♀️). Its energetic vibe, motivational lyrics, and blend of hip-hop, pop, and electronic beats made it a favorite for sports events, commercials, and motivational videos – marking it a defining hit of the early 2010s. But, it’s still a great choice to this day. Add this to your fitness video or montage to give it a boost and get your viewers bopping along.
3. Kenya Grace – Strangers
Newcomer Kenya Grace made her mark on the music scene with this Drum and Bass track that ended up getting huge on TikTok. Fun fact, with this track she became only the second British female artist to get a no.1 hit with an entirely self-written, self-performed, and self-produced track! (The first being Kate Bush 😮)
4. Ice Spice & Nicki Minaj – Barbie World (feat. Aqua)
Barbie took over the world in 2023 and the official soundtrack from Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj was 10/10. With its energy and sass, as well as samples from the original Barbie Girl track by Aqua, this was the track of the summer for us!
5. Coldplay – Viva La Vida
6. BlocBoy JB & Drake – Look Alive
7. Bruno Mars – 24K Magic
8. Lil Uzi Vert – Just Wanna Rock
9. Coldplay – Paradise
10. Dua Lipa – Don’t Start Now
Top Playlists
These are the top 10 Lickd playlists you’ve been loving most this year!
1. Viral Hits
Aside from the top tracks mentioned above like Barbie World and Kenya Grace’s Strangers, this killer playlist also includes hits from Ice Spice like In Ha Mood and Deli, as well as Odetari’s GOOD LOYAL THOTS. Aside from that you can also find some huge tracks that have previously gone viral like Ava Max’s Sweet But Psycho, Ckay’s Love Nwantiti, Dua Lipa’s Don’t Start Now, and Tom Odell’s Another Love. If you want big or trending tracks, this is the go-to playlist!
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2. Classic Hits
Love a good throwback? Who doesn’t! Whether you want to Rickroll your viewers with Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up, get your stomp on with I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) from The Proclaimers or soundtrack your vlog with Lola by The Kinks – there’s something in this playlist for everyone, of all ages. Check out the full playlist to see even more classics from legends like Madonna and Tina Turner!
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3. Billion Streams Club
This playlist is like a VIP exclusive room, only the biggest and best tracks are let in – those with over a billion streams! Of course, you’ll find famous hits here like Unholy by Sam Smith, New Rules by Dua Lipa, SAD! By XXXTentacion, Dance Monkey by Tones & I, Sorry by Justin Bieber, and a whole lot more. If you just want something good that most of your audience will recognize and like, this is the playlist for you.
4. Lickd Most Licensed
5. 80s Hits
6. New on Lickd
7. 500m Streams
8. Hip Hop Central
9. 90s Hits
10. LoFi Beats
Now you know the music most loved by creators in 2023
So, did you guess any of these? And have you licensed any of this music already? If not, perhaps now is the time to get on the bandwagon and try out a few of these artists, songs, and playlists to see what they can do for your next video.
If you’re new here, you’re in luck. Newcomers to Lickd get 25% off their first license! Plus, if you sign up to a plan you get 75% off mainstream music licenses and 14 days of unlimited free royalty-free music!
Bonus Round: Creator Shoutouts
First up, huge shoutout to the #1 main man, MrBeast, for continuing to work with us and use Lickd music throughout 2023. But, you’ve all seen his videos… so here are some more of our faves:
Sidemen
2023 was honestly a year of milestones for us here at Lickd. After a great year in 2022, licensing to the likes of MrBeast, Ryan Trahan, Airrack, and Logan Paul for the first time, 2023 brought the first mainstream music license from the Sidemen. This video includes some great tracks such as Paradise by Coldplay, Bangarang by Skrillex, and All Night by The Vamps.
Chris MD
We’ve been big fans of Chris MD for a long time and are very grateful to him for speaking out about Lickd and what we’re trying to achieve. This was one was ballsy (pun intended) as he divided the UK in 2 and pitted them against each other. The outcome? You’ll just have to watch the video! We also love it because it contains a ton of great music such as I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers, Walking On Sunshine by Katrina & The Waves, and Jerk It Out by Caesars.
Della Vlogs
This emotional video really spoke to us, and a lot of other viewers too it seems, with the video amassing over 6 million views! This one includes Coldplay’s Paradise, soundtracking the emotional moments they told family and friends about the adoption. Congrats Dallin and Bella!
We could go on forever listing creators and videos we loved in 2023, but we’ll keep it short with some quick shoutouts. Thanks to Lily Sabri for making the most engaging workouts that really do burn. Shoutout to Lando Norris, yes the Formula 1 racing driver Lando Norris, for using Lickd music in his vlog. That one got a lot of us F1 fans at Lickd jumping up and down for joy!
Don’t forget to join big creators like these in using mainstream music for your videos now that it’s finally possible. With your help, we can level the playing field for creators and make music licensing accessible to everyone.
The post 2023 Highlights – The Music Creators Loved Most appeared first on Lickd.
