Best of 2023

It's almost the end of 2023, so here is my annual round-up of the best posts from the year! :) You can see my previous Best Of posts (dating back to 2016) at the links below: 

2016's Best Of: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2016/12/best-of-2016.html

2017's: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2017/12/best-of-2017.html

2018's: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2018/12/best-of-2018.html

2019's: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2019/12/best-of-2019.html

2020's: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2020/12/best-of-2020.html

2021's: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2022/01/best-of-2021.html

2022's: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/01/best-of-2022.html

 

And now here is 2023's! :)

 

Music

I continued my tradition of writing posts sharing some new music for the new year:

New Music for 2023- Bollywood/Asian  https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/01/new-music-for-2023-bollywoodasian.html

New Music for 2023- Various: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/01/new-music-for-2023-various.html

 

African

As with last year, I did a round-up of posts featuring African music from the past couple of years, which goes up to mid-November.  And I featured one Weekly Music Video with French/African music. Also some African dance (see the Dance Videos round-up under Dance).

 

Afropop Round-up 2022-2023: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/11/afropop-round-up-2022-2023.html

Ninho feat. Ayra Star (French/African): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/11/weekly-music-video_29.html

 

C-pop

I didn't share much Chinese music during 2023. My first new music post of the year New Music for 2023- Bollywood/Asian; also see above) featured Good Life by WayV. I did also share some music by Lexie Liu in the 88rising Artists- Part 1 post  (see below under Various). And I only wrote 3 posts in my C-pop Saturday series. It is "semi-regular" but I'd like to do more next year. I did plan to write one more towards the end of 2023 but didn't get round to it. 

 

Cpop Saturday:

https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/02/c-pop-saturday.html

https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/05/c-pop-saturday.html

https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/09/c-pop-saturday.html

 

Eurovision

I wrote 4 Eurovision Song Contest themed posts this year, 2 mini countdowns and my usual  2 annual posts:

Eurovision Countdown- ASC 2022 Winner AleXa (first of two mini countdown posts, featuring the winner of the first American Song Contest): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/04/eurovision-countdown-asc-2022-winner.html

Eurovision Countdown- 2009 Winner Alexander Rybak (the 2nd countdown post): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/04/eurovision-countdown-2009-winner.html

Eurovision Round-up 2: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/05/eurovision-round-up-2.html

Eurovision 2023 Favourites: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/05/eurovision-2023-favourites.html

 

J-pop

I featured a couple of  XG videos, plus wrote a post about their debut mini album (see under New Music Releases). However, while the members are Japanese, they sing primarily in English and are classed as a "global group", so I haven't listed them under J-pop. I also featured the first Japanese unit of NCT in my October New Music Releases post and some J-pop in Public dances.

Apart from that, there were only 3 J-pop posts on the blog this year. Last year I wrote that I planned to share more J-pop in 2023 and there was a bit more than 2022, lol.

Koda Kumi [Trigger]- https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/03/weekly-music-video_15.html

RIRI- I Need U: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/06/weekly-music-video_21.html 

New(ish) J-pop Videos: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/08/new-j-pop-videos.html

K-pop

I shared quite a lot of Korean music last year but not so much during 2023. Some K-pop was featured  in the New Music for 2023 and New Music Releases posts (see the New Music Releases section below). 

 

And here are the stand-alone K-pop posts: 

KARD- Without You: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/04/weekly-music-video_12.html

Jimin (BTS)- Like Crazy: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/05/weekly-music-video_10.html

NCT DOJAEJUNG- Perfume:https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/07/weekly-music-video_12.html

NCT DREAM- Poison: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/09/weekly-music-video.html

New Music Releases 

Quite a few posts about new music releases this year:

 New Music for 2023- Bollywood/Asian  https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/01/new-music-for-2023-bollywoodasian.html

 New Music for 2023- Various: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/01/new-music-for-2023-various.html

New Music Releases (March): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/03/new-music-releases.html

New Music Releases (June): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/06/new-music-releases.html

Debut XG Mini Album: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/10/xg-debut-mini-album.html  

New Music Releases (October): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/10/new-music-releases.html 

Debut Denise Julia Mini Album: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/12/debut-denise-julia-mini-album.html  

 

Weekly Music Videos

My favourite Weekly Music Videos from the year:

Era Istrefi- Idiot: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/01/weekly-music-video_25.html

XG- SHOOTING STAR: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/02/weekly-music-video.html

NEJ'- Inta Habibi: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/05/weekly-music-video_17.html

Kristian Kostov and VOSTOK- Iris: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/06/weekly-music-video_14.html

Denise Julia- bum 2 me: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/07/weekly-music-video_26.html

ZAYN- Love Like This: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/08/weekly-music-video_9.html

Kim Kunni feat. T.R.I.- Ulala: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/09/weekly-music-video_13.html

Bella Poarch and Lauv- Crush: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/09/weekly-music-video_27.html

Jung Kook (BTS) feat. Jack Harlow- 3D: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/11/weekly-music-video_8.html

 

Various

This section includes Asian Groups posts, a new series that I started in March, plus other music posts that don't fit under the other categories. I wrote a few posts that ended up being split into two parts. I plan to write the 2nd parts next year, lol.

Asian Groups:

Asian Groups- Filipina Girl Group: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/03/asian-groups-filipina-girl-group.html

Asian Groups- Filipina Girl Group: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/05/asian-groups-filipina-girl-group.html

Asian Groups- Thai Boy Band + Indonesian Girl Group: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/07/asian-groups-thai-boy-band-indonesian.html

Asian Groups- Filipino Boy Band + Thai girl group: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/09/asian-groups-filipino-boy-band-thai.html

 

88rising Artists- Part 1: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/01/88rising-artists-part-1.html

Live Performances- Gen Neo + Justine Skye: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/02/live-performances-gen-neo-justine-skye.html

V-pop Round-up: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/02/v-pop-round-up.html

Ashanti Through the Years- Part 2: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/02/ashanti-through-years-part-2.html

More Samples and Covers: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/06/more-samples-and-covers.html

Happy 30th Bday Ariana Grande!: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/06/happy-30th-bday-ariana-grande.html

More Summer Vibes:  https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/07/more-summer-vibes.html  

Timbaland Link-up- Part 1: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/07/timbaland-link-up-part-1.html

Live Performances Round-up 2022-2023: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/07/live-performances-round-up-2022-2023.html

Chilled R'n'B Songs: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/08/chilled-rnb-songs.html

Brandy Through the Years- Part 1: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/09/brandy-through-years.html 

Live Performances 2023: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/09/live-performances-2023.html

Fifth Harmony Girls' Solo Careers- Part 1:  https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/11/fifth-harmony-girls-solo-careers-part-1.html

 Fifth Harmony Girls' Solo Careers- Part 2: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/11/fifth-harmony-girls-solo-careers-part-2.html

Christmas Songs for 2023: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/12/christmas-songs-for-2023.html 

Films/Music

There were no film specific posts the year but a few crossover films/music posts featuring music from the Indian movie industries. I'd like to feature more Bollywood next year.

 

Bollywood

New Music for 2023- Bollywood/Asian  https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/01/new-music-for-2023-bollywoodasian.html

Bollywood Round-up 2021-2023: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/04/bollywood-round-up-2021-2023.html

Hum Aaye Hain from Ganapath: Hero is Born: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/10/weekly-music-video_25.html

 

There was also some Bollywood music included in the New Music for 2023- Various post and the More Hallowe'en Treats! post (see under Various).  

Tollywood

Only one Tollywood post again, like last year:

Tollywood Videos Round-up 2: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/09/tollywood-videos-round-up-2.html

 

Dance 

I wrote quite a few dance video posts during 2023. I did a round-up in November and then there was one more post after that.

 

Dance Videos Round-up 2023: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/11/dance-videos-round-up-2023.html

Dance in Public- More XG Dances: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/12/dance-in-public-more-xg-dances.html

TV

Only one specific TV post this year:

Teen Mom UK: The Next Generation: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/03/teen-mom-uk-next-generation.html

Popular Posts

I introduced this category in 2021, where I share the posts with the most views/hits. Unfortunately, views dropped off from the beginning of this year. I was getting a lot during 2022, a hundred or more a post. I'm not  sure why, I know that various things affect site traffic. Regardless, I'm grateful for any views and that people read the blog. :) 

 

Ckay and Ronisia- lose you: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/01/weekly-music-video.html

New Music for 2023- Various: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/01/new-music-for-2023-various.html

Ashanti Through the Years- Part 2: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/02/ashanti-through-years-part-2.html

Asian Groups- Filipino Boy Band + Thai girl group: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/09/asian-groups-filipino-boy-band-thai.html

Dance in Public- XG: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/03/dance-in-public-xg.html

Debut XG Mini Album: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/10/xg-debut-mini-album.html   

88rising Artists- Part 1: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/01/88rising-artists-part-1.html

 Asian Groups- Thai Boy Band + Indonesian Girl Group: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/07/asian-groups-thai-boy-band-indonesian.html

 

It's always interesting to see which posts are the most popular. :)  

Various

More Hallowe'en Treats!: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/10/more-halloween-treats.html

Christmas Round-up 3: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/12/christmas-round-up-3.html

 

So that's it for 2023! Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a good start to the new year and see you in 2024. :)