Looking back at 2023 - for the record

January 09, 2024

A music critic could look at 2023 through the same prism as the years 1973, '83, '93, 2003 and 2013 - years that let's be honest did not set the world on fire. But unlike those years which were very much on a journey as music continually evolved, 2023 was driven not by exciting new genres or even artists but my new challenges that haven't impacted any of those years above, namely climate change and technological change, principally AI. And Taylor Swift...

This was the first year that AI created the possibility we could be listening to artificially created music and possibly an artist's work being mimicked. Climate change is now far better understood than ten years ago but such inspiration appears largely lost in today's musical artists. Russia continued their assault on Ukraine whilst Israel-Palestine conflict became brutally and sadly physical. My song of the year is a beautiful and timely reminder on how beautiful music can be: Saint Levant's From Gaza, With Love.

But first, I have to start with my musical highlight of the year - as part of a road trip around Europe I managed to capture Rammstein in their home coming gig in the Olympic stadium of Berlin. I went a metal sceptic and left bowed over by the theatre, the pyrotechnics and the sheer community between band and audience - it was the best gig I've ever been to