Halfway through the year, the music charts have spoken: Miley Cyrus’s infectious single, ‘Flowers,’ has taken the crown as the biggest song of 2023… so far. Making history, the Top 5 best-selling songs of the year are all by female artists, according to the Official Charts Company, which compiles record charts in the UK, Ireland, and France.
The disco-influenced break-up anthem, ‘Flowers,’ has already garnered a staggering 147 million streams and over 80,000 downloads in 2023, solidifying its position as the year’s top track. For Miley Cyrus, this self-love anthem marks her first number one song since the iconic ‘Wrecking Ball’ back in 2014. The song’s release on actor Liam Hemsworth’s birthday (March 10) fueled speculation that it may be related to the end of their marriage.
Claiming the title for the longest-running Number 1 single by a female artist this decade, ‘Flowers’ stands tall with epic 10-week chart-topping runs, matching the achievements of Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ and Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella.’
RAYE and 070 Shake’s ‘Escapism’ claim the spot as 2023’s second biggest-seller, while SZA’s ‘Kill Bill’ holds strong in third place. The Top 5 is completed by PinkPantheress’s viral anthem ‘Boy’s a Liar’ and Taylor Swift’s chart-topping hit, ‘Anti-Hero.’ Notably, this marks the first time in chart history that the top five best-selling singles of the year are all by female artists, while also witnessing the absence of Ed Sheeran from the Top 10 for the first time since 2016.
Let’s take a look at the Top 10 singles of 2023 (year-to-date):
- Miley Cyrus – Flowers
- Raye ft 070 Shake – Escapism
- SZA – Kill Bill
- PinkPantheress – Boy’s A Liar
- Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero
- Rema ft Selena Gomez – Calm Down
- Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding – Miracle
- Libianca – People
- Harry Styles – As It Was
- Miguel – Sure Thing
Shifting our focus to albums, The Weeknd’s greatest hits compilation, ‘The Highlights,’ reigns as the most popular album of 2023 to date. Following closely behind are Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ and Harry Styles’ ‘Harry’s House.’ SZA’s ‘SOS’ and Elton John’s ‘Diamonds’ complete the Top 5, with only two albums released in 2023 making the list: Lewis Capaldi’s ‘Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent’ and Ed Sheeran’s ‘Subtract.’ Taylor Swift is also a chart powerhouse, with an impressive five albums in the Top 40.
Here are the Top 10 albums of 2023 (year-to-date):
- The Weeknd – The Highlights
- Taylor Swift – Midnights
- Harry Styles – Harry’s House
- SZA – SOS
- Elton John – Diamonds
- Lewis Capaldi – Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent
- Eminem – Curtain Call: The Hits
- Ed Sheeran – Subtract
- Fleetwood Mac – 50 Years: Don’t Stop
- Lewis Capaldi – Divinely Uninspired By A Hellish Extent
As the year progresses, these talented artists continue to captivate the music world with their unforgettable melodies and meaningful lyrics. Who knows what other surprises and chart-toppers await in the months to come? Only time will tell.
(Source: Official Charts Company)
