80 Fun Facts About 2023 Music

Which Miley Cyrus single spent eight weeks at US No. 1 and was 2023's best-selling global single?

The song went on to spend 57 weeks atop the Adult Contemporary chart, the longest run of any song on any Billboard airplay chart.

Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" spent how many non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100?

The last solo male country artist to top the Hot 100 before Wallen was Eddie Rabbitt with "I Love a Rainy Night" in 1981.

Which BTS member's "Seven" (featuring Latto) debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in July 2023?

"Seven" also became the fastest song ever to pass one billion streams on Spotify.

SZA's "Kill Bill" broke which song's record for longest No. 1 run on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart?

The song's music video, directed by Christian Breslauer, cast Vivica A. Fox, who starred in the Kill Bill films.

Doja Cat's "Paint the Town Red" is built on a sample of which 1964 Dionne Warwick song?

It became the first solo song by a female rapper to top the UK Singles Chart.

Which 2019 Taylor Swift album track went viral on the Eras Tour and hit No. 1 as a single in 2023?

The song was co-written with St. Vincent and hit No. 1 four years after its parent album, Lover, came out.

Oliver Anthony's 'Rich Men North of Richmond' made him the first artist to do what on the Hot 100?

The song was discussed at a Republican presidential debate; Anthony said it criticised politicians in both parties.

Which country singer's 'Try That in a Small Town' hit No. 1 in 2023 after CMT pulled its video?

Its late-July surge was the biggest sales week for a country song in more than a decade.

Luke Combs's hit 2023 cover of "Fast Car" won CMA Song of the Year for its original writer. Who?

Chapman became the first Black songwriter to win the CMA award; the original was her 1988 debut single.

In which US city did Taylor Swift's Eras Tour open on March 17, 2023?

The tour closed in Vancouver in December 2024 after 149 shows and was the first to gross over $1 billion.

In December 2023 the Eras Tour became the highest-grossing tour ever, overtaking whose farewell tour?

The Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour had wrapped in Stockholm in July 2023 after 330 shows and about $939 million.

Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour opened on May 10, 2023, in which city?

It ended in Kansas City that October and became the highest-grossing tour by a Black woman.

"Now and Then", the 2023 "last Beatles song", grew out of which Beatle's home demo from around 1977?

It is the only Beatles UK No. 1 not credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership.

Billie Eilish's Grammy- and Oscar-winning 'What Was I Made For?' was written for which 2023 film?

It was the first song from a film to win Song of the Year since Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic.

How many of Guts' 12 songs made the Hot 100's top 40 in the album's debut week?

The lead single "Vampire" topped charts in eight countries including the US and the UK.

Speak Now (Taylor's Version) gave Swift her 12th Billboard 200 No. 1, breaking whose record for most chart-topping albums by a woman?

Two of its vault tracks feature Fall Out Boy and Hayley Williams.

Which 1989 (Taylor's Version) vault track debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 2023?

The album was Swift's sixth to sell more than a million copies in its first week in the US.

Travis Scott's Utopia was accompanied by a film released the day before the album. What was it called?

All 19 tracks debuted on the Hot 100, making Scott the 15th artist with 100-plus career entries.

Morgan Wallen's 36-track One Thing at a Time was mainly recorded at which famous studio?

The album spent 19 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1, beating Garth Brooks' Ropin' the Wind as the longest-running No. 1 country album.

Which SZA song was the only track to stay on the Billboard Hot 100 for the entire year of 2023?

An acoustic version featuring Justin Bieber followed in September 2023.

Lana Del Rey's 2023 album title begins "Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under..." — under what?

It peaked at No. 3 in the US and was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2024 Grammys.

Boygenius is Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus and which singer?

The album won three Grammys, including Best Alternative Music Album.

Where did "Ella Baila Sola", the first regional Mexican song in the Hot 100's top 10, peak?

Rolling Stone named it the best song of 2023, and it passed a billion Spotify streams by year's end.

Karol G's Mañana Será Bonito was the first all-Spanish-language album by a woman to do what?

It also won her first Grammy, for Best Música Urbana Album, in 2024.

PinkPantheress's "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" hit No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 2023 with which Bronx rapper?

It was the first top-10 hit for both artists.

Which pregnant Barbadian singer headlined the Super Bowl LVII halftime show in February 2023?

It was the first halftime show sponsored by Apple Music and drew more than 121 million viewers.

Loreen won Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool with "Tattoo". Which country was she representing?

She became the first woman to win the contest twice, after "Euphoria" in 2012, and her country tied Ireland's record of seven wins.

Why was Eurovision 2023 staged in the UK rather than by the country that won in 2022?

Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena hosted on behalf of Ukraine's broadcaster, and 37 countries took part.

Which group was the first Asian act to headline Coachella, in 2023?

That July they also became the first Korean band to headline a major UK festival, at BST Hyde Park.

Who played the Sunday "Legends" slot at Glastonbury 2023?

The same weekend's closing Pyramid Stage set drew a peak UK TV audience of 7.6 million, a festival record.

Hackney Diamonds (2023) was the Rolling Stones' first album of original material since which 2005 record?

Guests included Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney and former bassist Bill Wyman.

Which Nigerian singer's "Calm Down", remixed with Selena Gomez, was IFPI's second best-selling single of 2023?

It led Billboard's U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for a record 58 weeks.

Tyla's Grammy-winning South African hit 'Water' is rooted in which genre?

Remixes with Travis Scott and Marshmello arrived in November 2023.

Which K-pop girl group's "Cupid" made them the first K-pop girl group to reach the UK top 10?

A sped-up version of the English "Twin" version went viral on TikTok first.

Which company had the viral AI track 'Heart on My Sleeve', mimicking Drake and the Weeknd, pulled?

The Recording Academy later ruled that works with no human authorship are ineligible for a Grammy.

A February 2023 remix with Ariana Grande finally sent which 2016 track from Starboy to No. 1?

It was the seventh Hot 100 No. 1 for both singers.

Jimin's 'Like Crazy', the first Hot 100 No. 1 debut by a Korean soloist, came from which album?

The English version addresses the burden of stardom, while the Korean version is about losing a loved one.

Whose December 2023 album Pink Friday 2 made her the first female rapper with three US No. 1 albums?

The record samples Billie Eilish, The Notorious B.I.G. and Cyndi Lauper, among others.

Dolly Parton's first rock album, Rockstar (2023), was preceded by which lead single?

Parton had promised a rock album after her 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction; the album debuted at No. 3, her highest-charting solo studio album.

U2 opened which $2.3 billion Las Vegas venue with a residency on September 29, 2023?

Its 580,000-square-foot exterior LED display is the largest in the world.

Which producer oversaw the 2023 soundtrack with "Dance the Night" and "What Was I Made For?"?

The album won Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media at the 2024 Grammys.

Taylor Swift's 2023 VMA Video of the Year win for "Anti-Hero" made her the first artist to do what?

Swift wrote and directed the video herself, with Mike Birbiglia and John Early playing her sons.

Who received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2023 MTV VMAs?

Diddy took the Global Icon Award the same night, and the show was held on a Tuesday for the first time.

Who became the first female rapper inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023?

She had already been the first female rapper in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the first to receive the VMAs' Video Vanguard Award.

The "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll" died at her home in Switzerland in May 2023, aged 83. Who was she?

She had relinquished her US citizenship in 2013 after decades of living in Switzerland.

Which "Margaritaville" singer died at his Sag Harbor home in September 2023, aged 76?

"Margaritaville" ranks 234th on the RIAA's list of Songs of the Century.

For which record did Sinéad O'Connor receive RTÉ's inaugural 'Classic Irish Album' prize?

The 1990 album contains her signature hit "Nothing Compares 2 U"; O'Connor died four months later, in July.

In May 2023 a New York jury cleared Ed Sheeran of copying which Marvin Gaye song in "Thinking Out Loud"?

Sheeran released two albums that year, − (Subtract) in May and Autumn Variations in September.

Who played drums on Foo Fighters' 2023 album But Here We Are, their first after Taylor Hawkins died?

Josh Freese was announced as the new drummer for the supporting tour.

Metallica's 72 Seasons closes with their longest original song ever, running over 11 minutes. Which track?

The title track won Best Metal Performance at the 2024 Grammys.

blink-182's One More Time... (2023) was their first album in 12 years with which founding member back?

The reunited trio also headlined Coachella 2023 after Frank Ocean's second-weekend withdrawal.

Kiss played the final show of their End of the Road tour on December 2, 2023, at which venue?

Gene Simmons said the tour was the band's last but the brand would continue.

Killer Mike's Grammy-winning Michael was his first solo album in how many years?

The Run the Jewels rapper swept three rap categories that night.

Who won Best New Artist at the 66th Grammy Awards after her album Jaguar II?

Her toddler daughter Hazel became the youngest Grammy nominee ever for her laugh on "Hollywood".

Midnights' 2024 Grammy made Taylor Swift the first artist to win Album of the Year how many times?

She used the acceptance speech for Best Pop Vocal Album to announce The Tortured Poets Department.

Which band's win for This Is Why made them the first female-fronted rock band to win Best Rock Album?

This Is Why, released in February 2023, was their first album in nearly six years.

Zach Bryan's "I Remember Everything" debuted at No. 1 in September 2023 featuring which country singer?

It was the first song to top the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Hot Rock & Alternative Songs charts at the same time.

Drake's "First Person Shooter" gave which featured rapper his first Hot 100 No. 1 in October 2023?

The track helped reignite Drake's long-running feud with Kendrick Lamar.

Which 1958 Brenda Lee recording first reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 in December 2023?

At 78 she became the oldest artist ever to top the Hot 100, breaking her own record a week later at 79.

How many weeks had Bad Bunny's Un Verano Sin Ti spent at Billboard 200 No. 1 by the February 2023 Grammys?

It was the first Spanish-language album ever nominated for Album of the Year, and IFPI named it the world's best-performing album of 2022.

Which album won Album of the Year at the 65th Grammy Awards in February 2023?

Beyoncé and Maverick City Music took home the most awards that night with four each.

Kim Petras, whose "Unholy" with Sam Smith won a Grammy in February 2023, was born in which country?

The win made Petras the first openly transgender artist to take a major-category Grammy.

Which artist won in all four categories he was nominated in at the Brit Awards 2023?

Wet Leg and Beyoncé also won multiple awards; the trophy was designed by artist Olaolu Slawn.

Olivia Rodrigo's "Vampire" video won which award at the 2023 MTV VMAs?

Petra Collins directed the clip, which was released alongside the single on June 30, 2023.

The music video for Olivia Rodrigo's "Get Him Back!" was shot entirely on what?

Director Jack Begert's video shows clones of Rodrigo trashing an ex's house.

Taylor Swift released her Eras Tour film in October 2023 through which theater chains?

It became the highest-grossing concert film ever, earning $267.1 million.

Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé (December 2023) features which Motown legend in a musical performance?

Former Destiny's Child members Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett also make brief appearances.

Miley Cyrus's Endless Summer Vacation was her first album for which label after leaving RCA?

She related the album's concept to her affection for Los Angeles and sequenced it like the course of a day.

Peso Pluma set what Hot 100 record in the week of 29 April 2023?

That same week his duet "Ella Baila Sola" became the first regional Mexican song to crack the top 10.

Whose BBC Radio 1 cover helped Noah Kahan's "Stick Season" go viral in 2023?

Released in July 2022, the folk-pop single had been only a modest hit until TikTok and the cover sent it up charts worldwide.

Which American rapper features on Raye's breakout single "Escapism.", her first UK number one?

Released independently after Raye left her label, it went four times platinum in the UK and topped charts in Ireland and Denmark.

How many weeks did Dave and Central Cee's "Sprinter" hold UK number one in 2023, a rap record?

It debuted at the top and became the most-streamed song on Spotify in the UK that year.

Which Mitski single became her first Hot 100 entry in 2023 after taking off on TikTok?

Its lyric asks the Moon to keep her love and shine it back to Earth after she dies; it peaked at 26 in the US and 8 in the UK.

Jack Harlow's November 2023 hit "Lovin on Me" samples a 1995 R&B track by which artist?

A short preview of the track spread on TikTok before release, and it went on to top the Hot 100.

Which OneRepublic frontman co-wrote and co-produced Tate McRae's 2023 hit "Greedy"?

The lead single from Think Later topped the Billboard Global 200 and the Canadian chart.

Teddy Swims's "Lose Control" (2023) took how many weeks to reach number one, the longest climb ever?

It debuted at number 99 and finally hit the top in March 2024, later setting the record for most weeks on the Hot 100.

Guitar great Jeff Beck, who died in January 2023, had replaced whom in the Yardbirds in 1965?

Jimmy Page had been the band's first choice and recommended Beck; Page joined the Yardbirds himself the following year.

Shane MacGowan, who died on 30 November 2023, fronted which Celtic punk band?

He co-wrote "Fairytale of New York", the perennial Christmas hit he sang with Kirsty MacColl.

Harry Belafonte, who died in April 2023, made which 1956 album, the first million-selling LP by one artist?

It carried "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" and made calypso an international craze.

NewJeans' second EP Get Up, which topped the US Billboard 200 in 2023, was led by which single?

The EP also sold over a million copies in South Korea, and the single became their highest UK chart entry.