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2023 is more than half over, and that makes me think of the Philby Best Albums of 2023.
Yes, I understand that I still haven’t completed the 2022 list yet.
True, but I always start the following year’s search on January 1st. The sheet lists get made and I start to work on them.
For me, it’s a constant process that never ends.
Having worked on an “official” list for a decade or so now, the pattern has pretty much stayed the same: About a month or two into the year, I run across an album that captures my ears and my heart as being something truly “special.”
I then lovingly place it at the top of my working list for that year, and see how it stands up as the year goes on.
It has happened every year so far.
As much as I am always hoping that I hear something even better, it hasn’t happened yet.
However, this year is way different.
More than halfway through the year, I have yet to hear that “special” album.
Now, I’m not knocking what I’ve listened to so far this year.
I have heard many stellar albums up to this point–possibly even more than any other year.
But I haven’t heard the one!
And I’m reaching my own, sort of, self imposed deadline where I start focusing on the ones that will be on the ’23 list.
I find it more difficult to whittle the list down when I have what I think are enough albums.
Now, I always keep determining whether a release should be allowed until December 31st.
But that album would more than likely knock another one off to then be considered for next year’s list.
This may be a bunch of hooey to anyone reading this, but I’m just describing this observation of mine.
And that album may already be in my possession.
It just may not have revealed it’s “brilliance” yet.
Or……….
It may still be out there!
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Unofficial Songs Update #6:
The list updates, at this point, will also be in reverse order so that those closer to #100 will get more attention!
I would also like to state that unless a song has appeared on a weekly Faves list, it will NOT show up on the final songs list.
I will also provide submission info at the end of each one of these updates!
Here is the next Unofficial Philby Countdown List!:
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100.Struck By Lightning—The Chats (Single)
99.Maybe Someday—Pkew Pkew Pkew (Single)
98.Big Man on the TV—King Ropes (Way Out West)
97.Weekends—Clifford/Wright (For All the Money in the World)
96.Happy Medium—Katie Pederson (The Landing)
95.Jazz for All Occasions—The Doug MacDonald Quartet (Organisms)
94.Tightrope—Vandenberg’s MoonKings (MKII)
93.You Make Home—Upstairs Party (Upstairs Party)
92.Don’t You Know I Know—New Chums (Shruggin’ Off the Feelings)
91.Mine Mine Mine—The Rosebuds (Sand and Silence)
90.When You’re Gone—Emily Mure (Sad Songs and Waltzes)
89.Strange Vibes—Travis Bowlin (Secondus)
88.Everything That I See You See Better—Eyelids (Single)
87.Refugee—J.D. Dominowski (Echoes: Remembering the Music of Tom Petty)
86.I’m in Trouble Once Again—The Satin Cowboy and The Seven Deadly Sins (Duel)
85.No Drop of Love (Is Ever Wasted)—Valerie JanLois (No Drop of Love (Is Ever Wasted))
84.Ice Jam—The Regulators (One of These Days)
83.You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know—Jehova Waitresses (Route 5)
82.Jigsaw Puzzle—Lee Anna Atwell/Allison Edberg Nyquist/Linda Hicks/Joe Peters (Live at the Delphi Opera House)
81.Listen to the Music—The Alonzo Spirit Band (Cafe Kona)
80.Red Light Kisses—Lake Street Dive (Free Yourself Up)
79.The Tapestry—Ruth and Max Bloomquist (On a Canvas Painted Blue)
78.Everybody Knows It—Katie Pederson (The Landing)
77.Shine—Heather Layne (Single)
76.It’s Only Love—The New Zeitgeist (Myths and Mortals)
75.Chaos in the USA—Tom Alter (Single)
74.Miss Mess—Jay Elle (Ride the Wave)
73.Sing This Song With Me—Dave Boutette and Kristi Lynn Davis (Seven Stars Around the Moon)
72.Ethereal—Zoe Says Go (Space Between the Notes)
71.Tore Down a la Rimbaud—Danette Christine (Eternal Sun)
70.Stars—Friction Farm (So Many Stars)
69.Feel So Much—Go Fever (Daydream Hawker)
68.Kitty Hawk—Warriors, Zombies, and Other Joedai Pilgrims with Cheryl Fletcher (Collaboration)
67.Step Inside the Circle—Amy Dixon—Kolar (Dancing Through the Storm)
66B.Dark Eyed Girl—Christian Parker (Every Passing Mile)
66A.These Days—Terri Binion (The Day After the Night Before)
65.About Enough—Karyn Oliver (A List of Names)
64.Light From the Underground—Roger Ponder (Single)
63.One Summer Night—Carl Caballero (The Wreckage)
62.Waiting on the Good Life—Billy Redfield (Waiting on the Good Life)
61.Straight From the Heart—Robert Thibodeau and The Detroit Jewels (Single)
60.Forever Young Forever—Rebecca Loebe (Blink)
59.Nicer—Mise en Scene (Single)
58.Lady Luck—Michael McArthur (Single)
57.Summer Blue—Lannie Flowers (Flavor of the Month: The Remixed March to Home Singles)
56.Superstatic—Turkuaz (Life in the City)
55.Oh Yeah—Lindsay Beaver (Tough As Love)
54.Waiting on the Night—Ray Bonneville (At King Electric)
53.Second Chances—Happy Curmudgeons (Single)
52.Gotta Get to the Jersey Shore—Mike Rocket (For the Ride Home)
51.Under the Moon—Miss Sophie Lee and The Parish Suites (Traverse This Universe)
50.The Breathing Room—Jeff Scott (NOLA to New York)
49.Failure Brings Smiles—Bobby Pennock (The Vestiges of Art)
48.Hit the Road—Shawn Adam Williams (Single)
47.Chihuahua—Deanne Nesbitt, Jr. (Soundtracks in the Sand)
46.The Burning of Cork—Bill Grogan’s Goat (Third Eye)
45.In the Middle—Diana Chittester (Paradox)
44.I Wish You Love—Sundae + Mr. Goessl (Single)
43.Buckle Up Buttercup—Barker and Broski (The Ballad of Billy Bob and Other Generic Folklore)
42.Just to Get Me By—Mick Clarke (Cut Loose, Vol.2)
41.Feels Like Summer—Annie Fitzgerald (You and Me and the Sun)
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Here’s a section on submissions:
I am accepting entries for Philby consideration!
The album selections are made from a sliding four year pool of music.
The pool for 2023 is 2021-2024.
One of the reasons that I use a multiple year submission scale is that just getting music out to the world is sometimes difficult for an artist.
A lot of them are not really wired for self promotion.
Making music is totally different than drumming up interest in it, especially for independent musicians.
Yes, there are promoters that can help with that. And nothing against promoters because they have a role to play. But they cost money, and the artist already had to pay to record the music, and may not be prepared for the process of promoting it.
After looking at how some other independent awards are handled, I figured a four year window allows me enough time to serendipitously run across someone’s music.
I have told this story several times, but I try very hard to listen to everything that is submitted.
Although I work on my list, starting literally on January 1st, using a four year sliding window, I carry over some of what would qualify from the prior years.
So, if you’ve made some music dating back as far as 2019, I will accept that music for consideration.
If you have something older than 2019, send that, too, but identify the release date. I’m always looking for GREAT music.
For the Philbys, I’m looking for full albums.
However, if you only have a single, I’ll accept that, too. Don’t forget that I also have a Philby Hot Songs list, and more artists are releasing singles these days.
But please don’t send me an incomplete album if you have one.
So, please don’t edit for me.
I dislike that and I might not even check out the item. I don’t know why anyone would only send selected songs instead of their whole work of art for consideration.
Please don’t send me links to listen to music. That’s not how I listen to music. And I probably won’t listen to it if you send me a link to stream it. Either send me the album to download or request my mailing address to send a physical copy.
Every year I say that if your item came out later than May, it may not end up on this year’s list. So it’s possible that submissions entered now may only be considered for 2021. (It sounds so good to think of 2020 being finished!)
However, this year will be totally different than other years. I have not received any where near the amount of releases that I normally do.
It might be an excellent year to send a submission.
I will accept any genre of music. I like a variety of styles, even on the same album!
So, please e-mail your mp3s, and please make sure it is an mp3 only, to phil@philmaq.com.
If you want a physical address or have other questions, please e-mail me at the same address. Because selections will be considered for more than a single year, there isn’t an expiration date at the present.
If you want someone who will actually listen to your music, I am that person.
If you want some recognition for working hard and baring your soul, that might be me, too. I can’t make any promises, but I will listen to your music.
If you are reading this and are not a musician but know someone who is, please forward this to them.
Good luck to all who participate!
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My weekly radio show “Theme Attic,” can be heard Wednesdays, 12PM-4PM ET!
The show can be heard on WHFR 89.3 FM in the Dearborn-Detroit area of Michigan, or it can be streamed with this link: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/!
It almost always includes a weekly countdown of my favorite albums or songs and some shows feature two countdowns!
There’s plenty of other musical things to browse on my website!
Here’s the link to the complete history of all the Fave Albums: https://philmaq.com/phils-lists/phils-faves-albums/!
Here’s a link for the complete history of all the Fave Songs: https://philmaq.com/phils-lists/phils-faves-songs/!
Another list that you might find interesting is my list for “The Most Awesomest Songs of the Day”: https://philmaq.com/most-awesomest-songs/!
If you’d like to know what I think are even better than the awesome songs, have a look at “The Greatest Songs Ever Recorded”:https://philmaq.com/the-greatest-songs-ever-recorded/! Occasionally, an “awesome song” crosses over to become a “Greatest Song!”
My somewhat unusual Hall of Fame can be explored here: https://philmaq.com/hall-of-fame/!
Lastly, but most importantly, is my Philby Awards link! A Philby is my annual award for brilliant musical achievement! https://philmaq.com/philbys/!
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If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!
#Unofficial2022PhilbyHot100SongsUpdate #Philby #Philbys #2022UnofficialPhilbys
