Party Favorz

Party Favorz


2023’s Dance Music Essentials Volume 2: Discover the Year’s Top Dance Songs and Biggest Hits

December 27, 2023

Play
Pause


















Support the PodcastDownloadShare
var srp_player_params_66363601e88fa = {"title":"","store_title_text":"","albums":[],"hide_artwork":"true","sticky_player":"true","show_album_market":0,"show_track_market":"true","hide_timeline":0,"player_layout":"skin_boxed_tracklist","orderby":"date","order":"DESC","hide_album_title":"true","hide_album_subtitle":"true","hide_player_title":"true","hide_track_title":"true","show_publish_date":"false","show_skip_bt":"false","show_volume_bt":"false","show_speed_bt":"false","show_shuffle_bt":"false","use_play_label":"true","use_play_label_with_icon":"true","progressbar_inline":"true","spectro":"","hide_progressbar":"true","main_settings":"||"}
var srp_player_params_args_66363601e88fa = {"before_widget":"","after_widget":"","before_title":"","after_title":"","widget_id":"arbitrary-instance-66363601e88fa"}
if(typeof setIronAudioplayers !== "undefined"){ setIronAudioplayers("arbitrary-instance-66363601e88fa"); }

Welcome back to Volume 2 of the Party Favorz Top Dance Songs of 2023, showcasing this year's most significant dance hits!
A prominent trend in today’s music consumption is streaming, a phenomenon that gained even more importance during the pandemic, impacting the dance music industry significantly. While festivals still thrive with their EDM-centric, visually spectacular shows, club venues have suffered, leading to the closure of the Billboard Dance Club chart due to reduced DJ feedback from large venues.
Even in major cities, where nightlife is concentrated, this shift has resulted in a decrease in the volume of new dance music releases. At Party Favorz, we've felt this reduction since last year. With less music comes fewer standout hits, and many of today’s hits often sample popular tracks from 10 to 20 years ago, repurposing these melodies into new creations.
However, the silver lining in fewer releases is that it allows gems like "Water" by Tyla, "Body Moving" by Eliza Rose and Calvin Harris, and Peggy Gou’s hit "(It Goes Like) Nanana" to shine, reaching a broader audience. In a different era, these tracks might have been overshadowed by a flood of new music.

Exploring other dance music genres, artists have reinvigorated styles like Drum 'n' Bass. While not our personal favorite, especially in a full DJ set, it has its place. Becky Hill's "Disconnect" is so Punk Rock that the D'n'B production by Chase & Status was a natural fit for the song. Issey Cross’s "Bittersweet Goodbye" is another significant Drum 'n' Bass track, infusing the genre's energy with orchestral elements borrowed from the Verge alternative classic "Bittersweet Symphony," which got them in hot water for borrowing the string section from the Rolling Stones "The Last Time." Despite its potential, this genre can be challenging for DJs without advanced equipment to blend with contemporary dance music. Still, Drum 'n' Bass is seeing a small rebirth when we were hoping for a Breaks resurgence in mainstream dance which has shown a lot of promise lately. We'll have to wait and see what 2024 brings.

Latin House has also seen a rise in popularity. Jain’s "Makeba" classic emerged as a major hit this year with the Ian Aisher remix and reminiscent of the "Macarena" with its catchy refrain. We selected Axel Paerel’s version for this set, focusing on the instrumental part that really gets people moving. This approach is similar to the initial instrumental version of "Macarena," which later had lyrics added for broader appeal.

Other Latin-influenced hits include "Marianela" by Merk & Kremont x Hugel vs. Lirico En La Casa and "Let's Go" by will.i.am and J Balvin.