It’s always fun to look back at all that has happened within the music industry over a year. 2023, like most years, had its highs and lows in the industry. While there’s a lot to look at in both categories, I wanted to highlight a list of 2023 events that Savage Content is thankful for. I’ve got 10 listed out for you to look through, and I hope you’re as thankful for some of these events as I am.
Check out my list below.
1. 50 Years of Hip-Hop
2023 is the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. The 50th celebration was held on August 11th, the same day DJ Kool Herc held a back-to-school party at the Bronx's Sedgwick Avenue in 1973 (Source). There was a performance at the Grammy’s to celebrate the milestone featuring LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, Run DMC, and Missy Elliot (among others).
2. New Grammy Record
Beyonce broke the record for all-time Grammy wins. With 88 nominations and 32 Grammy wins under her belt, Beyonce holds the record for most Grammy wins of all time. In 2023, she broke the record by winning three awards including Best Dance Recording for "Break My Soul," Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Plastic off the Sofa" and Best R&B Song for "Cuff It."
3. Rihanna’s Return
After a five-year hiatus, Rhianna returned to the stage for the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Not only did she return to the stage, she performed her set while pregnant with her second child. Long-time fans of the Barbadian singer were thankful to see her make a comeback, even if it wasn’t with new music (yet).
4. Staind Is Back
After 12 years, rock band Staind has released another studio album. It’s been a while (see what I did there 😉), but they’re back! The band broke up around 2012 listing the grind of touring being too much and the struggle to find the same success they had for their third studio album Break the Cycle as reasons to part ways and focus on solo work. Frontman Aaron Lewis said they decided to come back because they got the drive back to make new music. Lewis said in a Livewire interview about the band’s comeback, “This feels different ... I feel the way I felt before Break the Cycle came out” (Source).
Confessions of the Fallen was met with decent reviews. It’s a solid comeback for the 28-year-old rock band known for hits such as “It’s Been a While” and “So Far Away.”
5. All Without Words Live
Savage Content helped successfully put on the All Without Words Live event at Cincinnati Music Hall. While a lot of our work takes place in Miami, Florida, and New York, our executive team has roots in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was such a joy to bring our love of music and philanthropy to our hometown.
6. Blink 182 Reunited
This year, we saw Tom Delonge make his return to Blink 182. After seven years of doing other things (mainly UFO research), Delonge has taken up his guitar and returned to his place as co-vocalist in the iconic pop-punk band Blink 182. His return brings the band back to its original lineup, which has made longtime fans very happy. Upon his return, they released an album called One More Time.
7. Samara Joy’s Big Win
Jazz artist Samara Joy won Best New Artist at The Grammys in 2023. This is a great step forward for Jazz in the modern music landscape, because in the last few decades, Jazz hasn’t been given enough love. Morgan Enos, writer of the blog for the Grammys said it best, “Jazz can be treated as a little niche, partitioned off into a corner of the music landscape. Even the most heralded rising talents seldom rocket to celebrity status” (Source). So, to have Joy win this award is a great way to show that Jazz is still a very vibrant and alive genre.
8. Busta Rhymes received the Lifetime Achievement Award
At the BET Awards in June 2023, rapper Busta Rhymes was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the age of 51. The rapper is known for hits such as “Don’t Cha” and “I Know What You Want.” This was his seventh BET award, but his first one awarded in 12 years. There was a performance to celebrate his achievement during the show which included artists such as Swizz Beatz and Bia. Rhymes joins many other legends who were given this award including Whitney Houston, Prince, and Diana Ross. (Source)
9. Billion-Dollar Tours
Taylor Swift and Beyonce went on nationwide tours bringing over a billion dollars in revenue respectively. There’s a reason to be grateful even if you aren’t a fan of either artist because the tours brought revenue to many big cities in return.
10. blessthefall Returns
Metalcore band blessthefall has made a comeback after a 5-year hiatus. Fans were devastated when members of the Arizonian band started being inactive online around 2019 and 2020. Then in 2022, band members took band information out of their social media bios without making a formal statement. Fans hoped that it was just a hiatus and not a breakup, but it didn’t look good. Then, in a surprise twist, after years of silence, blessthefall returned with the single “Wake the Dead”, a track going back to the beloved sound from the Hollow Bodies era of the band with a perfect blend of heaviness with melodic vocals.
These are 10 events in music for 2023 that I’m thankful for. I think I’m most thankful for Blink 182’s return. What about you? What do you hope to see happen in 2024? Let me know in the comments!
Written by Kristen Petronio