Photo: ANGELA WEISS / AFP
It will be no surprise to anyone who found themselves singing 'I can buy myself flowers...', but Miley Cyrus' song Flowers has topped Aotearoa's official top 40 singles chart for 2023 after spending six weeks at no. 1.
Cyrus' 2023 tune, which many listeners assumed to be inspired by the end of her marriage to Australian actor Liam Hemsworth, edged out 'Kill Bill by US R&B star SZA (that's pronounced 'Sizza', in case you were wondering) and People by US-Cameroonian Afrobeats singer Libianca.
Reggae-funk band L.A.B and reggae-pop group Six60 dominated the top New Zealand singles and album sales for the past 18 months.
Dunedin band Six60. Photo: supplied
L.A.B dominated the Top 20 New Zealand Singles chart, taking the number one spot with 'In The Air' (for the third time in the last four years) and having four other songs in the top 10. L.A.B had four albums in the Top 20 New Zealand Albums chart, pipped by Dunedin's Six60 who took the top spot with Six60: 10th Anniversary Edition. The band had four other albums in the chart, as well as three songs in the singles chart.
Taylor Swift was the highest-selling artist of the year. Photo: AFP
If you're reading this and thinking, 'I don't recognise any of these names', rest assured that household names like Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and country singer Luke Combs also featured. Time Magazine's Person of the Year, Taylor Swift, was the highest-selling artist of the year with seven albums and two singles in the top 20 albums and singles charts respectively.
There were some surprise showings by more 'vintage' bands in all the charts. Fleetwood Mac's 'Dreams', first released in 1977, took the no. 10 spot in the top 50 singles chart, while 'Go Your Own Way' (released the same year) slid in at no. 49.
'Have You Ever Seen The Rain', a 1971 tune from Creedence Clearwater Revival appeared at no. 43, while 76-year-old Elton John crept into 20th position thanks to his 'Cold Heart' collaboration with UK singer Dua Lipa.
The top position in the Te Reo Māori Singles Chart was hotly contested throughout the year. 'Te Ata Māhina' by Te Matatini And Te Pikikōtuku o Ngāti Rongomai and Whenua Patuwai emerged the winner.
The Black Seeds. Photo: Promotional / David James
The singles chart also featured surprise showings from more vintage Kiwi bands like Fat Freddy's Drop, The Black Seeds, Crowded House and Dave Dobbyn and Herbs, while the albums chart included familiar faces like Lorde and Katchafire.
RNZ's Tony Stamp, host of The Sampler, was less impressed by the chart's findings.
"It's disappointing to see the local end of year charts so thoroughly dominated by the same names that top them every year, with the same albums," he said.
"It makes me wonder if there needs to be a re-thinking of how they work, in order to allow newer releases space to shine."
Recorded Music NZ uses data from streaming services, gig sales and retail sales to work out the End-of-Year Official Charts that determine what Kiwis have been buying and listening to over the year.
See the complete charts here.