While there has been a ton of great new music this past year, there's nothing wrong with indulging in a little nostalgia. As 2023 approaches, we're looking back to some iconic releases of 2013. As these albums hit the 10-year mark, we hope the bands and artists will choose to have an anniversary tour or choose another way to celebrate the major milestone in the coming year. Get the perfect soundtrack to memory lane with a reminder of some of the great music of 2013.
Lorde - Pure Heroine
Lorde has gone on to influence teenage singer-songwriters like Olivia Rodrigo, but back in 2013 the New Zealand native was the new kid on the block. At just 16, she changed the landscape of pop music with the release of Pure Heroine and its lead single "Royals." The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 in three countries, including her home New Zealand and the neighboring Australia. While "Royals" was the initial smash hit, subsequent singles "Tennis Court" and "Team" kept Lorde on the radio and cemented Pure Heroine as an instant classic. Lorde would continue to find success in the next decade — in fact, her sophomore album Melodrama would garner an Album of the Year nomination at the Grammys — but we think it would be powerful for the singer to reflect on her teenage roots and honor the influence she's had on the current pop landscape.
My Bloody Valentine - m b v
Fans of My Bloody Valentine had to wait over 20 years for them to release their third (and what seems to be final) album, m b v. In the band's typical style, there have been rumors and reports of new music over the past few years, but they've yet to materialize. The Irish-English pioneers of shoegaze could tide their fans over with a tour honoring the 10-year anniversary of m b v. A follow-up to 1991's Loveless, m b v included recorded material from the mid-'90s before the band went on hiatus, as well as both earlier and newer material. Despite the long layoff, the album was critically acclaimed and made many lists of best albums of 2013. My Bloody Valentine fans have always been loyal — the band's site crashed when the album was released directly through the website — and there's no doubt that a tour would make 2023 a year to remember.
Arctic Monkeys - AM
In the UK, Arctic Monkeys were indie-rock royalty as soon as they hit the scene, with even their demos gaining popularity online. Their album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, was the fastest selling debut in their home country. While the later release in the United States sold well for an independent debut, the band did not hit the same level of success across the pond as they did at home until they started touring. "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" was a hit on the US alternative charts, but a No. 1 single in the UK. So while Arctic Monkeys were a mainstay at home, they fell off the radar a bit in the United States until their seminal 2013 album AM. That's why a US tour celebrating 10 years of their most successful album would pack amphitheaters around the country. With hits like "Do I Wanna Know?" and "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" on AM, the setlist would be a dream come true for indie rock fans everywhere.
Haim - Days Are Gone
The three sisters from the San Fernando Valley made a splash with their debut album, Days Are Gone. While they're returning to the arena stage to support Taylor Swift on select dates of the superstar's Eras tour, we'd love to see the familial trio revisit the era of their first major release. The album landed on "Best of 2013" lists from many publications, including Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Spin. Millions were introduced to "The Wire" and "Don't Save Me" when Haim was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on November 23, 2013, and those who have continued rocking out to their music ever since would love to relive that feeling of discovery with an anniversary tour. In some cases, the album's esteem has only grown in the past decade. Two songs on Days Are Gone, including hit single "Forever," were co-produced by the Haim sisters and Ludwig Göransson — who has won an Academy Award, two Grammys, and two Emmy Awards since working with the band. With so many famous friends and collaborators in the past, we'd love to see who Alana, Danielle, and Este would incorporate into a celebration of the album that still dominates many a playlist.
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
February 22, 2023 will mark two years since Daft Punk announced that they had disbanded, and frankly, that's more than enough time to see them back on tour. The first anniversary of their split saw the release of a new remix album of Homework and a stream of a performance from 1997, so why not hope for something even more special for the second anniversary? Though the electronic duo had seen great success in their previous work, 2013 was a renaissance for Daft Punk. Random Access Memories had one of the best-selling digital singles and Spotify streams for a new song with "Get Lucky" featuring Pharrell Williams, and the album itself would go on to win Album of the Year at the Grammys. If Daft Punk isn't willing to do a full tour, perhaps they'd be open to another streaming opportunity with the many notable artists who are featured on the album, including Julian Casablancas of The Strokes and Nile Rodgers of Chic. There are certainly enough worthy causes if they were up to putting on a benefit concert.
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The 1975 - The 1975
They may currently be touring in support of their fifth studio album (which happens to be their fifth No. 1 album in the UK), but we'd still love to see The 1975 do a tour in honor of their eponymous debut. Their sound and style has definitely evolved and we love how the band has grown and matured, but part of the fun of nostalgia is reflecting on how things have changed. Before they donned coordinating monochromatic suits, The 1975 had the classic garage band look with frontman Matty Healy in an ill-fitting white T-shirt and skinny jeans. A full-fledged nostalgia fest would be a lot of fun, but we'd also love to see how the foursome from Manchester would reinvent their first album for 2023. Though their subsequent albums have seen increased critical acclaim, The 1975 still spawned several hits. "Chocolate" even went double platinum in both the US and the UK. Current set lists tend to only include about three songs from the debut, so we'd love a celebratory tour that brings out some of the deeper cuts like "Heart Out."
