2023's Biggest Hit; A Review of the Biggest Song of the Year

I thought it would be nice to take a look at the most popular song of 2023 and how fitting to do so almost exactly a year after its debut. While the year was filled with new releases and giant hits across the entire music industry, one song stood out among the rest. The song that I am referring to has received almost 670 million views on YouTube since its premiere on January 12, 2023. This artist has been in the industry for over 20 years, has released many billboard chart toppers, and received numerous awards throughout her successful music career.

If you're still with me and haven't already let the anticipation get the best of you, the song I am referring to is "Flowers" by Miley Ray Cyrus. If you have not yet stumbled onto this bombshell, click the link and give it a listen (2) Miley Cyrus - Flowers (Official Video) - YouTube. This catchy tune is a response, of sorts, to the Bruno Mars hit "When I Was Your Man." While the song itself is very upbeat and empowering, it seems to be written as a targeted message to Miley's former Husband Liam Hemsworth. However, the song's lyrics and musical composure captivated the nation, making it the most viewed and trending song of the year.

I have listened to this song several times myself and have to admit that it is very easy to get hung up on, often finding myself still humming it hours later. The beat, the melody, and the lyrics seem to have a way of staying rent-free in your head for hours on end. I think part of what draws people to this particular song is its relatability. It is safe to say that the vast majority of people have experienced similar feelings and situations to those leading Miley to release this song. While most of us do not have the platform that Miley does to vent our feelings for profit, I think it is safe to assume that people have had similar notions to those mentioned in the song.

If you break the lyrics down in the most basic terms you will see essentially the iteration of almost every failed relationship throughout all of time. It is the tale of two people who love each other, believe they are meant to be, and then end catastrophically. At the end of this relationship, it is almost inevitable that both people either have to move on or learn to love themselves again and rebuild. In the song, Miley has chosen the latter and is proclaiming that she can love herself "better" even though she wanted it to work between them. A scenario that I am sure many of us have found ourselves in before.

Overall, this was a well-written and executed song and music video that did what music is supposed to do; impact people in one way or another. The music video is just subjective enough to be racy but not necessarily inappropriate, or at least not by Miley Cyrus standards anyway (given her history). While some of her new stuff doesn't land well with audiences or have quite as much support, this song seemed to resonate well with a global audience!