Our Annual Report rocks on with our list of the 30 Best Metal & Hard Rock Songs of 2023. We’ve got plenty more coming as we look back on the best in music, film, and TV of 2023, so stay tuned. Find our full Annual Report coverage here, and don’t forget to see our 30 Best Metal & Hard Rock Albums of 2023 list, too.
Picking the best metal and hard rock songs each year is never an easy task. Unlike pop music, where singles take the spotlight, finding the year’s best heavy tunes can take us off the beaten path. But once we embarked on that trail, we found a treasure trove of stellar tracks.
What we discovered was an eclectic mix of songs, ranging from standout tunes from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame acts like Metallica and Judas Priest, to dynamic cuts from newly formed bands like Better Lovers, Empire State Bastard, and Many Eyes.
A handful of these songs made big impacts on rock radio, including singles from Sevendust, Dirty Honey, and Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth WVH. Others came late in the year from albums that won’t be released until 2024, including tunes from Ministry, Chelsea Wolfe, and Ihsahn.
The 30 Best Metal & Hard Rock Songs of 2023, as chosen by the staff of Heavy Consequence, offer a wide range of sounds from hardcore to industrial to extreme to melodic. See our picks in the list below.
— Spencer Kaufman
Managing Editor, Heavy Consequence
30. Knocked Loose — “Deep in the Willow”
If there’s anyone that can drive a sense of urgency, it’s Bryan Garris. The singer is boisterous and commanding, even at moments where the instrumentals may not call for it. But really, when isn’t there a moment for it? “Deep in the Willow” is not the most intense Knocked Loose song, but that isn’t saying much considering even the lightest of their discography is heavy as all hell. It’s hard not to go deep into the three and a half minutes of this song, but its whirred end begs for more, which we get with the companion track “Everything Is Quiet Now.” — Cervanté Pope
Listen via Apple Music
29. Ace Frehley – “10,000 Volts”
While KISS recently called it a day with their final concert ever, the band’s original Spaceman – the incomparable Ace Frehley – hasn’t slowed down a bit. His upcoming 2024 album, 10,000 Volts, will be his sixth full-length effort since 2009, and the newly released title track serves as a tasty sneak peek of what’s to come. Co-written with Steve Brown of Trixter, the tune contains all the elements you’d expect from good ol’ Space Ace — a guitar solo chock full of trademark “Ace-isms,” ragged-yet-charming lead vocals, and a mighty groovy riff, to name a few. — G. Prato
Listen via Apple Music
28. Sevendust – “Everything”
Sevendust returned with the melodic but heavy Truth Killer this year, and the single “Everything” is really the perfect snapshot of this album. With thick, crunchy guitars and Lajon Witherspoon’s soaring, crystal-clear vocals, “Everything” has a mass appeal, much like classic Sevendust anthems “Enemy” and “Praise.” Witherspoon works in some screaming, too, perfectly placed as the explosive chorus kicks in. — Anne Erickson
Listen via Apple Music
27. Many Eyes — “Revelation”
A dysfunctional relationship between singer Keith Buckley and the rest of his bandmates led to the breakup of longstanding metalcore act Every Time I Die. While three of his ex-bandmates went on to form the supergroup Better Lovers, Buckley started his own outfit, Many Eyes. Along with his new bandmates, brothers Nick and Charlie Bellmore, Buckley debuted Many Eyes with the explosive single “Revelation,” featuring his intense screams along with a clean-sung chorus, proving that the vocalist is still very much on top of his game. — S. Kaufman
Listen via Apple Music
26. Dethklok — “Aortic Desecration”
Since Dethklok are cartoons, it might sound funny to say that they have matured a lot as a band. However, the release of their recent film Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar and album Dethalbum IV have proven that Dethklok mastermind Brendon Small has grown up a bit and refined Dethklok’s style. Don’t worry, Dethklok has certainly not gone soft; “Aortic Desecration” features fast and technical guitar riffs and a steady heavy beat tapping into a sound reminiscent of Cannibal Corpse peppered with a dash of old school Morbid Angel. — Colette Claire
Listen via Apple Music
