What’s New This Year: 2023

We had a lot of great new music releases this year, so we decided to take a look back on the best arrangements this year. Have a safe and happy new year, and don’t forget to click here for all our new songs!

·  “vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo: This rock opera-inspired song is the lead single from Olivia’s album GUTS. It became an international number one hit, and the album received Grammy nominations for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. The song begins as an introspective piano ballad and gradually builds as the chord progressions in the chorus keep growing in intensity. Keep the tempo going with the methodical bass line, and belt out this 2023 hit!

·  “Thank God I Do” by Lauren Daigle: From her self-titled album, this song was inspired by the pandemic. Lauren realized that God puts certain people in your life for a reason. This hit made it to number one on the Billboard Christian Songs chart, and it features a beautiful melody in the chorus to go along with the accessible broken chord accompaniment. Play this tune in honor of someone special in your life.

·  “Succession Piano Suite” by Katherine Cordova: The popular television series Succession ended its run this year, and with it came a variety of great music. Signature Artist Katherine Cordova includes popular selections from the series in this piano suite, including the recognizable main theme. This is an advanced arrangement, so focus on one song at a time. Bring out the beautiful phrasing in “Rondo in F Minor,” and enjoy the dark moments along with a taste of the main theme in “Andante Con Moto.”

·  “RAIN” by Tony Ann: This beautiful original piano solo by Signature Artist Tony Ann includes music elements that give a great visualization of a rain shower. It starts out simply with one note in octaves, and then more layers are added in until you can tell the weather is transitioning into a much bigger rainfall! Be light and fluid as you focus on the moving sixteenth notes and arpeggios.

·  “Now and Then” by The Beatles: Officially dubbed as the last song by The Beatles, this song debuted at number one on the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart, and it made it to the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. John Lennon initially wrote and recorded this song in 1977, and the surviving Beatles finished the song in 1995 but never released it. With more technological developments over the years, John Lennon's voice was extracted from the demo and incorporated into the rest of the recording using AI-backed audio restoration, technology that wasn't available in the ‘90s. This sentimental track is a beautiful last chapter to their legacy. Enjoy singing the flowing minor melody of this piano-friendly classic.

· “Look for the Light” from Only Murders in the Building: The most recent season of the murder mystery comedy contained more musical numbers. Oliver is working on a musical called Death Rattle Dazzle, and it needs a big show-stopping song. Lorette Durkin, played by Meryl Streep, sings “Look for the Light,” a beautiful ballad written by songwriting duo Pasek & Paul and Sara Bareilles. It begins as a quiet minor lullaby and changes to a major key in the chorus. The song builds in intensity as she sings "my love is a lighthouse, look for the light." This arrangement includes backup vocals sung by Ashley Park.

Unique Pick of the Year

·  “Independently Owned” by Shucked: The musical Shucked received nine nominations at the Tony Awards this year, and that was due to the great music by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. The musical takes place in fictional Cob County where Maizy and Beau are about to marry, but their prized corn crop is dying, and they need to find a way to save it. This song is performed by Maizy’s friend Lulu, who is enjoying her independence as a single person. It’s a great swinging song with a large singing range. Continue to keep the excitement going towards the big moment at the end, and celebrate being independently owned!

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