And then, once again, it’s the time to pull the door of 2023 closed behind us. Well almost, because first we like to make time for the Hardest Charts of 2023.

There were Musical Highlights aplenty. Read along to see what was most memorable for our staff at AB: which albums were played on endless repeat and which concerts made a deep impression? 

These are The Hardest Charts of 2023!

Jonah Will - Event / Horeca Coördinator

1. Beste concert: Amyl and The Sniffers - Pukkelpop
2. Beste album: Black Classic Music – Yussef Dayes BLACK CLASSICAL MUSIC – YUSSEF DAYES
3. Beste song: IETS VAN ALFA MIST - VARIABLES
4. Beste Belgische artiest: SCHNTZL <3
5. Varia: BANANENSCHIL

Emma Hessels / Ticketing & Customer Service

1. Beste concert: Shame in AB/Big Thief in de Roma/Little Simz op Core
2. Beste album: Erotic Probiotic 2 – Nourished by Time
3. Beste song: Name of God – Mustafa/True Love – Christine and the Queens feat 070 Shake
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Porcelain id!
5. Varia: Eervolle vermelding voor Absolutely van Dijon, grijsgedraaid dit jaar maar uitgebracht in ‘21

Kurt Overbergh / Artistiek Directeur

1. Beste concert: Brandee Younger (AB) + Taqbir (BRDCST) + Zoh Amba (AB)
2. Beste album: Jaimie Branch: ‘Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war))’
3. Beste song: Beth Orton - ‘Wheather Alive’ (uit ‘22 maar algoritmes zeggen me dat ik deze kapot heb gedraaid in ‘23. I confess! Endless repeat!)
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Loverman
5. Varia: Miet Warlop met – wow! - ‘One Song’ (de Singel)

Dennis Bols / Financieel manager

1. Beste concert: Warhaus (AB) en dEUS (in AB en Live is Live)
2. Beste album: ‘Montbray’ van Sylvie kreusch
3. Beste song: ‘Open Window’ van Warhaus
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Tom Barman

Naam: Joyce Jenny Loir / Programmator

1. Beste concert: Kassa Overall en Masta Ace & Marco Polo (beide AB Club)
2. Beste album: DIAMONDS AND FREAKS -BLK ODYSSY /Heaven – Cleo Sol
3. Beste song: Charge it - ENNY
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Martha Da’ro

Karolien Van Humbeeck / Concertpromotie

1. Beste concert: Emma Hessels & Waste op Sound Track
2. Beste album: Il Viaggio – Melanie De Biasio
3. Beste song: Place All Your Cards – Pruillip
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Baloji
5. Varia: 2024 wordt het jaar dat Ween naar Europa komt!

Peter Deckers / ABtv Video Savant

1. Beste concert: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (L’Aeronef), Gabriels (Primavera), The Comet is Coming (Primavera)
2. Beste album: Wish You Were Here - Zimmerman
3. Beste song: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Gila Monster
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Luka Brecel
5. Varia: Sophia Flörsch wordt eindelijk de eerste vrouw ooit in Formule 1

Cedric Leboutte / Licht tech

1. Beste concert: Archive @ ab 2023
2. Beste song: Brutalized – The Bug
3. Beste Belgische artiest: ECHT! :)
4. Varia: Volta ism AB!

Jennifer Vleminckx / Ticketing & Customer Relations

1. Beste concert: Lous and The Yakuza (AB) & Giveon (AB)
2. Beste album: Endless Summer Vacation – Miley Cyrus
3. Beste song: Tuya - Rosalía
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Lous and The Yakuza

Jan Van den Bogaert / Security & Hospitality

1. Beste concert: Red Hot Chili Peppers (RW)
2. Beste album: The Kills – God Games
3. Beste song: Telefoontje - Brihang
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Tamino

Yassine Chaoui / Grafische designer (student)

1. Beste concert: Ken Carson (Botanique)
2. Beste album: Let’s Start Here. - Lil Yachty
3. Beste song: Around Me – Metro Booming
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Angèle

Tarik Vanrompaey / Programmator

1. Beste concert: Feist (AB)
2. Beste album: Sampha - Lahai
3. Beste song: Young Miko - Lisa
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Pommelien Thijs

Tom Bonte / Algemeen directeur

1. Beste concert: FEIST in AB
2. Beste album: Love in Exile . Arooj Aftab & Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily
3. Beste song: A&W . Lana Del Rey
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Warhaus / Loverman

Laura Mwanambuka / Project & Festival promotie

1. Beste concert: Cleo Sol (Royal Albert Hall), Kelela (Primavera)
2. Beste album: Paramore – This Is Why
3. Beste song: SZA – Kill Bill
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Baloji

Ruth Vanderfaeillie / Vrijwilligers en eventcoördinator

1. Beste concert: Warhaus (AB) & Blanco White (Botanique)
2. Beste album: Tarifa – Blanco White
3. Beste song: Runaway - Coely
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Coely & Tom Barman

Koesharto-Bayer Wati / Ticketing coordinator

1. Beste concert: Beyoncé/Lil Simz /Diana Ross/Roisin/Feist/FKJ/Sofiane
2. Beste album: Heaven Cleo Sol
3. Beste song: Never Coming back Dabeull & Sofiane Pamart
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Charlotte Adigéry
5. Varia: Discover Olafur Arnalds live from Hafursey for Cercle

Ward Cannaerts / Manager marketing & communicatie

1. Beste concert: Young Fathers (Trix) / Rosalia (RW) / Little Simz (Core) / Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Popul (AB)
2. Beste album: Heavy Heavy – Young Fathers / Food for Worms – Shame
3. Beste song: Great Wind - Gabriels
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Lander & Adriaan
5. Varia: Gabriels moet en zal naar AB komen ❤️

Mich Leemans / Programmator

1. Beste concert: Marta Salogni, Brian Eno, Preoccupations
2. Beste album: Jaimie Branch - Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die (World War), Razen – Hier l’An 4000     Beste song: /
3. Beste Belgische artiest: Brecht Ameel

Jonas Pauwels / Productiemanager

1. Beste concert: Fred again.. Op RW, Sons op RW, The Hives in AB, Glints in AB, Taqbir op BRDCST in AB & Mitsune op FiftyLab in AB
2. Beste album: Turnstile – glow on, Paramore – This is Why & Brutalismus – Ultrakunst
3. Beste song: Lorna Shore – To the Hellfire
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Warhaus (Ha Ha Heartbreak)
5. Varia: Marco Mengoni

Jens Van den Wyngaert / Pers & PR

1. Beste concert: Feist (AB), Quicksand 'Slip' 30th anniversary tour (Desertfest), High Vis (PKP / AB)
2. Beste album: Hotline TNT – Carthweel, Home Front – Games Of Power, Wound Man – Human Outline, Angel Du$t – Brand New Soul, billy woods & Kenny Segal – Maps
3. Beste song: Home Front – Nation, MSPAINT - Delete It (feat. Militarie Gun), Evian Christ – On Embers, Mil-Spec – The Days Don’t End
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Loverman

Olivia Compère / Productie manager

1. Beste concert: The Beaches in Point Éphémère’, Parijs
2. Beste album: RAYE – My 21st Century Symphony. (Live at the Royal Albert Hall)
3. Beste song: To be honest – Christine and The Queens
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Pommelien Thijs (ongewoon veel on repeat dit jaar)

Andries Van Gulck / Licht & video

1. Beste concert: Wu Tang & NAS NY state of mind tour, Stikstof (AB), Moderat (AB)
2. Beste album: NAS Illmatic, BLACKSTAR blackstar
3. Beste song: NAS & Damian Marley Patience
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Stikstof

Wullaert Yves / Concierge & Hospitality

1. Beste concert: Aka Moon @ De Casino
2. Beste album: La Muerte Sortilegia
3. Beste song: Clipping: Pinking Shears
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Fokkop.era

Lien Peters / Storytelling

1. Beste concert: Darkside, Koninklijk Circus
2. Beste album: Sus Dog (Clark)
3. Beste song: Thinking Clearly (Kae Tempest) / Immortelle (Aïsha Devi)
4. Beste Belgische artiest: Emma Hessels & Loverman