Russia's Most Popular Artists in 2023: Listeners' Choice on Yandex Music, VK Music, and Zvuk

Contents:

• Male Artists of the Year
• Songs of the Year
• Album
• Newcomers
• Unique Nominations

Masters of the Year

Yandex Music and VK named the best performers of the year, highlighting a male and female artist separately. The top 5 of "Zvuk" includes both solo artists and musical groups, which emphasizes the diversity of the modern musical landscape.

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Singer and rapper A.V.G, whose real name is Valiko Aleksanyan, was named the best artist according to Yandex. His popularity skyrocketed in 2022 thanks to the hits "We Are Italians" and "Platinum," recorded with rapper Jakone, as well as the album "Force Majeure." In 2023, A.V.G released an EP titled "One" and several successful singles, including "You Are My Dream," "25th Frame," "I'm Crying," and "Turns Me On." The artist continues to confidently establish himself in the music scene, attracting the attention of listeners and critics alike.

Anna Asti was named Artist of the Year thanks to her successful album "Tsaritsa", which became a real hit. The lead single of this album also gained immense popularity. In our analysis of the album, we reveal the reasons why the former member of the duo Artik & Asti achieved such success. Moreover, the duo Artik & Asti was awarded the title of Group of the Year, which underlines their significance in the music industry.

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Anna Asti's "Queen": Analysis of the New Album

Anna Asti's new album, "Queen," has already attracted the attention of listeners and critics. In this work, the artist combines various musical styles, making it unique and memorable. The lyrics are filled with deep emotions and reflect the singer's personal experiences, allowing each listener to find something relatable in them.

The album's production process is also noteworthy. Anna Asti collaborated with talented producers and composers, which contributed to the creation of high-quality content. The musical arrangements range from gentle melodies to powerful rhythms, creating variety and keeping the album fresh.

Each song on "Tsaritsa" tells its own story, emphasizing themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. This album is a logical continuation of Anna Asti's creative journey and demonstrates her growth as an artist.

"Tsaritsa" has already gained popularity and received positive reviews from fans. The album can be listened to both alone and in company, as its versatility allows everyone to find something for themselves.

Stay tuned for new releases from Anna Asti and don't miss the opportunity to appreciate her musical experiments.

The Cream Soda project was recognized in the "Editor's Choice" category for its significant contribution to the development of pop music in Russia, as well as for creating the main Russian-language electro-pop album of the year, "Internet Friends." A VR game, Cream Soda Club, was released to accompany the album. However, in the spring of 2023, the project faced tragedy: Dmitry "Dima Nova" Svirgunov, one of Cream Soda's members, drowned after falling through the ice of the Volga River along with his friends. The album "Internet Friends," released after their previous work, was created based on Dima Nova's rough drafts. Ilya Gadaev, the duo's second member, refined these ideas and invited new vocalist Alisa Styazhkova to record. The band is currently actively preparing for a nationwide tour in support of "Internet Friends," which will take place in the spring of 2024. src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FNOLDnOqq7Jg%3Ffeature%3Doembed&display_name=YouTube&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com% 2Fwatch%3Fv%3DNOLDnOqq7Jg&image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FNOLDnOqq7Jg%2Fhqdefau lt.jpg&key=8d3909c69dfb4ee29c710191d8dd756a&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=youtube" width="854" height="480" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture;" allowfullscreen="true">

VK has named Macan the Artist of the Year. This rapper revives classic "boyish" rap, combining modern musical styles with lyrical themes characteristic of pop ballads. Macan's popularity on the VK platform is no coincidence — it was here that his album "12" was exclusively released. The album has garnered over 230 million plays and spent 258 days in the top 10 most popular albums. Macan continues to inspire young people, offering a fresh take on rap and introducing elements that make his work unique and memorable.

Instasamka was named "Artist of the Year", her musical compositions became a phenomenon, garnering over 600 million views. Among them, the most popular is the song "For Money Yes", which has garnered over 140 million views. This pop-house track became a real hit and opened up new opportunities for the artist. Previously, Instasamka performed provocative lyrics over hip-hop beats, but with the release of "For Money Yes", she presented an easy-to-catch pop hit without profanity. Following this success, the artist continued to develop the pop-electronic direction and released several similar compositions, including "Otklyuchayu telefon" (I Turn Off the Phone) and the viral "Tyagi". Instasamka demonstrates her ability to experiment and changes her musical direction, attracting a new audience.

The duo "Miyagi & Endshpil" was named "Group of the Year", having once again surpassed their competitors in the number of streams, having accumulated a total of more than 900 million plays this year. This Ossetian group continues to gain popularity, attracting the attention of listeners with their unique musical compositions and profound lyrics. The group's success demonstrates the growing interest in their work, which is confirmed by the impressive numbers of plays on streaming platforms.

The duo "Caspian Cargo" won the new nomination "Comeback of the Year", who presented their first joint work in the last five years - the EP "Ostorogno krashenno". This year, Brutto and Ves also recorded an acoustic album, exclusively available on VK Music. The album includes tracks from the new EP "Cautiously Painted" and the band's popular hits. Their music has been streamed more than 320 million times.

According to the results of the year, the music service "Zvuk" presented a rating of the best artists. The top 5 included:

• Anna Asti;
• "The King and the Jester";
• Artik & Asti;
• Zivert;
• NЮ.

Anna Asti remains at the top of the music charts both in solo projects and in duets. Zivert also continues to hold his position on the music scene. Singer NЮ (Yuri Nikolaenko) attracted the attention of listeners in 2021 with the hit "Nobody," which reflects the traditions of classic Russian pop and is aimed at an adult audience.

The band "King and the Jester" occupies an unusual place on the pop charts, as a younger generation reinterprets their work through the TikTok platform. Interest in KiSh's music has not faded and continues to grow every year, as confirmed by statistics. Thematic exhibitions, Tinkoff maps, and recent reports from Zvuk attest to the high demand for the work of the legendary punks. This demonstrates that their music not only remains relevant but also attracts new generations of listeners eager to enjoy the band's unique style and energy.

Songs of the Year

Yandex Music announced the song "Bad Girl," written by rappers Travma and Skidri, and beatmaker Dvrklxght, as Track of the Year. This work is important because it reflects the main trends in Russian pop music of recent years, including nostalgia, phonk, and the influence of TikTok. The success of "Bad Girl" underscores the relevance and popularity of such musical trends in modern culture.

Phonk remixes gained popularity thanks to the track "Komarovo" from the game Atomic Heart and numerous YouTube creators. The group Cream Soda actively reimagined popular hits, for example, in the song "Pink Flamingo." In 2021, TikTok contributed to the success of the song "My Head is Screwed" by 17-year-old artist Kostromin, making it one of the biggest Russian-language hits of the year.

Travma released a video with a phonk remix of a song by Vintage, encouraging fans to create their own videos to the track. This caught the group's attention, which became the starting point for an official collaboration between Travma and Vintage. This approach has proven to be an effective way to generate interest in music and establish partnerships in the music industry.

Yandex Music recognized A.V.G and TATAR's track "Nozhevoy" in the "Rise on My Wave" category. This track became the most listened to in the personalized recommendations system, highlighting its popularity among users.

The five most popular tracks by number of plays in the Zvuk app attract users' attention with their melody and lyrics. These compositions become real hits, collecting millions of plays and positive reviews. It is important to note that the popularity of tracks can change over time, which makes each week unique for musicians and their fans. Follow the latest news and trends to stay up to date with the most popular songs on the Zvuk platform.

• "Po baram" - Anna Asti;
• "Pozvony" - DJ Smash & Nivesta;
• "I Believe in You" — Anna Asti;
• "The Sorcerer's Doll" — "The King and the Jester";
• "WAKE UP!" — Zivert.

"Po Baram" became a significant achievement of Anna Asti in her solo career. The singer retained the characteristic style that she developed in collaboration with Artik and continued to explore the themes of personal experiences and club parties in the pop-house genre. This composition not only demonstrates her creative growth but also strengthens the connection with the audience, reflecting current emotions and moods.

"Pozvony" is a striking example of how nostalgic quotes can contribute to success on the music charts. The chorus of the composition uses a direct quote from Maxim Dunaevsky's song "Pozvony" from the film "Carnival", and also contains a fragment of the original melody. Soviet classics remain popular today, especially when Russian pop legend DJ Smash takes on the challenge. He's well-versed in Soviet musical heritage, and his first major success came with a remix of Yuri Antonov's "Flying Gait." This connection to the past allows DJ Smash to create relevant and in-demand tracks that resonate with listeners of all generations.

Zivert's song "WAKE UP!" draws attention with its sound, which is reminiscent of Western pop music. While electronic music predominates in Russia, disco and funk often dominate in the West, as can be heard in the latest works of artists such as Dua Lipa. Zivert fits perfectly into this current musical trend, which makes her composition especially memorable and stands out from the crowd.

The service analyzed listening statistics by time of day. Anna Asti is most popular in the morning and evening: the track "Po Baram" leads in the morning, and "Tsaritsa" in the evening. During the day, the composition "Pozvoni" performed by DJ Smash and Nivesta is heard. Another hit of the evening was the track "Gde proholyat ty" by Gio Piki and Kravets. The collaboration between pop rapper Kravets and trap chansonnier Gio Piki, known for his songs about places not so remote, was unexpected, but successful. This duo maintained high positions in the Yandex Music charts throughout the year.

VK Music announced the winner in the Track of the Year category: the viral hit "For Money Yes." In the Fit of the Year category, Kravts and Gio Pika took the lead with their joint track "Where Did You Go," which has garnered over 120 million plays. The platform's top song, "Bad Girl," was also recognized as Remix of the Year with over 70 million plays. These achievements underscore the popularity and demand for artists on the VK music platform.

The VK Music editorial team presented the final playlist of the year, which included the 30 most popular tracks. This playlist reflects the musical preferences of users and includes both hits and new compositions from famous artists. By listening to this playlist, you can enjoy the best works that defined the music scene in the past year.

Album

Hip-hop beatmaker Aarne's album AA Language 2 was named "Album of the Year" by Yandex Music. The record set a record for the number of plays in the first days after its release, which was an important event for the platform. In addition, the album received an award from VK for "The Most Powerful Start," which means the largest number of plays in the first week after release - Aarne reached an impressive 29 million plays.

The success of AA Language 2 confirms that the Russian hip-hop industry is increasingly striving to emulate American standards. In our hip-hop, beatmakers traditionally remain in the shadows, while rappers take center stage. However, in the US, there are producers who not only create music but also become full-fledged artists. They release their own albums and attract the most famous rappers to collaborate. Examples of such producers include Metro Boomin, known for his unique trap sound, and DJ Khaled, who, although he doesn't produce music, has an exceptional knack for bringing together 20-30 AAA stars in a single project. This highlights the growing importance of producers in hip-hop and their influence on the music industry as a whole.

In the past five years, Russian hip-hop has seen the emergence of numerous beatmakers who, after creating beats for well-known artists, have gone on to perform as performers themselves. These artists include Saluki, Loqiemean, and White Punk. However, not a single star among them has remained solely a beatmaker. Aarne maintained this status by releasing the album AA Language 2, on which he performs exclusively as a beatmaker. For this project, he collaborated with numerous renowned artists, including Russian artists such as Basta, Feduk, Big Baby Tape, Buzhido Zho, Yanix, and Mayot, as well as international stars such as Chief Keef and NLE Choppa. This album is a shining example of the successful combination of talented production and collaboration with renowned musicians, highlighting Aarne's uniqueness in the world of hip-hop.

VK Music has awarded the title of "Soundtrack of the Year" to the OST for the shooter Atomic Heart. Developed by the Russian studio Mundfish, this game offers an alternative version of the USSR filled with robots and has become especially popular both in Russia and abroad since its release in early 2023. The game's retrofuturistic setting blends seamlessly with its unique soundtrack, which includes reimagined classic Soviet pop hits. For example, "Kosil Yas Konyushinu" was transformed into a dynamic electronic track, and "Harlequin" acquired a metallic sound. The phonk remix of "Komarovo" gained the greatest popularity among listeners, remaining on the VK Music chart for 115 days.

Newcomers

Yandex Music named Romantica, a Belarusian producer, the Freshman of the Year. He became popular thanks to TikTok, where he mixes phonk with other musical genres. Romantica is one of the brightest representatives of the new wave of phonk, which has rapidly gained popularity in Russia in recent years. Originally, phonk originated in the USA, but today its sound has undergone significant changes in Russia. Nowadays, phonk incorporates elements of house and even formed the subgenre of drift phonk. This genre has become the basis for remixes of old hits and is actively being introduced into pop and rock music. Unlike the mid-2010s, when phonk remained underground, today it confidently occupies a position in TikTok trends.

Yandex has recognized White Gallows, a rapper from Barnaul who became popular thanks to the My Wave platform. His music has attracted more than 2.5 million listeners, confirming his growing popularity in the music industry. White Gallows continues to develop his career, winning the hearts of fans and expanding his audience.

VK Music declared the group NLO "Breakthrough of the Year" as they have accumulated over 300 million views. NLO, which stands for Not Like Others, creates both traditional pop music and collaborations with renowned artists like Tequila and Grigory Leps. The band members describe their work as "Slavic futurism," which harmoniously blends elements of folk music, modern dance electronics, and current slang. This unique combination attracts listeners and makes NLO one of the most interesting bands on the music scene.

The editors of "Zvuk" presented a list of five new artists of 2023 who have received recognition in the "Louder" playlists. Artists get into these playlists thanks to the pitching tool in the "Studio" app, developed for artists and their teams. This app from "Zvuk" allows musicians to effectively promote their tracks and find an audience.

VAL is a pop artist with a unique voice and vibrant style. His music combines melody and emotional depth, making him one of the most attractive artists in the modern music market. VAL attracts attention not only with the quality of his songs, but also with his charismatic performances. His work resonates with a wide audience and inspires many listeners. Each new release by VAL is a step forward in his career, and he continues to win the hearts of fans around the world.

ASHLY is a dynamic and positive interpretation of hip-hop, in which modern musical production harmoniously combines with retro samples of live instruments. This style attracts attention with its uniqueness and freshness, creating catchy melodies and rhythms. Thanks to this combination, ASHLY becomes a bright representative of modern hip-hop, which values ​​\u200b\u200bboth the latest technology and traditional sound.

Ekaterina Yashnikova is a talented pop-rock performer who creates short and catchy songs that are ideal for a youth audience. Her music reflects modern trends and the experiences of zoomers, emphasizing relevant themes and emotions. Ekaterina attracts attention with bright melodies and easy-to-remember lyrics, making her work popular among young people.

Krest is a rapper and singer who masterfully combines dark compositions with heavy beats and guitars with pop ballads. His music attracts listeners with a variety of styles and profound lyrics. Krest explores various musical directions, smoothly moving from hip-hop to more melodic genres, which makes his work unique and multifaceted.

Margosha is an indie pop singer who performs her compositions with live instruments. She gained popularity thanks to the hit "Catch," which was featured in the TV series "257 Reasons to Live." Margosha's music combines melody and sincerity, captivating listeners and creating a unique atmosphere. Her work continues to evolve, delighting fans with new tracks and memorable performances.

Unique Nominations

Each streaming service offers unique nominations that have no analogues on other platforms. These categories reflect the specifics of the content and the characteristics of the audience, which makes each platform unique in its own way.

VK Music announced the winner in the Cover of the Year category - the cover of the album WILD EA$T by rapper Saluki. WILD EA$T is a significant work in Saluki's career, being a long album with unique production and a variety of live instrument samples. Each track is distinguished by numerous transitions from one sound to another, which creates a dynamic musical journey. For such a memorable album, a stylish cover was chosen - a black-and-white photo with an original production, which emphasizes the individuality and creativity of the project.

The fan community of the year was recognized as the community of the group "Three days of rain". The streaming site's editorial team praised the dedication and engagement of this popular pop-rock band's fans. The community has demonstrated outstanding qualities in supporting the artists and creating a unique atmosphere of unity among fans. The band's success is largely due to their fans, who are constantly involved in the community, organizing events, and actively discussing the musicians' work.

Hundreds of thousands of subscribers on VKontakte testify to the true devotion of the fan base. They actively follow the band both in the official community and across the platform. Throughout this year, "Three Days of Rain" has remained high on the music charts, a sign not only of its popularity but also of deep affection from listeners. This devotion allows fans to return to their favorite songs again and again.

The band "King and the Jester" was recognized as "Phenomenon of the Year" by the streaming service's editors. In March 2023, when a series dedicated to the band was released on the Kinopoisk platform, the song "The Sorcerer's Doll" again took first place on the Yandex Music chart. This happened 25 years after its original release.

Yandex Music awarded Basta the title of "King of Superlaunch", recognizing him as an artist whose tracks are included in the playlist of the most popular new releases over the weekend.

The track "Where Did You Go" by Kravets and Gio Pika has become a real hit, garnering over 1.5 million likes and saves. This song attracted the attention of listeners thanks to its catchy melodic sound and profound lyrics. Kravets and Gio Pika continue to gain popularity in the music industry, and their collaboration confirms the high interest of the audience in their work.

The Zvuk platform presented detailed listening statistics covering various cities and days. This information allows users to better understand musical preferences and trends in different regions. Analyzing listening data can help artists and musicians adapt their promotion strategies and choose optimal release times.

Listeners on the Zvuk platform are concentrated primarily in major Russian cities, such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Krasnodar, and Yekaterinburg. In Moscow, Zvuk listening exceeds that of other top-50 cities by 1,357%. St. Petersburg ranks second with a 482% difference, followed by Novosibirsk with 261%, Krasnodar with 171%, and Yekaterinburg with 141%. These statistics highlight the significant user preference in the capital regions, opening up new opportunities for the development of music and audiovisual content in these cities.

October 20, 2023, was the most musical day of the year, with users listening to music to the greatest extent. On Friday nights, when people prefer to party, and on Monday mornings, when it's time to get back to everyday life, Anna Asti's "Po Baram" remained one of the most popular songs. This composition captured the attention of listeners and became a real hit, reflecting the musical preferences of users during this period.