It’s time once again for our saddest year-end list, presented in the style of a televised awards show tribute. Whether they were around for 50 years or five years, all of this year’s In Memoriam acts made an impact, then decided 2023 was the time to close up shop and perhaps even be replaced by digital avatars. If you’re questioning whether some of these groups were real, that’s why they broke up.

It’s getting harder to figure out who to include in this video! Bands have been announcing farewell tours then dragging them out for years while leaving the door open for special occasion gigs. John Mayer said that while Dead & Company have played their last tour, a “shaft of light” may inspire a future appearance. I’m saying fare thee well anyway. Porcupine Tree also said they’ve likely played their final shows, but want to keep recording, so I deemed them ineligible. Lingua Ignota, Brave Girls, and Homeskin will continue to release music under different names, but I’ve included them. Terrorizer broke up, then immediately got back together? I am holding out hope for Hall & Oates to stop marding.

If you’re new here, note that I don’t include bands that broke up because a principal member died or was called out for heinous behavior; this is supposed to be light-hearted. Before we get into it, let’s also pour one out for some of the music-related entities we said goodbye to in 2023: MTV News, Backstreets Magazine, Amazon AMP, DatPiff, Zippyshare, Mandolin, Mo Pop Festival, The Late Late Show With James Corden, The Phantom Of The Opera, and The Idol.

This year’s video soundtrack is “Unbroken Chain” by Holly Bowling. Thanks as always to Matt Neatock for the video editing assistance. R.I.P.