*Note: This is the sixth in a series of lists that will reflect on another banner year in the adult industry. Be sure to check out PornCrush each day for a new installment.

Dec. 18: Best Comeback Performers

Dec. 19: Best New Faces

Dec. 20: Unsung Starlets

Dec. 21: Breakthrough Performers

Dec. 26: Best on Social Media

Dec. 27: Scenes of the Year (four critics pick their favorites)

Dec. 28: Best Porn Ambassadors

Dec. 29: Top 10 Stories of 2023

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As much as I enjoy awards season, I always tell performers not to get too caught up with who wins and who loses. It’s disheartening to watch someone mope away from a ceremony with tears—or anger—in their eyes because they didn’t hear their name called.

Just because your scene may not win anything—or even be nominated— doesn't mean it wasn’t any good. Different people have different tastes when it comes to the style of porn they watch or even the type of performers they support.

It’s all subjective.

The picks below illustrate precisely that.

Four people who watch porn regularly chose their top five scenes of the year and many of the selections on this list weren’t even nominated for XBIZ or AVN awards. Does that mean those companies are wrong? Of course not. It simply shows that everyone has different tastes and opinions. And these are ours.

PornCrush’s Scenes of the Year for 2023 were selected by PC owner/editor Austin King, PC contributor Frank Lotion, esteemed Fleshbot critic and porn enthusiast Patrick Parker and Fleshbot critic/industry veteran Mutantmo.

AUSTIN KING’S PICKS

Khloe Kapri and Chanel Camryn

Reality Kings

Two of the industry’s hardest workers, Camryn and Kapri, are a strong pair. And they both looked their absolute best for this scene, a girl-girl tryst with beautiful bright lighting that accentuates their sauciness. After a long day at the beach, the lovers return to their hotel. Chanel takes a shower—a nice bonus tease before the sex—while Kapri relaxes on the bed. Kapri ends up scrolling through Camryn’s cell phone, suspects she’s cheating and confronts her. After some back-and-forth arguing, Camryn silences Kapri with a forceful kiss, and then some intense girl-girl sex ensues. Lots of oral and 69ing, and even some dildo play. Kapri and Camryn really showed their versatility here.

Brenna McKenna, Valerica Steele and Mr. Lucky

Mr. Lucky POV

One of the better POVs I’ve ever seen ended with McKenna and Steele absolutely drenched—not with sweat, but with squirt. Steele opened the floodgates before the penetration even began, rubbing her pussy and then dousing McKenna with her nectar as she sucked Mr. Lucky’s cock. Both performers would then erupt with wetness in every imaginable position, with Steele—one of the industry’s most notorious squirters—convulsing with each orgasm. Another notable climax came as Lucky pounded the doll-faced McKenna in doggy-style until McKenna couldn’t hold it anymore and unloaded her juices into the mouth of Steele, who was hovering below. Steele gargled the squirt and then fed it back to McKenna. The scene ended with Lucky depositing ropes of his joy juice into each performer. Steele and McKenna got into a 69 and worked the fluid out of each other’s pussy and then ended the festivities with some passionate cum-swapping. I’ve watched a lot of Lucky’s POV endeavors over the past few years, and this was one of his absolute best—thanks, in part, to two elite scene partners.

Anna Claire Clouds and Oliver Flynn

Deeper

Kayden Kross produces the finest featurettes in the business, and this scene is right up there with her best. Clouds develops a quick interest in the military serviceman her family is hosting. When she stumbles upon Flynn in his bedroom, practicing his knot-tying skills with a rope, Clouds expresses intrigue. Within moments, her wrists are bound together, and the beginning of an insanely passionate sex scene ensues. With her moans and dirty talk and obedient manner, Clouds flourishes in a submissive roles like this one. Her slow, seductive style of sex—complete with heavy eye contact, gentle teasing and top high-end oral skills—make her one of the industry’s top all-around performers, if not the best overall.

Xxlayna Marie and Manuel Ferrara

Jules Jordan

I’ve always been a fan of the tease segments that open all of Jordan’s scenes, and this one—Marie spends nearly seven-minutes showing off her flawless body—was one of my absolute favorites. Marie is one of the more physically-stunning performers in porn, and she was looking her best in this scene with pink-and-blue pastel lingerie, her soft brown hair straightened and dangling all the way down to her picturesque posterior. One of the top male performers in history, Ferrara did an excellent job throughout the scene of positioning Marie in ways that showed off every angle of her beautiful frame. Marie looks particularly hot in both versions of cowgirl, and the spooning segment was also a highlight. Ferrara clearly enjoyed himself, decorating Marie’s face with two solid loads spaced 10 seconds apart. I’m not sure Marie, one of the industry’s true up-and-coming stars, is capable of shooting a bad scene. But in this AVN-nominated banger—when paired with both a Hall of Fame director and male talent—she took things to another level.

Summer Vixen, Jax Slayher, Richard Mann, Hollywood Cash, Dwayne Foxxx, Don Sudan

Blacked Raw

Gangbangs aren’t really my thing, but this scene made me change my tune. At least temporarily. The festivities begin when Vixen—all dolled up for a date—is handed a blindfold by her boyfriend, who tells her he has a surprise. He positions Vixen in a chair, and within seconds, she’s surrounded by five studs that will spend the next 38 minutes using her body in every imaginable way. Vixen is so nervous (and also excited) that her voice literally trembles. Vaginal, anal, oral double penetration in multiple positions … this scene has it all. Vixen uses lots of hot, genuine dirty talk to maintain the mood throughout. At one point she even squirts into her own mouth. All of it is capped off by a messy, five-load facial. Like I said, I don't watch a lot of gangbangs, but this one received so much hype that I had to check it out. And, wow, was I impressed. I can't imagine there was a better scene in this genre in 2023. Vixen turned in an all-star performance in this one and deserves to be recognized for it during awards season next month.

FRANK LOTION’S PICKS

Adria Rae and Oliver Flynn

Deeper

With a 9.6 rating, “Devil Dick” is currently the top-rated scene on Deeper’s website. It features Rae—an elite talent in both appearance and performance—paired with Flynn, who some would argue was the industry’s top male performer in 2023. Rae is trying to break free from her game-playing ex, but as she says during the scene, “I just can’t say no to this dick,” Rae shows up at Flynn's house after a party for a late-night hookup but becomes enraged the following morning upon discovering another girl’s bra in Flynn’s bathroom. Rae tries to storm away, but Flynn tosses her a pair of handcuffs, and she obeys his command to put them on. For the next 25 minutes, Rae and Flynn engage in a sizzling scene that opens with oral and vaginal sex before transitioning into anal. Clearly turned on by choking and slapping, Rae is incredibly vocal during the scene and shines as a sub. It’s refreshing to have Rae—who has dubbed this scene as one of the best of her career—back in the industry after an extended break. Flynn plays his role to perfection.

Katrina Colt and Oliver Flynn

Deeper

One of the best overall scenes of 2023 in any genre features the highly underrated Colt in a BDSM tryst with Flynn. Make sure not to fast forward through the dialogue portion in this one, as the buildup—which includes Flynn forcing a fully-clothed Katrina into the running shower—makes the sex even hotter. Complete with leather bar gags, floggers and even spreader bars, the dom-sub dynamic between Colt and Flynn hits on all cylinders. Not only does the 5-foot-9 Colt take anal as well as anyone in the business, she looks fantastic doing it, with her beautiful long legs and gym-fit body. This scene currently boasts a 9.5 rating on Deeper’s website. Only one scene has ever scored higher. Porn fans unfamiliar with Colt, the surging Spiegler girl, should check out her work over the holidays, including her Evil Angel scene with Chris Diamond. She is a true industry treasure.

Eva Maxim, Jade Venus and Rory Knox

Gender X

This scene stood out above all others in the trans-genre in 2023. Maxim and Venus are among the best power tops in the industry, and they do a phenomenal job of railing Knox in every possible way: oral, vaginal, anal, oral, double penetration, and even double-vaginal penetration. Venus and Maxim are in the upper, upper echelon of trans performers, so high-level efforts such as these have become the norm. The true standout in this scene is Knox, who enjoyed a banner year in 2023 after earning a Best New Starlet nomination a year ago. She’s incredibly versatile and also brings an upbeat vibe and energy to the screen. This was some of her finest work. Hopefully, other studios watch this scene and take note of her potential.

Coco Lovelock, Penny Barber and Seth Gamble

Pure Taboo

Pure Taboo has always liked to push the envelope, but the Adult Time banner may have outdone itself with this creepy—but well-executed—tryst featuring three of the industry’s elite performers. To summarize, the pint-sized Coco shows up at the home of Barber and Gamble, thinking they’re looking to hire a babysitter. But she quickly realizes the couple has no children of their own. Instead, they want her to join their family and become their “precious little girl.” Coco fends off the couple’s advances at first, but needless to say, “festivities” ensue, and with these three A-listers, it goes without saying that the scene is scorching. Again, this type of feature isn’t for everyone, but for those who like storylines that push the boundaries, this is top-flight stuff.

Blake Blossom, Angela White and Zac Wild

Brazzers

Kudos to the Brazzers casting director for pairing one of the top stars of all time (White) with the industry’s top current star in Blossom. Glistening with oil, White and Blossom spend more than eight minutes slithering, smooching, licking, and lusting over one another before Wild enters the fray for 35 minutes worth of intense oral and fucking. There’s nothing slow and sensual about this one. Wild—who is obviously in incredible shape—exudes a tremendous amount of energy while bringing White and Blossom to climax in multiple positions. After his own orgasm, Wild sticks around and uses his fingers to make White squirt all over Blossom, the cherry on top of a killer scene.

MUTANTMO’S PICKS

Jade Valentine and Lucas Frost

Hard X

Jade Valentine is a fresh tart gleaming in the anal arts. The likable starlet gets her sweet sphincter poked by a seasoned stud in the form of Lucas Frost for this Mason-directed butt-fuck-cut. The standout segment is when Jade is on top in cowgirl, getting her sweet cheeks pumped by Frost’s rigid fuck stick. The doggy style part gives you a good look as two energetic performers engage in a rhythmic dance of ass-reaming. Another scene that is at a digestible length of about thirty minutes of quality over quantity.

Rikako Katayama

Hentaied
A beautiful Japanese woman in a horror-inspired real-life adaptation of hentai is what you are going to get in ‘Gelatinous Odyssey’ from the Hentaied brand. Probably the best representation of Romero’s vision is bringing salacious Sci-Fi elements that erupt into beastly tentacles haunting the orifices of these damsels in distress. The scene is solo with just the female talent in a brief affair but sticks to the point. With minimal dialogue save for panting and gasps before Rikako is subject to an alien creature’s fondling tentacles after being sucked into the beast itself. A marriage of practical effects and CGI merge as this moving piece of art dances across the screen. Even if you don’t know what hentai is, what better introduction to the sexualized style of animation from the Land of the Rising Sun than this live-action scene from Hentaied.com?

Harley King, Nade Nasty and Lawson Jones

Evil Angel

Living up to the name of this slobbering mouth fucking scene, Harley King should be in the running for the crown of “Throat Goat”. When her head is upside down, she’s burping out saliva as the hard penises of Lawson Jones and Nade Nasty plow into her gullet. The scene is included in the decked-out blowjob movie directed by Jonni Darkko called Facial Fantasy 3. Harley King’s scene is one of ten scenes in this fully stacked cock sucking movie. Her scene stands out as she’s a total babe that shines in the hard blowjob game so take notice. It’s barely a half-hour in length but still is a satiating and slamming dick-sucking scene with loads to launch on Harley’s face for the finish.

Erin Everheart, Ramon Nomar, Lexington Steele, John Strong and Michael Stefano

Jules Jordan
The triumphant return of the No Cum Dodging Allowed franchise ushered in scenes like Erin Everhart’s explosive double penetration entry into the fray. Coming out in a very hot porn summer, with the fourteenth entry being reactivated under the Jules Jordan Video brand after years of dormancy. A name familiar to old porn heads and Jules Jordan fans alike, the director Mike John is part of this comeback. This celebratory release brings in a porn princess with Rapunzel hair doing raunchy stuff like double anal in front of the camera. Erin gets to play with legendary meat like Lex Steele, Mike Stefano, and John Strong to add to this epic DP scene that must be witnessed. 

Gianna Dior, April Olsen and Maximo Garcia

Tushy
This sizzler of a porn pairing dropped on our heads in the heat of summer as an update on the Tushy site. The scene is called Ride Or Die and is directed by the legendary Laurent Sky. April Olsen and Gianna Dior join forces to get their butts fucked by Maximo Garcia’s cheek-piercing penis. This is a longer scene to fit all the star power in this threesome fling. You’re gonna get over forty minutes of finely filmed ass fucking in this scene.

PATRICK PARKER’S PICKS

Gianna Dior, Nicole Doshi, Adria Rae, Vanna Bardot, Abigail Mac, Seth Gamble and Damon Dice

Bellesa

Bellesa’s casual and gamified orgies have been one of my greatest joys this year, and the end-of-year all-star party took the concept to a whole new level. It features an hour-long marathon fuck-fest culminating in a seven-way orgy. More casual than your typical porno, House Party drops the pretense, showcasing your favorite stars' personalities as much as their extraordinary sex. Don’t forget to check out the raw “waiting room” footage, which is even more unscripted and features some of Gianna Dior’s best moments this year.

Alina Lopez and Zac Wild

HardX

Fashion, cinema, and outstanding sex make this one of the strongest hardcore one-on-ones of the year. Together, Alina Lopez and Zac Wild share some of the hottest onscreen chemistry you could ask for. Now in her sixth year, Lopez has elevated her art to the highest level with a powerful performance. From enthusiastic blowjobs to one of the most exciting creampies of the year, “Fill Me Up” is a thriller.

Octavia Red and Brad Newman

New Sensations

Octavia Red has produced banger after banger from the start, but my favorite has got to be this romantic romp with Brad Newman for NewSenstaions. Artful cinematography and passionate lovemaking combine to make “My Sexy Hotwife” one of this year's most romantic encounters. Intense eye contact, intimate angles, and a loving post-pop blowjob make this an instant classic.

Kira Noir, Ramon Nomar, John Strong and Zac Wild

Jules Jordan

Kira Noir has been slaying all year long, and she dominated Jules Jordan’s “No Cum Dodging Allowed 14.” A powerful DVD with notable performances by Mina Luxx and Maddy May, Noir steals the spotlight with a three-on-one DP that is sure to please. She’s stunning with her athletic physique, big augmented boobies, and pink eyeshadow. Better yet, she makes hardcore fun with a sassy attitude and big smiles.

Kiara Cole and Emma Rosie

Jules Jordan

Young Brides in Heat is a proud moment for the Jules Jordan crew. Cole and Rosie’s magnificent screen presence is matched with wizardly camerawork, resulting in a glorious example of high-end gonzo filmmaking. Kiara Cole and Emma Rose are fabulous, dominating dick and devouring pussy. A jaw-dropping film.