ooh, a two-fer for Syndare :D I enjoy that your rankings don't correspond at all to your personal chart positions, mine will be quite similar in that respect!

They correspond more than they did last year, this year all of my #1s are in the top 100 (there was about 3 or 4 of them outside last time) and few top 3s are outside this time, but below that it really is a bit of a free-for-all, I blame my constantly changing mind. There is actually a track in my top 100 that didn't make my top 30 and there's a fair number that didn't make the top 10.

 

A lot of the culprits are BJSC tracks, I'm a bit cautious with charting them during the contest and that's naturally when most of my love for them happens (and they often fall away quickly too, even though afterwards I still play them quite a bit and they often have huge playcounts on my last.fm).

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_me7h8exGfI1qcbk34o4_250.gif

Oh there's some really good stuff here. I kind of agree with your comments about 'Silenced By The Night'. It's by FAR the best thing they've made since 2004 but I did go off it a bit. It was one of the last few songs to be cut, not quite making my top 200. Love 'Mermaids' too, one of the few BJSC entries I've listened to a bit since the contest.

 

Excellent to see 'Nova', 'DoYaThing', 'Fineshrine' and 'Breezeblocks' in.

As for "Suus", I'm disappointed it isn't the Tirren version.

Tirren's version of Suus is amazing but not the sort of thing we welcome here.

I'm OVERJOYED word of my oeuvre has spread from distant lands *.*

 

I have nothing else to add.

Is it a version you can actually HEAR? Because if so my inbox will appreciate a good laugh.

As great a present as that would be, the link doesn't seem to work anymore so it's either been deleted or been made private. :(

Nightwish's version of The Heart Asks Pleasure First is fantastic, really pleased to see it here! :D

Oh there's some really good stuff here. I kind of agree with your comments about 'Silenced By The Night'. It's by FAR the best thing they've made since 2004 but I did go off it a bit. It was one of the last few songs to be cut, not quite making my top 200. Love 'Mermaids' too, one of the few BJSC entries I've listened to a bit since the contest.

 

Excellent to see 'Nova', 'DoYaThing', 'Fineshrine' and 'Breezeblocks' in.

 

As I've been a bit pedantic with my wording of 'best since SOWK' (naughty Iz), there is one more Keane song to come as a later single but I had an opposite experience with Silenced By The Night, it kept growing on me throughout the year. The intervening eras never impressed me.

 

SINGLES: 140-131

 

http://ryanseacrest.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/solange_losing-you_900-600-600x4001.jpg

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Chart Peak: #23

'kuula, mu sudamel un haal'

 

#11. An unexpected late grower from Eurovision, no doubt helped by its surprise rocket up the scoreboard to finish 6th, here is Estonia's entry, consistently the best Baltic country, no doubt because of their close connections with Finland. Possibly even Estonia's best entry, although I only really know Rockefeller Street and Everybody off the top of my head and it's the best out of those 3 (putting it into perspective how much worse 2011 was than 2012 that Rockefeller Street is my third favourite from that year and it's STILL inferior to this) . I don't know quite why it took so long to grow on me, I thought it was as boring as Love Is Blind at first, looking at that now, I'm disgusted I could ever compare this with that turd. His vocals are powerful enough to bring a house down and despite it being in Estonian, it's quite easy to connect with his meaning, which is simply: Listen. Europe did.

 

Chart Peak: #11

'my guns are loaded and I got you in my sights'

 

A raspy vocalled Hendinian BJSC entry buried deep in production. Should be awful, is not. At all. There's so much damn energy in the track and the chorus ramps that up. It's something I've found with certain songs from the contest, that the lyrics stand out over everything else and it feels like something the person sending it loves. These are often the songs I end up loving. If you didn't understand that, I don't really either. Swallow The Bullet is one of these, so so much. Pallbearer a few places lower is the first other one that comes to mind. Also I'm not sure if I've gotten it right with 'My' or 'The' in the title. I'm not too bothered either way.

 

Chart Peak: #7

'it's a long road down the river deep and wild'

 

*.*

 

One Nightwish album track that full on hit me part way through the year. I was tempted, oh so tempted to send this to BJSC but I probably wouldn't have the guts to (although if it wasn't by Nightwish I'd send it because then I could avoid being cheap), because it's full on metal. It even has a few part-screamo voices in it. It also has that glorious overarching female vocal from Anette, which is what makes it. Nightwish-heavy-metal is one of the few parts of heavy metal I can stand, mainly because their tracks never linger on them for long, it's straight onto the next part of the song, and here it's because the instrumental really does feel like a fast-flowing river, falling off a waterfall at the beginning and continuing to run rapid throughout the rest of the song. And it lasts for near on 5 and a half minutes, so there is a lot of flowing to do.

 

137. Baron Von Luxxury feat. Little Boots - That Disco Beat

Chart Peak: #23

'can you hear me baby I can't hear you'

 

Boy, does Little Boots make a good duet partner or what? Her fading, cool voice really makes this record what it is. Seriously the best thing she's done this year (of her scattered solo material Every Night I Say A Prayer got forgotten fairly quickly and I never got into Headphones at all). No idea who this Baron Von Luxxury character is, he provides decent vocals but the star here is Little Boots of course, it's a repetitive song but what there is is so good I keep coming back to listen again and again. PEOPLE OF BJSC, why is this Umiiruka's worst performing entry when it is by far their best in quality?

 

Chart Peak: #8

'so I don't care what they say it's my life life life'

 

One of a couple of beneficiaries of saving December releases for the next year to chart. And November releases if they took their time to grow on me. And songs I'd heard the year before but didn't become a hit until the next year. I'm quite liberal really. Anyway, Naked was released about this time last year and it's one of the more thoughtful things Dev has put her name to. Gathering Enrique Iglesias in to work his magic on her song (if you hadn't figured it out already I'm quite the fan of most female/male duets, the way the different voices merge while singing the song is normally very appealing), it's very easy to listen and rack up plays with, if a little basic.

 

135. Stefanie Heinzmann - Diggin' In The Dirt

Chart Peak: #13

'it doesn't matter if you're stuck deep in the mud'

 

I dismissed this as utter crap the first time I heard it. Then, as so often happens, it gets entered into BJSC and because I can't keep the same opinion for more than 2 days I started loving it. Most of what is on Youtube are live versions, her voice sounds so much stronger in the studio - especially on that pop-rock chorus that demands you sing along. Another entry into the 'random BJSC flops that Iz will defend to the death' section and Botanikka's best entry this year.

 

Chart Peak: #17

'Ball so hard got a broken clock, rolleys that don't tick tok'

 

Arguably the mainstream (male) rap track of the year. The one thing from the Throne collaboration I really began to love, and first time I really begin to get the hype, it makes it so high due to a large number of quotable moments - the samples from Blades Of Glory probably being the most outstanding, an excellent beat, and due to being played at nearly every party I've been to this year.

 

Chart Peak: #32

'this trumpet makes you mine'

 

EINEN PUNKT. This one is all about the trumpet. There is no way I can ever NOT want to dance along to the trumpet (Pasha's right in that sense) - part 2 in Moldova's epic use of brass following on from 2010. Pasha has a good voice but he's really secondary to the instrumentation here, his lyrics are awfully basic. An unexpectedly good entry from Moldova, who has a Eurovision country all too easily fall into the trap of sending some awful novelty thing (see 2011's 'entry').

 

Chart Peak: #6

'we used to kiss all night but now there's just no use'

 

A recent grower and a free high quality version from the iTunes store awoke me to how incredible this actually is. Solange I've always liked about as much as her older sister (I was raving to Sandcastle Disco long ago) but this felt too basic when I first heard it. The high quality version brings out the backing like never before, the skill with which Solange is singing and the emotion that comes out behind the song. Fantastic RnB track, I want more of this Solange (should really check the EP sooner rather than later).

 

Chart Peak: #20

'and I might just join the mile high club, only problem being that I couldn't give a flying f***'

 

A huge track from the early part of the year - Rizzle Kicks' second best track. This did tire a little after I'd heard it all for the 50th time but when it was fresh... it was wonderful, and those lyrics are so clever and easy to remember. Not entirely sure about the chorus (the most annoying part by far) but it's catchy. The italicised lyric is some strike of twisted genius. Still not as fresh as Down With The Trumpets but excellent for cheering up a winter morning.

 

 

http://static.universal-music-services.de/asset_new/271135/881/view/Stefanie-Heinzmann-Diggin-in-the-dirt.jpg

Moldova 2010 was a lot better. Not big on "Kuula" either.

 

Solange though :wub:

As I've been a bit pedantic with my wording of 'best since SOWK' (naughty Iz), there is one more Keane song to come as a later single but I had an opposite experience with Silenced By The Night, it kept growing on me throughout the year. The intervening eras never impressed me.

 

Was it not the first song of the album? Then assuming the other entry is a latter single / album track then it would have been the best thing since....

 

Solange & NIP :wub: Both be high on mine.

ALBUM #7

 

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/19/Rihanna_-_Talk_That_Talk_-_Cover_-_Deluxe.jpg/220px-Rihanna_-_Talk_That_Talk_-_Cover_-_Deluxe.jpg

 

You Da One: 7/10

Where Have You Been: 11/10

We Found Love (ft. Calvin Harris): 9/10

Talk That Talk (ft. Jay-Z): 9/10

Cockiness (Love It): 5/10

Birthday Cake: 0/10

We All Want Love: 8/10

Drunk On Love: 8/10

Roc Me Out: 8/10

Watch n Learn: 8/10

Farewell: 10/10

Red Lipstick: 8/10

Do Ya Thang: 9/10

Fool In Love: 8/10

 

Top 10 for the second year in a row - not even that, 7th for the second year in a row, Rihanna albums are normally the only ones that get to do this as I appreciate the older one throughout the entirety of the following year and put it higher accordingly. Because I have an extremely strong top 6, this hasn't quite happened for Talk That Talk. An extremely weak mid-section with the worst thing she's ever recorded in Birthday Cake is buoyed up by a fantastic start with the singles and helped by a solid 8/10 latter section. Farewell is a beautiful ballad and Do Ya Thang is a really lovely song that doesn't get enough love around here.

 

Exactly the same for me! 7 last year and this year. How coincidental :3

 

 

Was it not the first song of the album? Then assuming the other entry is a latter single / album track then it would have been the best thing since....

 

Solange & NIP :wub: Both be high on mine.

 

I had a panic attack about the integrity and truthfulness of my comments, that is completely correct. I think. Minor trivia, anyway. Besides, it's not much further up.

 

I shall have to watch that then (although there is precious little I know so far), I never thought our music tastes overlapped that much so I'll be interested to see how much there actually is.

 

SINGLES: 130-121

 

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/165398/Crystal%20Kay.jpg

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Chart Peak: #9

'shoutz to all my lost boys'

 

Hear those catchy synths? That's the sound of Skrillex getting a mainstream hit. It's also my favourite piece from his catalogue - I'm not inclined to love him that much and too many of his tracks sound the same. This, using Sirah to go over the top of a standard beat, creates a fairly awesome summer hit. Of course the best bit is the way she artfully pops out the word 'Bangarang'. I'm here for that.

 

Chart Peak: #31

'da bi ti je vratio'

 

ZWEI PUNKT. Using an opening instrumental that sounds very similar to Coldplay's Paradise and in places reminding me of Nightwish, it isn't Chris Martin's vocals that bring this song to life, nor the operatic sounds of Tarja/Anette, but the dulcet Serbian tones of Zejlko Joksimovic. I know he entered Eurovision once before this but I don't know the song, this however is fairly lovely. Zejlko is clearly accomplished and by the end he manages to bring a fairly epic feeling to it. Not quite the best in Balkan ballads but getting there - and so I was very pleased this finished third. Having all but one of the top 6 in this chart how mainstream am i?

 

Chart Peak: #5

'I know I need to trust you but I'm coming all undone'

 

The next Séyetan entry to appear, and it's my worst performing, an accolade it does not deserve (that should go to my forgettable debut entry). I'd entered Ruby earlier in the year and had done fairly well, so I assumed Buzzjack would eat up anything she'd done. I was wrong. It's not AS good as Water To Ice but it's not that far off truth be told (even though Water To Ice is a lot further up). Her vocals are still exactly on the money in the verses, it's got a shimmering instrumental and while the chorus isn't the punchiest it's still great. I understand how it failed to progress to the final, don't understand how it came so low. It also came one point off progressing to the Reject semi finals, at which point I wished to utter a Lee Wallace-esque wish of death on random unsuspecting denizens of this forum.

 

Chart Peak: #33

'Verjamem da znova, ujela se bova'

 

The best Balkan ballad this year. DREI PUNKT. It took a lot of listens for me to fully get this, before the contest it was going right through me with me forgetting it right afterwards, however it was the stunning semi performance that burned it into my brain and made me obsessed. Therefore I was GOBSMACKED and DISTRAUGHT when it finished second-bottom of the semi final. Eurovision's own Porcupine. :angry: This reminds me even more of the instrumentals Nightwish do than Nije Ljubav Stvar does, and Eva's vocals are so damn strong. Slovenia just can't catch a break, can they? :(

 

126. Taylor Swift - I Knew You Were Trouble

Chart Peak: #2

'and I realised, the blame was on me'

 

Yeah, this one will be a lot higher in my next EOY chart as I only really started to love it this December. But unlike things like Stay, Running To The Sea and Die Young, it grew on me a bit earlier and therefore makes it into this year too. Taylor-dubstep is not something I expected to love but with my love of everything Taylor that has blossomed this year, it's only natural (and it might even end up being my first Taylor #1, depends how I feel when I make my chart this week). There'll be quite a bit more of this girl to come, more than a lot of artists anyway.

 

125. Gossling - Wild Love

Chart Peak: #21

'dig up my heartstrings'

 

ANOTHER FSR RONTVIA ENTRY! We all have those, don't deny it. Rich was on fire with his entries for the first 5 contests (wasn't a huge fan of Runaway but I can appreciate others liked it) so those 4 are the ones that have made it in and Gossling is the third highest. That vocal style of hers is unique, even something close to genius,. I recall you said, Rich, that some of your entries came under fire for their unusual !vocal style and I was thinking 'So? Continue those please! Those are the best ones'. Largely because it's something different. I nearly entered Sharon Doorson (of Hendinian fame) as I liked Fail In Love to a contest but was put off largely by her generic sounding voice. It's also the reason I dislike Rita Ora but love Rihanna, Rihanna's voice is unique, recognisable, and has great tones. Songs like Wild Love are the antithesis of Fail In Love and I want more of them on my iPod plz.

 

I also had 'gossling' as the password on my laptop for an age (changed it now, but I was choosing a random BJSC act for a while and stopped changing it on Gossling) so it has contributed to my life in some way. [/randomanecdote]

 

Chart Peak: #10

'if I took you home it'd be a home run'

 

From Wild Love to Wild Ones, and it's possibly Flo Rida's best effort ever, helped by the fantastic Sia selling her soul and singing about the club. While it's nothing overly innovative it's very enjoyable (while you're out in the first part of the year) and Sia's wonderful voice prevents me from putting this any lower although it's the most basic she could have ever lowered herself to.

 

Chart Peak: #16

'my team said to me, you're the one'

 

Straight back to obscure songs from BJSC and it's Irish (?) band The Wonder Villains. The song's about Zola, a footballer (I don't know any more, shoot me at dawn). It's so catchy and light to listen to, and it got me obsessed in the first week of BJSC XLI. Bré didn't vote and it didn't qualify (part 2 on from Sea Of Stars on just how the hell that happened, but at least this one made it to the Rejects). This sort of indie-pop is the sort that I'm in the genre for. It had better win the Rejects if Saint Saviour can't.

 

122. Crystal Kay - Yo Yo

Chart Peak: #23

'you got me hot hot hot then cold again'

 

Some lovely J-Pop and I think the highest of it to make it on my countdown. I had never heard of Crystal Kay before this (although she is very pretty and has a long career so I should have gotten aboard this before now) yet this is a perfect pop song. The chorus is so catchy and addictive. Yo Yo Yo Yo Yo Yo Yo

 

Chart Peak: #17

'took a car downtown and took what they offered me'

 

Chipmunks and another inspired Coldplay riff that you swear you've heard before (which sounded FANTASTIC opening the BRITS). What's not to love? It also had Misfits star Antonia Thomas in the video, an inspired choice as I LOVE her and because of my awful shallowness that increased my enjoyment of the song by 700% it didn't really. One of my favourites off Mylo Xyloto (third only to Paradise and PoC) so releasing as a single was a great choice, even though it flopped to all hell.

 

 

http://a2.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/136/c728790044a846ed9f247a1ce467417e/l.jpg

 

I had a panic attack about the integrity and truthfulness of my comments, that is completely correct. I think. Minor trivia, anyway. Besides, it's not much further up.

 

I shall have to watch that then (although there is precious little I know so far), I never thought our music tastes overlapped that much so I'll be interested to see how much there actually is.

 

Well they do a little bit, although I've not heard too many in here either though I'm sure I've listened to more than I realise that were BJSC entries.

SINGLES: 120-111

 

http://thecorner.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/302250_10150286109978316_279044973315_7914880_7175234_n.jpg

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Chart Peak: #15

'they don't like it sue me'

 

First and biggest of Train's singles to show up this year. It's been their best and most consistent singles era and yet this is actually the weak link of them all - although I enjoy it a lot. Built, honed and polished for radio, it was a summer tune for those fans of MoR and yet I like it because the chorus is so well-sung. Thankfully, although I enjoy this, the latter singles are not so much of a blatant attempt to get a radio hit, they're exactly like this but with more challenging instrumentals and more bizarre lyrics. It's the plain Train.

 

Chart Peak: #12

'even the sun sets in paradise'

 

This gets a lot of hate, yet I like it for the same reasons as Train just below. Adam Levine's voice is at his least annoying here (compared to something like One More Night) and the production is actually fairly interesting. I have to be a secret Maroon 5 fan, I keep saying I don't like them but I can't think of any of their songs I actually don't like aside from One More Night which is their most recent. Payphone is their best of the 'new' Maroon 5, even if it thinks its being original by making fun of love songs.

 

Chart Peak: #11

'i was blinded by the lights'

 

Every time I listen to this the opening reminds me why I love it. And while it never quite repeats that high, it's an enjoyable disco listen all of the way through, the instrumental weaving in and out of prominence. I get the feeling that if Coldplay made disco, this would be what they would sound like. Or most of the post-Britpop bands, the vocals seem like that sort of STYLE.

 

 

Chart Peak: #12

'the bush is high but in the hole is water'

 

I sense a THEME for this section (this must be a glass ceiling for a certain kind of radio-friendly hit, yes I'm feeling c). I've never been too keen on Robbie Williams (yet like Maroon 5 it's only because of a few songs) so Candy was a nice surprise as being catchy and a little bit cheesy. It is a clever hit, the lyrics are complete nonsense/contain a lot of sexual innuendos and I'm sure most people listening to this on commercial radio have no clue what he is singing about. Yet it became a hit - and I'm not the best person to ask why, I just know that if I was listening to something like Heart FM now and it came on I would DEFINITELY enjoy it.

 

Chart Peak: #21

'I draw the blinds and make a cup of coffee'

 

My first experience with Bic Runga, and it's a pleasant one, Hello Hello is so lovely, happy and so ME. It's not too far away from that specific brand of pop that the likes of Alexis Jordan and Cover Drive inhabit and therefore it's addictive and warm to listen to. Surprising to find a song like this in the first edition of Unknown Pleasures I took part in but I don't think I've had a more obvious top scorer since, excellent discovery from Ghosty.

 

Chart Peak: #2

'Some call me Nicki and some call me Roman'

 

The highest Nicki is going to get on my chart, like I might have said with Starships, really starting to tire with her. The first verse of this is a remnant of the amazing Nicki rap that I loved on older songs of hers and the chorus is pretty damn good considering it's her singing. That 'noise' is AWFUL though. Only bad thing about an otherwise good song.

 

Chart Peak: #36

'Seviyorum seni, s’agapo poli

Yo te quiero a ti, volim te, mon cheri'

 

VIER PUNKT. Seriously gives me chills even now. Saying 'I love you' in like 20 different languages over a cheap Eastern European dance track - what a crazy and lovable idea for a Eurovision entry. Had it had good staging at Eurovision, it could have eclipsed Zaleilah and given some much needed success to poor unloved Bulgaria. Tooji was AWFUL compared to this. One of my favourite entries this year although I didn't realise it until after the semi final. I should've voted.

 

113. Marina & The Diamonds - Bubblegum Bitch

Chart Peak: #4

'Oh dear diary, we fell apart, welcome to the life of Electra Heart '

 

My most played Marina track somehow, and that's because as the opening track on Electra Heart, I played it over and over for the first week after getting the album - one of the catchiest things Marina has ever put her name to. Upbeat Marina, this is your crowning glory. This woman is so versatile, to go from this to something like Fear And Loathing in the space of one album is just VALUABLE for music.

 

Chart Peak: #14

'ba ba ba CERAHTONIA'

 

Second-best winner of the BJSC this year and one of two to make my chart. The chorus is a thing of beauty and while I don't have a clue who Fibes Oh Fibes are, I value their contribution to music as it's the first time I've found Icona Pop amazing. Best thing they have ever done by a long way and they're only a feature. *insert rant about I Love It and how I hope it isn't a big hit*

 

Chart Peak: #23

'I'm flying out to Pisa, just to get some pizza'

 

It's the first appearance for Ms Fenty, always an reliable multi-song artist in my singles chart, and this time she has Jay-Z hooking up with her again. It's provided success before so what could go wrong? Well as good as it is, Jay-Z's verse does go on a little long and Rihanna's song is no Umbrella. However it's fairly enjoyable for a Rihanna single, better than You Da One anyway.

 

YEAH that section has done nothing to increase my credibility (I swear this happened through me looking at what I NEEDED to dump before the top 100).. NO MATTER. Onwards we press. I plan to get to the top 100 tonight so one more set of 10 to do.

 

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1jeF3hM63V8/T07pE0J7QfI/AAAAAAAAF3Q/9JZ0gBu_HhU/s1600/sofi%20marinova%20Eurovision.jpg

"The highest Nicki is going to get on my chart, like I might have said with Starships, really starting to tire with her. The first verse of this is a remnant of the amazing Nicki rap that I loved on older songs of hers and the chorus is pretty damn good considering it's her singing. That 'noise' is AWFUL though. Only bad thing about an otherwise good song."

Exactly how i feel about Pound The Alarm. That first verse is amazing, but the rest is meh/hurtful!

 

Love seeing Bubblegum Bitch here :wub: Such a strong start to the album!

SINGLES: 110-101

 

http://cdn.stereogum.com/files/2012/09/AlunaGeorge-Your-Drums-Your-Love-video-608x431.jpg

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Chart Peak: #3

'what do you see in those yellow eyes'

 

I bet some people might have thought that a David Guetta and Sia collab was sure to be top 50 after Titanium stormed it last year. There's something missing from She Wolf though, the production is more typical Guetta than the excellent work he put in on Titanium and Sia's vocals are nowhere near as strong. It clicked with me for a short while but part of that high peak was hype - it's Sia so it's of a certain quality but it's not that much better than Wild Ones. A bit of a disappointment but 110th best song of the year isn't bad when it's me.

 

Chart Peak: #1 (#14 in 2012)

'you stole my star'

 

After being top 10 last year, Princess Of China comes in at #109 this year. Mainly only here because it blew up big this time round - but I didn't connect with it this year as much as I did last year and it had a far lower peak. Still a fantastic collab between two of my favourite acts, so I enjoy all vocals on here (Rihanna's doing it slightly better though :kink:).

 

Chart Peak: #13

'and we're breathing in the same air'

 

Fifth collab in 5 songs wot?! This sees the first appearance of Cover Drive, and the last appearance of Far East Movement. The latter has fallen off a bridge in terms of quality after the fairly good Rocketeer and Like A G6, and their rapping is just desperate as they realise they are no longer the biggest Asian act in America (and fairly crap). It's all about the chorus. It's a little generic but Amanda's voice lifts it above that and since I have fallen in love with her voice this year, even a small bit of it gets this high. PREPARE YOURSELVES.

 

Chart Peak: #9

'I'm never gonna give it up, not now, not ever'

 

After Nova last year and discovering M.A.G.I.C then, the Sound Of Arrows album is one I keep meaning to listen to, but when they released Conquest as a single from it this year, I knew I'd found another highlight. Production is seriously top notch, and the singers voices are just PURE. It'd be so easy for them to keep the same tone throughout the song, but the verses sees their vocals becoming airy and ethereal and that is quite a wonderful shift from the tenor foreboding of the chorus. Fantastic track and were it not for Nova, the best thing the Sound Of Arrows have done.

 

Chart Peak: #2

'I suppose you could behave but that would be so bland'

 

It's a message to all you good-acting blandies on the board! And here we have another of my entries to BJSC, meaning 6 have made my top 100. I entered Poppy and The Jezebels back in May and was expecting a little more than I got, it has the powers of Richard X behind it and it's a cheery pop song by a girlband. Alas time has told me that it isn't THAT strong a song but I'm still very glad I entered it as it was a adequate entry for obtaining an average to measure future success against. Weird, strange title but I like those. The video reminds me of the one by The Charlies doing Monster (Eat Me) all very cheap looking with random people cheering to bad special effects. That was rather entertaining.

 

105. Taylor Swift feat. The Civil Wars - Safe & Sound

Chart Peak: #3

'don't you dare look out your window darling everything's on fire'

 

It's another song from Taylor Swift, promoting one of the finest films of the year, The Hunger Games. It's something very different from her usual output and it gets really quite emotional (one song I have nearly cried to right here). Her work for this soundtrack really made me take notice of a singer I'd barely tolerated before - now I'm a rather big fan of hers instead. I've also recently learned how to play the tune of this on the clarinet, it's in a surprisingly easy key for those purposes - and it's about my favourite tune I CAN play on there.

 

Chart Peak: #4

'you can have my number, you can take my name'

 

And another from one of the best films of 2012, I wasn't expecting too much from this, having not really been a fan of James Bond themes before this and being a little fed up with Adele domination of everything. Yet it turned out to be a rather inspired choice and a great song. There is a grandiose feeling to the song, and having heard a number of the James Bond themes properly since this, I can say that it is among the best and captures what is needed there perfectly. The Skyfall project was a huge success for popular culture this year, not the least this song.

 

Chart Peak: #7

'ja laulan pappadaduda pa duda dapa'

 

Finnish pop will normally sit well with me, it's one of the most pleasant languages to listen to if it's being sung and a lot of it is along the happy side of pop rather than the dance-pop breakdowns. It's not just about my inexplicable Finnphilia, although I think it is a cause of it. Haloo Helsinki provide exactly what I need in spades with this pop-rock anthem and yeah, well done on it in BJSC, Rich. I need to find a song like this for next year at some point - never entered a foreign-language song yet much less a Finnish one.

 

Chart Peak: #12

'let's go down to the rides on east parade'

 

Rounding off a good Keane top 3 in which Somewhere Only We Know is higher and Silenced By The Night is lower, wait a sec, they all start with S's. Don't need a tangent, sorry. Why did this make it higher than Silenced By The Night? Well, I charted it for a start, secondly, that chorus is huge and exactly the sort of thing I want from Keane. It's a fairly standard Keane song on the surface but it's the chorus that elevates it above some others.

 

Chart Peak: #7

'Whether I sink or swim, it's you I'm thinking of'

 

A big tip for success in 2013, and I really hope they get it, preferably with a re-release of this song. I never thought a whole lot of You Know You Like It (it did drive me insane :basil: ) but Your Drums, Your Love was quite the eye-opener for me. First heard it through a friend at uni and recognised the name, then I began to play it over and over again. A slightly weird but compelling chorus holds up some breathy, slightly sexy verses and it's all rather a rather aural experience. I've also just watched the video and Aluna is TOO cute (as well as having near perfect vocals). Not that that has any bearing on how much I like the song, I didn't know what she looked like until a few weeks ago and I was loving the song all through October. Excuses. Last track to miss out on my top 100, gutted for them. If it becomes big next year it'll be back in there. Here's hoping.

 

OK. Top 100 starting tomorrow. We finally made it, those of you still interested in reading my awful(ly long) commentaries. And I'll do them in groups of 5 now so it shouldn't take as long.

 

 

http://img2.timeinc.net/instyle/images/2012/WRN/021412-taylor-swift-safe-and-sound-hunger-games-video-623.jpg

I'd don't appreciate the rant about "I Love It" but "Cerahtonia" is all kinds of fab, probably my favourite winner of the year.

 

Seeing Taylor pipped by Adele broke my heart just like "Safe & Sound" does everytime. :( And we NEED some video/audio recording of you on the clarinet.

The last 10 is fairly decent. I like the Poppy... song but like their others, it's easy to love and go off quickly. It would be the lowest placed of every song that made my top 10 this year. Listening to the Keane on now, quite like it actually, agree it's probably better than 'Silenced...'

Bic Runga :wub: So happy you liked Hello Hello so much! :D