Thanks for the comments!

fun. "Carry On" Great message conveyed in this one especially when life gets so hard and find it almost impossible to get up and carry on. I hope their next album will be a success :(

Yes! It NEEDS to happen!

 

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Schoolboy Q & Hollis "White Walls"

http://s22.postimg.org/9bbuy5kq9/Macklemore_Ryan_Lewis_White_Walls_Single_Cover_3.jpg

The most recent single from The Heist, second of four Grammy album of the year nominees to appear. "White Walls" is decidedly less pop-friendly than its predecessors, but a clever change of direction and no less of a tune. It's all about the chorus for me; Hollis is an interesting girl! It really is a compliment to the quality of their craft when the featured artists are otherwise unknown but the songs still climb the charts with ease. That streak has lasted except for the "White Walls" music video, which has its fair share of familiar faces (if that's what you call the likes of A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, etc.). Obviously its chart performance in the UK is yet to be determined but hopefully Radio 1 and Capital will give it a push.

At this point it's easy to forget that this success story started with "Thrift Shop", the kind of song that normally doesn't lead to credibility or longevity, but so far Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have defied the odds. Now they are the highest-profile act among the Grammy nominees for best new artist and could be the first hip-hop artist to win it since Lauryn Hill in 1999. Who knows, their recent Breakthrough Artist win at the Buzzjack Urban Awards could make a big impression on the voting panel...

 

Mariah Carey featuring Miguel "#Beautiful"

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BdeI-amhne8/UYy2NZnElKI/AAAAAAAAJZk/8C8zQgkqIr0/s1600/Beautiful.jpg

The following is an open letter to Mariah Carey. You were having such a good year! Judging on American Idol was going well and then THIS divine single fell from the heavens! Collaborating with Miguel was perfect for you and destined to start the era off right. What could possibly go wrong? Well, your decision to leave American Idol was a bit hasty. To refocus on your music, you say? That's fair, considering the album release was just a couple months away. But wait! Then you tell us you're delaying the album! Suddenly the first half of the year became a huge opportunity gone entirely to waste.

Mariah, how in the world do you expect to have any better chance of a hit album than you did this summer? You've now cut ties with your main source of exposure, and there's actually a very good chance that you'll never have a hit as big as "#Beautiful" again. Speaking of which, what do you think when people say this is the best song of yours they've ever heard? I think they're crazy. But it's far, far better than I could have imagined, and easily your best single in several years, so maybe you still have what it takes to smash. Now prove it (please!).

 

Maroon 5 "Daylight"

Maroon 5 "Love Somebody"

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/77/Maroon_5_-_Overexposed.png

Oops! I tried really hard not to like either of these, the third and fourth singles from Overexposed, but they won me over. "Daylight" was helped by a combined Grammy performance of Maroon 5 and Alicia Keys, in which the song was mashed up with "Girl On Fire". For two songs that sound nothing alike, it was interesting to hear them mixed together, more so than listening to either track by itself. Likewise, "Love Somebody" has an excellent video to make up for the song's general blandness.

My frustration with Maroon 5's recent music is embodied in both of these songs. Lyrically they have become overdependent on using "whoooaa, whoooaaa" and "ohhhhh, ohhhhh" in place of anything with substance. Don't forget the high pitched "ooooohs" in "One More Night". It's good for fans singing along at a concert but sad for other fans who know that the band is capable of much better. The album was mostly "radio filler", which is partly why the safe and inoffensive "Love Somebody" blocked the superior "Same Love" from the top ten on Billboard. That approach is working so well for Maroon 5 that I worry about their future output, despite still liking them.

 

Miranda Lambert "Mama's Broken Heart"

http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/tasteofcountry.com/files/2012/12/Mamas-Broken-Heart.jpg

Miranda's fourth single from Four The Record became the highest chart peak and second-biggest seller of her career. It was interesting to watch this song climb the country airplay chart just as its writer, Kacey Musgraves, was becoming established in her own right and releasing a debut album. In fact, Kacey has a demo of this on her YouTube channel that's almost three years old! It definitely sounds like Kacey's work even when listening to Miranda's version, but makes a perfect fit with the rest of Miranda's discography.

"Mama's Broken Heart" is definitely my highlight from Four The Record. Everything about it is just spot on, especially the melody. Without the words and vocals, the arrangement could easily be mistaken for the likes of Jake Bugg. "Fastest Girl In Town" comes close to this in quality. "Over You" is a popular choice but I can't get past her husband's awful amateur songwriting in the verses. Miranda's other highlight of 2013 was her guest vocal on Keith Urban's song "We Were Us". If you like her, check it out!

 

My Chemical Romance "Ambulance"

http://www.bajateloz.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/descargar-My-Chemical-Romance-convencional-weapon-Number-two-2012-300x300.png

At the end of 2012, My Chemical Romance released some songs that were originally meant for their last album before they started over and recorded Danger Days instead. Despite being just a casual fan, I gave each one a listen until hearing "Ambulance", which was so good that I stuck with it and didn't bother listening to the rest. Now it holds sentimental value as the last song of theirs I would ever love. The band broke up just months later, with a greatest hits album expected in 2014.

For what may be just a demo, "Ambulance" sounds only slightly unfinished, with the line "You don't know a thing about this life" being repeated where any other lyrics must not have fit. After multiple listens it bore some resemblance to the song "Matters At All" by Kids In Glass Houses and probably would have sounded just as good on Radio 1, as one of their token rock tracks. Gone too soon, for sure, but at least Fall Out Boy, Paramore, and Panic! At The Disco all released albums this year, carrying the torch for the sake of my teenage self. RIP MCR :(

Phillip Phillips "Gone, Gone, Gone"

http://b.share.photo.xuite.net/kanlen/1bc405e/5078474/253086356_o.jpg

Since Phillip's winner's single "Home" took six months to peak in airplay last year, it also became the lead single from his album The World From The Side Of The Moon. This year, landing a second top 40 hit with "Gone, Gone, Gone" allowed him to surpass half of the other male American Idols who have only managed it once, with their winner's single and nothing else. Male X Factor winners know the Idols' struggle just as well, but Matt Cardle and James Arthur both achieved their third top 20 single this year, with two songs that are now my new favorite from each of them. 2013 has been above-average for the guys :o

It's essentially a rite of passage for past American Idol contestants to have one of their songs used as the "farewell song" on the show's results nights the following year. Since this is excellent promo once a week, Phillip's team was very wise and used this opportunity to promote a new single, as opposed to a cover song like most others have done. Daughtry did the same thing in 2007 with "Home" (yes, another song called "Home") and had huge success, yet it took six years for this to happen again to another farewell song. If current Idol Candice Glover knows what's best for her, she'll have the same thing in mind with her singles release strategy.

 

Phoenix "Entertainment"

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/Phoenix_-_Entertainment_single_cover_art.jpg

It was a long long wait, roughly four years, between Phoenix's spectacular breakthrough in 2009 and their follow-up effort, the album Bankrupt! I was definitely worried that all of their hype would have vanished in that amount of time. And yet it felt like no time had passed at all when listening to "Entertainment" for the first time. The song quickly recalls previous singles, nothing specific but "Lisztomania" and "Lasso" come to mind, a pleasant refresher after the lengthy hiatus. It's a majestic piece of music, soaring above the sky from beginning to end as the synths hit every note imaginable.

The band would soon be overshadowed by fellow French act Daft Punk, who released "Get Lucky" a few days before Phoenix's album. It should be no secret that I prefer Phoenix, but even I forgot about this track until revisiting it just now for the thread. Despite the greatness of "Entertainment" it wasn't quite enough to be a 2013 standout, and the next single "Trying To Be Cool" came close but was less instant. It grew on me though and all in all new Phoenix was well worth the wait!

 

Pitbull featuring Christina Aguilera "Feel This Moment"

Pitbull featuring Ke$ha "Timber"

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fe/Feel-This-Moment-Official-Single-Cover.jpghttp://www.rockblogs.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/its-going-down-im-yelling-timber-assista-ao-lyric-video-de-timber-do-pitbull-com-a-keha.png

No 2013 recap would be complete without some dance-pop-by-numbers! By that I refer to songs that stick to the formula used by many a popstar this decade...you know it when you hear it. It's very hard to get past the a-ha sample at first--would love to know how the band reacted when they heard it--but "Feel This Moment" became less offensive with each listen, and even enjoyable at times! Pitbull would surely agree that it's all a bit tongue-and-cheek, really, so there's no sense in taking a song like this too seriously. Radio 1 continued their silly Xtina ban by keeping it off their playlist, but that unwritten rule could change when A Great Big World "Say Something" is released in February.

"Timber" is set to be the first big smash of 2014, a likely January #1 in the UK and US. Pitbull continues to follow the latest trend as he attempts to capture the folktronica-esque hybrid currently attributed to Avicii. Ke$ha appears on a mission of her own, hoping to bounce back from an album that severely underperformed. Apparently Pit's first choice was Rihanna but it's hard to imagine that being as believable. Someone has to bring the down-home country vibes to this song and Ke$ha, who grew up in Nashville, sells it quite well. Hard to believe it took this long for her and Pitbull to collaborate, and we can't be far from a Pitbull and Rihanna track either!

Rihanna featuring David Guetta "Right Now"

Rihanna "What Now"

http://downsong.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/qc8pof29t8fbspah6x9cl42ma-300x300.jpghttp://thepulse-radio.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rihanna-what-now_0-300x300.png

Speaking of Rihanna, here she is! Another song that sounded abysmal at first, but "Right Now" really grew on me over the summer, especially listening outside and in the sun. It seemed like the best time to make it a single, yet surprisingly one of the safest choices on the album is now remembered as a flop. Hopefully the song inspired people to revisit the superior "Who's That Chick?" which is what Rihanna and Guetta were trying to recreate in the first place. One should also appreciate that "Right Now" wasn't the next single after "Diamonds", so at least "Stay" was given its time to shine. Otherwise the era could have easily been worse!

Next, a change of pace and a slightly different song title. "What Now" sounded like album filler at first but a little airplay made a big difference. It's lovely! Also, it was refreshing to have a music video at the same time this was being pushed as a single. Cheers to low expectations! Months had gone by without Rihanna in the top 40, so the brief presence of this in the chart was satisfying. The question is, quite appropriately, "What now?" Album #8 has not surfaced so it's anyone's guess what she's up to currently. Stargate and Ester Dean have been a reliable tag-team for Rihanna (this is a good read) but their style of music is waning in popularity, so my guess is that they just need extra time to invent something new.

Time for another recap? :unsure: :zzz:

 

JAY Z "Tom Ford"

Justin Timberlake featuring JAY Z "Suit & Tie"

Justin Timberlake "TKO"

Karmin "Acapella"

Kelly Clarkson "Catch My Breath"

Kendrick Lamar featuring Drake "Poetic Justice"

Ke$ha "C'mon"

Ke$ha featuring will.i.am "Crazy Kids"

Krewella "Alive"

Lana Del Rey "Young & Beautiful"

Little Big Town "Tornado"

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis "White Walls"

Mariah Carey featuring Miguel "#Beautiful"

Maroon 5 "Daylight"

Maroon 5 "Love Somebody"

Miranda Lambert "Mama's Broken Heart"

My Chemical Romance "Ambulance"

Phillip Phillips "Gone, Gone, Gone"

Phoenix "Entertainment"

Pitbull featuring Christina Aguilera "Feel This Moment"

Pitbull featuring Ke$ha "Timber"

Rihanna featuring David Guetta "Right Now"

Rihanna "What Now"

LOVE for all the Kesha songs and for Timber.

 

That Karmin song is vular though.

Sara Bareilles "Brave"

http://sarabfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/532831_10151328115221432_461181169_n-300x300.jpg

Fellow hot adult contemporary queens Colbie Caillat and Christina Perri are ready to rule in the coming months, but 2013 was Sara’s year. This song, her first from The Blessed Unrest, finally arrived nearly three years after previous lead single “King of Anything”. Her airplay was a slow build, as usual for poor Sara, and was still growing in August when Katy Perry came and ruined changed everything! It was a bit pathetic to hear “Roar” for the first time and notice the similarities, but that gave “Brave” such a chart boost that it’s surely one of the best things to have happened in Sara’s career! She can’t even be mad, can she?

Things kept getting better as The Blessed Unrest earned a surprise Grammy nomination for Album of the Year! Also, in a funny twist of fate, “Brave” and “Roar” are both nominated for pop solo vocal performance. It’s been great to see her continued success five years after “Love Song”, but I need a second single, like, yesterday. “Brave” has been dragged out for months, is now being used in Microsoft adverts, and having another sound-alike song has caused it to sound old twice as fast. It’s really time to move on and unleash another song from the album.

 

Selena Gomez "Come & Get It"

Selena Gomez "Slow Down"

http://rymimg.com/lk/f/l/bbc935adac63951127d4d36aa1362709/4726051.pnghttp://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc55/yoyo89312/006/060604.png

Does it really make any difference whether her records are “Selena Gomez & The Scene” or not? Are different people making music with her now? I highly doubt it, but Selena’s first solo record has started a chain of other firsts for her. “Come & Get It” is her first top 10 on Billboard, reaching #6 with ease after her first 5 top 40 singles peaked at 29, 24, 35, 21, and 22 (so it’s her first top 20 hit too, hard to believe!). Likewise, it’s her second UK top 10 despite every single since “Naturally” missing the top 40. Then Stars Dance became her first #1 album! So this has been one of Selena’s better years, but it’s strange because her music has been consistently good. This song in particular is amazing and worthy of success, and yet it hardly seems like the highlight of her career, nor is it my favorite. She was overdue for a big chart hit though, so I’m glad that she came & got it :basil:

With the next single, “Slow Down” it’s back to regular floppy Selena. Another low top 30 on Billboard for her, peaking at #27, that did nothing significant anywhere else. The song has its share of flaws, such as weak lyrics and sounding a bit novelty, but the energy makes up for it, and I love how the tempo is fast ironically. She really deserves bonus points for that. Instead, Selena ends 2013 with “Come & Get It” as a big anomaly in her discography. In her case, a top 10 hit is a good anomaly to have. Just don't make us wait until 2016 for another one!

Hi RiseR,

So far, Cups is fab (hit my charts), like Florida Georgia Line, Cage The Elephant, and Gavin De Graw shoulda been a biggie in the UK. I've always been a fan of American pop/rock etc so good to see some non-edm-dancepop listings on BJ, hooray! :lol:

 

cheers

john

Time for another recap? :unsure: :zzz:

 

JAY Z "Tom Ford"

Justin Timberlake featuring JAY Z "Suit & Tie"

Justin Timberlake "TKO"

Karmin "Acapella"

Kelly Clarkson "Catch My Breath"

Kendrick Lamar featuring Drake "Poetic Justice"

Ke$ha "C'mon"

Ke$ha featuring will.i.am "Crazy Kids"

Krewella "Alive"

Lana Del Rey "Young & Beautiful"

Little Big Town "Tornado"

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis "White Walls"

Mariah Carey featuring Miguel "#Beautiful"

Maroon 5 "Daylight"

Maroon 5 "Love Somebody"

Miranda Lambert "Mama's Broken Heart"

My Chemical Romance "Ambulance"

Phillip Phillips "Gone, Gone, Gone"

Phoenix "Entertainment"

Pitbull featuring Christina Aguilera "Feel This Moment"

Pitbull featuring Ke$ha "Timber"

Rihanna featuring David Guetta "Right Now"

Rihanna "What Now"

 

Lana, Justin (T) Maroon 5, Phoenix, maybe Mariah, Rihanna/Guetta are my faves of this batch!

 

recap:

Anna Kendrick "Cups"

Ariana Grande featuring Mac Miller "The Way"

A$AP Rocky featuring 2 Chainz, Drake & Kendrick Lamar "F**kin' Problems"

Baauer "Harlem Shake"

Big Sean featuring Lil Wayne & Jhene Aiko "Beware"

Britney Spears "Work B**ch!"

Bruno Mars "Gorilla"

Cage The Elephant "Come A Little Closer"

Capital Cities "Safe And Sound"

Chris Brown "Fine China"

Chris Brown featuring Nicki Minaj "Love More"

Demi Lovato "Heart Attack"

Drake "Started From The Bottom"

Ellie Goulding "Only You"

Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly "Cruise"

Florida Georgia Line "Get Your Shine On"

fun. "Carry On"

Gavin DeGraw "Best I Ever Had"

Hunter Hayes "I Want Crazy"

Icona Pop "All Night"

Imagine Dragons "Demons"

J. Cole featuring Miguel "Power Trip"

J. Cole featuring TLC "Crooked Smile"

Jason Derulo "The Other Side"

Jason Derulo "Marry Me"

 

and Capital Cities, Chris Brown, fun., Imagine Dragons, Icona Pop, in this batch B-)

 

cheers again,

john

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by popchartfreak

Hi RiseR,

So far, Cups is fab (hit my charts), like Florida Georgia Line, Cage The Elephant, and Gavin De Graw shoulda been a biggie in the UK. I've always been a fan of American pop/rock etc so good to see some non-edm-dancepop listings on BJ, hooray! :lol:

 

cheers

john

Lana, Justin (T) Maroon 5, Phoenix, maybe Mariah, Rihanna/Guetta are my faves of this batch!

and Capital Cities, Chris Brown, fun., Imagine Dragons, Icona Pop, in this batch B-)

 

cheers again,

john

YAY thanks John! I've been waiting for someone who liked Cage The Elephant!

So that leaves poor Hunter, Phillip and Little Big Town :(

 

~

 

Sooo this may or may not finish tomorrow since I have nothing to do on New Years!

Predictions/requests welcome, in fact any artists I've left out may get an award at the end for their best song in 2013...

...MAYBE. Dream big!

http://31.media.tumblr.com/83aa476435ae30d43966e9eec589043f/tumblr_mumj8iJB0P1rsqp3oo5_250.gif

Taylor Swift "Red"

http://regards.com.br/shopline/2074-2205-large/taylor-swift-red-cd-single.jpg

"Red" was one of Taylor's songs that goes exclusively to country radio and never gets a real chance to shine. When I rewrite her discography, this becomes the fifth single, following "Everything Has Changed", instead of "The Last Time" which would have bombed completely without that X Factor performance. "Red" is equal parts pop, rock, and country, and it's one of the strongest tracks on the album lyrically and sonically. "Loving him was red" is such a strong lyric, not only is the song built around it but it's also a worthy choice as the title track. It's just like "Fearless", which suffered the same fate four years ago as a country-only single.

It seems like people want so many different things from Taylor's music. This whole album is definitely her best attempt to meet everyone's demands, and "Red" (the song) gave me the side of Taylor I like best. This thread has covered a few country tracks already, but when I turned the radio on this is the song I always hoped would play, and hearing it became a very memorable moment from this year. Alas, this is one of many missed opportunities on every Taylor Swift album, so think of it in a good way, as a compliment to her magical, musical craft. In fact Red is the fourth and final Grammy album of the year nominee in this recap, and could be her second winner after Fearless in 2010!

 

Tegan & Sara "Closer"

http://www.ohmyrock.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/20120919-tegan-306x-1348072358.jpg

So two female duos burst into the pop scene this year: Icona Pop and these girls. The former are relatively new, whereas Tegan & Sara have been recording since 1999! Until recently they were content making excellent indie rock and being unknown beyond the music blogs. I knew a handful of their songs but they hadn't really captured my attention just yet. From what I've read, a lack of creativity fed the temptation to try a pop record, and the end result was their fantastic album Heartthrob. "Closer" is too good and outrageously catchy to even question their change in sound. The quality is exactly the same, effortlessly great but with different instrumentation.

I've seen "Closer" appear in a few threads already, and mostly by those who admit to not knowing Tegan & Sara's previous material. If that's you, better late than never! It's hard to know exactly what to recommend, but I can't say I've ever heard a bad song from them. "Feel It In My Bones" with Tiesto had the biggest influence on the sound of their new album. It's also amazing. "Walking With A Ghost" was probably their best known song before this year. I would also suggest "Hell" which is my personal choice from their rock songs. Their voices together are so compelling that you really can't go wrong (and neither can they)!

 

The Band Perry "Better Dig Two"

The Band Perry "Done"

http://bigpondmusic.com/images/AlbumCoverArt/86/XXL/Better-Dig-Two.jpghttp://images.bwwstatic.com/columnpic6/2B6C7A361-DB27-E3F7-0342D640948B846D.jpg

Amazing, amazing sophomore effort from The Band Perry who you may know from "If I Die Young", the saddest song of recent times. "Better Dig Two" is the lead single from second album Pioneer, a definite improvement from their debut. They're best known from the aforementioned song about death, and this time the script changes from losing your own life to losing your lover. As the narrator, lead singer Kimberly finds a few different ways to say "If you die, you're taking me with you!" so the end result is pretty much the same. The band's strong point is definitely their songwriting, and this is no exception as it's very poetic.

They don't always write songs about death! The next single "Done" was simply a break-up song, but reinvented as always and with clear hints of revenge. If you've ever been sick of a relationship, you'll agree that the "uggghhhhh" near the end is EVERYTHING. (Actually, it's kind of gross, but accurate!) The Band Perry did have a tiny moment in the global spotlight this year, but for all the wrong reasons. "If I Die Young" was fittingly used in Glee on the episode of Finn Hudson's death. I had to mention Glee somewhere because Cory Monteith's passing affected me as a fan of the show, so there it is. I found out on Buzzjack, the same day that I joined :cry:

The Lumineers "Stubborn Love"

The Lumineers "Submarines"

http://18njnko2riin2bf6nch5sjk.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/lumineershiresalbumcover-300x300.jpg

Here are two lesser-known tracks from The Lumineers...technically (unfortunately) they're all lesser-known except "Ho Hey", which has rightfully become the sing-along anthem of the next 50 years. "Stubborn Love" was the second single for anyone who paid attention. It had some airplay in America but mostly sold off the back of Ho Hey's runaway success. Those meager downloads and radio spins were enough to peak at #70 on the Hot 100 which is good enough, at least to defend them from any 'one hit wonder' accusations. This is one of those songs you listen to while staring longingly out the window of a moving car, and that was very wisely used as the concept of the music video. This beautiful ballad is not recommended for anyone who hates "Let Her Go" :(

Believe it or not there is a third single from The Lumineers, though whether anyone still cares is another question. "Submarines" is satisfying but tough to sell to anyone other than their biggest fans. But I'll try. If you like "Ho Hey" and think you'd like the band, I was in your place a year ago and can relate. Start with these two tracks. It worked for me, and you don't have to go any further than that if you don't want to. But you'll be glad to know they're more than just that one song.

 

The Neighbourhood "Sweater Weather"

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6c/Sweater_Weather_(The_Neighborhood_single_cover).jpg/240px-Sweater_Weather_(The_Neighborhood_single_cover).jpg

This next band is even more likely to disappear after their hit song fades away, SADLY. "Sweater Weather" was released in August 2012, followed by the album in April, but the song literally just reached its #14 peak on the Hot 100. It took just as long to grow on me, until learning to appreciate The Neighbourhood's overall themes and concepts made everything else fall into place. It's not just the music, but the artwork, the music videos, and even the fashion...something about all of that sets them apart, and I haven't fully grasped it yet. Their visuals are a part of the band's appeal, most intriguing when consumed in its full package.

From what I've seen the song hasn't boosted album sales enough to bode well for future chart success. However, if I do one of these recaps next year, I can guarantee they will be here again with their second single "Afraid". That one was so much more instant to me, and it needs all the help it can to be a second hit. I worry about this decade being like the 90s, with most of the definitive pop-rock songs coming from one-hit-wonder bands like Deep Blue Something, Crash Test Dummies and the like. With The Neighbourhood, there may be too many 'pieces to the puzzle' for any chance at longevity, but it's clear that they know what they're doing and chart positions are irrelevant to the rest of their story.

 

Thirty Seconds To Mars "Kings & Queens"

http://www.91x.com/common/medialib/314/708717.jpg

An ode to Los Angeles, "City Of Angels" is a highlight from "Love Lust Faith + Dreams", the fourth album from Thirty Seconds To Mars. The music video provides an even bigger tribute (more expensive, at least), with 11 minutes of interviews with a vast array of characters, including the band members, Kanye, Selena Gomez, Lindsay Lohan, James Franco, Ashley Olsen, a guy dressed as Superman, a lady dressed as Marilyn Monroe, some homeless people, etc. explaining what it means to live in LA. It's quite hard to relate to but fascinating nonetheless.

To be honest this year may have been the last hurrah for Thirty Seconds To Mars. The music has become increasingly self-indulgent, too consumed in its attempt to recreate their previous arena rock anthems. They used to be so easy to love; now it's more of a chore to do so. A song like "City Of Angels" has become the exception instead of the norm, and yet it's still a far cry from their best work. They're capable of so much better, especially with three and a half years between albums. That's all!

Edited January 1, 201411 yr by RiseR

Wale featuring Tiara Thomas "Bad"

http://www.afriversal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wale-bad-e13602702397461-300x300.jpg

:wub: "Bad" started out as Tiara Thomas's song, a sweet slice of R&B with acoustic guitar that made it sound like a record from 10 years ago. Long story short, it became the lead single from Wale's third album The Gifted, with Tiara's chorus intact, and ended up as his biggest hit yet in the States. It almost makes up for "Chillin'", that song featuring Lady Gaga from 2009, flopping hard at #99 despite almost reaching top ten in the UK. Wale has kept making music between then and now while staying under the radar. You haven't missed much, so don't worry.

I do consider Wale to be gifted as his album title suggests, and finally he's released something just as exciting as "Chillin'" without a massive popstar attached to it. That is, until someone decided to have Rihanna record the female vocals on "Bad", give that version a priority slot on the album tracklist, and leave the original at the very end of the CD. Tiara's version already had massive airplay and good sales, so it came across as an attempt to fix something that wasn't broken. Having two versions did help sell more copies, but all the charm is in the original.

 

Zedd featuring Foxes "Clarity"

Zedd featuring Hayley Williams "Stay The Night"

http://thebeatblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Zedd-Clarity-300x300.jpeghttp://www.smashtheclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/zedd-stay-night-300x300.jpg

It's very rare for a dance record to chart higher in America than anywhere else. So perhaps it's fitting that such a feat would happen to a song that's one of a kind, "Clarity". What a stunning track, and an incredible breakthrough for both artists! When it first stalled at #29 in the UK, that seemed like the end for both Zedd and Foxes, yet it had only just begun*. I honestly think that the cover performance on Glee made all the difference (yes, even in 2013). Suddenly there was renewed potential, and maybe some luck involved as well. Not only did it reach the top 40 in most countries, it also led to more chart hits for Foxes and plenty of hype for her in the coming year.

Zedd must have known that a masterpiece like "Clarity" would be hard to top. I give him credit for choosing a vocalist like Hayley who had never been heard on a song of this genre. I think they did the best they could do with "Stay The Night"; it's hard to disappoint with a song that's essentially "Clarity" part two. The lyrics aren't quite as profound, but EDM has done far worse than a chorus of "Are you gonna stay the night?" repeated four or five times. Besides, it's heartfelt--she really wants someone to stay the night and she means it! Anyone can relate to that. It will be interesting to see if Radio 1 gives this more support than they did with "Clarity", which would have been played a lot more had they known it would be so big around the world.

 

*(begun, begun, begun...see what I did there?)

Hey, much love for Hunter Hayes, I've only just discovered him but WOW he's incredible! You summed up exactly what's good about him - he's young and fresh, and doesn't just sing about trucks and the like. He's all I've listened to all day. :lol:

Hey, much love for Hunter Hayes, I've only just discovered him but WOW he's incredible! You summed up exactly what's good about him - he's young and fresh, and doesn't just sing about trucks and the like. He's all I've listened to all day. :lol:

YES! Thank you for understanding. :lol:

 

Here are three late additions to my end-of-year recap, all of which are songs that grew on me in the month since I started the thread. The remaining commentary will be VERY SHORT.

 

A Great Big World featuring Christina Aguilera "Say Something"

http://static.tlcdn1.com/data/11/pictures/0213/11-21-2013/p189st3nltrr1i9t13u41c8gg805.jpg

To be fair, this song is only becoming a hit because Christina was added to it.

 

Drake featuring 2 Chainz & Big Sean "All Me"

http://www.mzshyneka.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Drake-All-Me-608x608-300x300.jpg

2 Chainz needed a mention somewhere, so here he is.

 

Kings Of Leon "Temple"

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3dfo6svDF4U/UmVZK1ocZ2I/AAAAAAAABwk/XFkBp2NVXnY/s1600/Kings-of-Leon-Temple-2013-1200x1200-300x300.png

From the album Mechanical Bull, this is the second single in the US, as opposed to "Beautiful War" in the UK. So far I'm loving this album much more than the last one!

 

 

FINAL RECAP

Anna Kendrick "Cups"

Ariana Grande featuring Mac Miller "The Way"

A$AP Rocky featuring 2 Chainz, Drake & Kendrick Lamar "F**kin' Problems"

Baauer "Harlem Shake"

Big Sean featuring Lil Wayne & Jhene Aiko "Beware"

Britney Spears "Work B**ch!"

Bruno Mars "Gorilla"

Cage The Elephant "Come A Little Closer"

Capital Cities "Safe And Sound"

Chris Brown "Fine China"

Chris Brown featuring Nicki Minaj "Love More"

Demi Lovato "Heart Attack"

Drake "Started From The Bottom"

Ellie Goulding "Only You"

Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly "Cruise"

Florida Georgia Line "Get Your Shine On"

fun. "Carry On"

Gavin DeGraw "Best I Ever Had"

Hunter Hayes "I Want Crazy"

Icona Pop "All Night"

Imagine Dragons "Demons"

J. Cole featuring Miguel "Power Trip"

J. Cole featuring TLC "Crooked Smile"

Jason Derulo "The Other Side"

Jason Derulo "Marry Me"

JAY Z "Tom Ford"

Justin Timberlake featuring JAY Z "Suit & Tie"

Justin Timberlake "TKO"

Karmin "Acapella"

Kelly Clarkson "Catch My Breath"

Kendrick Lamar featuring Drake "Poetic Justice"

Ke$ha "C'mon"

Ke$ha featuring will.i.am "Crazy Kids"

Krewella "Alive"

Lana Del Rey "Young & Beautiful"

Little Big Town "Tornado"

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis "White Walls"

Mariah Carey featuring Miguel "#Beautiful"

Maroon 5 "Daylight"

Maroon 5 "Love Somebody"

Miranda Lambert "Mama's Broken Heart"

My Chemical Romance "Ambulance"

Phillip Phillips "Gone, Gone, Gone"

Phoenix "Entertainment"

Pitbull featuring Christina Aguilera "Feel This Moment"

Pitbull featuring Ke$ha "Timber"

Rihanna featuring David Guetta "Right Now"

Rihanna "What Now"

Sara Bareilles "Brave"

Selena Gomez "Come & Get It"

Selena Gomez "Slow Down"

Taylor Swift "Red"

Tegan & Sara "Closer"

The Band Perry "Better Dig Two"

The Band Perry "Done"

The Lumineers "Stubborn Love"

The Lumineers "Submarines"

The Neighbourhood "Sweater Weather"

Thirty Seconds To Mars "City Of Angels"

Wale featuring Tiara Thomas "Bad"

Zedd featuring Foxes "Clarity"

Zedd featuring Hayley Williams "Stay The Night"

A Great Big World featuring Christina Aguilera "Say Something"

Drake featuring 2 Chainz & Big Sean "All Me"

Kings Of Leon "Temple"

~

Saving the best for last, the 3 songs I will remember the most from 2013. Yes, a TOP 3, in no particular order:

:cheer: Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX "I Love It" :cheer:

:cheer: Lorde "Royals" :cheer:

:cheer: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton "Can't Hold Us" :cheer:

^Major OOPS at me not mentioning these until now :lol: :drama: (A flaw in my 'criteria')

Those 3 highlights of the year are great choices! 'I Love It' was one track that defined my summer; I can remember it playing at my prom in June and everyone got up and started "singing" along as loud as we could! :P

 

'Can't Hold Us' and 'Royals' performed quite badly in my personal chart but now I really like them, especially the former which is nothing short of an anthem! :wub:

Those 3 highlights of the year are great choices! 'I Love It' was one track that defined my summer; I can remember it playing at my prom in June and everyone got up and started "singing" along as loud as we could! :P

 

'Can't Hold Us' and 'Royals' performed quite badly in my personal chart but now I really like them, especially the former which is nothing short of an anthem! :wub:

I Love It was MADE for moments like that :wub: If any track from this year can have major longevity over the next decade, I hope it's that one!

 

So apparently some of you actually bothered to read this? :wub: Thanks for commenting on which songs you like, but I'd also love to know which of my commentaries you enjoyed the most! Much appreciated :D

This will damage any credibility I had but before I go...

 

...here are the rest of my opinions!

Best of Avril 2013: "Let Me Go"

Best of Bastille 2013: "Pompeii"

Best of Calvin Harris 2013: "Thinking About You" :wub:

Best of Disclosure 2013: "You & Me"

^The vocals kind of sound like Katy B, and Katy would have been a more sensible choice to feature here, and I keep wondering how things would have changed if this WAS Katy B instead of Eliza. My first thought was that it have really helped Katy this era, but it hasn't really worked wonders for Eliza, has it...?..

Best of Eurovision 2013: "Only Teardrops"

Best of Iggy 2013: "Bounce"

Best of Lady Gaga 2013: "Gypsy"

Best of Little Mix 2013: "Move"

Best of Miley 2013: "We Can't Stop"

Best of The Saturdays 2013: "Gentleman"

Best of Katy Perry: "Unconditionally"

Best of Juicy J: "Dark Horse"

Best of Jessie J: "Sexy Lady"

Best of Solange: "Thunder" by Jessie J, which sounds suspiciously like "Losing You"

Best 90s sample: Ciara "Body Party"

Disappointing 90s sample: Bastille "Of The Night"

NO IT'S NOT COUNTRY :angry: : "Wake Me Up"

EDIT: and then there was this loony moment about Leah McFall which I quickly regretted and have removed. But I insist that her "I Will Survive" was unbelievably good, and how can you deny a face like this?

 

http://www.musicweek.com/cimages/2d3abaa25522a7cae2fd744521263864.jpg

 

Thank you for reading (:

Edited January 3, 201411 yr by RiseR