December 27, 201311 yr Author Nice to see Zedd and Disclosure in the top five albums, both SUCH good dance albums! :wub: They really are. It's been an excellent year for the genre. Hey Iz :D Albums! Glad to see Selena just outside the top ten, really underrated album and she's definitely my fave of the Disney alumni. You've got some strong albums in the top ten that were muscled out of my 25 - CHVRCHES, Bastille, AlunaGeorge - and delighted to see Settle so high! Singles: lovely to see 'Gimme Sin', 'Mirrors' (though so low! :cry: ), 'Siren', 'Glowing', 'Hold On...' and 'Elevate' in particular. Looking forward to more! Cheers David, I shall be following your own and will comment and even with those three outside I'm sure it's strong. I don't know that I was expecting as much from Stars Dance as I got so it was a lovely surprise, definitely agree on the Disney thing. And so many highlights so far is a VERY good thing. Nice to see Little Mix high up, very solid album. It is so solid! Haven't even detected a weakness yet.
December 28, 201311 yr Author Singles: 151-160 The first of plenty of Avicii songs in here, I never took to You Make Me as much as I might have expected but Salem El-Fakir continues to be a welcome presence on any song he chooses to grace, his normally wispy vocals sounding a little more ordinary but also more powerful. When compared to the others though... Further proving that I really don't listen to songs I initially have no interest in, I barely knew the Melodifestivalen winner when it score a shock triumph back in March, despite paying the most attention to MF ever. In the following two months, as I got over the bitterness over it beating YOHIO, I realised it was actually pretty amazing and went entirely the OTHER WAY and was predicting it to smash Eurovision. It disappointed me there, but it is remarkably euphoric in the chorus and a great song despite the double stumbling blocks of a) Robin's non-popstar image b) the terminal song title. A late single from Taylor's great current effort, this reaffirms my rule of duets: I will probably like them (that's it). The acoustic sounds in this otherwise relatively straightforward song make it quite a bit more powerful than it would otherwise be, the feel for the instruments is really there. I really need to have a good snowfall so I can look out across the snow-covered hills and listen to this as it was meant to be. A huge step up from Indigo, Snow does exactly what Ellie Goulding normally does with vocals fitting the instrumental but more on point in that then even she normally is, it is wintery like nothing one would expect and just joyful because of that. This took a little while to hit me (therefore never actually charted) but when it did, was totally ready to get behind Banks for ever, and the followup songs I have listened to were great if not quite as good as this. Her voice is very addictive, and her ability to hold notes like she does here even more so. RnB pure bliss. Despite being years old, I only heard this this year thanks to David entering it to BJFestivalen and it was pretty much instantly love, so wonderfully atmospheric. With the juxtaposition of the name 'The Planets' I immediately began picturing planets covered in grassland and defaulted on Dantooine from the game Knights Of The Old Republic. It's hard to get that image out of my head. But that aside whenever this pops up now I know I'm in for 3 lovely minutes of ambient relaxation. Had a mini-revival with Me & U at the exact point of the year that this began doing well in the charts. So naturally I began to really like this again... it's really clever, funky and a wonderful use of the sample. Water is one of my favourite Eurovision entries ever, and Bulgaria are one of my favourite countries. Therefore, following what happened in May I wept with the Bulgarians as their prize artists failed to give them a 6th straight dumping out at the semi stage, something they never deserved. If I were them I'd have left after this as well, but I do hope they'll be back very soon. Oh.. Samo Shampioni itself. The instruments are fabulous, they are sonically interesting and there's a good lead-in to the lyrics, if I had one criticism it's that the singing doesn't work as well as it did on Water and feels a little bit lazy. Still, a damn shame this failed. One of the sort-of singles leading up to the release of Body Music, this is also a song that emulates the feeling of its title (I like those, you might have noticed), it feels like you can dive into this one, particularly as Aluna's vocals become precariously high towards the end. Epic, yes. Iconic, yes. One of the best K-Pop songs this year, yes. One Shot has a typically great song structure that adds much to the experience, especially with the video, it is awesome and yet also tear-jerking. I can get behind Yu absolutely with this one, even better than last year's Warrior for dark K-hip-hop-boyband work (and yes that is a very specific subgenre that I'm not even sure if I'm just making up a name for, correct me Yu). The power ripples through One Shot and it is an impressive composition; this song is why Eastern boybands are currently doing it far better than their Western counterparts.
December 29, 201311 yr Author Songs: 141-150 150. Louise Hoffsten - Only The Dead Fish Follow The Stream Come hell or high water, I’m ready, I’m ready The closest counterpart to Why Start A Fire in this year's MF, and the only female to make it to the final, what started out as a love affair with the song's title turned into a love for the song itself, which makes for a very endearing listen. And damn right I'm a $l*t, you know this, but I'm a boy it's all good Filled to the brim with clever hard-hitting lyrics, my goodwill towards one of the best hip-hop acts in business right now was resumed when Rizzle Kicks returned with Lost Generation. It's very catchy but not that you can't ignore the lyrics, which is good, it's the point. #trend And every day I say I love you more than I did before and I don't think it's a lie Cady's return single was pretty brilliant, I won't deny that. It's a little more commercial (and yet still failed to take off in any way) than previous attempts and does fail to match them for pure love but it's a great little pop ditty that still manages to keep her unique vocal tones that are my main reason for loving her. That and her Twitter account. 147. Chloe Howl - Rumour They kept her prisoner growing up, told her Jesus was enough The best thing I've heard from Sound Of nominee Chloe Howl so far. Very lovely pop song with an intriguingly long and infectious chorus, was all over this at the start of the year and if she puts out more like this I'll watch her career closely (haven't quite been taken with Paper Heart yet) Young hearts, out our minds, running 'til we outta time In here from last year as it grew on me quite late and is actually a very solidly sung song, if very suited for the clubbing scene. It's the highest here as my favourite tracks on Warrior were never released as singles and so I didn't chart them etc. I've been putting out fires all my life https://twitter.com/JamesBlunt/statuses/391959023387295744 LAD. Gotta love a bit of Blunters, especially when there's no reason to even hate because it's not annoying. I could listen to this over and over again and wouldn't mind, it's very good and seems remarkably resilient against overplay for one of his. MoR ANTHEM. *.* I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies, I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife Seriously, this is amazing. Flawless almost. The lyrics are so on point, and even without the powerful video it feels like a moment, the pathos in his voice comes through just as intended. Future hit now please. Only isn't higher because I can't put it any higher, it was getting incredibly hard even around this point and even near perfect songs had to be cut. But I need to know, if the world says it's time to go, tell me, will you freak out? So much energy in Janelle's second single. It's rare that a song using apocalyptic themes sounds so upbeat and catchy. I fell for this incredibly hard as soon as I heard it and thereafter I was back on board with Janelle for The Electric Lady. I know I will be there for you The lowest song on this list that was a #1 for me, it IS one of C&S's best but I was probably being a bit hasty giving it that status as it dropped like a stone out of my chart after that. It may not have helped that I went on holiday the week after and I didn't have an MP3 of it yet. Lovely funky song though. We're just a box of souvenirs The best song on English Rain and one that took a little while for me to get but I couldn't let it go all year after I did. I love her voice anyway but it works very well on Panic Cord, so husky and longing.
December 29, 201311 yr Author Songs: 131-140 *slightly sexual spaced-out trap noises* Nearly every other trap song I've heard has been awful. Not so for Because Of U, it's got some very brilliant production leading it off and and when those vocals hit... luscious. Even though I can't work out what they're saying. This would be a very good direction for trap to go in in the future, I hope it happens. let me rock u tonite Just ahead of my 8 points from the latest BJSC comes my 10-pointer. Again some very lovely pulsating synths in some genre of dance, it is very lovely to listen to all the time and yet another great discovery. I often find myself mouthing the title with the vocalists and sometimes even on the occasions where the instrumental just mimics where they would sing it, always a good sign in a song I like. 138. Kelly Sweet - Sirens I'll never make the same mistake again Completing a trio of BJSC discoveries, Kelly Sweet's lovely Sirens is next on this list. Lovely smooth pop track, very addictive. Drop into the chorus is lovely. Again, these better be those mythological sirens she's singing about rather than this. I've overheard your theory "nostalgia's for geeks" I guess sir, if you say so, some of us just like to read I may have never been on board with the whole ARTPOP deal and kept being massively put off in every way possible.. except for the lead single. Applause is just a brilliant pop song (as are a lot of her singles once you take away the imagery) and that's all I'll take from Gaga. I was initially surprised at how much I loved this though, it was far better a song than Katy Perry's lead and that is not the way round I normally work things. I've walked these miles but I've walked 'em straight lined I really should stop using positive adjectives because I'm all out. Wasting My Young Years is fantastic, beautiful and a great intro to London Grammar, even if it took its time to fully grow. If you ain't lean, then you're in the wrong scene, If you ain't high, then you're not on my vibe Iconic club tune. And quite genuinely my favourite single from 18 Months. Tinie and Calvin work so well together and each of them is on top form here. Plus I have several good memories in first year with this. Baby I don't know, just why I love you so News of this becoming an international hit is very pleasing. It uses a fantastic sample chorus and the dance tune + brass is lovely. So you'll be Thor and I'll be Odin, you rodent, I'm omnipotent It probably wasn't noticeable but I had a very Eminem week one week back in November, playing his singles over and over again, and that week he made up my top 3. Rap God was 3rd. It's mainly notable for his insane speed and joining Kanye in claims of divine right this year. A very very fun song but the return of said rap god is far from over in this EOY chart. 132. Arlissa - Into The Light Open up my eyes and show me life I never knew A very lovely song from Arlissa towards the end of the year, this doesn't tire and gets better the more you hear it. Arlissa is very talented, up to now she might not have had the best songs, but Into The Light is more like it. Commercial success is probably beyond her now. :( I rise so you can be a part of me, I hide as part of the machinery The first single and title track from The Nexus, this was actually the first Amaranthe song I heard. All three singers work equally on this one and the result is a very brilliant futuristic sounding metal song. My heart races just a bit every time the chorus starts.
December 29, 201311 yr Lovely trio of bjsc tracks starting off that last lot. YAY for Kelly Sweet. And 'Changes' too which i'm loving more than ever right now. 'Applause' :o forgot you were a fan. Young hearts, out our minds, running 'til we outta time In here from last year as it grew on me quite late and is actually a very solidly sung song, if very suited for the clubbing scene. It's the highest here as my favourite tracks on Warrior were never released as singles and so I didn't chart them etc. You and EVERYONE else :(
December 29, 201311 yr Brilliant to see Hozier/RL Grime here, they've contributed to a bit of a Rontvian revival after the trio of DNQ's. I hope Take Me To Church can smash here next year! Lovely all round besides too in the singles so far. You really became very good after my initial MF opinion of it - I liked it but didn't love it. There was a huge buzz about Robin in Malmo though, lots of signs supporting him everywhere!
December 29, 201311 yr Author You and EVERYONE else :( Mine were Past Lives and Wherever You Are, not so much the Supernatural side. Poor, poor single choices. :( Brilliant to see Hozier/RL Grime here, they've contributed to a bit of a Rontvian revival after the trio of DNQ's. I hope Take Me To Church can smash here next year! Lovely all round besides too in the singles so far. You really became very good after my initial MF opinion of it - I liked it but didn't love it. There was a huge buzz about Robin in Malmo though, lots of signs supporting him everywhere! I think of all the future hits that are hanging in the balance from BJSC, Hozier is the one I'd like to see smash most, mainly because it could and because of the message. Thanks, and of course there's better to come. :D Yeah, You was a grower, and it did work well as a home entry in the end I thought.
December 29, 201311 yr Author Songs: 121-130 Veel sulab jää ja õide puhkeb raagus puu Estonia are a very reliable nation at Eurovision, unlike their neighbours they make good use of their closeness to Nordic culture, and this is just the latest in a long line of good Eurovision entries, made essential by how likeable and nice it comes across with Birgit singing. It took a while but this was one of the easiest songs to go back to after the contest, especially with that gorgeous Estonian language. Wish I could somehow go back in time and maybe listen to my own advice The sample! And as this is also a great example of how Little Mix's voices have just become phenomenal, it's an extremely enjoyable listen for one of the hits from the tail end of the year, let's hope it continues to rise in 2014. Lovely feel-good song. And I could stay like this for days, looking at your beautiful face I feel like I'm one of a few who really loves this song. What Love Is Made Of is just as good as anything off the first album and was rich and instant enough for me to fall in love immediately. The other two singles have done their share of growing to overtake this in my affections, but it's still very very good. The album is going to be awesome. Did I go dutch? This is too much! I love how rhythmic most of Caro's songs are and Tangled Up is no exception. A very lovely comeback single from the woman who just prior to this surfacing had me playing a large amount of 'Deleted Scenes..' to very high levels. The wheel embodies all that keeps on turning This is much lower than I had expected it to be. A collaboration with Within Tempation and Tarja is really one of the best I could imagine, although when it came to it and I started repeating listens of it it didn't quite hold up to my lofty expectations. Their voices are in fine form though. You're never gonna feel my heart beat Peacock is INCREDIBLY cute. I for once prefer the English version, I'm not too keen on the idea of translating K-Pop songs as they're normally good enough but Z.Hera has a great grasp of English so it works even better than originally now I have lyrics to go with it. Definitely one to try out if you like cuteness in pop in any way, I can't really criticise it, it still makes me very happy, despite barely registering any impact in BJSC LV. I CAN MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER It should probably be established by now that strong stabbing synths beats are very much my thing. So this was a brilliant discovery from BJSC, one of my favourites this year. Come on and dance over broken glass and destroy all of these beautiful things From the same contest, Menagerie is more of a directly pleasant listen. It's one of the ones that I was one of the few to really fall for but this is some really good songwriting and singing from Caitlin here. I dreamt about you nearly every night this week Quite the slow burner again, Do I Wanna Know is infectious due to its dark beats, and were it not for the second single slightly upstaging it, I'd say this was the best thing the Arctics had released in at least 5 years. Under a trillion stars, we danced on top of cars So, when Birdy produces an original song, it is actually quite good! I had suspected this as I really liked her voice despite her insistence on covering songs rather than producing her own, and this just exceeded all expectations. It is very emotional and well-done, welcome to music proper Birdy!
December 29, 201311 yr I think of all the future hits that are hanging in the balance from BJSC, Hozier is the one I'd like to see smash most, mainly because it could and because of the message. Thanks, and of course there's better to come. :D Yeah, You was a grower, and it did work well as a home entry in the end I thought. All it needs is Radio 1 on board, and it would be a very credible choice for them to playlist so I don't see why not. I'm not sure how much airtime the video would get on TV though...and the fact that it's STILL available as a free download on his website would obviously hinder it. Yes I agree, You was a good home entry in the end, deserved low top ten probably, I didn't expect it to finish quite so low down. Still better than Sweden were doing before Popular changed their fortunes though :lol:
December 30, 201311 yr Author Songs: 111-120 He over-compensates by buying you fancy cars, just to cover up the fact that he stays out all night in bars Yeah... probably quite embarrassing in hindsight but it did get into my top 5 at one point. Weak for the Saturdays, but a very enjoyable quirky ride nonetheless, the final speedy verse being the highlight of the ride. And I'm over crying tears for you, let's slow it down and we can fall into the groove Acting like a more upbeat and instant CHVRCHES, Pawws has a very lovable track here with Slow Love (score another point for Bal), that I am quite happy to get behind. I remember the days when songs with the word 'Slow' in the title actually were slow. Not that I mind at all. You wanna cry well come and hold me then, I think I need the blessing of some holy man Back to the beginning of 2013 and it was like we'd been on a rewind back to the beginning of 2012 as this song that bore many resemblances to Alone Again turned up. Devlin is on fine form as ever though and the chorus is suitably pretty. Detect my sudden existence on your sonar And another very perfect BJSC entry, Never Look Away is unbelievably good. Such clever lyrics with such impeccable timing and a lovely melody, I might have to check out some more Vienna Teng if this is just one of her songs. Soon. You make me glow, but I cover up Well aside from a period at the start of the year when I was denying this was a good song, I like Heart Attack, and yes, I came round. Mainly because it's so nice to sing along to. Lyrics are a bit eh aside from the chorus but Demi's voice is as intriguing as ever. Not quite as good as Skyscraper but getting there. Hooked on a habit, of love I can’t escape, you’ve got your love potion flowing through my veins What a catchy tune. One of the best discoveries I've made from UP and in fact the highest one this year. Greatly produced tune, great rhythm in the chorus and throughout and over before you know it, leaving you wanting more. I'm just waiting for the walls of my insides to come clean Not about menstruation. Just so we have that clear. I had been following Tonight Alive for a while, as Australia's answer to Paramore they were certainly making music I'd be interested in, then this single debuted, and it was possibly their best yet. Very beautiful longing female rock song. So my music taste in one song. Followup Lonely Girl also spent a little while in my chart but failed to make it up here. I see my northern star, guided by it's light Scandipop has really had a bad year for me, there have been very few efforts from the genre to have really grabbed me. This is one of them. An absolutely huge chorus, an great, slightly vulnerable voice and some great lyrical writing come together to produce a song I listened to over and over again. I would have entered it into BJSC but Ryan, ever loony, got there first and I knew he had gotten there first. Still, if any of Ramrynia's entries should have won, this was it. (The song I did enter to that contest is quite a bit higher so.. vindicated) 112. Autre Ne Veut - Counting I don’t wanna die and break it off The huge single from Autre Ne Veut is next. Unlike any other song I've heard this year, the way his voice changes and the overbearing of the dark backing track make this track. So very very beautiful and thoughtful. Spell my name with lightning and keep rewinding My only experience with Hot Natured so far, but it's a very nice one, very measured and quite rhythmic, such addictiveness. Anabel Englund has an intriguing voice, and the track gets pretty trippy near the end too.
December 30, 201311 yr Will comment properly soon, but I must start following James Blunt on twitter. He's hilarious and that tweet you posted to was amazing! EDIT: OMG. My night is being wasted right now! SO FUNNY.
December 30, 201311 yr 'Little Me' hit me too late to feature this year but it's up there as one of my favourites from them <3 agree about 'Little Red' too, shaping up to be incredible. And 'Counting' I have uncontrollable love for as you know so brill to see it here.
December 30, 201311 yr Author Will comment properly soon, but I must start following James Blunt on twitter. He's hilarious and that tweet you posted to was amazing! EDIT: OMG. My night is being wasted right now! SO FUNNY. :D So glad my EOY chart is doing good things for the world.
December 30, 201311 yr Author Songs: 101-110 I felt strong but am I breaking now? Dear god, even a dance diva knows how to tug at the old heartstrings. On its way to becoming one of the best songs she's ever released, Katy's remarkably good at showing emotion when she wants to. Why is this woman not a rip-roaring success already? Writers keep writing what they write, somewhere another pretty vein just died This year we also had the very welcome return of Fall Out Boy, although I only paid attention to the major event that was the first single, a song that is just as good and maybe better than some of their old songs. I feel so ALIVE after listening to this. And the long title is worth every character. I’m not too shy to show I love you, I got no regrets I love Selena and this is pretty brilliant for a comeback single, especially without her Scene, but it does miss out on my top 100 because the chorus could be just that little bit better. The background world-esque vocals are one of the best parts about it. Didn't tire of it for a long time though, mainly all the way until the album got released. And if I lived a lie, would someone meet me on the other side The big song from You Me At Six is next up. It is pretty basic rock but that does mean it works, by being unable to fall flat and the chorus is anthemic enough to keep it this high. I'm glad they seem to be breaking through more and more. 106. Caro Emerald - Liquid Lunch At least I found my pillow ‘cause I can’t find my keys Another of my #1s, which means two of them fall before the top 100. Oo-er. Like all of the best Caro Emerald songs, Liquid Lunch whips along at a breakneck pace, has remarkably clever lyrics, and it's pretty damn addictive. Especially with a song that's just about alcohol. Ataete oshiete kureru no wa itsumo anata dakara Any song that starts off with both a hasty classical sample and follows it off with some heavy rock beats means that the listener is in for a wild ride, and a ride I will love very much. (quite the rocky section so far) I don't think I ever expected a song like this from Ayumi, not that I knew many from her before. Microphone is a masterpiece of Japanese rock, and the unless I've forgotten anything, the best Asian song from 2013 I've come across. It's just a short time now until you die A slower and more thoughtful song here, from one of Canada's best new electropop talents, the slightly mysterious Some Minor Noise. It's pretty lovely most of the way through, quickly switching between electro-synths and rich vocals, definitely fell in love with this one even more than I expected to through sending it to UP. We've come as far as we're ever gonna get Barely registering on my radar back at the end of last year when it was a hit in BJSC, as CHVRCHES started putting out more tracks, and became more out there, I fell for the charms of their best single, hey, forget what I said about the rock, now the section's temporarily become a temple for electropop. It was quite an unlikely minor hit but I was cheering it on all the way by that point, and love it very much now. You've got my secret combination, and I don't be giving that out easily The weakest of Disclosure's big 4, not a slight because they're all pretty flawless. I remember January, February, March, April, May, been thinking about you, boy, every single day Yes, I charted Tich (you can call me insane). But at least she isn't in my top 100. :D And unlike the very dumb Dumb, Obsession is a pretty clever and charming pop song. So I'll allow it. For now. Until the next time, Tich. Then I won't be so lenient. -x- YAY. Finally reached the top 100. Now things get seriously good... To be continued.. later.
December 30, 201311 yr This is pretty extensive there are some great tracks from BJSC and UP in there, Le Youth track is just amazing.
December 31, 201311 yr Author Songs: 91-100 J'ai pas choisi de naître ici, entre l'ignorance et la violence et l'ennui Chart Peak: #7 I do not normally have much love for French-pop, I'm not sure why, but this year several songs have started attempts to cure me of that, chief among them this glorious French duet between TAL and M Pokora. I knew nothing of the latter and had no real love for the former's music, but this is a very huge pop song, it keeps getting better and better and each singer complements the other brilliantly. That's how you do music in French. Sort of feels like I'm running out of time Chart Peak: #19 Better even than Do I Wanna Know, the very dark Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High continues that trend from AM of really moody but not crazy singles. It feels almost laid-back for them despite the upbeat tempo. It is very good on repeats, especially because of the short running time and the addictive repeating of the long title (similar to Fall Out Boy in that respect). 98. Alyssa Reid - Running Guns Do you feel, do you feel alone? Chart Peak: #9 The first single from Alyssa's new album and the first one to surface this year showed she's definitely updated her sound to continue in the current pop scene, even if the current pop scene is rejecting her. It's bursting with pop hooks and sounds really well put together, if it's a little light on clever lyrics her vocals on the lyrics we do have does make up for it. Smash hit that never was. :( Oh if the sky comes falling down, for you, there’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do Chart Peak: #2 The latest big #2 hit in both my chart and the official chart, Hey Brother is also part 2 here in why Avicii has graduated himself to the best DJ in the business. I've just purchased True so I hope it lives up to this. The country-dance sound is something I get very much, the appeal to sibling solidarity very close to home, and as probably the direct sequel to Wake Me Up it is almost as addictive as that dance monster. Nothing but love for this. But I can't help but feel like you know I deserve this Chart Peak: #3 Fun fact: If no-one from the opposite semi had voted for Cardiknox, they would have finished bottom of the final after winning semi 2 by a landslide. I still have no idea what happened there. Hold Me Down is a veritable electropop storm of a track, some very fantastic vocals from the female member of the duo, making some very cool noises on the background of the instrumental, and I was very obsessed back in September. TSUNAMI Chart Peak: #10 There are no words for how brilliant this piece of dance music is; it's a huge huge wave of energy. Will hopefully be a huge smash in the new year as we all imagine Tinie Tempah isn't actually rapping over the phenomenal music. Que amenazó mi corazón Chart Peak: Did Not Chart Time for the highest of the few songs I allowed in here without ever charting them, and there's a very clear reason for this. Up until the very day of the Eurovision final, I dismissed Spain's entry as one of the weakest in the final with a plain and boring melody. Then the unthinkable happened. The performance on the night brought it alive for me completely, and from then on it was complete love (Spain's best Eurovision entry even, even though I'm the only one who thinks that). It's very Celtic despite the Spanish lyrics, but the key to is its sweetness and the longing portrayed in a song that pretty much knows it's doomed to failure. I'm not sure if that makes sense but.. cute, underrated, underdog, anything like that. Somehow turned out to be one of my favourite Eurovision entries this year. But why do we only give it up, give it up in the dark Chart Peak: #3 Speaking of songs that seemed like they were doomed to failure... we have a very unlikely duet, which worked for me incredibly well. Mel C is the best Spice Girl and Matt is, for all his faults, probably the best male X-Factor winner, and what was produced from it was a very nice surprise of a great adult pop song. Shadows and lies mask you from me Chart Peak: #11 Based on this, Ljosid and For Now I Am Winter, Ólafur specialises in making very beautiful atmospheric instrumentals which are unique and lovely in each track. This is particularly lovely as the vocals added really spice up the emotion laden in this track, a fantastic discovery from BJSC in the first half of the year. I've continued listening to it regularly throughout the remainder. Chart Peak: #9 Well I am mostly used to the 'Rontvian Club Edit' which works perfectly well for me. :D Fantastic instrumental to conclude a section that is rather full with BJSC entries, it was my top scorer in what I saw as being the best contest of this year and although one song from that contest has now sneaked ahead of it I have lost no love for this warm and vibrating instrumental in the 9 months or so since. It is very epic.
January 2, 201411 yr Author Songs: 81-90 Gonna TRY pick up the pace a bit. This will probably not work. Found a love that eyes cannot see Chart Peak: #7 As an erstwhile big fan of Cascada I was quite willing to see what they came up with for a Eurovision entry. The result, a very Euphoria-inspired dance-pop song stuck with me for a long time, which, combined with the tendency of Eurovision songs to get longer runs in my chart, meant it would have been my highest non-#1 on points and 7th in that case. I do love it a lot, but not quite that much. It probably could be a little higher if it didn't feel so derivative, but as is, still felt like one of the better songs performed on the night in Malmo and the low placing was not deserved at all. Is it peculiar that she twerk in the mirror? And am I weird to dance alone late at night? Chart Peak: #7 I did not notice the return of Miss Monáe until Dance Apocalyptic. That doesn't mean I ended up preferring it, after listening to the first single it got a late debut in my chart and went on to outperform the other in my affections. The slow deliberate robotic chorus is lovely once you let it grow on you. Say f*** it before we kick the bucket, life's too short to not go for broke Chart Peak: #2 Part 2 of Eminem's big three this year, his monster (pun intended) of a comeback track in Berzerk lands at #88. It's very catchy and typical Eminem + futuristic sounds, and addictive + a great hook is good enough for me as far as Em goes. Wanna be smart, but I don’t like learning, I wanna be rich, but it takes time earning Chart Peak: #3 The far more socially acceptable side of rap, and bursting full of trumpets, is Rizzle Kicks' latest big single. With appropriate kooky video and the personality of the duo that shines through, it's really hard not for me to love this and continue loving it, it did seem like something I might get bored of quickly but I'm still not bored at all. You got to reignite, see the flame about to die Chart Peak: #7 Another of my favourite discoveries from BJSC, Ivy Quainoo far exceeded my previous opinion of her with this new song. Filled with warm, lovely production and a great drop into the chorus, I am very ready to sing along at all times with 'LIGHT IT UP, LIGHT IT UP, LIGHT IT UP'. Well sung and brilliantly atmospheric. When you feel my heat, look into my eyes Chart Peak: #3 The lifting rock ballad of Demons is the second highest song from Imagine Dragons in this countdown and definitely their most emotional, possibly the emotional alt rock anthem of the year. It was the first one to stand out when I got the album, can't quite remember whether it was being touted for single material at that point but such a good song to be their 'other big hit'. Why must I say it when I hate to speak Chart Peak: #4 Undeniably one of the most unique top 40 hits of the year, Clean Bandit emerged for me with this song as a very interesting and self-aware band to watch for the future, especially with the gorgeous classical samples they use in this track and the picking up speed of the vocals as one moves through, it's a wonderful journey. Loving this also helped me to appreciate former BJSC entry 'A&E' a lot more than I did at the time and they're looking good with Rather Be currently atop my chart and therefore currently #1 in the running for 2014. Take my hand, I trust your word, bring the fire, I don’t care if it hurts Chart Peak: #6 Clearly the most popular Eurovision entry around here I of course fell for a bit of this lovely dark electropop that was Norway's offering. It took a while for me to fully love it though and I was never behind it as much as some people here, but it was still one of my favourite entries of the year and deserved every bit of the success it got. I'm done with running so I give in to you Chart Peak: #2 While I haven't yet listened to all the tracks he has out there, I am definitely anticipating Sam Smith's solo career as much as one can for an artist who hasn't yet released a huge single to trouble the charts as the lead. La La La, Latch and this are all very very lovely tracks and it's given me enough to have a good idea of what he should sound like. That aside, this is very beautiful stuff, he's got me at aural nirvana with this even if he's not quite there himself. Vola, vola, che la forza arriverà Chart Peak: #1 Completing a section that has a few Eurovision entries, here's one more, the ever doomed Sammarinese entry. I was very much in favour of qualifying, like nearly everyone here I imagine, so when that didn't happen that kinda sucked. The beautiful Italian ballad that turns into an uptempo at the end was far superior and interesting to what the actual Italians ended up sending. The video really captured Val's plea to qualify and it not happening was heartbreaking. This year it'll work.
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