It's so weird to think that I only discovered this band just over a year ago. I've delved so deep into their discography since then that it feels like I've known them forever. Stutter got the honor of being their debut entry in my countdown; it peaked at #1 and charted for a total of 28 weeks. That's one of the best countdown runs of 2013, so some of you may be wondering why the song wasn't placed higher. Well I have to be honest and say that I don't really listen to it that much anymore, unlike some of the higher-ranked songs in the list. But it still has MT's trademark gritty pop-rock sound to give it a unique edge. Josh looks cute in a mustache. :3 And his scream is literally my favorite thing in the world. I'm so glad it returned after a two-single hiatus of Fallout and Desperate Measures, and I will adamantly defend him for continuing to use it. Many singers would kill to have that type of vocal range; there's nothing wrong with "showing off" a little as long as it's done in good taste. This is the last of two songs by Marianas Trench in the list.
Lupe Fiasco f/Ed Sheeran "Old School Love"
At the beginning of 2013, Lupe was already one of my most anticipated comebacks, but when I heard his lead single would be a collab with Ed Sheeran, my excitement grew almost too much to contain. Ed is another one of my faves; his debut album is flawless, and The A Team was my #2 song of 2012 (Lego House tbd ). So naturally, I set my expectations extremely high. And in many ways, Old School Love matched them. I love the piano loop in the background; combined with Ed's soothing vocals, it gives the track a very mellow and laid-back feel similar to Snoop and Wiz's 2011 hit Young, Wild, & Free. Also, Lupe has mastered the art of delivering a relaxed flow without sounding lazy and uninterested; even though I know little about "old school hip-hop", I can't help but be sucked in by his mesmerizing descriptions. Now I had hoped for another masterpiece on the level of The Show Goes On; I don't think I quite got that. But OSL is still a great tune in its own right, and it deserves some US success in 2014. This is the last of two songs by Lupe Fiasco in the list.
Hunter Hayes "Wanted"
Yes, I know that Wanted is almost two years old by now, and technically has no business appearing on a "Best of 2013" list. However, I've never been one to create tons of technical rules; I think my Best Ofs should reflect whatever I liked the most that year, regardless of release date. And I really enjoyed this one in the earlier part of 2013. It's a pure, simple, heartfelt ballad without any unnecessary gimmicks; we don't get enough of those in today's music world. Now I will say that my opinion of Hunter was significantly boosted last year by an unexpected country-pop masterpiece. Without that song, Wanted might not have even been allowed to make a repeat appearance (it was #45 on my Best of 2012). But hey, good deeds deserve something in return. Hunter slayed my summer, I gave him two spots in my Top 40. Y'all won't be seeing that other song for quite some time. Anyone want to make bets? This is the first of two songs by Hunter Hayes in the list.
Paloma Faith "Picking Up the Pieces"
It seems like we've had a dearth of new soft rock girls lately; the GP is still hanging on to the old trinity of Sara Bareilles, Christina Perri, and Colbie Caillat. Normally I would say there's no need for change, as I love all three artists, but Hold On and Human by Colbie and Christina respectively were sorely disappointing. We need a new, fresh face to enter the scene and shake things up. Personally, I volunteer Paloma Faith. She's the ultimate proof that you should never judge a book by its cover. After all, she has a very unassuming presence; her fashion sense almost gives me "little old lady" vibes. But when she opens up her mouth to sing, there's no doubt in my mind that she's a complete star. Her voice has more depth and grit than any other non-Brittany Howard female on the market right now. And the angst of Picking Up the Pieces suits it perfectly; it's hard not to feel for Paloma as she bemoans the difficulties of her new relationship over a soaring, epic production. Don't be so insecure, girl! We're all perfectly imperfect. This is the only song by Paloma Faith in the list.
Christina Aguilera "We Remain"
From one powerful female ballad to another! I honestly didn't expect much from this one, since it's a soundtrack single; those typically aren't an artist's best work (see: I See Fire, Atlas). But it seriously blew me away on the first listen. I will never underestimate Xtina's ballad-crafting capabilities again, and I highly doubt anything else on the Hunger Games soundtrack even approaches this level of quality. The glorious, impassioned, yet restrained vocal delivery perfectly encapsulates Katniss's emotions as she fights through the Games in hope for a better future. The lyrics are fairly simple, and as such they're rather ambiguous; I'm still trying to decide if they refer to President Snow or to Peeta. Lines like "all the ways that you think you know me / all the limits that you figure out" would suggest the former, but the chorus ("burn me with fire / drown me with rain / I'm gonna wake up screaming your name") seems more romantic than anything else. HG megafans, help me out here. Lol but really this is one of Xtina's best. Certainly far superior to the snoozefest of Say Something. This is the first of two songs by Christina Aguilera in the list.
A Rocket to the Moon "Ever Enough"
Since the next song is significantly more upbeat, I thought I'd end this ballad streak on a high note with one of my favorite bands A Rocket to the Moon and their latest masterpiece Ever Enough. Sadly, this streak isn't the only thing ending on a high note. I can't believe these guys broke up; they had just begun to gain some hype from the release of their second studio album Wild & Free. Well, I wish Nick the best of luck in his solo career; it'll be interesting to see what he comes up with. (He's one of the few current musicians that shares my name, lol.) And at least he can go to sleep at night knowing that he gave the fans an epic farewell single. Ever Enough is, without exaggeration, stunningly beautiful. It's exactly the type of song I would play while driving down a lonely desert highway and reminiscing on old memories, and I feel an intimate emotional connection every time I listen, despite the fact that I cannot relate to the message at all. Perhaps it's a bit heavy for casual listening, which would explain its less-than-exemplary run in my personal countdown. But it's still a song that I hope to remember in five or ten years' time. This is the only song by A Rocket to the Moon in the list.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis f/Wanz "Thrift Shop"
You didn't REALLY think I was gonna snub this one, did you? Maybe you were hoping. But if you did, you hoped in vain, because here's Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with the #1 Billboard hit of 2013! In many ways, its sudden success reminds me of Katy Perry's I Kissed a Girl. Both were mainstream debut singles for their respective artists, and both were quickly branded as novelty hits. Novelty hits are notoriously hard to follow up, so many people said that both artists would become one-hit wonders. Well Katy Perry is about as far from a one-hit wonder as you can get, lol. After IKAG died down, she released a much more serious track in Hot N Cold; it smashed as well, and the rest is history. Of course, it's difficult to match a career as monumental as Katy's, but I think Mack & RL have a great musical future ahead of them. And since they've shown their more serious side as well, I can stop looking at Thrift Shop as a novelty hit and rather see it as one of the most fresh and interesting #1s we've had in a loooong time. If 2014 has a year-end #1 that's even half this good, I'll be happy. This is the last of four songs by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis in the list.
Matchbox Twenty "Overjoyed"
Matchbox Twenty may not be one of my favorite bands but I've gotta say I'm impressed with their ability to consistently release great music. I mean, they've been in the public eye since the late 90s post-grunge / alternative craze. That's a career spanning almost two decades, and bands cannot survive that long without a clear musical direction and a strong, supportive fanbase. I do feel like they're aiming for success more than their late 90s soft rock counterparts Goo Goo Dolls, simply based on the fact that they can't coast on the heels of an instantly recognizable "classic" (GGD have Iris). However, this song, among others on their 2012 release North, shows that they have not sacrificed quality for mainstream appeal. It's a smooth, relaxing ode to everlasting love that's filled to the brim with feelings of optimism and romance. As such, I think it could become a staple in wedding playlists for many years to come. Only time will tell. And even if it ends up discarded and forgotten among the jumble of middling HAC hits, it will always be a classic to me. This is the first of two songs by Matchbox Twenty in the list.
Cady Groves "Forget You"
Why can't this girl score a breakthrough hit? I don't get it. First of all, she has ties with a number of prominent figures in the music industry, including Blake Shelton (they are both Oklahoma natives, after all). And second of all, everything about her is insanely adorable, from her name to her looks to her music to her personality. Maybe going for the "shock factor" on debut single This Little Girl was a bit of a mistake, but she's since merged into a more upbeat, bright style of bubblegum pop that could easily cater to a wide mainstream audience. This one in particular was from The Smurfs 2 soundtrack, and what it lacks in lyrical content it makes up for in pure summery sweetness. When I listen to it, I don't have a care in the world; it's like I'm floating on magical dream clouds. I only wish that Cady would finally release her debut album, because it must be like three years in the making by now. But if the wait means that she's busy creating more songs like this one, then I'm willing to hold on a little bit longer. This is the first of two songs by Cady Groves in the list.
The Mowgli's "Say It, Just Say It"
Oh Sirius XM radio, what would I do without you. I can guarantee you that I never would have heard this joyous, bubbly indie-pop tune if Hits 1 hadn't added it to their playlist earlier this fall. After all, the band hasn't pushed it to alternative or adult contemporary radio at all, even after the breakout success of debut single San Francisco. I thought that maybe it's not an official single, but its incredibly cool claymation lyric video and prominent use in the Volkswagen commercial would suggest otherwise. Well regardless of its release status, I can say that SIJSI is in my Top 3 favorite indie-pop songs of 2013. Why? Because it's so effortlessly happy. I hate to stereotype, but I think that Southern California life gives these guys an easygoing, relaxed attitude that they constantly channel into their music. Seriously, I dare you to listen to this song all the way through without smiling. Unless you're the devil or something, you won't be able to. Positivity is is infectious, guys. =) This is the only song by The Mowgli's in the list.
). So naturally, I set my expectations extremely high. And in many ways, Old School Love matched them. I love the piano loop in the background; combined with Ed's soothing vocals, it gives the track a very mellow and laid-back feel similar to Snoop and Wiz's 2011 hit Young, Wild, & Free. Also, Lupe has mastered the art of delivering a relaxed flow without sounding lazy and uninterested; even though I know little about "old school hip-hop", I can't help but be sucked in by his mesmerizing descriptions. Now I had hoped for another masterpiece on the level of The Show Goes On; I don't think I quite got that. But OSL is still a great tune in its own right, and it deserves some US success in 2014. This is the last of two songs by Lupe Fiasco in the list.
Anyone want to make bets? This is the first of two songs by Hunter Hayes in the list.
We're all perfectly imperfect. This is the only song by Paloma Faith in the list.
Lol but really this is one of Xtina's best. Certainly far superior to the snoozefest of Say Something. This is the first of two songs by Christina Aguilera in the list.
Maybe you were hoping. But if you did, you hoped in vain, because here's Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with the #1 Billboard hit of 2013! In many ways, its sudden success reminds me of Katy Perry's I Kissed a Girl. Both were mainstream debut singles for their respective artists, and both were quickly branded as novelty hits. Novelty hits are notoriously hard to follow up, so many people said that both artists would become one-hit wonders. Well Katy Perry is about as far from a one-hit wonder as you can get, lol. After IKAG died down, she released a much more serious track in Hot N Cold; it smashed as well, and the rest is history. Of course, it's difficult to match a career as monumental as Katy's, but I think Mack & RL have a great musical future ahead of them. And since they've shown their more serious side as well, I can stop looking at Thrift Shop as a novelty hit and rather see it as one of the most fresh and interesting #1s we've had in a loooong time. If 2014 has a year-end #1 that's even half this good, I'll be happy. This is the last of four songs by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis in the list.
This is the first of two songs by Matchbox Twenty in the list.
Great!
