Power Trip, F**kin' Problems, Started From The Bottom, Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe.

Top 30 Albums of 2013: Part 1 [30-16]
Feedback Section:
Brandon-Such a nice song BNM is.
backtoback-I'm continuing the show as fast as I can and R&B may not be as it was before, it does has some wonderful gems like the ones you mentioned.
ClashAndBurn-I believe F**kin' Problems is the unexpected jam of the year in ATRL.
Renzo-All exciting hip-hop songs you clap for.


In 2013, I wasn’t keeping up with the album releases at all until later in the year. Sure, I had albums of the week in in the Zone to highlight the notable albums that are out that week to for all of us to check and at time, if I heard one of the albums that week, usually I either comment on it and listed what’s my fav song from the album. It just become me listening the albums and I will used that to later on to check the albums out. Before the Best of started, I only listen to basically like half of the number in this list and some of the albums I even listened were artists that I either I wasn’t a fan of or just detest altogether. I just wanted to see if they something worthwhile or at least decent. By the end of the year, I manage to listen to more albums to just enough to feel bad a few albums out of the countdown. In case you’re wondering, I haven’t listen to a 2014 album yet so yeah. Here‘s the first part of the countdown where you will see some nice diversity and albums that make me feel good about music and the moment of it. I was going to post the images of the album, but I decide not to since they take time and I fear I might get some computer problems by doing this and the process of re-sizing and all that.

30 The 20/20 Experience – The Complete Experience Justin Timberlake
I start off the album list with a guy we waited 6 years to release new music of his. As you can see, I put both parts of the album together in the same spot to really judge his music. The first part was for the most a pleasant music experience where you can enjoy the music production and have fun with it. Also there are some different styles as well with songs like Mirrors & Tunnel Visions that fit along with the productive and mid-tempo R&B styles found in the album. While the second part made me enjoy the music moment, it’s not really special and doesn’t compare to the first part. The music will get old fast and is also less enjoyable than the first part. Overall, I enjoyed the neo-soul and pop vibe from the 20/20 experience to just relax and have the music come to you and envisions whatever comes to mind.

Fav: Pusher Love Girl, Strawberry Bubblegum, Tunnel Vision, Mirrors, Gimme What I Don't Know (I Want), True Blood, TKO, Only When I Walk Away


29 Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action Franz Ferdinand
This album brings the fun element in their music. It’s just makes you want to get down and feel the energy to move along with the music. Also you can chill and relax in which the alternative rock and indie rock sounds can take you on an exotic trip in your mind. Also this album has another C/D, which contain the good songs No You Girls, Can't Stop Feeling/I Feel Love, Love and Destroy , and Do You Want To. Overall, a pleasant music trip to get let yourself loose.

Fav: Right Action, Evil Eye, Love Illumination, Bullet, Treason! Animals

28 More Than Just a Dream Fitz & the Tantrums
The entertaining, fun, and the indie pop and indie rock with the soul and funk influences in the mix makes this album a joyous music experience. I just like to moving along to the carefree vocals that makes the music more alive and free. This album does a nice job exploring their sound and make it more exciting and fun to listen to. The title of the album is mentioned in Out of my League.

Fav: Out of my League, The Walker, Sparks, 6AM, Last Raindrop, The End


27 The Electric Lady Janelle Monáe
The different styles Janelle has in this album are amazing. Whatever is to go into that soulful vibe that brings the feelings out, the slow and authentic sounds that shows off her vocals very well and in sync with the songs pace, the funk influenced songs, the mid-tempo R&B sounds and the up-beat tunes that shows up her fun and serving face side. She even did a song with Prince, which sounded nice, but they were also better songs like the Esperanza Spalding featured song and Ghetto Woman. It’s a nice album to just relax and let the soothing music and wonderful vocals to take you into your mind and heart and soul.

Fav: Q.U.E.E.N., Primetime, Dance Apocalyptic, Ghetto Woman, Victory, Dorothy Dandridge Eyes

26 Love and War Tamar Braxton
This album keeps me interested in its different styles. From the up-beat tunes to the mid-tempo R&B sounds to the more slower and more soul that showcases Tamar’s incredible vocals and passion. I just enjoy listening to what has to sing about or just happy to enjoy her amazing and heartwarming voice. She sets the mood right to see what we feel as she does like to understand what she is going through and what love is all about in her deep songs. Her up-beat tunes keeps the negativity away and just brings excitement. This album is what makes the R&B afterlife so wonderful to hear.

Fav: The One, Stay And Fight, Love and War, All The Way Home, Hot Sugar, Where It Hurts


25 Paradise Valley John Mayer
John continues to do music whatever he feels like and I enjoy it. The music does sound like a paradise valley and all the fireworks involved. The acoustic nature shines so bright and keeps things warm. He knows well to behind well with his voice into his acoustic sound. It’s all nice. Apparently, I heard that John and Katy have broken up so what does Who You Love become now? The album is a nice to keep it lite.

Fav: Wildfire, Dear Marie, Paper Doll, Who You Love, I Will Be Found (Lost at Sea)

24 Don't Look Down Skylar Grey
Her singing is so amazing in this dark atmosphere-like album that highlights the lighthearted tone mixed with the dark alternative pop vibe. I like when the intensity and dramatic parts of the album builds up and heights are reached when the vocals hit at the point where wonderful things is awe-inspiring. The piano is also a highlight and what makes music very powerful.

Fav: Final Warning, Wear Me Out, Religion, Beautiful Nightmare, Tower (Don't Look Down), White Suburban


23 True Avicii
Avicii change his direction in this new album where while he gain some mainstream success, some of his core audience didn’t reacted well or at least surprised with the new mix of style. It’s mostly with folk/country fusion with the dance beats sound that many of his dance fans were put off by since they originally heard at one of his shows. We already know what ASF thinks about Avicii approach on that style, let me just tell you what I enjoy from the album. Of course, I appreciate the folk/country EDM music style in such songs like Wake Me Up and Hey Brother since I like different kinds of music especially when they are mix together and for me, it produced such nice results to get pumped from. I did enjoy some of the dance beats he produced in this nice mix of music in this album and has bought in some nice vocalists to bring some kind of aura into the music. The dance mix found creates dramatic overtones, some kind of retro fun sh!t, and show off the dance beats and acoustic guitars found in the album. Overall, it’s a nice album to just enjoy what Avicii did with his music. It’s decent enough so take it or leave it.

Fav: Wake Me Up, Hey Brother, Addicted to You, Liar Liar, Lay Me Down, Hope There's Someone

22 Long.Live.A$AP A$AP Rocky
The album starts out with such music to get feel the beat and slow-down production to really sink it in like you are lost somewhere or some place where it has some shades of grey and continues to have the similarity sound and beat throughout parts of the album as it helps to get inside that state of mind. It also to keep the songs slow and enjoy the ride of whatever Rocky is rapping either how he’s glad he made it to the big time and celebrating it, feeling that he made a long enough impact in his quick rise to fame that his music will live on forever, his perception of life, making jabs at SpaceGhostPurrp of RVIDXR KLVN, former honorary A$AP member, fashion, living life and the girls, and anything else that wants to rap about. The singles more specifically F**kin' Problems, Wild for the Night and 1 Train seems to standout more in the album since the rest of the album has that dark and haunting vibe going on while letting himself loose either going along with the sounds with his rapping or just go a bit crazy. Well, 1 Train has that deep sound, but is not the same as the rest of the songs in the album. There are some great features that makes the album feel alive such as A$AP Ferg, the rappers that were featured in F**kin' Problems & 1 Train, ScHoolboy Q, and Gunplay. Also Florence Welch, Santigold, and Haim all took part in the album (the first two are featured in different songs while the latter did the outro in LVL). Danger Mouse and Skrillex did the production of one song each and Hit-Boy did two for the notable producers to mention. The albums wins it for me mostly with the production that makes it a bit adventurous and that Rocky is rapping with good sh!t along with the awesome features in the song. The music found here is so replayable. I don‘t think that a real word, but I type since this music have live on me for a long time.

Fav: Long.Live.A$AP, Goldie, F**kin' Problems, 1 Train, Fashion Killa, Suddenly, Angels


21 Love Lust Faith + Dreams 30 Second To Mars
The album starts out so ominous like a dramatic film would and late on, its gets authentic with its stadium sound and shouts and tone it down when the inspiring and wondrous tracks kick in with some kind of mixed sound. It’s different with their previous works. It’s not their best work, but still enjoyable when you let the music get inside and take in the dramatic moments of the album. Surely when you are down, this album could motivate you to move forward in life and do what you need to succeed in life. I guess you got to have faith in yourself to achieve dreams and love yourself and all that along with lust is apart of life. That‘s what I got from it.

Fav: Birth, Conquistador, Up in the Air, City of Angels, End of All Days, Bright Lights

20 Lightning Bolt Pearl Jam
Just a good old PJ album with music that you can only enjoy well with these guys. They have that lightning bolt to strike and come up with an album that you can just enjoy the good old rock music that they are known for and brings some of the old style of rock. You can rock out and wind down with power rock like Sirens or just songs that make you wonder in the way they sound like Infallible and Pendulum. This is one of their best work in recent years to find good appreciation for their music.

Fav: Getaway, My Father's Son , Sirens, Infallible, Swallowed Whole


19 Bad Blood Bastille
What an exciting sound found on this album. It does have an adventurous direction to enjoy the ride where you can freedom with the more positive and up-beat tunes. Also it slows down a bit to get inspiration and let yourself go to reach for the stars. I really enjoy the different styles they incorporate in their music to make it feel alive. I just feel happy when I listen to these songs and the way the vocals do their thing makes a great appreciation on how to craft your sound and run with it and make it a real joy and I get overjoyed with it. I get pumped up with all the songs in the album and it’s really hard to tell which ones actually standout. Overall, a solid album.

Fav: Pompeii, Things We Lost In The Fire, Bad Blood, Weight Of Living, Oblivion, Flaws

18 Pure Heroine Lorde
This LP is about adolescence and the fame effects. Tennis Court is the more electronic and dark side of Royals and talks about fame’s bad sides, 400 Lux is about enjoying that sunrise or sunset ride and enjoying that special someone, the great Royals on Lorde being tired of the same sh!t happening in the music lifestyle and what society follows and never want a lux lifestyle, Ribs is the fear of growing up, Buzzcut Season takes it slow and seems to about more of wanting to still be a carefree child and being a dreamer and also talks about the news is portraying the world in a far more negative outlook, Team is that fantasy world Lorde is talking about, Glory and Gone gets darker and takes into a gladiator theme with fighting for something worthwhile and going crazy and the bittersweet relationship of fame and the media more caring to report downfalls of celebrities, Still Sane seems to wary of fame and how anyone that gets into fame eventually has their own downfall, Lorde now knows that she is nothing like those White Teeth Teens aka those popular people wanting to live that glamour life and not in the love club, and A World Alone talks about Lorde’s isolation in the world, but luckily she has her boyfriend that understands her and they’re alone together because this is the…okay getting off track as I was about to sing FOB’s song. By the way, Lorde and her boyfriend look happy together so I approve their funny antics. Overall Lorde did a great job in making her music standout by having her vocals blend in the surreal atmosphere of her sound to tell her own story and the themes of the album and make it more having an impact to those listening to hear what she is singing about. She’s her own heroine in a pure way.

Fav: Tennis Court, Royals, Buzzcut Season, Team, Still Sane, A World Alone


17 My Name Is My Name Pusha T.
This album starts out so strong with the instrumentation going hard and Pusha T. uses this to establish himself as one who pushes hard and run this sh!t. The whole vibe I get from the album is very outstanding and surreal. He goes in when he is rapping about tough times, the street life and his drug-dealing days and how he feels about it. He explains during most of the album about dealing with drugs since his childhood and as he was growing up and did what he had to do to live by and move up in life. This album has some solid features from Chris Brown, Kelly Rowland, Future, Pharrell (also produce some of songs in the album and good friend of Pusha that goes way back into the Clipse days), and hell, even Rick Ross was here and actually did a wonderful job on his feature. You can’t forget about Kendrick Lamar and the song Nosetalgia about their perspective with their childhood growing up around Cocaine since they were around the time of the crack epidemic of the 80s and can smell it to remember those times. Also nose + nostalgia = Nosetalgia. There is so much to take in from each song so I just going to say that this album is one of the best rap albums in recent years. And yes, he did get the name of the album from the series The Wire, which makes sense since Pusha is who he is and stand and lives by it in the rap game and in his life.

Fav: King Push, Numbers on the Boards, Sweet Serenade, Hold On, 40 Acres, Let Me Love You, Nosetalgia

16 Mechanical Bull Kings of Leon
Let’s finish off part 1 of this album list with this album that while not their best or memorable work, it did make you enjoy the back bones of what music is all about, which is appreciating the sediments of the basic sound and try to re-create it in different ways, but having that similar atmosphere. Whatever to rock out or go along with the chilling and slowed down sound with a mid-tempo range, the ride of the mechanical bull has its moments to enjoy the level of excitement.

Fav: Supersoaker, Rock City, Don’t Matter, Beautiful War, Temple, Wait for Me

What did you think of all the albums on this list so far? Let me know.

Coming up is the Top 30 Albums of 2013: Part 2 [15-1] and until then, comment on this countdown.

Alt. Rock Songs of 2013
I prefer Demons over Radioactive, that song grew on me
Out Of My League is great! Get Lucky, Pompeii, Sweater Weather and Safe & Sound! All of them part of my favorite songs of 2013

Top 35 Hard Rock Songs of 2013
A lot of songs that I don't know, but the #1 is great! My favorite from the list, Hail to the King

Top 20 Metal Songs of 2013
I'm not familiar with that genre

Top 55 Hip-Hop Songs of 2013
Rap God! That song is amazing, I overplayed it though Eminem is a legend! Power Trip! That one is amazing, and ****ing Problem! One of the best songs from that genre released in 2013 Berzerk, and Macklemore!

Top 25 R&B Songs of 2013
I'm not familiar with that genre either, I just like Hold On We’re Going Home one of the best songs from Drake imo

Top 30 Albums of 2013: Part 1 [30-16]
The 20/20 Experience, I need to check out that album, I liked Mirrors but I can't stand Suit & Tie so.. I don't know. Franz Ferdinand's album... it was ok, their previous albums are better imo. I need to check out "More Than Just A Dream Too"! I love Out Of My League & The Walker so I don't know why I still haven't listened to that album!
Avicii... "some of his core audience didn’t reacted well or at least surprised with the new mix of style" and then I saw my name the biggest letdown (in terms of an album) of 2013 for me, nothing else I can say Long.Live.A$AP Bad Blood is great! Wasn't expecting much from that album... but it impressed me! I really like Dan Smith's vocals, he's so cool! Pure Heroine! That's my second favorite album of 2013, Lorde really impressed me! I think she's right now my second favorite female singer
Need to listen to that KOL's album, the first single was great but didn't have the time of listening to the rest.

I can't wait for more!!!

True and Mechanical Bull are my favorites from this set. Funny thing is I first time I checked both of them was this year.

KOL,Lorde,FATT,+ JT

great writeups!

Pure heroine and lightning bolt are my favorites on the album list thus far. i don't know why but i was disappointed with the elctric lady. It's a solild effort sure but it felt a bit safe, her last record was so eclectic and with a title like THE ELECTRIC LADY i expected something even more diverse and maybe futuristic. True also gets an honorable mention for the bops

I didn't hear many albums last year, probably 4 or 5 and that's it, that's why I couldn't make an album list for my Best Of 2013.

From your list, I checked Pure Heroine and The Electric Lady, the latter was a surprise for me, I never paid attention to her music but the album was really good and very unique, unfortunately she never released my favorite track from the album (Electric Lady) but still the 3 singles were good choices, especially "Dance Apocalyptic".

Top 30 Albums of 2013: Part 2 [15-1]

Feedback Section:
AshleeSimpsonFan-Catching up on what you missed huh? Em is a legend I agree, I see you don't listen to any heavy stuff or R&B. You gotta love alt.rock in 2013. You should go listen to More Than Just a Dream and other albums, agreed what you said about Bad Blood and Pure Heroine. You waited a month and 10 days to see more and now, I’m back again.
Sunderland 4ever-Better late than never right?
Brandon-Nice albums you like and thanks for the love for my write-ups.
jose168-I guess The Electric Lady didn't give out more of a special spark compared to her past effort too. True is giving some love here, which ASF isn't too happy about, but all is forgiven as Pure Heroine is getting love also. Good to see that you enjoy Lighting Bolt.
backtoback-Glad that you likeThe Electric Lady. Glad you checked it out.

Help, I didn’t last long and disappeared yet again since I was busy with big time school work, moving into another house, and other stuff that prevented me from continuing this Best of. Usually, I’m worn out and just don’t want to do anything, but I got a chance now to do this. This is the last part of the album countdown. This is where it really gets good. Get ready to be taken over.


15 Prism Katy Perry
For the most part, the album is enjoyable with such nice pop music that reflects an aura of empowerment and free-spirited. Some of it is typical pop radio stuff that can get boring very easily, but it shows some strength within when listening to the more down-to-Earth and lighter songs. Some of it transport your mind into letting the music and vocals of Katy get to you and see some relief in a more simple way, but still sounds wonderful. A nice pep talk sort of way. Her more up-beat and fun songs are not bad, but I tend to turn the other way when it gets too over-the-top or too silly and annoying. I understand that she does this since her main fans enjoy this type of music. Do I think the Prism era will be as big as The Teenage Dream era. No, it will do decent enough. The songs that I don’t like at all are Birthday, International Smile and This is How We Do. Overall, nice album. Spread the Prism movement.

Fav: Legendary Lovers, Walking on Air, Dark Horse, Ghost, By the Grace of God

14 ARTPOP Lady Gaga
I enjoyed listening to this album. The production for the most part is solid. The electro-pop sounds along with other dance elements and chilling vibes fit best to change up the music experience a bit. Dope is the only true ballad on her album, which is a very nice song to hear Gaga’s voice echo to some heights and the pianos notes. Ooh. The lyrics are alright and does fine in expressing Gaga’s thoughts about not letting anyone get to you regardless who you are, wanting love, the support she gets from her fans and her appreciations of it, spreading the ARTPOP movement and any other stuff found in some of the songs. Producers on some of the songs include Zedd, Rick Rubin, DJ White Shadow, and Gaga herself. It’s clear that Gaga wanted to make combined force of art and pop a thing like for example the album cover. She bought pieces of fine art into pop culture and in her music. I’m glad that Gaga wanted to take a different approach in her music that she tried hard to make perfect as she can. Also, she wanted to create something that resembles freedom of oneself and Gaga wanted to show more of her creative mind. The songs that I don’t like at all are Manicure and Swine. Donatella, Fashion!, and Applause are my least favorites out of all the songs that I like. The Hip-Hop song of the album with Trap elements Jewels n' Drugs, the so-chilling Artpop, and Gypsy are songs that I like, but are not my top faves. These are in the middle. Time to comment on the backlash regarding this album and Gaga herself. It’s unfortunate the GP didn’t like or care for ARTPOP in which fueled the management of Interscope in their displeasure for Gaga’s decisions to try a different approach that they think couldn’t work well in the mainstream world. Not only that, but her album didn’t sell like the people of ATRL would have thought appropriate for a global pop star and one of the main it girls of ATRL. And all went downhill from regarding publicity. The monsters are more hostile and single-minded than ever towards basically everything else except Gaga. Honestly, Gaga is also to blame because she tried too hard to make her sound and the ARTPOP fiasco work, but the results didn’t panned as she thought it would be. Gaga has always been criticized on having too many gimmicks and questions if this is all for cheap publicity and it seems they had enough with her. At times, Gaga is fighting a battle that she can’t seem to win at all. I guess this is the price that comes with fame. You know the Media is biased to relish the negative misfortunes of others especially celebrities. Let us not be a swine. Let’s just get over this mess and be done with. She made an impact over me with not having a video Do What U Want so she can released an ARTPOP film for G.U.Y, which is a good video. Overall, a good album that could’ve be polished better to really send that Art Pop movement afloat.

Fav: Aura, Venus, G.U.Y., Sexxx Dreams, Do What U Want, Mary Jane Holland, Dope

13 Trouble Will Find Me The National
The somber mood, the monotone vocals, and the mellow vibe has me taking a liking to the simple ways of life and music by going deep into the music and appreciate the sediments found in the songs and let the music capture a moment of old fashioned black-white imageries with slow-pace action and deep thinking. It feels like a dreary dream to just handle and try to connect with it and let the feeling received from the music become with oneself. Does it feel depressing at times with negative overtones? Yeah, but that’s part of the theme of how to be wary of life and trouble will find you. It has for me and vice versa. Also, the lighter songs still have this aspect and that’s the closer to ever get cheery. I like how as the album moves along, I identify some different sounds and tones, but still has the main feeling of the music found in the album. Some songs have that deep mono voice to go with the more serious than serious vibe and some have the beautiful voice to go along with the calm sound. At times, I just enjoyed listening to the music and appreciate how it goes well with the vocals to really sell it for me. This album is amazing at what it does with its calm, kind of angelic, and sorrow nature.

Fav: I Should Live in Salt, Demons, Don’t Swallow the Cap, This is the Last Time, Graceless, Humiliation, Hard To Find

12 Nothing Was the Same Drake
Most of the time I listened to the album, I really enjoyed mostly the parts of the album where Drake either sings or does his rap softly or mono-like to go alone with the R&B and dark mood hop-hop production. Drake has been criticized for being a soft rapper and that is true, but in this album, it is a good thing for a guy like me who likes different and contrasting styles. He must’ve worked with The Weeknd to get that alternative R&B atmosphere that I really like lately. His typical hip-hop/rap stuff is not half and like most of it. Overall, good album that ensure nothing is really the same, well for some things.

Fav: Wu-Tang Forever, Own It, From Time, Hold On, We're Going Home, Connect, Come Thru

11 Days Are Gone Haim
Glad that I discovered these ladies and their 80s rock influence sound. As days are gone, the music has lived on and I enjoyed the whole listening experience. Their music is a good one to clap around with. The flow and harmonies from all three ladies really helps to craft their sound into some kind of solid sound to really enjoy the mood and the downtime. The music production is amazing and echoes toward my ears and such sweetness I get from it. Also from their voice and whatever they are singing about- Empowerment. Sometimes I imagine the situation going on what they sing about in their songs and get the sense of it what they are feeling or close to that at least. Could I really understand on what they feel? Probably not and I’m okay with it since I don’t want to and live in my own mindset. They sing whatever they feel like and I will enjoy because I must. I sense they have their own way to deal with relationships and their personality shows what they are about. Rising above bullsh!t. Such a great feeling I got from the album. I’m telling ya that these ladies are going to have a great 2014 for themselves. Apparently neither of the ladies play the drums and some background guy does it. The albums does a great job to heal the body and soul with their musical style and how they made their style to work as well. Snap those fingers! And wait I‘m going off-topic with another song in my mind. Curse me and my knowledge of songs to refer.

Fav: Falling, Forever, The Wire, If I Could Change Your Mind, Days Are Gone, Running If You Can Call My Name

10 Reflektor Arcade Fire
This is a two-disc album in where the first disc has the first 7 plus an interesting hidden track at the beginning known as the pre-gap track called Breakglass where it plays reversed samples of songs in the disc. The second disc contains the rest of the songs. This is one of the albums where all I care to is listen to the amazing music found in the album and really sink it in. I just like to relax to this album either at home, the computer, in the bus, and in the school library. What I got from listening to this album on the music alone is the superb effort of high energy of indie rock along with wondrous space sound, the mix of 70s dance music and other electronics and rhythms, and atmospheric production that makes the album experience such a joyful one. I do enjoy the vocals of the lead singer and his wife in the songs and they really make the music last forever and to easily connect and be one with the sound. The music is express so freely that you only want to just sit back and let it sink into you and think about what’s on your mind or to let yourself go. The music is more alive with everyone include in this album. Some background to this album is that it was influenced by Haitian rara music, the 1959 film Black Orpheus, and Søren Kierkegaard's essay, "The Present Age". The band co-produced this album with their regular producer and James Murphy, former frontman of LCD Soundsystem. You can’t forget about that street art they did known as the Reflektor graffiti that provide the built-up to the release of the album. If Gaga made Artpop a thing (or at least tried to), then Arcade Fire express their Art Rock and they did so timeless and amazingly. Just look at that album cover of Auguste Rodin’s sculpture of Orpheus and Eurydice. You’re learning some art work right there. Overall great album to really reflect and connect to the music production and yourself adding to some sociology inputs and psychology feelings.

Fav: Reflektor, We Exist, Here Comes The Night Time, Normal Person, It's Never Over (Oh Orpheus), ****o

9 The 1975 The 1975
The album starts as a slow, gently and ominous approach to prepare what The 1975 are made of. The rocking and smooth The City kicks us off and from there, the music gets better. They did well with their rocking sound with weird beats along with soft vocals to feel the music. Also whatever their British voices comes out, it’s a splendid anthem to behold. In addition, they pumped up their vocals to give the alterative rock adrenaline out there to make an impact. They used their style to send me into a state of mind where I listen to what the band wants to sing about to me and I enjoy their music and their approach along with understanding the stuff they sing about. Basically, they did a good job to show me that their style of music conquered the alternative rock scene and that they can captivate listeners and place them into a daze of glory. Whisper the wind to me.

Fav: The City, Chocolate, Sex, Talk!, Settle Down, She Way Out, Pressure

8 The Blessed Unrest Sara Bareilles
I really only listen to the album for the music itself and I didn’t pick out the standout songs from the album until this countdown. I never notice, but I can feel what are the stand out tracks from the album to me. Actually there are a lot of stand out tracks that I really enjoyed. Brave is obviously the odd one out and it’s not only because it was the lead single, it doesn’t fit with the rest of the sound in the album. This album is filled with Sara’s beautiful and angelic voice that really made an impact on my ears, wonderful piano work, amazing echoes, some great acoustic and slower stuff, the powerful ballads and even some interesting up-beats that are done in a way that is not in mainstream pop, but in a way that has the Sara B. diversity style found in the album like for example Eden. You know what? As I listen to the album again, the songs just get better and better and makes me to just want to enjoy the music experience and nothing else. That’s why I never bothered to single out songs that I really like the most because its impossible to break the magic that Sara has spelled with her music. Sara provide me such an elegant and passive music experience that has meaning and showing of her superb musical talent. This album is special to me because it was released on my birthday. I hope to use for something else to make it more special to me. I really love this soft and acoustic sound that makes the sun shine and the rain pour, but it feels excellent either way. She sounds amazing live from watching videos of her performance of some of the songs from the album. It‘s adult pop ear candy and the blessed is truly unrest. Man, I wish I can see her live to get the music experience and the magic of it in person.

Fav: Chasing the Sun, Hercules, Manhattan, Satellite Call, Little Black Dress, Cassiopeia

7 Modern Vampires of the City Vampire Weekend
Besides, a couple of up-beat songs, most of the album is more of the soft side of indie rock. I did enjoy what I heard from the album in which Vampire Weekends knows how to make their sound similarly to old school video game music and captive the listeners into a journey of the city. Population: Modern Vampires. In some of the songs, the intensity of the drum is built-up and the vocals echoes that surrounds nothingness. Overall, a good album to appreciate the change of pace for Vampire Weekend.

Fav: Obvious Bicycle, Unbelievers, Step, Don’t Lie, Hannah Hunt, Worship You

6 The Bones of What You Believe CHVRCHES
This is the epitomic of great atmospheric production. I really enjoy listening to the synth and electronic experience from this album. Damn it, its killer and the intensity of their sonic sound is over 9000. The mix of their music style brings my bones to react to such solid music that I can believe in. Mmm..it’s delicious. Mayberry’s vocals really fits into this style of music and makes the sound more alive and easier to connect with. She’s so stunning when her vocals reaches my ears and oh it’s glory and I’m speechless. The male vocals found in some vocals were good as well. I can’t really said enough about this album except it’s just great.

Fav: The Mother We Share, We Sink, Gun, Lies, Recover, You Caught The Light

5 AM Arctic Monkeys
This is another album that I really enjoy listening for the music itself and to lose myself into the music. I like to listening to this album anywhere I go mostly a place inside to really get the music feel. I just let myself get into the music and it takes me to a musical journey where I can be with myself and enjoy this amazing and wondrous music that echoes inside my mind. My ears are so happy. Their style of music rules over me. BTW, Initials titled is taking the unnoticed stand against the trend of self-titled madness.

Fav: Do I Wanna Know?, Arabella, No.1 Party Anthem, Fireside, Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?, Knee Socks

4 Matangi M.I.A.
Loving the Hindu flavor along with other global spices that mixes well with the intensity of electronic dance sound and Hip-Hop beats. M.I.A. does those pretty well, which helps to make her music more enjoyable. The title refers to M.I.A.’s real first name and the Hindu goddess of the same name. She refers to many Hinduism concepts throughout the album. For example is the concept of reincarnation in Y.A.L.A. Essentially, just enjoying the music while expressing her dislike towards ignorant people and the governments, the Super Bowl performance controversy, and her roots from the UK, Sri-Lanka specially Tamil shown in her up-beat songs are her way to go this time around and I like it. Not too seriously. Apparently, flipping the bird meant as a Hindu and Buddhist ritual gesture known as a mundra. The Matangi mundra to be exact. I enjoy the being in a trance and going crazy with the music from the album. We all can just dance to the music and not give a f**k about anything. The world can connect thought that despite differences in language and culture. Such nothingness. She did the Matangi , the Hindu goddess of music, proud.

Fav: Matangi, Warriors, Come Walk With Me, Exodus, Double Bubble Trouble, Y.A.L.A.

3 Born Sinner J. Cole
This album has a darker theme in terms of sound and the mood of it while he’s being real in his rapping. This album deals with being a born sinner, the good and bad, God and the devil, the problems he has faced with himself, in his life and all the ladies he ever has connected with, and the state of Hip-Hop today. The production is solid and does a great job to create n eerie and dark atmosphere to get into that deep thinking and to that the state of mind to really listen to what Cole is rapping about and what’s he feeling about while appreciating the way he raps and his flow to go along with the darker vibe. Hearing what he has to say about his life now and before whatever good or bad is deep and using old school samples is genius to make the religion aspect more alive. Cole is making his stride on his own and does a great job on making his creative side more noticeable along from his influences of 2Pac, Biggie, and especially Nas. He’s a born sinner (aren’t we all born sinners?), but he swears to die better than that.

Fav: Villuminat, Power Trip, Trouble, Runaway, Forbidden Fruit, Chaining Day, Crooked Smile, Let Nas Down, Born Sinner, Miss America

2 Random Access Memories Daft Punk
It’s great that the electronic French duo are back and their album rules with their amazing music. Getting lost into the music has never been so good. Some of the songs in the album sound like some space jazz feeling with melodies of the complex elements. They seem to blend their electronic sound with live instruments such as the guitar, bass, and drums. In addition, some retro sounds are found with the disco-influenced elements and house beats. Drum machine, modular synthesizer and vocoders were used in the recording of the album. Orchestral elements were also used. It’s a nice chance of pace to really have a solid music experience. So chilled. Contact features a recording of Captain Eugene Cernan from the Apollo 17 mission and there is a monologue in Giorgio by Moroder in which Giorgio Moroder talks about his life and music career. Also referencing the computer technology like RAM and motherboard. It’s good to know something. This album did a great job on creating a fine line between humans and robots. I feel more alive than ever. I forgot that this album won album of the year in this year‘s Grammies. Actually the album won in all the categories it was nominated for. Great choice.

Fav: Give Life Back to Music, Instant Crush, Lose Yourself to Dance, Touch, Get Lucky, Doin' It Right, Contract

1 The Marshall Mathers LP 2 Eminem
We saved the best of the best for last. Em decide to name this after the original The Marshall Mathers LP. This album tackles family issues, trouble of dealing with fame, and the blurred lines between his alter-ego like it did in the original LP, but it’s taking into a different approach in what’s he feeling now and thoughts about the first LP and his reflection of it. He actually shows maturity in his album, which I believe the true shock value. In addition to that is the old Em of just sh!tting and going off on typical stuff and anything he wants just because which is fun and harmless. I commend Em for going into this direction and let’s see if he continues to live life with less difficulty. I would to give a special track-by-track breakdown, but that’s too much and I want to get this done and I’m all burnt out. I’m pushing myself to give you my thoughts on the notable songs on the album. Bad Guy is a continuation of the iconic Stan in where Stan’s brother, Matthew is out for revenge for Stan’s death. I really like how the song get more angry and intense as the song gets halfway before the end and the lady who did the hook sounded so nicely. The songs has fleshed out as Matthew tries to convince Em that he’s the bad guy that likes to make of people that die as long as it ain’t happened to him. During this part of the song, Matthew has Em in a car and Matthew drove the car off the bridge and plunge into their death just like Stan drove himself and his family into theirs all because the lack of attention Em showed to Stan. The rest of the song, Em raps about his insecurities and realized that he manifested into a bully that everyone hates. We all revisit the original LP with Em with the Parking Lot skit in which continues off of the last track of the first LP and in this skit, Em ends the life of a bank teller, a dog, and himself. Em sure likes to kill himself off in his songs. Rhyme Or Reason shows that Em still have greater distain towards his father that left him and his mother when Em was only 18 months old. Em doesn’t even consider him as his father. In So Much Better, Em ponders if it would’ve been better if he never got into the rap game since he still has anxiety over fame. He treats the rap industry like a woman he wished he never met due to her sleeping with other rappers. He still likes the rap game thought through all of her faults. Stronger Than I Was has Em dealing with his ex-wife Kim in a mature manner which is a complete 180 from “Kim” in the original LP in which you’re glad that it’s just a song. Headlights is EM’s apology to his mother for all the heat and unbelievable sh!t he says about her in his songs such as Kill You. Evil Twin ends it all by declaring that Marshall Mathers and Slim Shady are one and the same and blamed on the lyrics he spits on Shady so Marshall can get away saying absurd sh!t. Em decide to take responsibility for his own actions. That’s a good life management judgment. This is the album where Em really deliver his sh!t. Recovery was to show that he’s back for real and he’s ready to make some murderous music like this again. As a result, don’t call this album a comeback. This is too much and I don’t have the power to say more except this is THE #1 album in not only in Hip-Hop, but overall in music for 2013. Plus it sold over 700,000 copies in its first week. Not bad for a 41-year old veteran of the rap game that went back to blond and named his new album a sequel to his most controversial album to just create that needed buzz to reel the ones who believe hype so easily and bam! Something different happens and we like it.

Fav: Bad Guy, Rhyme Or Reason ,So Much Better, Legacy, Asshole, Berzerk, Rap God, Stronger Than I Was, So Far, Love Game, Headlights, Evil Twin

Finally, this countdown is over and I had fun listening to these good and great albums that I was able to listen in 2013. I hope you did as well. What did you think of my album countdown? Give me your thoughts. Just look at the work I poured into this one.

Coming up is the Top 10 Movies/TV Shows/Video Games of 2013 and until then, comment on this countdown.

I like ARTPOP & Prism, but they got old for me

RAM is definitely one of the best albums of that year, also Modern Vampires of the City was surprisingly good

ARTPOP is ok... not as good as TF or TFM but 50 times better than Born This Way some great songs, but there are others that are kind of overproduced
I like The National, but never listened to their album. Need to check it out
The Bones of What You Believe is an album that I need to check, I'm in love with "The Mother We Share" right now.
Random Access Memories! My #1 album of 2013 that album is perfection, Daft Punk are the kings of the electronic music
The Marshall Mathers LP 2 Eminem never disappoints, I like most of the songs from that album, he's a legend too!

I can't wait for more

great writeups!

Sara Bareilles,Em, & Katy Perry are my favs here

Eminem

7/15
AM,MVOTC,Reflektor and The 1975 are my faves here

ARTPOP
PRISM
Blessed Unrest

Great three, there!

Eminem's album #1 is nice. I only liked about half of it but it's still cool. Rap isn't necessarily my favorite genre.

Top 10 Movies/TV Shows/Video Games of 2013

Feedback Section:
backtoback-Yeah ARTPOP and Prism will get old fast since they are mostly typical. I agree what you said on RAM being one of the best and Modern Vampires of the City being good.
AshleeSimpsonFan- I do feel some of songs on there were overproduced and I feel that it didn't made ARTPOP as good as it can be. But, I agree that ARTPOP > BTW. Daft Punk are the kings of electronic music and you must check out the album you said you need to check it out.
Brandon-Thanks and good faves.
McFosterXX- I feel for ya about the great Eminem.
Razzle-Good faves to clap for.
Gatsby-I guess ARTPOP, PRISM, and Blessed Unrest are your pop album trinity of 2013. At least you like some of Em's work on the album.

Time to get this miscellaneous countdown over it. Now, I decided to not to type up write-ups for this one since I really want to get this Best of done and it doesn’t matter since this is like a low and extra countdown anyway. In 2013, I haven’t really watch a lot of movies, but still was able to make a list of movies that I liked. I usually watch movies that I either dislike (Despicable Me 2, The Haunted House, 21 & Over etc.) or didn’t really interest me or just didn’t care for it (Catching Fire, Gravity etc.). Also I haven’t seen movies like The Great Gatsby yet. Man, I didn’t really keep up with TV shows these days and If I have time to watch TV, I just watch Nick n Nite with reruns of Full House and Friends. I haven’t watching a lot of TV these days. Weird huh? For video games, I noticed I didn’t really play a lot of games and because of that, I included some games that I have seen videos of it, but not really play it first hand. Also if some notable games were not included such as The Last of Us and Bioshock Infinite, it’s either I never heard of them until now or never seen videos of it. Hell, I haven’t even finished the games that are on this list, but played enough that I like it. Here‘s we go for this one.

Top 10 Movies

10 We're the Millers (Didn’t expected to enjoy this typical comedy, but I did. I do love me some Jennifer Aniston. )
9 The Call
8 Dead Man Down
7 Thor: The Dark World
6 White House Down
5 Man of Steel
4 Iron Man 3
3 Fast & Furious 6 (Enjoyed the action, violence, plot, and of course, the cars! R.I.P. Paul Walker)
2 Monsters University (Not bad for a prequel and for a current animated movie, wished they made a sequel along with my other favorite Pixar movies of the good old days. Or maybe not. Who knows?)
1 The Hangover Part III (Not the best movie out of the trilogy, but I still enjoy it. It’s #1 movie since I haven’t seen a lot of movies or the movies haven’t been interesting to want me to watch lately.)

Top 10 TV Shows

10 Parks and Recreation
9 MasterChef (Congrats to the winner and season returnee Luca! The runner-up, Natasha is an incredible cook so it was tough to defeat her.)
8 The Voice
7 The Office ( A good and funny show that has come to an end. Now I must watched the rest of the earlier seasons.)
6 The Walking Dead
5 Graceland
4 Suits (It’s like all-out law firm war! Love It. I muust keep up with it though)
3 Elementary
2 Breaking Bad (Such a great final season and finale that I watched the marathon all in one day. But still, what I’ve watched was amazing. Intense and very interesting characters that felt real, insightful plot and story. Man, it was great. Now, I’m must go catch the rest of the series on NETIFIX)
1 Burn Notice( Such a great final season and series finale as well. Satisfying ending to all the action and drama that has happens over the series. Michael, the guy who burned, is now living in a secluded house with his trigger-happy lover and his late-brother’s son while the rest of world including his two pals that aided him in all of his missions presumably thinks they are dead since both of them jump into the deep ocean after running away from an explosion that the guy who burn Michael is now killed from the explosion. It’s #1 for me because I follow this series for most of its run and watched some of earlier episodes. Best show that USA Network ever had.)

Top 10 Video Games

10 Pokémon X and Y (After watching a playthrough of this game (specially Y), I can say that the game was exciting with all its fun and interesting plot and story. The style of the characters and the game weren’t really my preference style, but I guess it’s fine for itself. The mega evolution seems alright. Sad that I never play Pokémon on the handhelds. Kinda want to now. While I saw some newer Pokemon that I like, I still say the Pokemon keeps on getting lamer and lamer. But whatever. The rules of Pokemon seem to change though,)
9 Mario Party: Island Tour (Not the best from the MP series, but what I saw was decent. Still prefer the old rules of the MP series, but this was fine. I’m conflicted seeing Bowser Jr. in this though. Looks like Koopa Kid is officially gone. The roster is basically M5. Cameo from Rosalina huh?)
8 Super Mario 3D World (Saw Let’s Play videos of it and I like it. Still not enough for me to go buy a Wii U)
7 NBA 2K14
6 WWE 2K14
5 Battlefield 4
4 Saints Row IV
3 FIFA 14
2 Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
1 Grand Theft Auto V (What I have played so far in this game has been amazing with all the action and interesting missions with such intense characters. The game of the year for sure!)

After all of this, there is one final countdown left. Stay tuned.

Coming up is the Top 200 Songs of 2013: Part 8 [25-1] and until then, comment on this countdown.

Burn Notice,Elementary,Suits, The Walking Dead ,We're the Millers,The Hangover Part III,+ Thor: The Dark World are my favorites

Movies
6/10
We're The Millers was great, a great surprise
White House Down was entertaining
I really wanted a sequel, not a prequel, but Monsters University was great! My favorite animated movie of 2013 too

TV Series & Video Games
I'm a flop, I don't have time anymore but I really want to play Grand Theft Auto V, I love those games

From the tv shows I like The Walking Dead and I love Breaking Bad, I'm currently watching season 3, I can't wait to see what happens later

Top 200 Songs of 2013: Part 8 [25-1]

This is it. The final part of the countdown and the Best of overall.

Feedback Section:
Brandon-Great favorites
AshleeSimpsonFan-I agree what you said about the movies and GTA is just great and yeah, I don't watch or play much these days either.
backtoback-Two great shows right here.

25 Afraid The Neighbourhood
Keep on dreaming, don't stop breathing, fight those demons. And sell your soul, not your whole self. If they see it when you're sleeping, make them leave it. And I can't even see if it's out there, anymore

Man, this is one of those songs that I overplayed more than I need to and not to mention that it was #1 on my personal countdown like 3 times, but I still like it and this is why it’s this high. I really like the angry pre-chorus. I really feel the energy and power from it and I use this when I’m piss at someone or mad about something. When the song starts, It feels like you’re in some kind of shades of gray bizarre world or something not common in your life. The music fits the mood of confusion, anxiety, and fear itself. This song seems to be about how one is afraid that someone will replace them in one’s life and thought of non-existent like no longer have a place in the world. This could mean anything like a fear of a relationship ending or one’s future. For me, I have a fear of success as in being afraid to move from my current comfort zone to move on in life fast and having to get used to the stress and hardship of trying to be successful in life and breaking out as an independent person along with interactions with new people and other surroundings. A fear of driving is another. I do also have a fear of change as I don’t truly know if it’s for the best. I tried to break out of my barriers back in 2011 and it kinda work for awhile, but I just revert back to what I was before and became depressed. I don’t think I’m afraid that someone will take my place in my life since no one wants to be me anyway, I kinda don’t want to be me, but I’m willing to improve my self-confidence Although, the sudden reality of non-existent seems like a nightmare I might have soon. I do feel like sleeping and not waking up in reality and stay asleep in my fantasy world where I don’t really have to worry about anything. A fear of death is another. The video of this song is a visionary of this. Really it is.

24 Pompeii Bastille
And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love, Great clouds all over the hills. Bringing darkness from above.

If you don’t like the song the first time or when it first start, the ominous chanting of Eh eheu eheu, then you probably are not going to like it period. I do like how the song starts with the chants as it sets the atmospheric nature of volcanoes and the environment. Like a tribe or battle cry. Still like the chanting during the song and the instruments used in this song is amazing and goes well in creating the intension of the dangers of the exploding volcano. The vocals and the drumming build-up the drama intensions very well. This song is obviously refers to the destruction of Pompeii and the eruption caused by Mt. Vesuvius and all those people are buried in dust. Smokes and ashes among them, this is what they didn’t’ wanted. This song can be relate to a falling romantic relationship being compared to the relationship of Pompeii, its people, and that volcano or at least the metaphors of them. It’s hard to be an optimist about those this and you can’t close your eyes to make it go away. Times like these I wish I was sleeping and dreaming. Anyway, great song with an interesting insight and amazing music. I’m very glad this song crossover to US mainstream in 2014. It’s nice that I can say my hipster creds to my friend when I said to him that I heard before it got famous. It’s already famous in the UK and US alt.rock , just more overexposed. I seen people that like it so it’s all good. 2013 Alt. rock continues to rule even in 2014. The crossovers and leftovers are delicious. Still it feels good to say this over and over again: They are a British band that has a French name and their famous hit song is about an Italian city.

23 Mirrors Justin Timberlake
Cause I don't wanna lose you now. I'm lookin' right at the other half of me. The vacancy that sat in my heart. Is a space that now you hold. Show me how to fight for now.

I can honestly say that this is the best song out of the 20/20 albums. This is such a nice song to relax to and realize something important in your life and reflect on it. The charming, mid-tempo Pop and R&B ballad feels so nice to hear and JT’s vocals follows his heart as he sings with ease on his heartfelt song and he goes well with the flow of the music like he always does with this type of music. This song is about realizing that his lover is his other half as in seeing his reflection in her or where he sees himself, he also sees her in him. According to JT, this song is meaningful to him because this is a love song to his wife, Jessica Biel and he was inspired by her for this song. As shown in the video, this song is also an ode to JT’s grandparents and their love for each other. This song actually goes deep than it was at first glance. The mirrors is for JT to see his imperfections and change them with his lover as their relationship evolves over time. Is it cheesy especially the hook? Yeah, but this is a nicely done song so who cares and let’s see our imperfections and try to change ourselves for the better for yourself and indirectly for others like your loved ones and significant other. This song is an eight-minute piece of tamed ecstasy with the robotic voice that apparently says “You are the love of my life‘ and such a groove this song is.

22 Power Trip J. Cole ft. Miguel
Well this has gotta be the longest crush ever. If I ever get to f**k it'd be the longest bust ever. Love is a drug, like the strongest stuff ever. And, f**k it I'm on one, you feel me?

The song is about how this one girl got Cole up all night, singing love songs, got him up all night, constant drinking and love songs. Also the former line is a metaphor for Cole and his love for Hip-Hop and he’s up all night long, trying to make that hit and beat off the rest of the rappers. During the song, Cole raps about his upbringing and how he got into the rap game, how he was with the girl he had in mind and later on raps about the struggle with pursuing the girl and keeping up with the rap game. Also Cole has love for the rap game and isn’t one of those rappers that are in for the money and once they got that money, they take their ball and cash home. Also he rather try to be with this girl than to just f**k her and leave her or try to get with anyone else. In addition, the girls seems to be doing her own thing as well. They’re on a power trip to get thru this. Man, I know the feeling of she got up all night and just think about her and consumed my thoughts of her and not concentrate on what I need to focus on like an up-coming exam. Either I think about her because she looks so damn good to me that I feel some lust from her that feels so damn good or she’s beautiful and makes me happy with her smiles and personality. Or both. This song has such a dark atmosphere with soothing music and beautiful beats to get into the song and be one with it. The way Cole raps with this kind of music is surreal with the tone of the sound. Oh yeah, after vaping in the lounge and having a primetime with Janelle, hopping in motorcycles and make it #Beautiful with Mariah,
Miguel makes another appearance to add in the R&B vibe in this dark Hip-Hop song. This song was #1 in my personal countdown. Great job by Jermaine.

21 Troublemaker Olly Murs ft. Flo Rida
Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad, oh oh oh? My mind keeps saying
"Run as fast as you can". I say, "I'm done," but then you pull me back, oh oh oh... I swear you're giving me a heart attack. Troublemaker!

Man, do you hate that you like someone because they are so damn good-looking and seems to be nice, but really that person either up to no good or just a troublemaker that ending just screwing at the end and leave you hanging or taking advantage of you? I do. Those girls are so good, but they cost money to treat them to have a good time. It’s how it is, but I don’t want to cross one that is a straight troublemaker that just give you trouble and makes trouble and isn’t all I hope to be. Basically, this song is about that they have this girl on their mind and can’t help to like her and think about her even though she is a troublemaker. This is a fun song to listen and let Olly sing what it’s like to be with a troublemaker and do what she said and always has her in his mind. Flo Rida’s part didn’t really add or take away from the song, but I still like his part so I included him here. I rather be hassle-free. It made the top 3 in my personal countdown and was known as the song that was #2 in most of its run in my request countdown when it was in the battle for #1.

20 Give It 2 U Robin Thicke ft. Kendrick Lamar
Hey girl. You know you're looking so damn fly. You looking like you fell from the sky (angel). You know make a grown man cry. I wanna give it to you tonight. And make everything you fantasize. Come true, ooh baby. I’ll make it so, so, so amazing. I’ll give it to you.

The video version had 2Chainz in there, but I like the original better so I choose that. Basically, Robin wants to give the big dick that has some Thicke to this sexy lady he sees. It’s not meaningful at all, but it’s a fun song to listen to. I do like the production as it makes the song more alive, fresh and goes along with the flow of the song. Robin is being a player here. Lamar’s part is nice with him talking about what he likes in a woman and does well to go along with the production of the song. It was #1 multiple times in both my personal countdown and my request countdown.

19 Can’t Hold Us Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton
Now can I kick it, thank you. Yeah, I'm so damn grateful. I grew up really wanting gold fronts. But that’s what you get when Wu-Tang raised you. Y'all can't stop me. Go hard like I got a 808 in my heart beat. And I'm eating at the beat like you gave a little speed.

Such a fun and enthusiastic song this is. When this song starts with those piano notes then the thumping and foot-stomping and tambourine sounds and getting ready to be pumped, here’s Macklemore
Macklemore raps with ease and confident about achieving his dreams, being graceful on what he has accomplish and his earlier life, living life, and getting happiness from making music and the people behind him. This song is like a parade in which we marching along the streets and being happy and having a sense of gratitude. Ray Dalton himself made the hook more lively that made the song become more alive and devote our energy into having a great time and get pumped up or just sit back and react passively with just enjoying the well-done hook. This song is made for people to go all-out and to never be held down since they can’t hold us and do what we want to do. What made this song a hit is that it’s a catchy song with amazing instruments built-in that people can get lost into the music and get crazed. Those people helped made the song a hit and this song can be taken in different ways while still retaining that fun, positive music element because no one is holding us down from either partying or achieve our dreams. Macklemore is living a dream that he’s been chasing since he was fourteen and after mixtape after mixtape, he has finally made it to the big time with three mega hits, a, minor hit, and a successful album. He achieve his dream without signing into a label. That’s impressive and no one can’t tell him nothing. Oh oh oh. He’s I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T hustling, man. Don’t you know that means? I’m having fun with this and I know, he knows and everyone know what that means. He now can get all that affluent stuff that he work hard for and he isn’t all selfish or a goof , but not all serious either. He’s humble with a comedic side. Some may say that this song is more memorable than the trend-setting Thrift Shop. Regardless, it’s in this spot, but all the first 3 US singles are all great and hard to determine which I like the best. It had a good run in both of my countdowns. Na, na, na, na, The ceiling can’t hold me any longer as I jump! Jump! Jump! This is an anthem of overcoming adversity and a celebration of accomplishments along with just having fun. It had a good run in both of my countdowns.

18 Demons Imagine Dragons
They say it's what you make, I say it's up to fate. It's woven in my soul, I need to let you go. Your eyes, they shine so bright, I want to save their light. I can't escape this now, unless you show me how.

Demons starts out as the wondrous, magical with its own dramatic vibe that is setting the mood of the song to be in this place where personal demons are inside the dark. The song builds up while singing in a mid-tempo range before the sound explodes and the exclamations of demons is heard before it settles down to make understanding of the problems of one’s demon and what we are with them before the build up to the exclamation of the demons is heard again. It goes into a zone where we acknowledge the demons and fight for getting rid of those demons as we get out of the vulnerable state and rise up as it ends with the exclamation of the demons. This is a great song to not let your flaws or demons get to you and hope that you have the confidence to either fight to get rid of them or learn to handle them. It has that inspiration factor to captivate the audience into believing that one can learn to deal with their demons and not let them bring them down with them and affected their life. I feel pumped when the pre-chorus makes its way to ensure that we have inner demons inside that we are not proud of and we all have flaws and the chorus gets me riled up when the big boom happens and I feel the power. Time to break it down. In this point of view of the song, there are rough times, there are not that many people that are saints, good or not greedy, and when all of your dreams fall, you tend to think worst of the ones being praised or had praised you up for failure. You tired to hide your flaws and demons to protect people you care about, but it gets more difficult to hide the beast inside. No matter what we do, it’s mostly driven by greed and selfish desires. His kingdom come means the end of his world with all of his demons inside. His demons hides deep inside, in his eyes. Metaphors used in the song tell about that everyone has a bad side and all of them will be revel and at times, people will call you out at on your mistakes. He believes he cannot hide his bad side and it doesn’t matter if we thrive ourselves to better, we will always have darkness inside our soul. Though, it seems that he cannot be all good no matter how he hides it or it’s up to fate, he still believes that by looking to the goodness of one that is important, he might escape his darkness if that someone shows him how. By breaking this song down, Demons is the song that the inner darkness is a part of someone and Dan sings that he is being consumed by it and believing there is no way he can hide it and will ruin his life and loved ones. It seems that this is the song where Dan feels his depression and how it’s effecting him on his view of the world and life. That‘s some kind of thinking here. My inner demons included anger, lust, and some sh!t I don‘t want to talk about. I try to control myself, not get my negative get the best of me and not to brush people off. I may have some friends and I have my family, but I still feel like to be in my own comfort zone because I still not being used to be outside of it. While I feel alright as a loner and being anti-social, it‘s just that I feel like I‘m holding myself back in not only doing more things, I‘m missing out to evolve myself and having more of a good time doing it. Regardless, I know what to do for myself that’s right to me and not to be stubborn about it. I will use Demons to better myself and not let negative emotions get to me especially when things don’t go my way. I’m glad for the success of Demons and hope that it inspires people to not giving up life and not to give in to sins and drama. Demons peaked at #6 in my request countdown and it has been #1 in my personal countdown before and spend 22 weeks on the countdown. It was also used in commercials.

17 Chocolate The 1975
Oh we go where nobody knows with guns hidden under our petticoats. No. we're never gunna' quit it. No, we're never gunna' quit it, no. Yeah we're dressed in black from head to toe. We've got guns hidden under our petticoats. No, we're never gunna' quit it. No, we're never gunna' quit it, no.

I sense the UK flavor being alive in this song. The authentic British alternative rock sound lives here and I like to listening along with this sound of music. Apparently, in this song, chocolate is code for weed and the story here is about a man and woman and their adventures in crimes, running away from the feds, their relationship to each other, and the chocolate or weed. The main point is that they are never gonna stop even if they said they are. I wonder what chocolate weed taste like or smell like at least. Speaking of chocolate, I love eating butterfingers so much that I smell like chocolate. This song is also an addiction and it was #1 2 times in my request countdown while it peaked at 4 in my personal countdown.

16 Lose Yourself To Dance Daft Punk ft. Pharrell
I know you don't get a chance to take a break this often. I know your life is speeding and it isn't stopping. Here, take my shirt and just go ahead and wipe up all the sweat, sweat, sweat.

Basically, this is a song where you can a partying, a clubbing, or a dancing to. At times, some of us work and have stuff to do like a job or school and once free time comes, we all tired. This song here can help get on into your feet and start to lose yourself to dance. Lost yourself to the soothing vibe Pharrell gives and the electronic and robotic and vocoder vocals of Daft Punk mixed with the just great electronic music that has us keep on going and a loop. Come on, come on, come on! Clap along to this song. Jump like you are in a concert and creating sweat and wiping it off with Pharrell’s shirt that he just toss to you. When I hear this song, all I want to do is lose myself to dance, lost myself to the music and the moment that I can’t let it go. I love songs where I can just lose myself and not worrying about anything at all along with songs that can motivate me while having this party element. Just let my self free and get into the program. It was #1 multiple times in my personal countdown.

15 F**kin' Problems A$AP Rocky ft. 2Chainz, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar

Ooh, I know you love it when this beat is on. Make you think about all of the n!ggas you've been leadin' on. Make me think about all of the rappers I've been feedin' on. Got a feelin' that's the same dudes that we speakin' on, oh word?

I never expected that this song would be one of ATRL’s favorite Hip-Hop songs or at least in the YTT. I bet it’s the beat that got all of you guys into it since it’s so hypnotizing and reminds me of a similar time in music and life. This beat is cray and it sounds great in radio and when the car radio is turn up and the beat is blasted throughout the car radio. One of the songs that was popular and that people turn this up all year long. Note that this song samples Aaliyah’s Come Over. So that's adds prestige and the feelings that come with it. Overall , I like to get lost into the beat and the beat goes hard. A great club song. As for the rappers, all of them kill it in this song. The songs starts off with the hook done by 2Chainz telling us that he love bad bitches, that’s his f**king problem and Drake finishing off the hook with ease telling the bad girl that if she can’t find a guy who is real, then she and her friends can come kicking it with Drizzy, Rocky, and the rest at their cribs (In the video version, Rocky raps the ending hook after rapping his verse). The first verse is rapped by Rocky, which he does a good job with his bravado and keeping it cool and mesh with his style to go with the beat of the song. After the hook, Drake’s turn on the song. He mentions right off the bat that you love it when this beat is on. He along with Noah "40" Shebib produced this song. Anyway, he raps along the music very well and makes the ladies want to sing-along with him. He has the swag to pull it off. And of course, he’s selling albums like Take Care very well, he can be all smooth or be making club-bangers and have that big money. Then, the hook and here’s comes the finale with greater than great Kendrick Lamar- He’s been prominent in the rap game in 2013 as it shows in my Best of. Lamar is doing his thing and rapping well with the flow of the music and rapping about hyping al the crowds at his shoes, killing the rap game and all the ladies he slept with. Oh yeah, he wants to do Halle Barry. I do too since she looks lonely and gorgeous Also, each of these rappers are beast. This song echoes about a f**king problem. A f**king problem. A f**king problem. Let me break this pun down for ya: They have a f**king problem and their f**king problem is that they f**k so much that it became a problem and maybe some other problems that don’t requiring f**king, but it’s hard and busy so they exclaim it’s a f**king problem since it‘s serious and frustrating. There, I killed off the f**king pun. I like to cop girls’ asses to get the good feels so I got the feeling what they are feeling about (esp. Rocky like the well-know copping of RiRi‘s ass, them hugs approach), but they do more than copping asses, they actually f**k them bitches and lonely ladies. So they are sex addicts! Some dudes probably have a f**king problem with f**king-they can’t seem to get it or do it right. Regardless, this song in all intent and purposes is just to bang and get loose into the song and the beat. It’s a club banger. Coincidentally, all the rappers in this song are in my top 40 artists of 2013 countdown expect for 2Chainz, who was originally going to be there, but I decided to put more underrated artists that I like more and thought they deserved to be recognized. Still, fine work done by everyone involved. We got no problem here…problem. The clean version of the song is interesting and funny esp. in Rocky‘s verse so much profanity there. Bad Bad, got a f--- problem.

14 Same Love Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert
If I was gay I would think hip-hop hates me. Have you read the YouTube comments lately? "Man, that's gay" gets dropped on the daily. We've become so numb to what we're saying. Our culture founded from oppression. Yet we don't have acceptance for 'em, Call each other ******s behind the keys of a message board. A word rooted in hate. Yet our genre still ignores it.

This is some kind of poetry rap sh!t right here. The significance of the song is that it is about Gay rights and having a better understating of it to the mainstream audiences. This is also significance as this is a Hip-hop song and we know that the Hip-Hop culture doesn’t do kindly with homosexuals and this song helps to stand up against homophobia in Hip-Hop along with the Gay rights movement and marriage equality. I was surprised that this not only was played on radio, but ending becoming a big hit. So we are in the right track, although, there were some stations that have edited some lines out of the song. I don’t like this song just because it’s a positive song about Gay right, I also like it because of the way Macklemore speaks in the song like a motivation speaker and making sure the words get heard clearly and have an impact on the listener. Time to breakdown this song. The piano intro before the song begins is the signals for serious deep sh!t going to drop. Macklemore talks about in the first verse about gay stereotypes such as Macklemore thinking he was gay when he was in the 3rd grade because he was good at feminine stuff like art instead of masculine activities like sports based on the stereotypes regarding children. BTW, Macklemore is not gay, but he is a supporter of gay rights since his uncle is gay and grew up around the gay community. Also in this verse, Mac talks about the same sex stereotypes, some right-wing conservatives thinking that being gay is a decision and a disease that can be cured even though in the scientific community that homosexual is related to biology, American culture still being afraid of homosexuality, change and progression, and extreme religious conservatives paraphrasing the Bible into their own liking and based their stance against homosexuality and same-sex marriage on religious beliefs. The second verse talks about the use of gay slurs in Hip-Hop for rappers to emasculate other rappers or other people they don’t like or in general, the hated use of the gay slurs, the fight for gay rights is similar to that of the American civil rights movement and the Women movement and the unimportance of if you’re gay or not, you can support equal rights for gays . The last verse talks about how we should move forward and there’s nothing wrong being gay and shouldn’t make gay people afraid of being who they are esp. since the gay people have a greater risk of suicide. Even though the legalization of same-sex marriages won’t even come close to solving the problems the LGBT community face, it’s still a damn good place to start. The same love is that the love between the same sex is the same love for homosexuals. I do like the trombone solo in this song. The featured artist in this song is Mary Lambert, who is a lesbian. I like her in the hook as she sounds so beautifully and she’s singing true from her heart as it does give the song a more warmer atmosphere. The hook in this song is actually a part of Lambert’s song called She Keeps Me Warm in which its more statement. about the love and the feelings of it is universal as opposed to Same love in which is a social and political. If you happen to listen to the outro (since some radio stations edited it out because of time length), Mary sends the song perfectly with the echoes of inspiring love message and love is patient and kind. Also it ends in a hopeful vibe that being homosexual will not have a negative stigma anymore and hope that Mary will not be crying on Sundays anymore- She explained about that part and it came from her experience in going to church and crying because of her shame of being homosexuality until she realized that it’s okay being herself and a loving God wouldn’t condemn her for it. What’s my position on the Gay issue? First of all, I’m straight. Regarding my stance on this issue, I feel this shouldn’t even be an issue in 2013 or even 2014, but it is since the majority of the people are still wary about it. Granted, they will still be people who are either ignorant or will hold traditional views mostly because they came from a different time, but I really addressing those that are better than that and have more of an open-mind. While there are more acceptance of the gay community and people are starting to see that they are human beings like us, there are many others that either are not comfortable with it or believe that it is not right based either on religious beliefs (I hate when people esp. extremists do this regarding anything, the Bible is not meant to follow the rules literally and it makes religion look bad) or the past. Plus society is still very judgmental and there are people who pure hate for the sake of hate. I don’t like having typical and hateful thoughts since that kind of works my brain. If I have to vote for same-sex marriage, I will mostly likely would vote yes solely because of equality. Personally, I don’t mind gay people and everyone should leave them alone and let them do their thing. As long as gay people don’t come at me, I don’t care. My stance on this is that I don’t stun gay people and let them be. It’s gonna be a long time for all the states to legalize same-sex marriages. At least the US is not worse in other countries such as Russia and their anti-gay laws. I hope I was clear regarding the situation of it all and my view of it. A great song that deserved its success. It did well in my personal countdown and was on my request countdown for 11 weeks.

13 Just Give Me a Reason Pink ft. Nate Ruess
Oh tears ducts and rust. I'll fix it for us. We're collecting dust but our love's enough. You're holding it in. You're pouring a drink. No nothing is as bad as it seems. We'll come clean.

I love that the song starts with such beautiful playing piano notes and it’s even better when P!nk sings while the notes are being played before we get the chorus and the magic begins. After P!nk sings her part, then it’s Nate’s turn to sing about how he thought the relationship is fine and there is nothing to worry about as the story’s significant other while P!nk sings in-between in the background in the conversation-like part that it isn’t . Nate sings well as the polite and reassuring lover oppose to P!nk. Then they both sing the chorus. Then the epic duet really peaked as the dramatic elements and the intense singing as P!nk and Nate really sing to each other like there are in a broken, old, romantic relationship and this has turn this song to the next level and everything comes full circle before we setting down again with the repeated chorus as we end the song with hope that we all can love again in endangered relationships esp. ones that the love gets old and tiring and the intro piano notes to end it all. A great pop ballad by these two. P!nk bought it out as usual and Nate delivered as a featured artist and he’s not the one to be overlooked. This song peaked in my personal countdown at around #3 and peaked at #3 in my request countdown. The only negative part about this song is that it was overplayed to death esp. in HAC radio and it made the song get more old and boring as time went on.

12 When I Was Your Man Bruno Mars
It all just sounds like, oooooh. Mmm, too young, too dumb to realize. That I should have bought you flowers and held your hand. Should have gave you all my hours. When I had the chance Take you to every party cause all you wanted to do was dance. Now my baby's dancing, but she's dancing with another man.

This is another pop ballad that is more to the soulful vibe. We are set into a place where we listen Bruno’s singing from his soul and heart whilst playing the piano and the sound of it all gets to us to understand Bruno is feeling and try to connect with the situation, which is Bruno losing his girl to another man. Bruno is remembering the times that he should’ve been more of a caring and thoughtful man to his girl and all he can do is to hope that the girl that got away is in a good hands with her new man that will hope to give her all the love and attention that Bruno should’ve done when he was her man. I think that this song peaked at #2 in my personal countdown. This song might sound cheesy and the meaning is as well, but the song still brings that emotional and vulnerable force that you don’t mind the cheesiness and just enjoy the piano works, soulful vibes, and Bruno’s charming vocals as he sings in regret while singing for the best for the one he lost to.

11 Stay Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko
The reason I hold on cause I need this hole gone. Funny you're the broken one, but I'm the only one who needed saving cause when you never see the light. It's hard to know which one of us is caving

We are continuing the streak of pop piano ballads. This is where Rihanna is her most vulnerable state and the way this songs sounds really shows it. RiRi sings with passion while the piano plays along with the dramatic and somber state of mind that RiRi is in about the wrecking love with her lover that all in the doubts that she still wants him to stay because she feels it that way. RiRi did a good job in creating much emotion and vulnerability as she can in this song to truly make it more understandable and captivating that how wrecked she is, she wants to covet her lover. This is a great song. Mikky Ekko also did a good job in this song to make it more impactful and let the doubts sink in. He did a good job in mirroring Rihanna. They did well separate and together in the song. Mikky is one of the co-writers in this song and also writes songs for Lana Del Ray. In addition, he has his own music which is not bad and different than his feature here. Stay was #1 in my personal countdown. BTW, I don’t know if I mention this or not, but I think I have snubbed Loveeeeeee Song out of the Best of completely. Oh well, can’t remember em’ all. Hmm I wonder where RiRi is staying with this time as in with the next lover not the whole one night stand because she‘s the It girl.