Coming straight from the mind of the great leader and god-king. Like the movie theaters, I have willingly given up my free will to choose my own entertainment and now obey the all mighty and powerful.
However, not all is lost. As crazy as it seems, Kim Jong Un and I actually have the EXACT same taste in music, movies, television, video games, etc... What were the odds of that happening?
And the totalitarian regime forced its people to come up with new ways to make this extremely long running year end list fresh. And just like Bane, I am taking this gift and giving it back to you, the people. Like the idea to make a top 20-25 lists of my favorite songs that didn't make the top 50 albums cut. It would work as a combination of a close call list and recognition of great songs that didn't have great albums accompanying them. Thank you, Kim!
So first up will be annual history of #1s, then the close call list, somewhere along the way I'll judge the other media forms and the main event will be a TOP 50 albums list, five more than last year! So sit back and prepare for a goodie. And thank the heavens that unlike the movie theaters, me giving up my free will will not affect the experience for anyone else!
Running list
TV/Internet Show Of The Year - The Legend Of Korra
Video Game Of The Year - Dragon Age: Inquisition
50. Do It Again by Royskopp and Robyn
49. Seeds by TV On The Radio
48. Strange Desire by Bleachers
47. A Better Tomorrow by Wu-Tang Clan
46. Unraveling by We Were Promised Jetpacks
45. New Crown by Wolfmother
44. The Satanist by Behemoth
43. Once More 'Round The Sun by Mastodon
42. 48:13 by Kasabian
41. I Never Learn by Lykke Li
40. Voices by Phantogram
39. Honor Is All We Know by Rancid
38. Morning Phase by Beck
37. High Hopes by Bruce Springsteen
36. Heartstrings by Leighton Meester
35. Shattered by Reigning Sound
34. Everyday Robots by Damon Albarn
33. The Both by The Both
32. Bazaar by Wampire
31. Wasted Years by Off!
30. Manipulator by Ty Segall
29. Ghost Stories by Coldplay
28. G I R L by Pharrell Williams
27. The Outsiders by Eric Church
26. Rips by Ex Hex
25. Hesitant Alien by Gerard Way
24. Oxymoron by Schoolboy Q
23. The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets by Marmozets
22. Cadillactica by Big K.R.I.T.
21. After The Disco by Broken Bells
20. Turn Blue by The Black Keys
19. My Everything by Ariana Grande
18. Here And Nowhere Else by Cloud Nothings
17. Little Machines by Lights
16. Education, Education, Education And War by Kaiser Chiefs
15. Mastermind by Rick Ross
14. Songs Of Innocence by U2
13. Lost In The Dream by The War On Drugs
12. Royal Blood by Royal Blood
11. Sheezus by Lily Allen
10. About Last Night by Sleeper Agent
9. Commonwealth by Sloan
8. The Physical World by Death From Above 1979
7. Sonic Highways by Foo Fighters
6. My Krazy Life by YG
5. Everything Will Be Alright In The End by Weezer
4. Lazaretto by Jack White
3. RTJ2 by Run The Jewels
2. They Want My Soul by Spoon
1. 1989 by Taylor Swift
2003: "Meteora" by Linkin Park / "Faint" by Linkin Park
2004: "Start Something" by lostprophets ft. voldemort / "Ch-Check It Out" by Beastie Boys
2005: "Plans" by Death Cab For Cutie / "Helena" by My Chemical Romance
2006: "The Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance / "When You Were Young" by The Killers
2007: "Sound Of Silver" by LCD Soundsystem / "Through The Fire And Flames" by Dragonforce
2008: "Death Magnetic" by Metallica / "All Nightmare Long" by Metallica
2009: "It's Blitz!" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs / "Panic Switch" by Silversun Pickups
2010: "This Is Happening" by LCD Soundsystem / "Dance Yourself Clean" by LCD Soundsystem
2011: "Something To Die For" by The Sounds / "Get Away" by Yuck
2012: "Be The Void" by Dr. Dog / "Little Talks" by Of Monsters And Men
2013: "Modern Vampires Of The City" by Vampire Weekend / "Unbelievers" by Vampire Weekend
2014: "1989" by Taylor Swift / "Oh My Darling Don't Cry" by Run The Jewels
OK here we go, sponsored by the People's Peace Army, the top 20 Kind Of Close Calls. This is taken from my itunes and spotify, so it may not be entirely complete, but oh well. It will include any song that was really into this year that did not make the final album cut of 2014 (or 2013!). Since the site is very slow right now, I will not post tube videos until the main event. But y'all will probably recognize most of these anyways, unlike the albums list.
20. "Lockdown" by Amy Lee
-What a strange album. Over half of it is the exact same violen/piano riffs over and over. There's also a song that belongs in the freak tent of the Xerxes from 300. Another renowned god-king! "Lockdown" and "Push The Button" are the lone good songs, and the first is better and good enough to make this list. I still love you Amy, but please, give Ben Moody a call. You two are a lot better together than on your own.
19. "Cloud 69" by Lowell
-I never got around to finishing this album, recommended by the wise master TC, but the beginning was pretty good. Kind of sounds like a mix between MIA and Lily Allen.
18. "Guilty All The Same" by Linkin Park ft. Rakim
-I like the idea of trying to recapture their old hip-hop/nu-metal sound, but it just didn't work very well. Rakim's verse on this song is the stand out of the album.
17. "Habits (Stay High)" by Tove Lo
-The original version, mind you. The remix annoys both the great leader and myself. "Heroes" and "Time Bomb" are pretty great too, rest of the album is meh.
16. "Beggin For Thread" by Banks
-The world is obsessed with this album, but it just didn't do anything for me, besides this song.
15. "Done" by The Band Perry
-Country usually doesn't have much a presence on my lists, and this album is from last year. However, it is a great album and a great song, bucking my internal biases! Therefore it deserves recognition.
14. "Don't Panic" by French Montana
-Mostly for the beat, created by Mr. DJ Mustard, who had a fantastic year. "Don't Tell Em" didn't on this list, but is also a good song. Mustard will appear on the albums list though, probably very high.
13. "Don't" by Ed Sheeran
-This little ginger almost cracked the top 50! I certainly did not see that coming. Unfortunately for him, there was an excess of good stuff this year, and he ends up on the close calls list. Still impressive for an artist I had written off as crap. Sorry Ed! I should've listened to Taylor.
12. "I'm Not The Only One" by Sam Smith
-You sayyyyyyy I'm crazy, but I like this song better than "Stay With Me". Not sure he deserved a grammy nomination for album of the year, but there are certainly worse choices.
11. "All About You" by Hilary Duff
-I guess Duff is filling the country-pop void left by Taylor. A very catchy, line-dancing worthy track. I hope the album is closer to this than the awful "Chasing The Sun".
10. "Pompeii" by Bastille
-Does it always feel like nottthing has changed at all. The movie Pompeii was surprisingly good too. And I just started rewatching Rome, during the episodes where Pompey is still alive. Caesar is the main though, and that won't last for very long, historical spoiler alert.
9. "Pretty Green" by White Denim
-This is cheating, since the song was released in the middle of 2013, but this song was big for me (and Kim) this year. And we both regret not going to see them with Arctic Monkeys in June. You're allllllways onnnn.
8. "The Best Day" by Thurston Moore
-This would be the #51 album at the moment, and it might even make its way back into the top 50. For now, this Sonic Youth alum will have to settle for the close calls list.
7. "Really Don't Care" by Demi Lovato
-"Heart Attack" would have been #1 if this list existed last year. Demi has always been great at putting out killer singles, but her albums are likewise always full of filler. At least she'll have an excellent Greatest Hits.
6. "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glyn
-Violin based pop music! Feed me more says the Ryback. This took a very long time to hit over here in the States, but it was inevitably going to. The violin based pop version of "Headstrong" one could say.
5. "Ghost" by Ella Henderson
-I didn't love the album, but this song along is a very promising start for this Brit. Kind reminds me of late 90s/early 2000s pop which was like a mixture of Backstreet Boys and Fiona Apple. Michelle Brancy, before she ruined her career by doing Maxim.
4. "Come With Me Now" by Kongos
-Accordion based rock! Feed me more! I think I read this song actually came out in Australia like two years ago? Better late than never.
3. "Boom Clap" by Charli XCX
-Sucker, the album, might end up being more enjoyable than my #50 in future years. But since I just heard it a few days ago, and it's not that amazing, Charli gets bumped to the close calls. "Boom Clap", however, is anything but meh. If I do a real songs of the year list this will most certainly be on it. Thank you, The Fault In Our Stars OST, for showing us this side of Charli.
2. "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High" by Arctic Monkeys
-Yes, AM did not make my list last year. One of two albums I will formally apologize too, so I'll save my thoughts for later.
1. "I Blame Myself" by Sky Ferreira
-Perhaps you kids can help me out, because I still have no clue how to pronounce her last name. Night Time, My Time, the album, would have most certainly been in the top 50 if it was released this year. This is a perfect pop song, with ties to the past present and future. I guess Sky is a bit of a naughty girl, based on the lyrics of the song, and her boobs on the album cover. Ah heck, screw Bandwith, you all deserve a youtube vid of this greatness! Don't worry censors, she is not naked in the video, only the album cover.
The top 50 albums will begin either very late tonight or when I get up tomorrow. I still have a little tuning to do on it, but the 50 are pretty much set.
The original version, mind you. The remix annoys both the great leader and myself.
As it should. The remix is the musical equivalent of cancer.
Did you check out "I'm Only Joking"? Because if you liked "Come With Me Now", it would be difficult not to enjoy "I'm Only Joking". And I think it's pronounced "Fur-ERR-ah".
Habits (Stay High) + Pompeii + Come With Me Now + Really Don't Care + Boom Clap + Guilty All The Same + Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High + Don't + Beggin For Thread <33
I shall bow to North Korea's perfect taste. i am excited to read through more of your (excuse me, NK's) thread, as this was a great start! My favourites from this past set The Band Perry (yeah!!! Great song and great album!), Duff (thanks for bringing that to our attention!), White Denim (almost typed White Fence, who are also great!), Charli XCX, and THE MONKEYS! I am glad you finally got into that album!
2003: "Meteora" by Linkin Park / "Faint" by Linkin Park
2005: "Plans" by Death Cab For Cutie / "Helena" by My Chemical Romance
2006: - / "When You Were Young" by The Killers
2008: "Death Magnetic" by Metallica / "All Nightmare Long" by Metallica
2009: "It's Blitz!" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs / "Panic Switch" by Silversun Pickups
2010: "This Is Happening" by LCD Soundsystem / "Dance Yourself Clean" by LCD Soundsystem
2012: - / "Little Talks" by Of Monsters And Men
2013: "Modern Vampires Of The City" by Vampire Weekend / -
Panic Switch and All Nightmare song. Both superb tracks. Can't wait to see what you've got this year!
Boom Clap, Ghost good songs. The only one that, imo, should be part of the main countdown is "Habits". That song is one of my favorits of 2014, both the original & the remix.
Can't wait for more!