Last year I shared the widely popular Hot ZV 2013 year-end chart with ATRL. Please feel free to check it out and relive the magic as you prepare for this edition! For those who do not know, I do keep a weekly Top 50 chart and the results of this year end countdown are taken directly from those weekly charts. In 2013 a total of 376 songs made the weekly charts; and in 2014 a near-equal 359 songs made the weekly charts. Both years had crazy turnover; mostly because there was so much great music out there!

For this countdown, we will look at the 125 songs with the strongest performances on my chart; mainly because those were my favourite songs this year! The main Top 100 songs are accompanied by a Bubbling Under section of 25 songs. A forewarning; this countdown will be more enjoyable for you if you know what to expect. If you expect a lot of Mainstream Top 40 songs to dominate, you may be disappointed. There will be plenty throughout the countdown, but they will be outnumbered by songs and acts you likely haven't been exposed to if you don't venture out of the normal pop realms. I provide short clips of all of the songs for your listening pleasure all spliced together so you can give them a taste. If you come in expecting to maybe find something new and exciting, you will enjoy yourself!

I will tackle the Bubbling Under section between now and January 3rd. I will then tackle the lower region of the main chart between then and January 10th. I will then wrap up the top half of the chart by January 17th (I may delay the Top 10 and space them out over the week of the 17th to the 24th). As a bonus, to celebrate 2014, I will have 14 "Flashback Tracks". These will be tracks that were Hot ZV smashes before 2014; but will be specifically ones that had good recurrent play this year. They can range from rather recent to very old; but they are all worth checking out all the same. I hope you all enjoy this edition of Hot ZV.

Can't wait to see your list of songs

Cute banner Can't wait for this!

Great banner.

Enjoyed your list last year so I'm excited for this and can't wait to discover new music!

cute Banner, can't wait tosee what you get this year

Interesting Should be a good one!

BUBBLING UNDER: #125-111


Tove Lo had a very strong showing on my personal chart this year; and here she kicks things off alongside Lucas Nord on a wonderfully melodic modern trance track.


Only one 2013 mash-up made my personal chart; and this is it. Although this actually wasn't the strongest 2013 mash-up, it was just the one that was able to have a full chart run in 2013 whereas the others were released in early December of 2013 and lost some critical weeks of their chart runs. Better 2013 mash-ups include:
Marcus Coronel - Do It All Again 2013
Mashup-Germany - Top Of The Pops 2013 (Hey Brother)
Daniel Kim - Pop Danthology 2013
Isosine - Nonstop Pop 2013


This song was #32 of 2013; both of its weeks at #1 were in that year. Still the trail end of its chart run was enough to let it squeak back in here. It's a great song, and was the precursor to me falling in love in Tove Lo and her amazing vocals.


This is the first song of THREE that will be on this list with "lion" and "heart" in its title. I guess this was just the year of the lion. She sounds really nice on the chorus of this song; the hook before the chorus is probably the weakest part of the song.


Wonderfully mellow. This song helps put you into a nice trance and helps you relax. The "ooo"s throughout the song are just perfect. Really awesome singing voice during the verses.




It was nice getting to see this song "smash" on Billboard. It's a neat little song, and really easy to appreciate. It's raw and organic and has some good emotion.


A swell little diddy right here. This song really gets its strength from the chorus. While the verse are good, the chorus is just so good and has a great melody.


Not her best, but I cannot resist an excuse to listen to a sample of "Baby Got Back" which is pretty much one of my favourite tracks ever. Nicki did a solid job with it; although the track dragging on towards the end is what killed its replay value.


Another Tove Lo showing, and again a collaboration from her. Her vocals are really strong on this one, the production actually ends up distracting from them which is unfortunate.


This duo of acts proved to be a force to be reckoned with overseas, and I can see why. This track is truly terrific. Her vocals are as strong and intimate as ever and the instrumental strings are absolutely addicting.




It's no secret that I have a soft spot for Train; they scored my #1 song of 2013 after all. This year they didn't have as much success, but this track was a bright spot for them. It's a pretty quirky and danceable track; makes you cheese hard.


A great track with a terrible burn rate. Here the vocals function less as vocals and more as additional instruments in this melodic journey. The song is mellow and shifts through some really uplifting moods as it progresses.


The name drops work so well in this song, and I admit they're a big part of what drew me in with this one. Just an enjoyable for-fun song from him this go around.


The verses are just killer on this one. Really good rhyme plays with the subject matter. It's a refreshing take on a common subject in songs, and it pays off.


Michael Woods steals the show on this one; the instrumental vastly outperforms the vocals here. The vocals and lyrics are solid of course; but the instrumental carries you through.



Hot ZV | 2014: #125-111


Thank you for your patience, I'm still very much planning on getting this countdown completed despite falling so far behind. I hope there is still interest and that you check out a track or two! I posted the snippets of these songs at the top and bottom; give them a listen through and see if there is anything you like, a 15 second taste might be all you need to get hooked! Upcoming: a pair of flashback tracks!

FLASHBACK #1

Sakai Mikio - Drastic My Soul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7olMM4AVj3k

Funny enough, I'm leading off with quite the peculiar flashback track in the sense it wasn't a mega-hit for me back when I originally discovered it. It was just a song from an anime I had never seen that I just listened to and thought was okay enough to have in my library. But this year, for whatever reason this track just took off for me. This song got a ton of recurrent play from me this year, and I really found a new connection with it. I've come to adore the garbled mess at the beginning even.

FLASHBACK #2

Candee Jay - If I Were You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fwC8js6HMg

Now on the other hand this song was my absolute life as a young teenager. The lyrics are pretty cheesy and shallow, but I can't help but love it. The nostalgia for this song hit me this year and it got some great recurrent play this year. Really this has just always been a song I've loved and will likely continue to love forever.

BUBBLING UNDER: #110-101


Taylor Swift managed to sneak a good batch of songs into my Top 100 year-end; but she did have some close-calls like this one. The hook is everything with this song; she just makes it work. The rest of the song isn't as strong.


His first Top 10 on my personal chart. He hadn't really had much success with me before this song. This ended up being a very nice and listenable effort from him. Good melodies throughout.


I love the diversity in this track! This is another artist who hasn't really had too many hits with me; but this is a standout in his catalog. Really great lyrics and message in this song. It has a really unique flavour.


An amazingly deep and dingy track. I love the whole sublime feeling of it all. Absolutely amazing vocals and a really even track from start to finish. The lighter but subdued vocals over the murky instrumentals make a track with excellent replay value.


A selection from Tove Lo's "The Sex" portion of her album. The intro goes well with the song and it keeps on pumping throughout. The chorus though is what makes you keep coming back for more.




This was my #49 track of 2013, so it missing the Top 100 this year isn't a bad thing at all. Of course, this was the year of the lion on Hot ZV as this is the second song we've seen thus far about lions and hearts. There will be one more. This is a really neat and peppy alternative rock track with a really fun theme and clever lyrics.


And here we really delve into the dark and desperate musical realm with this amazing track. This song might come off as overly drawn at first, but really I couldn't picture it any other way. The lyrics can give you a chill when you listen to it in the right frame of mind; the surprisingly depressing yet realistic characterization of the struggles with drug addiction are powerful. The near-whisper on the second hook is excellent.


Comedy tracks are no strangers to my chart and this is a great one to highlight! All of his polka mash-ups are slam dunks; and this one was no different in that regard. He really did well adding some new flavour and spin to a lot of mainstream hits. Some of the best renditions in here include "Wrecking Ball", "Thrift Shop", and "Scream and Shot". An all-around fun track!


A very reasonable choice for her third single from 1989; this track offers a raw look at the mischievous and careless side of young adulthood. She has a great way with portraying situations with enough familiarity that you can get impressed in them just by closing your eyes and listening. Some really good storytelling on this track with some killer flavours of pop production. Taylor will actually place another six tracks from 1989 in my Top 100; so be on the lookout.


Beautifully candid and another raunchy highlight from Tove Lo's "The Sex" portion of her album. I love the brutally honest lyricism and the production just begs the content on and on. The track has some nice flavour and some humour injected which is always a plus for me. Despite the heavy amount of Tove in this bubbling under section; she only managed to place three tracks in the Top 100.



Hot ZV | 2014: #110-101


I hope you give these snippets a quick check to find what interests you! Expect some more flashbacks soon!

FLASHBACK #3

Armin van Buuren - Shivers ft. Susana

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCmDEnN8gkw

Similarly to "Drastic My Soul": Now here's a song I never truly appreciated until this year. I absolutely love his trance productions; but even though I loved this one it has always been overshadowed in a sense. However, this was the year where I really connected with this song; and there wasn't even a reason or corresponding life event. For whatever reason when I came back to it it hit me head on. Despite being fairly upbeat for a trance record; the lyrics are woefully haunting. I never really appreciated the desperation and struggle hidden within Susana's voice, especially with the "Just a little bit" murmur. This song really does live up to its name, especially at the first instance of her plea: "How could it end this way? Don't leave me. Love me. Just a little bit longer." The painful yearning is those lyrics really connect when you let yourself get immersed in this song. I'm very happy that this song made its way back to me this year. Armin's production of course really does bridge the necessary gaps and ultimately does leave you with a somber mood appropriate for this track.

FLASHBACK #4

HΛL - I'll Be The One

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym7DkndaHQQ

On the other hand; here is a track that has held a special place in my heart since I originally heard it. And unlike "Drastic My Soul" this actually was from an anime I did watch: "Hikaru no Go". This song is what I ended up taking away from that; so I consider it time well spent from my teenage years. The vocals here are absolutely stunning and beautiful. The strength and the power behind her vocals drive the raw emotion in this song home and really immerses you in the song. Of course, the beginning is more timid and shy; but this only sets you up for the burst of energy that this song is ready to pound out. I absolutely enjoy the production on this track; it's simply stellar. The piano keys are well placed and really help to bring about the mood of the song. The breakdown in production at the bridge is my jam. Overall this is one of those songs I can pretty much listen to forever; a classic for me.

Anaconda, Heroes, Real Love
Jubel! That song is amazing! really underrated on ATRL

Hot ZV | 2014: #100-91


And we begin our countdown of my favourite songs of 2014 with quite the unique track. The innocent beatboxing alongside a soft electrocore beat makes for quite the experience. In reality it fits the title more than anything else ever could. This track has a really unique flavour and can grow on you easily. The chorus is a complete earworm with easy to digest lyrics and vocals that just beg you to sing along.


Perhaps an often missed track from 1989; this song really ended up growing to be one of my favourites. This song has some brutally self-aware and shameless lyrics; which really make up the meat of the song. The production is slick and really puts the groove into you. The verses are lyrical candy and the chorus offers some great hooks.


A really solid country track; even if it ends up falling prey to the vices that plague modern-day bro-country. The guitar in the background just hooks me so damn well. The verses are more of the fun type of speed-singtalk with a very singsongy chorus. It's just so listenable even if it's a bit of a throwaway track.


Some absolutely stellar techno production with a big house tinge. The vocals on this track perfectly fit the subject matter; for a more mature relationship story. The breakdown is pleasant and not overdone; and fades back into the vocals easily and skillfully. The second verse has some great lines and really helps make you appreciate the record.


My #5 track of 2013; this song had a much stronger run in that year than it did during this one. But that's okay, cause this was a massive song overall and I love it to death. The rap verse is epic and the trap tinges mesh with Katy so well! I wrote a lot on this last year; so I won't delve too deep this go around.




Now this is just flat out a good song. Absolutely beautiful vocals on this track, that really come to life on the chorus. Really clever lyrics throughout with a cute hook that just makes you smile. Good organic production that keeps you pumping as you sing along. It's not a track that can be spun on repeat easily; but it's one I've found I can go back to easily and have it sound very fresh if I haven't heard it in a bit.


A very tongue-in-cheek bubblegum pop dance track from a breakthrough pop artist. The lyrics are very narrow in their target audience; with verses that require some loosening up to sing along to. Still the fun production and super groovy chorus just makes this an enjoyable dance record.


Now here's a track from 1989 that immediately caught my attention. She sounds absolutely timid as she begins her verses, slowly filling her voice with more courage before letting out a powered up chorus that ends on the same timid note the verses began with. The vulnerability shows on this track despite it being a track oriented on strength and moving on. I really like how it was laid out.


A track we're all sure to be familiar with; who couldn't love this very laid back groove? The production is amazing, with some really good string play and overall ambiance. The vocals here are touching. The emotion just bleeds through with each word; especially the subdued backing vocals that give such a feeling of hopelessness and despair. Really good lyrical content helps paint a picture of sorrow; yet the song manages to stay in a comfortable territory without getting too dark thanks to the light production.


This song is really damn delightful. The music video only adds to that adding some humour and a whole ton of happiness. Really, this track gives you a serious case of the feel good when you listen to it. The beat is so uplifting with a cute 'robotic' tinge thrown in. The vocals are soft when they need to be and attention grabbing when they need to be. The breakdown is just pure bliss on this track.



Hot ZV | 2014: #100-91


I hope you give these snippets a quick check to find what interests you! Expect some more flashbacks soon!

FLASHBACK #5

Laziest Men On Mars - Invasion Of The Gabber Robots

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRzBVv2CSE0

Now looking at that title you're probably thinking you've never heard this track; but don't be surprised to find that you very likely have if you're a 90s kid. A very early Internet phenomenon, you likely have always just know this song as "All Your Base". Now here was something that my friends an I adored when we were little kids. It was funny, it was silly; how did they get all of those signs and such to say that?! Ah, the world before Photoshop was common practice. The track is nothing more than a mash-up of some tracks and audio clips from a video game; but it's so skillfully crafted into a pumping techno track it has left a big mark on culture and me as well. I ended up having a bit of a flirtation with this song again this year; that ended up with me spamming it a ton. It really is catchy. Especially the bridge; oh my goodness the bridge is to die for, it's what I look forward to the most with each listen of the song. The mechanical robot voice just works on this one. Likely a track that I will always have a chuckle with and find enjoyment from.

Too Cool To Dance is growing on me lately
And I love Waves! That remix is flawless, one of my favorite songs of 2014

Hot ZV | 2014: #90-81


Very unique and fresh. Vibrant production with vocals drowned in the best way possible; they are still clearly audible and understandable but very much an accent to the grooving beats in the background. The backing vocals are really impressive here. The lyrics are cute and put a smile upon your face.


A band that had much success with prior album Picture Show, Pop Psychology only managed to get two songs on my year-end list. This was the lead single and while it is a solid song it was a letdown somewhat for me. The production is the best part, I absolutely what they ventured into on this track. The lyrics are really strong in the verses, but the theme is kind of weak overall considering what they've explored. Still good easy listening.


Now if you're wanting a much more organic, nitty gritty track this would be a perfect choice. This song is absolutely breathtaking. The production is very low-key and sets such a chilling tone to the song, perfect for the subject matter at hand. The lyrics tell a depressingly relateable tale for many I'm sure. The vocals really dig down into your core and can leave a big impact.


I must say I'm a real sucker for any track that begins with the sound of rain and thunder. Both the intro and outro of this song are very minimalistic and do exactly what they are supposed to: get down into essence of your being and expose your vulnerabilities. Of course, this sets you to be completely blasted away by the amazing guitar play that comes in. The screaming on this track is so well placed; the buildup was executed with expert precision here.


A really wonderful alternative-leaning electro blend of sounds pulsates through this track for an awesome experience. I enjoy the lyrical content of this song, it's really fun to sing along with and the vocals present it in an intriguing manner. The vocals really do 'follow-along' so to say with the production; with their force mirroring how the track is progressing. This is our highest ranking song about lions and hearts of the three that charted this year.




Now here's an artist who definitely took me by surprise and made me fall in love with this song. The lyrical content is remarkably depressing; despite the tone seeming more despondent than anything else. The instrumentals on this track are actually more swingy, with a more upbeat and mystical nature in the first half and downright timid in the second half. The vocals and lyrics definitely take a nosedive into depressing territory there.


A song most will be familiar with. This track actually was a real quick hit for me and then ended up crashing and burning on me spectacularly. This is one of the weakest #1 tracks I've ever had on my personal chart. It was very flash-in-the-pan for me. The "o-o-o"s definitely got me hooked, and Iggy's verse seemed like a total bop. But it just wore off much too quickly.


Another really fun track from Pitbull. His hooks always have this charm to them that really makes you have some respect for his musical ear. His ability to spot a good hook and to execute it is top notch; his savvy business skills are also respectable. Pitbull can lay a quick verse like no other, and it definitely shows here. The instrumental has a great salsa flavour thrown in for good measure to keep the ball on fire.


A track I am so happy to have run across this year. It's always wonderful hearing something really different and unique. The production is so good here; I love how it keeps you gravitating back in to the song; then the "o-o-o"s going along with it just make it all the better. I love the wordplay in this track, and the lyrics in general tell a great story. The vocals here are perfect and accent the production so very well.


A really swell alternative track here. The vocals are filled with plenty of staccato during the intro of each verse which actually shows a stark contrast from the flowing chorus. I love how it's all pieced together on this track. The production really owns itself and stands out for a distinct track. I love the sound of his vocals on this record as well.



Hot ZV | 2014: #90-81


I hope you give these snippets a quick check to find what interests you! Expect some more flashbacks soon!

FLASHBACK #6

Nobuo Uematsu - To Zanarkand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-0G_FI61a8

Perhaps one of the most touching (likely the most) instrumental pieces from a video game soundtrack I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. This is an absolutely brilliant score and can be chilling and haunting under the right circumstances. It's so easy to get engulfed in the emotions that swirl around in this piece. It was placed excellently within the game which helped to give it an everlasting place in my memory. This is the song that pops into mind if Final Fantasy is ever mentioned; it definitely had a huge impact. I revisited it this year and it was as addicting and emotional as ever. Definitely a track worth checking out.

Sleeping With A Friend is an amazing song!
Look Away I love Lo-Fang's music!
Problem is great and Fireball my guilty pleasure