Hi everybody! I am a relatively new user and this is my first Top 100 ever in the website! However, this is the fifth year that I do a year-end top 100 countdown. My favorite genres are rock and pop in all its forms. I also like international music, and you may find Latin pop and rock, French pop, and even K-Pop (at least a song) in this countdown. These are not 100 ranbdom songs put together: I followed a mathematical approach based on longevity. From the weekly top 15, I award 15 points to the number one song, 14 to the number 2, and so it goes.
Let me begin with the 12 that, unfortunately, missed the cut:
I usually make Top 20's, and to consider making my year-end lists I give 25pts to the 1st place, 22 to the second, 20 to the third, 18 to the fourth, 16 to the fifth, 15 to the sixth and so on. Glad to see you use a similar approach. Looking forward to this.
112. 3OH!3-"Set You Free"
I wish these guys would invade the pop music scen like they did three years ago. This song is very good and the "oohs" remind me of Chilean band Kudai.
111. Gusttavo Lima-"Balada"
This guy was part of a Brazilian wave that invaded the world in 2012. If you lived in the Netherlands, you felt the Portuguese language and the tropical rythm strongly.
110.The All-American Rejects-"Beekeeper's Daughter"
I miss this band that enjoyed success in 2009. Their new material was fresh and cool, but failed to gather much attention. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meDZPbTgJIs
109.Torreblanca-"Roma"
I'm a Mexican hipster, what can I say?
!
108.Bridgit Mendler-"Ready or Not"
I've seen her in TV, but as a singer, Bridgit has a strikingly different voice and attitude.
107.Juan Magan-"Bailando Por Ahi"
This song is by a Spanish artist but you may well confound it for a Puerto Rican reggaetonero. I usually dislike the genre, but this song provides a catchy and not repetitive chorus.
106.Lana Del Rey-"Video Games"
She is unique, classy, simple, cool, controversial, sexy. She is Lana Del Rey.
105.Neon Hitch-"F U Betta"
Her voice, I think, would sound better in an indie song. But her pop song proves that she is capable of a Britney-like record.
104.Cage The Elephant-"Aberdeen"
This rock song surprised me. I love the sound of the guitar and the voice of the singer. Take me back to the nineties!
103.Vazquez Sounds-"Forget You"
A great cover by a girl (and her brothers) that has the potential to be the next Selena Gomez or Demi Lovato.
102.Disco Ruido!-"Morfeo"
This alternative song is like a poem, one written by a strange captain who watches octopuses and whales in a glass sea.
101.Skrillex featuring Sirah-"Bangarang"
Skrillex proved wrong everyone who said that all EDM music sounds the same with his music. Bangarang is like a hymn of rebellion, and I wish I heard it more so it could be in the Top 100
Those were the 12 songs that missed the Top 100 of 2012. Now, the Top 100 starts:
100.One Direction-"Live While We're Young"
I couldn't resist the "crazy crazy crazy" hook in this song. Not a fan of 1D, but I have to acknowledge they are talented.
099.The Wanted-"Chasing The Sun"
Another boy band? The chorus in "Chasing The Sun" reminds me of wild gorillas.
098.Poncho-"Please Me"
This song comes from Argentina but is as good as any pop song produced in Europe!
097.Matt and Kim-"Let's Go"
This song is still new to me. The video got my attention instantly, and, of course, made me unconfortable.
096.B.O.B. featuring Taylor Swift-"Both of Us"
This song is a contradiction! B.O.B.'s rap and Taylor's sweet voice was an interesting mix!
095.Madonna featuring Nicki Minaj & M.I.A.-"Give Me All Your Luvin'"
She is the queen...of football? The performance of this song was spectacular and it was a good comeback for Madonna!
094.Foster The People-"Don't Stop (Colors On The Walls)"
This is one of those playful songs that I like to play while in the car.
093.Walk Off The Earth-"Somebody That I Used to Know"
One guitar + six people=awesome! Not as good as the original, but pretty good nevertheless.
092.Calvin Harris-"Feel So Close"
I admire Calvin because not only he is a DJ but he has an amzing voice. David Guetta, you should try it!
091.Scars On 45-"Heart On Fire"
Whether you classify this band as alternative, pop-country, or adult contamporary, "Heart On Fire" is a sweet ballad to sing in a moment of hardship.
080.Zoe featuring Lo Blondo-"Luna (MTV Unplugged)"
Zoe is my favorite Latin rock band. "Luna," however, sounds more like a ballad than a rock song.
079.BB Brunes-"Coups et Blessures"
France, you hold many musical treasures which you refuse to share with the world.
078.The Killers-"Runaways"
If your marriage lost its life, don't call The Killers. They may remind you that you should file a divorce.
077.Astro-"Ciervos"
I mentioned Argentina before, but Chile has impressive music as well. Astro is a band that may remind you of MGMT.
076.One Direction-"What Makes You Beautiful"
If you didn't fall in love with this song for at least a second, then something is wrong with you!
075.Breathe Carolina-"Blackout"
If you miss the emo fashion but like electronic music at the same time, Breathe Carolina fits you perfectly
074.Karmin-"Brokenhearted"
Before pop stars, they were viral stars. Their first single combines pop, rock and a little bit of R&B in the girl's voice.
073.Panda-"Romance en Re Sostenido"
They never get old! Panda continues to be one of the most influential Mexican bands with their new work, which gets closer to their old style.
072.Art vs. Science-"Parlez-Vous Francais?"
I know this is old, but I allowed it to chart because I did not discover it before. It is a good attempt from an English-speaking band to parler French.
071.Mika-"Elle Me Dit"
For the third time, the French language comes into play. Mika delivers the anxieties that a guy can feel if his mother wants him to go out.
I found this song thanks to a smartphone add and I have loved it ever since. It sounds as if it was meant to be heard in a jazzy bar (though it is not jazz at all).
069.Ellie Goulding-"Anything Could Happen"
Ellie has a strange voice that I found very pleasing. I like the "I know it's gonna be."
Britney is a legend and will is a genius. What do you get from that equation?
067.The Naked and Famous-"Young Blood"
Thanks New Zealand for this song. It is calm, and I feel as if I'm playing a videogame when I hear it.
066.Suarez-"Qu'est-ce que j'aime ca?"
Do you think your life sucks? Thousands of people live in worse conditions.
065.Martin Solveig-"The Night Out"
Martin is the second DJ in this countdown that combines his disc jockey skills with his voice. He had experience with singing before becoming famous in the EDM world.
064.Belinda-"En El Amor Hay Que Perdonar"
The princess of Mexican pop, Belinda experiments with electronic rhythms in this track.
063.The Wanted-"Glad You Came"
Many called this song generic, but I actually thought there are very few songs like this one. A song for partying, no doubt!
062.Marina & The Diamonds-"Primadonna"
Very few artists can be popstarts while being artists for hipsters. But Marina has that privilege.
Miguel comes back and for his new single chose Ximena, one of my favorite Latin singers. This ballad uses well the piano, and in YouTube, people can't stop criticizing Ximena for a fake Spanish accent, which in my opinion she doesn't even have!
When I start to love Glee, it loses popularity. This world is so ironic!
059.Ximena Sarinana-"Echo Park"
Ximena thinks about a guy who plays guitar in this cool electro-inspired song.
058.Pitbull-"Back In Time"
I didn't see Men in Black 3, but I heard this song, and I liked it. It climbed to position number 2 in my weekly countdowns.
057.Neon Trees-"Everybody Talks"
Even though they have enjoyed success, nobody talks much about Neon Trees. That's bad because they are among the best acts in pop radio right now.
056.Train-"50 Ways to Say Goodbye"
The message behind this song: Don't be nervous before saying goodbye! It must happen anyways!
055.Zedd featuring Matthew Koma-"Spectrum"
Two youngsters making a song about love. Did I mention the electronic beats and the allien girl in the video?
054.Avicii-"Le7els"
Flo Rida stole one of the most precious hits of the year. Well, it doesn't matter because Avicii works with so many people, including Madonna! Advice: Don't touch flowers that come out of people's mouth.
053.Chiddy Bang featuring Icona Pop-"Mind Your Manners"
A chorus of children singing. A guy that falls in love with his school's principal. This song is not complex, but it is very funny!
052.Jessie J-"Domino"
Jessie J has such a cool voice! If it wasn't for Whitney Houston, the Grammys, and the Superbowl, this song would have gone to number one in the US!
051.360 featuring Gossling-"Boys Like You"
Australian rap is something that this song introduced to me. These two warn people not to brag about their "accomplishments."
Although this wasn't the biggest year for Foster The People, they delivered one of the best videos (Grammy-nominated) and songs.
049.Sak Noel-"Where/Loka People"
This Spanish DJ took the world by surprise this year. I use the phrase "Johnny, la gente esta muy loca" everytime I see a strange person.
048.Kimbra featuring Mark Foster & A-Track-"Warrior"
The best collaboration this year! Kimbra is such a good fighter and mariachi singer LOL
047.Imagine Dragons-"It's Time"
This indie ballad was another surprise this year. It is both depressing and uplifting.
046.Sam & The Womp-"Bom Bom"
They could be the next LMFAO! The only difference is that they use the trumpet instead of the synthetizer.
045.GROUPLOVE-"Itchin' On A Photograph"
What a sad alternative song! The title of the song is a metaphor for missing the past.
044.Die Antwoord-"Enter The Ninja"
I discovered this South African rappers thanks to an article saying they fought with Lady Gaga via twitter. They're very strange, but very original as well.
043.Cher Lloyd-"Want U Back"
This british teenager gave us one of the most bubblegum songs of the year. I don't think she's crying right now!
042.Of Monsters and Men-"Mountain Sound"
Iceland refuses to keep their good artists, unlike France! These Icelandic sextet has one of the most organic songs: "Mountain Sound"
041.Florence + The Machine featuring Calvin Harris-"Spectrum (Say My Name)"
When I heard that Calvin Harris remixed a Florence + The Machine song, I panicked. Who would've guessed it was so good? I wish it could achieved more success in the States.
Alright, I usually dislike them. But for some reason this song stuck to my mind.
039.Delux featuring Stacy Clark, Hyro Da Hero & Will Salazar-"Hey Lover"
Another obscure band, Delux had one of the cutest rock songs of the year! Besides, it combines English and Spanish.
038.Marina & The Diamonds-"How to Be a Heartbreaker"
Marina decides to change the roles and wants the girls to break hearts. She sure does it in the video for this song.
037.Olly Murs featuring Rizzle Kicks-"Heart Skips a Beat"
Olly Murs is a star in the UK, but he is just starting in the States. I'm glad to say I'm among the first to know him here.
036.Linkin Park-"BURN IT DOWN"
This come-back single amazed me! This is another band which I usually find boring, but now I have a new opinion of them thanks to this song.
035.Birdy-"Skinny Love"
Someone in YouTube described her as "one of the last British hidden treasures." Birdy is sure a talent that is known in Europe but needs to be exported.
034.Carla Morrison-"Hasta La Piel"
The Latin Grammys were for Carla Morrison! This indie ballad may take you back to the times of Natalia Lafourcade.
033.The Lumineers-"Stubborn Love"
The Lumineers are known for their previous single, "Ho Hey," but "Stubborn Love" is a folk song with beautiful thoughts on love.
032.Shakira-"Addicted to You"
The queen of Latin pop seems to be influenced by Cher and T-Pain in this song (ooohhhh). Is it a dedication to Pique?
031.Kinky-"Despues Del After"
These guys went to China to film the video for this song. Did anyone notice how overplayed they were in Telehit, MTV Mexico and Ritmoson Latino?
This is the most watched Mexican videoclip in YouTube. It was everywhere and they even made a bachata remix (which I disliked).
029.Karmin-"Hello"
Who said white girls can't rap? Even if they come from Nebraska, they sure can.
028.Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz-"Thrift Shop"
Macklemore is the new Eminem! This song is about shopping...in a cheap place. After all, who wants to pay more and look like "six other people in the club"?
027.Jesse & Joy-"La De La Mala Suerte"
If you're unlucky in matters of love...this is your song.
026.Phillip Phillips-"Home"
People who win singing contests are not known for originality. But Phillip's folk-inspired song defied the stereotype and captivates both the hipster and the Top-40 audiences.
025.JotDog-"Corazon de Metal"
This Western-inspired song is about dependence. Robots who can't socialize are good metaphors for that.
024.Alex Clare-"Too Close"
Someone mentioned that ADELE + Skrillex= Alex Clare. It is indeed weird to combine dubstep and soul, but Alex Clare created a hit for ages with that mix.
023.La Oreja de Van Gogh-"Cometas Por El Cielo"
Even though I miss the old LODVG, Lyre and her band mates created a good pop-rock song.
022.Ellie Goulding-"Lights"
Ellie was part of the British invasion with this sleeper hit. I was waiting for it to go number one on the Hot 100, but unfortunately it didn't happen.
021.David Guetta featuring Sia-"Titanium"
David's beats are awesome, but it was Sia who took me to this song. Sia delivers emotion into this song with a message similar to that of "Firework."
111.Gusttavo Lima-"Balada" (#90 of the year right here. Many times better than "Ai Si Eu Te Pego")
108.Bridgit Mendler-"Ready or Not" (Love this song. At first I didn't know she was a Disney actress)
104.Cage The Elephant-"Aberdeen" (Not my favorite from Thank You Happy Birthday, but great video nonetheless)
101.Skrillex featuring Sirah-"Bangarang" (Had I liked this song a couple of months before, it surely would have been Top 100 on my YECD)
098.Poncho-"Please Me" (Didn't pay much attention to what they have been realeasing, but I heard a couple of songs from Poncho and they are very well produced)
096.B.O.B. featuring Taylor Swift-"Both of Us" (I liked that sort of contradiction between the two of them too. It was a good combination)
092.Calvin Harris-"Feel So Close" (Nice song. I should give it more scrobbles)
078.The Killers-"Runaways"
076.One Direction-"What Makes You Beautiful" (Catchy chorus indeed)
071.Mika-"Elle Me Dit" (Totally forgot about this song. I remember it was an on-deck song many months ago)
070.Electric Guest-"This Head I Hold" (It appeared on the first set of my Top 100. Very good vocals)
069.Ellie Goulding-"Anything Could Happen"
067.The Naked and Famous-"Young Blood" (One of my favorite songs from 2011 right here. I love the intro and the whispering vocals)
061.Miguel Bose featuring Ximena Sarinana-"Aire Soy" (Ximena Sariñana looks precious on the video. Sad the song didn't make much of an impact on me)
054.Avicii-"Le7els" (Just so you know, the lyrics and rhtythm from Levels comes from a way older song whose name I don't remember now)
052.Jessie J-"Domino" (Reminds me of Katy Perry's voice here. One of my favorites from January 2012)
050.Foster The People-"Houdini" (Awesome video, great chorus)
047.Imagine Dragons-"It's Time" (The lyrics are definitely a standout here)
037.Olly Murs featuring Rizzle Kicks-"Heart Skips a Beat" (I prefer the ft. Chiddy Bang's version, but still the beat is sick and makes me wanna dance everytime I hear it)
032.Shakira-"Addicted to You"
I wish I could have gone to Europe! This song smashed hard in France and Germany!
019.Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen-"Good Time"
I know why this song was so popular in Japan. It sounds as it would fit the soundtrack of an anime series.
018.Ed Sheeran-"The A-Team"
Talk about sad songs! This one is about, well, we all know. It doesn't have any hope in it.
017.Robbie Williams-"Candy"
Robbie is quirky and playful in "Candy." He is an angel in a pink suit and green sneakers too.
016.M83-"Midnight City"
I said that France usually keeps its music, but "Midnight City" was the exception to this rule. There is nothing like it. It is like a solar eclipse in music: beautiful and only happens once in a lifetime.
015.Asaf Avidan & The Mojos-"One Day/Reckoning Song (Wankelmut Remix)"
Europe enjoyed this repetitive song whose time is one of "seize the day." It is very good.
014.Taylor Swift-"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"
She is the queen of country and now threatens to be the queen of pop too. I can't believe that she just got her first number one!
013.Leon Larregui-"Como Tu (Magic Music Box)"
Unfortunately, songs in Spanish stop here. Leon Larregui decided to do a solo project after the success Zoe had with their MTV Unplugged. It has a different flavor--rocky and romantic.
012.Ke$ha-"Die Young"
Can Ke$ha be more controversial? Illuminati symbols and the word "die" put this party singer into the public eye.
011.fun.-"Some Nights"
fun. got inside the minds of thousands with this Lion King-inspired song. I feel lonely some nights, yet I want to dance and scream some nights. Everything is black and white. On the interesting side, my mon thought this song was performed by a Black female when she heard it on the radio.
111.Gusttavo Lima-"Balada" (#90 of the year right here. Many times better than "Ai Si Eu Te Pego")
108.Bridgit Mendler-"Ready or Not" (Love this song. At first I didn't know she was a Disney actress)
104.Cage The Elephant-"Aberdeen" (Not my favorite from Thank You Happy Birthday, but great video nonetheless)
101.Skrillex featuring Sirah-"Bangarang" (Had I liked this song a couple of months before, it surely would have been Top 100 on my YECD)
098.Poncho-"Please Me" (Didn't pay much attention to what they have been realeasing, but I heard a couple of songs from Poncho and they are very well produced)
096.B.O.B. featuring Taylor Swift-"Both of Us" (I liked that sort of contradiction between the two of them too. It was a good combination)
092.Calvin Harris-"Feel So Close" (Nice song. I should give it more scrobbles)
078.The Killers-"Runaways"
076.One Direction-"What Makes You Beautiful" (Catchy chorus indeed)
071.Mika-"Elle Me Dit" (Totally forgot about this song. I remember it was an on-deck song many months ago)
070.Electric Guest-"This Head I Hold" (It appeared on the first set of my Top 100. Very good vocals)
069.Ellie Goulding-"Anything Could Happen"
067.The Naked and Famous-"Young Blood" (One of my favorite songs from 2011 right here. I love the intro and the whispering vocals)
061.Miguel Bose featuring Ximena Sarinana-"Aire Soy" (Ximena Sariñana looks precious on the video. Sad the song didn't make much of an impact on me)
054.Avicii-"Le7els" (Just so you know, the lyrics and rhtythm from Levels comes from a way older song whose name I don't remember now)
052.Jessie J-"Domino" (Reminds me of Katy Perry's voice here. One of my favorites from January 2012)
050.Foster The People-"Houdini" (Awesome video, great chorus)
047.Imagine Dragons-"It's Time" (The lyrics are definitely a standout here)
037.Olly Murs featuring Rizzle Kicks-"Heart Skips a Beat" (I prefer the ft. Chiddy Bang's version, but still the beat is sick and makes me wanna dance everytime I hear it)
032.Shakira-"Addicted to You"
Nice to knowe share many musical opinions!
Isn't the girl singing in Levels Etta James?
I was probably the only who didn't associate Domino with Katy Perry.
I like Rizzle Kicks better, I can't resist a British accent.
Thank you for commenting!
I love Florence, and I think Calvin is good with the beats. This is the first top 10 for Calvin in the history of my year-end countdowns and the second for Florence (in 2010, "Dog Days Are Over" finished at eight).
009.fun. featuring Janelle Monae-"We Are Young"
I want to say that I discovered this song by my own, but no, it was Glee who showed me this masterpiece in late 2011. One of the best moments in music of 2012, in my opinion, was "We Are Young" reaching number one in the Billboard Hot 100.
008.Mumford & Sons-"I Will Wait"
I just bought "Babel" and it is a very well produced album. These guys are authentic live performers, and thanks to them I came to appreciate folk! This is their second Top 20 in my year-end countdowns ("The Cave" was number 16 last year).
007.GROUPLOVE-"Tongue Tied"
"Tongue Tied" was a song that puzzles me. I don't know exactly what it is about, the rapping part is still a mystery for me, and the guys with masks in the video...why do they follow the blond guy? This is the first top 10 for GROUPLOVE!
006.Psy-"Gangnam Style"
Yes, I was part of the modern age Macarena. I sang "Sexy Ladies" and danced like a horse. Thanks South Korea! He may finish off like a one-hit wonder, but he did what many artists with several hits don't do.
005.Gotye featuring Kimbra-"Somebody That I Used to Know"
Artistic. Naked. Beautiful break-up song. Gotye is another new artist that impressed the world in 2012. I wanted him so bad to win the 2012 VMA for Best Video!
004.Of Monsters and Men-"Little Talks"
WIth this song, I can brag about being a hipster. It had only 200,000 YouTube views when I discovered it, and know pop stations play it across North America and Europe! I still play it frequently, and that's why it is so high in the list. I wish more succes for you, OM&M!
003.Michel Telo-"Ai Se Eu Te Pego"
I don't much about Michel, but thanks to this song I know that I am able to speak some Portuguese! The lyrics are simple, and the rhythm is slightly tropical, which make this song the ultimate chill-out song. He may be a one-hit wonder too, but he conquered Europe in a way few artists have done it.
002.The Lumineers-"Ho Hey"
The story behind this band is not as simple as this short song. They played at small places and now they tour the country with people bargaining tickets for their concerts. "Ho Hey" is the folk song that is bringing folk to mainstream, and one of my favorite songs of all time.
001.Carly Rae Jepsen-"Call Me Maybe"
I'm not a pre-teen and I'm surprised that this defeated "Ho Hey." Carly was a viral star this year and she made me a zombie with the violins in this sugary song. Carly charted an impressive 26 weeks in my weekly chart and was number one for four weeks. Someone told me that she used to pay her band with homely food. I'm sure that has changed. She doesn't have to ask "Call me, maybe?" Oh, and thanks Justin. You sure know about catchy songs.
Some trivia:
Top 100
Songs in English: 79
Songs in Spanish: 14
Songs in French: 3
Songs in Portuguese: 1
Songs in Korean: 1
Position number six has historically been occupied by rock songs until this year (Psy!).
If you're curious see my previous number ones:
2008-Kudai-"Lejos de Aqui"
2009-Juan Son-"Mermaid Sashimi"
2010-Katy Perry f. Snoop Dogg-"California Gurls"
2011-Foster The People-"Pumped Up Kicks"