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Red's Best of 2013: The YECA (Singles: 70-61/Hints #4 up!)
ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 11/16/2004
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RAM 
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Member Since: 1/9/2011
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Queens of the Stone Age's album is your #1 album? Awesome! I adored My God is the Sun 
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Member Since: 5/26/2012
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Random Access Memories! 
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Member Since: 8/2/2008
Posts: 22,610
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RAM  Totally expected that!
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 12/7/2008
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RAM is 
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 3/19/2008
Posts: 37,076
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Yup. Great top 2 albums. RAM
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Member Since: 12/8/2011
Posts: 9,050
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RAM in the top 2 
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
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Quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Spaceman
I have yet to hear the AFI album, as they aren't on my radar any more. Not in a spiteful way, they just aren't. I like the Sing the Sorrow comparison though, so I will have to give it a listen.
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Trust me, this is the best AFI album since Sorrow. In so many ways.
Quote:
Originally posted by THERihFan
I have a mixed reaction about Like Clockwork. I like some songs... but some others are pretty "boring", at least in my opinion.
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I'm going to assume that "I Appear Missing" is one of the "boring" songs, which means you are dead to me, TRF...until you post another Lauren Mayberry gif. 
Quote:
Originally posted by Flame Beat Z000
Now keep cooking up that top 100 songs of the year as I eagerly await all the great music and blurbs to come out of the oven.
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IT'S COMIN' RIGHT UP! (Well, it's coming relatively shortly. Oh, you know what I mean!)
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 56,234
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Random Access Memories.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
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The YECA: Top 100 Singles (100-91)
Finally...a week later...let's get to the first top 100 set! Oh, and consider this a belated Christmas gift.
 
| Lady Gaga
Applause
This might have been the toughest #100 battle in a long time. Six different songs got heavy consideration for this spot, including songs by Justin Timberlake, Of Monsters and Men, and the impeccable David Bowie. In the end, however, it was the return single by one of pop's biggest artists (well, despite her troubles this era) that (barely) made the cut. This was actually higher at one point, but a follow-up single basically took its spot by being an better song all-around. Still, as a first single, it sounds like a Gaga single, made by the Mother Monster herself. That'll do, Gaga. That'll do. |
 
| Empire of the Sun
Alive
I probably would have placed "Alive" at least 20 spots higher on this list had I not gotten into it last week. Empire of the Sun and I have a tumultuous relationship, to say the least. I wasn't a big fan of their breakthrough hit, "Walking on a Dream", though I could absolutely understand why people loved it. I just couldn't get past the goofy outfits at the time. I know, it's a totally superficial reason to not like a song or an artist, but it is what it is. In 2013, I decided to revisit Empire of the Sun after their appearance on the FIFA 14 soundtrack. "Alive" is just...well, alive. It's an incredibly catchy and uplifting song that deserves to be heard by even the staunchest hater of Empire of the Sun. |
 
| Kanye West
Bound 2
Okay, I need to address something about "Bound 2", and it might be controversial, especially since many people love the song. I think that it's one of the most immaculate productions on his unbelievable album Yeezus. It's almost like a callback to The College Dropout, and it works incredibly well as one. And yet, this impressive production and nostalgic feeling was washed away by one thing, one insufferable and annoying as all hell thing: That UNBEARABLE sample. I love Brenda Lee, I love her music, and I think she is an early rock and roll American treasure. But oh my god, if I never have to listen to that "Uh huh, honey" sample ever again, it will not be soon enough. That one sample pushed this song at least fifty spots down the list. It's THAT annoying. |
 
| Coheed and Cambria
Number City
It seems like, as every year passes, I start to get more and more tired of Coheed and Cambria. And it's not really their fault, either. I just believe that From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness is, fairly easily, Coheed's best work, and nothing that they've released since has topped it, in my eyes. It's not like they're making terrible music or anything. "Number City" is quite the peppy number, carried even further by singer Claudio Sanchez's frantic and wanting vocals. Truthfully, this should be higher...but again, through no fault of Coheed's own, I'm just kind of tired of everything outside of my favorite album of theirs. |
 
| AWOLNATION
Thiskidsnotalright
AWOLNATION have actually become somewhat of a YECA staple. Each of the last three years, AWOLNATION has had a song chart on this top 100. Not many artists can make such a claim. Interestingly enough, this is also the second year in a row that AWOLNATION has had a song chart in the first ten of the top 100 ("Kill Your Heroes" landed at #95 last year), though I do enjoy "Thiskidsnotalright" more. Off of the Injustice: Gods Among Us game soundtrack, "Thiskidsnotalright" doesn't QUITE fit the game, but that's okay. The song works just fine on its own. |
 
| Serena Ryder
Stompa
"Stompa" immediately impacted me upon first listen, basically acting as an Adele single when there wasn't one from the actual Adele in 2013. Actually, that's kind of underselling the song. This is more of a mashup between Adele and The Black Keys. Anyone who has listened to this song understands that comparison immediately. Serena Ryder does not have Adele's pipes, but her vocals do, at the very least, sound similar to Adele's, which led to some believing that this was an Adele song when it popped up on the radio. This was also MUCH higher earlier in the year. I'm not really sure what happened, other than that I may have overplayed it. Oh well, the song's still cool and worth a listen. |
 
| The Killers
Shot at the Night
I completely missed on "Shot at the Night" in 2013. This sounds like heresy, especially when you consider that M83 singer and maestro Anthony Gonzalez produced the track. I should have been all over this, but the truth is that it got lost in the shuffle. I have a distinct feeling, though, that I'm going to enjoy this song WAY more in 2014. It's already starting to grow in my estimation as I write this blurb. The sound is so 80's that it beats you over the head with an oversized cell phone. Brandon Flowers is also...well, Brandon Flowers. You were expecting something else? If I do decide to put this on my 2014 top 100, it will be much higher than this, I assure you. |
 
| Danko Jones
I Believed In God
Let me stress just how strong this year's top 100 is compared to last year's. Look at the #93 song from last year, Halestorm's "I Miss the Misery". It's a decent song, perhaps even good. Now, consider that I absolutely adore "I Believed In God", to the point where I'm already regretting its placement. In other words, I like the #93 from this year WAY more than the #93 from last year. Hell, I like #93 from this year more than a good chunk of the songs in the bottom 1/4 of last year's top 100. Oh, and speaking of YECA staples, this is now the fourth year in a row that Danko Jones has made my singles list. I hope he releases another album in 2014, so the streak can (hopefully) continue. |
 
| Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz
Thrift Shop
The first of three Macklemore and Ryan Lewis singles on this top 100 is the big one, the single that launched the duo into music royalty, the #1 single of 2013 in America. And make no mistake, there's a reason for this song's success. And no, it's not the novelty of someone rapping about a topic that basically acts as the antithesis of your average rap song. It's not because of the awesome Wanz appearance. It's not even because of that secretly infectious beat. It's because Macklemore is an incredibly talented rapper and wordsmith. This song does not impact the way it does without Macklemore's immense talent or Ryan Lewis' production. It takes talent to make a song like this. Their talents are better accentuated, though, in the songs to come. |
 
| Nine Inch Nails
Everything
I need to be in the right frame of mind to really enjoy "Everything". I cannot recall the last time this has EVER happened with me for a Nine Inch Nails song. Normally, when it comes to Nine Inch Nails songs, I either like them or I don't. Most of the time, I like them. I guess it's just that "Everything" is so astronomically different from anything I've ever heard from Trent Reznor. I really need to be happy and in a good mood to enjoy this song, for some reason. If I'm in a bad mood, this song grates on me in a way that Nine Inch Nails does not grate on me. I guess it might be because I expect Nine Inch Nails to sound moody, to sound angry, and this is such a culture shock. Still, if I'm in the right mood, I absolutely love this song. |
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Okay, FINALLY, we're done with the first set. It can only get better from here, right? (Right?) The next set will feature songs 90-81, and among that set of ten are a Red Crush returning with a new single, two songs that have a chance to be much higher on *next* year's list, the inferior single of two from an emerging artist, and a big hit single that would have been higher if not for the fact that I literally just got into it a couple of weeks ago. See you then!
Oh, and one other thing: If I have not responded to some of your year-enders recently (or at all), I apologize. Just let me know here if I haven't, and I'll make sure to comment as soon as possible.
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Member Since: 10/11/2004
Posts: 28,320
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This is already better than I expected. 
I mean, "Applause", "Shot At The Night", "Alive", "Thrift Shop", "Bound 2". This is great!
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Member Since: 10/3/2009
Posts: 35,844
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Applause + Alive, what a great intro.
Kanye  . Thrift Shop -> again.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 7/23/2007
Posts: 35,994
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6/10
Thrift Shop + ThisKidsNotAlright + Stompa + Shot At The Night + Applause <33
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Member Since: 10/18/2007
Posts: 28,980
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yeah you are back
good to see Applause, Thrift Shop, Alive and shot at the night there
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Member Since: 7/22/2009
Posts: 13,429
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Applause and Thrift Shop
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Member Since: 5/18/2007
Posts: 18,745
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"Everything" and "Shot At The Night"
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 27,248
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Applause, Bound 2 and Thrift Shop
I admire that you actually take the time to write such long notes for each song
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Member Since: 6/24/2008
Posts: 21,950
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alive + shot at the night 
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Member Since: 5/26/2012
Posts: 3,345
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Applause made it to the top 100!
Thrift Shop!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/24/2009
Posts: 70,975
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Shot at the Night is my fave here
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