[Red]

Originally posted by THERihFan

I will be VERY mad at you if you don't finish it this time (or not even get close to it).

If my punishment is Amy from Futurama slapping me...I might not finish on purpose.

Originally posted by JakeKills

I can't believe that you've been doing this for over a decade. Now that's crazy.

And I've been not finishing threads for the last three.

Originally posted by Sunderland 4ever

"Looking forward to you not finishing another year-end thread, Red!"

Just what I was about to post.

Running out of budget I see. Going only black & white this time. Music will compensate that big time, that's for sure.

Ha! Charlie has been fooled by my psychic powers!

And yeah, budget ran pretty low this year. But I'll make sure to make up for that with more (shoddily-made) graphics!

Originally posted by Mica

I didn't say it in the announcement thread but I love your banner, it just screams class and I'm over here seething serving gaudy in all my banners. I feel your countdown and presence overall in the Best of section is a staple.

You're the first non-Charlie person to say good things about the main banner, so I truly appreciate that. Now I shall let you down with graphics that are not nearly as well made.

Okay, I promised that I would post last year's top 60 before I got to this year's list, so let's take care of that first. I'm hoping to get the YouTube list up tonight, but that's not a guarantee.

RED'S TOP 60...of 2013

60) The Dillinger Escape Plan - When I Lost My Bet
59) Zedd ft. Foxes - Clarity
58) 30 Seconds to Mars - Up in the Air
57) Sick Puppies - There's No Going Back
56) AFI - 17 Crimes
55) The Chain Gang of 1974 - Sleepwalking
54) Deftones - Romantic Dreams
53) Alice in Chains - Hollow
52) Arcade Fire - Afterlife
51) Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams - Lose Yourself to Dance
50) Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
49) A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera - Say Something
48) Biffy Clyro - Black Chandelier
47) Crystal Castles - Affection
46) A Perfect Circle - By and Down
45) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacrilege
44) Paramore - Ain't It Fun
43) Depeche Mode - Heaven
42) Kanye West - Black Skinhead
41) Frank Ocean - Thinkin' Bout You
40) CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share
39) Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?
38) Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton - Can't Hold Us
37) Broken Bells - Holding On For Life
36) Phoenix - Entertainment
35) Imagine Dragons - Demons
34) Franz Ferdinand - Love Illumination
33) Drake ft. Majid Jordan - Hold On, We're Going Home
32) Frank Turner - Recovery
31) fun. - Why Am I the One
30) Volbeat - Lola Montez
29) The Naked and Famous - Hearts Like Ours
28) AFI - I Hope You Suffer
27) Family of the Year - Hero
26) Bastille - Pompeii
25) Korn - Never Never
24) Deftones - Swerve City
23) Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert - Same Love
22) Kings of Leon - Supersoaker
21) Pearl Jam - Mind Your Manners
20) Daft Punk ft. Panda Bear - Doin' It Right
19) Franz Ferdinand - Right Action
18) Queens of the Stone Age - I Sat By the Ocean
17) Alice in Chains - Stone
16) Nine Inch Nails - Came Back Haunted
15) Capital Cities - Safe and Sound
14) The Dillinger Escape Plan - Prancer
13) Fitz and the Tantrums - Out of My League
12) Muse - Supremacy
11) Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
10) Of Monsters and Men - Mountain Sound
9) Volbeat - The Hangman's Body Count
8) Coldplay - Atlas
7) Pearl Jam - Sirens
6) Nine Inch Nails - Copy of A
5) Queens of the Stone Age - My God Is the Sun
4) Muse - Panic Station
3) Korn - Love and Meth
2) Arcade Fire - Reflektor
1) Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky

[ColdKeane]

Thanks for the recap of 2013

Originally posted by Red

59) Zedd ft. Foxes - Clarity
58) 30 Seconds to Mars - Up in the Air
56) AFI - 17 Crimes
55) The Chain Gang of 1974 - Sleepwalking
54) Deftones - Romantic Dreams
53) Alice in Chains - Hollow
52) Arcade Fire - Afterlife
51) Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams - Lose Yourself to Dance
50) Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
48) Biffy Clyro - Black Chandelier
47) Crystal Castles - Affection
45) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacrilege
44) Paramore - Ain't It Fun
43) Depeche Mode - Heaven
42) Kanye West - Black Skinhead
41) Frank Ocean - Thinkin' Bout You
40) CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share
39) Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?
38) Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton - Can't Hold Us
36) Phoenix - Entertainment
35) Imagine Dragons - Demons
34) Franz Ferdinand - Love Illumination
33) Drake ft. Majid Jordan - Hold On, We're Going Home
31) fun. - Why Am I the One
30) Volbeat - Lola Montez
29) The Naked and Famous - Hearts Like Ours
28) AFI - I Hope You Suffer
26) Bastille - Pompeii
25) Korn - Never Never
24) Deftones - Swerve City
22) Kings of Leon - Supersoaker
21) Pearl Jam - Mind Your Manners
20) Daft Punk ft. Panda Bear - Doin' It Right
19) Franz Ferdinand - Right Action
18) Queens of the Stone Age - I Sat By the Ocean
17) Alice in Chains - Stone
16) Nine Inch Nails - Came Back Haunted
15) Capital Cities - Safe and Sound
13) Fitz and the Tantrums - Out of My League
12) Muse - Supremacy
11) Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
10) Of Monsters and Men - Mountain Sound
8) Coldplay - Atlas
7) Pearl Jam - Sirens
6) Nine Inch Nails - Copy of A
5) Queens of the Stone Age - My God Is the Sun
4) Muse - Panic Station
2) Arcade Fire - Reflektor
1) Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky

The #1 is good but a little overrated

Amazing countdown

[Sunderland 4ever]

55) The Chain Gang of 1974 - Sleepwalking
54) Deftones - Romantic Dreams
51) Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams - Lose Yourself to Dance
50) Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
45) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacrilege
44) Paramore - Ain't It Fun
43) Depeche Mode - Heaven
40) CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share
39) Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?
38) Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton - Can't Hold Us
36) Phoenix - Entertainment
29) The Naked and Famous - Hearts Like Ours
23) Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert - Same Love
22) Kings of Leon - Supersoaker
20) Daft Punk ft. Panda Bear - Doin' It Right
18) Queens of the Stone Age - I Sat By the Ocean
15) Capital Cities - Safe and Sound
13) Fitz and the Tantrums - Out of My League
10) Of Monsters and Men - Mountain Sound
5) Queens of the Stone Age - My God Is the Sun
1) Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky

#55 and #54 will be on my lists this year. Safe & Sound is so chill. Can't complain with your #1.

[madonnas]

I feel like all the Depeche Mode fans were happy with their release last year but I just couldn't get into it at allllll

[JGibson]

52/60

Solid Top 13 + Ain't It Fun + Safe and Sound + Do I Wanna Know <33

[Vato]

I will obviously be paying attention to your list. Can we expect Instant Crush in it at all?

[mathuss]

Great countdown overall!
There's a song in this chart that appears in mine this year in a very similar position

[Remmy]

Yassss, Reddy

I'm excited.

[Red]

I feel like all the Depeche Mode fans were happy with their release last year but I just couldn't get into it at allllll

This, like the song "Heaven", breaks my heart.

I will obviously be paying attention to your list. Can we expect Instant Crush in it at all?

You may have to wait a while, but I think it'll show up somewhere.

Alright, for the first couple of lists, I'm going to be going back to my tried and true layout for the YECA...albeit with a few cosmetic changes to match the main banner. I tried to change things up, but nothing seemed to work as well. When we get to the Singles list (and hell, maybe even the Albums list), I'm going to try and do something a little different.

The Reading Rainbow Theme, Featuring DMX Like any good book-loving kid born in the 80's (and geez, does that ever make me feel old), I religiously watched Reading Rainbow. Every day that the show was on, I looked forward to hearing about new books that were worth reading and investing myself into. In 2014, I discovered something that took the wholesome enjoyment of Reading Rainbow and turned it into something nasty. And I loved every second of it. DMX is just about the least wholesome thing on the planet, so when you pair something nasty like DMX with something as nice as Reading Rainbow, great things happen. Imagine that.

Hulk Hogan's "Real American"...Without the Music If you're a long-time member of ATRL (or follow me on Twitter), you know that I'm a wrestling fan. I own up to it and flaunt it. Wrestling is something that, when done right, can be truly joyous. Even if you don't watch wrestling, Hulk Hogan needs no introduction. He IS pro wrestling. He is the living embodiment of the not-real sport. And then, there's "Real American". Oh god, "Real American". It is, truly, the most patriotic song in the history of the world. If you're an American and don't appreciate this song, then you need to pack up your things and GIT OUT! Okay, no more redneck talk, I promise. Anyway, this video takes the music out of the "Real American" music video and turns the video into a bunch of hilarious sounds mimicking what is happening in the video. "RUSSIA RUSSIA RUSSIA!" "...MURICA MURICA!"

The Iron Stomach Failure This year, I became particularly infatuated with the type of video where someone gets their comeuppance after being rude or nasty. Everyone loves to see the jerk get their just desserts, and this video is no exception. During a drinking and eating contest where if you vomit, you lose, one asshole decides to eliminate himself by spitting out at the audience abd storming off. What happens next is the most viscerally hilarious form of justice I've seen in quite some time. The guy is so ashamed that he can't even bring himself to look at the crowd after what has happened to the poor schmuck. Mmmm, the justice tastes delicious.

WHY ARE YOU CLOSED?! Just as much as I became infatuated with justice, I became infatuated with someone freaking out, especially when someone freaks out about something in public. My favorite video of its type is this two minute adventure where one middle-aged man walks up to the doors of Toronto's biggest mall, the Eaton Centre, and finds that the doors are locked. What happens next is a trip into the psyche of someone who has given up any and all self-awareness and discipline. I have to admit that the only reason this video is on the list is because of the man's voice and his inability to stop yelling. "WHY ARE YOU CLOSED? TELL US WHY YOU'RE CLOSED!" It's as if he's on permanent Caps Lock.

Seven Nation Army, As Played By A Cruise Ship Sometimes, you just want to watch something that is indisputably awesome. This is one of those times. The White Stripes' classic "Seven Nation Army" has become even more famous in recent years thanks to the use of its earth-shaking riff as a soccer chant. It has gotten so popular that there exists a moment in time where a freaking CRUISE SHIP saunters in and uses its massive power to blare out to the world the most badass and intimidating version of "Seven Nation Army" ever conceived. I like to imagine that this is what would be heard from an Earth army to intimidate invaders from other galaxies. That'll show those pesky other lifeforms!

The John Cena Prank Call I tend to agree with those who say that prank calls, for the most part, are scripted and planned out in advance with the "victims" to try and create the most laughs. Even if that is the case here, I have to admit that I laughed my ass off throughout this particular prank call. I think it has to be the voice of the prank caller. This is the sound of a guy that is putting his heart and soul into making this prank call work. "Hello?" "AND GOODBYE TO ANYONE STANDING IN JOHN CENA'S WAY!" And just when you think that they've run out of material, they pull the wool over your eyes and come up with something even more amazing.

NO SCOPE CORNSHOT The reason why this particular video works only really makes sense if you have ever seen someone's Call of Duty "highlight reel", which basically consists of in-game kills, stupid effects and dubstep music in the background, along with inexplicable references to sex and weed. This guy used that template to create something absolutely amazing. Using the I-cannot-believe-this-is-an-actual-game game Farming Simulator, the creator of the clip parodies those dumb Call of Duty reels, creating parody gold. I won't quote anything else from the video, because it's something that needs to be seen without having any prior knowledge of what happens.

I'm Jim...THE HAMMER...Shapiro At one time, Jim Shapiro was a calm, mild-mannered lawyer, simply wanting to help the common person get retribution, particularly against drunk drivers. In the "calmer" ads for his law firm, it almost seems as if Jim Shapiro is holding something back, a fire that must be unleashed. As the ads progress, Shapiro starts to let loose a little more and appear a little more aggressive every time. Then came this ad. All subtlety is GONE. We get explosions, broken glass, and even animations! Jim even has a new nickname, "The Hammer", which he very, VERY aggressively points out in the clip. This one clip makes me want to be a lawyer, just so I can recreate this ad. "YOU CALL, I HAMMER!"

America's Best Aerobic Athletes Unlike last year, where there was a clear-cut winner, 2014 had two particularly amazing YouTube clips that I discovered. Although this clip did not win out, I got so much enjoyment out of this clip throughout the year that the joy I gained could power a major city. This clip is the 80's. It is unabashedly 80's in every second of video that you see and hear. The music is 80's. The attire is 80's. The backdrop is 80's. The dance moves are 80's. The lack of self-awareness is INCREDIBLY 80's. And the freeze frames...jesus christ. It's literally everything I could ever ask for in a YouTube clip. I could watch this video 100 times in a row and find something new to laugh at and love. In that sense, there wasn't a clip like it in 2014.

Shrek Is Love, Shrek Is Life But still, as much as I enjoyed the Aerobic Athletes, this one clip is what the internet is all about. Hell, this is the internet in a nutshell. This is also why I'm so thankful that YouTube exists. Ten years ago, this clip would have become a little viral and then faded away. Today, clips like this, the Aerobic Athletes, and so many others will live on in some form forever. A story so crazy that it only could have been conceived by a 4chan poster, Shrek Is Love, Shrek Is Life is so bizarre, so insane, and so unbelievable that it becomes a life-altering experience for those who have seen it. If you have ever loved Shrek at any point in your life, after seeing this video, you will never see Shrek the same way again. Absolutely NOTHING about this clip makes sense. At all. It exists in its own tiny bubble, away from everything else on the internet. It is almost a guarantee that you will feel dirty after having seen the clip even once. And it is the funniest ****ing thing I have seen in a long time. If "Space Oddity" last year was what this list is all about, then Shrek Is Love, Shrek Is Life is why I will continue to do this list every year. As long as the internet continues to be this bat**** crazy, I want to be there to enjoy the madness as it happens. As for this list, well...it's all ogre now.

And with that, this list is done and dusted. I'm hoping to get started on the next list, which will most likely be the Songs of the Past list, and get something posted (if not the whole list) tomorrow. Until then, I must roar a mighty roar.

[Remmy]

Shrek Is Love, Shrek Is Life is a masterpiece. A MASTERPIECE, I tell you.

Some of the others. "WHY ARE YOU CLOSED?!" Nice list.

[Lee!!]

Came to bug you about 2013, now pleasantly satisfied

[Ivan]

the top of last year

[Razzle]

I have to watch those videos

Isn't that the aerobics video used for the Shake It Off parody?

[Brandon]

Reading Rainbow w/ DMX is so funny!

[Sunderland 4ever]

#8 video. Hahaha I felt bad for the dude. #7 is also a lot of fun.

[holyground]

I don't know all these videos Except #2 which got paired with Shake It Off, and no one could have not known and not get scarred by the #1

[BoyOnBoy Wonder]

Shrek Is Love, Shrek Is Life

[Mr.Link]

The Shrek video was so... disturbing

Your top 10 was finally revealed, nice to see Mountain Sound getting some recognition.

[Dj.]

CHVRCHES last year!
Can't wait to see your list of this year

[backtoback]

59) Zedd ft. Foxes - Clarity
58) 30 Seconds to Mars - Up in the Air
50) Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
49) A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera - Say Something
44) Paramore - Ain't It Fun
41) Frank Ocean - Thinkin' Bout You
40) CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share
39) Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?
38) Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton - Can't Hold Us
35) Imagine Dragons - Demons
33) Drake ft. Majid Jordan - Hold On, We're Going Home
31) fun. - Why Am I the One
26) Bastille - Pompeii
23) Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert - Same Love
22) Kings of Leon - Supersoaker
15) Capital Cities - Safe and Sound
13) Fitz and the Tantrums - Out of My League
11) Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
7) Pearl Jam - Sirens
2) Arcade Fire - Reflektor
1) Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky

These are my favorites from last year's list