Another alternative song that gained success because of a commercial, and damn did it take a long time. The video was released in July 2011, the single was officially released in September 2011, and the commercial that featured the song began airing in November 2011. I took notice and added Tongue Tied to my playlist in January. It finally began taking of in the summer of 2012. It's probably just because the band was completely unknown, since the song is very catchy and pop-friendly. It's one of those songs that you can listen to over and over without really getting tired of it, listening now while writing this description it still sounds so creative and fresh. The rapping is kind of awkward but I think it's cute, it fits the charm of the song. I just hope Grouplove aren't a one-hit wonder band, I listened to their other singles Colours and Itchin' on a Photograph and they're very good if not slightly less pop-friendly. This is the only song by Grouplove in the list.
Imagine Dragons "It's Time"
Maybe you guys expected to see this a lot higher, given my avatar and all. But in all honesty, It's Time isn't one of Imagine Dragons' stronger efforts. Their debut album is full of amazing songs, Radioactive and especially Demons s**t all over it. Still, it was a great song to introduce them to the general public. I supported It's Time way back in April when almost no one knew about it for a variety of reasons. The lead singer has a unique voice that really comes through in the bridge, it's very deep and husky, you could argue it's perfectly suited for rock music. And Imagine Dragons have their own personal style that shines through, I mean a mandolin? And on a slower song too? Definitely a brave move that really paid off. I don't think the song is very pop-friendly though so I'm glad the VMAs came along to shove it down peoples' throats. My favorite new band of 2012. This is the only song by Imagine Dragons in the list.
Alanis Morissette "Guardian"
Pop-rock females just can't catch a break nowadays. The comebacks of Avril Lavigne and Michelle Branch were the last few threads of hope I had, and they both flopped I think we all knew that Alanis wouldn't be successful, but that doesn't take away from the epicness of Guardian. The lyrics are so beautiful and uplifting, they make me feel inspired whenever I listen. And then the chorus, when that guitar comes in and she sings "the greatest honor of all as your guardiaaaaaaaaan" Honestly this song really opened my eyes to what an underrated talent Alanis is. It's a shame how that disappointing sophomore effort messed up her whole career But I've become a fan and am planning to check out more of her discography soon. Random comparison to end here: when Alanis wears wings in the video, it reminds me a lot of the girl wearing wings in Ed Sheeran's Give Me Love video. Maybe even the King looks to her for inspiration once in a while. This is the only song by Alanis Morissette in the list.
Aerosmith "What Could Have Been Love"
One of my favorite rock bands of all time and they just keep going at it. Steven may be 64 but his voice isn't aging much at all, he can still do the runs and hit the high notes like he did on Dream On. What Could Have Been Love is a power ballad, which makes sense since Aerosmith reached their commercial peak in the late 80s/early 90s when power ballads were very popular. In fact, the song reminds me a lot of I Don't Want to Miss a Thing, Aerosmith's first (and only) #1 hit and probably my favorite rock song ever. While it doesn't capture the same magic feeling I got when I first listened to IDWTMAT, it's still s**tting on most rock bands' recent releases. And Aerosmith formed in 1972, they're like 40 years old and they've still got it. The lessors should take notes. This is the only song by Aerosmith in the list.
SafetySuit "Get Around This"
Yeah, I know I'm kinda late on this one. Get Around This is a 2011 song all the way. But for some reason, I never heard about it at the time of its release. I always thought Let Go was the lead single from These Times. It was actually Drogo's survivor that brought it to my attention, I saw Get Around This on the list and I wondered, What is this song and how come I've never heard of it? So then I went to listen, and I was completely and utterly slayed. After hearing their HAC midtempos of Let Go and These Times, I had kind of forgotten that SafetySuit could come out and do a hardcore rock song like this. The vocal runs are just Especially when Doug does a bunch of them in a row at 1:28. Is he straining his voice? Yeah a little. But for some reason I don't mind, the vocals fit the song very well. Honestly it's only this low because it was released in 2011. If it was a 2012 song it would be at least Top 10. This is the last of two songs by SafetySuit in the list.
Muse "Madness"
Wow, I didn't plan that this set would be full of rock music As it should be, because rock is the best genre lol. People kept saying that this was a disappointing effort from Muse, that they were just trying to go mainstream and I honestly don't see how In my opinion, Madness is a very experimental song. The vocals are very drawn-out and almost mysterious-sounding, that's not something you see in an everyday rock song. And unless you're a huge fan of progressive rock, I can almost guarantee you won't fall in love with Madness on first listen. It's a huge grower, it may take repeated listens to realize what an epic song it is. The only complaint I have about this song is that it does seem to drag on at times, but that's just a trivial thing when Madness is probably my favorite Muse song yet. This is the only song by Muse in the list.
The Killers "Runaways"
And we continue the rock streak with Runaways, the latest single from The Killers. Unfortunately, it wasn't as successful as their previous hits, barely breaking into the Hot 100 based on first-week digital sales. However, I think it's one of their strongest singles. It's very obvious to me that The Killers are trying to bring back that type of power rock that became popular in the 1980s and lasted into the 1990s. Runaways reminds me tremendously of a song Journey or Meat Loaf might have recorded in their heyday. I'm not quite sure why; I grew up on 70s and 80s music so I can just recognize that authentic sound when I hear it. And The Killers definitely have that authentic sound down pat, if you need further proof go listen to When You Were Young. Overall, this is more than I ever expected as a comeback single. It's so powerful and refreshing to listen to. I did expect a lot more from the video though... This is the only song by The Killers in the list.
Avril Lavigne "Wish You Were Here"
The latest in a line of flop/underperforming singles from Avril. Wish You Were Here is such a beautiful ballad, one of my favorite Avril songs, it's really a shame the US couldn't appreciate it Although to be fair, it did better than I expected. I thought it might not even re-enter the Hot 100, since pop radio usually hates ballads. The only problem I have with this song is, why does she keep feeling the need to swear? I don't have a problem with swearing, but in pop-rock music it just doesn't sound right to me. Even The Script, Gavin DeGraw, OneRepublic are doing it and it makes their lyrics sound corny and tryhard. I mean, "damn, damn, damn"? "There's a girl who gives a s**t"? Avril, this is not the way to make people think that you've grown and matured as an artist. I won't criticize too much though. Apart from some of the lyrics, WYWH is really amazing and I'm glad her label took the risk to release it as the third and final single. This is the only song by Avril Lavigne in the list.
Cady Groves "This Little Girl"
Some of you may be surprised by this placement, others (most?) of you might be thinking "who?" Well, Cady is a very talented and underrated pop-rock artist. She's the female voice on this single (Oh Darling by Plug In Stereo), which is actually how I discovered her. It's definitely one of the most beautiful songs I heard in 2011, so naturally I was very excited when I heard Cady would be releasing solo material. The first time I listened to This Little Girl, I thought it was more upbeat and poppy than Oh Darling, but I failed to pay attention to the lyrics. When I finally did learn what the song was about, I was kind of shocked. This Little Girl is actually one of the darkest pop songs I've heard in the past several years. The production always gives you the feel on being on edge, like something bad is about to happen. And the lyrics are about a girl who suspects her boyfriend is cheating, telling him that if he is indeed with someone else, "this little girl is capable of murder". The video takes a much more tame approach, but I'm still surprised to hear this sound coming from Cady. I definitely see it as a good thing, it means she's taking her own artistic direction and is a mature artist. This is the only song by Cady Groves in the list.
We the Kings "Say You Like Me"
If I were ordering my singles based on cuteness, without a doubt Say You Like Me would be the #1. It's just the perfect song to relax to, if you just close your eyes while listening I can guarantee you will get the feeling of being on a sunny beach in California. And the song is about a guy who's in love with a shy girl, trying to get her to come out of her shell and say she likes him back. I couldn't think of a cuter topic if I tried. Of course, I'm not ordering my singles based on cuteness, so Say You Like Me barely misses the Top 25. Still, We the Kings are the ultimate carefree band. Don't believe me? Go listen to Friday Is Forever. They made me a fan with their recent work and I hope they always stay the way they are, because I need my constant supply of cheer-up music This is the only song by We the Kings in the list.