[minho]

Your top 2 from last year was perfect!

I don't know anything about Youtube since I barely use it but I'll be back for your other lists!

[MP2K]

WHY ARE YOU CLOSED?! Loved that one.

Nice 2013 list.

[Sunderland 4ever]

Have you seen "Youtubers react to Shrek Is Love, Shrek Is Life?" That's how I was introduced to your #1.

[Fireman25]

I've seen the "why are you closed" video before. Hilarious

[Celebrate]

I've always wondered where the GIF from the #2 video came from

[ColdKeane]

The #2 is a classic are so many remix of this video

I don't see the #1 and OMFG

[Red]

Originally posted by Sunderland 4ever

Have you seen "Youtubers react to Shrek Is Love, Shrek Is Life?" That's how I was introduced to your #1.

I have! I was introduced to it before that, but I did like the reactions, particularly those who were disturbed by it. Comedic gold.

I was also not aware that the Aerobic Athletes video was used for a Shake It Off parody. I regret having not seen that before making the YouTube list, though I guess it would have just been a small part of what made Aerobic Athletes so great, anyway.

I'm done with the blurbs for the next list. All I have to do now is do some uploading and some formatting, and I should have the list up sometime later tonight!

[Red]

I was about to introduce this list by impersonating a radio DJ, but I figured that it might be even too corny even for this thread. Instead, I'll just get straight to this point. In order to qualify for this list, the only criteria for this list is that I have to have fallen in love with a song in a way that I hadn't in previous years. In other words, these are the 15 songs from the past that I truly fell in love with in 2014. I'm not sure if it's the best possible explanation for this list, but hey!

Note: Some of the pictures used aren't of the...um..."best" quality. This was mostly because I wanted to get this particular list done as soon as possible, so we could get to the big lists. Sorry about your eyes in advance.

Andrew W.K. She Is Beautiful In many cases on this list, I fell in love (or re-fell in love) this year with songs by artists who I enjoy. Andrew W.K. is definitely one of those cases. The man is a musical genius, having found 100 different ways to sing about partying and having fun. "She Is Beautiful" is a little different, but only a little. Andrew W.K. here isn't JUST singing about having fun and partying. He's also singing about a particularly beautiful girl. It also doesn't hurt that, like many of Andrew's songs, the song just feel so alive and so freaking ready to party that it makes you want to follow suit.

The Human League Human Okay, here's the weird thing about me and The Human League: Up until last year, I did not really enjoy listening to them. I knew that their songs were catchy, but I couldn't really get into even their biggest hits. Me, the guy that unabashedly loves 80's music, the guy that OPENLY adores Hall & Oates...not able to get into The Human League. Well, in 2014, things certainly changed. "Don't You Want Me" really clicked with me, with its incredible main beat and soaring chorus, but it was "Human" that won me over the most. There's no denying that this song is beautiful, but it's also pretty deceptively catchy. It gets stuck in your head for a long, LONG time, and it refuses to let go once it sinks in. I'm still not sure what took so long.

David Bowie The Man Who Sold The World Speaking of artists I enjoy, here's one that needs no introduction. Bowie is a legend. Everyone knows this. He's also a legend that is still churning out masterful albums in his twilight years. But for this list, I went back to the past to find a song that was famously covered by Nirvana during their MTV Unplugged show. "The Man Who Sold The World" is a clear highlight of the Nirvana set, a perfect fit for a set that feels incredibly ominous today, knowing how Kurt Cobain's career (and life) ended. The original was pretty desolate and harrowing, too, though not quite in the same way. The meaning is still there, so the depressing feeling can never completely go away, but is it just me or is there something sexual to be found in the instrumental? Because that instrumental, particularly the verse instrumental, exudes sexuality.

Lorde Team I still don't really care for Lorde's music. I know that she's a talented young singer-songwriter, but I just cannot, for the life of me, completely give in to her sound. I couldn't get into "Royals", I couldn't get into "Yellow Flicker Beat", and so on. Even "Team", the song that even people who detest Lorde at least kind of like, I couldn't get into for the longest time. At the end of the year, however, something finally clicked. I think it has to be how anthemic this song sounds, even moreso than "Royals". The pounding drum beat creates a grand scale that I did not know Lorde had in her. I'm not holding my breath as far as completely giving in to Lorde is concerned, but hey, at least I like one song of her's, right?

Black Sabbath Heaven and Hell God dammit, Dio, why did you have to die? Metal needed your incredible vocals for just a little while longer. If there is one singer that defies the conventional metal singer voice and could rise to levels that very few singers could ever reach, it was Ronnie James Dio. And as much as I enjoy the Ozzy era of Black Sabbath, I have not connected to a Black Sabbath song quite like I have "Heaven and Hell". It's just an incredibly powerful piece of hard rock, created by four of the most gifted musicians to ever grace the metal world. Ozzy was the better man to lead Black Sabbath, but Dio was the better vocalist, and "Heaven and Hell" is his masterpiece.

Damien Rice 9 Crimes For years, I merely liked "9 Crimes", not loved. It was probably my favorite Damien song up until this year, but I didn't QUITE let myself become lost in the dual vocals of Rice and Lisa Hannigan. This year, after a particularly rough patch in my life, "9 Crimes" came calling once again. This time, I fully let this powerful song take over and crash into my like a particularly strong wave. In a year where Damien Rice and I became much more acquainted than ever before, it was the song that I liked of his the most before the year that had the biggest impact of all on me.

Deadmau5 ft. Gerard Way Professional Griefers Oh, Deadmau5. Why can't I try to get into your music more than I already have? What I've heard, I love! "Aural Psynapse" remains incredible, for example. And yet, I still haven't sought out the rest of your discography. All I can really say is that your song with ex-My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way is freaking AWESOME, and I feel sad that I didn't get into it sooner. "Professional Griefers" is Deadmau5 at its pulsating and catchy best, and Gerard matches him every step of the way. It's a perfect "pump you up" song, because it's hard not to feel ready to take on the world after listening to this track.

King Crimson 21st Century Schizoid Man I can''t say that I've listened to enough of King Crimson's music to say that I'm a fan of the legendary prog band's work. Yes, I'm well aware that many music snobs would scoff at this statement, and they're not entirely wrong to do so. But "21st Century Schizoid Man" is undoubtedly a masterpiece of the prog genre. It's very difficult to listen to this song and not think about how it was made FORTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, yet still sounds just as fresh as it ever has. I mean, just LISTEN to the song. There are current bands that would give their left testicle just to make a song this epic and booming. King Crimson: Making current bands look like hacks since 1969.

Elvis Presley In the Ghetto Like the King needs any introduction. Like I need to say that I enjoy the music of Elvis Presley. Being a product of the South makes it incredibly difficult not to connect with Elvis and his music. Elvis is part of our DNA, and listening to his music for the first time is like having a religious experience. But "In the Ghetto" is particularly strong because it comes from an older and wiser Elvis, an Elvis that had become world weary and ready to deal with a side of his life that had been kept somewhat private for many years. The song was not written by Elvis, but the song had to remind Elvis of his upbringing and of the hardships he faced up until he became an icon, and his performance reflects how much the song means to him. This is Elvis Presley at his very best.

The Cranberries Promises If you're like me and a person who loves songs from the Cranberries like "Zombie" and "Linger"...well, then chances are that you're like many people who knows the Cranberries primarily for their big hits. "Promises" wasn't nearly a hit on the level of those tracks, but it deserves to be heard just as often. Its power is only matched by "Zombie", complete with one of Dolores O'Riordan's best vocal performances. I mean, sure, continue to listen to the more famous Cranberries songs. As you should, because most of them remain brilliant. But songs as great as "Promises" deserve your attention, too.

Queen Seven Seas of Rhye It seems like I fall in love with a new Queen song every year. Last year, it was "Innuendo", a later-era Queen classic. This year, I went back to the beginning and found myself falling deeply in love with a song that I like to affectionately refer to as a "mini-Queen epic". And really, this song is epic in every way. It's soaring, it reaches beyond its boundaries, and you find yourself involuntarily wanting to pump your first in the air because of how awesome the song sounds. And it's less than three minutes long! If you've ever wanted to listen to a Queen epic and not want to spend 6+ minutes listening to one of those tracks (and, really, what kind of Queen fan would you be if you DIDN'T want to listen to a song like "Bohemian Rhapsody"?), then "Seven Seas of Rhye" may be for you.

A Perfect Circle Pet A Perfect Circle has went from being a possible all-time favorite band to, legitimately, one of my favorite bands recently. And it's mostly because I've rediscovered their discog, particularly the deeper cuts. In other words, going beyond "Judith" and "The Outsider". And it has been a wonderful journey. My favorite rediscovery was "Pet", a song that almost wouldn't sound out of place on a Tool record, except that it's melodic enough to just BARELY justify being a track of Maynard James Keenan's OTHER band. It's so heavy that it can be overwhelming sometimes, but every time that second chorus comes in, I get chills. This band just knows how to do POWER and know how to make you feel it.

T.Rex Children of the Revolution When listening to "Children of the Revolution", one thing always sticks out to me: The intro instrumental. You want to talk about making you pay attention to a song? This wall of sound openly taunts you and dares you not to notice how huge it sounds. It's not just a roaring piece of music. It COMMANDS you to pay attention immediately. It's a good thing, then, that the rest of the track holds up its end of the bargain and keeps up the power and the force throughout. I've always heard from critics that Marc Bolan was a musical genius, but I didn't really get what they were talking about until listening to this song for the first time. And that main riff, my god...you want to talk about a guitar riff that can move mountains? Here's example A.

Led Zeppelin Achilles Last Stand As with Queen, it seems like I'm falling in love with a new Led Zeppelin track every year. But, I have to say, "Achilles Last Stand" hit me in a way that few tracks ever have. Even "Kashmir", long considered my favorite track of theirs (and it still is...for now), doesn't keep up the epicness and the grand scale for as long as this ten minute monstrosity does. "Achilles Last Stand" doesn't just hit you over the head with the epic stick. It solidly pummels your head into mush for ten minutes and does not let up. I still cannot fathom how Zep were able to command my attention for as long as they did in the manner that they did. The first time I listened to this song, and I'm not even joking, I sat down and did nothing but just LISTEN to the song until it ended. Nothing else. I felt transfixed by this song's incredible riff, Robert Plant's booming vocals, and the insane drums of John Bonham. This song is so good that it may overtake "Kashmir" as my favorite Zep song before too long. And those of you who have known me for a long time know that is HIGH praise.

Sigur Rós Agaetis Byrjun Okay, so technically, it's a bit of a cheat to put an album at #1, but if ever an album deserved it, it's this one. I don't remember exactly what the circumstances were to make me listen to Sigur Rós, but I'm almost positive that Kworb had recommended them, or, more specifically, the first real track off of their breakthrough album. That song was "Svefn-G-Englar". I was absolutely blown away by just how beautiful the track was. To this day, no song has ever, EVER blown me away quite like "Svefn-G-Englar" on first listen. I like to say that certain things are like "a religious experience", but "Svefn-G-Englar" felt like an opening to a whole new world and exciting new horizons to explore. There are religious experiences, and then there was "Svefn-G-Englar". So, naturally, being the forgetful and somewhat lazy person that I am, I waited until this year to delve deeper into the beauty of Sigur Rós. Immediately, I sought out the album in which that incredible track I had been recommended so long ago was on. I made quite a few awesome musical discoveries this year, including songs and albums on this list and the upcoming lists you're about to see, but I can safely say that nothing made me feel quite the way that Agaetis Byrjun did. In a year where I listened to the potential saviors of rock and roll, listened to some old saviors of rock and roll all over again, and found that my love of music was growing more than ever before, it was this seemingly unassuming album from a group of Icelandic men that made the biggest impression on me. This album isn't just beautiful. This album isn't just an incredible piece of music. It's life-altering. I can't even fathom a life without Sigur Rós and Agaetis Byrjun anymore, because they have become a part of me, a part of my psyche, a part of my soul. No album in 2014 spoke to me in the same way that Agaetis Byrjun did. It would have been impossible for any other album to do so. Agaetis Byrjun wasn't just my favorite discovery from the past in 2014, it was the best music that I listened to for the first time in 2014, period.

And with that look back at the past now over, it's time to get to the heavyweights! Starting (I hope) tomorrow is the Albums list! I was thinking about how to go about posting the list, and I'm thinking that sets of five might be the way to go, but we'll see. If that does wind up being the case, then 20-16 will be the first set.

Oh, and by the way, if I have not commented on your year-end threads or your updates, feel free to PM me/wall message me/whatever to let me know! I read every single one of these messages, so there's a pretty good chance that I'll comment on your year-ender updates if you make sure to let me know that you've updated.

[Gifted]

Human and Team

[Brandon]

The Man Who Sold The World

I loved the David Bowie original just as much as I loved Nirvanas cover of it.

[JGibson]

5/15

Team + The Man Who Sold The World + Professional Griefers <33

[Hourglazzez]

Team!

[Brayant]

The Man Who Sold The World ICONIC!

[TRF.]

Sigur Rós, Lorde, David Bowie, The Human League. Also, yes, Agaetis Byrjun is probably one of the most beautiful albums ever made, it's just... Timeless.



Honestly, TRF.

[holyground]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas Team.

I found out about Human while playing a game on ATRL But I like it, The Human League have some nice sounding stuff in general.

[Razzle]

Team

[Sunderland 4ever]

21st Century Schizoid Man. Yes sir, great pick.

[Mr.Link]

I love 9 Crimes and the video is absolutely brilliant, nice to see it get some recognition.

[mathuss]

I remember I made a similar countdown a couple years ago. The Man Who Sold The World, 9 Crimes, Promises

I need to check some Sigur Rós album, I liked the songs I've heard from them but never dared to listen to a whole album.

[madonnas]

Ooh, I used to always kind of pass off The Human League as a B-list Synthpop group, but I've gotten into them too. Human, Don't You Want Me and I Believe in Love (!!!!) are fantastic.