#49 to #40 Songs #8 and #7 in albums & music videos
Albums:
8. Lights - Siberia
I had heard of Lights in about 2009, but I didn't really start getting into her until Spring of 2010. I fell in love with her songs "Lions!", "Second Go", and my absolute favorite "Face Up". I had never gotten into her full album though. When Siberia came out, I was eager to check it out and I loved-- the full album. Lights grew with this album. She grew with her electronic beats and dabbles in several different areas of the electronic genre including dubstep. The nice thing about the album is that it's very cohesive. Even with her new sound, she still manages to incorporate her old into it, which is very nice. She grows, but still remembers where she came from. The highlights are "And Counting...", "Flux and Flow", "Toes", and "Fourth Dimension".
7. Robyn - "Body Talk"
What an incredible album. I had tried to get into Robyn months before I saw the light, but she just wasn't doing anything for me. Finally, I listened to "Criminal Intent" and everything suddenly made sense. Every song on the album is truly amazing. If any critics or music snobs want to put down the electronic genre, they need to listen to this album. Robyn is easily one of the most talented pop artists out there. I just wish the world would see that. Highlights include "Criminal Intent", "Call Your Girlfriend", "Stars 4-Ever", "U Should Know Better" (Feat. Snoop Dogg).
Songs:
49. Skrillex - "Kill Everybody"
I was first exposed to Skrillex in January of 2011 and this was the first song that I had heard. I was in Hot Topic looking for more Cobra Starship t-shirts and I had heard this masterpiece playing in there. I marched over to the cashier and asked if he knew what song was playing and he told me about Skrillex and that I needed to check out his E.P. From there, it's history. This is definitely one of his best songs and will forever be a Skrillex "classic" in my eyes. It's hard hitting and definitely fun to bump in the car with friends (assuming they have a good system).
48. Britney Spears - "Seal It With A Kiss"
It was February and Dr. Luke was in the midst of relentlessly teasing Britney fans by posting snippets of songs from Femme Fatale. When I heard the snippet for this song, I got even more excited for the album than I already was. This song could have single potential, but I don't waste my time pushing it because I know it will never happen. The chorus is gold. It's very climatic and I love that feeling. Plus the light dubstep is a good effect. I refer to it as pop-step (created by Britney )
47. Kelly Clarkson - "You Love Me"
When I took the first few listens through Stronger, this song wasn't necessarily a stand-out. But then the line, "I'm not good enough, I'm not good enough" kept capturing me and made me want to listen to this song more. I really hope this is a single at some point because it's a good one from Ms. Clarkson.
46. Kelly Rowland - "Lay It On Me" (feat. Big Sean)
From one Kelly to the other. This song is great and I will be the one to say it: This song is miles better than "Motivation" (feat. Lil' Wayne). This was definitely a potential end of summer/early fall hit. Of course her label ****ed up this smash. The music video definitely did not help. Also, this was a nice door opener for Big Sean. Either way, hit or no hit I'm glad to have had this song to jam to over the summer.
45. Avril Lavigne - "Not Enough"
I..... love Goodbye Lullaby. I wish more people gave it a chance. This is one of the many masterpieces on it and it's really nice acoustic esque/ broken down song. This song has emotion in it which is nice to hear from Avril.
44. Rihanna - "Watch n' Learn"
When the previews for Talk That Talk FINALLY were released, I knew I had to have this song in full. And when I heard the song in full, I wasn't disappointed. Ever since the release of "Rude Boy", I feel that Rihanna has kind of created her own little genre: Island Pop. What's nice about this song is that it also has hints of R&B, which I like to hear in pop songs sometimes. When summer rolls around, I will be sure to add this to my summer playlist.
43. Demi Lovato - "Unbroken"
I never really got into Demi Lovato from her first two CD's, but there was a small handful of songs from her latest CD that impressed. This is one of them. It's a strange, cooky electropop song with hints of emotion. I like that. If only the album was full of this and "Skyscraper" then I would have had to download or buy the whole album.
42. Beyonce - "Schoolin' Life"
Why wasn't this on the standard edition of 4? It frustrates me when bonus tracks get snubbed. Either way, I love this song. It's urban and was perfect for the beginning of summer when I acquired. And I must say the line, "who needs a degree when you're schoolin' life?" is a pretty genius line.
41. Lights - "Toes" (Nightbox Remix)
This is the first time I have preferred a remix to the original. Now don't get me wrong, the original deserves this spot just as much as the remix, but the remix has grown to be my favorite. I definitely recommend this along with the whole album!
40. Robyn - "Call Your Girlfriend"
Initially, I liked this, but it wasn't my favorite. As the year has gone on, it has definitely grown to be one of my favorite songs from Body Talk. The part that gives me life is towards the end when her vocals break out into this electronic breakdown. Very refreshing, this song should be smashing on radio right now.
Music Videos:
8. Britney Spears - "Criminal"
I was so happy that this song was chosen to be a single. I was hoping for success, but I was at least glad that I would be getting a video. And I was glad that Britney finally did a mini-movie. I have been waiting so long for her to do one! This was great. It was nice to see Britney really into the video and she was sexy holding the gun. The video was so genuine and I know it was because of Jason being in it. That proves to me that they will be happy together. And why the hell did her team let this video remain blocked?! It deserves to be seen more!
7. Katy Perry - "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"
This video is great! I love funny Katy Perry. Videos that try to be funny sometimes don't work, but this definitely does. It was grand, but it wasn't like it tried to be a work of art. And I loved the fact that Rebecca Black was in the video. It also proved to me that Katy could go from doing a darker artsy video like "E.T." to a funny video like this. I love the variety. Katy's videography is definitely underrated.
#6 and #5 in albums and music videos, #39 to #30 for songs
Albums:
6. Natalia Kills - Perfectionist
Natalia Kills has grown to become one of my favorite artists over the past year. Gaga stans seem to loathe her, but I love both ladies. I get it, they think she rips her off, but it would be an inviting idea to actually study all aspects of her instead of first glance judgements. Anyways, Perfectionist is quite an excellent debut. It has a lot of emotion and it's hard not to fall in love. It's dark, but it has it's fluff moments such as "Free" and "Kill My Boyfriend" (sort of ). I love this album and so disappointed that her label didn't give it the proper promotion. At least this gem was finally released after so many months of waiting for it (over a year actually). Highlights include, "Free", "Break You Hard", "Wonderland", and "If I Was God". But the whole album is great-- every single track.
5. Rihanna - Talk That Talk
I am so spoiled by Rihanna and getting a new album every year. It's always great because I always know I will get a quality album from Rihanna. While this may not top Rated R or Loud for me, this album continues to deliver the quality. It's a fun album really and it's kind of relaxing in a way, seeing as how I feel every year gets more and more stressful. Rihanna delivers a perfect balance between Urban-Pop, Island-Pop, to Dance-Pop. It's a nice mix really and the album is pretty cohesive. I'm really glad to have this album and I can't wait for the next one. I don't know what I am going to do with myself when she actually decides to take a real break. Lmao. The highlights on this album for me are, "We Found Love", "Talk That Talk" (feat. Jay-Z), "Drunk on Love", Watch n' Learn", "Red Lipstick", and "Do Ya Thang". "Birthday Cake" is also pretty epic, I can't wait till we have finally (hopefully) get that full version.
Songs:
39. Foster The People - "Life on the Nickel"
This song is pretty great. Torches is an incredible album, but I feel like whenever people discuss the album, they skip over this masterpiece. How can I describe this song in a term? Hipster-Pimp? Lmao, I know that sounds lame, but this song is a feel-good one and is definitely a highlight on Foster The People's debut.
38. Dia Frampton - "Don't Kick The Chair" (feat. Kid Cudi)
I never watched the voice, even though I apparently should of since I heard good things about it. I also should have watch it so I could have discovered the talent that is Dia Frampton much earlier. I discovered this song relatively late in the year seeing as how it was released in December and it's surprising, even to myself, how high it's charting on my year-end list. That's a good thing about the song. I usually skip out on the self-empowerment songs, but this deserves to smash even though I fear it will flop. It's a shame since it also features my favorite rapper: Kid Cudi. Great verse by the way, I really enjoyed it.
37. Kelly Clarkson - "Hello"
This is one of the first songs that caught my attention on my first sift through Stronger. I really enjoy the lyrics, the guitar, the vocal melody, the uh everything! Definitely the best track from Kelly's new album-- it needs to be a single or at least have a video.
36. Dev - "Dancing Shoes"
Well by the names of the title, I thought I would hate this song. Which is why you never judge a book by it's cover. This is the best on Dev's album. It just has so many amazing qualities to live for in the song. From the calm intro, to the laid back chorus, to the beautifully melodic second verse, to the bursting electronic ear candy in the bridge. I adore this song. I saw that there was a video for it that leaked, but was quickly removed. I hope this is a sign that hopefully the song will be a single sometime in the future.
35. Britney Spears - "How I Roll"
Well of course any song Britney does with Bloodshy will be a masterpiece. A masterpiece that slays the souls of millions. This song is no different. I call it different compared to say "I Wanna Go", but still fun enough to fit in with the rest of the songs on Femme Fatale. Which is exactly it should be a single. Different from Britney, but still fun. But her team won't listen: They're assholes. I hate them.
34. Kanye West and Jay-Z - "Niqqas In Paris"
Who would have thought that this would have been a hit? Haha, this song is hilarious. I am now obsessed with the word "Cray" now (thanks Kanye!). I didn't really pay attention to this song until Rihanna started tweeting the lyrics to it. Now I love it (thanks Rihanna!).
33. Beyonce - "End of Time"
When I heard this song, I instantaneously thought of summer. Which irks me why Beyonce or her team hasn't released this song yet. It's definitely a smash. It reminds of "Sweet Dreams" in a way except ten times better (and "Sweet Dreams" was a good song). Please release this song Beyonce, at least by this next Spring/Summer.
32. Beyonce - "I Miss You"
Another Beyonce song! This one was definitely the first songs I fell in love with on 4. I still love it, it's simple yet melodic. I have now discovered that rising R&B singer Frank Ocean wrote/produced this masterpiece. I now have him on high alert for his releases this year.
31. Demi Lovato - "Skyscraper"
What a great song. Her album should have been full of these. It was personal, and so beautiful. It really proved to me that Demi was already turning into an artist before her other Disney competition (Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez). Her vocal talent is undeniable and raw in this song. It's too bad she couldn't have shown the world more of that with her album. Maybe next time.
30. Coldplay - "Paradise"
How can you not love this song? The intro alone slays entire continents. This song is powerful and reminds me of why Coldplay is an incredible band. After hearing all of the great songs on their album this year, I really am craving to see them live. My soul would be slayed seeing this song live, I need to make it happen.
Music Videos
6. Kanye West, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Nicki Minaj - "Monster"
Apparently, it's not on Youtube. But if you want to watch it, check it out on his website
First of all, I love this song. Second of all, I love this video even more. It's incredibly disturbing and that's what I like about it. Kanye, to be honest, has a ****ed up mind, but at least he greats great music and visuals from it. I'm disappointed that the "All of the Lights" music video didn't have this much budget and thought put behind it because that's my favorite Kanye West songs ever.
5. Beyonce - "Countdown"
I love this song, so I of course expected myself to love the video. And I did. It really matched the song so well. It was colorful and cheery. It literally matched the song, the way Beyonce had her body movements from something as little to twitching her eyebrows matching the instrumental to the song. The dance moves were also pretty cool as well.
#29 to #21 in songs, #4-#3 in albums and music videos
Albums:
4. Avril Lavigne - Goodbye Lullaby
This is definitely a very underrated album here on ATRL. I adore this album and of course I knew it wouldn't burn up the charts because it's not following the dance-pop trend. The album still is good on it's own though. I love the acoustic and raw feel to it. I know Avril has had her ballads, but I never expected an album with such emotion with it. I even think "Smile" fits into it, even though people feel it goes more with "What The Hell". Either way, the album definitely shouldn't be judged based on those two songs. Avril proves that she truly is a talent in the industry. My favorites are "Darlin", "Smile", "4 Real", "Not Enough", and "Stop Standing There".
3. Lady Gaga - Born This Way
I'm going to be honest, the title track first single killed the anticipation of this album for me. Of course, "Judas" brought it back to life and thank God it did. This album is great. I'm not too sure where it ranks from me compared to her first two albums, but I adore this CD. I still listen to it everyday. I know people don't like dark Gaga, but she sounds great on here. Now there are a few tracks I could do without, but still the work as a whole is perfect. I know she has already released a lot of singles, but I would also love to see a lot more videos from this album. It's great and it makes me more and more excited for her next CD which will hopefully be out this year. Highlights include: "Bloody Mary", "Hair", "Judas", "Heavy Metal Lover", "The Edge of Glory", and "You and I".
Songs:
29. Patrick Stump - "The 'I' In Lie"
Who knew that someone could be such a good song about cheating. I adore the Fueled By Ramen artists (Cobra Starship's record label) so I knew I had to check out Patrick's solo work. This song was the first thing I fell in love and still continues to be my favorite from the album. The chorus is hard hitting and gives me life every time.
28. Robyn - "U Should Know Better" (feat. Snoop Dogg)
Someone remind me why Robyn isn't famous again? This song *****. It's so vocally brash and I love every second of it. It's nice to hear artists be so up front in the music. And Snoop Dogg actually doesn't sound too bad here.
27. Lights - "Flux and "Flow"
I really like this song. The verses have this melodic trance feel in the vocals. And I love the bursting croon from Lights during the chorus. This is among the best on the album and if you want to check it out, I would recommend you start here.
26. Lights - "And Counting..."
Why am I here for this song? Because it's basically a "Face Up" part two. "Face Up" was the best song on Lights' debut CD. I love both because they both sing about having trouble going to sleep. Haha, it's so simple, but it's something many of us relate, especially me
25. Bon Iver - "Minnesota, WI"
This song is awesome. No, it's not pop music, but Bon Iver is excellent. This song gave the vibe for Autumn, yet nostalgic for the past summer. That's what I like about music. Whatever evokes the most emotion or emotion from a memory is going to rate high for me.
24. Britney Spears - "Till The World Ends"
Like every other Britney song (besides "Inside Out") I loved this song as soon as I heard it. Then I kind of stopped liking, then I started liking it again. It was this roller coaster. I remember telling Vin on here, that I only gave it a 7.5/10, but now I can say I give it a 10/10. I still listen to it almost every day and it is so perfect for school dances (Seeing as how my Homecoming was themed "Dance Until The World Ends" ). I hope Britney inspires more artists to release Apocalyptic-Dance songs because they are pretty awesome.
23. David Guetta - "Titanium" (feat. Sia)
A non-generic David Guetta single? Someone hold me, I'm about to have a stroke. But in all seriousness this song is pure perfection. I have never gotten into Sia, but her voice is great! I need to check out her music. It's such a unique voice. And this song better be a hit. Everything about it is terrific.
22. Adele - "I'll Be Waiting"
"But we had time against us, and miles between us. The Heavens cried, I know I left you speechless". Ahhh! That lines gives me life every time I hear the song. That alone places the the song at #22. The rest of the song is amazing too.
21. Beyonce - "I Was Here"
This is a powerful song. It was kind of little push for me in the summer to actually make the most of the time I had off. Not to mention the instrumental is pure perfection. This song deserved more than that live performance music video. It also deserves to be a single.
Music Videos:
4. Natalia Kills - "Free" (feat. will.i.am)
This video is Natalia's best video. It has her dark style (clothing wise), chainsaws,etc. yet it's quirky and still fun. It was a great mix for Natalia and it worked well with the song. The video also felt very European, which was a great feel for the song. Not that the song was radio-friendly and had a great video, you would think that the label would promote it and send it to radio, right? No-- Cherrytree, you ****ing suck. You have all these greats artists and don't promote them. **** you. [/endrant]
3. Lady Gaga - "Judas"
Definitely, her best video this era. People need to get over the religion ********, it's not religiously offensive at all. But I'll dive more into that when I finally get to the song in my song countdown . This video is classic Gaga upgraded to 2011. I'm glad to see her directing and she didn't do a bad job. She looked beautiful in the video as well and her outfits, although quirky and freakish, looked good. And that's why I love Gaga.