Poor AAR. They flopped so badly this year and I can't quite understand why, they stuck to the same pop-rock sound that made them huge during the Move Along era. Just lack of promo I guess.
I really believe it was bad single choices. I ADORE this album, one of my favs, but the single choices have been KITS should have been first, then somedays gone and Heartbeat Slowing Down
I don't have an update for you guys right now, I can only pre-make so many of them Hopefully I'll get to it later tonight though.
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Originally posted by ClashAndBurn
Numb... I'm not sure why, but it in terms of chart positioning, it turned out to be an all-career low for Usher. Which may be more due to the agonizingly slow de-saturation of dance-pop in the mainstream, which... I fear my spell trouble for some artists in 2013.
Personally, I think "Out Of My Mind" would have been a better overall lead single than the title track, and "Both Of Us" should have been the pop lead instead of "So Good"... But with more substance than two lines for Taylor's hook. Though, when you think about it, the "Airplanes" hook was rather simplistic as well.
Numb isn't even that much of a dance-pop song though. It's slower and with hints of R&B in it. I would love the generic trashy dance-pop to leave the mainstream, but not songs like this
And honestly Airplanes was only so huge because B.o.B was the hot new artist at the moment. You know I'm automatically here for anything Hayley Wiliams touches though
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Originally posted by DrogoBrush
8/10
All but Nelly and Ne-Yo. I really wished Nelly Furtado's new album was better.
I haven't even had the motivation to listen to Nelly's album yet. Big Hoops wasn't bad but it was disappointing and then I got tired of Spirit Indestructible so quickly I hope her next era is better.
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Originally posted by sumthintoxic82
I really believe it was bad single choices. I ADORE this album, one of my favs, but the single choices have been KITS should have been first, then somedays gone and Heartbeat Slowing Down
You're probably right but Beekeeper's Daughter was catchy, pop-friendly and should have charted at least moderately well based on lead single hype. That tells you something's wrong with their label.
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Originally posted by iputrecordson
"Let Me Love You" and "So Good" are the only ones I like from the set. Only because I don't know the other songs.
I can understand some of the rockish ones, even though I think people should listen to them. But not even Big Hoops or Numb?
Another former HAC hotshot who just can't seem to catch a break nowadays. And it's a shame especially since SITN is one of his best singles. I love the piano loop that plays in the beginning, it reminds me of the one in Lovers in Japan (hell, even Mat Kearney's voice kinda reminds me of Chris Martin). And then Mat does this interesting thing in the verses where he talk-sings, I would almost call it rapping. It is the type of song he usually does but it seems like he put a little more creative input into this one, which resulted in a great final product. This is the only song by Mat Kearney in the list.
109 Havana Brown f/Pitbull "We Run the Night"
Everybody can have their guilty pleasures right? I mean yes, it is very generic dance-pop but yet there's something so fresh and energizing about it, and I can't help but feel...well, fresh and energized when I'm listening to it. Behind all the production and editing I can tell that this girl does actually have a voice, and while it's not fantastic (I think she should stick to this genre of songs), it's certainly better than other mainstream artists who will completely drown their voice in autotune to hide their inability to sing. Again I can tell that Havana will be a one-hit wonder in the US, but she chose a nice song to be remembered with. This is the only song by Havana Brown in the list.
108 Gotye f/Kimbra "Somebody That I Used to Know"
...bet you didn't expect to see this so low, did you? Truth is, all the weeks it spent at #1 on my chart were mainly due to lack of competition, and when the song did fall it fell like a rock. After the song peaked, I just got so incredibly tired of it. However, that doesn't get in the way of how good STIUTK really is. Gotye has such a unique tone in his voice, it reminds me very much of Phil Collins and something he might have released in the late 1980s. And I'm glad the song was made into a duet, it really sounds the best that way and I don't think it would have worked with Gotye just singing on his own. Either way, I love the song despite how much I got tired of it, it's a shame Gotye will be another one-hit wonder since he has quite a few other good songs. This is the only song by Gotye in the list.
107 Alex Clare "Too Close"
Another song that I was completely addicted to in the beginning of the year.. Alex has an amazingly raspy and unique voice, definitely one of the best male voices I've heard this year. The song is also very original and unique, it includes elements of pop, R&B, dubstep, and rock. However the song just lacked staying power, I playlisted it way back in March, played the hell out of it, and by June-July when it started catching on I was way over it. Still Alex is one of my favorite new artists of the year and I'll be keeping my eye out for any new material from him. This is the only song by Alex Clare in the list.
106 B.o.B f/Taylor Swift "Both of Us"
The song that everyone thought would smash and bring B.o.B back to relevance, but sadly it wasn't meant to be. And I can see why, it's not on the same level as Nothin' on You or Airplanes, but I really thought the Taylor feature would be enough to propel it to success. Now unlike many people on ATRL I'm not just here for the Taylor feature, it's decent and that's all, and by itself it's not enough to earn this song a place on my list. I like B.o.B's rapping in the song, it actually makes sense and has a meaning unlike so many other rap songs nowadays. Unfortunately I think this song just set B.o.B up to flop with all his future singles This is the last of two songs by B.o.B in the list.
105 Calvin Harris "Feel So Close"
Calvin's debut solo single in the US, after everyone was introduced to him through the annoying trash We Found Love. After this song he announced that he didn't want to do the vocals on any more of his tracks, which confuses me because he actually has a really unique and cool voice But whatever pleases him I guess. Feel So Close is a dance track, but at first it almost doesn't feel like one, in the verses the song sounds very mellow and laid-back. Then it explodes into a breakdown that is surprisingly very enjoyable for me, sometimes the breakdowns become very annoying with all the overdone instrumentals. Sadly this was the last single I liked of Calvin, Let's Go was too generic and Sweet Nothing was just This is the only song by Calvin Harris in the list.
104 Hedley "Kiss You Inside Out"
Here's a band that I really changed my mind about this year. At first I didn't like their music, and I thought the lead singer's voice was too annoying. But then this song came along. I decided to listen to it when I saw it pop up in a couple personal countdowns here, and after a couple listens the "woo-hoos" in the chorus became so catchy and got stuck in my head That was the moment the song really clicked with me. Hedley's music is definitely very unique, you either get it or you don't. For a long time I just didn't get it, but this song is beginning to convert me. This is the only song by Hedley in the list.
103 Swedish House Mafia f/John Martin "Don't You Worry Child"
Swedish House Mafia's last single before they go on hiatus. And what a way to go out with a bang. I don't know who this John Martin person is or why they keep collaborating with him, but I love his voice, it's so powerful and raspy and it really reinforces the message of the song. The lyrics are worded so artistically to make this man's fairly normal life seem like a beautiful story. The only complaint I have for this song is I kinda wish it had a bridge or a third verse, I would've loved to hear that. Overall though I'm glad the group could give me something great to remember them with. This is the only song by Swedish House Mafia in the list.
102 fun. "Some Nights"
The second single this year from the alternative band fun., and it's much much better than the first. The guitar in the verses, the spoken bridge, the choir in the background, it's all so very artistic. I'm glad it became a hit and well-known by the public because it's more of fun. in their true genre of music, not that poppy We Are Young, and it shows off Nate's vocal talent much better. Unfortunately this was another song I overplayed way before its prime, I was constantly listening to it during the spring months and by the summer when it became popular, I didn't really enjoy listening to it anymore. Therefore it ranks just outside of the Top 100 on my list. This is the last of two songs by fun. on the list.
101 David Guetta f/Sia "Titanium"
And right outside of the cutoff for the Top 100 is this hugely hyped collaboration between French DJ David Guetta and Australian vocalist Sia. Sia has such a powerful voice, which really carries the message of inner strength and self-empowerment. Hopefully with all this new exposure she can finally have a hit of her own in the US, after all she's been trying it for over 10 years lol. But it's not all about Sia this time, David Guetta also had a huge part in producing the song and he did an amazing job with that breakdown. You're hearing the soaring vocals of the chorus and all of a sudden the beat completely drops off, it's all so well-executed and put together, and crucial at a time when I was starting to get tired of David Guetta's productions. She Wolf would be the perfect next step, I really hope he takes it. This is the only song by David Guetta in the list.
and So Good, that song is... so good 
LMLY was cute, Nice to see Mary J 
KITS should have been first, then somedays gone and Heartbeat Slowing Down 
Hopefully I'll get to it later tonight though. 
I hope her next era is better.
I mean yes, it is very generic dance-pop but yet there's something so fresh and energizing about it, and I can't help but feel...well, fresh and energized when I'm listening to it. Behind all the production and editing I can tell that this girl does actually have a voice, and while it's not fantastic (I think she should stick to this genre of songs), it's certainly better than other mainstream artists who will completely drown their voice in autotune to hide their inability to sing. Again I can tell that Havana will be a one-hit wonder in the US, but she chose a nice song to be remembered with. This is the only song by Havana Brown in the list.
But whatever pleases him I guess. Feel So Close is a dance track, but at first it almost doesn't feel like one, in the verses the song sounds very mellow and laid-back. Then it explodes into a breakdown that is surprisingly very enjoyable for me, sometimes the breakdowns become very annoying with all the overdone instrumentals. Sadly this was the last single I liked of Calvin, Let's Go was too generic and Sweet Nothing was just 
This is the only song by Calvin Harris in the list.