#70
Diandra
'Outta My Head'
#69
Blind Pilot
'Half Moon'
'Half Moon'
I love this lyric in this song, a kind of tent post that brings it all together. I caught this easy-on-the-ears ballad during Ellen repeats mid 2013. I think it's fairly old but it is so easy to listen to. With a relaxed sound, the song seems to be content with letting the lyrics shine over a slow paced backing arrangement, all without sounding boring. It's all the better for it IMO. Thanks Ellen.
#68
The Ceremonies
'Land Of Gathering'
'Land Of Gathering'
This epic track went by mostly unnoticed to anyone outside of the frequent bloggers and their readers (although American MTV tried to push it for a little bit apparently). This rollicks on with a lot of bells and whistles that don't bog it down, they are there to enhance the track. Add in one of the year's best vocals, and you've got something pretty special. It doesn't let up for just a tick over five minutes. For all of the indie-pop lovers out there, this was one of the year's best releases and I can't wait to see what else they bring to the table in 2014. They've got such a view.
#67
Walk The Moon
'I Can Lift A Car'
Ridiculous song title, awesome song. Walk The Moon released a really nice album in 2012, but it wasn't until 2013 until I heard it. It spawned three songs in my Top 200 for this year, 'I Can Lift A Car' is the second. It's more thumping drums with a big chorus, the kind of style I dig a whole lot of course. A cool band with cool tunes.
#66
Tegan And Sara
'How Come You Don't Want Me'
A slower paced song from "Heartthrob" becomes my second favourite from the album. How ironic considering I loved and have been waffling on about, how they upped the pop on it. But this ballad slots right in perfectly amongst the amazing-ness around it. Again brilliant lyrics, slick production and the girls sound great over a killer chorus. 1 more to go for them.
#65
The 1975
'Girls'
Last year a new band emerged as a potential favourite of mine in the future, with the likes of The Killers, Fall Out Boy and Vampire Weekend etc. And that band was The 1975. So impressed was I with their debut album that I would make that statement. Hey, it's a big deal for a band to infiltrate my favourite artists list! 'Girls' is amazing. Lead singer Matthew Healy has a unique gift in making the listener feel anything he's singing, he puts a lot of effort into each word. They are from Manchester, as you can tell quite often from his very unsubtle accent, but it doesn't distract from this great little pop track. They have a way with melodies that completely sweeps you away. A wickedly clever film clip suggests they are smarter than you think too. Ones to watch for sure.
#64
MKTO
'Classic'
This is a stylish second effort from a band I may have thought were going to be a one hit wonder. Well they basically are everywhere, but Australia. 'Classic' was a legitimate hit here and for good reason. It's dirty straight up beat details lyrics of showing a girl a good time, whilst being a gentleman first and foremost. All men can relate yeah? Ahem. A killer chorus really showed that these boys had something to offer the pop world. Big tick.
#63
Majestee Of Sweden
'Governor'
Sounding more what I though GaGa was gonna come out with for album #3, 'Governor' is monstrous. Both in sound and quality. A commanding vocal performance leads a track that is thunderous in it's beat and ambition. I like it alot and I can see mother monster singing it still. This is grade A pop from the undisputed home of pop, Sweden.
#62
John Mayer
'Paper Doll'
This straight up folk slow-burner was an instant like for me, and from serial bore John Mayer. That bizarre lyric video aside, this is a really beautiful song accompanied by nice arrangement and Mayer has never sounded better. This was a winner.
#61
Katherine McPhee
'Some Boys'
Most unlikely cover of a song on a TV show in 2013? This. Death Cab For Cutie's 'Some Boys' gets the TV makeover by Katherine McPhee in the axed-far-too-soon show SMASH. It shouldn't work but oh God does it work. She sings delicately, with all the emotional, tenderness and heart you could hope for, and the best part was that it wasn't just inserted in the show for no reason (Glee anyone?). This is the first TV cover of a song I've ever featured in my countdowns so that's probably saying something in terms of it's quality. I love it.
#60
Fall Out Boy
'Young Volcanoes'
I really admired Fall Out Boy's ambition this year. Naming their album "Save Rock And Roll", even though it was tongue in cheek, 2013 was a better year with an active FOB doing the rounds. They are after all, one of my favourite bands. Plus they filmed video clips for every song on their album, pre-Beyonce. 'Young Volcanoes' was a nice slice of old and new FOB that just worked. From the handclaps that come into play from the get go, right through to them letting loose on the chorus, it's a classic Fall Out Boy song to add to their ever-growing impressive list of singles. Plus there still is no better voice in pop-punk-rock (if that's a thing?) than Patrick Stump.
#59
Avicii ft. Aloe Blacc
'Wake Me Up'
Avicii did something remarkable last year. Like him or loathe him, he made EDM exciting again by forging his own unique sound and pushing the envelope on a genre that had become quite samey. So kudos to him. And kudos to making this track. By marrying Aloe Blacc's undeniable nu-soul voice to what is basically a very well made house track, he made one of the most successful and great songs of the year. Everyone knows it by now but it's popular for a reason. Because it's fresh, and damn well made.
#58
Sir Sly
'Gold'
I love the lyrics in this song. The chorus alone deserves your attention for it's sheer brilliance. I dunno why more people don't know it, but it's mysterious yet accessible without being pretentious. An intriguing film clip caps off a very well made indie-pop jam. Altogether now: "a mouth made of metal metal metal, pocket full of yellow yellow, pocket full of gold..."
#57
fun.
'Sight Of The Sun'
fun. returned early in 2013 from their breakthrough 2012 with this exclusive track written for the I-still-don't-know-if-I-like-it TV show, Girls. Fortunately for Girls, it's one of fun.'s best songs, perhaps behind only 'Some Nights', as their second best offering. It fits the show's theme perfectly, with lyrics about drunkin' nights, second guessing yourself and asking whether you are good enough or not, they blend perfectly with Nate Reuss' incredible voice over their now trademark indie pop, lite-rock sound. It's a real gem that never caught on really, which is weird because it could have fit on the "Some Nights" album seamlessly I reckon.
#56
Birds Of Tokyo
'Lanterns'
The only thing against this gem of an anthem going into the JJJ Hottest 100 is that it was released early in 2013. And traditionally songs released in the earlier part of the year don't fare as well. I hope (and do think) it will go Top 10 because it's almost 'Plans' part 2. I love the "On we march with a midnight song, we will light our way with our lanterns on" call to arms that anchors the whole tune. It's uplifting, spirited, anthemic and epic, just like 'Plans'. It's awesome.
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