Wow! It seems like just yesterday I was saying goodbye to 2012 (with much sorrow, that year was awesome), and now it's time to bid farewell to 2013!
So before I bestow my own personal awards on to what I thought was the best in music this year, I must first give you a December update! So, MaestroBlog has now been viewed 9104 times, up 647 views from last month. My views-per-post average is 35.4, up 0.6 from last month. The most viewed post of December was my "Worst Songs of 2013" list (in comparison, the "Best Songs of 2013" received only 16 views). I'm also glad that I was able to keep a steady flow of posts coming this month, every other day actually works well for me!
Most importantly, 10000 views are now within reach, I'll let you know the day it happens! Also in the new year, I'm starting a brand new segment called "Good Songs", where I bring forth an artist that's typically dismissed as being bad, and then go on to prove that they actually have some great material in their catalogue. I'm really excited for that one! Any other ideas you have? Don't be afraid to comment!
Lastly, I'm most excited for 2014, period. 2013 has been a very trying year for me, and while there were some good moments (my first job!!), I also thought it overall sucked. Bring on a fresh start, I'm MORE than ready! I hope you all enjoy New Year's as well! Now, let's get on to the real shit. Below I will give my picks for the best to happen in music this year!
Best Song
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-"Thrift Shop"
Best New Artists
Kacey Musgraves
Lorde
Newest Musical Obsession
Lorde!!
Songs That Blew Up My iPod
Demi Lovato-"Heart Attack"
Miley Cyrus-"We Can't Stop"
Most Overrated Album
Kanye West-"Yeezus"
Most Overrated Artists
Kanye West
Florida-Georgia Line
Best Music Special/Award Show
Beyonce's Super Bowl Half-Time Show
Best Music Video
DJ Zedd and Foxes-"Clarity"
Albums That Deserved More Sales
Lady Gaga-"ARTPOP"
Britney Spears-"Britney Jean"
Kacey Musgraves-"Same Trailer Different Park"
Song That Deserved More Sales
Kelly Clarkson-"People Like Us"
Most Overplayed Songs
Robin Thicke, T.I., and Pharrell-"Blurred Lines"
Imagine Dragons-"Radioactive"
Florida-Georgia Line and Nelly-"Cruise"
Worst Artist
Justin Bieber
Artist That Everyone Needs to Stop Hating On
Miley Cyrus
Artist of the Year
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Most Anticipated New Music for 2014
Shakira
Sarah McLachlan
Michelle Branch
The Veronicas
JoJo (???)
Taylor Swift
Lea Michele
Ellie Goulding (pleeeeease??)
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Port Blue-"The Airship" Review
A man with many names, Adam Young is the type of individual who's restlessness is as terrific as it is tiresome. At his best, he creates atmospheric and lush electronic pop that's pitched somewhere between Dido and The Postal Service on the spectrum. When he's not Owl City, then Mr. Young is making soft acoustic-pop as Sky Sailing, whose sound is designated as Death Cab for Cutie meets Sarah McLachlan. His worst moments, though, are when he strips the subtlety away, and instead opts for garish synth-pop that while can sometimes be infectious, is usually too hollow to satisfy. Luckily for us, he doesn't make this mistake with his third alias, Port Blue. On its debut LP "The Airship", Adam makes sure to keep his strengths and weaknesses separate, combining the electronic atmosphere with a singer/songwriter's ambiance to create this: an easy, 13-song set that is pleasurable throughout. With no vocals (besides the occasional chatter in the background), this record is a fine example of Adam Young working at a peak of musical ability. This is due to a couple reasons, the first being that since his voice isn't heard, there's nothing to disparage here (besides the song titles, which are at once too obvious yet not informative enough). Lyrics have always been a touchy subject with Owl City, so Port Blue is word-free, letting the sturdy hooks within the arrangements to shine through the gloss of the production. This leads to another advantage that this album has: while it certainly boasts some lengthy songs and clocks in at 51 minutes, there's absolutely no problem just listening to it because while there are minor chords a plenty, there's also a sense of light that crackles through each track. Clearly, Adam Young took a page from Daft Punk's "Homework", an album that celebrates our lives through sound and rhythm. However, while that album was made for a night out or fast-pace motion, "The Airship" is its opposite: an airy, mid-tempo record that is more appropriate for fine dining or strolls through the park. This is nowhere more prevalent than in "The Grand Staircase", featuring a more urban vibe that could've easily accompanied "Hey, Arnold!" back in its heyday. Elsewhere, we have simply gorgeous chill-out music, such as the appropos "The Gentle Descent" or "Under the Glass Observation Dome", both of which fuse Enya's multi-layered synths within the usual studio magic we've come to expect from Adam. There really isn't one song here that doesn't sound good, and that's what makes it so instantly appealing. This is happy music that exists entirely on the surface, so much so that when the album ends, it's a jarring buzz kill. And that's also kind of the problem with "The Airship"; every so often, it tries to dig below ground and give some sort of dramatic, narrative arc. It's nice to see some context given to these songs, but since so much time and effort was used to make them sound as ethereal as possible, there really is no need to complicate things. There's also the issue of how cold and distant the production feels when it tries to get serious, and this unfortunately carries on throughout the rest of the songs. But like before, these moments are still so subtle that they can easily be overlooked. Also notable is how each song can bring something new; Adam doesn't start repeating himself until the last three songs. A minor flaw in an otherwise excellent collection of music tailored as a soundtrack to our world.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Up Ship! 2. Over
4. Sunset
Cruiser 5. The Axial Catwalk 6. Of the Airship Academy
7. In The
Control Car 8. Under the Glass Observation Dome
9. Into
the Gymnasium 10. The Cargo Bay 11.
Arrival at Sydney Harbour
12. The Gentle Descent 13. At
Anchor
Friday, December 27, 2013
Krewella-"Get Wet" Review
Taking an upwards of three years to create, "Get Wet" is a crash course in Krewella's Eurotrash electro-disco (heavy on the trash, light on the Euro, of course). It begins on a sharp downbeat with the opener "Live for the Night", and throughout the next three tracks, it's a bitch-slapping assault of electronics and big, piercing vocals courtesy of sisters Jahan Yousaf and Yasmine Yousaf. Thankfully, though, sole producer Kris "Rain Man" Trindl decides to back up their vocals with dense arrangements of synth, drum machines, and Hi-NRG party pop, and not with the vocal processors which have made every EDM act in 2013 sound as high and shrill as a drill. This isn't Krewella's only redeeming factor. "Get Wet" manages to sprawl every sub-genre of Electronica under the sun, ranging from deep house to everything but ElectroClash (though it gets dangerously close many times). If "Alive" was the only thing that this record had going for it, it would still be one of the best mainstream dance albums of 2013, but there's actually different elements at work here besides pounding four-on-the-floor and breakdowns that are the dance equivalent of hard metal. Nothing says versatility quite like inserting a string arrangement in one track ("Ring of Fire"), while hiring Stephen Schwartz to co-produce another (the album's lone ballad, the excellent "Human"), but below the surface, Krewella manages to out-Ke$ha Ke$ha, while recording with the humane sensibility of Daft Punk. Lyrically, "Get Wet" is unabashed with its use of cliche: "I'll sleep when I am dead", "Go hard or go home", or "Come on make me feel alive", to start the list. But this album is far from clinical; it might be crass in its approach, but the end result is a collection of undeniably fun, some even inspiring, dance tracks that all lend a hand in cementing Krewella as an artist to watch. True, things sag when the BPM dips below 120, but the frothy high-tempo songs, "Come & Get It" in particular, all make up for the slower moments in the back-half of the record. Such is to be expected for the first LP from a newly famed act, especially within the electronic dance genre, they were going to run low on steam eventually. Still, there's something to be said of Krewella's happily empty persona: they may not have much insight (their biggest revelation is that "I'm human, and I make mistakes"), but since the music is as trashy as their lyrics, "Get Wet" benefits from all parts of their gleefully mindless approach, something that's truly fun junk.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Live for the Night 2. We Go Down 3. Come & Get It
4. Enjoy the Ride 5. We Are One 6. Dancing with the Devil
7. Alive 8.
Pass the Love Around 9. Ring of
Fire
10. Human 11.
Killin’ It 12.
This Is Not The End
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Beyonce-"Beyonce" Review
Just when it seemed that Beyonce couldn't get any deeper into her own pretentiousness, she dropped her eponymous fifth studio album in the wee hours of December 13, 2013. She may have been involved on a world tour, but Ms. Knowles clearly understands the power of multi-tasking, and she kept this record under wraps from the music industry and the public. She was only absent from the mainstream for two years (a poultry fraction of Justin Timberlake and Daft Punk's vacations), but her fans were obviously starved for new music. This is perhaps to due the certain underwhelm of her fourth album "4", released mid-2011 with no true hits and lower than usual sales. With such a sudden release of fourteen new songs, accompanied with seventeen music videos, it's hard not to read "Beyonce" as a desperate move of sorts, though she hardly needs the help staying relevant. If this was the ploy, it still worked, as the album became the fastest selling album ever in the iTunes store after only three days on sale. But good sales don't always make for good records, especially those released without any preparatory singles or promotion, but that's why "Beyonce" is such a delight. It's a terrific modern-R&B record, filled head to toe with great songs all helmed from the likes of Timba-Lake, Pharrell, and mysterious newcomer Boots. All three collaborators work with Beyonce to create this: a minimal, fitfully intriguing album that is the polar opposite of "4", which constantly shifted between genres and moods. "Beyonce" is thoroughly consistent, all songs are backed by deep, subtle grooves and speaks of self-empowerment, feminism, love, and sex: dirty, raunchy, messy sex (what did you expect of an album released in the same week as R. Kelly's "Black Panties"?)
While Beyonce is certainly no stranger to doing the deed, she's never been this forward about it, as she explicitly details her hook-ups in the back of limos, her foyer, everywhere in her home other than a bed. It's "12 Play" meets "The Velvet Rope", if you will, but unlike those albums, and totally out of character for the usually bombastic Beyonce, this record is coy, describing these numerous encounters (in addition to encouraging her lover to 'lick the inside of her skittles' in "Blow") but never being tacky or gross. The production helps, as the lyrics are often hushed under the throbbing bass-lines and numerous spoken asides, ranging from movie references to pageant contests. The bulk of "Beyonce" is filled with these songs, from the excellent "Haunted" to the pretty good Timba/Lake-produced "Rocket", which captures their knack for old-school grooves better than his recent work in "The 20/20 Experience". The Pharrell productions are good too, specifically in "Blow", which pulsates on its unabashed carnality. Naturally, though, it's the lesser known Boots that helms the best tracks here: "Heaven" is Beyonce's most affecting ballad since "Halo", capturing her in a zenith of emotion, while "***Flawless", another ode to feminism and should seemingly be Beyonce at her most conceited, doesn't play as arrogant as it reads, a nice change of pace for the natural-born Diva. The last stretch of the record is superb, enough to bring back the momentum after tracks two through eight start to sag with the repeated sexual innuendo and sparse productions. But sequencing issues aside, "Beyonce" is easily her second best album, right under 2006's "B'Day", and perhaps this record could have benefited from immediate cuts like "Irreplaceable" or "Deja Vu", but taken as is, it's one of the most cohesively entertaining albums of the year, with some of Beyonce's best and most accomplished music, even if it runs a bit too long.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Pretty Hurts 2. Haunted 3.
Drunk in Love
4. Blow 5.
No Angel 6. Partition
7. Jealous 8. Rocket 9. Mine
10. XO 11. ***Flawless 12. Superpower
13. Heaven 14.
Blue
Monday, December 23, 2013
Song of the Day-"Grafton Street" by Dido
It's the last post before Christmas!!
Today, I thought I'd do the third installment of "Song of the Day"! And I've been meaning to do this one for awhile, I've just been contemplating why I love this song so much. Well, why don't we dissect it, analyze it, and see exactly what makes it a cut above the rest!
First off, it's Dido! How can you not love her or her music? This song comes from her third album "Safe Trip Home", released in 2008. Musically, it's pretty much standard issue Dido: soft electronics, strings, a drum machine beat that gently pushes this song to a recorder-style flute coda. At the beginning of the song, we hear trinkets and chimes jingling in the breeze, most likely the outside decorations from the shops on Grafton Street, located in Dublin, Ireland. Since this song was released with "Safe Trip Home", as any Dido fan would know, this is just one of many songs to pay tribute to her deceased father, who was Irish and would take Dido to Grafton Street when she was young. So lyrically, this one will be pretty straightforward, but as I said before, the music under it is so fascinating, I can't help but share this with you. Let's dig in!
Verse 1:
No more trips to Grafton Street
No more going there
To see you lying still
While we all come and go
No more watching sunsets
It seems like summer's holding on
And no more standing quietly at your window
No more driving down your road
Wondering when you'll be home
And no more peace when they all leave
And leave us two alone
Pretty straightforward, right? Dido is obviously missing her father, the nights they spent together, the days they would have fun at Grafton Street. They watched sunsets and just enjoy the summertime. And as you might've guessed, the music under this verse is sparse, yet retains a certain warmth to comfort the soul. As it progresses, more strings are added, and the drum machines get louder with angst. Right before the chorus, we hear two loud drum crashes, which is of course disjunct from the smooth atmosphere of this song, but is actually all the more appealing because of it.
Chorus:
And time we always lose
Is finally found here with you
My love I know we're losing
But I will stand here by you
Before you think anything, I'll point out that "my love" doesn't refer to Dido's lover, but simply, her love, her feelings and affections for her father that became subdued as she got older. I mean, there will always come a time when women grow up and are not daddy's little girl anymore, but Dido calmly expresses that regardless of this natural transition, she will always stand by her father. She also reminds him that any time that was lost, was always found again and replenished when she and her father regained contact. As if they were never separated, you know?
Verse 2:
No more calling friends from the car
Saying "I don't know when I'll be there, but I'll try my best to come"
No more letting you warm my hands
No more trying to take it in
And no more saying "goodbye for the last time" again
And no more saying "goodbye for the last time" again
So, as Dido got older, it seems that she started to find fun times with her friends, no longer her father. Once again, this is what ordinary teenagers do, they like to hang out with their friends instead of their parents, and they always start to rebel and say things in the heat of the moment. But Dido's situation seems to be different, presumably because she was so bonded to her father, that anything close to being unsweet seemed to be enough to drive a wedge between them. And apparently, Dido always threatened that every time she said goodbye to her dad, it would be the last, like the old "I'm packing my bags and never coming back" scenario? The music here, is just the same as in verse 1, only with a broader string arrangement and Dido's vocals are now becoming increasingly lovelorn. She regrets every bad thing she ever did or said to her father.
We now repeat the chorus, and then for about 34 seconds we hear a hearty orchestral interlude, where the drum machine crashes are prevalent, the strings are in high register while flutes make what seem to be quasi-bird calls. The theme stated at the very beginning of the song comes back in full force with the chaos going on behind it, and all this leads to a sudden stop. This seems to be the 'anger' part of Dido's cycle of grief, which now means we have acceptance.
Bridge:
No more trips to Grafton Street
No more going there
No more sitting up all night
Waiting for any word
Nothing's left that's safe here now
Nothing will bring you home
Nothing can bring us the peace
We had in Grafton Street
The bridge begins with a pizzicato string arrangement, courtesy of Jon Brion, and Dido quickly re-enters her voice, now calm but you can clearly her the melancholy. She admits her regret for ignoring her father when he needed her, and she also comes to terms with his death, realizing that nothing will bring him back, nothing can bring him back with her to Grafton Street. Dido's vocal quickly leaves after the last words, and I can see why, if I were singing this song I'd be in tears right now.
To end the song, we have a tragic flute (or recorder? I can't exactly say) coda that lasts about 103 seconds, or the rest of the song. The orchestra, drum machine, and various electronic sounds accompany it, and all leave one by one, the pathetic strings being the last to go before the flute finishes its sad song with a sustained "E".
I said this about "On The Wing", but I'll say it again: man, this piece is so beautifully orchestrated I can't even handle it!! The lyrics are easy to understand, but the music pulls you way below surface level, and while Dido certainly isn't asking for pity or sympathy, you can't help but shed a tear for her loss, because she really is hurt by the fact that she can no longer tell her father if she was sorry for anything or how she would've done things differently. This is a sad fact of life, though, because sometimes your loved ones will leave you with no warning. It's as if this is Dido telling us to not make the mistakes she did. Well, she taught me that valuable lesson, in a very excellent song too! I know "Grafton Street" has a running time of six minutes, but I implore you to listen to it for yourself, and get sucked into its emotions. It's not easy listening, but it's worth it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRwc8ZmOhyU&noredirect=1
Today, I thought I'd do the third installment of "Song of the Day"! And I've been meaning to do this one for awhile, I've just been contemplating why I love this song so much. Well, why don't we dissect it, analyze it, and see exactly what makes it a cut above the rest!
First off, it's Dido! How can you not love her or her music? This song comes from her third album "Safe Trip Home", released in 2008. Musically, it's pretty much standard issue Dido: soft electronics, strings, a drum machine beat that gently pushes this song to a recorder-style flute coda. At the beginning of the song, we hear trinkets and chimes jingling in the breeze, most likely the outside decorations from the shops on Grafton Street, located in Dublin, Ireland. Since this song was released with "Safe Trip Home", as any Dido fan would know, this is just one of many songs to pay tribute to her deceased father, who was Irish and would take Dido to Grafton Street when she was young. So lyrically, this one will be pretty straightforward, but as I said before, the music under it is so fascinating, I can't help but share this with you. Let's dig in!
Verse 1:
No more trips to Grafton Street
No more going there
To see you lying still
While we all come and go
No more watching sunsets
It seems like summer's holding on
And no more standing quietly at your window
No more driving down your road
Wondering when you'll be home
And no more peace when they all leave
And leave us two alone
Pretty straightforward, right? Dido is obviously missing her father, the nights they spent together, the days they would have fun at Grafton Street. They watched sunsets and just enjoy the summertime. And as you might've guessed, the music under this verse is sparse, yet retains a certain warmth to comfort the soul. As it progresses, more strings are added, and the drum machines get louder with angst. Right before the chorus, we hear two loud drum crashes, which is of course disjunct from the smooth atmosphere of this song, but is actually all the more appealing because of it.
Chorus:
And time we always lose
Is finally found here with you
My love I know we're losing
But I will stand here by you
Before you think anything, I'll point out that "my love" doesn't refer to Dido's lover, but simply, her love, her feelings and affections for her father that became subdued as she got older. I mean, there will always come a time when women grow up and are not daddy's little girl anymore, but Dido calmly expresses that regardless of this natural transition, she will always stand by her father. She also reminds him that any time that was lost, was always found again and replenished when she and her father regained contact. As if they were never separated, you know?
Verse 2:
No more calling friends from the car
Saying "I don't know when I'll be there, but I'll try my best to come"
No more letting you warm my hands
No more trying to take it in
And no more saying "goodbye for the last time" again
And no more saying "goodbye for the last time" again
So, as Dido got older, it seems that she started to find fun times with her friends, no longer her father. Once again, this is what ordinary teenagers do, they like to hang out with their friends instead of their parents, and they always start to rebel and say things in the heat of the moment. But Dido's situation seems to be different, presumably because she was so bonded to her father, that anything close to being unsweet seemed to be enough to drive a wedge between them. And apparently, Dido always threatened that every time she said goodbye to her dad, it would be the last, like the old "I'm packing my bags and never coming back" scenario? The music here, is just the same as in verse 1, only with a broader string arrangement and Dido's vocals are now becoming increasingly lovelorn. She regrets every bad thing she ever did or said to her father.
We now repeat the chorus, and then for about 34 seconds we hear a hearty orchestral interlude, where the drum machine crashes are prevalent, the strings are in high register while flutes make what seem to be quasi-bird calls. The theme stated at the very beginning of the song comes back in full force with the chaos going on behind it, and all this leads to a sudden stop. This seems to be the 'anger' part of Dido's cycle of grief, which now means we have acceptance.
Bridge:
No more trips to Grafton Street
No more going there
No more sitting up all night
Waiting for any word
Nothing's left that's safe here now
Nothing will bring you home
Nothing can bring us the peace
We had in Grafton Street
The bridge begins with a pizzicato string arrangement, courtesy of Jon Brion, and Dido quickly re-enters her voice, now calm but you can clearly her the melancholy. She admits her regret for ignoring her father when he needed her, and she also comes to terms with his death, realizing that nothing will bring him back, nothing can bring him back with her to Grafton Street. Dido's vocal quickly leaves after the last words, and I can see why, if I were singing this song I'd be in tears right now.
To end the song, we have a tragic flute (or recorder? I can't exactly say) coda that lasts about 103 seconds, or the rest of the song. The orchestra, drum machine, and various electronic sounds accompany it, and all leave one by one, the pathetic strings being the last to go before the flute finishes its sad song with a sustained "E".
I said this about "On The Wing", but I'll say it again: man, this piece is so beautifully orchestrated I can't even handle it!! The lyrics are easy to understand, but the music pulls you way below surface level, and while Dido certainly isn't asking for pity or sympathy, you can't help but shed a tear for her loss, because she really is hurt by the fact that she can no longer tell her father if she was sorry for anything or how she would've done things differently. This is a sad fact of life, though, because sometimes your loved ones will leave you with no warning. It's as if this is Dido telling us to not make the mistakes she did. Well, she taught me that valuable lesson, in a very excellent song too! I know "Grafton Street" has a running time of six minutes, but I implore you to listen to it for yourself, and get sucked into its emotions. It's not easy listening, but it's worth it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRwc8ZmOhyU&noredirect=1
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Taylor Swift-"Speak Now" Review
Forget the title, Taylor Swift has a bit more on her mind than speaking it. When faced with adversity, or in this case Kanye West at the 2009 Video Music Awards, she decided that it was time to grow up with her third record "Speak Now", released one year after the incident. And while a whole album dedicated to Mr. West would have been solidly entertaining, given Swift's history of sharp lyrical jabs, she decidedly doesn't have him on the brain. The song titles say it all, "Dear John" being the pinnacle example of how notorious heart breaker John Mayer dared to cross our scorned heroine. Elsewhere, she laments her tragic split with Taylor Lautner in the excellent "Back to December", and although it happened two years ago, Swift eagerly takes on Camilla Belle, the vixen who stole Joe Jonas out from under her in "Better than Revenge". All songs are your typical T-Swift fare: snide remarks ("She's an actress/but she's better known for the things that she does on the mattress"), country-tinged pop and Swift's increasingly improved vocals. Oddly enough, the one person she lets off the hook is Kanye, as she explains in the forgiveness song "Innocent" ("Your string of lights is still bright to me..you're still an innocent"). This seemingly contradictory attitude towards her traitors doesn't just run throughout Taylor's words --She single-handedly wrote all fourteen tracks-- it also transcends through her music, which is at an all-time identity crisis, constantly switching back between soft, acoustic driven works and full blown-out power pop (the transition from "Innocent" to "Haunted" is jarring at first, but upon repeated plays is a welcome change of pace). But perhaps all this constant shifting between maturity and moods is easily explained by the simple process of growing up. She clearly gives that away in "Never Grow Up", a heart-aching ballad about how adult responsibilities can shroud the carefree spirit that was once within us all, and besides that track, she declaims in the Bob Lefsetz-baiting "Mean" that "Someday I'll be living in a big old city, and all you're ever gonna be is mean", and she closes the album with "Long Live", an old-fashioned ode to high school graduation, much in the vein of "Change", her closing track to "Fearless". She gleefully admits that she has a lot yet to learn, but "Speak Now" captures the awkward transition with a surprising amount of grace. Much unlike the faster-paced "Fearless", "Speak Now" has no problem laying out every detail of Taylor's life, from days down by the water to interrupting her ex-boyfriend's wedding, this accompanied by the polished music, and it's easy to tell that she's ready to prove that she's no longer just a big-sister, she's a mentor. While this record can tire as much as it amazes, there's no denying that she's handled her strife with a certain elegance that not many artists have (in comparison, check out Kanye's latest "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"), which, being only 21-years old, is certainly no small accomplishment.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Mine 2.
Sparks Fly 3. Back to December
4. Speak Now 5.
Dear John 6. Mean
7. The Story of Us 8. Never Grow Up 9. Enchanted
10. Better than Revenge11.
Innocent 12. Haunted
13. Last Kiss 14. Long Live
Thursday, December 19, 2013
My Favorite Type of Music?
Well hello there!
So, per the usual, I was thinking about what to do for today's blog post, and I got to thinking about a question that everyone is always asking me: "What's my favorite type of music?" Ummmm, to be honest, I really don't have a 'favorite' type of music, just artists that I like. I constantly pride myself on the fact that I don't see genres, I just see music, so if there's a song or artist out there that I like, then I like what they put out. Obviously, tastes can change overtime (I actually liked Maroon 5 at one point), and my interest in certain genres of music now are WAY different than they were ten years ago (when I was 9, the only thing I would listen to was mainstream music or soundtrack music from kid shows. I was that cool. Haha not really). But since I've grown up, I've continued to discover new music that I love, and music that I'll never love no matter what, and I've decided to finally shed some light on what types of music get me excited, and which types I skip over.
Renaissance:
Might as well start early, huh? There's a lot of awesome renaissance music, but my favorite piece from this era has to be John Dunstable's "Quam Pulchra Es", it's just so amazing; by far the best piece to come from this era, this and "Tant Que Vivray", a chanson by Claudin de Sermisy.
Baroque:
Obviously, Bach is a favorite here. "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", his third partita in E-Major, the Brandenburg Concertos, just amazing!! I also love Vivaldi, he's done great work with "The Four Seasons"!
Classical:
Okay, you know I have to list Mozart as my favorite here. His pieces are just so light and happy, but completely substantive and challenging.
But, from all eras, my favorite composer has got to be Beethoven. He's all about wringing emotion out of everything, his pieces are so filled with a wide range of expression, I seriously just can't take it sometimes.
19th/20th Century:
Modest Moussorgsky. Nuff said.
And now, on to modern genres!
Pop:
Man, where do I begin? Well, there are many, maaany different artists from this genre that I adore. First and foremost is Madonna, specifically her "Confessions on a Dancefloor" days. Lady Gaga, of course, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Ke$ha, Adele, and JoJo. More teen-pop based artists include Miley Cyrus (yes, really), Selena Gomez (yes, really), and Demi Lovato. Then the legends: Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado, Michelle Branch, KELLY CLARKSON, Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, P!nk, and Avril Lavigne. Lesser known names include Fountains of Wayne (they have more songs besides "Stacey's Mom" you know), Ellie Goulding, Lily Allen, and Carly Rae Jepsen (she has other songs besides "Call Me Maybe", you know).
I know what you're thinking: I'm a music major, how on Earth can I like shit like this? Well I'm sorry, but I don't think that Top 40 is shit. Some of it is, but not these artists. A deeper look into their catalogues, and I know you'd come to agree with me.
Singer-Songwriter/Acoustic:
Sarah McLachlan is my all time favorite in this area. Other favorites include Jewel and Christina Perri, and Michelle Branch fits here as well.
Rock:
Alanis Morissette, oh God yes!!! I am also a huge fan of Evanescence and Sheryl Crow, and then more indie/alternative artists such as Katy Rose and Skye Sweetnam. Oh and Nickelback, too, and Maroon 5 (you know, before the 2010s happened). Ok, I'll do classic rock as well: Queen, Bon Jovi, some Poison, and a little bit of Bruce Springsteen.
Indie/Rock:
Katy and Skye are awesome, but my favorite indie artist of all time has got to be Liz Phair. She can do so many different styles and ace all of them, indie/rock just launched her career. And then of course Tegan & Sara fit in this category as well. Some songs by Panic! At the Disco resonate with me, and sure I'll dabble in Fall Out Boy from time to time.
Electronic:
Daft Punk. The all time champs of this genre.
...oh right, there's other artists too. Owl City (so good, he's just so good and awesome and I LOVE IT), Madonna's synth-driven albums, Lady Gaga's synth-driven works as well, Ellie Goulding, t.A.T.u, LORDE (!!), and last but certainly not least DIDO!!!
Dance:
Madonna and Lady Gaga again, as well as Ke$ha and Selena Gomez, and then some bigger names such as David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Kaskade, and a new favorite, Krewella. Cher has done some pretty great dance music as well, and then I'll also include Jennifer Lopez, Icona Pop, and Rihanna.
New Age:
Enya. Enya. Enya, and...yes: ENYA!!
Latin:
Shakira!! Who else? I guess to a certain extent Jennifer Lopez, and let's not forget Enrique Iglesias!
R&B:
First and always foremost is Mariah Carey, the five-octave legend!! Destiny's Child, and then subsequently Beyonce, some Rihanna, Mary J Blige, some Alicia Keys here and there, and obviously, TLC!
Hip-Hop:
Ciara, Missy Elliot, Timbaland, some more Mary J Blige, and Nicki Minaj.
Rap:
I don't particularly like this genre. I like some Eminem, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Sir Mix-a-Lot (for obvious reasons), but other than that, I just don't feel it.
Country:
I'm more ambivalent towards this one. There's alot of it that I don't like, but then there are some artists that are absolutely amazing. First is the Dixie Chicks, and in a close second would be Miranda Lambert, and subsequently the Pistol Annies. And how could I forget Shania Twain??! And then the earlier music of Taylor Swift (her pop songs are...eh).
So yeah, that's a basic rundown of the artists/genres that I listen to. I have most of these artists on my iPod or in my iTunes library, and whenever I put my iPod on shuffle, you never know what you're gonna get! Which is scary sometimes, but ultimately great.
Feel free to tell me your favorites!
So, per the usual, I was thinking about what to do for today's blog post, and I got to thinking about a question that everyone is always asking me: "What's my favorite type of music?" Ummmm, to be honest, I really don't have a 'favorite' type of music, just artists that I like. I constantly pride myself on the fact that I don't see genres, I just see music, so if there's a song or artist out there that I like, then I like what they put out. Obviously, tastes can change overtime (I actually liked Maroon 5 at one point), and my interest in certain genres of music now are WAY different than they were ten years ago (when I was 9, the only thing I would listen to was mainstream music or soundtrack music from kid shows. I was that cool. Haha not really). But since I've grown up, I've continued to discover new music that I love, and music that I'll never love no matter what, and I've decided to finally shed some light on what types of music get me excited, and which types I skip over.
Renaissance:
Might as well start early, huh? There's a lot of awesome renaissance music, but my favorite piece from this era has to be John Dunstable's "Quam Pulchra Es", it's just so amazing; by far the best piece to come from this era, this and "Tant Que Vivray", a chanson by Claudin de Sermisy.
Baroque:
Obviously, Bach is a favorite here. "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", his third partita in E-Major, the Brandenburg Concertos, just amazing!! I also love Vivaldi, he's done great work with "The Four Seasons"!
Classical:
Okay, you know I have to list Mozart as my favorite here. His pieces are just so light and happy, but completely substantive and challenging.
But, from all eras, my favorite composer has got to be Beethoven. He's all about wringing emotion out of everything, his pieces are so filled with a wide range of expression, I seriously just can't take it sometimes.
19th/20th Century:
Modest Moussorgsky. Nuff said.
And now, on to modern genres!
Pop:
Man, where do I begin? Well, there are many, maaany different artists from this genre that I adore. First and foremost is Madonna, specifically her "Confessions on a Dancefloor" days. Lady Gaga, of course, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Ke$ha, Adele, and JoJo. More teen-pop based artists include Miley Cyrus (yes, really), Selena Gomez (yes, really), and Demi Lovato. Then the legends: Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado, Michelle Branch, KELLY CLARKSON, Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, P!nk, and Avril Lavigne. Lesser known names include Fountains of Wayne (they have more songs besides "Stacey's Mom" you know), Ellie Goulding, Lily Allen, and Carly Rae Jepsen (she has other songs besides "Call Me Maybe", you know).
I know what you're thinking: I'm a music major, how on Earth can I like shit like this? Well I'm sorry, but I don't think that Top 40 is shit. Some of it is, but not these artists. A deeper look into their catalogues, and I know you'd come to agree with me.
Singer-Songwriter/Acoustic:
Sarah McLachlan is my all time favorite in this area. Other favorites include Jewel and Christina Perri, and Michelle Branch fits here as well.
Rock:
Alanis Morissette, oh God yes!!! I am also a huge fan of Evanescence and Sheryl Crow, and then more indie/alternative artists such as Katy Rose and Skye Sweetnam. Oh and Nickelback, too, and Maroon 5 (you know, before the 2010s happened). Ok, I'll do classic rock as well: Queen, Bon Jovi, some Poison, and a little bit of Bruce Springsteen.
Indie/Rock:
Katy and Skye are awesome, but my favorite indie artist of all time has got to be Liz Phair. She can do so many different styles and ace all of them, indie/rock just launched her career. And then of course Tegan & Sara fit in this category as well. Some songs by Panic! At the Disco resonate with me, and sure I'll dabble in Fall Out Boy from time to time.
Electronic:
Daft Punk. The all time champs of this genre.
...oh right, there's other artists too. Owl City (so good, he's just so good and awesome and I LOVE IT), Madonna's synth-driven albums, Lady Gaga's synth-driven works as well, Ellie Goulding, t.A.T.u, LORDE (!!), and last but certainly not least DIDO!!!
Dance:
Madonna and Lady Gaga again, as well as Ke$ha and Selena Gomez, and then some bigger names such as David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Kaskade, and a new favorite, Krewella. Cher has done some pretty great dance music as well, and then I'll also include Jennifer Lopez, Icona Pop, and Rihanna.
New Age:
Enya. Enya. Enya, and...yes: ENYA!!
Latin:
Shakira!! Who else? I guess to a certain extent Jennifer Lopez, and let's not forget Enrique Iglesias!
R&B:
First and always foremost is Mariah Carey, the five-octave legend!! Destiny's Child, and then subsequently Beyonce, some Rihanna, Mary J Blige, some Alicia Keys here and there, and obviously, TLC!
Hip-Hop:
Ciara, Missy Elliot, Timbaland, some more Mary J Blige, and Nicki Minaj.
Rap:
I don't particularly like this genre. I like some Eminem, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Sir Mix-a-Lot (for obvious reasons), but other than that, I just don't feel it.
Country:
I'm more ambivalent towards this one. There's alot of it that I don't like, but then there are some artists that are absolutely amazing. First is the Dixie Chicks, and in a close second would be Miranda Lambert, and subsequently the Pistol Annies. And how could I forget Shania Twain??! And then the earlier music of Taylor Swift (her pop songs are...eh).
So yeah, that's a basic rundown of the artists/genres that I listen to. I have most of these artists on my iPod or in my iTunes library, and whenever I put my iPod on shuffle, you never know what you're gonna get! Which is scary sometimes, but ultimately great.
Feel free to tell me your favorites!
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Playlist: Loss and Liberation
Gone through a messy break-up recently? With either a significant other or just a really close friend? Well unfortunately, I've experienced the latter this semester, which obviously sucked so much. But, I got through it, through the help of my friends, and also these songs! I've put together a list of 20 songs that I think really piece together everything I've been feeling this entire time. I call it 'Loss and Liberation' because the first ten songs deal with the loss of that one person you once held so dear, and then the last ten songs deal with the liberation from that person, now that they can no longer make any influence on your life or your decisions, in a way, you were better off without them :) I hope you find some solace in these songs, I know I have, and I hope this reaches one person out there struggling with the same thing!
Loss:
1. Avril Lavigne-Losing Grip
Choice Lyric: "Why should I care? Cause you weren't there, when I was scared, I was so alone. Why should I listen? If you don't care, then I don't care, we're not going anywhere"
2. Shontelle-Impossible
Choice Lyric: "Tell them I was happy, and my heart is broken, all my scars are open, tell them what I hoped would be impossible"
3. JoJo-Disaster
Choice Lyric: "No happy ever after, just disaster"
4. Demi Lovato-Fix A Heart
Choice Lyric: "I've just run out of band-aids, I don't even know where to start. Cause you can't bandage the damage, you never really can fix a heart"
5. Taylor Swift-Dear John
Choice Lyric: "And you can add me to your long list of traitors who 'don't understand', and I'll look back in regret when they said 'run as fast as you can'"
6. Madonna-Best Friend
Choice Lyric: "I cannot lie and I won't pretend, but I feel like I've lost my very best friend"
7. The Veronicas-Leave Me Alone
Choice Lyric: "You should know that I'm better off on my own, so leave me alone"
8. Ellie Goulding-Your Biggest Mistake
Choice Lyric: "You know this is your biggest mistake, what a waste, what a waste, what a waste"
9. Madonna-Miles Away
Choice Lyric: "You always love me more miles away, only hear it your voice when you're miles away, you're not afraid to tell me miles away, I guess we're at out best when we're miles away"
10. Madonna-Voices
Choice Lyric: "So you play madness like it's convenient, you do it so often that you start to believe it, you have demons so nobody can blame you, but who is the master and who is the slave?"
Liberation:
11. Liz Phair-Extraordinary
Choice Lyric: "I am extraordinary, if you'd ever get to know me, I am extraordinary, I am just your ordinary, average every day sane psycho"
12. Ashley Tisdale-It's Alright, It's OK
Choice Lyric: "It's alright, it's ok, I'm so much better without you, I won't be sorry"
13. Kelly Clarkson-Gone
Choice Lyric: "It doesn't matter what you do, it's what you did that's hurting you, all I needed was the truth, now I'm gone"
14. Kacey Musgraves-Step Off
Choice Lyric: "Are you dumb or are you blind? Cause it's a real fine line between telling a joke and turning the knife, don't wreck my reputation, let me wreck my own, so step off"
15. Taylor Swift-Mean
Choice Lyric: "Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me, and all you're ever gonna be is mean, why you gotta be so mean?"
16. Miranda Cosgrove-There Will Be Tears
Choice Lyric: "There will be tears, but they're not gonna be mine"
17. Ariana Grande-You'll Never Know
Choice Lyric: "Don't be mad at me cause you've been replaced, know your place"
18. Demi Lovato and Cher Lloyd-Really Don't Care
Choice Lyric: "Even if the stars and moon collide, I never want you back into my life, you can take yours words and all your lies, I really don't care"
19. Lady Gaga-Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)
Choice Lyric: "We've had a real good time and I wish you the best on your way. I didn't mean to hurt you, I never thought we'd fall out of place"
20. Ariana Grande-Better Left Unsaid
Choice Lyric: "I told you once, get out my life, I don't need ya, I'll be alright, but some things are better left unsaid"
*I realize some of these songs have meanings other than what I initially planned, but I still interpret these songs as relevant to the mood of the playlist*
Loss:
1. Avril Lavigne-Losing Grip
Choice Lyric: "Why should I care? Cause you weren't there, when I was scared, I was so alone. Why should I listen? If you don't care, then I don't care, we're not going anywhere"
2. Shontelle-Impossible
Choice Lyric: "Tell them I was happy, and my heart is broken, all my scars are open, tell them what I hoped would be impossible"
3. JoJo-Disaster
Choice Lyric: "No happy ever after, just disaster"
4. Demi Lovato-Fix A Heart
Choice Lyric: "I've just run out of band-aids, I don't even know where to start. Cause you can't bandage the damage, you never really can fix a heart"
5. Taylor Swift-Dear John
Choice Lyric: "And you can add me to your long list of traitors who 'don't understand', and I'll look back in regret when they said 'run as fast as you can'"
6. Madonna-Best Friend
Choice Lyric: "I cannot lie and I won't pretend, but I feel like I've lost my very best friend"
7. The Veronicas-Leave Me Alone
Choice Lyric: "You should know that I'm better off on my own, so leave me alone"
8. Ellie Goulding-Your Biggest Mistake
Choice Lyric: "You know this is your biggest mistake, what a waste, what a waste, what a waste"
9. Madonna-Miles Away
Choice Lyric: "You always love me more miles away, only hear it your voice when you're miles away, you're not afraid to tell me miles away, I guess we're at out best when we're miles away"
10. Madonna-Voices
Choice Lyric: "So you play madness like it's convenient, you do it so often that you start to believe it, you have demons so nobody can blame you, but who is the master and who is the slave?"
Liberation:
11. Liz Phair-Extraordinary
Choice Lyric: "I am extraordinary, if you'd ever get to know me, I am extraordinary, I am just your ordinary, average every day sane psycho"
12. Ashley Tisdale-It's Alright, It's OK
Choice Lyric: "It's alright, it's ok, I'm so much better without you, I won't be sorry"
13. Kelly Clarkson-Gone
Choice Lyric: "It doesn't matter what you do, it's what you did that's hurting you, all I needed was the truth, now I'm gone"
14. Kacey Musgraves-Step Off
Choice Lyric: "Are you dumb or are you blind? Cause it's a real fine line between telling a joke and turning the knife, don't wreck my reputation, let me wreck my own, so step off"
15. Taylor Swift-Mean
Choice Lyric: "Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me, and all you're ever gonna be is mean, why you gotta be so mean?"
16. Miranda Cosgrove-There Will Be Tears
Choice Lyric: "There will be tears, but they're not gonna be mine"
17. Ariana Grande-You'll Never Know
Choice Lyric: "Don't be mad at me cause you've been replaced, know your place"
18. Demi Lovato and Cher Lloyd-Really Don't Care
Choice Lyric: "Even if the stars and moon collide, I never want you back into my life, you can take yours words and all your lies, I really don't care"
19. Lady Gaga-Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)
Choice Lyric: "We've had a real good time and I wish you the best on your way. I didn't mean to hurt you, I never thought we'd fall out of place"
20. Ariana Grande-Better Left Unsaid
Choice Lyric: "I told you once, get out my life, I don't need ya, I'll be alright, but some things are better left unsaid"
*I realize some of these songs have meanings other than what I initially planned, but I still interpret these songs as relevant to the mood of the playlist*
Sunday, December 15, 2013
The 2013 MaestroBlog Awards!
After two weeks of voting, the results are in and the winners are about to be revealed! Before I do so, I would just like to thank all of you who voted in the survey; without you, none of this would be possible! So, why don't we just get right to it? These are the winners of the 2013 MaestroBlog Awards!! (Listed from the option who had the most votes, to which option had the least votes)
Artist That Should Be More Famous:
1. Lana Del Rey
2. Tegan & Sara
3. Kacey Musgraves
4. Pistol Annies
5. Bonnie McKee
Best Comeback Artist
1. Justin Timberlake
2. Eminem
3. Lady Gaga
4. Katy Perry
5. Miley Cyrus
Best Comeback Song
1. "Roar" by Katy Perry
2. "We Can't Stop" by Miley Cyrus
3. "Suit & Tie" by Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z
4. "Applause" by Lady Gaga
5. "Berzerk" by Eminem
Worst Artist
1. Justin Bieber
2. Lil Wayne
3. One Direction
4. Chris Brown
5. Florida-Georgia Line
Worst Song
1. "Love More" by Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj
2. "Cruise" by Florida-Georgia Line and Nelly
3. "Live While We're Young" by One Direction
4. "Stompa" by Serena Ryder
5. "Acapella" by Karmin
Best Breakthrough Artist
1. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
2. Imagine Dragons
3. Luke Bryan
4. Daft Punk
5. Robin Thicke
Best Debut Single
1. "Royals" by Lorde
2. "Clarity" by DJ Zedd and Foxes
3. "The Way" by Ariana Grande and Mac Miller
4. "I Love It" by Icona Pop and Charlie XCX
5. "Love and War" by Tamar Braxton
Most Overrated
1. Justin Bieber
2. Kanye West
3. Jay-Z
4. Maroon 5
5. Lil Wayne
Worst Music Moment of 2013
1. Miley Cyrus' and Robin Thicke's VMA Performance
2. Justin Bieber Winning the Billboard Milestone Award
3. Cory Monteith's Death
4. Lou Reed's Death
5. Lady Gaga's Hip Injury and Cancelled Tour
Best Music Moment of 2013
1. "Same Love" Becoming a Top 20 Hit
2. Beyonce's Super Bowl Half-Time Show
3. Justin Bieber Booed at The Billboard Music Awards
4. Justin Timberlake's Comeback
Artist That Should Come Back in 2014
1. Shakira
2. Enya
3. Lily Allen
4. Sarah McLachlan
5. Missy Elliot
Best New Artist
1. Lorde
2. Ariana Grande
3. Kacey Musgraves
4. DJ Zedd
5. Icona Pop
Artist of the Year
1. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
2. Katy Perry
3. Justin Timberlake
4. Bruno Mars
5. Lady Gaga
Album of the Year
1. "Random Access Memories" by Daft Punk
2. "The 20/20 Experience" by Justin Timberlake
3. "The Marshall Mathers LP 2" by Eminem
4. "ARTPOP" by Lady Gaga
5. "Prism" by Katy Perry
Song of the Year
1. "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Wanz
2. "Just Give Me a Reason" by P!nk and Nate Ruess
3. "Mirrors" by Justin Timberlake
4. "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk and Pharrell
5. "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke, T.I., and Pharrell
Artist That Should Be More Famous:
1. Lana Del Rey
2. Tegan & Sara
3. Kacey Musgraves
4. Pistol Annies
5. Bonnie McKee
Best Comeback Artist
1. Justin Timberlake
2. Eminem
3. Lady Gaga
4. Katy Perry
5. Miley Cyrus
Best Comeback Song
1. "Roar" by Katy Perry
2. "We Can't Stop" by Miley Cyrus
3. "Suit & Tie" by Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z
4. "Applause" by Lady Gaga
5. "Berzerk" by Eminem
Worst Artist
1. Justin Bieber
2. Lil Wayne
3. One Direction
4. Chris Brown
5. Florida-Georgia Line
Worst Song
1. "Love More" by Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj
2. "Cruise" by Florida-Georgia Line and Nelly
3. "Live While We're Young" by One Direction
4. "Stompa" by Serena Ryder
5. "Acapella" by Karmin
Best Breakthrough Artist
1. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
2. Imagine Dragons
3. Luke Bryan
4. Daft Punk
5. Robin Thicke
Best Debut Single
1. "Royals" by Lorde
2. "Clarity" by DJ Zedd and Foxes
3. "The Way" by Ariana Grande and Mac Miller
4. "I Love It" by Icona Pop and Charlie XCX
5. "Love and War" by Tamar Braxton
Most Overrated
1. Justin Bieber
2. Kanye West
3. Jay-Z
4. Maroon 5
5. Lil Wayne
Worst Music Moment of 2013
1. Miley Cyrus' and Robin Thicke's VMA Performance
2. Justin Bieber Winning the Billboard Milestone Award
3. Cory Monteith's Death
4. Lou Reed's Death
5. Lady Gaga's Hip Injury and Cancelled Tour
Best Music Moment of 2013
1. "Same Love" Becoming a Top 20 Hit
2. Beyonce's Super Bowl Half-Time Show
3. Justin Bieber Booed at The Billboard Music Awards
4. Justin Timberlake's Comeback
Artist That Should Come Back in 2014
1. Shakira
2. Enya
3. Lily Allen
4. Sarah McLachlan
5. Missy Elliot
Best New Artist
1. Lorde
2. Ariana Grande
3. Kacey Musgraves
4. DJ Zedd
5. Icona Pop
Artist of the Year
1. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
2. Katy Perry
3. Justin Timberlake
4. Bruno Mars
5. Lady Gaga
Album of the Year
1. "Random Access Memories" by Daft Punk
2. "The 20/20 Experience" by Justin Timberlake
3. "The Marshall Mathers LP 2" by Eminem
4. "ARTPOP" by Lady Gaga
5. "Prism" by Katy Perry
Song of the Year
1. "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Wanz
2. "Just Give Me a Reason" by P!nk and Nate Ruess
3. "Mirrors" by Justin Timberlake
4. "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk and Pharrell
5. "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke, T.I., and Pharrell
Friday, December 13, 2013
The Top 40 Songs of 2013
The moment you've all been eagerly anticipating! Well, maybe not, but if you were, then my Best Songs of 2013 list is here!! There were lots and lots of songs that just sat in the top 40 for the entire year, so picking only 40 songs to represent this year was difficult (ranking them was even more of a challenge), but I do believe that I've compiled an accurate list of popularity, quality, sales, airplay, and streaming. From Bruno Mars to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, from Katy Perry to Miley Cyrus, see which songs made the biggest splash of 2013! (Disclaimer: "Harlem Shake" doesn't count because it was a dance fad/viral video, and people were interested in the dance, not the 15-second song behind it. I apologize if this upsets any of you). This list is complete with Billboard Hot 100 Peak, Billboard Year-End Placement, and Total US Sales.
Here We Go!
40. Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding-I Need Your Love
Peak: 16 Billboard Year-End: 56 Total Sales: 1,000,000*
39. Drake and Mahid Jordan-Hold On, We're Going Home
Peak: 4 Billboard Year-End: 34 Total Sales: 1,000,000*
38. PitBull and Christina Aguilera-Feel This Moment
Peak: 8 Billboard Year-End: 36 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
37. Avicii-Wake Me Up!
Peak: 4 Billboard Year-End: 19 Total Sales: 2,867,000
36. Fall Out Boy-My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light 'Em Up)
Peak: 13 Billboard Year-End: 40 Total Sales: 2,356,000
35. Mariah Carey and Miguel-#Beautiful
Peak: 15 Billboard Year-End: 81 Total Sales: 1,000,000*
34. Maroon 5-Daylight
Peak: 7 Billboard Year-End: 35 Total Sales: 1,000,000*
33. Maroon 5-Love Somebody
Peak: 10 Billboard Year-End: 51 Total Sales: 500,000*
32. Bruno Mars-Treasure
Peak: 5 Billboard Year-End: 30 Total Sales: 3,000,000*
31. Capital Cities-Safe and Sound
Peak: 8 Billboard Year-End: 29 Total Sales: 1,000,000*
30. Eminem and Rihanna-The Monster
Peak: 1 (1 week)+ Billboard Year-End: NA Total Sales: 500,000*
29. Swedish House Mafia-Don't You Worry Child
Peak: 6 Billboard Year-End: 26 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
28. Lana Del Rey and Cedric Gervais-Summertime Sadness
Peak: 6 Billboard Year-End: 45 Total Sales: 1,861,000
27. Demi Lovato-Heart Attack
Peak: 10 Billboard Year-End: 50 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
26. Anna Kendrick-Cups (Pitch Perfect's "When I'm Gone")
Peak: 6 Billboard Year-End: 21 Total Sales: 2,500,000
25. DJ Zedd and Foxes-Clarity
Peak: 8 Billboard Year-End: 24 Total Sales: 1,200,000
24. Selena Gomez-Come & Get It
Peak: 6 Billboard Year-End: 33 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
23. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert-Same Love
Peak: 11 Billboard Year-End: 43 Toal Sales: 2,000,000*
22. Ariana Grande and Mac Miller-The Way
Peak: 9 Billboard Year-End: 31 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
21. Icona Pop and Charlie XCX-I Love It
Peak: 7 Billboard Year-End: 28 Total Sales: 2,600,000
20. Miley Cyrus-Wrecking Ball
Peak: 1 (3 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 18 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
19. Lady Gaga-Applause
Peak: 4 Billboard Year-End: 37 Total Sales: 1,690,000
18. Katy Perry-Roar
Peak: 1 (2 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 10 Total Sales: 4,015,000
17. Bruno Mars-When I Was Your Man
Peak: 1 (1 week) Billboard Year-End: 8 Total Sales: 4,000,000*
16. Justin Timberlake and Jay Z-Suit & Tie
Peak: 3 Billboard Year-End: 20 Total Sales: 2,835,000
15. Will I Am and Britney Spears-Scream & Shout
Peak: 3 Billboard Year-End: 23 Total Sales: 3,206,647
14. The Lumineers-Ho Hey!
Peak: 3 Billboard Year-End: 12 Total Sales: 4,000,000*
13. Florida-Georgia Line and Nelly-Cruise
Peak: 4 Billboard Year-End: 9 Total Sales: 6,141,000
12. Lorde-Royals
Peak: 1 (9 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 15 Total Sales: 3,700,000
11. Miley Cyrus-We Can't Stop
Peak: 2 Billboard Year-End: 17 Total Sales: 2,831,000
10. Bruno Mars-Locked Out of Heaven
Peak: 1 (4 weeks)^ Billboard Year-End: 11 Total Sales: 4,366,000
9. Taylor Swift-I Knew You Were Trouble
Peak: 2 Billboard Year-End: 16 Total Sales: 4,000,000*
8. Rihanna and Mikky Ekko-Stay
Peak: 3 Billboard Year-End: 13 Total Sales: 4,000,000*
7. P!nk and Nate Ruess-Just Give Me a Reason
Peak: 1 (3 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 7 Total Sales: 4,000,000*
6. Imagine Dragons-Radioactive
Peak: 3 Billboard Year-End: 3 Total Sales: 6,000,000*
5. Daft Punk and Pharrell-Get Lucky
Peak: 2 Billboard Year-End: 14 Total Sales: 2,896,000
4. Justin Timberlake-Mirrors
Peak: 2 Billboard Year-End: 6 Total Sales: 3,000,000*
3. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Ray Dalton-Can't Hold Us
Peak: 1 (5 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 5 Total Sales: 4,016,000
2. Robin Thicke, T.I., and Pharrell-Blurred Lines
Peak: 1 (12 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 2 Total Sales: 6,126,000
1. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Wanz-Thrift Shop
Peak: 1 (6 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 1 Total Sales: 7,045,000
*Sales are Based off certification alone
+This song has spent one week at number one so far in 2013
^This song spent two additional weeks at number one in 2012
Here We Go!
40. Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding-I Need Your Love
Peak: 16 Billboard Year-End: 56 Total Sales: 1,000,000*
39. Drake and Mahid Jordan-Hold On, We're Going Home
Peak: 4 Billboard Year-End: 34 Total Sales: 1,000,000*
38. PitBull and Christina Aguilera-Feel This Moment
Peak: 8 Billboard Year-End: 36 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
37. Avicii-Wake Me Up!
Peak: 4 Billboard Year-End: 19 Total Sales: 2,867,000
36. Fall Out Boy-My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light 'Em Up)
Peak: 13 Billboard Year-End: 40 Total Sales: 2,356,000
35. Mariah Carey and Miguel-#Beautiful
Peak: 15 Billboard Year-End: 81 Total Sales: 1,000,000*
34. Maroon 5-Daylight
Peak: 7 Billboard Year-End: 35 Total Sales: 1,000,000*
33. Maroon 5-Love Somebody
Peak: 10 Billboard Year-End: 51 Total Sales: 500,000*
32. Bruno Mars-Treasure
Peak: 5 Billboard Year-End: 30 Total Sales: 3,000,000*
31. Capital Cities-Safe and Sound
Peak: 8 Billboard Year-End: 29 Total Sales: 1,000,000*
30. Eminem and Rihanna-The Monster
Peak: 1 (1 week)+ Billboard Year-End: NA Total Sales: 500,000*
29. Swedish House Mafia-Don't You Worry Child
Peak: 6 Billboard Year-End: 26 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
28. Lana Del Rey and Cedric Gervais-Summertime Sadness
Peak: 6 Billboard Year-End: 45 Total Sales: 1,861,000
27. Demi Lovato-Heart Attack
Peak: 10 Billboard Year-End: 50 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
26. Anna Kendrick-Cups (Pitch Perfect's "When I'm Gone")
Peak: 6 Billboard Year-End: 21 Total Sales: 2,500,000
25. DJ Zedd and Foxes-Clarity
Peak: 8 Billboard Year-End: 24 Total Sales: 1,200,000
24. Selena Gomez-Come & Get It
Peak: 6 Billboard Year-End: 33 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
23. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert-Same Love
Peak: 11 Billboard Year-End: 43 Toal Sales: 2,000,000*
22. Ariana Grande and Mac Miller-The Way
Peak: 9 Billboard Year-End: 31 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
21. Icona Pop and Charlie XCX-I Love It
Peak: 7 Billboard Year-End: 28 Total Sales: 2,600,000
20. Miley Cyrus-Wrecking Ball
Peak: 1 (3 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 18 Total Sales: 2,000,000*
19. Lady Gaga-Applause
Peak: 4 Billboard Year-End: 37 Total Sales: 1,690,000
18. Katy Perry-Roar
Peak: 1 (2 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 10 Total Sales: 4,015,000
17. Bruno Mars-When I Was Your Man
Peak: 1 (1 week) Billboard Year-End: 8 Total Sales: 4,000,000*
16. Justin Timberlake and Jay Z-Suit & Tie
Peak: 3 Billboard Year-End: 20 Total Sales: 2,835,000
15. Will I Am and Britney Spears-Scream & Shout
Peak: 3 Billboard Year-End: 23 Total Sales: 3,206,647
14. The Lumineers-Ho Hey!
Peak: 3 Billboard Year-End: 12 Total Sales: 4,000,000*
13. Florida-Georgia Line and Nelly-Cruise
Peak: 4 Billboard Year-End: 9 Total Sales: 6,141,000
12. Lorde-Royals
Peak: 1 (9 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 15 Total Sales: 3,700,000
11. Miley Cyrus-We Can't Stop
Peak: 2 Billboard Year-End: 17 Total Sales: 2,831,000
10. Bruno Mars-Locked Out of Heaven
Peak: 1 (4 weeks)^ Billboard Year-End: 11 Total Sales: 4,366,000
9. Taylor Swift-I Knew You Were Trouble
Peak: 2 Billboard Year-End: 16 Total Sales: 4,000,000*
8. Rihanna and Mikky Ekko-Stay
Peak: 3 Billboard Year-End: 13 Total Sales: 4,000,000*
7. P!nk and Nate Ruess-Just Give Me a Reason
Peak: 1 (3 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 7 Total Sales: 4,000,000*
6. Imagine Dragons-Radioactive
Peak: 3 Billboard Year-End: 3 Total Sales: 6,000,000*
5. Daft Punk and Pharrell-Get Lucky
Peak: 2 Billboard Year-End: 14 Total Sales: 2,896,000
4. Justin Timberlake-Mirrors
Peak: 2 Billboard Year-End: 6 Total Sales: 3,000,000*
3. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Ray Dalton-Can't Hold Us
Peak: 1 (5 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 5 Total Sales: 4,016,000
2. Robin Thicke, T.I., and Pharrell-Blurred Lines
Peak: 1 (12 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 2 Total Sales: 6,126,000
1. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Wanz-Thrift Shop
Peak: 1 (6 weeks) Billboard Year-End: 1 Total Sales: 7,045,000
*Sales are Based off certification alone
+This song has spent one week at number one so far in 2013
^This song spent two additional weeks at number one in 2012
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