The final leg in my year-end countdown, also marks my 400th post on this little blog. While 2013 brought us some amazing EDM hits, some R&B-laced jams and unexpected indie surprises, the bottom line is that the year was filled with great music. Artists including Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Celine Dion, Capital Cities, Avril Lavigne and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have already been featured. My top 10 include work from a theatrical duo, an out country artist and a talented DJ. Thank god it's Friday!
Honorable Mentions:
"Underneath the Tree" by Kelly Clarkson (pretty amazing for a Christmas song)
"I Want It All" by Karmin (could make an official appearance next year)
#10. "Say Something" by A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera
Many chart toppers this year were filled to the brim with uptempo pop beats and explicit lyrics, however, A Great Big World created a simple smash when they brought Christina Aguilera for a new rendition of "Say Something". The touching ballad was supported by show-stopping vocals and a piano. That's it. While Aguilera is known for her powerhouse performances, she took the backseat and allowed her voice to really connect with the boys. Afterall, it's about the message, not showboating.
#9. "Dirty Laundry" by Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland is known for her sexually-charged releases ("Freak" already made this list), but this year she let fans into her own life with "Dirty Laundry", a personal telling of past relationship and career problems. From stories of her abusive former flame to the jealousy she felt towards Beyonce's success, Rowland kept it real and honest while giving a heartbreaking performance you don't get to hear that often. The production was minimal, this was a song to focus on Kelly.
#8. "The Apple" by VV Brown
VV Brown's name may sound a bit familiar thanks to "Shark in the Water", but her 2013 release, the surprising "The Apple", is the reason she should be a renowned sensation. A complete departure from her past work, the gritty track digs deep into the synthpop/dance genre, incorporating 80s-sounding electropop beats while still focusing on Brown's commanding vocals. The song of love and revenge is a dark, moody tune that showcased the artist's transformation into a true goddess.
#7. "Gypsy" by Lady Gaga
ARTPOP is filled with many interesting, experimental tracks, but the one with a loving message, and the most radio potential, is the electronic ballad that is "Gypsy", a great choice for single number three. The piano-driven track starts off slow and sweet before receiving a giant dose of pop magic on the soaring chorus where Lady Gaga really lets her vocals do all the work. Listening to the creative lyrics, the artist is talking about her crazy life, her career and her lover. By the time she gets to the country shout out, I'm in tears.
#6. "Stay" by Steve Grand
I do not listen to country. I never felt like I could relate to the genre. Steve Grand changed that this year. "Stay", his official second single, is a romantic yet heartbreaking story of a love the artist had in the summer, but eventually lost in the fall. Grand's vocals are a real delight, the main highlight, giving off the vibe of a lovestruck gentleman, but from the clap-tastic chorus to the meaningful lyrics, the country/pop track had incredible potential of being a crossover hit. His singing of his life. Simple.
#5. "Lay Me Down" by Avicii feat. Nile Rodgers & Adam Lambert
Hopefully scheduled for a future single release, Avicii's "Lay Me Down" successfully incorporates the DJ's impeccable production abilities with Nile Rodgers' legendary skills at the guitar and Adam Lambert's mesmerizing vocals on the funky, retro, disco throwback of a track similar to that of "Get Lucky". Avicii knows how to get a crowd dancing with the song's infectious beats, Adam throws some sass on the flawless chorus of love and desire, and Rodgers does what he does best.
Hopefully scheduled for a future single release, Avicii's "Lay Me Down" successfully incorporates the DJ's impeccable production abilities with Nile Rodgers' legendary skills at the guitar and Adam Lambert's mesmerizing vocals on the funky, retro, disco throwback of a track similar to that of "Get Lucky". Avicii knows how to get a crowd dancing with the song's infectious beats, Adam throws some sass on the flawless chorus of love and desire, and Rodgers does what he does best.
#4. "I Was A Fool" by Tegan and Sara
"I Was A Fool", the second single off Heartthrob, is a slow, somber, piano-driven ballad that seems to rip a page straight from an 80s tragic love story handbook. The sister duo bear their souls and both sing beautifully as they look back on a troubled relationship that just didn't seem to work. It is hard to listen to the heartfelt lyrics and not shed a tear. Real emotion is conveyed through every single aspect of the track on the album's brightest moment. From the vocals, to the writing and instrumentals. It's a pop moment.
#3. "Saturday Night" by Natalia Kills
I will never stop praising "Saturday Night" by Natalia Kills. The haunting, personal track describes the artist's seemingly unpleasant childhood and family issues. The verses are strong, meaningful and quite sad, while Kills soars on the powerful chorus which showcases her ever-improving vocals. Though on the surface the track seems like a touching ballad, crashing beats take the song to a whole new level. This is a creation, inspired by the 80s rock movement, but then transported to pop 2013.
#2. "Red" by Cher
From the second it begins, "Red" by Cher becomes the glorious pop moment that the legendary dance diva's latest album needed. With a hint of Lady Gaga magic, Cher soars on the chorus of "red from my heart, red like my blood, red from my lips, when you told me you were gone." Overall, the revengeful dance track is one of the new album's greatest pieces, and though the production makes the effort one worthy of the club floor, it would be nothing without the artist's powerful, timeless vocal performance.
#1. "Do What U Want" by Lady Gaga feat. R. Kelly/Christina Aguilera
You knew it was bound to happen. Lady Gaga's duet with R&B mastermind R. Kelly, "Do What U Want", is the best song of 2013. From its unsurprising/shocking success on the charts to all the magical live performances that have taken place, the song holds strong. With the first listen, the ARTPOP cut may sound like the typical sex track, but when you pull back the layers, it becomes a powerful, well-sung message to all of Gaga's haters and harsh critics, "you can't stop my voice, cuz you don't own my life". The song is a true anthem of empowerment. Whether the artist was singing the track with R. Kelly, or Christina Aguilera, with an added verse from Rick Ross, or as a xylophone-assisted acoustic version, it was always perfect.
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