My Review of Music in 2013 [Top 10 Albums; Misc Awards]

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img850/307/6i96.png

Over the next fortnight or so I hope to produce a list, for my blog, of the following:

- 50 Best Albums of 2013
- 100 Best Tracks
- 10 Worst Albums
- 10 Biggest Disappointments
- 10 Best Artworks
- 10 Random Awards
and - 10 Things to Look forward to in 2014 :spin2:

It's just my opinion so try not to get too butthurt :love:

I'll start with the only negative list soon... and don't worry, ARTPOP won't be in there :wink: (I recently adjusted my grade of that to a 5/10)

[Black Dagger]

Oh I like these :lovedup:

[Z]

:amazed: I love your year end reviews :lovedup:

[Jake.]

I was actually going to say that I thought perhaps 4.5 was a tad low given how many tracks you put in your top tens list :lovedup:

[Shaun]

yeah, it could've been higher if there weren't so many crap ones :( and I mean really, really crap (Donatella, Jewels n Drugs, Applause)

[Jake.]

But ignore the crap ones (I don't mean Applause because it isn't a crap song imo), the standouts are fantastic lol

[reece(:]

Excited to read :)

[Z]

Excited for 100 Best Tracks in particular, it's a bit like having a personal shopper when Shaun does these countdowns because you know he's not going to link you to crap that you aren't going to care about :amazed:

[Jords]

The Courteeners - ANNA
Disclosure - Settle
MIA - Matangi
Peace - In Love
Swim Deep - Where The Heaven Are We

pls

[reece(:]

I think Shaun can be relied on to place Matangi high.

[Shaun]

Disclosure - Settle
MIA - Matangi

pls

yas

The Courteeners - ANNA

nay

Peace - In Love
Swim Deep - Where The Heaven Are We

not listened~

[Me. I Am Salman]

no ciara on the banner http://i.imgur.com/EsYzEcF.png

[Shaun]

any more of that and there'll be none in the countdown either http://i.imgur.com/EsYzEcF.png

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img21/2282/9a85.png

Before I bestow any praise let met get my bad blood out of my system, so I can enter the festive period drained :spin2: The following may not be the worst of ALL released this year, but just of what I had the misfortune of hearing. Apologies in advance.

http://i2.cdnds.net/13/36/200x200/union-j-artwork.jpg
#10 - "Union J" - Union J
My last review will prove that I don't have a total intolerance of UK boybands, but one of the most cringeworthy music moments of the year was sitting down to watch Kick-Ass 2 and seeing their music video not-so-subtly shoved in by promo-folk. Let's hope this is the last we'll hear of them.

http://i2.cdnds.net/13/40/200x200/music-james-arthur-album-artwork.jpg
#9 - "James Arthur" - James Arthur
Not a good year for self-titled X Factor releases, is it? Idiotic motormouth with no ability to rein it in on his vocals. Agonising listening.

http://i2.cdnds.net/13/27/200x200/jay-z-magna-carta-holy-grail-artwork.jpg
#8 - "Magna Carta Holy Grail" - Jay Z
He fell off a long time ago but I never suspected he'd ever produce something so dull and so lacking in life as this.

http://i1.cdnds.net/13/26/200x200/the1975-album-art.jpg
#7 - "The 1975" - The 1975
There're still 2 self-titled albums to come below, actually. Every year, the UK teen-rock press gets behind the one repetitive, uninteresting band, and this year's was them.

http://i1.cdnds.net/13/24/200x200/robin-thicke-blurred-lines-album-art.jpg
#6 - "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke
How best to follow a song as huge and excellent (dubious message behind it aside) as the title track? Not this.

http://i43.tower.com/images/mm124149742/mechanical-bull-kings-leon-cd-cover-art.jpg
#5 - "Mechanical Bull" - Kings of Leon
I'd rather they were all fighting and battling addiction again than churn out something like this.

http://i2.cdnds.net/13/45/200x200/britney-jean-album-artwork-colour.jpg
#4 - "Britney Jean" - Britney Spears
We cannot let this happen again.

http://www.umusicpub.co.uk/en-GB/News/2013/Sep/~/media/Images/UK/News/2013/Sep/MGMT_MGMT.ashx
#3 - "MGMT" - MGMT
The sound of a band telling its fans it doesn't give a **** about them. Petulant, directionless garbage.

http://8tracks.imgix.net/i/000/840/952/EnjoY_In_Music_-2398.jpg?q=65&sharp=15&vib=10&fm=jpg&fit=crop&w=200&h=200
#2 - "Avril Lavigne" - Avril Lavigne
Grow up, Avril.

http://www.recordstore.co.uk/media/AbstractArticleBigData/image200/.f-Yqd6AU/WarehouseArticle-122079/Placebo-Loud-Like-Love.jpg
#1 - "Loud Like Love" - Placebo
So, the very worst? I was a Placebo fan in the mid-00s. I was aware that people find them trite and annoying (on account of Molko's whine), and that was fine because they were still capable of pretty good songs (and, to be honest, the whole gender-bending emo nonsense appealed to me). But this is a career low, and awful listening.

[Black Dagger]

I used to love MGMT, Placebo and KOL (I still love their previous work) but their latest albums were all ****. Shame.

[Z]

Of those albums that I've heard material from, I completely agree with them being on this list. Will avoid the rest.

[Pete.]

#4 - "Britney Jean" - Britney Spears
We cannot let this happen again.


:nono:

[Me. I Am Salman]

Agree with most of that

[Me. I Am Salman]

:nono:

Britney Jean is seriously bad Britney just doesn't care anymore

[Me. I Am Salman]

MGMT
James Arthur
Avril Lavigne
Britney Jean
The 1975
Union J
Ciara
Beyonce
Demi
Paramore

so many self titled albums this year D:

[Pete.]

Britney Jean is seriously bad Britney just doesn't care anymore

it was artistically and obscurely brilliant however most of the world expect a teen pop and blackout sound every album. I agree not her best but not one of the worst albums of 2013 :wavey:

[Smithy]

it was artistically and obscurely brilliant however most of the world expect a teen pop and blackout sound every album. I agree not her best but not one of the worst albums of 2013 :wavey:

there's nothing artist about the album AT ALL :joker:

it's like a bunch of femme fetale rejects

[Z]

She's dead behind the eyes and she's never going to be able to be a performer at the level she was at when she was a teenager and in her early 20s. She's in her 30s and she's had two kids, a mental breakdown and she isn't in control of her own life, there is nothing but an empty husk where Britney Spears used to be. :idc:

[james130]

I was ready to be agreeing with everything, but James Arthur & Avril Lavigne are two of my top 5 albums of the year. :idc:

As much as I hate JA, it's the first X Factor album; other than Cher, that I enjoyed the whole way through and AL is her best in years.
Britney Jean's not bad too. Much better than ARTPOP, which I see does not feature. :nono:

So much agreement for the MGMT and Placebo albums though. They were hella disappointing.

My top 5 albums btw (in any order):
Beyonce - Beyonce
James Arthur - James Arthur
Avril Lavigne - Avril Lavigne
Ciara - Ciara
FOALS - Holy Fire

(Wow, really way too many self-titled's)

[Z]

I don't think I really have an album of the year, I tend to like things long after everyone else has obsessed over and forgotten about them.

[Black Dagger]

It's clearly Reflektor for me. I'm such a stan.

[Pete.]

Britney Jean's not bad too. Much better than ARTPOP, which I see does not feature. :nono:


Agreed

[reece(:]

BJ and Avril Lavigne are two of the best albums of the year, stop this madness shade

[james130]

Yes. The worst albums section is way too shady for my liking tbf,

[Smithy]

how is it shady? he's given obvious reasons as to why they're all terrible

y'all need to stop using the word shady when you clearly don't know what it means

[james130]

The fact those albums are in there and not ARTPOP is shady

https://24.media.tumblr.com/4f9a526d0f617bea93e3a0a5d020fe25/tumblr_mxwefuyr7w1qcgl1no1_250.gif
... like a lack of talent. ;)

http://cdn.thisisbigbrother.com/customavatars/avatar13520_110.gif

[Z]

how is it shady? he's given obvious reasons as to why they're all terrible

y'all need to stop using the word shady when you clearly don't know what it means

:worship:

[Smithy]

The fact those albums are in there and not ARTPOP is shady

https://24.media.tumblr.com/4f9a526d0f617bea93e3a0a5d020fe25/tumblr_mxwefuyr7w1qcgl1no1_250.gif
... like a lack of talent. ;)

http://cdn.thisisbigbrother.com/customavatars/avatar13520_110.gif

No it isn't it's SHAUNS OPINION, and in SHAUNS OPINION, these were the worst albums of the year, not too sure what part of that concept you can't grasp

actually as a britney stan it's probably to be expected

[reece(:]

I'm sure you would be bringing all sorts of "shady" reasons up if your fave was in there, don't kid us

[james130]

No it isn't it's SHAUNS OPINION, and in SHAUNS OPINION, these were the worst albums of the year, not too sure what part of that concept you can't grasp

actually as a britney stan it's probably to be expected


Yeah we get that.
The whole point of a forum is to share opinions, no?
That's what we are doing and are fully entitled. :nono:
Surely Shaun would rather we put our opinions up too than just go "Cool. Ok."

http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/starcrush.com/files/2013/02/beyonce-gif.gif

[Smithy]

I'm sure you would be bringing all sorts of "shady" reasons up if your fave was in there, don't kid us

Yeah we get that.
The whole point of a forum is to share opinions, no?
That's what we are doing and are fully entitled. :nono:
Surely Shaun would rather we put our opinions up too than just go "Cool. Ok."

http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/starcrush.com/files/2013/02/beyonce-gif.gif

Go ahead and share opinions, you just can't call it shady :joker::joker:

shady is when someone is being sly, or subtly making a dig, idg how y'all can call him shady omg

[Shaun]

can we all just improve our vocabularies thanks

[Z]

I am so sick of the word shade/shady

[reece(:]

http://i.minus.com/iEfyZRSB8xM3M.jpg

[james130]

Obvs I don't literally think Shaun is 'shady'.
I know what the word means.

Just a bitt'a fun guys.
Y'all know you use that same vocab all over this forum anyway... :idc:

[Jords]

'pop queen' fans are just the worst http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/images/smilies/smiley-bangheadonwall-yellow.gif

[Z]

'pop queen' fans are just the worst http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/images/smilies/smiley-bangheadonwall-yellow.gif

I know

[Jords]

Anyway apart from The 1975 (:tongue:) that looks a pretty fair list to me!

[Marc]

Putting James Arthur's album in there.

When it's actually really good. Lol

[Smithy]

Recovery was the only good song on that album lbr

[Smithy]

'pop queen' fans are just the worst http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/images/smilies/smiley-bangheadonwall-yellow.gif

I know

we weren't even talking about music tho, just the word shady

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/010/606/orangutan%20square.jpg

[james130]

Putting James Arthur's album in there.

When it's actually really good. Lol

:worship:

[Z]

we weren't even talking about music tho, just the word shady

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/010/606/orangutan%20square.jpg

Which I've only ever seen be used by aforementioned types of fans

http://i3.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/010/606/orangutan%20square.jpg

[MeMyselfAndI]

Avril Lavigne's album is great, you must not appreciate pop rock

[Pete.]

BJ and Avril Lavigne are two of the best albums of the year, stop this madness shade

:worship:

[Jemal]

Union J > your life

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img11/321/bv2j.png

If I'm honest, there haven't been many albums this year that have stood out in record stores or made me stroke my iPod with small fits of affection - out of their sheer appearance, at least. Here, I compile ten that're at least "quite pretty" and OH BOY ARE THEY.

http://i1.cdnds.net/13/38/200x200/nwts-standard.jpg
#10 - "Nothing Was the Same" - Drake
I didn't go much on the album itself, with the exception of a few singles, but the way in which this double-whammy was parodied on t'internet was mildly amusing:
http://i.imgur.com/AEpuUVp.jpg

http://www.underthegunreview.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/danny-brown-old-artwork-200x200.jpg
#9 - "Old" - Danny Brown
Is it a dig at Macklemore's Heist record? Is it a Napoleon reference? Either way, it's pretty bold ha ha ha ha hahaha hahaha ha.

http://www.recordstore.co.uk/media/AbstractArticleBigData/image200/.fp8k3j-T/WarehouseArticle-120509/Washed-Out-Paracosm.jpg
#8 - "Paracosm" - Washed Out
It's a matter of time before this pattern is on a T-shirt I buy, I suppose.

http://images.grooveshark.com/static/amazonart/m8168879.jpg
#7 - "Long.Live.A$AP" - A$AP Rocky
Don't really consider myself a fan of him after how drawn out his breakthrough was and how 'meh' this album left me, but at least it stands out visually.

http://www.recordstore.co.uk/media/AbstractArticleBigData/image200/.f-Tzv_5T/WarehouseArticle-115467/Baths-Obsidian.jpg
#6 - "Obsidian" - Baths
If I'm honest, then yes it does look like the front of an informational leaflet on fire prevention. But it's a pretty eye-grabbing representation of the gemstone's ominous colour.

http://cdn.goldenplec.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/White-Lies-Big-Tv-300x300-200x200.jpg
#5 - "Big TV" - White Lies
I have resigned myself to them never making another good album again following 2009's To Lose My Life... but hey. Nice brushstrokes. (Terrible album name though).

http://dj.polishedsolid.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/The-Electric-Lady-200x200.png
#4 - "The Electric Lady (Deluxe Edition)" - Janelle Monae
The standard edition was just a bit of the leftovers of the Q.U.E.E.N. video, really, but this carried on that stand-out image from 2010 in all its androidy, Egyptian goodness.

http://images.artistdirect.com/Images/artd/amg/music/cover/10765057_new_dlx_paul_200.jpg
#3 - "New" - Paul McCartney
All the best album covers have neon lights in the form of a connect-the-dots.

http://beautifulfreaks.nl/reviews/files/2013/10/c.gif
#2 - "Static" - Cults
.GIF Artworks are the future, surely.

http://www.earmilk.com/thumbs/album_review/200x200/acid-rap-cover.jpg
#1 - "Acid Rap" - Chance the Rapper
Whether it's the lovely purple sunset, the odd constellations or the stained vest, I'm not sure, but this one stood out miles above the other 9 this year.

The moral of the story? Stick to black or blue.

[Jemal]

ASAP rocky SLAYING.
He should be #1
Pls confirm?

[Gstar]

Janelle :love:

[Jords]

A$AP Rocky's :worship:

[Z]

Some nice album covers there

[Samuel.]

Not the last time we'll be seeing Chance I presume :pipe:

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/9615/slu9.png

I'm going to post these ten at a time, with YouTube videos of each song (fingers crossed they're all on there...) in spoilers, so as to save space for y'all. Here's hoping there's something featured you either already like, or will do soon :spin2:

OcmEuyTCmjI
#100 - "Sonnentanz" - Klangkarussell
A bit of a surprise hit around September, this German sundance isn't exactly the liveliest thing imaginable but it sure is gorgeous. I prefer this version to the vocal one that charted.

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#99 - "I Appear Missing" - Queens of the Stone Age
I found it difficult to pick a song from the album to feature on this list, but this one just about stands out as the most dramatic.

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#98 - "Flatline" - Mutya Keisha Siobhan
It was a little unfortunate releasing this in the wake of HAIM, I guess. Not Dev Hynes' finest contribution to pop, not even in the past 12 months, but still largely more enjoyable than anything by the Sugababes since 2007.

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#97 - "Move" - Little Mix
Yeah, I'm trying to make this first ten quite poppy in the hopes of getting your interests to follow this whole thing through :laugh: I've said many times that the build-up to the chorus is a touch disappointing, but the whole feel of the song is an awesome new direction for the girls. Very 90s, very fun.

MVc3Z-bG6Eo
#96 - "Bipp" - Sophie
This whole project confuses me, if I'm honest. I've seen a handful of similar artworks with brightly-coloured random objects and I've no idea who the artist is/are. This track is intriguing, though, and could be one to watch out for.

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#95 - "Queenie Eye" - Paul McCartney
Mostly talked about for its music video (starring just about everyone, including Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Sean Penn, Kate Moss, James Corden, Gary Barlow, Jeremy Irons, Tom Ford, Lily Cole and Chris Pine), it's a pretty solid and enjoyable tune :love:

y2FQ3ih0MoE
#94 - "Only Tomorrow" - My Bloody Valentine
At the start of the year of the surprise release, 2013 gave us a brand new MBV album. Now, I have to admit, I'd never bothered to listen to the band before, but this was lovely enough to make me delve back.

AIjVpRAXK18
#93 - "Falling" - HAIM
Not entirely sure why their other hits were hailed as their breakthroughs; this is by far their best. Listen to that bassline FOR GOODNESS' SAKE.

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#92 - "Double Bubble Trouble" - M.I.A.
Most rewarding drop of the year.

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#91 - "Girl Like Me" - Slava
Well I suppose with Game of Thrones going from strength to strength, a music video depicting brother-sisterly incest was inevitable. Very dark, quite bewitching too - and that's just the song.

[Ammi]

..oh I forgot that you were going to do these...My Bloody Valentine, HAIM..:lovedup:...

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/9615/slu9.png

QBu_bzxvgdI
#90 - "Alien Days" - MGMT
The only cut from their third album that wasn't appallingly bad happened to be rather lovely indeed. This is their potential. Youth Lagoon's entire discography is their potential. Instead they pissed on songsheets.

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#89 - "Ways to Go" - Grouplove
Because every list of songs needs a music video following the life of Kim Jong-Un, set to deliriously happy indiepop.

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#88 - "She Will" - Savages
I dread to think how many bands have been dubbed "the female Joy Division" but I can't really find a term that describes their stage presence and songwriting. This is my favourite from the record.

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#87 - "3AM Spiritual" - Smith Westerns
I kinda just want the spring of 2015 to come around so I can fall in love all over again with their soppy old nonsense. That sounded like a compliment in my head. Just really sweet, melodic glam-rock brought up to date.

eXxD4VoZdIw
#86 - "Clay" - Goldfrapp
THIS IS ****ING LOVELY.

Ypma9bJKw1E
#85 - "Bourgeois" - Phoenix
Right from the intro, I'm hooked. I blame the Drive soundtrack. It's going to be five years before REAL HUMAN BEING AND A REAL HERO is washed from my system. Stunningly pretty.

9bIfHnmu7dA
#84 - "Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice)" - Arcade Fire
The sound of the Smiths lamenting the loss of a Greek mythical heroine? Without Morrissey's voice? Yes please. (Sorry, Morrissey, I love you really but change is nice).

3KcOZ2qHz5g
#83 - "Airglow Fires" - Lone
Yes. More of this. Music to throw all sorts of stupid hand movements to.

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#82 - "Wedding Song" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Frontwoman Karen O wrote this song and performed it at her own wedding, hence the title. Imagine being there, listening to this. *swoons and swoons some more*

-VnRrIVQMaY
#81 - "Middle Sea" - Yuck
And you thought John McEnroe was pissed off.

[Me. I Am Salman]

still largely more enjoyable than anything by the Sugababes since 2007

Denial and No Can Do say hello :hmph:

[MeMyselfAndI]

One More Sleep should be in the countdown

[Z]

Some great songs posted so far :amazed:

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/9615/slu9.png

_Y18RiqIFjA
#80 - "Sing to Me" - Anna Calvi
Her first album may have been a little too "in PJ Harvey's shadow" but this one was full of spellbinding loveliness like this.

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#79 - "C O O L" - Le Youth
It's about as subtle as a brick but still. Thank you Nathan. Tune tbh.

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#78 - "Wrecking Ball" - Miley Cyrus
Do I need to say anything about this? Big, big 80s ballad.

RA5PRj7KPkE
#77 - "Doin' it Right (feat. Panda Bear)" - Daft Punk
Mmmmm. Yes.

JSGsILOeXO0
#76 - "How Does it Feel" - Yuck
Think of Blur's headlining moments and you're probably thinking of musical godliness like this. It makes me smile.

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#75 - "Headlights" - Eminem
Excuse the pitched video. Startling, headline-grabbing moment from his latest LP. Altogether now: aww.

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#74 - "All I Know" - Washed Out
If there are pills that can induce the same reaction as Washed Out's music, do let me know of their name.

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#73 - "All Night" - Icona Pop
Only just noticed this had a music video of drag queens having a dance battle. Marvellous.

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#72 - "Belong to the World" - The Weeknd
dat portishead sample. nnnf.

NbZ3s8XWJlA
#71 - "You're Not Good Enough" - Blood Orange
If this actually had a chorus, it could be lifechanging. As things stand, it's just a groovy buildup, but a very good one at that.

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/9615/slu9.png

ViGNBLQpGWE
#70 - "I Am a God" - Kanye West
This made the list mostly for the screams. Everything else surrounding them is "quite good" too. I suppose I should reference the croissants line, too.

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#69 - "I Could be the One" - Avicii vs. Nicky Romero
It is a rule of the 2010s that there shall be one excellent Avicii single a year. This was 2013's (and if you think that Aloe Blacc crap was better you're mistaken).

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#68 - "Flick of the Finger" - Beady Eye
Excellent.

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#67 - "Oblivion (feat. Susanne Sundfør)" - M83
Apparently the movie was quite poor. Sundfør's work this year is not - this is wonderfully over-the-top and magnificent.

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#66 - "I Can Hardly Make You Mine" - Cults
The catchiest cut from album #2. Madeline Follin could quite easily sing me the news of the deaths of everyone I love and I'd be mildly enjoying it.

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#65 - "XO" - Beyoncé
Had this been released earlier, it may have made more of an impact. As it stands, it's just a new song I like very much.

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#64 - "Dip" - Danny Brown
He seems fun.

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#63 - "Let Me Show You Love" - Cut Copy
Sounds like Primal Scream soundtracking an Aztec temple ceremony.

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#62 - "Young Believers" - Vampire Weekend
One of the most cheerful songs about religious uncertainty there is going.

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#61 - "Electric Lady (feat. Solange)" - Janelle Monáe
The bassline has been controlling my legs for around 30% of the year.

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/9615/slu9.png

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#60 - "White Noise (feat. AlunaGeorge)" - Disclosure
How well it charted was a nice surprise.

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#59 - "Love in Stereo" - Sky Ferreira
The finest spiritual successor to mid-00s electro R&B. Pretty.

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#58 - "Subway" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Why has no one else thought of making a sample out of this noise before? Wonderfully relaxing track.

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#57 - "SuperLove" - Charli XCX
Stormed the charts at #62! Oh well. Undoubtedly better than everything that placed above it that week, I'm sure.

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#56 - "Given 'em What they Love" - Janelle Monáe & Prince
IT'S ****ING PRINCE, OK

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#55 - "Good Ass Intro" - Chance the Rapper
This reminds me of the early noughties, when rap seemed to be a lot more cheerful and summery. Lives up to its title, really.

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#54 - "Ulla" - Goldfrapp
My favourite from the record. Would place higher on days when I'm more in need of Goldfrapp, and Christmas Eve isn't one of those days.

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#53 - "Pale Green Ghosts" - John Grant
The most pleasant surprise to usher in 2013 was Grant's new knack for electronics. Brooding, theatrical but still putting focus on his formidable voice.

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#52 - "Weight" - Mikal Cronin
There was a week or so in June when this was all I wanted to listen to.

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#51 - "Miasma Sky" - Baths
Oh god I've placed this too low haven't I?

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/9615/slu9.png

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#50 - "Love Illumination" - Franz Ferdinand
Did anyone notice that they released an album? ANYONE?

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#49 - "New Slaves" - Kanye West
Probably the best verse on the album.

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#48 - "Something About You" - Dornik
2013's spiritual successor to Frank Ocean's Sweet Life. Smooth.

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#47 - "This Ladder is Ours" - The Joy Formidable
They're going to take at least 10 of these to make them as instantly loveable as, say, CHVRCHES, but in the mean time I'm happy to see them bash out jams like this.

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#46 - "Back Together" - Annie
HOUSE-POP HAS REACHED NORWAY. Wonderful.

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#45 - "5AM" - Katy B
I was kinda hoping for some more Diplo following 2012's Danger EP and its excellent Light as a Feather but, after a kind-of-OK first single, Katy dropped this dancefloor diamond.

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#44 - "See You" - The History of Apple Pie
The music video kinda screams "this would've soundtracked Skins quite nicely five years ago" (in fact, they remind me more than a little of Asobi Seksu). The song is stupidly pretty.

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#43 - "Little Love Caster" - Laura Marling
Just...striking.

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#42 - "The Mother We Share" - CHVRCHES
Every band hoping to 'make it' in the credible-electropop stakes needs a Midnight City moment. This was theirs. Not my favourite song off the record, but still marvellous.

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#41 - "Come Walk With Me" - M.I.A.
After all the daft noise of, uh, Bring the Noize, this dropped and made everyone fall back in love with Maya again. One part cute rock-n-roll ballad, 20 parts insane breakdown. Amazing.

[Shaun]

i see no one has anything to say :idc:

[Me. I Am Salman]

people better acknowledge that COOL samples Cassie - Me & U

[Me. I Am Salman]

Come Walk with me :love:

[reece(:]

I'm reading it, Charli and M.I.A. best be reappearing in 1st and 2nd place respectively :pipe:

[Samm]

Just read through all of this the list is alright but its your thoughts not mine, I'm waiting for the top 10 tracks

[Samuel.]

Been following it, but there's not much to say about a list of 60 tracks that didn't make it into your top 40 :p Or even top 20/10

[Iceman]

i see no one has anything to say :idc:

I left after headlights :bored:

Haha no been following it all. Good reviews....you should do a monthly recap next year too and maybe do a top 5....

[Jake.]

DWUW for a top 10 entry I hope

[Z]

5AM is rather brilliant. I guess I'm the same as everyone else, I'm waiting to see the top 20 LOL. I don't know a lot of these songs but I'll be listening to some tomorrow during the day when I'm in the house doing nothing :love:

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/9615/slu9.png

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#40 - "Birds" - Death Grips
Probably the least comfortable listen from the new record, but then again just about the only one that I remember.

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#39 - "Pretty Hurts" - Beyoncé
The strongest argument for her usual second "ballad-single", surely? Wonderful stuff.

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#38 - "Rap God" - Eminem
Didn't like it at first because it was just too much to keep up with, but as a showman delivering what he is capable of, it's astounding.

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#37 - "Timber (feat. Ke$ha)" - Pitbull
Look, no one wanted to like a Pitbull song this year. But throw in Ke$ha's songwriting, a daftly catchy hook and a general awakening of a subconscious enjoyment of Pitbull's nonsense lyric, and you've got an anthem. He's slicker than an oil spill, don't you know.

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#36 - "Work" - Iggy Azalea
This'll win another award when I get around to the individual categories (maybe June 2014). For now, let's enjoy the least-convincing summer anthem of 2013. And the finest ass.

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#35 - "La La La (feat. Sam Smith)" - Naughty Boy
217 million views on YouTube!? Crikey. I thought only Miley got that nowadays. The catchiest tune of the year, hands down.

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#34 - "The Fall" - Rhye
Nnnnnnnnngh that piano. What could possibly beat it? Oh, maybe Michael Milosh's gorgeous gender-bending voice.

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#33 - "Afterlife" - Arcade Fire
It feels like classic Arcade Fire, all that Haiti, Neighborhood #3 sound.

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#32 - "Valentine's Day" - David Bowie
The catchiest track from the album, and a glorious tribute to his career beginnings and signature sound. And also, because songs about teenage school shootings are nice once in a while.

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#31 - "Retrograde" - James Blake
That vocal hook looping around is just bewitching.

[Benjamin]

It's clearly Reflektor for me. I'm such a stan.

I'm a big AF fan, have been since their debut but Reflektor didn't do much for me, I was disappointed with it. :(

[Shaun]

Funeral > Suburbs > Reflektor > Neon Bible, for me (I just never really enjoyed NB beyond the singles)

[Benjamin]

So much pop in the top 100. :(

-weeps for Boards Of Canada and Gold Panda, especially Gold Panda, damn Charli XcX getting the credit-

[Me. I Am Salman]

Work :worship:

[Benjamin]

Funeral > Suburbs > Reflektor > Neon Bible, for me (I just never really enjoyed NB beyond the singles)

I'd swap Reflektor and NB. Funeral still remains their finest work.

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/9615/slu9.png

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#30 - "Attracting Flies" - AlunaGeorge
"Everything you exhale is attracting flies" is 2013's most charming and well-put insult of the year.

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#29 - "Girlfriend" - Icona Pop
I'm almost certain that there was an early, poorer version of this put out prior to the proper release because either that happened or I made one of the most sudden 180s on a track in recent history. Their music videos are rather samey though aren't they :(

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#28 - "Do I Wanna Know?" - Arctic Monkeys
Standard "first single is the best moment from the album" fare from the Monkeys. Still, rather fantastic.

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#27 - "Do What U Want (feat. R. Kelly)" - Lady GaGa
Yeah, don't worry GaGa, just let your best song in 4 years go without a music video months after its release, no yeah, that's a great strategy.

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#26 - "Running to the Sea (feat. Susanne Sundfør)" - Röyksopp
The second of two Susanne features on this list, and the second of two Royksopp/fellow Scandinavian female collaborative tunes I've grown to cherish over the past five years. Gorgeously quiet.

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#25 - "Diane Young" - Vampire Weekend
BABY BABY BABY BABY

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#24 - "Pusha Man" - Chance the Rapper
I am dying to hear more from this guy.

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#23 - "We Can't Stop" - Miley Cyrus
I see this video has a million dislikes now. Shame how over-the-top a reaction to a bit of nudity is, isn't it? Because this is a ****ing tune.

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#22 - "I Hate This Town" - John Grant
RELEVANT.

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#21 - "Entertainment" - Phoenix
I think this was the first single of the year that really got me pumped about music in 2013. Fantastically upbeat track.

[Ammi]

...Do What U Want, feat. R. Kelly - Lady GaGa :love:...

..it's exciting to see what will be number 1....

[Benjamin]

Royksopp :worship:

[Jake.]

Do I Wanna Know/DWUW :love:

[Shaun]

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#20 - "Black Skinhead" - Kanye West
I wouldn't mind another Marilyn Manson rip-off next year to be honest if they sounded as furious and lively as this.

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#19 - "You're Not the One" - Sky Ferreira
Not entirely sure why more of TiBB aren't stanning her - gorgeous 80s riffs, a soaring chorus and a general amalgamism of everything excellent about recent indie-pop music.

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#18 - "Closer" - Tegan and Sara
I think this is probably the best chorus of the year. It makes doing the grocery shopping feel triumphant.

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#17 - "Recover" - CHVRCHES
Basically this whole segment is full of all my "choruses of the year" before I settle down and get all deep and pretentious for my top ten, yo.

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#16 - "It All Feels Right" - Washed Out
I just can't put into words how well this style of music just clicks with me and turns me into a gooey, reclining mess.

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#15 - "Q.U.E.E.N. (feat. Erykah Badu)" - Janelle Monae
Excellent video. Excellent groove. Excellent rap at the end. Kinda pointless Erykah (but kinda awesome hair). BUT WONDERFUL.

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#14 - "Pelican Man" - Youth Lagoon
The intro is a bit of psychedelic nonsense but once it gets into its stride it's one of the most heart-swelling songs of the year. Almost gives A Day in the Life a run for its money (it of course doesn't, but I have to sell this somehow OK?)

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#13 - "Body Party" - Ciara
I would probably have been happy enough with those intro lilts being repeated for 4 minutes, but instead Ciara delivers her most sensual and vocally beguiling track to date. Just...sexy.

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#12 - "Where Are We Now?" - David Bowie
I remember the morning this was excitedly talked about on Twitter out of nowhere - I'd stayed up all night out of general poor sleeping patterns and then just saw the unimaginable: DAVID BOWIE COMEBACK. I won't lie, I cried a little out of exhaustion and surprise. Also, the single happened to be a sombre and pensive little beauty.

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#11 - "#Beautiful (feat. Miguel)" - Mariah Carey
I have generally regarded Mariah Carey in the same way as I would regard a banshee with an excellent Christmas song: I avoided her and her ridiculous melisma, and cheap, soulless R&B. This year, she dropped arguably a bigger surprise (to me) than Bowie: a fantastic, understated song that made the summer. It fails to make the top ten for daring to use a hashtag.

[Me. I Am Salman]

Body Party and #Beautiful :love:

[Z]

Ooooooh :worship:

[Black Dagger]

I'm a big AF fan, have been since their debut but Reflektor didn't do much for me, I was disappointed with it. :(

I quite liked Reflektor. It was no Funeral, but that is a 10/10 album for me <3

Afterlife, Reflektor, Porno, Joan Of Arc >>

[Jords]

108 by Sky :love:

[Shaun]

thank you for being patient...

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/9615/slu9.png

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#10 - "Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams)" - Daft Punk
There was a brief period in 2013 where the release of a new Daft Punk single - teased with little video snippets at Coachella and talked about as though a fossil being uncovered - was quite a subdued affair. Its eventual appearance and the subsequent chart domination around the world may have grown to irritate many, but in the process kickstarted a revival of disco thanks to the year's grooviest riff. Long live Nile Rodgers.

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#9 - "When a Fire Starts to Burn" - Disclosure
To my knowledge this hasn't been released as a single, which is quite criminal since it's the album's most rousing effort. Especially since that London Grammar bit was released recently (remember it? Me neither). Of course, it's all down to motivational speaker Eric Thomas for delivering the most unlikely call to the dancefloor in recent times, but I suppose the Disclosure brothers helped cultivate it into a tune. A bit.

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#8 - "You (Ha Ha Ha)" - Charli XCX
Much like last year's "I Love It" before it, Charli's ear for a pop anthem that just spouts lyrical mantras by accident was in fine form again in 2013. Her solo efforts may not have enjoyed the same boom that her songwriting for Icona Pop did this year, but oh well: the use of Gold Panda's brilliant You is the most inspired sample this year.

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#7 - "Open" - Rhye
My favourite vocal performance of the year. Rhye's whole album was full of untapped beauty like this, but this was the strongest individual effort in my opinion.

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#6 - "Y.A.L.A." - M.I.A.
On some days this'd quite comfortably sit at #1 - but I suppose being the year's strongest argument for shaking my arse like a twat isn't really enough to secure a top five placing. Those drops though...

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#5 - "Honey" - Torres
Spellbinding - initially just a very pretty, very cute ballad - the song grows into a gritty, garage-rock stomper. Mackenzie Scott's vocal also helps craft a total spotlight-on-her moment.

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#4 - "The Apple" - V V Brown
In 2009 I was deadset on stanning the **** out of VV Brown and her retro-rockabilly pop nonsense: 'Shark in the Water' was BY FAR the song of the year and just destroyed everything else in terms of pop hooks. This year, she came incredibly close to reviving that trend but under a wholly different disguise: gone is all the Motown, all the vocal stutters and WAH-WAH-WAH!s, and in their place a thumping, dark beat lets Brown deliver knock-out blows like "don't patronise me - I'm not your clown". Best heard at night whilst walking in the dark.

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#3 - "Hold On, We're Going Home (feat. Majid Jordan)" - Drake
I am still not really sold on Drake: his habit of releasing repetitive, tuneless dross like "Started from the Bottom" - however much it gets talk about by hipsters who think they like hip hop, but rather just prefer liking things no one else does (with reason) - just totally turns me off. Then he went and released this rolling, reassuring electroballad and just flipped 2013 on its head. It's frustrating knowing he's capable of this and delivers so little elsewhere, but for the time being this is a wonderful diversion.

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#2 - "Reflektor" - Arcade Fire
I mentioned above the kind of "calm before the storm" feeling that anticipated the Daft Punk release and I guess the same applies to Arcade Fire: much was expected of them, but few would have expected this. My initial reaction to Reflektor, and the one I still hold today, was just awe. This is a seven minute disco epic, and throwing in James Murphy and David Bowie was just the icing on the cake. I wanted to put it top so badly, but...

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#1 - "Warm in the Winter" - Glass Candy
This happened 4 months before. I understand it's something of an anachronism on this list, since it was uploaded in 2011 - but I didn't discover it until this year, when it was released on a compilation called After Dark. The video totally has that whole "Lana del Rey, stock footage from old cameras" thing going on, and the vocal musings of Ida No are often cheesy, odd and at times unwelcome, but behind all of that is another 7 minute epic that just snaps into more and more engaging and serene sequences. I can't pinpoint a favourite moment: it just unravels like a sunny, almost-narcotic dream. And that's why it's my song of the year.

[Me. I Am Salman]

YALA and Get Lucky :love:

[Black Dagger]

Reflektor getting dat silver medal :worship: <3

-enjoys the effort you put in every year, even if I don't get around listening to them all-

[Shaun]

writing up the first ten albums rn~

[reece(:]

Y.A.L.A. and You <3

[Z]

Eeeee I always learn so much from your year end lists, listening to Torres - Honey atm

[Shaun]

it's so pretty isn't it :lovedup:

[MeMyselfAndI]

Ew London Grammar Shade
bye

[Shaun]

bye...

http://imageshack.us/a/img607/6142/clfp.png


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#50 - "Mosquito" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
OK, so, brace yourselves because this first list of ten has some positively appalling artworks on display. The first is the 4th YYYs LP, and although far from the best it made enough of a pleasant listen to creep onto this list right here.

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#49 - "Apocalypse" - Thundercat
Not nearly as ugly is Stephen Bruner's face, which adorns the front of his Thundercat project's second effort. It's been a pretty big year for him - worming his way onto the GTA 5 soundtrack and continued great work with Flying Lotus - and whilst this wasn't quite as wonderful as his debut it's a pretty groovy album nonetheless.

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#48 - "Spreading Rumours" - Grouplove
There is a sneaking suspicion that this band are secretly a bit terrible but I'm quite happy to ignore that if they keep putting out lovely, enjoyable pop. (Fugly album cover #2, by the way).

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#47 - "Heartthrob" - Tegan and Sara
I may have waxed lyrical over 'Closer' on more than one occasion, but the rest of the album was equally solid and boasts a host of fantastic pop tunes. Were 2013 a worse year, this would have charted higher.

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#46 - "Wolf's Law" - The Joy Formidable
Another quiet year for the Welsh band, but a fine album off the back of it.

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#45 - "MBV" - My Bloody Valentine
Not quite the miracle that everyone over on the Guardian comments section would have you believe, but still an interesting comeback after 22 years away. And I thought being a Bowie fan was trying until this year.

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#44 - "Glow and Behold" - Yuck
Losing their frontman after the fantastic self-titled 2011 debut definitely hindered the band's progress a little bit, but thankfully they managed to cling onto enough remnants of their first album to construct a wonderful second.

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#43 - "Melophobia" - Cage the Elephant
The album title might be a bit silly (ooh it means fear of music but they're a band!?!?!?!? XD) but at least the band are reliable enough to deliver pumping-up music.

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#42 - "Free Your Mind" - Cut Copy
Look, there were a lot of bands who took a step down from their fine 2011 moments this year alright? But they weren't all that bad. Free Your Mind singlehandedly made everyone a Primal Scream fan all over again.

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#41 - "Hummingbird" - Local Natives
This will tide me over quite nicely until the next Fleet Foxes record.

[Black Dagger]

Grouplove :lovedup:

-still hasn't listened to the 2nd album but Colours and Tongue Tied were bloody great-

[Z]

I haven't listened to any of these albums. I am appalled by multiple artworks. So far so good.

[Black Dagger]

Local Natives are also fabulous, from what I've heard, You and I is wonderful <3

[reece(:]

M.I.A. - Matangi
Charli XCX - True Romance
CHVRCHES - The Bones Of What You Believe

For top 3 <3

[Jords]

The Joy Formidable's artwork though :lovedup:

[Shaun]

ikr :love:

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img607/6142/clfp.png


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#40 - "Soft Will" - Smith Westerns
Perfectly lovely - would soundtrack a barbecue or beach party quite nicely. Just... not quite as good as Dye it Blonde.

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#39 - "Wondrous Bughouse" - Youth Lagoon
A psychedelic trip from start to finish.

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#38 - "One Breath" - Anna Calvi
Bolder, more confident and stronger songwriting than her selftitled debut.

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#37 - "Days are Gone" - HAIM
A handful of excellent singles and some others that make me shrug a little bit and wonder what all the fuss was about. An ideal start for the sisters, though, and let's hope the future material is similarly strong from them.

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#36 - "New" - Paul McCartney
Someone who doesn't really need to prove themselves in the future is Sir Macca, who made me sit up and think there might be something to his solo material after all.

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#35 - "...Like Clockwork" - Queens of the Stone Age
By far their strongest effort in a decade or more - not that that's saying much.

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#34 - "Ciara" - Ciara
It'd be nice if it didn't take an artist having to leave their label to make their career-best album. Oh well.

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#33 - "Tales of Us" - Goldfrapp
This seemed to leave critics a little underwhelmed and I don't really understand why: it's incredibly hushed, sure, but the songwriting is astounding.

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#32 - "This is... Icona Pop" - Icona Pop
A rework of their self-titled Swedish release from last year, Icona Pop briefly set the world alight this summer with their long overdue #1 single. The album inevitably tanked, but at least it was filled to the brim with solid tunes.

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#31 - "Tomorrow's Harvest" - Boards of Canada
A track or two chopped off and it'd be perfect. As it stands: a little bit of a chore to listen to. But a lovely chore, like doing the hoovering.

[Shaun]

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#30 - "Silence Yourself" - Savages
The first half of the year was quite consumed with fervour towards making this "the album of the year" among music journalists and I'm quite happy that stopped; that's not to say this isn't an album that made me sit up and take notice, it's just not quite the gamechanger it was made out to be. Pretty powerful, though.

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#29 - "Samson and Delilah" - V V Brown
I mentioned in my tracks countdown placing of The Apple at #4 how the total stylistic change threw me off at first but I'm so glad in retrospect that it happened: the happy-go-lucky debut was and still is a big bag of fun, but lacked a little in terms of substance. This more than compensated for that.

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#28 - "Static" - Cults
Took the poppy tunefulness of their debut and etched it into a far more consistent, enjoyable listen.

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#27 - "MCII" - Mikal Cronin
Can't really say much more for this album that the near-universal praise hasn't already done.

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#26 - "Cupid Deluxe" - Blood Orange
I kinda feel like I'm shortchanging Dev Hynes here what with his recent personal tragedy :( I hope he recovers from it, because he's really improving with every project he undertakes recently.

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#25 - "Paracosm" - Washed Out
Another year, another gorgeous Ernest Greene record.

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#24 - "True Romance" - Charli XCX
A couple of total misfires, and the rest being quality pop? That'll be the ideal debut from Charli XCX then: she can improve (and she's already shown signs of it with the brilliant SuperLove since this was dropped), and I can't wait.

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#23 - "AM" - Arctic Monkeys
Inevitably turned the UK press to mush on account of being just about the only British band finding success beyond their debut. It was a little bit embarrassing seeing all of these 10/10 reviews pop up, but the quality of the album managed to convince me slightly of its merit. Their finest since Favourite Worst Nightmare, for sure.

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#22 - "Beyoncé" - Beyoncé
just going to drop this in my list totally unannounced

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#21 - "Old" - Danny Brown
I berated Drake on the tracks-countdown for falling occasionally foul of the pointless attention-grabby debut, and I suppose I would be inconsistent if I didn't point out that, at times, Danny Brown is mildly irritating too. What he possesses that Drake doesn't, though, is music that leaves me a little awestruck.

[Drew.]

Danny Brown :worship:

[Shaun]

http://imageshack.us/a/img607/6142/clfp.png

In any other year, a lot of these LPs would've slotted in quite nicely to the top ten. 2013 was such a strong year for albums, though, that it resulted in them just falling short.

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#20 - "Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action" - Franz Ferdinand
It didn't exactly set the world on fire and that's a little upsetting. The Scottish band put out one of their finest albums to date last year and it was worth the wait.

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#19 - "Bankrupt!" - Phoenix
Another band we'd been waiting since 2009 to hear from again were the Frenchmen Phoenix - time spent probably accumulating all of those seventy one tracks for the deluxe edition's second disc. You'd be forgiven for sticking to the first, though, since it was a bag of electronic goodness and fist-pumping anthems.

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#18 - "Torres" - Torres
An album that sits perfectly on the fence between poignant balladry and ballsy grunge sounds, I'd heartily recommend this to anyone a fan of anything vaguely rocky.

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#17 - "The Marshall Mathers LP 2" - Eminem
Mathers still needs to spend some time ironing out all of the tendencies to go for the hit singles (deleting Rihanna's phone number would be a nice start), but I think this surprised everyone this year with its strength, its absence of nonsense singles like Just Lose It or We Made You, and a return to the commanding, sullen young man sat on the front step of his childhood home.

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#16 - "The Bones of What You Believe" - CHVRCHES
One of those albums that will offer up a favourite track to you depending on your mood: CHVRCHES accomplished that difficult middle ground between immediately pleasing pop and long-term listen appeal. Great, great debut.

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#15 - "Night Time, My Time" - Sky Ferreira
Speaking of great debuts, Ferreira ditched the sugary sounds of her singles earlier this decade and went for an alternative kind of Blondie-meets-Cyndi Lauper aesthetic to her first album. Another record I'll be spinning for years to come.

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#14 - "Random Access Memories" - Daft Punk
Look, I was totally a part of the brigade that hailed this as a phenomenon earlier in the year and in a way I stand by its brilliance: it's a bold, indulgent mess at times but no other album this year came close to getting parties started as Daft Punk's. Definitely not the epochal 2013 record, but staggeringly well-executed.

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#13 - "Yeezus" - Kanye West
Speaking of vastly overrated albums... Yeezus seems to have totally dominated every other "best of" list this past 2 months. Whether it's its failure to match up to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, my desire to be a contrarian, or just a genuine belief that it's not even West's best, let alone everyone else's, Yeezus definitely came close to being one of the frontrunners for album of the year on account of its experimental new direction for Kanye.

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#12 - "Overgrown" - James Blake
For a nice change, the Mercury Prize winner this year was actually quite good (I will never let it go that Alt-J's was a bland, floating turd). And a vast improvement on his at-times-lifeless debut (which I was incredibly harsh to, but still find dull), so who knows what the future holds.

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#11 - "Reflektor" - Arcade Fire
I didn't really want to live in a world where I put an Arcade Fire record outside of the top ten, but here we are. The only fault I could find with the Canadians' fourth effort is that it went a little soggy around the middle, like watching your favourite Great British Bake-Off contestant. It was suitably epic at all the right times, though, so please punch anyone who says it's crap in the face.

[Me. I Am Salman]

Ciara and Beyonce :love: yeezus too
So many artists experimenting this year and expressing themselves more (Cassie too)

[Black Dagger]

It was suitably epic at all the right times, though, so please punch anyone who says it's crap in the face.

I shall :worship:

[Shaun]

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THE WAIT IS OVER!!!!!! BRACE YOURSELVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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#10 - "Woman" - Rhye
One of those albums where - despite having a crummy iPod that only stores about 40% of my library - I have to put the whole bunch of it on. Gorgeous vocals from start to finish and leaves me in almost a post-climactic mood.

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#9 - "The Next Day" - David Bowie
"But your blog title is a Bowie lyric!" you scream as I pack my suitcase hurriedly and leave. Look, OK, about 3 or 4 of the tracks were a little bit bland, but those that weren't were strong enough and astounding enough to make his comeback better than just about everyone else's anticipations.

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#8 - "Modern Vampires of the City" - Vampire Weekend
Sometimes I am not in the mood for Vampire Weekend. Sometimes they are a bit too goofy and annoying and this album isn't much change from that trend, but it's probably their strongest to date and a whole Bible's worth of themes and interest.

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#7 - "Obsidian" - Baths
Probably the album that fascinated me the most in terms of what is possible with electronic music, and also brutally self-flagellating at times. If you continue reading down, you'll find I have a bit of a soft spot for gay soloists who hate on themselves a bit.

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#6 - "Once I Was an Eagle" - Laura Marling
Another entry on this top ten where I'm considering this their best LP to date is Marling, who's always been at least "good" but this year stepped up into incredible.

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#5 - "Settle" - Disclosure
One of those records that manages to sustain the party atmosphere from start to finish. Picking favourite songs from it is like choosing your pick-n-mix at Woolworths when you were 8 years old.

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#4 - "Matangi" - M.I.A.
Quite comfortably not her best effort - Kala (and probably Arular) will most likely never be beaten - but Matangi was the strongest return to form since... er, probably Rafael Nadal. It was a lot more fun than MAYA, and reincorporated her knack for beguiling 'skits', that feeling of world-town international partying and more than the occasional banger.

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#3 - "Acid Rap" - Chance the Rapper
It's almost a crime that you can put something out this good for free. I feel indebted. The debut of the year, no question.

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#2 - "The Electric Lady" - Janelle Monáe
If my memory serves me correctly - and I have to rely on it since I started my blog reviewing habits in 2011 - I placed The ArchAndroid 5th on a list of the similarly excellent year, 2010. In retrospect, it'd leapfrog at least 2 of the others I rated highly (The Suburbs and Sleigh Bells' Treats). This, her stunning second, is probably not "better", but it's definitely on the same level: an astounding, ambitious, accomplished masterpiece that's got more going on than most popstars' careers.

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#1 - "Pale Green Ghosts" - John Grant
Well, it was the only album I gave 10/10 this year so I suppose this shouldn't be too surprising.

[Ammi]

...well, The Next Day is the only absolute complete album that I've listened to several times so I would have put that as #1, but then I'm unashamedly Bowie biased...I've heard quite a few tracks from M.I.A. and Janelle Monae and they're great choices..most of the others, I'm just familiar with the odd few songs...I'm a bit ashamed to say that John Grant is someone I haven't listened to much but I'll try to fix that...

..this has been great, Shaun..now I know what I need to be looking out for..merci beaucoup ..:love:...

[Me. I Am Salman]

Matangi <3

[Shaun]

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Finally, I felt a little generous and uncertain as where to put these awards other than here. 10 individual categories, each with their own winner. How festive.

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Best Song I Felt too Pretentious to Include: "Blurred Bynes" by DWV.
It was a close contest between this and 'Boy is a Bottom' to be honest, but what better way to eradicate a catchy-as-**** song's misogynist undertones than to turn it into a critique on 2013's favourite nutjob?

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Lyric of the Year: "Work" by Iggy Azalea.
Well done, everyone.

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Best Album I was Harsh To: ARTPOP by Lady GaGa
It was still a mess but not quite the travesty I made it out to be. Still never going to buy it tho.

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Best Eurovision Entry: Krista Siegfrids
No other song came close. Good night and god bless.

-Vnk_j1iKMA
Best Music Video: "Annabel" by Goldfrapp
This was a 3-way toss-up between this, Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Sacrilege" and Janelle Monae's "Q.U.E.E.N." In the end I went for the song I didn't place on my tracks countdown. For sentimental reasons: the video is an airy, delicate representation of transgender(ism?) in youth, and introducing colour gradually throughout the video is a masterstroke. Really moving piece of film, and a cute song to boot.

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Brightest Hope for 2014: Robyn
NOT ONLY, by being 2014, are we four years on from her last (three) efforts, and recorded material is surely imminent, but Sweden's greatest export of all time also happens to be working and touring with Royksopp. The last time that occured, magic happened. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EJUCkSMN4k) I'm still getting enough enjoyment out of dramatically reenacting the Call Your Girlfriend video but yeah, new stuff please Miss Carlsson.

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Best Song now a Decade Old: "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
The greatest thing ever to come out of talent shows, hands down. And that's a category that include Girls Aloud's Biology and Will Young's Jealousy. This song is a force of nature.

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2013 Talent Most Likely to Fail the 2nd Time Around: Tom Odell
Sorry 'bout it.

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The Pied Piper Award for Rats Fleeing a Sinking Ship: Azealia Banks
Last one out, turn off the lights. Oh and burn the copies of ATM Jam.

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Worst Awards Show Moment: All of the Grammys
Gotye record of the year? Mumford and Sons album of the year? fun. song of the year? An N*SYNC reunion, Bruno Mars tribute to Bob Marley, and no main wins for Frank Ocean? **** all of that.

[Smithy]

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Best Album ARTPOP by Lady GaGa
It was still a mess but not quite the travesty I made it out to be.


R7UrFYvl5TE
Best Song now a Decade Old: "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson
The greatest thing ever to come out of talent shows, hands down. And that's a category that include Girls Aloud's Biology and Will Young's Jealousy. This song is a force of nature.

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[Z]

John Grant :lovedup: I haven't listened to any of Pale Green Ghosts, must get around to that.

Annabel's music video :love:

[Iceman]

Chance :worship:

[Marsh.]

#2 - "Avril Lavigne" - Avril Lavigne
Grow up, Avril.

:joker: