Songs of the Year 2013
Because nobody asked for it, here is my list of the top 20 songs of 2013. I didn't hear enough new albums this year to make a best of list for albums, but there were enough good songs for this list. Onward!
First off, honorable mentions: Free Salamander Exhibit - "Oxen of the Sun" (R.I.P. Sleepytime Gorilla Music, I will always miss you); Pusha T ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Nosetalgia" (just missed my list); and The Flaming Lips, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, E-40, and Beyoncé (favorites of mine who put out albums this year that I haven't really listened to much yet).
20. Arcade Fire - "Here Comes The Night Time"
Mostly I just love this Seinfeld themed video by @Seinfeld2000 (my favorite overall anything of 2013). But it is worth noting that this is the first Arcade Fire album that I've ever liked. Interestingly enough, most Arcade Fire fans I know kind of don't like it. It reminds a little of Remain In Light. I still find the Arcade Fire to be irredeemably pretentious, but at least I don't hate all of their music now.
ARCADE FIRE - HERE COMES THE NIGHT TIME from Seinfeld2000 on Vimeo.
19. Valerie June - "Workin' Woman Blues"
I just discovered this album last week and the whole thing is great. I don't necessarily know that this is the best song on the album, but I haven't really had enough time to digest the whole thing yet. So this will suffice to represent the album as a whole.
18. Run The Jewels ft. Big Boi - "Banana Clipper"
I don't really like El-P but I love Killer Mike. That said, I should probably listen to this album more. Also, I wish Jay-Z would take some lessons from Big Boi about how to still kill a guest verse as a middle-aged rapper.
17. Sky Ferreira - "Night Time, My Time"
I don't know what to think of Sky Ferreira. I feel like every song I've heard from her is very different from the others. Some are great, some are terrible, most are somewhere in the middle. But I like this goth ballad. A very "Night Time" song indeed.
16. Lorde - "Royals"
Shut up, I like this song! It's spare and kind of weird but still catchy. I know it's been fucking everywhere and I am starting to get sick of it. But it still belongs on my list.
15. Miley Cyrus - "We Can't Stop"
I might as well get the other guilty pleasure out of the way now. I realized a couple days ago that I actually like a lot of Miley Cyrus' music. I don't know what that says about me and I'm very embarrassed about it. I have essentially no opinion about all the tabloid stuff, but if I'm being totally honest, I really like this song. I also like the agrammatical line "We run things, things don't run we".
I'm a little annoyed by the current a capella trend (a lot annoyed by Jimmy Fallon at all times), but this version of the song is pretty good, too.
14. No Age - "An Impression"
No Age is one of my favorite current bands but I found An Object to be incredibly underwhelming. That said, "An Impression" is one of their better quiet songs. I even like the strings that come in near the end.
13. Kanye West - "New Slaves"
I still haven't made up my mind about Yeezus as a whole. I think my own high expectations (based on his performances on SNL are part of why I was disappointed when the album first came out. Also, Kanye seems to have amplified both the things that I love and the things that drive me nuts about his music. But "New Slaves", "Black Skinhead", and "Bound 2" are damn good songs. I ended up choosing "New Slaves" because I'm sick of hearing "Black Skinhead" after seeing that fucking cell phone commercial about a billion times.
12. Parquet Courts - "You've Got Me Wondering Now"
I listened to the rest of this album the other day and I think it kind of sucks. But this is a great, dumb, direct rock n roll song. Bonus points for doubling the main riff on a what sounds like a recorder.
11. Migos - "Hannah Montana"
Speaking of dumb, I don't know how I'm not sick of this song. It's so fucking dumb and repetitive and I love it. Hannah Montana, Hannah Montana, Hannah Montana!
10. J. Roddy Walston & The Business - "Heavy Bells"
This is another band that only seems to have one good song. And the relentless YouTube ad blitz that led to this song being played before every video I watched last month very nearly turned me against this song. But after re-listening to the song, I still like it.
9. Problem ft. Bad Lucc - "Like Whaat"
Problem may be from Compton, but this song sounds hyphy as fuck to me. Hyphy's not dead!
8. Death Grips - "You might think he loves you for your money but I know what he really loves you for it's your leopard skin pillbox hat"
These guys make my brain hurt.
7. Perhapsy - "Forward/Back"
Derek put a few new songs up on his Soundcloud profile this year and I had a hard time choosing a favorite between this one and "O, Su Yung". I ultimately decided on "Forward/Back" because the "And everybody knows/ and nobody knows" chorus gets stuck in my head on a bi-weekly basis. Also, dig the excellent use of the digital delay and bit crusher pedals.
6. R. Kelly ft. 2 Chainz - "My Story"
A month ago, this probably would have been the top song on the list. But the more I read about R. Kelly's predatory behavior toward underage girls, the harder I find it to enjoy his music. I still don't really know how to reconcile his awful behavior in his personal life and his music, but for the time being, I still love this song.
5. Deerhunter - "Back To The Middle"
Like No Age, Deerhunter is one of my favorite bands. And like No Age, I was severely disappointed by their album this year. From Fluorescent Grey through Halcyon Digest, Deerhunter kept getting better and better. So when Monomania came out, I had extremely high expectations. But the album is a mess. Bad production decisions, intermittently shoddy songwriting, and weird sequencing basically ruin the album. But hidden in that mess are some great songs, the best of which being "Back To The Middle". I don't know what to expect from this band for the future, but I will enjoy this song regardless.
4. Shannon & the Clams - "Ozma"
And then we have Shannon & the Clams, a band that keeps getting better with every release. Dreams in the Rat House is the best, weirdest album they've released yet and "Ozma" is the best song on the album. Shannon's ode to the dear, departed family dog is heartbreaking and beautiful.
3. Mikal Cronin - "Weight"
I bought MCII sort of on a whim this year and was pleasantly surprised. I probably listened to this album more than any other this summer. "Weight" is both the opener and the best song, a piano-based gem that is remniscient of underrated 1990s power pop heroes Beulah.
2. Yo Gotti ft. YG & Young Jeezy - "Act Right"
I don't know what these dudes (who are from Memphis, Compton, and Atlanta respectively) are doing rapping about The Bay but I like it. Major bonus points for filming the music video in Oakland and, of all places, Alameda. I've always wanted to film part of a music video in the Webster Tube. Also, this song had my favorite mondegreen of the year as I thought YG's first included the line "Rest in peace to myself". I later learned that he actually says "Rest in peace to my safe". Not as cool, but that's okay. R.I.P. to Mac Dre.
1. Trinidad James - "All Gold Everything"
Ok, I'm cheating a little with this one since the song actually came out at the end of 2012. But I didn't hear it until 2013 and I don't think it reached its full ascendancy/oversaturation until this year. I guess I could go with the remix with T.I., 2 Chainz, and Young Jeezy that came out in January but I just don't think that version is as good. It can't top the simplicity, stupidity, and catchphrasiness (for lack of a better term) of the original. So I'm gonna pull a Grammy and name a song from 2012 as the best song of 2013. I listened to this song more than any other this year and it probably wasn't even close. Trinidad James' 15 minutes of fame are probably already long past (the odds on him ever having another hit have to be at least 50 to 1), but whenever I think of the year in music for 2013, I will think of this song first.
First off, honorable mentions: Free Salamander Exhibit - "Oxen of the Sun" (R.I.P. Sleepytime Gorilla Music, I will always miss you); Pusha T ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Nosetalgia" (just missed my list); and The Flaming Lips, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, E-40, and Beyoncé (favorites of mine who put out albums this year that I haven't really listened to much yet).
20. Arcade Fire - "Here Comes The Night Time"
Mostly I just love this Seinfeld themed video by @Seinfeld2000 (my favorite overall anything of 2013). But it is worth noting that this is the first Arcade Fire album that I've ever liked. Interestingly enough, most Arcade Fire fans I know kind of don't like it. It reminds a little of Remain In Light. I still find the Arcade Fire to be irredeemably pretentious, but at least I don't hate all of their music now.
ARCADE FIRE - HERE COMES THE NIGHT TIME from Seinfeld2000 on Vimeo.
19. Valerie June - "Workin' Woman Blues"
I just discovered this album last week and the whole thing is great. I don't necessarily know that this is the best song on the album, but I haven't really had enough time to digest the whole thing yet. So this will suffice to represent the album as a whole.
18. Run The Jewels ft. Big Boi - "Banana Clipper"
I don't really like El-P but I love Killer Mike. That said, I should probably listen to this album more. Also, I wish Jay-Z would take some lessons from Big Boi about how to still kill a guest verse as a middle-aged rapper.
17. Sky Ferreira - "Night Time, My Time"
I don't know what to think of Sky Ferreira. I feel like every song I've heard from her is very different from the others. Some are great, some are terrible, most are somewhere in the middle. But I like this goth ballad. A very "Night Time" song indeed.
16. Lorde - "Royals"
Shut up, I like this song! It's spare and kind of weird but still catchy. I know it's been fucking everywhere and I am starting to get sick of it. But it still belongs on my list.
15. Miley Cyrus - "We Can't Stop"
I might as well get the other guilty pleasure out of the way now. I realized a couple days ago that I actually like a lot of Miley Cyrus' music. I don't know what that says about me and I'm very embarrassed about it. I have essentially no opinion about all the tabloid stuff, but if I'm being totally honest, I really like this song. I also like the agrammatical line "We run things, things don't run we".
I'm a little annoyed by the current a capella trend (a lot annoyed by Jimmy Fallon at all times), but this version of the song is pretty good, too.
14. No Age - "An Impression"
No Age is one of my favorite current bands but I found An Object to be incredibly underwhelming. That said, "An Impression" is one of their better quiet songs. I even like the strings that come in near the end.
13. Kanye West - "New Slaves"
I still haven't made up my mind about Yeezus as a whole. I think my own high expectations (based on his performances on SNL are part of why I was disappointed when the album first came out. Also, Kanye seems to have amplified both the things that I love and the things that drive me nuts about his music. But "New Slaves", "Black Skinhead", and "Bound 2" are damn good songs. I ended up choosing "New Slaves" because I'm sick of hearing "Black Skinhead" after seeing that fucking cell phone commercial about a billion times.
12. Parquet Courts - "You've Got Me Wondering Now"
I listened to the rest of this album the other day and I think it kind of sucks. But this is a great, dumb, direct rock n roll song. Bonus points for doubling the main riff on a what sounds like a recorder.
11. Migos - "Hannah Montana"
Speaking of dumb, I don't know how I'm not sick of this song. It's so fucking dumb and repetitive and I love it. Hannah Montana, Hannah Montana, Hannah Montana!
10. J. Roddy Walston & The Business - "Heavy Bells"
This is another band that only seems to have one good song. And the relentless YouTube ad blitz that led to this song being played before every video I watched last month very nearly turned me against this song. But after re-listening to the song, I still like it.
9. Problem ft. Bad Lucc - "Like Whaat"
Problem may be from Compton, but this song sounds hyphy as fuck to me. Hyphy's not dead!
8. Death Grips - "You might think he loves you for your money but I know what he really loves you for it's your leopard skin pillbox hat"
These guys make my brain hurt.
7. Perhapsy - "Forward/Back"
Derek put a few new songs up on his Soundcloud profile this year and I had a hard time choosing a favorite between this one and "O, Su Yung". I ultimately decided on "Forward/Back" because the "And everybody knows/ and nobody knows" chorus gets stuck in my head on a bi-weekly basis. Also, dig the excellent use of the digital delay and bit crusher pedals.
6. R. Kelly ft. 2 Chainz - "My Story"
A month ago, this probably would have been the top song on the list. But the more I read about R. Kelly's predatory behavior toward underage girls, the harder I find it to enjoy his music. I still don't really know how to reconcile his awful behavior in his personal life and his music, but for the time being, I still love this song.
5. Deerhunter - "Back To The Middle"
Like No Age, Deerhunter is one of my favorite bands. And like No Age, I was severely disappointed by their album this year. From Fluorescent Grey through Halcyon Digest, Deerhunter kept getting better and better. So when Monomania came out, I had extremely high expectations. But the album is a mess. Bad production decisions, intermittently shoddy songwriting, and weird sequencing basically ruin the album. But hidden in that mess are some great songs, the best of which being "Back To The Middle". I don't know what to expect from this band for the future, but I will enjoy this song regardless.
4. Shannon & the Clams - "Ozma"
And then we have Shannon & the Clams, a band that keeps getting better with every release. Dreams in the Rat House is the best, weirdest album they've released yet and "Ozma" is the best song on the album. Shannon's ode to the dear, departed family dog is heartbreaking and beautiful.
3. Mikal Cronin - "Weight"
I bought MCII sort of on a whim this year and was pleasantly surprised. I probably listened to this album more than any other this summer. "Weight" is both the opener and the best song, a piano-based gem that is remniscient of underrated 1990s power pop heroes Beulah.
2. Yo Gotti ft. YG & Young Jeezy - "Act Right"
I don't know what these dudes (who are from Memphis, Compton, and Atlanta respectively) are doing rapping about The Bay but I like it. Major bonus points for filming the music video in Oakland and, of all places, Alameda. I've always wanted to film part of a music video in the Webster Tube. Also, this song had my favorite mondegreen of the year as I thought YG's first included the line "Rest in peace to myself". I later learned that he actually says "Rest in peace to my safe". Not as cool, but that's okay. R.I.P. to Mac Dre.
1. Trinidad James - "All Gold Everything"
Ok, I'm cheating a little with this one since the song actually came out at the end of 2012. But I didn't hear it until 2013 and I don't think it reached its full ascendancy/oversaturation until this year. I guess I could go with the remix with T.I., 2 Chainz, and Young Jeezy that came out in January but I just don't think that version is as good. It can't top the simplicity, stupidity, and catchphrasiness (for lack of a better term) of the original. So I'm gonna pull a Grammy and name a song from 2012 as the best song of 2013. I listened to this song more than any other this year and it probably wasn't even close. Trinidad James' 15 minutes of fame are probably already long past (the odds on him ever having another hit have to be at least 50 to 1), but whenever I think of the year in music for 2013, I will think of this song first.
posted by Carlos Animals at 5:09 PM
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