Brian's (sbp17) Top 30 of 2013

[sbp17]

I know there's much anticipation for my top songs of the past year so without further ado. But first, for proper context since outside the country forum I really only post in Kelly Clarkson threads and the News & Entertainment forum, country music is my genre of choice so it will dominate the countdown. However, I feel we've hit a relative low in the genre over the past couple of years while mainstream pop has been among its most diverse in recent years so there's more mainstream pop hits than there generally might have been if I posted such an annual chart from the time I joined Pulse. I also tend to prefer ballads so those will certainly outnumber the up-tempos.

First up, a few songs just outside the top 30 that I enjoyed this year.

Extra #1: The Story Of My Life by One Direction - Not a One Direction fan but this song has a certain depth and warmth not usually found in "boy band" hits.

Extra #2: Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker - A good "feel good" song with typically great vocals from Darius.

Extra #3: What Are You Listening To by Chris Stapleton - If there's any justice, this guy will find great success on country radio in 2014. Great style and killer vocals!

And now the countdown begins....

30. Here's To Never Growing Up by Avril Lavigne
I should not like this song, I suppose. I don't like Avril. It's neither lyrically deep nor a vocal showcase. However, the melody is incredibly infectious and message is nostalgic so it found a way to resonate with me. So for what it is, a trite yet fun song, I rather enjoyed it.

29. Compass by Lady Antebellum
Lady A really dipped in my book with their third album "Own The Night" but redeemed themselves with the singles from their fourth album "Golden". This is the first of two entries from "Golden" in my top 30. Great use of mandolin and fiddle and doesn't sound too busy despite the cheering, chanting, and clapping throughout.

28. Mine Would Be You by Blake Shelton
This song is certainly not without its flaws lyrically but Blake's earnest interpretation make it more than just a string of cliches. He feels and sounds more connected with this song than he has with his other recent singles and it doesn't feel quite as pop-flavored as his previous handful of hit ballads.

27. See You Tonight by Scotty McCreery
The driving melody of the chorus is infectious and Scotty's vocal delivery is spot on. He's had decent chart success but I'm surprised he hasn't made a bigger impact. This song is still climbing on the country radio charts despite being out for 36 weeks. But I personally find this to be one of the better male country offerings of the year.

26. Just Give Me A Reason by Pink and Nate Ruess
Pink can deliver a ballad with about as much intensity as anyone. And she does it again with this gem as she seems to be at her vocal peak. Nate's distinctive vocals take a great song to an even higher level. Their voices complement each others very well.

25. The Highway Don't Care by Tim McGraw with Keith Urban and Taylor Swift
It's been a while since I've really liked a Tim McGraw single. Lyrically, musically and vocally, this is just a great country record. Taylor Swift's harmony and Keith Urban's instrumental are integral components of what make this such a great song.

That's it for today. On the climb to number one, Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson, Macklemore and Little Big Town are among the artists still to make an appearance.

[sbp17]

And now on to the next six for today...

24. Cups by Anna Kendrick
Certainly among the surprise hits of 2013, this song doesn’t pretend to be more than it is..a simple melody and straightforward lyrics with a nice hook. Anna's understated vocals blend well with the sparse production.

23. We Were Us by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert
I feel a collaboration works best when the end product is something that could fit in well on either of the participant's records and this song fits the bill perfectly. Though I do not believe that Miranda and Keith necessarily have similar styles, We Were Us feels like a song that fits perfectly with both of their catalogue of hits. The chorus gets a bit busy but their voices come together nicely and the increased tempo has me toe-tapping without realizing it.

22. Whatever She's Got by David Nail
David has very distinctive soulful vocals that work very well on this mid tempo cut with a nice groove. As an aside, if you're not a country enthusiast so you're unfamiliar with David, you might be interested in checking out his understated but effective cover of Adele's Someone Like You. www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnOSjTm96nw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUQJkTu5JXTN0d3GsI0WGnTg

21. Next To Me by Emeli Sande
I'm not familiar with Emeli Sande to know whether she has a religious background but this song takes me to church. Its lyrics seem to have a spiritual undertone but whether about a lifelong partner or Jesus, it induces an "Amen" out of me after every line. And who hasn't belted out the chorus along with Emeli when the song comes on? This song probably deserves to be higher because it has held up very well.

20. Slow Me Down by Sara Evans
I thought this would be the song to return Sara to the top of the charts but it sadly underperformed. The instrumentation is killer and Sara sounds as great as ever. Like We Were Us, the chorus gets too busy and loud but Sara's delivery of the "slow me down" lines is chilling.

19. Let Her Go by Passenger
I am enjoying the success of folk-rock songs on pop radio and this is one of the best from the past year. Very distinctive and emotive vocals with heartfelt lyrics.

[Mack]

There are some great choices here so far- 'Story of My Life', 'Here's to Never Growing Up', 'Highway Don't Care', 'Cups', 'Next to Me'; I love all of those. Looking forward to the rest!

[josh]

Dec 29, 2013 15:35:11 GMT -5 sbp17 said:

Extra #1: The Story Of My Life by One Direction
26. Just Give Me A Reason by Pink and Nate Reuss

:)

[surfy]

Next to Me :)

[sbp17]

And we move on to the next six...

18. Don't Let Me Be Lonely by The Band Perry
After a couple of edgier singles, The Band Perry slowed it down with a tender, yearning country ballad. Kimberly's simple vocal style and tone work best on this type of track and she sings it with conviction. It doesn't have the type of hook that immediately calls attention to itself as its strengths are more subtle allowing it to grow on me and age well.

17. Your Side Of The Bed by Little Big Town
LBT deliver one of their more haunting ballads to date. Lead vocals from married couple Jimi Westbrook and Karen Fairchild are packed with emotion. When all four band members come together on the chorus, the desperation in the song's lyric is palpable.

16. My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark by Fall Out Boy
There is so much greatness about this song. Sonically, there's a lot going on but it all works well with the intense lyrics. The lead vocals are on point. "I'm on fire." The lyrics are incredibly well crafted. "A constellation of tears on your lashes
Burn everything you love, then burn the ashes. In the end everything collides, My childhood spat back out the monster that you see."

15. Beneath Your Beautiful by Labrinth and Emeli Sande
This song is a vocal showcase. Labrinth's pure tone in the opening verse is captivating and he infuses the right amount of rasp in the choruses. There is incredible soul and passion when he and Emeli's voices come together.

14. I Drive Your Truck by Lee Brice
I will never know if this song would have been one of my favorites were it released in any other year. But it came out a few months after my dad passed and struck the right chord with me. I still tear up when I hear it. The lyrics alone are emotional enough but Lee Brice's interpretation sting even more.

13. Demons by Imagine Dragons
All of this band's singles have been great but this one has been the best to date. I like the message in the lyrics and the tone of the lead vocalist.

[nick64]

Great list so far! Nice mix of pop and country, and lots of great songs from both!

Dec 31, 2013 8:19:51 GMT -5 sbp17 said:

14. I Drive Your Truck by Lee Brice
I will never know if this song would have been one of my favorites were it released in any other year. But it came out a few months after my dad passed and struck the right chord with me. I still tear up when I hear it. The lyrics alone are emotional enough but Lee Brice's interpretation sting even more.

:'( I'm so sorry

[sbp17]

Thanks nick and Happy New Year everyone!

And the countdown continues...

12. Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus
I do not like the image Miley is projecting of late and it generally affects my opinion or appreciation of her music. But I cannot deny the greatness of Wrecking Ball. It’s the type of song that most displays the Stevie Nicks quality to her voice. From the fragility in her delivery of the verses to the desperation in the chorus, her vocals are the highlight of the song.

11. Round Here by Florida Georgia Line
And here is another song I like despite the artist. The song is filled with typical country imagery that I think is well composed and structured in this song and only suffers in that many of the images are grossly played out in the genre of late. Still, on its own, I find it to be a good country record.

10. Downtown by Lady Antebellum
This is the second offering in the countdown from Lady Antebellum. This is a cute, fun song from prominent Nashville songwriters Luke Laird, Shane McAnally and Natalie Hemby. It has a nice groove with an infectious melody.

9. Royals by Lorde
Royals is one of the more unique tracks of the year. It became a favorite of mine the first time I heard it. It offers creative lyrics interpreted by a distinctive tone against an unusual arrangement. And the single serves as a microcosm of the whole album.

8. Stay by Rihanna and Mikky Ekko
Stay is without question the best Rihanna ballad in her catalogue of hits. She’s not the most technically proficient vocalist but her vocal flaws serve her well with this song and the desperation in the lyrics. Mikky Ekko makes a very good song great. He has an incredible voice and style that is a significant contribution to the song.

7. If I Didn't Have You by Thompson Square
If I Didn’t Have You is filled with clichés but they are structured cohesively creating a song that is simple but not basic. But what elevates the song are the emotive lead vocals from Shawna Thompson. Her tone has glimpses of the great Pam Tillis and that immediately makes me a fan of almost any song she leads.

[surfy]

Don't Let Me Be Lonely
FALL OUT BOY!
Beneath Your Beautiful
Wrecking Ball! :)
Downtown was one of my country summer jams!
Royals
Stay :)

[surfy]

Oh and just saw the Bonus #1!!! I LOVE 1D SO MUCH, ESPECIALLY THAT SONG!!!

[sbp17]

Before the top 6 is unveiled tomorrow, a few interesting stats that I observed about my top 30.

1. As I mentioned, country is my preferred genre and country songs account for just over half (16) of the top 30.

2. There is an international presence on the chart as 5 acts come from outside the US with representation from Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

3. Seven of the songs are collaborations.

4. And five artists appear twice on the chart: Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Nate Ruess, Miranda Lambert and Emeli Sande.

[josh]

Nice to see "Royals" so high. :)

[Zeebz]

Love the "Royals" love and most of the songs here. Sorry to hear about your dad. Great list!

[sbp17]

And here are my top 6 songs of 2013. Thanks for following along.

6. Carry On by fun.
Carry On is another in a string of awesome hits from fun. The opening verse with a more solemn feel backed by piano transitions to a hopeful chorus. The song continues to crescendo behind Nate’s triumphant vocals.

5. Same Love by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis with Mary Lambert
The lyrics are not perfect but the message is.

4. Tie It Up by Kelly Clarkson
I thought this would be a hit on country radio. Kelly’s voice sounds as good as ever. The lyrics are fun with some lines particularly clever (“every wall needs a frame, every ball needs a chain”). The subtle but effective wedding bells, the brief banjo instrumentation before the bridge and the “woo”s in the chorus contribute to a great song.

3. Say Something by A Great Big World with Christina Aguilera
Much has been said about Christina’s atypical softer vocals and that certainly was what stood out to me when I first heard the song. She sounds as good as ever and I hope we hear more from her in this vein. But the understated production and emotional lead vocals from A Great Big World are also part of what make this song an incredible song to me.

2. All Kinds Of Kinds by Miranda Lambert
Once in a while, I’ll hear a song many times but it not resonate until I actually take notice of the lyrics. And that’s the case with this song. It’s among the most well written songs of the year.

1. Two Black Cadillacs by Carrie Underwood
Carrie’s best single since Wasted. I love a good story song…and the darker the better. It has elements of the style of song that my favorite artist, Reba, was known for. Carrie’s vocal delivery is intense. And the song gets bonus points for a video that pays homage to Stephen King’s Christine.

[josh]

Good choices for #1 and #5. TBC > SYA so glad to see that's the one that made it. Although BA >>> both.

[surfy]

Tie It Up
Say Something
TWO BLACK CADILLACS!!!!!! SO GLAD THIS IS #1