Zebra's Year End Charts - 2014

[Zeebz]

Y'all are awesome.

Jan 9, 2015 12:32:24 GMT -5 Albie said:

Oh where have I been? Ok, 35-31 are perfect. Spot on regarding Jess Glynne on "My Love". As minimal as her part is lyrically, its just enough for perfection.

I like 30-26 also. Particularly "Changes", "Come To Me" and "Problem". I'm surprised at how high THWWIW placed for a later release.

25-21, again, are perfect. Big fan of Sir Sly and Walk The Moon. I only recently discovered Indiana and I am really liking what I'm hearing so far. "Solo Dancing" is nice. Do you like "Only the Lonely"? I've been listening to the KANT remix which is blissfully good.

Can't wait for the rest Z!

Dunno, but glad you stopped by. Same for "My Love". Two perfect sections and another you like? You're too kind. <3 Yeah, I kept moving "THWWIW" up, haha. I just loved it. Haven't heard "Only the Lonely" but I'll definitely be sure to check it out. Thanks for recommending it! Thanks for commenting as well, Albie! <3

Jan 9, 2015 13:51:31 GMT -5 sadchild said:

I keep seeing Bleachers on a lot of lists (including this one!). They'll be on mine 3x. I should probably grab that whole album!

I've seen! So glad to have seen them there. Definitely pick the album up. So good. Thanks, sadchild! :)

Jan 9, 2015 14:04:47 GMT -5 crystalphnx said:

30.) "Night Changes" = woah, glad to see that this song finally got you into 1D (well, at least somewhat, anyway.) I wouldn't rank it among my all-time-absolute-favorite 1D tracks, but it's definitely one of several enjoyable moments on Four
29.) "The Heart Wants What It Wants" = this one is nice, but I definitely preferred Selena with The Scene. none of the solo stuff I've heard from her rivals brilliant moments like "Naturally", "Love You Like A Love Song", "Who Says", etc.
28.) "Problem" = I too was definitely glad to see this become a mega-smash; I love "Problem" on its own merits, and I also thought that her debut era deserved to produce more (and bigger) hits, so it was nice to see her finally take off in a really big way. really love her, really love this song
22.) "Boom Clap" = I like this one, but I wasn't into it enough last year for it to make my Top 50. it would've been close, though: somewhere in the No. 56 - No. 60 range (Bubbling Under the Bubbling Under batch) ;)

Re: "Night Changes" - It's a career highlight for me, haha. Glad you enjoy it though.
Re: "THWWIW" - I'm torn. I've loved "Slow Down" and "The Heart Wants What It Wants" but "Naturally" and "LYLALS" are also really good, lol. I can't choose. :'(
Re: "Problem" - Her debut era should've been MUCH bigger. At least "The Way" did something and last year had been such a good one for her.
Re: "Boom Clap" - So close </3 

Thanks, Paul! <3

Jan 9, 2015 16:15:02 GMT -5 hitseeker. said:

Prayer In C
All Of Me
The Heart Wants It Wants
Problem
Sonnentanz
Boom Clap

The flawlessness continues and the slew of songs for me to check as well!! <33

So glad to see that you like those, Hitseeker! And you're too sweet. Flawlessness? Nah. Anyways, thanks! Really appreciate it. <33

Jan 9, 2015 20:27:59 GMT -5 H. said:

Great to see Changes, Sonnentantz, Boom Clap, and Shut Up and Dance charting.

Glad you like those, Shoosh! Thanks. <3

Jan 9, 2015 20:43:36 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

Awesome to see "Night Changes" and "The Heart Wants What It Wants" on here! Those are two of my very favorite songs to come out of 2014. <3 I'm glad you liked the 1D single especially considering you aren't much for them, so it's nice that you can at least find the occasional gem from them. ;)

"Problem" and "Boom Clap" are decent, too. "Problem" has great verses imo, but the song kinda falls apart for me w/ the chorus being uneventful. And the opposite is true of "Boom Clap," because the verses do nothing for me and that song is literally all about that chorus. Both were overplayed as hell and overrated though. I vastly prefer "Break the Rules" and the second/third releases from My Everything to those two.

So glad to see that they're some of your favorites, too. I love the chorus of "Problem", but I can see why you would feel that way. "Boom Clap" was overplayed but it never burned on me. "Break the Rules" and "Break Free" are okay, but their predecessors >. "Love Me Harder" though.

Thanks for the feedback, Indulge! <3

Jan 10, 2015 0:32:11 GMT -5 surfy said:

Night Changes, The Heart Wants What It Wants, PROBLEM, Shut Up and Dance, and Boom Clap!!! <3

Glad you like those!

Jan 11, 2015 20:52:00 GMT -5 surfy said:

All of these are ***FLAWLESS songs!!!! <3

You're too sweet. Thanks for commenting, Surf! <3

Jan 12, 2015 13:19:35 GMT -5 crystalphnx said:

17.) "You Don't Know What To Do" = woah, did NOT see this coming, but it's a very pleasant surprise! I'm always glad to see Mariah gettin' some love, but especially for such a random/forgotten flop like YDKWTD. I'm definitely not as passionate about this particular song as you are, but I like it well enough, and if it inspired you to check out her full album, I'm really thankful for that! not to derail things TOO much, but what are some of your other MIAM faves?

I appreciate the love for "YDKWTD". It should've been massive. It had ranked in my lower 70s but I loved it too much to let it sit there so it's gradually moved up. And an albums countdown is coming with favorites, but I'll go ahead and reveal those here: "YDKWTD", "#Beautiful", "Dedicated", "Faded", "Cry.", "Meteorite", etc. Thanks again!

Jan 12, 2015 20:40:07 GMT -5 WotUNeed said:

Nice to see "Changes", "Problem", "Sonnentanz", "Gold", "Shut Up and Dance" (would've preferred it within top twenty but close enough!), "Boom Clap", "Solo Dancing", "Love Runs Out" (though the decision to release it in the middle of releasing songs from the album still confuses me), and "West Coast"!

Hadn't heard "Come to Me" before. I think the last Goo Goo Dolls song I'd gotten big into was "Stay with You" so that was, like, a long time ago. Anyway, "Come to Me" is nice. Kinda sounds like something that could be backing a Target commercial or something, haha. But I dig it.

Glad you enjoy those! "Shut Up and Dance" was really close, lol. If it had charted earlier it surely would've made it in. Honestly same about "Love Runs Out". That was just a poor choice. Yeah I hadn't loved a Goo Goo Dolls song in a long while prior to "Come To Me". The Target commercial comment is pretty spot on. Glad you like it, though. Thanks for your feedback, Wot! <3

Jan 12, 2015 21:30:51 GMT -5 Juan Carlos said:

Let's make a little recap.

So good to see "Turn Down for What" (The song is weird, but I like it. Not that much, of course), "Ready for Your Love" (Gorgon City/MNEK!!!), "Summer" (YES! Calvin's vocals <3), "Addicted to You", "Drunk In Love", "Uptown Funk", "Fancy", "Of the Night", "Jubel" (too low, but yes for making an appearance here), "Rather Be", "People Help the People", "I Got You", "Right Here", "Midnight", "Falling" (HAIM!!!), "Come With Me Now", "Prayer In C" (Robin Schulz Remix) (It doesn't grow on me as much as I would want to, but it's good), "My Love" (It should have done better in my chart than it did to be honest), "Rollercoaster", "The Heart Wants What It Wants", "Changes" (Yay!), "Problem", "Sonnentanz (Sun Don't Shine)" (Yay! [2]), "Shut Up and Dance", "Boom Clap" (Not my favourite, but it has grown on me), "Love Runs Out", "Comeback" and "West Coast" so far. Surprise that the Lana track didn't make the Top 10. And yay for your artists too.

Also, I don't like "All of Me" because of the times I keep listening to it every week on the Official Charts that I can't handle it anymore. Sorry. Oh! And I kind of prefer the Tiësto remix. My local radio stations put this into rotation instead of the original and they keep mentioning that it was a Tiësto song, something like Tiësto featuring an unknown artist because they haven't mentioned that John Legend was singing on it :facepalm:

Looking forward to the rest!

Juan Carlos. <3

So, so good to see that you enjoy so many. Really appreciated. "West Coast" was definitely a contender for it, but it just couldn't quite make it. And no problem about "All Of Me". For a while there I hated it too, lol. That station error is terrible though, haha. Thanks for the recap/feedback! <3

Jan 12, 2015 22:16:11 GMT -5 Cody said:

Nov 18, 2014 17:48:30 GMT -5 Zeebz said:

Zebra's Top 100 Songs of 2014:
016 - "West Coast" - Lana Del Rey
020 - "Love Runs Out" - OneRepublic
023 - "Shut Up And Dance" - Walk the Moon
028 - "Come To Me" - Goo Goo Dolls
031 - "Rollercoaster" - Bleachers
036 - "Ain't It Fun" - Paramore
037 - "Come With Me Now" - KONGOS
038 - "Stay With Me" - Sam Smith
041 - "Midnight" - Coldplay
048 - "Of The Night" - Bastille
053 - "Ultraviolence" - Lana Del Rey
055 - "Addicted To You" - Avicii
056 - "Summer" - Calvin Harris
066 - "I Wanna Get Better" - Bleachers
070 - "Instant Crush" - Daft Punk ft. Julian Casablancas
078 - "Dangerous" - Big Data ft. Joywave
081 - "Blame" - Calvin Harris ft. John Newman
085 - "Beggin' For Thread" - BANKS
089 - "Stolen Dance" - Milky Chance
092 - "Snap Out Of It" - Arctic Monkeys
100 - "Love Don't Die" - The Fray

Bubbling Under:

101 - "Not On Drugs" - Tove Lo
104 - "A Sky Full Of Stars" - Coldplay
107 - "Ordinary Love" - U2
108 - "Afraid" - The Neighbourhood
110 - "Things We Lost In the Fire" - Bastille
119 - "Alone Together" - Fall Out Boy
123 - "Somewhere In My Car" - Keith Urban
125 - "The Walker" - Fitz & the Tantrums
128 - "Fever" - The Black Keys
130 - "Cool Kids" - Echosmith
131 - "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" - Arctic Monkeys
133 - "How Long Will I Love You" - Ellie Goulding
143 - "Red" - Taylor Swift
144 - "Lies" - CHVRHCES
145 - "Pumpin' Blood" - NONONO
149 - "Beating Heart" - Ellie Goulding
155 - "Magic" - Coldplay
159 - "Love Me Again" - John Newman
160 - "Dark Horse" - Katy Perry ft. Juicy J

Liking all of these so far, and I'm excited to see the top 15 I expect Tove Lo to crack the top 100 on your 2015 year end with "Not On Drugs", as I'm sure that'll be US single #3.

Also, how big do you think "Beggin' For Thread" will be in real life this year eh? That's a sleeper hit on CHR IMO, #1 prediction. I really need to start following your weekly chart, because there is alot of great stuff here!

Woah! Glad to see that you like so many! I hope it is single #3. If so, it'll probably definitely make it. As for "Beggin'"? I'd love that but honestly I don't see it. Maybe top 20. If it did become a number one hit though I'd be more than okay with that. It's so good.

You're too kind! If you did, I would appreciate it! No pressure though, haha. Thanks, Cody!

Jan 13, 2015 14:01:27 GMT -5 Albie said:

20-16. Perfection? Check.

Albie being flawless as usual? Check. Thanks. <333

Jan 13, 2015 16:48:07 GMT -5 hitseeker. said:

Love Runs Out & You Don't Know What To Do <333

So good to see that you enjoy those also. Thanks again! <3

[Zeebz]

Zebra's Top 10 Albums Of 2014

Just Missed!

20. Our Love - Caribou
19. Voices - Phantogram
18. Souled Out - Jhené Aiko
17. Queen Of The Clouds - Tove Lo
16. Motion - Calvin Harris
15. In the Lonely Hour - Sam Smith
14. My Everything - Ariana Grande
13. A Perfect Contradiction - Paloma Faith
12. Tough Love - Jessie Ware
11. Aquarius - Tinashe

The Top Ten

10. The Pinkprint - Nicki Minaj

Favorites: "Feeling Myself", "Grand Piano", "Only", "All Things Go", "The Crying Game", "Truffle Butter", "Get On Your Knees"

The last addition to this list, I just couldn't leave it off. I wasn't looking forward to a new Nicki album (indifference), but she really delivered. Definitely love the more urban edge of it. It's full of standouts and it was hard narrowing it down to just a handful. The Bey feature is pretty cool too. It's easily my favorite Nicki album.

09. Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse - Mariah Carey

 

Favorites: "You Don't Know What To Do", "#Beautiful", "Dedicated", "Meteorite", "Faded", "Cry." 

Chanteuse didn't grab me at first, but once it did I was in love. It's definitely my favorite from her since The Emancipation Of Mimi and probably more realistically since Butterfly. Definitely a career highlight. Glad I took the chance to delve into more of Mariah's discography this year. She's great.

08. Goddess - BANKS

Favorites: "Beggin' For Thread", "Waiting Game", "This Is What It Feels Like"

Love love love BANKS. She narrowly missed my artists countdown, but her album was far too good to leave off. Goddess was basically my soundtrack to relaxing or doing homework. I discovered it through iTunes Radio as it kept playing various songs from it and I'm so glad I found it. So, so good. Definitely looking forward to her next effort. 

07. I Never Learn - Lykke Li

Favorites: "No Rest For the Wicked", "Gunshot", "Love Me Like I'm Not Made Of Stone", "Just Like A Dream"

Lykke. <3 She's one of my all-time favorites. On I Never Learn she sings about heartbreak and loss, and you can almost feel her pain. Raw emotion at it's finest. I can't say that it's my favorite album from her (Wounded Rhymes takes that honor), but it comes pretty damn close.

06. Ghost Stories - Coldplay

Favorites: "Midnight", "O", "True Love", "Ink", "Magic"

Ghost Stories was the first 2014 album that I purchased. Yes, it's that good. I loved Mylo Xyloto with a passion but it was a nice surprise to see them change it up a bit. Surprisingly, the only song on the album that is reminiscent of Mylo Xyloto ("A Sky Full Of Stars") is actually one of my least favorites from the album. "Midnight" and "O" are my absolute favorites. "Midnight" has a haunting atmospheric sound and "O" is just straight up beautiful. Looking forward to their new album, but I cannot deal if it is their last.

05. Ultraviolence - Lana Del Rey

Favorites: "Ultraviolence", "Brooklyn Baby", "West Coast", "Shades Of Cool", "f**ked My Way To The Top"

Born To Die is one of my favorite albums of all time. I was a bit let down when I first listened to Ultraviolence because it basically stripped away all of the lavish production that I loved. However, it didn't take long for it to grow on me. Ultraiolence is a stellar follow-up to her previous album, and I really appreciate how she didn't chase radio success with this. It certainly stands out. So excited for Honeymoon.

04. Little Red - Katy B

Favorites: "Crying For No Reason", "5 AM", "All My Lovin", "Aaliyah", "Everything"

On A Mission may have brought her to my attention, but Little Red made me a fan. It's just a really solid dance album with moments of tenderness. "Aaliyah" and "Crying For No Reason" are far and away my favorites. It holds up well after repeated listens, too. My limited commentary doesn't do it justice at all, but I highly recommend it. 

03. Strange Desire - Bleachers

Favorites: "Rollercoaster", "I Wanna Get Better", "Like A River Runs", "Wild Heart", "Shadow"

Bleachers probably earns the title of my favorite new artist of 2014. It took "Rollercoaster" for me to be able to appreciate them, but better late than never, I suppose. I don't skip anything on the album and that's rare for me. I just love everything about it. I almost enjoy Bleachers more than fun., but not quite.

02. Broke With Expensive Taste - Azealia Banks

Favorites: "Ice Princess", "Yung Rapunxel", "BBD", "Soda", "Luxury", "212", "Heavy Metal and Reflective", "Chasing Time"

About damn time. Seriously though, it was well worth the wait. I was ecstatic when I saw that she had finally released it. I quickly went to listen to it and I loved it upon first listen. House with rap? Yes please. My favorites are all found between "212" and "Luxury" on the track listing. That line-up is perfect. Not to discredit the rest of the album, but that section is the one that I find myself coming back to most often. This is still on repeat. 

[Zeebz]

WORD WALL WARNING I may have gotten carried away with this one. Oops.

Zebra's Top Ten Albums Of 2014 - Number 1

01. Beyoncé - Beyoncé

Song Rankings:

01 - "Partition"

02 - "Heaven"

03 - "Haunted"

04 - "XO"

05 - "Blue" (ft. Blue Ivy)

06 - "***Flawless" (ft. Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie)

07 - "Drunk In Love" (ft. Jay-Z)

08 - "Jealous"

09 - "Mine" (ft. Drake)

10 - "Blow"

11 - "Pretty Hurts"

12 - "Rocket"

13 - "No Angel"

14 - "Superpower" (ft. Frank Ocean)

Lol. I know that Beyoncé is technically a 2013 release, but considering the fact that it was released in December and that I actually listened to the whole album last year then it's no. 1 placement is justifiable. I've lauded its praises elsewhere on the board but it seriously is just perfect. Like Strange Desire, I can listen to Beyoncé all the way through without skipping anything, but this differs in the fact that I can then listen to it again and again. It doesn't get old. Honestly I haven't loved an album this much since Born To Die. I still enjoy that one more, but this comes so close. Anyways, a little (you got me, a lot) about the album:

I had anticipated a new Beyoncé release since "Dance For You" wrapped up its run on my chart and I really didn't expect one to come that soon. She had kept news regarding the album so hush hush that I wasn't expecting anything until mid-2014. I remember stumbling across the Beyoncé thread on here and seeing everyone hyped about a brand new album that had just been dropped only minutes before. I immediately went to iTunes to see for myself and lo and behold it was there. I listened to all of the previews so many times. "Partition" in particular. I must've played it at least 30 times if not more. Her release strategy was brilliant. I love how she smashed right out of the gate too. It definitely made up for the fact that 4 wasn't as huge as it rightfully should have been. Love the visual album concept also. The videos work really, really well with the songs.

"XO" was the first song that I heard in full and I loved it. It's just a really sweet love song with a carefree video that seemed to complement it perfectly. I didn't actually get around to hearing it until about a week later, though. It debuted at no. 6 and the next week it raced straight to no. 1. It remained planted there for 5 weeks, only being supplanted by "Habits" for one week in the middle of its run. That would go on to become "Habits"'s only week at no. 1, and if you've followed my weekly charts then you know how big "Habits" has truly been. Anyways, on to "XO". "XO" was a massive no. 1. "Drunk In Love" was the next single that I heard. I wasn't immediately hooked on it, but once it grew on me I loved it. It went on to become Bey's second top ten in 2014, peaking at no. 6. Also, can we talk about how nice it was that she was able to score a top ten hit again last year? Because it was. "Drunk In Love" is just fun and that "surfboardt" line is definitely iconic in a way. "Partition" inspired me to purchase the album and it was a great decision. "Partition" is such an earworm. "Yoncé" serves as a great opener for it and it really gets me pumped. I love to sing along. I love how different "Partition" is from "Yoncé" also. I won't spend too much time on "Partition" yet as it made my top ten and it'll come soon enough. Like "XO" before it, "Partition" managed to debut in the top ten and race to no. 1. It held there for two weeks, although "All Of Me" interrupted its run. Why wasn't t sent to pop and allowed to be a smash Hmm. "Pretty Hurts" failed to match the success of its predecessors chart-wise, but it just felt lackluster compared to some of the other potential single choices on the album at the time (not commercially, just personally I would've picked "Haunted", "Blow", or "Heaven" over this). The portion about better single choices still holds, but I love it far more now than I did then and I'm glad she went with this. I love the theme of it especially. I'm usually here for a self-empowerment anthem but something about "Pretty Hurts" just feels far more authentic and real. It's probably because of how personal it seems. Definitely a great start to the album and a really great song about how social norms for beauty really hold someone down and hurt them inside and out. So, so true. The video is among my favorites. Sia's lyrical input is also notable. "Hurts" peaked at no. 12, by the way. "***Flawless" was the logical next single choice. It resumed her run of ten ten singles as it peaked at no. 7. In retrospect that should've been at least four places higher. Another self-empowerment anthem, this one speaks of equality for women. It's a message that absolutely should be heard and I'm glad she addressed it. I love how it starts with the "Girls Tyme" portion and "Bow Down". I didn't care for "Bow Down" when it was released along with "I Been On" earlier in 2013, but it worked perfectly with "***Flawless". Chimimanda's speech made for a nice transition between both parts. The second half of the song is my favorite, though. It's also the portion of the song that gets caught in my head most often. "7/11" is the current single, but it's not on the actual album. I'm glad it isn't. I love it but I feel that it would disturb the flow of the album. It's still so f**king irresistibly fun though. It always puts me in a good mood and I imagine that it would be really fun to jam to when drunk. I also really love the music video and how it was taken on an iPhone. The whole experience (song + video) really feels like a celebration of a successful era and just her letting loose and being carefree. The various re-creations of the video are absolutely incredbile, haha. "Ring Off" is a single too (?) but it's my least favorite thing associated with this entire era. It's forgettable.

Now onto the non-singles! The clear standout to me out of all them is "Haunted". It took a while for me to appreciate "Haunted", but once it clicked I just couldn't stop listening. The production is brilliant, especially on the "Ghost" portion of the song. It became Bey's fifth top ten hit from the album as it peaked at no. 3. "Heaven" is my next favorite, and for good reason. Bey's vocals here are among her best and the theme is just beautifully sad. It's a nice perspective on death as she states that "heaven couldn't wait for you" and she reflects on how great the deceased loved one was. Love the piano too. Absolutely stunning tribute. It just now peaked at no. 2. To think that it was my least favorite from the album at one point is unbelievable. "Blue" is about her daughter and her love for her. Its just a really sweet song and I find it to be quite underrated in context of the album. Blue's feature at the very end adds to the effect. "Jealous" shows Bey's insecurities about her relationship. It took a really long time to grow on me but then again this seems like a recurring trend with this entire album. The video is one of my favorites in context of it's relationship to the song. The scene where she knocks everything off the table is my favorite. She conveys her frustrations really well there. "Mine" is currently one of my favorites. It just clicked the other day and I can't get enough of it lately. If I do chart another song from the album, it might be "Mine". I usually love Drake in general so it's a pleasure seeing him on the album. I love the production here. The various elements of tribal African beats and hip hop all work together to create a really interesting listen. Lyrically "Mine" speaks of Bey's insecurities about being a wife and a mother and it serves to make her more relatable. "Blow" was one of the most instant songs on the album for me. I love the disco and funk elements in the production. Lyrically it's one of the most provocative songs on the album but I don't mind. It's a really fun listen. It was originally supposed to be released in place of "XO" but I can't say that I wanted this to be released instead. This sounds like it could do well on pop but considering how much I loved "XO" they went with the right choice imo. Still, "Blow" adds a much appreciated element of diversity to an already diverse album. Speaking of lyrically explicit songs, "Rocket" is my next favorite. From the get go she drives into an extremely sexually charged R&B jam with the lyric "let me sit this ass on your face". I laughed so hard when I heard that lyric for the very first time. Don't know why. In context of the album I tend to find it a bit boring. It's not terrible by any means, but it isn't my first choice to play when I randomly choose songs from the album. "No Angel" is next and it is really only this low because I tend to forget about it. Still enjoy it though. It basically serves as a realization that neither she nor her lover are perfect. Last but not least we have "Superpower". When I first listened to the album I couldn't stand it. I found it lacking and I really didn't think it deserved a place on the album. It's grown on me, however, and I can definitely appreciate it for what it brings to the album: increased diversity. Oh, and I'm glad "Grown Woman" and "Standing On the Sun" didn't make the album. I love both (wish we had official studio versions) but I don't think they'd fit.

Overall, Beyoncé is my favorite Bey album by far. I was a fan before its release (mainly due to the brilliance of 4), but I would say that this album certainly made me a stan. Before this album I had previously only heard most of her singles and 4 but this prompted me to check out her albums in full and I've liked what I've heard so far. This album is my favorite from her mainly because of how sonically diverse it is. It incorporates elements from so many genres and styles while still managing to stay cohesive. Portions of the album may not catch my attention as much as others, but the album saves itself from being tedious by mixing it up and changing. I really hope that she can expand on this diversity on her next help and that she can delve deeper into some of the sounds she puts forth on this one. This could've had no commercial success and I wouldn't have cared. I'd rather have quality. Anyways, there was no other choice for my favorite album of 2014. It serves as the soundtrack to my 2014 for sure. I'll wrap this up because it's already a word wall and I don't feel that this even captures all of my thoughts on the album. 

tl;dr - I love this album.

Songs will probably resume tomorrow.

[horchata]

Good stuff with: “Night Changes” , “The Heart Wants What It Wants”, “Changes”, “Sonnentanz (Sun Don’t Shine)”, “Gold”, “Solo Dancing”, “Ice Princess”, “Comeback”, “You Don’t Know What To Do”, and “West Coast”.

Ariana Grande - My Everything was a bit too uneven for me. I really only love "Hands On Me" and "Love Me Harder" from the album keeping it honest. "Problem" isn't bad per se, but just didn't love it like most seem to. Agree with you 100 percent about "Break Free". The production of it is blandular and generic, but Ariana actually kind of sounds uncooked on it. Also, random but on the verses she kind of sounds like Robyn though which is kind of cool and weird all rolled into one?

Ella Eyre - Ah first introduction to her was due to her work with Rudimental. She has such a ridiculously good voice (especially live) though to say the least. "Comeback" is great and she is way overdue for a proper full release.

Katy B - Katy On A Mission actually is a bit of a hit and miss for me. There are a few key tracks on it and I always thought her voice was pretty bang on, but the material didn't do it for me in full. Little Red pretty much changed me from a fair weathered fan basically into a full one. There sincerely is not one bad track on the album and definitely one of the best releases of the year without question. Even the bonus tracks are pretty solid too!

Here for the following albums:
Our Love, Voices, Queen Of The Clouds, A Perfect Contradiction, Tough Love, Aquarius, Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse, I Never Learn, Ultraviolence, Little Red, Strange Desire, Broke With Expensive Taste, and Beyoncé.

lmao at the word wall warning, but no this was a great read about Beyoncé and I agree with so much of it. This and 4 are really her best work on a cohesive front without question. Also, agree on your trifecta of "Haunted", "Blow", and "Heaven" as I'm sure you are aware from elsewhere. Slightly judging you a bit for putting "Superpower" last though! Okay not really judging you, but it's a shame it's so underappreciated on here and certainly cracks into my top half of the album on a personal front. It's simple in theory, but lyrically and vocally (the subtlety of it all) make it a standout for me personally.

[crystalphnx]

I don't buy nearly as many albums as I used to (stupid adult financial obligations 'n s**t), so I'll just comment a bit on the few that I actually own:

14.) My Everything = although I've done a fair share of complaining about this one during my 2014 Countdown, it actually has grown on me. I guess it's my own fault for hoping it would be Yours Truly, Part 2 (since that probably wouldn't have been the best career-move for her), so it was just really jarring and upsetting to hear her almost completely abandon the sounds that made me fall madly madly madly in love with her in 2013. as of now, I definitely love all three singles (regardless of how it's billed, I think of BB as a Jessie J single), along with "Break Your Heart Right Back" (love the atypical subject matter here, and the sample choice is both...juvenile and brilliant) + "One Last Time" + "Cadillac Song" (the most YT-esque song on the album.) the rest of the tracks aren't terrible by any means (well, except for "Hands On Me" and maybe "Be My Baby"), they're just pretty...forgettable, very little replay value...whereas most of YT really hit me hard

09.) MIAM = wow...her best since Butterfly? that is some STRONG praise there, sir! I definitely don't share your enthusiasm for this particular album, but I've got tons of enthusiasm for Mimi herself, so it's always great to see anyone gushing about her anything. really glad that you gave "Dedicated" a shout-out, and "Meteorite" is a lot of fun too. "Faded" and "Cry."...I generally skip...so I probably would've mentioned "One More Try", "Thirsty", and "Money ($ * /)" instead. I actually can't put my finger on why this album didn't impress me. maybe I'm just too nostalgic for her older stuff? maybe I'm just getting old and bitter and whiny and hard to please? that said, I don't think it's a "bad" album by any means, it just doesn't have the replay value that many/most Mariah albums have had for me

01.) Beyoncé = alright...don't hate me for not reading the whole wordwall...right now, anyway. what I do notice is that "Partition" is No. 1 - which is friggen awesome, you dirty dirty ho ;) of course, that said...it's definitely one of my favorites too. I'm also glad to see "Rocket" + "No Angel" + "Superpower" all toward the bottom, since those are the ones I skip the most, especially "Rocket", which is just way too long and way too boring for a sex jam. overall, this broke the pattern of me being disappointed with the B albums that I actually purchase in full (B'Day + 4.) solid pick, Zeb!

[Zeebz]

Zebra's Top Songs Of 2014: 15-11

I'll respond to your comments before I start the top ten, but thanks again for all the feedback. <3 Top ten should start tomorrow! Yay!

15. “Bonfire Heart” – James Blunt 

Peak: 3
Album: Moon Landing
Standout Lyric (Listen): "People like us, we don't need that much, just someone that starts, starts the spark in our bonfire hearts"

A late 2013 holdover, this only managed to peak at no. 3 this year. Why? “Habits” and “XO”, both of which are still to come. It's longevity definitely helped it to place this high. Anyways, I was hooked on first listen. I didn’t think that I could enjoy a James Blunt single as much as I did the Back To Bedlam singles but I was proven wrong. I especially love the production. It feels like a folk song and it's juts plain fun. It has absolutely no burn rate.

14. “Love Me Harder” – Ariana Grande ft. The Weeknd 

Peak: 1 (1)
Album: My Everything
Standout Lyric (Listen): "Cause if you really need me, you've got to, got to, got to, got to love me harder"

Hands down the best song on My Everything. It was an instant standout. I must’ve played it around 30 times that day. I was hooked. Everything about it is great. Love the production, love The Weeknd joining her, love her vocals. It debuted in the lower 30s and then skyrocketed to the top ten in just a few weeks. It managed to hit number one and have fantastic longevity both in the top ten and in general. It may not sound as fresh as it did when I first heard it, but it still hasn’t burned on me. Jam.

13. “Take Me To Church” – Hozier 

Peak: 1 (1)
Album: Hozier
Standout Lyric (Listen): "The only heaven I'll be sent to is when I'm alone with you"

“Take Me To Church” is probably the biggest sleeper hit of year on my chart. It didn’t peak until it’s 17th week or so. I’m not sure why, either. I enjoyed it upon first listen but I guess at the time I just forgot about it. I discovered it again once it was starting to take off here and I absolutely fell in love with it. It quickly raced to np. 1 in just a few weeks. Hozier’s vocals are hauntingly beautiful. Hozier is one of my favorite new breakouts this year. I definitely need to listen to Hozier

12. “I’m Not The Only One” – Sam Smith 

Peak: 1 (2)
Album: In The Lonely Hour
Standout Lyric (Listen): "You say I'm crazy, 'cause you don't think I know what you've done"

My favorite thing that Sam Smith has ever done. I didn’t think that he could ever top “Latch”, but somehow he did. This took a while to grow on me but one day it popped up on my Spotify queue and it clicked. It raced from 65 to 1 that week, which I think is the record for largest jump to no. 1. His vocals are fantastic, as per usual (we’re going to forget that “Money On My Mind” exists) and I really love the piano driven instrumental. The heartbreak that he conveys here is extraordinary. Love the video too. So glad that this has become such a success.

11. “2 On” – Tinashe ft. ScHoolboy Q 

Peak: 2
Album: Aquarius
Standout Lyric (Listen): "I love to get 2 on"

A shoutout to Invince is in order. He encouraged me to listen to it a few weeks before it really started gaining steam and I loved it upon first listen. It’s just the ideal party song. It’s fun, it has one of the catchiest choruses I’ve ever heard, and DJ Mustard’s production is on point. Love love love it. Still kicking myself for the fact that I didn’t send this to number one. Should’ve been much bigger than it was, but I was glad to see it have some degree of success.

---

Zebra's Top Artists Of 2014: 6-4

6. Bleachers

Hmm. When I first heard "I Wanna Get Better" I didn't anticipate that I would enjoy them so much. Turns out that I did and that they ended up not only having two of my favorite songs of the year but also having my third favorite album. They took a while to grow on me but once they did I was hooked. Like I've said in my review on Strange Desire, I almost enjoy them more than fun. Almost. Still, both are great bands for sure.

5. Tove Lo

"Habits" is one of my absolute favorite songs of the year (and also one of my biggest chart hits ever), but Tove Lo's chart success outside of "Habits" have been minimal. I enjoyed "Not On Drugs" enough, but I enjoy it moreso now than I did when I was charting it. Thus it had a mediocre peak (33). "Heroes" is okay but I found it to be a tad boring. It also made the top 40, but it had one of the steepest drops of the year. "Talking Body" is only just now starting to become a hit. Anyways, her chart success doesn't really reflect how much I enjoy her. I rooted for "Habits" all year and I kept hoping it'd smash. It did, and that only served to increase its longevity. We'll talk more about it later. Queen Of The Clouds was a solid album and I've enjoyed all of her singles to varying degrees. Hopefully she'll release "Moments" as the next single. 

4. Azealia Banks

I've been a fan of Azealia since "212" back in 2012. She's consistently released material that I've enjoyed since. Broke With Expensive Taste isn't an exception. Her singles from this era have all been killer. "Heavy Metal and Reflective" was quirky but it worked. It was on replay all fall. "Chasing Time" was a pleasant follow-up, but I wasn't into it as much as the other singles she's released so far. "Ice Princess" truly blew me away. It's incredible. Quite easily my favorite thing that she's ever done. Anyways, back to her album. It was a long wait, but it really was worth it. I don't hate a single thing on it and honestly it's so good that "212" almost feels lackluster compared to several of the others. It ended up as my 2nd favorite album this year. I may not care for some of her antics, but I really appreciate the quality of her discography thus far. Keep delivering, Azealia.

[crystalphnx]

15.) "Bonfire Heart" = this one's nice. like you mentioned, this is the first James Blunt single that I really noticed/got into since the BTB era. the follow-up, "Heart To Heart", is pretty cute too

14.) "Love Me Harder" = ooh...we almost had this one in the exact same spot, very nice! it's kind of noteworthy that this is structured like an actual duet, and not the "just plop the featured act in during the bridge" approach that's become so so so so common. it's able to have this very sensual vibe, with pretty explicit lyrics, without coming across as...idk...tacky? it reminds me of a lot of the Beyoncé material way: sexy without being trashy (not that there isn't a time and place for trashy too, of course.) that said, I hope this song isn't an indication that Ariana's on the road to becoming the female Trey Songz...

12.) "I'm Not The Only One" = not a ton to say about this one, just glad that it hit both of us harder than SWM. I tend to forget about "Latch" when I think of noteworthy Sam Smith tracks, not because I don't love it (I do), but I separate featured appearances in my head and when it comes to my own chart - none of this Billboard nonsense where featured appearances count nearly the same (or exactly the same) as an act's own single. anyway, that random griping of mine aside, both this and "Latch" are fab <3

[WotUNeed]

Great to see "Bonfire Heart" (I like James Blunt way more than I should, but whatever, great song and album) and "Take Me to Church"! "2 On" is cool too. Looking forward to your top ten!

[.indulgecountry]

What a great lineup of songs! I love "Love Me Harder," "I'm Not the Only One," and "2 On," and "Take Me to Church" is pretty good as well. <3

[Zeebz]

Jan 14, 2015 2:28:44 GMT -5 horchata said:

Good stuff with: “Night Changes” , “The Heart Wants What It Wants”, “Changes”, “Sonnentanz (Sun Don’t Shine)”, “Gold”, “Solo Dancing”, “Ice Princess”, “Comeback”, “You Don’t Know What To Do”, and “West Coast”.

Ariana Grande - My Everything was a bit too uneven for me. I really only love "Hands On Me" and "Love Me Harder" from the album keeping it honest. "Problem" isn't bad per se, but just didn't love it like most seem to. Agree with you 100 percent about "Break Free". The production of it is blandular and generic, but Ariana actually kind of sounds uncooked on it. Also, random but on the verses she kind of sounds like Robyn though which is kind of cool and weird all rolled into one?

Ella Eyre - Ah first introduction to her was due to her work with Rudimental. She has such a ridiculously good voice (especially live) though to say the least. "Comeback" is great and she is way overdue for a proper full release.

Katy B - Katy On A Mission actually is a bit of a hit and miss for me. There are a few key tracks on it and I always thought her voice was pretty bang on, but the material didn't do it for me in full. Little Red pretty much changed me from a fair weathered fan basically into a full one. There sincerely is not one bad track on the album and definitely one of the best releases of the year without question. Even the bonus tracks are pretty solid too!

Here for the following albums:
Our Love, Voices, Queen Of The Clouds, A Perfect Contradiction, Tough Love, Aquarius, Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse, I Never Learn, Ultraviolence, Little Red, Strange Desire, Broke With Expensive Taste, and Beyoncé.

lmao at the word wall warning, but no this was a great read about Beyoncé and I agree with so much of it. This and 4 are really her best work on a cohesive front without question. Also, agree on your trifecta of "Haunted", "Blow", and "Heaven" as I'm sure you are aware from elsewhere. Slightly judging you a bit for putting "Superpower" last though! Okay not really judging you, but it's a shame it's so underappreciated on here and certainly cracks into my top half of the album on a personal front. It's simple in theory, but lyrically and vocally (the subtlety of it all) make it a standout for me personally.

Glad to see that you enjoy those.

Re: Ariana Grande - Ah that's understandable. Agree with the uncooked comment in regards to "Break Free". Now that you mention it I do kind of hear the Robyn comparison now. Definitely weird and I don't think she pulls it off nearly as well haha. Love Robyn though.

Re: Ella Eyre - Same regarding her work with Rudimental. In regards to her sounding ridiculously good, definitely so. I think her album is due this year so I'm kind of anticipating that. Definitely have high expectations for it.

Re: Katy B - I felt that way about Katy On A Mission too at first. It's definitely grown on me, but the real standouts imo are the singles. "Katy On A Mission" in particular. Good to hear about Little Red and how we both similarly became fans after its release. I can't think of any bad songs off of it and I would dare to say that most of them are better than the ones found on her debut. 

So many in common. <3

Honestly I wasn't expecting anyone to take the time to read it, but the fact that you did is beyond amazing. Thanks a ton. I really, really appreciate it. <3 It's also cool to see that you agree with a lot of it. Your comment on it and 4 is spot on. They're far and away my favorites. Much love to the love for those three. They're great. It's always hard delegating a song to last when it comes to regarding this album. Can't say it would place higher if I were to do it again, though. It's just a strong album. It may not be my favorite, but the subtlety is definitely brilliant. 

Thanks, Elle. Oh, and I love your current avatar. <3

Jan 14, 2015 12:58:17 GMT -5 crystalphnx said:

I don't buy nearly as many albums as I used to (stupid adult financial obligations 'n s**t), so I'll just comment a bit on the few that I actually own:

14.) My Everything = although I've done a fair share of complaining about this one during my 2014 Countdown, it actually has grown on me. I guess it's my own fault for hoping it would be Yours Truly, Part 2 (since that probably wouldn't have been the best career-move for her), so it was just really jarring and upsetting to hear her almost completely abandon the sounds that made me fall madly madly madly in love with her in 2013. as of now, I definitely love all three singles (regardless of how it's billed, I think of BB as a Jessie J single), along with "Break Your Heart Right Back" (love the atypical subject matter here, and the sample choice is both...juvenile and brilliant) + "One Last Time" + "Cadillac Song" (the most YT-esque song on the album.) the rest of the tracks aren't terrible by any means (well, except for "Hands On Me" and maybe "Be My Baby"), they're just pretty...forgettable, very little replay value...whereas most of YT really hit me hard

09.) MIAM = wow...her best since Butterfly? that is some STRONG praise there, sir! I definitely don't share your enthusiasm for this particular album, but I've got tons of enthusiasm for Mimi herself, so it's always great to see anyone gushing about her anything. really glad that you gave "Dedicated" a shout-out, and "Meteorite" is a lot of fun too. "Faded" and "Cry."...I generally skip...so I probably would've mentioned "One More Try", "Thirsty", and "Money ($ * /)" instead. I actually can't put my finger on why this album didn't impress me. maybe I'm just too nostalgic for her older stuff? maybe I'm just getting old and bitter and whiny and hard to please? that said, I don't think it's a "bad" album by any means, it just doesn't have the replay value that many/most Mariah albums have had for me

01.) Beyoncé = alright...don't hate me for not reading the whole wordwall...right now, anyway. what I do notice is that "Partition" is No. 1 - which is friggen awesome, you dirty dirty ho ;) of course, that said...it's definitely one of my favorites too. I'm also glad to see "Rocket" + "No Angel" + "Superpower" all toward the bottom, since those are the ones I skip the most, especially "Rocket", which is just way too long and way too boring for a sex jam. overall, this broke the pattern of me being disappointed with the B albums that I actually purchase in full (B'Day + 4.) solid pick, Zeb!

I mainly stream albums, but I definitely buy my favorites (you can definitely bet that I own both the physical and digital versions of Beyonce haha - almost bought a vinyl copy too).

Re: Ariana - Love love love Yours Truly. I do wish that she had retained some of those sounds on this one but I still love it. </3 at the "Be My Baby"/"Hands On Me" hate though. They're among my favorites. 

Re: Mariah - Emancipation and this one definitely battle it out for that honor, haha. Yeah I'm pretty enamored with Mariah (namely her older work) atm. "Cry" and "Faded" took a while to grow on me but once they did I loved them. I'm nostalgic for them too but I can definitely hear influences of those in this (namely "You Don't Know What To Do").

Re: Bey - No hate, haha. Didn't expect anyone to sit through and read it (idk if I would if it was another artist/album/someone's else countdown tbh). "Partition" is amazing. If that makes me a dirty ho then it does. ;) It'll at least be top five lol. Glad to see that we would have similar least favorites. I can't say I'm disappointed in any of them, but this and 4 are by and far my favorites.

Jan 15, 2015 12:57:35 GMT -5 crystalphnx said:

15.) "Bonfire Heart" = this one's nice. like you mentioned, this is the first James Blunt single that I really noticed/got into since the BTB era. the follow-up, "Heart To Heart", is pretty cute too

14.) "Love Me Harder" = ooh...we almost had this one in the exact same spot, very nice! it's kind of noteworthy that this is structured like an actual duet, and not the "just plop the featured act in during the bridge" approach that's become so so so so common. it's able to have this very sensual vibe, with pretty explicit lyrics, without coming across as...idk...tacky? it reminds me of a lot of the Beyoncé material way: sexy without being trashy (not that there isn't a time and place for trashy too, of course.) that said, I hope this song isn't an indication that Ariana's on the road to becoming the female Trey Songz...

12.) "I'm Not The Only One" = not a ton to say about this one, just glad that it hit both of us harder than SWM. I tend to forget about "Latch" when I think of noteworthy Sam Smith tracks, not because I don't love it (I do), but I separate featured appearances in my head and when it comes to my own chart - none of this Billboard nonsense where featured appearances count nearly the same (or exactly the same) as an act's own single. anyway, that random griping of mine aside, both this and "Latch" are fab <3

Hi again~.

Re: "Bonfire Heart" - twins. <3 I liked "Heart To Heart" for a while but honestly I kind of forgot about it. "Postcards" was nice also.
Re: "Love Me Harder" - we're so similar with a lot of these, haha. I agree on the sexy without being trashy comment. I can see it. And the Beyonce comparison works here. Regarding the bold, now who is the dirty ho? ;) No, but I agree lol. Lol at female Trey Songz. I don't know how I would feel about that coming from Ariana tbh.
Re: "INTOO" - Understandable regarding "Latch." The fact that his vocals are the highlight for me is why I chose to highlight it. Billboard is just meh in general so yeah not here for that lol. I usually don't even follow any of the charts anymore. But yeah they are. <3

Thanks, Paul! Much appreciated. <3

Jan 15, 2015 23:23:23 GMT -5 WotUNeed said:

Great to see "Bonfire Heart" (I like James Blunt way more than I should, but whatever, great song and album) and "Take Me to Church"! "2 On" is cool too. Looking forward to your top ten!

I've liked most of what I've heard from Blunt, so I'll have to check out Moon Landing. Glad you're enjoying the other two also. Thanks, Andrew! Appreciate the feedback. <3

Jan 16, 2015 0:04:06 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

What a great lineup of songs! I love "Love Me Harder," "I'm Not the Only One," and "2 On," and "Take Me to Church" is pretty good as well. <3

Wow! Glad that you enjoy basically all of them. Thanks, Nick! Definitely appreciate it. <3

[Zeebz]

Zebra's Top 100 Songs Of 2014: No. 10

10. “Only Love Can Hurt Like This” – Paloma Faith

Peak: 2
Weeks: 20
Chart Run: 34-10-04-02-02-04-07-11-11-13-16-20-28-37-46-45-52-66-65-74-out
Album: A Perfect Contradiction
Standout Lyric: "And every time, every time you go it's like a knife that cuts right through my soul"

I was really late when it comes to discovering Paloma. I didn’t hear “Picking Up the Pieces” until it was close to wrapping up its run on the UK charts. After that I really didn’t pay attention to her. That was a mistake. I initially didn’t like “Can’t Rely On You” but this changed my opinion on her for good. I loved it on first listen. I just love the simplicity of it all. The production is rich but simplistic. Her vocals are what really stand out to me, though. They’re soulful and they truly shine over the production. Lyrically "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" is about how she can't let her relationship go. She claims that she can live without him and that she doesn't love him but she does. Oh, and this prompted me to re-listen to “Can’t Rely On You” and most of Paloma’s discography in general. She has since become one of my favorite artists. “Only Love Can Hurt Like This” debuted early and quickly raced to no. 2. Had decent longevity as well. 

[Zeebz]

Zebra's Top 100 Songs Of 2014: No. 9

09. “No Rest For The Wicked” – Lykke Li

Peak: 10
Weeks: 19
Chart Run: 97-98-98-95-94-93-88-88-out-69-35-32-27-23-10-16-29-41-54-68-out
Album: I Never Learn
Standout Lyric: "I let my true love die"

I randomly saw this one day on Spotify and I gave it a curiosity listen due to how much I enjoyed “I Follow Rivers”. It was pleasant, but I didn’t think of it as anything special. “No Rest For The Wicked” is the highest ranking song that didn’t peak in the top 2. Biggest chart regret of 2014. This is one of the primary reasons why I made this an opinion based ranking. It took a really long time to grow on me, as evidenced by its eccentric chart run. It managed to peak at no. 88 after a few weeks and then it dropped out. I gave it another chance a few weeks later and it just clicked. It re-entered at no. 69 and quickly smashed it’s way to no. 10. I don’t know why I dropped it out so quickly, though. I think I had a ton of debuts in most of those weeks. Either way, it’s a shame. In hindsight this definitely should’ve been a no. 1. At least it had a decent weeks on count?

“No Rest For The Wicked” is about her break-up, as is the rest of I Never Learn. “No Rest” focuses on her role in how the relationship ended. She sings of shame and loneliness because she constantly “let him down”. She basically calls herself “wicked” and blames the break-up on herself. It’s relatable for sure. Her sorrow is evident in both the passionate way she sings and in the beautiful songwriting. I definitely end up feeling for her. I also really love the production. It becomes explosive in the chorus due to the drums. They remind me of a storm, which works really well when considering the lyrics (she has inner turmoil, a storm raging inside her). It just really sets this mood of sorrow and gloom and is just wonderful. I go back and forth between this and "I Follow Rivers" as my favorite from her. Both great. 

[ry4n]

OLCHLT

[Fancy]

yes paloma!! i've heard the robin schulz remix of lykke li's song but never heard the original.

[WotUNeed]

"Only Love Can Hurt like This" is a lovely selection. Hadn't heard this particular Lykke Li selection, but it's very good! Random, but listening to it, I was thinking that it would also lend itself very well to being worked into a torch song-type arrangement as delivered by Diana Krall or Nicole Atkins or someone like that... would never happen but eh, just struck me as something that could work. Anyway, nice start to the top ten!

[Zeebz]

I'll respond to your feedback once I get to the top five. Thanks! <3

Zebra's Top 100 Songs Of 2014: No. 8

08. “The Worst” – Jhené Aiko

Peak: 2 (highest ranked non-number one!)

Weeks: 26

Chart Run: 48-45-43-40-38-out-44-36-28-03-03-02-03-04-08-10-16-23-27-37-41-48-63-73-82-93-92

Album: Sail Out – EP 

Standout Lyric: “Please don’t take this personal, but you ain’t shit and you weren’t special 'til I made you so” 

“The Worst” also had a strange run. It entered at the end of 2013 (back when it was just a top 50!) and spent a few weeks in the lower 30s. It quickly fell out and I didn’t think anything of it. I kept hearing it about 2 months later so I re-entered it. It thus raced to number 2 and ended up having one of the longest runs of the year. I’m still not sick of it. Lyrically it’s about a relationship that is bad for her but that she can’t seem to get away from. She doesn’t need him but she wants him. The production is really simple, mainly relying on the piano. It really complements her silky vocals. Oh, and I love the concept of the music video. She basically murders her lover and gets ready before turning herself in. The Worst” prompted me to check out more of her discography and now she is quickly becoming a favorite (seems that I have lots of new ones this year). Such a well-deserved breakthrough imo.

[Zeebz]

Zebra's Top 100 Songs Of 2014: No. 7

07. “Your Love” – Moko 

Peak: 1 (3)
Weeks: 17
Chart Run: 23-01-01-01-02-03-05-09-11-19-25-31-37-47-65-/-74-84
Album: Gold - EP
Standout Lyric: "Nothing feels as good as when you lift me up"

Bliss. I discovered “Your Love” while shopping. One of my friends wanted to go to H&M so we did and I heard this playing. I was instantly hooked and it was on repeat as soon as I had the chance. It’s just a really fun dance song that’s perfect for the summer (when it was initially released – didn’t discover it until the fall though). It’s basically just about how she wants her lover’s love. Her vocals are my favorite aspect of the song. They’re soulful and just brilliant. I always want to dance when I hear this one and I can’t listen just once. “Your Love” had a really strong debut at no. 23 and then it flew to no. 1 a week later. It managed to stay there for three weeks. Unfortunately it hasn’t had the best longevity since, but it’s still charting so maybe I’ll change that. So, so good. Her feature on Chase & Status’s “Count On Me” is fantastic also. I need to look into more from her.

[Zeebz]

Zebra's Top 100 Songs Of 2014: No. 6

06. “XO” – Beyoncé

Peak: 1 (5) 

Weeks: 26

Chart Run: 06-01-/-01-02-01-01-01-02-02-06-12-13-16-23-29-41-53-62-69-74-85-95-95-out-65-67-79-out 

Album: Beyoncé 

Standout Lyric: "I love you like XO, you love me like XO"

Bey strikes yet again! She only has one more entry though. I’ve already elaborated on it in my review of Beyoncé, so I’ll try to keep this brief. “XO” was far more instant with me than “Drunk In Love” was. So much so, it turns out, that it debuted at no. 6 and powered to no. 1 the next week. It managed to stay there for five non-consecutive weeks. It was dethroned by “Habits” for a week. The fact that it kept “Habits” at bay is a testament to how much I loved “XO” at the time. It’s just a carefree love song that I love to sing along to. The video is one of my absolute favorites on the album. It’s just Bey having fun, which really fits the song well. “XO” never fails to put me in a good mood. Its burn rate is nonexistent, which is probably why it is my most played song according to last.fm. This definitely should’ve been a bigger hit than it was. The John Mayer cover is great as well. 

---

And then there were five! This'll most likely be completed by tomorrow.

[Juan Carlos]

I liked the list of your Top 10 albums of last year. Interesting to see that there isn't any solo male act in the Top 10, bar Coldplay and Bleachers, who both of them are bands. Having said that, it's great that Beyoncé is atop! Your commentary about it is awesome and I don't consider it as a WWW.

Regarding your songs, I really like everything between the #6 - #15 batch, bar "Your Love", "The Worst" and "No Rest for the Wicked", mainly because I still haven't listened to them, but I assume they are great, considering that the three of them made the Top 10. Oh! And yay for "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" landed at #10. And your artists in the #4 - #6 are good too. Looking forward to the rest.

[WotUNeed]

"XO" is a very nice song indeed. As I mentioned before, I'd slept on Aiko, but "The Worst" is a great selection. Hadn't heard "Your Love" before, but I like that one as well!

[Fancy]

yes @ all of these!! i think your chart was the one that made me check out moko (which was at its peak at the time) and i enjoyed it.

[H.]

Great to see XO, 2 On, I'm Not The only One, Paloma, and Hozier charting.

[sbp17]

Zebra, I admire your patience. You've been at this for two months. :)

I had never heard songs 8, 9 and 10 but wow, they're really great, especially Paloma. I've seen her name tossed about around on Pulse but never listened to her. Great voice and this song is good.

[crystalphnx]

I actually hadn't heard most of your Top 10 before, so I gave all the unfamiliar tracks a quick listen just now:

10.) "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" = I loved "Picking Up The Pieces", liked "30 Minute Love Affair"...but I hadn't really checked out much from Paloma since those two. this one's pretty nice, though! I'm tempted to download it now

09.) "No Rest For The Wicked" = I have "I Follow Rivers" in my iTunes Library...but I can't remember why I downloaded it, since I never really listen to it on first listen, this one doesn't do much for me either

08.) "The Worst" = this one's interesting. kind of...atmospheric, almost...R&B/trance-y? the sound reminds me a bit of some of the material on Beyoncé

07.) "Your Love" = H&M's influence :'( this is a nice change in tempo from the rest of your Top 10 so far

06.) "XO" = excellent, obvobvobv. and wow - it's your No. 1 most played song on LastFM? when did you start scrobbling? glad to see you showin' love for the John Mayer version too

[hitseeker.]

Love Me Harder
2 On
XO <3333333

So the flawlessness continues, more songs for me to check etc etc etc

[Zeebz]

Thanks for all of the commentary so far!

Jan 16, 2015 2:01:06 GMT -5 ry4n said:

OLCHLT

Glad to see that you're here for Paloma. Thanks, Ryan. <3

Jan 16, 2015 16:27:47 GMT -5 Fancy said:

yes paloma!! i've heard the robin schulz remix of lykke li's song but never heard the original.

Glad to see that you're here for Paloma. [2] I'm actually the opposite, haha. I'll have to check out the Schulz remix. Thanks, Fancy. <3

Jan 16, 2015 22:34:30 GMT -5 WotUNeed said:

"Only Love Can Hurt like This" is a lovely selection. Hadn't heard this particular Lykke Li selection, but it's very good! Random, but listening to it, I was thinking that it would also lend itself very well to being worked into a torch song-type arrangement as delivered by Diana Krall or Nicole Atkins or someone like that... would never happen but eh, just struck me as something that could work. Anyway, nice start to the top ten!

So good to see that you enjoyed "No Rest For The Wicked" (and that you enjoy "Only Love Can Hurt Like This"). Hmm. I'll have to look into more from them in order to properly comment on it but I'll definitely take your word for it. Thanks, Wot! <3

Jan 17, 2015 1:58:34 GMT -5 Juan Carlos said:

I liked the list of your Top 10 albums of last year. Interesting to see that there isn't any solo male act in the Top 10, bar Coldplay and Bleachers, who both of them are bands. Having said that, it's great that Beyoncé is atop! Your commentary about it is awesome and I don't consider it as a WWW.

Regarding your songs, I really like everything between the #6 - #15 batch, bar "Your Love", "The Worst" and "No Rest for the Wicked", mainly because I still haven't listened to them, but I assume they are great, considering that the three of them made the Top 10. Oh! And yay for "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" landed at #10. And your artists in the #4 - #6 are good too. Looking forward to the rest.

I didn't notice that, actually! I originally had Sam Smith  and Calvin Harris as potential contenders for it, but they didn't quite make it. Glad you enjoy them. though! Thanks for reading my commentary. It's very kind of you and I appreciate it. <3

If you get around to checking them out, do let me know what you think! So good to see that you like the rest of them also. 

Thanks for your feedback, Juan Carlos! Really appreciate it. <3

Jan 18, 2015 0:00:29 GMT -5 WotUNeed said:

"XO" is a very nice song indeed. As I mentioned before, I'd slept on Aiko, but "The Worst" is a great selection. Hadn't heard "Your Love" before, but I like that one as well!

So good to see that you enjoy "XO"  and "The Worst". I'm also glad to see that you're enjoying "Your Love" also. Thanks again for the feedback, Wot! I really appreciate it. <3

Jan 18, 2015 0:33:10 GMT -5 Fancy said:

yes @ all of these!! i think your chart was the one that made me check out moko (which was at its peak at the time) and i enjoyed it.

Yes @ you liking all of those! Wait, really? I'm really glad that you were able to discover it and enjoy it. Thanks again, Fancy Cakes. <3

Jan 18, 2015 16:18:21 GMT -5 H. said:

Great to see XO, 2 On, I'm Not The only One, Paloma, and Hozier charting.

Glad you like those! Thanks, Shoosh. I really appreciate it. <3

Jan 18, 2015 18:50:26 GMT -5 sbp17 said:

Zebra, I admire your patience. You've been at this for two months. :)

I had never heard songs 8, 9 and 10 but wow, they're really great, especially Paloma. I've seen her name tossed about around on Pulse but never listened to her. Great voice and this song is good.

Thanks, sbp17! I always get busy and thus it gets prolonged. I'm thankful for your patience (and everyone's, for that matter) while I finish this. :)

Glad you enjoy those! Agree with everything you said about Paloma. She's great, and it's definitely worthwhile to look into more from her. Thanks again for your feedback, sbp17. Much appreciated. <3

Jan 19, 2015 11:16:02 GMT -5 crystalphnx said:

I actually hadn't heard most of your Top 10 before, so I gave all the unfamiliar tracks a quick listen just now:

10.) "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" = I loved "Picking Up The Pieces", liked "30 Minute Love Affair"...but I hadn't really checked out much from Paloma since those two. this one's pretty nice, though! I'm tempted to download it now

09.) "No Rest For The Wicked" = I have "I Follow Rivers" in my iTunes Library...but I can't remember why I downloaded it, since I never really listen to it on first listen, this one doesn't do much for me either

08.) "The Worst" = this one's interesting. kind of...atmospheric, almost...R&B/trance-y? the sound reminds me a bit of some of the material on Beyoncé

07.) "Your Love" = H&M's influence :'( this is a nice change in tempo from the rest of your Top 10 so far

06.) "XO" = excellent, obvobvobv. and wow - it's your No. 1 most played song on LastFM? when did you start scrobbling? glad to see you showin' love for the John Mayer version too

Good to see that you checked them out!

Re: "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" - Yes, you should definitely do so! It's great.
Re: "No Rest For The Wicked" - Sad to hear that neither "I Follow Rivers" nor this do much for you, but at least you checked it out!
Re: "The Worst" - Definitely. I can hear the similarities to Beyoncé.
Re: "Your Love" - Looking back it definitely is. I hadn't noticed that all of them were ballads/midtempos about heartbreak. Haha. And yes the influence. :'(
Re: "XO" - Yeah! It just passed "Habits", lol. That probably isn't accurate though as "Habits" is now billed as "Habits (Stay High)" on Spotify so none of those count for the original "Habits" anymore. When did I start scrobbling? September of 2013. Most songs peak between 20-50 plays but "XO" has 81. 

Thanks, Paul. Really appreciate the feedback. <3

Jan 19, 2015 14:34:08 GMT -5 hitseeker. said:

Love Me Harder
2 On
XO <3333333

So the flawlessness continues, more songs for me to check etc etc etc

Glad to see that you enjoy those, Hitseeker! Thanks for your kind words. <3

[Zeebz]

Zebra's Top Artists Of 2014:

03. Coldplay

As a longtime fan, I was really excited for Ghost Stories. It definitely didn't disappoint. "Magic", "A Sky Full Of Stars", and "Midnight" are all among my favorite songs of the year. "True Love", "O", and "Ink" also deserve shout-outs as they're pretty great. 

02. Lana Del Rey

Love her. Ultraviolence was a fantastic follow-up to Born To Die, even if it took a while to grow on me. "West Coast", "Ultraviolence", "Brooklyn Baby", "Shades Of Cool", and "Young and Beautiful" (Cedric Gervais Remix) all experienced varying degrees of chart success last year. She also received a good bit of recurrent airplay last year as I still hadn't (and haven't) tired of Born To Die. I'm eagerly anticipating Honeymoon later this year.

01. Beyoncé

See Beyoncé <3

[Zeebz]

Zebra's Top 100 Songs Of 2014: No. 5

05. “Riptide” - Vance Joy

Peak: 1 (2)
Weeks: 25
Chart Run: 09-03-01-01-04-05-07-10-09-10-11-12-15-19-24-34-41-53-64-70-74-74-83-94-94-out
Album: God Loves You When You're Dancing / Dream Your Life Away
Standout Lyric: "I wanna be your left hand man"

I can't remember where I first heard “Riptide”, but I think it was from Slizzard's chart (RIP) in late 2013. It charted for a few weeks on the first incarnation of my top 100 but when I cancelled it I suppose it just got lost in the shuffle. I was watching a UK chart video one day early last year and I stumbled upon it again. I was hooked. “Riptide” is just a brilliant folk/indie pop song that always manages to make me sing along. It's just the epitome of fun. The lyrics may be kind of random at times, but they're definitely amusing to sing along to. I love how the video creates an accurate depiction of the lyrics. “Riptide” just feels perfect for any season and it really doesn't get old. I still play it quite often. Hopefully it can take off in the US. “Riptide” managed to debut in the top ten at no. 9 and to hit no. 1 for two weeks. It had a slow descent down the chart and managed to have one of the longest runs of the year.

[Zeebz]

Zebra's Top 100 Songs Of 2014: No. 4

04. “Crying For No Reason” - Katy B

Peak: 1 (3)
Weeks: 21
Chart Run: 24-01-01-01-02-02-03-05-08-12-16-17-23-27-32-37-39-45-61-71-99-out
Album: Little Red
Standout Lyric: "I can lie to everyone but not to myself"

Katy B is fantastic. “Crying For No Reason” took a while to grow on me but once it did I just couldn't stop playing it. It's a fantastic electro-pop ballad about irrational depression. She's just crying randomly but she can't help it. It prompted me to listen to Little Red and to re-listen to her previous work and I definitely became a fan. I'm still not sick of it. It debuted on the first week that I re-started my top 100 at no. 24 and from there it vaulted to no. 1 in only it's second week. It blocked both "Addicted To You" (no. 55 for the year) and "The Worst" (no. 8 for the year) from hitting no. 1. It didn't have the best longevity, but in retrospect it truly is one of my favorites of the year.

[Zeebz]

Zebra's Top 100 Songs Of 2014: No. 3

03. “Partition” - Beyoncé

Peak: 1 (2)
Weeks: 24
Chart Run: 09-05-04-03-02-01-02-01-04-07-11-12-16-18-22-30-36-55-61-71-73-87-91-94-out
Album: Beyoncé
Standout Lyric: "Yoncé" - "Drop the bass mane the bass get lower, radio say speed it up I just go slower"; "Partition" - "He like to call me Peaches when we get this nasty" 

Surprise! Beyoncé isn't no. 1. It would definitely be worthy, though. "Partition" was by and far the most instant song off of Beyoncé for me. I must've played the preview around 30 times the night of its release. I was addicted. I instantly went to download it the next day and it was on repeat all winter/spring. It's quite the jam. I love to sing along to it, especially the "Yoncé" portion. She manages to be sensual here but it never approaches classlessness imo. She pulls it off so well. Anyways, "Partition" debuted straight in the top ten at no. 9 as soon as it was announced as the next single. I had wanted to chart it previously but at the time I didn't allow album tracks to chart. It took a while to reach no. 1 due to heavy competition, but when it did reach no. 1 it spent two weeks there. It was interrupted for a week by "All Of Me', but eventually "Partition" won out again. It had decent longevity also. It's hard to choose a favorite from Beyoncé, but this would probably be it.