Music in 2013: The 100 Greatest Tracks (Part Two)
So yeah... this is the second thirty, which in hindsight is rather an arbitrary number, but I've been busy with stuff and just want to build more suspense for the top twenty. So, in the mean time, enjoy these not-quite-good-enough offerings.
#50 - "Love Illumination" - Franz Ferdinand
Did anyone notice that they released an album? ANYONE?
#49 - "New Slaves" - Kanye West
Probably the best verse on the album.
#48 - "Something About You" - Dornik
2013's spiritual successor to Frank Ocean's Sweet Life. Smooth.
#47 - "This Ladder is Ours" - The Joy Formidable
They're going to take at least 10 of these to make them as instantly loveable as, say, CHVRCHES, but in the mean time I'm happy to see them bash out jams like this.
#46 - "Back Together" - Annie
HOUSE-POP HAS REACHED NORWAY. Wonderful.
#45 - "5AM" - Katy B
I was kinda hoping for some more Diplo following 2012's Danger EP and its excellent Light as a Feather but, after a kind-of-OK first single, Katy dropped this dancefloor diamond.
#44 - "See You" - The History of Apple Pie
The music video kinda screams "this would've soundtracked Skins quite nicely five years ago" (in fact, they remind me more than a little of Asobi Seksu). The song is stupidly pretty.
#43 - "Little Love Caster" - Laura Marling
Just...striking.
#42 - "The Mother We Share" - CHVRCHES
Every band hoping to 'make it' in the credible-electropop stakes needs a Midnight City moment. This was theirs. Not my favourite song off the record, but still marvellous.
#41 - "Come Walk With Me" - M.I.A.
After all the daft noise of, uh, Bring the Noize, this dropped and made everyone fall back in love with Maya again. One part cute rock-n-roll ballad, 20 parts insane breakdown. Amazing.
#50 - "Love Illumination" - Franz Ferdinand
Did anyone notice that they released an album? ANYONE?
#49 - "New Slaves" - Kanye West
Probably the best verse on the album.
#48 - "Something About You" - Dornik
2013's spiritual successor to Frank Ocean's Sweet Life. Smooth.
#47 - "This Ladder is Ours" - The Joy Formidable
They're going to take at least 10 of these to make them as instantly loveable as, say, CHVRCHES, but in the mean time I'm happy to see them bash out jams like this.
#46 - "Back Together" - Annie
HOUSE-POP HAS REACHED NORWAY. Wonderful.
#45 - "5AM" - Katy B
I was kinda hoping for some more Diplo following 2012's Danger EP and its excellent Light as a Feather but, after a kind-of-OK first single, Katy dropped this dancefloor diamond.
#44 - "See You" - The History of Apple Pie
The music video kinda screams "this would've soundtracked Skins quite nicely five years ago" (in fact, they remind me more than a little of Asobi Seksu). The song is stupidly pretty.
#43 - "Little Love Caster" - Laura Marling
Just...striking.
#42 - "The Mother We Share" - CHVRCHES
Every band hoping to 'make it' in the credible-electropop stakes needs a Midnight City moment. This was theirs. Not my favourite song off the record, but still marvellous.
#41 - "Come Walk With Me" - M.I.A.
After all the daft noise of, uh, Bring the Noize, this dropped and made everyone fall back in love with Maya again. One part cute rock-n-roll ballad, 20 parts insane breakdown. Amazing.
#40 - "Birds" - Death Grips
Probably the least comfortable listen from the new record, but then again just about the only one that I remember.
#39 - "Pretty Hurts" - Beyoncé
The strongest argument for her usual second "ballad-single", surely? Wonderful stuff.
#38 - "Rap God" - Eminem
Didn't like it at first because it was just too much to keep up with, but as a showman delivering what he is capable of, it's astounding.
#37 - "Timber (feat. Ke$ha)" - Pitbull
Look, no one wanted to like a Pitbull song this year. But throw in Ke$ha's songwriting, a daftly catchy hook and a general awakening of a subconscious enjoyment of Pitbull's nonsense lyric, and you've got an anthem. He's slicker than an oil spill, don't you know.
#36 - "Work" - Iggy Azalea
This'll win another award when I get around to the individual categories (maybe June 2014). For now, let's enjoy the least-convincing summer anthem of 2013. And the finest ass.
#35 - "La La La (feat. Sam Smith)" - Naughty Boy
217 million views on YouTube!? Crikey. I thought only Miley got that nowadays. The catchiest tune of the year, hands down.
#34 - "The Fall" - Rhye
Nnnnnnnnngh that piano. What could possibly beat it? Oh, maybe Michael Milosh's gorgeous gender-bending voice.
#33 - "Afterlife" - Arcade Fire
It feels like classic Arcade Fire, all that Haiti, Neighborhood #3 sound.
#32 - "Valentine's Day" - David Bowie
The catchiest track from the album, and a glorious tribute to his career beginnings and signature sound. And also, because songs about teenage school shootings are nice once in a while.
#31 - "Retrograde" - James Blake
That vocal hook looping around is just bewitching.
Probably the least comfortable listen from the new record, but then again just about the only one that I remember.
#39 - "Pretty Hurts" - Beyoncé
The strongest argument for her usual second "ballad-single", surely? Wonderful stuff.
#38 - "Rap God" - Eminem
Didn't like it at first because it was just too much to keep up with, but as a showman delivering what he is capable of, it's astounding.
#37 - "Timber (feat. Ke$ha)" - Pitbull
Look, no one wanted to like a Pitbull song this year. But throw in Ke$ha's songwriting, a daftly catchy hook and a general awakening of a subconscious enjoyment of Pitbull's nonsense lyric, and you've got an anthem. He's slicker than an oil spill, don't you know.
#36 - "Work" - Iggy Azalea
This'll win another award when I get around to the individual categories (maybe June 2014). For now, let's enjoy the least-convincing summer anthem of 2013. And the finest ass.
#35 - "La La La (feat. Sam Smith)" - Naughty Boy
217 million views on YouTube!? Crikey. I thought only Miley got that nowadays. The catchiest tune of the year, hands down.
#34 - "The Fall" - Rhye
Nnnnnnnnngh that piano. What could possibly beat it? Oh, maybe Michael Milosh's gorgeous gender-bending voice.
#33 - "Afterlife" - Arcade Fire
It feels like classic Arcade Fire, all that Haiti, Neighborhood #3 sound.
#32 - "Valentine's Day" - David Bowie
The catchiest track from the album, and a glorious tribute to his career beginnings and signature sound. And also, because songs about teenage school shootings are nice once in a while.
#31 - "Retrograde" - James Blake
That vocal hook looping around is just bewitching.
#30 - "Attracting Flies" - AlunaGeorge
"Everything you exhale is attracting flies" is 2013's most charming and well-put insult of the year.
#29 - "Girlfriend" - Icona Pop
I'm almost certain that there was an early, poorer version of this put out prior to the proper release because either that happened or I made one of the most sudden 180s on a track in recent history. Their music videos are rather samey though aren't they?
"Everything you exhale is attracting flies" is 2013's most charming and well-put insult of the year.
#29 - "Girlfriend" - Icona Pop
I'm almost certain that there was an early, poorer version of this put out prior to the proper release because either that happened or I made one of the most sudden 180s on a track in recent history. Their music videos are rather samey though aren't they?
#28 - "Do I Wanna Know?" - Arctic Monkeys
Standard "first single is the best moment from the album" fare from the Monkeys. Still, rather fantastic.
#27 - "Do What U Want (feat. R. Kelly)" - Lady GaGa
Yeah, don't worry GaGa, just let your best song in 4 years go without a music video months after its release, no yeah, that's a great strategy.
#26 - "Running to the Sea (feat. Susanne Sundfør)" - Röyksopp
The second of two Susanne features on this list, and the second of two Royksopp/fellow Scandinavian female collaborative tunes I've grown to cherish over the past five years. Gorgeously quiet.
#25 - "Diane Young" - Vampire Weekend
BABY BABY BABY BABY
#24 - "Pusha Man" - Chance the Rapper
I am dying to hear more from this guy.
#23 - "We Can't Stop" - Miley Cyrus
I see this video has a million dislikes now. Shame how over-the-top a reaction to a bit of nudity is, isn't it? Because this is a fucking tune.
#22 - "I Hate This Town" - John Grant
RELEVANT.
#21 - "Entertainment" - Phoenix
I think this was the first single of the year that really got me pumped about music in 2013. Fantastically upbeat track.
Standard "first single is the best moment from the album" fare from the Monkeys. Still, rather fantastic.
#27 - "Do What U Want (feat. R. Kelly)" - Lady GaGa
Yeah, don't worry GaGa, just let your best song in 4 years go without a music video months after its release, no yeah, that's a great strategy.
#26 - "Running to the Sea (feat. Susanne Sundfør)" - Röyksopp
The second of two Susanne features on this list, and the second of two Royksopp/fellow Scandinavian female collaborative tunes I've grown to cherish over the past five years. Gorgeously quiet.
#25 - "Diane Young" - Vampire Weekend
BABY BABY BABY BABY
#24 - "Pusha Man" - Chance the Rapper
I am dying to hear more from this guy.
#23 - "We Can't Stop" - Miley Cyrus
I see this video has a million dislikes now. Shame how over-the-top a reaction to a bit of nudity is, isn't it? Because this is a fucking tune.
#22 - "I Hate This Town" - John Grant
RELEVANT.
#21 - "Entertainment" - Phoenix
I think this was the first single of the year that really got me pumped about music in 2013. Fantastically upbeat track.
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