Hey folks. Now that we’ve finished going through the worst hit songs of 2013, let’s take a moment to consider the best. Of course, considering how bad this year was for music and how little impact it seemed to have, it might seem difficult to pick out songs that would be considered good, especially with how little everything seemed to distinguish itself. Most of the music seemed to fall into the categories of boring or awful, or in some cases both.
So then, what distinguished the good songs from this year? Well, obviously songs that didn’t sound like everything else were a good start, but there’s more to it than that. Most of the worst songs seemed to be at least attempting to follow a specific trend. The best songs, on the other hand, branched away from them and became their own unique things. Basically, if a song didn’t sound like it attached itself to a trend or subverted it entirely, it got consideration for this list. On that note, let’s begin with our honorable mentions, shall we?
Dope (Lady Gaga) [--; 8; 1 week]
This was Lady Gaga’s ‘Million Reasons’ before ‘Million Reasons’. In fact, as far as her ballads go, it kind of falls into a space between that and ‘Speechless’. I wouldn’t say this song necessarily measures up to either of those songs, or even to ‘Gypsy’, my favorite song off of her ‘Artpop’ album. That said, ‘Dope’ might’ve been the best song off of that album to chart on Billboard, mostly because it diverges from its theme of revelling in the art world’s attitude to present something that feels personal. It’s easily the most humanizing song on the entire album.
Love Somebody (Maroon 5) [51; 10; 19 weeks]
Admittedly, this is more of a guilty pleasure for me than a song I’d consider good. That said, out of Maroon 5’s hits from ‘Overexposed’, this was probably the one that presented Adam Levine as the least unlikeable. Also, unlike ‘Daylight’, it didn’t make me want to fall asleep listening to it. It missed the list, obviously, because I couldn’t ignore some questionable lyrical choices.
Treasure (Bruno Mars) [30; 5; 21 weeks]
With ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’, Bruno Mars found his greatest strength: imitating other artists’ styles and trying them out for himself. With ‘Treasure’, he tries out ‘80s R&B a la Kool & the Gang, and the style fits him very well. In fact, with the hits he amassed since this song, I’d say funk music in general is working out well for Bruno. Maybe he should experiment with other styles of the genre?
Carry On (fun.) [76; 20; 12 weeks]
It’s kind of disappointing that fun. didn’t stay big after 2013, because we certainly could’ve used more indie rock on the pop charts this year. This isn’t their best song, or even their best hit, but the optimism presented here was certainly a welcome sight on the pop charts. Good on you guys; here’s hoping we see you again at some point.
Pompeii (Bastille) [--; 21; 4 weeks]
This definitely would’ve placed on the list, likely very high too, had it qualified. Ah well; guess I can always wait for when I get to 2014.
Now that we’ve cleared out the opening acts, get ready to put your hands up and make them touch as we count down…
...THE TOP 10 BEST HIT SONGS OF 2013!
#10.
I think we all need to accept at this point that bro country is a plague upon country music. Between the attempts to incorporate hip-hop slang and production to the sleazy, gross use of imagery, I don’t think we should have to continue to suffer through this unpleasant slog of garbage. Fortunately, there were still good artists in country back in 2013. Brad Paisley’s then new album has received critical acclaim, ‘Accidental Racist’ notwithstanding, and even Kasey Musgraves’s debut album has a lot of songs on it that are worth checking out. Even in the mainstream, there was still at least one good country song to chart on Billboard.
#10. Mama’s Broken Heart (Miranda Lambert) [89; 20; 9 weeks]
It is a damn shame that Kasey Musgraves likely won’t ever achieve mainstream success with country still being defined by acts like Sam Hunt or Luke Bryan. Of course, that doesn’t mean she can’t still gain recognition as a songwriter, as she, Brandy Clark, and Shane McAnally penned this song, which was a pleasant surprise from this year. It’s fitting that this song was performed by Miranda Lambert, who is one of the better country performers to have a top 40 hit more recently.
The first thing that jumps out about this song is the lyrical content and subject matter. Unlike the more meat-headed country artists who saw success this year, ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’ sticks to conventions specifically by subverting them. It takes the tropes of outdated gender norms and “family values”, douses them in kerosene, and lights them up in a blaze of fury, and it is glorious.
Of course, what truly wins me over on this song is Miranda Lambert’s vocal delivery. The song requires her to toe the line between a painted smile and seething rage, and she nails it. What she lacks in range she makes up for with emotional intensity. It also helps that the production and instrumentation maintained enough balance to not overpower her while still kicking into gear to match her anger on the chorus.
It is a shame that this song didn’t perform as well as any other country songs from 2013, and that she’d have a bigger hit with the disappointment of a duet with Carrie Underwood, ‘Somethin’ Bad’ the following year, if just slightly. Still, as far as major hits, this was the general public’s first real impression of her. If this song proved anything, it’s that there might still be hope for mainstream country yet. It was certainly a better depiction of declining sanity than what Taylor Swift delivered just last year.
#9.
As it happens, some songs were released earlier than 2013 but didn’t get big until this year. We’ll be looking at some of them on this list, starting with this:
#9. Safe and Sound (Capital Cities) [29; 8; 24 weeks]
Capital Cities weren’t exactly trend-setters; in 2011, when they released their self-titled EP, dance-pop was already a huge trend set by the likes of Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna. Of course, I personally feel like ‘Safe and Sound’, one of their first-released songs, was somewhat of a sleeper hit. The seeds for it were planted back in 2011, but didn’t bloom in full until 2013. I’m a little sad that it wasn’t a bigger hit, though I am at least thankful that it was a hit at all.
First, there are the lyrics. While I have liked sad songs in the past, that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a good pick-me-up song once in a while. While this isn’t a complicated song to wrap one’s brain around, its simplicity works in its favor, keeping the song’s message direct and to the point. It’s a song about maintaining optimism and hope in the face of world-impacting disaster. This message might’ve made a bit more sense back in 2011, when people thought the world was going to end the following year, but it offers a different kind of reassurance in 2013, namely that positive music could and was still being made.
That joy and enthusiasm spreads to the instrumentation and production. It’s primarily synth-driven, but goddamn if that synthesizer doesn’t sell the song. My personal favorite parts are the trumpet accents at the end of the verses and during the chorus. Those offer a sense of triumph, the feeling that hope can still be found and life can still continue even as the sky is falling and everything seems like it’s set up specifically to keep your spirits down. Just listening to those gives me the proof I need to know that things will be alright.
Their follow-up single, ‘Kangaroo Court’ might’ve gotten consideration for this list had it been a hit. Of course, that doesn’t mean I think any less of this song. Thank God it exploded on Billboard this year, because I think we all needed some positive reassurance in 2013. People might argue that we’d be far from safe or sound if the sky were falling, but listening to this helped me believe, for a brief moment, that we would be.
#8.
If my last list was any indication, 2013 was not a good year for hip-hop or rap. Between the overabundance of minimalism and the rise in terrible producers like DJ Mustard and Mike Will Made-It, the genre was not in a good state, and if its more recent output is any indication it has yet to recover from this. On the positive side, there were still artists who were able to find entertainment in the low points that it had fallen to.
#8. Thrift Shop (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz) [1; 1; 38 weeks]
Being perfectly honest, I wasn’t able to get into Eminem when I was younger. I wasn’t one of the angry white boys who heard Slim Shady and felt like I could connect with something that vulgar. Macklemore, however, seems exactly like the kind of rapper I’d be able to get behind. He’s a complete dork, much like myself, and wears that status with pride, and I don’t think there’s a better song that demonstrates that than ‘Thrift Shop’.
The production to the song sets the tone almost immediately: it’s goofy and laid-back, but still has a danceable beat. The primary driving force of the song is the saxophone loop which plays during the verses and, on occasion, during the chorus. Speaking of which, Wanz’s hook provides a very funky feel and accentuates how wonderfully ridiculous the whole thing is.
That leaves the lyrics and subject matter. The song focuses on the frugality of buying cheap, used clothes and items, almost presenting itself as a parody of luxury rap. Though, while only a small snippet of the song, it also features a critique on the idea of relying on expensive brand names to become popular, stating that you’re essentially spending a fortune for one plain, boring article of clothing when you could’ve bought about five more for just as much. Speaking as someone who’s never bought clothes based on brand names, I completely agree; spending $50 on a t-shirt is dumb!
I can certainly appreciate a song like this: one that makes fun of stupid trends while still having a sense of wit to it. In the doldrums of 2013, this was a breath of fresh air, and I take no shame in calling it one of the best of the year. You can have your country-rap collaborations or minimalist luxury brag rap tracks; this is fucking awesome!
#7.
Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake released a song this year called ‘Holy Grail’. It described how hard it is to be famous. It was also incredibly stupid, since it was coming from two people who, up until that point, had not seen any major faltering in their success, especially Jay-Z, whose albums had been successful critically, commercially, or both, who owned several businesses, and who was happily married to one of the most beautiful women in pop culture. I can’t say this next song is much better, but it at least felt like it was coming from somewhere more honest.
#7. Same Love (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert) [43; 11; 16 weeks]
Yeah, we’re not done with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis just yet. I realize that this song hasn’t aged well, and it takes itself way too seriously, especially since it’s coming from a rapper whose main appeal is that he doesn’t always take himself seriously. That said, I think it still has points that could still be seen as relevant today, what with the overall hate-filled climate America is currently in.
I’ll start by addressing the main criticism I’ve seen brought up about the song, particularly from people from the LGBT community. Yes, Macklemore being a straight, white guy and not someone on the LGBT spectrum does weaken the song a bit. He touches on general problems people in the community face, but never addresses the systemic problems at the root of the issue. That said, I can’t help but feel like this argument rings a touch hypocritical; people in the community demand that hetero-normatives speak up about LGBT rights, but then shit on them for doing so. Besides, no one song could possibly touch on everything everyone wants, even if it’s ‘Freebird’ length, or even ‘The Devil Glitch’ length!
What points does it cover though? Well, it mentions stereotypes, words and their power and meaning, struggles of LGBT youth, the United States’ fear and resistance to social change, the hypocrisy of religious tolerance that condemns homosexuality for poorly explained reasons, and the acceptance of homosexuality in hip-hop and its commentary. These might only scratch the surface of the issue, and some rhymes could have been better written, but it’s rare that you see a song discussing even these issues appearing in the mainstream, or at least it was in 2013. Also, it’s supported by a restrained beat and a soft but powerfully emotional hook, courtesy of Mary Lambert.
One other criticism I’ve heard lobbed at this song is that it feels like it’s relying more on the strength of its sentiment over its own quality. Even if that were true, the message it’s trying to get across is as much a part of a song as its lyrics and melodies. Besides, there’s one additional message Macklemore highlights that is still true, even today: the battle for equal rights doesn’t end with the legalization of gay marriage. Good on you, Macklemore; keep up the good fight.
#6.
Starting around 2012, Billboard started seeing a new influx of European artists starting to cross over, most of whom would be coming from the UK. As it happens, there were quite a few foreign acts who managed to bleed over into 2013, and we’re going to be covering some of them on this list. This first act people mainly remember for her big hit in 2012, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t seen success since then.
#6. Burn (Ellie Goulding) [--; 13; 5 weeks]
Ellie Goulding is an odd artist to talk about. She releases a lot of music that relies heavily on its atmosphere, yet her voice isn’t particularly strong; she’s no Beyoncé, or even Kelly Clarkson. Also, her lyrics don’t tend to make much sense. Take her biggest hit single, ‘Lights’, which is about her fear of the dark and how having lights on would give her comfort. There’s nothing in the lyrics to clearly explain any of that. So, if I didn’t get that song, why do I like this one?
Well, for starters, the lyrics on this song make a bit more sense than those on ‘Lights’. Fire is generally considered one of the most overused metaphors in all of symbolism, but Ellie isn’t using it so much with focus on the flames themselves as the light they produce, using it as a symbol for unity, possibly that of herself and her friends, or even her fans. The second verse elaborates on this, mentioning how they want to live in the moment, go crazy, playing their music, and not getting any sleep that night because they’re just having so much fun.
Of course, I think there are two things that win me over on this song. The first is Ellie’s vocals, which are bright and cheery. This song was apparently originally a demo for Leona Lewis, but Ellie’s lighter vocals seem to work better for the song; Lewis would’ve oversold it. That brings me to the other thing I like: the production. Coming from a year that was full of slow, turgid, not-fun pop music, a big, loud, optimistic party song like this was a welcome departure. My favorite part of the song has to be the bells that come in about halfway through the chorus.
Sadly, this was probably the last truly good hit song Ellie Goulding would manage in America. Her next two hits were the theme song from ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’, and the response song to Ed Sheeran’s ‘Don’t’, which I think says all you need to know about them. The rest of her output didn’t exactly blow me away either, sadly. At the very least she has this song and ‘Lights’ to her name though, so that’s still something I guess.
#5.
Okay, this is the last song from these guys on this list, I swear.
#5. Can’t Hold Us (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton) [5; 1; 33 weeks]
I can already hear people groaning about me being a Macklemore fanboy, and I am honestly okay with that. If people are going to try and point to one of the dozens of identical, disposable, trap-produced, minimalist, luxury raps from this year and say any of those deserved more kudos than this, they are wrong. This wasn’t the best rap song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 this year, but it was certainly the most fun.
First, there’s Macklemore’s performance. On the surface, it’s another song celebrating the act of finally achieving success and making it big. However, rather than relishing in excess and brand names, he acknowledges that leaders only rules on the grace of the masses, and understands that his fans are the ones who validate his fame. So, through his success, Macklemore intends to give back to the people who helped him get to where he is, or was.
Of course, that just leaves the production. This is probably some of Ryan Lewis’s best work, taking a galloping beat, layering it with drums, horns, a piano line, and just continuing to build on it. That just leaves Ray Dalton’s chorus, which exudes energy and soul and even has an excellent choice of lyrics that only add to the song’s forward momentum with the statement that they have no limitations and the ceiling over their heads won’t contain them.
This is probably the closest we’ll get to seeing Macklemore as a genuine rap star. Even if it is just another track about achieving success, his presentation is truly what sells it. Drake, Lil Wayne, and every other bland rapper from this year could learn a thing or two about how to write a decent brag track from this. Sadly, Macklemore’s success was short lived, as he and Ryan Lewis have since split up and he’s not seen any continued success despite his attempts to continue with his solo career. Instead, people have been giving success to other, less interesting white rappers like G-Eazy, Machine Gun Kelly, and gnash. General music-buying public: what the fuck is wrong with you?
#4.
Now then, I present the most obvious choice I could’ve included on this list.
#4. Get Lucky (Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams) [14; 2; 28 weeks]
Daft Punk haven’t exactly been obscure in terms of their fame and success, but it’s surprising to consider that it wasn’t until this year that they managed an honest-to-God smash hit. When they featured on The Weeknd’s songs a few years later it made a bit more sense, but in 2013, about eight years after their last studio album? I realize every critic’s already sang this song’s praises at this point, so I’m not sure how to approach it.
I suppose I’ll start with the instrumentation and production. This song isn’t the first time Daft Punk have experimented with disco music, but it is the first time where the influence in the song was the most prominent. It even includes famous disco guitarist and former member of the band Chic, Nile Rodgers, whose guitar work carries the song wonderfully. In addition, there’s Pharrell’s vocal performance, probably the best he’s sounded in years.
Of course, that leaves the lyrics and subject matter. The title and chorus by themselves would suggest it’s a song about hooking up, most likely for sex. However, the verses and prechorus expand on that, adding in touches about ends leading to new beginnings, the force that keeps the planet spinning, gifts that keep on giving, not giving up one’s identity, and raising the bar. In addition, Pharrell himself has stated that the song isn’t solely about sex, but about “meeting someone for the first time and having it just click”.
It would appear that this song certainly clicked with the general public, and it definitely raised the bar, sparking a trend in ‘70s throwbacks that continued for the next few years. More than that though, it represented everything that pop music was trying and failing to accomplish at the time: creating music that people would want to listen to while also having depth and meaning to it. If this list were purely based on a song’s positive impact to society, this would easily have been my #1; it’s that good!
#3.
Remember the indie rock boom of 2012? Remember how awesome it was that we were seeing rock music finally regaining some form of foothold in the mainstream and resulting in amazingly good music? Sadly, said boom didn’t last much longer once the year ended, with much fewer songs from the genre charting in 2013. Fortunately, there were some late bloomers who caught onto the tail end of the trend and saw some success, such as these guys:
#3. Little Talks (Of Monsters and Men) [65; 20; 17 weeks]
I first heard this song back in 2012, and was stunned that it wasn’t a hit, especially considering we were seeing chart success from the likes of fun., Imagine Dragons, Gotye, Phillip Phillips, The Lumineers, and even previous indie fluke chart successors like Neon Trees and Owl City. I’m not sure I’d entirely say that Of Monsters and Men have proven themselves to be better than, or even nearly as good as any of those acts. Fortunately for them, they certainly made a strong first impression with this, their first and biggest hit.
Let’s start with the primary comparison that critics have made between this band and Mumford & Sons. While they do both seem to incorporate folk and indie pop elements in their songs, Of Monsters and Men seem to have a more diverse selection when it comes to their instrumentation and production. ‘Little Talks’, for example, is driven, not by guitars or string instruments, but by a catchy, upbeat horn section, and utilizes both male and female vocalists who provide harmonies and interplay that add to the song’s atmosphere.
That just leaves the lyrics, which seem to delve into some pretty dark subject matter. Specifically, it’s a song about coping with death, told from the perspective of one of the singers as she grieves the loss of the other. What surprised me was that it presented it with less grief and darkness, and more with a growing sense of acceptance. The narrator acknowledges that death is inevitable and that, while she’s in no hurry, she knows she’ll be reunited with the one she’s lost when she too passes on.
I mentioned the Mumford & Sons comparison, but the song this one reminds me the most of is ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ by Blue Oyster Cult, another song about the acknowledgment of the inescapability of death. Of course, where that song starts right away with the conclusion that passing on isn’t something to be afraid of, ‘Little Talks’ works its way there gradually, starting out scared, then merely confused, until it finally reaches the point of understanding. Sadly, Of Monsters and Men wouldn’t see the same success this song achieved, and from what else I’ve heard from them, the rest of their work isn’t exactly breaking any new ground. That said, I’d still say this song is worth a listen; the truth may vary, and Of Monsters and Men’s ship might’ve set sail, but they definitely struck gold here.
#2.
Coming out of 2016 and 2017, it’s harder to remember exactly what made Lorde special for the time. Maybe it was her dismissal of the obnoxious trends that hip-hop had fallen back on in a time when they’d become inescapable. Or perhaps people connected with her attitude towards mainstream pop music. Regardless, once other artists started copying her schtick, the appeal was lost. That doesn’t mean none of her songs still hold up after the fact though.
#2. Team (Lorde) [--; 18; 3 weeks]
Where ‘Royals’ was the song that introduced the world to Lorde, ‘Team’ established her as a superstar. A lot of people would probably make the conclusion that the latter is merely a retread of the former. However, I’d make the argument that there are plenty of things that make ‘Team’ stand out in comparison to ‘Royals’.
For starters, where ‘Royals’ was mostly minimalist and predominantly percussion-driven, this has more of a melody to it. Also, it has a full chorus in it, as opposed to that in ‘Royals,’ which just seems to blend into everything else aside from the backing vocals occasionally repeating words. Furthermore, where ‘Royals’ merely took shots at the excesses that Lorde was criticizing, ‘Team’ fleshed out the exact image Lorde wanted to construct in place of them.
What kind of changes were those exactly? Well, for one, it describes a world where those with flaws aren’t treated with shame and mockery, but with inclusion and acceptance. Furthermore, it highlights and celebrates the cities that aren’t often seen on screen, painting them as ancient ruins of palaces visited in their inhabitants’ dreams. At the same time, however, Lorde states that she doesn’t want to be the one to spearhead this change, possibly meaning she wishes for her subjects to speak out against the tired trends they, by extension we, the audience, are tired of, like being told to throw your hands in the air.
It’s a shame that Lorde’s second album wouldn’t see the same success as her first. After pop music starting shaping itself to try and copy the formula of her singles from this year, her more recent work is a breath of fresh air, and even improves upon her work from this year in a few ways. Despite all of this, there was still one song I thought was better. Want to know what it was?
#1.
A recurring theme of the best hits from this year is that they seemed to deliberately try to go against established trends. Between Macklemore making statements against trying to make money just from listing brand names, Miranda Lambert tearing down conventional “family values” that favor one side of the gender binary over the other, and Lorde flat out saying she’s sick of being told to put her hands up, the good songs from this year were decidedly anti-pop. So, I think it makes sense that my #1 song would be a song that not only followed in the same vein as these songs, but also served to establish the artist that recorded it as not just good, but potentially the best in his genre. So, without further ado, Kendrick Lamar.
#1. Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe (Kendrick Lamar) [--; 32; 5 weeks]
This song barely qualified for this list, and I’m glad that it did because if any song deserved to be considered the best of the year, it was this one. While I’m not shy about rooting for Macklemore, it was Kendrick Lamar who stood atop the rap game this year. His other hits weren’t bad, but ‘Swimming Pools (Drank)’ technically peaked higher in 2012, and Drake’s lack of focus on ‘Poetic Justice’ seemed to drag it down. As far as I’m concerned, this was the song that elevated Kendrick Lamar from a nobody to a rap icon.
For starters, there’s Kendrick’s flow and wordplay. I normally feel annoyed when people will give a rapper a pass just for their flow while disregarding their terrible lyrics and messages. ‘Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe’, however, is able to provide both, with Kendrick providing a steady flow and lyrics that reflect the song’s, and by extension, his main goal. That goal is to do away with rap music that only exists for whack rappers to make a quick buck and get a small amount of fame while making quality music that has deeper thought and meaning behind it, and which could have a positive impact on the genre as a whole, the new standard.
More than just the goal of the song, there are a bunch of little moments I deeply enjoy. Kendrick mentions his struggles with descriptive lyrics that paint the image of his challenges, such as “Fell on my face and awoke with a scar/Another mistake livin’ deep in my heart”. He also seems to show empathy towards rappers who feel the need to sell out, even as he mocks them for doing so, with lines like, “I Know what you scared of/The feeling of feeling emotions inferior/This shit is vital, I know you had to”. Then there’s this line near the end of the song: “I’ll take your girlfriend and put that pussy on a pedestal”. One common theme in hip-hop is to refer to a woman, or in this case the girlfriend of any sell-out rappers, as a metaphor for hip-hop. Where most rappers refer to the pussy as a means of putting someone down or labeling them as inferior, Kendrick states that he’s putting it upon a pedestal, elevating it to a higher level of respect or quality. You don’t hear him comparing the pussy to a crater is all I’m saying.
Considering Kendrick has now seen some of the greatest success of his career after the smash hit record that was ‘Damn’, I’d say this song was probably a self-fulfilling prophecy. Kendrick spoke of how he would elevate hip-hop, and with how great of a year 2017 was for him, as well as the quality of the songs off of that album, I think it’s safe to say that he did just that. It only took him two albums to get to this point, but this song was where it started, and it’s for this reason that I’m now choosing to put it upon a pedestal of its own. Kendrick Lamar, ‘Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe’, best hit song of 2013!
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