It’s nearly impossible for me to do a strict Top 100 Songs of the Year list. Each year, a plethora of new bands/artists release debut records. That’s a lot of songs. On top of that, there are the bands/artists that have already released material, and continue to build their catalogues. That’s also a lot of songs. Songs over songs in between songs topped with songs stuffed into songs. And I can’t help but seek them out — I love music that much. It makes list releasing/curating a hell of a task though, and it will only get harder each passing year. I don’t know what I’ll do in 2020. Perhaps a Top 500 Songs of The Year list will be the way to go.
As for 2013, there are waaaaaaay more than 100 songs that deserve to have a spotlight shone on them, so this year, I’ve made an alphabetical list of the songs that didn’t make my Top 100. Make no mistake, the songs on this Honourable Mention list are really, really good. Some people might even enjoy these tracks more than what will comprise my Top 100 list. To each their own.
This list is for my favourite tracks of the year to have a space to relax and get comfortable, and for insatiable music consumers. This list might not appeal to a lot of people (that’s okay). If one person discovers a song they hadn’t heard before, listing this many songs will have been worth it.
Here, again, are my favourite songs of 2013, Honourable Mention style, in alphabetical order, beginning with A-C.
2 Chainz f. Pharrell – Feds Watching
2AM Club – Too F***ed Up To Call
Ace Hood f. Future & Rick Ross – Bugatti
Active Child f. Mikyk Ekko – Subtle
Albert Hammond Jr. – St. Justice
ASTR – Operate
Atlas Genius – If So
Autumn Hill – Fire
Avec Sans – The Answer
Ballet School – Heartbeat Overdrive
Bell X1 – Careful What You Wish For
Blood Orange – Chamakay
Bosnian Rainbows – Worthless/Mother, Father, Set Us Free
Cage The Elephant – Come A Little Closer/Spiderhead/Telescope
Camera Obscura – Cri Du Coeur
Capitol Cities – Safe and Sound
Cayucas – High School Lover
City and Colour – Thirst/Harder Than Stone/The Way It Used To Be/The Lonely Life
75. b) Young Galaxy – Youth Is Wasted On The Young
Can’t wait for their next LP. Appetite whetted just enough with “Youth is Wasted On The Young”.
74. Citizens! – True Romance (Gigamesh remix)
So catchy. Much more compelling than the original IMO. Hercules and Love Affair vs. La Roux vs. Erasure.
73. a) The Big Pink – Stay Gold
The only song (and a very good one at that) worth mentioning from Future This. Had huge hopes for their 2nd LP. On to the next one boys.
73. b) Rita Ora – How We Do (Party)
One of the better pop tunes of 2012.
72. Azari & III – Manic/Reckless (With Your Love)
“Manic” and “Reckless (With Your Love)” are both fantastic dance/house tracks from the Toronto collective.
71. Shad – A Milli Vanilli/It Ain’t Over
Taken aback by the phenomenal sample work in both tracks. Lenny would be proud of “It Ain’t Over”.
70. Best Coast – No One Like You
Sweet, sweet neo-soul/pop. I can’t believe how good they perform this song live.
69. a) Usher – Climax
Great production by Diplo and vocal by Usher. His best in a while.
69. b) Placebo – The Extra
The best song on their B3 EP, it’s a sonic departure for Placebo, one I hope they follow up on with their 2013 LP.
68. The Vaccines – Teenage Icon
Whether it’s immediate or a slow dig, this song will attack you. I really enjoy their take on jangly alternative/pop.
67. Robbie Williams – Into The Silence
Robbie does U2 and The Killers. He’s never done a song like this before, and I’m so glad he finally has. Robbie’s vocal and the production are both exemplary.
66. Wild Nothing – Paradise/Nocturne
The 80’s in stereo. Flighty, dreamy records, both of them.
65. a) The Antlers – Drift Drive
Still haven’t lost their grand emoting abilities. What a hook.
65. b) Atlas Genius – Trojans
Wickedly catchy. Wonderful tune.
64. High Contrast – The Road Goes On Forever/All There Is (f. Liane Carroll)
Bursting at their seams. Or more likely, they never had seams to begin with.
63. Ellie Goulding – Atlantis/Figure 8/Only You
Ms. Goulding issued one of the best pop albums of the year — maybe one of the best albums of the year in general.
62. a) Matchbox 20 – She’s So Mean
Great comeback tune. Always were extremely talented songwriters. No surprise they’ve found another.
62. b) Marina & The Diamonds – The Archetypes/Primadonna/Fear and Loathing/Teen Idle
“Primadonna”, “Fear and Loathing”, and “Teen Idle” are by far the strongest triumvirate of songs on Marina’s Electra Heart album, but it’s actually a non-album track, the minute long teaser, “The Archetypes”, that moved me the most. I really wish she’d made this an album track as it’s constructed here, but longer.
61. Muse – Panic Station/Big Freeze/Follow Me
After “Madness”, which resides in another realm altogether, these three tracks are the best representatives of the new Muse, the most ambitious Muse to date.
60. Ramona Falls – Proof/Sqworm/Spore
Lovely set of songs.
59. a) Tacabro – Tacata
How could I not. Guilty pleasures don’t get more guilty than this. This is unquestionably 10-15 years, no chance of parole.
59. b) Susanne Sundfor – White Foxes
What a majestic song. It sounds exactly like a serenade to white foxes.
58. Two Door Cinema Club – Sleep Alone/The World Is Watching
Super strong lead single, and a wonderful departure from their norm on “The World Is Watching”.
57. Ed Sheeran – Drunk/Small Bump/Lego House
Three fantastic songs from one of the albums of the year. And three great videos to boot. Ed Sheeran’s way with melody is sublime.
56. a) Hey Ocean! – Big Blue Wave/Make A New Dance Up
I wish this kind of pop found a bigger audience.
56. b) Joe Goddard – Gabriel (f. Valentina)
Striking. Superb use of looping/sampling.
55. a) Rihanna – Diamonds
She might have taken an extended dip in the deep end, but she still can still release a hit. A powerful, grandiose tune.
55. b) No Doubt – Settle Down
It’d been 11 years since their last LP. To come back to a vastly different musical landscape from the one they left all those years ago with something this strong is a testament to their cohesion and talent. You can tell they’re having tonnes of fun being back together.
54. The Killers – From Here On Out/The Way It Was/Deadlines and Commitments/Heart of a Girl
I think the line from Deadlines and Commitments, “there is a place, here in this house, that you can stay,” is apropos of Battle Born, and in general, The Killers as a band. They’re slightly awkward in the way they express things, but they’re welcoming, of everyone. These four tracks are all highlights from a strong, extremely consistent, huge pop/rock album.
53. mewithoutYou – February, 1878
Really like this song. It’s full of dynamic shifts, energy, aggression, forbearance, and hooks.
52. a) Greg Laswell f. Ingrid Michaelson – Landline
Tender and becoming. The male/female harmony works wonders here.
52. b) Netsky – Come Alive
Great party track with a supreme build-up from Belgium’s son. To the (Net)sky and beyond.
51. a) We Have Band – Tired of Running
First-rate melody, production, and vocal.
51. b) St. Lucia – All Eyes On You
Marvellous song. Rife with hooks and shimmering production.
The Pun Is Sure 