My Personal Top 5 Songs of 2013

5. Counting Stars - OneRepublic

To begin the countdown to my number one song of 2013, I started the list off with Counting Stars by OneRepublic as number five.  This is one the singles off their new album Native.  I love this track for so many reasons. It is one of the best songs I’ve heard from OneRepublic. The song is about feeling “alive” while doing the things you love. He doesn’t want to have to worry about money, he just wants to enjoy life for what it is and chase his dreams. Many of us can relate to the desire of being a free soul doing what we love. The upbeat rhythm to this pop-rock song makes you want to dance and sing along. Lead singer, Ryan Tedder, sounded fabulous. He showed off his vocal skills in many parts of the song. He knows how to vary his pitch and hit those high notes in the bridge. I loved this song.  It is a very catchy tune that I cannot resist.

 

 

4. IFHY - Tyler The Creator ft. Pharrell

Tyler the Creator is one of the most underrated rappers in the music industry. People tend to not like his weird and bold personality. I love that because it makes him and his music unique. His song IFHY from the album Wolf is my number four song of the year. This is not the average love song that only expresses the happiness of being in a relationship. Tyler shows the ugly side of love and how it becomes almost like an addiction. He writes about his over obsession for a girl he’s in love with. Although the lyrics seem very bipolar, they describe the emotional rollercoasters people in relationships experience. The chords used in the music are genius and create a very nice beats. I loved how it began slowly paced then became more intense, and then back to a calm beat once Pharrell started singing. IFHY was definitely one of the most creative rap songs of the year.

3. Too Much - Drake ft. Sampha

Drake did it again. His highly anticipated album Nothing Was the Same was absolutely amazing.  The song Too Much made it as my number three on the list. Sampha, who sang the catchy chorus, sounded really great.  The heavy bass drop once the chorus ends is my favorite part of the song. The beat is easy to vibe to and very enjoyable. Drake did a good job of writing the lyrics too. He really showed his emotions about the affects fame had on his personal relationships with his family and friends. He struggles with the fact that people he was close with now look at him different once he became famous. He almost implies that he doesn’t like the attention anymore because of the negative effects it has had on him. If you haven’t heard this song I suggest you go listen to it right now. His whole album is filled with good songs but Too Much was my favorite.

 

2. Sweater Weather - The Neighbourhood

 

Sweater Weather is one of my all-time favorite songs I’ve ever heard. The Neighbourhood is an alternative band from California who produces unique retro sounding music.  The single blends many different genres of music together. In the first verse the beat and how they were singing suggested it was somewhat hip hop. The song then transitioned into a mix between indie and alternative rock.  This laid back song is perfect to relax to. Although, some of the lyrics don’t make much sense to me it is still a really cute love song.  He refers to a lot of sexual tension between him and a girl he likes. This song paints a picture of a young couple at the beach hanging out and falling in love with one another.  The sound of waves and seagulls at the beginning put you in the mood to be at the beach jamming to this track. Sweater Weather is just a great song in general!

1. Young and Beautiful - Lana Del Rey

Last but not least, my number one song for 2013 is Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey. Just like majority of girls, I am a huge fan of Lana Del Rey. Which sounds totally cliché, but she is absolute pure perfection. Her mesmerizing voice always gives me chills no matter what song it is. She wrote her single Young and Beautiful for the film The Great Gatsby. This is a beautiful song that shows off her smooth vocal skills. She sings about growing old with her husband and hoping he will still love her even though her looks have faded. This is something many older people are insecure about, and what many young people fear. This song met my expectations of how good it would be. It is also one of the only songs on The Great Gatsby soundtrack that actually fit the plot of the movie. Young and Beautiful has a classic sound and is magnificent. Lana is such a talented artist who deserves a lot more recognition than she gets.