Oops! The Best Singles I Excluded in 2013

For the past couple years I've compiled my list of my favorite singles of the year, and of course, I made one for 2013 last December. It was pretty cute - Top 13 Singles of 2013. There were some other singles I liked last year and considered for the list that didn't make the cut, and later this year, I realized there were a lot of other songs I didn't include because I either forgot about them, but more commonly, I hadn't run in to them yet. There's so much music in the world; it's easy to get caught up in some aspects of the spectrum and kind of lose touch with others. A little more pop music is on this list; I don't listen to much pop music, so when I find something I actually like, the discovery is made long after everyone else knew about it. If I remembered/discovered these songs in a timely manner, my top 13 list would have some songs switched around, and honestly, it probably would've been a top 20 list because I love them all so much.

 

Without further ado, the great songs I left out - countdown style... There are only nine and that isn't a nice number for a countdown, but alas, that's just the way it's going to go: 

 

 

9

"Not Gonna Die" - Skillet

I really got into Skillet when their album Comatose was released x-amount of years ago, and then I bought Awake when it was released... And then last year, their newest album Rise came out. I just wasn't feeling it. It seemed to draw from the elements I enjoy the least about Skillet. However, "Not Gonna Die" is a really solid track; I loved it as soon as I heard it last year... And then I kind of sort of completely forgot about it when I was making my list last year... Oops. Anyhow, I really love the blend of male and female vocals in this song; it reminds me of their single "Hero."

 

 

8

"Rap God" - Eminem

 Um... Did you guys hear that middle eight? How is it even possible to say anything that fast? In all four years of blogging, I think this is the first time I've really expressed any love for rap music. That's because I don't listen to much rap music - except Eminem. I love his style, and "Rap God" shows a lot of the different spins he can put on his voice. I think I may have heard this song once back in 2013 but other than that I just got caught up with other music. I didn't realize how cool this song was until this year - I know, shame on Critica!

 

 

7

"Dark Horse" - Katy Perry ft. Juicy J

 This is definitely my guilty pleasure track... It's so freaking catchy! I can't help it! Once in a while Katy Perry will a release a single that makes me happy, and "Dark Horse" is probably my favorite of all the songs she's released. So what kept this single from making my initial 2013 list? Well, I never heard it. As I've mentioned, I don't listen to that much pop music, which means I don't listen to a lot of pop radio, so that's how I managed to avoid it. 

 

 

6

"Wake Me Up" - Avicii

  I heard parts of this song off and on in 2013, but I never paid too much attention to it until this year. I never expected to love it as much as I do now. It's definitely not what I normally listen to between the guy's voice and some aspects of the instrumentation, but I really came across this track at the perfect time. I got to sing it in choir - the final song of my final high school show. Tears, people. Tears.

 

 

5

"You (Ha Ha Ha)" - Charli XCX
Like many, I discovered "You (Ha Ha Ha)" through the Vampire Academy movie trailer. So, at first I just had the fabulous instrumental in my head before looking it up; I wasn't disappointed. This song reminds me so much of Mean Girls for whatever reason and brings me a lot of nostalgia. Honestly, it never gets old either... And I would know because I've heard it about a million times by now and still love it.

 

 

4

"Dangerous" - Within Temptation ft. Howard Jones
Such heaviness! Within Temptation is my favorite band (along with Evanescence, of course) and their single with Tarja "Paradise (What About Us?)" was at the very top of my 2013 list... Which was posted just before "Dangerous" was released. Honestly, I kept putting off posting the list because I knew "Dangerous" would be out soon and would likely be on the list somewhere, but then I decided I was being ridiculous and put the post up anyway. But, this single is so energetic and fun! (The video, however, does not meet my approval. Just saying.)

 

 

3

"Recover" - Chvrches
CHVRCHES! I've only recently discovered how awesome this electronic-based alternative band is, and "Recover" is certainly a standout track out of all the songs in their discography. The verses are sung in a really cool staccato, making lead singer Lauren Mayberry's high voice sound robotic, but she's very melodic in the first half of the chorus. It kind of reminds me of the band Metric in some ways. I'm also in love with their 2012 single "The Mother We Share."

 

 

2

"The Nexus" - Amaranthe

I'd only heard a couple of Amaranthe's songs before listening to "The Nexus," and while I thought they were a decent band, I wasn't particularly thrilled by those couple songs. But since they're going to be opening for the Within Temptation concert I'm going to attend in October, I figured I should look up some songs that will likely be on their setlist... And let me tell you, "The Nexus" is awesome! Synths blend with heavy guitar riffs to create one of my favorite intros/outros of all time, and that chorus is just so magical with the blend of vocals and beautiful lyrics! "I break with the past / Set the nexus free at last / As the future will be there to save us..."

 

1

"Say Something" - A Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera

Tearjerker of the year. Seriously, why didn't I ever run into this song in 2013? It's beautiful and I love it. I love how simplistic the piano is, I love the vocal line, I love how Christina Aguilera shows us the softer side of her voice (I honestly didn't even recognize her when I heard this song for the first time), I love the sad video... "Say Something" is utterly flawless.