Number 10.
Sometimes, when you're feeling down, you need a little something to inspire you to continue. For this, many people listen to music. Now, sometimes this is just music that reflects their feelings and makes them feel less lost and alone. But some of them send a message, and tell the listener to carry on.
10. fun. - Carry On
fun. has a very grandiose sound that they bring to all of their best music. The weakest parts of their discography are the parts where this sound isn't reflected, but the best parts, like Some Nights and Carry On, manage to blast emotions with all sorts of bombast. This song is perhaps the best reflection of fun.'s emotional songwriting, hitting all the right notes that some other parts of the album didn't. It's somehow personal and a statement at the same time, and it is majestic. With the story conveyed in the lyrics and the power in the lead singer's voice and the accompanying music, it really does make you want to carry on.
Number 9.
Pop stars come and go. This year in particular gave us a handful of rising artists that had one hit and we'll probably never hear from again. Meanwhile, established artists like Pitbull and Flo Rida managed to keep making the type of shallow, fun music the charts are known for. But nobody could have expected that when two mediocre tastes get together they'd be so good.
9. Olly Murs ft. Flo Rida - Troublemaker
Compared to Robin Thicke or Icona Pop, Olly Murs has a much higher chance of having a second hit. I don't especially expect it, but the strength of this song makes me think it wouldn't be unwelcome. This year there has been a rise in funky-sounding pop, and this isn't the last time it will appear on this list. Olly Murs has a voice to really sell it, even if his production may not be the most unique or even the best of its type. But when he hits that chorus, he hits it with power. Then Flo Rida comes in with undoubtedly the best verse of his career, and actually brings some clever lines to the table. He shows creativity that had eluded him previously, and makes you wonder why he can't bring it to his own singles. In the meantime, we've got this, and it's a winner.
Number 8.
It's been a while since Justin Timberlake was relevant in music. Don't get me wrong, he's still been keeping himself notable, with appearances in many films and on Saturday Night Live, but he'd more or less disappeared from the pop scene. Until this year, when he came back better or ever.
8. Justin Timberlake ft. Jay-Z - Suit and Tie
Although a lot of hip-hop may talk about "swag" and all that, I haven't seen any rappers who have as much swagger as Justin and Jay-Z have here. It all seems so effortless for them, like they don't even need to try to be cool. The song is a suave, upbeat and retro, which gives it a wider appeal. But when it comes down to it, Suit and Tie's real success is its sheer charisma. That's the one thing in which the song has no competition. Justin deserves all the kudos he's gotten for this comeback, and here's hoping that he's here to stay.
Number 7.
Each year of this decade, it seems that the big chart-conqueror becomes further and further from what was previously considered mainstream. Adele may not be entirely strange, but Gotye certainly is. And this year it seems that there's a new upstart who's seeking to be the king of pop without even having major label support. If you've been following pop music at all this year, you should know who it is.
7. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz - Thrift Shop
When you think about it, Thrift Shop isn't really a type of song that sounds out-of-place on the pop charts. It's catchy, it's got a pounding beat, and the construction isn't too much different from other charting hip-hop songs. However, the idea brought up that buying cheap is much better than buying expensive is not something that is common among charting rap songs, and Macklemore's ability to keep more or less the same tone as those rappers even with the subject matter gives a convincing case, as it shows that getting all that money isn't tied to charisma. The lyrics are also fairly clever, switching between statements about how cool Macklemore is and statements about how dumb you are for buying expensive clothes, and then there's Ryan Lewis' beats, which are truly fantastic, especially at the bridges, and Wanz on the hook, which perfectly reflects the partly-joking swagger of the song. If this becomes the biggest hit of the year, it will have deserved it.
Number 6.
My home country, Canada, actually has a growing hip-hop scene, with such rappers as K'Naan, Drake and K-Os having major hits on the local charts. Drake in particular has become an international star, and managed to release some very acclaimed records, like "Take Care" and "So Far Gone". But we're not talking about Drake, as he hasn't had a major hit this year on the Canadian charts this year. Instead, let's look at the newest upstart who's tearing up the market.
6. Classified ft. David Myles - Inner Ninja
This is the best-selling rap single in Canadian music history, and it truly deserves it. The song is just so fun and catchy, with genuinely inspiring lyrics. It tells a sports-type story of rising from the bottom to the top, though in this case it seems that the top is simply self-satisfaction. Really, it's a story of reaching that self-satisfaction. Classified grew sick of the poor situation it was in, and decided to do something about it. It's really a heartwarming set of lyrics. It's not a club-type fun song, it's just a light-hearted good time, and there aren't enough of those. Between the catchy beat, the creative lyricism, and the great singing, its popularity was assured, and it's truly deserving.
Number 5.
It's been a pretty good year for local music. We have Classified, as mentioned earlier, and the debut of Walk Off the Earth, which won't be appearing on this list. However, there was one artist that truly blew them both out of the water.
5. Serena Ryder - Stompa
"Stompa" is dance music at its most intense. The song's constant pulse gets in your head, and when coupled with Ryder's voice, it creates this intense atmosphere that demands that you stomp your feet. Lyrically, Stompa isn't too shabby either. It's the regular story about relaxing from your stressful life and dancing, but that really does work for this song, as Ryder just sells it. This song demands your attention. It wants you to put down what you're doing and let the beat in. And it will not take no for an answer, not that you'd want to say no in the first place. This is as good as dance music gets, and I hope for more like it.
Number 4.
I'm gonna have to cheat here. See, this song may have been more compatible with my year-end list last year, but at the time it hadn't grown on me yet. Since then, I have really grown to love it, though, so let's give a warm welcome to Bruno Mars.
4. Bruno Mars - Locked Out of Heaven
This song is the best Bruno has been in a while. His newest album seems to be focused on emulating the styles of other artists, but he clearly has great musical taste and a great ability to replicate them. With this song, he's really come back in a big way. The beat is fantastic, and Bruno's singing hits a perfect groove. While his lyrics are certainly melodramatic, they're not really what the song is about. The song is about that "OOH!" It's about the groove! It's that fun beat that really brings the song together. This is Bruno at his best, and it's great to have him back.
Number 3.
You know Macklmore? Well, he managed to get a second #1 hit.
3. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton
If "Thrift Shop" was the song that defined Macklemore as a force to be reckoned with, then this is the song that established that he wasn't going anywhere. It's a grandiose discussion of everything on his mind at that moment, and it also says that he won't be held down. It seems to be discussing fame, which is almost prophetic given that it was written before he hit big with Thrift Shop. But it's Ryan Lewis who really makes this work, with his bombastic, epic production. It's this all-encompassing tone of it that makes me love it so much. These two have quite a future ahead of them.
Number 2.
Last year there was a sudden increase in indie rock songs on the charts. One of the new names to come from this boom was Imagine Dragons, who managed to make it somewhat big with "It's Time". Later, they would release their debut record "Night Visions", to mild applause. Since then, they made it much bigger with their second hit.
2. Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
This is seriously brilliant. It's a masterpiece of buildup and atmosphere. Lyrically, it creates a fascinating picture of a toxic world. Musically, it backs up the lyrics with intensity, painting a dark picture of a hopeless landscape. Honestly, it's the intensity of it that really sets it apart. It creates this apocalyptic scene with such vividness that a music video almost seems redundant. The tone would fit perfectly for a story like the Fallout video games, in a barren wasteland with the acceptance that this is what the world is. This is alt rock at its best, and it is genius.
Number 1.
As always, there were a number of critically acclaimed albums released this year. However, only one of these albums appears to have managed a major radio hit. This wasn't the best of the aforementioned albums, but it's still an incredibly good piece of work. It's been tearing up the charts for a while now, and in the end it's the only real contender for this spot.
1. Daft Punk ft. Pharrell William - Get Lucky
Back in my review of this album, I concluded that it was an album about the love of music. I'd say this song is the same. It seems like it's about sex, and lyrically it is. But in the bigger picture, considering the music, it's more of an ode to a bygone era. It blends musical ideas from decades past with their own trademark style to wonderful effect. The lyrics are cheezy, but intentionally so. It's all to create a nostalgic feeling for the times where that was the sound of the radio. The music itself is highly enjoyable, with the techno/disco blend guaranteeing this to be the smash hit of the summer. I won't be surprised when this hits #1, and when it does it will have deserved it. It's a brilliant piece of music, and it is the best hit of the year so far.
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