Fav Covers

Cover songs have pretty much as much potential to be as awesome as any other song. Really, unless the original lyrics are so mind-bogglingly terrible, a cover song can turn anything awesome. Maybe some of these deserved to be on my top 100 songs list, and in hindsight, some will probably appear. Whatever. TOP COVERS.

Honorable Mention: Fix You - Yellowcard, originally Coldplay
I enjoy this song quite a bit, but the reason it's an honorable mention is because I don't really enjoy it because it's a Yellowcard cover, it's just a kinda sweet, calming song. You'll hear the original Coldplay version, as I did on the radio once, and there's no real difference. Still good though.

#10. Such Great Heights - Iron and Wine, originally Postal Service
Have you seen Garden State? No? That's fair. Anyways, I have and this song is in it. I don't remember much about the movie and I know that I heard this song before seeing the movie. Anyways, it stuck with me a lot more and I enjoy it. Maybe not more than the original, but they're kinda hard to compare.

#9. Dammit - Syd, originally Blink-182
Who's Syd? Huh? What? Okay, I'm just banking on this guy being named Syd. People in YouTube comments claim it to be so while those who make the videos just kinda guess. But I like his voice, he makes a simple pop-punk song seem to be a lot more tragic and sad. Now, does that make his version inherently better? Well, that's a tough call, one I'm not going to make.

#8. War Pigs - CAKE, originally Black Sabbath
This one's just kinda a fun groove. Very noticeably different than the original and feels pretty CAKE-y. I can't say it's better than the original because the original is pretty damn good, but this one still is pretty good on its own.

#7. Higher Ground - Red Hot Chili Peppers, originally Stevie Wonder
I first heard this song in Guitar Hero 1. Never really heard the original version of it until a couple years ago and it doesn't really do much for me. This, on the other hand, is upbeat, driving, and fun. I really enjoy it, even if I can't really understand what's being said  all the time.

#6. Hot N Cold - Los Colorados, originally Katy Perry
I heard of this originally on Attack of the Show, way back when G4 was still good and played Ninja Warrior. It was just a little snippet, and the mentioned the artist name which stuck with me. Years later, a friend asked if I knew of it and, miraculously, I provided the name and we rediscovered it, kinda. Then I got it for myself and listened to it many times. The original doesn't really do anything for me; no Katy Perry song does, but this one has some character and is just a fun, silly song.

#5. New York, New York - Reel Big Fish, originally Frank Sinatra
Okay, so, yeah, the lead singer doesn't really quite have the power of Sinatra, but I just really enjoy this song. The feel and fun of having the entire song be recreated a capella creates its own personality separate of Sinatra's. Again, it's partially because the original had a solid melody and rhythm to it, but I can't deny how much I enjoy the little things this song does, like the whistles, the cymbal crashes, and the harmonies, especially in the final verse/chorus.

#4. 99 Red Balloons - Goldfinger, originally Nena
I don't really care too much for 80s pop, even if it is 80s German pop. But I do like alternative punk, or whatever this genre would be. Rock? Whatever. I like Goldfinger, and I really like this album, Stomping Ground. It's top. This song is top. It's fun to sing along to, and much more entertaining to me than the original.

#3. Baby Got Back - Jonathan Coulton, originally Sir Mix-A-Lot
This song should have no explanation of why I love it. It takes a silly rap song and turns it into a silly folk song. It amplifies the ridiculousness of the original and turns it into a wonderful disconnect between lyrics and music.

#2. Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm, originally Michael Jackson
Again, I don't care for 80s pop, so I don't really care much for Michael Jackson as well. Yeah, he's the king of pop, but not the pop I care about. But I do like this driving rock. It's got an intense drum track, a fast, fluid guitar and bass, and strong, upbeat vocals. This is a wonderful cover and it kicks ass, quite difficult not to put in the #1 spot.

#1. Take On Me - Reel Big Fish, originally A-ha
Yes, yes, if you know of this song and didn't see this coming, you are a fool. This song is awesome. It takes the slower calmer A-ha version and cranks it up with a proper band and brass. It's got a fast tempo and energetic vocals while keeping the ultimate catchiness of the original. It's awesome. I love it and you should too.

Top 5 I Shouldn't Like

Like anything and everything, there are things that just don't really make sense why they're liked. People always think that people shouldn't like other things, but yet they gain absurd amounts of praise. Like who shot Roar or Harlem shake up on the billboard hot 100? Well, these are the 5 that I disagree with myself on, the top 5 songs of 2013 I SHOULDN'T LIKE.

Honorable Mention: Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke feat. T.I., Pharrell
Yep, this again. Hey, shut up, it's catchy, I'm weak to that kinda stuff! And... well... It's kinda fun to sing along to. Well, not the terribly offensive stuff, god no. But I tend not to care about lyrics in this kinda stuff anyways, right?

#5. We Can't Stop - Miley Cyrus
Yep, this one. It's kind of bittersweet song, it seems as if "going hard" and this lifestyle is like an addiction. No, I don't think that was intended, and no, I don't think that's the reason I hold it so highly. I dunno, the song is just really catchy and fun to listen to. It's like Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back) by Eamon. It's pretty bad, yeah, but it still feels fun to listen to. To me, anyways. Shut up.

#4. Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus
Was this the year of shitty music videos or what? The video kinda undermines the idea of the song, as well as is just unnecessary shock material. Synth cheese sounds good enough in the chorus for my attention though. Really not that great though.

#3. Cups - Anna Kendrick
No, I'm not gonna watch Pitch Perfect, and I really have no defense on this one. It's catchy? Noticing a trend here? But yeah, this song is weak-sauce, super short, and thrives and this weird beat. No, I'm not saying any part of this song is good, because they really aren't. I just... You know... If there's nothing else on the radio...

#2. 22 - Taylor Swift
This one I can easily point to why I like it, although it's again falling back on the same reason I like any goddamn song, isn't it? It's catchy, but this one's poppy, upbeat. Yeah, it's a musical nothing, but it's pretty much the same reason I still enjoy Tonight, Tonight by Hot Chelle Rae.

#1. Cruise (Remix) - Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly
Now, look. I hate country. There are 4 styles of country which are just an arrangement of male/female and fast/slow. But this one... This is also similar to Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back) by Eamon. The lyrics are just horrendous, awful. Terrible. But goddamn is it catchy and fun and puts a stupid grin on my face.

Bottom Pop of 2013

No holdin back now! Here we go, my 5 LEAST FAVORITE SONGS OF 2013 POP.

Honorable mention: Blurred Lines - Robin Thick feat. T.I., Pharrell
This song has some pretty awful lyrics, as well as having the hands-down WORST music video I've ever seen. But I can't deny that the beat is catchy, and I van enjoy the groove of T.I.'s bridge, even if the lyrics do suck. Again, it's a lyrical nightmare, offensive to some, but I can still enjoy it. Even if it is an awful, awful song.

#5. Radioactive - Imagine Dragons
This was a song that didn't ever want to die. When I hear this song on the single rock station I listen to, I get a bit upset. This is not a rock song. It's pretty weaksauce as a pop song. I mean, the intro's all right, then it just kinda devolves into bland, boring. I don't like listening to it, it's a bit slow, the melody doesn't really click with me, and it's just weird. A bad kind of weird, just... It's hard to pinpoint why I don't like songs, especially this one. But this doesn't work for me, not a song I'll hold onto.

#4. Love Somebody - Maroon 5
You can't say this song isn't catchy, but that's probably the only thing about it. It's catchy, but you never want this song to remain in your head. It's there and you're upset. At least I am. I don't really enjoy the music to it, at the song's about as unconvincing as it gets. Maroon 5 used to be good, I swear. Now they just exist.

#3. Stay - Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko
I remember the first time I heard this song. I noticed the simplicity of the chords... And then they never changed. And whatever, maybe it's about Rihanna being weak and kinda helpless, but I don't really care much for lyrics in a pop song unless it's all the song has. Which, honestly, this song pretty much only does have, but I just don't care about Rihanna or her troubles. Not something I can relate to.

#2. Come And Get It - Selena Gomez
Hey, remember that one level from Crash 3? You know, the Arabian one with the carpets and the guys that throw boxes? You ever want to put a boring, unexcited, weak female lead
on it? No? Well, too bad. Come and get it. The song plods on, doesn't ever really deviate from the boring nature, has like 6 words in the chorus that repeats over and over and over.

#1.  When I Was Your Man - Bruno Mars
Bruno, you were my man for like 3 songs. You did do some good, fun, interesting songs. This is not one of them. I don't care for your slow music, it's boring and I don't really connect with it. I'd hate to say that he sounds insincere, as I haven't listened to it long enough to remember. Because I don't care about boring.

2013 Pop Clarification

It only makes sense to make a bottom ten list to compliment the top ten of the year, right? Right? Well, not really if you're me. You see, I listen to pop when I'm home and have to drive places. At college, 7/12 months of the year, I don't listen to too much. I must use what I remember to compile these lists. When I hear a bad pop song, I change the channel. I only recall the ones that I've done that to many times and I only have the year-end top 100 to recall the songs I hate. I couldn't instantly recall 10 awful pop songs of the year. Therefor I made a bottom 5 with another list of 5 to accommodate.

Secondly, it's important to note the similarities of this bottom five. By bottom five, it's the songs I don't wanna hear on the radio. I hear these songs and change the station because I don't want to hear. Yes, thinks can be lyrically bad, INCREDIBLY lyrically stupid and, to some extent, offensive, but if the music is still enjoyable and the song is generally fun to listen to, it's not showing up.

Finally, I present the top 5 pop songs of 2013 that I reeeaaally shouldn't like. Like, I'd be a bit embarrassed to express to the world my enjoyment. These are arranged not at all by the quality of the song, but rather how difficult it is to explain why I like it, and how much liking that contradicts my preferences.

Any questions? No? Good.

Top 10 Pop Songs of 2013

Pop music is weird. I don't understand how some things get popular and why others don't make it. People suck, and everyone's opinion sucks. Now absorb mine, bitch.

HONORABLE MENTION: Same Love - Maclemore X Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert
Why is this an honorable mention? This is a top pop list. This song doesn't quite meld in with the rest. I
 can't really shout out the lyrics to this or hop around to it, but there's no way this could be ignored. It's a great song and I'm impressed by its success. I'm glad Macklemore is unforgiving for his beliefs, and if you don't agree with it, not wanting to instigate any angry internet arguments, but come on. It's 2014.

#10. Demons - Imagine Dragons
Now, It's Time was one of my favorite songs from 2012. That song is glorious. Radioactive (spoiler alert) might be in my least favorites of 2013. I was bothered by that. I couldn't get behind it's slow, inconsistant rhythm of verses and such, just didn't settle quite right with me. This song, while noticeably more "pop" is still really fun to listen to, sing along to, get absorbed in by the backing music. I dig it. It sounds great.

#9. Get Lucky - Daft Punk ft. Pharell Williams
I heard this song early on and it clicked with me. This song has a solid groove. It feels great, but I have some issues. Pharell's range is a bit incompatible with mine and it's hard to shout out the words to this, which is a shame. Shouting along to songs is fun (see Rock Band) and having to try to sing to fit in with the song is a bit less for me when it comes to pop. But I do love that Daft Punk-ian bridge.


#8. Royals - Lorde
While inconsistent with other things I may say, I really do enjoy this song. Can't quite put my finger on it, possibly the subject matter, partially just getting into the groove of the song. It's easy to do. And it's wonderful.

#7. Mirrors - Justin Timberlake
Justin didn't really have a good year. Mirrors was his only song I care about, and for good reason. The backbeat, melody is solid. And yeah, again, the chorus is kinda hard to sing along to through shouting, but I love the music outside of the vocals so much in addition to the vocals. I even enjoy the extended version.

#6. Treasure - Bruno Mars
Love the disco beat, love singing along to Bruno Mars for the most part. This is that quite solidly, and I love hearin this song. This is a solid pop song and I'll always sing along.


#5. Wake Me Up - Avicii
It's not often, I feel, for a pop song to have a deep-voiced male. Still fun to sing along to, and this guy,
whatever his name is, sings all over the place. And it's fun. He's got a great voice. And Avicii has some really catchy edm.


#4. Still Into You - Paramore
"Rock" music in the pop charts have the potential to be really awesome. I put rock in quotes as this is a song that noticeably has drums, bass, and guitar, instead of a vocalist with a backbeat. And the drums don't sound like a drumtrack. But the main reason I like this is just the feel of the song. I like happy, poppy songs, especially those that are fun to sing along to. This one hits that perfectly.

#3. Can't Hold Us - Macklemore X Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton
I heard this song at least a hundred times on the radio alone. 10/10 would listen to again. But I will say, hearing it uncut is so much more rewarding, as infrequent as it is.

#2. Swimming Pools - Kendrick Lamar
Generally, I don't like rap. A rap song I like has to have some sort of music to it as well as be fun to follow along, whether it be rapping along, or just being lyrically stimulating. It's fun to spit out lyrics in rapid succession, and this song just feels great.

#1. Thrift Shop - Macklemore X Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz
I shouldn't need to explain this, so I won't.