Top 5 Pop Songs of the First Half of 2014

Because I love these lists so much and I find it important to explain the pop songs I love so much to put the songs I bitch about into context. Top 5, but Ain't It Fun, Happy, and a couple others are unofficially tied for 6th.

#5. Talk Dirty - Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz
This song is preeetty stupid. Derulo is stupid and 2 Chainz lays down one of the worst rap bridges ever, probably tied with Juicy J in Dark Horse as dumbest I can remember in recent memory. BUT. This song is just so pumped with energy, the beat is raunchy, a good kind of catchy. It's great fun to sing along to and laugh at mostly because it's impossible to take seriously.

#4. Rude - Magic!
Points for being very different than most current pop songs, points for relatability, points for just sounding so nice. It's weird, a very similar thing happened to me, although it was a high school version, similar nonetheless. The harmony is nice, the music is nice, and the song in itself is just so fresh from everything else.

#3. Classic - MKTO
You know what I like? I like chicken nuggets. No, they're not particularly healthy, but I can eat them over and over without feeling sick of them, or even remembering that I ate them in the first place. I bring it up because this song is like a good batch of nugs. There's nothing particularly good about it, the lyrics are pretty generic and don't really say much about the girl they're singing to, but it's a fun listen. Reliably enjoyable. And it's a hell of a lot better than a lot of other songs out there which are probably the food equivalent of, I dunno, a big box of all bran cereal.

#2. Pompeii - Bastille
The first time I heard this song, I knew it would both a song that I quite enjoy for some time, and a song that would stick around for a while, but that's partially because when it came out, there was bugger all new on the radio. But this is another song that's just different, kinda indie, kinda mainstream. The eyyos are big, loud, intense. You've probably heard this song, and if you have, it should be fairly obvious why it's on this list.

#1. Turn Down For What - DJ Snake ft. Lil Jon
FUCK YESSSSS. This was almost #2 in favor for Pompeii, but this is the only song on the radio I will NEVER CHANGE STATIONS FOR. Heard it 3 minutes ago? DOESN'T MATTER. This song just kicks so much ass and every time I hear it, I get so happy inside. It's so in your face, it's big, it's intense, Lil Jon is on it. Yeah, only half of the 11 words he says are understandable because they're in the title, but I don't care! And the music video, oh the music video is just amazing. I thank V for initially showing me this masterpiece.

Top 30 Albums

This one took a surprising amount of time to iron out. Am I entirely happy with this list? Ehhhh, I think there's another album or two I want to fit in somewhere. Maybe another day they'll be a part of this list. Or maybe not.

Honorable Mention: Book of Mormon, soundtrack
I don't know if I want to totally include this in the list, so I have it as an honorable mention. Because it should be mentioned. Because it's great. The entire show is great, and I'm not sure the same effect would be had by taking the soundtrack alone. I do love listening to it on its own. Favorites include: Two By Two, Man Up, I Believe, though I really like all of them a fair amount.


30. City of Evil - Avenged Sevenfold
I once heard somebody describe Avenged Sevenfold as being "my first metal band," and though they weren't for me, I understand where they're coming from. Yeah, the music can at points feel formulaic, and, hell, I hesitate to sometimes describe them as "bro metal," but I can really dig em. Hell, I enjoy this album enough to toss it on, and I enjoy their first as well too.
Favorites include: Beast and the Harlot, Bat Country, The Wicked End



29. American Idiot - Green Day
This was one of the first albums I had, and probably top 3 in total time spent listening to. It really kinda shaped rock music for me as a kid, and though I never really took the time to analyze symbolism, I didn't care then, and I don't really care now. Album's great.
Favorites include: Homecoming, Jesus of Suburbia, Letterbomb

28. Nevermind - Nirvana
I almost forgot about this album, but this has been something in my collection for almost 9 years or so. A long time ago, I got it from a friend. This year, hell, a couple months ago, I listened to it throughout. Then the same week I listened to it like 4 more times. Each song in this album is pretty damn good, and given more time with it, it may move higher.
Favorites include: Lithium, In Bloom, On A Plain


27. Favorite Noise - Reel Big Fish
This, along with some other albums, were the things pushing this list to be 30. After listening to some songs on this album, having them come up on shuffle and not skipping them, there was no way I couldn't include this album. Too many great, fun songs to not include. Favorites include: Somebody Hates Me, Sell Out, and The Set Up (You Need This). And also the Take On Me cover, which incidentally is my favorite cover of all time.


26. Does This Look Infected? - Sum 41
I had a CD as a kid that had a big mish-mash of music of around this time, mostly pop punk. After discovering the full album many years later, I do quite like the album. It's still when Sum 41 got too serious for their own good, though it is noticeably heavier, darker, more minor than their previous album and a half. Less happy, though still quite good.
Favorites include: Hooch, The Hell Song, Thanks For Nothing

25. Eisenhower - The Slip
Got this album from a friend. I've been a huge fan of Even Rats since 2005, as it was on Guitar Hero, then it was on Rock Band. I got the album and the whole thing is pretty chill. I can really just kinda lean back and let the album pass through, or some time play some certain songs and really enjoy singing along. The songs are fairly differing from anything else I listen to, and sometimes fairly varied amongst themselves.
Favorites include: Paper Birds, Even Rats, If One of Us Should Fall

24. Mirrored - Battles
This is one of the few albums I've purchased on iTunes on a whim and have been wholly impressed with my purchase. Again, this is just an album that's so different than most things I listen to, I believe under the genre of "math rock." Everything's just so tight together, and even though almost all the lyrics are completely incomprehensible, it's just fun to jam out to the odd time signatures, the sporadic direction of the songs. Really, I just love how different everything is and how well it works together.
Favorites include: Rainbow, Tonto, Race-In



23. Chutes Too Narrow - The Shins
I had always heard of The Shins from a friend and have always been interested in finding some music from them. Picked this album up from a flea market and was pretty surprised with how much I enjoyed it. Though some songs do stand out as being great, it's certainly an album I enjoy listening to in its entirety.
Favorites include: Kissing the Lipless, Saint Simon, So Says I




22. Dookie - Green Day
This was a tough one. I knew I was gonna have at least one Green Day album. Almost was Warning or Nimrod, and though both are very good, I dunno. Really it's a toss up amongst the all four of their albums mentioned for being my favorite at the time. Today it happened to be Dookie.
Favorites include: Longview, Basket Case, Pulling Teeth





21. Showroom of Compassion - Cake
This is another entry that's kinda hard to explain. No it doesn't have The Distance or Shirt Skirt Long Jacket, or even Guitar or Waiting, but it's certainly an album that I like as a whole. Like Chutes Too Narrow, it's something that is less about the individual songs to me and more so of the album entirely. Though there are some songs I'll raise above the rest including: The Winter, Italian Guy, Teenage Pregnancy

20. Absolution - Muse
First Muse album I heard, and favorite with Black Holes and Revelations in close second. Six entries in, I certainly notice it's getting harder to explain exactly why I like it. It shouldn't be hard to figure out why somebody likes things, and if I need to explain why I like this album after listening to my favorite songs, I imagine it's difficult for you to understand a lot of things.
Favorites include: Blackout, Thoughts of a Dying Atheist, Hysteria.



19. This Addiction - Alkaline Trio
This was probably the latest entry on this. I only really started listening to this album this year, though it's however old now. Alkaline Trio churn out some good punk music that I like to listen to, song along to, play on whatever instruments.
Favorites include: Fine, Kick Rocks, Dead on the Floor

18. Train of Thought - Dream Theater
This is Dream Theater at their heaviest. Each song on the track averages to 10 minutes a song, and each one is just endless awesome, shreddery, kick ass-ery. My dad once described them as brute force with finesse, and I believe that's a perfectly appropriate way to describe them, as well as this album. It's got my favorite instrumental of all time, and the rest of the album kicks ass as well.
Favorites include: Stream of Consciousness, As I Am, Honor Thy Father

17. Hypnotize - System of a Down
This was pretty tough to choose, this almost was Toxicity, but I went for Hypnotize. I do really like System of a Down and still listen to them, even if they haven't released an album in 9 years. I'm eagerly awaiting their next one, if they ever decide to make it, given it's as good as what they've made before.
Favorites include: Tentative, Lonely Day, She's Like Heroin.

16. Mezmerize - System of a Down
Another tough choice for obvious reasons, and pretty similar to Hypnotize, which makes sense because they both were a double album. There's really not too much left to say. Love the album, love the band.
Favorites include: Question!, Violent Pornography, Lost in Hollywood.

15. Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
This is an album I got from a good friend of mine and became quite attached to even before watching the excellent TV show that it's partially based from. On its own, it holds up quite well. You don't need the context of the show to understand the wit. They're like Weird Al or Bo Burnham, incredibly talented musically, but also quite witty and clever with their lyrics. It works wonderfully.
Favorites include: Leggy Blonde, Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenocerous, Robots.


14. Cheer Up! - Reel Big Fish
This was an album I listened to a couple times many years ago, and then it had just been pretty good. Honestly, this album would not be on here had it not been for two songs, namely Drunk Again and Sayonara Señorita, the #8 and #9 songs on my top 100. Those songs are incredible, and I can always enjoy over and over and over. Sure, without em, the album would be good enough, but top 30 worthy.
Favorites include: Drunk Again, Sayonara Señorita, Valerie



13. No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls - Simple Plan
I get a little upset when people insinuate that one's too old too enjoy certain music. I'm still a kid at heart, and some of the first songs I really listened to over and over came from this album. I really do enjoy silly pop-punk like this, and I don't give a toss what anyone tells me, I'm still singing along to the songs on this album.
Favorites Include: Addicted, You Don't Mean Anything, One Day




12. Paper Walls - Yellowcard
I'm glad I took the time to hear more Yellowcard past the song Ocean Avenue. Heard it on the radio and always liked it, but never took the time to really pick out and listen to their albums. And wow, have I been missing out. I finally got most of their albums about a year and a half ago, and, yeah, they're all pretty good. Like this one. This one's really damn good. I don't know, it's pop punk/alternative that manages to sound more than just pop fluff, and though pop fluff may not necessarily be a bad thing (hint hint), it manages to be catchy but at the same time seem to be intricate than other albums.
Favorites include: Cut Me, Mick, The Takedown, Paper Walls




11. Weezer (Blue) - Weezer
Oh, Weezer. How your early albums are so wonderful. I do enjoy blue, it's clean, it's catchy, it's just... It's wonderful. And you should know that.
Favorites include: Only In Dreams, Undone (The Sweater Song), Holiday

10. Ocean Avenue - Yellowcard
Yeah, yeah, it's certainly a bit more poppy than Paper Walls, but every song is so catchy and fun to listen to. Something about it, almost every song I just want to sing along with. It's a great, fun album. Favorites include: Life of a Salesman, Miles Apart, Ocean Avenue






9. Enema of the State - Blink-182
This is another entry that was kinda tough. This was kinda close with their eponymous album, another album that could probably be on this list on another day, but I really enjoy every song on this album, while there are a small number on Blink that I'm not as hot about. The album is a wonderful listen, even if I did get it some 8-10 years after it was released.
Favorites include: Dysentery Gary, Adam's Song, The Party Song




8. From Here To Infirmary - Alkaline Trio
It's getting really hard for me to think of things to say about some of these albums. Like hell, what can I say about this album? Uhmm... Armageddon is on Tony Hawk's Underground, and that's cool. Private Eye is in Watch Dogs, and that's cool too. About the album though? Well, all the songs are good, fun listens whenever.
Favorites include: Mr. Chainsaw, Steamer Trunk, Stupid Kid

7. Goddammit - Alkaline Trio
Almost had this swapped with 8, but I bumped this higher because I just love the kind of rough, frantic, but controlled nature of the entire album, save the acoustic songs, and though they never feel particularly clean, I like that about this album. And the drumming on this album is absolutely fantastic. I heard this album was produced in a week with a thousand bucks. If that's true, I have an insane amount of respect for the band and the album. And if not, I still do.
Favorites Include: Cringe, Sorry About That, My Little Needle

6. Pinkerton - Weezer
Much like with entries 8 and 9, I tossed this above the other Weezer album partially because of how much more rough it sounds, it sounds more, I don't know, natural maybe? Less studio, less processed, more raw. And I love that. Not to mention some songs just feel relatable. SOME songs, not all. Obviously not anything like The Good Life or Tired of Sex. But you know what I mean.
Favorites include: Pink Triangle, Falling For You, Across the Sea



5. Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
This album has some damn killer songs. All the songs are good, yes, but a good handful just make you wanna sing at the top of your lungs. Because they're just so damn catchy and beautiful and Gerard Way has the best voice. Side note, Teenagers, great song, I absolutely hate hearing it on the radio or censored, chorus is just super annoying.
Favorites include: Dead!, Welcome to the Black Parade, Sleep




4. Costello Music - The Fratellis
I got this album because I heard a couple of they're songs. They were catchy, and I really liked em. I listened to the entire album. EVERY song was like that. Even the lesser songs are still pretty good. EVERYTHING is good on this album. Kinda makes it confusing why it's at 4, but while everything's good, it doesn't quite evoke as much emotions as the top albums. Great album though.
Favorites include: Creeping Up the Backstairs, Flathead, For the Girl



3. Take Off Your Pants and Jacket - Blink-182
Much like Enema, but I heard this one first and more frequently. I listened to it once through and knew then that it would be something I listen to frequently. Each song was so catchy, each one was such fun. I still listen to it on occasion, though usually not completely through. Still love it though. And the points I made on the Simple Plan album apply as well.
Favorites include: First Date, The Rock Show, Rollercoaster, as well as the real songs on any of the deluxe versions.



2. Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory - Dream Theater
This was also an early album I heard, first hearing Beyond This Life. I was blown away by it, so intense all throughout its 11 minute run. I listened to the whole album, and it was also my first experience with a concept album, one that I enjoy, even if the ending doesn't really make sense. Someone once described Dream Theater as something along the lines of brutal finesse, and I wholeheartedly agree. There's a lot of power in some of these songs, but each one is so tight from every performer. So good.
Favorites include: Beyond This Life, Fatal Tragedy, Overture 1928



1. All Killer, No Filler - Sum 41
It's fitting, number 1 favorite song comes from my number 1 favorite album. This is a lot like Take Off, but I heard it later. I listened to it once through and noticed that every song is really good, really, REALLY good. I can listen to each one over and over without getting bored of it. It's upbeat, it's fun, it's energetic. I love it.
Favorites include: Fat Lip, Rhythms, Summer

So there it is, my favorite albums. From this, you can probably gauge my musical interests, if any genre were to be under represented, it's pop music, I do enjoy good pop music. Some other albums that didn't quite make the cut, Nimrod, Warning, Young and the Hopeless, Avenged Sevenfold, Half Hour of Power, Blink-182, Southern Air, Toxicity, Boston, Hemispheres, and many others.

Top 100 Songs!

Yes, top songs, favorite songs of ALL TIME. I posted this some time ago on Facebook, but that's annoying, so I oughta repost it here. I also forgot some things, and some things changed, so let's get to it!

100. Summer Girls - LFO
99. Plush - Stone Temple Pilots
98. That's Life - Frank Sinatra
97. Right Now - SR-71
96. Geek USA - Smashing Pumpkins
95. La Villa Strangiato - Rush
94. Boombox - The Lonely Island
93. Why Do I Keep Counting? - The Killers
92. Movies - Alien Ant Farm
91. Stonehenge - Spinal Tap

90. From The Hips - Cursive
89. War Pigs - Black Sabbath
88. I Feel Fantastic - Jonathan Coulton
87. Salieri Strikes Back - Warmen (GH video here)
86. Smooth Criminal (cover) - Alien Ant Farm
85. Southern Air - Yellowcard
84. Mayonnaise - Smashing Pumpkins
83. Invalid Litter Dept. - At The Drive-In
82. Play With Me - Extreme
81. Sorry About That - Alkaline Trio

80. The Approaching Curve - Rise Against
79. The Trees - Rush
78. The Winter - Cake
77. (Hold On) Don't Tell Me That It's Over - Blink-182
76. Pick Up The Pieces - Riddlin' Kids
75. No One Knows - Queens of the Stone Age (GH video here)
74. Anything - An Endless Sporadic
73. Steamer Trunk - Alkaline Trio
72. Maze - Phish
71. Take On Me (cover) - Reel Big Fish

70. The Kids Aren't All Right - The Offspring
69. Superman - Goldfinger
68. Paper Walls - Yellowcard
67. Kings and Queens - 30 Seconds to Mars
66. Internal Cannon - August Burns Red
65. Savior - Rise Against (GH video here)
64. Afterlife - Avenged Sevenfold
63. Eternal Bloom - An Endless Sporadic
62. L'Via L'Vasquez - The Mars Volta
61. In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 - Coheed and Cambria

60. Words, Words, Words - Bo Burnham
59. Unconditional - The Bravery
58. Octavarium - Dream Theater
57. Homecoming - Green Day
56. Somebody Hates Me - Reel Big Fish
55. Nottingham Lace - Buckethead
54. Warriors of Time - Black Tide
53. Jordan - Buckethead
52. Adam's Song - Blink-182
51. Around The World - Red Hot Chili Peppers

50. Flathead - The Fratellis
49. Fall Back Down - Rancid
48. Thoughts of a Dying Atheist - Muse
47. Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
46. Beast and the Harlot - Avenged Sevenfold
45. Speak of the Devil - Sum 41
44. Last Ride In - Green Day
43. Hardware Store - Weird Al
42. Hangar 18 - Megadeth
41. Falling For You - Weezer

40. The Takedown - Yellowcard
39. Creepin Up The Backstairs - The Fratellis
38. Hooch - Sum 41
37. Leggy Blonde - Flight of the Conchords36. Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead
35. Brodyquest - Lemon Demon
34. Fury of the Storm - Dragonforce
33. Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous - Good Charlotte
32. Autotune the News 5: Smoking Lettuce - Schmoyoho/The Gregory Brothers
31. Rhythms - Sum 41

30. Dysentary Gary - Blink-182
29. Mr. Chainsaw - Alkaline Trio
28. Addicted - Simple Plan
27. Chop Suey! - System of a Down
26. Blackout - Muse
25. Feeling This - Blink-182
24. Pink Triangle - Weezer
23. '97 - Alkaline Trio
22. Life of a Salesman - Yellowcard
21. Searching For Atlantis - Random

20. Only In Dreams - Weezer
19. Dead! - My Chemical Romance (GH video here)
18. Summer - Sum 41
17. Cut Me, Mick - Yellowcard
16. A Little Piece of Heaven - Avenged Sevenfold
15. Helena - My Chemical Romance
14. Question! - System of a Down
13. Stan - Eminem
12. Paper Birds - The Slip
11. Erase Me - Kid Cudi ft. Kanye West

10. Drunk Again - Reel Big Fish
9. Sayonara Señorita - Reel Big Fish
8. Selkies: The Endless Obsession - Between the Buried and Me
7. Beyond This Life - Dream Theater
6. Radio - Alkaline Trio
5. Fine - Alkaline Trio
4. A Better Place, A Better Time - Streetlight Manifesto
3. First Date - Blink-182
2. Stream of Consciousness - Dream Theater
1. Fat Lip - Sum 41

All entries are subject to change. It is interesting that I have 3 artists with 2 songs in the top ten, 5 in the top 20.

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.