Now that the Grammys, the BRITs, and all of the big music award shows celebrating 2012 are over, it’s time to start tracking the Top Songs of 2013. The year is still young, but already we’ve seen noteworthy hits from superstars and new artists alike.
Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars are among the big names who released albums late last year that have continued to produce hits well into 2013. The big comeback story this year is Justin Timberlake, who has stolen the headlines with his ‘The 20/20 Experience’ album, but Mariah Carey also returned with an excellent new soundtrack song.
Count along with PopCrush as we run down the top songs of 2013 so far.
'One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)'
One Direction
Updating a new wave classic for the modern age, One Direction amped upBlondie's 'One Way or Another' with some boy band spirit and a little youthful urgency. We can't imagine that 1D would have to work that hard to win over someone they really like, but apparently some silly girls are playing hard to get. 1D respond by promising they're "gonna getcha, getcha, getcha, getcha." Best of all, proceeds from this top song of 2013 went to support the Comic Relief charity.
'Clown'
Emeli Sande
As with One Direction, Ed Sheeran and a number of other U.K. acts,Emeli Sande didn’t catch on with American audiences immediately, but once they heard enough of her music, they embraced it. The singer’s debut ‘Our Version of Events’ was the biggest-selling album of 2012 in Britain and earned two BRIT Awards. A standout from the album is ‘Clown,’ a ballad about her struggles trying to secure a record deal without feeling like she was selling out, especially when labels were having trouble figuring out how they could market her.
'Thrift Shop'
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Feat. Wanz
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis scored the surprise hip-hop smash of early 2013 with their ode to finding discarded treasure in the second-hand store. While Lewis spins an unstoppable beat and Wanz provides the baritone hook, Macklemore spits about scoring fox furs, zebra pajamas, a velour jumpsuit and a broken keyboard. The Seattle rapper made an intentional decision to contradict the typical hip-hop themes of living large and spending millions, and it worked out as fans everywhere embraced the tribute to budget living.
'Heart Attack'
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato doesn’t want to let herself fall in love, but she’s struggling to resist the charms of one particular guy. That’s the story behind ‘Heart Attack,’ the lead single from her next record. Supported by acoustic guitar and thumping electronic hand claps, the ‘X Factor’ judge sings, “Puttin’ my defenses up / ‘Cause I don’t wanna fall in love / If I ever did that / I think I’d have a heart attack.” Our favorite moment is when she brags that when it comes to guys, “I can play ‘em like a Ken doll.”
'When I Was Your Man'
Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars has a lot of regrets in ‘When I Was Your Man,’ when he thinks back to a special girl who moved on to another guy. Mars sings that he didn’t mistreat her, but he didn’t go out of his way to make her feel special. “I should’ve bought you flowers / And held your hand / Shoulda gave you all my hours / When I had the chance,” he sings. The song was the second straight Top 5 hit from the Hawaiian crooner’s ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’ album.
'Started From the Bottom'
Drake
As one of the hottest MCs in the game, with multiplatinum records and a recent Grammy Award for Best Rap Album on his resume, Drake has earned the right to look back and marvel at his success. Next up on our list of the Top Songs of 2013 is Drizzy’s autobiographical ‘Started From the Bottom,’ which chronicles his journey growing up from a modest background in Toronto to becoming an international hip-hop superstar.
'22'
Taylor Swift
For the fourth single from her ‘Red’ album, Taylor Swift chose to release one of the poppiest songs of her career, ’22,’ a joyous anthem about being carefree while she's young. She does just that in the music video, dancing around with her girlfriends, hanging out on the beach at sunset, bouncing around on trampolines and partying late into the night. Swift sums it up: "We're happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time / It's miserable and magical."
'Almost Home'
Mariah Carey
It's been a while since Queen Mariah unleashed a soaring, inspirational ballad like those she ruled the pop charts with in the '90s, but 'Almost Home' fits the bill. She's singing to the masses on the Stargate-produced track written for the film 'Oz the Great and Powerful.' The tune's appeal is due to its universal message and Carey's strong vocals. She explains, "It’s a feel-good record. It gives you the feeling of reaching your home and being with people that you love."
'Mirrors'
Justin Timberlake
Critical reception to Justin Timberlake’s comeback single ‘Suit & Tie’ was mixed, but even those who didn’t appreciate the retro soul track seemed to enjoy JT’s next offering, ‘Mirrors.’ The crooner sings that he’s found his soulmate: “It’s like you’re my mirror / My mirror staring back at me / I couldn’t get any bigger / With anyone else beside me.” The eight-minute track ends with three minutes of falsetto cooing, reminding listeners that Justin is still the king of modern soul-pop.
'Stay'
Rihanna Feat. Mikky Ekko
Rihanna leads our list of the Top Songs of 2013, a familiar position for an artist who’s used to hitting No. 1. Normally RiRi makes us dance, but ‘Stay’ is a vulnerable ballad using little more than piano and vocals to describe a tortured relationship. The song introduces the world to the voice of Mikky Ekko, who co-wrote the track, and features one of Rihanna’s most impressive vocal performances as she reveals a more personal and intimate side.
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