Best Pop Music of 2013
A look at the best pop music of 2013, including hits from Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
Introduction
In 2013, the pop music landscape was as varied as ever, with a hearty mix of established superstars and fresh-faced up-and-comers dropping some of the year’s best music.
For evidence of the former, look no further than Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and went on to be named one of the year’s best albums by Time magazine. Timberlake also took home four Grammy Awards, including Best Pop Vocal Album.
Other veteran artists who released excellent pop albums in 2013 include Bruno Mars (who earned himself a Grammy for “Unorthodox Jukebox”), Katy Perry (whose “Roar” was one of the year’s biggest hits), Lady Gaga (who continued to cement her place as one of pop music’s most innovative stars with “ARTPOP”), and Miley Cyrus (who surprised everyone with her critically acclaimed album “Bangerz”).
There were also plenty of excellent debut albums from new artists in 2013, including Haim (whose breezy California pop sound won them legions of fans), Lorde (a teenage New Zealand singer-songwriter whose unique style turned her into an overnight sensation), and Imagine Dragons (a Las Vegas-based rock band whose anthemic single “Radioactive” became one of the year’s biggest hits).
In short, it was another great year for pop music, and these are just a few of the many reasons why.
The Best Pop Songs of 2013
It’s been a great year for pop music, with a wide variety of hits from different artists. Here are some of the best pop songs of 2013.
“Get Lucky” by Daft Punk
“Get Lucky” is a song by French electronic music duo Daft Punk, featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers. It was released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Random Access Memories (2013). Prior to its release, “Get Lucky” was previewed on The Collaborators series on BBC Radio 1. The single topped the charts in more than 30 countries worldwide and became one of the best-selling songs of 2013, with sales of more than 9.5 million copies.
The song’s music video was directed by Daft Punk and released in May 2013. The video features a cameo appearance by American actor Bruce Willis. The song won two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Record of the Year.
“Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke
“Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke is one of the best pop songs of 2013. The song was released in March of 2013 and has since been one of the most popular songs of the year. The song features a catchy beat and lyrics that are sure to get stuck in your head. “Blurred Lines” is a great pop song that you can’t help but dance to.
“Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons
“Radioactive” is a song by American rock band Imagine Dragons for their major-label debut EP Continued Silence and later on their debut studio album Night Visions, as the opening track. “Radioactive” was first sent to modern rock radio on October 29, 2012 and topped the Billboard Alternative Songs chart for 12 weeks, becoming the fifth song to spend at least 12 weeks on top of the Alternative Songs chart and tying with Muse’s 2006 single “Supermassive Black Hole”. The song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, their first to enter the top ten. It stayed there for 23 weeks. It is Imagine Dragons’ most successful single to date. The song has sold more than 7 million copies in the United States as of September 2015.
In early 2013, “Radioactive” won two Grammy Awards for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song. Worldwide, it was Imagine Dragons’ best-selling single of 2013 with 12.6 million copies sold that year.
“Royals” by Lorde
Nineteen-year-old New Zealand native Lorde exploded onto the international music scene in 2013 with her anthem “Royals.” The song is a biting critique of the celebrity and materialism-obsessed culture that Lorde saw around her, set to a minimalist production of beats and synths. “Royals” topped the charts in numerous countries and remains one of the most iconic pop songs of the 2010s.
“Roar” by Katy Perry
“Roar” is a song by American singer Katy Perry for her fourth studio album, Prism (2013). It was released as the lead single from the album on August 10, 2013. Perry co-wrote the song with Bonnie McKee and its producers Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Cirkut. It is a midtempo pop rock track incorporating elements of arena rock and lyrics centering on standing up for oneself and taking control.
Critical response to “Roar” was generally positive; many praised its production and Perry’s vocal performance while others criticized its lyrical content. The song debuted at number 84 on the US Billboard Hot 100; it became Perry’s 32nd top 40 single in the country, and peaked at number two. It also topped charts in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Lebanon, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal and Sweden while reaching the top three in Czech Republic and Spain. “Roar” has sold over 7 million copies worldwide.
An accompanying music video was released on September 5, 2013. It features Perry trying to adapt to the jungle where she survives a tiger attack before stumbling upon an indigenous tribe. The video garnered generally positive reviews from critics who praised its humor; some note references to Shot caller The Hunger Games book series while others identify influences from The Truman Show (1998) and Apocalypse Now (1979). It won Video of the Year at MTV Europe Music Awards 2013 as well as Best Female Video best pop video at MTV Video Music Awards 2013 where it became nominated for eight additional awards including Video of the Year. Additionally., “Roar” won Best Single at European Music Awards 2013.’
The Best Pop Albums of 2013
It’s been a great year for pop music and there have been some amazing albums released in 2013. In this article, we’ll take a look at the best pop albums of 2013. We’ll be looking at a variety of factors including the quality of the songs, the popularity of the album, and the critical reception.
“Pure Heroine” by Lorde
Taking the music world by storm in 2013, New Zealand-born artist Lorde released her debut album “Pure Heroine” to critical and commercial acclaim. The album, which featured the hit single “Royals,” was a dark and atmospheric take on pop music that differed significantly from the mainstream sound of the time. Lorde’s unique voice and lyrical prowess made “Pure Heroine” one of the year’s best pop albums, and established her as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.
“Unorthodox Jukebox” by Bruno Mars
2013 was an excellent year for pop music, and Bruno Mars’ “Unorthodox Jukebox” was one of the best pop albums of the year. The album features a mix of up-tempo and ballad-style songs, all of which are delivered with Mars’ signature style.
“Locked Out of Heaven” is the album’s lead single, and it’s a catchy, up-tempo track that sets the tone for the rest of the album. “Treasure” and “Moonshine” are two more upbeat tracks that will get your toes tapping, while “When I Was Your Man” is a heartfelt ballad that will have you reaching for the tissues.
So if you’re looking for an album that will make you smile, dance and maybe even cry, then look no further than Bruno Mars’ “Unorthodox Jukebox.”
“The 20/20 Experience” by Justin Timberlake
As Justin Timberlake’s first album in seven years, “The 20/20 Experience” was one of the most highly anticipated records of 2013. The album did not disappoint, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and becoming Timberlake’s second consecutive chart-topping album. “The 20/20 Experience” was also a critical success, with many reviewers hailing it as a return to form for the pop star. Featuring the hit singles “Suit & Tie” and “Mirrors,” “The 20/20 Experience” is one of the best pop albums of 2013.
“Random Access Memories” by Daft Punk
“Random Access Memories” by Daft Punk topped many best of 2013 lists and was one of the most successful albums of the year. The album features collaborations with some of the biggest names in music, including Nile Rodgers, Julian Casablancas, Pharrell Williams, and Panda Bear. Daft Punk’s careful blend of classical and electronic elements resulted in an album that was both grounded in pop tradition and innovative in its sound.
“Prism” by Katy Perry
“Prism” is the fourth studio album by American singer Katy Perry. It was released on October 18, 2013, by Capitol Records. While the album was initially planned to be “darker” than her previous material, Prism ultimately became a prominently pop record. musically carrying on the themes present in its predecessors. Its lyrical content revolves around teenage love, self-reflection, and heartbreak. Recording for Prism officially began in 2012, following her embarkment on The California Dreams Tour, with production completed in 2013.
Prior to its release, Perry chose to lead with the album’s eponymous single “Roar” instead of its promotional single “Dark Horse”. The decision was made due to the latter’s commercial underperformance in comparison to the success of its predecessor “California Gurls”, as well as due to the song having a similar sound to that of her previous material. Upon its release, Prism received generally mixed reviews from music critics; some praised Perry’s change in direction while others criticized it as being unoriginal and formulaic. However, many critics did commend Perry for writing all thirteen tracks on Prism despite co-writing only four out of thirteen tracks on her previous effort Teenage Dream (2010).
The album debuted atop Billboard 200 with 286,000 sales in its first week—making it Perry’s second album after Teenage Dream (2010) to do so—and has since sold over 4 million copies worldwide. It also became her fastest-selling album in the United Kingdom; debuting atop the UK Albums Chart with sales exceeding 85,000 copies . The opening week sales also made Prism one of only three albums (the others being Led Zeppelin IV and Red) that have sold more than 280 thousand copies within their first week of availability without debuting at number one on Billboard 200 chart during the SoundScan era (since 1991). To promote the album globally, Perry embarked upon The Prismatic World Tour throughout much of 2015 throughout 2016.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, 2013 was a great year for pop music. There were plenty of catchy, danceable tunes to keep us entertained, and we can’t wait to see what next year has in store. Thanks for reading, and be sure to check out our other Best of 2013 lists!
