The Best Pop Music of 2013
A blog discussing the best pop music of 2013.
Introduction
This year has seen the release of some great pop albums, including Miley Cyrus’ “Bangerz,” Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience” and Lady Gaga’s “ARTPOP.” But what are the best pop songs of 2013?
Here’s a look at 10 of the best:
1. “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams
2. “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell
3. “Royals” by Lorde
4. “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake
5. “Roar” by Katy Perry
6. “Applause” by Lady Gaga
7. “#Selfie” by the Chainsmokers
8. “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus
9. “Hold On, We’re Going Home” by Drake feat. Majid Jordan
10. “Holy Grail” by Jay-Z feat. Justin Timberlake
Best Pop Songs of 2013
2013 was a great year for pop music. There were a lot of catchy, well-produced songs that topped the charts. In this article, we’ll countdown the best pop songs of 2013. These are the songs that we just couldn’t get enough of.
“Get Lucky” by Daft Punk
“Get Lucky” by Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers was one of the biggest hits of 2013. The song topped the charts in over 30 countries and was nominated for multiple Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
“Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke
“Blurred Lines” is a single written and performed by American recording artists Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams. The song was produced by Thicke and Williams themselves. It was released on March 26, 2013 through Star Trak Entertainment. The song has been called “the song of the summer” by many music critics, due to its heavy airplay and sales during the season.
The song’s music video was directed by Diane Martel, who also directed the music videos for Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” and Maroon 5’s “Misery”. The video features Thicke, Williams and T.I. alone in a room, with various women dancing around them; it has been criticized as being misogynistic.
“Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons
“Radioactive” is a song recorded 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 April 2, 2012 and then released to mainstream radio on April 10, 2012. The song became a sleeper hit by peaking in the top five of several music charts worldwide during 2013, including the Billboard Hot 100 where it peaked at number three. It has sold over 5 million copies in the United States as of September 2014.
The song’s unexpected success made Imagine Dragons one of the year’s biggest breakout acts. “Radioactive” won two MTV Video Music Awards for Best Rock Video and Best Visual Effects, a Grammy Award for Record of the Year, and two American Music Awards for Favorite Alternative Artist and Favorite Rock Artist. “Radioactive” received generally positive reviews from critics; many praised it as a highlight of Night Visions and praised its composition and apocalyptic lyrics. The song has been certified septuple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
“Royals” by Lorde
“Royals” is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde from her debut extended play, The Love Club EP (2012). It was later included on her debut studio album, Pure Heroine (2013). The song was written by Lorde and Joel Little and produced by Little. It was released digitally in the United States and Australia on 8 June 2013 and in New Zealand on 9 June 2013. Musically, “Royals” is an art pop song with hip hop influences. The lyrics present a critical view of the luxurious lifestyle of contemporary artists.
Reception towards “Royals” was positive; critics praised its minimal production and clever lyrics. The song attained commercial success worldwide, peaking atop the record charts of many countries including Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. In the US, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100—becoming both Lorde’s first US top 40 single as well as her first US number one single—and finished 2013 as Billboard’s year-end number one song. Jim Farber of Entertainment Weekly praised its lyrical content for being “insightful beyond her years”. It also won numerous awards including Grammy Awards for Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance and Record of the Year; a Brit Award for Best British Single; being nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.
A music video directed by Joel Kefali was released on 13 September 2013. It depicted Lorde in various settings such as fields and forests while several young people lipsync to parts of the song’s lyrics. A remix produced by electronic musician Disclosure helped increase its popularity in Europe where it reached number three beginning December 2013 before topping their countries’ official singles charts early 2014 following heavy airplay from various radio stations.”Royals” achieved commercial success worldwide, selling over 10 million copies worldwide as of November 2014.”
“Wake Me Up” by Avicii
“Wake Me Up” is a song by Swedish DJ and electronic musician Avicii, released as the lead single from his debut studio album True on 17 June 2013. The track was written by Avicii, Mike Einziger of American rock band Incubus, and Aloe Blacc. American soul singer Etta James sampled lyrics from Blacc’s “Wake Me Up” for her 1961 hit “Something’s Got a Hold on Me”.
The song is a hybrid genre of electronic dance music, folk, and country music. It features guitar and live drums in the drop, while its verses are carried by piano; Wrethov and Vincent Pontare provided the vocals. Critics were positive towards the song’s meshing of genres, as well as its production and Blacc’s vocal performance. Commercially, “Wake Me Up” peaked atop the record charts of more than 20 countries including Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom; it also became Avicii’s first single to top the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. The music video was nominated for a 2014 MTV Video Music Award.
In an interview with Digital Spy on 3 June 2013 about “Wake Me Up”, Avicii said: “‘Wake Me Up’ is one of those songs that you can’t help but sing along to. It has such a summery vibe that just makes you happy.” He also said: “”It has a really interesting mix – kind of country-influenced but electronic as well – which I don’t think anyone has done before.”
On 16 April 2013 Avicii premiered “Wake Me Up!” during an exclusive iTunes Session at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The song was later released on 17 June 2013 as the lead single from his debut studio album True.[citation needed] Speaking about how he wanted to incorporate country style elements with electronic dance music rhythms he said:
With ‘Wake Me Up,’ I wanted to experiment with something different from what people would expect with an EDM artist… so I started playing around with acoustic guitars combined with house rhythm – kind of like folk house or country house.
Best Pop Albums of 2013
It’s been an amazing year for pop music. We’ve seen comebacks from some of our favorite artists, as well as debut albums from fresh new faces on the scene. The pop landscape is more varied and interesting than ever before, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Here are our picks for the best pop albums of 2013.
“Pure Heroine” by Lorde
2013 was an incredible year for pop music, with established artists like Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga releasing some of their best work to date, and relative newcomers like Lorde and
The Chainsmokers breaking onto the scene with fresher sounds. It was tough to narrow it down, but we’ve compiled a list of what we think are the best pop albums of 2013.
“Pure Heroine” by Lorde was one of the most acclaimed albums of the year, praised for its smart lyrics and unique sound. The album’s lead single, “Royals,” was an instant smash hit, propelling Lorde to superstardom. Other stand-out tracks include “Team” and “Tennis Court.”
“Unorthodox Jukebox” by Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars’ second album, Unorthodox Jukebox, was released in December 2012 and instantly rocketed to the top of the charts. The album is a collection of both up-tempo and ballad-style songs that showcase Mars’ incredible range as a singer. Highlights include the first single, “Locked Out of Heaven,” as well as “When I Was Your Man,” “Treasure,” and “Gorilla.” Unorthodox Jukebox is a must-have for any pop music fan.
“The 20/20 Experience” by Justin Timberlake
With “The 20/20 Experience,” Justin Timberlake proved he was not just a former boy bander, but a bonafide R&B superstar. The album’s first single, “Suit & Tie,” was a sultry slow jam that harkened back to the golden age of ’90s R&B. The follow-up single, “Mirrors,” was an eight-minute epic about the power of love, and it quickly became Timberlake’s biggest hit to date. “The 20/20 Experience” also featured the singles “Take Back the Night” and “TKO.”
“Random Access Memories” by Daft Punk
“Random Access Memories” is the fourth studio album by French electronic music duo Daft Punk, released on May 21, 2013 by Daft Life and Columbia Records. The album pays tribute to the late 1970s and early 1980s disco and pop music, particularly that of French band Les Rita Mitsouko and Italian group Goblin. It features collaborations with Nile Rodgers, Paul Williams, Giorgio Moroder, Julian Casablancas, Todd Edwards, Panda Bear, Pharaoh Sanders, and The Strokes lead singer Julian Casablancas.
Critical reception to “Random Access Memories” was positive. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 87, based on 47 reviews. Reviewers praised its compositions and themes. Some reviewers criticized its length and felt that it sounded too similar to Daft Punk’s previous work. The album won five Grammy Awards: Album of the Year; Best Pop Vocal Album; Best Dance/Electronica Album; Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical; and Record of the Year for “Get Lucky”.
“Yeezus” by Kanye West
“Yeezus” is the sixth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on June 18, 2013, by Def Jam Recordings. West gathered a number of artists and close collaborators for production on the album, including Mike Dean, Daft Punk, Noah Goldstein, Arca, Hudson Mohawke, and Travis Scott. The album also features guest vocals from Justin Vernon, Chief Keef, Kid Cudi, Assassin, Frank Ocean, and Bonnie McKee.
Initially projected to be a collaboration between West and former label boss Jay-Z as a sequel to their 2011 album Watch the Throne (2011), recording for “Yeezus” began in early 2013 at various studios in Europe and America. Despite its evoke of minimalism on its sleeve and sessions said to have involved only five tracks at one stage during production; “Yeezus” features a dense soundscape incorporating elements of industrial music with samples from West’s previous work. Lyrically it addresses themes of excess and celebrity found in several tracks such as “I Am a God”, while other songs like “Black Skinhead” express observations on race in America.
Released to critical acclaim “Yeezus” peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 selling 327 copies in its first week. It generated mostly positive reviews with an average rating of 87 out of 100 on Metacritic although some critics found its lyrical content uninspired and disagreed over whether it is innovative musically. The album was ranked as one of the best albums of 2013 by several publications including Time magazine, Pitchfork Media and Complex magazine.”
Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the best pop music of 2013. This has been a great year for pop music, with many new artists breaking through and established artists continuing to released great music. We’re looking forward to seeing what 2014 has in store for pop music!
