2013 in Review

2013 was partly defined by big releases by both returning and debuting artists in the pop world.

Daft Punk’s return after eight years brought Random Access Memories and mega-hit “Get Lucky,” which, along with “Happy” and “Blurred Lines” gave Pharrell one heck of a year. The return of Justin Timberlake came with his first two album releases since 2006, and a handful of singles, like “Mirror” and lead single “Suit & Tie.” The latter boosted Jay-Z back into the spotlight, and helped him launch his first solo record since 2009. And Paramore’s self-titled record was their first since 2009. 

For debuts, “Royals” by Lorde, “Take Me To Church” by Hozier, “Latch” was a sleeper hit for Disclosure as their first record came out. HAIM, Fitz and The Tantrums, CHVRCHES also put out their debut records. In hip-hop, Run The Jewels joined forces officially. 

There’s a long list of classic records from 2013 as well – Modern Vampires of the City, Yeezus, AM, Trouble Will Find Me, and …Like Clockwork, to name a few that had lasting impacts. 

Songs of the year

2013 Albums

AlbumArtistStarsScoreGenre
…Like ClockworkQueens of the Stone Age★★★★★97RockAlternative Rock
Modern Vampires of the CityVampire Weekend★★★★★95RockIndie PopChamber Pop
SettleDisclosure★★★★½92ElectronicHouseSynthpop
Trouble Will Find MeThe National★★★★87RockAlternative RockChamber Pop
Random Access MemoriesDaft Punk★★★★86ElectronicDance-PopDisco
YeezusKanye West★★★★81Hip-HopAlternative Hip-HopElectronic R&B
Pure HeroineLorde★★★★80PopIndie Pop
Run The JewelsRun The Jewels★★★★80Hip-Hop
6 Feet Beneath The MoonKing Krule★★★½78RockJazz RockAlternative R&B
OvergrownJames Blake★★★½75ElectronicR&B
ReflektorArcade Fire★★★½73RockArt RockAlternative Dance
AMArctic Monkeys★★★½73RockAlternative Rock
Night Time, My TimeSky Ferreira★★★½72PopIndie PopSynthpop
Cupid DeluxeBlood Orange★★★½72Hip-HopIndie PopNeo-Soul
Push the Sky AwayNick Cave & The Bad Seeds★★★½72RockArt RockChamber Pop
Days are GoneHaim★★★½72RockIndie Pop
Holy FireFoals★★★½70RockAlternative Rock
IndigoismUnderachievers★★★69Hip-Hop
ImmunityJon Hopkins★★★69ElectronicAmbientIDM
Bankrupt!Phoenix★★★67RockIndie PopSynthpop
Tomorrow’s HarvestBoards of Canada★★★66ElectronicAmbient
Cold Spring Fault Less YouthMount Kimbie★★★66ElectronicArt Pop
SunbatherDeafheaven★★★65RockMetalPost-Metal
Because The InternetChildish Gambino★★★64Hip-Hop
Heart MurmursJeremy Messersmith★★★63RockPop Rock
MonomaniaDeerhunter★★★63RockPsychedelic RockIndie Rock
Acid RapChance the Rapper★★★63Hip-Hop
The Bones of What You BelieveCHVRCHES★★★63ElectronicIndie PopSynthpop
IIModerat★★★63ElectronicHouseIDM
Nothing Was The SameDrake★★★63Hip-HopR&B
The Electric LadyJanelle Monae★★★60PopR&BNeo-Soul
Long.Live.A$APA$AP Rocky★★★60Hip-Hop
AMOKAtoms For Peace★★½57ElectronicAlternative Rock
Grownass ManThe Shouting Matches★★½55RockAlternative RockIndie Folk
The 20/20 ExperienceJustin Timberlake★★½55PopR&B
Lightning BoltPearl Jam★★½53RockAlternative Rock
Shaking the HabitualThe Knife★★½53ElectronicAlternative RockExperimental
Same Trailer Different ParkKasey Musgraves★★½52CountryCountry Pop
DorisEarl Sweatshirt★★½52Hip-Hop
ParamoreParamore★★½51RockPop RockPop Punk
BeyonceBeyonce★★½50PopR&B
Magna Carta Holy GrailJay Z★★½50Hip-Hop
MatangiM.I.A.★★½50ElectronicAlternative Hip-Hop
ApocalypseThundercat★★½50ElectronicR&BNeo-Soul
I Want To See Pulaski at NightAndrew Bird★★½50RockIndie PopChamber Pop
More than Just A DreamFitz and the Tantrums★★½50RockIndie PopSynthpop
MelophobiaCage the Elephant★★½50RockAlternative Rock
Wakin On a Pretty DazeKurt Vile★★48RockAlternative RockIndie Rock
ShulamithPolica★★46RockIndie PopSynthpop
True RomanceCharli XCX★★46PopElectropop
HeartthrobTegan and Sara★★45RockIndie PopSynthpop
My Name is My NamePusha T★★49Hip-Hop
Tape IYoung Fathers★★45Hip-HopAlternative Hip-HopNeo-Soul
Tape IIYoung Fathers★★44Hip-HopAlternative Hip-HopNeo-Soul
OldDanny Brown★★44Hip-Hop
BangerzMiley Cyrus★★43PopR&B
Born SinnerJ. Cole★★43Hip-Hop
WolfTyler The Creator★★43Hip-Hop
The Invisible WayLow★★42RockAlternative RockIndie Folk
Cerulean SaltWaxahatchee★★42RockAlternative RockIndie Rock
Retired from Sad, New Career in BusinessMitski★★41RockIndie Pop
Parts of SpeechDessa★★41Hip-HopAlternative Hip-Hop
MosquitoYeah Yeah Yeahs★½39RockAlternative Rock
The GiftedWale★½39Hip-Hop
Comedown MachineThe Strokes★½34RockAlternative RockIndie Rock
ArtpopLady Gaga★½30PopElectropop
I Am Not A Human Being IILil Wayne★29Hip-Hop
The Marshall Mathers LP 2Eminem★23Hip-Hop

50 Best Songs

  1. I Appear Missing – Queens of the Stone Age
  2. Ribs – Lorde
  3. Hannah Hunt – Vampire Weekend
  4. Furthest Thing – Drake
  5. Reflektor – Arcade Fire
  6. White Noise – Disclosure, AlunaGeorge
  7. Porno – Arcade Fire
  8. Bad Girls – M.I.A.
  9. Do I Wanna Know? – Arctic Monkeys
  10. Doin’ it Right – Daft Punk, Panda Bear
  11. Diane Young – Vampire Weekend
  12. Pusha Man/Paranoia – Chance The Rapper, Nate Fox, Nosaj Thing
  13. Don’t Swallow the Cap – The National
  14. Reach For The Dead – Boards of Canada
  15. Milk & Black Spiders – Foals
  16. Jubilee Street – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
  17. 3005 – Childish Gambino
  18. A Christmas Fucking Miracle – Run The Jewels
  19. Giorgio by Moroder – Daft Punk
  20. Defriended – Beck
  21. Herb Shuttles – The Underachievers
  22. Man Of The Year – ScHoolboy Q
  23. I Should Live in Salt – The National
  24. Blood On The Leaves – Kanye West
  25. Boys – Sky Ferreira
  26. Suit & Tie – Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z
  27. If I Had A Tail – Queens of the Stone Age
  28. Get Lucky – Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers
  29. Border Line – King Krule
  30. Red Eye – The War On Drugs
  31. Voices – Disclosure, Sasha Keable
  32. Victims + Things – Actual Wolf
  33. Pink Rabbits – The National
  34. My God Is The Sun – Queens of the Stone Age
  35. PME (All I Really Need) – A$AP Rocky, ScHoolboy Q
  36. Take Me To Church – Hozier
  37. Oh Sheit It’s X – Thundercat
  38. I’ll Be Around – Yo La Tengo
  39. King and Cross – Asgeir
  40. Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels
  41. Ghetto Symphony – A$AP Rocky, Gunplay, A$AP Ferg
  42. Hey Mami – Sylvan Esso
  43. Banana Clipper – Run The Jewels, Big Boi
  44. Black Skinhead – Kanye West
  45. Bad Kingdom – Moderat
  46. I. The Worst Guys – Childish Gambino, Chance the Rapper
  47. Gallup, NM – The Shouting Matches
  48. Is This How You Feel? – The Preatures
  49. Holding on or Life – Broken Bells
  50. No Right Thing – Blood Orange

Genre Highlights

Rock

Hip-Hop

Pop