70. Son Lux “Lost It to Trying”
During the first time through the thrilling and volatile”Lost It to Trying,” I experience a pang of guilt paired with the thought,”What have I been missing, and how long have I been missing it?” Although I had hoped the track to be an after hours project of angsty orchestra members and choir singers who needed a release from their classical monotony, I have since accepted Son Lux’s Ryan Lott to be the source. Though Son Lux’s releases have had a mixed reception (including a collaborative album with Sufjan Stevens and hip-hop artist Serengeti),”Lost It to Trying” is enough to fuel my search for more gems from Lott. —Drew Curtis
69. Foals “My Number”
Britain’s Foals are one of the more interesting rock groups around. Their somewhat anomalous sound began as a Steve Reich-indebted, stuttering take on mid-2000s indie rock and has morphed into a mature, worldly groove. With 2013’s Holy Fire, they didn’t quite match the peaks of their sophomore release and best album to date, Total Life Forever, but they headed in a mostly successful, more accessible direction. “My Number,” with its disco groove and monster chorus, is one of Holy Fire‘s highlights. The song is an impeccably crafted, shameless piece of pop that’ll infiltrate your brain after one, maybe two, listens and you won’t mind a bit. —Ryan Thomas
68. Laura Marling “Master Hunter”
Laura Marling is only 23 years old, but her husky singing voice seems to carry the weight of someone who has a lot more years under their belt. Taken from her fourth album, Once I Was an Eagle, “Master Hunter” is true to her folk, quirky form. The song is similar to Regina Spektor in regards to rhythm and the lyrics, especially with “I am a master hunter, I cured my skin, now nothing gets in,” but the mainly acoustic melody has the same force as The Band, which makes “Master Hunter” sound familiar and thus, for me at least, makes it a 2013 classic. —Erica Matlin
67. A$AP Rocky feat. Drake, 2 Chainz, and Kendrick Lamar “Fuckin’ Problems”
Last January, after months of delays, A$AP Rocky’s official debut finally saw the light of day. The fact that it was released at all was a surprise, but the fact that it contained enough killer tracks to match the hype was a minor miracle.”Fuckin’ Problems” was the cream of A$AP’s crop, thanks to a nasty hook from 2 Chainz and two sashaying verses from Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Honestly,”Fuckin Problems” is just a jam — no-fuckin-shame fun, like that basement party you got too drunk at during freshman year and have been thinking about going back to ever since. —Andrew Brandt
66. London Grammar “Strong”
Britain’s London Grammar “officially” formed in 2012 and have had a nice batch of success in 2013. They released an EP, Metal & Dust, to little attention earlier this year and an LP, If You Wait, to muuuuch attention this past September. It debuted at No. 2 on the British charts and had a few hit singles including “Strong,”a sultry ballad with knockout vocals from singer Hannah Reid. Reid fuses Sinead O’Connor, Beth Gibbons (Portishead), and Florence Welch for a voice that’s as alluring as it is haunting. Keep London Grammar on your radar ’cause they’re poised to do big things. —Ryan Thomas
65. Darkside “Paper Trails”
Between Nicolas Jaar’s dense, sprawling electronics and Dave Harrington’s spooky, blues-laced guitar, Darkside’s instrumental pieces are just as evocative as those with lyrics. In “Paper Trails,” however, the clapped cadence, deep flutters of a beat, and sinuously winding guitar are only enhanced by the late arrival of ghostly vocals, especially as synths shimmer like flames in the background. A quirky blend of haunted house chills and intensely physical guitar riffs, “Paper Trails” beguiles with a quiet but undeniable force. —Gretchen Tracy
64. Waxahatchee “Swan Dive”
Relationships can be really hard when you’re in your twenties. Trying to figure yourself out is tough; but simultaneously trying to figure someone else out can become too much — especially when alcoholism and depression are involved (as they are in “Swan Dive”). Sometimes we dream about getting better in the arms of another, but most of the time we just put too much faith in our own empty promises. And when those promises don’t come to fruition, we’re quick to flake. It sucks not growing up as fast as you’d like to, and it’s hard to become who you need to become when there’s someone dragging you down. It’s even more difficult when you realize that person is yourself. —Andrew Brandt
63. The Range “Metal Swing”
If “Metal Swing” was a person, it’d be most like the quiet kid in class who starts following you around everywhere at recess, pushing you on the swing (pun intended) without being asked, and eventually becoming your best friend. The song breaks into your head with a hypnotic repetition of piano chords, which becomes a metallic mesh loop that drowns out a sample of a British rapper’s already washed-out rambles. I dare you to shake this song by Rhode Island producer The Range, though try as you might; it always finds a way to sit in the seat beside you. —Maia Pujara
62. Cathedrals “Unbound”
Just as the album cover suggests, Cathedrals’ debut single is angular and multi-dimensional. The harmonized vocals act like an instrument, complementing the mellow percussion and stronger synths. Their sound is much more intimate; it is both delicate and powerful at the same time. It is a fascinating introduction to a band that lacks any real Internet presence. It is refreshing to see a group put all their effort into their music rather than Internet involvement and their tracks truly speak for themselves. I am confident there is much to look forward to from this San Francisco duo. —Selena Handler
61. The National “This is the Last Time”
The drums pitter and patter with a calculated precision but that was to be expected. What wasn’t expected is the way the guitar chords crunch and echo on an empty street; the way Matt Berninger’s words float into the wide open air, just begging to be snatched up. It’s gorgeous yet crushing, heavy but weightless, and much too sincere to be a lament. “This is the Last Time” recognizes the wrong choice and chooses that one anyway, all the while breathing a twisted sigh of relief that, no matter what, this will not be the last time. —Andrew Brandt
60. Majical Cloudz “Turns Turns Turns”
In the midst of an electronic scene where high energy intricacy often signifies top talent, Majical Cloudz takes a step in the opposite direction. Embracing thoughtful depth and simplistic sounds, the Montreal duo’s weighty debut album, Impersonator, teems with reflection and struggle, evoking somber but irresistible emotion. Every piece of “Turns Turns Turns” is painstakingly crafted to deliver singer Devon Welsh’s crippling guilt unconvincingly masked by hollow words to the contrary. The Cloudz’s impressive fusion of their vocals, lyrics, and production allows for remarkably cohesive tracks forming a compact, hard-hitting album. —Drew Curtis
59. MØ “Glass”
Why does MØ always make me want to take my clothes off? Because she is a sexual electronic pop master diva, that’s why. And she’s got the perfect amount of grit, which comes through perfectly in “Glass.” Gritty and visceral, aside from the perfectly placed sexual undertones, this is undeniably a song about frustration. It is about the intersection of youth and adulthood and all the scariness that lies between. —Rebecca Edwards
58. Dum Dum Girls “Lost Boys and Girls Club”
When Dum Dum Girls released “Lost Boys and Girls Club” in November, it came as a welcome surprise. But the fact that the song was excellent… well, no surprises here. Over the last four years, no band has matched the Girls’ ability to consistently deliver new music that solely improves upon their last. Case in point: “Lost Boys and Girls Club” takes the Girls’ greatest elements (Dee Dee’s melodies and voice) and rounds them out with fuller, meatier production. As the first taste of Too True — which drops in January! — “Lost Boys and Girls Club” is a (not surprisingly) great sign of whats to come. —Andrew Brandt
57. Earl Sweatshirt feat. Frank Ocean “Sunday”
It’s been three years since Earl Sweatshirt’s abrasive and critically acclaimed debut dropped, during which period a forced stay at a school for at-risk boys in Samoa and time itself transformed him into, in his words, “an adult” (he’s 19). Luckily, Sweatshirt’s precociously nimble flow has survived his transition into less lyrically-aggressive territory and is on full display in the stream-of-consciousness “Sunday,” which pops with shivering percussion, noir guitar curls, and a cockily relaxed cadence. Furthermore, while the groove on this track isn’t necessarily in-your-face, it will get into your bones and stay there — likely, ’til “Sunday.” —Gretchen Tracy
56. Speedy Ortiz “No Below”
Speedy Ortiz’s 2013 LP, Major Arcana, is a nifty tour-de-fuzz seized from the ’90s, best suited for those of us whose comfort foods consist of snark and snide. Album centerpiece “No Below” rocks a little slower than the rest of the record, but it certainly doesn’t rock any softer. While Sadie Dupuis spews her story of two alienated youths, the band sounds like they’re competing to see who can destroy their instruments with the least amount of strokes. For as atypical of a love song as “No Below” is, its mighty powerful. —Andrew Brandt
55. Wavves “Demon to Lean On”
The stage is set by rumbling, foreboding background noises; enter a lighter rhythmic guitar and the markedly surfer punk vocals of front man Nathan Williams. And thus the monologue of self-loathing lyrics, accompanied by strong guitar riffs, begins. This is “Demon to Lean On,” the single off of Wavves’ self-financed album, Afraid of Heights. The band’s brilliance does not come in the form of something totally new and creative, but rather in their ability to produce something so clean and perfect within the world of pop punk. The song’s appeal comes from its simplistic beats and its pure punk sentiment that smell a lot like the teen spirit we can so easily identify with or at least remember. —Selena Handler
54. Phantogram “Celebrating Nothing”
Phantogram rings in 2014 with one of my personal favorites. “Celebrating Nothing” is a musical whirlwind of the messy spectrum that exists between hope and hopelessness. It’s all summed up in the song’s opening lines, “I tell myself I’m fine in celebrating nothing.” An anthem for the YOLO generation, this track gives sound to that desperate search for meaning in a shitstorm of a world. —Rebecca Edwards
53. Doldrums “Anomaly”
When Doldrums released his claustrophobia-inducing debut, Lesser Evil, the entire world pooped. Well, at least those who listened did. Compared with the rest of the record, standout “Anomaly” sounds insanely stable. Yet it’s still a bass-drive banger that feels ready to come unhinged at any moment, full of blirps, chirps, and a million other electronic-glitchy-noises my brain can’t make up words for. All I’m really trying to say is: this is fun, folks. Catchy, clusterfucking fun. —Andrew Brandt
52. Postiljonen “Supreme”
Postiljonen’s “Supreme” helped them join the ranks of dream pop kingpins like M83 and Washed Out this year, and for good reason. There is a reason why movement thrills us, why looking over vast landscapes awe us, and why we dreamt of flight long before it was possible. Expansive and kaleidoscopic, “Supreme” is an embodiment of this feeling; an innately human celebration of existence and open space. Like speeding down a country road or the first stretch after waking, this explosive single is a feeling worth holding on to. —Riley Beggin
51. Jim James “State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U.)”
Introductions and first impressions can be crucial. As a member of Monsters of Folk and frontman for My Morning Jacket, the opening notes of a Jim James tune require less scrutiny as his resume is quite familiar. Yet the leadoff track to James’ first solo album provides a build-up worthy of a grand debut. Echoing vocals over strong piano chords usher in this new-age nursery rhyme until the power is cut. “State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U.)” uses tried and true verses and techniques to deliver a powerfully simplistic track in this current age of technology. —Chris Kraemer
50. Los Campesinos! “Avocado, Baby”
Like all of Los Campesinos! best songs, “Avocado, Baby” is ripe with deception. Sure, there are anthemic guitars, stadium-huge drums, and rousing, kiddy-choir choruses. But there’s also Gareth and his biting, bitter talk of break-ups. And none of that stuff could save us from Gareth if he didn’t want it to. Thankfully, though, he does: “Avocado, Baby” is chock-full of wit and more soccer (*ahem* football) references than we could ever hope to understand. For those of you who were down on LC!’s last downer of a record, “Avocado, Baby” — and No Blues as a whole — finds the band back in prime form, on their most “A”-est of game since the days of “You! Me! Dancing!”. —Anderw Brandt
49. HAERTS “All the Days”
“All the Days,” a piece of the HAERTS’ Hemiplegia EP, is an intensely satisfying foot-tapper. The five-person indie-pop band has a mastery over their genre, with synthesizers cutting short of electronic and lyrics that are on the border of abstract. This track has a luminescence, a magic behind the relatively normal bass guitar repeat. The chorus is an enjoyable fallback from the weird, spinning, and innovative melody of the verses. The song is powerful and magnetic, and draws us in with its tonal grasp of bitter nostalgia. —Lexy Brodt
48. Daughn Gibson “The Sound of Law”
As a strapping young man who meshes melodic tales in a low country croon with lap-steel loops and electronic samples, Daughn Gibson brought the “WTF” to 2013 harder than anyone. “The Sound of Law,” a rollicking, truck-driver-from-hell tale about an outlaw father and his life on the road, is a prime example of his ability to masterfully blend parts of two distinct music genres. And like most of Gibson’s tales, “The Sound of Law” ends in death, is bass-driven, and has a badass swagger about it. Because Daughn has a badass swagger about himself. Because he is a badass. —Andrew Brandt
47. James Blake “Retrograde”
“Suddenly I’m hit!” croons James Blake in “Retrograde,” his goosebump-inducing single. Blake’s style is more or less unclassifiable, but we’ll call it cosmic R&B dub because it’s fun to make up arbitrary genre titles. Blake’s artistry grew considerably between his 2009 debut and this year’s Overgrown, and “Retrograde” exemplifies his songwriting strength. When you think about it, the track is pretty much freakin’ perfect. It’s not too long, nor is it boring or derivative or inaccessible or any other negative adjective. The song is just awesome, as is its video. OK, I’ll stop now. —Ryan Thomas
46. Daft Punk feat. Panda Bear “Doin’ It Right”
Here’s the thing: If you hear “Doin’ It Right,” it’s gonna get stuck in your head. And whether you give it a second spin or not, it’ll probably be stuck up there for every minute of the next month. Hell, you’ll probably have nigthmares about it. And when you wake up from those nightmares, well… Long story short, this is a period of your life that you’ll never forget. If you’ve already heard “Doin’ It Right,” you already know; you’ve been down that path. Was it worth it? Well, I’m not really sure. Is this worth it, though? A million times over, yes. —Andrew Brandt
45. Haim “Falling”
These Los Angeles-based sisters have taken the electic rock pop genre by storm and showed it no mercy. “Falling” is rich with the kind of ’80s flair that I once tried to emulate by donning leg warmers and spazzing around my room to Paula Abdul tapes. If there was anything capable of reawakening this particular hobby in my white girl dancing soul, Haim would be the girls to do it. —Rebecca Edwards
44. Chance the Rapper feat. Childish Gambino “Favorite Song”
The newest artist out of Chicago’s South Side, Chance the Rapper came out in 2013 as the next big thing with his smooth talking mixtape, Acid Rap. “Favorite Song” is Chance’s first collaboration with Childish Gambino, and it’s the most fun track he’s written thus far. The lyrics are playful and sarcastic, and the beat — combined with both artists’ lazy flows — is hypnotizing. The two rappers are festival regulars, so there’s no doubt they’ll put on some memorable shows next summer and (hopefully) continue to collaborate in the future. —Mary Sullivan
43. Lucius “Hey, Doreen”
Throw a dart at Wildewoman, the debut album from this dual-frontwoman-sporting, Brooklyn-based indie pop outfit, and you may hit anything from updated ’60s mod to classic pop-tinged rock to folksy harmonizing. And if your dart happens to land on “Hey, Doreen,” you’ll get the hammered keyboards and exhaled percussive bursts that timeless American anthems are made of, made all that much sweeter by the trickle of video-game synths which groove underneath. Not that you’ll notice the song’s unusual blend of pop elements while you’re listening; you’ll be too busy trying not to sing along. —Gretchen Tracy
42. Disclosure “When a Fire Starts to Burn”
“When a Fire Starts to Burn” is all about the crescendo. Layer upon layer of fresh beats and bass continuously build this number into its teetering moment, backing off just shy of three minutes. But Disclosure only makes this a quick break to catch your breath before catapulting listeners into an equally dynamic finish. Despite the incessant repetition of its namesake throughout, it never leaves you bored and almost always incites the urge to dance. —Jaime Brackeen
41. Arcade Fire “Reflektor”
Question: What do disco beats, Haitian music, and David Bowie have in common? Answer: They were all seamlessly combined in this title track off Arcade Fire’s highly acclaimed album, Reflektor. Whereas their previous release, The Suburbs, gave us a concept to hang our dancing shoes on, “Reflektor” wants you to stay on the tips of those shoes to form your own notions of why you’re dancing along, be it the catchy beats or Bowie’s backing barks. “Reflektor” transcends the limits of where a dance number should belong in time and space to keep you dancing and guessing in its glow. —Maia Pujara