Best of 2013 - Songs

Here it is, the crowning glory of my Best Of 2013, as always. Songs are what I spend the most time with and they have a way of occupying my mind that leads me to powerful passions for the best of them. 2013, more than anything, was a return to excellence for some of my favorite artists. Many of my past years' winners of best album and song have shown up for an 'all-stars'-esque showdown. For my two favorite bands, The Dangerous Summer and Moving Mountains, it was the final fight. Both said their goodbyes with this year's efforts. As you can imagine, this group of tunes means a lot to me.

Hands down, this is THE BEST list of music I have ever presented on this site. Breaking the top 51 has never been as difficult as this. There aren't as many love songs here as in years before. Instead, we have a union of intense struggles and inspiring crescendos, a battle of light melodies and dark harmonies, a tug of war between staying grounded - Anchor, Steady, Safe and Sound - and flying high - Saturn, Atmosphere, Wings... sensational music making at it's finest. Even got some German stuff in there thanks to the mission. I hope you enjoy.

Champions from before:
2009 Runner-Up: Where I Want to Be - The Dangerous Summer (RIP)
2009 Winner: Changed By You - Between the Trees (RIP)

2010 Runner-Up: Conversations With Stars (Acoustic) - Brightwood (RIP)
2010 Winner: Melancholy Hill - Gorillaz (RIP)

2011 Runner-Up: If I've Been Unkind - Lanterns on the Lake
2011 Winner: Eyes - Kaskade

2012 Runner-Up: Close - Sun Airway
2012 Winner: Hymn For Her - Anchor & Braille

(Comments to come)
Click on any title to take a listen.

51. Brim - Ólafur Arnalds
50. Feather On The Clyde - Passenger
49. The War Within - Churchill
48. Applaus, Applaus - Sportfreunde Stiller
47. Anchor - The Dangerous Summer
46. Lions - I Can Make A Mess
45. Hurry Back Tonight - Lydia
44. Songs of Summer - Gossling ft. Alexander Burnett
43. Ain't It Fun - Paramore
42. A Stillness - The Naked and Famous
41. Grenzenlos - Glasperlenspiel
40. Counting Stars - OneRepublic
39. The Raven That Refused To Sing - Steven Wilson
38. Entertainment - Phoenix
37. The Night Comes - Eisley
36. Human - Daughter
35. Don't Swallow the Cap - The National
34. The Next Ones To Come - Claire
33. I Love You - Woodkid
32. Steady - Hey Ocean!
31. Eastern Leaves - Moving Mountains
30. Panic - The Sounds
29. Daydreaming - Paramore
28. Feeling the Night - Kaskade ft. Becky Jean Williams
27. Words As Weapons - Birdy
26. Miles Apart - The Dangerous Summer
25. Adaptation Cell - I Can Make A Mess
24. Chords - Moving Mountains
23. Swing Set - Moving Mountains
22. Give a Little - Tim Bendzko ft. Rea Garvey
21. Wings - Birdy
20. Safe and Sound - Capital Cities
19. Au Revoir - OneRepublic
18. The Exit - Lydia

17. Of The Night - Bastille
"Rhythm is a ... soul's companion."

16. New Love - Hey Ocean!
"Thought you said it was true love... now you won't repeat it."

15. In Two Minds - Claire
"Though I claim a streak of your shine, I stick to my guns."

14. No One Knows Who We Are - Kaskade ft. Lights
"We're not searching for a name or looking back the way we came."

13. Cool Kids - Echosmith
"They're driving fast cars, but they don't know where they're going."

12. Last Chance - Kaskade ft. Project 46
"Please don't let me fall."

11. Ancient Crows - I Can Make A Mess
"A fool's take is a blind faith."

10. Burn It All Down - I Can Make A Mess
"Magna Cum Laude would never define me."

9. Help - Hurts
"There's hope in this admission."

8. Last Hope - Paramore
"It's not that I don't feel the pain, it's just I'm not afraid of hurting anymore."

7. Atmosphere - Kaskade
"The lights in the sky weren't that far away."

6. Bright - Echosmith
"You make what doesn't matter fade to gray."

5. Banner (Acoustic) - Lights
"Nobody mapped oblivion."

4. Tidal Wave - I Can Make A Mess
"Painted my mind with an image I can't let go."

3. Last Mistake - Hey Ocean!
"Anything that was left was left behind."

2. Saturn - Sleeping At Last
"With shortness of breath, you explained the infinite."

1. Hands - Moving Mountains
"I was fighting before I could understand."