The Audiophile’s Top 51 Tracks of 2013 – VOTE

Musicheads,

Let’s face it, making a complete album is tough and expensive.  In today’s music environment artists don’t have to create and promote a full album to get the word out there and build a following for themselves.  Some groups have truly taken that to heart and simply released single after single, with no album on the horizon.  There are plenty artists who make excellent music who have yet to release a full-length album and we don’t want to discount them from the annals of music history either.  It is because of this reason the Audiophile has also compiled it’s list of the top 51 tracks of the year (not in any order).

This list was actually quite difficult to compile, having to make decisions as to what songs deserve to make the top 51.   Unfortunately, some quality songs didn’t make the cut, but that’s why we make lists, right?  Where does one draw the line on deciding what makes that cut though? Do you rely on sales numbers, uniqueness, content, how catchy a song is or if its popularly accepted? I think all play some part in the decision-making process regarding any song’s ability to rise above.  There are plenty of songs that will never make more than a blip, if any on national radio airplay that have to be considered.  There are artists on this list that have multiple albums and have headlined festivals around the world.  There are also plenty of first time artists on here with little more than an EP.

I am putting it into your hands to vote for what you believe is the best song of the year.  Personally, I think this year’s top song is a two-horse race between Daft Punk and Lorde, but let’s see what you guys think.

The voter’s choice along with the Audiophile’s Top 10 will be revealed the week before Christmas, so get your votes in now!

Share with your friends and let’s get as many votes in for this and the Album of The Year!

Don’t know some of these tracks, don’t worry, we’ve got a curated playlist just for you!

Playlist: The Audiophile: Top 51 Tracks of 2013

Vote for your favorite: 

1. Daft Punk – Get Lucky (feat. Pharell Williams)
2. CHVRCHES – The Mother We Share
3. Haim – The Wire
4. Lorde – Royals
5. Bastille – Pompeii
6. Vampire Weekend – Step
7. Savages – Shut Up
8. Cayucas – High School Lover
9. Arctic Monkeys – Do I Wanna Know?
10. Local Natives – Heavy Feet
11. Wild Cub – Thunder Clatter
12. New Politics – Harlem
13. St. Lucia – All Eyes On You
14. Noah And The Whale – There Will Come A Time
15. Bat For Lashes – All Your Gold
16. The Naked And Famous – Hearts Like Ours
17. Temples – Shelter Song
18. San Fermin – Sonsick
19. NONONO – Pumpin Blood
20. The Knocks – Modern Hearts (feat. St. Lucia)
21. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Sacrilege
22. Crystal Fighters – You & I
23. RAC – Let Go (feat. Kele, MNDR)
24. Foals – My Number
25. Phosphorescent – Song For Zula
26. James Blake – Retrograde
27. Leagues – Spotlight
28. Phoenix – Trying To Be Cool
29. Arcade Fire – Afterlife
30. Cut Copy – We Are Explorers
31. Atlas Genius – Trojans
32. Jagwar Ma – Come Save Me
33. Capital Cities – Safe and Sound
34. Frank Turner – Recovery
35. Steve Martin & Edie Brickell – Love Has Come For You
36. The 1975 – Chocolate
37. Disclosure – Latch
38. Small Black – No Stranger
39. Everything Everything – Cough Cough
40. Cage The Elephant – Come A Little Closer
41. Royal Teeth – Wild
42. Lord Huron – Time To Run
43. London Grammar – Strong
44. Classixx – Holding On
45. Jake Bugg – Lightning Bolt
46. Rudimental – Feel The Love (feat. John Newman)
47. MS MR – Hurricane
48. Paramore – Still Into You
49. The Limousines – Love Is A Dog From Hell
50. The Head & The Heart – Shake
51. Kings Of Leon – Supersoaker

Did I miss someone or leave them off the list?  Let me know.  Discussion is always appreciated.

and don’t forget to follow on Facebook and on Twitter @AudiofileAkwitz at to get even more music updates that don’t make the posts.

–Akwitz

Now Playing: The Audiophile: Top 51 Tracks of 2013

The Audiophile’s Top 51 Albums of 2013 – VOTE

Musicheads,

It’s been a good year in music, that’s for sure.

Let’s face it, anyone can put out a good single, but that doesn’t mean they can put it together for a whole album.   Now that we are reaching the end of the year it’s time to look back at what’s passed through our eardrums this past year and so the Audiophile has compiled it’s list of the top 51 albums of the year (because 50 was just too restricting). The list below is in no particular order, so don’t make any conclusions about their rankings here.

This year however, instead of just making this a one-sided conversation I am putting it into your hands, the readers, to vote for what you believe is the best album of the year.    I will reveal the voter’s choice the week before Christmas as well as the Audiophile’s personal top 10 albums of the year.  I’d like to see what YOU think is the best album of 2013.

So get  your votes in and share with your friends to have them VOTE!

(Vote for Song Of The Year Too!)

 

If you haven’t heard some of these albums, have no fear! I’ve made a playlist with them all in it for your listening enjoyment right here:

Playlist: The Audiophile: Top 51 Albums of 2013

Vote for your favorite: 

1. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
2. CHVRCHES – The Bones Of What You Believe
3. Haim – Days Are Gone
4. Savages – Silence Yourself
5. Cayucas – Bigfoot
6. Local Natives – Hummingbird
7. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires Of The City
8. Foals – Holy Fire
9. Lorde – Pure Heroine
10. St. Lucia – When The Night
11. Charles Bradley – Victim Of Love
12. Houndmouth – From The Hills Below The City
13. Noah And The Whale – Heart Of Nowhere
14. Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man
15. The Naked And Famous – In Rolling Waves
16. Grouplove – Spreading Rumours
17. Phosphorescent – Muchacho
18. Bastille – Bad Blood
19. James Blake – Overgrown
20. Leagues – You Belong Here
21. Phoenix – Bankrupt!
22. Dave Grohl & the Sound City Players – Sound City – Real to Real
23. David Bowie – The Next Day
24. Arcade Fire – Reflektor
25. Cut Copy – Free Your Mind
26. Atlas Genius – When It Was Now
27. Walk Off The Earth – R.E.V.O.
28. Jagwar Ma – Howlin
29. Capital Cities – In A Tidal Wave Of Mystery
30. Majical Cloudz – Impersonator
31. Frank Turner – Tape Deck Heart
32. Steve Martin & Edie Brickell – Love Has Come For You
33. Young Galaxy – Ultramarine
34. The 1975 – The 1975
35. Small Black – Limits Of Desire
36. Everything Everything – Arc
37. Cage The Elephant – Melophobia
38. Royal Teeth – Glow
39. Lord Huron – Lonesome Dreams
40. London Grammar – If You Wait
41. Classixx – Hanging Gardens
42. Jake Bugg – Jake Bugg
43. Rudimental – Home
44. Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon
45. MS MR – Secondhand Rapture
46. Blood Orange – Cupid Deluxe
47. Paramore – Paramore
48. The Limousines – Hush
49. The Head & The Heart – Let’s Be Still
50. Kings Of Leon – Mechanical Bull
51. Los Campesinos! – No Blues

Did I miss someone or leave them off the list?  Let me know.  Discussion is always appreciated.

and don’t forget to follow on Facebook and on Twitter @AudiofileAkwitz at to get even more music updates that don’t make the posts.

–Akwitz

Now Playing: The Audiophile’s Top 51 Albums of 2013

‘New Music Tuesdays’ – Thanksgiving Week Edition

Musicheads,

If you thought last week’s releases were weak, take a look at this week!: http://www.allmusic.com/newreleases

Seriously, the top-biller of the week is One Direction…yikes.  But then the next best thing is a duet album between Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong and Norah Jones and it isn’t even original music (It’s a cover album of The Everly Brothers’ Songs Our Daddy Taught Us)?  Now that truly is a weak album release week.  But then again, it is Thanksgiving week, so it’s kind of understandable.  The best thing to release this week however is from what began as a Okkervil River one-off collaboration by the name of Shearwater.  The new album, Fellow Travelers is the lone bright spot in today’s generally crappy release schedule.

This album however, is not without it’s own asterisks.  It is an album of covers as well, ranging from Coldplay, to Xiu Xiu, to St. Vincent and a collaboration with Sharon Van Etten.  Here is the tracklisting from the album (and who was covered):

1. Our Only Sun (Jesca Hoop)
2. I Luv the Valley OH!! (Xiu Xiu)
3. Hurts Like Heaven (Coldplay)
4. Natural One (Folk Implosion)
5. Ambiguity (David Thomas Broughton)
6. Cheerleader (St. Vincent)
7. Tomorrow (Clinic)
8. A Wake for the Minotaur (Shearwater & Sharon Van Etten)
9. Mary Is Mary (Wye Oak)
10. Fucked Up Life (The Baptist Generals)

Personally, I think the best covers are of I Luv the Valley OH!! and Natural One, but decide for yourself.  Other than that, not too much to talk about.  Expect the rest of the year to slow down for new releases, but expect some real good other posts to come!

And now, as always, here was everything acquired on this New Release Tuesday:

•  Shearwater – Fellow Travelers
• Los Campesinos! – No Blues

and don’t forget to follow on Facebook and on Twitter @AudiofileAkwitz at to get even more music updates that don’t make the posts.

-Akwitz

Now Playing: Los Campesinos! – Avocado, Baby