Music Related News for 2013

       I did not give you your Music Related News post yesterday, so here's a compilation of some of the awesome things that went on in music this year.

• The Fratellis released their album, We Need Medicine, which was their first full length since the band's reunion, and we all shed a tear of joy that our favorite English indie rock group was back to make us dance.
• The Wombats released "Your Body Is A Weapon", the first single since 2010's This Modern Glitch, and made us realize that we had been lusting for something else from the band since then. This band cannot put out a bad song.
• Sleeperstar wrote a song (and filmed a music video) based off the greatness of Harry Potter (aptly named "The Harry Potter Song"), further reinforcing my love for the band and their music. Look for Lost Machines to be released in 2014 because these guys veer close to my definition of 'favorite band' and are pretty amazing.
• Everyone speculated about a supposedly imminent break-up from The Killers. It never happened because they're not breaking up. Listen to "Shot At the Night" from their Deluxe Hits album and get ready for a second solo album from Flowers in 2014.
• Jack Johnson reminded us that we will never be as cool as he is with his video for "Shot Reverse Shot".
• Travie McCoy came out with a single that featured Jason Mraz and it was not as great as it sounds. 
• Lupe Fiasco came out with a single from his upcoming album Tetsuo & Youth the day after Beyoncé released her surprise album. Tough break man; I'm still a fan. Listen to "Old School Love" featuring Ed Sheeran.
• Matthew Mole came out with a video for his chart topping (at least in South Africa) single "Take Yours, I'll Take Mine" and it was just as adorable and heart-warming as the song itself. Get The Home We Built and Take Yours, I'll Take Mine EP for some perfect tracks.
• City Rain made us all think about the positive when everything else in the world seemed to be pointing out the shittiest parts of our existence. Check out "The Optimist" because it's extremely awesome. 
• GOVS (Josiah Birrell) released his self-titled GOVS EP and, along with the release of the "Holy Infinity" video, made us all question why we did not realize the greatness of Australian artists sooner (probably because all we had before was Jet who left us and Keith Urban who refuses to leave us).
• The Griswolds rushed onto the scene with bright colors, fun videos, and hooks we couldn't get out of our heads if we tried (check out "Mississippi", "The Courtship of Summer Preasley", "Heart of A Lion").
• The Silent Comedy gave us a lyric video we should all aspire to make one day.
• Gemini Wired spoke out about bullying and showed that the coolest people were bullied when they were young (because being weird makes you awesome and you're going to rule the world); "What Now".
• Clubfeet made an amazing music video for "Everything You Wanted" that makes me question if I really like the song, or I'm just transfixed by the images (I really like the song; it's amazing with lines like "we used to walk like we were free...we used to laugh because we never knew" and "come with me, I'll show you everything you wanted" and a swirling composition that screams perfection).
• The UK forced us to acknowledge their perfection by giving us new acts to love like London Grammar, Kodaline, and Hudson Taylor. 
• Britney Spears took up residency in Vegas and released Britney Jean and made us all realize that, even after all the shit she's gone through, we still all secretly want to be Britney; why does everything about her life sound so weird and perfect all at the same time?
• Kanye West and Justin Bieber proved they were awful human beings. 
• Miley Cyrus put out a bipolar album and released videos in the order of a party video, to a slightly heartbreaking video, to one that is just straight up childish stupidity. Apparently, she thought she wasn't getting the attention she deserved and had to put out "Adore You" to refocus the spotlight on herself. Part of me wants to like Cyrus for her vocal and writing talent, the other part is reminded of why I usually avoid people my age. Grow up and stop trying to get attention in the easiest way.
• HAIM became famous. I'm about as much of a HAIM fan as I am a fan of Arcade Fire, but I guess I should throw that in here (oh, and Arcade Fire came out with Reflektor).
• Hellogoodbye released an album we'd all been waiting for since 2012's live Did It Kill You? album and reminded us of why we first thought indie techno sounded like an acceptable genre; Everything Is Debatable. 
• "What Does the Fox Say?" is etched into all of our brains forever. 
• Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' "Same Love", featuring Mary Lambert (released in 2012), became a sort of anthem in 2013. It brought up questions of whether a straight man writing a 'gay anthem' (media's words, not mine) was almost too preachy, but Mary Lambert shot down those naysayers by stating "a straight white man can't change his demographic, but he can choose what he does with his privilege, and he can choose this awareness of sense of self and what privilege is. And I think Ben does an incredible job of checking himself constantly" (she's amazing). She further proved her own personal greatness by releasing "She Keeps Me Warm". In 2014, turn "She Keeps Me Warm" into an anthem so that we can stop listening to the people who complain about someone writing a gorgeous song and instead just focus on a truly gorgeous single from Lambert who deserves the recognition. 
• Taylor Swift continued to receive a bad rap for writing 'childish' songs but, really, lyrics like "we're happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time. It's miserable and magical", "maybe this is wishful thinking, probably mindless dreaming, but if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right", "please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you", and "this is the last I'm asking you why you break my heart in the blink of an eye" should be celebrated for their flatly stated honesty, because she's saying everything we would never be brave enough to say face to face. 
• The Neighbourhood broke onto the music scene and "Sweater Weather" became your favorite song to hate after it became "too mainstream" (I've said it before and I'll say it again; mainstream is not bad).
• Lorde dominated US radio airwaves with "Royals" (it will never really leave your head).
• Walk Off the Earth proved that they're musical geniuses, even when the only instrument handy is a car.
• Bob Dylan released an interactive video for "Like A Rolling Stone".
• I found myself oddly addicted to a One Direction song (something is wrong); though Midnight Memories was announced as the biggest-selling album of 2013, so maybe it's just been slowly forced into my subconscious.
• Beyoncé came out with a surprise visual album and demanded to be our queen (you need to hear "Heaven").
• Ezra Koenig said he liked selfies and Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" because of its melancholy undertone and posed the question "Why can't you stop? What's going to happen if you do stop?". Leave it to Koenig to make even the most simplistic pop hit sound deep.
• Lady Gaga got old fast when she released ARTPOP and everyone responded with "cool but, no thanks".
• Boy bands were on the rise (see here).
• Justin Timberlake was perfect.
• Music was so easy to get that we became wrapped up in singles and stopped listening to albums, resulting in shorter albums or EPs and Beyoncé's decision to release all tracks on her album at once, and that's really the only thing we should probably change in the new year (that and commenting on the 'hotness' of our band members. I don't care what you look like, just sound good).

       This didn't even cover a quarter of the music headlines this year, but it should give you a start so you can close the chapter on 2013 and head into 2014 with some party talk for tonight and a few awesome songs running through your head. 

- E