Each week, I check out FUSE’s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Pharrell – “Happy”
2. Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz – “Talk Dirty”
3. Passenger – “Let Her Go”
4. A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera – “Say Something”
5. Bastille – “Pompeii”
6. Pitbull ft. Ke$ha – “Timber”
7. Lorde – “Team”
8. Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z – “Drunk in Love”
9. OneRepublic – “Counting Stars”
10. Miley Cyrus – “Adore You”
11. One Direction – “Story of My Life”
12. Imagine Dragons – “Demons”
13. John Newman – “Love Me Again”
14. Shakira ft. Rihanna – “Can’t Remember to Forget You”
15. Avicii – “Hey Brother”
16. Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”
17. American Authors – “Best Day of My Life”
18. Sara Bareilles – “Brave”
19. Kid Ink ft. Chris Brown – “Show Me”
20. Ellie Goulding – “Burn”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Happy
2. Team
3. The Monster
4. Demons
5. Pompeii
6. Hey Brother
7. Love Me Again
8. Can’t Remember to Forget You
9. Drunk in Love
10. Timber
11. Burn
12. Counting Stars
13. Let Her Go
14. Adore You
15. Brave
16. Talk Dirty
17. Best Day of My Life
18. Show Me
19. Say Something
20. Story of My Life
Each week, I check out VH1′s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Pitbull ft. Ke$ha – “Timber”
2. A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera – “Say Something”
3. Ellie Goulding – “Burn”
4. Lorde – “Team”
5. Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”
6. Bastille – “Pompeii”
7. American Authors – “Best Day of My Life”
8. John Newman – “Love Me Again”
9. The Fray – “Love Don’t Die”
10. Zedd ft. Hayley Williams – “Stay the Night”
11. One Direction – “Story of My Life”
12. Pharrell – “Happy”
13. Miley Cyrus – “Adore You”
14. Christina Perri – “Human”
15. Beyoncé – “XO”
16. John Legend – “All of Me”
17. OneRepublic – “Counting Stars”
18. Daughtry – “Waiting for Superman”
19. Passenger – “Let Her Go”
20. Demi Lovato – “Neon Lights”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Happy
2. Team
3. The Monster
4. Pompeii
5. XO
6. Love Me Again
7. Timber
8. Burn
9. Counting Stars
10. Let Her Go
11. Adore You
12. Love Don’t Die
13. Stay the Night
14. Best Day of My Life
15. All of Me
16. Say Something
17. Neon Lights
18. Human
19. Waiting for Superman
20. Story of My Life
Each week, I check out FUSE’s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera – “Say Something”
2. Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz – “Talk Dirty”
3. Lorde – “Team”
4. Bastille – “Pompeii”
5. Passenger – “Let Her Go”
6. OneRepublic – “Counting Stars”
7. Pharrell – “Happy”
8. Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z – “Drunk in Love”
9. One Direction – “Story of My Life”
10. Imagine Dragons – “Demons”
11. Miley Cyrus – “Adore You”
12. Ellie Goulding – “Burn”
13. Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”
14. Avicii – “Hey Brother”
15. American Authors – “Best Day of My Life”
16. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. ScHoolboy Q and Hollis – “White Walls”
17. John Newman – “Love Me Again”
18. Kid Ink ft. Chris Brown – “Show Me”
19. Zendaya – “Replay”
20. Zedd ft. Hayley Williams – “Stay the Night”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Happy
2. Team
3. The Monster
4. Demons
5. Pompeii
6. Hey Brother
7. Love Me Again
8. Drunk in Love
9. Burn
10. Counting Stars
11. Let Her Go
12. Adore You
13. Stay the Night
14. Talk Dirty
15. Replay
16. White Walls
17. Best Day of My Life
18. Show Me
19. Say Something
20. Story of My Life
“Wings” was featured in the trailers for Labor Day (which looks bizarrely awful) and Winter’s Tale (which just looks bizarre). Then I heard it again in a Community Jeff/Annie shipping video, and while I do like that pairing, this isn’t the sort of music I like to hear when watching clips of those two. But the song stuck with me. I have kind of been familiar with Birdy for a few years – she wasn’t exactly my thing, but I did detect an alternative sensibility. So I thought it would be worth it to listen to the entirety of “Wings.” And I am happy I did; I really dig Ms. van den Bogaerde’s voice, especially when she goes “it made me think of you” and “for the rest of our lives.”
Each week, I check out VH1′s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Pitbull ft. Ke$ha – “Timber”
2. Ellie Goulding – “Burn”
3. Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”
4. A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera – “Say Something”
5. Zedd ft. Hayley Williams – “Stay the Night”
6. Lorde – “Team”
7. Bastille – “Pompeii”
8. John Newman – “Love Me Again”
9. American Authors – “Best Day of My Life”
10. The Fray – “Love Don’t Die”
11. Beyoncé – “XO”
12. OneRepublic – “Counting Stars”
13. Miley Cyrus – “Adore You”
14. Christina Perri – “Human”
15. Pharrell – “Happy”
16. Passenger – “Let Her Go”
17. One Direction – “Story of My Life”
18. Colbie Caillat – “Hold On”
19. Daughtry – “Waiting for Superman”
20. John Legend – “All of Me”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Happy
2. Team
3. The Monster
4. Pompeii
5. XO
6. Love Me Again
7. Timber
8. Burn
9. Counting Stars
10. Let Her Go
11. Adore You
12. Love Don’t Die
13. Stay the Night
14. Best Day of My Life
15. All of Me
16. Human
17. Say Something
18. Hold On
19. Waiting for Superman
20. Story of My Life
Each week, I check out FUSE’s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera – “Say Something”
2. Pitbull ft. Ke$ha – “Timber”
3. Pharrell – “Happy”
4. Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz – “Talk Dirty”
5. Bastille – “Pompeii”
6. OneRepublic – “Counting Stars”
7. Lorde – “Team”
8. Passenger – “Let Her Go”
9. One Direction – “Story of My Life”
10. Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”
11. Ellie Goulding – “Burn”
12. Katy Perry – “Roar”
13. Imagine Dragons – “Demons”
14. Miley Cyrus – “Adore You”
15. American Authors – “Best Day of My Life”
16. Avicii – “Hey Brother”
17. Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z – “Drunk in Love”
18. John Newman – “Love Me Again”
19. Sara Bareilles – “Brave”
20. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. ScHoolboy Q and Hollis – “White Walls”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Happy
2. Team
3. The Monster
4. Demons
5. Pompeii
6. Hey Brother
7. Love Me Again
8. Timber
9. Drunk in Love
10. Burn
11. Roar
12. Counting Stars
13. Let Her Go
14. Adore You
15. Talk Dirty
16. Brave
17. White Walls
18. Best Day of My Life
19. Say Something
20. Story of My Life
Each week, I check out VH1′s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Pitbull ft. Ke$ha – “Timber”
2. Ellie Goulding – “Burn”
3. Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”
4. Zedd ft. Hayley Williams – “Stay the Night”
5. Lorde – “Team”
6. A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera – “Say Something”
7. OneRepublic – “Counting Stars”
8. Bastille – “Pompeii”
9. John Newman – “Love Me Again”
10. Beyoncé – “XO”
11. American Authors – “Best Day of My Life”
12. The Fray – “Love Don’t Die”
13. Passenger – “Let Her Go”
14. Fall Out Boy – “Alone Together”
15. Miley Cyrus – “Adore You”
16. Christina Perri – “Human”
17. Goo Goo Dolls – “Come to Me”
18. Daughtry – “Waiting for Superman”
19. Colbie Caillat – “Hold On”
20. Pharrell – “Happy”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Happy
2. Team
3. The Monster
4. Pompeii
5. XO
6. Love Me Again
7. Timber
8. Burn
9. Counting Stars
10. Let Her Go
11. Adore You
12. Love Don’t Die
13. Stay the Night
14. Alone Together
15. Best Day of My Life
16. Human
17. Say Something
18. Hold On
19. Waiting for Superman
20. Come to Me
Each week, I check out FUSE’s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Pitbull ft. Ke$ha – “Timber”
2. A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera – “Say Something”
3. OneRepublic – “Counting Stars”
4. Passenger – “Let Her Go”
5. Bastille – “Pompeii”
6. Lorde – “Team”
7. Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz – “Talk Dirty”
8. Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”
9. One Direction – “Story of My Life”
10. Ellie Goulding – “Burn”
11. Pharrell – “Happy”
12. Imagine Dragons – “Demons”
13. American Authors – “Best Day of My Life”
14. Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z – “Drunk in Love”
15. Katy Perry – “Roar”
16. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert – “Same Love”
17. Kid Ink ft. Chris Brown – “Show Me”
18. Sara Bareilles – “Brave”
19. Miley Cyrus – “Adore You”
20. Avicii – “Hey Brother”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Team
2. Happy
3. The Monster
4. Demons
5. Pompeii
6. Hey Brother
7. Timber
8. Drunk in Love
9. Burn
10. Roar
11. Counting Stars
12. Let Her Go
13. Adore You
14. Talk Dirty
15. Brave
16. Same Love
17. Best Day of My Life
18. Show Me
19. Say Something
20. Story of My Life
Each week, I check out VH1′s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Pitbull ft. Ke$ha – “Timber”
2. Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”
3. Zedd ft. Hayley Williams – “Stay the Night”
4. OneRepublic – “Counting Stars”
5. Ellie Goulding – “Burn”
6. Lorde – “Team”
7. A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera – “Say Something”
8. Bastille – “Pompeii”
9. John Newman – “Love Me Again”
10. Beyoncé – “XO”
11. Passenger – “Let Her Go”
12. American Authors – “Best Day of My Life”
13. The Fray – “Love Don’t Die”
14. Fall Out Boy – “Alone Together”
15. Imagine Dragons – “Demons”
16. Daughtry – “Waiting for Superman”
17. The Neighbourhood – “Sweater Weather”
18. Christina Perri – “Human”
19. Goo Goo Dolls – “Come to Me”
20. Colbie Caillat – “Hold On”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Team
2. The Monster
3. Demons
4. Pompeii
5. XO
6. Love Me Again
7. Timber
8. Burn
9. Sweater Weather
10. Counting Stars
11. Let Her Go
12. Love Don’t Die
13. Stay the Night
14. Alone Together
15. Best Day of My Life
16. Human
17. Say Something
18. Hold On
19. Waiting for Superman
20. Come to Me
1. Pharrell – “Happy” [Creative Director: Woodkid] – The full video for “Happy” is a day-long experience that plays on a loop on 24hoursofhappy.com. I haven’t watched every last minute of the 24 hours, but I am impressed by it nonetheless. I have seen the four-minute edited version, and it is pretty cool, too. A menagerie of people dance however they want to dance as they walk through streets and hallways, gladly taking heed of the commands in Pharrell’s lyrics. Everyone indeed looks happy. Rarely has such an earnest effort calling for positivity been successful on such a gargantuan scale.
2. Haim – “The Wire” [Director: Jonathan Lia] – The music video with the best short narrative of the year is “The Wire,” in which the Haim sisters break up with some guys, but remain awesome. Also awesome, hilariously so: Jorma Taccone’s cry-face.
3. Justin Timberlake – “Mirrors” [Director: Floria Sigismondi] – JT’s tribute to his grandparents is a tearjerking testament to a love that decades later remains as strong as it was the day it began.
4. Miley Cyrus – “We Can’t Stop” [Director: Diane Martel] – A year in which a Miley Cyrus video is reminiscent of Zardoz (re: talking, floating heads) is a pretty good year.
5. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Sacrilege” [Director: Megaforce] – Slut shaming: the music video. The sex is thrilling, but in this crazy mixed-up world, it’s still too much for some people to handle.
6. Bat for Lashes – “Lilies” [Director: Peter Sluszka] – “Lilies” captures the magic of the musical performances from The Muppet Show, specifically the ones in which the musical guest was accompanied by the more monstrous puppets. Natasha Khan is equal parts thrilled and freaked out by the imposing, yet fascinating creatures on this spacey seascape.
7. A-Trak & Tommy Trash – “Tuna Melt” [Director: Ryan Staake] – There have been other Rube Goldberg-style music videos, but no others that ultimately merely opened a door to a closet in which a sandwich is on a plate.
8. Tegan and Sara – “Closer” [Director: Issac Rentz] – The Quin twins have the most enthusiastic karaoke party ever, but what really sells this clip is the casual tossing aside of the microphone at the end.
9. Disclosure – “When a Fire Starts to Burn” [Director: Bo Mirosseni] – The “When a Fire Starts to Burn” clip appears to be one of those religious revival meetings in which people become so possessed by the spirit that their bodies start shaking and their minds get lost. But what’s being preached here is the possession itself: let yourself be overcome by the sensation of being overcome.
10. Avicii – “You Make Me” [Director: Sebastian Ringler] – Is everyone finally ready to admit how awesome roller skating rinks are? Or at least how awesome roller skating love stories are?
