Walk The Moon scores a ninth week at #1 with the top ten mostly unchanged, save a move into the top five by Nate Ruess and a #10 entry for Morgan Page and Lissie. Rachel Platten makes another big jump, up 27 to #13 in her third week on with “Fight Song.” Once again, Sam Hunt, Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato, and The Veronicas make double-digit jumps, as do Martin Luke Brown’s “Take Out Of Me” and Greg Holden’s “Hold On Tight.” The biggest chart entry this week is a re-entry, as CAFUNÉ’s debut single “Letting Go” returns at #83 after last charting at #99 at the beginning of February. Florence + The Machine lands another debut from upcoming album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, but the rest of the debuts are all from artists appearing for the first time: Years & Years, Handsome Ghost, Brandon Flowers, The Bros. Landreth, and Cheerleader.

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Though Walk The Moon scores a third week on top with “Shut Up And Dance,” Ellie Goulding creeps ever closer as “Love Me Like You Do” is now a single spot away. Alabama Shakes enter at #3 with “Don’t Wanna Fight,” the lead single from upcoming sophomore album Sound & Color; another cut, “Future People,” debuts at #73.

Christina Perri continues to edge forward with “The Words,” which reaches #13 in its fifteenth week on the chart. It has moved up on each of the fifteen charts on which it has appeared, beginning from its #97 debut back in early November.

Florence + The Machine scores the second-highest debut at #27 with “What Kind Of Man,” the lead single from their upcoming third album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. After two weeks off, Zac Brown Band returns with a brand-new peak for “Homegrown,” re-entering at #68. Along with the aforementioned trio of debuts, eight more entries include new tracks from Tor Miller and Youth Club, as well as newcomers Lucie Silvas, Charlie Puth (featuring Meghan Trainor), and James Bay.

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These are one hundred songs that stayed in my heavy rotation throughout 2013. In a year that saw personal advancements including eight weeks studying abroad in France and graduation from college, these songs soundtracked my year, each song appealing to me through instrumentation, lyrics, or just its overall mood. Read on for descriptions of each track, access the whole playlist on SoundCloud to listen, and judge away.
Continue reading “Kurt’s 100 Favorite Songs of 2013”

Florence + The Machine move to #2 with “Shake It Out,” trading places with Kelly Clarkson’s “Mr. Know It All.” Once again, three songs enter the top ten: Sara Bareilles and Ryan Tedder’s “Gonna Get Over You,” Daughtry’s “Crawling Back To You,” and Graffiti6’s “Free.” Daughtry again has the highest debut, this time with “Renegade.”

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It’s a busy week within the top ten: Foster The People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” ascends to the top three, with “Shake It Out” by Florence + The Machine just behind. Three songs enter the top ten: Hedley’s “Invincible,” Coldplay’s “Paradise,” and Gotye featuring Kimbra’s “Somebody That I Used To Know.” Sara Bareilles and Ryan Tedder return to #15 with “Gonna Get Over You,” which first charted last fall, while Switchfoot’s “Restless” is the top new entry at #17.

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