Best songs of 2013 (or how we all tried to win Stip over)

[Blaine Ryan]

There's been a lot of great stuff released this year, but for me nothing touches this:

[stip]

But at least I draw a distinction between a song that strikes a chord with me personally that I might really like a lot and something else I'd be eager to show to someone else because I think it can stand up to broader scrutiny and appeal.

I don't understand what point you're trying to make. What would be an example of a song that you like personally that you don't think would stand up to broader scrutiny and appeal? Almost surely anything you might list is going to appeal to an audience that extends beyond strictly yourself, so why would you refrain from sharing something that has struck a chord with you personally because you have already made the decision for others that they aren't going to like it?

I can't speak for anyone else, but I picked that Kurt Vile track because (a) I think it is a beautiful, hypnotic song with honest, unpretentious lyrics, and (b) it is something I have found myself returning to atypically often this year because it has found personal resonance with me. Do I genuinely think it is the single best song of 2013? I couldn't say--I've heard maybe 20 albums with 2013 release dates, which accounts for maybe .000001% of the music released this year. Maybe. I think even people who speak confidently or even arrogantly in their opinions understand that they are operating within their own extremely limited scope of perception, and that trying to discern something like the single best song released worldwide in a 365-day time period is as futile as trying to discern who wrote the best sentence this year, or who cooked the best hamburger. Furthermore, Kurt Vile is an established artist who has received a great deal of positive press in the last few years--it has already been determined that his music can withstand what you call "a broader scrutiny." I am, in fact, a reflection of that broader scrutiny, not someone championing the cause in hopes that it might exist somewhere down the road.

That said, if what you're essentially asking us is if we all picked what we believe to be our respective artist's catalog equivalent to "Future Days," I would surmise that the answer to that is no.

I think people are trying to make me say something more comprehensive than intended. Maybe this is just me, but I draw distinctions between songs I think are great and songs that I love. to stick with pearl jam, Why Go is one of my favorite songs on Ten, but I would not say it is one of the best songs on Ten. It pushes all the right buttons for me but I wouldn't be surprised if other fans, even of pearl jam, didn't like it as much as I did.

[harmless]

I loved this song.

[stip]

Man, stip is gonna have a ton of unremarkable stuff to listen to when he comes back.

keeping up with everyone's shitty tastes is exhausting.

[Heathen]

Tell me about it

[Rangi Guy]

Man, stip is gonna have a ton of unremarkable stuff to listen to when he comes back.

keeping up with everyone's shitty tastes is exhausting.

Mostly - I'd agree, but if it wasn't for this thread I'd have never discovered Phosphorecent - and that alone is worth it!

[stip]

I'll keep fishing. Maybe I'll discover something, and threads like this are helpful. When i see long lists of songs people loved this year I get sad and depressed about all the stuff I'm missing out on Then I listen!

[Strat]

I'll keep fishing. Maybe I'll discover something, and threads like this are helpful. When i see long lists of songs people loved this year I get sad and depressed about all the stuff I'm missing out on Then I listen!

Shouting Matches, please.

And definitely Phosphorescent. Muchacho is incredible.

[Rangi Guy]

I'll keep fishing. Maybe I'll discover something, and threads like this are helpful. When i see long lists of songs people loved this year I get sad and depressed about all the stuff I'm missing out on Then I listen!

And definitely Phosphorescent. Muchacho is incredible.

This - if nothing else, This!!!

[Heathen]

But at least I draw a distinction between a song that strikes a chord with me personally that I might really like a lot and something else I'd be eager to show to someone else because I think it can stand up to broader scrutiny and appeal.

I don't understand what point you're trying to make. What would be an example of a song that you like personally that you don't think would stand up to broader scrutiny and appeal? Almost surely anything you might list is going to appeal to an audience that extends beyond strictly yourself, so why would you refrain from sharing something that has struck a chord with you personally because you have already made the decision for others that they aren't going to like it?

I can't speak for anyone else, but I picked that Kurt Vile track because (a) I think it is a beautiful, hypnotic song with honest, unpretentious lyrics, and (b) it is something I have found myself returning to atypically often this year because it has found personal resonance with me. Do I genuinely think it is the single best song of 2013? I couldn't say--I've heard maybe 20 albums with 2013 release dates, which accounts for maybe .000001% of the music released this year. Maybe. I think even people who speak confidently or even arrogantly in their opinions understand that they are operating within their own extremely limited scope of perception, and that trying to discern something like the single best song released worldwide in a 365-day time period is as futile as trying to discern who wrote the best sentence this year, or who cooked the best hamburger. Furthermore, Kurt Vile is an established artist who has received a great deal of positive press in the last few years--it has already been determined that his music can withstand what you call "a broader scrutiny." I am, in fact, a reflection of that broader scrutiny, not someone championing the cause in hopes that it might exist somewhere down the road.

That said, if what you're essentially asking us is if we all picked what we believe to be our respective artist's catalog equivalent to "Future Days," I would surmise that the answer to that is no.

I think people are trying to make me say something more comprehensive than intended. Maybe this is just me, but I draw distinctions between songs I think are great and songs that I love. to stick with pearl jam, Why Go is one of my favorite songs on Ten, but I would not say it is one of the best songs on Ten. It pushes all the right buttons for me but I wouldn't be surprised if other fans, even of pearl jam, didn't like it as much as I did.

I think everyone understands what you're saying. Which is: I, stip, can put my own bias aside and objectively tell the good from the bad and the great from the unremarkable, using criterias known only to me and that I'm not going to disclose.

[stip]

Exactly!

Sometimes there are songs I THINK are objectively good, rather than songs I THINK I subjectively like.

[BurtReynolds]

I don't know why anyone would be remotely interested in looking at other people's lists of somehow objectively "best" songs. At that point your not even talking about music, but rather how good the poster is at being objective about music. Who cares?

Just list your favorites. It's fun to see what people are into, even if I'm not. And maybe I'll discover something new. Or maybe I can mock someone for having shitty taste. either way it's a win.

[Heathen]

I don't know why anyone would be remotely interested in looking at other people's lists of somehow objectively "best" songs. At that point your not even talking about music, but rather how good the poster is at being objective about music. Who cares?

Just list your favorites. It's fun to see what people are into, even if I'm not. And maybe I'll discover something new. Or maybe I can mock someone for having shitty taste. either way it's a win.

Objectively a good post. I think.

[malice]

Exactly!

Sometimes there are songs I THINK are objectively good, rather than songs I THINK I subjectively like.

who decides what's objectively good??

[Heathen]

Exactly!

Sometimes there are songs I THINK are objectively good, rather than songs I THINK I subjectively like.

who decides what's objectively good??

lowlight79

[malice]

Exactly!

Sometimes there are songs I THINK are objectively good, rather than songs I THINK I subjectively like.

who decides what's objectively good??

lowlight79

you can all go fuck yerselves

[Heathen]

Exactly!

Sometimes there are songs I THINK are objectively good, rather than songs I THINK I subjectively like.

who decides what's objectively good??

lowlight79

you can all go fuck yerselves

as in, mutually, or just everyone doing their own thing?

[Rangi Guy]

Exactly!

Sometimes there are songs I THINK are objectively good, rather than songs I THINK I subjectively like.

who decides what's objectively good??

lowlight79

you can all go fuck yerselves

as in, mutually, or just everyone doing their own thing?

Circle jerk!

[stip]

I don't know why anyone would be remotely interested in looking at other people's lists of somehow objectively "best" songs. At that point your not even talking about music, but rather how good the poster is at being objective about music. Who cares?

Just list your favorites. It's fun to see what people are into, even if I'm not. And maybe I'll discover something new. Or maybe I can mock someone for having shitty taste. either way it's a win.

I agree, basically I wanted to know if these are guilty pleasure songs. Maybe I am just more ashamed of mine

[BurtReynolds]

I don't know why anyone would be remotely interested in looking at other people's lists of somehow objectively "best" songs. At that point your not even talking about music, but rather how good the poster is at being objective about music. Who cares?

Just list your favorites. It's fun to see what people are into, even if I'm not. And maybe I'll discover something new. Or maybe I can mock someone for having shitty taste. either way it's a win.

Objectively a good post. I think.

My posts are unassailable.