10. Manger – The Sweater I Gave You from One
I only found out about the One, Two, and Three EP’s a couple of weeks ago, but the constant tape fuzz warmth and the duet vocals create this great pop tune perfect to start off my list.

9. Glossed – Smith Westerns from Soft Will
Hailing from Chicago, their album Soft Will is one of my feel good albums when I want to stray away from depressing tracks. Frontman, Cullen Omori’s airy vocals make this dreamy pop number for me and I’m looking forward to whatever is next from them.

8. I Still Think About Who I Was Last Summer – Old Gray from An Autobiography
I had to put at least one emo track on here… There’s an acoustic version of it on the Big Footprint Records compilation that’s pretty cool too. The slow guitar melodies, the heart wrenching lyrics and the spoken word prose at the end really show how far this band have come since their 2011 demo.

7. Good Shit – Georgia Maq from Friends & Bowler’s Run
Melbourne’s second finest, Shit Street Band for life! Plain and simple – acoustic strumming, strong vocals and easy relatability for any lost teenager. Friends & Bowler’s Run has been on repeat since I first picked it up, and a new release in the new year would be greatly appreciated.

6. Virgin Veins – Coma Cinema from Posthumous Release
Amongst the melancholy, this track stands out the most for me on the album. I would have chosen Survivor’s Guilt but the little blues-like electric solo and the refrain, “so lonely / so ugly / and confused” pushes it ahead of the others. The 12″ just got here yesterday so thanks Fork & Spoon Records!

5. Other Voices – The Orwells from Other Voices EP
Raw garage punk straight out of high school, with all the teenage angst you could ask for. This song only makes sense if it’s played loudly and any track that has the lyrics “Don’t grab my hand / I’m not your friend / I’m waiting for my life to end” deserves to be on a top ten list.

4. How They Made Us – Wil Wagner from Laika
I know that  I should probably choose the titular track from this release, but it just wasn’t as relatable. I used to sing this song when I walked home, and had no clue where Punt Road was but it still meant something. I believe there’s a new solo album from Wagner in the coming year, and I’m pretty happy about that.

3. library – Julia Brown from to be close to you
There’s a hi-fi recording of this song on their 7″ but I’ve always preferred the fidelity of the album. Hauntingly beautiful lyrics, a violin, and Torts’ hair all coming together for an exceptional pop tune.

2. Back Flip – The Front Bottoms from Talon of the Hawk
I was skeptical when I knew they were adding two new members to the band, but everything stayed the same, the trademark lyrical style, Ullyich’s pulsating percussion and the arpeggiated powerchords. If anything the additional members just created bigger fuller build-ups and songs, which is always a plus. I just loved the lyrics and couldn’t get it out of my head for a very long time.

1. Ducks Fly Together – The Smith Street Band from Don’t Fuck With Our Dreams
Simply put The Smith Street Band are better than The Beatles ever were. I was split between this and Self Control for my favorite track of the year, but this song has everything, the sense of pining for someone, the signature crescendos, and a chorus that deserves to be shouted. Also it’s a bit more optimistic than the rest of these tunes and that’s needed at times.

10. Angels – Mayday Parade from Monsters in the Closet
It took a while to get used to Mayday’s new sound after their perfect debut full-length A Lesson in Romantics, but the while was worth it. While there are no refreshing curveballs, Angels is just an amazing song that is just representative of the band’s talent.

9. Violence is Violence (Enough is Enough) – A Day To Remember from Common Courtesy
The one track that convinces me that A Day To Remember can make heavy songs well. An amazing song that got the hype for Common Courtesy rolling and really highlights how versatile the Floridian outfit really is.

8. A Disasterpiece – Palisades from Outcasts
Metalcore has been suffering from a wave of mediocrity and unoriginality—similar-sounding vocals and breakdowns being played over and over again. This breaks it. I like this track a lot because it keeps true to metalcore while experimenting successfully with heavy electronic influences. I lose it every time when the dubstep kicks in.

7. Life @ 11 – A Day To Remember from Common Courtesy
Because just one ADTR track wasn’t enough. Life @ 11 is my favorite track off the new album, which is saying a lot because Common Courtesy was, in my opinion, the best overall album of 2013. This track both reminds me why I fell in love with ADTR in the first place and comforts me that their talent and creativity haven’t burned out yet.

6. hostage – Dangerkids from Collapse
Dangerkids has made an amazing breakthrough. Being called “Linkin Park 2.0,” their songs can be characterized by metalcore with angsty rap influences—not the steamy senseless stuff that Attila screams about. This is probably my favorite track off the album, especially since I really love the chorus on this one.

5. Crooked Young – Bring Me The Horizon from Sempiternal
When it comes to musical direction, Bring Me The Horizon’s Sempiternal really takes the cake. They really stepped it up in this album, particularly in the clean vocals department. Crooked Young is my favorite on the album particularly because of the instrumentals… so, so good. I’m a sucker for classical influences and this is a perfect example of how well they mesh with heavy tracks.

4. Pompeii – Bastille from Bad Blood
This is the one track that got Bastille the global recognition they deserve, and for good reason. It’s just an all-around sublime piece. The background vocals are enchanting and the melody is catchy as hell. There’s also something about that accent that fits with the song perfectly. There’s also a version of Pompeii where they play at the British Museum—an alternative version that is equally powerful, one for which I give my highest recommendations to watch.

3. What I Never Learned in Study Hall – Ice Nine Kills from The Predator
Ice Nine Kills are underrated, and I don’t know why. They are an incredible band with an especially talented vocalist. Their recently-released The Predator is a solid EP that really shows potential. In particular, What I Never Learned in Study Hall has become one of my favorite songs ever. Really.

2. A Love Like War – All Time Low from Don’t Panic: It’s Longer Now!
All Time Low, with their upbeat swag and their witty lyrics, have never disappointed, and their recent album has been nothing short of spectacular. And they killed it again with the re-release, including new songs such as A Love Like War. Since first listen it has quickly become a staple in my pop punk playlist. The music video is particularly awesome… watch it!

1. Technicolor – Madeon from Technicolor Single
I don’t think a list could be complete without this eargasmic piece. After no original tracks for months too long, Madeon dropped us a massive, six minute long track that just blows all his old work (besides Finale, but that’s my opinion) out of the water. This is just an incredible track that progresses from beginning to end, like a novel or a movie. It tells a story. It’s amazing.