By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
2013 has been an incredible year for music!
We have seen old favorites returned in style (Celine, Eminem, Elton and JT) and others flamed out (sorry Britney, Jay-Z and Lady Gaga)! Music lovers also saw the rising of two impeccable figures in the EDM world release their debut records and an a cappella group take control of the charts.
Without further ado, here are Jake’s Take’s top albums of 2013!
Elton John’s 30th solo studio album was one of 2013’s best records! (Album cover property of Capitol Music Group)
Elton John: The Diving Board (first pic)
The Diving Board marked Elton’s 30th studio album and his first solo studio album since 2006’s The Captain & The Kid. As usual, Elton asked his longtime songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin, to compose the nucleus of The Diving Board’s lyrics as the English Piano Man delivered beautiful orchestrations. This 15-track album also featured blends from other musical genres including gospel and folk rock that will captivate the listener.
Tracks to Download: “Oceans Away,” “A Town Called Jubilee,” “The Ballad of Blind Tom,” “Home Again” & “Take This Dirty Water.”
John Fogerty: Wrote A Song for Everyone
One of the best duet albums of the year belonged to John Fogerty. The legendary singer-songwriter and rocker brought together a diverse group of A-listers including Jennifer Hudson, the Foo Fighters, Zac Brown Band, Miranda Lambert and Alan Jackson. They rekindled and polished some of Fogerty’s beloved songs and presented the collaborations to not only his longtime fans but to a new legion of music aficionados.
Tracks to Download: “Fortunate Son,” “Wrote A Song for Everyone,” “Have You Ever Seen the Rain,” “Born on the Bayou” & “Proud Mary”
Slim Shady’s latest album paid homage to his monster 2000 record and featured a diverse group of artists that made cameos throughout the album. (Album property of Aftermath, Shady & Interscope Records)
Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP 2
The King of Rap revisited his past and turned it into gold. Longtime fans will find his angry and truthful anecdotes infused with superb samples still remain the same. In addition, fans should expect great production value from executive producers Dr. Dre and Rick Rubin. In addition, keep an ear out for Slim Shady’s favorite collaborators Rihanna and Skylar Grey plus new friends Nate Ruess, Kendrick Lamar and Sia!
Tracks to Download: “Rhyme or Reason,” “Berzerk,” “Headlights,” “Beautiful Pain” & “The Monster”
Paul Anka: Duets
Okay! I bet you are asking yourself: “Who the heck is Paul Anka?” The answer: Paul Anka is an impeccable Canadian singer-songwriter that has spent more than seven decades in the entertainment industry. For his 28th studio album, Mr. Anka re-recorded several of his hits with some iconic singers including Dolly Parton, Patti LaBelle and Gloria Estefan. In addition, Mr. Anka also produced two posthumous duets with both the Chairman of the Board (“My Way”) and the King of Pop (“This Is It”).
Tracks to Download: “Find My Way Back to My Heart,” “Do I Love You (Yes, In Every Way),” “This Is It,” “My Way” & “You Are My Destiny”
Celine Dion’s “Loved Me Back to Life” featured numerous collaborations with Ne-Yo, Stevie Wonder, Sia and Diane Warren. (Album cover property of Columbia Records)
Celine Dion: Loved Me Back to Life
Another Canadian icon returned to the music scene this year! World-renowned recording artist Celine Dion’s eighth English studio album featured two impeccable duets with Ne-Yo and Stevie Wonder, plus superb tracks that were either penned or produced by Babyface, Diane Warren, Daniel Merriweather and Sia. Welcome back, Celine! You were deeply missed!
Tracks to Download: “Somebody Loves Somebody,” “Incredible,” “Water & A Flame,” “Overjoyed”& “Unfinished Songs”
Fall Out Boy successfully saved Rock and Roll with their fifth studio album. (Album cover property of Island Records)
Fall Out Boy: Save Rock & Roll
Save Rock & Roll was one of the best surprises of 2013! The album marked Fall Out Boy’s first album of material since their reformation. Patrick Stump’s vocals grew leaps and bounds while Joe Trohman, Pete Wentz and Andy Hurley showed that they proved to be renaissance men. It also helped that they had help from Big Sean, Courtney Love, the London Symphony Orchestra and Sir Elton John.
Tracks to Download: “The Phoenix,” “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark,” “Alone Together,” “The Mighty Fall” & “Save Rock and Roll”
Avicii: True
The Swedish DJ released his first studio album. What made True a success was the fact that Avicii embraced different genres such as folk rock and 70s glam pop and perfectly infused it with his Electronic Dance Music (EDM) beats. Also, keep an ear out for Aloe Blacc, Adam Lambert, Audra Mae and Nile Rodgers who add some of their personal spice to the album.
Tracks to Download: “Wake Me Up,” “Hey Brother,” “Addicted to You,” “Lay Me Down” & “Hope There’s Someone”
Zedd: Clarity (Deluxe Edition)
Another master in the EDM world released his debut album. While Avicii attracted only a couple big names to his project, the German-Russian DJ/Producer successfully recruited Ryan Tedder, Foxes, Ellie Goulding and Hayley Williams to sing the lyrics on his track. What also made Clarity (Deluxe Edition) a terrific album was the fact that Zedd either wrote or co-wrote every single song on the CD! Because of that fact, everyone should buy this record.
Tracks to Download: “Spectrum,” “Lost At Sea,” “Fall Into the Sky,” “Push Play” & “Stay the Night”
A cappella group Pentatonix continued their rise to superstardom with their third EP that features covers of Macklemore and Daft Punk. (Album cover property of Pentatonix & Madison Gate Records)
Pentatonix: PTX, Vol. 2
Tired of listening to the same EDM, pop or hip-hop music? A cappella music group and The Sing-Off winners breathed new life into several top charters and iconic songs with their brilliant vocal arrangements. In addition, the quintet presented three new songs that showcased their brilliant songwriting abilities.
Tracks to Download: “Can’t Hold Us,” “Natural Disaster,” “Hey Momma/Hit the Road Jack,” “I Need Your Love” & “Daft Punk”
Robin Thicke: Blurred Lines
2013 was an impeccable year for Robin Thicke! Blurred Lines sold over 633,000 albums in the US, reached the number one spot in five countries and is nominated for three Grammys including Record of the Year for the title track. Thicke’s impeccable album featured an all-star list of collaborators that included Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Luke, Timbaland and will.i.am!
Tracks to Download: “Blurred Lines,” “Ain’t No Hat 4 That,” “Get in My Way,” “Give It 2 U” & “Feel Good”
Gloria Estefan: The Standards
There have been many artists that have sung selections from the Great American Songbook. However, a majority of the artists that have recorded cover albums have been unable to connect with their core audience. Ms. Estefan’s The Standards is the perfect cover album that not only pays homage to the greatest singers and songwriters of American music but also brings her own musical flavors to the party!
Tracks to Download: “What a Wonderful World,” “How Long Has This Been Going On,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” “Young At Heart” & “Natural Woman”
With the help of old friends Jay-Z and Timbaland, Justin Timberlake returned to the top of the music charts in 2013. (Album cover property of RCA Records)
Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience-The Complete Experience
Fans have begged to get Justin Timberlake to release another studio album. So when JT decided to release not one…but TWO ALBUMS this year for fans to enjoy, Timberlake and his all-star collaborators-Jay Z, Drake, Timbaland and James Fauntleroy delivered a group of superb singles that brilliantly merged the worlds of both pop and neo soul! I hope JT wins all seven of his Grammy nominations because The 20/20 Experience-The Complete Experience was one of the best albums of the year!
Tracks to Download: “Let the Groove Get In,” “Mirrors,” “TKO,” “Take Back the Night” & “Drink You Away”
I do not own all of the clips that were used in this article. They belong to the artists and their respective record labels.
