These were our favorite albums of the year.
Every year the Metro features staff members pool our picks for faves of the year and start a giant reply-to-all war where we “discuss” each other’s taste.
The results …
ALBUMS
1) “Yeezus” by Kanye West
2) “Random Access Memories” by Daft Punk
3) “Pure Heroine” by Lorde
4) TIE: “Reflektor” by The Arcade Fire and “Modern Vampires of the City” Vampire Weekend
5) “Bankrupt” by Phoenix
STAFF SAVES: “Bangerz” by Miley Cyrus and “Beyoncé” by Beyoncé
SONGS
1) “Royals” by Lorde
2) “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke
3) “We Can’t Stop” by Miley Cyrus
4) “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk
5) “Holy Grail” by Jay Z and Justin Timberlake
What was interesting about this list was how much diversity there was beyond the top 5. There were a few favorite albums chosen by only one person (My Bloody Valentine and A$AP Rocky) and a lot of people seemed to reluctantly put “Days Are Gone” by Haim as their last choice. Pat Healy, Music Editor/Features Editor
I would pay a monthly subscription to never hear “Get Lucky” again. But oh yay, our top songs of the year are 80 percent misogynistic. T Michele Murphy, New York Entertainment Editor/Copy Chief
I stand behind A$AP Rocky. Rachel Vigoda, Philadelphia Entertainment Editor
Okay, I’ve got my calculator and my Misogyny Detector® app open, and I can’t figure out how you’d come to the conclusion that our song picks are 8o percent misogynistic. The only one that my MD® app buzzes slightly on is “Blurred Lines.” And so I take out the calculator, and that would only be 20 percent misogynistic. Or were you doing it in the same way they figure out fat in ground beef? 80 percent lean? Pat Healy
Can I throw down my save? Don’t laugh, but I really think Miley’s “Bangerz” deserves a spot on the list. It’s got slick beats, her voice sounds surprisingly good and the songs are still in my head months later. I don’t get why she feels she needs to rely on twerking/tongue-wagging to get attention — her music is pretty good on its own. Meredith Engel, Wellbeing/Going Out/Travel Editor
Um, sorry. Lorde has more talent in her one year as a musician than Miley has in her seven years on the scene. Her lyrics about how cool it is to not be cool and growing up in a nothing city are way more relatable than doing coke in the bathroom and twerking at a party. Emily Laurence, Books/Parenting/Personal Finance Editor
Lorde also gets points with the pasty music critic set (this guy!) because she covers a Replacements song. That’s actually how I first heard of her. And I thought I had discovered this wonderful little indie treasure until I learned that Alex’s mom works out to this jam on VH1 Fitness or whatever. Is VH1 Fitness a channel? If not, it should be! But yeah, “Royals” really says so well what Jessie J’s “Price Tag” was trying to say. Pat Healy
No disrespect to Lorde at all — I listened to her album for the first time ever last night and was very impressed. But I never said Miley’s behavior was relatable, just that her music is catchy and her voice sounded strong. Her antics are gross, for sure. But her songs are about love, heartbreak and other experiences along the vast spectrum of the human existence — things anyone can relate to. Meredith Engel
Man, that phrase “in her one year as a musician” is scary. It’s also weird that Lorde is so young. So technically she’s like still in her Hannah Montana-phase, age-wise then, eh? Pat Healy
Ah good call. It’s still early enough for her to go off the rails. Maybe we’ll be seeing her abs and tongue next year when she decides to rebel. Emily Laurence
I really liked Miley’s “Backyard Sessions,” I’m just going to say it. She was actually wearing clothes and singing beautifully (go listen to her “Jolene” cover right now). And then SOMETHING HAPPENED. I’d love to blame Hemsworth (just because) but somehow I think by then the seeds were already planted… T Michele Murphy
I’d suggest you listen to Haim’s “Days Are Gone.” It’s the only album that really excited me this year. Dorothy Robinson
The Beyonce album snuck in last minute and is a list game-changer for me. If you need me I’ll be the one in front of the mirror trying to replicate all her moves. Tina Chadha, Deputy Features Editor/Style Editor
So firstly I think just “Blurred Lines” is about 50 percent of the awful. I also happen to find “Get Lucky” pretty gross, since (what I’m hearing is) apparently he’s out with this chick and she’s trying to have a nice time but he’s just trying to get laid? Men: If I hang around long enough and persist, maybe she’ll let me bang her, even though that’s not what she wants out of tonight, because let’s be real that’s the only reason I’m still here. I WILL WEAR HER DOWN BY SUNRISE. But then there’s the fact that these albums and songs are basically all guys. That really sucks. Especially if you go into the bands and count those guys individually against the females. I’m glad Lorde is doing well as a new young artist, but the other lone female is basically bad for women in music despite being one because … because all of Miley in 2013. Sigh. So: The list is 80 percent sucky for chicks. T. Michele Murphy
So as I’m compiling our discussion, I do want to officially invoke a save for Beyonce’s self-title album. It’s a masterpiece, dammit! Yes, I realize that this could cause me more editing hassle in the 11th hour, but it’s an important choice to make because it’s an important album. It’s so different from her previous albums! Pat Healy
Suckerrrrrr. We should punish her (I know, she’ll be so upset) for her sneak attack album launch by ignoring it. Alexandra Cavallo, TV Editor/Boston Entertainment Editor
Ha. Seriously. My first thought when Beyonce’s album came out was “Ohh, every magazine editor is going to be PISSED.” Luckily we’re a newspaper so we win! Emily Laurence
