Big Year for Hits

It's Hip-Hop 'n' Roll slightly over the Cool R&B? Not official genres, just what I'm thinking.

Then it's a hard-rock song, but my list gets right back to confusing some people. I'm not too confused though, because some Soul, R&B, and Disco songs of the past belong in rock lists.  And of course this is my opinion, so then this 10 Best Rock Songs of the first half of 2014 makes sense to me.

I posted the list on The Overcast Inside. 

Rock gets rolled by the best radio hit this year

It was Tinashe vs. Katy Perry.

"2 On" YouTube Audio vs. "Dark Horse" radio single.

Tinashe was very close to #1 with the song "2 On" featuring Schoolboy Q.  The best sounding "2 On" was listened to on YouTube: Tinashe - 2 On (Audio) ft. SchoolBoy Q
TinasheOfficialVEVO

I just thought the radio single "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry and featuring Juicy J , was a little better.

"Temptation" by Sebastian Bach is also very close to the top of the Rock list and is at #3. He is a great singer but so are Tinashe and Katy Perry.  I didn't hear his song on the radio but I did hear the other two songs on the radio many times, and while "Dark Horse" radio single of Katy Perry is #1, the song "Temptation" from the official video on YouTube is my choice for #3, and YouTube Audio version of "2 On" by Tinashe (described above) at #2 on the list.

Top of Rock: Cool R&B vs. Hip-Hop 'n' Roll?

At first, this list of songs almost has a feel to it like the '80s -- though many of the names have changed -- as the song at #2 on my list is R&B (type of) song but with lots of cool sounds. The song at #3 is by a hard rock/heavy metal singer who gained fame starting in the late '80s as singer of a that-era-style hard-rock & metal band.

But now I'm going to stop thinking about the past and just write about this year. It's 2014.

I will take a break now.

Versus a hit song better on YouTube

"Hits" and "party" radio (stations) were playing "Dark Horse" and "Fancy", two very popular hit singles of 2014. It didn't matter to me that I didn't hear those songs on rock radio, since I clearly didn't expect it. Besides, I also listen to songs on YouTube. One song I've heard on the radio sounded better there. 

Katy Perry vs. Iggy Azalea?

I want to do some of this right here. It's almost like LIVE except of course you will read it later.

This began as a comparison between "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry (ft. Juicy J) and "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea (ft. Charli XCX). That's one reason why "Dark Horse" released last year, could be #1 on my Rock Songs list for the first half of this year. Also, it was played a lot on the radio when I was driving around. And the official music video for "Dark Horse" was put on YouTube this year. 

I thought it was going to be "Dark Horse" vs. "Fancy" but then that changed...

Number 1: Katy Perry "Dark Horse" ft. Juicy J

Katy Perry has the No. 1 song on my list of 10 Best Rock Songs of the first half of 2014.

To many this will be thought of as a song from another genre, and that's true in a sense, I also feel it's a hip-hop pop rock song. "Dark Horse" was released in 2013 but I feel it sort of built momentum and popularity as it was played more and more often by FM radio stations in the first half of 2014. 

A key point here is that the radio made a big difference this time. Hearing songs while driving around, waiting to get into a fast food drive-thru or while eating the fast food, is something I enjoy. I heard the song "Dark Horse" frequently and just about everywhere I went this year. Note: "Dark Horse" was already on my lists 25 Best Pop Songs of 2013 and 25 Best Rock Songs of 2013.

I hope to post more on the first-half of 2014 Number 1 rock song (please refer to the post above).

I have decided to announce something important about the rock list for the first half of 2014 -- right here. The list, however, will be published on The Overcast Inside.  Getting information about song titles -- especially whether words are capitalized or not -- has been very difficult and it's wasted a lot of my time. This is also a problem about some band names. The music industry needs to make this easier for writers/reviewers and fans. Do you think we're mind readers?

Pop 10

Top 10 Pop Songs list for the first half of 2014

1. Shakira, Empire

2. Ariana Grande, Problem ft. Iggy Azalea

3. Shakira, Can't Remember to Forget You ft. Rihanna

4. Flower,  熱帯魚の涙
"Nettaigyo No Namida (tears of a tropical fish)"

5. Iggy Azalea, Fancy ft. Charli XCX

6. Usher, Good Kisser

7. Morning Musume, Beyond the time and space

8. Chris Brown, Loyal (Explicit), ft. Lil Wayne, Tyga

9. Trey Songz, Na Na

10. Kiesza, Hideaway

*Note: This is my list (and my opinion) based on listening to many songs, comparing songs, reading, and research.  There were several other songs that were great, too. 

Extra Note: This part about the song by Flower was added later, from information provided on Flower Official YouTube Channel:  "Nettaigyo No Namida (tears of a tropical fish)"

Sorry, I didn't see that earlier because it was small in the description. I have added that up above in the list.

Pop 10

Top 10 Pop Songs list for the first half of 2014

1. Shakira, Empire

2. Ariana Grande, Problem ft. Iggy Azalea

3. Shakira, Can't Remember to Forget You ft. Rihanna

4. Flower, Tears of Tropical Fish  

   熱帯魚の涙

5. Iggy Azalea, Fancy ft. Charli XCX

6. Usher, Good Kisser

7. Morning Musume, Beyond the time and space

8. Chris Brown, Loyal (Explicit), ft. Lil Wayne, Tyga

9. Trey Songz, Na Na

10. Kiesza, Hideaway

*Note: This is my list (and my opinion) based on listening to many songs, comparing songs, reading, and research.  There were several other songs that were great, too. 

Extra note: I have also seen a translation of the Flower song title as: Tears of a tropical fish