Blake Shelton’s “Sure Be Cool If You Did” was a highlight on an okay studio album. (Album cover property of Warner Bros. Records)
By: Jacob Elyachar
There have been countless of albums and singles that have dropped since January 8, 2013.
This two-part countdown focuses on the 20 best songs that were released during the first quarter of 2013.
20. “Sure Be Cool If You Did” by Blake Shelton
The two-time winning Voice coach’s ballad showcased great background instrumentation from Scott Hendricks and superb vocals from the Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year.
19. “Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You” by Ke$ha
For her Deconstructed EP, Ke$ha tackled this Dolly Parton hit that her mother wrote for the country music legend back in 1980. “Old Flames” showcases unbelievable vocals from the “Tik Tok” singer and is one of her best tracks to date.
18. “Highway Don’t Care” by Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift & Keith Urban
The final song off of Tim McGraw’s 12th studio album, Two Lanes of Freedom, features a duet between McGraw with the “Mean” singer and guitar assist from the American Idol judge.
“Brave” showed Josh Groban flex his operatic pop muscles and enticed music lovers to listen. (Album cover property of Warner Bros Records)
17. “Brave” by Josh Groban
Josh Groban flexed his operatic pop muscles in his first track off of his sixth studio album. Groban successfully showed off his range and the orchestral background music will entice listeners.
16. “She Makes Me Happy” by Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart’s upbeat track about his perfect girl showcased a side of the music legend that fans have not seen since the 1990s.
15. “Feel Again” by OneRepublic
The Denver-based pop rock band’s “Feel Again” has a Florence + the Machine-vibe about it and will put listeners in a good mood.
“DONE.” showed fans that the Band Perry has successfully evolved its sound. (Album cover property of Republic Nashville)
14. “DONE” by The Band Perry
The Band Perry’s fiery first single off of their sophomore album featured superb country rock sounds and will leave fans hungry for more incredible tracks like “DONE.”
13. “Suit & Tie” by Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z
JT’s comeback single fused pop, R&B, rap and Eurodance together in one song. In addition to smooth vocals from Justin Timberlake, keep an ear out for Jay-Z’s awesome rap solo.
12. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Michael Bolton & Kelly Rowland
The crooner teamed up with Kelly Rowland to pay homage to the Ashford & Simpson classic on the former Dancing with the Stars contestant’s Motown tribute album. Bolton and Rowland’s voices complemented each other and is one of the best duets of the year.
Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite’s “We Can’t End This Way” was an intriguing folk rock song. (Photo property of PopMatters)
11. “We Can’t End This Way” by Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite
The critically acclaimed collaboration album featured intriguing songs that pleased music lovers. However, it was “We Can’t End This Way,” which included a call-and-response choir that was featured throughout the song made this track stand out.
I do not own any of the clips that were featured in the article. They belong to the artists and their respective record labels.
