Best of 2013

For the 11th time, here is my list of best emerging songs/artists of 2013!  Please share this list, support these artists and spread the word about the Emerge Music Group so we can let more people know about great new music!!

This list is not in priority order, but if I were to put these all on CD or on a playlist I would use this order for what I feel would be the best listening experience. I hope you enjoy it!!

Best of 2013
(note: song links will take you to iTunes or other sites to purchase/listen to song, band links will take you to their website/FB page)

1. Everybody's Dancing and I Want To Die - Deaf Havana
2. Attention - We Are The In Crowd
3. Revo - Walk Off the Earth
4. Two Strikes - Melodime
5. Big - Distant Cousins
6. The Road - Vocal Few
7. You Don't Owe Me Anything - Tonight Alive
8. Laura Palmer - Bastille
9. Quit Pulling Me Down - Secret Someones
10. Dress It Up - Poor Young Things
11. To Be Wanted - Plug in Stereo (featuring Megan & Liz)
12. Brighter - Patent Pending
13. Ledges - Noah Gundersen
14. White Fences - NEEDTOBREATHE
15. You Could Be My Girl - Nathan Angelo
16. Keep It Simple, Stupid - My Body Sings Electric
17. Goodbye - Glenn Morrison (feat. Islove)
18. Forever - Matt Hires
19. I Believe In Us - David Ryan Harris
20. Happy - Melissa Polinar
21. My Type - Saint Motel
22. Bathed in Blue - Lily Kershaw
23. One Heart - Leftover Cuties
24. Luck - American Authors
25. Try - John Newman
26. Collide - Jake Miller
27. Remember Me - Gavin James
28. Chasing Twisters - Delta Rae
29. Good - Dave Barnes
30. Secret - Crystalyne
31. All I Need - Courage My Love
32. Crazy - The CO
33. Up, On & Over - Bronze Radio Return
34. If You Can Hear Me - Ben Rector
35. There's a Rumor - The August Empire
36. Shake It Off - Autumns Cannon
37. Runaway - Andrew Morstein
38. Dry (Fresh Out Of You) - Caitlin Timmins
39. Nothing More - The Alternate Routes (feat. Lily Costner)

Best Of.. 10 Year Anniversary!

In December of 2003, I decided to put together a list of my favorite new songs/artists of the year.  I made a few copies on CD and had an easy and fun holiday present to give to friends.  It's hard to believe that it's now 10 years later and these 10 compilations are somewhat of a snapshot of the new music and bands I've loved and listened to in the past decade.  Some of them remain my favorites, some I look back on surprised that they made the list. Many of these artists are still active in the music industry and many others are not. 

Selecting 2 songs from each compilation was essentially an impossible task - kind of like choosing a favorite child.  So instead of over thinking it and picking the "best" or "favorite" songs I instead looked for ones that jumped out at me and I tried not to overanalyze my choices.

Below you'll find the 20 song "Best of 10 Year" collection and further down you can see the list of all 10 years of songs!  The lists get longer as the years go on as I transitioned from a traditional audio CD (80 minutes) to creating MP3 Discs (which can hold a lot more data).

Enjoy and get ready for the Best of 2013 coming very soon!!

Best of 10 Year Anniversary!

1. Michael Tolcher - Sooner or Later (2003)
2. EastMountainSouth - You Dance (2003)
3. Granian - Uncovered (2004)
4. Marc Broussard - Rocksteady (2004)
5. Blue Merle - Lucky To Know You (2005)
6. Copeland - You Love To Sing (2005)
7. Matt Wertz - Heartbreaker (2006)
8. Sam and Ruby - Heaven's My Home (2006)
9. The Heyday - Turn Me Around (2007)
10. No More Kings  - Someday (2007)
11. South Jordan - Fatal Flaw (2008)
12. Virginia Coalition - Sing Along (2008)
13. Marianas Trench - Cross My Heart (2009)
14. The Rescues - Stay Over (2009)
15. The Best Week Ever - Unforgettable (2010)
16. The Scene Aesthetic - Humans (2010)
17. Hey Ocean! - Make a New Dance Up (2011)
18. Melodime - The Letter (2011)
19. Chris Ayer - The Infinite Abyss of Space (2012)
20. Katie Sky - Only You (2012)

BEST OF COMPILATIONS - COMPLETE LISTING (2003-2012)

BEST of 2003

1.        Sooner or Later - Michael Tolcher

2.       Marianne - Matt Wertz

3.       Frozen - Geoff Byrd

4.       By & By - Virginia Coalition

5.       Written & Erased - Brian Vander Ark

6.       Hazy - Jen Shankman

7.       Follow Through  - Gavin DeGraw

8.       The Swimmer  - Christopher Jak

9.       This Is Me - The Rocker Summer

10.    Crystal Village - Pete Yorn

11.     Tell That Girl -Kirsten Proffit

12.    Hey Ya – Outkast

13.    Meghan - Breaking Laces

14.    Jesus On The Radio – Guster

15.    Infancy Of Us -Parker’s Back

16.    You Dance –Eastmountainsouth

17.    Little Piece Of Me -Charlotte Kendrick

18.    You’re The Ocean-Teitur

19.    Carry This Picture - Dashboard Confessional

20.   Martha - Brian Webb

21.    Om Shanti - Jim Dugan

22.   Best I’ll Ever Be (acoustic version) -Sister Hazel

BEST of 2004

1. Anchorman - Oval Opus
2. Uncovered - Granian
3. Someday - Pete Schmidt
4. Rocksteady - Marc Broussard
5. Bad Girl - Joanie Leeds
6. What If I’m Right - Ingram Hill
7. Seven Days Without You- Avion
8. Shooting Star –Adrianne
9. Hold You Down –Jump
10. Somewhere Only We Know-Keane
11. Keeping Close To You –Actionslacks
12. Another Mistake -Evan & Jaron
13. Something I Can’t Be -Kirsten Proffit
14. At Sea-The Push Stars
15. Don’t Give Up-Pat McGee Band
16. Say Anything-Edwin McCain w/ Maia Sharp
17. Separate Things -Val Emmich
18. Crazy-Late Tuesday
19. Take Me Away-Plain White T’s
20. Kings in Castles -Michael Tolcher
21. Something Beautiful-Great Big Sea

BEST OF 2005

1. You Love To Sing... Copeland
2. Let Me Live... Jesse Young
3. Angel To You (Devil To Me)... The Click Five
4. Ten Days... Missy Higgins
5. Undeniable... Mat Kearney
6. Lucky To Know You... Blue Merle
7. Plasti Queens... Geoff Byrd
8. What Happened To Our Love... Joshua Bartholomew
9. Over My Head (Cable Car)... The Fray
10. You And Everyone Else... Orange Park
11. Ordinary... The Alternate Routes
12. Perfectly... Judd and Maggie
13. Queen of Hearts... Peter Bradley Adams
14. Bound... Christopher Jak
15. Too Perfect... Britney Christian
16. Let Somebody Down... Sons of William
17. What I Cannot See... Clarias
18. Breakdown... Plain White T's
19. Honest Man... Matt Wertz
20. See You Later, See You Soon... Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers
21. The Ocean... Mae

Best of 2006

1. More... Gavin Mikhail 
2. Little Lives... Overnight Lows
3. Heartbreaker... Matt Wertz
4. Her Majesty... Hotspur
5. If It's Alright With You... Charles Kelley
6. Make It Go Away... Britney Christian
7. Heaven's My Home... Sam & Ruby
8. The Only One... Moshav
9. Everybody But You... Dave Barnes
10. Next In Line... Dean Fields
11. World Spins Madly On... The Weepies
12. I'm Not Perfect... Johanna Stahley
13. For You I Will (Confidence)... Teddy Geiger
14. Fire Away... Kill The Alarm
15. Balancing The World... Eliot Morris
16. Pull Shapes... The Pipettes
17. iGeneration... MC Lars
18. Our Time Now... Plain White T's
19. I Don't Feel Like Dancing... Scissor Sisters
20. Hey Hey... Sister Hazel
21. Little Stranger... Peter Bradley Adams
22. September 22... Nathan Angelo
23. Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow... Wideawake

Best of 2007

1. Best Days - Graham Colton 
2. Feelings Show - Colbie Caillat 
3. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't (My Baby)? - LittleHorse 
4. Turn Me Around - The Heyday 
5. Car Crash - Matt Nathanson 
6. Shout It Out Loud - Kill The Alarm 
7. Someday - No More Kings 
8. Flipside - The Click Five 
9. Can't Stop - Ozomatli 
10. Fell To The Breeze - Megson 
11. Leave A Light On - Scott Leger 
12. Love Don't Live Here - Lady Antebellum 
13. Another Day - Blacktop Mourning 
14. Guess We Were - Pat McGee Band 
15. 9:45 - Mieka Pauley 
16. So Much Love - The Rocket Summer 
17. Four Letter Word - Ingram Hill 
18. Human - Jon McLaughlin 
19. Dizzy - The Sketches 
20. Sometimes I Can't Make It Alone - Mae 
21. Hey Rebekah - The Fold 
22. It's Only Life - Kate Voegele 

Best of 2008

1. Fatal Flaw...South Jordan

2. The Man Who Can't Be Moved...The Script

3. Down With Young Love...Mission Hill

4. When It's Good...Marc Broussard (featuring Leeann Rimes)

5. Don't Change 4 Me...Matthew Moon

6. Untouched...The Veronicas

7. You Got Me...One Block Radius

8. Circle Three Times...The Insecurities

9. Dear Jacksonville...Parachute Musical

10. Reverie...The Morning Of

11. Sing Along...Virginia Coalition

12. Seven Days of Lonely...I Nine

13. Under My Skin...Peter Bradley Adams

14. Believe...Dave Barnes

15. Someone Like You...SafetySuit

16. Dance Your Life Away...Jon McLaughlin

17. Come On, Come On...Driving East

18. You're Not My Judge... Kate & Kacey Coppola

19. And The World Turned... The Gabe Dixon Band

20. All The Same To Me...Anya Marina (Not currently available on Itunes)

21. Butch Cassidy...Josh Hoge

Best of 2009

1. Therapy…Reliant K
2. Cross My Heart…Mariana’s Trench 

3. I’m The One (Pick Me)…Modern Science 

4. Shut Up…This Hollywood Heart 

5. The Faster The Treadmill…I Fight Dragons

6. All The Pretty Girls…fun. 

7. I Feel Blue…Kaci Bolls 

8. Stay Over… The Rescues 

9. Speed Feels Better…Michael Tolcher 

10. Runaway…Love and Theft 

11. Believe…Orianthi 

12. She’s Killing Me…A Rocket To The Moon 

13. No Harm…ABCDE 

14. John Orr the Arsonist…And Then There Were None

15. Meaningless Words… Josh and the Empty Pockets 

16. Just One Click… Britney Christian 

17. Stronger Still…Seth Horan

18. Firefly…South Jordan 

19. Getaway Car… My Favorite Highway

20. Never Surrender…Sam & Ruby

21. In Your Father’s Eyes…The Webb Sisters

22. Starting Line…The Northern Way

Best of 2010

1.Sing To You…Amely 

2.Made A Believer…Marc Collis 

3.Satellite…Lelia Broussard 

4.Humans…The Scene Aesthetic

5.Rescue Me…Aaron and Andrew 

6.Broken Headlights…Joey Ryan

7.Wash Me Up…Shayna Goldstein 

8.All Of Us…South Jordan 

9.Oh Darling…Plug In Stereo (feat. Cady Groves) 

10.After The Morning After…Todd Carey 

11.All About Us…He Is We 

12.Hold On To The Mystery…Deep River 

13.So It Goes…Marianas Trench (Billy Joel Cover)

14.Had A Feeling…The Heyday 

15.Out Of My Head…Ben Rector 

16.Welcome To The Breakdown…I Fight Dragons 

17.I Told You So…Mimi Soya 

18.Empire…Jukebox The Ghost 

19.So Obvious…Runner Runner 

20.Unforgettable…The Best Week Ever 

21.Ribena…Pegasus Bridge 

22.Lights Out…We Are The In Crowd 

23.What Happens Next…The Material

 Best of 2011

1.          Haven't Had Enough - Marianas Trench

2.          Make A New Dance Up - Hey Ocean

3.          Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen

4.          The Letter - Melodime

5.          This Little Girl - Cady Groves

6.          Austin - One Hot Minute

7.          Gravity - Barnaby Bright

8.          Waiting For You - Amy Kuney

9.          The Geeks Will Inherit The Earth - I Fight Dragons

10.        Take 2 or 3 - Tim Blane

11.         Up Off The Ground - Love Via Dance Machine

12.         Turn Me On - Lelia Broussard

13.         Song for the Suburbs - Ben Rector

14.         Mirror - Amber Rubarth (featuring Jason Mraz)

15.         Gravity - Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers

16.         Let's Go - Mike and Cody

17.         The Worst Thing About Me - We Are The In Crowd

18.         Twenty Something - Graham Colton

19.         Given Up on Giving Up on You - Throwing Gravity

20.         Memphis - Delta Rae

21.          Close Me Eyes- Plain Jane Automobile

22.          We Are Young - fun. (featuring Janelle Mone)

Best of 2012 

1.             Believer - American Authors

2.             I Really Want It - A Great Big World

3.             If You're With Me-Clarensau

4.             One Man Symphony -7Lions

5.             Underwater - Rachel and the Kings

6.             A Million Lives - Jake Miller

7.             The National Health -Maximo Park

8.             What Your Mother Taught You - Kingsfoil

9.             Doctor, Doctor - The Nighttime Adventure Society

10.           The Infinite Abyss of Space - Chris Ayer

11.            Dance in the Graveyards - Delta Rae

12.            Kentucky Moon - Jake Ousley

13.            Only You - Katie Sky

14.            Over That - The Static

15.            Heartbreakers - Neighborhood Kids

16.            Little Black Dress - Honor By August

17.            Lost Without You - Adam Jensen

18.            All in the Attitude - Toby Lightman

19.            Gimme Little Sign - Zak Waters

20.           Burning Little Holes - Portia Conn

21.            Falling - Bastille

22.            Monster Soul - Mike and Cody

23.            You Can Close Your Eyes - Todd Carey (feat. Dawn Mitschele)

24.            Not Over You - Gentleman's Rule

25.            Big Blue Wave - Hey Ocean!

26.            Sequel - TeamMate

27.            Home - Anna Johnson

28.            Loveless - Said The Whale

29.            Oh My My - Act As If

30.           Punch Me In The Heart - Natasha Duarte

31.            Colorful Midst - The Main Squeeze

32.            You're Not Alone - Marie Miller

33.            Gold - Carolina Story

34.            She's So Fly - Cris Cab

35.            24 Hours - Jessica Ashley

36.            Someone Like You - Timeflies

37.            The Longest Winter - The Rescues

Caitlin Timmins (December 22, 2013)

It's time more people know about Caitlin Timmins , a recent grad of Berklee College of Music who is positioning herself to be the next Sara Bariellas.  She has an incredible voice and her songs are not just catchy and enjoyable but also smart and clever.  Her first single "Dry (Fresh Out Of You)" has quickly become my favorite new song and her debut EP "Bad Decisions, Part 1" is solid throughout.  You can give it a listen and download it for free on Noisetrade (http://www.noisetrade.com/caitlintimmins/bad-decisions-part-1) or once you realize how good it is go and buy it on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bad-decisions-pt.-1-ep/id784192306).

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira

Ohio Avenue (December 15, 2013)

Hold on Buckeye fans, Ohio Avenue is not from Ohio, not even close. This pop rock "band" from Huntsville, Alabama has a new 3 song EP out that I can't get enough of. Band is in quotes because it's really the work of one guy, Derek Williams, and whatever friends he pulls together.  My favorite song, and one of my favorites of 2013, is "No Such Thing As Goodbye" (those of you who know me from my full time work can be assured to hear this song in an upcoming end of the school year slide show!).  "Catch Me" has a bit more of a rock edge to it and "All I Ever Wanted Was You" is sweet and sentimental.  While their previous music is more grounded in Christian rock, this EP is simply mainstream (and excellent) pop music.

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/what-tomorrow-holds-single/id677714775

The New Velvet (December 8, 2013)

Caroline Glaser w/ The New Velvet

There are lots of ways to build your fan base these days, and The New Velvet has taken a great approach by releasing one incredible cover song after another with some of the best up and coming female singers out there.  In the last few months they have collaborations with Caroline Glaser (from Season 4 of The Voice), Lara Johnston (one of my favorite new pop singers who will get her own Emerge feature soon enough) as well as Alyssa Bernal, Savannah Outen, and Ali Brustofski. Their covers generally have a more acoustic feel but they are all so good.  I especially recommend "I Will Wait," "What Now" and "Counting Stars."  They also have some originals out including their most recent single "Rain Check."   I highly recommend you check out their YouTube page where you can see and hear what they are up to: http://www.youtube.com/TheNewVelvetBand - so much incredible music to soak up!

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira

Crystalyne (December 1, 2013)

Add Crystalyne to the list of great female fronted pop rock bands that already includes We Are The In Crowd, Tonight Alive, and Stars In Stereo. This Canadian group has just released "The Remedy," their latest and best collection of songs to date.  "Secret" was the first song they released and it's a great example of how good the band is. The rest of the EP follows suit and it's time that more people know about this outstanding group!

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira