twostepcubchart's Best of 2013: Part Three - #80-#71...

I'm counting down the top 100 songs from my weekly personal music charts in 2013, and part three is upon us. You can also check out parts one and two....

#80 - Grouplove - "Ways To Go"
from the album Spreading Rumours (2013)
twostepcubchart peak: #15 (three weeks)
weeks on the chart: 17

The L.A. indie-pop band came back low-key with their sophomore effort, and yet still went to #2 on the rock chart with this electro-shuffler that sounded like a more dance-y Barenaked Ladies in the chorus.

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#79 - Chris Young - "Aw Naw"
from the album A.M. (2013)
twostepcubchart peak: #9 (two weeks)
weeks on the chart: 14

Even though the now-hatless Young didn't need to wade into the rock/country swamp, he's got a much stronger voice to start with, and emits just the right amount of swagger for this bar track.

#78 - Hunter Hayes - "Somebody's Heartbreak"
from the album Hunter Hayes (2011)
twostepcubchart peak: #23 (two weeks)
weeks on the chart: 18

As pop radio was rediscovering Hunters "Wanted" (it almost repeated a showing in this year's top-100), country audiences were devouring this MOR strummer from the talented multi-threat prodigy from Cajun country.

#77 - Justin Moore - "Point At You"
from the album Off The Beaten Path (2013)
twostepcubchart peak: #15 (two weeks)
weeks on the chart: 18

I can't honestly tell you why this did as well as it did. Maybe lack of competition at the time. I guess it makes up for his superior "Til My Last Day" which had the bad luck of being "split" between two years. He did provide me my favorite moment of the CMAs with his complete 'deer in the headlights' stare in the audience.

#76 - Ellie Goulding - "Burn"
from the album Halcyon Days (2013)
twostepcubchart peak: #17 (one week so far in 2013)
weeks on the chart: 17 (in 2013)

The British singer and queen of the 'slow-burn' single did it again with this track from the re-released version of her second album definitely shows what she's gleaned from EDM artists like Skrillex and Calvin Harris. 

#75 - Keith Urban - "Little Bit Of Everything"
from the album Fuse (2013)
twostepcubchart peak: #17 (two weeks)
weeks on the chart: 18

Keith upped his mainstream profile with his stint as a judge in American Idol, while serving up this laid-back country track that doesn't forgo its roots while incorporating more urban sound-effects.

#74 - Of Monsters And Men - "Little Talks"
from the album My Head Is An Animal (2012)
twostepcubchart peak: #12 (in 2013) (four weeks)
weeks on the chart: 14 (in 2013)

My #4 song of last year wouldn't let go as pop radio kept going through the first quarter of the new year...

#73 - Tyler Farr - "Redneck Crazy"
from the album Redneck Crazy (2013)
twostepcubchart peak: #7 (one week)
weeks on the chart: 17

Yeah, maybe 30% of why this is here is because of Tyler's looks. I admit it. Still, his first big hit on his third try had the right blend of emotional power-ballad and gravelly voice to tweak my brain as well.

#72 - Carrie Underwood - "See You Again"
from the album Blown Away (2012)
twostepcubchart peak: #12 (one week)
weeks on the chart: 16

Women had a hard go on country radio this year, though Carrie did it by straddling the line between pop and the genre adeptly. This really was more of a adult-pop record that you could two-step to than a country record that could get play on mainstream radio.

#71 - Miranda Lambert - "Mama's Broken Heart"
from the album Four The Record (2011)
twostepcubchart peak: #9 (two weeks)
weeks on the chart: 16

Meanwhile, Miranda did it with exactly the opposite tack - going completely country without any givebacks for crossover success, and this, the fourth single from her amazing Four The Record album, was awesome fun, and the video the best country clip of the year.

I'll be back tomorrow with part four with a dance alien takeover, a modern rock band's ambitious video miniseries begins (sort of), and more...