Top 100 of 2012 Countdown Part 6

For this portion of the countdown, since I am working on it so late in night, I am just going to give you the videos... so here goes...

Numbers 50 to 41

50 - Daylight by Maroon 5 - Apparently the band put this compilation of user and fan video clips to make a compelling montage of people's feelings and ideas on several personal topics. The 3:45 length song is extended to more than 9 minutes on this montage. Enjoy:



49 - Runaways by The Killers - While not as big as their previous hits, this one racked up enough weeks on the Weekly Top 20 to slot it in at the #49 position.



48 - Wide Awake by Katy Perry - Ms. Perry has enjoyed huge chart success on the pop charts all over the world. One of the 3 singles she places in the Top 100 Hits for 2012 is this one... "Wide Awake" at #48.



47 - Rumor Has It by Adele - Britain's Adele was a late comer to Mel's Weekly Top 20. Most of the singles off her hit album 21 which were supposed to appear in 2011 never charted until this year. "Rumor Has It", one of the most uptempo songs on the album peaked at #5 during its 12 week chart run. Here is the video:



46 - In The Dark by Dev is one of a handful of dance oriented tracks to make it to the Top 100. The song first charted in late 2011 and spent several weeks into 2012 getting as high as #5 before falling off the chart.



45 - What Could Have Been Love by Aerosmith - Steven Tyler and his band Aerosmith have been making music, playing concerts and releasing records since the early 1970s. For me they will always be best known for their Columbia Records era albums that garnered the singles "Dream On," "Sweet Emotion," "Walk This Way", "Last Child" among others. Since the late 1980s and going into the 2000, the band has surfaced every now and then with rock hits in the style of rap remixes and more recently "power ballads". "What Could Have Been Love" is such a power ballad that soared all the way to #5 this past summer, making it good to be listed at #45 for 2012.



44 - Simple Song by The Shins: As I mentioned earlier in this countdown, The Shins who are a popular indie ban scored a huge hit in 2007 with the track "Phantom Limb". This year they came back with a new line-up and the album Port of Morrow and the single "Simple Song" in hopes of duplicating the chart success of "Phantom Limb". They succeeded in getting this track to be listed as the 45th most popular song of 2012.



43 - Take A Little Ride by Jason Aldean - Today's country music is so very unlike the twangy traditional country & western music that was popular in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Today country is a hybrid of pop and rock while maintaining the same types of messages as their earlier counterparts. "Take a Little Ride" by Jason Aldean is such a song... worthy to even chart as a pop/rock crossover and making it to this Top 100 as the 43rd most popular song of the year.



42 - Big In Japan by Martin Solveig ft Dragonette and Idoling - Last year Martin Solveig had a huge hit with Dragonette called "Hello". They came back in early 2012 with this song... "Big In Japan". Here is a remix of the hit.



41 - Home by Phillip Phillips - I don't watch American Idol. I did not know that Phillip Phillips was the winner of the 2012 contest. "Home" began to chart in late summer and was a bonafide hit by fall.



And there you have it. The latest 10 hits in our daily countdown to #1 of the Top 100 Hits of 2012. Do you like the individual videos? If so leave a comment. Maybe I might do this all the way to the end. Tomorrow, hits #40 to #31. We're getting closer...

Top 100 of 2012 Countdown Part 5

Numbers 60 to 51

60 - Spectrum by Florence + The Machine - This is the only single that charted from Florence + The Machine’s 2012 album Ceremonials. The song was played more than 34 times on my iTunes, charted on the Weekly Top 20 for 9 weeks and peaked at #7.

59 - I Like Girls That Drink Beer by Toby Keith - Beer songs have been a recurring theme in country music for decades. This year Toby Keith crossed over twice into pop territory with two beer drinking songs. The first one is “I Like Girls That Drink Beer” which came out in late summer and made it as high on our weekly chart to #7. 

58 - The Book Of Morris Johnson by Zee Avi - Malaysian singer Zee Avi scored a big hit with “The Book of Morris Johnson” on this chart last year (2011). It dominated during the late summer, fall and winter of 2011 spanning a chart run of 17 weeks which pushed it to the end of December, peaking for 3 of those weeks at #2. It ended up being the 16th most popular song on the Top 100 of 2011. “Morris Johnson” continued to chart in the early part of 2012 spending an additional 3 weeks in January while on its downward slide. It was listed as high as #6 this year, hence its relatively high ranking of #58. Zee Avi records for Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records which is also the home to Bahamas who checked in at #70 on this countdown.

57 - Christmas In The Sand by Colbie Caillat - Very few Christmas songs have made it to the chart over the years. This is one of them. Colbie Caillat continues with her bright, tropical flared music, offering us this Christmas ditty that will be a recurring yule time classic. Off the album of the same title, Colbie took this to #6 for a week where it is still being charted at the end of 2012.

56 - That's Why God Made The Radio by The Beach Boys - Talking about breezy, how about the sun, surf and the breeze? The Beach Boys, a perennial hit making rock n roll group well known for the “surfing sound” since the 1960s were back in 2012 with a new album, this hit single and Brian Wilson at the helm. “That’s Why God Made the Radio” recalls days at the beach, cruising in your rod and listening to the hit songs on top 40 radio.

55 - Only the Horses by Scissor Sisters - Are there any sisters in the rock group Scissor Sisters? I checked. The answer is a big resounding “no”. The group derives their name from “the lesbian sexual act tribadism”. Whatever that is... yuck! Anyway the band is comprised of 4 guys and 1 woman and have been around since at least 2001. “Only the Horses” was the band’s latest single to chart, peaking at #6.

54 - My Heart Goes Boom by Miss Li - Miss Li shot to prominence in 2009 when her song “Bourgeois Shangri-La” was used in an Apple iPod commercial and became a hit on Mel’s Weekly Top 20. She came back this year with “My Heart Goes Boom” a single that only got minimal airplay in Europe and nothing in America. I liked the song enough to have it chart for several weeks peaking at #6 and ending up at #54 for 2012.

53 - Tonight Is The Night by Outasight - Outasight is the stage name of Richard Andrew an American singer and hip-hop artist who had a hit with this record. Got as high as #6 and ends up at #53 on the Top 100 Hits of 2012.

52 - Starships by Nicki Minaj - I am not much into rap music or even dance music these days. However this one crossed the line into mainstream popularity and became a huge hit on the major charts all over the world. The video looks like it was partly filmed in Hawaii and features Polynesian dancers and a funky sci-fi like motif. Nicki Minaj is one of those black chicks who likes to project a sexy image (see the video at the top of this posting)... and like many of her songs this one does not stop short in that category. For 2012 “Starships” checks in at #52.

51 - Major by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - This record by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour came out in late 2011 and hung around long enough in 2012 to be listed on the Top 100. “Major” is a good song but not as good as some of their previous hits or the follow-up single “Heart Attack” that is listed higher on this countdown.

And with that song, we are now exactly at the half way point in this blog countdown of the Top 100 Hits of 2012. We got 50 more to go. Check again tomorrow!

Top 100 of 2012 Countdown Part 4

Numbers 70 to 61

This is the 4th part of the Countdown of the Top 100 Hits of 2012 on this blog. As we continue we cover hits in positions 61 to 70. And now on with the countdown.

70 - Caught Me Thinking by Bahamas - I never heard of the singer who calls himself Bahamas until I downloaded the free (from Amazon.com) Brushfire Records Best of 2012 Sampler album. Bahamas real name is Afie Jurvanen. Brushfire Records is the label owned by Jack Johnson who of course had a number of hits chart including the #1 hit “Upside Down” in 2006. “Caught Me Thinking” as far as I know has not become a mass market hit. However it did chart on Mel’s Weekly Top 20. It had a chart run of 10 weeks and peaked at #9, enough to give it standing as the 70th most popular song of the year for me.

69 - My Oh My by Tristan Prettyman - Newcomer Tristan Prettyman racked up enough weeks with this track to make it to #69 of the year. This song peaked at #8 for a week on the Weekly Top 20.

68 - Dance With Me Tonight by Olly Murs - Olly Murs seems to be enjoying success in the UK as “Dance With Me Tonight” got a lot of airplay on the BBC and other British radio stations. It also charted fairly high in the UK too. Here in America, I don’t think this track amounted to much. On my chart Olly stayed on for 10 weeks and peaked at #8.

67 - Now Is the Start by A Fine Frenzy - A Fine Frenzy is not really the name of a band, but instead is the adopted name by singer-songwriter / pianist Alison Sudol. Under her monicker, Sudol has released 3 albums, her most recent Pines featuring the single “Now is the Start”. As a late arrival to Mel’s Weekly Top 20, the song has piled up a chart run of 8 weeks so far, stopping at #8 as of the time of this compilation, and could go even higher as we move into 2013.

66 - Give Your Heart A Break by Demi Lovato - Ms. Lovato first appeared on the Weekly Top 20 last year with “Skyscraper” which charted at #67 on the Top 100 Hits of 2011. This year she did one position better as “Give Your Heart a Break” charts at #66 on the Top 100 Hits of 2012.

65 - A Thousand Years by Christina Perri - In 2010 Christina Perri hit the charts with her debut hit “Jar of Hearts” which ended up at #60 on the year end chart. This year, Perri was back with “A Thousnand Years” a track that enjoyed success for most of the year coming back as a second version by year end. The original version peaked at #8 for a couple of weeks this year, good enough to land at #65 for 2012.

64 - Show Me The Way by The Cranberries - The Cranberries are an alternative rock band that enjoyed huge success in the 1990s releasing several albums and singles including the hits “Dreams”, “Linger”, “Zombie”, “Salvation”, “Ode to my Family” and “When You’re Gone” throughout that decade. After 1999 the group stopped recording and pretty much fell off the face of the planet. In late 2011 they released “Show Me The Way” which charted late that year and pushed into 2012 getting as high as #7. When the single appeared on their new album Roses, the title was shortened to “Show Me”. I am happy to know The Cranberries are recording new music. Hope to hear more in 2013 and beyond.

63 - Marry The Night by Lady GaGa - This was the last single to chart from Lady GaGa’s 2011 album Born This Way. The single peaked at #7 after a 5 week run. Ms. GaGa did not release any new music for 2012.

62 - I Make My Own Sunshine by Alyssa Bonagura - What a love about this song is that a ukelele is used as one of the main instruments that gives the track a breezy and cheery feel. Makes me feel happy. “I Make My Own Sunshine” was used in a Lowes’ commercial. Still it is a good song that charted on the Weekly Top 20 peaking as high as #7 and landing the #62 spot on this year’s Top 100.

61 - 50 Ways To Say Goodbye by Train - “50 Ways to Say Goodbye” was the follow-up single to Train’s #1 hit “Drive By”. It charted for 8 weeks getting as high as #7 and securing the #61 spot on the Top 100 Hits of 2012 chart. The track also appears on their album California 37.

With that we wrap another day at the Top 100 for 2012. Tomorrow we cover tracks #60 to #51.

Top 100 of 2012 Countdown Part 3

Numbers 80 to 71

The countdown of the Top 100 Hits of 2012 continues with Part 3 featuring songs number 80 to 71 today.

80 - These Times by SafetySuit - I don’t know much about this band, but they have been around for a few years placing songs on occasion in the Weekly Top 20. This year “These Times” is the first of two songs placed in the Top 100. 

79 - Good Girl by Carrie Underwood - It’s been years now since Carrie Underwood first broke into national prominence via Fox’s American Idol TV broadcast. Today Underwood is a well established country and pop artist having placed several songs on the pop and country charts over the years. This year Carrie manages to get two songs into the Top 100, the first of these being “Good Girl” which was the first single released from her latest album Blown Away.

78 - Me Without You by TobyMac - Toby McKeehan is better known from his stage name TobyMac. He’s Christian rapper, singer-songwriter who has been in the business for more than a dozen years. He first appeared on the Weekly Top 20 with his hit “City on Our Knees” in 2009. This year the Mac is back with “Me Without You” which peaked at #10 after enjoying a 9 week chart run.

77 - Starlight by Matt Cardle - 2012 was a good year for Matt Cardle. His rise to fame began in 2010 but really took off in 2011 after he winning the British X-Factor TV talent show. He had a #1 hit on the top 20 with “Run For Your Life.” This was the follow-up which charted for 8 weeks and peaked at #10 for 2 weeks.

76 - Do It Our Way (Play) by Alesha Dixon - This is another one of those songs that I heard first on BBC Radio #2. “Do It Our Way (Play)” was written for the Weight Watchers program. It was a minor hit in Britain hitting #53 on the U.K. pop charts. The song got no airplay in America. It did make my chart peaking at #10 for 2 weeks.

75 - Easy Come, Easy Go by the Great Lake Swimmers - I listen to a lot of music on BBC Radio #2. They play many songs that never get aired on U.S. radio. Case in point it this gem by the Canadian folk rock group Great Lake Swimmers. I heard it several times in early 2012 to a point that I seeked out and bought the single from Amazon. It charted and got as high as #10 for 3 weeks before tapering off. Good enough to be ranked at #75 for 2012.

74 - Mermaid by Train - This is the 3rd track off Train’s 2012 album California 37 to chart. I am not sure if this was released as a single. However it started to chart in late 2012 and has so far racked up enough weeks to chart it up as #9 on December 23. It’s been listed on a number of independent and personal charts though the internet. The song is still on its way up and will likely be listed on the 2013 Top 100 Hits.

73 - Too Close by Alex Clare - I don’t know much about this British singer-songwriter except that he had a big top 10 hit here in the U.S. “Too Close” was good enough to end up in the Weekly Top 20 and finishes the year at #73.

72 - Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson - It’s incredible to believe that Kelly Clarkson’s win on the first American Idol TV show occurred 10 years ago in 2002. She has since been a hit making machine with her latest “Stronger” reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and other charts all over the USA and the world. For 2012 Clarkson’s big single checks in at #72 on this chart.

71 - Happy Pills by Norah Jones - Another young lady who has been on the music scene for at least the last 10 years is Norah Jones. She first came to prominence in 2002 with her single “Don’t Know Why” off her debut album Come Away With Me. The hit was huge and put her on the pop music map. Since then she has performed in numerous concerts, made TV appearances and released 5 solo albums and a number of collaborative LPs. Her most recent album Little Broken Hearts yielded two singles, the biggest, “Happy Pills” made it to the top 20 and got as high as #9 this year. Good song. Nice album in he best of Norah Jones’ “tradition”.

Tomorrow positions 70 to 61. Hope you are all having a great Christmas holiday!

Top 100 of 2012 Countdown Part 2

Numbers 90 to 81

As we head into the new year, we recap the Top 100 Hits of 2012. Today songs #90 to #81.

90 - Guardian by Alanis Morissette - Alanis will forever be associated with the angst driven rock of Jagged Little Pill that first made her famous in 1995 and 1996. I will always remember her #1 hit "Ironic" which stormed up the charts in 1996 and became her signature song for all time. After that a string of lesser hits, Alanis sort of disappeared until resurfacing in 2012 with this hit single "Guardian". While not up to "Ironic" standards or bliss, this song was good enough to go to #12 for a couple of weeks and end up at #90 for the year.

89 - Doom and Gloom by The Rolling Stones - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and the rest of The Rolling Stones have been churning out hits for more than 40 years. They first charted way back in 1964 and exploded into the music scene with the original British Invasion by topping the charts with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" in 1965. From then on as they say, it's history. For 2012 the Rolling Stones came back with "Doom and Gloom" a new single that launched a new compilation album as well as a new concert tour. The guys are all pushing 70 and beyond but this song shows that they can still rock. "Doom and Gloom" peaked at #12 on the Weekly Top 20 for 2 weeks and stayed on the chart for 7.



88 - Love Will Set You Free by Engelbert Humperdinck - 76-year old Engelbert Humperdinck recorded this comeback single for the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. He entered on behalf of his home country and came in nearly last @ 25th place in the May 2012 competition. The song got some airplay on British radio, charted on the Weekly Top 20 and settled at #11 for a week before falling off. Humperdinck is a crooner best known for the hits "Release Me" and "After the Loving".

87 - Leave The Lights On by Meiko - Indie artist Meiko was an internet sensation when she released her first album and single "Boys With Girlfriends" in 2008. That track went all the way to #1 on the Weekly Top 20 and ended the year at #17 on the Top 100. This year Meiko came back with a cooking video, a new album and "Leave the Lights On" that checks in at #87 on the Top 100 Hits of 2012 chart.

86 - Dancin' Away With My Heart by Lady Antebellum - One of several singles from Lady Antebellum's 2011 album Own the Night. This track stayed on the chart for 6 weeks, peaking at #11.

85 - Charlie Brown by Coldplay - This was the 4th single to chart off Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto album.

84 - Good Feeling by Flo Rida - While this track peaked only as high as #11 this year, the song turned out to be one of my most played tracks on iTunes for 2012. It's a rap song by seasoned veteran Flo Rida that has a good medley. The track also appeared in a Buick commercial. Got it from the Now 42 compilation album. See the video at the top of this post.

83 - I Feel Love by Shannon Hurley - I follow Shannon Hurley on my Twitter feed. She is a very active indie artist that has over the years put out music spanning various genres including alternative, folk, pop, trance, electronic and now disco. I could not resist her cover of Donna Summer's 1977 hit "I Feel Love". Hurley's version is a near carbon copy of the Summer hit. Love it.

82 - Little Talks by Of Monsters And Men - "Little Talks" is one of those freebie tracks that I got from iTunes in early January of this year. For the most part of the year, the track just sat in my iTunes library, unplayed. However by mid November I noticed it was listed on a variety of music charts... I decided to check it out again. In time "Little Talks" grew on me; made it to the Top 20 where it has so far peaked at #11 and is still going up, perhaps overlapping into 2013.

81 - Born to Die by Lana Del Rey - I don't see what the appeal of Lana Del Rey is to the masses. Sure she has a handful of good songs off her supposedly debut album. I think "Born to Die" was one of those free tracks given away by Apple's iTunes store, and what the heck, I download these weekly and even listen to them. Some like this one charted high enough to make it to #81 in the Top 100 Hits of 2012 chart.

So for now there you have it on the day before Christmas. I counted down 20 of the hits that made it to the Top 100 Hits of 2012 chart. On Christmas day I'll recap numbers 80 to 71. Have a safe and Merry Christmas.