[Special] Top 30 Chinese Songs of 2013
Woo Happy New Year~ I'm sorry I haven't been terribly active this past while as I've had my final semester (so weird that I've opened this blog right before I began uni), but I should be a bit more active.... :/ yeah I will be lol. Anyways, this is my favourite time of year because I'm able to do my top 30 Cpop songs of the year and it's great looking back to see what I loved and what I had missed. Especially this year since I have been much slower in keeping up with Cpop.
The year for me was ok overall. I definitely felt last year was much more interesting as there was a larger set of strong dance songs mixed with some great ballads. Definitely missing the dance songs this year. : ( And while I did enjoy many songs, I felt this group was slightly weaker than the stuff we had in 2012 and not as memorable as a whole. Still, I jammed to some damn good songs. Once again though, there lacks some Cantopop as I still don't find it particularly intriguing (although Fiona had a few good songs). Likewise, I paid little attention to the Mainland stuff, which I feel is from the fact that it has become increasingly harder to find info on new stuff as a whole since the C-Pop community keeps dwindling. Let's keep it alive people!
Just in case you didn't already know, this is just a compilation of songs that I felt were good. I'm certainly sure you have your own list, so please post them or some song suggestions as I'm always interested in checking out new artists or songs and I'm sure others are too. I'm keeping it one song per artist unless it is a collaboration. Like last year, all songs will be songs from albums released in 2013. This means nothing from late December 2012 (JiaJia's album T_T), which sorta sucks cause I've still managed to bop my head to A-Lin's title track from last year.
Songs can be heard through the divshare player and can be downloaded by going to 'share' then 'download'. If it doesn't work, I've included links to the MVs or songs on youtube (thank you C-Pop industry for being nice to us and actually giving us stuff *cough J-pop cough*). As I did last year, there will be a link at the bottom that includes all the songs on this list. If you are experiencing a problem with the links or songs, please make a comment. Also please support the artists. :3
Firstly, I just want to say that I would have totally put Jeannie Hsieh's popular song "Sister" on here if I had not only just heard it on New Years eve. She's super popular for the New Years shows cause of her performances and she's also 40 (O.O). Here's something to jam to for the new year. Super catchy. [MV]
30. Rainie Yang - Love Voyage [MV]
The first of the top 30 is Love Voyage by the ever maturing Rainie Yang. I thought this would be a good way to start the list as it is a medley of popular love songs from female singers of the last 2 decades. I enjoy most of the songs, so it was nice to hear them all blend together (which works at some parts and is a bit jarring at others). The arrangement is changed up to help everything flow and the change seems to fit with most songs. I think it would've been better with a slightly stronger singer, but it's not a bad attempt by Rainie. She looks gorgeous in the MV too. :3
29. Evonne Hsu - Black Swan [MV]
The classy and beautiful Evonne finally released her first album in 3 years and while I wasn't particularly impressed by it as a whole, there were a few nice songs. Black Swan is a pounding dance tune with heavy beats and a large dose of autotune. It's quite catchy and quite different from Evonne's past upbeat songs. I especially enjoy the contrast created by the use of autotune in the verses. I hope she doesn't take forever for her next album though. : (
28. Show Luo - Cast the Net of Love [MV]
To be honest, I can't listen to this song when I play the video. The MV is just way too ridiculous for me to pay attention to the music haha (not to mention his horrible hair). With that said, when I listen to the song by itself it isn't so bad and actually quite catchy. Show's always been known as a dance king and this only helps solidify that status. I wish the build up to the synths would have a bit more presence, but it gets better as the song progresses and the chorus has a nice melody before it switches into the club beats. He's had better upbeat tunes, but this one is fun.
27. F.I.R. - I remember [MV]
It's also been a while since F.I.R.'s last release. I only became a fan through their last few albums, so I was pleasantly surprised when they were returning. I think this album isn't as strong as their last few, but I think this is definitely one of the stronger tracks. It takes me back to their first album and the sound of 2004-2005 C-pop ballads in general. It's quite nice with the sweeping strings and powerful arrangement. Faye also sounds amazing.
26. EXO - Growl [MV]
One of the most memorable K-Pop songs of the last year also had a Chinese version. EXO's Growl is a slick pop tune with an infectious melody and funky vibe. It also helps that the group has a few decent vocalists to pull this song off, but I don't even think that was needed since the song itself is just stellar. This year was certainly lacking in the C-Pop boyband releases, so this was a nice surprise.
25. Cheer Chen - A Box of Rain [MV]
I love Cheer Chen's other song Fish, so I was really happy when I heard this one as they have slightly similar arrangements. There is just something mystical about this song. The heavy quality of the instruments mixed with the occasional piano with the relaxed melody on top help to bring a strange but interesting flavour. The music video is also effortlessly gorgeous (watch it).
24. Jody Chiang - Going Faraway [MV]
I love Jody Chiang and it's always fun to add a bit of Taiwanese (Hokkien) to the list. Going Faraway is a beautiful and emotional country ballad with its mix of electric and acoustic guitars, strings and piano. The best part of it though is definitely Jody's vocals, which are still as great as ever. She always has a way to infuse the right amount of emotion into her songs. I don't think this song is as memorable as the first single from her last album, but it's a nice listen.
23. Michelle Chen - Rose on the Cliff [MV]
You might not know Michelle as a singer as she is best known for her lead role in the hit movie, You are the Apple of My Eye. This year, she decided to embark on a music career and released her debut album in May. I don't think she's that great of a singer, but my god is this song fantastic. The opening of the chorus is really powerful. I think it would've been better with a better singer, but Michelle's sweet tone does give the song some life and I think the arrangement is just fantastic enough to cover those vocal flaws.
22. Dream Girls - Beautiful Headlines [MV]
Once again I am so happy that Dream Girls haven't disbanded since they are one of my favourite groups. Although I was so happy they were gonna release a full length album, it unfortunately turned out a little dull. Beautiful Headlines is an upbeat dance tune and to be honest, this is their weakest dance song yet. It's still mega-catchy though and reminds me of a combination of their other dance songs, I'm your dreamgirl and Don't stop the music. I think it is a grower and it is already getting stuck in my head.
21. JJ Lin & Ashin - The Dark Knight [MV]
Although I enjoyed JJ's album, I didn't think there were as many standout songs as his last few albums. He always does ballads with perfection, but I don't quite remember the ones on You N Me. : ( The Dark Knight is amazing though. The mysterious pop-rock tune is just such a perfect collaboration. It's catchy with a bit of funk and two strong vocalists to back it up. The lyrics are also pretty cool as well.
20. Coke Lee - Hate to Part [MV]
Yeah his English name is Coke. I crack up everytime I see that. Hate to Part is your typical Mandopop ballad, which is always nice to hear when they are done well. In this case, it is. Taiwan always has a way to make their ballads catchy. You'd think by now they would have used any melody imaginable, but they still surprise me. Anyways, the arrangement is typical, the melody is predictable, but catchy and Coke has a strong voice. It's nice. :3
19. Anthony Neely - I'm Yours [MV]
The standout track from Anythony's third album. This is the kind of song that just gets better with every listen. The pop-rock ballad has one of the most infectious melodies and Anthony has a such an interesting (and good) voice that it makes the song 10x more awesome. I sorta wish the music video was a bit better because I don't think it matches with the song's atmosphere. Great jam though. Just wish his album as a whole was as strong as his last. Maybe I like this one so much cause it sounds like it could fit right into that one.
18. A-Fu Teng - Me & U [MV]
Me & U is a charming and lighthearted pop song with R&B undertones. To be honest, part of me is like why is this so high, but then I listen to it again and I'm hooked. I think some of the English parts are sorta bad, but it's just so catchy and I'm a sucker for pop-R&B hybrids. It's cute. :3 I like cute things. :3 I bop my head to this. Just Me & U~
17. Claire Kuo - The Me Through Your Eyes [MV]
This song was some sorta drama theme song and it was also released on Claire's best album. I think it's a good way to sum up how the majority of Claire's songs sound as it feels like she does these kind of generic Mandopop tunes more than anyone. But she does them quite well might I add. This is another song where I question why its so high up (she's had better songs) but the melody is just so charming. It reminds me a bit of her song, The Next Dawn.
16. Kay Tse - We Have All Been Forgotten [MV]
I still can't get over how much Kay sounds like Stefanie Sun. It's so weird. We Have All Been Forgotten is a stellar ballad from her second Mandopop album. What I enjoy most about this song is how much it reminds me of the popular songs from the 1990s, like something Gigi Leung would've done back in the day (omg check out Gigi's Short Hair song). It's nostalgic. Kay is really a great vocalist though and you can hear how good she is here.
15. Diana Wang- Me & I [MV]
Who is this girl? I heard she got popular because of her cover of Skinny Love and was a semi-finalist on Chinese Idol or something (and then signed an 11 year contract O_O with Warner Music Taiwan). I only found about her now, but she's a decent singer and her songs are quite good. Although I like her cover of Skinny Love, Me & I is my favourite song off her debut album. It's an ethereal pop-R&B song with a bunch of twinkling. It sorta has an American pop quality to it as well.
14. Rachel Liang - Yellow Jacket [MV]
I love love love this song. I haven't loved one of Rachel's songs since her second album, but holy crap this one rocks. It's an upbeat pop tune with a slight country-rock vibe due to the funky banjo and electric guitars. The clapping added in also makes the song even more fun cause it makes you wanna join in. It's just awesome. Rachel's piercing vocals also fit the song quite well as the sweeter quality in her voice doesn't sound overbearing or forced.
13. JiaJia - Fate [MV]
I was so sad I couldn't add any of JiaJia's album tracks on here since her album was released on December 29th last year and I didn't pay attention to her at the end of last year (uhh c'mon A-Lin>everything; also her new album comes out on the 31st so I don't even what the heck is even on it). Fate is a gorgeous piano and strings ballad and was the theme to some historical drama my mom watches. The song is not that explosive, but there is something about it that keeps it interesting. Probably JiaJia's vocals, which are killer. She doesn't belt crap out, but the tone of her voice is beautiful and she knows how to control it.
12. Jane Huang - Silent Protest [MV]
Jane had the number 1 song of 2012 (although I would probably say A-Lin's song is now my fave), so I was excited to see she released something this year. But c'mon, only one song?! She should've released an album. >: ( Luckily this Penny Tai-penned rock ballad is just what I needed. I love the melody and Jane's voice just seems to flow through this song. She seriously has one of the best voices in C-Pop right now. Tied with the pounding guitars and the soaring strings, everything works out perfectly.
11. Aggie Hsieh - Stubborn [Song]
I love Aggie. She is the cutest and coolest thing ever and her debut album last year had some beautiful songs. Stubborn could pretty much fit on that album if it wanted to. This pop ballad is quite relaxing and isn't anything out of the ordinary, but the melody is just so nice. I also like Aggie's singing as there a sweet quality to it that makes songs endearing.
10. Weibird Wei - By Your Side [MV]
By Your Side is the opening theme to The Pursuit of Happiness (Aggie's song is the ending theme). Although I love Aggie, Weibird makes damn good songs. This piano dominated pop ballad has one of the most beautiful chorus melodies from a Mandopop song in a long time. It's simple, but infectious. That and Weibird's voice is one of my faves. This song is perfect for showing off his voice. Hoping for another album soon!
09. Bii & Miu - I Will Be By Your Side [MV]
The second collaboration on the list. Bii & Miu are two of my favourites artists of this year as both their albums were effing mazing. The labelmates (go Linfair) are also both amazing singers and some of the strongest debutants of the last few years. I Will Be By Your Side is a striking uplifting ballad that showcases both of their voices. Awesomeeeee. Frick, totally jealous of Bii's voice. I keep feeling this song isn't that amazing, but it is and each time I hear it the opening line of the chorus gets into my head again.
08. CoCo Lee - Kou Kou [MV]
We need some more dance tunes on this list. There have been very few up to this point. CoCo's album was another of my favourites and this song was one of my most played songs of the year. The title is a pun on her name and actually means to knock. Definitely one of the catchiest songs of the year and CoCo's best dance tune in a long time. There is a heavy dose of autotune and the chorus is rather simple and repetitive, but it actually enhances the song. Di Da Di~ I mean kou kou kou kou woahhh~
07. Hebe Tian - You Better Not Think About Me [MV]
I love Hebe's more generic Mandopop songs, so I fell in love with this one the first time I heard it. It's just so damn depressing. She really knows how to sing the most depressing ballads in C-Pop. I still think the opening of the chorus is a little odd sounding, but I really like the rock edge that the song brings. Her voice has never sounded better either. Don't think she will ever top her loneliness song, but this one is a close second (maybe cause it sounds so similar). Please keep making us cry Hebe.
06. Penny Tai - How Do You Sleep at Ease? [MV]
Woohoo the next depressing song! Penny does no wrong in my mind when it comes to ballads and this is just another example. Like the other Penny-penned tunes on this list, the song has a slight rock quality to it, which really helps give the song that extra punch. I love her her voice as well since it is so distinct. This is only one of the many gorgeous songs on her album, so check it out. Just wish this song was a bit longer as it clocks in under 3 minutes.
05. By2 - No Reason [MV]
The last of the dance songs on this list. I love love love By2 (omg Miko), so I was so happy when they returned with another high energy bopper. I still don't think anything will ever top You Mei You, but this is a close second. It is just so damn catchy. I think the English parts are a bit odd, but everything else falls into place pretty nicely. Hopefully they keep up the electropop jams.
04. Bii - Meteor That Flew By [MV]
Another rock tinged ballad. Bii released one of my favourite's album of the year and while it comes with the infectious Come Back To Me, this song easily outranks it. I love the melody and Bii's explosive vocals are both "wow" and "how the fruit does he do it". The notes he belts are really amazing and the tone of his voice is just so nice. I really love everything about this song though. The instrumental arrangement is simple but helps to accentuate the gorgeous melody.
03. Tanya Chua - A Song of Unrequited Love [MV]
Tanya is one of my favourite singer-songwriters in C-Pop and this song just shows her expertise. It is seriously one of the most gorgeous ballads I've heard. The best part is the chorus as it blends the melody with itself in such an intricate way that it creates something absolutely stunning. Her voice is also lovely as well and she is always able to bring emotion into the songs. Love it. I think this is her most innovative song to date.
02. Andrew Tan - Only You [MV]
Andrew Tan is consistently putting out amazing pop-rock tunes and this one is just another. Another Penny-penned tune, Only You follows a style similar to that of his huge 2011 collaboration hit with Bii. What I like about this one compared to the many pop-rock tunes featured on the list already (damn there are a lot) is that it's more upbeat. It's explosive and catchy. His voice is also quite unique and it fits perfectly with this genre. I'm really glad he focused on rock since his dance songs...
01. Miu - Power of Existence [MV]
The last of the Linfair labelmates (haha Andrew, Bii, Michelle, Coke, Dream Girls, Claire, and Aggie), this is Miu's second entry on the list and it's number 1! Miu's voice is really good and fits perfectly with this upbeat ballad. It really gives us a chance to hear her belt it out a bit. The song itself is quite beautiful. It has a catchy melody and a great arrangement. I don't know how many times I've jammed to this one this year. It's just an overall stellar tune. If you don't know Miu, she just debuted this year but was part of the singing show, Super Idol, back in 2009. She improved so much on the show and went from singing like she was in karaoke to hitting them big notes like Mariah.
Hope you enjoyed this~ Here's the zip of all the songs: 1-15 & 16-30
The year for me was ok overall. I definitely felt last year was much more interesting as there was a larger set of strong dance songs mixed with some great ballads. Definitely missing the dance songs this year. : ( And while I did enjoy many songs, I felt this group was slightly weaker than the stuff we had in 2012 and not as memorable as a whole. Still, I jammed to some damn good songs. Once again though, there lacks some Cantopop as I still don't find it particularly intriguing (although Fiona had a few good songs). Likewise, I paid little attention to the Mainland stuff, which I feel is from the fact that it has become increasingly harder to find info on new stuff as a whole since the C-Pop community keeps dwindling. Let's keep it alive people!
Just in case you didn't already know, this is just a compilation of songs that I felt were good. I'm certainly sure you have your own list, so please post them or some song suggestions as I'm always interested in checking out new artists or songs and I'm sure others are too. I'm keeping it one song per artist unless it is a collaboration. Like last year, all songs will be songs from albums released in 2013. This means nothing from late December 2012 (JiaJia's album T_T), which sorta sucks cause I've still managed to bop my head to A-Lin's title track from last year.
Songs can be heard through the divshare player and can be downloaded by going to 'share' then 'download'. If it doesn't work, I've included links to the MVs or songs on youtube (thank you C-Pop industry for being nice to us and actually giving us stuff *cough J-pop cough*). As I did last year, there will be a link at the bottom that includes all the songs on this list. If you are experiencing a problem with the links or songs, please make a comment. Also please support the artists. :3
Firstly, I just want to say that I would have totally put Jeannie Hsieh's popular song "Sister" on here if I had not only just heard it on New Years eve. She's super popular for the New Years shows cause of her performances and she's also 40 (O.O). Here's something to jam to for the new year. Super catchy. [MV]
30. Rainie Yang - Love Voyage [MV]
The first of the top 30 is Love Voyage by the ever maturing Rainie Yang. I thought this would be a good way to start the list as it is a medley of popular love songs from female singers of the last 2 decades. I enjoy most of the songs, so it was nice to hear them all blend together (which works at some parts and is a bit jarring at others). The arrangement is changed up to help everything flow and the change seems to fit with most songs. I think it would've been better with a slightly stronger singer, but it's not a bad attempt by Rainie. She looks gorgeous in the MV too. :3
29. Evonne Hsu - Black Swan [MV]
The classy and beautiful Evonne finally released her first album in 3 years and while I wasn't particularly impressed by it as a whole, there were a few nice songs. Black Swan is a pounding dance tune with heavy beats and a large dose of autotune. It's quite catchy and quite different from Evonne's past upbeat songs. I especially enjoy the contrast created by the use of autotune in the verses. I hope she doesn't take forever for her next album though. : (
28. Show Luo - Cast the Net of Love [MV]
To be honest, I can't listen to this song when I play the video. The MV is just way too ridiculous for me to pay attention to the music haha (not to mention his horrible hair). With that said, when I listen to the song by itself it isn't so bad and actually quite catchy. Show's always been known as a dance king and this only helps solidify that status. I wish the build up to the synths would have a bit more presence, but it gets better as the song progresses and the chorus has a nice melody before it switches into the club beats. He's had better upbeat tunes, but this one is fun.
27. F.I.R. - I remember [MV]
It's also been a while since F.I.R.'s last release. I only became a fan through their last few albums, so I was pleasantly surprised when they were returning. I think this album isn't as strong as their last few, but I think this is definitely one of the stronger tracks. It takes me back to their first album and the sound of 2004-2005 C-pop ballads in general. It's quite nice with the sweeping strings and powerful arrangement. Faye also sounds amazing.
26. EXO - Growl [MV]
One of the most memorable K-Pop songs of the last year also had a Chinese version. EXO's Growl is a slick pop tune with an infectious melody and funky vibe. It also helps that the group has a few decent vocalists to pull this song off, but I don't even think that was needed since the song itself is just stellar. This year was certainly lacking in the C-Pop boyband releases, so this was a nice surprise.
25. Cheer Chen - A Box of Rain [MV]
I love Cheer Chen's other song Fish, so I was really happy when I heard this one as they have slightly similar arrangements. There is just something mystical about this song. The heavy quality of the instruments mixed with the occasional piano with the relaxed melody on top help to bring a strange but interesting flavour. The music video is also effortlessly gorgeous (watch it).
24. Jody Chiang - Going Faraway [MV]
I love Jody Chiang and it's always fun to add a bit of Taiwanese (Hokkien) to the list. Going Faraway is a beautiful and emotional country ballad with its mix of electric and acoustic guitars, strings and piano. The best part of it though is definitely Jody's vocals, which are still as great as ever. She always has a way to infuse the right amount of emotion into her songs. I don't think this song is as memorable as the first single from her last album, but it's a nice listen.
23. Michelle Chen - Rose on the Cliff [MV]
You might not know Michelle as a singer as she is best known for her lead role in the hit movie, You are the Apple of My Eye. This year, she decided to embark on a music career and released her debut album in May. I don't think she's that great of a singer, but my god is this song fantastic. The opening of the chorus is really powerful. I think it would've been better with a better singer, but Michelle's sweet tone does give the song some life and I think the arrangement is just fantastic enough to cover those vocal flaws.
22. Dream Girls - Beautiful Headlines [MV]
Once again I am so happy that Dream Girls haven't disbanded since they are one of my favourite groups. Although I was so happy they were gonna release a full length album, it unfortunately turned out a little dull. Beautiful Headlines is an upbeat dance tune and to be honest, this is their weakest dance song yet. It's still mega-catchy though and reminds me of a combination of their other dance songs, I'm your dreamgirl and Don't stop the music. I think it is a grower and it is already getting stuck in my head.
21. JJ Lin & Ashin - The Dark Knight [MV]
Although I enjoyed JJ's album, I didn't think there were as many standout songs as his last few albums. He always does ballads with perfection, but I don't quite remember the ones on You N Me. : ( The Dark Knight is amazing though. The mysterious pop-rock tune is just such a perfect collaboration. It's catchy with a bit of funk and two strong vocalists to back it up. The lyrics are also pretty cool as well.
20. Coke Lee - Hate to Part [MV]
Yeah his English name is Coke. I crack up everytime I see that. Hate to Part is your typical Mandopop ballad, which is always nice to hear when they are done well. In this case, it is. Taiwan always has a way to make their ballads catchy. You'd think by now they would have used any melody imaginable, but they still surprise me. Anyways, the arrangement is typical, the melody is predictable, but catchy and Coke has a strong voice. It's nice. :3
19. Anthony Neely - I'm Yours [MV]
The standout track from Anythony's third album. This is the kind of song that just gets better with every listen. The pop-rock ballad has one of the most infectious melodies and Anthony has a such an interesting (and good) voice that it makes the song 10x more awesome. I sorta wish the music video was a bit better because I don't think it matches with the song's atmosphere. Great jam though. Just wish his album as a whole was as strong as his last. Maybe I like this one so much cause it sounds like it could fit right into that one.
18. A-Fu Teng - Me & U [MV]
Me & U is a charming and lighthearted pop song with R&B undertones. To be honest, part of me is like why is this so high, but then I listen to it again and I'm hooked. I think some of the English parts are sorta bad, but it's just so catchy and I'm a sucker for pop-R&B hybrids. It's cute. :3 I like cute things. :3 I bop my head to this. Just Me & U~
17. Claire Kuo - The Me Through Your Eyes [MV]
This song was some sorta drama theme song and it was also released on Claire's best album. I think it's a good way to sum up how the majority of Claire's songs sound as it feels like she does these kind of generic Mandopop tunes more than anyone. But she does them quite well might I add. This is another song where I question why its so high up (she's had better songs) but the melody is just so charming. It reminds me a bit of her song, The Next Dawn.
16. Kay Tse - We Have All Been Forgotten [MV]
I still can't get over how much Kay sounds like Stefanie Sun. It's so weird. We Have All Been Forgotten is a stellar ballad from her second Mandopop album. What I enjoy most about this song is how much it reminds me of the popular songs from the 1990s, like something Gigi Leung would've done back in the day (omg check out Gigi's Short Hair song). It's nostalgic. Kay is really a great vocalist though and you can hear how good she is here.
15. Diana Wang- Me & I [MV]
Who is this girl? I heard she got popular because of her cover of Skinny Love and was a semi-finalist on Chinese Idol or something (and then signed an 11 year contract O_O with Warner Music Taiwan). I only found about her now, but she's a decent singer and her songs are quite good. Although I like her cover of Skinny Love, Me & I is my favourite song off her debut album. It's an ethereal pop-R&B song with a bunch of twinkling. It sorta has an American pop quality to it as well.
14. Rachel Liang - Yellow Jacket [MV]
I love love love this song. I haven't loved one of Rachel's songs since her second album, but holy crap this one rocks. It's an upbeat pop tune with a slight country-rock vibe due to the funky banjo and electric guitars. The clapping added in also makes the song even more fun cause it makes you wanna join in. It's just awesome. Rachel's piercing vocals also fit the song quite well as the sweeter quality in her voice doesn't sound overbearing or forced.
13. JiaJia - Fate [MV]
I was so sad I couldn't add any of JiaJia's album tracks on here since her album was released on December 29th last year and I didn't pay attention to her at the end of last year (uhh c'mon A-Lin>everything; also her new album comes out on the 31st so I don't even what the heck is even on it). Fate is a gorgeous piano and strings ballad and was the theme to some historical drama my mom watches. The song is not that explosive, but there is something about it that keeps it interesting. Probably JiaJia's vocals, which are killer. She doesn't belt crap out, but the tone of her voice is beautiful and she knows how to control it.
12. Jane Huang - Silent Protest [MV]
Jane had the number 1 song of 2012 (although I would probably say A-Lin's song is now my fave), so I was excited to see she released something this year. But c'mon, only one song?! She should've released an album. >: ( Luckily this Penny Tai-penned rock ballad is just what I needed. I love the melody and Jane's voice just seems to flow through this song. She seriously has one of the best voices in C-Pop right now. Tied with the pounding guitars and the soaring strings, everything works out perfectly.
11. Aggie Hsieh - Stubborn [Song]
I love Aggie. She is the cutest and coolest thing ever and her debut album last year had some beautiful songs. Stubborn could pretty much fit on that album if it wanted to. This pop ballad is quite relaxing and isn't anything out of the ordinary, but the melody is just so nice. I also like Aggie's singing as there a sweet quality to it that makes songs endearing.
10. Weibird Wei - By Your Side [MV]
By Your Side is the opening theme to The Pursuit of Happiness (Aggie's song is the ending theme). Although I love Aggie, Weibird makes damn good songs. This piano dominated pop ballad has one of the most beautiful chorus melodies from a Mandopop song in a long time. It's simple, but infectious. That and Weibird's voice is one of my faves. This song is perfect for showing off his voice. Hoping for another album soon!
09. Bii & Miu - I Will Be By Your Side [MV]
The second collaboration on the list. Bii & Miu are two of my favourites artists of this year as both their albums were effing mazing. The labelmates (go Linfair) are also both amazing singers and some of the strongest debutants of the last few years. I Will Be By Your Side is a striking uplifting ballad that showcases both of their voices. Awesomeeeee. Frick, totally jealous of Bii's voice. I keep feeling this song isn't that amazing, but it is and each time I hear it the opening line of the chorus gets into my head again.
08. CoCo Lee - Kou Kou [MV]
We need some more dance tunes on this list. There have been very few up to this point. CoCo's album was another of my favourites and this song was one of my most played songs of the year. The title is a pun on her name and actually means to knock. Definitely one of the catchiest songs of the year and CoCo's best dance tune in a long time. There is a heavy dose of autotune and the chorus is rather simple and repetitive, but it actually enhances the song. Di Da Di~ I mean kou kou kou kou woahhh~
07. Hebe Tian - You Better Not Think About Me [MV]
I love Hebe's more generic Mandopop songs, so I fell in love with this one the first time I heard it. It's just so damn depressing. She really knows how to sing the most depressing ballads in C-Pop. I still think the opening of the chorus is a little odd sounding, but I really like the rock edge that the song brings. Her voice has never sounded better either. Don't think she will ever top her loneliness song, but this one is a close second (maybe cause it sounds so similar). Please keep making us cry Hebe.
06. Penny Tai - How Do You Sleep at Ease? [MV]
Woohoo the next depressing song! Penny does no wrong in my mind when it comes to ballads and this is just another example. Like the other Penny-penned tunes on this list, the song has a slight rock quality to it, which really helps give the song that extra punch. I love her her voice as well since it is so distinct. This is only one of the many gorgeous songs on her album, so check it out. Just wish this song was a bit longer as it clocks in under 3 minutes.
05. By2 - No Reason [MV]
The last of the dance songs on this list. I love love love By2 (omg Miko), so I was so happy when they returned with another high energy bopper. I still don't think anything will ever top You Mei You, but this is a close second. It is just so damn catchy. I think the English parts are a bit odd, but everything else falls into place pretty nicely. Hopefully they keep up the electropop jams.
04. Bii - Meteor That Flew By [MV]
Another rock tinged ballad. Bii released one of my favourite's album of the year and while it comes with the infectious Come Back To Me, this song easily outranks it. I love the melody and Bii's explosive vocals are both "wow" and "how the fruit does he do it". The notes he belts are really amazing and the tone of his voice is just so nice. I really love everything about this song though. The instrumental arrangement is simple but helps to accentuate the gorgeous melody.
03. Tanya Chua - A Song of Unrequited Love [MV]
Tanya is one of my favourite singer-songwriters in C-Pop and this song just shows her expertise. It is seriously one of the most gorgeous ballads I've heard. The best part is the chorus as it blends the melody with itself in such an intricate way that it creates something absolutely stunning. Her voice is also lovely as well and she is always able to bring emotion into the songs. Love it. I think this is her most innovative song to date.
02. Andrew Tan - Only You [MV]
Andrew Tan is consistently putting out amazing pop-rock tunes and this one is just another. Another Penny-penned tune, Only You follows a style similar to that of his huge 2011 collaboration hit with Bii. What I like about this one compared to the many pop-rock tunes featured on the list already (damn there are a lot) is that it's more upbeat. It's explosive and catchy. His voice is also quite unique and it fits perfectly with this genre. I'm really glad he focused on rock since his dance songs...
01. Miu - Power of Existence [MV]
The last of the Linfair labelmates (haha Andrew, Bii, Michelle, Coke, Dream Girls, Claire, and Aggie), this is Miu's second entry on the list and it's number 1! Miu's voice is really good and fits perfectly with this upbeat ballad. It really gives us a chance to hear her belt it out a bit. The song itself is quite beautiful. It has a catchy melody and a great arrangement. I don't know how many times I've jammed to this one this year. It's just an overall stellar tune. If you don't know Miu, she just debuted this year but was part of the singing show, Super Idol, back in 2009. She improved so much on the show and went from singing like she was in karaoke to hitting them big notes like Mariah.
Hope you enjoyed this~ Here's the zip of all the songs: 1-15 & 16-30