Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 2013.

For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

In 2013, Margaret Thatcher dies at the age of 87, Fusilier Lee Rigby is murdered in a terrorist attack outside army barracks, Sarah McClay a 24 yr-old zookeeper is killed by a tiger at a zoo in Cumbria, Andy Murray wins Wimbledon– the first British man to do so since 1936, same-sex marriage becomes legal in England and Wales, Prince George is born and becomes third in line to the throne, 8 people are killed and 19 are seriously injured when a police helicopter crashes in to a pub in Glasgow, World War II computer pioneer and codebreaker Alan Turing, who had been chemically castrated in 1952 following his conviction for homosexuality, is given a posthumous royal pardon, Lance Armstrong admits to doping in all of his Tour de France wins, two bombs explode at the Boston Marathon finish line killing 3 and injuring 264, Sopranos star James Gandoifini dies at 51 and Nelson Mandela dies at 95, the films Gravity, Captain Phillips, The Wolf of Wall Street, Frozen, American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave are released and I turn 37 years old.

Music is back on track this year. I love this year. Lots of great new tunes and first time appearances from several acts. Plus Beyonce is here again and after several years missing from these lists, Bowie is back. Here’s my favourites from 2013, in no particular order.

1. Gun by Chvrches

2. Talk Dirty by Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz

3. Q.U.E.E.N. by Janelle Monae & Erykah Badu

4. That’s Alright by Laura Mvula

5. The Wire by Haim

6. Sacrilege by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

7. Royals by Lorde

8. XO by Beyonce

9. Strong by London Grammar

10. Where We Are Now? by David Bowie

This week, my favourite is the wonderful Janelle Monae with Queen Erykah. Which one is yours?

See you next week for 2014!