Tuesday 17 September 2024

Sounds of 2014, nos. 10 to 6

Exciting times, Pony pop pickers! Today we move into the top ten of the Equestrian Trot 100 chart for 2014. As a quick reminder, this means songs that were popular that year; they don't necessarily have to have been released in 2014. As usual, here's the list of criteria:

Rule 1: Still available in the same or (1b) similar form direct from the/an original artist.
Rule 2: Available from a third party, with reason to believe the artist is fine with this.
Rule 3: So famous that it would be plain silly to leave it out.
Rule 4: Being unlisted is not, on its own, grounds for exclusion. 

I considered dropping those requirements for the top ten and just saying they all met Rule 3 by definition, but as it happens none of this week's songs would have needed to be skipped anyway, so I thought I'd keep them. The top five will all be featured come what may, though. Here's this week's list:

10: YourEnigma ft. Rhyme Flow – On Hold
9: 4EverfreeBrony – House of Glass
8: The Living Tombstone ft. Feather – Stay (remix)
7: BlackGryph0n & Baasik – Taking Off
6: BlackGryph0n & Baasik – Moonlight

Going to be lazy and leave the following sentence the same as last week: I'm sure you know by now what happens past the jump break, so let's get to it!

 
Rule 1: uploaded to YouTube 12 Mar 2014
We had YourEnigma's Octavia song "I'll Come Running" here recently, but this is the song it's written as a response to. This one is from Vinyl Scratch's point of view, and the story is that Octavia's Canterlot Philharmonic contract means that she's often away from home and not answering the phone. Vinyl is bothered by this rather more than she'll admit. Rhyme Flow's rapping is a central part of this song, so it appeals to a rather different audience to "I'll Come Running". Nevertheless it suits Vinyl's character and insecurity well, I think. Grab it in HQ as a name-your-price track on YourEnigma's Bandcamp.
NB: "Pound" in the spoken part at the end is an American term for the the # key, not the £ symbol.

Rule 1: uploaded to YouTube 7 May 2014
You just can't keep 4EverfreeBrony away from the upper reaches of this chart, can you? Right from the electronic-string then piano instrumental opening, you know this Trixie song is going to be something special, and so it is. One of the artist's favourite songs, this is a morally based track featuring Trixie reflecting on having changed her ways. 4EB re-recorded this track in 2017, but as always with "Sounds of 2014" I'm featuring the original release here. Both versions are available for $1 on 4EverfreeBrony's Bandcamp, so take your pick from the 2014 original or the 2017 version.

Rule 1: uploaded to YouTube 19 Mar 2014
Despite featuring so highly in the chart a decade ago, this song has rather faded away in the years since. The Living Tombstone and Feather are hardly obscure names, though. The song is one of those with (deliberately, according to Feather) ambiguous, not obviously Pony lyrics. However, it was written with the relationship between Shining Armor and Cadance in mind. KnifePonyy's (yeah, two Ys in the YT username) progressive house original is not on their account there any more – and nor is anything else – but you can find it on their Bandcamp. As for TLT/Feather's remix, that is part of an album of remixes of this song by various artists, and can be obtained for $1 on KnifePony's Bandcamp, not Tombstone's own.

Rule 1: uploaded to YouTube 27 Apr 2014
Another week, another BlackGryph0n and Baasik track from their ludicrously successful IMmortal album. As you may well have guessed from the cover art, this song is about Scootaloo and her determination to fly. To my shame I didn't know this very well at all until just now, but I am now kicking myself for that. It's a really catchy pop song with a beat and energy that perfectly suit its subject. Quite honestly, this has quickly become a real favourite from almost a standing start. Yay for this series! Take off for yourelf and get the HQ version for 99¢ from Black Gryph0n's Bandcamp.
 
 
Rule 1: Uploaded to YouTube 14 Feb 2014
It really is striking just what a smash that IMmortal album of BlackGryph0n and Baasik's was ten years ago. Once again I'm featuring a track from that record high up in the chart, although it's a little different in feel from "Taking Off". This number is a Luna song, which appropriately enough has something of a dreamlike quality to its mellow synths and drums. A little bit of an Owl City vibe to it as a result, which works pretty well for the Night Princess. As with the other IMmortal tracks, this one can be snagged for 99¢ from Black Gryph0n's Bandcamp.

2 comments:

  1. It's getting so exciting! :D The only one of these I don't know by name is House of Glass, but the rest are all bangers!

    That one's okay. :B And not my preferred version of "Stay" either, but whatevs. I can't wait to see what terrible choice made it to #1! :D I jest, but actually I feel like there's a good chance it was a Baasik & BlackGryph0n track, considering how they've been shaping up on these charts thanks to IMmortal.

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    1. I still don't know, but I wouldn't be that surprised if you were right on that. Kinda sad that this series is coming to an end... but I will now confirm that I will be doing the same thing for 2015, and that I won't be waiting for next year to get going with it.

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