Sounds of 2016, nos. 5 to 1!

Here we go, then: we've finally reached the very top of the Equestrian Trot 100 chart for 2016! It's really rather thrilling stuff, isn't it? Okay, maybe it isn't, but you get the idea. Sometimes there's something to be said for rambling on in this intro paragraph, but this time let's get moving/

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. 

We're into the top ten now, so Rule 3 applies across the board. Here goes!

5: Michelle Creber, Black Gryph0n & Baasik – Getting Stronger
4: Delta Brony – The Spectacle (remix)
3: µThunder – Say Goodbye to the Holiday (remix)
2: ponyphonic ft. Kristen Calvin – The Moon Rises
1: Aurelleah – Luna's Future (remix)

All right, for the very last time for 2016, off we go!

5: Michelle Creber, Black Gryph0n & Baasik – Getting Stronger

Rule 1: uploaded to YouTube 5 Sep 2015
It does seem a bit like déjà vu, doesn't it? Black Gryph0n and Baasik with Michelle Creber released this song in 2015, and it was number nine in last year's chart. It's a song about the villains Chrysalis, Sombra and Tirek, chosen because all of them came back stronger after their initial defeats. It's pretty straightforward pop, but it does the job and naturally the professional production values do show. The title song of the album of the same name, this is available in HQ for $1 on Black Gryph0n's Bandcamp. 

4: Delta Brony – The Spectacle (remix)

 

Rule 3

Yep, at long last in this year's chart I'm having to invoke Rule 3. This remix is too well known and too high in the list to be skipped, but I can't find it on an official source – so this time it gets included with a third-party embed. Delta Brony is also known as KingSpartaX37, though the Delta Brony name is far more common. What we have here is a pretty nice remix of Countess Coloratura's AutoTuney number from early in "The Mane Event". It fits Delta Brony's style very nicely, and he wisely refrains from making too many changes. The outro is a bit overlong, though. No Bandcamp, unsurprisingly, but there is a third-party SoundCloud upload.

 

3: µThunder – Say Goodbye to the Holiday (remix)

 

Rule 1: Re-uploaded to YouTube 17 May 2016
It's been a little while since we've had a µThunder track in this chart, but here we are again! This is a very nicely turned out remix of Snowfall Frost's villain song from "A Hearth's Warming Tail". Again, this doesn't change the intro a huge amount, but it makes some good choices with what it does alter, not least some excellent evil laughter from Definitely-Not-Glimmy. Once again no Bandcamp presence, I'm afraid, but this song does at least have an official SoundCloud upload.

 

2: ponyphonic ft. Kristen Calvin – The Moon Rises

 

Rule 1: Uploaded to YouTube 6 Apr 2016

"The Moon Rises" sung by ponyphonic himself was a massive hit of the early fandom, and now this version with Kristen Calvin becomes a massive hit in 2016. Her powerful voice is pretty darn compelling, and you really can believe her as Nightmare Moon. It doesn't outstay its welcome, being only a smidgen over three minutes long, but by Celestia (sorry!) it packsa lot of emotion into that time. You can get this one for $1 on ponyphonic's Bandcamp.

 

1: Aurelleah – Luna's Future (remix)

 

Rules 1 and 4: Uploaded to YouTube 16 May 2016; unlisted

Why Aurelleah chose to unlist this song on YouTube I don't know, but I'm glad it's still available for those who have the link. Luna's song in "A Hearth's Warming Tail" is short in its original form, but it's full of impact and this epic orchestral cover manages to extend it quite nicely without too much in the way of repetition. Once again, no Bandcamp upload (we're not doing well on that score today!) but at least a third-party SoundCloud version is available.