21. Daft Punk Release The Hit Of The Summer
Before 2013, Daft Punk were gods of dance music, with countless hits under their belts, a cult following and a mysterious image that had kept them anonymous for fifteen years. A single with Pharrell Williams later, and they became the most talked about group on Earth, before some joker outed them playing table tennis on Twitter. Identity-outing aside, 'Get Lucky' was one of the most sultry, infectious summer songs for years, revolving around a gorgeous Nile Rodgers strum and bringing in the trademark vocoders to exquisite effect. 'Random Access Memories' followed, and the band were one of the most talked about things of the year, as they finally reached number one, becoming one of the biggest bands in the world. Oh, and I'm still not sick of 'Get Lucky'.
20...And Robin Thicke Releases The Most Controversial Song Of The Year
Whilst the robots from Paris were dancing a seductive jig across every club on the globe, Robin Thicke was giving off quite a different impression. 'Blurred Lines', also featuring Pharrell, became one of 2013's biggest hits, thanks in no part to a catchy beat, a cascading melody and an extremely explicit video. But it was the creepy lyrics of "I know you want it", coupled with casual misogyny that landed Thicke in hot water, as the song was banned in many places, and condemned almost universally. When asked about the meaning behind the song, Thicke said "People say, 'Hey, do you think this is degrading to women?' I'm like, 'Of course it is. What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. I've never gotten to do that before. I've always respected women." Oh dear, Robin. It's certainly one way to rack up the YouTube hits, though...