2013: The Musical Yearbook

Every year as a bonus gift to all my friends for Christmas, I compile the music that was a part of my life for the year. Is it obvious yet that I love to do a mixtape? (See La Grande Revue 31 and XXX: Dirty Thirty)

Most of it is usually current, some of it is older music. It's really just music that affected me and my experiences for the year. Here's my top 21 tracks for 2013:


1. Half of Me - Rihanna
2. Lady Marmalade - Christina Aguilera, Pink, Lil Kim & Mya
3. Don't You Worry Child - Swedish House Mafia
4. Harlem Shake - Baauer
5. Work - Iggy Azalea
6. All Gold, All Girls (Remix) - Cassie feat. Trina & Lola Monroe
7. Forest Gump - Frank Ocean
8. Into the Past - Nero
9. Fade Into You - Mazzy Star
10. Madness - Muse
11. Sweater Weather - The Neighbourhood
12. F*ckwithmeyouknowigotit - Jay-Z feat. Rick Ross
13. Beach Is Better - Jay-Z
14. Own It - Drake
15. Ain't Worried About Nothin' - French Montana
16. Hang On 2 Your Love - Sam Sparro feat. Durand Bernarr
17. Summertime Sadness - Lana Del Rey vs. Cedric Gervais
18. Like A Virgin - Madonna
19. The Monster - Eminem feat. Rihanna
20. Sexxx Dreams - Lady Gaga
21. Only 1 U - M.I.A.

Rihanna's "Half of Me" resonated with me from the opening line, "You saw me on the television". This year started for me with the final episodes of Bravo's "Million Dollar Decorators" which I was a part of while working for Jeffrey Alan Marks. It's a strange occurrence in life to be on television and to see how people in your life respond to it. It all seems very glamorous to everyone.

"Lady Marmalade" was direct from Birthday Burlesque for my 31st birthday. I had a lot of great times with my friends this year. Including seeing Swedish House Mafia ("Don't You Worry Child") in downtown Los Angeles with my girl DJ Spindy. And an impromptu dance session to "Harlem Shake" with my friend Danielle at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Or just cruising to Trina's amazing rap on "All Gold, All Girls" (with Spindy, again!).

Iggy Azalea's "Work" is probably my favorite discovery for 2013. Check her out if you haven't already.

I got really into the Frank Ocean album this year when I fell for a guy who played it in his hotel room one night. But, I quickly un-fell for him and then into The Great Gatsby soundtrack and Nero's amazing "Into The Past".

And probably the most romantic experience of 2013 was meeting what seemed to be a great guy and making out to "Fade Into You" by Mazzy Star. It was not planned at all! It just happened to come on my iPod. Sadly (again!), everything was not as it seemed in this situation. All I can say is "Words prove who someone wants to be, actions prove who they really are". But, it's great that a song can take you back to a special moment.

"Madness" by Muse is, for me, a lot about self discovery this year and learning that my highest value in life is to both love and be loved.

Some tracks from Jay-Z and Drake from two standout albums from 2013. Personally, I love everything Drake does.

Another impromptu dance session makes "Ain't Worried About Nothing" by French Montana an essential track for 2013. This time it was on video on my Instagram!

Big fan of Sam Sparro, so anything he dropped this year had to be included. Love the lyrics from "Hang On 2 Ur Love".

"Summertime Sadness" was a late discovery for me. When I finally heard it, all my friends in Las Vegas were tired of hearing of it in the clubs. But I'm always sad when summer ends, especially when a summer fling was involved.

I always try to work Madonna into any mix that I create. She is the Queen after all. This year "Like A Virgin" shows up because it was my Halloween costume for my first Halloween in West Hollywood. Fitting, don't you think?

And usually the mix always ends with some recent tunes that come out around the Holiday season. Only time will tell if they impact my life in anyway. Love everything Rihanna does or is featured on ("The Monster"), "Sexxx Dreams" is my favorite track from the highly anticipated Lady Gaga album and M.I.A. put out an amazing record recently that everyone seems to be looking over. Check it out!

So there you have it, the Best of 2013 by Dallas Amante and proof that it's not just some random celebration of music, but music that actually affected this guy's crazy life.