The Complex Staff Lists Their Favorite Songs and Albums of 2013

As someone who has worked for a brand for a while now, I—Insanul Ahmed—often have to point out to my friends, family, and annoying people I meet at parties that just because I work for a brand, that doesn't mean I am the brand. And that really, while everyone who works for a brand is in some ways a representative of the brand, the brand is kind of like it's own person. (I mean this differently than "corporations are people." Fuck that and screw Mitt Romney.) This is a very important distinction to make. People think just because say, Complex says Kanye West's Yeezus is the album of the year, then I must think Kanye West's Yeezus is the album of the year—which couldn't be further from the truth.

The reality is, Complex lists are made by a collection of editors who sit down and debate lists for hours on end (Seriously, no one appreciates how much we debate these lists down to the tiniest detail). The lists are created through a series of agreements ("Yeah, that has to be on here..."), compromises ("I don't like it, but if you guys are riding for it..."), and arguments ("That shit sounds like outtakes from the Footloose soundtrack!") In the end, what you have is a product of hive-mind, guided by the executive hand of our Chief Content Officer, Noah Callahan-Bever. That being said, we thought readers might be interested in what the staffers and contributors that help make the Best Albums and Best Songs lists would choose on their own. So everyone made personal Best of 2013 lists. Have a look.

RELATED: The 50 Best Albums of 2016

Twitter: @TheConstant_G

Best Songs

1. James Blake - "Overgrown"
2. Kanye West - "On Sight"
3. Arcade Fire - "Here Comes the Night Time"
4. Phosphorescent - "Song for Zula"
5. Shlohmo f/ Jeremih - "Bo Peep (Do U Right)"
6. Gesaffelstein - "Hellifornia"
7. Vondelpark - "California Analog Dream"
8. Denzel Curry f/ Yung Simmie & Robb Bank$ - "Threatz"
9. Lil Silva f/ Sampha - "Salient Sarah"
10. Boddika & Joy Orbison - "Mercy (Boddika's VIP)"

Best Albums

1. Kanye West - Yeezus
2. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
3. James Blake - Overgrown
4. El-P & Killer Mike – Run The Jewels
5. Phosphorescent – Muchacho
6. Haim - Days Are Gone
7. Deptford Goth - Life After Defo
8. Zomby - With Love
9. Vondelpark - Seabed
10. Gesaffelstein – Aleph

Twitter: @PigsAndPlans

Best Songs

1. James Blake - “Retrograde”
2. Arcade Fire - “Here Comes The Night Time”
3. Kanye West - “Blood on the Leaves”
4. Mapei - “Don’t Wait”
5. Kid Cudi f/ Haim - “Red Eye”
6. Willis Earl Beal f/ Cat Power - “Coming Through”
7. Vampire Weekend - “Step”
8. Blood Orange - “You’re Not Good Enough”
9. Movement - “Us”
10. Pusha T f/ The-Dream - “40 Acres”

Best Albums

1. Kanye West - Yeezus
2. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
3. Haim - Days Are Gone
4. Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap
5. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
6. James Blake - Overgrown
7. Danny Brown - Old
8. Pusha T - My Name is My Name
9. Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe
10. Drake - Nothing Was the Same

Twitter: @Khal

Best Songs

1. Danny Brown - “Side B (Dope Song)”
2. Machinedrum - “Gunshotta”
3. Gesaffelstein - “Hate Or Glory”
4. DJ Rashad f/ DJ Spinn - “Drank, Kush, Barz”
5. Kanye West ft. King L - “Send It Up”
6. Dom & Roland - “Unofficial Jah”
7. Disclosure ft. Edward Macfarlane - “Defeated No More”
8. Prodigy & Alchemist - “Confessions”
9. Noisia f/ Calyx & Teebee - “Hyenas”
10. Lindsay Lowend - “Wind Fish”

Best Albums

1. DJ Rashad - Double Cup
2. Disclosure - Settle
3. Machinedrum - Vapor City
4. Traxman - Teklife Volume 3: The Architek
5. Danny Brown - Old
6. Gesaffelstein - Aleph
7. Kanye West - Yeezus
8. Armand Hammer - Race Music
9. Rene LaVice - Insidious
10. Mat Zo - Damage Control

Twitter: @RossScarano

Best Songs

1. Kanye West - “Blood on the Leaves”
2. Ariana Grande - “Honeymoon Avenue”
3. Blood Orange - “It Is What It Is”
4. Kelela - “Send Me Out”
5. Drake - “Worst Behavior”
6. James Blake - “Retrograde”
7. A$AP Ferg - “Dump Dump”
8. Toro Y Moi - “Rose Quartz”
9. Schoolboy Q f/Kendrick Lamar - “Collard Greens”
10. Katy Perry - “Birthday”

Best Albums

1. Kanye West - Yeezus
2. Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe
3. Kelela - Cut 4 Me
4. Bill Callahan - Dream River
5. Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
6. Danny Brown - Old
7. Haim - Days Are Gone
8. A$AP Ferg - Trap Lord
9. Rhye - Woman
10. Sampha - Dual EP

Twitter: @KyleKramer

Best Songs

1. Kanye West - "Hold My Liquor"
2. Autre Ne Veut - "Play By Play"
3. Drake - "Worst Behaviour"
4. Migos f/ Drake - "Versace (Remix)"
5. Future f/ Miley Cyrus & Mr. Hudson - "Real and True"
6. Haim - "The Wire"
7. Sky Ferreira - "24 Hours"
8. Lil Durk - "Dis Ain't What You Want"
9. Ciara - "Body Party"
10. James Blake - "DLM"

Best Albums

1. Kanye West - Yeezus
2. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
3. Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap
4. Autre Ne Veut - Anxiety
5. Florida Georgia Line - Here's To the Good Times
6. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
7. Haim - Days Are Gone
8. Volcano Choir - Repave
9. Pusha T - My Name Is My Name
10. Propain - Ridin' Slab

Twitter: @andfeedingyou

Best Songs

1. Kanye West - "New Slaves”
2. YG - "Million”
3. YG - "Youzza Flip”
4. Lil Lody - "Why They Hating”
5. Future - "Karate Chop”
6. DJ Mustard - "Midnight Run”
7. Chief Keef - "Yesterday”
8. Gucci Mane - "Hell Yes”
9. 2 Chainz - "Outroduction”
10. ZMoney - "Regular”

Best Albums

1. Kanye West - Yeezus
2. YG - Just Re’d Up 2
3. 2 Chainz - B.O.A.T.S. II
4. King L - March Madness
5. Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap
6. Pusha T - My Name Is My Name
7. DJ Mustard - Ketchup
8. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
9. ZMoney - Rich B4 Rap
10. Dom Kennedy - Get Home Safely

Twitter: @OGJOHNNY5

Best Songs

1. Migos f/ Drake - "Versace”
2. Drake - "Started From the Bottom”
3. Rocko f/ Rick Ross & Future - "U.O.E.N.O.”
4. Lil Wayne f/ Drake & Future - "Love Me”
5. Kanye West - "Blood On The Leaves”
6. PartyNextDoor - "Break From Toronto”
7. Rich Gang - "Tap Out”
8. A$AP Ferg f/ A$AP Rocky - "Shabba”
9. YG - "I’m 4rm Bompton”
10. Young Thug - "2 Cups Stuffed”

Best Albums

1. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
2. Tyler, The Creator - Wolf
3. Dom Kennedy - Get Home Safely
4. Migos - YRN
5. PartyNextDoor - PartyNextDoor
6. Young Thug - 1017 Thug
7. Kanye West - Yeezus
8. Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap
9. Lil Wayne - I Am Not a Human Being II
10. Future/Freebandz - FBG: The Movie

Twitter: @iTunesEra

Best Songs

1. Kanye West - "Guilt Trip”
2. Justin Timberlake - "Spaceship Coupe”
3. Drake - "Furthest Thing”
4. J. Cole f/ TLC - "Crooked Smile”
5. Cocaine 80s - "Fly Ass Pisces”
6. Chance The Rapper - "Chain Smoker”
7. The Weeknd - "Belong to the World”
8. Pusha T - "Numbers On the Boards”
9. Kid Cudi f/ HAIM - "Red Eye”
10. Mayer Hawthorne f/ Kendrick Lamar - "Crime”

Best Albums

1. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
2. Kanye West - Yeezus
3. Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap
4. Pusha T - My Name Is My Name
5. Big K.R.I.T. - King Remembered In Time
6. Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience
7. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
8. The Weeknd - Kiss Land
9. Childish Gambino - Because the Internet
10. J. Cole - Born Sinner

Twitter: @dharmicX

Best Songs

1. Ka - "Nothing Is”
2. Chance The Rapper - "Acid Rain"
3. Kanye West - "Blood On the Leaves”
4. Ill Bill f/ Tia Thomas - "When I Die”
5. Run The Jewels - "Sea Legs”
6. Pusha T f/ Pharrell - "SNITCH”
7. James Blake f/ Chance The Rapper - "Life Round Here (Remix)”
8. A$ton Matthews f/ Vince Staples - "Plottin”
9. Ghostface Killah - "Enemies All Around Me”
10. Action Bronson - "Live From Kissena Boulevard”

Best Albums

1. Ka -The Night’s Gambit
2. Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap
3. Run The Jewels - Run the Jewels
4. CZARFace - CZARFace
5. Ill Bill - The Grimy Awards
6. YC The Cynic - GNK
7. Pusha T - My Name Is My Name
8. Homeboy Sandman - All That I Hold Dear
9. Charmingly Ghetto - Of The Meaning Of Progress
10. Vince Staples - Stolen Youth

Twitter: @Jersey_Jinx

Best Songs

1. Toro Y Moi - "Rose Quartz”
2. Kanye West - "Guilt Trip”
3. Pusha T - "Nosetalgia”
4. A$AP Ferg - "Shabba”
5. Earl Sweatshirt - "Hives”
6. Kanye West - "I’m In It”
7. Action Bronson - "Triple Backflip”
8. Drake - "Jodeci Freestyle”
9. Migos f/ Drake - "Versace”
10. Childish Gambino - "Sway In the Morning Freestyle”

Best Albums

1. Kanye West - Yeezus
2. Toro Y Moi - Anything In Return
3. Earl Sweatshirt - Doris
4. Pusha T - My Name Is My Name
5. Drake - Nothing Was The Same
6. A$AP Ferg - Trap Lord
7. James Blake - Overgrown
8. Action Bronson - Blue Chips 2
9. Jay-Z - Magna Carta...Holy Grail
10. J. Cole - Born Sinner

Twitter: @sashahecht

Best Songs

1. Blood Orange - "Chamakay”
2. Perfect Pussy - "Advance Upon the Real”
3. White Lung - "Blow it South”
4. Majical Cloudz - "Bugs Don’t Buzz”
5. Autre Ne Veut - "Play By Play”
6. Deafheaven - "The Pecan Tree”
7. Speedy Ortiz - "No Below”
8. Haim - "Let Me Go”
9. Pusha T f/ The-Dream - "40 Acres”
10. Rosie Lowe - "Right Thing”

Twitter: @clairevlo

Best Songs

1. Jacques Greene f/ How To Dress Well - "On Your Side”
2. Le1f f/ Rahel - "Damn Son”
3. The-Dream - "IV Play”
4. Lakutis - - "Too Ill For the Law”
5. Cassie f/ Trina & Lola Monroe - "All Gold, All Girls”
6. Justin Bieber f/ Tyga - "Wait a Minute”
7. Poliça - "Chain My Name”
8. Audion - - "Motormouth”
9. Shlomo f/ Jeremih - "Bo Peep (Do U Right)”
10. White Lung - "Blow It South”

Best Albums

1. Kelela - Cut 4 Me
2. Kanye West - Yeezus
3. Sky Ferreira - Night Time, My Time
4. A$AP Ferg - Trap Lord
5. AlunaGeorge - Body Music
6. M.I.A. - Matangi
7. August Alsina - The Product II
8. eXquire - Kismet
9. Majical Cloudz - Impersonator
10. World’s Fair - Bastards Of the Party

Twitter: @somanyshrimp

Best Songs

1. Zedd - "Clarity”
2. Chance The Rapper - "Acid Rain”
3. Lil Durk - "Dis Ain’t What You Want”
4. Amel Larrieux - "I Do Take”
5. Meek Mill - "Lil Nigga Snupe”
6. Alley Boy f/ Ty Dolla $ign - "R.N.G.M.”
7. P. Rico - "Gladiator"
8. Rudimental f/ MNEK & Sinead Harnett - "Baby”
9. Kelis - "Jerk Ribs”
10. Dom Kennedy - "Erica Pt. 2"

Best Albums

1. ZMoney - Rich B4 Rap
2. Kevin Gates - Stranger Than Fiction
3. Lloyd Banks - F.N.O.
4. Drake - Nothing Was The Same
5. Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap
6. Ariana Grande - Yours Truly
7. Future - F.B.G.
8. DJ Mustard - Ketchup
9. Big Bank Black - The Godfather
10. Blood Money - Drug Wars

Twitter: @Incilin

Best Songs

1. ScHoolboy Q - "Yay Yay”
2. Drake - "Hold On, We’re Going Home”
3. Kanye West - "New Slaves”
4. Haim - "If I Could Change Your Mind”
5. A$AP Rocky f/ Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson, Big KRIT - "1 Train”
6. Lil Wayne f/ 2 Chainz - "Rich As Fuck”
7. Autre Ne Veut - "Counting”
8. Rhye - "The Fall”
9. Eminem - "Rhyme or Reason”
10. Lorde - "Royals”

Best Albums

1. Haim - Days Are Gone
2. Rhye - Woman
3. Juicy J - Stay Trippy
4. Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap
5. Danny Brown - Old
6. Pusha T - My Name Is My Name
7. A$AP Ferg - Trap Lord
8. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP 2
9. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
10. Mac Miller - Watching Movies With the Sound Off

Twitter: @weareyourfek

Best Songs

1. David Bowie - "Love is Lost (Hello Steve Reich Remix by James Murphy)"
2. Autre Ne Veut - "Play By Play"
3. Drake - "5AM in Toronto"
4. Frank Ocean, John Mayer - "Wildfire"
5. Vampire Weekend - "Diane Young"
6. Kanye West - "Blood On the Leaves"
7. Daft Punk f/ Pharrell Williams - "Lose Yourself to Dance"
8. Haim - "The Wire"
9. Arcade Fire - "Reflektor"
10. Justin Timberlake - "Mirrors"
BONUS: Miley Cyrus - "Wrecking Ball (D.J. Retweller Remix)"

Best Albums

1. Kanye West - Yeezus
2. Autre Ne Veut - Anxiety
3. Haim - Days Are Gone
4. Pusha T - My Name Is My Name
5. Sky Ferreia - Night Time, My Time
6. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
7. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
8. Drake - Nothing Was The Same
9. Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience
10. Deafhaven - Sunbather

Twitter: @boomshots

Best Songs

1. Bunji Garlin - "Differentology”
2. Mavado f/ Nicki Minaj - "Give It All To Me”
3. Stephen Marley, Spragga Benz & Damian Marley - "Bongo Nyah”
4. Chronixx - "Here Comes Trouble”
5. Wayne Marshall - "I Know”
6. Romain Virgo & Konshens - "We No Worry Bout Them”
7. Busy Signal - "Me Deh Ya”
8. A$AP Ferg f/ Shabba, Busta Rhymes & Migos - "Shabba” (Remix)
9. Congo Natty - "UK Allstars” (Machine Drum Remix)
10. Popcaan - "Wine and Jiggle”

Best Albums

1. A$AP Ferg - Trap Lord
2. Danny Brown - Old
3. Pusha T - My Name Is My Name
4. Ghetto Youths International - Set Up Shop vol 1
5. M.I.A. - Matangi
6. Kanye West - Yeezus
7. Sampha - Dual EP
8. Sly & Robbie Presents: Shaggy - Out of Many, One Music
9. Gyptian - Sex, Love & Reggae
10. Childish Gambino - Because the Internet

Twitter: @KwakaFlocka

Best Songs (Unranked)

Drake - "Connect”
Girl’s Day - "Expectation”
Rich Homie Quan - "Type of Way”
Miley Cyrus - "#GETITRIGHT”
Kanye West - "New Slaves”
Neko Case - "Night Still Comes”
Lee Hi - "Fool for Love”
Prodigy & Alchemist - "Dough Pildin’”
Justin Bieber - "All That Matters”
A$AP Rocky f/ Schoolboy Q - "PMW (All I Really Need)”

Twitter: @davebry9

Best Songs

1. Kanye West - "New Slaves”
2. Haim - "The Wire”
3. Danny Brown - "Torture”
4. ScHoolboy Q - "Yay Yay”
5. Pusha T f/ Kendrick Lamar - "Nosetalgia”
6. Autre Ne Veut - "Counting”
7. James Blake - "Retrograde”
8. Z Money - "Regular”
9. YG f/ Young Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan - "My Nigga"
10. Arcade Fire - "Reflektor”

Best Albums

1. Kanye West - Yeezus
2. Pusha T - My Name Is My Name
3. Haim - Days Are Gone
4. Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
5. A$AP Ferg - Trap Lord
6. Danny Brown - Old
7. Run the Jewels - Run The Jewels
8. Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe
9. The Roots & Elvis Costello - Wise Up Ghost
10. Arcade Fire - Reflektor

Twitter: @bfred

Best Songs

1. Migos f/ Drake - "Versace (Remix)"
2. J. Cole f/ Miguel - "Power Trip"
3. A$AP Ferg f/ A$AP Rocky - "Shabba"
4. Miley Cyrus - "We Can't Stop"
5. Drake - "Started From the Bottom"
6. Sevyn Streeter - "It Won’t Stop"
7. Kanye West - "I Am a God"
8. G-Dragon - "Crooked”
9. French Montana - "Ain’t Worried About Nothin’”
10. Justin Bieber - "All That Matters”

Best Albums

1. Toro Y Moi - Anything In Return
2. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
3. Kelela - Cut 4 Me
4. Charli XCX - True Romance
5. Kanye West - Yeezus
6. A$AP Ferg - Trap Lord
7. Ariana Grande - Yours Truly
8. Haim - Days Are Gone
9. PartyNextDoor - PartyNextDoor
10. Mayer Hawthorne - Where Does this Door Go?

Twitter: @N_C_B

Best Songs

Kanye West - "New Slaves"
Drake - "Worst Behavior"
A$AP Ferg f/ A$AP Rocky - "Shabba"
Danny Brown - "Dope Song"
Big Sean f/ Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica - "Control"
Pusha T f/ 2 Chainz & Big Sean - "Who I Am"
Run the Jewels - "36" Chain"
Chance The Rapper - "Everyone Is Somebody's Everything"
A$AP Rocky f/ Gunplay & A$AP Ferg - "Ghetto Symphony"
The Weeknd - "Belong To The World"

Best Albums

Kanye West - Yeezus
Pusha T - My Name Is Name Is Name
Danny Brown - Old
Chance The Rapper - Acid Rain
Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP 2
Drake - Nothing Was the Same
Earl Sweatshirt - Doris
Action Bronson - Blue Chips 2
Mac Miller - Watching Movies With the Sound Off
Childish Gambino - Because the Internet