Reacting to 2013 in Music With GIFs

2013 was an important year for music, but it was an even more important year for GIFs. We finally learned the proper way to pronounce “GIF” (apparently it’s “jiff”), but nobody cared about that and we all just avoid saying that word IRL. In 2013, we became dependent on GIFs. They became a part of our emotional language, and to properly express ourselves, we now need them. Without them, communication is ineffective and so so so boring. Thank God (and the Internet) for the GIF. 2013 was a big GIF year, and we pay homage by looking back on the year in music and reacting the only way we know how.

When Kendrick Lamar dropped the “Control” verse:

When Pussy Riot got locked up:

Then when we heard they’d be free again:

When TMZ made it sound like Lil Wayne was on his deathbed after having seizures:

Then when he sent that tweet like, “I’m fine”

When everyone started calling Lorde racist and sexist:

Whenever someone was like, “Really, you like Yeezus?”

Miley Cyrus’ contributions in 2013:

When Cash Money decided to sign Fred Durst and Paris Hilton:

Every time an album leaked and Twitter is like, “HEY THE ALBUM LEAKED!”

 And then when the Drake album leaked:

When people kept being like, “Here’s my ‘Harlem Shake video, watch my ‘Harlem Shake’ video, check out this hilarious ‘Harlem Shake’ video!”

When Grimes announced that she signed with Roc Nation:

When Beyoncé dropped an album out of nowhere, with no press, no leaks, and no announcement:

Then when that’s all people talked about for the next week:

When instead of announcing an album, Arcade Fire rolled out mysterious street art, exclusive shows, and cryptic tweets:

When Daft Punk made a comeback:

Whenever someone joked about how crazy Kanye is:

Any time Death Grips did anything:

When we thought Eminem might actually make a good album and then he put out The Marshall Mathers LP 2:

When Spotify revealed their average payout is $.007 per stream:

When Lou Reed passed:

When Snoop Lion actually followed through with his reggae album:

While Pharrell blessed us with hit after hit after hit after hit:

When we look back at all the great albums and exciting new artists that 2013 gave us and we realize that damn, it was a pretty great year for music:

Well done, 2013.