Top Twenty Songs of MLP FiM · 6:09pm Oct 28th, 2016
Despite not having a ton of songs, Season 6 did provide a few good entries that were worth including. Enough to extend the list to twenty instead of fifteen. Here is the top fifteen list from back when Season 5 had wrapped up. You should know the drill by now, this list is by no means official so feel free to disagree. Let's see what was added and what changed.
20. Find a Pet (From: May The Best Pet Win)
Why it moved down: Season 2 remains the season that we had to wait the longest to get a song for (Season 1 gave us one in only the second episode, Season 3 in the very first episode, Season 4 in the fifth episode, and Season 6 in the fourth episode) with a grand total of seven episodes. And while the appeal of this song has increased after "I Can Do It On My Own" (which at times was a FlutterDash duet and at times was just Zephyr singing on his own), much of what I've said it about before in regards to Rainbow Dash's character still rings true here.
19. The Rules of Rarity (From: Canterlot Boutique)
Why it moved down: One of the better Rarity songs out there, this song showcases what Rarity is like as an artist and a dressmaker, and why she values creativity and originality so much. It's interesting to see how the pace and tone change as the song progresses, becoming more somber and more unhappy, then picking up again with the new gems, then in the reprise becoming even more depressing. Sadly, this song while it does convey a passage of time, leaves out an important detail that plagues "Canterlot Boutique" in regards to how Sassy came to control everything and just stuck Rarity with sewing detail while not asking for her input. I also don't like the idea of people using Sassy as a scapegoat for what Rarity would do in another song on this list. Sassy Scapegoat is bad and I hope it's not a thing.
18. It's Gonna Work (From: Spice Up Your Life)
Why it was added: Though it does contribute to the problem of Rarity being an idiot and going behind Pinkie's back to please Zesty even though every restuarant with three hooves was terrible, this song does help add some of that unique Indian culture that was prevelant throughout "Spice Up Your Life". It even has something of a Bollywood musical feel to it, and the hook is quite catchy, especially when coupled with the visuals. Perhaps the only other thing to find fault with, are the cameos. It seems like the animators don't think through their cameos as much as they should, because if they did they would know why Minuette wouldn't be objecting to something Pinkie Pie was suggesting.
17. Find The Purpose In Your Life (From: The Fault In Our Cutie Marks)
Why it was added: As much as I like "Hearts Strong as Horses" it does contribute to the problem of "Flight To The Finish" taking so long to get set up and thus rushing through the climax. This one feels like a spiritual successor to "Hearts Strong as Horses" which would make sense consider Ed Valentine wrote it and it's always easier to remember your own continuity rather than someone else's. All of the CMC sing really well here, and the marching beat is maintained nicely in this montage song, but as I've mentioned before this song kind of paints Gabby in the light of what is apparently called a Parody Sue since she turns out to be so good at everything and thus the CMC can't find out what one thing could be her special talent.
16. Glass of Water (From: Three's A Crowd)
Why it moved down: Despite being advertised in "Sing Along Sundays" on Discovery Family, I don't think this song has popped up yet and even if it has I probably wouldn't watch the episode just to sing along with it. This is a great song in an otherwise pretty terrible episode, especially considering this is to date our only Discord song (still kind of hoping on another one) and it's backed up with some great visuals and references. Discord has since stopped having the problem this episode seemed to start for his character, but time will tell if sticks or not.
15. Art of The Dress (From: Suited for Success)
Why it moved down: It really does pay to remember when Rarity started to shine as a character after Season 6 treated her to quite possibly the worst stretch of appearances since the first half of Season 1 when the show had trouble deciding what it wanted to do and how to handle Rarity. It was here that Rarity as a character truly started to reach her potential, as we got to see as an artist and dress maker, and what it is that she values in designing, while at the same time putting her into the role of customer service when the customer doesn't truly know what they want (or what they think they want can't be done). While Kazumi Evans seems to now be stuck as Rarity's singing voice (a recent song even replaced her in the role of Luna's singing) as opposed to a season ago when she seemed to be coming into her own as a voice actress, she hasn't lost her touch and this was a fine first performance for her. There's nothing I really hate about this song, it's just that every song above it is better. And that's going to be true for every song that moves down from here on out.
14. Babs Seed (From: One Bad Apple)
Why it moved down: While "One Bad Apple" may have been really bad, this song was perhaps the only good thing about it. Though as I said before, the CMC and Diamond Tiara have come a long way since this song, and it's sad to think that this might be Babs' lasting impression unless they bring her back (they were supposedly going to do it this season, then for whatever reason they scrapped the idea and I'm really hoping it wasn't so they could replace her with Gabby. Again, I don't think that's true, but part of me can't help but wonder if that's so). There are the IDW comics, but the ones Babs appears in are all pre cutie mark and so far she hasn't cropped up or been mentioned in a single issue even now that the comics have caught up to the end of Season 5 in continuity.
13. A True True Friend (From: Magical Mystery Cure)
Why it moved down: Like before it came down to this song versus "What My Cutie Mark is Telling Me" for what song would represent "Magical Mystery Cure" in this list, and like before this song won out by a hair. Fluttershy actually does get a solo line or two when she's encouraging Rainbow Dash to help Rarity with the weather, but she doesn't get a solo verse to herself while everyone else does so. Arguably, this song didn't help the story to flow as well as it could have, but given the time limits this song did the best it could with the pacing and the story. For what would be Rebecca Shoichet's final performance as Twilight's singing voice before going on to be defined as the voice of Sunset Shimmer in the Equestria Girls franchise, as well as Sugar Belle and Night Glider in "The Cutie Map" she did a splendid job as Twilight's singing voice. Again, stiff competition knocked this wonderful song down because I don't hate it and in fact I really like it.
12. I'll Fly (From: Tanks For The Memories)
Why it moved down: Six seasons have come and gone yet this is Rainbow Dash's only solo song and character song to date, and as I said before it's ironic how Ashliegh doesn't get as many chances to sing as her other singing VAs at DHX, despite being in an actual band called "Hey Ocean". As can be expected for Rainbow Dash, the genre for this song focused on her is rock and it did not disappoint even the slightest. Perhaps the best thing about "Tanks For The Memories" even if it did contribute to the flaws with Rainbow's attempt at justifying her actions under the logic of "What I'm doing is wrong, I know it's wrong, but I'm doing it/gonna do it anyway" (or alternatively "I know what I'm doing is wrong, but I'm doing it/gonna do it anyway"). If we ever get a better Rainbow Dash solo and/or character song, I'll be glad to put it on here in place of this song, but for now it looks like it's not going anywhere.
11. Say Goodbye To The Holiday (From: A Hearth's Warming Tail)
Why it was included: Mixing in A Christmas Carol with How The Grinch Stole Christmas, this villain song is quite chilling (in more ways than one). This is what happens when a well intentioned extremist's ideaology or thought process goes too far, regardless of what they think they end up creating a bigger problem than the one they're trying to solve. In this case, Snowfall Frost is preparing to put an end to a holiday she deems useless, while seemingly being unaware that she's going to bring back the windigos and turn Equestria into a frozen wasteland. Impressive visuals and lyrics blend together well for a song that's guranteed to stick with us for a while.
10. This Day Aria (From: A Canterlot Wedding Part 2)
Why it moved down: For what remains one of Daniel Ingram and William Anderson's best works, it's amazing how this song continues to get topped time and time again in both FiM and Equestria Girls ("Unleash The Magic" and "We Stand For Everfree" in particular put this song to shame). It's a villain song that rivals even the greatest of Disney villain songs including "Cruella De Vill", "The Oogie Boogie Song", "Poor Unfortunate Souls", "Friends On The Other Side", "Mother Knows Best" (especially the reprise), "Gaston", "Hellfire", and even "Be Prepared". Heck, this song shares many similarities to "Venessa's Song" from The Little Mermaid, and of course this is a song we're likely to keep coming back to again and again. I know I'm repeating a lot, but everything that ranks above this song is just that much better, and that's saying a lot when I really like this song.
9. Apples to The Core (From: Pinkie Apple Pie)
Why it moved down: Now why isn't this song being considered for "Sing Along Sundays" on Discovery Family? I mean, when this song was first shown as an animatic back during the long hiatus between Seasons 3 and 4, everyone who saw it was clapping and singing along. It's got an amazing country beat and some great singing from Pinkie Pie and the Apple family, and it just further proves the need for more Applejack songs. While Starlight Glimmer may now be the only main cast member left to not get her own song (assuming you don't count "Our Town" or "Say Goodbye To The Holiday" and I don't), Applejack still needs more opportunities for songs than what she gets. And like Rainbow Dash, she needs good ones and not ones like "Giddyup Derby Racers".
8. Pinkie's Present (From: A Hearth's Warming Tail)
Why it was added: This song bears a striking similarity to "It Feels Like Christmas" from The Muppet's Christmas Carol in many ways, and it just further proves how perfect Pinkie Pie is as The Spirit of Hearth's Warming Present (or if you prefer The Spirit of The Fourth Wall because she does a lot of that in her time as a spirit). It's an incredible feel good song that even got to have an instrumental reprise in the end credits of "A Hearth's Warming Tail" so if that's not proof that this song is amazing, I don't know what is. Plus it has a really good message, even if it's a bit obvious and cliche at this point.
7. Luna's Future (From: A Hearth's Warming Tail)
Why it was added: I think what really makes this song stand out is that it's not Kazumi Evans who's singing for Princess Luna, it's Aloma Steele. That's not to say the visuals and the lyrics aren't impressive, because they are. I just don't know if this song would've been as remembered as it was if Kazumi and not Aloma had been singing for Princess Luna. Admittedly, Aloma sounds like she'd better suited to singing for Zeocra (while Kazumi may not have done much to distinguish Luna from Rarity when singing for her, her voice sounded like it reflected elegance and wisdom), and if Luna ever sings again I think Kazumi should be brought back, but Aloma's got potential and I would love to hear more from her in the future. If "Say Goodbye To The Holiday" didn't give you chills, this song probably will.
6. Our Town (From: The Cutie Map a.k.a Cutie Markless Part 1)
Why it stayed the same: From here on the list doesn't change, the top six songs all remain in their same place as they did in the top fifteen. Does that mean there's nothing left to talk about them? Probably not, there's still some stuff we can talk about since this is only their second time being on the list. It's really saying something when despite Season 5 having two musical episodes and the first Rainbow Dash character song, this one remains one of the most talked about and well loved. This doesn't even really count as a villain song for Starlight since here she's not acting villainous, she's just flaunting her propaganda and flawed vision, while not so subtlety imposing her will on the villagers. Daniel Ingram admits he based this song off of propaganda songs from World War II and the Cold War, and it's easy to see that here.
5. The Magic Inside Me a.k.a I Am Just a Pony (From: The Mane Attraction)
Why it stayed the same: A rare fully orchestral song that was so good it got to be leaked months in advance, this song was unquestionably the highlight of "The Mane Attraction" even if it wasn't Amy Keating Rogers' swan song before she left to join Disney (Amy, if possible, please come back! We miss you!). Lena Hall delivered a wonderful performance as Rara, and by the end I think just about all of us were shedding tears of liquid pride.
4. Winter Wrap Up (From: Winter Wrap Up)
Why it stayed the same: It may be almost six whole years since this song first debuted, but it still remains one of the most popular songs of the show and one we keep coming back to time and time again. This is another song that really should be featured on "Sing Along Sundays" on Discovery Family, it's just begging for it! Still haven't seen this song recreated in SFM yet, and by now I really don't see what the hold up is, SFM keeps coming out with more and more detailed models and animation tools.
3. Smile, Smile, Smile a.k.a The Smile Song (From: A Friend in Deed)
Why it stayed the same: I'm NOT talking about a certain video associated with this song (or rather a remix of it that used to be my favorite remix of the song)! While this song may have been in one of Pinkie's weaker outings (especially in comparison to Seasons 5 and 6 which have been wonderful seasons for Pinkie), it still remains probably one of her best songs and one that speaks volumes about her character. Like I said last time, it's amazing what a difference a couple of seasons can make.
2. The Pony I Wanna Be (From: Crusaders of The Lost Mark)
Why it stayed the same: For many people this became their new favorite song, especially when "Crusaders of The Lost Mark" became a fan favorite for many people. It's an emotional masterpiece that did what many considered to be impossible, it made us feel sorry for Diamond Tiara. And the only reason it isn't number 1 is largely because of personal preference considering the songs are in episodes done by the same writer, and featured similar context and imagery. By the end, Sweetie Belle was summing up what many a fan were thinking: "Is it weird that I feel bad for her?" And even after the other songs from Diamond Tiara and the CMC in "Crusaders of The Lost Mark", this one remained arguably the most well known and talked about.
1. Pinkie's Lament (From: Pinkie Pride)
Why it stayed the same: Well, this song still remains the best of the best, and there's really not much I can say about it that I haven't already said before. I mean, I could mention what it does right and why it beats out "The Pony I Wanna Be" but I've done that already and I don't like to repeat myself. I could mention how much this speaks about Pinkie's character, especially when coupled with "Smile, Smile, Smile" but that wouldn't do much other than establish how tragic a character Pinkie can be if you think about it. Perhaps the one thing to note, is that while this song is sad and even at time depressing, it ends on a triumphant note, a hope that maybe things aren't as bad as they seem and that maybe there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I don't know if this song will ever be topped or not, so who knows if I'll do this list again but with more songs once Season 7 comes and goes?
And there you have it, like with last time there's just too many honorable mentions to include and if I tried to include them all we'd be here all day. So instead, come back tomorrow when I present my wishlist for Seasons 7 and beyond.
For me, the top 4 songs are as follows:
1. The Pony I Want to Be
2. Say Goodbye to the Holiday
3. The-Goof-Off
4. The CMC Theme song.