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Comebacks, Leg Drops And Blurred Lines: What We're Most Thankful For From The World Of Music In 2013

December is nearly upon us, a month in which all of us take a fond look back at the year that was while also plotting on how we can make the following year even more awesome. That said, today is Thanksgiving, a day which is predicated on giving thanks for all of the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. So it's only natural that we spent some time over the last week carving our way through the archives here at the VH1 Music, being careful to toss the bones to the left and saving all the good, juicy stuff for you today. So, without further ado, here is our list of What We're Most Thankful For From The World Of Music In 2013.

10. 14 Year-Old Girl’s Shredding Of “Eruption” Would Make Eddie Van Halen Proud

There are too many memorable riffs in the Van Halen catalog to list out here, but if we were to make a shortlist of Eddie Van Halen's best guitar solos, "Eruption" would definitely be at or near the top of the list. This instrumental track features Eddie's patented two-hand tapping method, and is widely considered to be one of his most difficult solos to replicate. (Even Eddie himself would agree!) However, a 14 year-old girl named Tina posted this electrifying cover of "Eruption" to her YouTube page back in May, and we have to admit -- it's prettayyyy, prettayyyy, prittay good!

9. The Return Of Natalie Maines

It was pretty clear when we saw Natalie Maines perform at SXSW earlier this year that there’s still a part of her that’s reeling from the immense fire she came under for criticizing George Bush and the Iraq War in the mid-00s. Sporting a close-cropped brown pompadour (a change from her traditional blonde style), Maines’ iconic voice was in peak form when we saw her at the Central Presbyterian Church. Regardless of how you feel about country music as a genre, there’s no denying that her voice is among the most expressive of her generation. It’s always exciting to see someone come back from personal and professional adversity to triumph once again, but more than anything else, we’re glad to be living in a world where Natalie Maines is out writing, recording and performing again.

8. Lil Wayne Didn’t Die

Back in March, Lil Wayne nearly kicked the bucket after sippin' too much sizzurp (or was he poisoned?). TMZ erroneously reported that he was on his death bed and being read his last rites, but Weezy proved the naysayers wrong, emerging from his coma long enough to tweet "F**k TMZ." We can't imagine a world without Weezy, so let's keep our fingers crossed that he sticks to THC-laced lollipops and stays away from the purp for the forseeable future.

7. Emily Ratajakowski Dancing In "Blurred Lines"

Who needs words when you've got GIFs?

6. Lady Gaga Teaming Up With R. Kelly

The public's less than enthusiastic reaction to ARTPOP has been well documented. However, it's not too late for Lady Gaga to turn the ship around, and we have just the way to do it: More collaborations with R.Kelly, please! You wouldn't think that these two would have much in common, but just like the first time when someone's chocolate got in someone's peanut butter, the results are magical. See the performance from the American Music Awards above, or check out their sex push-up heavy performance from SNL to see what we mean. Make more magic, y'all!

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Katy Perry in a pink bikini

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The 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards - Backstage And Audience

The 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards - Show

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Purple carpet party in honor of Katy Perry in Mexico City

LACOSTE L!VE 4th Annual Desert Pool Party - Day 1

Premiere Of Paramount Insurge's "Katy Perry: Part Of Me" - Performance

29th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards - Arrivals

2011 American Music Awards - Arrivals

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 20: Singer Katy Perry arrives at the 2011 American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on November 20, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

"Katy Perry: Part Of Me" Australian Premiere

The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards - Show

Miu Miu: Arrivals - Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2012

Erin Fetherston - Front Row - MBFW Spring 08

Nickelodeon's 26th Annual Kids' Choice Awards - Arrivals

The USO Presents "VH1 Divas Salute The Troops" - Roaming Inside

Katy Perry In Concert

Katy Perry Performs In Brisbane

SONY BMG Grammy Party - Arrivals

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Vans "Warped Tour" 15th Anniversary Show In Los Angeles

5. Katy Perry’s Cleavage

Katy Perry’s amazing career success is, of course, mainly due to her incredibly catchy body of work (which you can read more about in Katy Perry’s Most Important Collaborators). But don’t sleep on the BODY part of that phrase, either; her combination of girl next door looks and one of the most va-va-voom bodies in the history of pop music has resulted in her current #11 ranking in Maxim‘s Hot 100. Katy is well aware of this part of her appeal, and over the years has worked hard to make sure she’s always putting her best assets on display. And, well, we're very thankful for it!

Sure, Willie Nelson is one of the most progressive faces in the "Legalize It!" marijuana movement; chances are he's probably been stoned longer than you've even been alive! And while a fair number of his fans pass around joints at live shows, most dope smokers tend to want to sit in the grass, listen to some tunes, and stare up at the sky, mannnnnn. Not this jabroni, though! This unidentified gentleman seemed to have taken enough molly to make Miley Cyrus lick the Bob Hope star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Props to this dude for turning a by-the-numbers bluegrass show into his own personal Ibiza; we just hope he wasn't too hungover the next day.

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3. Instagram

Twitter's great and all, but we find it physically impossible to resist the urge to check Instagram every few hours to see what our favorite musicians are up to. Artists like Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and Mariah Carey take the platform VERY seriously, and for that, we give thanks.

[GIFS via Reality TV GIFs]

2. Miguel's Infamous Leg Drop

Whatcha gonna do when MIGUEL runs wild on you? We have seen Miguel perform "Adorn" on virtually every television program that has a musical segment this year, but at the Billboard Music Awards back in May, Miguel got "caught up in the moment" and went Hulk Hogan by way of Bob Beamon in front of an audience of millions, nearly decapitating an audience member with a vicious leg drop after a botched long jump attempt.

1. T.I.'s Dancing In "Blurred Lines"

Like with Emily Ratajakowski earlier, GIFs trump words. Go T.I., go!