Apple's Best of the iTunes Store 2013: 'Duolingo' and 'Disney Animated' Win Top App Honors - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple's Best of the iTunes Store 2013: 'Duolingo' and 'Disney Animated' Win Top App Honors

applebestof2013
Apple has released the 2013 version of its annual iTunes Store awards, which showcases the best music, movies, TV shows, apps, books and podcasts of the year.

Here are some of the noteworthy winners for 2013:

Apps:
-iPhone App of the Year: Duolingo - Learn Languages for Free
-iPhone Game of the Year: Ridiculous Fishing - A Tale of Redemption
-iPad App of the Year: Disney Animated
-iPad Game of the Year: Badland

Music:
-Best Artist: The 20/20 Experience - The Complete Experience by Justin Timberlake
-Best Album: The Heist by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
-Best Song: Royals by Lorde
-Breakthrough Album: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City by Kendrick Lamar

Books:
-Best Fiction: Tenth of December by George Saunders
-Best Nonfiction: One Summer by Bill Bryson
-Best Teen Novel: The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson and Ben McSweeney
-Best Multi-Touch Book: Breaking Bad: Alchemy by Sony Pictures Television

This marks the first year that a language app has won App of the Year, and also marks the first time that an app from Disney has appeared on the annual list. As customary for its end of the year listings, Apple highlights various games and apps from a wide variety of categories, so it's well worth skimming the full list for hidden gems.

Beyond the top-level awards for music, movies, TV shows, apps, books, and podcasts, Apple is featuring a number of other awards and Editors' Choice selections across various genres and categories for the content types.

A list of previous winners are also available here: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 Adds Two New Features to CarPlay

Tuesday March 24, 2026 1:55 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 was released today, and it includes a couple of new features for CarPlay: an Ambient Music widget and support for voice-based chatbot apps. To update your iPhone 11 or newer to iOS 26.4, open the Settings app and tap on General → Software Update. CarPlay will automatically offer the new features so long as the iPhone connected to your vehicle is running iOS 26.4 or later....
Apple Business hero

Apple Unveils 'Apple Business' All-in-One Platform

Tuesday March 24, 2026 8:53 am PDT by
Apple today announced Apple Business, a new all-in-one platform that unifies device management, productivity tools, and customer outreach features. The service is designed to be a consolidated replacement for several of Apple's existing business-focused offerings, including Apple Business Essentials, Apple Business Manager, and Apple Business Connect. It provides organizations with a single...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Tuesday March 24, 2026 12:31 pm PDT by
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods 4. The firmware has a version number of 8B39, up from 8B34 on the AirPods Pro 3, 8B28 on the AirPods Pro 2, and 8B21 on the AirPods 4. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance...

Top Rated Comments

iapplelove Avatar
160 months ago
Never heard of the 4 top apps

----------

WHO CARES??? Please give us more news/rumors about Scott Forstall, Apple's CEO-in-waiting once they get the sense to sack Tim Cook the bean counter.

You use the same line over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Please stop recycling your verbal garbage and come up with something new.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Santabean2000 Avatar
160 months ago
That Royals song is beyond annoying.

You don't have to love the song, (I'm picking computer nerds are not her target audience), but at least have some respect for a young female artist who can gather attention for talent rather than getting her clothes off and licking sledgehammers.

Did you know that her music was first released for free? She's an interesting girl, not your usual clichéd factory product popstar.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
160 months ago


Music:
-Best Artist: The 20/20 Experience - The Complete Experience (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/20-20-experience-complete/id672530060) by Justin Timberlake
-Best Album: The Heist (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-heist-deluxe-edition/id560097651) by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
-Best Song: Royals (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/royals-single/id682793097) by Lorde
-Breakthrough Album: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/good-kid-m.a.a.d.-city-deluxe/id622710488) by Kendrick Lamar
[/url]

I would like to express my condolences to music. RIP!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
160 months ago
That Royals song is beyond annoying.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reason077 Avatar
160 months ago
WHO CARES??? Please give us more news/rumors about Scott Forstall, Apple's CEO-in-waiting once they get the sense to sack Tim Cook the bean counter.
Rumor: Scott Forstall said to be in talks to join Microsoft as SVP of design under new CEO Stephen Elop, with responsibility for both Windows software and Nokia division hardware.

More info here: http://www.scottforstallrumors.com (//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
japanime Avatar
160 months ago
If those four selections are what qualify as "Best Music" of the year, then I might as well turn my radio off right now. :p
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)