This house inspired smash sounds like it comes straight out of the 90s. Clean Bandit did a great job on the beat and Jess Glynne’s vocals are lovely – they could have been a little more powerful. I hope they continue to work together in the future as their new single Real Love is just as great. Would love to see a collaboration album.

The DJ Mustard produced L.A.LOVE (la la) from Fergie was not the big comeback we all hoped for after The Duchess – but it was still pretty damned good. With her classic rapping during the verses to the shout-out earworm chorus made for vacation dancefloors like Ibiza and Rio, this song would have been perfect during the summer. The YG remix also bops.

This EDM banger from the EP of the same name reached moderate success earlier this year. The flawless production and infectious chorus deserved more attention but as dance is a dying genre, it didn’t. Robyn sounds amazing as always and her slightly vocodered vocals make her sound otherworldly.

Although released in 2013, this song arguably rose to prominence this year with the second series debut of Orange Is The New Black, of which it is the theme for. As the shows fame increased, so did the song, which is a driving alternative rock song featuring exploding drums and wavering guitars. The slower chorus gives the song a moment’s reflection, before thundering on – much like life itself. Regina’s use of metaphor is once again incredible and her vocals are stellar as always.

The lead single from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 Soundtrack was hyped to be Royals or Team 2.0. It wasn’t, but what we did get was a progression from Lorde that no one expected. The chorus is huge, not instant, and she’s even going fully acapella in the intro and using her own vocal as an instrument. This is very promising for her future material, in my opinion.

Like the rest of it’s parent album, You’re Mine (Eternal) is very much a throwback to the 90s, and in this case, 90s ballads. Simple, earworm verses followed by a catchy chorus with yearning vocals make this one of the most underrated songs of 2014.

Coldplay’s branch into EDM is certainly interesting, catchy and lovable. The same cannot be said for the album (in my opinion of course), but the song was a great addition to my summer. It isn’t the most original of EDM tracks but it’s great to party to and Chris Martin sounds pretty great over the beat. They should do more electronic music.

One of tracks Nicki dropped earlier this year to generate hype for The Pinkprint, and more importantly, the lead single Pills N Potions. ‘Dropping my single in two weeks, The Pinkprint album, a movie’ she spits over a beat that incorporates bells to give a feeling of importance. Soulja Boy echoes all our sentiments towards this track on the chorus. Yas bish yas!

This electro-ballad from UK underground artist Katy B smashed here earlier this year but failed to make any waves in America. The powerful chorus is guaranteed to be stuck in your head for weeks, and the production is perfect for the subject matter. Great vocals from Katy too (not often you’ll see that written )

The opening track to Azalea’s debut LP The New Classic is one of the only tracks on the album to feature her on the chorus, and it’s all the better for it. It’s one of the few tracks I listen to from the album and is a look at what could have been. I hope she considers more introspective tracks like this on her second album, and used more of the flow she shows on the verses here.

Originally planned as the second single from Sia’s critically acclaimed 1000 Forms of Fear, Burn The Pages is an airy, tropical pop mid-tempo song about leaving the past behind and letting your future self out. Sia definitely has better songs, even on 1000 Forms of Fear, but I challenge you to not get addicted to that hook.

As the title track from Michael Jackson’s second posthumous release, the song has a big legacy to live up to – and it does. With it’s dark, pounding beat produced by Darkchild, and eerily prophetic lyrics about longing to get away from the press and live a life for himself, this is one of the best songs that has come to light since his untimely death in 2009.

Shakira’s guitar driven ode to boyfriend Gerard Piqué from her 2014 album Shakira. harkens back to her ballads from Laundry Service, and is just as lovable. She uses religion and faith to describe how her footballer baby daddy changed her life for the better. The song continues the trend for popstars using their babies voices in their song, with gargling Milan making an appearance at the end of the record.

The title track from Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga’s smash jazz project opens with Gaga cooing about being in heaven. The classic Irving Berlin-pinned song is an incredible piece of work and this version keeps that record standing. Both performer’s vocals and personalities shine through and their chemistry is particularly evident on this track.

The lead single from Jhené’s Souled Out is a chilled RnB record, with her soothing vocals repeating the mantra ‘we live for the love, die for the love’ during the chorus. A great introduction to the record, it’s not for everyone though.

A haunting ballad with whispery vocals and cutting percussion from LP1. Emile Haynie and Devonté Hynes, Clams Casino and Arca’s production is exceptional, with help from twigs of course, and they know how to use space in a song to give impact without overwhelming the listener.

A cool, dark house record from Broke With Expensive Taste, with a thumping, sampled chorus - which harkens back to Kylie's Can't Get You Out Of My Head - that Banks joins in on, and a strangely typical set of verses about stealing men and wearing diamonds. Azealia’s idea of generic rap however, is still far above her contemporaries, and in situations like this where you can tell she is effortless, you can see that she’s equalling her peers more try-hard efforts.

A classic Pharrell/Gwen Stefani collaboration that mimicks the spoken bridge and obnoxious beat of Hollaback Girl. It doesn’t quite match it, but is still a solid Gwen song and a great pop song. Pharrell is on fire once again on production.

The funky lead single from Kendrick’s upcoming 2015 LP is a departure from the dark, synthy hip-hop found on Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City. The groovy beat – which changes midway into a darker side of the sound - evokes a summery feeling as Kendrick rides the beat – which samples the song That Lady by The Isley Brothers.

I Prefer Your Love is an unconventional love song from St. Vincent’s self titled effort. The song’s production is similar to the popular remix of Old Cape Cod, with ethereal vocals and percussion that is muted but still very prominent.

The anthemic lead single from One Directions fourth album FOUR is a new sound from the band (as is the rest of the album) and it really is a great, more mature fit for them. This really is a great pop-rock song and I think it was criminally underrated both here on ATRL and by the wider public. People need to be less scared of the name One Direction and focus on the music.

As the first full song to release from Michael Jackson's second posthumous release XSCAPE, Love Never Felt So Good had a lot to live up to - and it did, and more some. I was very wary about XSCAPE after the questionable quality - and authenticity - of 2010's Michael, but this song silenced those doubts. I don't enjoy the Justin Timberlake duet but that's water of a duck's back when the song is as great as this.

The chilled, trip-hop, bass and guitar reliant song from London Grammar's If You Wait is currently being used in the J'adore Dior advertisement and is getting a lot of attention through a remix, sadly. This song is so atmospheric and incredible, and the bassline heard in the opening is so infectious and gorgeous. Perfection.

Taken from her debut Glorious, Let Go for Tonight is a thumping pop classic, utilizing a piano melody, popping percussion and strings to create an unstoppable pop song that still feels scaled back and intimate, like a lot of Foxes' music. Her Midas touch strikes again on this track as she creates another great record that was sadly ignored (outside of the UK).

Charli XCX’s much anticipated sophomore album is a hidden pop gem of 2014. I must admit, after hearing the live versions of many of the songs, and listening to Gold Coins and London Queen, my hype died down. Luckily, after the album streamed it slayed me and shot straight up into the top 20 of my albums from this year. I’ll definitely be buying when it’s out in the UK.

Her punk-pop sounds is far more commercially accessible than True Romance, but that doesn’t make it any less quality or thought provoking. The immaturity in Charli’s songwriting is all too deliberate, but shouldn’t be mistaken for mocking the punk scene of the 90s and early 00s – she’s simply paying homage to an era she grew up on.

Standouts: Boom Clap, Break The Rules, Doing It, Famous, London Queen

The debut LP from Jhené Aiko is an atmospheric journey with uplifting RnB vocals and swirling beats that immerse you in a progression of the sound we all fell in love with on Sail Out last year.

Though I definitely prefer Sail Out as a body of work, this is still an incredibly well thought-out piece of work, and I can only hope that in the new year it garners more attention because it definitely deserves it. The Wading video shows how much potential this project has for stunning visuals.

Standouts: To Love & Die (feat. Cocaine 80s), Spotless Mind, It’s Cool, The Pressure

Being my first and only exposure to St. Vincent , this album came right out of left field and really surprised and impressed me.

From the muffled opening synths of Rattlesnake, to the lively horns on Digital Witness, and beautiful, psychedelic percussion and synthesized strings on I Prefer Your Love, this alternative rock album is a beautiful, cohesive piece of work that went mostly under-the-radar this year. Luckily, it reached the upper end of many year-end lists (including this one) and has brought her a new audience.

Standouts: Digital Witness, I Prefer Your Love, Birth In Reverse

Foxes first album has been a long time in the making. From her first EP, to the release and pseudo-promotion/success of Youth, and Clarity smashing, we’ve been waiting a long time for this album.

And despite the demos, leaks, delays and array of other issues surrounding the release and production of this album, it really is quite something. It’s not perfect, but it shows so much potential and has many songs that I would classify as pop/alternative masterpieces. She’s currently working on her second album, and if Glorious is anything to go by, it’ll be amazing.

Standouts: Youth, Let Go for Tonight, White Coats, Clarity (Live), Glorious, Night Owls Early Birds

Despite the similarity to Beautiful Liar, this pseudo-lesbian romp is a great video to a great song. The beautiful and simplistic imagery linked with the ending with Shak onstage rocking out and returning to her Laundry Service roots, leads to a feel good video that everyone can appreciate.

Rihanna also brings it and looks absolutely stunning. Sadly a forgotten video and song, which is so underrated.

As one of the most anticipated singles of the year, it would have been typical for Shake It Off to have been a big budget, location-sprawling, slickly choreographed extravaganza with controversy. Instead – in a traditional Swift way – she throws herself into a group of various professional dancers (include ballet, street, contemporary, even her own fans), just to see what happens.

Hilarity and adorable moments ensue, and it’s a breath of fresh air from the calculated or just damn stupid videos around these days.

Sure, she started the year begging to be dropped from her contract, and she’s ending the year begging for white people to succumb to the guilt of their ancestors trading black slaves. But two things are for sure:

1) Broke With Expensive Taste is the best female rap album released this year.

2) Azealia has stayed on your mouth from January 1st, and she’ll stay there until December 31st I’m sure.

There’s not much I can write about this woman – nay, phenomena – that hasn’t already been said. I just suggest you go buy her album, listen to it, and let that speak for itself.