PRESS: Best of 2014 | Top 20 Albums #10-06 Revealed
Hi and welcome to my 4th consecutive and 6th overall Best of Countdown! I almost didn't do one this year, but I just couldn't let 2014 go by without a Best of thread, so here I am.
I'll attempt to stick to short and concise charts, delivered together with some graphics and short write-ups. As always, if you leave my charts a comment, I'll try my best to always reply to your threads in return. If you haven't checked any of my countdowns before, I leave you with links to my Best of 2013 and 2012 ones + the charts that I'll be presenting this year. Stay tuned
Kicking things off, it's my TOP 20 Albums of 2014.
Opening up the Top 20, it's one of the "it" girls of 2014 - Iggy Azalea with Reclassified. While the first version of the album didn't grab my attention much, by the time she re-released her debut album, she has already established herself as a name in my book, so I gave her a shot and was positively surprised by how much better the new songs flow together. While the album singles, including Fancy with Charli XCX, Black Widow with Rita Ora and Change Your Life with T.I. are strong contenders for my Top 50 Singles of 2014, the rest of the album doesn't disappoint, delivering a consistent mixture of pop and hip-hop sounds. Other standouts include Work, Trouble to Me with Jennifer Hudson, Heavy Crown with Ellie Goulding and Iggy Szn.
At number 19 this year, it is Maroon 5's fifth studio album 'V'. The guys had a good year with hit singles Maps and Animals and I'm pretty satisfied with how the rest of the album turned out to be, even though it is still far from their best. While it is true that V doesn't offer much variety in its mainly pop sound, it is still a solid listen with songs like It Was Always You, Coming Back For You and Feelings bringing the guys back to their roots more than anything they have offered in a long time. Despite that, Maroon 5's V leaves the question for the direction that the guys are headed unanswered.
Number 18 this year is for another new comer (if you can call them that) - it's you+me and rose ave. I love this record for its genuine sound and I'm really happy that Pink finally did something like this. Her and Dallas's voices fit together perfectly, they almost make it look to easy. It's absolutely mind-blowing to think that they put this record together in a week - really speaks volumes for their professionalism and love for music. We can only hope that more artists could do what they did with rose ave. Standouts include Capsized, Gently, You and Me, Break the Cycle and my absolute favourite - the cover of Sade's No Ordinary Love, which is just out of this world.
Calvin Harris and his forth studio album 'Motion' come at Number 17. I've been loving his productions for a while and I think this is another consistent record to his name. It delivers big pop hooks and busting beats, which could always be a winner at any party. I love that we get to hear his voice in tracks like Faith and Summer, but his collaborations are also solid as always - tracks like Blame with John Newman and Outside with Ellie Goulding are one of Calvin's best tracks to date. The rest of the record see Harris experiment more with different sounds and new voices and songs like Together with Gwen Stefani, Pray to God with HAIM and Dollar Signs with Tinashe make the record more diverse and exciting.
Last for today's update, it is Lana Del Rey and her second studio album - Ultraviolence at Number 16. Remaining true to her style, Lana delivered a very strong and consistent record this time around. She showed some growth with her second record with songs like Cruel World and Ultraviolence, emphasising her talents as both a song writer and a performer. I love the transition from the pop sound to a more jazzy rock one which fits her perfectly. While Ultraviolence falls a bit short in its second half, it is still a strong and enjoyable listen, with other standouts including West Side, Brooklyn Baby, Florida Kilos, Money Power Glory and ****ed My Way Up To The Top.
Iggy Azalea with Reclassified. While the first version of the album didn't grab my attention much, by the time she re-released her debut album, she has already established herself as a name in my book, so I gave her a shot and was positively surprised by how much better the new songs flow together. While the album singles, including Fancy with Charli XCX, Black Widow with Rita Ora and Change Your Life with T.I. are strong contenders for my Top 50 Singles of 2014, the rest of the album doesn't disappoint, delivering a consistent mixture of pop and hip-hop sounds.
THIS. EXACTLY THIS!
The new songs make the album flow so much better and I can't wait to see your Top 50 Singles now
Motion... is not bad of course, but Calvin Harris is going downhill with every new album 80% of that album is forgettable and generic. Btw.. Under Control isn't with his vocals and I love Summer and Faith
Opening up the Top 15 Albums of 2014, it's Ben Howard with 'I Forget Where We Were'. I've never really listened to Ben's music before and I am still to hear his debut, but his second LP was an instant winner for me. It's dark and moody, perfect for this time of the year. I love how well-done this record is, there's not a single space wasted - songs like electric guitar-driven Small Things and End of the Affair are so perfectly executed that I get goosebumps every time I hear them. Another strong side of Ben's music are his lyrics, which are verging on genius throughout the whole record and especially in songs like She Treats Me Well, I Forget Where We Were and All Is Now Harmed.
I've been following Jessie Ware's career since 2012 when her debut album - Devotion, charted at No. 20 in My Top Albums of 2012. This year, she is back with 'Tough Love' at Number 14. I love her as an artists and really admire her love for what she does which Tough Love shows clearly. Her songs' lyrics, production and vocals are on point as always with records like Tough Love, You & I (Forever) and Want Your Feeling showcasing her talent perfectly. Other standouts include Say You Love Me, Champagne Kisses and my absolute favourite Cruel, which made me love this second record more than her debut. Overall, 'Tough Love' is a step in the right direction for Jessie, showing growth and maturity, as well as a hint for more commercial and radio-friendly sound.
Number 13 this year goes to Jessie J's third studio album - 'Sweet Talker'. While I absolutely loved her debut album Who You Are when it first came out, my relationship with her has had its ups and downs. The follow-up 'Alive' was a huge disappointment, however I liked 'Sweet Talker' more. It clearly shows that she put much more effort into her album this time around, as it has more well-produced songs including the hit single Bang Bang with Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj, Ain't Been Done, Sweet Talker and the third single Masterpiece. The album's slower jams see Jessie going back to her roots with records like Personal, Keep Us Together and Your Loss I'm Found allowing her to shine at her best. Still, she delivers great bops you can dance to, with other standouts including Strip, Burnin' Up and Seal Me With A Kiss. For me, 'Sweet Talker' is a step in the right direction that I hope she keeps with her upcoming albums.
With the first debut album for this update, it is Swedish newcomer - Tove Lo with her stunning 'Queen of The Clouds' at Number 12. The album brought one of my personal anthems of 2014 - Habits (Stay High) which is absolutely perfect and I could never get tired of listening to it. The rest of the album stays true to Tove Lo's signature hit, with songs like Talking Body, Not on Drugs and Thousand Miles delivering infections hooks that are bound to stay stuck on your mind for days. She also deserves praise for her songwriting talents, as many songs' lyrical context goes to dark places that nowadays pop music tends to avoid. Even though 'Queen of The Clouds' feels a bit raw at times, maybe that's what makes the album stand out from the rest - it works in a weird and flawed way. The record's other standouts include Timebomb, My Gun and Got Love.
Another newcomer this year, finishing just a spot short of the Top 10, it is Tinashe and Aquarius at Number 11. One of the surprises of the year, Tinashe's debut album shines past her 2 On hit single, which may lead you to believe that she is a one-hit wonder. At least I did, until I heard how cohesive and consistent 'Aquarius' is. I just love the album's vibe, showcasing how a good RnB record should sound - Bet, Cold Sweat, How Many Times, Pretend (just to name a few) are the absolute proof for that. It is clear that Tinashe's sound could only improve in the future with her perfecting her vision and style, but Aquarius is a very decent and strong start of her journey. I see a bright future for this lady and we can only hope that there are more artists like her in the music industry. Other standouts include All Hands on Deck and Far Side of The Moon.
and Aquarius is a great album too Tinashe's live performances
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Another strong side of Ben's music are his lyrics, which are verging on genius throughout the whole record and especially in songs like She Treats Me Well, I Forget Where We Were and All Is Now Harmed.
I've never heard of Ben Howard but I want to check him out now!
I've never heard of Ben Howard but I want to check him out now!
I've never heard about him either until his album topped the UK album charts and I gave him a shot. If you're in the mood for some gloomy music with haunting vocals, check him out, he's pretty awesome.
I've never heard about him either until his album topped the UK album charts and I gave him a shot. If you're in the mood for some gloomy music with haunting vocals, check him out, he's pretty awesome.
mess I just noticed your reply now
but I like this
My playlist is basically Ella Henderson, Katy B, and Rixton right now so this fits in nicely, I think I could get into it