Hidaka Mitsuhiro, rapper from my favorite Japanese group, AAA, has his own project titled SKY-HI. This side project focuses on Hidaka as a solo artist which focuses on rap infused with a little pop. Hidaka is an excellent rapper and songwriter and this album demonstrates his musical abilities. "Tyrant Island" is an outstanding track from the album which is definitely worth a listen.
# 33 | Maroon 5 - "V"
Apart from the generic "Animals" this album shapes up to be pretty good. Adam Levine is a rare vocal talent and sings beautifully in songs such as "It Was Always You". There is a great mixture of tracks incorporating the genres of disco and dance. One of the better albums from Maroon 5, but certainly not their best.
# 38 | Ailee - "Magazine EP"
Ailee has powerhouse vocals, however an album full of these songs could become a little obvious. However, this album Ailee tackles jazzy RnB tracks, emotional tracks running along a serious guitar riff and of course delivers excellent ballads which she does best. "Teardrop" is my favorite from this EP, it is so emotional, both the instrumental and Ailee's vocals.
AOA
I have a nasty habit of paying dust to new acts in K-pop as they often replicate the image and sound of bigger K-pop acts. There have been a few exceptions this year and girl group AOA is one that have become one of my favorite girl groups. After listening and watching the MV to "Like A Cat" I listened to their other hits this year such as "Miniskirt" and "Short Hair" and have grown to like them. They have a sexy image which all members pull off terrifically. "Like A Cat" is original and an extremely fun song and the video is one of the best this year. I am excited for more releases from this girl group next year.
G.R.L
My fussiness over music isn't just directed at K-pop. Western boy and girl groups also suffer hard criticism from me. This is often because I compare them to Korean music groups that make western groups look like amateurs. G.R.L are a rare exception. Their music is catchy but not generic and their vocals and dancing are also impressive. "Ugly Heart" is one of my favorite tracks this year and their music is believable to accept them as talented musicians. R.I.P Simone Battle.
BEST WESTERN GROUP OF 2014
#90 | Cher Lloyd - "Sirens" - Perfect song that indicates that Cher isn't just a bubblegum pop artist. Her vocals are impressive and her acting in the MV is surprisingly convincing.
#89 | Jolin Tsai - "Phony Queen" -Catchy track with catchy vocals. Jolin's debut track to her new era is a fun and great dance-pop track.
#88 | Selena Gomez - "The Heart Wants What It Wants" - An emotional electro-pop, mid-tempo song. The instrumental and bridge in the song are amazing.
#87 | Kana Nishino - "The Feeling of Love"- Nice to hear a song that resembles the "Best Friend" days. Was released only as a promotional digital single, but one of the best tracks of her album 'with LOVE'.
#86 | HIGH4 - "Not Spring, Love, or Cherry Blossoms' (f/ IU)" - A cute track featuring the soft vocals from IU. This song is romantic and happy little track.
#85 | Foster The People - "Coming of Age" - Such a well written and composed song. Great instrumental and vocals from lead singer which echoes the vibes from the 80's.
#84 | MAGIC POWER - "Kong Zhong Fei Ren (空中飛人)" - This is one of their best tracks from the album and their best single in a while. Very dancy and emotional vocals.
#83 | Girl's Day - "Something" - A passionate and sexy sounding track that took a while to grow on me, but the song features a powerhouse of vocals.
#82 | Akdong Musician (AKMU) - "200%" - This track is so good that it brings back memories that feel ages ago. This song is what got me into AKMU. Not their best, but still outstanding.
#81 | Orange Caramel - "My Copycat" - This is a very fun and funky track that works perfectly well with the supporting video. I love how the dance and hard beats kick in during the chorus.
V is alright, not my favorite album from them but not bad.
The Heart Wants What It Wants is a grower! I love that song now. Selena can't release a bad single imo
My Copycat & Coming Of Age