The 33 Best Songs of 2014

This year has been a disappointment in music overall. In America, the overhyped machine known as "Frozen" somehow dominated album charts, the radio beat the same songs into our brains with more gusto than in previous years and critics collectively sucked up to Taylor Swift's latest collection of fifth grade level songwriting and heralded it as the best thing ever. Puke. The K-Pop landscape was also barren with most of the girl groups wanting to be sexed up to the nines by their agencies, the boy groups wanting to seem either over emotional or over hardened by the streets, and groups who took major creative risks last year opting to go back to the box set (pun intended). However, it wasn't all bad, with irresistible pop gems, Bossa Nova inspired bops, soul-wrenching midtempos and songs that were all in all fun to jam to.
 Songs in this list were released between 12/20/2013-12/20/2014 or had a parent album released in 2014.

The Pop Critics Top 20 Releases of 2013

2013 was a mixed bag when it came to releases. Like 2012, it was the debuts of artists that really shined, where some follow-ups did their job cementing their status as some of the best acts of the These are the releases that captured my ears, my Last.Fm account, my iTunes, kept me going through grueling exercises and long days of doing homework and held my attention from their release dates up until this list was created. 

20.Perfume-Level3

The Japanese trio under the tutelage of composer Yasutaka Nakata's fourth full length album mixes what the girls have been putting out for the past thirteen years of their career into a neat package of sugary, electropop eargasm that even a person unfamiliar with the Japanese language can get into. 

Recommended Tracks: Spring of Life, Spending All My Time, Magic of Love

19.Lorde-Pure Heroine

While Lana Del Rey had to (re)-work to get the public to show her some type of admiration, 17-year old Ella Yelich O'Connor from New Zealand  did it without trying. Pure Heroine is an aged album that's best listened to with some type of understanding of the world, or a rainy day is ok too.

Recommended Tracks:Ribs, Tennis Court, Team

18.James Blake-Overgrown

The post-dubstep phenom dug a little deeper for his second LP, which is more a continuation of his self-titled LP rather than a deviation. Rather than recycle the understated iciness that made James Blake so good, he opened himself up to collaboration with Brian Eno and RZA and added warm tones of R&B and soul, making it moodier and more accessible.

Recommended Tracks:Digital Lion, Take The Fall For Me, Voyeur, Retrograde

17.Kanye West-Yeezus

Kanye, though polarizing in real life, always makes above average music (except for "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", I have no idea what he was thinking when he released that). Though it divided his fans, "Yeezus's" mix of genres from industrial to metal and glimpses of pre-808's Kanye are warm welcome and gives us hope that Kanye will give us another "Graduation" caliber release, but don't hold your breath waiting.

Recommended Tracks:Blood on The Leaves, Bound 2, Black Skinhead, New Slaves

16.Kavinsky-OutRun

Kavinsky's 80s inspired concept album about a teenager who becomes a music making zombie after crashing his Lamborghini (every teenager's dream to be honest) was six years in the making. Six years that couldn't have come sooner, especially after hearing "Nightcall" in "Drive" two years prior. "Outrun" is a test drive you'll want to repeat on numerous occasions. Maybe over some episodes of Knght Rider (the 80s version, preferably).

Recommended Tracks: Suburbia, Nightcall, Protovision, Deadcruiser

15.Frankmusik-Between

After leaving the big wigs over at Island, Vincent Frank was able to stretch his wings and get his creative juices flowing, which resulted in a independent dance record for the ages. Frankmusik drops us in on the tail end of a relationship, where he goes from questionably passive aggressive, to angry, to resolving his issues and moving on. All over some solid production and catchy lyrics.

Recommended Tracks:Cake, Fast as I Can, Captain, Life is My Revenge

14.Autoheart-Punch

Autoheart's debut is a slow starter and may take a few plays before you can fully appreciate the depressing yet whimsical nature of it. Piano pop in its purest form, "Lent" is a rare record: untouched by the hands of mainstream radio and made for the ears of people who more than likely never hear Jody Gadsden's glorious feminine vocals.

Reccomended Songs:Control, Agrophobia, January, Lent, The Sailor Song

13.HAIM-Days Are Gone

HAIM actually knows how to sound like the 80s, 90s and 00s without cheesing it up to high heaven. Rock music with a pop sensibility that few can master, Days Are Gone blends all the ingredients of what an emerging indie superpower should aspire to sound like: consistency, cleanliness and fun.

Recommenced Songs:The Wire, Let Me Go, Forever, Days are Gone, Don't Save Me

12.Alice in Chains-The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here

After 2009's "Black and Blue," many were unsure how the refurbished Alice in Chains would sound going into future. Rest easy fans, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Put Here  is a mainstream rock album that doesn't compromise the tortured grit that made the band the alternative staple that it is today. The band hasn't sound this fresh or cohesive since the 1995 EP release "Jar of Flies".

Recommended Tracks:Voices, Choke, Scalpel

11.Oliver Tank Slow Motion Music

The Australian's 2nd EP is more a religious experience than a listening one. A dreamy, ethereal landscape is created within the span of seven tracks, doing what Bon Iver's Justin Vernon does on their album, though conveys the feelings behind the songs better with the icy production and haunted special effects.

Recommended Tracks: Stay, Home, Blessing In Disguise, Her

Justin Timberlake "TKO"

With part two of "The 20/20 Experience" coming in less than two weeks, we finally get a second single after the Michael Jackson inspired and better-than-Suit-and-Tie-as-a-first-single-choice "Take Back The Night". "TKO" is another throwback JT tune similar to "Cry Me A River" but we also get some "FutureSex/LoveSounds" inspiration. I can't with the college lecture length of his songs lately. Please just released an abridged version of the singles and I will be more than happy to buy the complete albums. Also, it Tmbaland saying "she kill me with that coochie?"

Justin Timberlake "Take Back The Night" Music Video

Justin Timberlake just wants to have some fun in the Big Apple in his video for "Take Back The Night". The lead single from part two of his "20/20 Experience" was produced by Timbaland, who has seemed to have got his groove back after a slew of production terrors ("Pass At Me" anyone?). Anyway, JT is cruising the streets of New York, getting down in the club and performing at Yankees Stadium. A simple, yet effective video, but he should have waited until August to release this, since "Mirrors" is still doing decently and "Take Back The Night" has been falling. We're happy you're back JT, but don't overdo it.

Justin Timberlake "Mirrors" Music Video

Justin Timberlake has released the visuals for his #1 single "Mirrors". The video utilizes the full 8 minute ode to his other half, with part of it telling the story of a couple first meeting and living to old age and the other shows Mr.Timberlake dancing in front of mirrors with female background dancers. Do you like the video?

Justin Timberlake "Suit and Tie" Music Video

Justin Timberlake has released the music video for his comeback song, "Suit and Tie". The video for the mediocre first single from JT's upcoming "20/20 Experience" LP, shows Timberlake performing the song big band 20s style with a black and white motif and some minimal choreography, then Jay-Z and girls begin stripping. Way to keep it classy.

Justin Timberlake "Mirrors"

This is the Timberlake I was hoping and wishing for. A song from JT's much awaited third studio album, "The 20/20 Experience" has leaked in the form of "Mirrors". The song, produced by long-time collaborator Timbaland is a throwback to "Cry Me a River", but with a more mature and thought out tone. It's much better than "Suit and Tie" and is begging to get the single treatment. Enjoy below.

Justin Timberlake - Mirrors
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Graded Song: Justin Timberlake "Suit & Tie" (Feat. Jay-Z)

Justin Timberlake is somewhat of a legend when it comes to urban pop music. He released his first album, "Justified" which gave us "Cry Me a River" and caused Britney to pen her best song ever Everytime." Then him and Timbaland made some magic with his second LP, the modern classic "Futuresex/LoveSounds" which blessed the world with his three number one singles and a laundry list of sexual songs. Then he wanted to be an actor and left us with a whole bunch of one hit wonder R&B crooners to take his place. Now, six years later he re-emerges with Timbaland and Jay-Z for his musical comeback via his brand new single, "Suit and Tie." Do Timbo and JT still have the magic touch?

Justin Timberlake ft. Jay-Z - Suit & Tie
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NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

Why am I not slayed beyond repair by this? Justin, this is not 2005. It's 2013, which means the world doesn't need you digging up your "Justified" leftovers and serving it up as something fresh. If that wasn't bad enough, he delivers like he is Chris Brown. I've never known JT to sound like anyone else but JT, but I definitely heard some Chris in there, especially in the line about some girl having a phatty. I smell this going into "Your Body" and "Big Hoops" territory. Please pass this off as a promotional single and give us something worth six years of waiting. The good thing about the track is that it is signature Justin, but I personally want I-waited-six-years-and-I-came-to-snatch-some-basic-bitches-wig Justin. 
Final Grade:D

Justin Timberlake Announces Plans for New Music

After releasing the modern classic that is "Futuresex/Lovesounds" back in 2006 complete with three #1 singles (Sexyback, My Love, What Goes Around...Comes Around) and a few top forty ones as well, Justin Timberlake took a long ass, much unneeded break from music to pursue other activities (acting, trying to revive MySpace, etc). We did get a couple of features between that time but people were on the prowl for new solo JT every minute, eating up every rumor that came our way. Now after getting married and to no prior warning, the former N'SYNC member has announced that HE IS READY to release new music in 2013. If it wasn't already exciting that most of the mainstream musicians who usually dominate every time they release an album, JT is coming to blow us away (hopefully) with some inspired R&B/pop a la frequent collaborator Timbaland. I just hope that he doesn't suffer the same fate as Nelly Furtado, who also took an extended break from music, released "The Spirit Indestructible" and flopped hard as hell. I leave you with the video that he uploaded earlier today while I go listen to "Sexyback" and shake and cry out of utter excitement.