Musical Year in Review 2014
/This year has been a beautiful journey for me personally, but it was definitely a roller coaster ride with epic highs and major lows. However, I will say that this has been a phenomenal year in music, both underground and mainstream. Anyone who honestly believes that quality music fails to exist is obviously not very musically inclined, because good music is infinite and its presence is everywhere.
For a while now, it's been a tradition to post a summary of the previous year in music, but this is the first time it's ever been quite this massive. Choosing a top 14 anything music wise was the hardest part about curating this particular play list, compiled in no particular order. The easiest category had to be top 4 videos, because I don't watch videos much and I'm more about the concept than the actual song; the hardest part was narrowing my favorite LP releases of the year down to a list of 14 and choosing just 2 of my favorite tracks from each album.
The 4 categories (Heavy Rotation Songs, Top 4 Videos, Top 4 Mix Tapes, and Best Albums) are full of musical selections that carried me through the times I found myself trapped in darkness and the ones that kept me level-headed during all the good that happened to and around me all year. Although it took me almost a full month to recall the past year of my favorite tunes and spent many mornings in full blown jam sessions making sure I didn't miss a beat, it was definitely worth it.
Without further ado, I present the finale Music Collective post of 2014,
Disclaimer:This post is not sponsored and all selections are based solely on the growth of my personal music archive throughout the year. Just the same, this collection does not revolve around industry numbers/charts or what is constantly reviewed on mainstream media. However, in no way am I discrediting musicians, artists, and performers who fall into that category. Also, please excuse the lack of reviews for albums I have listed. More album/EP/mix tape/vinyl reviews coming next year...promise.]
Top Videos:
Bonus (2014's new to me discovery, an old song that I've fallen completely in love with this year, is a beautifully shot conceptual video): Holding On to You x twenty one pilots
Heavy Rotation Songs:
1. Fantasy x Alina Baraz & Galimatias
2. What Love Is x Lolawolf
3. It's On Again x Alicia Keys, Kendrick Lamar
4. Religious x Ne-yo
5. Sunday Candy x Chance the Rapper, SoX
6. Elele x Emma Nyra ft. DaVido
7. Set Me Free x Mara Hruby
8. Magic x Coldplay
9. 9 x Willow Smith ft. Sza
10. 3005 x Childish Gambino
11. Lullaby x Chargaux
12. Two Weeks x FKA twigs
13. Touch x Shura
14. Wash it Away x Nahko and Medicine for the People
Top Mix Tapes:
Best Albums of 2014:
Music for the Uninvited - Leon Vynehall
St. Sinclaire
Be Brave, Clench Fist
Nabuma Rubberband - Little Dragon
Pretty Girls
Klapp, Klapp
Xscape - Michael Jackson
Chicago
Slave to the Rhythm
Z - Sza
Warm Winds ft. Isaiah Rashad
Julia
You're Dead! - Flying Lotus
Never Catch Me ft. Kendrick Lamar
Moment of Hesitation
Cadillatica - Big K.R.I.T.
Pay Attention ft. Rico Love
Third Eye
G I R L - Pharrell
Lost Queen
Gust of Wind
Souled Out - Jhene Aiko
To Love & Die ft. Cocaine 80's
W.A.Y.S.
Tough Love - Jessie Ware
Say You Love Me
Champagne Kisses
Under Pressure - Logic
Alright ft. Big Sean
Metropolis
Jungle - Jungle
Lemonade Lake
Time (LXURY remix)
Electrogram - Vinyl Theatre
Breaking Up My Bones
Gold
Differentology - Bunji Garlin
Red Light District
Carnival Tabanca
In the Lonely Hour - Sam Smith
Money On My Mind
Latch (acoustic)