In a year that saw U2 give an album away for free and piss everyone off, Garth Brooks re-emerge as an “independent artist,” and former Creed frontman Scott Stapp threaten to kill the President, the music world in 2014 can be summed up with one word: pop.
The Billboard charts were dominated by artists like Ariana Grande, Pharrell Williams, Sam Smith, Katy Perry, Meghan Trainor, Magic!, and One Direction, but they all paled in comparison to the one and only Taylor Swift, the only artist in 2014 with a platinum selling album, 1989, which garnered two number one songs in “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space.”
Below is a list of my favorite music and musical moments from 2014. You’ll notice it doesn’t contain any of the artists listed above, and that’s not a knock on pop music or Scott Stapp, I just didn’t listen and like them as much as the songs I included. Enjoy!
Favorite Song in a Commercial: Apple – “The Song”
This was going to be Andrew W.K.’s “Party Hard” which was used in the Android “And You” commercials, but that song is 13 years old. A few weeks ago this Apple commercial aired for the first time, and… there must be some dust in my office… here come the waterworks! Damn you, Apple!
The story behind this commercial’s creation is pretty great, and you can watch a making of video here. They used a “record your voice” machine located at Jack White’s Third Man Records store in Nashville with Rhiannon Giddens from the Carolina Chocolate Drops recording the song with the machine, and appearing as the younger Valarie in the picture from the commercial.
Favorite Album I Repurchased: Roxy Music – Roxy Music
Over my time working in the music department for a now-defunct bookstore, I amassed a CD collection that hovered right around a thousand discs. From time to time, I would take CDs I no longer wanted, or promos I took home and hated, and would sell them to local record shops. For some reason, the debut album from Roxy Music ended up in the “sell” pile and I regretted that decision until recently buying the album again. It’s good to have you back in the collection, old friend.
Favorite Music Video: Sia – “Chandelier” (Chuck Jose Parody)
This video was parodied by a lot of people this year, but Chuck Jose wins because he’s not Jim Carrey or Lena Dunham. Seriously, do not lose a fantasy football bet.
Favorite Song in a Movie: Batman – “Untitled Self-Portrait” from The Lego Movie
I may not have been as big a fan of The Lego Movie as most of America, but I really enjoyed Batman’s attempt at “real music.” While my four-year-old laughed at the exploits of Emmett, I could not stop thinking and laughing about the line, “No parents,” every time Batman appeared on screen.
Favorite Album Not In My Top 5 That Will be in 10 years: Perfume Genius – Too Bright
Mike Hadreas, a.k.a. Perfume Genius, told Rolling Stone in October that Too Bright was “trying to use whatever makes people uncomfortable around me as a sort of power over them.” That attempt to make certain people uncomfortable led to one of the best reviewed albums of 2014.
A beautiful electro/pop/glam album that takes on numerous stereotypes, Too Bright can make you dance one moment and cry the next. One of the best albums of the year that keeps getting better because each listen slowly burns something new into your brain and makes you want to listen again.
Hadreas also wins points for this amazing “Feminem” t-shirt.
Favorite New Music from an Old Band: Faith No More – “Motherfucker”
Faith No More reunited in 2009 and have been touring off and on for the past five years. During this time, there have been countless rumors that the band would eventually record new music. Some members of the band (OK, just Mike Patton) disputed comments made by other band members about recording, but earlier this year they confirmed they were recording a new album, and in November, the band released a new single, “Motherfucker.”
Favorite Late Night Musical Performance: Hiss Golden Messenger on Late Show with David Letterman
David Letterman has long had some of the most interesting musical performances on late-night television from established and up-and-coming artists. This year was no different and Letterman can thank the show’s musical producer, Sheryl Zelikson, for keeping the oldest late-night host “hip with the kids.” Hiss Golden Messenger’s Lateness of Dancers was very close to being my favorite album of the year, so I’ll use this space to quickly write about it.
This year, my wife and I welcomed our second child and this album “spoke to me.” It was the soundtrack for renewed optimism brought about by a new kid and my attempt to be a better person for my family. Even when things seem dark and dreary, I have two boys and a loving wife who help wipe that away. And when they’re not nearby, I have music that reminds me of births, deaths, good and bad times, friends I rarely see, and family. This year I felt like I had M.C. Taylor’s lyrics on Lateness of Dancers to help fill that void when needed.
Favorite Albums:
Ty Segall – Manipulator
Run The Jewels – Run the Jewels 2
Hurray for the Riff Raff – Small Town Heroes
Hiss Golden Messenger – Lateness of Dancers
St. Vincent – St. Vincent
Annie Clark’s 2014 was pretty great. She played with the surviving members of Nirvana, was the musical guest for the season finale of Saturday Night Live, spent a week as the bandleader for Seth Meyers’ late night band, toured extensively, and released one of the best albums of the year.
Clark has been evolving with each subsequent album since her debut release, Marry Me, in 2009, and should continue to evolve. St. Vincent was a confident album with bold choices in music and content, occasionally religious and head-scratching, but ultimately great.
There’s some of my favorite music from 2014. I hope you enjoyed at least some of this, and I am looking forward to next year with releases from artists like Father John Misty, Frank Ocean, Sleater-Kinney, Band of Horses, Radiohead, Beach House, and Tool.
Happy New Year everyone!
