Image via Complex Original
As you may have noticed, Complex recently dropped our year-end lists for best songs and best albums. One comment, posted by a reasonable individual who goes by the screen name, 'dick,' reads: "wtf complex I assume this is not in order of how good they are.. it seems like yall just threw together the first 50 albums you could think of. there was no thought put into this it shows."
Another comment: "I wish Diddy had punched whoever made this list instead of drake." Ouch.
There seems to be an irrational thought that Complex puts little effort into our lists, when in fact we spent countless hours over a period of weeks locked in a conference room, fighting tooth and nail for music we believe made an impact in 2014. There were heavy favorites, notable movers, and sleeper picks that slid onto our lists in the 11th hour, all of which make up a bigger picture of what Complex represents, from our staff to our readership. To quote the great DJ Khaled, we work hard.
Still, the truth remains that our collective picks as a team don't necessarily reflect personal selections. Read below to find out who and what we fucked with in 2014. Who knows? You might find something new you missed out on. You're welcome.
Damien Scott
Twitter: @thisisdscott
Songs
1. J. Cole - “Be Free” (Live on Letterman)
2. D'Angelo and The Vanguard - "Another Life"
3. Puff Daddy f/ Rick Ross and French Montana - “Big Homie"
4. Rae Sremmurd - “No Flex Zone”
5. Jessie Ware - “Kind Of...Sometimes...Maybe”
6. Chris Brown f/ Usher and Rick Ross - “New Flame”
7. Tink f/ Jeremih - “Don’t Tell Nobody”
8. Big Sean - "4th Quarter"
9. Dej Loaf - “Try Me”
10. Drake - “0 to 100/The Catch Up”
Albums
1. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
2. D'Angelo and The Vanguard - Black Messiah
3. J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive
4. YG - My Krazy Life
5. Vince Staples - Hell Can Wait EP
6. Jeremih & Shlohmo - No More EP
7. Popcaan - Where We Come From
8. Jeezy - Seen It All: The Autobiography
9. Trey Songz - Trigga
10. Kehlani - Cloud 19
Christine Werthman
Twitter: @CWerthman
Songs
1. Rae Sremmurd - “No Flex Zone”
2. Ariana Grande f/ The Weeknd - “Love Me Harder”
3. Young Thug, A$AP Ferg, and Freddie Gibbs - "Old English"
4. Kehlani - “FWU”
5. Chris Brown f/ Usher and Rick Ross - “New Flame”
6. Dej Loaf - “Try Me”
7. Jeremih f/ YG - "Don't Tell 'Em"
8. Isaiah Rashad - “R.I.P. Kevin Miller”
9. G-Unit - “They Talked About Jesus”
10. Future f/ Andre 3000 - “Benz Friendz (Whatchutola)”
Albums
1. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
2. D'Angelo and The Vanguard - Black Messiah
3. Vince Staples - Hell Can Wait EP
4. Perfume Genius - Too Bright
5. YG - My Krazy Life
6. Taylor Swift - 1989
7. Ariana Grande - My Everything
8. Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire for No Witness
9. Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
10. Kevin Gates - By Any Means
Insanul Ahmed
Twitter: @Incilin
Songs
1. Bobby Shmurda - “Hot Nigga”
2. Wiz Khalifa - “We Dem Boyz”
3. Lil Wayne f/ Drake - “Believe Me”
4. Nicki Minaj f/ Lil Herb - “Chiraq”
5. Rich Gang f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - “Lifestyle”
6. Drake - “0 to 100/The Catch Up"
7. Tinashe f/ ScHoolboy Q - “2 On”
8. T.I. f/ Young Thug - “About The Money”
9. Isaiah Rashad - “Hereditary”
10. Pharrell f/ Daft Punk - “Gust of Wind”
Albums
1. YG - My Krazy Life
2. Run The Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
3. Azealia Banks - Broke With Expensive Taste
4. J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive
5. Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1
6. FKA twigs - LP1
7. Kehlani - Cloud 19
8. Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
9. Big K.R.I.T. - Cadillactica
10. La Roux - Trouble In Paradise
Lauren Nostro
Twitter: @LAURENcynthia
Songs
1. Nicki Minaj - “Want Some More”
2. Drake - “How Bout Now”
3. Tinashe - “Feels Like Vegas”
4. Rae Sremmurd - “No Type”
5. GoldLink - “When I Die”
6. Tyga f/ Young Thug - “Hookah”
7. Kehlani - “FWU”
8. Kid Cudi f/ Raphael Saadiq - “Balmain Jeans”
9. Emile Haynie f/ Andrew Wyatt and Brian Wilson - "Falling Apart"
10. Father f/ iLOVEMAKONNEN and Key! - “Wrist”
Albums
1. Nicki Minaj - The Pinkprint
2. Majid Jordan - A Place Like This EP
3. Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
4. YG - My Krazy Life
5. Ariana Grande - My Everything
6. Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence
7. Trey Songz - Trigga
8. Kari Faux - Laugh Now, Die Later EP
9. Allan Kingdom - Future Memoirs EP
10. Azealia Banks - Broke With Expensive Taste
Edwin Ortiz
Twitter: @iTunesEra
Songs
1. T.I. f/ Young Thug - “About the Money”
2. Drake - “0 to 100/The Catch Up”
3. Ariana Grande f/ The Weeknd - “Love Me Harder”
4. YG f/ Kendrick Lamar - “Really Be (Smokin N Drinkin)”
5. Sam Smith - “Stay With Me”
6. J. Cole - “January 28th”
7. Rich Gang f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - "Lifestyle"
8. Mary J. Blige - “Doubt”
9. PARTYNEXTDOOR - “Thirsty”
10. Rick Ross f/ Kanye West and Big Sean - "Sanctified"
Albums
1. J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive
2. Majid Jordan - A Place Like This EP
3. Sam Smith - In the Lonely Hour
4. Ariana Grande - My Everything
5. Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
6. ODESZA - In Return
7. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
8. Mary J. Blige - The London Sessions
9. YG - My Krazy Life
10. Big K.R.I.T. - Cadillactica
Justin Charity
Twitter: @BrotherNumpsa
Songs
1. Rae Sremmurd - “No Type”
2. T.I. f/ Young Thug - “About the Money"
3. Charli XCX - “Boom Clap”
4. Rich Gang f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - “Tell Em (Lies)”
5. Shy Glizzy - “Funeral”
6. Elle Varner f/ A$AP Ferg - “Don’t Wanna Dance”
7. Flo Rida f/ Sage the Gemini and Lookas - “GDFR"
8. Jay Electronica - “Better in Tune With the Infinite”
9. Meek Mill f/ Lil Durk and Shy Glizzy - “Chiraq (Remix)”
10. Chris Brown f/ Usher and Rick Ross - “New Flame”
Albums
1. Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1
2. Lil Herb - Welcome to Fazoland
3. Trey Songz - Trigga
4. Boosie Badazz - Life After Deathrow
5. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
6. Lecrae - Anomaly
7. Big Freedia - Just Be Free
8. Shy Glizzy - Law 3: Now or Never
9. Azealia Banks - Broke With Expensive Taste
10. Kevin Gates - Luca Brasi 2
Angel Diaz
Twitter: @ADiaz456
Songs:
1. Rae Sremmurd - "No Type"
2. Rick Ross f/ Kanye West and Big Sean - "Sanctified"
3. Pusha T - "Lunch Money"
4. GrandeMarshall - "Pull Up's Theme"
5. Father f/ iLOVEMAKONNEN & Key! - "Look At Wrist"
6. J. Cole - "Be Free"
7. Meek Mill f/ Rick Ross - "Off The Corner"
8. T.I. f/ Young Thug - "About the Money"
9. DJ Mustard f/ Boosie Badazz, Lil Wayne, Big Sean, and YG - "Face Down"
10. Baauer f/ Rae Sremmurd and AlunaGeorge - "One Touch'
Albums:
1. The Stuyvesants - FINE
2. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
3. Ratking - So It Goes
4. Jessie Ware - Tough Love
5. Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
6. D'Angelo and the Vanguard - Black Messiah
7. Father - Young Hot Ebony
8. Jeezy - Seen It All: The Autobiography
9. Vince Staples - Hell Can Wait EP
10. FKA twigs - LP1
Ross Scarano
Twitter: @RossScarano
Songs
1. Dej Loaf - “Try Me”
2. Caribou - “Can’t Do Without You”
3. D'Angelo and the Vanguard - “Another Life”
4. Jeremih & Shlohmo - “No More”
5. Rae Sremmurd - “No Type”
6. PARTYNEXTDOOR - “Thirsty”
7. Chris Brown f/ Usher and Rick Ross - “New Flame”
8. Ariana Grande f/ Cashmere Cat - “Be My Baby”
9. Ought - “Habit”
10. Beyoncé - “7/11”
Albums
1. D’Angelo and the Vanguard - Black Messiah
2. Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire for No Witness
3. Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
4. Caribou - Our Love
5. PARTYNEXTDOOR - PARTYNEXTDOOR TWO
6. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
7. FKA twigs - LP1
8. Popcaan - Where We Come From
9. Ty Dolla $ign - $ign Language
10. Ariana Grande - My Everything
Brandon Jenkins
Twitter: @Jersey_Jinx
Songs
1. Travi$ Scott f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - “Mamacita”
2. SZA f/ Kendrick Lamar - “Babylon”
3. Little Dragon - “Nabuma Rubberband”
4. J Cole - “Love Yourz”
5. Les Sins f/ Nate Salman - “Why”
6. Future f/ Pusha T and Pharrell - “Move That Dope”
7. Kilo Kish - “Locket”
8. Future - “Fuck Up Some Commas”
9. Theophilus London f/ Kanye West - “Can’t Stop”
10. A$AP Rocky - “Pretty Flacko 2 (Yung Gleesh’s footwork included)”
Albums
1. Mick Jenkins - The Water[s]
2. Little Dragon - Nabuma Rubberband
3. Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
4. J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive
5. Majid Jordan - A Place Like This EP
6. PARTYNEXTDOOR - PARTYNEXTDOOR TWO
7. Big K.R.I.T. - Cadillactica
8. Future - Monster
9. SZA - Z
10. Father - Young Hot Ebony
Zach Frydenlund
Twitter: @ThaRealPchopz
Songs
1. Drake - "0 to 100/The Catch Up"
2. Rich Gang f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - "Lifestyle"
3. Jeremih f/ YG - "Don't Tell 'Em"
4. T.I. f/ Young Thug - "About the Money"
5. Lil Wayne f/ Drake - "Believe Me"
6. OB O'Brien f/ Drake - "2 On/Thotful"
7. Rich Gang f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - "Imma Ride"
8. Chris Brown - "X"
9. Ty Dolla $ign f/ Dom Kennedy and Rick Ross - "Lord Knows"
10. Drake - "Draft Day"
Albums
1. Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1
2. YG - My Krazy Life
3. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
4. PARTYNEXTDOOR - PARTYNEXTDOOR TWO
5. Migos - No Label 2
6. Majid Jordan - A Place Like This EP
7. Future - Monster
8. Nicki Minaj - The Pinkprint
9. Travis Scott - Days Before Rodeo
10. J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive
Justin Davis
Twitter: @OGJOHNNY5
Songs
1. Drake - “0 to 100/The Catch Up”
2. T.I. f/ Young Thug - “About the Money”
3. Rich Gang f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - “Lifestyle”
4. Future - “Fuck Up Some Commas”
5. Migos - “Handsome and Wealthy”
6. Rae Sremmurd - “No Type”
7. Wiz Khalifa - “We Dem Boyz”
8. PARTYNEXTDOOR f/ Drake - “Recognize”
9. Bobby Shmurda - “Hot Nigga”
10. Metro Thuggin - "The Blanguage"
Albums
1. YG - My Krazy Life
2. Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1
3. PARTYNEXTDOOR - PARTYNEXTDOOR TWO
4. St. Vincent - St. Vincent
5. Migos - No Label 2
6. Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
7. Ty Dolla $ign - $ign Language
8. Future - Honest
9. Kehlani - Cloud 19
10. DJ Mustard - 10 Summers
Alex Russell
Twitter: @nonmogul
Songs
1. Future - “Hardly”
2. ZMoney - “Dope Boy Magic”
3. Young Thug - “Eww”
4. Chief Keef - “How It Go”
5. Key! - “Give Em Hell”
6. Speaker Knockerz - “Erica Kane”
7. Father - “Fake AF”
8. Metro Thuggin - “The Blanguage”
9. King Louie - “B.O.N.”
10. Bankroll Fresh - “Come Wit It”
Albums
1. Future - Monster
2. Future - Honest
3. Speaker Knockerz - Gone Too Soon
4. Father - Young Hot Ebony
5. Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1
6. YG - My Krazy Life
7. Migos - No Label 2
8. Bankroll Fresh - Life of a Hot Boy
9. King Louie - Tony
10. Mike WiLL Made It - Ransom
Justin Block
Twitter: @JBlock49
Songs
1. Jeremih f/ YG - “Don’t Tell ’Em”
2. Rich Gang f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - “Lifestyle”
3. Lana Del Rey - “Black Beauty”
4. Travi$ Scott f/ Migos and Peewee Longway - “Sloppy Toppy”
5. Rich Gang f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - “Tell Em (Lies)”
6. Drake - “0 to 100/The Catch Up”
7. Willow Smith - “Female Energy (Freestyle)”
8. Theophilus London f/ Kanye West - “Can’t Stop”
9. Migos - “Handsome and Wealthy”
10. Childish Gambino - “Pop Thieves (Make it Feel Good)”
Albums
1. Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
2. Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence
3. Rich Gang - The Tour Pt. 1
4. Gucci Mane and Young Thug - Young Thugga Mane La Flare
5. FKA twigs - LP1
6. Kid Cudi - KiD CuDi presents SATELLITE FLIGHT: The Journey to Mother Moon
7. YG - My Krazy Life
8. Migos - Rich Nigga Timeline
9. Jeremih & Shlohmo - No More EP
10. GoldLink - The God Complex
Ian Servantes
Twitter: @ian_servantes
Songs
1. Future Islands - “Seasons (Waiting on You)”
2. St. Vincent - “Prince Johnny”
3. Drake - “0 to 100/The Catch Up”
4. A$AP Rocky f/ Juicy J - “Multiply”
5. Nicki Minaj f/ Lil Herb - “Chiraq”
6. Vince Staples - “Blue Suede”
7. Theophilus London f/ Kanye West - “Can’t Stop”
8. Lil Herb f/ Common and Chance the Rapper - “Flight or Flight (Remix)”
9. Chance the Rapper - “I Am Very Very Lonely”
10. The Black Keys - “10 Lovers”
Albums
1. St. Vincent - St. Vincent
2. D’Angelo and the Vanguard - Black Messiah
3. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
4. Vince Staples - Hell Can Wait EP
5. The Black Keys - Turn Blue
6. Flying Lotus - You’re Dead!
7. Common - Nobody’s Smiling
8. Caribou - Our Love
9. Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
10. Jon Waltz - Alyss EP
Brendan Frederick
Twitter: @bfred
Songs
1. Rich Gang f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - "Lifestyle"
2. T.I. f/ Young Thug - "About the Money"
3. Jeremih f/ YG - "Don't Tell Em"
4. Wiz Khalifa - "We Dem Boyz"
5. Drake - "0 To 100/The Catch Up"
6. Tink f/ Jeremih - "Don't Tell Nobody"
7. Rae Sremmurd - "No Flex Zone"
8. iLOVEMAKONNEN f/ Drake - "Tuesday"
9. Lolawolf - "Jimmy Franco"
10. OG Maco - "U Guessed It"
Albums
1. YG - My Krazy Life
2. Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence
3. PARTYNEXTDOOR - PARTYNEXTDOOR TWO
4. Migos - No Label 2
5. Travi$ Scott - Days Before Rodeo
6. Vince Staples - Hell Can Wait EP
7. Charli XCX - Sucker
8. Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1
9. Bas - Last Winter
10. Tinashe - Aquarius
Jacob Moore
Twitter: @PigsAndPlans
Songs
1. T.I. f/ Young Thug - "About the Money"
2. FKA twigs - "Pendulum"
3. Rich Gang f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - "Imma Ride"
4. La Roux - "Sexotheque"
5. Boogie -"Bitter Raps"
6. DP - "Jabar"
7. Future - "Hardly"
8. Lykke Li - "Just Like a Dream"
9. Rustie f/ Danny Brown -"Attak"
10. King Louie - "Live & Die in Chicago"
Albums
1. Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1
2. FKA twigs - LP1
3. St. Vincent - St. Vincent
4. La Roux - Trouble in Paradise
5. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
6. Lykke Li - I Never Learn
7. SBTRKT - Wonder Where We Land
8. King Louie - Tony
9. Jungle - Jungle
10. MØ - No Mythologies to Follow
Alex Gardner
Twitter: @TheConstant_G
Songs
1. Jamie xx - "All Under One Roof Raving"
2. Skepta f/ JME - "That's Not Me"
3. Run the Jewels f/ Boots - "Early"
4. Tobias Jesso Jr. - "Hollywood"
5. Caribou - "Can't Do Without You"
6. Airhead - "Believe"
7. Popcaan - "Everything Nice"
8. Rich Gang f/ Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan - "I Know It"
9. FKA twigs - "Kicks"
10. Shura - "Just Once"
Albums
1. Caribou - Our Love
2. Popcaan - Where We Come From
3. FKA twigs - LP1
4. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
5. Jungle - Jungle
6. Mr Mitch - Parallel Memories
7. Boogie - Thirst 48
8. Wen - Signals
9. SBTRKT - Wonder Where We Land
10. Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence
khal
Twitter: @khal
Songs
1. Nadus - “Nxwxrk”
2. Rustie f/ Danny Brown - “Attak”
3. Dej Loaf - “Try Me”
4. The Roots - “The Dark (Trinity)”
5. Ratking - “Cocoa '88”
6. Digital, Spirit, and Response - “Garrison Law”
7. Darq E Freaker - “Minger”
8. Lido - “Money”
9. Joker - “Midnight”
10. Porter Robinson - “Sad Machine”
Albums
1. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
2. TEKLIFE and Hyperdub - Next Life
3. RL Grime - Void
4. LAKIM - This Is Her
5. Traxman - Da Mind Of Traxman Vol. 2
6. Flying Lotus - You're Dead!
7. D’Angelo and the Vanguard - Black Messiah
8. Porter Robinson - Worlds
9. Moody Good - Moody Good
10. Aphex Twin - Syro
Joseph "JP" Patterson
Twitter: @Jpizzledizzle
Songs
1. SBTRKT f/ Denai Moore - "The Light"
2. Denai Moore - "I Swore"
3. Wiley - "On A Level"
4. Skepta f/ JME - "That's Not Me"
5. Dej Loaf - "Try Me"
6. Bok Bok f/ Kelela - "Melba's Call"
7. Hawk House - "My Mind Is The Weapon"
8. Section Boyz - "Delete My Number"
9. Rick Ross f/ Yo Gotti - "Trap Luv"
10. Little Simz - Mandarin Oranges
Albums
1. SBTRKT - Wonder Where We Land
2. G FrSH - Alfie
3. Wiley - Snakes & Ladders
4. Blade Brown - Bags & Boxes 3
5. Tre Mission - Stigmata
6. Hawk House - A Handshake to the Brain
7. Skrapz - Skrapz Is Back Pt. 2
8. Ghetts - Momentum 2
9. Azealia Banks - Broke With Expensive Taste
10. Rick Ross - Hood Billionaire
