Albums are an investment, monetarily if you're still a good music buyer and time-wise if you're still a good music listener. Songs are the cheaper, quick-hit, instantly gratifying option; if you've got three minutes, you've got time for one. A song is an artist's elevator pitch, and in keeping with that, there are a lot of them vying for your attention and trying to win you over in a matter of seconds. Maybe they do it with a big, chandelier-swinging chorus, or maybe it's all in the subdued nature of the verses. Maybe they're dancing a jig while encouraging you to love yourself, or flattering you with a "You was right." Maybe they're offering helpful business advice for entrepreneurs, or maybe they're going for broke and straight up insulting you.

From promises of no-strings-attached spooning to a delicious breakfast, secrets kept to grilled cheese, the 50 songs on this list are the ones that sold us. We debated over them, even sung our defenses in some cases, and decided that the selections here are the ones that make us want to invest streaming minutes, music library space, and maybe even a dollar. These are the 50 Best Songs of 2014.

Listen on Spotify and Bop.