The Best Songs of 2014

Here are Pigeons & Planes' picks for the best songs of 2014.

These days, we keep getting more and more ways to define what's hot. Terrestrial radio and the big charts still exist, but now we've got digital radio, Hype Machine, blogs, social media information, streaming services, apps, and dozens of systems for determining what people are listening to and what they like. But all this noise makes it possible (and maybe better) to live in your own little bubble and form your own opinions, so that's what we've done here. Here are our picks for the best songs of 2014, based solely on what we love and what we never get tired of.

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2. 50. Jones - "Deep"

We're still waiting to see what kind of artist Jones will develop into, but "Deep" was one of 2014's strongest debuts, featuring production that sounds like something Dev Hynes would cook up and a chorus catchy enough to be a radio hit.

3. 49. Grace Mitchell - "Broken Over You"

Portland's Grace Mitchell is still in the early stages of her career, but the fact that she released a song as good as "Broken Over You" while she was still 16 years old is extremely impressive. It's too early to predict what's next for the young artist, but keep an ear out, and read our interview with her here.

4. 48. Alt-J - "Left Hand Free (Lido Remix)"

It's rare that we include remixes in these lists—often they are less creative than the original or simple flips to make a song appropriate for the club. Lido's remix of Alt-J's bluesy "Left Hand Free" is neither of those things, instead remaking the song in Lido's own bright image, all shimmering synths, pounding drums, manipulated vocals, and even some gunshots. There are lots of producers working in a similar lane to Lido right now, but very few are as talented as he is.

5. 47. SOPHIE - "Lemonade"

SOPHIE might low-key be one of the most innovative artists in music right now. There's not much else in the world of music that sounds like "Lemonade"—or anything from PC Music, really— but we'd bet that within the next few years, there will be plenty of copycats.

Related: Pressing On: PC Music and the Future of Pop

6. 46. Lucki Eck$ - "Count On Me 3"

Chicago rapper Lucki Eck$ isn't the type of rapper trying to pump out hit singles. His most recent album Body High is the kind of project you press play on and zone out to, and when he finds his stride, it's absolutely hypnotizing. "Count On Me 3" is a perfect example.

Read our interview with Lucki Eck$ here.

7. 45. Låpsley - "Station"

17-year-old Låpsley blew the blogosphere away with her single, "Station," a song particularly interesting because she duets with herself on it. The young singer is also a talented producer and she manipulates the pitch of her own vocals so she can sing with herself over the skeletal beat. The effect is haunting and beautiful—since it was released she has signed with XL Recordings and is well set for future success.

8. 44. Years & Years - "Take Shelter"

This song is the meeting place of indie, mainstream pop, and dancehall. And it's one of the catchiest songs of 2014.

9. 43. Corbin (formerly Spooky Black) - "worn"

We weren't sure what to think of Spooky Black and his du-rag when we first saw the "Without You" video. But over the course of the year he's convinced us that we should be takng him seriosuly with genuinely beautiful and passionate songs, culminating in December with his best track to date, "Worn." With production from Shlohmo and D33J alongside his TheStand4rd collborators Bobby Raps and Psymun, "Worn" is a tumultuous epic that hits you with a beat switch at the two minute mark and turns into the best song that Travi$ Scott never made.

10. 42. D.R.A.M. - "Cha Cha"

Slowly but surely, this ridiculously fun, unlikely hit has been spreading, reaching over 200,000 plays on SoundCloud and becoming one of the most memorable tracks of the year. It's a little rough around the edges, but that's part of the reason we love D.R.A.M. 

Related: The Best New Artists of 2014

11. 41. D'Angelo - "Prayer"

Picking one song from D'Angelo's Black Messiah is difficult, especially since it's still sinking in, but "Prayer" is the one we keep going back to. It's got all the soul we'd hoped for, plus a funky little bounce to it that makes it the perfect morning pick-me-up jam.

12. 40. Cozz - "Dreams"

In terms of breakout songs, there might not have been a more impressive one this year than Los Angeles rapper Cozz's first ever single, "Dreams." We hear tales about one track putting an artist on the map, but that's actually what happened here. After its release, Cozz signed to J. Cole's Dreamville label and released his debut album Cozz & Effect, which just goes to show the power of a stunning debut single.


14. 39. Leon Bridges - "Coming Home"

The word "timeless" gets thrown around a lot, so in case you forgot what timeless actually sounds like, listen to Fort Worth, Texas artist Leon Bridges' "Coming Home."

15. 38. Rich Gang - "730"

The Rich Gang tape is full of great material, but the first 30 seconds of "730" (excluding the intro) is on another level. This isn't the radio hit, but it's an impressive display of the frantic energy that makes Young Thug such a compelling artist.

16. 37. Sylvan Esso - "Coffee"

Amealia Meath sounds like she could be singing in a jazz club, but over Nick Sanborn's sparse, bass-heavy production, this song has a very different feel. The whole "hanky-panky" part at the end is a little corny, but other than that, "Coffee" is a mellow beauty. If they made a Garden State 2, this should be on the soundtrack. Also, the video is great.

17. 36. Mr Mitch - "Don't Leave"

What is most impressive about UK producer Mr. Mitch is the way that he creates tangible tension and emotion whilst keeping his tracks spacious and fairly straightforward. His entire Planet Mu debut album Parallel Memories is excellent, but "Don't Leave," with its memorable, mournful vocals, and tribal, organic sounding drums, left the biggest impression on us.

18. 35. TV On The Radio - "Happy Idiot"

TV On the Radio is adept as ever at drumming up tension via high-pitched guitars and charged backbeats. Certainly, when the Brooklyn indie outfit wants to generate power, Tunde Adebimpe is his own source of electricity. Seeds didn't quite live up to the standard set by past releases like Dear Science, Return to Cookie Mountain, and Desperate Youth, Bloody Thirsty Babes, but "Happy Idiot" reminds us of the band's abilities to produce livewires on command.

19. 34. James Vincent McMorrow - "Red Dust"

James Vincent McMorrow's "Red Dust" technically dropped in December of 2013, but it was too late to include in last year's end-of-year list, so here we are. It's winter again, and this cold and gorgeous song is back in heavy rotation.

20. 33. King Louie - "Live & Die in Chicago"

King Louie's excellent Tony did not get the praise and coverage it deserved, especially outside Chicago. But King Louie (probably) doesn't care. He makes music for his city and about his city, and "Live & Die and Chicago" is the anthem.

My city influenced my country, can't get away from Chicago / They asked me Louie you gon' to leave, no I'm gon' stay in Chicago.

21. 32. Little Dragon - "Paris"

Little Dragon came back with a vengeance in 2014. "Paris" brilliantly blends lighter-than-air, uptempo production and Yukimi Nagano's sultry vocals and imagery heavy lyrics, perfectly summing up the Swedish band's fourth album, Nabuma Rubberband.

22. 31. Skepta ft. Young Lord" - "It Ain't Safe"

Skepta had a great year. Although grime heads would likely rate "That's Not Me" over "It Ain't Safe," the latter, which has a catchy chanted hook from A$AP Mob's Young Lord might prove to be the more important track in Skepta's career going forward. A whole new US audience is sitting up and taking notice, with the raw bassline and street tales of "It Ain't Safe" crossing genre borders and boundaries with ease. 2015 is going to be Skepta's year, just wait on it.

23. 30. Childish Gambino - "Sober"

After 2013's hit-or-miss Because the Internet, Donald Glover a.k.a. Childish Gambino returned in 2014 with STN MTN/Kauai, a pair of releases designed to forward Gambino's agenda as a rapper-cum-singer. The woozy "Sober" falls into the latter category; it's Glover's take on R&B, rich with its shimmering pulse and bald emotion. The search for an identity is on-going, but with each album, Gambino's two-faced approach draws Glover nearer to a coherent whole.

24. 29. SBTRKT ft. Denai Moore - "The Light"

SBTRKT's new album had plenty of big-name features—Jessie Ware, Sampha, A$AP Ferg, Ezra Koenig—but it was his collaboration with British singer Denai Moore that really blew us away. That chorus is perfect.

25. 28. TALA - "Serbia"

Following an artist's progression over the months or years and watching them improve until they fulfill their potential is certainly satisfying, but nothing can match that feeling of hearing an artist's debut song and being totally blown away. British born, and of Iranian heritage, TALA started strong with the lurching "The Duchess" and then immediately topped it with "Serbia," adding glistening, immediate vocals to her wonderfully full production. She's now released an excellent second EP, Alchemy, with her vocals even further to the forefront, but nothing has yet topped "Serbia" in terms of vibrant immediacy. This is modern day pop music at its best.

26. 27. Rae Sremmurd - "No Type"

"No Flex Zone" was huge, but it got old pretty quickly. "No Type" though? We'll let you know if we ever get sick of this one.

27. 26. Shlohmo & Jeremih - "No More"

Frequent collaborators Shlohmo and Jeremih made more magic in 2014, releasing a six track EP of futuristic, highly sexual R&B. Expansive, stuttering production is paired with Jeremih's smooth vocals on the outstanding "No More," for a song with a big hook and a engrossing, lyricless final minute.

28. 25. 18+ - "Crow"

NY/LA duo 18+ have got one of strangest but most catchy songs of the year. Part DJ Mustard and part The xx, "Crow" is definitely not your typical pop hit, but it's as interesting as it is infectious, and that's a rare combination.

29. 24. Future - "Hardly"

Future's "Hardly" is a song dedicated to his fallen friend OG Double D, and it's a heartbreaking, eloquent song done in a way only Future could do.

30. 23. Emile Haynie ft. Andrew Wyatt & Brian Wilson - "Falling Apart"

For "Falling Apart," Emile Haynie brings together the unlikely pair of Miike Snow's Andrew Wyatt and the legendary Brian Wilson, and the two mesh for a timeless sound. Strings and backing vocals take it to the next level, taking this well-written pop song to dramatic heights.

31. 22. GoldLink - "Sober Thoughts"

GoldLink is one of the most promising new artists out right now, and "Sober Thoughts"—a post-God Complex drop—is one of his best tracks to date. The Kaytranada-produced jam reeks of summer and feels handcrafted for BBQ's and poolside relaxation; not to mention, the Virginia emcee's flow is as entrancing as ever.

32. 21. How To Dress Well - "Face Again"

How To Dress Well’s ”What Is This Heart?” is full of absolutely stunning moments, but “Face Again” is Tom Krell at his absolute darkest. His music has always focused on emotions and love's complexities, but “Face Again” dives deeper than anything he’s ever done. The subject matter is far from pretty, but the guttural bass and heart-torturing lyrics craft a beauty that’s a little harder to appreciate.

It’s music from the soul, about the soul. Fractured, filled with darkened hues and troubled anxieties, it’s one of the most realistic depictions of in-the-moment heartbreak. Confused, loud, and tender all at the some point; “Face Again” makes its way under your skin and asks for an answer that's impossible to give.

33. 20. iLoveMakonnen ft. Drake - "Tuesday"

Drake's ear for trends is as sharp as ever, and in 2014, it was iLoveMakonnen who received the 6 God's blessing. Lending his soft, airy vocal's to Makonnen's "Tuesday," Drake helped the Atlanta native emerge as one of the year's most memorable new artists; his popularity eventually reaching a point such that "Tuesday" became a catchall for simply turning up. Tuesday at the club, Wednesday at your office holiday party, or Thursday at Magic City: it doesn't matter. It's going up anytime, anywhere.

34. 19. Shamir - "I'll Never Be Able To Love"

Shamir is a star. He's got a special charm about him—it comes across in interviews, his videos, and this acoustic performance—but what is most important to his current success is his uniquely androgynous voice. He made his mark with the house loving "If It Wasn't True," and continued in that floor-filling vein with "I Know It's A Good Thing" and most recent rapped single "On The Regular," but it is when his voice is given the space to soar, as on "I'll Never Be Able To Love," that it packs the strongest emotional punch. It's a glorious gospel song that could be from 30 years ago, but no, it was made by Shamir, a 19-year-old from a gritty part of Las Vegas.

35. 18. DP - "Jabar"

Coming from VA Beach, the land of Clipse, is a rapper named DP who holds his own with one of the hardest songs of the year. While others go full-Yeezus and try to reinvent the genre, "Jabar" is grimy, aggressive, and hits as hard now as it did when it dropped in April.

36. 17. MØ - "Don't Wanna Dance"

"With this music, I wanna say, ‘Hey man, life is fucking hard but we can do it together,'" MØ told us in February. And throughout the run of her excellent debut album, No Mythologies to Follow, you really get a sense of the same focus. Album highlight "Don't Wanna Dance" plays like an anthem; marching percussion and a chorus perfect for singing along, it's like a song you'd go into battle with. is championing for you, her energy infectious, and despite her pleas, you just can't help but want to dance.

Read our interview with MØ here.

37. 16. Shura - "Just Once"

Shura's debut song "Touch" made it into our mid-year Best Songs of 2014 (So Far) list, as we wondered whether she could follow it up with something equally good. Well, as the year comes to a close, it's clear that "Touch" was no one-off, with "Just Once" and "Indecision" showing what a good songwriter Shura is. Although she is still young, her songs approach heartbreak in a mature but relatable way, and the raw honesty and small but vivid details in the lyrics of "Just Once" make it one of the very best songs of the year.

38. 15. La Roux - "Sexotheque"

Finally following up her 2009 debut, La Roux delivered one of the best pop albums of the year with Trouble In Paradise. From a cohesive package of tropically tinged synth-pop, "Sexotheque" is the standout, with that undeniable hook making it our choice over the likes of the brilliant "Uptight Downtown," "Tropical Chancer," and "Cruel Sexuality."

39. 14. Drake - "0 to 100 / The Catch Up"

We’re currently in that strange period of time between Drake albums, wherein we get copious amounts of one-off tracks that exist either as a thanks to fans, or a chance to show off. Out of all the tracks Drizzy gave us this year, “0 to 100” is his flashiest. We all know that Drake is at his best when he’s flaunting off his status or lamenting lost relationships, so when he combines both of them, it’s something special indeed.

With its ghostly James Blake-featuring conclusion, the two-parter hints at Drake’s growing ambitions. Not many hip-hop artists possess as much versatility as Drake; it says a lot that he can make a banger and slower slab of ethereal atmosphere on the very same song. It might be hyperbolic to say he’s catching up to the greats, but damn if he isn’t trying to.

Related: Pages From Drake's Notebook

40. 13. Jungle - "Busy Earnin"

Jungle's music on their self-titled debut album is rooted in a sort of throwback, groove-heavy sound that mixes funk basslines and soulful pop vocals, into a very current, recognizable package. Much-loved by online press and listeners before they had even played a show, Jungle's growth seemed fairly organic and evenly paced. Each new song shared elements with previous ones, and all were very good, but to make the transition from blog-favorites into something bigger, they still needed that one big song. That song that people will hear once and never forget, the song that someone walking by at a festival will hear and make the effort to find out who played it.

"Busy Earnin'" is that song—bright, bold, and possessing an undeniable chorus given some extra swagger by that horn section. And just wait until you hear it played live. Game, set, and match, Jungle.

41. 12. Run The Jewels - "Early"

In 2014, when we talk about Run the Jewels, we often talk about sites of violence: Ferguson, Mo. and Staten Island, N.Y. With "Early", this association rings clearly, as Killer Mike opens the track with an emblematic story concerning the tragic and turbulent history between the black community and the U.S. police. For a year defined by its conflicts between law enforcement and people of color like Mike, the verse serves as a conspicuous reminder of the faces living and dying within rap's oft-reported everyday struggle.

42. 11. Yung Lean ft. Travi$ Scott - "Ghosttown"

Such is the power of the internet that an 18-year-old Swedish teen can ride with Houston's Travis $cott on "Ghosttown", a digital storm that opens with Yung Lean's pitch-perfect boast: "I'm smokin' double pack/Louis duffel bag/get that money stack." $cott and Lean are a potent, if unlikely, combination, and that production by Yung Gud is next-level.

43. 10. St. Vincent - "Prince Johnny"

St. Vincent’s self-titled album is a slight departure from her previous projects. More experimental than the albums that preceded it, St. Vincent is a fun, eccentric, and at times aggressive collection of songs. There are a few anomalies, though, acting as throwbacks to 2011's Strange Mercy, like "Prince Johnny," a slow, steady ballad filled with nostalgia and melancholy.

Here, Annie Clark shows extreme finesse and versatility. Yes, she can play the hell out of a guitar, but she also has an incredibly dynamic voice to prove that she's one of the most well-rounded musicians in the game. "Prince Johnny" encompasses that latter idea in a neat and intelligent little package.

44. 9. Jamie xx - "All Under One Roof Raving"

Before people started to appreciate how vital he was to The xx's sound, Jamie was that third guy in the background, who didn't sing. Then, with a few remixes in 2009, hints of his unique production style emerged, before being totally confirmed by 2010's wonderful Gil-Scott Heron remix album, We're New Here. Jamie xx released "Far Nearer," in all its tropical 4x4 glory, in 2011, but he returned with avengance this year, dropping the beautifully atmospheric "Girl / Sleep Sound" 12" (neither of which would look out of place in this best songs list) before veering left with one of the year's most unique songs.

"I made 'All Under One Roof Raving' whilst on the tail end of another year on the road with The xx. I was missing life in London and trawling through any music and videos that reminded me of home. It serves as a reminder, not to take any time for granted at home or away.

Jamie gave the above explanation when introducing this song for its first play on radio, and it makes sense. It's a uniquely British song, made by a truly unique British artist, who has succeeded in making the sort of dance music song that will appeal well beyond "the scene." Quite frankly, nothing else out there sounds like this right now. This isn't just a song, this is an audio collage of British rave history, a distillation of Britain's storied dance music culture into a six minute work of art.

45. 8. Boogie - "Bitter Raps"

While a lot of West Coast rappers are trying to make ratchet DJ Mustard-esque bangers or replicate past greats, Boogie has a sound all his own, and demonstrates an effortless versatility and creativity on his debut album Thirst 48. While the standout song is "Bitter Raps," the entire tape is fantastic, with Boogie's easy ear for melody, incredibly sharp eye for detail, and casually witty lyrics. The production is another selling point, parts soulful, parts hazy, and the whole package introduces us to an artist of huge potential.

46. 7. Raury - "God's Whisper"

The song that started it all for the rising star. Raury's music doesn't follow a blueprint—there's no formula for making a Raury song—but his ambition made Indigo Child one of the most exciting releases of the year, and "God's Whisper" was the perfect way to kick it off and get people acquainted.

Related: More Than Music: Why Raury is Here To Stay

47. 6. Lykke Li - "No Rest For The Wicked"

It's hard to pick a standout from Lykke Li’s album I Never Learn. There are no big pop hits here, but the layers of vocals in the chorus to "No Rest For The Wicked" give it a dramatic flair that sets it apart. This is an album about loneliness and heartbreak, but that doesn't mean a bunch of whiny, tender songs. Lykke Li exudes strength, control, and power, even when her lyrics read like the diary of a broken girl.

48. 5. Rustie ft. Danny Brown - "Attak"

Danny Brown's always been ahead of the curve when it comes to working with artists outside rap. He's been repping for grime for years, well before A$AP Mob linked up with Skepta and got a whole new generation of US listeners interested, and he's consistently worked with some of the most interesting UK producers. Rustie produced three tracks on Danny Brown's OLD, and the Detroit rapper returned the favor for Rustie's latest full length, Green Language. "Attak" is the immediate standout, combining the best of both artists into a high energy, three minute explosion of raw synths and x-rated rapping.

49. 4. Caribou - "Can't Do Without You"

The very definition of a slow-burner, Caribou's "Can't Do Without You" keeps building energy and intensity almost until its final moments. Dan Snaith, the man behind Caribou, also releases dance music as Daphni, and this song lies somewhere between previous Caribou output and the steady thump of the Jialong album he made as Daphni. The persistent looped vocal and slow, precise addition of elements (percussion, synths, and different vocal layers are built on each other) make this song feel like a true journey, one that you will want to take again and again, to relive that golden moment when the song suddenly bursts open.

50. 3. Tobias Jesso Jr. - "Hollywood"

While many artists are worried about finding the next trend or adding layers of production and effects onto their music, Tobias Jesso Jr. is stripping everything back, reminding us just how powerful one man's voice and a piano can be. His early demos set the tone–hushed and intimate vocals, gentle piano, and plainspoken honesty in the lyrics, all backed with that 8-track recorder hiss.

With his debut album Goon announced for next year, "Hollywood" was released as the first single, a little more polished than what had come before, and even boasting some horns towards the end. Tobias has worked on his album with Ariel Rechtshaid, Patrick Carney, and Chet "JR" White (who he originally reached out to with his music in 2012), but on"Hollywood" at least, none of his personality or charm has been lost. Tobias Jesso Jr. isn't trying to reinvent the wheel, he's just trying to write good songs, and the result of that was one of our favorite songs of the year, a song that won't sound out of date in 20 years time, and wouldn't have sounded out of place 20 years ago.

51. 2. FKA twigs - "Two Weeks"

"Two Weeks" is a form of seduction: lust disguised as empathy. Every whisper, every crack, every hum, everything that sounds like heartache or grief: initially, you come to FKA twigs for these reasons. She knows it hurts. But subsequent listens reveal something sinister lurking underneath the record's throbbing synths and scattered 808s. Desire and competition are working in tandem to produce love's least desirable outcome: possession. No one wants to lose themselves to jealousy or toxic impulse; FKA twigs, however, doesn't concern herself with what you think you want or need. Instead, she plays the devil's advocate, creating a whole new space for you to give in to your lesser instincts.

52. 1. T.I. ft. Young Thug - "About The Money"

There is no shortage of hip-hop fans who refuse to embrace Young Thug. He wears weird clothes, sings off-key in a voice so excited that sometimes it cracks and morphs into a squeal, and he ignores all those skill sets (lyricism, mainly) that traditional hip-hop heads usually equate to quality. And still, here we are, witnessing the undeniable rise of Young Thug into hip-hop stardom.

For those of us who have believed in Young Thug for years, "About The Money" is validation. We've seen glimpses of his potential, but a lot of his early work felt too unhinged, too meandering, and, compared to "About The Money," minor. Now he's rolling with Rich Gang, he's got access to the best production quality, and he's applying a little structure to his still very wild style. It’s still Young Thug, but it feels like the next step, like a clear advancement in the evolution from weirdo Atlanta rapper to rising global rap superstar. And the significance of Thug next to Atlanta legend T.I. is not lost.

T.I. sounds great on "About The Money," and London On Da Track cements his spot as one of hip-hop's best new hit-makers, but "About The Money" is very much Young Thug's show, and for a lot of us, it was that moment when we realized not only what Young Thug is, but what he's capable of becoming.

Related: Young Thug / Young & Restless

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