December 11, 201410 yr Author 25 My peak: #4 UK peak: #58 Highlights: 1. Never Wanna Know 2. Walk This Way 3. XXX 88 (ft. Diplo) 4. Glass 5. Maiden The first of two consecutive Scandi albums comes from Danish MØ. Many (or maybe not given it's floppage!!) will know her for her appearance on Iggy Azalea's latest single Beg For It, but she did release her own top 60 SMASH album! She is one of those artists who is difficult to pin down to classify as one genre, so if you don't know her then Wikipedia says she is electronic, indie-pop, R&B, soul and alternative dance. The highlight is undeniably Never Wanna Know, which is best described as a harder Lana Del Rey ballad. Her unique cover of Say You'll Be There, not on this album, is definitely worth a listen too! 24 My peak: #1 UK peak: N/A (Sweden #6) Highlights: 1. Habits (Stay High) 2. Not On Drugs 3. Talking Body 4. Timebomb 5. Love Ballad Habits remains one of my favourite songs ever and she'll never top it, but she have it a damn good try! Although the album isn't of the standard I expected given the Truth Serum EP, this is a hugely solid debut that builds on the sound we know and love. If I have one qualm with this, it's that there are too many downtempo tracks similar to Habits but when she's on it, she's on it! 23 My peak: #3 UK peak: #9 Highlights: 1. Say You Love Me 2. Want Your Feeling 3. Tough Love 4. Kinda... Sometimes... Maybe 5. You & I (Forever) As with Queen Of The Clouds, this nothing on her previous release (2012's stunning Devotion), but of course it's good enough to warrant a place on this voice. With a voice like gold, her tone can brighten even dull songs to be honest. The highlight, also her biggest hit yet, is the Ed Sheeran penned ballad Say You Love Me. It took a while to grow on me and is hardly her most inspired track, but it's just so warm and lovely <3 22 My peak: #1 UK peak: #21 Highlights: 1. Human 2. Sirens 3. M.F.P.O.T.Y. 4. Bind Your Love 5. Killin' It Next is a former X Factor UK contestant, the first of a few in this countdown. She came 4th in 2010 and this is her second album which, whilst not as good as her first, shows a great progression in her sound. Human and Sirens especially show her voice in a way that nothing since THAT performance of Stay back in 2010 *.* There is still some bratty attitude on songs such as M.F.P.O.T.Y., but overall this is a much more mature and cohesive offering from Cher. 21 My peak: #4 UK peak: N/A (Australia #7) Highlights: 1. Super Love 2. Speak Up 3. Beauty In The World 4. Living Dangerously 5. Gladiator Just missing out in the top 20 is another X Factor contestant, this time the winner of Australia's 2013. She made my previous year end albums top 10 with her victory album, but this is her first proper release. The sound is very different to what anyone would have expected in places, for example the first single Super Love and the third single Living Dangerously could feasibly be Avicii predictions (if not for the fact that they aren't shit). But different is good, it just goes to show how versatile she is.
December 11, 201410 yr Mø (who I discovered through spotify adverts) and Jessie's albums are great :wub: I adore sorry I'm late and especially sirens from that album. And that performance of stay was just :wub: :wub:
December 13, 201410 yr Author Mø (who I discovered through spotify adverts) and Jessie's albums are great :wub: I adore sorry I'm late and especially sirens from that album. And that performance of stay was just :wub: :wub: MØ and her Spotify ads :lol:
December 13, 201410 yr "Although the album isn't of the standard I expected given the Truth Serum EP, this is a hugely solid debut that builds on the sound we know and love." ^ exactly how i feel about the album! I get a lot of enjoyment out of playing it, but it's just... not the Truth Serum EP which i inevitably cannot stop comparing it too. I gave 'Tough Love' one listen but haven't really returned to it since, away from the title track. REALLY impressed with Cher Lloyd's album though, came out of nowhere for me. 'Sirens' is just :wub:
December 13, 201410 yr :hi: Liam ^_^ Queen of the Clouds really disappointed me! 'Talking Bodies' and 'Moments' are stunning but still seem weak when compared to every track on Truth Serum :/ I was quite sad to see Paradise or Over not being included on the album too. Is it just me who prefers Tough Love to Devotion :lol: Both are stunning albums but I feel like this just pips it for me. I think I've liked every song on the album whilst I found Devotion slightly hard to get into at first. Kind of...Sometimes...Maybe though :music: Edited December 13, 201410 yr by NellyXmas. S
December 13, 201410 yr I completely agree with your Tough Love commentary, she has such a smooth voice. Say You Love Me is my highlight too, it's just such a gorgeous ballad, very happy Ed gave it to her but I think she did it better than he would have (even though he is fantastic too) Kind of...Sometimes...Maybe is a big highlight for me too :wub:
December 15, 201410 yr Author "Although the album isn't of the standard I expected given the Truth Serum EP, this is a hugely solid debut that builds on the sound we know and love." ^ exactly how i feel about the album! I get a lot of enjoyment out of playing it, but it's just... not the Truth Serum EP which i inevitably cannot stop comparing it too. I gave 'Tough Love' one listen but haven't really returned to it since, away from the title track. REALLY impressed with Cher Lloyd's album though, came out of nowhere for me. 'Sirens' is just :wub: At least we still have Habits in there or I'd never forgive her! :hi: Liam ^_^ Queen of the Clouds really disappointed me! 'Talking Bodies' and 'Moments' are stunning but still seem weak when compared to every track on Truth Serum :/ I was quite sad to see Paradise or Over not being included on the album too. Is it just me who prefers Tough Love to Devotion :lol: Both are stunning albums but I feel like this just pips it for me. I think I've liked every song on the album whilst I found Devotion slightly hard to get into at first. Kind of...Sometimes...Maybe though :music: Devotion took a week or two of listening with me to be honest but once it hit, it really hit <3 I completely agree with your Tough Love commentary, she has such a smooth voice. Say You Love Me is my highlight too, it's just such a gorgeous ballad, very happy Ed gave it to her but I think she did it better than he would have (even though he is fantastic too) Kind of...Sometimes...Maybe is a big highlight for me too :wub: Completely agree there, it would have just been "nice" with Ed singing it I think! Thanks all!
December 16, 201410 yr Author 20 My peak: #2 UK peak: N/A (Australia #2) Highlights: 1. You Ruin Me 2. If You Love Someone 3. Born Bob Dylan 4. Sanctified 5. Teenage Millionaire This has been a good 5 years in the making (really it's been 7 years since hook Me Up but I only knew about it in 2009 when the UK finally caught up), but finally everyone's fave Aussie twins return. The gorgeous piano ballad You Ruin Me made sure they Cme back with a bang and was their 2nd #1 in Australia as well as being a surprise top 10 hit in the Uk. Hopefully the second single If You Love Someone makes an impact too so the album can do well here; it's a perfect example of a record progressing in an artist's sound without losing what made them in the first place. 19 My peak: #3 UK peak: N/A (US #6) Highlights: 1. Jealous 2. Avalanche (ft. Demi Lovato) 3. Numb (ft. Angel Haze) 4. Teacher 5. Chains The first male in the top 20 is a former Jonas brother, who's solo album is thankfully much better than his brother Joe's (although nobody can deny the *.*ness of See No More, let's be honest). The absolute highlight is Jealous, which is becoming a huge hit in the US and is further elevated by the Tinashe remix. Collabs with Demi Lovato and Angel Haze make up the rest of the major highlights, but this is so slickly produced most of it is damn good. 18 My peak: #2 UK peak: #2 Highlights: 1. Only Love Can Hurt Like This 2. Leave When I'm Not Looking 3. Mouth To Mouth 4. Impossible Heart 5. Love Only Leaves You Lonely To be fair, Paloma set the bar so high with her first two eras that it was going to be hard to be best so it's not hugely surprising this is her weakest yet :P But of course, this is still great or it wouldn't be in the top 20. Paloma has definitely cemented my thoughts that her major strength lies in lovelorn ballads this era, especially with her biggest hit to date Only Love Can Hurt Like This. It's a shame Can't Rely On You didn't do better and Ready For The Good Life was a total mess as a single , but the album has sold pretty well anyway which has become par for the course with Paloma. 17 My peak: #1 UK peak: #8 Highlights: 1. Human 2. I Believe 3. Burning Gold 4. Sea Of Lovers 5. I Don't Wanna Break 2011's Jar of Hearts was a lovely surprise megahit, but she bettered that with the stunning Human and this improves on her debut album too. Largely, this is a bit lovelorn and downtrodden but Burning Gold is a lovely Rolling In The Deep-esque moment for a bit of a change in tempo and the Ed Sheeran collab Be My Forever is lovely and sweet. Both of these and the other tracks make sure this album progresses her sound but doesn't leave Lovestrong too far behind. 16 Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once My peak: #1 UK peak: #2 Highlights: 1. If Only 2. Into The Blue 3. Sexercise 4. Les Sex 5. Sexy Love The third highest Aussie album of 2014 comes from an icon - Kylie! This is her 12th studio album, following 2010's fabulous Aphrodite. This isn't exactly her best admittedly, but it sure as hell isn't her worst! There are indeed a few duds (the awful I Was Gonna Cancel for one), but the highs are real highs! If Only in particular is gorgeous and has become one of my absolute favourites from her.
December 16, 201410 yr Kiss me once is pretty good while I will wait till UK release to hear The Veronicas new album which should be great like the 2 singles hopefully :wub: A Perfect Contradiction and Head Or Heart are both stunning and will both appear very high in my EOY :wub: your #1 highlight from those 2 are the same for me :wub:
December 16, 201410 yr oh didn't know Nicks album had been released. Jealous is fantastic and Chains is quite different too, hope the rest is just as good. APC is very good too, hoping one day it'll go 2x platinum. She has such a beautiful voice
December 17, 201410 yr Author Kiss me once is pretty good while I will wait till UK release to hear The Veronicas new album which should be great like the 2 singles hopefully :wub: A Perfect Contradiction and Head Or Heart are both stunning and will both appear very high in my EOY :wub: your #1 highlight from those 2 are the same for me :wub: You've got that to look forward to :D Slaying *.* oh didn't know Nicks album had been released. Jealous is fantastic and Chains is quite different too, hope the rest is just as good. APC is very good too, hoping one day it'll go 2x platinum. She has such a beautiful voice It's our in the US, it's set for March for the Uk (stupidly with Chains as the lead instead of Jealous!!), but yes it's great! Those two are quite indicative of the album as a whole I'd say. Sexy Love one of the best on KMO lol. :)
December 17, 201410 yr Author 15 My peak: #1 UK peak: #33 Highlights: 1. Gunshot 2. No Rest For The Wicked 3. Silver Line 4. Love Me Like I'm Not Made Of Stone 5. Heart Of Steel Kicking off the top 15 is a Swedish alternative queen! Lykke's first two eras were glorious and this isn't too different. The brooding single No Rest For The Wicked set my anticipation to 11, and the rest of the album is similarly gorgeous. The pinnacle has to be Gunshot though, which easily fits in alongside I Follow Rivers, I'm Good I'm Gone and Get Some as one of Lykke's best. 14 My peak: #2 UK peak: N/A (France #1) Highlights: 1. Derniére danse 2. Love Story 3. Ego 4. Tourner dans la vide 5. S.O.S. The highest foreign language album comes from France - Indila's diamond selling Mini World. The absolutely gorgeous Derniére danse was a huge hit in her home country and also spread around Europe (although sadly not the UK). With a sound described by some as channelling Edith Piaf via Lana Del Rey, an English translation was expected but I think it would taint how magical and hypnotic her voice sounds in French so I'm fine with this as is. 13 My peak: #1 UK peak: #1 Highlights: 1. Crying For No Reason 2. Still 3. Aaliyah (ft. Jessie Ware) 4. Everything 5. 5AM Following on from her brilliant debut On A Mission, Katy scored one of her biggest hits with the gorgeous critically lauded electro-ballad Crying For No Reason as well as a #1 album with this! The other major highlight is another ballad, Still, but there are barely any duds anyway. Jessie Ware's silky tones and a slightly new mix help elevate Aaliyah, a previously released EP track, to 11/10 heights too. There's a lack of songs that sound like huge hits compared to the debut, but it's still a shame this hasn't sold better overall for a #1 album. 12 My peak: #2 UK peak: #16 Highlights: 1. Two Weeks 2. Video Girl 3. Lights On 4. Pendulum 5. Hours Next up is an album ROBBED of the Mercury Prize (I say as I haven't heard most of the other nominees oops). FKA Twigs enticed the blogosphere with her EPs, but the gorgeous Two Weeks widened her appeal. With a sound best described as hypnotic minimalist R&B, Twigs' stunning falsetto drives the appeal of the most of these tracks' appeal up a few notches, all whilst delivering some good old sexual lyrics. It's a little short at 10 tracks though, and works best as a full listen through. 11 My peak: #1 UK peak: #52 Highlights: 1. Somethin' Bad (ft. Carrie Underwood) 2. Platinum 3. Automatic 4. Girls 5. Hard Staying Sober Just falling short of the top 10 is the only country album to appear in this top 40; that's one genre I haven't paid enough attention to this year :( But of course I always have time for Miranda <3 Platinum is her fifth album, and fails to live up to the amazingness of Revoltuion and Four The Record but is of course still brilliant or it wouldn't be here! The highlight is the dynamite Cardie Underwood collab Somethin' Bad, but the title track is fantastic and infused with a bit of comedy in Miranda's storytelling and tone (one of her strengths!) too. There aren't as many obvious country smashes on this as her previous couple of albums though.
December 17, 201410 yr ahah yeah the lyrics from lp1 are certainly interesting to say the least,, the album iss absolutely fantastic though. the production is just so atmospheric/sensual throughout. wish she'd got the mercury prize and if not bombay bicycle club or jungle....young fathers who??
December 17, 201410 yr LP1 is great and definitely that or Royal Blood deserved to win the mercury prize this year Little red is stunning (especially crying for no reason which I finally bought yesterday) and I also like platinum :wub:
December 17, 201410 yr Author ahah yeah the lyrics from lp1 are certainly interesting to say the least,, the album iss absolutely fantastic though. the production is just so atmospheric/sensual throughout. wish she'd got the mercury prize and if not bombay bicycle club or jungle....young fathers who?? I just looked at the nominees again and it's actually the only one I've heard to be fair :lol: but I doubt the others would be in my top. 11 albums of 2014! LP1 is great and definitely that or Royal Blood deserved to win the mercury prize this year Little red is stunning (especially crying for no reason which I finally bought yesterday) and I also like platinum :wub: Miranda love yaaassss *.*
December 18, 201410 yr Author 10 Nina Nesbitt - Peroxide My peak: #2 UK peak: #11 Highlights: 1. Peroxide 2. Stay Out 3. 18 Candles 4. Mr. C 5. Don't Stop Kicking off the list of my 10 favourite albums of the year is the only Scot to appear in the countdown with an album that was released on my birthday, not that I can remember many more who've released this year offhand :lol: As pretty much the female Ed Sheeran, a lot of the songs are very standard singer-songwriter fare but her mastery of relatable lyrics make this a fantastic album. From the burning sass of Mr. C to the jealousy of Peroxide, such a wide range of emotions are covered here that I defy anybody to not relate to at least one track on here. 09 Ricki-Lee - Dance In The Rain My peak: #2 UK peak: N/A (Australia #14) Highlights: 1. Mirage 2. Only You 3. Criminal (ft. Shane Free) 4. Giddyup 5. Happy Ever After The highest album to go unreleased in the Uk, and the second highest Aussie album, comes from flop queen Ricki-Lee (even Australia don't really want her now)! This is her 4th album, and recently made #14 in Australia the midst of her appearance on Dancing With The Stars (she couldn't even win that, she lost to a footballer and Irene from Home and Away...) but has sold next to nothing it seems :( It's a shame, because this is her most solid album yet. Only You is an electro-pop masterpiece, not too far from a Robyn track really, whilst Mirage is an absolutely stunning ballad that's potentially her career highlight (it's certainly the best vocal performance of her career). And there's a slutty sex jam in Giddyup, which tells all all the women (and gays I suppose!!) of the world to "get on top tonight and grind it" because of course that's "how he likes it". What more could you want?
December 18, 201410 yr Peroxide is great and I really like Nina. Still can't believe that midweek to end of week album peak position fall though :lol:
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