Probably be a less detailed set than I've done in previous years, but I shall still be compiling them so will be posting all!

 

25 albums and 100 singles.

 

First, previous years number ones:

 

Albums:

2006: Guillemots 'Through The Windowpane'

2007: M.I.A. 'Kala'

2008: Elbow 'The Seldom Seen Kid'

2009: Animal Collective 'Merriweather Post Pavilion'

2010: Beach House 'Teen Dream'

2011: Ben Howard 'Every Kingdom'

2012: Perfume Genius 'Put Your Back N 2 It'

2013: Public Service Broadcasting 'Inform - Educate - Entertain'

 

Singles:

2002: Doves 'There Goes The Fear'

2003: The Libertines 'Time For Heroes'

2004: Franz Ferdinand 'Take Me Out'

2005: The Futureheads 'Hounds of Love'

2006: Stellastarr* 'Sweet Troubled Soul'

2007: Robyn 'With Every Heartbeat'

2008: Elbow 'One Day Like This'

2009: Animal Collective 'Summertime Clothes'

2010: Lady Gaga & Beyonce 'Telephone'

2011: Bon Iver 'Holocene'

2012: Blur 'Under the Westway'

2013: Jagwar Ma 'The Throw'

Edited December 16, 201410 yr by RabbitFurCoat

100 - Brett 'Golden'

099 - Made In Heights 'Pirouette'

098 - Movement 'Like Lust'

097 - Blossom 'Regeneration'

096 - Jack Ü feat. Keisza 'Take Ü There'

095 - Les Loups feat. Cybil 'Colourblind'

094 - Ben Howard 'Conrad'

093 - SOHN 'Artifice'

092 - Daniel Avery 'Knowing We'll Be Here'

091 - Rustie feat. Danny Brown 'Attak'

 

090 - Metronomy 'Reservoir'

089 - Trust 'Icabod'

088 - Thumpers 'Galore'

087 - V V Brown feat. Kele Okereke 'Faith'

086 - The 1975 'Heart Out'

085 - JAWS 'Think Too Much, Feel Too Little'

084 - We Are All Astronauts feat. Ellena Soule 'Wolves'

083 - Elbow 'Charge'

082 - Keep Shelly In Athens 'Old Time Glory'

081 - Kitty 'Miss U'

 

080 - Holly Herndon 'Home'

079 - How To Dress Well 'Repeat Pleasure'

078 - ODESZA feat. Monsoonsiren 'Memories That You Call'

077 - Big Deal 'Always Boys'

076 - London Grammar 'Sights'

075 - Röyksopp & Robyn 'Monument'

074 - Honeyblood 'Biro'

073 - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart 'Until The Sun Explodes'

072 - Big Deal 'In Your Car'

071 - The Drums 'I Can't Pretend'

 

070 - The Midnight 'The Years (Prologue)'

069 - Real Estate 'Had To Hear'

068 - Brody Dalle 'Don't Mess With Me'

067 - Jessie Ware 'Tough Love'

066 - Elbow 'My Sad Captains'

065 - Jannine & The Mixtape 'Hold Me'

064 - iamamiwhoami 'Blue Blue'

063 - Alpines 'No Other Lover'

062 - Bombay Bicycle Club 'Luna'

061 - Cambio Sun 'Mad As They Come'

 

060 - Damien Rice 'My Favourite Faded Fantasy'

059 - Ben Howard 'I Forget Where We Were'

058 - Vancouver Sleep Clinic 'Flaws'

057 - Burial 'Rival Dealer'

056 - Jagwar Ma 'Uncertainty'

055 - Kids of the Apocalypse 'Empire'

054 - Black Rivers 'The Ship'

053 - Arctic Monkeys 'Snap Out of It'

052 - iamamiwhoami 'Fountain'

051 - Nicole Millar 'Fall'

 

050 - Grum 'Tears'

049 - Tove Lo feat. Hippie Sabotage 'Stay High' [Habits Remix]

048 - Jimi Goodwin 'Oh! Whiskey'

047 - Eaux 'Head'

046 - Josef Salvat 'Shoot and Run'

045 - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart 'Kelly'

044 - Wolf Alice 'Moaning Lisa Smile'

043 - Ms Mr 'Dance Yrself Clean'

042 - King 810 'Write About Us'

041 - Real Estate 'Talking Backwards'

 

040 - Elliphant feat. MØ 'One More'

039 - Doss 'The Way I Feel'

038 - No Ceremony feat. Benjamin Francis Leftwich 'Away From Here'

037 - ODESZA feat. Madelyn Grant 'Sun Models'

036 - The 1975 'Medicine'

035 - I Break Horses 'Disclosure'

034 - Elbow 'Fly Boy Blue / Lunette'

033 - Vic Mensa 'Down on My Luck'

032 - Alvvays 'Next of Kin'

031 - Paperwhite 'Pieces'

 

030 - Mainline Mussy 'Sick of Your Eyes'

029 - How To Dress Well 'Face Again'

028 - iamamiwhoami 'Hunting For Pearls'

027 - Oliver $ & Jimi Jules - Pushing On

026 - Kitty Pryde 'Second Life'

025 - Felix Jaehn feat. Freddy Verano & Linying 'Shine'

024 - Jon Hopkins feat. Lulu James 'We Disappear'

023 - Coldplay 'Midnight'

022 - Ben Howard 'End of the Affair'

021 - Caribou 'Our Love'

 

020 - ODESZA feat. Zyra 'Say My Name'

019 - Eternal Death 'Head'

018 - Idlewild 'Collect Yourself'

017 - Josef Salvat 'Open Season'

016 - Wild Beasts 'Palace'

015 - Royksopp & Robyn 'Do It Again'

014 - The Magician feat. Years & Years 'Sunlight'

013 - FKA Twigs 'Two Weeks'

012 - Say Lou Lou 'Everything We Touch'

011 - Damien Rice 'I Don't Want To Change You'

Edited December 27, 201410 yr by RabbitFurCoat

Albums first then, and three acts could become the first top top my End of Year list twice having released albums this year. In the last few years I've averaged buying/downloading at least one a week but it seems to have rapidly dropped this year as I've only just gone above 30. Taking out the ones that I don't like much or have only just bought, here are the top 25 of them.

 

25-11

 

http://www.musicomh.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/perfume-genius-too-bright-300x300.jpghttp://www.mixtopia.ro/music/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/jessie-ware.png

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5e/Alvvays_2014.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9c/Wonder_Where_We_Land.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/2cq0i94.jpghttp://dark-music.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Eaux-Plastics-2014.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41EzTB5yzZL._SY300_.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2b/Iamamiwhoami_-_Blue.png

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f4/Tvotr_-_seeds.jpghttp://cdn.stereogum.com/files/2014/03/Metronomy-Love-Letters-300x300.jpeg

http://www.intermissionbristol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/BombayBicycleClubSoLongSeeYouTomorrow600Gb041213-300x300.jpghttp://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/612GEAfaxaL._SY300_.jpg

http://cdn.stereogum.com/files/2014/02/Real-Estate-Atlas-cover-300x300.jpghttp://whenthegramophonerings.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Wild-Beasts-Present-Tense.jpg

 

 

25

24

23

22 SBTRKT - Wonder Where We Land

21

20

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

I adore Jessie's album and Bombay Bicycle Club's album is also pretty good :wub:

I think it's safe to say that I enjoyed Alvvays' album a lot more than you did. Hope one of the singles made it to that countdown.

you have this '8' in yammy's position number. i think it's a typo

you have this '8' in yammy's position number. i think it's a typo

 

It's got nothing on Kin. :( Three singles entries though....

 

I think it's safe to say that I enjoyed Alvvays' album a lot more than you did. Hope one of the singles made it to that countdown.

I do like it, though only got it recently which probably pushes it down. I bought Honeyblood and TVOTR at the same time and I've definitely got into them more....

10-4

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/ba/Elbow-Take-Off-Landing-Everything.jpghttp://cdn.stereogum.com/files/2014/07/The-Drums-Encyclopedia-300x300.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/ff/Jenny_Lewis_The_Voyager.jpghttp://static.tumblr.com/m1skdlz/C26n8qkur/in-return-cover.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/77/FKA_twigs_-_LP1.pnghttp://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51wpYkdwKoL._SY300_.jpg

http://rymimg.com/lk/f/l/1a21df56ef94c2d68292d60fc810269c/5155173.jpg

 

10 - Elbow 'The Take off and Landing of Everything'

09 - The Drums 'Encyclopedia'

08 - Jenny Lewis 'The Voyager'

07 - ODESZA 'In Return'

06 - FKA Twigs 'LP1'

05 - Ben Howard 'I Forget Where We Were'

04 - Alpines 'Oasis'

 

I always knew that one day Elbow would release an album which disappointed me, and this years release is certainly the closest they've come. An excellent set of singles, and a good album overall, but it doesn't match previous efforts with half being below standards and half being brilliant, four singles and opener '

standing out. The Drums continue to impress me with each release being better than thier last so far, something I didn't expect when they released lead single 'Magic Mountain', fortunately the album is much better, '

' being a standout. An album I didn't expect much from, given how poor I thought her first solo one was, was Jenny Lewis, but it's full of wonderful pop songs like 'Head Underwater' and single '

'

 

ODESZA have released three excellent singles this year and their debut album 'In Return' doesn't disappoint in following them up, a good blend of songs by themselves and ones with guest vocalists such as Py on '

'. I've completely bought into the FKA Twigs hype this year, though I've not been overly sold on singles choices with songs like '

' on the album. I was setting myself up for some disappointment with Ben Howard's follow-up, but he definitely delivered another excellent album, opener 'Small Things' is as good as anything he's released yet. Finally, I'd waited years for an Alpines album, and was slightly relieved there was so much new material when it finally came, with so many excellent singles being released over the past four years. Catherine Pockson's vocals as strong as ever, and '

' joins Empire as my favourite of thiers.

http://inthejunkyardmusic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/the-horrors-announce-new-album-luminous_300_300_80_s_c1.jpg

 

03 - The Horrors 'Luminous'

 

 

'Luminous' is a bit of an odd album, previous Horrors album have been lead by some excellent singles, and I can't really put 'I See You' and 'So Now You Know' in that same bracket, good songs but nothing on past singles. But luckily, and unusually, they're not amongst my favourites on 'Luminous' and sound much better as part of an album. I'm hooked from the long and building intro of opener 'Chasing Shadows' and the whole album shows some more progression for the band culminating in a third consecutive great album.

http://nbhap.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads//2014/02/The-Pains-Of-Being-Pure-At-Heart-Days-Of-Abandon-300x300.jpg

 

02 - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart 'Days of Abandon'

 

 

Speaking of bands who've released three great albums in a row.... Again, this wasn't something I was expecting huge things from. Whilst I loved 'Belong' I didn't think my interest would carry for a third album from these. First single 'Simple and Sure' is hardly the greatest example of their brilliance, but is very much a low point on the album. Change of personnel sees lead singer Kip Berman take less vocals than he has in the past and the addition of Jessica Weiss to the band gives them an extra dimension, 'Kelly' is one of their finest singles and 'Eurydice' one of their best songs yet. It's a record which translates fantastically well live too, with them being one of the finest live acts I've ever seen.

http://assets.rollingstone.com/assets/images/album_review/how-to-dress-well-1402695545.jpg

 

01 - How To Dress Well 'What Is This Heart?'

 

 

There was only ever one winner in this. 2014 hasn't been the greatest for albums, plenty of very good ones but this stands head and shoulders above the rest. Until this year I'd paid HTDW far too little attention despite liking what I knew, and upon hearing lead single 'Words I Don't Remember' decided that needed to be put right and bought his previous album, an excellent piece of work I'd ignored for far too long.

 

It's hard to pick a specific highlight on this album, it has such a variety of styles and vocals that work so well and come together so brilliantly that it all makes for the perfect album, the slower tempo makes for some incredibly beautiful music, whilst songs like 'Repeat Pleasure' and 'A Power' are fantastic pop songs.

So before I start my singles countdown I'm going to do two things. I'd jump on the bandwagon of doing a worst songs of the year list however I've not heard enough of awful songs for me to hate them enough, however I will quite happily go without hearing another second of either 'Timber', 'Bang Bang' or 'Hey QT' ever again!

 

The other thing is the two best songs I've heard this year but do not feature. One of them spent 26 weeks on my chart this year (though only peaked at 2!) and I've listened to it more than any other song but I do try and keep these lists to singles from said year, or as close to it as possible and unfortunately July 2013 is too old for me to consider. Therefore I can only say a huge thanks to SevenSeize and Dandy* for being responsible for me hearing these two songs.

 

Soap&Skin 'Sugarbread'

 

 

What an absolutely wonderful mindf*** of a song this is! So dark and almost unsettling yet so ridiculously catchy.

 

Vancouver Sleep Clinic 'Vapour'

 

 

Given I'm such a big fan of the likes of Bon Iver, James Blake etc. it's probably not too surprising I love this, and as a result Vancouver Sleep Clinic, so much. A beautiful voice, the falsettos, those drums. The most amazing thing is he's only (or was) 17!

 

 

Hey Mark,

 

I feel bad now for not investing a bit more time in the new Horrors album, the singles as you say were ok but nothing on those of the previous two which meant I steered clear. Will definitely check it out now. From your albums list I really enjoyed the offerings from Caribou, Wild Beasts, SBTRKT, iamamiwhoami, Bombay Bicycle Club, FKA twigs and Ben Howard.

 

Also good to see someone else not enjoying that "Hey QT" track ! I think I must be getting old. : (

 

Looking forward muchly to the Top 100 singles, which is what it is all about quite frankly. Though looking through my charts of 2014 I've got to say the year was fairly underwhelming for me. I hope Doss' "The Way I Feel" is very high up along with Paradis - both excellent discoveries that I got into thanks to you.

great to see ODESZA, fka, iami, caribou and wild beats here :wub:

 

i'm shocked not to the war on drugs here? have you listened are you not a fan? i thought you would have ADORED :o

YAY 4 sugarbread :wub: still my favourite track from 2013, very glad (and surprised) that someone likes it as much as I do~

 

http://assets.rollingstone.com/assets/images/album_review/how-to-dress-well-1402695545.jpg

 

01 - How To Dress Well 'What Is This Heart?'

 

 

There was only ever one winner in this. 2014 hasn't been the greatest for albums, plenty of very good ones but this stands head and shoulders above the rest. Until this year I'd paid HTDW far too little attention despite liking what I knew, and upon hearing lead single 'Words I Don't Remember' decided that needed to be put right and bought his previous album, an excellent piece of work I'd ignored for far too long.

 

It's hard to pick a specific highlight on this album, it has such a variety of styles and vocals that work so well and come together so brilliantly that it all makes for the perfect album, the slower tempo makes for some incredibly beautiful music, whilst songs like 'Repeat Pleasure' and 'A Power' are fantastic pop songs.

:wub: :wub: Wonderful album! I think it's his strongest to date tbh. Pour Cyril is the very best song on it tbh so the youtube video is a nice touch <3

Hey Mark,

 

I feel bad now for not investing a bit more time in the new Horrors album, the singles as you say were ok but nothing on those of the previous two which meant I steered clear. Will definitely check it out now. From your albums list I really enjoyed the offerings from Caribou, Wild Beasts, SBTRKT, iamamiwhoami, Bombay Bicycle Club, FKA twigs and Ben Howard.

 

Also good to see someone else not enjoying that "Hey QT" track ! I think I must be getting old. : (

 

Looking forward muchly to the Top 100 singles, which is what it is all about quite frankly. Though looking through my charts of 2014 I've got to say the year was fairly underwhelming for me. I hope Doss' "The Way I Feel" is very high up along with Paradis - both excellent discoveries that I got into thanks to you.

 

I must admit I was surprised by how much I liked the Horrors album this year. I wasn't expecting a great deal but I do really like it. It might not be as good as their previous two but I still think it's a great album. I'd probably like to put it down at about 6 or 7 really but it's just not been that good a year for great albums.

 

Both of those will be featuring in my singles countdown, always good to know that I introduce some songs to people! :D

 

great to see ODESZA, fka, iami, caribou and wild beats here :wub:

 

i'm shocked not to the war on drugs here? have you listened are you not a fan? i thought you would have ADORED :o

 

I think I probably should listen to the War on Drugs. I've only heard their three singles and whilst I like them, I've not liked any of them enough but they do seem to be very highly rated by a lot of people/websites, so probably something I need to pay more attention to.

 

YAY 4 sugarbread :wub: still my favourite track from 2013, very glad (and surprised) that someone likes it as much as I do~

 

It really is excellent. Should've gone further in Rejects :(

 

:wub: :wub: Wonderful album! I think it's his strongest to date tbh. Pour Cyril is the very best song on it tbh so the youtube video is a nice touch <3

 

Cheers Pavel, it is a brilliant album. Love Pour Cyril, singles are all so good too.

Time for singles now. Some acts I've enjoyed quite a bit but don't feature in either countdown this year include Jamie T, Baths, Sigma, Maximo Park, Flight Facilities and Zola Jesus, all deserving of mentions.

 

As I was compiling this list I realised what a diabolical year it's been for the mainstream. Normally there's 3-5 number one singles and a host of others that made the charts, this year the best number one 'Nobody to Love' isn't very close to this countdown and there are a couple of top 10 hits included, maybe half a dozen songs that reached the UK top 40. Dreadful.

 

First half in one, will give more commentry for the top half.

 

100 -

099 - Made In Heights 'Pirouette'

098 -

097 - Blossom 'Regeneration'

096 -

095 -

094 -

093 -

092 -

091 -

 

090 -

089 -

088 -

087 -

- No, I didn't think I'd include V V Brown in an End of Year chart of mine again!

086 -

085 -

084 -

083 -

082 - Keep Shelly In Athens 'Old Time Glory'

081 -

 

080 -

079 -

078 -

077 -

076 -

075 -

074 -

073 -

072 -

071 -

 

070 - The Midnight 'The Years (Prologue)'

069 -

068 -

067 -

066 -

065 -

064 -

063 -

062 -

061 -

 

060 - Damien Rice 'My Favourite Faded Fantasy'

059 -

058 -

057 - Burial 'Rival Dealer'

056 -

055 -

054 -

053 -

052 -

051 -

Edited December 21, 201410 yr by RabbitFurCoat

FKA Twigs album really took me by surprise, I didn't think I would like her material until I heard 2 Weeks, and every thing else started to click with me, the album is a poor gem, not really one bad track on it, well almost, the last track on the album does nothing for me for some reason, just couldn't connect with me, the rest just fell into place. One of my favourite albums of the year, in the end after a false start.