Best of 2014 - Songs

This list is much different from last year's. A bit more mature, perhaps. More electronic in general, for sure. The biggest difference, though, is the number of new artists. With my two favorite bands and others splitting this year, I knew I had to take a different direction in my search for good music and try out some new groups. Where 2013 was a battle of many returning favorites, 2014 is a new chapter made of up-and-comers with good timing. 36 of these 51 songs, including the top 3, are from artists you've never seen on my blog before. They've grown on me quickly and I hope you enjoy them as well.

Love and the struggle for it are clear themes among the group, often accompanied with a bittersweet sincerity and not-so-happy endings. Through the length of the list, a battle between high energy and relaxing composition persists. That's often the case among my favorites, but this time I feel emphasized extremes. It all comes down to a final dual where, ultimately, high energy seized the top spot. This list is still somewhat of a novelty to me, but I foresee many of these new finds becoming old favorites.

Here they are, the best 2014 had to offer for someone deeply in love with music:

51. In Harmony - Ásgeir
50. I Want You - Tina Dico
49. Tremors - Sohn
48. Insel - Juli
47. Wild and Wasted - Blondfire
46. Don't Leave - Seven Lions ft. Ellie Goulding
45. Green and Gold - Lanterns On The Lake 
44. The Wild Life - Vacationer
43. You Haunt Me - Sir Sly
42. Cannibal - Silversun Pickups
41. Midnight - Coldplay
40. This Love - Taylor Swift (copyright block)
39. Hold Me Tight - Berlinist
38. Sordid Affair - Röyksopp ft. Man Without Country
37. Muscle Memory - Lights
36. Eyes Off You - Bombay Bicycle Club
35. Stay With Me - Sam Smith
34. Wasting My Young Years - London Grammar
33. Going Down - The Cinema
32. Luna - Bombay Bicycle Club
31. Running With The Boys - Lights
30. Body - Niia
29. A Sky Full of Stars - Coldplay
28. Whispers - Passenger
27. Warm Foothills - Alt-J
26. Discoloration - Dawn Golden
25. Perfect World - Broken Bells
24. Ten Tonne Skeleton - Royal Blood
23. Atonement - Anberlin
22. We Are Giants - Lindsey Stirling ft. Dia Frampton
21. Long Long Way - Damien Rice
20. Wasteland - Needtobreathe
19. Background - Barcelona
18. Up We Go - Lights

17. Say Something - A Great Big World

"Anywhere, I would've followed you"

16. Fellow Feeling - Porter Robinson

"And now, I cry for all that is beautiful."

15. Always In My Head - Coldplay

"This, I guess, is to tell you you're chosen out from the rest."

14. The Brink - The Jezabels

"We all wanted something real."

13. Sad Machine - Porter Robinson

"We depend on you."

12. No Country - The Jezabels

"Gotta get made of make-believe."

11. Fire Escape - Foster the People

"All the young faces come and replace the dying ones."

10. Fall in Love - Barcelona

"If forever's gonna last then we'd better find the same direction."

9. All This Love - Angus & Julia Stone

"All of me is all for you."

8. Break the Cycle - You+Me

"Love is louder than all your pain."

7. Say My Name - Odesza

"I always fall for confidence and your compliments look good on me."

6.  Love Don't Go - The Family Crest

"We went off with a spark, but you were left out in the dark."

5. Back To Life - Wolf Gang

"I wouldn't be the man I am without your love."

4. Beat To Beat - The Jezabels

"Want a medal? Start a war."

3. Last Train - Dawn Golden

(*Language Warning*)

"I'll be right here when you call my name, waiting."

2. When the Lights Go Out - The Family Crest

"Know that I am with you here."

Something worth mentioning here... this is my sixth year doing this.

Best song of 2009 was solo piano

2010 was bass-led soft rock

2011 was pure-energy from a DJ 

2012 was solo piano

2013 was bass-led soft rock

2014? 

Yeah, you guessed it.

1. Divinity - Porter Robinson ft. Amy Millan

"We will wait for this."