Tony's Top 100 2014 Hits and Albums (COMPLETE!)

[blondini]

HITS

1 Kitten - Like A Stranger
2 Dear Prudence - Coming Apart Again
3 Sky Ferreira - Boys
4 Banks - Brain
5 Beck - Wave
6 Bird - A War
7 Jessie Ware - Tough Love
8 Meg Myers - Desire
9 Shy For Shore - Love, Again
10 Goldfrapp - Thea
11 The Jezabels - Look Of Love
12 The Birthday Massacre - Destroyer
13 FKA Twigs - Two Weeks
14 Beyonce - XO
15 Charli XCX - Boom Clap
16 Meg Myers - Go
17 The Unthanks - Mount The Air
18 Annie with Bjarne Melgaard - Russian Kiss
19 Banks - Beggin' For Thread
20 Electric Youth - Innocence
21 Glasperlenspiel - Grenzenlos (Limitless)
22 Moulettes with Arthur Brown and Emma Richardson - Lady Vengeance / Moulettes - So It Goes
23 Leonard Cohen - Did I Ever Love You?
24 Lily Allen - Air Balloon
25 Man Without Country with White Sea - Laws Of Motion
26 Sky Ferreira - You're Not The One
27 Jessie Ware - Want Your Feeling
28 Sky Ferreira - I Blame Myself
29 Bird - The Rain Song
30 Banks - Goddess
31 ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - The Ghost Within
32 The Jezabels - Angels Of Fire
33 Watermat - Bullit
34 The Pierces - Believe In Me
35 Tala - Alchemy / Black Scorpio / Unfinished Business (Alchemy EP)
36 Glasperlenspiel - Nie Vergessen (Never Forget)
37 Louise Dowd and Toni Halliday - Down In A Dark Place
38 The Horrors - So Now You Know
39 BabyMetal - Megitsune (Female Fox)
40 Marnie - Hearts On Fire
41 Jessie Ware - Say You Love Me
42 The Birthday Massacre - Beyond
43 John Mark McMillan - Love At The End
44 Iamamiwhoami - Fountain
45 Leah McFall with Will.i.am - Home
46 Jesus Culture feat. Kim Walker-Smith - Your Name Is Glorious (live)
47 Nina Nesbitt - Selfies
48 Charli XCX - London Queen
49 Mr Little Jeans - Good Mistake
50 Little Daylight - Overdose
51 Tove Lo - Not On Drugs
52 Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
53 Iamamiwhoami - Chasing Kites
54 Pawws - Sugar / Outside / Give You Love / Just Be Kind (Sugar EP)
55 Meg Myers - Heart Heart Head
56 Above and Beyond with Zoe Johnston - We're All We Need
57 Sleaford Mods - Jobseeker
58 Kitten - G# (G Sharp)
59 Faith No More - Motherf*cker
60 Beyonce - Haunted
61 Blondie with Systema Solar - Sugar On The Side
62 Shy For Shore - Teenage Pains / 1985 / Composure / LOS Revisited (1985 EP)
63 Clare Maguire - Boomerang
64 Taylor Swift - Out Of The Woods
65 Smoke Fairies - 3 Kings
66 Kitten - Cut It Out
67 Beck - Waking Light
68 Holly Johnson - Follow Your Heart
69 The War On Drugs - Under The Pressure
70 Sky Ferreira - Everything Is Embarrassing
71 How To Dress Well - Words I Don't Remember
72 Sinoia Caves - Forever Dilating Eye
73 Kelis - Jerk Ribs
74 Banks - Drowning
75 Ellie Goulding - Under Control
76 Calvin Harris with Ellie Goulding - Outside
77 Charli XCX - Breaking Up
78 BabyMetal - Doki Doki Morning (Heartbeat Morning)
79 Royksopp with Man Without Country - Sordid Affair
80 The Jezabels - Time To Dance
81 Death From Above 1979 - Trainwreck 1979
82 Najoua Belyzel - Que Sont Ils Devenus? (What Have We Become?)
83 Brody Dalle with Shirley Manson and Emily Kokal - Meet The Foetus / Oh The Joy (medley)
84 Charli XCX - Break The Rules
85 Zhu - Faded
86 Wye Oak - Glory
87 Paul Thomas Saunders - Good Women
88 Deadmau5 - Avaritia
89 Meadowlark - Family Tree / I've Got You / Forlorn / Sail Away (Three Six Five EP)
90 The Space Girls - I'm Over You
91 Beatrice Eli - Girls
92 Kyla La Grange - Cut Your Teeth
93 Robert Plant - Little Maggie
94 8:58 - 8:58
95 Lights - Up We Go
96 White Lung - Face Down
97 Tanja - Amazing
98 Blues Pills - High Class Woman
99 Lights - Running With The Boys
100 Marina and The Diamonds - Froot

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ALBUMS

1 Sky Ferreira - Night Time, My Time
2 Beck - Morning Phase
3 The Birthday Massacre - Superstition
4 Banks - Goddess
5 Blondie - Ghosts Of Download
6 The Jezabels - The Brink
7 Jessie Ware - Tough Love
8 Kitten - Kitten
9 Moulettes - Contellations
10 Missing Persons / Dale Bozzio - Missing In Action
11 Bird - My Fear and Me
12 Holly Johnson - Europa
13 Glasperlenspiel - Grenzenlos
14 ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - IX
15 Marnie - Crystal World
16 Damien Jurado - Brothers and Sisters Of The Eternal Son
17 Leonard Cohen - Popular Problems
18 Electric Youth - Innerworld
19 Postiljonen - Skyer
20 The War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream
21 Suzanne Vega - Tales From The Realm Of The Queen Of Pentacles
22 How To Dress Well - "What Is This Heart?"
23 Hans Zimmer - Interstellar (OST)
24 Imogen Heap - Sparks
25 Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - Gone Girl (OST)
26 Meg Myers - Make A Shadow (MA)
27 Paul Thomas Saunders - Beautiful Desolation
28 Amplifier - Echo Street
29 Smoke Fairies - Wild Winter
30 Kyla La Grange - Cut Your Teeth
31 Royksopp - The Inevitable End
32 The Horrors - Luminous
33 Todd Terje - It's Album Time
34 Lamb - Backspace Unwind
35 Scott Walker and Sunn O))) - Soused
36 Warpaint - Warpaint
37 Casualties Of Cool (Devin Townsend and Che Aimee Dorval) - Casualties Of Cool
38 Iamamiwhoami - Blue
39 Clint Mansell / Kronos Quartet - Noah (OST)
40 Anberlin - Lowborn
41 Kelis - Food
42 Amplifier - Mystoria
43 Little Big Town - Pain Killer
44 Ceo - Wonderland
45 Juhi - Stress Case (MA)
46 First Aid Kit - Stay Gold
47 Aphex Twin - Syro
48 Miranda Lambert - Platinum
49 Katy B - Little Red
50 In The Valley Below - The Belt
51 The Pierces - Creation
52 FKA Twigs - LP1
53 Young Summer - Siren
54 Cher Lloyd - Sorry I'm Late
55 Jenny Lewis - The Voyager
56 Taylor Swift - 1989
57 Nerina Pallot - When The Morning Stars Sang Together (MA)
58 Baxter Dury - It's A Pleasure
59 Bella Hardy - Battleplan
60 Erasure - The Violet Flame
61 Ramona Lisa - Arcadia
62 The Shoe - I'm Okay
63 Robert Plant (with The Sensational Space Shifters) - Lullaby and... The Ceaseless Roar
64 Mark Lanegan Band - Phantom Radio
65 St. Vincent - St. Vincent
66 Yelle - Completement Fou
67 Gemma Hayes - Bones and Longing
68 La Roux - Trouble In Paradise
69 2:54 - The Other I
70 Grumbling Fur - Preternaturals
71 Junkie XL and Hans Zimmer - Divergent (Original Score)
72 The Rua - Essence
73 Mica Levi / Peter Raeburn - Under The Skin (OST)
74 BabyMetal - BabyMetal
75 Smoke Fairies - Smoke Fairies
76 Johnny Cash - Out Among The Stars
77 Death From Above 1979 - The Physical World
78 Sinoia Caves - Beyond The Black Rainbow (OST)
79 Texas Hippie Coalition - Ride On
80 Smashing Pumpkins - Monuments To An Elegy
81 Ballet School - The Dew Lasts An Hour
82 Lights - Little Machines
83 Various Artists - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt. 1 (OST / Inspired By)
84 Craig Armstrong - It's Nearly Tomorrow
85 Kylie - Kiss Me Once
86 Blues Pills - Blues Pills
87 Wye Oak - Shriek
88 Howard Shore - The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (OST)
89 Janet Devlin - Running With Scissors
90 Goat - Commune
91 John Mark McMillan - Borderland
92 Royal Blood - Royal Blood
93 Alizee - Blonde
94 Opeth - Pale Communion
95 Embrace - Embrace
96 Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
97 White Lung - Deep Fantasy
98 Kindness - Otherness
99 Half Man Half Biscuit - Urge For Offal
100 The Raveonettes - Pe'ahi
102 Sleaford Mods - Divide and Exit
103 Bright Light Bright Light - Life Is Easy

[blondini]

HITS

100 Marina and The Diamonds - Froot VIDEO / FULL LENGTH AUDIO STREAM VIDEO
From #1 last year to #100 this year.

99 Lights - Running With The Boys AUDIO STREAM VIDEO
1st of 2.

98 Blues Pills - High Class Woman VIDEO
Janis Joplin reborn.

97 Tanja - Amazing VIDEO
Underloved ESC song.

96 White Lung - Face Down VIDEO
Female fronted post grunge / indie rock.

95 Lights - Up We Go VIDEO
Highest of 2. She once had a YE #1 with Toes. :cry:

94 8:58 - 8:58 VIDEO
Orbital have split. :cry: This is Paul Hartnoll.

93 Robert Plant - Little Maggie LIVE TV CLIP
Dub-heavy.

92 Kyla La Grange - Cut Your Teeth VIDEO
Cut price Florence goes synth - no-one cares. :cry:

91 Beatrice Eli - Girls VIDEO
Dirty lesbian pop. And no, it's not bloody Beatrice Egli!! :evil: :roll:

90 The Space Girls - I'm Over You VIDEO
Jonathan King's "alternative Eurovision song" featuring a whole other real life sidestory of its own - see 2nd and 3rd chart down on this page. Lowest #1 on the chart.

89 Meadowlark - Family Tree VIDEO / I've Got You / Forlorn / Sail Away (Three Six Five EP)
Folk pop - like Gabrielle Aplin or Birdy but better.

88 Deadmau5 - Avaritia AUDIO STREAM VIDEO
Anthemic. His only entry on either chart.

87 Paul Thomas Saunders - Good Women VIDEO
Anthemic synth indie wunderkid. Played on XFM and Coronation Street but ignored by the rest. :roll:

86 Wye Oak - Glory VIDEO
Indie alt synth. If you like Talking Heads or St. Vincent.

85 Zhu - Faded VIDEO
You know it.

84 Charli XCX - Break The Rules VIDEO
My new heroine Chloe Chaidez from Kitten is in the vid - big hat / pink dress. This #2 hit wore off quite quickly, though. She has 3 more to come and they don't include Piggy Asnaileass.

83 Brody Dalle with Shirley Manson and Emily Kokal - Meet The Foetus / Oh The Joy (medley) VIDEO
Great stuff from female rocker with help from Garbage and Warpaint members (though Emily gets no credit in the video upload).

82 Najoua Belyzel - Que Sont Ils Devenus? (What Have We Become?) VIDEO
Exquisite French pop singer returns.

81 Death From Above 1979 - Trainwreck 1979 VIDEO
Canadian groove-rockers return!

80 The Jezabels - Time To Dance VIDEO
1st of 3.

79 Royksopp with Man Without Country - Sordid Affair AUDIO STREAM
Best thing yet by the 'Sopp. 1st of 2 for Welsh guest duo.

78 BabyMetal - Doki Doki Morning (Heartbeat Morning) VIDEO
:lol: :lol: 1st of 2.

77 Charli XCX - Breaking Up VIDEO (language)
2nd of 4. Supposedly the new single proper but i still haven't seen it being promoted outside of instant grat status. :-?

76 Calvin Harris with Ellie Goulding - Outside VIDEO
You know it. Best thing Harris has ever done.

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ALBUMS - A TOP 103!

103 Bright Light Bright Light - Life Is Easy :cry:
102 Sleaford Mods - Divide and Exit
101 Foxes - Glorious
100 The Raveonettes - Pe'ahi
99 Half Man Half Biscuit - Urge For Offal
98 Kindness - Otherness
97 White Lung - Deep Fantasy
96 Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams
95 Embrace - Embrace
94 Opeth - Pale Communion
93 Alizee - Blonde
92 Royal Blood - Royal Blood
91 John Mark McMillan - Borderland
90 Goat - Commune :cry:
89 Janet Devlin - Running With Scissors
88 Howard Shore - The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (OST)
87 Wye Oak - Shriek
86 Blues Pills - Blues Pills
85 Kylie - Kiss Me Once :cry:
84 Craig Armstrong - It's Nearly Tomorrow
83 Various Artists - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt. 1 (OST / Inspired By)
82 Lights - Little Machines :cry: :cry:
81 Ballet School - The Dew Lasts An Hour
80 Smashing Pumpkins - Monuments To An Elegy
79 Texas Hippie Coalition - Ride On
78 Sinoia Caves - Beyond The Black Rainbow (OST)
77 Death From Above 1979 - The Physical World :cry:
76 Johnny Cash - Out Among The Stars

[blondini]

HITS

75 Ellie Goulding - Under Control VIDEO
Here she is again!

74 Banks - Drowning VIDEO
1st of 4.

73 Kelis - Jerk Ribs VIDEO
Tasty.

72 Sinoia Caves - Forever Dilating Eye VIDEO
Throwback to seventies Tangerine Dream for a sci-fi soundtrack - see #78 Albums.

71 How To Dress Well - Words I Don't Remember AUDIO STREAM VIDEO
Builds.

70 Sky Ferreira - Everything Is Embarrassing VIDEO
I know i'm late but here's some of her scuzzy Madonna stuff! 1st of 4.

69 The War On Drugs - Under The Pressure VIDEO
If Springsteen met Mercury Rev. Or Tom Petty became a Waterboy.

68 Holly Johnson - Follow Your Heart LYRIC VIDEO
Frankie says Rebirth!

67 Beck - Waking Light AUDIO STREAM VIDEO
1st of 2 from his beautiful album.

66 Kitten - Cut It Out VIDEO
1st of 3 from Chloe and co.. Synth pop.

65 Smoke Fairies - 3 Kings VIDEO
New take on Christmas legend by electro-folk female duo.

64 Taylor Swift - Out Of The Woods LIVE TV CLIP
Great pounding synth track made with Jack Antonoff from Fun. / Bleachers. 1st of 2.

63 Clare Maguire - Boomerang AUDIO STREAM (language)
Pounding future-blues that is yet another of her demo teases. Accompanies this fashion video.

62 Shy For Shore - Teenage Pains VIDEO (stock footage - bit saucy) / 1985 / Composure / LOS Revisited (1985 EP)
1st of 2 by synth duo with forlorn female vocals.

61 Blondie with Systema Solar - Sugar On The Side VIDEO
Calypso. Album contains better (as is usually the case).

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ALBUMS

75 Smoke Fairies - Smoke Fairies
74 BabyMetal - BabyMetal
73 Mica Levi / Peter Raeburn - Under The Skin (OST)
72 The Rua - Essence
71 Junkie XL and Hans Zimmer - Divergent (Original Score)
70 Grumbling Fur - Preternaturals
69 2:54 - The Other I
68 La Roux - Trouble In Paradise :cry:
67 Gemma Hayes - Bones and Longing
66 Yelle - Completement Fou :cry: :cry: - last album was #1
65 St. Vincent - St. Vincent - yes, it's overrated by critics
64 Mark Lanegan Band - Phantom Radio
63 Robert Plant (with The Sensational Space Shifters) - Lullaby and... The Ceaseless Roar
62 The Shoe - I'm Okay - actress/goddess Jena Malone and friend
61 Ramona Lisa - Arcadia - Caroline from Chairlift

[blondini]

HITS

60 Beyonce - Haunted VIDEO
1st of 2. She could have had 3 but Jealous charted in 2013 and climbed whereas this was new in first week of 2014 (XO - still to come - was held over from last year as it wasn't promoted to radio as a "single" till the new year). She had 11 tracks on my chart in that first week! This is great moody stuff, video helps.

59 Faith No More - Motherf*cker AUDIO STREAM VIDEO (language - obviously)
Now i didn't expect this comeback nor this song! A subtle march that kicks in to metal mode only briefly. New album coming.

58 Kitten - G# (G Sharp) VIDEO
Another of the 2012 cuts that are on the current album. This is more of a shoegazing indie vibe. Slowburner that only got to #9 on my chart but ends up top 60. 1 still to come. :wink:

57 Sleaford Mods - Jobseeker AUDIO (language) / LIVE VIDEO (language)
Darlings of music critics this year, they managed to make several polls despite radio ignoring them due to swearing. Two 40+ plus white guys making rap music. Like a furious Streets or a sweary Scroobius Pip, you need to check the live clip to see Jason Williamson in action! This is from the POV of both a bored jobcentre worker (which he was until recently) and a victim of the system trying to make the best of the sh*t the government(s) have doled (pun intended) out to him. We are not "scrounging scum" we are the product of the society YOU created, Mr Cameron and your banker friends. And the Benefits Street headline-grabbing media plays us like idiots so we'll treat them like idiots in return. :evil: They're on the next Prodigy album so get with it now before the mainstream piles in. :wink:

56 Above and Beyond with Zoe Johnston - We're All We Need VIDEO
Trance with great vocal. The type of thing Chicane always charted with but radio doesn't play these days. :evil: Video apes Thelma and Louise which is now a cliche but it usually works so...

55 Meg Myers - Heart Heart Head VIDEO
A stunning new artist i found in the Billboard thread - similar to early Alanis, Fiona Apple. The passion, the anger, the energy.... and her videos are fabulous. 1st of 3.

54 Pawws - Sugar VIDEO / Outside / Give You Love / Just Be Kind (Sugar EP)
Pawws is Brit synth girl Lucy Taylor and she sounds like Little Boots used to sound. Discovered her via a Billboard YE list, rather shockingly.

53 Iamamiwhoami - Chasing Kites VIDEO
1st of 2 standouts from their Blue project.

52 Taylor Swift - Shake It Off VIDEO
Highly infectious modern Mickey (Toni Basil) riff. The Happy it was OK for me to like. Any professed music lover who doesn't like this doesn't really know music or has no soul.

51 Tove Lo - Not On Drugs VIDEO
Far better than the vastly over-rated Stay High and Heroes i can't for the life of me work out why this wasn't picked up by US radio / promoted in UK (even when it was in a TV ad). :cry:

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ALBUMS

60 Erasure - The Violet Flame
59 Bella Hardy - Battleplan
58 Baxter Dury - It's A Pleasure
57 Nerina Pallot - When The Morning Stars Sang Together (MA) - best of 12!
56 Taylor Swift - 1989
55 Jenny Lewis - The Voyager
54 Cher Lloyd - Sorry I'm Late
53 Young Summer - Siren
52 FKA Twigs - LP1 - vastly overpraised - disappointingly mainstream compared to EP2 :cry:
51 The Pierces - Creation

[blondini]

HITS

50 Little Daylight - Overdose VIDEO
From Not On Drugs to Overdose (coincidentally!). Synth group from New York, drummy. If you like The Naked and Famous...

49 Mr Little Jeans - Good Mistake VIDEO
Not a Mr but a little miss! Monica Birkenes is a Norwegian synth artist. I entered this slinky Annie meets The Knife pop track for the UKMix Forum Song Contest though it didn't do that well. :cry:

48 Charli XCX - London Queen LYRIC VIDEO
Lovely take on punk pop with honest lyrics about her relocation to the US. Less forced than the previous two songs on the list.

47 Nina Nesbitt - Selfies VIDEO
Ed Sheeran shifts millions and his former protegee dies on her arse (#40) with a pop nugget that should have been huge. :cry: Her album didn't live up to this for me. Oh and Chainsmokers can bugger off, too.

46 Jesus Culture feat. Kim Walker-Smith - Your Name Is Glorious (live) VIDEO
I left the church so you know i'm not trying to convert anyone now. :wink: I love this on a 90% musicallly based gut level, the chorus soars, the voice is one of the best you will hear in CCM and it has balls. If could be an Elbow or Embrace anthem if they loosened up!

45 Leah McFall with Will.i.am - Home VIDEO
And here's another pop flop. :evil: The undisputed one true talent we have found on The Voice UK (she was like a new Cyndi Lauper) was totally ignored by the media with this. No-one would playlist it despite her mentor and guest having a big hit with that awful Birthday thing. :roll: It uses a melody from the Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros song of the same name (the trumpet part) but i much prefer it to that. We've not heard anything from her since which suggests Will has dropped her and she's now on her own like Vickers, Devlin etc. :-?

44 Iamamiwhoami - Fountain VIDEO
The best synth nugget so far from Jonna and pal's quirky synth pop / video incarnation. Kate Bush meets OMD is a simplistic comparison for newcomers.

43 John Mark McMillan - Love At The End VIDEO
Another act to come out of Christian Contemporary but totally his own artist and a doubting, reaching one at that. This could easily be Mark Lanegan or The National or Bruce Springsteen (a name that comes up a lot in my charts as an influence!). This is brooding, elegiac, building to a climax but never losing hope. The very opposite feel to most "rapture" anthems which envelop you in holy cheese! His name is also similar to our lost pal (he's on Facebook) John (Nothing Fails). :cry:

42 The Birthday Massacre - Beyond VIDEO
The nominated lead "single" from the new album is a nice enough synth ditty but not among their usual very best. 1 more to come.

41 Jessie Ware - Say You Love Me VIDEO
Ed Sheeran co-wrote this. A fairly safe mainstream soul ballad got her her biggest hit yet. Lovely simple, beautiful video. 2 left.

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ALBUMS

50 In The Valley Below - The Belt - alt synth duo featuring fave Angie Mattson
49 Katy B - Little Red
48 Miranda Lambert - Platinum
47 Aphex Twin - Syro
46 First Aid Kit - Stay Gold
45 Juhi - Stress Case (MA) - quirky alt pop from Voice US female, eclectic, Furtado-ish
44 Ceo - Wonderland - more quirky alt pop from a Swede called Eric
43 Little Big Town - Pain Killer - great modern country
42 Amplifier - Mystoria - 1st of 2
41 Kelis - Food - vintage style soul and funk, deserved better reception

[blondini]

Here's the last block of ten (twenty) - it will slow to chunks of seven then six then five till the reveal on Saturday.

HITS

40 Marnie - Hearts On Fire VIDEO

Despite only peaking at #6, this glorious synth anthem from Ladytron's Scottish singer makes the 40. I'm still waiting for Kuba to make ANY comment on her solo work.

39 BabyMetal - Megitsune (Female Fox) VIDEO

An incredible fusion act i found in the Billboard thread - a mix of J-pop (Japanese child pop) and metal. This sounds like old Enter Shikari songs (before they went sh*t) and is a work of genius. The song is about female empowerment via fox personas. See lyrics translation. They have played at metal festivals around the world and are a cult fave with their videos racking up millions of hits.

38 The Horrors - So Now You Know VIDEO

Glad they sorted out the sound on that video. Just great synth music, as you should know. Pity the Radio 1 support didn't translate into chart success.

37 Louise Dowd and Toni Halliday - Down In A Dark Place AUDIO STREAM

Curve legend Toni made this piece for Universal to use as incidental TV music (it turned up in a Vampire Diaries trailer). Dowd is the producer. Stunning dark electro-rock. Sorry but that link doesn't work in all countries.

36 Glasperlenspiel - Nie Vergessen (Never Forget) VIDEO

Exquisite pop from a German duo who i discovered on the Forum Song Contest (with a non-single). 1 more to come.

35 Tala - Alchemy VIDEO / Black Scorpio / Unfinished Business (Alchemy EP)

And another from FSC is this Iranian-born UK artist who is a bit similar to Banks though she produces her own tunes as well. Quite why BBC Sound Of 2015 doesn't have her on their list is beyond me. I'm charting 3 of the 4 EP tracks here.

34 The Pierces - Believe In Me VIDEO
]
More lovely harmonies from the sisters. Album was slightly too bland this time, though.

33 Watermat - Bullit VIDEO

Retro seventies sounds meets modern electro in this wistful instrumental. Quite why the normally dance-centric Capital FM ignored it and prevented it being bigger than it was in UK i'll never know. I also don't know why it's got the name of a Steve McQueen (the actor) car chase film as it doesn't evoke that at all.

32 The Jezabels - Angels Of Fire VIDEO

2nd of 3. If you know them you'll know they're Texas / Cranberries modern alt rock next hundred levels up.

31 ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - The Ghost Within VIDEO

Now this was a pleasant surprise. Previously known for noisy hardcore alt rock they developed shades and softer textures on this rock ballad. If you like The Cure, Smashing Pumpkins, Manic Street Preachers...


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ALBUMS

40 Anberlin - Lowborn SPOTIFY
Alt rock with shade and texture. ^ :lol:

39 Clint Mansell / Kronos Quartet - Noah (OST) SPOTIFY
Great score as usual from Mansell to a film i liked a lot. Streams omit the awful Patti Smith song (small Mercy) :lol: :wink:

38 Iamamiwhoami - Blue SPOTIFY
Not as impressive as Kin though their two best tracks are on it (as you've seen).

37 Casualties Of Cool (Devin Townsend and Che Aimee Dorval) - Casualties Of Cool SPOTIFY
This was a surprise hit album thanks to Devin's ardent followers on PledgeMusic. A dip into country rock that is - as the title suggests - very cool and relaxing.

36 Warpaint - Warpaint SPOTIFY
Nice set of alt rock that is better than the first (though others disagreed).

35 Scott Walker and Sunn O))) - Soused SPOTIFY
Crooning legend turned cult alternative figure teams up with drone metal band (pronounced simply "sun" and named after an amplifier brand) for this jawdropping buttock-clenching set. Not for the faint of heart! :lol:

34 Lamb - Backspace Unwind SPOTIFY
Great but not their classic standard - though i never expect that these days.

33 Todd Terje - It's Album Time SPOTIFY
The best straight up dance album of the year (and a critics fave). It's criminal that this quirky Norwegian is not more widely known.

32 The Horrors - Luminous SPOTIFY
See Hits post. There's not much more you can say about them.

31 Royksopp - The Inevitable End SPOTIFY
Their best and deepest album - but sadly without radio support didn't sell as much as it should have.

[blondini]

HITS

30 Banks - Goddess LYRIC VIDEO (language)

Cool, slinky tune with a fierce punch. 2 left.

29 Bird - The Rain Song VIDEO

An atmospheric rock band who make epic earthy music. Like All About Eve / Echo and The Bunnymen / The Cranberries. 1st of 2.

28 Sky Ferreira - I Blame Myself VIDEO (language)

More of her scuzzy Madonna-pop. 2 left.

27 Jessie Ware - Want Your Feeling LIVE SESSION VIDEO

Lovely piano line on this. 1 left.

26 Sky Ferreira - You're Not The One VIDEO

Encapsulates the indie / new wave side of the album while still being brilliant pop. Has featured as TV background music. Why isn't she supported by the mainstream? :cry: :evil: 1 left.

25 Man Without Country with White Sea - Laws Of Motion AUDIO STREAM VIDEO


Welsh duo team up with Morgan Kibby who has worked with M83. Can't think of much better 80s/10s sound fusions than this synth classic.

24 Lily Allen - Air Balloon VIDEO

The album was a total mess and Hard Out Here was as bad as the things it was satirising. This was one of the few good things on it and her highest ranking song on my YE lists (The Fear got to #107. I loved the dumb/clever pop of Betty Boo and this is in that spirit.

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ALBUMS

30 Kyla La Grange - Cut Your Teeth SPOTIFY

Florence goes synth. Ignored. Will be ignored again right now. :cry:

29 Smoke Fairies - Wild Winter SPOTIFY

Their second album of the year was their take on the Christmas season and was suitably dark and dramatic.

28 Amplifier - Echo Street SPOTIFY

2nd of 2. A 2013 release by the progressive post-grunge UK band i somehow missed when it came out.

27 Paul Thomas Saunders - Beautiful Desolation SPOTIFY

Progressive alt synth indie (yes, really!). The title is an accurate description for this cult set. You can stuff your Sam Smiths and George Ezras as well as your James Blakes.

26 Meg Myers - Make A Shadow (MA) SPOTIFY

Her full length will be amazing, i hope.

25 Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - Gone Girl (OST) SPOTIFY

From a film that split opinion comes possibly the best score yet from the duo. Another Oscar? There is 1 final soundtrack to come.

24 Imogen Heap - Sparks SPOTIFY

Three years and more in the making with most of it released in bursts along the way, it's amazing this works at all. The scope of ideas here is astonishing (and the fans helped shape it thus) and it knocks the weak Ellipse into place. She's on Taylor Swift's album, too with the song Clean which she co-wrote with Taylor so any snobby Swifty doubters can go look that up (see Era's list) before they slate her again (and here's Ingrid Michaelson covering the same song in tribute to Swifty at her Billboard Woman Of The Year win).

[blondini]

HITS

23 Leonard Cohen - Did I Ever Love You? LYRIC VIDEO

A foray into country music and a lovely affecting ballad.

22 Moulettes with Arthur Brown and Emma Richardson - Lady Vengeance VIDEO / Moulettes - So It Goes

Moulettes are an electric folk group - they teamed up with Emma from Band Of Skulls and the Fire singer Brown for this jaunt. The other song is here only by default as an aa-side.

21 Glasperlenspiel - Grenzenlos (Limitless) VIDEO

=Ellie Goulding and Frankmusik (early) singing in German - glorious ecstatic pop.

20 Electric Youth - Innocence VIDEO

The first half of this video blew me away - so beautifully done. They are a Canadian synth duo known for a Real Hero with College (on the Drive soundtrack - both of which i charted before this). Sublime. Contrary to initial reports they are NOT named after the Debbie Gibson song/album.

19 Banks - Beggin' For Thread VIDEO

Ominous bassline and a cult hit in both UK and US. 1 left from her.

18 Annie with Bjarne Melgaard - Russian Kiss VIDEO (bit naughty)

Annie's first #1 since Chewing Gum ten years ago. Richard X production - co-opting Lil Louis' 89 hit French Kiss and a collaborative idea with Norwegian artist Bjarne Melgaard who provides vocals. Showing solidarity with gay athletes and all gay / LGBT people in Russia during the Winter Olympics. "Shake a fist for the Russian Kiss":

17 The Unthanks - Mount The Air VIDEO

My Christmas #1 was this sweet folk fairy tale from the Northumbrian sisters and band. Would fit on a Hobbit soundtrack.


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ALBUMS

23 Hans Zimmer - Interstellar (OST) SPOTIFY

From a great film comes another great score - as with Reznor / Ross and Fincher, Zimmer and Nolan are a perfect fit. Full of drama and poignancy.

22 How To Dress Well - "What Is This Heart?" SPOTIFY

Not quite as good as Total Loss but another nice set of alt-urban from Tom Krell.

21 Suzanne Vega - Tales From The Realm Of The Queen Of Pentacles SPOTIFY

Far too many damn words in that title! Good job it's good enough for me to forgive that! It has a concept but has a sense of humour - Jacob and The Angel is an example of this.

20 The War On Drugs - Lost In The Dream SPOTIFY

A fave among critics - making their combined top 3 alongside St. Vincent (#1) and FKA Twigs (#3) this is a great set of modern alt rock infused with the sounds of radio rock from the 80s (Bruce, Tom, Waterboys plus the Dylan / Young -ish vocals. It's a deliriously good mix.

19 Postiljonen - Skyer SPOTIFY

Two Swedes and a female Norwegian singer. Sound like M83, Say Lou Lou. 2013 album (1 of 5 i'm including - Bella Hardy at 59 was the one i didn't mention was 2013).

18 Electric Youth - Innerworld SPOTIFY

See Innocence post - more of the same. Ought to be more known. :cry:

17 Leonard Cohen - Popular Problems SPOTIFY

Great album, short in length but long in attitude and vigour. Composed with Patrick Leonard the Madonna legend.

[blondini]

HITS

16 Meg Myers - Go VIDEO

Alanis (You Oughta Know), Fiona Apple blah blah blah.... Fierce self-preservation run-and-hide alt rock, contains an awesome scream. 1 left to come.

15 Charli XCX - Boom Clap VIDEO

And here's more of that dumb/clever pop that i was referring to in Air Balloon ranking. It takes effort to make music this "stupid". Her biggest ranking on my lists ever. Hope her UK album release (i've not seeked out leaks/illegals cause i respect her) is bigger than anywhere else. She is (potentially) the saviour of mainstream pop and the best popstar around (Marina has passed that baton over deliberately). We haven't had anyone like this that has been a success since the days of Bananarama and Bow Wow Wow.
Evidence (along with any live clip you can find on YouTube):



14 Beyonce - XO VIDEO

Her greatest ever song was this affecting but uplifting pop ballad (a 2013 song but promoted in 2014) about a broken relationship. Sadly the sample at the start (of the Challenger shuttle disaster) was later shown to be in slightly bad taste (you can't compare the deaths of real people to the bumps in a relationship and the song is far too happy to feature such a grave sample).

13 FKA Twigs - Two Weeks VIDEO (language)

Basically a tribute to Aaliyah both musically and visually. And a stunning song about sex and want (pity about the album :cry: ).

12 The Birthday Massacre - Destroyer AUDIO STREAM VIDEO

Death metal synth gem. I can't really say much about them that i haven't already said ten or twenty times!

11 The Jezabels - Look Of Love VIDEO

...And the same can be said for these Aussies! Sweeping emotive cinematic guitar pop - again.

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ALBUMS

16 Damien Jurado - Brothers and Sisters Of The Eternal Son SPOTIFY

Really great set of singer/songwriter music with a quasi-Christian theme. 2nd highest placed artist NOT to feature on the Hits list.

15 Marnie - Crystal World SPOTIFY

Ladytron singer released this on PledgeMusic in 2013 but the general release was later - i didn't notice this until the Hearts On Fire video was posted about a year after! More of the same greatness ('Tron's Daniel Hunt is producer) and the epic building track Submariner is just exquisite and the best Ladytron related track since Destroy Everything You Touch.

14 ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - IX SPOTIFY

See The Ghost Within (#31 Hits). More of the same - a revelation.

13 Glasperlenspiel - Grenzenlos SPOTIFY (2014 repackage)

See Hits #36 and #21 - more of the same. Originally 2013 - repackage in 2014.

12 Holly Johnson - Europa SPOTIFY

I was so sad when this was ignored by most media (bar Radio 2) and all of UKMix. The former Frankie Goes To Hollywood singer made a stunning return to form with this set of modern pop and disco (excusing the awful lead radio single In and Out Of Love). The full length version of Follow Your Heart and especially the title track (composed with and featuring Vangelis ) are amazing. Lyrics aren't reinventing the wheel but the passion and vibrancy are back.

11 Bird - My Fear and Me SPOTIFY

Another album i wish more people knew. See #29 Hits for genre approximation (there's 1 more stunning song to come, too). I only discovered them from being hidden away on XFM's evening playlist. :cry:

[blondini]

HITS

10 Goldfrapp - Thea LIVE PROJECTION VIDEO

There's also a radio mix but we won't bother with that here. Highlight of Tales Of Us was this trippy electronic track.

9 Shy For Shore - Love, Again VIDEO

Netherlands based female / male synth duo (must be dozens of these duos to make my chart by now!) comprising a Brit male producer and a Norwegian female vocalist.

Lovely "pure" plaintive vocal and pure eighties (OMD) synths with a tragic lyric. Discovered on UKMix Forum Song Contest.

8 Meg Myers - Desire VIDEO (language)

An absolute sh*t-the-bed incredible alt rock song and video (poltergeist sex!!! and she wants it bad!!) Damn shame that this kind of neurotic femme-rock isn't "in vogue" anymore. This craps on Alanis and Meredith Brooks etc from a great height. My personal pick for a Sound Of 2015 (just ahead of Shy For Shore!).

7 Jessie Ware - Tough Love VIDEO

This channels Prince's When Doves Cry with a smooth fluid groove-line and easy simple melody. Like a luxurious bath.

6 Bird - A War VIDEO

Incredible wall-of-sound ethereal rock.

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ALBUMS

10 Missing Persons / Dale Bozzio - Missing In Action SPOTIFY

I wrote here:
See here for info on Missing Persons and links to ALL their classic singles. They were basically a second Blondie with more defined synth-pop and new wave rock elements and the singer Dale Bozzio a precurser of the likes of Madonna, Gwen Stefani and Lady Gaga. Their guitarist Warren Cuccurrullo was a member of Duran Duran for several years after MP split and before the 1993 Duran revival.
Strictly speaking a Dale solo album but both formats use the Missing Persons name - the CD says "Missing Persons featuring Dale Bozzio", the download Missing Person's Dale Bozzio on the sleeve but just Dale Bozzio on the link title. I compromised and just put a "/" between the names. I think Cleopatra records may have wanted to use the name to draw sales - the whole package is filled with old photos reminding us or informing us that she was "it" years before Gaga - there are only two new pics featured. In any case, this collab. with ex-Yes man Billy Sherwood does have a semblance of the classic MP sound and i suppose he can be counted as a "Person" even if the others are indeed missing. Do Or Die is brilliant and as perfect a homage/throwback as you can get and Covert Operation is top drawer slinky. All of it is good though it does taper off by the end, - nothing new there, it was a trend of the eighties to load side one with the best!

9 Moulettes - Contellations SPOTIFY

A stunning set of world / pop / folk / rock songs. Both thoroughly modern and electric while infused with the traditions of the music they come from. As well as Arthur Brown and Emma Richardson, the album features Herbie Flowers (known for work with Bowie), Blaine Harrison from Mystery Jets and The Unthanks.
Album turned up in the midweek top 30 - to everyone's surprise! Seems they've been exercising a concerted top 40 chart campaign through various physical outlets. Doesn't look like it will hang on but a top 50 is due and i for one will buy their music in the future.

It charted at 51.

8 Kitten - Kitten SPOTIFY

US synth / new wave band led by the incredible Chloe Chaidez. They toured with Charli XCX and Paramore.
Check out the best track on this - the incredible Doubt - and this live version where you see Chloe at her best working her way through every part of the stage and also the crowd: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsQe1Ungpcc

Here's Chloe with Charli and Sky - a "Holy Trinity" of pop for me.


7 Jessie Ware - Tough Love SPOTIFY

More "quiet storm" loveliness. Highlights: the pop blast of Champagne Kisses, the eighties smooth of Midnight Caller, the title track, Want Your Feeling, You and I (Forever) and the mega-hit in waiting Pieces. Not quite the classic Devotion was but a great set - only Sweetest Song falls a bit flat.

And SNAP! at her double 7! :lol: Last year she made #3 on Hits (Imagine It Was Us), the year before #1 on Hits (Running) and #2 on Albums.

6 The Jezabels - The Brink SPOTIFY

Second full length by Aussie cinematic pop rockers, recorded in London and a more concise, less intense sound.

First full length Prisoner was my #5 of 2011 (upon the Australian release via import).

Top 5 tomorrow.

[blondini]

HITS

5 Beck - Wave AUDIO STREAM VIDEO

Incredible cinematic folk.

4 Banks - Brain VIDEO / FULL LENGTH AUDIO STREAM VIDEO

Jilian's first chart-topper is more intense and beautiful than ever. :cry:

Just a shame about the muddy production on the album CD - you have to turn the volume up 3 times for it to match the other tracks. You don't get this from listening to it in isolation on the streams or YouTube.

3 Sky Ferreira - Boys FAN VIDEO

"You put my faith back in boys". Shangri-La's / Blondie / Kim Wilde with a modern sheen. Was a free download in UK at start of year and was the catalyst in convincing me to get the album. Was earmarked for a video/single release but this never happened.

2 Dear Prudence - Coming Apart Again VIDEO

UK synth band fronted by Madeline Poncia - most well known as the girlfriend of Architects singer Sam Carter. This amazing track (the bass and synth lines make it as well as the soaring melody and aching vocal) was on Radio One's BBC Introducing playlist two years ago - i must have missed this video by literally days. It's a free download (yes, they're GIVING THIS AWAY!!??!!). They're named after the Siouxsie and The Banshees cover of The Beatles song as Madeline is a huge fan of Siouxsie, as well as Depeche Mode.

"Dear Prudence" are now trading under the singer's name alone Madi Louise Lane. And the singer of the top song of the year is also now going it alone...

1 Kitten - Like A Stranger VIDEO

As i said, US synth / new wave band led by the incredible Chloe Chaidez. They toured with Charli XCX and Paramore. This is like an old Berlin or Laura Branigan song updated for the 20-teens (this decade). Number one on my chart for TEN WEEKS, she/they are my avatar. I discovered them on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart - it is criminal that she/they are not mega-famous. She's in Charli's Break The Rules video. She's a force of nature and a NATURAL UN-PHONY pop"star".

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ALBUMS

5 Blondie - Ghosts Of Download SPOTIFY (go to "CD2")

Bypassing the pointless set of rerecordings that fronted the release:

On the Redux it IS the original version of Maria ......

The new album benefits from a decent sound system being as it is full of bouncing beats of nearly every description. It's a shame the bonus tracks aren't on the physical as Can't Stop Wanting's techno-pop would sound great. Rave, Rose, Winter and Backroom all particularly sound better - the dub sound of Backroom even more addictive, as is the similar Euphoria. Take It Back is less great on repeated listens. Mile High could actually be a big hit if it had the right support - could easily pass for a Calvin Harris or similar single. Immediate highlights Rave and Winter are great muscular disco rock. Take Me In The Night is sultry and cool. The version of Relax seems to be inspired by a 12" version of the original as it has an extended beatless intro until the faithful version they do live kicks in - still not sure it is necessary, though.

Far better than the too reggae-centric and plodding Panic Of Girls.

4 Banks - Goddess SPOTIFY

This could/should have been #1 but...

I have to say i could do without a couple of ballads on here - Something New is nice enough though inessential - but Under The Table is so overwrought it's verging on Lady Gaga at her lounge music / pretentious worst. And starting the album with the unremarkable Alibi is strange!
I have new love for old single Fall Over now i have it on CD and it's a shame there's not more like it - or more like the stunning Brain. It does get a little bit samey and it can't be called a classic. I still give it 4 out of 5. And the artwork inside - cripes, them boobies!

Of the songs i didn't know F*ck Em Only We Know is the best and You Should Know Where I'm Coming From is great.

Shame she's been derailed by FKA Twigs after Radio 1 and Mercury both orgasmed over her relatively disappointing album (her EP2 was a more risky, exciting set than the album, good as it was). And whoever markets her is doing a bad job if her CDs can't even sell on Amazon (i see the prices are much lower on some other sites though). Though she's doing better in her home country, rather ironically. She broke in UK but did groundwork over there most recently. She's ours, dammit! :evil: :lol:

It seems to be more of a collection than a cohesive album.

3 The Birthday Massacre - Superstition SPOTIFY

Their best since their highpoint Walking With Strangers two albums back. Sky Ferreira would be sick with jealousy over the track Oceania which carries on their Madonna-down-a-dark-alley inversion of pop - a style they were doing more than a decade ago.

Previous YE results in reverse order (2012 backwards): #7,#4,#1.

2 Beck - Morning Phase SPOTIFY

It's lovely 21st century folk music - echoes of Nick Drake and other cinematic sounds.

I'm shocked myself that this is so high! But it just works so well as an album - the only one in my top 7 i don't own on CD (that and Kitten are my next must haves).

1 Sky Ferreira - Night Time, My Time SPOTIFY

Was 2013 in US but 2014 for UK release which i bought:

A great pop album with a rock edge, filtering all kinds of older sounds from sixties girl-group to grunge to synth pop, in collaboration with Ariel Rechtshaid and Justin Raisen. Shame she has no TV and radio play. Boys is a great single but 24 Hours would be a monster smash if allowed to be.

I'll post complete list(s) in post #1 after i've done today's weekly chart. Thanks all.

[blondini]

It's only just occurred to me that my top 2 albums are the opposite of each other in terms of times of day! :lol: