pitchfork-top-50-2014

Pitchfork's Top 50 Albums of 2014

Pitchfork

First tracks, then honorable mentions, and now Pitchfork has put out their Top 50 Albums of 2014. There’s nothing entirely out of left field, but there’s definitely some surprises here. Taylor Swift, whose album was not reviewed at all (I guess it was a pretty obscure one), comes in at #31 with her album, 1989. Sun Kil Moon, which was the only 2014 album in their Top 10 Albums of the Decade So Far this past August (and seemed like a sure bet for #1) dropped down to #7 and was beaten out by his enemies The War on Drugs. TWOD actually came in at #3 themselves, and the two ahead of them are two you may not have seen coming.

We already knew that Pallbearer, the only Best New Music metal album of 2014, was an honorable mention, which unsurprisingly left zero metal albums on this list. No other BNM album got snubbed (save for a Hyperdub compilation and the Beyonce album, but that was probably because it was technically a 2013 release), and there’s not really any glaring omissions in terms of what Pitchfork appeared to champion this year.

See the list for yourself below…

Pitchfork’s Top 50 Albums of 2014
50. Ben Frost – A U R O R A
49. Mr Twin Sister – Mr Twin Sister
48. Clark – Clark
47. Shellac – Dude Incredible
46. Ariana Grande – My Everything
45. Andy Stott – Faith in Strangers
44. A Sunny Day In Glasgow – Sea When Absent
43. Madlib / Freddie Gibbs – Piñata
42. Owen Pallett – In Conflict
41. Leon Vynehall – Music for the Uninvited
40. Ty Segall – Manipulator
39. Ought – More Than Any Other Day
38. Hundred Waters – The Moon Rang Like A Bell
37. Perfect Pussy – Say Yes to Love
36. Tinashe – Aquarius
35. Shabazz Palaces – Lese Majesty
34. Cloud Nothings – Here and Nowhere Else
33. Rich Gang – Tha Tour Part 1
32. White Lung – Deep Fantasy
31. Taylor Swift – 1989
30. Iceage – Plowing Into the Field of Love
29. How to Dress Well – “What Is This Heart?”
28. Pharmakon – Bestial Burden
27. YG – My Krazy Life
26. Ex Hex – Rips
25. Azealia Banks – Broke With Expensive Taste
24. Parquet Courts – Sunbathing Animal
23. Lykke Li – I Never Learn
22. Future Islands – Singles
21. Brian Eno / Karl Hyde – High Life
20. Vince Staples – Hell Can Wait EP
19. Sharon Van Etten – Are We There
18. Arca – Xen
17. Flying Lotus – You’re Dead!
16. St. Vincent – St. Vincent
15. Angel Olsen – Burn Your Fire for No Witness
14. Real Estate – Atlas
13. Spoon – They Want My Soul
12. Mac DeMarco – Salad Days
11. Perfume Genius – Too Bright
10. Caribou – Our Love
9. Ariel Pink – Pom Pom
8. Todd Terje – It’s Album Time
7. Sun Kil Moon – Benji
6. Swans – To Be Kind
5. Grouper – Ruins
4. Aphex Twin – Syro
3. The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream
2. FKA twigs – LP1
1. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 2