pazz

The Village Voice Pazz + Jop poll is up: D'Angelo's 'Black Messiah' and Future Islands' "Seasons" were winners

pazz + jp
pazz + jp
pazz + jp

The Village Voice‘s annual Pazz + Jop music critics poll is out. While the poll comes out a lot earlier than it used to when Robert Christgau helmed it, it’s still late enough to give every album released in 2014 a chance. Hence, D’Angelo‘s Black Messiah — which didn’t make most other lists due to being released on December 15 — claiming the top spot. Here’s the Top 10 albums:

1 D’Angelo, Black Messiah
2 Run the Jewels, Run the Jewels 2
3 The War on Drugs, Lost in the Dream
4 St. Vincent, St. Vincent
5 FKA Twigs, Lp1
6 Sturgill Simpson, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
7 Taylor Swift, 1989
8 Angel Olsen, Burn Your Fire for No Witness
9 Spoon, They Want My Soul
10 Against Me!, Transgender Dysphoria Blues

On the singles front, Future Island‘s ubiquitous “Seasons,” which was a full 15 points ahead of its closest competition, took the top spot. Here’s the Top 10, though note there’s a two-way tie for 9th:

1 Future Islands, “Seasons (Waiting on You)”
2 FKA Twigs, “Two Weeks”
3 Taylor Swift, “Blank Space”
4 Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”
5 Kendrick Lamar, “I”
6 ILoveMakonnen (ft. Drake), “Tuesday”
7 Sia, “Chandelier”
8 Charli XCX, “Boom Clap”
9 Beyoncé (ft. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie), “***Flawless”
9 DJ Snake (ft. Lil Jon), “Turn Down for What”

Over 600 music writers’ ballots were tabulated for the 2014 Pazz + Jop poll. You can peruse individual writers’ ballots and read through their quippy comments. You can also click on an album or single and see who all voted for it. There are also a few think-pieces, including one on the importance of nostalgia, and “The Comfort of Being Sad.”