60. Mr Twin Sister “Blush”

In 2014, Twin Sister added a “Mr” to their name and another solid record to their discography. As a whole, Mr Twin Sister balances between club-ready bangers and sleepy-time songs. But side-A’er “Blush” catapulted the band from their usual “dreamy” tag to a spot atop a higher cloud than they’ve ever been. Like the deepest of dreams, its effect doesn’t fully thwack you until hours after you’ve woken from its trance. —Andrew Brandt
 

 

59. Water Liars “Tolling Bells”

Turns out Mississippi-based Water Liars is the heavy shredding folk band that I never knew I desperately needed. “Tolling Bells” encompasses everything that makes this band so perfect—an intense percussion section, stinging lead guitars and vocals that make you go weak at the knees. —Mary Sullivan
 

 

58. Spoon “Rent I Pay”

We last heard from Britt Daniel and Co. in 2010 with the stellar Transference, an album that left the door wide open as to what Spoon would do next. But when the band released “Rent I Pay,” the first single from They Want My Soul, it became apparent that Spoon just sounds like Spoon. Not that that’s a bad thing: “Rent I Pay” is three minutes of meticulous, cleverly produced rock that has the swagger of their early cuts and the intensity of their more recent tracks. In other words, nothing has changed; Spoon is still sharp and spot on. —Ryan Thomas
 

 

57. St. Vincent “Birth in Reverse”

The first single off St. Vincent’s self-titled album, “Birth in Reverse” came through like a sucker punch to the ears at the start of the new year. The opening guitar riff is reminiscent of the steady metallic clangs of a factory assembly line and serves as the perfect set-up for the jarring lyrics: “Oh what an ordinary day / take out the garbage, masturbate.” This gem of a song has remained firmly embedded in our heads as 2014’s anthem and anathema for boredom and the mundane. —Maia Pujara
 

 

56. Panda Bear “Mr Noah”

“Mr Noah” has a troubling, ominous vibe throughout. While the beat has enough looping normalcy to carry a head nod, the voice of Panda Bear (Noah Lennox of Animal Collective) betrays any sense of calm consistency. He sounds urgent, panicked even, as he pushed out each syllable. The words bounce like he’s running as he’s singing, and the muffled sounds of an unsettling scene leak in under the growl of the guitars and the stumbling drums. But from that manic mess comes a catchy hook and a hidden melody that finds its footing in the discord. —A.J. Dellinger
 

 

55. SW/MM/NG “All I Want”

Arkansas’ SW/MM/NG brought life to the hazy late summer nights this year with this beachy single in anticipation of their full-length debut in late August. Complete with romantic proclamations of love and tons of extra reverb, the spacious track transports the listener to an idyllic land of crystal sands and bonfires by the ocean. —Rachel Schroeder
 

 

54. PHOX “Slow Motion”

In the past three years, Baraboo’s sweethearts PHOX have slowly dug themselves out of the obscurity of a Wisconsin snowbank to gain national and international recognition. A single from their self-titled album, “Slow Motion” is a dreamy, multi-layered track that organically ebbs and flows with each swell of the melody. The sugary-sweet bite features all kinds of interesting instrumentation, but by far the loveliest is the voice of lead singer Monica Martin as she moves agilely around complex melodies and flitting runs with ease. —Rachel Schroeder
 

 

53. It Looks Sad. “Radical”

A number of new bands put out promising EPs in 2014, but It Looks Sad.’s self-titled 7-inch arguably placed the North Carolina-based quartet at the top of the year’s rookie class. Opener “Radical” is a wistful sad-sack anthem that brings to mind the wide-eyed sincerity of Youth Lagoon and the dreamy longing of Wild Nothing. —Andrew Brandt
 

 

52. Wye Oak “Glory”

The Wye Oak was Maryland’s honorary tree until it fell victim to a vicious thunderstorm at the tender age of 460. The guitar-version of the band Wye Oak only existed for seven years, but I imagine a similar sense of shock shook the citizens of Baltimore when the duo announced that their next record, Shriek, would be a guitar-less affair. The worrying, however, proved to be for nothing: in confining their instrumental palette, the band was freed to explore song structure. And as a result, they released gems like “Glory,” a dark-then-light popsterpiece with a chorus that sparks like lightning. —Andrew Brandt
 

 

51. Father John Misty “Bored in the USA”

As I first sat down to write this song, Bob Dylan looked at me from the cover of a then-recent issue of Rolling Stone. Clearly, he approved of this Father John Misty single belting through my speakers. Throughout the track, Father John perfects a mournful warble and a gorgeous falsetto that give life to lyrics portraying his frustration with modern day America. With its cutting irony and bursting-at-the-seams social commentary, you can tell “Bored in the USA” is both a familiar and incredibly unique entry into the American folk music cannon. —Tori Dexter
 

 

50. Sharon Van Etten “Every Time the Sun Comes Up”

If you are a human being with working emotions, there are plenty of albums that will make you cry. That’s not what we’re dealing with here. Sharon Van Etten has become famous for exploring the dark convolution of romance, and Are We There leaves you with something far scarier than messy sobs. “Every Time the Sun Comes Up,” an emotively stunning track, caps the record with an exploration of how love falls apart over time. You walk away with an emptiness that comes from knowing that her work is the pure, ugly truth in a way that can only be described as beautiful. —Riley Beggin
 

 

49. Beck “Blue Moon”

A folky toe-tapper if there ever was one, “Blue Moon” is smooth, milky loveliness. Even if the song’s lyrics struggle with a fear of loneliness, the listener feels far from alone. Beck takes us on a profound journey, with vocals layered one on top of the other in a symphony that marks new beginnings, new roads to be traveled. The post-bridge rustle of instruments creates an incredible, heartrending climax on this journey to self-discovery. “Blue Moon,” in an alternately sensuous and bustling four minutes, attempts to bring us around to the idea of alonedom, giving us love amidst fear. —Lexy Brodt
 

 

48. Oh Wonder “Body Gold”

The name of this London-based songwriting duo may have changed—from Wonder Wonder to Oh Wonder—but this track retains the same power it had when it dropped in September. Simple yet luxurious, this R&B-tinged slow jam rides a ticking beat with an almost folksy sensuality. It also proves that, when it comes to song craft, Oh Wonder has the Midas touch. —Gretchen Tracy
 

 

47. Mac DeMarco “Passing Out Pieces”

Mac DeMarco has had a hell of a ride the last couple years, grabbing praise as indie rock’s off-kilter hit maker. His 2014 release, Salad Days, garnered critical acclaim thanks in part to songs like “Passing Out Pieces.” It’s a teaser of a track for those looking for some introspection, as DeMarco comes as close as possible to spilling all his secrets then flashes his gap-toothed smile and says, “But you wouldn’t want to hear about that.” Still, the glimpse gives enough of an idea of what DeMarco is dealing with as his success puts him more and more in the public eye—something he may never be entirely comfortable with. —A.J. Dellinger
 

 

46. Phantogram “Fall in Love”

With as unremarkable a title as one could conjure up, Phantogram’s “Fall in Love” won’t shatter your expectations. What it will do is hook you precisely at the 10-second mark. The track is upfront and upbeat, with the invasive breed of synth that reaches straight into your head, demanding your attention while all other elements swirl comfortably in the background. —Drew Curtis
 

 

45. Run the Jewels “Blockbuster Night, Pt. 1”

As a stand-alone track, “Blockbuster Night, Pt. 1” is an absolute bruiser. Its production features a pulsating, muted drone while El-P and Killer Mike string together intricate wordplays. The song gains a rather different meaning when placed in historical context, however, as Killer Mike has been the most outspoken artist with regards to Michael Brown’s death. Lines such as “Any cow that is sacred will get defaced / Like any tyrant murderer gets replaced” don a much darker, malicious tone that fully resonates with protestors across America. —Mike Schuerman
 

 

44. Sylvan Esso “Hey Mami”

Sylvan Esso is a babble-blather band name, but the good times the moniker symbolizes roll all over the band’s debut, wherein the pair breezily delivers smile-inducing banger after smile-inducing banger. Album opener “Hey Mami” takes its time kicking off the party, allowing Amelia Meath to sing a repetitive phrase over handclaps and some studio-spawned wind for more than a minute before Nick Sanborn formally drops the beat. And while the collision of Meath’s warm vocals and Sanborn’s uncluttered thumps may look improbable on paper, in reality the pairing is simple chemistry with marvelous results. —Andrew Brandt
 

 

43. Benjamin Booker “Violent Shiver”

I really don’t want to say that Benjamin Booker hit the world by storm in 2014, because clichés and all, but that’s exactly what his single “Violent Shiver” was—a storm. It’s the collusion of blues, rock, punk and infectious upbeat tempo. Booker funnels weathered old-soul vocals through Jack White guitar riffs, and the end result is something that deserves to be played well into 2015. —Lauren Toler
 

 

42. Cariou “Our Love”

Caribou’s superb 2014 LP, Our Love, rightfully climaxes with its title track, a song that runs through the complexities and rewards of an entire relationship within its five-minute frame. The only lyrics at play during “Our Love” are “our” and “love,” which morph from unintelligible notes to crystal clear syllables as the track’s vaporous synth tones gradually expand, as a relationship reveals its true, intricate form over time. And whether you’re looking for companionate, familial, or physical love, you’re sure to find an accommodating match here. —Andrew Brandt
 

 

41. Black Honey “Teenager”

Unlike most of the teenagers who fix their peepers on this page, Black Honey doesn’t have a Facebook. All that time away from a feed was surely put to good use fleshing out their standout “Teenager,” an open-road rocker with a dreamy chorus. Like all great music, “Teenager” feels timeless—both familiar and fresh—as it calls back to an earlier age of tunes. Nonetheless, in 2015 we may simply look back at “Teenager” as just the tip of Black Honey’s iceberg. —Andrew Brandt