Today’s music scene is in constant flux. The CD, which should effectively be dead, is still the top selling music format while Vinyl Records continue to whittle away at their market share, along with the dominant mp3 format. With streaming services, single sales and YouTube each playing prominent roles in how we consume popular music today, it only makes sense that our pop sensibilities would be as varied as ever.

We at American Craft Beer love to delve into the best music each year. If beer is our favorite pastime, indulging in music is a close second and often one of the best ways to pair the finest suds. Below you’ll find as diverse a variety of 2014’s best albums that we could muster; some of the year’s tasty tunes for all to enjoy, regardless of your persuasion. Here are our picks for 2014, listed alphabetically.

Morning Phase, Beck (Folk) – Beck Hanson’s twelfth studio album and first in six years is a dreamy bookend to his cathartically somber Sea Change with plenty of his bluesy Mutations tossed in for good measure. Beck continues to be at the top of his game, albeit with a more symphonic delivery. Best enjoyed on a lazy Sunday morning.

Our Love, Caribou (Electronic) –  Always bringing a beautiful fusion of house, psychedelia and ambient elements, Dan Snaith offers some of the most unique spins in pop music today. Snaith revels in the trials of relationships, colored with his trademark woozy note bends amid lush electronic soundscapes. Best enjoyed under headphones, late-night/post-party.

Black Messiah, D’Angelo and the Vanguard – releasing his first solo album in 14 years, he returns to the studio finishing up the short round of success he had in the late 90’s. D’Angelo’s work his is an impressive fusion of neo-soul, funk and R&B with rock flourishes blended in throughout. Black Messiah revels so heavy in soul/funk that we couldn’t stop listening to it over and over again. Best enjoyed mid-summer, on the porch.

Stay Gold, First Aid Kit (Folk) –  This female Swedish duo had generally flown under the radar in the US until this, their third studio album, was released early this Summer. Bolstered by their first single, the fast talkin’ backroads symphony of “My Silver Lining,” First Aid Kit offer a beautifully female counterpoint to their folk heroes Fleet Foxes. Best enjoyed on a scenic road trip.

LP1, FKA twigs – You’re unlikely to find a more adventurous album in 2014 than Londoner Tahliah Barnett’s debut full-length album. Filled with ethereal, catchy and twisted takes on R&B pop, Twigs has found universal acclaim with critics as well as the broader public. Best enjoyed on headphones during your commute.

Run The Jewels 2, Run The Jewels – To be honest, we’re not the best arbiters of modern hip-hop, but the popularity of Killer Mike and El-P’s collaboration really caught our attention. Harkening back to the brutal rhymes and hooks of the 90’s post-gangster rap, the album is full of big bass, clever sampling and speedy flow. Best enjoyed in da club.

Metamodern Sounds in County Music, Sturgill Simpson – If you ever wanted to be transported back to the heyday of outlaw country of the 70’s, Simpson is your best chance. We’ve yet to hear someone reprise this classic sound so thoroughly. From the rich reverb of his vocals, to the various steel, acoustic and electric guitar riffs, this album is a beautiful thing. Best enjoyed at the Honky Tonk.

1989, Taylor Swift – Universally accepted as Swift’s first pure pop record, 1989 is a well written and slickly produced gem. If you’re into cutting edge this may not be your jam, but with mega-hits like “Shake it Off” and ” Blank Space” it’s quite obvious that she’s now a force to be reckoned with. Best enjoyed in a bachelorette party limo.

Brill Bruisers, The New Pornorgraphers – The first album for this Indie-Rock five-piece in four years charted at #13 and finds them as ebullient as ever. How can you go wrong with awesome track titles such as “Champions of Red Wine” and “Another Drug Deal of the Heart?” If you enjoy quick paced pop-rock, often with a decidedly 80’s tilt, this is one you won’t want to miss. Best enjoyed while working out at the gym.

Manipulator, Ty Segall – Always with a toe in the past, Segall is one of this generation’s best at conjuring the various classic rock sounds from generations gone by. Much of Manipulator channels the British underground acid-rock scene of the late 60’s and the metal movement of the 70’s, all-the-while making his tunes sound modern and pop driven. Best shared at the neighborhood commune’s acid jamboree.

Honorable Mentions

Here and Nowhere Else, Cloud Nothings

Salad Days, Mac DeMarco

Trouble, Hospitality

Lost in the Dream, The War On Drugs

Sukierae, Tweedy

American Craft Beer’s Favorite Track of 2014

“Bloodstream” by Ed Sheeran – this beautiful fusion of R&B, electronica and acoustic pop blew us away with it’s slow building, passionate crescendo.

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