100 Greatest Albums of 2014

Criteria: These music albums from the year 2014 were chosen for their initial and lasting popularity and their influence and impact on rock music in general. Also considered is critical acclaim. The list includes rock and roll and related genres that were influential on rock music.

Note: Yearly album lists go by earliest 'release date'. Not necessarily the year an album peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. 1989
Taylor Swift
2. Black Messiah
D'Angelo & The Vanguard
3. Run the Jewels II
Run the Jewels
4. Lost in the Dream
The War on Drugs
5. Morning Phase
Beck
6. Lazaretto
Jack White
7. x
Ed Sheeran
8. High Hopes
Bruce Springsteen
9. St. Vincent
St. Vincent
10. Benji
Sun Kil Moon
11. In the Lonely Hour
Sam Smith
12. To Be Kind
Swans
13. 1000 Forms of Fear
Sia
14. Sonic Highways
Foo Fighters
15. Burn Your Fire for No Witness
Angel Olsen
16. Hypnotic Eye
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
17. 2014 Forest Hills Drive
J. Cole
18. The Outsiders
Eric Church
19. Transgender Dysphoria Blues
Against Me!
20. Atlas
Real Estate
21. Hozier
Hozier
22. This is All Yours
Alt-J
23. They Want My Soul
Spoon
24. Lese Majesty
Shabazz Palaces
25. Oxymoron
Schoolboy Q
26. The Voyager
Jenny Lewis
27. Turn Blue
The Black Keys
28. Syro
Aphex Twin
29. Are We There
Sharon Von Etten
30. What is This Heart?
How to Dress Well
31. Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
Sturgill Simpson
32. Sunbathing Animal
Parquet Courts
33. You're Dead!
Flying Lotus
34. Nikki Nack
Tune-Yards
35. Popular Problems
Leonard Cohen
36. It's Album Time
Todd Terje
37. And Then You Shoot Your Cousin
The Roots
38. Here and Nowhere Else
Cloud Nothings
39. I Never Learn
Lykke Li
40. LP1
FKA Twigs
41. The Endless River
Pink Floyd
42. Seeds
TV on the Radio
43. The Future Void
EMA
44. In Conflict
Owen Pallett
45. Everyday Robots
Damon Albarn
46. Too Bright
Perfume Genius
47. Salad Days
Mac Demarco
48. Ultraviolence
Lana Del Rey
49. Ruins
Grouper
50. Tweedy
Sukierae

51. Everybody Down
Kate Tempest
52. Songs of Innocence
U2
53. G I R L
Pharrell Williams
54. Singles
Future Islands
55. My Krazy Life
YG
56. Ryan Adams
Ryan Adams
57. Ghost Stories
Coldplay
58. Art Official Age
Prince
59. Unrepentant Geraldines
Tori Amos
60. Mess
Liars
61. Plowing into the Field of Love
Iceage
62. Say Yes to Love
Perfect Pussy
63. Strange Desire
Bleachers
64. Everything Will Be Alright in the End
Weezer
65. World Peace is None of Your Business
Morrissey
66. Brill Bruisers
The New Pornographers
67. Give the People What They Want
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
68. The Pinkprint
Nicki Minaj
69. Fuego
Phish
70. Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone
Lucinda Williams
71. Sucker
Charli XCX
72. V
Maroon 5
73. Bad Self Portiats
Lake Street Dive
74. Pinata
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
75. Pom Pom
Ariel Pink
76. Voices
Phantogram
77. Playland
Johnny Marr
78. Tomorrow's Modern Boxes
Thom Yorke
79. Talking is Hard
Walk the Moon
80. Heartleap
Vashti Bunyan
81. El Pinitor
Interpol
82. Broke with Expensive Taste
Azealia Banks
83. Hesitant Alien
Gerard Way
84. Shriek
Wye Oak
85. Nobody's Smiling
Common
86. Wanted on Voyage
George Ezra
87. Lights Out
Ingrid Michelson
88. The Hunting Party
Linkin Park
89. Rips
Ex Hex
90. The Golden Echo
Kimbra
91. Dude Incredible
Shellac
92. The Take Off and Landing of Everything
Elbow
93. My Everything
Ariana Grande
94. Manipulator
Ty Segall
95. Alvvays
Alvvays
96. Our Love
Caribou
97. Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra
98. Four
One Direction
99. Guilty of Everything
Nothing
100. Queen of the Clouds
Tove Lo
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 2014
Ryan's choice - An unheralded great album from 2014
NVM
Tacocat

Brett's choice:
* Ray Elementary
Mulatto Patriot & Simeon Viltz

Lew's choice:
Stay Gold
First Aid Kit
2013   |   2015