2014 was a very intense year, filled with random music news and lots of unexpected surprises. From Taylor Swift‘s Shake it Off and the whole 1989 Spotify drama, Lecrae making it to #1 Billboard 200 and Thrice hinting they might come back next year! #Thrice2015 to Anberlin saying goodbye with an awesome release called Lowborn.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMHr2EOeGag[/youtube]

We saw quite a few “Take me to church” songs… and maybe I’m the only one that likes Sinead O’ Connor‘s more. Kye Kye released a fine album called Fantasize, Dustin Kensrue‘s Modern Post released a great Christmas album and P.O.D. released the Acoustic SoCal Sessions!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMzY_KQIKjU[/youtube]

Since I started to think about the writing of this article, I knew I didn’t want to do a list. It was just not the right thing to do this year… the whole figuring out what goes first and last, etc didn’t feel right. I strongly believe music is not about competing but to share and touch hearts with it. So that’s why I’m just mentioning bands and songs in no particular order.

Oh! another great song I almost didn’t mention: Beartooth – Beating In Lips.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCESufY8hMc[/youtube]

I also discovered a lot of bands that help me make my year: Safemode, Grand Trunk Travellers, Caravan Cult, Bob K, Andy Planck, Simon Walther, Messenger and Linus Brag, Hanna Fearns and her album “Sentimental Bones“, Senekah, Jess McAllister, Peter Crawford, One Known Interpret, the duo Boy, and the whole Songs & Whispers, Katalyst and JONO rosters.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdEtnQfAR2Y[/youtube] [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6FQ_cOnbnk[/youtube]

Songs and releases not from 2014 but were discovered this year and/or were on heavy rotation on my playlist are: Boy – Little Numbers: What an awesome song, it puts me on a good mood almost all the time. Safemode – Another Day Will Haunt You, Last Push and pretty much all their Gold Digger EP. The Ember Days‘s Make it Alright made it back from last year’s list and never stopped playing on my speakers.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsyjS_vJfkw[/youtube]

I played a lot of Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U, which deserves a spot here! What an awesome game. Other good mentions are the beautiful Child of Light, which soundtrack was composed by Cœur de Pirate, Mario 3D World and Pixel Art. I have yet to play Super Smash Bros. but I’m sure it’s great :). TV wise The Walking Dead had a great season, I still need to see Doctor Who with Peter Capaldi, and I’m very excited about Downton Abbey newest season 🙂 A bid farewell to Craig Fergurson from the Late Late Show and Stephen Colbert from his report.

Coming back to music but keeping the visual part of it, I believe videos are a great way to put emotion to your lyrics and melodies. Today, Twenty One Pilots released their video for Ode To Sleep and it easily made it into this. Such and inspiration and just what I needed at the end this year. Enjoy:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OnO3UXFZdE[/youtube]

On the local scene I want to give props to Get In the Ark as they released a video for their single Boxcar. Watch out for this guys, they are so good. Fever Fever released a great album called Aftermath and were signed with Slospeak Records!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIwgUuYi35c[/youtube]

To Kill a Monster released a great album too!: This One’s For You. Other bands I want to give shouts out: Heather Evans, Ever Burning Bright, Keyoung, Graceful Closure, Taking the Hourglass, JT Hillier, Make Shift, Mike Wojniak, Watching for Foxes, 424, Exegesis, Again, Phillip Fox Band, Hide In The Shallows, Hunter Dumped Us Here, Mike Mains & The Branches, Twin Forks, Hidden Hospitals, Fresh Palms (The Yoshi remix is awesome!), Lost Orchards, Samuel Powers, Stillglow, Brian Skeel, Kevin Schlereth, Carta Magna, Islander and Anderson Cale. Most released great albums too!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXdTOPvoHBA[/youtube]

Lastly, I usually wouldn’t do this, but since this is not a list I think is ok to mention it as part of my highlights. My band The Castros released an album called “My Dear” in Europe, and our friend Dane Hendren made a video 🙂 So I’d like to share it with you guys.

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/103517674[/vimeo]

Thanks again for reading this! I’m sure I missed a lot of things, a lot of bands and releases. Feel free to add your highlights!

May you have a blessed 2015!

-Marco