The Best Music Of 2014 NPR Music's end-of-year podcasts, music lists and essays.
The Best Music Of 2014

The Best Music of 2014

Members of Unconscious Collective getting ready for ritualistic jazz-rock battle. Ginger Berry/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ginger Berry/Courtesy of the artist

Viking's Choice: The Year In The Loud And The Weird

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Tinashe, whose hit "2 On" was produced by DJ Mustard, performs on stage in December. Emmerson/Corbis hide caption

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Emmerson/Corbis

Top 10 Top 40 For 2014

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Wadada Leo Smith finished second in the NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll, separated by only 12 points from surprise winner Steve Lehman. Scott Groller/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Scott Groller/Courtesy of the artist

In 2014, Alt.Latino listeners loved the L.A. band Chicano Batman. Itzel Alejandra Martinez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Itzel Alejandra Martinez/Courtesy of the artist

The Best Of 2014: Alt.Latino Listeners' Picks

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Clockwise from upper left: Spoon, Sharon Van Etten, St. Vincent, Future Islands, Flying Lotus. Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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Courtesy of the artists

Poll Results: Listeners Pick Their Favorite Albums Of 2014

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Elizabeth Grant is better known by her stage name, Lana Del Rey. Neil Krug/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Neil Krug/Courtesy of the artist

Ken Tucker's Top 9 Albums Of 2014, Plus A Book

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Beyonce's performance during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards in August included clips of a speech about feminism by author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Kevin Winter/MTV1415/Getty Images for MTV hide caption

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Kevin Winter/MTV1415/Getty Images for MTV

In 2014, Pop Followed Beyonce's Lead

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