1. Taylor Swift Sort Took Over The World… Again.
We all knew this was coming… Taylor normally releases her albums in two-year intervals so by everyone’s great maths skills, Red was released in 2012 so surely we would see another Taylor album in 2014. Taylor delivered easily the most popular, best album of 2014 (by far my favourite). Every single song on this album is a potential follow up single to two of the best and most downloaded singles of the year “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space”. “Clean” and “How You Get The Girl” are two standouts but the whole album is pure gold. This album has left me craving more musical goodness from the queen of pop herself (sorry Ariana Grande).
Highlight Of The Artists Year: The blank space music video, the three Grammy nominations & 1.2 million album sales in one freaking week!
2. Sam Smith Became A BIG Thing.
Sam Smith was easily my favourite male artist of 2014. He became a household name after everyone discovered "Stay With Me" but that song wasn’t even the gem of his album. Finally he released “Not The Only One” which is by far the best on the album…. His voice is one of the best of 2014 and he can only get better in 2015. I’m already craving more music from hopefully a Grammy winning artist. I am in awe of you Sam Smith!
Highlight Of The Artists Year: The freaking Grammy nomination!!!
3. Betty Who’s Debut Album Was A Thing….
Personally my favourite breakout artist of the year released one of the top five pop albums of the year. Nearly every song on the album was an infectious pop song that could easily blow up the charts and the remaining songs were major ballads that show off her incredible vocal range. My personal favourites on the album are “Dreaming About You”, “Just Like Me” and “All Of You”. She also owns one of my personal favourite lyrics of all time, which is “Waiting for you to come around is like waiting for rain in a year long drought, but when it rains it pours and you drown me out all alone again.” Betty Who is my artist to watch for 2015 and I hope she’s a household name before December 2015.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: Opening for Katy Perry in Australia and releasing All Of You as a single.
4. Hilary Duff Made A Comeback….
So everyone’s childhood queen Lizzie McGuire aka Hilary Duff finally made her long awaited return to the spotlight with two infectious songs “Chasing The Sun” and “All About You”. All About You became particularly popular in Australia after Hilary performed it on The X Factor. Both songs are incredibly catchy and were a perfect comeback for the person who slayed my life when I was like nine.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: I think Hilary and I would agree that when she stepped on stage for her X Factor performance and the entire crowd started singing “Hey Now, Hey Now this is what dreams are made of”. She looked like she was about to cry, and I nearly cried too.
5. Everyone Found Out How Great The 1975 Are….
Everyone in Australia and the world started to take notice in the band famous for Chocolate (once again an album where the lead single is not the best song). Gigs all over Australia in July sold out in thirty seconds flat, even though a lot of the audience were teenage girls trying to show their “hipster side”. Even though their album was released in 2013, it still continues to be constantly beaming through my speakers, even sixteen months since it was first released. “Heart Out” and “Milk” are my favourites on the album.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: The “Robbers” music video (if there was a Grammy for best video, not doubt that The 1975 would get it)
6. The Vamps Debut Album Showed What Boys In Bands Really Should Do.
The Vamps are one of the most talked about bands this year (other than 5 seconds of summer) and are one of the best. Most people are a sucker for catchy pop tunes and there’s no doubt that Bradley, James, Connor and Tristan deliver these in their infectious debut album "Meet The Vamps" which deserves so much more recognition than it got. They’re one of the rare acoustic driven pop bands in the spotlight and it’s refreshing to see real, young bands still around not just manufactured boybands. Their album is full of acoustic driven pop songs which every person from five to fifty can enjoy. “On The Floor” and “She Was The One” are proper standouts.
Highlight Of The Year: When Wild Heart was released as a single.
7. Nick Jonas’ Sexy Comeback.
Nick Jonas’ single “Jealous” hasn’t reached its high in Australia yet but I don’t doubt that it will. It is an infectious pop tune that has vocals in the chorus to rival those of Justin Timberlake. He only really caught attention after “that photo shoot” but his album was ALMOST as good as the photo shoot. Watch out 2015, Nick Jonas is coming.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: THAT photo shoot!!
8. Happy Was Knocked Off #1 By An Australian Band.
I’m a sucker for any Australian band who has a crack at the charts and Sheppard is no different. I was introduced to the song Geronimo in December 2013 and knew it was going to be one of the best songs of 2014 but I had no idea that it would eventually make waves in America (THEY PLAYED ELLEN!!) And finally knock off one of the worst songs from this year (Happy by Pharrell) from becoming the longest running Australian #1 song. Sheppard definitely deserved Group Of The Year over 5 Seconds Of Summer at the 2014 Aria Awards.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: Watching Sheppard play The Ellen Show in The USA.
9. Chase Atlantic’s EP Was The Best Independent Release in 2014.
Chase Atlantic are one of the freshest faces and least known bands of 2014. Their debut EP Dalliancè is easily my favourite EP released with every song being something to jam to in the car. Maybe I’m being biased because I have a crush on one of the members but they have released 2 of my top 20 favourite songs of 2014 (Anchor Tattoo & Run Away). I really hope they become more of a thing next year and I’m sure they’ll release more great music next year. (also they are all very cute!!!!)
Highlight Of The Artists Year: The Anchor Tattoo Video.
10. Troye Sivan’s EP Was The Best Release Of Anything By A Youtuber.
Troye Sivan was one of the most talked about up and coming artists after his debut single “Happy Little Pill” was blasted over radio across the entire planet. A lot of Youtubers success purely comes from a large fan base because of the content posted online and sometimes just how attractive the person is but Troye Sivan does not fit into that category. He was one of the first Youtube personalities this year to make the leap into a genuine music career and he was by far the best. I believe he would’ve been just as successful without the popularity of the “Spud” movies and his online following. I am definitely keen for some new music from one of my favourite music and online personalities.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: Happy Little Pill going Gold in Australia.
We all knew this was coming… Taylor normally releases her albums in two-year intervals so by everyone’s great maths skills, Red was released in 2012 so surely we would see another Taylor album in 2014. Taylor delivered easily the most popular, best album of 2014 (by far my favourite). Every single song on this album is a potential follow up single to two of the best and most downloaded singles of the year “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space”. “Clean” and “How You Get The Girl” are two standouts but the whole album is pure gold. This album has left me craving more musical goodness from the queen of pop herself (sorry Ariana Grande).
Highlight Of The Artists Year: The blank space music video, the three Grammy nominations & 1.2 million album sales in one freaking week!
2. Sam Smith Became A BIG Thing.
Sam Smith was easily my favourite male artist of 2014. He became a household name after everyone discovered "Stay With Me" but that song wasn’t even the gem of his album. Finally he released “Not The Only One” which is by far the best on the album…. His voice is one of the best of 2014 and he can only get better in 2015. I’m already craving more music from hopefully a Grammy winning artist. I am in awe of you Sam Smith!
Highlight Of The Artists Year: The freaking Grammy nomination!!!
3. Betty Who’s Debut Album Was A Thing….
Personally my favourite breakout artist of the year released one of the top five pop albums of the year. Nearly every song on the album was an infectious pop song that could easily blow up the charts and the remaining songs were major ballads that show off her incredible vocal range. My personal favourites on the album are “Dreaming About You”, “Just Like Me” and “All Of You”. She also owns one of my personal favourite lyrics of all time, which is “Waiting for you to come around is like waiting for rain in a year long drought, but when it rains it pours and you drown me out all alone again.” Betty Who is my artist to watch for 2015 and I hope she’s a household name before December 2015.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: Opening for Katy Perry in Australia and releasing All Of You as a single.
4. Hilary Duff Made A Comeback….
So everyone’s childhood queen Lizzie McGuire aka Hilary Duff finally made her long awaited return to the spotlight with two infectious songs “Chasing The Sun” and “All About You”. All About You became particularly popular in Australia after Hilary performed it on The X Factor. Both songs are incredibly catchy and were a perfect comeback for the person who slayed my life when I was like nine.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: I think Hilary and I would agree that when she stepped on stage for her X Factor performance and the entire crowd started singing “Hey Now, Hey Now this is what dreams are made of”. She looked like she was about to cry, and I nearly cried too.
5. Everyone Found Out How Great The 1975 Are….
Everyone in Australia and the world started to take notice in the band famous for Chocolate (once again an album where the lead single is not the best song). Gigs all over Australia in July sold out in thirty seconds flat, even though a lot of the audience were teenage girls trying to show their “hipster side”. Even though their album was released in 2013, it still continues to be constantly beaming through my speakers, even sixteen months since it was first released. “Heart Out” and “Milk” are my favourites on the album.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: The “Robbers” music video (if there was a Grammy for best video, not doubt that The 1975 would get it)
6. The Vamps Debut Album Showed What Boys In Bands Really Should Do.
The Vamps are one of the most talked about bands this year (other than 5 seconds of summer) and are one of the best. Most people are a sucker for catchy pop tunes and there’s no doubt that Bradley, James, Connor and Tristan deliver these in their infectious debut album "Meet The Vamps" which deserves so much more recognition than it got. They’re one of the rare acoustic driven pop bands in the spotlight and it’s refreshing to see real, young bands still around not just manufactured boybands. Their album is full of acoustic driven pop songs which every person from five to fifty can enjoy. “On The Floor” and “She Was The One” are proper standouts.
Highlight Of The Year: When Wild Heart was released as a single.
7. Nick Jonas’ Sexy Comeback.
Nick Jonas’ single “Jealous” hasn’t reached its high in Australia yet but I don’t doubt that it will. It is an infectious pop tune that has vocals in the chorus to rival those of Justin Timberlake. He only really caught attention after “that photo shoot” but his album was ALMOST as good as the photo shoot. Watch out 2015, Nick Jonas is coming.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: THAT photo shoot!!
8. Happy Was Knocked Off #1 By An Australian Band.
I’m a sucker for any Australian band who has a crack at the charts and Sheppard is no different. I was introduced to the song Geronimo in December 2013 and knew it was going to be one of the best songs of 2014 but I had no idea that it would eventually make waves in America (THEY PLAYED ELLEN!!) And finally knock off one of the worst songs from this year (Happy by Pharrell) from becoming the longest running Australian #1 song. Sheppard definitely deserved Group Of The Year over 5 Seconds Of Summer at the 2014 Aria Awards.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: Watching Sheppard play The Ellen Show in The USA.
9. Chase Atlantic’s EP Was The Best Independent Release in 2014.
Chase Atlantic are one of the freshest faces and least known bands of 2014. Their debut EP Dalliancè is easily my favourite EP released with every song being something to jam to in the car. Maybe I’m being biased because I have a crush on one of the members but they have released 2 of my top 20 favourite songs of 2014 (Anchor Tattoo & Run Away). I really hope they become more of a thing next year and I’m sure they’ll release more great music next year. (also they are all very cute!!!!)
Highlight Of The Artists Year: The Anchor Tattoo Video.
10. Troye Sivan’s EP Was The Best Release Of Anything By A Youtuber.
Troye Sivan was one of the most talked about up and coming artists after his debut single “Happy Little Pill” was blasted over radio across the entire planet. A lot of Youtubers success purely comes from a large fan base because of the content posted online and sometimes just how attractive the person is but Troye Sivan does not fit into that category. He was one of the first Youtube personalities this year to make the leap into a genuine music career and he was by far the best. I believe he would’ve been just as successful without the popularity of the “Spud” movies and his online following. I am definitely keen for some new music from one of my favourite music and online personalities.
Highlight Of The Artists Year: Happy Little Pill going Gold in Australia.