With no particular album galvanizing our Top 10 lists, it’s clear 2014 was an anything-goes kind of year for pop music. Songs, in fact, were often strong enough to stand on their own merit. Critics James Reed and Sarah Rodman choose the 10 songs they had in heavy rotation, listed in alphabetical order by artist.
JAMES REED’S PICKS
“This Grave Is My Bed Tonight,” Johnny Aries
“Just One of the Guys,” Jenny Lewis
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“Windows,” Angel Olsen
“Every Time the Sun Comes Up,” Sharon Van Etten
“Kind of . . . Sometimes . . . Maybe,” Jessie Ware
SARAH RODMAN’S PICKS
“Leave It Alone,” Broken Bells
“Bang Bang,” Jessie J with Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj
“Somethin’ Bad,” Miranda Lambert with Carrie Underwood
“Sleep With a Stranger,” Nikki Lane
“All You Can Carry,” Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
“Back to the Shack,” Weezer
“When It Pleases You,” Dan Wilson
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