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2014 Music Hits: Top Songs, Radio Favorites, and Pop Classics

2014 music was a big, bright mix of pop, hip-hop, EDM, movie songs, alternative rock, country crossover, and viral novelty hits. Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams, Iggy Azalea, Sam Smith, Meghan Trainor, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Sia, Idina Menzel, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, and Nicki Minaj helped define a year where radio, YouTube, movie soundtracks, and streaming culture were all fighting for the aux cord.

This PopCultureMadness guide starts with PCM’s Top 10 songs of 2014, then groups more 2014 music hits by style so you can browse the year by sound, mood, and memory. It was the year Frozen would not let go, Pharrell made happiness mandatory, and Taylor Swift shook off country-pop expectations like confetti from a stadium tour.

Quick Answer: What Music Was Popular in 2014?

Popular music in 2014 included pop, dance-pop, EDM, hip-hop, R&B, country-pop, alternative rock, movie soundtrack songs, and viral novelty hits. Songs like Shake It Off, Happy, Fancy, Stay with Me, All About That Bass, Turn Down for What, and Let It Go helped define 2014 music.

Top 10 Songs of 2014

  1. Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
  2. Happy – Pharrell Williams
  3. Fancy – Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX
  4. Stay with Me – Sam Smith
  5. All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor
  6. Turn Down for What – DJ Snake & Lil Jon
  7. Pompeii – Bastille
  8. Bang Bang – Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj
  9. Talk Dirty – Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz
  10. Sing – Ed Sheeran

2014 Music Hits by Style

Beyond the Top 10, 2014 music gets more useful when grouped by style. The year had glossy pop, major EDM records, rap and R&B crossovers, alternative radio hits, country-pop, movie songs, and internet-friendly tracks that became part of the year’s larger pop culture memory.

2014 Pop, Dance-Pop, and Big Radio Hits

Pop music in 2014 was loud, polished, and built for massive choruses. Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams, Meghan Trainor, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Demi Lovato, Jessie J, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, One Direction, and Charlie XCX helped keep radio bright and highly repeatable. This was pop with handclaps, hooks, and enough confidence to walk into any playlist uninvited.

Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
Happy – Pharrell Williams
All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor
Bang Bang – Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj
Sing – Ed Sheeran
Boom Clap – Charli XCX
Really Don’t Care – Demi Lovato featuring Cher Lloyd
Break Free – Ariana Grande featuring Zedd
Best Day of My Life – American Authors
Don’t – Ed Sheeran
Problem – Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea
Maps – Maroon 5
Story of My Life – One Direction
Classic – MKTO
Neon Lights – Demi Lovato
Black Widow – Iggy Azalea featuring Rita Ora
Birthday – Katy Perry
Shower – Becky G
She Looks So Perfect – 5 Seconds of Summer
Cool Kids – Echosmith
Love Never Felt So Good – Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake
You & I – One Direction

2014 Hip-Hop, Rap, and Pop-Rap Favorites

Hip-hop and pop-rap had a strong 2014, especially through Iggy Azalea, Nicki Minaj, Jason Derulo, Eminem, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Kid Ink, Trey Songz, and Chris Brown. Several of the year’s biggest songs blurred the line between pop radio and rap radio. Some were serious, some were clever, and some were mostly here to make the bass work overtime.

Fancy – Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX
Talk Dirty – Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz
Anaconda – Nicki Minaj
Black Widow – Iggy Azalea featuring Rita Ora
The Monster – Eminem featuring Rihanna
Wiggle – Jason Derulo featuring Snoop Dogg
Part II (On the Run) – Jay-Z featuring Beyoncé
Don’t Tell ‘Em – Jeremih featuring YG
Good Kisser – Usher
Drunk in Love – Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z
Na Na – Trey Songz
Headlights – Eminem featuring Nate Ruess
Show Me – Kid Ink featuring Chris Brown

2014 R&B, Soul-Pop, and Big Vocal Songs

R&B and soul-pop gave 2014 some of its biggest emotional moments. Sam Smith, John Legend, Jhené Aiko, Beyoncé, Usher, Ledisi, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and A Great Big World with Christina Aguilera helped balance the year’s louder party songs with smooth vocals and dramatic ballads. This section is where the year slowed down, dimmed the lights, and got serious about feelings.

Stay with Me – Sam Smith
All of Me – John Legend
Latch – Disclosure featuring Sam Smith
The Worst – Jhené Aiko
Say Something – A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera
Human – Christina Perri
I Blame You – Ledisi
Love Never Felt So Good – Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake
Drunk in Love – Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z
Good Kisser – Usher

2014 EDM, Dance, Club, and Electronic Hits

EDM and electronic pop were everywhere in 2014. DJ Snake, Lil Jon, Zedd, Calvin Harris, Avicii, Clean Bandit, Disclosure, Martin Garrix, Tiësto, The Chainsmokers, and Big Data helped give the year its festival-ready sound. If a song had a giant drop, a neon video, or a chorus that sounded like it came with confetti cannons, 2014 probably had room for it.

Turn Down for What – DJ Snake & Lil Jon
Break Free – Ariana Grande featuring Zedd
Rather Be – Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne
Stay the Night – Zedd featuring Hayley Williams
Hey Brother – Avicii
A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
Latch – Disclosure featuring Sam Smith
Summer – Calvin Harris
#Selfie – The Chainsmokers
Animals – Martin Garrix
Dangerous – Big Data featuring Joywave
Red Lights – Tiësto

2014 Alternative, Indie Pop, and Modern Rock Hits

Alternative and indie-pop had a strong presence in 2014, with Bastille, Paramore, Imagine Dragons, Fitz and The Tantrums, Neon Trees, O.A.R., Coldplay, Kongos, The Neighbourhood, The Black Keys, Vampire Weekend, Chvrches, Weezer, and The 1975 all helping shape the year’s rock-adjacent sound. Some tracks were festival-friendly, some were moody, and some sounded like they had already been licensed for three commercials.

Pompeii – Bastille
The Walker – Fitz and The Tantrums
Demons – Imagine Dragons
Sleeping with a Friend – Neon Trees
Ain’t It Fun – Paramore
Peace – O.A.R.
Love Runs Out – OneRepublic
Magic – Coldplay
A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
Riptide – Vance Joy
Come with Me Now – Kongos
Sweater Weather – The Neighbourhood
On Top of the World – Imagine Dragons
Fever – The Black Keys
Girls Chase Boys – Ingrid Michaelson
Unbelievers – Vampire Weekend
I Don’t Want to Be Here Anymore – Rise Against
Out of My League – Fitz and The Tantrums
The Mother We Share – Chvrches
Back to the Shack – Weezer
Dirty Paws – Of Monsters and Men
My Sweet Summer – Dirty Heads
Chocolate – The 1975

2014 Country and Country-Pop Hits

Country and country-pop had plenty of crossover energy in 2014. Florida Georgia Line, Lee Brice, Kenny Chesney, Scotty McCreery, and country-friendly pop production helped keep Nashville sounds visible in the larger pop conversation. Country was still its own world, but the walls were getting shorter and the hooks were getting bigger.

I Don’t Dance – Lee Brice
Dirt – Florida Georgia Line
This Is How We Roll – Florida Georgia Line featuring Luke Bryan
Feelin’ It – Scotty McCreery
American Kids – Kenny Chesney

2014 Movie, Soundtrack, and Pop Culture Favorites

Soundtracks were a major part of 2014 music. Frozen turned Let It Go into a cultural avalanche, while The Fault in Our Stars helped give Boom Clap a major pop moment. The soundtrack lane was strong enough that parents, kids, and radio programmers were all hearing the same songs — sometimes against their will.

Let It Go – Idina Menzel
Do You Want to Build a Snowman? – Kristen Bell
Boom Clap – Charli XCX
All of Me – John Legend
Happy – Pharrell Williams

2014 Viral Hits, Novelty Songs, and Internet Favorites

2014 had several songs that became bigger because of online culture, memes, viral video, or sheer repeat exposure. #Selfie captured the social-media moment almost too well, while songs like Turn Down for What, Happy, Let It Go, and All About That Bass seemed to follow people everywhere. The year was catchy, sometimes relentlessly so. Earworms had tenure.

#Selfie – The Chainsmokers
Turn Down for What – DJ Snake & Lil Jon
Happy – Pharrell Williams
Let It Go – Idina Menzel
All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor
Anaconda – Nicki Minaj
Fancy – Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX

How PopCultureMadness Looks at 2014 Music

PopCultureMadness looks at 2014 music through chart activity, radio presence, streaming and download momentum, soundtrack importance, viral spread, cultural memory, and long-term trivia value. Some songs dominated official charts, some became movie memories, some became internet moments, and some became inescapable background music for the year.

PCM’s 2014 Top 100 Music Hits Chart

  1. Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
  2. Happy – Pharrell Williams
  3. Fancy – Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX
  4. Stay with Me – Sam Smith
  5. All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor
  6. Turn Down for What – DJ Snake & Lil Jon
  7. Pompeii – Bastille
  8. Bang Bang – Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj
  9. Talk Dirty – Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz
  10. Sing – Ed Sheeran
  11. Chandelier – Sia
  12. Let It Go – Idina Menzel
  13. Boom Clap – Charli XCX
  14. Really Don’t Care – Demi Lovato featuring Cher Lloyd
  15. Break Free – Ariana Grande featuring Zedd
  16. Best Day of My Life – American Authors
  17. Don’t – Ed Sheeran
  18. The Walker – Fitz and The Tantrums
  19. Rather Be – Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne
  20. Problem – Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea
  21. Maps – Maroon 5
  22. Story of My Life – One Direction
  23. Classic – MKTO
  24. Demons – Imagine Dragons
  25. Sleeping with a Friend – Neon Trees
  26. Ain’t It Fun – Paramore
  27. Peace – O.A.R.
  28. Me and My Broken Heart – Rixton
  29. Habits (Stay High) – Tove Lo
  30. Move – Little Mix
  31. Stay the Night – Zedd featuring Hayley Williams
  32. Love Runs Out – OneRepublic
  33. Am I Wrong? – Nico & Vinz
  34. Magic – Coldplay
  35. Hey Brother – Avicii
  36. Neon Lights – Demi Lovato
  37. A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
  38. Latch – Disclosure featuring Sam Smith
  39. Riptide – Vance Joy
  40. I Don’t Dance – Lee Brice
  41. Anaconda – Nicki Minaj
  42. Summer – Calvin Harris
  43. All of Me – John Legend
  44. Come with Me Now – Kongos
  45. Black Widow – Iggy Azalea featuring Rita Ora
  46. The Monster – Eminem featuring Rihanna
  47. Animals – Maroon 5
  48. Wiggle – Jason Derulo featuring Snoop Dogg
  49. Do What U Want – Lady Gaga featuring R. Kelly
  50. Dark Horse – Katy Perry featuring Juicy J
  51. Not a Bad Thing – Justin Timberlake
  52. #Selfie – The Chainsmokers
  53. The Worst – Jhené Aiko
  54. Birthday – Katy Perry
  55. Team – Lorde
  56. Shower – Becky G
  57. Sweater Weather – The Neighbourhood
  58. Part II (On the Run) – Jay-Z featuring Beyoncé
  59. Dirt – Florida Georgia Line
  60. Counting Stars – OneRepublic
  61. Bailando – Enrique Iglesias featuring Descemer Bueno
  62. On Top of the World – Imagine Dragons
  63. Say Something – A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera
  64. Fever – The Black Keys
  65. Can’t Remember to Forget You – Shakira featuring Rihanna
  66. She Looks So Perfect – 5 Seconds of Summer
  67. Cool Kids – Echosmith
  68. Human – Christina Perri
  69. This Is How We Roll – Florida Georgia Line featuring Luke Bryan
  70. Girls Chase Boys – Ingrid Michaelson
  71. Unbelievers – Vampire Weekend
  72. I Don’t Want to Be Here Anymore – Rise Against
  73. Out of My League – Fitz and The Tantrums
  74. Don’t Tell ‘Em – Jeremih featuring YG
  75. Adore You – Miley Cyrus
  76. Raging Fire – Phillip Phillips
  77. Dangerous – Big Data featuring Joywave
  78. Good Kisser – Usher
  79. The Man – Aloe Blacc
  80. Amnesia – 5 Seconds of Summer
  81. The Mother We Share – Chvrches
  82. Empire – Shakira
  83. Heaven Knows – The Pretty Reckless
  84. Back to the Shack – Weezer
  85. Back Home – Andy Grammer
  86. I Blame You – Ledisi
  87. Love Never Felt So Good – Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake
  88. Feelin’ It – Scotty McCreery
  89. Drunk in Love – Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z
  90. Na Na – Trey Songz
  91. Dirty Paws – Of Monsters and Men
  92. My Sweet Summer – Dirty Heads
  93. Chocolate – The 1975
  94. You & I – One Direction
  95. Animals – Martin Garrix
  96. American Kids – Kenny Chesney
  97. Do You Want to Build a Snowman? – Kristen Bell
  98. Headlights – Eminem featuring Nate Ruess
  99. Show Me – Kid Ink featuring Chris Brown
  100. Red Lights – Tiësto