The Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2014

The Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2014

In the following few paragraphs, I take a look at the worst year of the 2010s for the Hot 100 and try to salvage some quality.

(this list was originally created on July 5, 2021)

Hey guys, welcome back to Fire's Flaming Hot Takes. Today, we have another list, this time we’re looking at the top 10 best hit songs of 2014!

So if you guys saw my worst list for this year, you guys know my assertion that 2014 was a terrible year for the Hot 100, by far the worst of the decade. It was the awkward transition year between the club boom and trap’s rise to dominance, so bland pop was what dominated this year. The bland pop that became the most annoying and overplayed big hits. And when you try turning to other genres, hip hop was mainly dominated by generic DJ Mustard beats, and country had one of its best showings on the Hot 100 this decade, only for what dominated the country scene to be the generic and annoying bro-country. Add all of these together, and 2014 was trash for the Hot 100.

But that said, 2014 did have a few good qualities. The highs of this year are fantastic. While the club boom had pretty much died out at this point, I was able to find some electropop for this list and even some of DJ Mustard’s generic productions had a few gems for this list.

That is where my praise ends for this year though, because overall, there were only 40 songs on the year-end list - including 2013 repeats - that were in my “decent tier” or higher. And something to note, a decent chunk of the songs that made this list were originally released in 2013 but didn’t become hits until 2014. If that’s not the most glaring indictment of the quality of pop music in 2014 then I don’t know what is. Still, I wouldn’t be able to make this list if I couldn’t defend the songs on this list, so as a reminder of the rule, the song must have debuted on the year-end Hot 100 list for 2014 to qualify - there were 4 2013 repeats that would’ve definitely made this list otherwise, but whether they’ll be able to make it for sure will be reserved for when I look at 2013 - so it’s time to see if I can salvage some quality in this awful mess of a year, starting with our honorable mentions!

HM #1: American Authors - Best Day Of My Life (YE: #31, PEAK: #11)

I know that I’m in the minority in liking this song, and while I do still like it, the fact that this ended up in my honorable mentions goes to show about the quality of 2014’s pop music. Of course, this song is mainly targeted at commercials, and thus can get subject to overplay quickly, but as it is, it’s fun, positive, and upbeat. I’ll take it.

HM #2: Eminem f/Rihanna - The Monster (YE: #16, PEAK: #1)

Eminem and Rihanna are teaming up once again, this time collaborating on a song that deals with the pressure of fame and the “monster” being the inner critic that you have in yourself. It isn’t a “Love The Way You Lie” by any means, and I do wish Rihanna could’ve belted a bit more in the chorus to match the whole vibe of “the monster” being there, but the catchy production does more than enough to pull it into my honorable mentions, great work guys.

HM #3: 5 Seconds Of Summer - She Looks So Perfect (YE: #93, PEAK: #24)

Here we have the closest we could get to rock in the top 40 on the Hot 100. “She Looks So Perfect” has the pop punk energy that 5SOS suits really damn well and a kickass Hard Rock riff in the chorus. Yes, of course, some of the lyrics are silly and a bit ridiculous - I’m looking at you, American Apparel underwear - but that said, this is great, love the energy here.

HM #4: DJ Snake f/Lil Jon - Turn Down For What (YE: #15, PEAK: #4)

I never thought I would like a song where there are literally only 12 different words in it, but here we are with this banger. DJ Snake’s production builds up really damn well into the chorus where the drop genuinely bangs, and Lil Jon’s screaming actually adds intensity against the drop. Great song, check it out if you’re still curious.

HM #5: 5 Seconds Of Summer - Amnesia (YE: #86, PEAK: #16)

And we’re back to 5SOS, with their other hit from this year. While I do think “She Looks So Perfect” does have the better production, its cringey lyrics dialed it back for me and kept it from the list proper. “Amnesia”, on the other hand, is a break-up song that comes from a place of innocence, which really makes this song connect better with the listener. Not to mention the melody in this song is also amazing. That said, I do wish it built up a bit more throughout, but otherwise, great song.

HM #6: Rixton - Me And My Broken Heart (YE: #70, PEAK: #14)

Okay, I get it. It’s so obviously a Maroon 5 ripoff. But honestly I like this song more than Maroon 5’s two hits this year. The vocals are quite charming and the song is catchy. Really good stuff.

HM #7: Tinashe f/Schoolboy Q - 2 On (YE: #65, PEAK: #24)

I’ve gone on and on in my worst list about DJ Mustard’s repetitive production which plagued most of the Hot 100 this year, but if you want a song where that production actually worked, it’s “2 On”, an electropop R&B song about wanting to be super hyped up. Tinashe actually sounds really damn good on this song, and the bass on this song is fantastic too. This song is one of the best Mustard productions on this year-end, coming close was “Don’t Tell ‘Em” by Jeremih which was a pretty close cut. I do wish Tinashe scored more hits after this, but I’m glad we at least got this one.

That’s a nice start, now for the list proper!

10...I’ll admit, my relationship with this song is complicated. When I first heard it, I loved it, then I steadily grew to dislike it as me personally overplaying it led me to getting burned on it fast, but now in 2021, I think it’s safe to say that this is a great track that deserved its critical acclaim and success...

10. A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera - Say Something (YE: #17, PEAK: #4)

I think what still turns a lot of people off of this song is the bare bones composition combined with Christina Aguilera’s powerful belting. This shouldn’t work at all, right? Well, that’s the trick that comes with a fantastic instrumental and well done mixing. The melody on this song is fantastic and absolutely soars in the final chorus. And both A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera have great voices, which on a bare bones song like this, is just what it needs. Even if I will argue that A Great Big World’s solo version is better - despite my praise for Christina’s voice she oversells this song a little too much - this is a great song. Glad this was a hit.

9...This is definitely one of the more questionable picks for this list. Almost as questionable as putting another one of her songs that arguably has gotten better received as time passed on my worst list for this year. But I don’t plan on simply bowing down to the popular opinion, so let me make my case...

9. Katy Perry f/Juicy J - Dark Horse (YE: #2, PEAK: #1)

Getting the obvious criticisms out of the way, the metaphor “coming at you like a dark horse” makes it clear to the listener that Katy Perry does not know what a dark horse is. But honestly aside from that, I really like this song. The production is really cool, the pitch shifting present throughout the song is not done so much to the point that it is annoying, and there is some great buildup in the chorus. Admittedly, I do feel that the chorus is building up more and more rather than that itself being the climax, so I ended up expecting to hear more buildup afterward. The beat is quite enticing though, and overall this is a great song.

8...This song ended up higher for me than I was expecting it to. Because I always really liked it, but I didn’t realize that I loved this song as much as I did until relistening to it for this list. I do love this though, and thus...

8. Nico & Vinz - Am I Wrong (YE: #14, PEAK: #4)

I love the production on “Am I Wrong”. The afrobeat influences present throughout are a nice touch to an already really amazing melody. The guitars and the airy melodies sound really damn good. And I like the lyrics and the delivery too. The song is about wanting to have an opinion of your own, and asking the question “am I wrong for thinking this?” And the vocals sell this as well, there is genuine earnestness in the vocals, that when riding the production works really well. And while I’m certain Nico & Vinz will not be getting another hit, I’m glad this one was a hit. Amazing song.

7...I honestly don’t have an intro for this song. Let’s just go right ahead...

7. Bastille - Pompeii (YE: #12, PEAK: #5)

And here we got Bastille’s first of their two Hot 100 year-end hits, and I love them both. Dan Smith’s vocals are really powerful on “Pompeii” and the backing vocals in the chorus really create the vibe of being larger-than-life. The harmonies are fantastic and there are many epic crescendos. There really isn’t that much I can say about this song, and it is one where I have a little more difficulty in explaining why I like it as much as I do, but it’s stellar nonetheless and I don’t think I would change anything about it.

6...If you want to feel old, let it sink in that it’s been almost 8 years since Frozen was released. Yes, It’s been that long since this song was the phenomenon from this movie that got every little kid singing to the max. I’ll admit that back then I joined the hate bandwagon for this song because of how ridiculously overplayed it was, but things have changed a lot in 8 years...

6. Idina Menzel - Let It Go (YE: #21, PEAK: #5)

To this day, I still find it insane that this song had so much impact everywhere. It’s insane to me that this was a Hot 100 year-end hit. But it’s success is absolutely well-deserved. It’s not even my favorite song from the movie - “Do You Wanna Build A Snowman” puts up some competition in that vein - but “Let It Go” is an amazing song that works stunningly well. Idina Menzel’s vocals are really good, especially when she starts to belt in the final chorus as the orchestral work continues to build up throughout. There was a reason this song caught on with everyone in such a huge manner. And who says I can’t enjoy a modern Disney classic?

5...So time to talk about Sia. Her biggest hit was “Cheap Thrills” in 2016...which was a ridiculously overplayed song that never recovered from said overplay and even 5 years later I change channels on it. Now, if you want the Sia song that has stood the test of time and still sounds as incredible as it did back then...

5. Sia - Chandelier (YE: #25, PEAK: #8)

Every single time I listen to this song I still get blown away by how powerful and incredible this is. The song starts off with Sia singing rather lazily across the beat to symbolize coming back from a party while drunk, then the slow buildup in the prechorus, right into that chorus that absolutely blows me away every time I hear it. Sia belts fantastically as the soaring synthesizers and the percussion really pick up. Sia switches from her chest voice to her falsetto fantastically, her belting still gives me chills every single time, she is a vocal powerhouse. And once the chorus ends and we get the prechorus, the instrumental still goes strong, and Sia dies her vocal performance down. It’s a beautiful effect of a buildup into the climax and the falling action is done so beautifully. This has managed to stand the test of time, and every single listen brings in the same amount of power, this is a fantastic song.

4...This song ended up being an “oh, this song” moment for me when going through the year-end list. I remember hearing this song so much at the time, but I never knew the name until revisiting this list. And I’m glad I rediscovered this song, because it’s really damn good...

4. Zedd f/Hayley Williams - Stay The Night (YE: #94, PEAK: #18)

I think Hayley Williams has proved that she is able to sing over any production fantastically. This song is certainly one such example of that. It’s an electro house song that might sound a bit like “Clarity”, and while I do like it I always found Hayley’s vocals on this song to be better than Foxes’ on “Clarity”. The entire song is really dreamy, starting in the piano notes, with the beat coming in, and then this is where my critical, objective mindset is short-circuited because I do have a major weak spot for EDM songs in this lane. This does its job perfectly for me, fantastic work Zedd and Hayley.

3...Oh shut up...

3. Becky G - Shower (YE: #69, PEAK: #16)

Well, let me start off by saying that the “Call Me Maybe” comparisons are very easy to bring up. But honestly, I think this song is way better than “Call Me Maybe”. For starters, Becky G was actually a teenager at the time of making this song, so the framing this song has connects a lot better than “Call Me Maybe” which despite being catchy was super cheesy which diminishes any “connection” I could potentially have had with that song. “Shower” is about being young and in love, and it does its job really well. On a production level it works too, the strings arrangement is an earworm, and it stands out a lot in the chorus as well. It’s insanely melodic, the flutes on the bridge are really good, and the crescendos are amazing. It’s also when my nostalgia for this will boost it up a good bit on the list. “Shower” is way better than it has any right to be, and even if Becky G is no longer making teen pop, I’m fine with this, it’s an amazing song.

2...I’ve found out over the years that I like One Direction more than I think anybody else does. From their cheesy yet very nostalgic “What Makes You Beautiful” to their swan song “Perfect”, I’ve tended to like all their singles. And people tend to point to “Night Changes” from 2015 as the point of maturity for One Direction, but while I do love “Night Changes”, if you want the real point of maturity for these guys...

2. One Direction - Story Of My Life (YE: #24, PEAK: #6)

As I’ve said, I am a fan of One Direction’s more nostalgic, fun bops like “What Makes You Beautiful”, but I never felt that they showcased their full talent. “Story Of My Life” proves that One Direction has genuine talent, where all their vocals come from a very emotional place across the acoustic instrumental that is developed enough where it doesn’t feel underweight but not too much to the point of feeling overdone. And really, their vocals are fantastic on this song as they go through the cycle of being in a tumultuous relationship and breaking up in the end, where they look back on the memories they’ve created together, the story they’ve created. It’s a beautifully well-done song, and I’m so glad this was a hit.

1...So as I mentioned at the beginning, 2014 was after the club boom died out but before trap got its full rise to dominance, so this was an odd transitional year. However, there was one song this year that you could possibly argue was from the club boom and I wouldn’t blame you. It has all the electropop energy and personality that the best hits from the club boom had. And right when I was going through this list, I knew for a fact that this song would be what topped it, because as I’ve said before, the amount of nostalgia I have towards a song will greatly influence its position, and this song in particular strikes a very nostalgic chord for me. And in a year as weak as 2014, this song was appreciated, and stands out from the rest...

1. Ellie Goulding - Burn (YE: #39, PEAK: #13)

I would argue that “Burn” is one of the last traces of the club boom from the beginning of the decade. And given how I grew up in that time period it’s no surprise that “Burn” resonates with me more. But honestly I think it’s better than the vast majority of hits from the club boom for reasons that go beyond the fact that it stands out from the rest in a weak year for the Hot 100. This song was originally actually supposed to be for Leona Lewis, and Ellie Goulding is a much better fit because Lewis would end up overselling this song. Ellie’s voice, however, is perfect for this explosive electropop production. Speaking of which, the explosive production has so much personality and helps this song become much bigger than it would be. There are buildups everywhere and each section almost feels stronger than the previous one. The repetition of the word “burn” actually works in this song's favor because the explosive production almost gains more momentum as each “burn” comes in with more and more power. And I also have to bring up the bells that first appear in the first chorus of the song, ringing that enormous nostalgic chord for me and generally sounding fantastic. These bells come into play in the bridge, where Ellie starts singing “we could light it up up up so they can’t put it out out out” and the bells and the production start building up into the final chorus where for a moment it looks like it can’t get any better...until the adrenaline all lets loose for the final chorus, and then the bells ring in the outro, making the listener want to experience it all again. The nostalgic chord this song rings is the pure emotion of happiness and confidence. The entire song is an adrenaline rush, and as soon as the first “burn” comes in your body rushes with adrenaline. This sensation is felt for the rest of the song and for that brief shining moment you feel like you can do anything, you might be alone but you feel powerful, you gain that confidence, you gain that happiness, and as the song starts fading away, you just walk away feeling satisfied. And given how many times I’ve played this song at this point and this sensation is practically always the same, it was a clear contender for my #1 from the get go. “Burn” by Ellie Goulding is the best hit song of 2014, and a song that I will forever adore and hold close to my heart for the rest of my life. This fire is still burning strong 7 years later.

So...2014 was a pretty bad year for the Hot 100, however, the highs from this year stood out vastly compared with the rest of the songs. The gems this year are absolutely fantastic, though it is a shame that they are associated with this year. The next year I plan on looking back on is 2011, and I have a lot of things to say about 2011, but in a different way than 2014, that’s for sure.