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

itoggle caption Ginger Berry/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

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

In 2014, two monoliths of heavy music found a new way to be heavy, a Thai psych band made one of the most transcendent records of the year and three dudes in body paint channeled King Crimson.

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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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The Record

Just The Hits: A Top 10 Of Top 40 For 2014

Dig below the strata of pop songs so ubiquitous you can't stand to hear them anymore, and you'll find plenty of riches in the Top 40, from country crossover to innovative R&B and classic pop.

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