The 100 Best Albums of 2014
I am counting down the 100 best albums of the year—all styles,
all genres.
I am counting down the 100 best albums of the year—all styles,
all genres.
HONORABLE MENTION
Here is my honorable mention list -- another 100 recordings of distinction, each one
worthy of your listening attention:
Ambrose Akinmusire The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier To Paint Jazz
Melissa Aldana Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio Jazz
Matt Andersen Weightless Singer-Songwriter
Laurie Antonioli Songs of Shadow, Songs of Light Jazz Interpretations of Joni Mitchell
Apollo Chamber Players European Folkscapes Chamber Music / World Music
Aurelio Lándini Honduran Singer-Songwriter
The Autumn Defense Fifth Beatles-esqe Pop-Rock
Jeff Ballard Time's Tales Jazz
Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles Lent at Ephesus Liturgical Chant & Polyphony
Sir Richard Bishop Solo Acoustic, Vol. 8 Solo Guitar
Bombay Bicycle Club So Long, See You Tomorrow Pop
Benjamin Booker Benjamin Booker New Orleans Singer-Songwriter
Eden Brent Jigsaw Heart Country-Blues Roadhouse Music
Bryarly Bryarly Semi-Chanted Confessional Pop
Henry Butler & Steven Bernstein Viper's Drag Modernized Retro Jazz
George Cables Icons and Influences Jazz
Tommy Castro The Devil You Know Blues
Gina Chavez Up.Rooted Southwestern Folk-Pop
Cyrus Chestnut Midnight Melodies Jazz
Jack Cooper Mists: Charles Ives for Jazz Orchestra Big Band Interpretations of Charles Ives
Jamie Cullum Interlude Jazz-Pop Vocals
Karl Denson's Tiny Universe New Ammo High-Octane Funk Jazz
Toumani Diabaté & Sidiki Diabaté Toumani & Sidiki Malian Kora Music
Luther Dickinson Rock 'n' Roll Blues Rock 'n' Roll Blues
Dave Douglas & Chet Doxas Riverside Jazz
A Far Cry (with David Krakauer) Dreams & Prayers Contemporary Classical Music
C. Fennesz & P. Pulsinger In Four Parts: Tribute to John Cage Contemporary Classical Music
William Fitzsimmons Lions Whispery Folk-Pop
Ruthie Foster Promise of a Brand New Day Soul / Gospel
Julie Fowlis Gach Sgeul / Every Story Contemporary Scottish Gaelic Folk Music
Hadley Fraser Just Let Go Folk Pop
Addison Frei Intentions Jazz
A Great Big World Is There Anybody Out There? Pop
David Greilsammer Scarlatti: Cage: Sonatas Compare-and-Contrast Classical Music
Noah Gundersen Ledges Folk
Robyn Hitchcock The Man Upstairs Singer-Songwriter
Malcolm Holcombe Pitiful Blues Folk / Roots
Dave Holland & Kenny Barron The Art of Conversation Jazz
Toshio Hosokawa Quintets and Solos Ambient Classical Music
Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) Tell 'Em I'm Gone Singer-Songwriter
Michael Jackson Xscape Posthumous Pop
Christian Jacob Beautiful Jazz Solo Jazz Piano
Karl Jenkins Motets Contemporary Choral Music
Jerusalem Quartet Smetana & Janáček: String Quartets Classical Music
Flaco Jiménez and Max Baca Flaco & Max Conjunto Tejano Music
Adrian Juarez Araucarias Argentinan Folk-Pop
Jonas Kaufmann Schubert: Winterreise Classical Music
Lee Konitz / Dan Tepfer First Meeting: Live in London, Volume 1 Jazz
Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge Avalon Folk-Roots-Americana
Lake Street Dive Bad Self Portraits Pop
Mica Levi Soundtrack to Under the Skin Film Soundtrack
Mike Mains & The Branches Calm Down, Everything Is Fine Rock
Leyla McCalla Vari-Colored Songs: A Tribute to Langston Hughes Folk/Roots/Art Songs
Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra Strength in Numbers Big Band Jazz
Meredith Monk Piano Songs Contemporary Piano Music
Stanton Moore Conversations Jazz
The Motet The Motet Funk-Soul-R&B
Laura Mvula Laura Mvula With Metropole Orkest R&B
Qasim Naqvi Fjoloy Contemporary Choral Music
The Newton Brothers Soundtrack to Life of Crime Film Soundtrack
Mollie O'Brien and Rich Moore Love Runner Contemporary Folk
Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Orchestra The Offense Of The Drum Latin Jazz
Joan Osborne Love and Hate Singer-Songwriter
Danilo Pérez Panama 500 Latin Jazz
Enrico Pieranunzi Stories Jazz
Maurizio Pollini / Staatskapelle Dresden Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 Classical Music
Rebirth Brass Band Move Your Body Brass Band Dance Music
Brian Reitzell Auto Music Electronica
Real Estate Atlas Pop-Rock
Revolutionary Snake Ensemble Live Snakes Jazz
Peter Rowan Dharma Blues Country-Folk-Americana
Ellen Rowe (with Ingrid Jensen) Courage Music Jazz
Rudy Royston 303 Jazz
Leon Russell Life Journey Rock / Pop / Standards
Robert Satterlee Frederic Rzewski: Piano Music Contemporary Classical Music
(718) Sputnik Funky Jazz Fusion Trio Music
Gil Shaham 1930s Violin Concertos, Vol. 1 Modern Classical Music
Elizabeth Shepherd The Signal Jazz-Flavored R&B
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars Libation African Reggae
George Tandy, Jr. The Foundation R&B
Temples Sun Structures Psychedelic Rock
Jacques Thibaud String Trio Cras - Reger - Dohnányi - Kodály Chamber Music
Third Coast Percussion David T. Little: Haunt of Last Nightfall Contemporary Percussion Music
This Wild Life Clouded Pop
Richard Thompson Acoustic Classics Singer-Songwriter
Yann Tiersen Infinity Soundtrack Music Without a Film
tUnE-yArDs Nikki Nack Pop
TV on the Radio Seeds Rock
Twang and Round Pour Another Round EP Roots Folk Rock
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra Over Time: Music of Bob Brookmeyer Jazz
Suzanne Vega Tales from the Realm of the Queen of the Pentacles Singer-Songwriter
Jason Vieaux Play Classical Guitar
Harvey Wainapel Amigos Brasileiros Vol. 2 Brazilian Jazz
Ulf Wakenius Momento Magico Solo Jazz Guitar
Joe Louis Walker Hornet's Nest Electric Blues
The War on Drugs Lost in the Dream Rock
Warpaint Warpaint Pop-Rock
yMusic Balance Problems Contemporary Classical Music
Peter Zak The Disciple Jazz
John Zorn Psychomagia Jazz
Here is my honorable mention list -- another 100 recordings of distinction, each one
worthy of your listening attention:
Ambrose Akinmusire The Imagined Savior Is Far Easier To Paint Jazz
Melissa Aldana Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio Jazz
Matt Andersen Weightless Singer-Songwriter
Laurie Antonioli Songs of Shadow, Songs of Light Jazz Interpretations of Joni Mitchell
Apollo Chamber Players European Folkscapes Chamber Music / World Music
Aurelio Lándini Honduran Singer-Songwriter
The Autumn Defense Fifth Beatles-esqe Pop-Rock
Jeff Ballard Time's Tales Jazz
Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles Lent at Ephesus Liturgical Chant & Polyphony
Sir Richard Bishop Solo Acoustic, Vol. 8 Solo Guitar
Bombay Bicycle Club So Long, See You Tomorrow Pop
Benjamin Booker Benjamin Booker New Orleans Singer-Songwriter
Eden Brent Jigsaw Heart Country-Blues Roadhouse Music
Bryarly Bryarly Semi-Chanted Confessional Pop
Henry Butler & Steven Bernstein Viper's Drag Modernized Retro Jazz
George Cables Icons and Influences Jazz
Tommy Castro The Devil You Know Blues
Gina Chavez Up.Rooted Southwestern Folk-Pop
Cyrus Chestnut Midnight Melodies Jazz
Jack Cooper Mists: Charles Ives for Jazz Orchestra Big Band Interpretations of Charles Ives
Jamie Cullum Interlude Jazz-Pop Vocals
Karl Denson's Tiny Universe New Ammo High-Octane Funk Jazz
Toumani Diabaté & Sidiki Diabaté Toumani & Sidiki Malian Kora Music
Luther Dickinson Rock 'n' Roll Blues Rock 'n' Roll Blues
Dave Douglas & Chet Doxas Riverside Jazz
A Far Cry (with David Krakauer) Dreams & Prayers Contemporary Classical Music
C. Fennesz & P. Pulsinger In Four Parts: Tribute to John Cage Contemporary Classical Music
William Fitzsimmons Lions Whispery Folk-Pop
Ruthie Foster Promise of a Brand New Day Soul / Gospel
Julie Fowlis Gach Sgeul / Every Story Contemporary Scottish Gaelic Folk Music
Hadley Fraser Just Let Go Folk Pop
Addison Frei Intentions Jazz
A Great Big World Is There Anybody Out There? Pop
David Greilsammer Scarlatti: Cage: Sonatas Compare-and-Contrast Classical Music
Noah Gundersen Ledges Folk
Robyn Hitchcock The Man Upstairs Singer-Songwriter
Malcolm Holcombe Pitiful Blues Folk / Roots
Dave Holland & Kenny Barron The Art of Conversation Jazz
Toshio Hosokawa Quintets and Solos Ambient Classical Music
Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) Tell 'Em I'm Gone Singer-Songwriter
Michael Jackson Xscape Posthumous Pop
Christian Jacob Beautiful Jazz Solo Jazz Piano
Karl Jenkins Motets Contemporary Choral Music
Jerusalem Quartet Smetana & Janáček: String Quartets Classical Music
Flaco Jiménez and Max Baca Flaco & Max Conjunto Tejano Music
Adrian Juarez Araucarias Argentinan Folk-Pop
Jonas Kaufmann Schubert: Winterreise Classical Music
Lee Konitz / Dan Tepfer First Meeting: Live in London, Volume 1 Jazz
Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge Avalon Folk-Roots-Americana
Lake Street Dive Bad Self Portraits Pop
Mica Levi Soundtrack to Under the Skin Film Soundtrack
Mike Mains & The Branches Calm Down, Everything Is Fine Rock
Leyla McCalla Vari-Colored Songs: A Tribute to Langston Hughes Folk/Roots/Art Songs
Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra Strength in Numbers Big Band Jazz
Meredith Monk Piano Songs Contemporary Piano Music
Stanton Moore Conversations Jazz
The Motet The Motet Funk-Soul-R&B
Laura Mvula Laura Mvula With Metropole Orkest R&B
Qasim Naqvi Fjoloy Contemporary Choral Music
The Newton Brothers Soundtrack to Life of Crime Film Soundtrack
Mollie O'Brien and Rich Moore Love Runner Contemporary Folk
Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Orchestra The Offense Of The Drum Latin Jazz
Joan Osborne Love and Hate Singer-Songwriter
Danilo Pérez Panama 500 Latin Jazz
Enrico Pieranunzi Stories Jazz
Maurizio Pollini / Staatskapelle Dresden Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 Classical Music
Rebirth Brass Band Move Your Body Brass Band Dance Music
Brian Reitzell Auto Music Electronica
Real Estate Atlas Pop-Rock
Revolutionary Snake Ensemble Live Snakes Jazz
Peter Rowan Dharma Blues Country-Folk-Americana
Ellen Rowe (with Ingrid Jensen) Courage Music Jazz
Rudy Royston 303 Jazz
Leon Russell Life Journey Rock / Pop / Standards
Robert Satterlee Frederic Rzewski: Piano Music Contemporary Classical Music
(718) Sputnik Funky Jazz Fusion Trio Music
Gil Shaham 1930s Violin Concertos, Vol. 1 Modern Classical Music
Elizabeth Shepherd The Signal Jazz-Flavored R&B
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars Libation African Reggae
George Tandy, Jr. The Foundation R&B
Temples Sun Structures Psychedelic Rock
Jacques Thibaud String Trio Cras - Reger - Dohnányi - Kodály Chamber Music
Third Coast Percussion David T. Little: Haunt of Last Nightfall Contemporary Percussion Music
This Wild Life Clouded Pop
Richard Thompson Acoustic Classics Singer-Songwriter
Yann Tiersen Infinity Soundtrack Music Without a Film
tUnE-yArDs Nikki Nack Pop
TV on the Radio Seeds Rock
Twang and Round Pour Another Round EP Roots Folk Rock
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra Over Time: Music of Bob Brookmeyer Jazz
Suzanne Vega Tales from the Realm of the Queen of the Pentacles Singer-Songwriter
Jason Vieaux Play Classical Guitar
Harvey Wainapel Amigos Brasileiros Vol. 2 Brazilian Jazz
Ulf Wakenius Momento Magico Solo Jazz Guitar
Joe Louis Walker Hornet's Nest Electric Blues
The War on Drugs Lost in the Dream Rock
Warpaint Warpaint Pop-Rock
yMusic Balance Problems Contemporary Classical Music
Peter Zak The Disciple Jazz
John Zorn Psychomagia Jazz
| Follow Ted Gioia on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tedgioia |
BACKGROUND
I am often asked how I compile my
annual list of the 100 best albums.
Here is some background information.
What styles of music do I include in
my listening?
I listen to all genres and all styles of
music. I like to listen to music that is
fresh and different, and this spurs me
to search outside the dominant
commercial categories and hit
releases. But I also listen to the
heavily promoted albums from the
major labels.
How much music do
I listen to?
I like to hear new music every day.
During 2014 I listened to more
than 900 new releases. (The exact
number was 906.)
Why do I compile this list?
Like any music lover, I enjoy
sharing my favorite music with others.
But in the last few years, a different
motivation has spurred me. I believe
that the system of music discovery is
broken in the current day. There is
more music recorded than ever before,
but it is almost impossible for listeners
to find the best new recordings. The
most creative work in music is
increasingly found on self-produced
projects and releases from small
indie labels—to an extent hardly
conceivable only a decade ago. Very
little of this music ever shows up on
the radio, where formats seem to get
narrower and narrower with each
passing year. Music fans once heard
good new music at indie record stores,
but most of them have closed. Or
they could read reviews in the
newspaper, but both the newspapers
and the music reviews are shrinking or
disappearing. And the big record
labels are the worst culprits of all,
picking acts for their looks or their
potential appeal to fourteen-year-olds,
or some other egregious reason, and
in general jumping on the most trivial
passing fads. On the other hand,
the Internet presents an almost
infinite amount of music and music
commentary—yet where do fans
even begin to separate the good from
the bad and ugly? My personal solution
to this dilemma has been to listen to
lots and lots of music, and try to
identify recordings of quality and
distinction. I share my list because
I know, from past experience, that
many other listeners are frustrated
with the broken system of music
discovery, and are also looking for
good new music.
What criteria do I apply?
I have no axe to grind. My list is
filled with music I enjoy, and suspect
others will too—especially if they
have a reasonably good ear, and
an open mind. I like recordings that
show some flair and creativity, a
sense of style, solid musicianship,
and an emotional commitment to
the moment of performance. I
appreciate it when an artist
possesses a sense of musical
tradition; on the other hand, I don’t
want to see slavish imitation of the
past. When music strikes me as
too formulaic or contrived or cold,
I start to lose interest. Like any critic,
I want my readers to think that I am
cool and hip and oh-so-up-to-date,
but I learned some time ago that
many of the best recordings are
decidedly uncool and unhip. So if
you want to laugh at me for honoring
Cat Stevens or the Benedictines of
Mary, or making some other dorky
move, feel free to do so. But do check
out some of the lesser-known titles on
the list...you might just be pleasantly
surprised by what you hear.
Happy listening!
Related Links:
The 100 Best Albums of 2013
The 100 Best Albums of 2012
The 100 Best Albums of 2011
I am often asked how I compile my
annual list of the 100 best albums.
Here is some background information.
What styles of music do I include in
my listening?
I listen to all genres and all styles of
music. I like to listen to music that is
fresh and different, and this spurs me
to search outside the dominant
commercial categories and hit
releases. But I also listen to the
heavily promoted albums from the
major labels.
How much music do
I listen to?
I like to hear new music every day.
During 2014 I listened to more
than 900 new releases. (The exact
number was 906.)
Why do I compile this list?
Like any music lover, I enjoy
sharing my favorite music with others.
But in the last few years, a different
motivation has spurred me. I believe
that the system of music discovery is
broken in the current day. There is
more music recorded than ever before,
but it is almost impossible for listeners
to find the best new recordings. The
most creative work in music is
increasingly found on self-produced
projects and releases from small
indie labels—to an extent hardly
conceivable only a decade ago. Very
little of this music ever shows up on
the radio, where formats seem to get
narrower and narrower with each
passing year. Music fans once heard
good new music at indie record stores,
but most of them have closed. Or
they could read reviews in the
newspaper, but both the newspapers
and the music reviews are shrinking or
disappearing. And the big record
labels are the worst culprits of all,
picking acts for their looks or their
potential appeal to fourteen-year-olds,
or some other egregious reason, and
in general jumping on the most trivial
passing fads. On the other hand,
the Internet presents an almost
infinite amount of music and music
commentary—yet where do fans
even begin to separate the good from
the bad and ugly? My personal solution
to this dilemma has been to listen to
lots and lots of music, and try to
identify recordings of quality and
distinction. I share my list because
I know, from past experience, that
many other listeners are frustrated
with the broken system of music
discovery, and are also looking for
good new music.
What criteria do I apply?
I have no axe to grind. My list is
filled with music I enjoy, and suspect
others will too—especially if they
have a reasonably good ear, and
an open mind. I like recordings that
show some flair and creativity, a
sense of style, solid musicianship,
and an emotional commitment to
the moment of performance. I
appreciate it when an artist
possesses a sense of musical
tradition; on the other hand, I don’t
want to see slavish imitation of the
past. When music strikes me as
too formulaic or contrived or cold,
I start to lose interest. Like any critic,
I want my readers to think that I am
cool and hip and oh-so-up-to-date,
but I learned some time ago that
many of the best recordings are
decidedly uncool and unhip. So if
you want to laugh at me for honoring
Cat Stevens or the Benedictines of
Mary, or making some other dorky
move, feel free to do so. But do check
out some of the lesser-known titles on
the list...you might just be pleasantly
surprised by what you hear.
Happy listening!
Related Links:
The 100 Best Albums of 2013
The 100 Best Albums of 2012
The 100 Best Albums of 2011
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Now available....Oxford University Press has now published Ted Gioia's Love Songs: The Hidden History. This book represents the first comprehensive survey of the music of romance, courtship and sexuality, and encompasses the complete story of the love song from ancient Mesopotamia to Miley Cyrus. Scrupulously researched over a period of two decades, Gioia's work will challenge many of the prevalent views of Western music history, and unravel the surprising (and previously hidden) story of how the love songs of our time were shaped by influences from Africa and the Middle East, as well as by the outcasts and bohemians of European society. Publication date: Feb. 5, 2015. Available here. |
| LOVE SONGS: THE HIDDEN HISTORY A NEW BOOK BY TED GIOIA (Oxford University Press, Pub Date: Feb 5, 2015) |
| To purchase click on album title or image |
1
John Luther Adams
Become Ocean
Contemporary Classical Music
2
Fred Hersch
Floating
Jazz
3
Khun Narin Electric Phin Band
Khun Narin Electric Phin Band
Electric Trance Music from Thailand
4
Eleni Karaindrou
Medea
Contemporary Classical Music
5
James Vincent McMorrow
Post Tropical
Irish Falsetto Soul Music
6
Billy Childs (with guest artists)
Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro
Pop-Folk-Jazz
7
Hillstomp
Portland, Ore.
Electric Swamp Blues
8
Elio Villafranca & Spiros Exaras
Old Waters New River
Greek-Cuban Acoustic Fusion
9
John Adams
City Noir
Jazz-inflected Contemporary Classical Music
10
Jenny Hval and Susanna
Meshes of Voice
Pop-Flavored Norwegian Art Songs
11
Willie Watson
Folk Singer, Vol. 1
Raw, Unfiltered Traditional Folk Music
12
The Haden Triplets
The Haden Triplets
Old-Timey Folk-Pop
13
Jack White
Lazaretto
Rock
14
Marc Broussard
A Life Worth Living
Bayou Singer-Songwriter
15
Denny Zeitlin
Stairway to the Stars
Jazz
16
Jack Clement
For Once and For All
Lonesome Country Music
17
Arve Henriksen
The Nature of Connections
Jazz Trumpet That Sounds Like Shakuhachi Flute
18
Norma Winstone
Dance Without Answer
Jazz
19
S. Carey
Range of Light
Wisconsin-Style Folk-Pop
20
The Martins
A Cappella
A Cappella Roots & Trad Music
21
Ethan Johns
The Reckoning
Nick Drake-ish Singer-Songwriter
22
Vijay Iyer
Mutations
Jazz
23
Clarice Assad
Imaginarium
Brazilian Jazz-Pop-World Fusion
24
Gustavo Santaolalla
Camino
Minimalist Guitar Music
25
Michael Gordon
Rushes
Contemporary Classical Music for 7 Bassoons
26
Keith Jarrett
Hamburg '72
Jazz
27
Lonesome Shack
More Primitive
Electric Blues
28
Les Vents Français
French Music for Winds: 20th Century Wind Quintets
Modern Chamber Music
29
Hauschka
Abandoned City
Contemporary Music for Prepared Piano
30
Ed Palermo Big Band
Oh No! Not Jazz!!
Zappa-esque Big Band Jazz
31
David Vest
Roadhouse Revelation
Retro Boogie Bluesy Rock 'n' Roll
32
The Bad Plus
The Rite of Spring
Jazzy Stravinsky
33
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
Give the People What They Want
Old School R&B
34
Daniel Szabo
A Song From There
Jazz
35
Balsam Range
Five
Bluegrass
36
Jason Moran
All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller
Jazz
37
Debra Kaye
And So It Begins
Neo-Pastoral Contemporary Chamber Music
38
Nels Cline & Julian Lage
Room
Jazz Guitar Duos
39
Richard Reed Parry
Music for Heart and Breath
Biologically-Inspired Classical Music
40
Stefano Bollani
Joy in Spite of Everything
Jazz
41
John Fullbright
Songs
Oklahoma-Style Country-Folk
42
Pentatonix
PTX Vol. III
A Cappella R&B / Hip-Hop
43
John Lurie
The Invention of Animals
Trance Jazz
44
Hozier
Hozier
Roots / Blues / Soul
45
J.J. Wright
Inward Looking Outward
Jazz Piano Trio
46
Ensemble Villancico
Tambalagumba!: Early World Music in Latin America
Early World Music
47
Nir Felder
Golden Age
Fusion-ish Jazz
48
Danish String Quartet
Wood Works
Chamber Music / Nordic Folk Music
49
Joe Beck
Get Me
Jazz Guitar
50
Amy Ray
Goodnight Tender
Country
51
Jua
Colors of Life
Vocal Jazz
52
Rebekka Karijord
Music for Film and Theatre
Ambient Soundtrack Music
53
Jonatha Brooke
My Mother Has 4 Noses
Singer-Songwriter
54
The North
Slow Down (This Isn't the Mainland)
Jazz
55
André de Ridder & Copenhagen Philharmonic
Bryce Dessner / Jonny Greenwood
Contemporary Classical Music
56
Regina Carter
Southern Comfort
Jazz and Roots Music
57
Leo Welch
Sabougla Voices
Electric Blues-Tinged Gospel
58
The Furrow Collective
At Our Next Meeting
Traditional Folk Ballads
59
Paul Bley
Play Blue: Oslo Concert
Jazz
60
OOIOO
Gamel
Gamelan-Based Experimental Music
61
David Crosby
Croz
Singer-Songwriter
62
Tierney Sutton
Paris Sessions
Moody Jazz Vocals
63
Gary Clark, Jr.
Gary Clark, Jr. Live
Electric Blues
64
Steve Reich
Radio Rewrite
Contemporary Classical Music
65
Tinariwen
Emmaar
West African Trad Rock
66
Beck
Morning Phase
Singer-Songwriter
67
Sonny Rollins
Road Shows, Vol. 3
Jazz
68
Tanya Tagaq
Animism
Inuit Throat Singing Contemporary Music
69
Eric Reed
Groovewise
Jazz
70
Jamestown Revival
Utah
Folk/Roots
71
Dave Douglas & Uri Caine
Present Joys
Sacred Harp Shape-Note Tune Jazz
72
Bevan Manson
Music of Bevan Manson
Contemporary Classical Music
73
Jerry Léonide
The Key
Mauritian-influenced Jazz
74
Michael Ludwig & Alison d’Amato.
Joseph Achron: Music for Piano and Violin
Modern Classical Music
75
Bebel Gilberto
Tudo
Brazilian Pop
76
Partch (ensemble)
Harry Partch: Plectra and Percussion Dances
Modern Classical Music
77
Dr. John
Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch
Louis Armstrong Tribute Album
78
Guinga
Roendopinho
Brazilian Guitar Music
79
Gary 'Bud' Smith
Country Piano Hymns
Country Gospel Piano Instrumentals
80
David Lang (with the Anonymous 4)
Love Fail
Contemporary Choral Music
81
Old Crow Medicine Show
Remedy
Old-Timey String Band Music
82
Craig Handy
Craig Handy & 2nd Line Smith
Jazz
83
Markéta Irglová
Muna
Czech Singer-Songwriter
84
Brodsky Quartet
New World Quartets
Americana Chamber Music
85
Blue Highway
The Game
Bluegrass
86
Helen Sung
Anthem for a New Day
Jazz
87
Bruce Hornsby
Solo Concerts
Singer-Songwriter
88
Jorge Drexler
Bailar en la Cueva
Uruguayan Pop Music
89
John Gorka
Bright Side of Down
Folk
90
Tom Brosseau
Grass Punks
Oddball Folk Music
91
Mark Turner
Lathe of Heaven
Jazz
92
9bach
Tincian
Welsh Folk-Pop
93
Carmel Quartet
Paul Ben-Haim: String Quintet & String Quartet #1
Modern Chamber Music
94
Vincent Gagnon
Tome III Errances
Jazz
95
Meshell Ndegeocello
Comet, Come to Me
R&B / Pop
96
Last of the Outlaws
Railroad Earth
Roots Rock
97
Yves Léveillé
Essences des Bois
Jazz
98
Jeff Black
Folklore
Folk-Country
99
No Lands
Negative Space
Dreamy & Ecstatic Art Rock
100
Angélique Kidjo
Eve
Afropop singer-songwriter
John Luther Adams
Become Ocean
Contemporary Classical Music
2
Fred Hersch
Floating
Jazz
3
Khun Narin Electric Phin Band
Khun Narin Electric Phin Band
Electric Trance Music from Thailand
4
Eleni Karaindrou
Medea
Contemporary Classical Music
5
James Vincent McMorrow
Post Tropical
Irish Falsetto Soul Music
6
Billy Childs (with guest artists)
Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro
Pop-Folk-Jazz
7
Hillstomp
Portland, Ore.
Electric Swamp Blues
8
Elio Villafranca & Spiros Exaras
Old Waters New River
Greek-Cuban Acoustic Fusion
9
John Adams
City Noir
Jazz-inflected Contemporary Classical Music
10
Jenny Hval and Susanna
Meshes of Voice
Pop-Flavored Norwegian Art Songs
11
Willie Watson
Folk Singer, Vol. 1
Raw, Unfiltered Traditional Folk Music
12
The Haden Triplets
The Haden Triplets
Old-Timey Folk-Pop
13
Jack White
Lazaretto
Rock
14
Marc Broussard
A Life Worth Living
Bayou Singer-Songwriter
15
Denny Zeitlin
Stairway to the Stars
Jazz
16
Jack Clement
For Once and For All
Lonesome Country Music
17
Arve Henriksen
The Nature of Connections
Jazz Trumpet That Sounds Like Shakuhachi Flute
18
Norma Winstone
Dance Without Answer
Jazz
19
S. Carey
Range of Light
Wisconsin-Style Folk-Pop
20
The Martins
A Cappella
A Cappella Roots & Trad Music
21
Ethan Johns
The Reckoning
Nick Drake-ish Singer-Songwriter
22
Vijay Iyer
Mutations
Jazz
23
Clarice Assad
Imaginarium
Brazilian Jazz-Pop-World Fusion
24
Gustavo Santaolalla
Camino
Minimalist Guitar Music
25
Michael Gordon
Rushes
Contemporary Classical Music for 7 Bassoons
26
Keith Jarrett
Hamburg '72
Jazz
27
Lonesome Shack
More Primitive
Electric Blues
28
Les Vents Français
French Music for Winds: 20th Century Wind Quintets
Modern Chamber Music
29
Hauschka
Abandoned City
Contemporary Music for Prepared Piano
30
Ed Palermo Big Band
Oh No! Not Jazz!!
Zappa-esque Big Band Jazz
31
David Vest
Roadhouse Revelation
Retro Boogie Bluesy Rock 'n' Roll
32
The Bad Plus
The Rite of Spring
Jazzy Stravinsky
33
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
Give the People What They Want
Old School R&B
34
Daniel Szabo
A Song From There
Jazz
35
Balsam Range
Five
Bluegrass
36
Jason Moran
All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller
Jazz
37
Debra Kaye
And So It Begins
Neo-Pastoral Contemporary Chamber Music
38
Nels Cline & Julian Lage
Room
Jazz Guitar Duos
39
Richard Reed Parry
Music for Heart and Breath
Biologically-Inspired Classical Music
40
Stefano Bollani
Joy in Spite of Everything
Jazz
41
John Fullbright
Songs
Oklahoma-Style Country-Folk
42
Pentatonix
PTX Vol. III
A Cappella R&B / Hip-Hop
43
John Lurie
The Invention of Animals
Trance Jazz
44
Hozier
Hozier
Roots / Blues / Soul
45
J.J. Wright
Inward Looking Outward
Jazz Piano Trio
46
Ensemble Villancico
Tambalagumba!: Early World Music in Latin America
Early World Music
47
Nir Felder
Golden Age
Fusion-ish Jazz
48
Danish String Quartet
Wood Works
Chamber Music / Nordic Folk Music
49
Joe Beck
Get Me
Jazz Guitar
50
Amy Ray
Goodnight Tender
Country
51
Jua
Colors of Life
Vocal Jazz
52
Rebekka Karijord
Music for Film and Theatre
Ambient Soundtrack Music
53
Jonatha Brooke
My Mother Has 4 Noses
Singer-Songwriter
54
The North
Slow Down (This Isn't the Mainland)
Jazz
55
André de Ridder & Copenhagen Philharmonic
Bryce Dessner / Jonny Greenwood
Contemporary Classical Music
56
Regina Carter
Southern Comfort
Jazz and Roots Music
57
Leo Welch
Sabougla Voices
Electric Blues-Tinged Gospel
58
The Furrow Collective
At Our Next Meeting
Traditional Folk Ballads
59
Paul Bley
Play Blue: Oslo Concert
Jazz
60
OOIOO
Gamel
Gamelan-Based Experimental Music
61
David Crosby
Croz
Singer-Songwriter
62
Tierney Sutton
Paris Sessions
Moody Jazz Vocals
63
Gary Clark, Jr.
Gary Clark, Jr. Live
Electric Blues
64
Steve Reich
Radio Rewrite
Contemporary Classical Music
65
Tinariwen
Emmaar
West African Trad Rock
66
Beck
Morning Phase
Singer-Songwriter
67
Sonny Rollins
Road Shows, Vol. 3
Jazz
68
Tanya Tagaq
Animism
Inuit Throat Singing Contemporary Music
69
Eric Reed
Groovewise
Jazz
70
Jamestown Revival
Utah
Folk/Roots
71
Dave Douglas & Uri Caine
Present Joys
Sacred Harp Shape-Note Tune Jazz
72
Bevan Manson
Music of Bevan Manson
Contemporary Classical Music
73
Jerry Léonide
The Key
Mauritian-influenced Jazz
74
Michael Ludwig & Alison d’Amato.
Joseph Achron: Music for Piano and Violin
Modern Classical Music
75
Bebel Gilberto
Tudo
Brazilian Pop
76
Partch (ensemble)
Harry Partch: Plectra and Percussion Dances
Modern Classical Music
77
Dr. John
Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch
Louis Armstrong Tribute Album
78
Guinga
Roendopinho
Brazilian Guitar Music
79
Gary 'Bud' Smith
Country Piano Hymns
Country Gospel Piano Instrumentals
80
David Lang (with the Anonymous 4)
Love Fail
Contemporary Choral Music
81
Old Crow Medicine Show
Remedy
Old-Timey String Band Music
82
Craig Handy
Craig Handy & 2nd Line Smith
Jazz
83
Markéta Irglová
Muna
Czech Singer-Songwriter
84
Brodsky Quartet
New World Quartets
Americana Chamber Music
85
Blue Highway
The Game
Bluegrass
86
Helen Sung
Anthem for a New Day
Jazz
87
Bruce Hornsby
Solo Concerts
Singer-Songwriter
88
Jorge Drexler
Bailar en la Cueva
Uruguayan Pop Music
89
John Gorka
Bright Side of Down
Folk
90
Tom Brosseau
Grass Punks
Oddball Folk Music
91
Mark Turner
Lathe of Heaven
Jazz
92
9bach
Tincian
Welsh Folk-Pop
93
Carmel Quartet
Paul Ben-Haim: String Quintet & String Quartet #1
Modern Chamber Music
94
Vincent Gagnon
Tome III Errances
Jazz
95
Meshell Ndegeocello
Comet, Come to Me
R&B / Pop
96
Last of the Outlaws
Railroad Earth
Roots Rock
97
Yves Léveillé
Essences des Bois
Jazz
98
Jeff Black
Folklore
Folk-Country
99
No Lands
Negative Space
Dreamy & Ecstatic Art Rock
100
Angélique Kidjo
Eve
Afropop singer-songwriter
Did the Love Song Originate in Africa & the Middle East?
The Rise of the Fragmented Novel
My 10 Favorite Novels on Music
The Adventurer's Guide to Finnegans Wake
Notes on Conceptual Fiction
Has Music Criticism Turned Into Lifestyle Reporting?
Vladimir Nabokov, Sci-Fi Writer
If John Coltrane Had Lived
The Decline of Satire
The Backlash Against Jazz
The Con Man Who Invented American Popular Music
The Bumbling Shostakovich
What We've Learned About the NSA
The 8 Memes of the Postmodern Mystery
Ted Gioia Interviews Composer Terry Riley
Why the Fuss About Jonathan Franzen?
Slaves for Love: How Bondage Shaped the Love Song
A Conversation About Jazz with Ted Gioia
The 100 Best Recordings of 2014
The 100 Best Recordings of 2013
The 100 Best Recordings of 2012
The 100 Best Recordings of 2011
Franco: The James Brown of Africa
How Alice Got to Wonderland
The King of Western Swing
The Weirdest 1960s Novel of Them All
Post Cool
The New Revolt of the Masses
How to Fix Online Music
The Year of Magical Reading
A Conversation with Ted Gioia about Love Songs
The Music of the Tango
The Letter That Changed the Course of Modern Fiction
A Look Back at Doris Lessing's The Golden Notebook
Do Blues Musicians Need to be Really, Really Old?
So it Goes: The Unconventional Sci-Fi of Kurt Vonnegut
Twelve Essential Tango Recordings
Alan Lomax and the FBI
Robert Musil and The Man Without Qualities
A History of Cool Jazz in 100 Tracks
Why Only Revolutions Will Not Be Televised
David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest
How Music Videos Changed Love Songs
Why Bessie Smith Matters
Apple's New Paradigm for Music
Fix-Up Artist: The Chaotic SF of A.E. van Vogt
Jazz Vocals in the New Millennium
A History of New Orleans Music in 100 Tracks
The Making of Ulysses
The Great American Novel That Wasn't
In Search of Dupree Bolton
Gulliver's Travels and the Birth of Genre Fiction
Where Did Our Revolution Go?
How Lester Young Changed the English Language
The Reinvention of the Cowboy Novel
The Many Lives of James Joyce
The Complex Gender History of the Love Song
William Gaddis's The Recognitions
5 Lessons the Music Biz Should Learn from TV
Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch
When Science Fiction Grew Up
12 Memorable Works of Hispanic Fiction
Thomas Pynchon's Inherent Vice
Fear and Self-Loathing in Scandinavia
The Alt Reality Nobel Prize
The Decline of a Great Jazz Record Label
Don DeLillo's Underworld
Milton Nascimento: 12 Essential Tracks
Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections
Curse You, Neil Armstrong!
Bill Evans: 12 Essential Tracks
Early Vintage Wynton Marsalis
Remembering Cordwainer Smith
My Favorite American Novel
Q&A with Ted Gioia
The Jazz Pianist JFK Saved
Martin Gardner: The Most Interesting Man in the World
Robert Heinlein at One Hundred
The Fourteen Skies of Michael Chabon
Is Bird Dead?
Philip K. Dick's VALIS
Why Lester Young Matters
Vladimir Nabokov's Pale Fire
Who is Grace Kelly?
Italo Calvino's Winter's NIght
Hipsters: The New Scapegoats
B.B. King's Best Performances
The Most Mysterious Woman in Science Fiction
Jonathan Lethem's The Fortress of Solitude
Could Chet Baker Play Jazz?
Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow
The Jazzy Side of Frank Zappa
Fritz Leiber at 100
Günter Grass's The Tin Drum
David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas
Harlem Jazz: 12 Essential Tracks
Mark Z. Danielweski's House of Leaves
The Postmodern Mystery: 50 Essential Works
Art Tatum at 100: 12 Essential Tracks
Fringe Guitar
J.G. Ballard's Crash
Interview with Dana and Ted Gioia
Robert Johnson and the Devil
Herbie Hancock: 12 Essential Tracks
Remembering Drums of Passion
Keith Jarrett: 12 Essential Tracks
In Defense of The Hobbit
Brad Mehldau: 12 Essential Tracks
David Foster Wallace's The Pale King
The South Asian Tinge in Jazz
The Puzzling Case of Robert Sheckley
Assessing Brad Mehldau at Mid-Career
Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian
Can Clubs Legally Ask Musicians to Play for Free?
Jonathan Littell's The Kindly Ones
Lennie Tristano: 12 Essential Tracks
Virginia Woolf's Orlando
Why Cool is Dead
A Tribute to Richard Matheson
Denny Zeitlin on Mosaic
The Chronicles of Narnia
Tito Puente: The Complete 78s (1949-1955)
Toni Morrison's Beloved
The Tragedy of Richard Twardzik
Michael Chabon's Telegraph Avenue
The Science Fiction of Samuel Delany
Can Tarzan Survive in a Post-Colonial World?
Ian McEwan's Atonement
Can a Dictionary be a Novel?
New Details About the Young William Gaddis
Interview with Ted Gioia (on Delta Blues)
William Gaddis's JR
Roberto Bolaño's 2666
Talking to Myself About the State of Jazz
Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain
Philip Roth's American Pastoral
Italo Calvino's Neglected Sci-Fi Masterpiece
Ken Kesey's Novel-in-a-Box
How I Learned I Was a Jazz Fan
Selected articles by Ted Gioia available on the web