Podcast Summary: All Songs Considered — Our No. 1 Songs: 2014

Host: Robin Hilton
Guest: Stephen Thompson
Release Date: October 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of NPR’s All Songs Considered continues the show's 25th-anniversary retrospective series, with hosts Robin Hilton and Stephen Thompson revisiting their favorite songs from 2014. The segment is packed with personal stories, reflections on standout tracks, and lively reminiscence about pivotal musical moments from the year. The atmosphere is friendly, conversational, and filled with appreciation for how music shapes memories.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The "Stump the Chump" Song Game

• The hosts kick off with their signature game, trying to guess each other's top song picks for the year.

Stephen Thompson’s No. 1 Song: “Coffee” by Sylvan Esso

[01:07]

• Chosen for Sylvan Esso's "out-of-the-gate" perfection and staying power.
• Stephen praises the duo's lasting impact and creative evolution, including their influence on the North Carolina music scene.
  • Stephen: "My God, this first song out of the gate, this was one of those songs. I could play that song for anyone, and they'd be like, oh, this is my new favorite band. This is my new favorite song." [03:15]
• Robin fondly recalls Sylvan Esso's early performance at SXSW, emphasizing their humble beginnings compared to their later fame.
  • Robin: "They came in carting all their gear with them, including a table, like a folding table to set it all on...my, how things have changed for that band." [03:44]
• Both hosts note the duo’s kindness and collaborative nature.
  • Stephen: "Oh, and two of the nicest people in the music business." [04:17]

Robin Hilton’s No. 1 Song: “Turtles All The Way Down” by Sturgill Simpson

[04:25]

• Robin highlights the song’s philosophical and existential lyrics from the album Metamodern Sounds in Country Music.
  • Robin: "It's so existential. And there's so many questions about what it means to be a human being on this planet." [05:31]
• Robin recounts a tongue-in-cheek response from Sturgill at a Tiny Desk session:
  • Robin: "He said, 'It's just about drinking and doing drugs.'" [06:00]
• Stephen admires Sturgill’s unpredictability and musical restlessness:
  • Stephen: "He's such a searcher. He loves to zig when you think he's gonna zag, but just like a seeker. And I love a musical seeker." [06:23]
• Both hosts appreciate the blend of classic and modern sounds, citing connections to 1970s country and pop.

Other Essential Tracks of 2014

“Brill Bruisers” by The New Pornographers

[09:36]

• Stephen picks this as an “absolute, unimpeachable banger,” marveling at its energy from a band long into their career.
  • Stephen: "For a band well into their second decade to put out one of their absolute towering best songs." [10:11]
  • Robin: "It's a song like it's shot out of a cannon....they are at 10 from the first note." [10:20]

“XO” by Beyoncé

[11:04]

• Stephen argues that, although the album dropped technically in 2013, its cultural impact defined 2014.
  • Robin: "This album is credited with...completely changing the way the music industry releases music." [11:51]
  • Stephen: "Dropped with no lead up, no fanfare...that definitely changed a lot of release patterns." [12:21]
• Hosts discuss how Beyoncé redefined what it meant to be a global pop superstar.

“Feel” by Ty Segall

[13:00]

• Robin nearly made this his pick, emphasizing its “fuzz and the noise in that guitar.”
  • Robin: "Oh, there's no other word for it. The fuzz and the noise in that guitar. It is so glorious." [14:07]
• Anecdotes about Ty’s high-voltage Tiny Desk performance.

“Dark Side of the Moon” by Chris Staples

[14:57]

• Robin introduces this contemplative song from a folksinger often confused with Chris Stapleton.
  • Robin: "Not to be confused with Chris Stapleton, right?" [15:55]

“Hymn to the Pillory” by Nothing

[16:26]

• Robin recalls a chaotic mosh pit experience at SXSW, highlighting the physical—and emotional—impact of live music.
  • Robin: "I got caught up in it and got knocked to the ground...really tweaked my back, and it took me months to recover from it, but totally worth it." [16:54]

“Two Weeks” by FKA twigs

[17:30]

• Stephen's "one more" pick: a standout track from FKA twigs' debut LP1.
  • Stephen: "Really helped put her on the map as a superstar...music that is very strange and haunting and deeply catchy and sexy." [17:34]
  • Robin: "I was completely awestruck by this whole record...so hard to have an original voice and then someone like this comes along." [19:07]
  • Stephen: "It's intimate and alien at the same time." [19:31]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Stephen on Sylvan Esso:
  “I could play that song for anyone, and they'd be like, oh, this is my new favorite band.” [03:15]

• Robin on Sturgill Simpson:
  “It’s so existential. And there’s so many questions about what it means to be a human being on this planet.” [05:31]

• Robin on live music mishaps:
  “I got caught up in it and got knocked to the ground...it really tweaked my back, and it took me months to recover from it, but totally worth it.” [16:54]

• Stephen on FKA twigs:
  “It's intimate and alien at the same time.” [19:31]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:18 — Episode introduction, “Stump the Chump” setup
• 01:07 — “Coffee” by Sylvan Esso and discussion
• 04:25 — “Turtles All The Way Down” by Sturgill Simpson and discussion
• 09:36 — “Brill Bruisers” by The New Pornographers
• 11:04 — “XO” by Beyoncé and the changing music industry
• 13:00 — “Feel” by Ty Segall & Tiny Desk anecdote
• 14:57 — “Dark Side of the Moon” by Chris Staples
• 16:26 — “Hymn to the Pillory” by Nothing and SXSW mosh pit story
• 17:30 — “Two Weeks” by FKA twigs

Tone & Style

The episode carries a warm, nostalgic, and good-natured tone, with the hosts sharing passionate and personal observations while cracking jokes and reliving festival memories. Both Robin and Stephen strike a balance between fan enthusiasm and insightful music journalism, inviting listeners to rediscover 2014's defining songs beyond the charts.

For listeners wanting to revisit 2014’s music scene or discover why these tracks endure, this episode delivers rapid-fire recommendations, vivid festival vignettes, and a heartfelt guide to some of the year’s most important—and beloved—songs.