Our no. 1 songs: 2014

Summary

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

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

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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.

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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]

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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]

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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

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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.

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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.

Transcript

[A]

This message comes from Monday.com, the first work platform you'll love to use. Meet Monday Sidekick, your AI powered work BFF that handles everything for you from daily briefings to risk analysis. Start your free [e-mail] it's All Songs Considered.

[B]

I'm Robin Hilton. Stephen Thompson, here to talk about our number one songs from 2014, our ongoing series in celebration of the show's 25th anniversary. Welcome back, Stephen.

[C]

Thanks for having me, Robin.

[B]

You know, we're up to 2014, and one of the things that we've been doing along the way, as we look back each year is we've been trying to stump the chump. We've been playing a song for each other and seeing if the other person can remember it. In this case, I'm willing to guess what you're gonna pick. I think I already know what it's gonna be.

[C]

I bet you do.

[B]

Do you want to hit it and I'll tell you if I'm right or do you want me to do it for you?

[C]

Tell you what you, you will say what it is as I'm pushing Play.

[B]

All right.

[C]

Three, one.

[B]

This is Radio Steve. When do you go? One, two, three.

[C]

No, I'm gonna count to 15. What's wrong?

[B]

All right, well, wait.

[C]

Three, two, one.

[B]

Coffee by Silvaness.

[D]

True it's the dance we know the most about the dip, the woo Though the words are true the state is old news Wrap me in your arms I can't feel it but rock me in your arms I can't feel it but get up, get down, get up, get down Feel it a rotation Stop. Cinnamon. Get up, get down, get up, get down, get up Cinnamon. The same with a pair of feet change.

[B]

So this was from their self titled album 2014. Was this their debut as well?

[C]

This was their debut album.

[B]

This is who has a song like this right out the gate.

[C]

We talk about this sometimes where an artist will put out, will kind of come out of the gates with a perfect song and then you're like, well, I don't need to hear anything else.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And then the band or the artist or the musician spends the entire rest of their career trying to match the dizzying high of their one perfect song.

[B]

Right.

[C]

Sylvanesso just kept putting out amazing songs and amazing albums. Continues be I'm ready for another Sylvanesso record any day now. Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn have gone on to, you know, work with a lot of other artists. They built it like kind of a home studio where they've become A hub of this whole scene of other fantastic musicians in North Carolina, you know, so they've continued to just be vital forces in the world of music. But, 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.

[B]

I'll never.

[C]

Easiest pick maybe of any year. We've talked about.

[B]

We've talked about south by Southwest a lot on these years as we've looked back at our favorite songs because we've had so many memorable moments at south by related to these artists. And I'll never forget seeing Sylvan Esso after the song came out. But it hadn't quite taken off yet, and people still weren't really sure who Sylvanesso was. And it was this little, itty bitty venue. And they came. They were a little late. It was just the two of them. And they came in carting all their gear with them, including a table, like a folding table to set it all on. And they're kind of working their way through the crowd to get to where they needed to be to perform. And, I mean, my, how things have changed for that band. And they ended up playing one of our showcases years later.

[C]

Yeah. Incredible band, incredible song.

[B]

Incredible people, too.

[C]

Oh, and two of the nicest people in the music business.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely. All right, well, let's see if you can figure out what this song is. This is my pick for 2014.

[E]

I've seen Jesus play with flames.

[C]

Oh, is this Sturgill Simpson? Is this like Turtles all the way.

[B]

Down Turtles all the way down Met.

[E]

The devil in Seattle Spent nine months inside the line Met booty yet another time he showed me glowing light within But I swear that God was there Time I go to the eyes of.

[F]

My best friend.

[E]

Says my son it's all been done Someday gonna wake up old and gray Go and try and have some Showing warmth to everyone Meet and greet, cheat along the way.

[B]

From metamodern sounds and country music. This song and this whole album is, I mean, well, metamodern sounds and country music. You know, this was one of those songs that I also got very deep into and just started, you know, like, wow, it's so existential. And there's so many questions about what it means to be a human being on this planet. And it's, you know, it's cosmic. And then he came in for a tiny desk, and I tried to talk with him about it, and he said, it's just about drinking and doing drugs.

[C]

Sturgis just like one of the most kind of expansive minds in music. Yeah. Really just like somebody who you never know what you're gonna get from one album to another. You know, he, he's had these albums of bluegrass and really stripped down roots music. But then he had an album that was all this ZZ Top style big guitar rock that was the soundtrack to a piece of anime. 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.

[B]

Yeah, super chill dude too. And this song and this whole album has. I know you love classic country music and this just has such, it's like right out of 70s, you know, where.

[C]

Country and singer songwriterly music, kind of Laurel Canyon pop music kind of all coexist in this world of just like plain spoken, really deeply catchy music.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Love it.

[B]

Yeah. All right, let's just take a quick break here and then we can talk about some of the other stuff that takes us back to 2014.

[G]

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[B]

Okay, Stephen, 2014 is the year we're on this week. What are some of the other songs that make you think of that year?

[C]

Well, I just want to. I want to like this. I'll be really, really quick. But this absolute, unimpeachable banger dropped in 2014.

[B]

New pornographers.

[C]

New Pornographers for.

[H]

Stage. And set it, set it. Left behind.

[C]

He doesn't say the song title, so you're gonna sit here stumped for a while. It's called. It's called Brill Bruisers.

[B]

Oh, right, right, right.

[C]

And it's just like for a band well into their second decade to put out one of their absolute towering best songs.

[B]

I remember thinking about this song when it came out, that this is one that's. It's a song like it's shot out of a cannon.

[C]

Oh, my God. Perfectly.

[B]

You know, like, they are at 10 from the first note, the very first second, it's.

[C]

And you're. And you're 100% into it.

[B]

All right, what else you got?

[C]

Well, and I also want to mention, Beyonce's self titled album came out at the very, very, very tail end of 2013.

[B]

Right. Yeah, I was going to say.

[C]

But its impact was felt almost entirely in 2014. And sometimes these things are fungible. Like, oh, the first single technically dropped in November. So it's from 2013. I'm saying this album is from 2014. And the song that I picked from it that I definitely jammed through the entirety of 2014 is exo.

[D]

Even in the shadows.

[B]

Baby, kiss me, kiss me before they turn the lights.

[G]

Out.

[B]

Your heart is glowing. And this album is, like, credited with, among many other things, completely changing the way the music industry releases music.

[C]

Right.

[B]

I mean, new music always came out on Tuesday.

[C]

Right. Well. And dropped with no lead up, no fanfare. Her team was able to keep this album's existence a secret, and all of a sudden, it just came out in an instant. And that definitely changed a lot of release patterns.

[B]

I mean, she obviously was already a big deal, but I remember that that was the time when I thought, oh, she's not just a mega pop star. Like, she's got serious pull.

[C]

Oh, and she. I think she upped her game. I mean, I beyond. A lot of Beyonce super fans will be like, come on, what are you talking about? Crazy in love. All These amazing songs. But it felt like she became a true mega titan.

[B]

We see they're just hopelessly gazing. Well, if I hadn't gone with the Sturgill Simpson song, I was gonna play one from Ty Siegel, the song.

[H]

Oh, so High. Let them live in each other's eyes.

[C]

That rules.

[B]

Oh, there's no other word for it. The fuzz and the noise in that guitar. It is so glorious. And I have, you know, of course, continued to follow and love Ty Siegel over the years. Just had him in for Tiny Desk that went up in August. If you haven't watched that, the story I think I mentioned in the copy that I wrote for that tiny desk was I told Ty in a call leading up to him coming, and I said, I have brought in so many rock bands, and every time I want them to really, really rock. And they always think, no, this is the time to go all the way.

[C]

This is our chance to whisper.

[B]

Yeah, we want to do an acoustic set. And I got one note back from them, and it said, we shall rock. And they did. They really tore it up. The latest album for Ty Siegel came out this year, Possession. They played a lot from that. They played some older stuff. The whole set's so incredible.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Another one I thought of for 2014 is from Chris Staples, another country folk singer, songwriter, and his song Dark side of the Moon.

[F]

I wanna tell you a story the only way that I can I'm just Replay Send a man that came before me and one day the world is gonna see another Another memory placing me that's just the way it's got to be it's always been that way on the dark side of the moon.

[B]

On.

[F]

The dark side of the moon.

[C]

Not to be confused with Chris Stapleton, right?

[B]

Exactly. Not Chris Stapleton, Chris Staples. And then there was a song called him to the Pillory by the band Nothing.

[H]

Sam.

[B]

I will never forget seeing Nothing at South by Southwest. Another south by Southwest memory. I went to see Nothing and I was just standing there kind of innocently watching the show, lost in the music and completely blindsided by this mosh pit that suddenly erupted. And I got caught up in it and got knocked to the ground. And I ended up crawling out on my hands and knees, and it really tweaked my back, and it took me months to recover from it, but totally worth it. We could just keep going here. But, Stephen, what's one more that you can take us out on here?

[C]

Let's do FKA twigs, you know, 2014. She put out LP1. Really helped put her on the map as a superstar, but also a source of music that is very strange and haunting and deeply catchy and sexy. Let's go with two weeks.

[H]

I know it hurts. You know I'd quench that thirst. I can do just feel lonely. I say you think about it Cause.

[B]

You'Re the only.

[H]

One who resonates that chase. Mouth open like higher than the motherfucker.

[C]

Smile.

[H]

Flying like.

[B]

Yeah, I guess she'd had a couple of eps before, before this. But this was her debut album. And this record, I was completely awestruck by this whole record. I think you talked about just how strange and weird and wild all the sounds were. I mean, she was clearly someone who was looking at the world and music with a kind of a singular perspective. So hard to have an original voice and then someone like this comes along.

[C]

Yeah. It's intimate and alien at the same time.

[B]

Yeah. Perfect.

[C]

All right.

[B]

Well, we'll go out on this until next time when we do 2015. Thanks, Stephen.

[C]

Thank you, Robin.

[B]

And for NPR Music, I'm Robin Hilton. It's All Songs Considered.

[G]

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