The Best Rhythm and Blues Songs of 2014

A look at the best Rhythm and Blues songs of 2014. These are the tracks that had us dancing and grooving all year long.

Introduction

Choosing the best rhythm and blues songs of 2014 was no easy task. With so many great artists and songs released this year, it was hard to narrow it down to just 10. But after much deliberation, we’ve compiled a list of what we believe are the best R&B songs of the year.

So without further ado, here are the best R&B songs of 2014:

1. “The Worst” by Jhené Aiko
2. “Happy” by Pharrell Williams
3. “Stay with Me” by Sam Smith
4. “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons
5. “Drunk in Love” by Beyoncé feat. Jay Z
6. “All of Me” by John Legend
7. “Love Never Felt So Good” by Michael Jackson feat. Justin Timberlake
8. “Hold On, We’re Going Home” by Drake feat. Majid Jordan
9. “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel 10.”Pillowtalk” by Zayn

“The One”

“The One” is a song by American singer and songwriter Gary Clark Jr. The track was written by Clark and produced by Mike Elizondo. It was released on September 16, 2014, as the lead single from Clark’s second studio album, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim (2015).

The uptempo track is a mix of soul, blues and rock music. Lyrically, it speaks of a relationship that is worth fighting for. Upon its release, “The One” received positive reviews from music critics who praised its vintage sound and overall catchiness. It also peaked at number one on Billboard’s US Adult R&B Songs chart.

“Good Kisser”

“Good Kisser” is a song recorded by American recording artist Usher. It was released on May 5, 2014 by RCA Records as the lead single from his upcoming eighth studio album. The song was written by Usher, Pop & Oak, with additional writing provided by Jermaine Jackson, and it was produced by Pop & Oak.

“Good Kisser” is an R&B song that features a “stomping beat” and “thumping bass”. Lyrically, it finds Usher talking about a good kisser. The song received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its production and compared it to his past work. It also peaked at number fourteen on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top five of the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

“New Booty”

“New Booty” by Pretty Ricky is one of the best rhythm and blues songs of 2014. The song is about a woman who is confident in her body and is not afraid to show it off. The lyrics are playful and sexy, and the beat is catchy and infectious. Pretty Ricky brings a fresh sound to the genre, and “New Booty” is sure to get your toes tapping.

“Uptown Funk”

“Uptown Funk” is a song recorded by British record producer Mark Ronson featuring American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars, for Ronson’s fourth studio album, Uptown Special (2015). RCA Records released the song as the album’s lead single on 10 November 2014. The song was written by Ronson, Mars, Jeff Bhasker, and Philip Lawrence. “Uptown Funk” achieved commercial success by topping many music charts. In the US, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks, becoming the longest-running single of 2014 and 2015. internationally, “Uptown Funk” topped 20 charts including those in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The song won two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Record of the Year. “Uptown Funk” also won a Brit Award for British Single of the Year. As of July 2019, it has sold over 13 million copies in the UK alone making it one of the best-selling singles of all time in that country. In October 2014, Rolling Stone ranked “Uptown Funk” number 14 on their list of 100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time.

“All About That Bass”

“All About That Bass” is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor for her 2014 debut EP and her 2014 studio album, Title. Written by Trainor and Kevin Kadish, the song was released by Epic Records on June 30, 2014 as a digital download. It served as Trainor’s commercial debut single and her first to enter the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number four; in doing so, it became the highest-charting song by a female artist released in 2014. Internationally, the single topped the charts in New Zealand and peaked within the top 10 in several countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

“Latch”

“Latch” is a song by English electronic music duo Disclosure, featuring vocals from Sam Smith. It was released on 8 October 2012, by PMR Records. The song peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart.

In January 2014, “Latch” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.

“Rather Be”

“Rather Be” is a song by British electronic group Clean Bandit. It features vocals by Jess Glynne. The song was released on 17 January 2014 as the fourth single from Clean Bandit’s debut studio album, New Eyes (2014). It peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming their second consecutive number-one single after “Mozart’s House” in 2013 and Glynne’s third overall. Upon its release, “Rather Be” received positive reviews from contemporary music critics. The song has been described as a “majestic synth-pop number” and an “infectiously catchy single”.

In January 2014, “Rather Be” debuted at number 71 on the UK Singles Chart. The following week, it reached its peak position of number one, giving Clean Bandit their second consecutive number one hit in the United Kingdom after 2013’s “Mozart’s House”, and Glynne her third overall after her featured roles on Disclosure’s “Where Are Ü Now” and Route 94’s “My Love”. In February 2014, the song became the tenth best selling single of the year in the UK. In March 2015, Official Charts Company announced that “Rather Be” was the seventh best selling song of 2014 in the UK. As of June 2015, it has sold over 1 million copies in the UK.

“Hold Back the River”

“Hold Back the River” is a song by British rock band James. It was released as the lead single from their eighth studio album La Petite Mort on 24 March 2014. The song peaked at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart and number 20 on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart.

The song was written by band members Tim Booth and Jim Glennie, and produced by Danton Supple. The song is about holding back emotions, and was inspired by Booth’s experience of being caught in a rip tide.

Lead singer Tim Booth said of the song: “It’s about being pulled out to sea by a powerful undercurrent and trying to stay afloat, or desperately trying to hold onto something or someone that is going out of your grasp.”

“Take Me to Church”

“Take Me to Church” is a song by Irish recording artist Hozier from his debut extended play (EP) Take Me to Church (2013). It was released as his debut single on 13 September 2013. The song, featuring a distorted synth-driven rhythm, has been described as a darkly effervescent ode to finding solace and strength in love. It was critically acclaimed upon release, with many critics choosing it as a highlight from the EP and praising its hook.

“Stay with Me”

“Stay with Me” is a song performed by English singer Sam Smith from his debut studio album In the Lonely Hour (2014). It was released in the United States on 14 April 2014 and in the United Kingdom on 18 May 2014. “Stay with Me” peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart and number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also reached number one in Australia, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and South Africa. The song has been certified six-times platinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The song was written by Sam Smith, James Napier and William Phillips, with Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne receiving credit as co-writers due to the similar melody to their song “I Won’t Back Down”. In an interview with NME, Sam Smith said that he was inspired to write the song after waking up from a drunken night out: “I was hung-over… I remember writing it and hearing Tom Petty’s ‘Won’t Back Down’ in my head.” The song has been described as “philosophical” and “about trying to find love”.

“Prayer in C”

Prayer in C is a song by French indie pop band Lilly Wood and the Prick, featuring French singer-songwriter Robin Schulz. It was released on 18 May 2014 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as the lead single from Schulz’s second studio album Prayer (2014). The song was written by Nili Hadida and Benjamin Cotto, and produced by Schulz. A remixed version of the song by Schulz was released internationally. The song became a commercial success, reaching number one in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece (Airplay), Hungary, Ireland ( streaming), Israel (Digital Songs), Italy ( FIMI), Luxembourg , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Portugal , Slovakia( Airplay), Slovenia( Airplay ), Spain( Airplay ), Sweden ( DigLista ), Switzerland( Billboard streaming ) and United Kingdom . In North America it reached number one on Billboard ‘s Alternative Songs chart for six consecutive weeks and peaked at number two on their Mainstream Rock Songs chart .

The original version of Prayer in C features acoustic guitars played by Hadida and Cotto with Lilly Wood’s vocals being recorded using a single microphone placed in front of her mouth. The lyrics are written from the perspective of a person asking for strength to get through difficult times. In an interview with Idolator , Hadida explained that “The song is about being lost and feeling helpless but also having faith that everything will be alright in the end… There’s always light at the end of every tunnel.” She also said that they decided to give the song to Robin Schulz because they were fans of his work.

The remix version of Prayer in C featuresRobin Schulz’ trademark deep house sound with a more 4/4 dance beat and additional electronic instrumentation. Lilly Wood’s vocals are pitch-shifted down slightly and run through a vocoder to create an ethereal sound. The remix was met with positive reviews from critics who praised its catchiness and summery feel.

“All I Need”

“All I Need” is a song by American recording artist Toni Braxton. It was written by Antonio Dixon and Christopher Dotson, with production helmed by Dixon. The song was released on May 20, 2014, as the lead single from Braxton’s sixth studio album, Love, Marriage & Divorce (2014). Commercially, “All I Need” peaked at number 85 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 25 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. An accompanying music video for the song was directed by Bille Woodruff.

“Earned It”

“Earned It”, performed by The Weeknd, is a song from the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. The song was released as a single on December 23, 2014. “Earned It” peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Canadian Hot 100.

“Thinking Out Loud”

Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” is a beautiful, plaintive ballad with a vintage soul sound that harkens back to the best of ’70s AM radio. The English singer-songwriter’s vocals are heartfelt and soulful, underpinned by a simple but effective guitar line. The result is a timeless love song that sounds as good today as it would have 40 years ago.

“Wrapped Up”

“Wrapped Up” is a song by English singer-songwriter Olly Murs, released as the sixth and final single from his third studio album, Right Place Right Time (2012). It features rap verses from American hip hop artist Travis Barker. The song peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Murs’ seventh top five single in the United Kingdom.

“Blank Space”

“Blank Space” is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her fifth studio album 1989 (2014). It was written by Swift, Max Martin and Shellback. The song was released to the radio by Republic Records on November 10, 2014 as the album’s second single, after “Shake It Off” and is the second track on the album. “Blank Space” is a synth-pop song with humorous and cynical lyrics about Swift’s recent media exposure and relationships.

Critical reception for “Blank Space” was positive. Many critics praised the song for its catchy hook and clever lyrics. On Billboard’s year-end chart for 2014, “Blank Space” peaked at number six on the Hot 100 and number one on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. The song also topped Australia’s ARIA Singles Chart as well as becoming Swift’s third No. 1 in Canada while also reaching number two in New Zealand and Scotland behind Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk”. In the United Kingdom, it became her second consecutive No. 1 single after “Shake It Off”. The accompanying music video was directed by Joseph Kahn and features Swift playing various characters in a satirical manner while scenes of her romantically pursuing a man are intercut throughout. The video won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards but faced criticism afterwards due to its misogynistic undertones.”

The song has inspired numerous memes and parodies, including one from Saturday Night Live called “Dongs All Over the World”.

“Uptown Funk”

“Uptown Funk” is a song by American recording artist Bruno Mars from his fourth studio album, Uptown Special (2015). Jeffrey Bhasker, Phillip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ronson, and Smyth produced the track. Bobby R ales and Emile Haynie wrote the song’s lyrics. “Uptown Funk” was released as the album’s lead single on November 10, 2014. The song topped many year-end and decade-end charts including Billboard’s Hot 100 and Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Songs of the 2010s Decade.

“Take Me to Church”

“Take Me to Church” is a song by Irish recording artist Hozier, released as his debut single on 13 September 2013. The song, accompanied by a music video directed by Brendan Canty and Conal Thomson of Feel Good Lost, achieved major commercial success. In 2014, it topped the charts in Ireland and reached number two in the United Kingdom and the United States, while also becoming a Top 5 hit in Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand and Norway. In 2015, it became the first song to spend more than a year in the US R&B Top 10. The song has been certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has sold more than four million copies in the United States as of December 2016.

Hozier wrote “Take Me to Church” about his frustration with the Catholic Church’s stance on homosexuality. He was quoted as saying: “I grew up in Ireland, so I guess I’ve always had quite a strong opinion on religious institutions… I suppose communities can be defined or dictated by their religious institutions and how they interact with people who don’t necessarily adhere to those ideals or doctrine… But I find frustrating when people equate not having religion with not having morals or values.” The main character in the music video was played by Russian model Igor Denisov.

“Prayer in C”

Prayer in C is a song by French electronic music duo Lilly Wood and the Prick, featuring vocals from Welsh singer-songwriter Robin Schulz. It was released on 18 May 2014 as a digital download in several countries. The song peaked at number one in Austria, Germany, Greece and Switzerland. In France, it reached number two on the French Singles Chart.