2014′s Best Albums: Idolator Editors Pick Their Favorite 10

1. BANKS, Goddess Released: September 9

The new wave of alt-R&B (or whatever correct way critics would like to refer it as) began a few years back, and it carried on through 2014 with an undeniable fervor. The faces of this sub-genre were The Weeknd, Drake, Frank Ocean and Miguel, to name a few.

This year, the women took over and made a name for themselves apart from their male counterparts. There were artists like FKA twigs, SZA and Kelela — yet one artist who kick-started the new era was BANKS. This Los Angeles native’s voice may seem delicate, but the commanding nature of her music is not something to fuck with. The singer’s 2013 London EP caught the ears of underground fans, and her debut LP shook up the mainstream arena.

Titled Goddess, the project was empowering enough to show that females could be just as cold and unforgiving as their opposite sex — yet it still had a streak of vulnerability that only us women could evoke. Songs like the torturous  “Waiting Game,” the ’90s R&B-inspired love tune “Fuck Em Only We Know” and the bombastic “Brain” show just why BANKS was on everyone’s radar throughout 2014. — BIANCA GRACIE

Agree with our picks for the year’s best albums? Let us know below, and be sure to vote for your own favorite LPs in our 2014 readers’ poll!