[Britt Reiser is a contributing editor at Punknews.org]
Despite the fact that I started prepping for this list in January (talk shit on Spotify all you want, but what a handy place to store a “2014 New Releases†playlist), it was still incredibly difficult to put together. Especially the top three, I’ve rearranged the top three twice since completing this task.
Overall, 2014 was good to me. Despite some job shake ups, I’m coming out of it with great experiences, tales of new beginnings, stories of questionable choices, a plethora of new friends, stronger ties with my old friends, a person who helps me be my best and just overall good vibes. My life now, as opposed to when I wrote this list this time last year, is in a better place by 180 degrees. If this weren’t the case, maybe this list would look different. It’s cool how music can be an emotional benchmark for where you are at any point in time by what album is on repeat.
This is my list, I hope you find some new gems on this. Oh! And I’m also excited to say I’ll be taking over the forever-incredible Kira Wisniewski’s role managing interviews here at Punknews. Her contribution to this site will be greatly missed, but I know she’s going on to do even more badass things.
I’ll see you turkeys in 2015. If you want to follow me along the way, you can check out my thoughts in 140 characters or so on Twitter, or see really dumb, usually selfie-related, images on the 'Gram.

20
Comeback Kid: Die Knowing
Victory Records

19
Dads: I'll Be The Tornado
6131 Records

18
Leagues Apart: Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
Cats? Aye! Records
Leagues Apart is fast, soulful, good ol’ punk rock tunes to sing along to. The album has some great riffs, gruff vocals and the appeal of that midwestern punk rock I love so much. Only, they’re from Manchester and better at it than most bands. The album starts off so strong, and the opening track “Kat Dennings, You are My Everest†is enough to give you high hopes, but unfortunately it doesn’t maintain throughout the whole album. While it’s still good, there’s a reason it’s low on the list.

17
Single Mothers: Negative Qualities
Dine Alone Records

16
Modern Baseball: You're Gonna Miss It All
Run For Cover

15
The Lawrence Arms: Metropole
Epitaph

14
Hard Girls: A Thousand Surfaces
Asian Man Records

13
Typesetter: Wild's End
Black Numbers

12
Grieves: Winter & the Wolves
Rhymesayers Entertainment
Two hip hop artists, whoops. Seattle-based Grieves’ fourth album, Winter and the Wolves is an emotive, soulful and catchy record that cements the rapper’s position in the pop-rap world. At times, he’s almost melodic, his choruses are rich, the music is cohesive and in tune with his raps and his writing is relatable and tangible. There’s room for improvement in the content of his songs, but overall it’s a great record full of beats that make you move and experiences we can all recall.

11
The Smith Street Band: Throw Me In The River
Poison City / SideOneDummy

10
Cheap Girls: Famous Graves
Xtra Miles Recording
Giant Orange was my, and many others, introduction to this Lansing, MI-based band. This being so, I love Famous Graves. If you’ve made up your mind and you’re not into Cheap Girls, then I’m not going to pretend this album is going to bring you to the light. However, this album has a larger focus on lyrics, has some of the catchiest songs to date and is, overall, a very solid, well-rounded album.

9
Joyce Manor: Never Hungover Again
Epitaph Records

8
Chumped: Teenage Retirement
Anchorless Records

7
Restorations: LP3
Side One Dummy

6
Sims: Field Notes
Doomtree Records
I have two hip hop artists on my list this year, which I’m not even positive is totally ok, but they’re both too good to leave off. This is the breakthrough album for Sims. Field Notes is full of bangers, dripping with authenticity and emotion, and present. Sims has honed into current events, feelings, positions in life and laid them out in one incredible album. Maybe you love hip hop, maybe you think I’m violating the purpose of a Punknews’ AOTY list, but put those thoughts on hold and listen to “They Don’t Work for Us†and tell me that isn’t the basis of punk rock. Or to his heart-wrenching track “The Whale†which is memorializing the late Eyedea. This album hit me hard and to the core. I can’t wait to see what Sims does next.

5
Weatherbox: Flies In All Directions
Triple Crown

4
The Hotelier: Home, Like Noplace Is There
Tiny Engines

3
The Menzingers: Rented World
Epitaph Records

2
PUP: PUP
Side One Dummy
