The Best and What's Left of 2014

As we near the very last legs of twenty-fourteen, most music fans (including myself) are pondering what albums, songs and moments truly shaped the year that (is very nearly almost) was. But in true Quarter 4 fashion, there are still a handful of albums to come that could change all of our final lists. In what is almost always the best time of the year when it comes to music releases, lets take a peek at what’s still to come.
THE VERONICAS: The Veronicas
RELEASE DATE: November 21
Jess and Lisa, Australia’s favourite relatives, came back to the charts in 2014 with a bang; their surprisingly anthemic torturous love-ballad ‘You Ruin Me’ debuted straight at number one on the ARIA charts and ushered in their long awaited comeback in true style. Their first single since the under appreciated ‘Lolita’ (2012), this brand new album comes seven whole years after the initial release of their last long player, 2007’s Hook Me Up. The record is available to pre-order via iTunes now, and with that comes the release of promotional single ‘Line of Fire’, a proper bonkers pop song that may even be better than the iconic first single. These fierce women of pop may have jumped through some proverbial hurdles put in place by their previous label before we got to hear the brilliance of what they’ve been working on, but the timing, feel and sound of this comeback seems like it’s exactly what they, and we, need right now. This record could very well be the game changer that pegs Lana Del Rey’s Ultraviolence down a notch in the Splinters Best of 2014 list.

ONE DIRECTION: Four
RELEASE DATE: November 17
UK-bred One Direction have never really been known for their albums. Sure, they sell them by the truckload, but their last three efforts have delivered their fair share of boring filler, with sprinklings of pop genius found throughout the rest. This time around we could have a proper, refined piece of work. Particularly if you believe the rumours that this will indeed be their very last album release. Whether that’s true or not is another story all together. Much like the Spice Girls, most of One Direction’s career has spawned a level of anxiety amongst fans who have been predicting their demise almost since the very beginning. So who’s working on the album? Aussie chart favourites the Madden Brothers for a start, as well as Splinters faves McFly who, in the past, have written the best album tracks on One Direction’s previous albums. Rock band Kodaline have written an “unrequited love song” with member Harry Styles, whilst The 1975, John Legend, Emeli Sande and Naughty Boy have all been connected to the concoction of this record.

NICKI MINAJ: The Pinkprint
RELEASE DATE: December 15
There have been many stories relayed in relation to Nicki Minaj’s upcoming third full-length studio album, but perhaps the most interesting is her attempt to move away from the dance pop days of her previous release, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012). The first track to premiere earlier in the year was the crude, crass and brilliant ‘Looking Ass Ni**as’, a track which sees Minaj drop ‘the N word’ a total of 41 times in just under three minutes. ‘Anaconda’ we all know about, delivered one of the single greatest videos of the year, as well as one of the best uses of a ’90s sample in years. The return to her rap game is prominent, and is something we’re very much interested in. Splinters loved the dance pop of stuff like ‘Starships’ just as much as the next person, but there’s just something brilliantly more enticing about Nicki going back to her rap roots than there is hearing her bang out a corker pop song.
RUMOURS AND UNCONFIRMED ALBUM TALK
MADONNA It is alleged Madonna could be “doing a Beyonce” and dropping her new album – the fourteenth studio effort in her repertoire – any day now, with confirmed production and songwriting duties from the likes of Diplo, Natalia Kills, Avicii, Toby Gad, MoZella, S1 and the head of Cherrytree Records – Cherry Cherry Boom Boom, which excites us to no end. The album could happen before years end, or could materialize in early 2015.
ROISIN MURPHY Former Moloko vocalist and creator of amazing album Overpowered is said to have recorded “over 30” songs for her long awaited return to music, after releasing the Italian E.P. Mi Senti in May this year. Whilst it’s starting to look like this may be a 2015 release, don’t be surprised if we suddenly get a single before Christmas. Here’s hoping…
RIHANNA It has been an (unusually) long time between albums from Rihanna, who is reportedly releasing her latest effort in the dying weeks of December. According to former collaborator Calvin Harris, she has cock-blocked all of his submitted contributions for the record, suggesting Rihanna has very much moved on from the EDM sound. This will be huge.
BEYONCE Say WHAT?! The Queen of Surprise Releases could be gearing up to do it all over again, with speculation there is another new Beyonce album casually waiting to drop by the end of December. If you believe the rumours, the new album will once again feature videos for every single track, with alleged linked collaborators ranging from Nicki Minaj to Justin Timberlake. Could be bullshit and 100 per cent false, but could also be life-altering and a game-changer.
If all of these releases are as big and exciting as predicted, we’re in for a show-stopping finale to the magic that is Quarter 4.
Written by Adem Ali. For more music news and reviews follow @AdemWithAnE on Twitter!