The Top 30 MTL Songs of 2014

Automelodi. Photo by Simon Grenier Poirier

Compilation and commentary by Erik Leijon, with consultation from the Music Team

Montreal music veered off in some interesting directions in 2014. No longer can a single collective, label or space be considered representative of the city’s sound. The indie rock scene continues to hold it down, but if you happened upon a Rap Keb show or a DJ set from one of our laptop beatmakers, you may have noticed the abundance of young people in the audience, hanging on every word and note.

This is the third year we’ve compiled a list of the very best songs Montreal had to offer, and narrowing it down to 30 was tough. Not only is Montreal producing great music at the rate we’ve grown accustomed to, it’s also coming from unexpected sources. Official releases only tell part of the story: Montrealers excelled on SoundCloud and Bandcamp this year.

The only rules: one song per artist, Montreal eligibility up to our discretion.

So without further ado, enjoy the music and thanks for reading.

30. “Trading Cities” by Girl Arm

This was also the year of DIY labels in Montreal. Go to Stack Your Roster for your post-hardcore, math and emo rock needs.
 

 
29. “J’te Gâte All Dressed” by Bleu Jeans Bleu

May all your love affairs be hot and steamé.
 

 
28. “Métropole sous la pluie” by Automelodi

Can it still be considered an ’80s new romantic pastiche if it largely improves on the original formula?
 

 
27. “I’ll Wait For You” by Iris Campo

Electro-pop for adults is indeed a thing. Even the synths sound more refined, mature.
 

 
26. “Common Man” by Gucchi Babe

Anonymous vaporwave grooves emanating from SoundCloud. Gucchi was included on this outstanding local comp:
 

 

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