2014 in American music

The following is a list of notable events and releases that happened in 2014 in music in the United States.

January

 * 26 – The 56th Annual Grammy Awards, hosted by LL Cool J took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Daft Punk won 5 awards, including Album of the Year for Random Access Memories and Record of the Year for "Get Lucky".
 * 28 – Mötley Crüe signed a "Cessation of Tour" agreement which will see them retire after a final world tour ending in 2015.

February

 * 2 – Soprano Renée Fleming makes history as the first opera singer to perform the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. Bruno Mars performs during the halftime show, with an appearance from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
 * 4 – Transatlantic release their first album in five years, Kaleidoscope.
 * 25 – As I Lay Dying lead singer Tim Lambesis pleads guilty to felony solicitation of murder after attempting to hire a hitman to kill his estranged ex-wife.
 * Whole February – Katy Perry tops the US Billboard Hot 100 with her song "Dark Horse", which overtakes Madonna in the most weeks at No. 1, and ties with Janet Jackson.

March

 * 23 – Dave Brockie (also known as Oderus Urungus), lead singer of Gwar, died from an accidental overdose. After his public memorial in August, his character's infamous costume received a Viking funeral at Haddad's Lake in Gwar's hometown of Richmond, Virginia. The band reformed, resumed touring, and began ending their sets with a revised cover of Jim Carroll's punk classic, "People Who Died."
 * 27 – Christine McVie rejoined Fleetwood Mac for first time in sixteen years.

April

 * 1 – Nickel Creek released their first album in nine years, A Dotted Line.
 * 6 - The Academy of Country Music Awards took place in Las Vegas.
 * 10 – The 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame took place. Nirvana, Kiss, Peter Gabriel, Hall & Oates, Cat Stevens and Linda Ronstadt were inducted at the ceremony.
 * 22 – Actor and musician Drake Bell released his first album in eight years, Ready Steady Go!.

May

 * 5 – Following the 2014 Met Gala in New York City at an after-party at The Standard, High Line, Solange Knowles attacks Jay-Z by violently punching him in the face followed by kicking and swinging him and even hitting him with her purse. Video footage which was obtained by TMZ was made public on May 12, 2014.
 * May 13 – Michael Jackson's second posthumous album of previously unreleased tracks, Xscape, was released. Jackson and Justin Timberlake's duet "Love Never Felt So Good" was announced as the official lead single.
 * 17 – Saosin performed at the Skate and Surf festival with their original lead vocalist, Anthony Green (who is also Circa Survive's frontman). This was the first time Green had performed with Saosin since departing in 2004 to form Circa Survive.
 * 20 – Josh Kaufman is crowned winner of the sixth season of The Voice, with Jake Worthington and Christina Grimmie finishing runner-up and third place respectively.
 * 21 – Caleb Johnson is crowned winner of the thirteenth season of American Idol while Jena Irene is named the runner-up.

August

 * 13 – After being with the band for 17 years, guitarist Chris Walla leaves Death Cab for Cutie.
 * 24 – The MTV Video Music Awards took place at the Inglewood Forum in Inglewood, California. Beyoncé wins four awards that night and also received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, presented to her by her husband Jay Z and her daughter Blue Ivy.

September

 * 2 – Counting Crows released Somewhere Under Wonderland, their first album of original material in six years.
 * 16 – Chris Brown comes back with the release of his sixth studio album, X and for the sixth time makes the top 10.
 * 23 - Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett release their collaborative album, Cheek to Cheek, with them being 28 and 88 years old respectively, it marks the highest age-gap through a collaborative album of 60 years.
 * 30 – Finch releases Back to Oblivion, their first studio album in nine years, following a series of disbandings and reunions.

October

 * 7 – New Found Glory released Resurrection, their first studio album as a quartet following their firing of guitarist Steve Klein in 2013.
 * 20 – Gwen Stefani releases her comeback single as a solo artist, "Baby Don't Lie".
 * 21 – Slipknot released their first album in six years, .5: The Gray Chapter.
 * 27 – Taylor Swift releases her fifth studio album, 1989, which debuted at number one with 1,287,000 copies sold in its first week. This is the highest debut sales week for an artist since Eminem's 2002 album The Eminem Show and the second highest debut for a female artist, behind Britney Spears' album Oops!... I Did It Again (2000).
 * 28 – Live releases The Turn, their first studio album in eight years and also their only studio album to feature Chris Shinn on lead vocals.

November

 * 1 – Just three days before his 49th birthday, Static-X frontman Wayne Static was found dead in his sleep.
 * 10 – Taylor Swift released "Blank Space", the second single from her successful 1989. "Blank Space" reached number one in November, ending the run of Swift's own "Shake It Off". In doing so, Swift became the first female artist in the history of the Hot 100, and tenth act overall, to replace herself at the top of the chart. With "Shake It Off" and "Blank Space", Swift was also the only artist to notch multiple number-ones in 2014.
 * 23 – The American Music Awards took place in Los Angeles.

December

 * 15 – TLC releases their first single in nine years called "Gift Wrapped Kiss".
 * 16 – Craig Wayne Boyd is crowned winner of the 7th season of The Voice, with Matt McAndrew, Chris Jamison and Damien finishing runner-up, third place and fourth place respectively.

Bands formed

 * Antemasque
 * American Wrestlers
 * Cheat Codes
 * FFS
 * Maddie & Tae
 * No Devotion
 * Saint Asonia
 * Sheer Mag
 * Slaves
 * Soul Glo
 * You+Me

Bands reformed

 * American Football
 * Atreyu
 * Babes In Toyland
 * Basement
 * Breaking Benjamin
 * Constantines
 * Copeland
 * Deep Dish
 * Despised Icon
 * Design the Skyline
 * Erase Errata
 * Failure
 * Haste the Day
 * L7
 * The Libertines
 * Luna
 * The Matches
 * Metro Station
 * Midtown
 * Mineral
 * The Movielife
 * Nickel Creek
 * OutKast
 * Ride
 * Saosin
 * Sleater-Kinney
 * Slowdive
 * Trick Pony
 * The Unicorns

Bands on hiatus

 * As I Lay Dying
 * Darkside
 * Dredg
 * Foxy Shazam
 * Furthur
 * The Wanted
 * Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Bands disbanded

 * Abandon All Ships
 * The Allman Brothers Band
 * Anberlin
 * As Blood Runs Black
 * Austrian Death Machine
 * Beady Eye
 * Beneath the Sky
 * The Blackout
 * Bleeding Through
 * Bomb the Music Industry!
 * Brown Bird
 * Camp Freddy
 * Chimaira
 * The Civil Wars
 * Clipse
 * Company of Thieves
 * Crystal Castles
 * Danity Kane
 * The Dangerous Summer
 * Death Grips
 * Eleventyseven
 * For All Those Sleeping
 * Guided by Voices
 * The Knife
 * Lestat
 * LFO
 * The Luchagors
 * Morning Parade
 * The Move
 * Nachtmystium
 * Pink Floyd
 * The Rapture
 * Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine
 * Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
 * Smith Westerns
 * The Swellers
 * Ten Second Epic
 * There for Tomorrow
 * Vista Chino
 * Vivian Girls

Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Songs

 * "All About That Bass" – Meghan Trainor (8 weeks)
 * "All of Me" – John Legend (3 weeks)
 * "Blank Space" – Taylor Swift (5 weeks)
 * "Dark Horse" – Katy Perry feat. Juicy J (4 weeks)
 * "Fancy" – Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX (7 weeks)
 * "Happy" – Pharrell Williams (10 weeks)
 * "Rude" – MAGIC! (6 weeks)
 * "Shake It Off" – Taylor Swift (4 weeks)
 * "The Monster" – Eminem feat. Rihanna (2 weeks in 2014, 2 weeks in 2013)
 * "Timber" – Pitbull feat. Kesha (3 weeks)

Billboard Hot 100 Top 20 Hits
All songs that reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the year, complete with peak chart placement.

• "23" – Mike Will Made It feat. Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J (#14 in 2014, #11 in 2013)

• "7/11" – Beyoncé (#13)

• "A Sky Full of Stars" – Coldplay (#10)

• "Ain't It Fun" – Paramore (#10)

• "All About That Bass" – Meghan Trainor (#1)

• "All of Me" – John Legend (#1)

• "Am I Wrong" – Nico & Vinz (#4)

• "Amnesia" – 5 Seconds of Summer (#16)

• "Anaconda" – Nicki Minaj (#2)

• "Animals" – Maroon 5 (#3)

• "Bailando" – Enrique Iglesias feat. Sean Paul, Gente de Zona and Descemer Bueno (#12)

• "Bang Bang" – Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj (#3)

• "Best Day of My Life" – American Authors (#11)

• "Billie Jean" – Michael Jackson (#14 in 2014, #1 in 1983)

• "Birthday" – Katy Perry (#17)

• "Black Widow" – Iggy Azalea feat. Rita Ora (#3)

• "Blame" – Calvin Harris feat. John Newman (#19)

• "Blank Space" – Taylor Swift (#1)

• "Blurred Lines" – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell (#19 in 2014, #1 in 2013)

• "Boom Clap" – Charli XCX (#8)

• "Booty" – Jennifer Lopez feat. Iggy Azalea or Pitbull (#18)

• "Bottoms Up" – Brantley Gilbert (#20)

• "Break Free" – Ariana Grande feat. Zedd (#4)

• "Burn" – Ellie Goulding (#13)

• "Burnin' It Down" – Jason Aldean (#12)

• "Can't Remember to Forget You" – Shakira feat. Rihanna (#15)

• "Chandelier" – Sia (#8)

• "Classic" – MKTO (#14)

• "Cool Kids" – Echosmith (#13)

• "Counting Stars" – OneRepublic (#2)

• "Dark Horse" – Katy Perry feat. Juicy J (#1)

• "Demons" – Imagine Dragons (#6)

• "Dirt" – Florida Georgia Line (#11)

• "Do What U Want" – Lady Gaga feat. R. Kelly (#16 in 2014, #13 in 2013)

• "Don't" – Ed Sheeran (#9)

• "Don't Tell 'Em" – Jeremih feat. YG (#6)

• "Drunk in Love" – Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z (#2)

• "Fancy" – Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX (#1)

• "Habits (Stay High)" – Tove Lo (#3)

• "Happy" – Pharrell Williams (#1)

• "Hey Brother" – Avicii (#16)

• "Hold On, We're Going Home" – Drake feat. Majid Jordan (#13 in 2014, #4 in 2013)

• "Hot Nigga" – Bobby Shmurda (#6)

• "I Don't Fuck with You" – Big Sean feat. E-40 (#11)

• "I'm Not the Only One" – Sam Smith (#5)

• "Jealous" – Nick Jonas (#8)

• "La La La" – Naughty Boy feat. Sam Smith (#19)

• "Latch" – Disclosure feat. Sam Smith (#7)

• "Let Her Go" – Passenger (#5)

• "Let It Go" – Idina Menzel (#5)

• "Lifestyle" – Rich Gang feat. Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan (#16)

• "Lips Are Movin" – Meghan Trainor (#4)

• "Love Me Harder" – Ariana Grande and The Weeknd (#7)

• "Love Never Felt So Good" – Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake (#9)

• "Love Runs Out" – OneRepublic (#15)

• "Loyal" – Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne and French Montana, Too Short or Tyga (#9)

• "Magic" – Coldplay (#14)

• "Maps" – Maroon 5 (#6)

• "Me and My Broken Heart" – Rixton (#14)

• "My Nigga" – YG feat. Jeezy and Rich Homie Quan (#19)

• "No Type" – Rae Sremmurd (#16)

• "Not a Bad Thing" – Justin Timberlake (#8)

• "Only" – Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, Lil Wayne and Chris Brown (#12)

• "Out of the Woods" – Taylor Swift (#18)

• "Play It Again" – Luke Bryan (#14)

• "Pompeii" – Bastille (#5)

• "Problem" – Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea (#2)

• "Radioactive" – Imagine Dragons (#13 in 2014, #3 in 2013)

• "Rather Be" – Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne (#10)

• "Roar" – Katy Perry (#8 in 2014, #1 in 2013)

• "Royals" – Lorde (#4 in 2014, #1 in 2013)

• "Rude" – MAGIC! (#1)

• "Say Something" – A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera (#4)

• "#SELFIE" – The Chainsmokers (#16)

• "Shake It Off" – Taylor Swift (#1)

• "Show Me" – Kid Ink feat. Chris Brown (#13)

• "Shower" – Becky G (#16)

• "Sing" – Ed Sheeran (#13)

• "Somethin' Bad" – Miranda Lambert feat. Carrie Underwood (#19)

• "Stay the Night" – Zedd feat. Hayley Williams (#18)

• "Stay with Me" – Sam Smith (#2)

• "Steal My Girl" – One Direction (#13)

• "Story of My Life" – One Direction (#9 in 2014, #6 in 2013)

• "Summer" – Calvin Harris (#7)

• "Sweater Weather" – The Neighbourhood (#16 in 2014, #14 in 2013)

• "Take Me to Church" – Hozier (#2)

• "Talk Dirty" – Jason Derulo feat. 2 Chainz (#3)

• "Team" – Lorde (#6)

• "The Hanging Tree" – James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence (#12)

• "The Heart Wants What It Wants" – Selena Gomez (#6)

• "The Man" – Aloe Blacc (#8)

• "The Monster" – Eminem feat. Rihanna (#1)

• "Thinking Out Loud" – Ed Sheeran (#6)

• "This Is How We Roll" – Florida Georgia Line feat. Luke Bryan (#15)

• "Timber" – Pitbull feat. Kesha (#1)

• "Trumpets" – Jason Derulo (#14)

• "Tuesday" – ILoveMakonnen feat. Drake (#12)

• "Turn Down for What" – DJ Snake and Lil Jon (#4)

• "Unconditionally" – Katy Perry (#20 in 2014, #14 in 2013)

• "Uptown Funk" – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars (#3)

• "Wake Me Up!" – Avicii (#8 in 2014, #4 in 2013)

• "Wasted Love" - Matt McAndrew (#14)

• "Waves" – Mr Probz (#14)

• "We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow" – Soko (#9)

• "West Coast" – Lana Del Rey (#17)

• "White Walls" – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. ScHoolboy Q and Hollis (#18 in 2014, #15 in 2013)

• "Wiggle" – Jason Derulo feat. Snoop Dogg (#5)

• "Wrecking Ball" – Miley Cyrus (#9 in 2014, #1 in 2013)

Deaths
• January 2 – Jay Traynor, 70, singer (Jay and the Americans)

• January 3 – Phil Everly, 74, rock singer (The Everly Brothers)

• January 7 – Maureen Gray, 65, songwriter and doo-wop singer

• January 9 – Roy Campbell, Jr., 61, trumpet player

• January 18 – Dennis Frederiksen, 62, rock singer (Toto, LeRoux, Angel)

• January 25 – Arthur Doyle, 69, singer-songwriter, saxophonist, and flute player

• January 26 – Rusty York, 78, singer-songwriter and guitarist

• January 27 – Pete Seeger, 94, folk singer

• January 28

• *John Cacavas, 83, composer and conductor

• *Dwight Gustafson, 83, composer and conductor

• *Stevie Woods, 62, R&B singer and musician

• January 29 – Johnny Allen, 96, pianist and arranger

• January 30 – The Mighty Hannibal, 74, singer-songwriter and producer

• February 5 – Richard Hayman, 93, harmonica player, composer, and conductor

• February 8 – Dick Berk, 74, drummer and bandleader

• February 16 – Raymond Louis Kennedy, 67, singer-songwriter, saxophonist, and producer

• February 17 – Bob Casale, 61, new wave guitarist (Devo)

• February 22 – Trebor Jay Tichenor, 74, pianist and composer

• February 23

• * Chip Damiani, 68, drummer (The Remains)

• * Penny DeHaven, 65, country music and gospel singer

• February 24

• * Franny Beecher, 92, rock guitarist (Bill Haley & His Comets)

• * Kelly Holland, 52, singer (Cry of Love)

• February 26

• * Frank Reed, 59, singer (The Chi-Lites)

• * Frankie Sardo, 77, rock and roll singer, actor and film producer

• * Tim Wilson, 52, country music artist and stand-up comedian

• March 6

• * Charles Love, 68, singer and guitarist (Bloodstone)

• * Speaker Knockerz, 19, rapper and record producer

• March 8

• * Jerry Corbitt, 71, guitarist (The Youngbloods)

• * Buren Fowler, 54, guitarist (Drivin' n' Cryin')

• March 14 – Gary Burger, 72, garage rock singer and guitarist (The Monks)

• March 15 – Scott Asheton, 64, rock drummer (The Stooges)

• March 18 – Joe Lala, 66, percussionist and musician (Blues Image)

• March 23 – Dave Brockie, 50, metal vocalist (Gwar)

• March 25 – Eddie Lawrence, 95, monologist, actor, singer, lyricist

• March 28 – Joe Frazier, 77, singer (Chad Mitchell Trio)

• March 31 – Frankie Knuckles, 59, house disk jockey and producer

• April 1 – Joe "Speedo" Frazier, 70, singer (The Impalas)

• April 3

• * Paul Salamunovich, 86, conductor and educator

• * Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith, 93, musician and songwriter

• April 5

• * Wayne Henderson,74, trombonist and record producer (The Jazz Crusaders)

• * Jason McCash, 38, metal bassist (The Gates of Slumber)

• April 6 – David Lamb, folk singer and guitarist (Brown Bird)

• April 11 – Jesse Winchester, 69, musician and songwriter

• April 15 – Little Joe Cook, 91, singer and songwriter (Little Joe & The Thrillers)

• April 18 – Deon Jackson, 68, soul singer and songwriter

• April 19 – Kevin Sharp, 43, country music singer

• April 21 – Mundo Earwood, 61, country singer-songwriter

• April 26 – DJ Rashad, 34, electronic and hip hop disk jockey

• April 27 – DJ EZ Rock, 46, hip-hop DJ (Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock)

• April 29 – Paul Goddard, 68, bassist (Atlanta Rhythm Section)

• April 30 – Larry Ramos, 72, singer and musician (The Association)

• May 2 – Jessica Cleaves, 65, singer and songwriter (The Friends of Distinction)

• May 3 – Bobby Gregg, 78, musician, drummer, and record producer

• May 9 – Joe Wilder, 92, trumpet player, composer, and bandleader

• May 11 – Ed Gagliardi, 62, bass player (Foreigner)

• May 18 – Jerry Vale, 83, singer and actor

• May 25 – Herb Jeffries, 100, popular music and jazz singer

• June 2

• * Ramona Brooks, 63, singer

• * Weldon Myrick, 76, steel guitar player (The Nashville A-Team, Area Code 615)

• June 15 – Casey Kasem, 82, co-creator and original host of American Top 40, DJ, music historian

• June 18 – Johnny Mann, 85, arranger, composer and recording artist

• June 19 – Gerry Goffin, 75, lyricist

• June 22 – Teenie Hodges, 68, guitarist and songwriter (Hi Rhythm Section)

• June 24 – Lee McBee, 63, singer and harmonica player

• June 27 – Bobby Womack, 70, R&B singer, songwriter

• July 1 – Betty Cody, 92, country singer

• July 3 – Jesse Anderson, 73, blues singer-songwriter and musician

• July 7 – Lois Johnson, 72, country singer

• July 11

• *Charlie Haden, 76, bassist and composer (Old and New Dreams)

• *Tommy Ramone, 65, producer and founding Ramones drummer

• July 16 – Johnny Winter, 70, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist

• July 18 – James Govan, 64, singer-songwriter

• July 19 – Lionel Ferbos, trumpet player

• July 23 – Norman Leyden, composer and conductor, 96

• July 26 – Johnny Winter, 70, blues guitarist, singer, songwriter

• July 29 – Idris Muhammad, 74, jazz drummer

• July 30 – Dick Wagner, 71, guitarist and songwriter (The Frost, Alice Cooper)

• August 1 – Michael Johns, 35, singer and American Idol season 7 finalist

• August 2 – Rosetta Hightower, 70, singer (The Orlons)

• August 24 – Talmadge "Tommy" Gough, 74, singer (The Crests)

• August 31 – Jimi Jamison, 63, vocalist (Survivor)

• September 5 – Simone Battle, 25, pop singer (G.R.L.)

• September 11 – Bob Crewe, 83, songwriter and record producer

• September 12 – Joe Sample, 75, pianist, keyboard player, and composer (The Jazz Crusaders)

• September 17 – George Hamilton IV, 77, country singer

• September 20 – Polly Bergen, 84, actress and singer

• September 24 – Priscilla Mitchell, 73, country music singer

• October 4 – Paul Revere, 76, keyboardist and musician (Paul Revere & the Raiders)

• October 7 – Iva Withers, 97, Canadian-American actress and singer

• October 14 – Isaiah "Ikey" Owens, 38, keyboardist (The Mars Volta, Jack White)

• October 16 – Tim Hauser, 72, singer (The Manhattan Transfer)

• October 18 – Paul Craft, 76, singer-songwriter

• October 23 – Jeanne Black, 76, country music singer

• October 24 – Marcia Strassman, 66, actress and singer

• November 1 – Wayne Static, 48, metal vocalist (Static-X)

• November 9 – Jonathan Athon, 32, metal bassist (Black Tusk)

• November 17 – Jimmy Ruffin, 78, soul singer

• November 18 – Dave Appell, 92, musician, arranger and record producer (The Applejacks)

• December 3 – Edward "Sonny" Bivins, 78, R&B singer (The Manhattans)

• December 9 – Winfred "Blue" Lovett, 78, R&B singer (The Manhattans)

• December 11 – Dawn Sears, 53, singer-songwriter

• December 16 – Wendy Rene, 67, soul singer and songwriter

• December 18 – Larry Henley, 77, singer and songwriter (The Newbeats)

• December 22 – Joe Cocker, 70, singer

• December 23 – Jo Jo Benson, 76, R&B and soul singer