J.Me's Top 40 Songs of 2014.

40.  Mary J. Blige  "Therapy"

39.  Sara Evans  "Slow Me Down" - One of the best country songs released this year.  Sara is consistent with quality output and this ballad is no exception.  Why she is consistently ignored by award shows in puzzling.

38.  Lady Antebellum "Bartender" - Cute, fun, and exactly the type of song I like to hear from Lady A.

37.  Little Mix "Move"

36.  Kylie Minogue "Into The Blue" - While her KISS ME ONCE era was an overall let down, Kylie sparkled with this track, showcasing her signature brand of dance pop.

35.  Keith Urban "Cop Car"

34.  Beyoncé "XO" - I don't hate Beyoncé, but she does irritate and annoy me at times.  Mainly when she's doing her R&B Diva thing, but when she slows it down and goes for substance over style, as she did on "XO" and "Pretty Hurts" from her surprise release, BEYONCÉ, she catches my ear and makes me dislike her a little less.

33.  Neon Trees "Sleeping With A Friend"

32.  Luke Bryan "Play It Again"

31.  Lorde "Team" - Follow up to the massively popular "Royals", to me, was a much better song and had a catchy hook and beat that made me a bigger fan of the teenage Debbie Downer.

30.  Lea Michelle "Cannonball"

29.  Hozier "Take Me To Church" - This gothic anthem was an unlikely, but welcomed, radio hit that ended up with a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year.

28.  Little Big Town "Day Drinkin'"

27.  Hunter Hayes "Invisible"

26.  Jennifer Lopez "First Love" - The second single from J.Lo's A.K.A. album was such a relief to hear after the awful lead single, "I Luh You Papi".  Lopez hasn't sounded this relaxed and fun since "Waiting For Tonight".

25.  Iggy Azalea "Fancy" (feat. Charli XCX)

24.  Vance Joy "Riptide"

23.  Anastacia "Evolution" - From her criminally underrated RESURRECTION album. Anastasia released her first album of original material in 5 years after a second battle with breast cancer.  The album was filled with "I Will Survive" type anthems and this track stood out as centerpiece and anchor of the project.

22.  Trisha Yearwood "PrizeFighter" (feat. Kelly Clarkson)

21.  Cheryl Cole "Crazy Stupid Love"

20.  HAIM "If I Could Change Your Mind" - Not since Hanson has a trio of siblings with long unwashed hair created garage band pop music as catchy and enthralling as this shimmering slice of disco-esque heaven.

19.  Charlie XCX "Boom Clap" - Sometimes a song just needs to be fun and frivolous and this song fits the bill.

18.  Betty Who "Somebody Loves You"  - Another gem that seemed poised to be bigger than it ended up (mostly due to a viral Gay Marriage proposal flash mob video filmed at the Home Depot). Still, the song is addictive and a refreshing change of pace from the pop laced EDM tracks saturating the airwaves.

17.  Echosmith "Cool Kids" The slow burner song of the year, "Cool Kids" hit the Top 40 nearly a year after its initial release in 2013, proving that a good song will almost always find an audience.

16.  Cher Lloyd "Bind Your Love"  From her second full length, SORRY, I'M LATE, "Bind Your Love" should have been the lead single rather than the dull "I Wish" and relaunch single, "Sirens".  This galloping pop song is just the type that could've propelled Lloyd to stardom in the U.S.

15.  Carrie Underwood "Something In The Water"  Carrie stuns on this inspirational anthem that served as the lead single from the best selling American Idol winner's GREATEST HITS set.

14.  Kiesza "Hideaway" - Bringing 90s house realness back, Kiesza is one to watch in the new year. I feel she's only getting started and is destined to blow up bigger.

13.  Coldplay "A Sky Full Of Stars"  Chris Martin & Co. surprised me with this glorious, sweeping, dance track that puts a smile on my face every time I hear it.

12.  Alex & Sierra "Scarecrow" - I seriously don't know why this wasn't played to over saturation during the summer.  The X-Factor '13 winners created a perfect pop song that should have made them household names by the end of the year.

11.  Madonna "Rebel Heart" (Demo Version) - This leaked track caused many die hard Madonna fans to stand up and cheer when the demo version leaked in November.  We applauded Madge's decision to not chase a trend and to create a song the hearkens back to her classic pop days, while still sounding fresh and innovative.  The Queen Of Pop is preparing an epic return in 2015 and if this track and the 6 officially released songs from the upcoming album, REBEL HEART, are any indication, she will absolutely slay.

10.  Taylor Swift "Shake It Off" - Going completely pop after 2012's RED, Ms. Swift returned and silenced many with the lead single and a million plus selling album. 1989, becoming the new poster girl for unabashedly (not so) guilty pleasure pop music lovers.

9.   Colbie Caillat "Try" - This uplifting ode to beauty and Colbie's makeup free appearance in the video completely stunned the music industry and proved that sex, makeup, and a flashy image don't always make the pop star. But true talent and quality writing will.

8.   Iggy Azalea "Black Widow" (feat. Rita Ora) - Honestly, I don't know why I love this song as much as I do, but I simply couldn't get enough of it. The sly trap beats and Iggy's rapping carry this tune to above average hip pop status.

7.  Christina Perri "Human" Upon first listen of this song I fell in love with it.  The grandiose verses that lead up to a chorus that comes crashing back down almost always choke me up inside.

6.  Katy Perry "Dark Horse" (feat Juicy J.) - I admit it, I absolutely hated this song when Katy's PRISM album was released in fall of 2013.   Cut to me absolutely loving it by the time it was released as the album's third single. I think I developed an affinity to trap music that leans more towards the pop side of the spectrum.

5.  Ariana Grande "Break Free" (feat. Zedd) - Make no mistake, I am not a fan of Ms. Grande at any level, but I do enjoy this song and really think that even if it were Miley Cyrus (another one of my most loathed pop stars) singing it, I would still play this EDM anthem on repeat.

4.  Sam Smith "Stay With Me" - Call it the Adele effect, but the U.K.'s Sam Smith absolutely surpassed everyone's expectations with his debut album, IN THE LONELY HOUR, nabbing well deserved Grammy nominations in the each of BIG FOUR categories (Best New Artist, Album, Song, and Record of the Year).   This gorgeous ballad became this year's "Someone Like You" and brought listeners to tears.

3.  Sia "Chandelier" - Probably one of the unlikeliest hits of the year, as its melancholic introspective theme about partying and drinking in excess, belies the typical pro-partying and drinking that radio usually gravitates to.  Sia's impressive vocals elevates this song to heart wrenching proportions.

2.  Clean Bandit "Rather Be" (feat Jess Glynne) - Bouncy, synthy, and percolating with charm, "Rather Be" is a song that shines and makes the airwaves a better place with each repeated play.

1.   Taylor Swift - Haters are gonna hate, but Taylor's foray into pop music was just the injection the music industry needed. "Blank Space" and its accompanying video showed that Taylor is in on the jokes about her personal life by turning them into a self deprecating song that played on her multiple romances and dating life.  Whether or not she'll ever return to her country roots remains unseen, but as long as she comes up with songs like this and the rest of the 1989 album, I am all for her remaining a pop artist.