Here is a compilation of the best folk and rock ‘youtube’ sessions of 2014. “Sessions” because I shy away from official videos, and try to stick to live performance video. I probably looked at a couple hundred songs and videos released in the last 18 months and whittled it down to 30 tracks. Then I ranked them from #30 to #1. I’ll forego much in the way of commentary this year. Hopefully, you’ll find the skip button, because, while this is the unarguably objectively best video list, not everyone is quite there yet, say, on ‘The War on Drugs’. In case you’re wondering as you watch this, yes, the first dozen or so vids are almost all male artists. Not to worry, most of the top 10 is female. Just worked out that way this year. Please leave any comments below. You’re best to watch the video from my blog as you’ll miss the commercials that way, and full screen is still available.

Just to clarify a question from one viewer, the play order is a countdown. The first track, by Sam Smith, is #30 on my list, and well, I won’t spoil the surprise as to who is number 1, but it’s a group with two men and two women, just like the Mamas&Papas years ago.