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Top Albums of 2014 - From Prince to J. Cole to D'Angelo to Jhené Aiko, 2014 was filled with an eclectic array of music. Soul mixed with rock and pop. Hip hop mashed with R&B and gospel. Count this as the year artists gave fans what they were looking for and peep this list of the top 20 albums.                                                                     — Marcus Reeves (Photos from left: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images, Emmerson/Splash News, Kevin Mazur/AMA2014/WireImage)

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Lenny Kravitz, Strut - For his 10th studio LP, Strut, the rock vet went truly maverick, releasing this international hit via his own label Roxie Records. Buzz-worthy singles included "Ooo Baby Baby" and "The Chamber." (Photo: Roxie Records)

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Prince, Art Official Age - With pop music mired in Euro-dance hysterics and hip hop swaggdom, his Purple Highness went back to his rock and funk roots on this much anticipated album. (Photo: NPG Records)

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YG, My Krazy Life - After setting off his music career with hits like 2009's "Toot It and Boot It" and 2013's "My N***a," Compton-born rhymer YG finally made his Def Jam debut with this LP. (Photo: Def Jam Recordings)

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Mary J. Blige, The London Sessions - Looking to expand her sound beyond the hip hop soul that has framed her career, Mary traveled to London, recruiting young dance music producers like Disclosure and Jimmy Napes for an LP that mixes house music with classically-anchored soul.  (Photo: Capitol Records)

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Ab-Soul, These Days - Along with enlisting his Black Hippy crew, Ab-Soul also linked with hip hop's créme de la créme — from Rick Ross to Action Bronson — for his magnum opus These Days.  (Photo: Top Dawg Entertainment)

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Logic, Under Pressure - Hip hop newcomer Logic made an impressive debut with his LP Under Pressure, culling from his life and family for inspiration to craft tracks like "Gang Related" and "Never Enough." (Photo: Def Jam Recordings)

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D’Angelo, Black Messiah - After a 14-year hiatus from music, neo-soul pioneer D'Angelo returned with this mega-soulful/artsy LP that set fans buzzing with words like "classic" and "groundbreaking" upon hearing it. (Photo: RCA Records)

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Ariana Grande, My Everything - Tracks like "Best Mistake" and "Love Me Harder" helped launch singer/actress Ariana Grande's sophomore LP My Everything. Her smash collab with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj ("Bang Bang") helped seal the deal. (Photo: Republic Records)

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Jhené Aiko, Souled Out - For her Def Jam debut, Souled Out, songstress Jhené Aiko chased an airy and ethereal sound for notable cuts like "Spotless Mind" and "The Pressure." (Photo: ARTium, Def Jam)

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Chris Brown, X - C. Breezy marked the post-bad boy half of his life and career with an LP that honors idols like Michael Jackson and has the singer dancing in a new light.  (Photo: RCA Records)

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Trey Songz, Trigga - Supported by hits like "Na Na" and "SmartPhones," Trey's latest offering pushed the envelope on love and lust.  (Photo: Atlantic Records)

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Azealia Banks, Broke With Expensive Taste - The Harlem rhyme-tress made it worth the wait when she finally dropped her debut LP, which seamlessly mixed hip hop and dance music styles.  (Photo: Azealia Banks/Prospect Park Records) 

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Pharrell Williams, G I R L - Pharrell's second stab at an LP, while scoring hits with the singles "Come Get It Bae" and "Marilyn Monroe," launched the anthem of the year with the runaway smash "Happy."  (Photo: Columbia Records)

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ScHoolboy Q, Oxymoron - Another member of the Black Hippy mob hit the top of the charts when ScHoolboy Q dropped his third album, Oxymoron, spurred by songs like "Collard Greens" and "Studio." (Photo: TDE/Interscope Records)

Photo By Photo: TDE/Interscope Records

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Sam Smith, The Lonely Hour - British soul singing sensation Sam Smith's debut LP The Lonely Hour helped turn him into an international phenom thanks, in large part, to the single "Stay With Me," which became another anthem of the year. (Photo: Capitol Records)

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J. Cole, 2014 Forest Hills Drive - J. Cole stretched his hip hop music vision further with 2014 Forest Hills Drive, not only seeing his biggest music sales, but also buzz-worthy praise for the cuts "Apparently" and "G.O.M.D."  (Photo: Roc Nation)

Photo By Roc Nation

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Big K.R.I.T., Cadillactica - Big K.R.I.T. offered up an ambitious vision of swag, emotion and high-powered verbiage on his second studio album,Cadillactica. (Photo: Def Jam Recordings)

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K. Michelle, Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart? - With her former relationship with actor Idris Elba as rumored inspiration, the songbird poured her soul (and issues) into this sophomore LP.  (Photo: Atlantic Records)

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Nicki Minaj, The Pinkprint - The first lady of Young Money once again stormed the charts and our imaginations with a pink-inspired project that titillated our emotions with cuts like "Pills N Potions" as well as our sexual funny bone with cuts like "Anaconda." (Photo: Cash Money Records)

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Ghostface Killah, 36 Seasons - Ghost fashioned this latest LP in the form of a blaxploitation-style film which stars him as an ex-con-turned-vigilante who rids his neighborhood of drugs.  (Photo: Salvation Music/Tommy Boy Records)