Revelations of 2014

SCHOOLBOY Q: From South Central LA, the 28-year-old released Oxymoron, an incredible gangsta rap album.

FKA TWIGS: Her mundanely named LP1 is anything but. A trippy R&B high point from the underground.

SAM SMITH: Having guested on other artists’ songs, Smith achieved global acclaim with his own first album.

MILEY CYRUS: Miley Cyrus has conquered the pop world with her mega-hits and lack of clothing. Her 2014 Bangerz Tour was 80 dates on four continents. The estimated final gross is north of US$100 million. So expect more, and less, of the same in 2015.

FLOP OF THE YEAR - LADY GAGA: A duet album with Tony Bennett is not the sort of “different” we want from the Queen Of New.

DO IT HIS WAY

Frank Sinatra would have turned 100 in 2015. But we still have much to learn from him:

1. “For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught.”

2. “I’m for whatever gets you through the night – prayer, tranquillisers or Jack Daniel’s.”

3. “Then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like ‘I love you.’”