As the end of the year approaches so do the never-ending listings for the best of the year in every imaginable category, and the one I always keep an eye on is NPR’s 50 favorite albums of the year.

It’s always interesting to mix and match, see how many I agree with but especially branch-out of my same old Spotify playlists. Of course no listing is perfect and as the the saying goes “to each his own.”

“We don't intend to come to an absolute consensus. We begin with questions: What do you hold close, and what do you want to share? These 50 albums helped define 2014 for us,” states the organization.

As in past editions, NPR’s listing is eclectic and I was happy to find they didn’t relegate Latin American albums to “ALt.Latino's Favorite Latin Music Of 2014,” NPR Music’s Latino Alternative program hosted by Jasmine Garsd and Felix Contreras.

Among the artists that made the list of 50 favorite albums of 2014 are Uruguayan musician Jorge Drexler's “Bailar En La Cueva,” Mexican singer Ceci Bastida and her album “La Edad De La Violencia,” as well as the iconic band Los Lobos with “Si Se Puede: Los Lobos and friends,” an album that was made as a fundraiser for the United Farmworkers Union.   

One of my favorites that made it onto this year list is Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux and her latest album “Vengo,” a mix of hip hop beats with Andean and Latin American sounds. The catchy lyrics on “Somos Sur” (ft. Shadia Mansour), not only gives voice to all oppressed peoples, it also has powerful rhythms that attract many to the dance floor.