THE eyes of the world may have been on Glasgow for sporting and political reasons during 2014, but the city's music scene remained as strong as ever.

The SSE Hydro welcomed some of the biggest acts around, from Lady Gaga to Prince (and this writer may never forgive himself for being away when the Purple One was in town), while Kelvingrove Bandstand reopened and the likes of King Tut's were as busy as ever.

Here's a totally subjective list of 10 of the best shows to have taken place this year.

1 Augustines, Arches, April 11

Every so often, rock n' roll will be declared to be dead. Yet a gig like Augustines at the Arches earlier this year was enough to make you realise why a straightforward band can be so thrilling, as the Brooklyn outfit delivered a host of chest-beating, emotional rock songs, aided by singer Billy McCarthy evoking memories of Joe Strummer with his zealous stage presence. It ended with the band performing in amongst the fans, and they could have played all night if they'd wanted to.

2 Future Islands, SWG3, June 4

Future Islands are tackling their newly-found fame with relish. Hot on the heels of an appearance on the David Letterman show that went viral, they visited Glasgow and came across like Kraftwerk fronted by a particularly full-throated Bruce Springsteen. Highlights included the funky Balance to Doves, noisy Tin Man and fame-finding tune Seasons (Waiting For You), with singer Samuel Herring displaying tremendous showmanship throughout.

3 Death From Above 1979, Garage, October 22

Canadian duo Death From Above 1979's debut album was a classic, but after years away it was fair to question if they could match their earlier heights. The answer was delivered emphatically, not just on The Physical World but also on a pummelling display at the Garage. This was no frills hard rock that saw moshing right from the very start, as the band knocked listeners into submission, while sweat dripped from the walls.

4 Manic Street Preachers, Barrowland, April 6

The Manics are regular visitors to the Barras, and were back earlier this month to play through the Holy Bible in full. It was their April appearance that thrilled the most, though - opening with a clutch of classic hits, the band then weaved in new songs like the bouncy Europa Geht Durch Mich and rarer material such as Die In The Sumertime. It served as a cracking look over their whole career.

5 Beyonce, SSE Hydro, February 21

The Queen of pop kicked off her world tour in Glasgow, and did so in terrifically confident style. Everything, from the parade of hits to the slick costume changes and an elaborate yet not overwhelming stage show, went without a hitch, aided by a powerhouse voice and off the charts charisma. Few pop acts come close to her the sheer magnetism, and this was one of the best pop shows of the year.

6 St Paul and the Broken Bones, Oran Mor, September 1

Out of all the names who've performed in Glasgow this year, arguably the best vocal display belonged to a somewhat tubby guy from Minnesota who could have passed for an accountant. Paul Janeway brought a relentless energy and a huge voice to this show, while the rest of his top notch band rolled through old school soul like Call Me and 99 ½ in stunning fashion. Even on a Monday night, the crowd were dancing wildly by the end.

7 The Jesus And Mary Chain, Barrowland, November 23

Scotland's greatest ever band returned to show the young pretenders how it's done. In typically contrarian style, the Reid brothers opened with an encore style greatest hits, of noise-pop like April Skies, before upping the distortion to obscene levels by playing their classic album Pyschocandy in full. Deafening and brilliant.

8 Jack White, SSE Hydro, November 18

The perfect antidote to the spectacle-heavy shows that often take place at the Hydro, Jack White's gig was thrilling in its simplicity. Just him and his band, it was stripped back but extremely forceful, and White's guitar playing remains absurdly good.

9 The Libertines, Barrowland, June 28

The reunion of the Libertines was a show that triumphed through sheer emotion. Musically, as always, the sound was scattershot, but the crowd greeted even the most obscure tune with hysteria. The lengthy set saw Carl n' Pete's outfit thankfully retain the chaotic air that always lifted their tunes above the pack.

10: Miley Cyrus, SSE Hydro, May 12

The most bizarre, ridiculous pop show of the year by a country mile. Miley's efforts to shock might have grown familiar as the night went on, but there's no doubting the entertainment it provided, from weird costumes and a barrage of less than subtle innuendo to more surprising moments, like acoustic covers of Bob Dylan and Dolly Parton.