In a year when Taylor Swift took up an atmosphere’s worth of media oxygen (sorry), artists large and small continued the long trudge uphill, attempting to stand out in an increasingly crowded field.

Matt Webber is an experienced personal finance writer, researcher, and editor. He has published widely on personal finance, marketing, and the impact of technology on contemporary arts and culture.

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Thomas J. Brock is a CFA and CPA with more than 20 years of experience in various areas ...