The 50 Best Songs of 2018. No, SICKO MODE isn’t on here.
Tags: Pop, Music, Musicreview, Indie, Rap

a collage for your viewing pleasure

Now that 2019 is officially here, I have finally got around to compiling some of my favourite tracks from this year. Enjoy the fifty strong list below (with descriptions for the top 25) and please remember, if I can so boldly paraphrase the immortal Tamra Judge, it’s just my opinion.

source: giphy

PROM/KING- Saba

Saba Pivot, LLC

If ‘Care for Me’ is a portrait of grief, ‘PROM/KING’ is the focal point. The swelling tragedy looms over as Saba as he recalls the life and death of his cousin, friend and fellow Pivot Gang member, John Walt. He tells the tale of his high school prom and the beginnings of his friendship with Walt. The second part of the song follows as Saba voice grows more aggressive, choked with grief among frantic percussion as he described the events leading up to Walt’s murder in 2017. The sense of time passing in this record is unreal, the pace quickening as events unfold and the palpable fear Saba once felt is so viscerally clear to the listener.

It feels weird to say that ‘PROM/KING’ is the best rap record of the year when it was born out of such bereavement, it feels somehow degrading and wrong. But soaked with grief, anger and nostalgia, this is story telling at it’s finest as Saba weaves a beautiful legacy for his cousin and his friend.

2. thank u, next- Ariana Grande

republic

Fuck it. Everything means nothing, the world is topsy-turvy. How Ariana Grande is single-handedly making pop music good again I have no idea. Actually, I do. Women taking control of their own narrative in 2018 has been a breath of fresh air and that’s the reason ‘thank, u next’ was so successful. Is it musically the best song to come out this year? No, but it represents a shift towards a more mature sound for Grande and a more positive tone for pop music, less mud slinging, more gratefulness. I am pretty grateful for ‘thank u, next’ this year, not only has it brought out the closet misogynists whining about seeing the empowering ripple effect that Grande had on us gals and gays but it’s also so refreshing to see women work through trauma and mental health issues in a positive way. And you know what? I’m too old to pretend to not like the shit I like. Thank u next 2018.

3. Don’t Forget About Me- Noname

self-released

Noname produced one of the best records this year with the self-released ‘Room 25’. A star in the Chicago spoken word scene, her debut record blurs the line between poetry, music and storytelling. With help from Ravyn Lenae, Saba, Smino, Phoelix and Benjamin Earl Turner, ‘Room 25’ is littered with stellar features fusing rap and jazzy instrumentals, a tribute to her understated brilliance. But Noname peaks on a track by her herself. Over a inconspicuous neosoul beat, ‘Don’t Forget About Me’ is the emotional peak of a woman exploring her own brand of self-critical confidence, functioning but broken as she struggles with her own mortality and of those around her.

“I know everyone goes some day

I know my body’s fragile, know it’s made from clay

But if I have to go I pray my soul remains eternal

And my momma don’t forget about me

I pray my momma don’t forget about me

I pray my granny don’t forget about me”

4. This Old House is All I Have- Against All Logic

Other People

Against All Logic (A.A.L) aka Nicolas Jaar, electronic music mastermind, quietly released a collection of songs this year that he had been working on for five years. The opening track, ‘This Old House is All I Have’ builds to a crescendo before sinking into a smooth funk, sampling a 1973 Mike James Kirkland track, punctured by a storm of sharp lightning crashes before we hear a silky vocal sample bringing everything together perfectly. A sorcerer blending genres to create the intro to one of the most seamlessly eclectic albums of the year.

5. This is America- Childish Gambino

RCA/mcDJ

2018 has been a long-ass year. I couldn’t believe that ‘This is America’ came out this year and not last, but it did and it had a jarring effect upon its release back in May. A mix of afrobeat and weighty trap influences, fleeting adlibs from other prominent rappers such as Quavo and 21 Savage and a weird juxtaposition of happy vocal bridges and punctuated verses. Gun control, the prison system, police brutality, drugs and black culture lie as the base of inspiration for this track. However, rather than simply echoing prescriptive calls for reform, Gambino explores the existence of black people in a country that profits off their culture whilst demonising the everyday existence of black people with a little help from Young Thug.

“You just a black man in this world/You just a barcode, ayy”

There is a sense of the exploration of blackness being a knife-edge for Gambino, as him and his peers experience simultaneous commercial success, inexplicably linked with their culture and identity, whilst watching their communities suffer under the power of institutionalized racism. Of course, ‘This is America’ can’t really be separated from the music video, as the visuals were responsible for it’s reputation as one of the most striking pieces of political commentary that has emerged in 2018. Therefore, it isn’t placed higher on this list, as the song itself simply isn’t the same conceptually once separated from the video. However, it remains a clever response to the current political climate, one that addresses structure over individual wrongdoers and for that reason, proves to be more insightful than some of the other musical commentary on a world unraveling at the seams.

6. Reborn-KIDS SEE GHOSTS

GOOD music

The almost monotonal plodding of ‘Reborn’ alongside the candid lyrics seems to represent the slow, methodical journey out of depression. It’s one of the highlights of the KIDS SEE GHOSTS (aka Kayne West and Kid Cudi) project, confronting an important shift in popular music that has emerged rapidly this year regarding artists being more open about their struggles with mental health problems. Kanye really fucked up a lot this year, especially in regards to his political statements but I can’t help but come to the conclusion from listening to ‘Reborn’ and other admissions he has made about his mental health this year that we need to be more aware of the context surrounding actions and recognize the complicated relationship between mental health, art and public life. As for the track, Kid Cudi sits better with me on ‘Reborn’ than Kanye does, as he does on the rest of the record, defiant simplicity at the core of his vocals on the track. The sensation of leaving the past to move forward into the unknown never seems to leave him on this project, least of all on ‘Reborn’.

7. Pristine- Snail Mail

Matador

Lindsey Graham is the talk of the town. At 19, she has produced, along with her band, one of the most critically revered indie records of the year with many praising her ability to translate frighteningly intimate emotions into unbelievably familiar songs. Dreamy riffs alongside her mature vocals and excellent production fill the indie-rock shaped hole in my heart this year. Jordan’s abilities as a songwriter are shockingly advanced for her age and best demonstrated on ‘Pristine’, a track all about the monotony of pining after someone else.

“It just feels like the same party every weekend/And if you do find someone better/I’ll still see you in everything”

There’s something about this track which transports you back to a time where infatuation and love were indiscernible, where days seemed so long and the nights much longer, a innate quality I’m sure musicians can’t bottle or replicate. Maybe it’s her youth or maybe it’s just a tendency towards nostalgia but ‘Pristine’ hasn’t left my mind since I heard it.

8. Self Care- Mac Miller

REMember Music/ Warner Bros. Records

This one was a hard one. Swimming was the final album of the late Mac Miller and a beautiful testament to his struggle for inner peace. The record is difficult to listen to at times, its difficult to hear someone get intimate with the demons they will never overcome and Miller doesn’t shy away from his struggle to maintain a sense of normality. He repeats, “we’re going to be alright” in the refrain but it sounds more like a plea than a statement. ‘Self Care’ hears Mac in an echo-y singing voice over a spacey beat with distorted instrumentals that almost make you feel like underwater before Dev Hynes appears in distant vocal bridge, a consequence of him being in the studio at the time of recording. Miller’s dry wit peeks out as he talks, almost sarcastically, about taking care of himself whilst dealing with his own addictions. Mac trips but doesn’t fall on ‘Self Care’ before a beat switch into hidden track ‘Oblivion’ as he revisits his attraction to drug use in the most painful way.

“I got all the time in the world

So for now, I’m just chilling

Plus I know, it’s a beautiful feeling in oblivion”

9. The Mint (feat. Navy Blue)-Earl Sweatshirt

Tan Cressida/Columbia

Earl; the man, the myth, the reluctant legend. ‘Some Rap Songs’ is ringing in the heads of devoted fans since it’s release last month as swift sonic departure from his first two albums. What we received as gritty, outspoken mix of grief and aggression in his previous work, turns to a jaded sense of vulnerability. ‘The Mint (feat. Navy Blue)’ sums up the spirit of the record and the cathartic vehicle that ‘SRS’ became for Earl Sweatshirt after the death of his father and the consequent struggle of reconciliation combined with his ongoing depression. The track barely fits any musical conventions with it’s off-beat, lo-fi flow over a short, looped sample but it’s the reference to the archaic medicinal technique bloodletting, in which doctors cut open patients to purge them of a disease, which stands as a stunning metaphor for release.

“Lotta blood to let, lotta peace to make, give a fuck about a cheque”

‘The Mint’ is the boiled down essence of of ‘Some Rap Songs’, the syrup if you will. The chaotic mixing and experimental feel of the track supports the distance between SRS and any sort of comeback statement. I feel like the title of this album sums up its intention and purpose. This album is the music he wants to make, the release he wants to explore, without expectations from fans or labels.

10. Love It If We Made It- The 1975

Polydor

I really, really didn’t want to like The 1975’s new album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships. But somehow, Matty Healy and his band of Manc hipsters clad in black actually made one of the most interesting pop records of the last few years. Though seriously inconsistent at times, the record gave birth to ‘Love It If We Made It’, a crashing, chaotic observational indie pop archive of millennial musings that actually come off pretty sharp unlike their previous work that was littered with cliches. Although I still cringe internally at Healy singing “Posion me, Daddy” (ew), there’s no doubt that this track raised the bar for pop with it’s frustrated vocals and slick production. The 1975 have moved away from romanticizing drugs, manic pixie depictions of women and moved towards tracks that play to their strengths, making their records so much more enjoyable. The surprise of the year.

11. Slow Burn- Kacey Musgraves

MCA Nashville

Dang flabbit, a country song in the top 20? Well sweet niblets, I’ll be! Kacey Musgraves third album, ‘Golden Hour’ stands as one of the most accessible country music albums produced in recent years but a standout track comes with the opening song, ‘Slow Burn’. Musgraves navigates through her undeniably country sound to create one of the prettiest melodies I’ve heard all year, a combination of effortless lead vocals, simple guitar and some sumptuous backing vocals towards the close of the track. ‘Slow Burn’ like the rest of the album, has achieved that tricky balance of intimate yet familiar, every song feels like a private performance from Kacey. Plus, Musgraves is bucking (geddit) the trend of country music being sickeningly patriarchal by talking about mediating her own comfort within a relationship instead of pining moronically over a man.

Perhaps ‘Golden Hour’ as a whole feels so satisfying because Musgraves isn’t doing a Taylor Swift-esque dumping of her country roots but instead embracing tradition whilst pushing the limits of the genre both musically and thematically and I am loving it. Excuse me while I yee-haw my way into melodic bliss.

12. Bassackwards-Kurt Vile

Matador

Though ‘Bottle it In’ didn’t live up to the brilliance of 2015’s ‘B’lieve I’m Going Down’, one of the singles stood out for me this year. ‘Bassackwards’ is a spacey, repetitive train-of-thought track about contently searching to fill the void. Kurt Vile is at his best on this record with it’s simple, folksy guitar mixed with some warped video rewind effects. The song is sun-soaked, trippy but not psychedelic as Kurt flexes his songwriting muscles through his wordplay on the phrase “ass backwards”, which, after listening to the track, starts to sound wrong in favour of Vile’s remix. At 9 minutes, ‘Bassackwards’ is one to settle in for but worth the effort.

13. Missing U- Robyn

Konichiwa/Interscope

No one writes a heartbreak pop track like Robyn. No one. After an excruciating eight year hiatus, Robyn returned all guns blazing. She hit us with ‘Honey’, she smacked us with ‘Send to Robyn Immediately’ and then she decked us with ‘Missing U’, an absolute banger that simultaneously will cause you to lose your shit on the dance floor whilst screaming about filling the void left by your ex-lover. The consistency from Robyn even after all these years leaves me all jittery and fired up and feeling a plethora of confusing and enjoyable emotions. ‘Missing U’ proves Robyn’s unique songwriting abilities are still alive and kicking and possibly, stronger than ever.

14. Giovanni-Jamila Woods

Jagjaguwar

Jamila Woods is a force of nature. Her 2017 debut album, HEAVN, was a 20-song extravaganza featuring the likes of Noname, Chance the Rapper and Saba, an exploration of her identity as woman of colour in Trump’s America. ‘Giovanni’, her only new solo track this year, has a tangible sense of bite, taking inspiration from spoken word whilst maintaining some beautiful tones. But the main attraction is Wood’s razor-sharp lyrical ability as she pays homage to poet Nikki Giovanni.

“I’ll be on my Giovanni/tea and honey

Tell it like I see it/ Speak it so I be it

My ancestors watch me/ Fairy tale walking

Black Goldilocks/ Yeah, my nap’s just right”

15. Wit’ Da Team- Genesis Owusu

Genesis Owusu

At first listen, ‘Wit’ Da Team’ is an intoxicating mix of hip hop, spacey jazz riffs and some soulful falsettos. But it is a subtle statement piece as well as a killer track produced by Free Nationals member Callum Conner. The lyrics touch on the dualistic reaction to black culture in the mainstream, clever musings woven into one of the catchiest tracks of the year. Owusu casually breaks down the double standards surrounding the cultural appropriation of black culture, calling out those who label it as ratchet until they want to incorporate it into their own fashion. I’m sure that following such a relevant and well-produced track, this young artist from Canberra is sure to inject some funk into a decidedly guitar-heavy Australian music scene.

16. Come Over- The Internet

Columbia

The Internet shined this year with their album ‘Hive Mind’ and single ‘Come Over’ displays front-woman Syd’s cheeky, sensual spirit as well as the band’s creativity. ‘Know you’re wrong/But sho you right’ weirdly captures the mood of a know-better hook up and acts as an almost catchphrase throughout the song. Steve’s guitar solo elevates this track, one of the few moments on ‘Hive Mind’ that the prodigal super-producer shines before the track dips into a bouncy hidden snippet touching on fickle commercialism. An excellent track off an excellent record.

17. After the Storm (feat. Tyler the Creator and Bootsy Collins)- Kali Uchis

Rinse/Virgin/UMG

The vintage campiness of ‘After the Storm (feat. Tyler the creator and Bootsy Collins)’ stands out on Kali Uchis’ stunning debut album ‘Isolation’. Her collaborative tendencies absolutely play to her strengths on this album, with features from Steve Lacy, BIA and Jorja Smith but single ‘After the Storm’ is an infectious hit. The intro from 70's funk singer Bootsy Collins throws it back to Uchis and Tyler’s 2017 collaboration on his record, ‘See You Again’ before blending their contrasting vocals in a silky smooth package. Youthful optimism dominates the track, with smatterings of weather references, a playful homage to the flamboyant characterization of 70's funk whilst still sounding thoroughly modern. The duality of the track, and her whole album, makes for a unique and addictive listening experience.

18. Sticky- Ravyn Lenae

Atlantic/Three Twenty Three

Rayvn Lenae hasn’t put an album out yet but she’s been one of the most exciting artists of the year. ‘Sticky’ off her enamouring EP ‘Crush’ supported her reputation as one of the most attention-capturing artists of the year. A solo organ, leads into sickeningly good soprano vocals crooning over guitar work that’s easily recognisable as that of producer Steve Lacy. Lenae’s vocals are mature yet playful on ‘Sticky’, sexy but not sexualised. A wonderful introduction to an artist I can’t wait to hear more from.

19. The Opener- Camp Cope

Poison City

Camp Cope are no strangers to calling out toxic masculinity but ‘The Opener’ gives us a uniquely familiar look into the sexism in the music industry. Described as the band’s ‘big diss song’, they take aim at manipulative misogynists who surround them as frontwoman Georgia Maq dryly squashes any abstraction of their success whilst the track builds to a thrashing crescendo.

“It’s another man telling us we can’t fill up the room

It’s another man telling us to book a smaller venue

‘Nah hey, c’mon girls we’re only thinking about you’

Well, see how far we’ve come not listening to you”

An absolute two fingers, fuck off to those who try and claim credit to their success, ‘The Opener’ satisfyingly portrays what is so wrong with not only the music industry but also with Australian society at large.

20. Danny Nedelko- Idles

Partisan Records

Bristol punk outfit Idles kicked their way into 2018 with their second album ‘Joy as an Act of Resistance’. Tackling everything from myth-busting Islam’s hamster eating tendencies to literally stomping out homophobia, Idles take the term ‘snowflake’ and wear it like an icy crown. ‘Danny Nedelko’ is a simple track, characterized by distorted guitar work and repetitive drums about the universal solidarity between immigrant and citizen alike and the importance of community.

21. Fruit Salad- Tierra Whack

Tierra Whack

‘Whack World’ smashed the expectations of a traditional album format this year with Tierra Whack’s 15 track, 15 minute audiovisual spectacular. On ‘Fruit Salad’, Tierra keeps it real, reveling in the success of her self-care whilst reminding us to watch our cholesterol and and eat our veggies. Her voice sinks into her lower register, as she reassures herself of her own healthy habits and not to worry about others. Big up Tierra for making positive tunes whilst also tackling America’s obesity crisis.

22. Beauty and Essex (feat. Daniel Caesar and Unknown Mortal Orchestra)- Free Nationals

Creative Artists Agency

What a line-up on this track. The Free Nationals are best known as Anderson .Paak’s band but they have recently announced their first solo album along with this ridiculously delicious single featuring RnB superstar Daniel Caesar and psych rock band Unknown Mortal Orchestra. I’m a sucker for a good crossover and this did not disappoint. A slow beat with punctuated Caesar’s sultry vocals makes the sexual lyrics seem warmer rather than jarringly explicit. UMO’s psychedelic influence is a slow build, understated but still entirely present, a coming together of influences that paid off wonderfully. What I’m really trying to say is that I’m looking forward to the Free Nationals solo debut and I also think we should also just put Daniel Caesar on everything. Like ranch.

23. God is a Woman- Ariana Grande

Republic

Ariana said what we all were thinking in 2018. ‘God is a Woman’ explores the relationship between empowerment, sexuality and pleasure in a track that fits comfortably into the subcategory of ‘ethereal bangers’. And let’s remind ourselves, this is pop music. This track has serious weight to it, with its spacey guitar intro, Grande’s heavenly vocals and an celestial ending of an isolated choir, you can’t help but look around you for stained glass windows. Grande plays with religious symbolism, not in attempt to reject or tarnish any of the significance of these emblems but rather to expand on the relationship between body, soul and spirituality. When asked about the controversy surrounding the use of religious imagery in both the song and the video Grande replied, fittingly;

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be myself and inspire others to do that as well. I would rather do that than play it safe”

24. Charcoal Baby- Blood Orange

domino

Blood Orange aka Dev Hynes new album ‘Negro Swan’ explored “the ongoing anxieties of queer/people of colour” among other things on a complexly introspective record. Lead single ‘Charcoal Baby’ speaks to the emotional response to the conflicting duality of blackness in a shifting world. The name of the track reflects the oxymoronic reaction to blackness in a culture characterized by structural racism whilst the lyrics give a nod to isolation and the all consuming nature of depression. Dev Hynes wastes no time blending and bending genre with ease on his personal exploration of identity in modern America.

25. Be Careful-Cardi B

Atlantic

Though the vocals leave much to be desired on the chorus, the stinging beat and candid lyrics make for a standout on Cardi B’s debut record, Invasion of Privacy. On ‘Be Careful’, she mixes anger with hurt as she spits about her lover cheating on her with women who don’t even know his middle name. This track proved even more poignant when she debuted it on SNL in the wake of her husband’s cheating scandal whilst simultaneously revealing her pregnancy (boss move).

The spirit of ‘Be Careful’s debut to the world, defiant feminine energy, is what makes the track so great. Rap can be deeply critical of the female voice and often the only time women are able to make successful records with longevity is through hypersexualisation as female rappers can sometimes alienate the predominately male fan base. But Cardi doesn’t shy away from her femininity, instead, ‘Be Careful’ dives right into the hurt, instead of tiptoeing around it.

26. Ottolenghi (feat. Jordan Rakei)- Loyle Carner

27. LIFE- Saba

28. Best Hugs-DRAM

29. Just a Stranger (feat. Steve Lacy)- Kali Uchis

30. REEL IT IN {Remix}(feat. Gucci Mane)-Amine

31. Ace (feat. Saba and Smino)- Noname

32. City Looks Pretty- Courtney Barnett

33. Location Remote- Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist

34. Pearly Gates-US Girls

35. Venice Bitch- Lana Del Rey

36. Who Hurt You- Daniel Caesar

37. Brother’s Keeper (feat. Pusha T)- Anderson .Paak

38. Flaming Hot Cheetos- Clairo

39. Bubblin- Anderson .Paak

40. Pick Up- DJ Koze

41. SUMO/ZUMO- Denzel Curry

42. Comeback Kid- Sharon Van Etten

43. The Games We Play- Pusha T

44. In My View- Young Fathers

45. Roosevelt Sykes- The Wave Pictures

46. Wide Awake-Parquet Courts

47. I Like That-Janelle Monae

48. Street Fighter Mas- Kamasi Washington

49. Forever Always (feat. Rex Orange County, Daniel Caesar, Yebba, Madison Ryann Ward, Melanie Faye and Chance the Rapper)- Peter Cottontale

50. Is- Deem Spencer