This year, I was lucky enough to spend all of 2018 with my wonderful girlfriend, Brittany who actually has forced me to expand my musical horizons slightly. We have rather frustrating differences in musical taste; she looks for the lyrics in a song and leans more towards mellow singer-songwriter styles while I like songs with more textural substance and musical emotion that hits you like a ton of bricks.
I tend to stay in the past when it comes to the music I like to, but I have heard some extraordinary things that I feel like sharing.
First of all, I don't have much time to listen to full albums that much but I listened to more this year than I have in the past and there are three that stuck out to me:
My Top Album Picks
1. Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino - Arctic Monkeys
Now, I have been an Arctic Monkeys fan since I was in elementary school (which makes me and probably them feel old for some reason?) and I must be honest, when I heard "Four Out of Five" I was a little mystified. I thought, "huh, this is a change". It took me a while to figure out if I liked it, but it grew on me like ivy. I bought the album right when it came out. I could immediately tell how inspired by David Bowie it was. I really liked the whole futuristic parallel-world hotel theme going on in the instrumentation and how it was oddly tranquil to listen to. The lyrics were so clever that even though they were sometimes hard to understand, you couldn't help but smile. Listening to this album is like being the only guest in a 60's modern hotel, sitting poolside with a floppy hat and sunglasses on, high out of your mind. I love listening to beautiful music that gives me this euphoric, dream-like feeling. The best, most entertaining album of 2018 in my opinion.
Favorite tracks: "Star Treatment", "Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino", "Batphone"
2. A Star is Born Soundtrack
Before y'all tell me how biased I am, just hear me out for a sec.
Everyone knows I love Lady Gaga more than I love myself, but she truly outdid herself. I am extremely proud of what she was able to do with this project. Not only that but um, excuse me? Bradley Cooper is everything. If you can even believe this, my favorite song from the whole soundtrack is NOT sung by Lady Gaga! Am I okay?! The man has a beautiful, deep, velvety smooth voice that has so much pain behind it, which is exactly what is intended with the character. Being able to achieve that and not even being a singer is astounding to me. I feel like Bradley Cooper's proud mama. From "The Hangover" to "A Star Is Born", a star truly has been born. The creative team behind this soundtrack just proves how much thought and preparation went in to making this movie the best it could be. It is a movie that it important to everyone who suffers from addiction, mental illness and yes, love. Highly recommend.
Favorite tracks: "Black Eyes", "Alibi", "Diggin' My Grave", "Look What I Found", "Is That Alright?"
3. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships - The 1975
Do not tell my girlfriend this or I will never heard the end of it from her. The 1975 is Britt's favorite band and I never really liked them a whole lot. "Somebody Else" was the only song I could even listen to without getting annoyed and cringing. But I gotta tell you, no matter how many songs she played for me that I was trying to nitpick and bring down, I really had to search for bad things to say. The songs were surprisingly catchy and clever and use a really cool mixture of traditional rock instruments and electronics and synths. One of the year's best.
...except for "TooTimeTooTimeTooTime". That song is so fucking annoying. Pardon my French.
Favorite tracks: "Love It If We Made It", "Its Not Living (If It's Not With You)"
Other thoughts:
In preparation for this, I looked at what a lot of people said were the best albums of the year and I thought I should mention that I did listen to Cardi B's full album, and no I did not like any of it besides the singles. I also went on a weird bender where I listened to all of Ariana Grande's albums trying to find songs of hers that I liked because I am in love with her voice, but I really didn't like anything off of Sweetener so... whoops. I did hear a lot about Kacey Musgraves' Golden Hour and I didn't get a chance to listen to it, but I will definitely check it out. I absolutely love her style and her voice and I can tell it will be good.
My Top Songs
My struggle with this is always trying to remember what came out in 2018. A lot of the songs that I was absolutely in love with actually came out in 2017 but gained popularity this year which sucks but HERE WE GO:
10. "Baby" - Bishop Briggs
This song is simple instrumentally but the lyrics are so funny and intriguing and catchy that it definitely is one of my favorites of the year.
9. "Superposition" - Young the Giant
Such a fun, relaxing song that is easy and pleasing to listen to.
8. "Jumpsuit" - Twenty One Pilots
Love this heavy bass line and the chorus. This song makes you feel bad ass.
7. "Ride Or Die" - The Knocks feat. Foster the People
Foster the People never fails to put out fun, party songs that are just so good.
6. "I Like It" - Cardi B, Bad Bunny & Balvin
I didn't know I needed a song that sampled "I Like It Like That" but it so FUN and catchy and I love it. I am not a huge fan of Cardi B as a person but I do think her music is good.
5. "no tears left to cry" - Ariana Grande
The song of the summer! I love this melody so much. I am almost positive that this song was stuck in my head for a good 2 months and I wasn't even that mad about it, but the people who heard me constantly singing it probably were.
4. "Havana" - Camila Cabello feat. Young Thug
This song started out as a meme for me because of that rubber chicken video that I thought was hilarious for some reason, but her vocals and the piano and the melody!! Infectious. It was hard because I loved the vocals in "Never Be The Same" too but this song makes you want to MOVE. The music video is also just hilarious, a must see.
3. "Nina Cried Power" - Hozier feat. Mavis Staples
This song is so incredibly important. Not only was I SO excited to hear new music from Hozier, but this is just the song that we needed in such a time of political chaos. Music is the perfect platform to praise those that have empowered us through music. This song makes me proud to be a fan of Hozier and makes me want to cry power.
2. "God is a woman" - Ariana Grande
I feel like it is safe to say this song is legendary. Ariana Grande has arguably the best voice in music right now. Her control, range and timbre is UNBELIEVABLE. This song is so simple yet captivating with that gorgeous guitar and melody. And the fact that no one has challenged her on this notion that she has proclaimed herself God is just more proof that she really can do anything and everything.
1. "you should see me in a crown" - Billie Eilish
I had heard of Billie Eilish briefly but once I heard this song on SiriusXM's AltNation (my go-to radio station) it was all over. Her voice is so breathy and perfect and COOL and this song basically has nothing to it besides that phenomenal beat drop in the chorus which is positively addicting and I cannot get enough. The lyrics are also amazing and shes also SEVENTEEN years old which makes me really mad but she also can write amazing songs and sing them even better. My favorite song of 2018.
Other thoughts:
I tried not to pick any Gaga songs so you're welcome.
If you're wondering why "thank u, next" isn't on this, it's because I don't really like that song that much.
Its interesting to note how simple some of these songs are, yet how the main melody is crafted to be so captivating and catchy. Should I take notes or should I try to outdo these "basic pop songs"?
I also think this trend of not capitalizing song titles is weird?
Well! That's all for this year! See ya next year where I'll be watching the aforementioned artists more closely and making sure Gaga gets her Oscar.
Disagree with me? I'd love to hear your opinions! Please share and comment!
Comments