Contributor’s Choice: Top Songs of 2018
Doing a yearly review can be tricky — so much good music comes out over the course of a year. This year was no exception, with phenomenal releases across all genres. Here are the top songs of 2018 as chosen by our contributors.
Ryan Miller’s Picks
“God is a woman” – Ariana Grande
“God is a woman” [GIAW] was definitely a breakthrough for Ariana Grande as an artist. While her song “thank u next” was praised for its honesty, GIAW showed her poise, power and relentless vocals.
“This is America” – Childish Gambino
Everyone should remember where they were when the video for This is America dropped. It was shocking, raw and portrayed America as it really is rather than how our president paints it to be. The symbolism and meaning show just how talented Donald Glover/Childish Gambino is as an artist and it made for one of the most jarring and honest moments of 2018.
“The Joke” – Brandi Carlile
Brandi Carlile has a voice that commands your attention. I have listened to her music since 2011, but her recent release, By the Way, I Forgive You truly ripped my heart to shreds in the best way. Her raw honesty and truth pour through every inch of “The Joke.” It is no surprise Carlile has six nominations from this album alone.
Runner-up: Georgia to Texas – Leon Bridges
Alexis Backus’s Picks
“thank u, next” – Ariana Grande
Grande is empowering women to learn from relationships regardless of mistakes and I think that’s great. To be able to learn about yourself after a breakup is important in the healing process, and this song ties together the realistic ups and downs of just that.
“you should see me in a crown” – Billie Eilish
Eilish is such a unique individual and I admire her for that. This is by far one of my favorite releases from her, and I’m excited to see her growth in 2019.
“My My My!” – Troye Sivan
This being one of the first singles put out prior to Sivan’s release of Bloom really captured my attention and had me excited to hear the whole album. Of course, Bloom is amazing as a whole. This still happens to be one of my most played off the record.
Steve Goldberg’s Picks
“The One You Loved” – The Plot In You
As a band who once lived in the metal genre, The Plot in You is now putting out emotional, hard-hitting alt-rock and it slaps.
“Campfire” – Amine
A single outside of his recent projects that stands alone as one of the catchiest tracks of the year.
“Love It If We Made It” – The 1975
A song of the year, in both its message and its strength. We’ll remember this song for years and years.
Janelle Santacruz’s Picks
“Sideways Sleeper” – Homesafe
This song hit home when I first heard it and is one of my favorites to sing along to. It brings out a lot of emotions, in a good way.
“Pushing Daisies” – Belmont
My friends and I love playing this in the car at full volume. We hold Belmont in a special place and their new release was nothing short of amazing. This stuck out to me the most on the self-titled.
“Pt 2” – Mom Jeans
Mom Jeans has a great way of making me feel multiple things at once while still wanting to dance around. I like singing this one alone in my car.