best of KasioKas' BEST of 2018! - #1 Album/EP #1 SONG FINAL UPDATE!!

[KasioKas]

What a SPECTACULAR year in music!

 

 

I've discovered so many new artists as well as gotten some amazing new tracks from existing favourites and this is my list of the absolute best of the year in my opinion.

 

Welcome to my 2nd 'Best Of - List' ever.

I'll be covering the Top 30 Albums & EP's, Top 150 Songs & Top 10 TV Shows I've enjoyed this year!

 

I'll be starting later this week, please stay tuned and i'll be sure to check out your lists as well! I'm starting earlier this year because last year I was embarrassingly late, but please check out my list last year if you want too!

 

XO

 

*Update:

 

 

10. Santa Clarita Diet

What an amazing 2^nd season of a bizarrely addicting show that’s so bad it’s good. The hijinks of the main characters are hilarious throughout the season and neither character feels like dead weight. Barrymore and Timothy especially are an excellent pair in what I consider the former’s best on-screen work to date. It remains one of my absolute favourite comedies of the year, one of the few that can make me laugh out loud, and I can’t wait for the next season to see how the story continues to unfold.

9. Grace & Frankie

Five seasons in and this show is still funny, charming and feels fresh amongst the comedies airing currently (mostly because Hollywood only casts older actors/actresses in grandmother/father or retirement related roles which is a shame because this show follows suit of many other excellent comedies starring older broads (The Golden Girls) that prove that older characters should not be ignored over younger talent but instead revered.) Grace & Frankie is still a pleasant show to watch and as the plot thickens i’m very interested in how the girls will react to their new dilemna and hope they will put their kids in their place too! (Long story short, the kids really pissed me off this season and Bud is the worst character on the show). I prefer the leading ladies over their kids and the gay couple who bring nothing to the show but bickering; kill Saul & Rob off or give them better material but I need more Lily and Fonda on my screen.

8. Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan

I hesitated to start this because I’m tired of the political thriller trope but the reviews made it seem so enticing, and i’m pleasantly surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did. Brilliantly paced plot and the writing is excellent, the actors do a great job and made me see Krasinski in a very positive new light (Haven’t seen 'Quiet Place' yet) as an actor. If there is a 2^nd season i’ll be sure to check it out!

7. Insecure

Best season thus far, hands down for this show. The characters at this point are all fully realised, and the writing is the funniest it’s ever been. Giving characters such as Kelli more material/screen time was a brilliant idea, as was fleshing out Lawrence. Most importantly, Nathan’s storyline hit really close to home; the fact that how quickly the relationship was going and his mental health led to him “ghosting” is a realistic portrayal of how people like that behave who need space or some time to make sense of things but doing it in the wrong way. His apology in the end was really relatable but Issa has every right to be upset because from her point of view his actions were wrong in every way. It was so realistic and a perfect end to the season of whether he’s a bad guy or not. I understood both perspectives and I hope the show continues to touch on issues like this moving forward.

6. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Okay so this was not released in 2018 but I discovered it thanks to @katara, @Rhisiart and @hellocory recently, whom I can’t thank enough for the awesome recommendation. I’m so glad it’s on Netflix and i’ve been binging it nonstop.

My write-up from earlier describes it perfectly; “There's not one loose thread, every single character is developed well and the plot is entirely logical. No characters make nonsensical actions to aid the plot, no secret or revelation is conveniently kept from the characters, there is communication so the characters find out secrets as soon as the viewers do and the plot doesn't waver, and the twists are generally surprising. (Which is my biggest gripe with anime)” I almost don’t want to finish watching it because I enjoy watching new episodes so much, and that’s the mark of a great show.
 

5. Attack on Titan

 

Less action, more plot development, still excellent. This is without a doubt one of the best anime’s i’ve ever seen, the animation alone is so spectacular I can’t take my eyes off of the screen (See some awesome gifs above), and finally getting answers to questions from season 1 is a relief, as is seeing old background characters getting main plotlines that lead to powerful positions in politics and character development. I feel moments of joy, bewilderment and anger each week I watch a new ep and hate that I have to wait for a new one to see what happens next. I can’t recommend this one enough! Top tier anime. 

 

4. Westworld

 

I don’t know how anyone can keep up with this show without running to reddit after each ep airs to try to make sense of the episodes along with the community and see things you completely missed being mentioned, because this show’s trope of highlighting slight details that are huge clues later in the season, and quality SPECTACULAR acting is such a sight to behold. Not since Orphan Black have I been so flawed by excellent acting in a tv show, by those that play ‘Hosts’. Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton and Jeffrey Wright are perfectly placed in these roles and the plot is so brilliant in its twisted timelines and gory action that it’s no question that HBO has struck gold yet again. The world building, the writing (!!!), the characters; there’s not one loose thread here and it’s a breath of fresh air to watch a show not riddled with plot holes or useless characters. Season two is even more wild, confusing and beautiful and it's clear that the show's gigantic budget is being put to good use! Love this one!

 

3. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

I was very hesitant to start another american comedy because lord knows they're all very hit or miss (usually a miss) but my goodness is this show a speciality. It's incredibly charming and literally laugh out loud funny! Rachel aces her role here as the lead and fortunately doesn't have to carry the show on her back because there are a slew of supporting characters that hold their own and bring just as much humour to the show, that i'm never displeased when she isn't in a scene. I'm so pleased I was recommended this and i'm also thrilled that season 2 maintains the charm as each character continues to be a delightful watch. The introduction of Zachary Levi is very welcome as their chemistry on screen is brilliant; and how can I not mention the incredible world building, the show is so beautiful in it's colourful scenes of the world and it's fashion that matches the time period of the show. I haven't finished S2 and quite frankly I don't want too, I'm enjoying it too much!

 

2. Killing Eve

Sandra Oh’s done it again!, chosen a show she excels in alongside an actress and character I dare say sometimes steals the show. Jodie’s portrayal of Villanelle is also brilliant and she deserves the acclaim for her acting chops on this show. I do hope the writing keeps up heading into season 2 because this one’s a hit I won’t be missing out on and have recommended to all of my peers. The show isn’t without it’s flaws, but of the shows i’ve seen in 2018 this is definitely a cut above the rest! The plot is really enticing and kept me on the edge wanting to know more after each ep. Villanelle's murder scenes are entertaining to watch (and slightly creative) and Oh's character Eve's approach of being fascinated by the villain rather than obsessed with taking them down is different. Is this a budding love story? Is Eve on path to become a partner or witness a murder by Villanelle herself? Will they be friends or will Eve put her behind bars? The show can go either way and i'm excited to see the continuation to its story!

 

1.  Bojack Horseman

So after many, many recommendations to watch this, I forced myself through season 1 and thought “okay, it was decent”... but season 2 and onwards? WHAT. A. SHOW. Every character is relatable, but flawed, and funny, yet sad, makes you laugh and makes you angry, and says things that are scarily accurate. When the show takes quips at real life events or actors it’s hilarious. The background gags and details in decor and continuity are all a testament to the show’s extreme quality and I don’t understand how it hasn't received a slew of awards yet because it’s top notch! I love every single character (except Todd, a waste of screentime imo) as they go through real life experiences with uncomfortable truth about the world and their experiences. Every single episode has a quote that hits you in the gut because it's something you've either been through or can imagine happening to you. I could go on for hours on why this is one of the best shows airing right now, and that everyone should check it out at least once, and I just know i’ll be re-watching episodes awaiting season 6 because i’m now a massive, massive fan.

 

 

 

 

 

150. Camila Cabello - "She Loves Control"	140. Jessie J – “Petty”
149. Tinashe – “Stuck With Me” (feat. Little Dragon)	139. Camila Cabello – “Into It”
148. Tinashe - Like I Used To	138. Luis Fonsi, Demi Lovato – “Échame La Culpa”
147. Bruno Mars, Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)”   (This is just about the only Cardi feature I enjoyed so much I included it in my list, they go well together, but it got old fast because I’d already over played the original)	137. Jessie J – “Dangerous”
146. Calvin Harris, Sam Smith – “Promises”   (It’s no question why this was such a hit in the UK, it’s a great record by an unlikely pair. Sam deserves it for bringing life to this great track)	136. Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa – “One Kiss”   (Calvin got another multi-week hit alongside Dua and as much as I enjoyed this, I still don’t get its domination here in the UK. It got old fast imo but is still a cool pop track)
145. Duke Dumont, Ebenezer – “Inhale”   (Gotta thank Spotify for helping me discover this fun track, it was on repeat at the start of the year)	135. Camila Cabello – “All These Years”
144. Tinashe – “Me So Bad” (feat. Ty Dolla $ign & French Montana)	134. Ariana Grande – “the light is coming” (feat. Nicki Minaj)   (I’ve gone through so many periods of love and hate with this song, but ultimately it’s not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, and I enjoy it. I just pretend the mv does not exist...)
143. Todrick Hall – “B”   (Listen, I often dislike Todrick as much as the next guy, but this is such a bop and it’s a shame everyone overlooked his album because he’s so cringe sometimes. I enjoyed several songs by him and his co-stars on the ‘Forbidden’ Visual Album)	133. Ryan Destiny – “The Same”   (I’m glad Ryan released a solo track this year, she’s v. underutilised in her “STAR” tv show and deserves success solo!)
142. Tinashe – “Faded Love” (feat. Future)	132. Keke Palmer – “Better to Have Loved”
141. Betty Who – “Just Thought You Should Know”	131. Victoria Monet – “Ten New Friends”   (An excellent tongue-in-cheek masturbation song penned by the great Victoria, this is a bop and if she had the balls to make it a single it might’ve taken off!)

130. Tinashe – "Throw a Fit"   (wooo a bop! But, I overplayed it the first few weeks it came out and it's too short. Why wasn't this a single again?)	120. Khalid & Normani – "Love Lies"   (I wasn't as obsessed with this for one reason. Khalid. His voice is extremely annoying to me unfortunately. He sounds like he smokes 10 packs a day and has a cold . Normani carries this and the plays are really low because of Khalid's vocals. I actually enjoy a cover of this by Haben Abraham alot more than the original.)	110. Madison Ryann Ward, Rex Rideout, Anthony LoGerfo, Jairus Jmo Mozee – "Mirror"   (Not many of you will know about Madison but she has a beautiful voice with great control and this song showcases that very well. Idk whether she's working on an album but I see big things for her in the future!)
129. Betty Who – "Look Back"   (Another HUGE bop with great production that was completely overlooked. Had another singer had this it would've been huge, esp in europe.)	119. June’s Diary – "Goodtime"	109. Rozzi & Scott Hoying – "Lose Us"
128. Victoria Monet – "When You Say You Love Me"	118. Dua Lipa – "Want To"	108. Todrick Hall – "Break My Heart"
127. Cheat Codes & Little Mix – "Only You"   (This grew on me because on 1st listen I thought it was mediocre. LM could've done alot more with this song but it's a cute single before their album dropped.)	117. Chloe x Halle – "Grown" (From Grown-ish)   (A cute track by this duo that lyrically highlights their youth. It's a perfect song for the tv show counterpart, so good on them, and their beautiful voices are always enjoyable to me)	107. Troye Sivan – "Animal"   (A slow-tempo, very sexy track from Troye. There's not much there vocally (Like with 70% of the album) but it's great lyrically)
126. Jessie J – "Queen"	116. Tinashe – "Ooh La La"	106. Nicki Minaj – "Bed" (feat. Ariana Grande)
125. Todrick Hall – "Play (feat. Jade Novah)"   (Forget Todrick, this was my very 1st introduction to Jade and she is EXCELLENT! She's my greatest discovery of 2018 and this song i v. cute!)	115. Ciara – "Level Up"   (Ciara's comeback was excellent! (Too bad the follow ups were not...) Vocally there's nothing interesting here but it's a massive bop that you can't help but move too and that music video >>>)	105. Jessie J – "Play"
124. Dua Lipa & BLACKPINK – "Kiss and Make Up"   (I'm not aboard the kpop train but this was really well done, and I loved the mix of languages. Surprisingly, everything comes together really well and it's a cute song!)	114. Pentatonix – "Feel It Still"	104. Chloe x Halle – "The Kids Are Alright"
123. Carly Rae Jepsen – "Party for One" (This is one of the 1st few songs in a long time that I enjoyed by ms. Jepsen. But like most of her songs, it's just a cute pop song that you'll forget in a year. It's cute but she never takes risks vocally or lyrically.)	113. Jade Novah – "Intuition"   (The first of many entries from Jade, this is such a dope track that couples awesome runs with a bit of rapping that comes together v. nicely)	103. Jade Novah – "All Blue"
122. Ariana Grande – "pete davidson"   (Here is the 1st of many from Ariana! This song is a really cute attempt at a personalised love song, but I hated the name because I, along with the rest of the world, knew this romance wouldn't last. Unfortunately we were right, but this is still v.cute and I just ignore the name.)	112. ZAYN – "Let Me"   (This is just about the only Zayn track i've enjoyed this yr, which is SO dissapointing considering I was a big fan after his last album effort. He shows little to know effort in maintaining his career and it's disheartening, but this track was a nice comeback coupled with a decent vid.)	102. Calum Scott, Leona Lewis – "You Are The Reason" (Duet Version)
121. Jessie J – "One Night Lover"	111. Marshmello & Anne-Marie – "FRIENDS"   (This is such a cool, very fun track and I loved the lyric video for it! It was a top 5 hit here in the UK and for good reason. I wish we got more songs like this that kinda has a playful undertone)	101. Nicki Minaj – "Chun-Li"   (1st entry by ms. CHUN-LI! (referenced far too many times in her following features.) This was a great comeback track and one of the few hits of her era this year. I'm not really a rap music fan but this was a dope track and just shy of my top 100.)

100. Troye Sivan – “Bloom”   (This was a kind of underwhelming title track at first but then I got the meaning behind the lyrical content and ended up really enjoying it. Clever lyrics, I wish the MV teased the hidden message more but I guess the lyrics were enough of a “risk” for him here.)	90. Nicki Minaj – “Barbie Dreams”   (This could’ve been Nicki’s biggest hit of the era if she played it right! The name drops were hilarious for the first couple listens, the sampling is great and... the song at the end? SHOULD have been its own song!! I’m really upset it wasn’t.)
99. Chloe x Halle – “Cool People”	89. Chloe x Halle – “Happy Without Me” (feat. Joey Bada$$)   (Easily one of my faves from the album, and the rap feature actually isn’t bad at all, fits well. I love the lyrics here and ofcourse, they sound excellent!)
98. Todrick Hall – “Nobody” (feat. Jade Novah & Cynthia Erivo)   (Tod is easily outmatched here, as both Jade & Cynthia (Tony award winning singer/actress) bodied this song. It’s a cute love song as well and was helped me fall in love w/Jade!)	88. JoJo – “Instant Impact”   (This was a leaked song but even her leaks are excellent! She sounds so great on this pop track and i’m glad we got this in HQ! It was my only taste of Jojo this year so ofcourse it made my list!)
97.   Janelle Monae – “Make Me Feel”   (While I love this and the MV, there are several songs on her album I consider better because this is too Prince-esque. Nevertheless it’s a really quirky, fun song)	87. Christina Aguilera – “Deserve”   (I love the message behind this song. I LOVE her powerful vocals on this. Please someone tell me who the guy in the background is because he compliments her well. All in all one of my favourites from Liberation!)
96. Troye Sivan – “What a Heavenly Way to Die”   (Another lyrically brilliant track, I actually love how sultry Troye sounds here in this slower song, it almost sounds like he’s whispering it to me personally. One of the highlights of his album imo)	86. Victoria Monet – “All You Need”   (Pt.2 of Vic’s 2 EP’s mostly had upbeat pop love songs, but this is slightly different, a little slower and really well sung. It’s slightly stripped down and I prefer this sound from her I think!)
95. Nicki Minaj – “Barbie Tingz”   (I’m still bitter this didn’t make the album, I initially preferred it over Chun-Li, it’s a really fun rap song that’s reminiscent of old pop Nicki)	85. Ariana Grande – “borderline” (feat. Missy Elliott)   (This is only this low because Missy seemed extremely lazy here. I’m not sure if Pharell or Ariana pushed for this collab but someone should have contacted Missy and told her she’s gonna be on one of the most anticipated albums of 2018 so bloody rap like you have some life in you ffs. That said, Ariana sounds brilliant here and the more rnb-ish vibe is what she excels in.)
94.   RAYE – “Friends”	84. Camila Cabello – “Real Friends”   (So this song was released before her album and really upped my anticipation for it ten-fold; the blatant honesty here is SO refreshing, and so f***ing relatable to me I couldn’t stop replaying it. If she really did pen this herself, girl I know exactly what you’re been through.)
93. Lauv – “Enemies”	83. Tori Kelly – “Help Us To Love” (feat. The HamilTones)   (This was the first hint to us few Tori fans that her next project was in fact, gospel. No complaints because she sounds exquisite here as always, but still came out of left field. Although she did release several gospel tracks on youtube when that was her main platform so it’s always been a genre she enjoys singing. I welcome it, this wasn’t bad at all!)
92. Victoria Monet – “Ready”	82. Charlie Puth – “Slow It Down”
91. Todrick Hall – “Eleven” (feat. Jade Novah)   (SO THIS is the problem I have with Todrick, this is not Todrick featuring Jade, it’s JUST Jade on this song, he doesn’t sing here at all. This song however, tells a really cute story of a waitress flirting with a customer, willing to date on her break or when she gets off at 11. The MV plays off the lyrics really well too!   “Just in case you wanna stop in, I clock in Every day a quarter till noon And if you just happen to be 'round much After lunch I can take my break real soon, for you I'm always early-shift on the weekend If you want something sweet And I can feed your appetite And if you want a slice of baked heaven I'm here till eleven tonight”)	81. Victoria Monet – “Love U Better”

80. Pentatonix – “Stay”   (This is one of their best covers, the intro is excellent and I didn’t hear too much of the original but I love this version and prefer the harmonies here far more.)	70. Troye Sivan – “Lucky Strike”   (One of the more upbeat pop songs on Bloom, and definitely more of the sound I was expecting after hearing the lead. This is a sexy pop song and unapologetically gay. I love that. It’s rare.   “Oh, I wanna tip toe through your bliss, boy Get lost the more I find ya Oh, don't wanna miss a second of this, boy Hold tight and love me longer”   Whoever pens Troye’s music is good, whoever produces his music is damn good too. The outro is perfect. I just wish he knew how to ad lib and harmonise because someone who was more creative vocally could have made this song 10x better!)
79. Janelle Monáe – “Screwed” (feat. Zoë Kravitz)	69. Janelle Monáe – “I Like That”   (“I don’t really give a f**k if I was just the only one who likes that”   Enough said. Everything she says in this song is 100% relatable and beautifully written!   “I'm always left of centre and that's right where I belong I'm the random minor note you hear in major songs”   “Uh, I remember when you laughed when I cut my perm off And you rated me a six I was like, "Damn" But even back then with the tears in my eyes I always knew I was the ****”   Love this, brilliant track by Janelle. SO deserving of her grammy nods.
78. Victoria Monet – “Wish I Never Met You”   (I think this was the first song I heard from Victoria earlier this year and I was OBSESSED with it because she sounds so great here! I became very interested in her discog, because even though she helps pen some of Ariana’s best songs, she keeps a number of gems for herself, and the production is subtle but perfect here.)	68. Normani, Calvin Harris – “Checklist” (feat. Wizkid)   (So she finally went solo, and what an excellent double release it is! This is such a massive bop and coupled with “Slow Down” is a great introduction into the rnb/hip-hop genre. They may not be huge hits but it’s a great addition to her discog. I’m looking forward to what she releases in the future now.)
77.   Sabrina Carpenter – “Alien”   (MAJOR thanks to @Bxtch for recommending Sabrina. What the f**k this girl is excellent. I’m so surprised she’s so young because she sounds grown and her voice is magical. I love it so much you have no idea. Not since Ariana have I loved a new girl’s vocals this much. This song in particular is a really cute pop track with Jonas Blue that should’ve at least been a minor hit for her, the lyrics are meh but the production saves it.)	67. Victoria Monet – “Do You Like It”
76. Normani, Calvin Harris – “Slow Down”	66. Lauv – “Comfortable”
75. Betty Who – “Taste“   (A MASSIVE bop!! She sounds amazing here and the lyrics are sexy and ughhhh. Y’know, some of these songs are slow and beautifully written and i’ll write long paragraphs about them. But this is just a trashy bop and I love it idgaf.   “All my cravings come at me This ain't love, it's sacrifice Oh my God, I can't behave The worse they are The better they taste”)	65. Ariana Grande – “better off”   (The closest thing to a ballad description on her album, and it’s completely heart breaking. She sings this song with conviction, yet there is a very obvious undertone that she perhaps doesn’t mean the lyrics she sings. I don’t ever want to experience what that feels like. It’s extremely emotive and to be honest, I had a slight difficulty replaying it because I couldn’t relate and it’s a really sad song.)
74. RAYE & Achi Avelino – “Slower”   (The first entry from one of my favourite EP’s of the year! WHY isn’t RAYE more well know here, this song is quite literally the slower of the few songs on the EP but doesn’t falter in giving off a really feel-good vibe like the rest of the EP does; It’s a simple request, yes we clicked and the date may have gone well, but this isn’t a one-night stand situation, can we take it slower? Brilliant. I love her voice.)	64. Sabrina Carpenter – “Hold Tight” (feat. Uhmeer)   (This grew on me and soon became one of my favourites on the EP. The rapper is just okay, but Sabrina carries this and the production aids her greatly in making a really dope pop song that’s really relatable to my lifestyle tbh.   “Not everybody needs our attendance” “Not like I wanna keep you inside, yeah But I was hoping we could switch up how we're spending our time”   We go out all the time, can we just switch it up, stay home and cuddle and just enjoy each other’s company. I just wanna hold tight to you and not go out. Literally same b***h. I love this song!)
73. Ariana Grande – “sweetener”   (Quite underrated imo, sure the “hit it hit it flip it flip it” lyric is slightly jarring, but my goodness can you all just look past that and read the bigger message of the song. When life is complete sh**, which hers has been as of late, there’s that one special person that she can count on that completely changes her mood around, that lifts her out of the depression and is a joy to have around; and then... you know.. they f**k. And.. it’s great or whatever.     My point is, it’s fun and lighthearted and matches the theme of the album perfectly. The guy quite literally sweetens her bitter moments. That is so clever. The final verse is my favourite, and I imagine myself singing this to a future partner. I hope for a love like this!   “Said I don't know what I'd do without you in my life, it'd be so sour I'm hoping that everybody can experience what we have now”	63. Christina Aguilera – “Twice”   (Vocally excellent as always, lyrically.. pretty good. Not great. It’s slightly repetitive in my opinion, and for a ballad of regret, could have been a bit more clear is what she’s singing about. I’m not sure if she’s singing about her life here or about a love she’s lost, I mainly like this because she sounds great vocally, and the chorus harmonies elevate the song, giving it a kind of haunting feel that I enjoy listening too.)
72. Lauv – “Come Back Home”   (If anyone hasn’t heard Lauv’s album I highly recommend it; this song in particular is alot slower, but tells a heartbreaking story of the singer leaving his lover, thinking he needed a getaway, doubt consuming his mind so much that he leaves, he feels he isn’t good enough, but that she’d remain. It’s a common theme of the album, not feeling good enough and having doubt in one’s ability to keep a relationship going. Maybe that’s just my interpretation. Love this.)	62. EriAm – “Higher”   (Severely underrated, but I have the pleasure of recently finding out Haben is working on her 1st album. Hopefully she is huge. Anyway, once again the girls have delivered exceptional vocals and great lyrics on an original track, as well as given a bunch of great covers this year. It’s a flex song, but the highlight of the song isn’t its lyrics, it’s how the girls sound together, rivalling bigger girl groups like 5thharmony in how they easily harmonize and how magical they sound solo.)
71. Sabrina Carpenter – “Lie for Love”   (This is legit the only song I use from this soundtrack, because Sabrina sounds great here and the lyrics aren’t as god awful as most of the other tracks featured. While this song is slightly repetitive, it served as a reminder to me that Sabrina was one of my greatest finds of 2018. The final pre-chorus and chorus in particular make this a really enjoyable listen!)	61. Lauv – “Adrenaline”   (One of the highlights of Lauv’s album, slightly more upbeat, I love the way he sings here, and could actually see Charlie Puth singing this as well. It has a slight throwback vibe that I find intoxicating, and the instrumental compliments his voice very, very nicely.)

60. RAYE, Kojo Funds & RAY BLK – “Crew”   (She sounds so damn sexy singing this song, and it’s such a slap in the face to whoever she’s singing about. The instrumental is bloody brilliant and gives off a bad*** vibe, it’s a big f*** you to the guy “who’s so good at telling lies” and I love it! This should of been playing at every club in London, with people screaming the chorus, it should’ve been a hit.)	50. Charlie Puth – “Empty Cups”
59. Janelle Monáe – “Crazy, Classic, Life”	49. Bazzi – “Beautiful” (feat. Camila Cabello)   (The only reason this made my list, and so high, is because of Camila, because although I enjoyed the album as a whole, this was mostly ignored. As a duet, it’s beautiful, and Camila adds a great deal to the quality of the song lyrically and vocally.)
58. Christina Aguilera – “Like I Do” (feat. GoldLink)   (I don’t know who the rapper is but this is one of the very, VERY few cases in 2018 where a rap feature was a brilliant idea. These two work so damn well together, as Christina rather smugly sings the lyrics, flexing her experience in bed. I was SO glad to see this grammy nominated, because it’s one of my favourite collabs of 2018 easily, and a highlight on Liberation.)	48. Ariana Grande – “everytime”   (Why is this so low? Because other than the final chorus it doesn’t really hold my attention for very long, I find it boring to be honest, but when the album was first released I too thought it was top 3 of the album. Now if it comes on shuffle, i’ll listen, but only in anticipation of the final chorus. Maybe i’ll fall in love with it again sometime. The lyrics at least are telling of the type of girl Ariana is, and those revealing lyrics are something I appreciate.)
57. EriAm (Haben Abraham) – “This”   (I could have included alot of her excellent covers like God is a Woman this year, but instead just kept this original song. Although it’s short, I love how nonchalantly she sings the words, the background vocals are layered really nicely, and the final runs in the song I couldn’t stop replaying. She’s so freaking talented and I look forward to the debut album she’s currently working on!)	47. Clean Bandit – “Solo” (feat. Demi Lovato)   (A risky, cheeky, masturbation song, masked as a club dance bop. Demi was perfect for this, as her belts and high energy go well with this uptempo beat. Clean Bandit's scored another hit this year.)
56. Jessie J – “Someone's Lady”   (This song is so sad, she sounds so depressed here singing “I just want to be someone’s lady”. There’s an eery sense of loneliness, coupled with beautiful runs scattered throughout. This is a highlight on the album. The instrumental is minimal, just a piano, giving her voice centre stage, and you can’t help but feel sympathy when it’s over. I’m not sure what the outro instrument is but I love it as well.)	46. Ariana Grande – “thank u, next”   (I knew, or at least hoped Ariana would get a #1 in 2018, but that it would be from Sweetener. I certainly did not see it being a surprise release, a risky option that only bigger artists opt for and pull off successfully. The fact that it’s still #1 weeks later is even more impressive. Is it the honesty of the lyrics, the positivity with which she sends off her past lovers, or the relatability of the latter half of the song’s lyrics and its chorus that the gp fell in love with? For me it’s all of the above.)
55. Christina Aguilera – “Fall in Line” (feat. Demi Lovato)   (Another great collab by Xtina, choosing Demi to belt with and them both executing it so well, with the lyrics having a sense of female empowerment. I mostly like the song for the power vocals, there was a lack of these this year.)	45. Little Mix – “Think About Us”   (Every LM album has an excellent pop track where Perrie goes OFF vocally, but LM5 (horrible album name) has several! This is an extremely great pop song, it’s nothing special lyrically or harmonically but it’s more of a dance track so that’s okay.)
54. Charlie Puth – “Done For Me” (feat. Kehlani)   (The instrumental first of all, excellent!! Charlie vs. Kehlani verse by verse with the final chorus together, really well done by both! We got no new Kehlani tracks this year that i'm aware of so I was pleased to hear this, and she nails it.)	44. Jessie J – “I Believe in Love”   (This song hit me like a ton of bricks, because the lyrics are exactly how I feel and it’s like she was singing about me personally. The lyrics are what I love the most and it now holds a special place in my heart, and Jessie’s excellent vocals are ofcourse very complimentary to the track. This is one of my favourite Jessie songs ever. )
53. RAYE, Maleek Berry & Nana Rogues – “Confidence”   (This has a really breezy vibe, it stands out on the EP because of its sound, less of a dance bop and I love the fluid instrumental accompanied by Raye’s vocals.)	43. Bazzi – “Why”   (What I love about this song is that Bazzi is completely honest that he’s an a**hole. No excuses. It’s right there in the lyrics. “Tell me why do you still love me”. You don’t get guys admitting that a whole lot. Refreshing. It should make me hate him, but it’s a good song, can’t help it.)
52. Nicki Minaj – “Good Form”   (This is such a bop. This is so sexy. Nicki shines on this song. The chorus is addictive. It’s a career highlight for Nicki in my opinion.)	42. Ariana Grande – “blazed” (feat. Pharrell Williams)   (I loved this song the second I heard it. Pharell isn’t bad here but Ariana’s style of singing here is really cool, and the chorus! It was more of a lower register with great background vocals. The outro gives me strong Brandy vibes, those outro runs are well done.)
51. Ariana Grande – “get well soon”   (Extremely uplifting, my favourite part of this whole song is the consistent “Get better! Get better! Get better!” background vocals. It tugs my heartstrings and makes me hopeful. Whenever I was down i’d listen to this this year and it kinda helped. This slowly grew into one of my very favourite songs on the album.   The only thing I don’t like is the lyric “unfollow fear and just say you are blocked”. It comes off extremely childish and cringey and something Katy Perry would say/sing. A better lyric could’ve gone here, but I get that alot of depression comes from social media these days and that was a link to that source.., nevertheless it’s slightly irritating for me personally.)	41. Charlie Puth – “Somebody Told Me”   (Charlie accuses the girl he’s seeing of cheating, and he sounds really great doing it... Unlike Troye, he’s not afraid to be creative with his voice, hitting high notes effortlessly. It makes for a more appealing track with better replay value.)

40. Jade Novah, Kevin Ross – “Bulletproof”   (This is my third favourite collab of the year. These two sound inseparable together singing of their invincibility because they've found one another. This ties in with the space/cosmic theme of the album nicely and noone oversings the other and both sound great running together in the chorus)	30. Sabrina Claudio – “Cross Your Mind”   (Prior to the backlash I discovered this song by her on the soundtrack and it became one of my favourite songs of the year. She declares her jealousy of an ex lover being with someone else in such an odd way; nonchalant yet extremely sexy. The picture in my head is of a messy drunk girl overlooking her ex in a bar with someone else and clumsily screaming into the microphone.   She sets the imagery in the first words of the song "I'm a mess, I admit it, I'm addicted to anything that's not good for me" and then sexily cries out in the chorus, "Do I ever cross your mind? When you're touching her, kissing her, looking in her eyes". It's so well sung and written. It's SO well put together when a song tells such a clear story like that. It should've had a MV.)
39. Nicki Minaj – “LLC”   (This is my favourite song on the album, Nicki makes a complete fool of the subject, declaring she's literally made them into a money making venture, by evolving a fued as fuel for creativity in writing bars in multiple songs that she can profit from. It's brilliant, and was evidenced by the sheer number of songs she hopped on after the Shether incident, which I can only assume is who this was about. The beat is excellent and the chorus is the highlight! Well done.)	29. Victoria Monet – “No Good”
38. Todrick Hall – “Heaven”    (Say what you want about Todrick but this song is excellent! The lyrics especially, where he's practically screaming at God, crying out with SO MUCH emotion, that if anyone's watching from above we're missing something because this world is a complete mess, and if he dies tomorrow, he'll send the message from Heaven himself. It's a song sung by someone who's fed up with the state of the world, and demands a sign. It's different, unique, and powerful. The final chorus especially is haunting in its desperation.    "I'm convinced this complicated game of life is just a simple riddle. The answer isn't do or die, or wrong or right, it's hiding in the middle. I will fight to stay alive just like a candle burning in the window. I'm told when it's your time to go you'll know but I'm not finished yet"	28. Madison Beer – “Fools”
37. EriAm (Haben Abraham) – “L A S T  C H A N C E”   (Haben sings of a love that's on the brink of ending, she's on the edge and sings "Here's a bit of tough love, if you mess this up love I'm gon' find another!". It's beautifully sung, with well arranged harmonies and runs, but still sounds firm and unyielding and beautiful.)	27. Todrick Hall – “Painting in the Rain”   (Another great solo track by Todrick. "At this stage in his visual album, Todrick and his love interest have lost everything, including each other. He compares their love to “painting in the rain”, pointless and impossible." It's a clever comparison, and once again he sings with a great deal of emotion, on a song that can also be relatable to someone trapped in a situation where every effort feels needless. The final high note in the chorus is shaky but fits really well in this deeply emotional track.)
36. Sabrina Carpenter – “Bad Time”   ("Bad time for a good time" Kinda clever, and the story she tells of flipping the script on a guy who only calls her for a good time and leaves her high and dry with the excuse of a bad time when she wants to meet up, clever. I'm still surprised she's as young as she is because this is a mature song, especially the lyric: "Everything's so clear to me now Wish I could have seen it before You were sitting comfortable and I was busy kissing your floor"   It could mean she always had to go to him while he never had to make the effort to meet up with her or do what she wants to do... or, it could also mean a sex position, and her being tired of being in that.. less dominant position.. during one of their "good times" while she never got to have her way because he wasn't up for it. Maybe that's a stretch, either way, great pop song. )	26. Tori Kelly – “Soul’s Anthem (It Is Well)”    (Tori shines here, with the help of a beautiful choir from start to finish, singing a legendary gospel song I remember growing up with. What I LOOOOOVVEEEE about this girl is the exceptional control she has of her voice. She freely does the most intricate of runs and makes it seem effortless. It's remarkable . She is incredibly talented and I will forever be a fan of hers.)
35. Lauv – “Chasing Fire”    (This is the most pop-centric song on the album, and although it slightly comes across as a boy-band song, Lauv makes it work and it's one of the more fun, upbeat tracks on an otherwise slow-tempo, deeply moody album. (Don't let that put you off listening to it though.)	25. Charlie Puth – “The Way I Am”   (The second I heard this I related to it 1000%. That's why I love it. The lyrics describe me perfectly. The entire 1st & 2nd verse is spot on, word for word.. Charlie states "I realized that I hadn’t put a record out that was about my anxiety about my insecurities, that I’m pretty sure a lot of people in this world share with me, so why not put a record out like that, that people can sing along to?" You've done just that Charlie, and I LOVE it.)
34. Ariana Grande – “R.E.M”   (This is the epitome of the album and Ariana's persona, dreamy. It's a dreamy song, with dreamy vocals, dreamy lyrics, and the title references a dream. She even samples "Mr. Sandman", a song about asking to be brought a dream in the form of a perfect man. It's quintessential Ariana, and brilliant. The chorus background vocal in particular are my personal fave part of the song. "Waaakkeee Uuupppp". Beautiful.)	24. Little Mix – “Forget You Not”   (Best song on this pop album, no argument. The low notes in the chorus, the final pre-chorus harmonies, the production during the verses? They'd be making a huge mistake not making this a single. This is a cut above the rest.)
33. Jessie J – “Not My Ex”	23. Lauv – “Paris in the Rain”   (This is, in my opinion, the best song on his album. It's a quaint love song, simple, beautiful. He'll give his love anything and everything because being with her is his most enjoyable experience, like "Paris in the Rain". It's such a lovely song, written well and sung even better. The production and instrumental is very minimal. You just hear him, and it's enough.)
32. Madison Beer – “Home with You”   (Madison demands respect. She sounds bad*** here and it's such a brilliant pop song that should have easily been a massive hit for her. Unfortunately america failed her. I love the message of this song, it's empowering but also something you can dance too and the best pop track on her EP. I hope she can outdo this with her next release! More woman should hear this and scream it at intolerable men.)	22. Madison Beer – “Heartless”   (Here Madison quietly tries to hold herself back. The song is aided by a great instrumental and production but I love the way she sings here. She doesn't try to go to high, keeps it very mellow to match the mood she's trying to portray, and it works out really well. The second I heard this I knew it would be one of my favourites for a while. The lyrics are pretty good too, I think everyone assumed a different message from the title than what the chorus actually reads.)
31. Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey – “The Middle”   (This grew on me so much, the vocals in particular are explosive and it's what I enjoy the most, and Zedd does a great job producing a pop record that while slightly generic, is still extremely appealing and addictive. I'm slightly surprised by the grammy noms but not really, because this is the biggest ear-worm of 2018.)	21. Tori Kelly – “Masterpiece" (feat. Lecrae)   (This song is where Tori goes off vocally on her EP. She demolishes this song and it's become one of my absolute favourites by her.  She holds nothing back vocally, declaring her gratefulness for what she has and love to the Lord. It's extremely powerful and enjoyable. The rap feature isn't bad but you forget he even makes an appearance after Tori returns and ends the song on quite literally a high note and brilliant final run. Exceptional.)

20. Troye Sivan - Dance to This (feat. Ariana Grande)

 

(The best idea Troye has made this year, was to ask Ariana to feature on this, rather than release it solo. When a feature elevates the quality of a song ten-fold, you know you've chosen correctly. This is my second favourite collab of the year, as their voices mesh well together and the tongue-in-cheek lyrics are sorta clever. Ariana tries to hold herself back as the feature, and adds ad libs that Troye did not that make the overall song better; and adds slightly higher notes without completely owning the latter half. Without her, the song would be a more basic pop song with little interesting moments like that. From the moment she comes in on the second verse, the song is infinitely better. (But maybe that's a bias opinion from someone who loves her voice as much as I.) The writing, is one of my favourite things about this song because I like the dual meaning of dancing to the music as opposed to having sex to the music. The word dance can be changed to f**k and make just as much sense throughout, but I like the clever disguise.)

 

19. Bazzi - Soarin

 

(For a while my favourite song on this album was "Why", but after listening again, I fell in love with this alot more. There's nothing special here lyrically, but he sounds excellent, and experiments with higher notes here more than any other song on the album, successfully pulling it off. It's a feel good song, and has amazing replay value, and he's another great find for me in 2018 because I don't listen to alot of male artists, but this one can sing well and releases good music, so i'll keep an eye out for him later on in his career!)

 

18. Sabrina Carpenter - Paris

 

(Let's start with the instrumental. Minimal and perfect. It sets the tone of the song from the first second you hear it. Then in comes Sabrina, factual, sassy. She's speaking directly to the listener until the chorus kicks in and she begins to sing, swooning over Paris vs. L.A. It's so brilliant, it's so well constructed. Who is this girl honestly? It's really well done. Her voice + the instrumental is all she needs. Then comes the surprise of french commentary. How perfect to include that in a song titled "Paris". How clever is that? And then, final chorus, she goes off. Ad libs, background vocals take centre stage, high notes (!) and the instrumental picks up. Brilliant pop song. One of the best of 2018 by a girl so young.)

 

17. Julia Michaels - Heaven

 

("All good boys go to heaven, but bad boys bring heaven to you."

What an amazing lyric. What a well written song, Julia has done it again. The hushed vocals over this is PERFECT. Her voice is slightly raspy and adds to the sex appeal this song oozes. The progression is PERFECT. I am still as in love with this song as I was the first time I heard it. This should have been the lead. I've never even seen the films but I don't care; more people should have heard this. The instrumental and haunting "Oooh" background vocal gives an eerie vibe while she sings through the verses. But by far for me the best part is the lyrics.

 

"Love's my religion, but he was my faith
Something so sacred, so hard to replace
Fallin' for him was like fallin' from grace
All wrapped in one, he was so many sins
Would have done anything, everything for him
And if you ask me, I would do it again"

 

It's masochistic, yet unapologetic. It's brilliant!)

 

16. Ariana Grande - God is a woman

 

(This is the greatest risk Ariana has ever taken in her career, attempting to release a song referencing a religious deity, where the main topic at hand is sex with a hint of female empowerment. I anticipated massive backlash, and surprisingly, there was little to non. Instead, it became a hit. She managed to release something that many women embraced, delivered her best live performance of 2018 at the VMA's and radio ate it up. I'll admit I personally felt a little uncomfortable listening to this one at first, but Ariana soars vocally here, demanding your attention the second the song starts. It's a pop song with a risky subject matter that is so catchy you try to overlook it. The instrumental is nothing special, but she's so great at knowing where to add ad libs, where to let her background vocals appear and where to strip it down, it ends up forming a great track you can't help but fall in love with.)

 

15. Victoria Monet - Water Fall Out of Love

 

(This is the peak of this EP, the peak of all the heartbreak. Amidst life after love there will be pain and anger before you start to see the light (i.e. part 2 of the EP). She sounds angriest here, at her ex who did her wrong. She starts the song somber, speaking to him directly, like the start of an argument that's about to erupt.When the chorus hits she finds herself alone wondering if he can hear her now, and hopes he cries his eyes out "So I can waterfall, out of love". I thought this was such a cleverly written song, it's mean but heartbreaking, she's literally pouring out her anger into the lyrics and BOLD enough to put it on an EP she will then have him PRODUCE. She confirmed this song is about Tommy Brown, the music producer she works closely with and had a relationship with prior. It's so f**king ballsy. It's brutal and honest and I love it. Sometimes when you're going through a breakup, there's no filter.)

 

14. Sabrina Carpenter - Almost Love

 

(This song's explosive chorus made me love it INSTANTLY.  I was so hungry for a pop song where the singer goes off vocally and here comes Sabrina giving me exactly what I want. The instrumental is playful and she starts the song the same way, before it changes completely in the pre-chorus and she gets more serious "We could give it a minute, But what's the fun in a minute?, When we could push all the limits". Then the chorus comes and she explodes. The lyrics remain flirty but all I care about is her voice, her ad libs and that instrumental. This remains one of my favourite pop songs of 2018 because she doesn't hold back for a second. That final chorus is everything I need and want from today's pop girls and it's LACKING.)

 

13. Jade Novah - Try

 

(Jade takes this moment to show anyone listening just how much control she has over her voice. It's songs like this that have made me fall in love with her completely, this year. The runs. The runs are intricate and frequent and beautiful. Her voice is centre stage here, and the first time you hear the song you don't pay attention to anything else, you're not even sure what she's singing about until you hear it again. The lyrics are great, the instrumental is great, but Jade's voice is the star.)

 

12. Christina Aguilera - Unless It's With You

 

(This is the standout on Liberation by leaps and bounds. It's incredibly mature and honest, it tells a story immediately of someone who refuses any and everything to do with marriage and the ceremony... until she finds that one person.. that one strange individual that changes her mind, that's the exception. She's cynical, and it IMMEDIATELY reminds me of Miranda from Sex and the City, Steve is who the song is directed at if Miranda was the singer. It's such a clear, relatable story and the best part about this song: Christina has never sounded better. My gosh that voice, I annoyed my friends so much by playing that final chorus over and over and over again. That final run where she builds up from the lower note to her final "MARRIED!" and ends the song with a whisper. SPECTACULAR. )

11. Tori Kelly - Just As Sure (feat. Jonathan McReynolds)

 

(Here marks my favourite collab of the year; and I didn't even know who the male was for a while. Here's what I like about Tori Kelly: The control she has, allows her to do mind blowing things with her voice. However, unlike acts such as Jessie J or Demi Lovato, she NEVER gets to the point of it being too much. She never over sings, there is always restraint. As she partners with Jonathan here, fortunately he's talented enough to keep up with her, and so it offers less restraint from her (the more experienced) and allows her to do beautiful things in this song, while he tries and succeeds at keeping up. It makes for a gorgeous end result.

Tori is also almost too honest here, I was surprised to hear the lyric:

 

"The nights that I cried (You loved me)
When I should've died (You loved me)
And that's the reason why (I do love You)"

 

It paints a disturbing picture. What's even more disturbing? There are more lyrics like this hidden among this gospel EP. Was Tori in trouble and noone knew?, and this is her way out artistically letting it out? That made me fall in love with this EP even more. We'll never know but this song is a cut above the rest.

10. Ariana Grande - No Tears Left to Cry

 

(A brilliant comeback from one of the most traumatic experiences a musician can face in their professional career. She chose to return with an air of positivity, rather than a heartbreaking ballad. The introduction was perfect leading up to the up-tempo chorus, the lyrics are uplifting and honest, and the music video was at the time, the best of her entire discography bar none. It added a great deal to the quality of the song. It's a song I only listen to if i'm in a similar happy mood, but enjoyed very much when it was first released and has become one of my most played tracks of the year.)

 

09. Raye, Mabel, Stefflon Don - Cigarette

(The ultimate bop of 2018 . If you haven't heard this, especially blasting out loud at a party/club, you're missing out. This song is so well constructed  and Raye sounds great here, but the instrumental shines the most. The features are perfect, and I can't picture the song without them. It's such an excellent trashy bop and I never got tired of it. This, above all else on her EP, should'e been a top 40 hit. This proves that Raye is a pro at selecting the right sound that both extremely entertaining and one that she can excel at, and not have features outshine her. One of the features has a caribbean-esque vibe to her flow that I relate too having lived there so I think that adds to the massive appeal I have for this track. Best bop of 2018.)

 

08. Madison Beer - Teenager in Love

 

(I know, this is an odd top 10 right? Idk why this stuck out to me more than the others on the EP, but it did. Say it To My Face, which was extremely high on my 2017 list, and this track are my favourites. It's just such a sweet song, it shows a kinder, gentler side to Madison, who often sounds more demanding or sassy (HWY, Hurts Like Hell, Say it to my Face, Dead). I love the subtle runs, how the background vocals so beautifully matches to the lead vocal on the chorus, and the lyrics most of all. It's something I can picture myself singing to a loved one some day you know? It's beautiful, and one of my faves of 2018.)

 

07. Ariana Grande - goodnight n go

 

(I immediately fell in love with this song and claimed it as my fave the first time I listened to the album. MY GOODNESS does she sound magical here. Ariana has a way of softening her voice, matching it to beautiful harmonic background vocals to make this airy sound that I just love. Above all else, the lyrics tell a tale that you can visualise as you listen to this song. I may be biased but I slightly enjoy the way Ariana sings it over the original because there's a modern touch to the production and the layering of her voice I prefer. The final runs at the end of the chorus after "just say goodnight n go" are my favourite thing about the song, as is that SPECTACULAR final verse. This is one of my favourites of her entire discography!)

 

06. Charlie Puth - How Long

 

(What I love most about this is are the lyrics, he's clearly the bad guy and makes no apologies for it, but alters from the girl's to the guy's perspective regularly, which is an interesting approach. The guy's perspective in the verses immediately apologises, admitting he was wrong, while the girl's in the chorus asks how long it's been going on. I love that. Furthermore, he sounds excellent here vocally, I dare say more so than on any other song on the album, especially that final high note in the chorus. Charlie's love for unique melodies coupled with having a great voice that allows him to go that high without fear both in the studio and in live performances is what I love about him the most.)

 

05. Sabrina Carpenter - Sue Me

 

(After having heard the pre-release singles I was not sure i'd find anything I would love more than Almost Love. Vocally, she sounds so excellent and it's such a great pop track. Then I heard the EP, and Sue Me felt like a slap to the face for doubting her. I love hearing artists go OFF vocally and this song proves she can SING! There is so much bada**ery oozing from this song, lyrically and vocally and I can't handle it. It quickly became one of my top 5 most played songs of the entire year, having only been released early November. Sabrina is unforgiving in her delivery to whoever this song is directed at; the verses are sassy as fu** but the pre-chorus and chorus are explosive! This is exactly what I hope to hear more of from her (and other pop acts). She's excellent at delivering amazing vocals, harmonies and ad libs to songs both live and on the studio track and never seems to hold back.)

 

04. Brandy - Lullaby

 

(This is such a great track from living legend Brandy. I'm so glad I got new music from her and the sheer emotion she evokes in this song (and the MV) is intense. It tells a clear story of a mother's love and the desperation of losing a child, and best of all, her runs and harmonies throughout the track are so intoxicating too listen too on repeat! The final verse in particular where she's quite literally begging for her baby boy to not be taken from her, is so spectacular in delivery, but riddled with short but incredibly intricate runs throughout . Literally every line ends in a run, and it doesn't feel excessive, it feels right. There are very few people who can sing this song the way she has and this should have been a far more widely known song among RnB or Brandy fans. Exquisite track and gives me hope that the music she's recording right now will be excellent, because she's still got it! Love, love, love this song. Please check out the MV below!)

 

 

03. Jade Novah - Cosmic Love

 

(This song is so appealing to me! It's so dreamy and delightful and she sounds great and I like the production, it all just works together beautifully. This song is 100% me. Like, if I could describe myself as a song, it would be this. I fell head over heels in love with it . It's not the lyrics, it's just the way it sounds, I know that doesn't make much sense but I love it so much. In fact, I actually thought this is what Ariana's 'Sweetener' would sound like prior to the album release. Jade's voice here is so ethereal, the pre-chorus sees her take it a little higher, with the lyrics describing her love in a short and sweet way, before the production comes centre stage in the chorus with a nice drop, and Jade's voice almost rides a wave as she sings of her longing for Cosmic Love. The final verse where the lead vocal is perfectly entwined with the background vocal that it sounds like two people singing, and then as the final chorus plays she's just running in the background. Bitch. This is IT!! It's such a spectacular track. )

 

02. Troye Sivan - My My My!

 

(Troye won me over big time with this song. It is the best song he has ever recorded, period, and according to him recently, his favourite song that he's ever written. Troye's voice is very sultry, especially when he sings in a lower register, but what took me by surprise was the absolutely EXPLOSIVE chorus. It's so bloody catchy but so well sung. It makes for an extremely fun dance track that I was obsessed with throughout the year. I hoped that the entire album was riddled with phenomenal vocals like this and was left very disappointed, but nevertheless this song is one of the best pop songs released in 2018 hands down, no other male that I listened to this year came close to this brilliance. The production is great as well, especially the intro, and this is one of the few songs on the album where he adds some great ad libs to the song (still have no idea why he didn't do more with the other tracks but w/e) that made it that much better.)

 

01. Ariana Grande - breathin'

 

(Let me start by saying, this song's lyrics are the #1 reason I love it. Hands down. I personally had a horrible year. Like, quite literally one of the worst of my life. My depression was at an all time high and I was very unhappy for months. You know how they say music is healing? This song helped. When I heard the album, this for me (like for many other fans) was a standout. But like I said, not because of the excellent vocals, but the message. The verses, pre-chorus, chorus, all too relatable. It hit me like a ton of bricks.

The very first words "Some days, things just take way too much of my energy
I look up and the whole room's spinning" SPOT. ON.

I needed a song like this to help get me out of my ****ty mood this year. I dance to it when i' m happy, and it helps me feel slightly better when i'm down, it's a constant reminder. A mental push to be better, to strive for positivity. That you can get through it, however severe "it" might be.

Now the vocals; this is easily one of the best songs on the album. It's the song that reminds me the most of the Dangerous Woman era, where vocally she held nothing back and just unleashed her emotions into the microphone. Every high note, every ad lib, perfectly done. Never too much, just enough to make the powerful message of the song heard. It encompasses the overall message of the album superbly and i'd imagine is her exact feelings prior to the tragic terrorist events she went through. It might mean something different to everyone, but for me, this was the best song of 2018, as well as my most played song of 2018 by a large margin.)

 

 

 

 

Therein lies my top 150 songs of the year. I hope you enjoyed this, it was alot of fun to rank.

 

 

 

--

Here is my LastFM top 5 artists apparently:

I'm not surprised they're all female.  (The plays are inaccurate I think.)

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

(Each album featured on this list will include two of my favourites)

 
30. The Colour of You - Alina Baraz

(So I became a massive fan of Sabrina Claudio after discovering her from Spotify... until the racist tweets were uncovers and her half-***ed apology made me opt out of listening to her, and so alot of people began calling Alina a great alternative. While I personally disagree, this album is still cute and I enjoy a handful of tracks from it, so it's included as the lowest entry on my album list)
Recommend: Floating (feat. Khalid)  //  High

 
29. A Wrinkle in Time (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

(Odd entry I know, but it's because I enjoyed a handful of entries by artists Chloe x Halle, Kehlani etc that was included on this at the time (beginning of the year) where there was a lack of new music, can't say much about this because I don't listen to this as much anymore and never saw the film.)
Recommend: Warrior (Chloe x Halle)  //  Let Me Live (Kehlani)


28. ULTRAVIOLET - Justine Skye

(I'm surprised this was looked over so much because I thought it was a solid record, it's just that it got old quite quickly for me personally. Idk the background to her release or her previous singles because I just discovered her this year but I remember ATRL didn't like this either. Still it has some solid tracks and listening to them again now, it deserved better.)
Recommend: Goodlove  //  Don't Think About It

 
27. Man of the Woods - Justin Timberlake

(This album is NOT as bad as everyone makes it out to be, although Pharell doing the whole album was a choice... he didn't exactly ruin the album; it has quite a few tracks I enjoy, and although I was disappointed it wasn't as good as The 20/20, there are about 8 tracks I had on repeat when it was released.)
Recommend: Man of the Woods  //  Supplies // Filthy

 
26. Joyride - Tinashe

(So i've never been aboard the Tinashe obsession train, she throws song after song into the stratosphere and nothing ever sticks but her fan base still reveres her. But this year she actually made music I found appealing. Faded Love is an amazing pop track and I wish she didn't rent a rapper for it,  and Ooh La La should've been a single. I wonder if she'll ever make something that the GP clicks with but this was the right step forward. (Also singles after this album "Like I Used To" & "Throw a Fit" are def on my songs list, great pop songs)
Recommend: Ooh La La  //  Me So Bad (feat. Ty Dolla $ign & French Montana)

 
25. READY - Ella Mai

(So I haven't heard her 2018 album yet and this is my only frame of reference to her music, and it's a really decent EP. This was apparently released in 2017 but Boo'd Up was released in '18 and that's when most people discovered her. I was impartial to it at first but it grew on me and it's a cute track, but songs like Breakfast in Bed & Nobody Else are superior imo. Like Kehlani & Sza, she insists on having commentary after the song (what's with this bloody trend amongst new RnB girls??) and it's my greatest pet peeve because it reduces replay-ability so much! Nevertheless it's made its mark on  my list.)
Recommend: Breakfast In Bed  //  Boo'd Up

 
24. All of Us - June's Diary

(Finally a body of original work from this girl group, and it's a solid first attempt! Alot of the songs released here showcase their beautiful harmonies and although I could do without the Jussie featured song, all of the other tracks on this EP are great and could've been pushed as singles. I hope their lyricism improves in their future work and they take greater risks vocally but as a way of keeping fans interested as they move forward, it's a cute EP. I have no idea what's next for them but I'm holding out hope that there will be more music (or at least covers) in 2019.)
Recommend: Good Time  //  Take Me
 

23. PTX Presents: Top Pop, Vol. I - Pentatonix

(Some decent pop song covers are on this record, adding a **** ton of harmonies to recent hits. Unsurprisingly, alot of them aren't ruined, because they're professionals. They even attempted the high notes of the originals "Sorry Not Sorry" & "Praying" and nailed it. It's a cute cover album everyone should at least check out, but IDK if I want a Vol. II... Even their original music attempt last year was just okay.. do they just excel at Xmas music? I'd rather see them attempt their own and stray away from the "Cover Group" label.)
Recommend: Stay  //  Feel It Still // Attention

 
22. Camila - Camila Cabello

(Whew! I was sooo excited for this after having heard Real Friends, Havana & I Have Questions (my personal fave).. Was I disappointed? Not really? The album is "fun", but that's it. It's not particularly interesting lyrically, vocally or production wise. It kind of came and went. I found my self revisiting it throughout the year but it never felt like a contender for my favourite album of the year. My point is she could have done better, but let's not forget this is only a DEBUT, and for that I say well done. "Something's Gotta Give" & "Consequences" are great ballads (and i'm to believe she penned the majority of this album) and "Into It" is a cute pop track. Others like "Inside Out" and "In The Dark" however, hold this back because lyrically it's so poor I can't replay it too often.)
Recommend: Never Be the Same  //  Real Friends // Havana

 
21. Betty, Pt. 1 - EP - Betty Who

(I'm so disgusted at how vastly overlooked this EP has been; I know nothing of Betty but this EP has so many bops and she sounds great vocally! There are a handful of songs I kept on repeat throughout the year and i'd recommend anyone who is a pop fan to stream this and let me know what you think. I'll def keep an eye out for her. At least check out the recommended tracks below, she's p. great and i'm really glad I discovered her this year!)
Recommend: Taste  //  Look Back
 

 

20. Fifty Shades Freed (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

 

(This could've easily been a hit record along with the others if the right singles were chosen. Whose bright idea was it to put Rita & Liam together and make it the lead? There are so many better songs on this soundtrack that I enjoyed far more than the lead. This gave me my first intro into Sabrina Claudio and Kiana, as well as some great racks from Dua Lipa, Jessie J, Jessie Reyez, Sia & Julia Michaels. "Heaven" is a personal favourite and high on my song list for its clever lyrics which reminds me why I enjoy Julia's work so much!  Jessie J's cover of "I Got You" showcases her awesome vocal chops but fits this sexy-esque soundtrack perfectly and "Cross Your Mind" by Sabrina is extremely emotive; a girl who's very obviously jealous that a guy she likes is with another girl and plays out in a lowkey comedic trope of a drunk girl obsessed with her ex constantly wondering "Do I ever cross your mind?")

Recommend: Heaven (Julia Michaels)  //  Cross Your Mind (Sabrina Claudio) // I Got You (I Feel Good) (Jessie J)

 

19. Queen - Nicki Minaj

 

(Not a rap fanatic but this album was so great! The fact that she supposedly wrote these songs on her own is extremely impressive because the metaphors and witty lyrics are often times comical and other times shady as ****, but all in all extremely entertaining to listen too. You have to replay a song twice or more because you most definitely missed something in her bars because there's so much written that fits into a standard 3/4 minute song length. LLC is so dope to listen to because it has a level of sass and I love hearing her flex on it, and barbie dreams was such an event! So many people were floored by her name drops and the ending (different song) is arguable better than the first half and should've been its own track. There's a handful of tracks I still play today, this is easily her best work. Too bad all of the controversy has tainted her career.)

Recommend: LLC // Good Form // Chun-Li

 

18. The Kids Are Alright - Chloe x Halle

 

(The protégés have finally released music and what a great debut album it is! It has an odd, eerie feel to it, almost haunting, but the lyrics don't reflect that very much (just ever so slightly). It took me a short while to fully embrace it but it's clear that both vocally and as writers they are extremely talented, and there are many times throughout their album that their style of singing sounds alot like their mentor herself. There are songs I enjoy and others I hate (like the intro) but all in all I enjoyed this record.)

Recommend: The Kids Are Alright // Cool People // Happy Without Me // Down

 

17. Life After Love, Pt. 2 - Victoria Monet

 

(Victoria decided to release TWO EP's this year, pt. 1 & 2. Pt.2 is more upbeat, embracing new love (ironically the lead track's title "New Love) and all the joys that come with it, it's counterpart is more about heartbreak and the ex that broke her heart. This upbeat Pt. 2 is really enjoyable and has a couple bops, but is slightly repetitive which decreases its replay value, however Victoria (Ariana Grande's right hand gal) is an artist I have so much respect for, as she writes, produces, plays instruments and has beautiful RnB-esque vocals, she quite literally deserves more acclaim because she's extremely talented. Both EP's are two of my favourite releases of the year and I look forward to more from her, I have very little criticism for her work and i'm glad she's pursuing a solo career because with her talents she should make it far!)

Recommend: Ready // Do You Like It // All You Need

 

16. Forbidden - Todrick Hall

 

(Tod's album is extremely well put together, coupled with a really well produced visual album that tells an interesting story of a straight man living in a world where homosexuality is the norm and heterosexuality is illegal. That aside, the music itself is excellent both lyrically and vocally, as he borrows aid from massive talents like Brandy, Cynthia Erivo, Tamar Braxton, and Jade Novah. My slight gripe with this album is that for some odd reason he's labelled himself as the artist in songs where he has no vocals and it is entirely by another singer, but some of these songs are so well constructed, and artists like Brandy and Jade in particular, put their best foot forward in making their respective songs sound emotive but hold nothing back vocally. Todrick himself has solo songs, some of which are so well written (!) they've ended up being some of my favourite songs of the year. Idk why atrl hates him so much (as they do with 90% of gay male artists.. ironically...) but this shouldn't have been overlooked, check out the recommendations.)

Recommend: Lullaby (Brandy) // Heaven // Play (feat. Jade Novah) // Painting in the Rain

 

15. Dirty Computer - Janelle Monáe

 

(Admittedly I hadn't heard much of Janelle, I knew who she was but never delved into her discog, so with this being my intro to her it's obvious she's now left a mark on me. The lyrics and visuals are really well made and written and it's clear this album was well planned, made by an extremely creative artist. The level of detail is insane, while seeming really cool and sounding fresh months after release. I only thought the lead was okay but there are much more enjoyable songs on the full album and the slight inclusions of the political climate and her personal life are clever. Very deserving of the grammy noms)

Recommend: I Like That // Crazy, Classic, Life

 

14. COSMIC - Bazzi

 

(Discovered Bazzi in 2018 due to Taylor Swift's playlist listing of "Mine". What a great pop single, and there are several others on the album that are even better! He sounds excellent and the writing and production are decent as well and it was my favourite album in the beginning of the year. Camila's feature on Beautiful was actually a wonderful addition and they sound great together, i'm surprised it wasn't a fall hit. I imagine he'll be releasing more in 2019 and i'm excited to see what he comes up with.)

Recommend: Soarin // Why // Beautiful (feat. Camila Cabello)

 

13. I met you when I was 18. (the playlist) - Lauv

 

(Yet another artist i've discovered in 2018 and completely fallen in love with (it helps that he's very attractive as well, and currently dating Julia Michaels, another excellent writer.) This guys music is so appealing, mostly with slower-tempo songs with excellent writing, and he could become a huge Europe if her promotes himself correctly. (He may already be that, I've only just discovered him recently.) It's a large album, 17 songs, but there is a large number of gems on there that I love! "I Like Me Better" was a top 10 hit in many countries and I wish it was reflected in the album success as well.)

Recommend: Paris in the Rain // Comfortable // Come Back Home // Chasing Fire

 

12. LM5 - Little Mix

 

(Little Mix finally released a more mature album, but still it has a lingering of child friendly lyrics here and there, as well as feminist-esque songs that (while is an okay topic to cover and is applicable to their lives and career) is present in 80% of the songs and comes across as a bit much. The bops are where they shine, hitting high notes, bringing a high level of sass and harmonies (my favourite thing about this group) and intricate runs that remind me that i'm a fan for a reason. I couldn't decide whether this should be #13 or #12 but their runs and harmonies give 'em the edge. Ofcourse the lead was not the right choice, and I personally don't think they need to keep trying to break into America because they're clearly not interested. Remain the massive pop, chart-topping act here in the UK where you're appreciated.

Recommend: Forget You Not // Think About Us // Monster In Me

 

11. R.O.S.E. - Jessie J

 

(So Jessie finally released a new album, and thank goodness it isn't a pure pop mess. Instead, it's honest. It's vulnerable. It's extremely enjoyable. It's her best work. It's no question that Jessie is one of the greatest vocalists of our generation. That's not debatable. However, she does over sing, which I think makes people see her in a certain light. Forget all that, this is her best album by far, and I hope she continues to make music just like this going forward. The recommended songs below are some of my favourites of the year.

 

Can I also mention her stunt on Singer 2018, the competition in China that she won hands down! Week after week placing in the top and delivering epic covers where she showcased her impressive vocal talent live to standing ovations! (referencing the great Whitney Houston: "I listen to singers, I very rarely listen to people who.. cannot sing... ") 

Recommend: Someone's Lady // I Believe in Love // Not My Ex

 

10. Liberation - Christina Aguilera

 

(After waiting an eternity for new music from this powerhouse vocalist, replaying songs from Burlesque and her previous hits, I've finally acquired new music to add to my library, and what great music some of it is! I'll have to admit I only use about 75% of the album. She dominates vocally, and it's so refreshing to hear a female blow like that again because it's becoming rare in an industry where everyone seems to prefer whisper singers over belters with the foolish claim that it's "screaming". She steps up here by choosing great features to collab with, Goldlink on "Like I Do" helps her flex her bed experience in a sexy pop song, she belts along with Demi but still outshines her as the more experienced of the two, and picked the perfect duo to add the to the "Right Moves" Caribbean-esque mid-tempo track. But after listening to the album.. I want more, and not in a good way. This felt like a decent comeback after so many years, but Xtina can do better, something was missing here, it wasn't extremely cohesive and the promo was so bad that nothing ever really became a hit for her. I hope she doesn't take as long with the next one.

Recommend: Unless It's With You // Like I Do (feat. GoldLink)

 

09. Bloom - Troye Sivan

 

(Troye, Troye, Troye. My My My! hit me like a ton. of. bricks. It is a masterful pop song. The level of energy he exudes!, the lyrics!, and his voice is explosive here! This is perhaps my most played track by a male this year.. and yet.. the album was a 180. 98% of the other tracks maintain a base tone, with Troye almost refusing to be melodic, give higher notes or runs, harmonies, all of that is mostly in-existent here. Though he still sounds great in his lower register (especially in the sexier songs like "Animal" where he almost whispers his desires into our ears), a mass of people, myself included, realised that the lead was extremely misleading, because there's nothing else like My My My! to be found on the album. (Perhaps most closely being Dance To This, where he fought to maintain control over Ariana that almost certainly stole the show. Nevertheless they sound great together.)

 

It's redeeming quality that got it to #9 on my list then? The excellent, excellent writing. Every song is written so well here; where he lacks creativity in his singing he more than makes up for with writing and production on this album, and 2 out of 3 ain't bad. The album would've placed much higher however, had he aced it all.

Recommend: My My My! // Lucky Strike // What a Heavenly Way to Die // Dance to This (feat. Ariana Grande)

 

08. Life After Love, Pt. 1 - Victoria Monet

 

(Victoria's Pt.1 EP is in my opinion superior to Pt.2. Here she sings more of heartbreak, and is often ruthless in her lyrics. The writing here is great, but her voice is better! Similar to Ariana, she's not afraid to add a myriad of harmonies and background vocals to her songs (never over doing it) in order to elevate the song to a higher quality, and makes for a much more enjoyable experience. "Waterfall Out of Love" in particular, written about Tommy Brown, is a really cleverly written song about the shear amount of tears that she cries, that she hopes he drowns in, for the pain he's caused her. You can't help but smirk at how snarky she sings it, yet clearly with a sad tone, which lingers throughout the EP. This was on repeat for a long, long time because everything comes together really well. She's really good and deserves alot more recognition in my opinion. A lot more.

Recommend: Water Fall Out of Love // No Good

 

07. All Blue - Jade Novah

 

(Jade Novah has an impeccable voice. I'M SO GLAD I found her this year because this album has brought me SO much joy. Her runs are EFFORTLESS and intricate, almost at a level of Tori Kelly . I'm so shocked she only released this debut album this year because she sounds like she's been making music for a while. The album has a lowkey theme of cosmic, space and love and the lyrics are beautiful, dreamy, and fun. She experiments with a bit of her own rapping, and it pays off well, but her vocals, she excels with her beautiful voice. I can't get enough of it truly. I love the female voice so much and she's been added to one of my faves with this album alone . I look forward very much to the future of her career. PLEASE give this one a shot.

Recommend: Cosmic Love // Try // Bulletproof // Intuition // All Blue

 

06. Voicenotes - Charlie Puth

 

(What I love about Charlie is that he's extremely creative. He regularly posts instagram videos playing the piano, coming up with new instrumentals, trying new sounds, and puts so much effort into the final product he releases. Voicenotes is an extremely enjoyable listen from start to finish. The lyrics and especially the production and instrumentals are great. His runs are great too, although I wish he'd do more there, it's leaps and bounds above the other male releases I've heard this year. Charlie isn't afraid to go higher with his voice, to try different melodies, and I appreciate that, and the songs included here cover the usual topics of love, heartbreak and sex but was my favourite male release of the year.

Recommend: Somebody Told Me // The Way I Am // Done For Me (feat. Kehlani)

 

05. Hiding Place - Tori Kelly

 

(Ofcourse a gospel genre will turn some away, but I went for it immediately, because if all else fails the girl can SING and that is enough. Fortunately, the songs aren't a bore at all, quite the opposite. She has alot of up-tempo pop songs that have the positive gospel-esque lyrics attached but never in a cringey way. I feel like secretly, Tori has been wanting to fo this all along, and nabbing the famous Kirk Franklin to collaborate with as composer was a perfect move, probably by the clever Scooter Braun. The EP has some excellent tracks that, the more I listened to, the more I fell in love with more and more. "Masterpiece" in particular, has no restraint from Tori vocally, and lyrically is one of the best on the album in terms of her flexing herself while also giving praise and thanks for her talents. 

Let's talk about those talents. TORI KELLY CAN SING. SHE CAN SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNGGG 

I love this bxtch so much for the insane control she has over her voice. It gets me everytime. Every song has a run or high note or something that makes you pause and rewind. It's incredible. She's taken quite a pause since her last release, and that's been quite annoying, and in her live performance leading up to this release I was a bit on edge, but I'm really glad she released this now that all's been said and done. I don't know whether she'll be exclusively gospel now, but with that voice I want new music regardless the genre.

The lyrics are often hauntingly honest, and the features she chose are all extremely talented as well. In particular, Jonathan McReynolds sounds excellent in his verses on "Just As Sure" and together they harmonise exquisitely, causing that song to rank very highly on my year-end list. It took a little while, but this has become one of my favourite releases because she's still got it. Lyrically and vocally she's still got it. The Grammy's agree too given her multiple noms this year. )

PERIOD.

Recommend: Masterpiece (feat. Lecrae) // Help Us To Love (feat. The HamilTones) // Just As Sure (feat. Jonathan McReynolds)

 

04. Side Tape - EP - RAYE

 

(I think I found Raye on spotify? I heard a couple of singles and was surprised that I enjoyed all of them, and that none were charting, but ofcourse a british girl would find difficulty finding success in America. It went largely under the radar, but I hope this doesn't discourage her because she will be huge someday, most likely in the UK first, given the right single. If I ever see her performing anywhere near me i'll definitely go support her now that I know of her and her music, because this EP is fantastic! It's just a collection of bops. That's it. Just pure, entertaining as f***, well produced bops alongside a number of features that surprisingly never feels like too much, or outshines her in any way. It's so unapologetic in its lyrics, from start to finish it grabs you in and gets you moving and by the end you just want to play it all over again. Several songs on this are on my playlist for a night out and will probably continue to be for a while. I guarantee there will be at least one song on here you'll end up really liking, she a great writer, great singer and beautiful. The makings of a star.)

Recommend: Confidence // Cigarette // Crew

 

03. As She Pleases - Madison Beer


(When I heard Dead, I thought, meh she sounds nice, cute pop song. When I heard Say It To My Face, I was gagged. It was such a massive hit to me, the light-bulb kinda went on and I knew she was one to watch. Fast forward to her EP release in February where I ended up liking every song, bar maybe Tyler Durden. For an EP to then hold my attention for that long a period and end up in my top 3 at the end of the year, from an artist i'd just discovered as a recommendation, is beyond surprising for me, but I kept listening to this on and off all year, and never got sick of the bop "Home With You", the sweet "Teenager in Love" or the bad*** "Say it to my Face". Her voice has a slightly unique tone, but her runs are effortless and she adds superb ad libs to elevate the quality of her music beyond just another boring pop song. The lyrics, like Sabrina Carpenter, mask her as a grown a** woman when she's far younger than she sounds, and that's certainly a benefit to her, as it goes well with her voice and looks. It's a shame she's no longer working with Braun because she's clearly a star and can bring alot to the dying pop genre right now; I look forward to hearing more from her in 2019! Thanks @Bxtch for recommending!!)

Recommend: Say It To My Face // Teenager in Love // Fools // Heartless

 

02. Sweetener - Ariana Grande


(Ariana was able to return triumphant, after an extremely traumatic terrorist attack almost put an end to her career. However, she grew in every way. Personality-wise she's grown to be kinder, now gaining a stronger, closer fan base than before the incident, music-wise she's experimented more with her lower register as well as sounding more melodic and opting to stray from the pure pop sound of previous releases, and visually her music videos are easily the best of the discography.
But, there are drawbacks to Sweetener as well. Opting for Pharell as a collaborative partner, while I personally don't think was a bad idea because we got some great songs out of it, was questionable as an almost exclusive option. Sure, she relied on Max Martin for some tracks, and working mostly with Pharell led to a more cohesive sound (which is a plus and helped with the massive acclaim this album gained), but the lyrics more than anything, sounded only slightly more mature than previous releases, while still having some kid friendly lyrics that I didn't care for, like on Get Well Soon. I would've preferred collaborating with a wider mix of producers like Tommy Brown, Babyface etc, because the album isn't without its faults. Pharell's cue to be present in most of the tracks as a background vocal lowers the replay value of some songs, and the often random samples like in TLIC are absolutely horrid. I started to grow slightly tired of some of the tracks, which never happens for me as an Ariana fan, and that's extremely worrisome because the second I heard this album, I still thought Dangerous Woman was miles better, as did alot of the fanbase. That shouldn't be the case. Vocally, Ariana sounds spectacular as always, knowing exactly how to layer her voice to sound dreamy on tracks like R.E.M. and goodnight n go, and explosive on songs like God is a Woman and breathin', and those are some of the highlights of the album, but the production and Missy feature lower my rating for this album a tiny bit.

All in all my favourite album of the year because some songs are still on repeat to this day. The cohesive message of positivity & life-affirming messages entwined with love in all of the songs' lyrics is brilliant, like in Get Well Soon, breathin', NTLTC, Sweetener etc, as well as stunning melodies make this a highlight. In creating this album Ariana says this, which is one of PRIME reasons I am such a fan of hers:

“Those moments to me are when a song comes together,” Ariana says. “When you get to the chorus, you do a couple of ad lib takes and you do all the harmonies in the world. My favourite things are vocal production, harmonies, and vocal arrangement. That’s when a song has its legs.”
I feel the EXACT same way, and that's why her music is so bloody appealing to me. )

Recommend: breathin' // goodnight n go // God is a woman

 

01. Singular Act I - Sabrina Carpenter


(THIS body of work brought me the MOST joy this year. Here comes this female i've never heard before giving me more amazing pop songs than some of my faves this year, as well as incredible vocals, AMAZING production, and cute visuals, and she's younger than them all! It was such a slap in the face surprise for me. It was so unexpected . Every song I listened to I instantly loved, without exception. The lyrics were mature, clever and sassy. She knows how to add the best ad libs to the right places, has amazing high notes and her runs sound effortless. She's subtle when she needs to be on songs like Mona Lisa and EXPLOSIVE on songs like Almost Love and Sue Me where she demands your attention. She quite literally sings "Sue me for being something you can't forget!" and she's spot on! When she needs to sound sad, nonchalant or angry the emotion comes across clearly in her voice aided by the song lyrics. I never saw this coming. This EP has been on repeat for an embarrassingly long time since its release and i'm not sick of it at all yet. Every song either shines vocally or production wise, there's no criticism of her creativity in the topics she chooses to sing about or her voice; to make me happier than even Ariana's release is a feat among itself for me personally, but I can't deny that I enjoyed this more than Sweetener by a fair margin. This EP is prfct.  (Thank you again @Bxtch for recommending.)

 Recommend: Sue Me // Paris // Almost Love

 

Edited December 29, 2018 by KasioKas

[prézli]

Madison & Xtina  

[Maddox]

Perched for TV  

[khalyan]

Tamar and Dua slaying last year  

[TheWayWeWere]

Xtina, Ari and Janelle in the banner  

[Bxtch]

Perched for Ariana, Madison and Sabrina 

[Wicked]

Perched. 

[Blue Rose]

Rooting for Troye to win 

[Remmy]

Okay I'm seeing a good amount of talent, especially two people that dominated my year as well

[KasioKas]

 

Let's kick it off with my fave TV shows of 2018!

SHOW LIST (10 - 6)

 

**There may be spoilers in the write-ups so please take caution*

10. Santa Clarita Diet

What an amazing 2^nd season of a bizarrely addicting show that’s so bad it’s good. The hijinks of the main characters are hilarious throughout the season and neither character feels like dead weight. Barrymore and Timothy especially are an excellent pair in what I consider the former’s best on-screen work to date. It remains one of my absolute favourite comedies of the year, one of the few that can make me laugh out loud, and I can’t wait for the next season to see how the story continues to unfold.

 

9. Grace & Frankie

Five seasons in and this show is still funny, charming and feels fresh amongst the comedies airing currently (mostly because Hollywood only casts older actors/actresses in grandmother/father or retirement related roles which is a shame because this show follows suit of many other excellent comedies starring older broads (The Golden Girls) that prove that older characters should not be ignored over younger talent but instead revered.) Grace & Frankie is still a pleasant show to watch and as the plot thickens i’m very interested in how the girls will react to their new dilemna and hope they will put their kids in their place too! (Long story short, the kids really pissed me off this season and Bud is the worst character on the show). I prefer the leading ladies over their kids and the gay couple who bring nothing to the show but bickering; kill Saul & Rob off or give them better material but I need more Lily and Fonda on my screen.

 

8. Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan

I hesitated to start this because I’m tired of the political thriller trope but the reviews made it seem so enticing, and i’m pleasantly surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did. Brilliantly paced plot and the writing is excellent, the actors do a great job and made me see Krasinski in a very positive new light (Haven’t seen 'Quiet Place' yet) as an actor. If there is a 2^nd season i’ll be sure to check it out!

 

7. Insecure

Best season thus far, hands down for this show. The characters at this point are all fully realised, and the writing is the funniest it’s ever been. Giving characters such as Kelli more material/screen time was a brilliant idea, as was fleshing out Lawrence. Most importantly, Nathan’s storyline hit really close to home; the fact that how quickly the relationship was going and his mental health led to him “ghosting” is a realistic portrayal of how people like that behave who need space or some time to make sense of things but doing it in the wrong way. His apology in the end was really relatable but Issa has every right to be upset because from her point of view his actions were wrong in every way. It was so realistic and a perfect end to the season of whether he’s a bad guy or not. I understood both perspectives and I hope the show continues to touch on issues like this moving forward.

 

6. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Okay so this was not released in 2018 but I discovered it thanks to @katara, @Rhisiart and @hellocory recently, whom I can’t thank enough for the awesome recommendation. I’m so glad it’s on Netflix and i’ve been binging it nonstop.

My write-up from earlier describes it perfectly; “There's not one loose thread, every single character is developed well and the plot is entirely logical. No characters make nonsensical actions to aid the plot, no secret or revelation is conveniently kept from the characters, there is communication so the characters find out secrets as soon as the viewers do and the plot doesn't waver, and the twists are generally surprising. (Which is my biggest gripe with anime)” I almost don’t want to finish watching it because I enjoy watching new episodes so much, and that’s the mark of a great show.

 

*Top 5 coming soon!*

Edited December 11, 2018 by KasioKas

[Dom]

jane fonda is such a legend, uh. kween.

[prézli]

12 minutes ago, Dom said:

jane fonda is such a legend, uh. kween.

Jane Fonda at 80 looks better than most of our faves.

 

[Dom]

3 minutes ago, prézli said:

Jane Fonda at 80 looks better than most of our faves.

 

true. but miss Pixie Lott still looks snatched, her music career ain't so snatched tho. i can't believe i still wait on her music, when she has failed us so many times.

[KasioKas]

19 hours ago, Bxtch said:

Perched for Ariana, Madison and Sabrina 

You won't be disappointed 

 

19 hours ago, jpow said:

Tamar and Dua slaying last year  

Talent snatched me last year 

14 hours ago, Superpower said:

Rooting for Troye to win 

Oop 

1 minute ago, prézli said:

Jane Fonda at 80 looks better than most of our faves.

 

I don't disagree with you 

[prézli]

1 minute ago, Dom said:

true. but miss Pixie Lott still looks snatched, her music career ain't so snatched tho. i can't believe i still wait on her music, when she has failed us so many times.

I'm rather surprised she hasn't married yet, had kids, etc. There would be a reason to avoid music. Now she's acting like Hilary Vacation Duff.

[Dom]

Just now, prézli said:

I'm rather surprised she hasn't married yet, had kids, etc. There would be a reason to avoid music. Now she's acting like Hilary Vacation Duff.

literally. tf.

But Louisa Johnson basically filled her shoes this year. 

[prézli]

Just now, Dom said:

literally. tf.

But Louisa Johnson basically filled her shoes this year. 

Louisa is a flop. (Pixie, too, btw.) Pixie still uses her 2009 logo. YIKES. She believes that she's still on the same level where she was.

[Dom]

1 minute ago, prézli said:

Louisa is a flop. (Pixie, too, btw.) Pixie still uses her 2009 logo. YIKES. She believes that she's still on the same level where she was.

Both flops.. Pixie still living in bubble and thinkin she doing something. I wrote to her on insta that won't forget you is a basic ass song and what the hell is she doing. she did seen, but didn't respond. 

[prézli]

Just now, Dom said:

Both flops.. Pixie still living in bubble and thinkin she doing something. I wrote to her on insta that won't forget you is a basic ass song and what the hell is she doing. she did seen, but didn't respond. 

Good. She deserves it. I dragged ha ass for the logo on Insta too  I saw on Twitter that she works with Mads Hauge and Phil Thornalley again.  It's like there's no other producers out there.

[Dom]

1 minute ago, prézli said:

Good. She deserves it. I dragged ha ass for the logo on Insta too  I saw on Twitter that she works with Mads Hauge and Phil Thornalley again.  It's like there's no other producers out there.

it's a basic ass label, just listen to cheryl's new song. And the cheap mv's.. jesus. Her mv for won't forget you, the nasty as swimming suit, messy hair. She beautiful, but always looks a mess in mv's.

[Blue Rose]

I loved all these shows except the cartoon (idk her)

Santa Clarita Diet getting some love  

[prézli]

1 minute ago, Dom said:

it's a basic ass label, just listen to cheryl's new song. And the cheap mv's.. jesus. Her mv for won't forget you, the nasty as swimming suit, messy hair. She beautiful, but always looks a mess in mv's.

Cheryl's new song wasn't that bad (better than Crazy Stupid Love imo), but yeah, the music video was horrible. And it was the same director that directed Promise This back then. So the problem was not with the director but the lack of money. Won't Forget You was a cheap ripoff of New Rules that failed.

[Tsareena]

? the insecure spoilers. what I get for being so slow watching it ff but I saw it coming

 

[KasioKas]

4 minutes ago, Tsareena said:

? the insecure spoilers. what I get for being so slow watching it ff but I saw it coming

 

Omg i'm so sorry I hope you still watch it though it was a great ending to the season. Ugh I'll put a spoiler disclaimer up!

[Dom]

24 minutes ago, prézli said:

Cheryl's new song wasn't that bad (better than Crazy Stupid Love imo), but yeah, the music video was horrible. And it was the same director that directed Promise This back then. So the problem was not with the director but the lack of money. Won't Forget You was a cheap ripoff of New Rules that failed.

yeah, trash label and even trashier songs. 3beat, still living of sigma money.