Top 20 Best Songs of 2018: Billboard Year-End Edition

I copied this photo from Digster and then cropped out their logo. Power moves only.

2018 was a wild and crazy year. The headlines never seemed to stop coming, but at the end of the year, here we are, still alive and well, in some cases never better. For those of us in our late 20s, 2018 was likely a year of immense personal growth, but with probably a fair bit of frustration and stagnation thrown in as well, since, you know, that’s life. But this is not a personal-reflection blog, it’s a pop music blog, so let’s talk about 2018 in music for a second.

This felt like the year that Spotify completed its takeover of the music industry. What started as an exciting alternative to the decades-long reliance on personal music collections and radio airplay has now revolutionized the way music is consumed. But I would say there are significant negative side effects to Spotify’s takeover, which I only truly realized as I stared at Billboard’s 2018 year-end Hot 100 (released a record-early December 5 this year). Thanks to my ability to consume music almost exclusively on Spotify (and the fact that I don’t go to clubs and bars as often now), I have no reason to ever listen to songs that I don’t personally choose to hear. This means I dive further and further into the niche corners of music that I like the most, and I just completely ignore the rest of the pop-music landscape. As a result, when I stared at that list, I didn’t even KNOW about half of the year’s biggest hits. Like, I’d never even heard of them, let alone recognize them as they played.

But nevertheless, I insisted on making this list again this year, because I still think I know what sounds good and what doesn’t in pop music. But I realize now that thanks to Spotify, I have become, in one sweeping year, the person I always dreaded becoming- the out-of-touch old person who thinks “today’s music” doesn’t compare to the stuff from back in my day. Soundcloud rappers? Cardi B? The New Drake? Meh. I’ll stick to deep house and “oldies” from 2000-2017 going forward, thanks! This may be the last list I can even semi-credibly do, but let’s dive in nonetheless:

*As a reminder, only songs that appeared on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 for 2018 are eligible for this list, and no songs that appeared on last year’s list of mine could appear again this year. Also, a Spotify playlist is attached at the bottom if you don’t want to read 2,000 words.

20. Post Malone- "Better Now":

Kicking off our 2018 list is the dude who probably personified 2018 in music more than any other, Post Malone. He’s had some serious words written about him this year, and he’s had some serious viral moments, but ultimately his music just...kinda exists. I think we’ll look back on Post Malone and wonder what we saw in him. If there’s ever been a situation where style won out more convincingly over substance, I’m not sure I’ve seen it. This one’s OK though.

19. Lil Dicky featuring Chris Brown- "Freaky Friday":

There’s nothing like a good novelty rap song to guarantee a spot on this list. Does it stand up to repeated listening? No, I imagine it gets tiring pretty quickly. But the first few listens are delightful, and the video helps clarify the end of the story a bit- the lyrics moved too fast for me to understand exactly how they switch back to their normal selves. But, it’s “Freaky Friday,” a little willing suspension of disbelief is needed in the first place.

18. Bazzi- "Mine":

Feels like it’s been awhile since we’ve had a good slow R&B jam on this list, and “Mine,” the debut single from Bazzi, certainly qualifies. In fact, my only complaint is that the song runs a little short. Barely enough time to get into the vibe. We don’t really get to know the characters, their motivations, their backstories- just kidding, it’s an R&B love song, what more do you need other than “Miiiine”?

17. G-Eazy and Halsey- "Him & I":

Halsey is, like, every “troubled” hipster millennial/Gen Z girl’s avatar in Hollywood. I don’t know much about G-Eazy but he seems like the male version of Halsey- the party boy with a “dark soul” and an “artistic spirit” that guys across suburbia can aspire to be as they smoke pot and struggle to maintain their 2.0 GPA. So, yes, it’s perfect that they found each other and even gave us a fake homemade music video (shot in Brooklyn, of course) for their duet together. If that all sounds overly harsh, well, the song is actually still pretty good, and it’s the first of 3 appearances for Halsey on this list so it’s not like I dislike her or anything. I just couldn’t help but smirk as I watched the video. As if I could do better...

16. Halsey- "Bad at Love":

Like I said above, Halsey knows who her music is for, and she really doubles and triples down on the themes she knows will play to her audience. If you can’t get out of your own way, keep falling for the Bad Boy (preferably a white guy in a leather jacket with slicked-back hair, aka the most stereotypical Bad Boy out there), and yet you own your faults and love yourself for them, then yeah, you’re gonna love this song and all her others. Am I any of those things? Absolutely not. But I like it too. (And the remix is better).

15. Camila Cabello- "Never Be the Same":

Ah yes, nothing better for our nation’s crippling opioid epidemic than a hit pop song referring to her lover as heroin and morphine. Hey, I like love, maybe I want to try hard drugs now to see if that feels just as good! I would be more upset if Camila Cabello weren’t so darn likable, and if the song weren’t so damn catchy. Keep doing you, Camila, but maybe let’s stick to less-addictive drugs in the future.

14. Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid- "1-800-273-8255":

It’s really, really hard to say anything negative about this song, because it’s so beautiful and has such a powerful message (and a music video that you should absolutely watch if you haven’t already). I guess my only complaint, and what seemed to be South Park’s complaint as well, is the absurdity of “1-800” being a pop/radio single. It’s just so damn heavy. But you know what, much like Macklemore’s "Same Love," if it brings awareness to an issue so many of us gloss over, then it’s worth hearing, even if it’s a total party buzzkill.

13. Benny Blanco, Halsey, and Khalid- "Eastside":

This is a pleasant song that I never minded hearing this year. When I saw the video I appreciated that it told a story, and indeed a couple of quite personal stories about the artists who made the songs. I’m always a sucker for high-school and childhood memories, so it was awesome to see them track down the old locations where Benny Blanco and Halsey actually made their own memories. But, like the song, the whole thing stopped a bit short. I want more! Is that so wrong?

12. Maroon 5- "Girls Like You":

Here’s Maroon 5’s first appearance this year. Can we just talk for a second about how incredible it is that Maroon 5 continues to make popular and relevant music 16 years after their breakout single “Harder to Breathe?” That is really hard to do for a band that started out as a middle-of-the-road pop/rock quintet. They have only succeeded because a) Adam Levine has turned himself into a bona fide A-list celebrity, and because they have been unafraid to re-invent their sound with nearly every album and even almost every song at this point. They also have no fear or shame about inviting guest artists on to help boost the name brand of a song, like Cardi B in this one for instance. Sonically, Maroon 5 is a chameleon, but they still manage to get it right almost every time out, which makes me think they deserve a lot more praise than they get. This video made me dizzy, though.

11. NF- "Let You Down":

Boy, the first half of this list was a real downer, huh? I don’t know if that’s an accurate reflection of my mood this year, but it’s definitely worth noting. I think it just comes down to the fact that sad songs sounded better than happy songs this year, at least for numbers 20 through 11. Maybe the top 10 will be a little brighter. As for this one, I thought it was about a relationship gone wrong until I saw the video, which made it unmistakably clear that it was about a father-son relationship. Hope you like death and sadness if you watch this one.

10. DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper, and Quavo- "No Brainer":

Ah, here we go. From the muted grays and blues of the “Let You Down” video representing the darkest of 2018, to the candy pinks and oranges of “No Brainer, signaling that we are back to party music here to kick off the top 10. Does DJ Khaled do it any other way? Also, I have to say, Justin Bieber is looking more and more like Agent Murphy from Narcos these days. Has anyone else made that comparison? Maybe I can be the first. Anyway, this is maybe the purest party jam on this list, so enjoy!

9. Marshmello and Anne-Marie- "Friends":

First of 2 appearances by Marshmello on this list (never thought I’d say those words). Let me just say that 12-year-old me (and 22-year-old me, to be honest) would have hated this song, and really most songs by Anne-Marie.  Girl, just go out with him already! (Then again, if he keeps turning up at your door in a marshmallow head, maybe it’s best to stay away.) But, as I get older, my passions are dying down and I can’t really hate on it like I used to. Either way, though, the song is fun and easy to sing along to, so it gets a spot in the top 10.

8. Taylor Swift- "Delicate":

Astute readers will note that the number 8 spot on this list has often wound up being reserved for the best bubblegum pop song of the year. This year, Taylor Swift falls perfectly into that role with “Delicate.”  This one grew on me a bit- I thought it was a bit boring at first but over time I appreciated it more, and so it finds itself all the way up at number 8. It’s helped by a delightful what-if-you-were-invisible video, as well.

7. Maroon 5- "Wait":

Everything I said about Maroon 5 above still applies here. This one is a little more conventional, without a guest feature, which is probably why I have it ranked higher up on the list. I think we’ve all felt like Adam Levine in this video, too, so it scores points for stylish expression of a common situation as well. Here’s hoping Maroon 5 keeps on trucking into 2019 (starting with the Super Bowl halftime show of course).

6. Dua Lipa- "New Rules":

I distinctly remember saying last year that I hoped to hear more from Dua Lipa in 2018. Boy, did that ever happen and then some. She was everywhere, or at least her voice was. This was her big featured single, though, and it’s the one that made her (sort of) a household name here in the States. I’m glad I got what I wished for, and I hope music like this isn’t just a flash in the pan. Dua Lipa was one of 2018’s few bright spots. Even if I can’t relate to the message in the lyrics whatsoever...

5. Lil Pump- "Gucci Gang":

So, I said at the top of the blog that I hated Soundcloud rappers and the general direction that they’ve taken the Billboard chart this year. Well, I kinda lied, because “Gucci Gang” is so preposterously bad that it actually comes out the other side and becomes fun, following in the long tradition of similar rap songs over the last couple decades (“Versace,” “Laffy Taffy,” “Crank That,” etc.) I said “Gucci Gang” almost as much as that weird Youtube kid this year, so how could I not put this in the top 5?

4. Marshmello and Bastille- "Happier":

Now we’re getting towards the real winners of this year’s countdown. To be honest, this song pales in comparison to many of the top-5 tracks from years past, but given this year’s competition, it sails in pretty easily. Mostly, though, it’s helped by its tearjerker of a music video which helped it stand out. Not really fair, though- the subject material is just too touching! It should be banned from music videos if you ask me. But no, I’m not crying, you’re crying.

3. Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa- "One Kiss":

Ah, Calvin Harris. The old reliable in the top 5, every year. This is far from his best work, but it’s just so eminently listenable that it did wind up standing out. Besides, his decision to feature Dua Lipa on vocals also made it a virtual guarantee for such a high spot before I even heard it. God, I hope Calvin stays around in 2019 and beyond, because without him, the music industry would lose one of its most consistent sources of Jams.

2. Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey- "The Middle":

Zedd is an interesting case. He’s never made a track that I really loved, but most his songs that have hit the Top 40 have been among the best in their year. He’s a consistent B+ student, I guess you could say. Well, this year, B+ is good enough for the number 2 song. Maren Morris turned out to be the perfect choice for the vocals here (and she was chosen over many competitors). I guess everyone knew this was a jam before it ever even got released. But, it comes up just short for number 1...

1. Kendrick Lamar and SZA- "All the Stars":

Yes, you’re correct. I NEVER thought Kendrick Lamar would have number one song on any list of mine. I felt his lyrical skills were overrated, his beats underwhelmed, and his voice was annoying to listen to. But that was before “All The Stars” came out. To be fair, SZA carries the song. And the beat is totally different from a typical Kendrick style. And it benefitted from being the soundtrack to the closing credits of the terrific “Black Panther” movie. But nonetheless, it gets number 1 by a fairly wide margin this year, if I’m being honest. It’s simply a beautiful song that stood up to repeated listening far better than any other this year. And for that, it joins the ranks of the all-time greats to be crowned the Best Pop Song of the Year. Congrats, Kendrick (and SZA. And Wallace). Let’s see what 2019 brings!

Top 25 Personal Favorites of 2017

For the record: That picture is not of me. I am not a teen girl. But when I typed "2017 Music Favorites" into Google Image Search, this image popped up and I thought it was too funny not to use. But it's probably only funny to me. Oh well. No one ever reads this post anyway.

In case you wanted to know what songs I was jamming to this year that the rest of the world may have not picked up on, here's a list of my 25 personal favorites from 2017. None of these songs were featured in my year-end hit music blog the other day, but they were all released in 2017 or would at least have been eligible for the Billboard 2017 Hot 100 year-end list, and thus could have qualified had the idiots who do A&R at the major record labels been paying attention to quality music this year. One day they'll all reach out and give me their jobs. Anyway, here's the list (in alphabetical order, with a Spotify playlist at the bottom)!


Alina Baraz featuring Khalid- "Electric (R3hab Remix)":  Alina Baraz has shown up on this list before with her slow jam "Maybe." This one, since it's a remix, hits a little harder, but it still produces a nice blissed-out vibe that kept me listening all year.

Bebe Rexha- "I Got You":  This was a pretty big hit this year, so I was surprised to see it missed the Billboard year-end list, but i had to make sure people still knew it. Bebe is one of the best female pop stars out there right now in terms of music quality, so I hope she continues to figure prominently in 2018.

Big Shaq- "Man's Not Hot":  Yeah, I had to do it. Following in the footsteps of parody-turned-meme Roll Safe, Big Shaq has quite possibly done more to take grime international than anyone who ever did it seriously. And to be honest, I'm not positive he isn't at least kinda serious now. It's a bit like "Gangnam Style"- sometimes the parody is better (and bigger) than the original.

Calvin Harris featuring Future & Khalid- "Rollin":  It was a tight battle between this, "Slide," and "Feels," but I think I'd give this the nod as the best song off Calvin Harris' album this year. Khalid broke out in a big way this year as a vocalist and I hope we hear more of the pride of El Paso next year.

CAZZETTE- "Oceans":  Wow, looks like this one is a super deep cut from Cazzette. They've had some pretty big hits in the EDM world but this one has only 40,000 views on Youtube, and no official release. That's right, I'm turning you on to stuff you could have never found on your own over here. You're welcome.

Clean Bandit & Marina and the Diamonds- "Disconnect":  Hardcore Clean Bandit fans (Fandits, as they're called) have been waiting for years for an official release of this song, which was teased live at Coachella back in 2015. Finally, this summer they (we) got what they (we) were waiting for. Listen and decide for yourself if this one is worth the wait. I lean towards yes.

Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson- "Symphony":  I'm pretty much speechless that this song didn't make a bigger impact on the U.S. charts. It was absolutely one of the best pop songs of the year, and would have probably been #1 on my list had it qualified. This pairing is pretty much perfect, and I hope Zara Larsson features on at least one more Clean Bandit song at some point.

Ed Sheeran- "Castle On The Hill (SeeB Remix)":  Good god, how did Ed Sheeran get on this list? Someone must have made a mist- oh wait, it's a SeeB remix. Never mind, makes total sense now. To be fair, this was probably already my favorite Ed Sheeran song (not saying much, I admit) but since SeeB was probably my number 1 artist of 2016, it's only right that they make one appearance in 2017.

Electric Guest- "Oh Devil":  If you're watching the music video to this, you might be going, hey, that singer getting Wendy Peffercorn'd on the pool deck looks awfully familiar. And that's because it's Asa Taccone, brother of Jorma from The Lonely Island. And as such, he also got Will Forte to star in this video, which toes the line between comedy and real-music. Asa also wrote and produced the 2017 mega-hit "Feel It Still," so it's safe to say his hands were all over some pretty awesome and influential music this year.

Kato & Sigala featuring Hailee Steinfeld- "Show You Love":  Listening to this song should give you no surprise as to how it wound up on this list. Deep house with a piano break and powerful female vocals=top 25 of the year, every year, every time. Couldn't be an easier formula. No, I'm not ashamed.

Kiiara featuring Felix Snow- "Whippin":  I can't believe they let Kiiara film this video in the Miami projects featured in, like, every South Florida rap video between 2005 and 2010. I can't imagine those residents were too thrilled to let a white girl from suburban Illinois stunt all over their property. Anyway, I guess you could say this was a guilty pleasure for me in 2017.

Kygo featuring Ellie Goulding- "First Time": Here's another song that should have been way bigger than it was in 2017. This was the best Kygo song of the year, and one of the best period. For me, it was the second-most played song of the year. We'll get to #1 soon, but this one got worn out big-time, despite the weird sibling-love-frozen-in-time video.

Kygo & Oliver Nelson featuring Bonnie McKee- "Riding Shotgun": I love Kygo, I love Oliver Nelson, and I love Bonnie McKee, so it's no surprise then when all three teamed up for this one, I couldn't believe my good luck. My only complaint? This song should be at least three minutes longer, like most Oliver Nelson songs are. I could listen to it all day and all night, and then again the next day.

LEON- "Sleep Deprived": 2017 was a bit quieter than 2016 for my favorite Swedish permanently-scorned lover, LEON. Nevertheless, this one came out back in January and kept me feeling guilty for things I didn't do all year. Get some sleep, girl. The sun barely comes out this time of year in Sweden, anyway. You're not missing anything.

Maroon 5- "Visions": Time for another deep album cut! If you haven't listened to Maroon 5's new album Red Pill Blues, don't worry. While the whole thing is surprisingly good (problematic title aside), the real standout track is this one. I can never get enough cod reggae (aka the blue-eyed soul of Caribbean music), so this Dirty Heads-written track has been the one keeping me going through these cold winter months. Listen and be transported to Jamaica...or at least Orange County.

Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa- "Scared To Be Lonely": Here's another track from back at the beginning of 2017. I'm a big fan of both artists so it was no surprise that their collaboration got into my heavy rotation in the early part of the year. No, it's not the most memorable song of 2017, but it was a good, solid track that helped me get to spring. Can you tell I'm ready for spring already?

Matoma & MAGIC! featuring DRAM- "Girl At Coachella": What did I just say about cod reggae? Yeah, I'm into it. So Matoma and Magic! making a song together was the perfect blend of Jamaica and Norway, with a dash of Tidewater Virginia in the form of DRAM. To me, this was a major contender for song of the summer in 2017.

ODESZA featuring WYNNE & Mansionair- "Line Of Sight": We had a lot of confusing collaborations this year. We also had a stunning number of all-caps-stylized names. This song combines both, as well as having one of most memorable riffs of the year. ODESZA's album was one of the best to come out this year, and this was the standout single. I think they've proven themselves to be here to stay.

Sean Paul & Dua Lipa- "No Lie": I guess Dua Lipa was the go-to featured artist this year for songs I wanted to hear. And yes, once again, we have a Caribbean sound here, but this time it's done by someone with a little more, dare I say, street cred. I think Sean Paul is beyond reproach at this point.

Snakehips featuring M0- "Don't Leave": M0 (yes, I know there should be a slash through the 0; no, I have no idea how to type that, stupid Scandinavians) is one of the best vocalists in pop music these days, so it's no surprise that she shows up here. Snakehips' beats complement her voice perfectly, and this was another midtempo song that worked for nearly any occasion this year.

SNBRN & BLU J featuring Cara Frew- "You Got Me": SNBRN burst on the scene big-time in 2016 and managed to follow up with at least one more standout song in 2017. Time will tell if they can keep it up for a third year, but at least we'll always have this one to remember.

Sub Focus featuring ALMA- "Don't You Feel It": If I hadn't bound myself to an alphabetical order for this list, I'd have put this last. This was my most-played song of 2017, and I was not surprised to learn that statistic. It was also my favorite song. It's probably not the most original, groundbreaking track you'll hear, but to me it was comfort food. No matter how much the world changes, certain sounds will always keep me coming back, and Sub Focus doing radio-friendly, accessible tracks like these is an ironclad guarantee to make me smile and tap my feet.

The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren- "My Type": Another album cut here. This was one of the softer tracks on the Chainsmokers' new album, and Emily Warren's vocals are what really make it. She's extraordinarily talented and I hope she can get out from their shadow and emerge on her own in 2018.

Tim Legend- "Hope": Here was one of the most blissed-out beats of 2017. I couldn't hear this one without stopping what I was doing and just enjoying it. To me, that's what music is for. That probably explains the almost complete lack of any music with substantive lyrics, well, ever on any of my best-of lists. Sounds, not words, people. Not a difficult concept. Enjoy!

Wilkinson- "Faded": Final song on the list, and possibly the deepest album cut on here- only 600 Youtube views as of this writing. I'll be checking back on that in a few days to see if my link moved the needle. If so, I expect royalty checks. Thanks in advance!

That'll do it for my personal favorites of 2017 list. Let Wilkinson's drum&bass sounds take you smoothly into 2018. See you next year!