It is truly an honor that you all return every New Years Eve (or week after) to read my opinion. Shoot, some of you even actively look forward to this list. As always - a self-induced depressive episode the week leading up to this post or not - I deliver to you what I consider the cream of the crop.
If there was any theme to 2018 it was loooooong. Honestly, 2018 felt like two years; are we sure we didn't double-time around the sun? Clearly, the musicians felt the same warp of time and flooded this year with more music than ever. I'm sure I listened to near 100 albums this year if not more.
The criteria remains mostly the same but with an addition:
1) Does the album have a thesis and follow it?
2) How much does the album knock?
3) Does this album speak to me/the masses?
4) How many tracks standout vs fade into the background?
5) How does the album stack up against its genre peers?
You'll notice this year I've added genres to the description of each album. This is 1) in part to help clue you in to the sound if you have no idea who the artist is but also 2) to help me keep track and not flood you all with the same sound. 2018 was the year I fell into an alternative R&B hole. It was pleasant, no doubt, but I had to bring some perspective while compiling this list. Yes, the choices are mine alone to make, but 2018 was the Year of Balance for me and it'd be a shame if my year end list didn't reflect that.
Without further adieu, let's jump into this year's best albums beginning with those that nearly made the cut (and my way of fudging a top 25).
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Drake's Scorpion
Mitski's Be the Cowboy
Pusha T's Daytona
Natalie Prass' The Future and The Past
SiR's November
Teyana Taylor's KTSE
VanJess' Silk Canvas
*~If a song has a hyperlink, it leads to the music video!~*
18) Robyn’s Honey
Release Date: October 26th
Run Time: 40:18
Genre: Electropop/Post-Disco
After 8 long years, Robyn has finally returned! I'll admit, I was late to Robyn. Like most people, my first experience of her was the Body Talk series. I was ready for a return to the bubbly, sparkily pop I loved. So when Honey gave me something darker, I was thrown off. Don't get me wrong, this is still a pop album, but Robyn has taken time off to reflect and grow as an artist. This time she delivers not club anthems but dance-alone-in-your-room bops. Tracks like "Because It's In The Music" will have you feeling on yourself in front of a mirror. Towards the end, she does manage to sneak in an mod-elevator music song perfect for the beach that would have fit the Body Talk era. There's a little something for every pop lover.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Human Being [feat Zhala]
Between the Lines
Skip It:
Ever Again - 'cause out of all the tracks, it's probably the most basic sounding
17) Lykke Li’s so sad so sexy
Release Date: June 8th
Run Time: 34:02
Genre: Pop
No other album on this list as a title as appropriate as so sad so sexy. From the very first track, you can visualize Lykke Li strolling around Stockholm in gloomy weather while sporting a bikini under a trench coat. From start to finish, Li supplies us with tearful body roll music. Her fourth time out the gate, she's a pro at her lane of pop music. Plug in some headphones, walk somberly into your favorite body of water, and allow so sad so sexy to instruct you in its synchronized swimming routine.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
jaguars in the air
sex money feelings die
Skip It:
Utopia - 'cause we don’t have time to sing about things that don’t exist
16) Kids See Ghost’s Self-Titled
Release Date: June 8th
Run Time: 23:53
Genre: Rap Rock/Hip-Hop
Kanye West let me down so much this year. Starting with his political affiliations to actively, repeatedly making a fool of himself, I hoped his album would be trash to finally set me free from his discipleship. Luckily Ye was hot garbage. However, something told me to listen to the other four "albums" he would play a part in all June. The production on Nas', Teyana Taylor's, and Pusha T's albums were all amazing, each nearly making the list, but the best among them was clearly his collaboration with Kid Cudi. A long fan of Cudi, his last few LPs have been misses. Thankfully, (most of) these seven tracks came together beautifully. Cudi's moaning on "Reborn" is some of his best work, feeling representative of the whole work. Maybe Kid Cudi will come back and surprise us with another solid album. I truly hope so.
Hit Single:
Feel the Love
Standout Tracks:
Freeee (Ghost Town Pt 2) [feat Ty Dolla $ign]
4th Dimension [feat Louis Prima]
Skip It:
Fire - 'cause it feels like marching music and it needs more cowbell
15) Christine and the Queens' Chris
Release Date: September 21
Run Time: 44:28 (92:56)
Genre: Electronic Pop
It's starting to feel mandatory that I have at least one Frenglish artist a year on the "countdown." Héloïse Letissier, better known as Christine and the Queens, released her second album as a rebranding self-titled LP feeling she could transition to solely Chris. With this album, she's free to express her sexuality and feminism in bouncy ways. She balances her sound with somber tracks like "What's-her-face." As an added bonus, Chris can be listened to as a double album featuring English and French versions. Each album has at least one track exclusive to its language. So if you feel the need to show-off or pick favorites, you can compile your own master mix of the album. Everyone loves options.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Goya Soda
Skip It:
Feel so good - 'cause it has too many jarring 80s sound effects not featured anywhere else on the album
14) Travis Scott’s Astroworld
Release Date: August 8th
Run Time: 58:33
Genre: Rap
Travis Scott is a rapper I've avoided solely on the basis of ignorance. I thought it wasn't worth my time, and perhaps he wasn't when he first appeared on the scene. It wasn't until months after Sicko Mode dropped that I finally heard the beat switch everyone was going crazy over. Halfway through the song, I was a fan. The next day I listened to Astroworld, and I was pleasantly surprised. I assumed Travis was a strict trapper rapper, but the production on many of the songs were crisp and varying in fill. Yes, the bar may have been on the ground my first listen, but each time I returned Travis and his crew of features jumped over other rappers' albums. If you're looking for semi-depressing raps over beats that go hard, look no further than a trip to Astroworld.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Skeletons [feat Pharrell, Tame Impala, The Weeknd]
Skip It:
NC-17 - because it's not as explicit as its name implies; bummer
13) Panic! at the Disco’s Pray for the Wicked
Release Date: June 22nd
Run Time: 33:11
Genre: Pop/Alternative Rock
Oh don't give me that look. No, seriously, stop. Listen, it's ok. I've long been a Brendon Urie fan, going all the way back to high school. I've listened to all of his albums. He has a great voice and a great sound. But in the past, since he became the sole member of Panic!, his albums start off strong only to give way to a sub par second half. With sixth album Pray for the Wicked, not the case my friend. Urie has a wide array of influences and they all play a role: from jazz to gospel to 80s synth. Together you get a pop-rock album for all the derelicts to wail along to. I'll admit, perhaps Urie coming out as pansexual played a slight role in how often I played his album this year, but like Honey it was the perfect thing to throw on before a night out, especially with the songs pertaining to booze.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Say Amen (Saturday Night)
Say Amen (Saturday Night)
King of the Clouds
Skip It:
Dying in L.A. - while Urie does love a piano ballad, this one misses the mark as the closer to a rather fast-paced album
12) Blood Orange’s Negro Swan
Release Date: August 24
Run Time: 49:27
Genre: Alternative Soul Pop
Remember how I would award different superlatives? Let's keep that going. To Negro Swan I award the "Oh... It Me." I surprisingly related to nearly every aspect of this album because it discusses what it's like to experience depression while black and queer and related experiences. Tracks like "Hope" featuring Diddy sincerely made me diddy-bop my depression away. Then there's "Jewelry" that eerily progresses like a Frank Ocean arrangement. His fourth time out as Blood Orange, Dev Hynes plays my heart strings and then samples them to produce a trippy drum and bass beat. Really, I think it's the balance between his strained vocals and mildly rapper way of speaking that truly completes the package. This is definitely midnight riding music.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Dagenham Dream
Skip It:
Holy Will - only if you don't feel like a gospel break
11) Jessie J’s R.O.S.E.
Release Date: May 22-25th
Run Time: 55:23
Genre: Pop
I've always recognized Jessie J's talent, from her verse on "Bang Bang" to her memeworthy riff of "No." I'm not sure why I never checked for her albums; maybe because they were too mainstream pop. However, Jessie J's fourth album toes the line between pop and soul. Sectioned into four EPs (Realisations, Obsession, Sex, and Empowerment), Jessie takes her time to sing about love lost, new options, and finding inner peace. Produced by DJ Camper who coached her along the way, Jessie found her writer's voice again in a real way. It's hard to find a weak vocal anywhere on this project.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Dangerous
Skip It:
Rose Challenge - so you don’t get tricked into another internet meme/craze
10) Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy
Release Date: April 5th
Run Time: 48:13
Genre: Rap
Name me one person that had a better year than Cardi B? Don't worry, I'll wait. After the hype of "Bodak Yellow," our favorite down to earth vixen finally released her debut album Invasion of Privacy. Though the album is littered with features left and right, Cardi comes in solo for the first track "Get Up 10" to remind us that she's bout her business. She knows where she's been and she knows where she wants to go. Her personality jumps out from track to track. A highlight of the album is "She Bad" featuring YG where Cardi pays homage to her roots and makes a strip club anthem for all the girls still working the pole. One of my few wishes is that she had rapped in Spanglish on "I Like It," but hey, she left me wanting more. I can deal with that.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Best Life [feat Chance the Rapper]
Bickenhead
Skip It:
Ring [feat Kehlani] - 'cause it’s just sounds like it was mandated by some record exec; also 'cause it's not "Money!"
9) SOPHIE’s Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
Release Date: June 15th
Run Time: 39:55
Genre: Electronic
This year's "Charles, What the Hell Am I Listening To?" goes to SOPHIE's Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides. Having only released a compilation album of random singles prior, this serves as her proper debut album. Enlisting the help of Cecile Believe to sing on the album, producer SOPHIE only lends her vocals to the intro track "It's Okay to Cry," which is the tender ballad of the album. For the remainder of the album, the transgender Scot rattles our brains with hard steel drums and electronic onomatopoeias that combine into something audibly beautiful once you get used to the initial screech. Believe's vocals are the perfect balance to the jaunting sounds SOPHIE treats us to. Just before the end of the album, we're treated to a party anthem in the form of "Immaterial." Play this at your next LGBT+ rave.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Infatuation
Immaterial
Skip It:
Pretending - only if you don’t enjoy static turned into electronic whale wails
8) Chloe x Halle’s The Kids Are Alright
Release Date: March 23
Run Time: 52:48
Genre: R&B
Plucked from Youtube to nuzzle atop Beyonce's bosom, Chloe and Halle Bailey are two sisters who have paid their dues. Capable of writing and producing most of the album themselves, The Kids Are Alright is nothing but appropriate as the title of their debut album. Throughout the album, you can hear little Beyonce-isms in their vocals yet they both have their own sound and tricks. To add to their accolades, the debut also features "Grown" (the theme written for the show Grown-ish they also act in) and "Warrior" (the lead single for the movie A Wrinkle in Time). With subject matter about being enough to finding love, there's nothing truly innovative but the lyrics still ring true. Every song - including the interludes - are thoughtfully arranged and produced. If Chloe x Halle had a third sister as talented as them, they might even be capable of Destiny's Child level harmonies. Nevertheless, the duo are just fine on their own.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Babybird
Babybird
Everywhere
Skip It:
Baby on a Plane - 'cause no one wants to hear that while they fly, man
7) Jorja Smith’s Lost and Found
Release Date: June 8th
Run Time: 46:00
Genre: R&B/Pop
I disagree with Wikipedia's genre classification of Jorja Smith. To me she's more of an alternative R&B singer-songwriter, but I can understand how that could be a bit wordy. And Lost and Found is less of an debut album than it is a collection of songs Smith wrote between 16 and 21, yet they all work beautifully together. With subject matter from finding-and-losing-and-the-awful-timing of love to issues of racial discrimination and feminism, Jorja Smith isn't afraid to express herself. As a listener, you can easily place yourself in the situations she describes. Even with the British twang to her voice, her vocal abilities will soon be one to rival. Musically, the production is standard, but it's the way Smith uses the melodies to fit her own style that makes Lost and Found so special.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Blue Lights
Skip It:
Lifeboats (Freestyle) - only if you like keeping R&B ma’ams from testing their bars
6) The Carter’s Everything is Love
Release Date: June 16th
Run Time: 38:17
Genre: Hip-Hop/R&B
If you want to hear what opulence sounds like, play this album. You know what, yeah, that's it. To Everything is Love I award the superlative "Opulence: You. Own. Everything!" I mean, Jay-Z and Beyonce's combined net worth is astronomical. They shot a music video in the Louvre, for shit's sake. Balla shit aside, the world's favorite open-and-honest couple finally joined forces to deliver their "fourth child" to us. Though it sometimes feels like Jay-Z gets in Beyonce's way, the two still work well together. When Beyonce shines on a track, she shimmers. With Everything is Love, Yonce continues to develop her rap skills, adding to her long list of talents. Jay-Z shade aside, Hov proves he can still keep up with his the next generation over melodic trap beats. Content-wise, the duo give us classic rap: bragging about how they're the best and the richest. The only difference is The Carters have the receipts to prove it. Like Blue said, "Never seen a ceiling in my whole life." Also, we all know cursing Beyonce is the best Beyonce; that's when she's at her most vicious.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Black Effect
Boss
Skip It:
Nice - but just Pharrell’s verse
5) Anderson .Paak’s Oxnard
Release Date: November 16th
Run Time: 56:19
Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop
This year's "I Feel Like I'm in Middle/High School Again" award goes to Anderson .Paak for his work on Oxnard. He owes this accolade in large part to Dr Dre, who helped produce his third studio album - it's also .Paak's first album under Aftermath Entertainment. The third and last installment of his "beach series," .Paak continues to pay homage to California. During the album's first couple of tracks, you can almost smell the crisp ocean air wisp across your nostrils. With great production and beats in the bag, Anderson .Paak spits some of his best bars proving he's only getting better as the West makes another claim as the best coast in the rap game. In true early 2000s style, this rap album has plenty of features but none overshadow .Paak, not even Kendrick. A favorite track of mine is "Brother's Keeper" featuring Pusha T based off the nostalgia factor alone. With near no error in sight, .Paak can close his beach series with pride.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
6 Summers
Anywhere [feat Snoop Dogg & The Last Artful, Dodgr]
Skip It:
Left to Right - only 'cause is plays like a bonus track after Sweet Chick’s closing credits vibe
4) Ariana Grande’s Sweetener
Release Date: August 17th
Run Time: 47:25
Genre: Pop/R&B
My pop princess has finally jumped into the world of R&B I always knew she was capable of! This is largely thanks to Pharrell leading the production on Sweetener. He even threw Ariana a track Beyonce didn't use; that's the one time being a runner-up can feel like winning. Often criticized for not using her voice's full potential, Ariana belts and runs more on Sweetener than her three previous albums. Dance records a given, the pony-tailed diva takes the time to expose her softer side with "better off." "breathin" has easily become a break-up/mental health anthem, driven by the tenderness her voice possesses. Did I mention that Ariana pseudo-covers Imogen Heap's "Goodnight and Go" and turns it into a bop? Yes, Sweetener is perfect girls' night music - which to me translates to a near perfect pop album. 2019 has been bitter enough; let everyone's favorite ex-girlfriend sweeten it up for you.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
everytime
Skip It:
the light is coming [feat Nicki Minaj] - cause it would have been the perfect slot for Thank U, Next
3) The Internet’s Hive Mind
Release Date: July 20th
Run Time: 57:49
Genre:R&B/Funk
After lead singer Syd took time off last year to find her voice with her solo project, she returned to Matt Martians and the rest of The Internet to form like Voltron. Hive Mind is truly the culmination of each band members best efforts as they "Come Together" to form one voice. Allowing their most recent addition to take the lead on the first proper song of the album, Steve Lacy reminds us he can charm the pants off us even over a roller-disco funk beat. Handing the reigns back over to Syd, our favorite stud leads us through an album of pure bliss and romance. Even though she's most certainly singing to a woman on "Stay the Night," I still find myself pointing to my chest and mouthing "me?" every time. With the vocals secured, Martians leads the band's production and collaborates with Lacy, Patrick Paige, and Christopher Smith. Each track blends with the one that follows while still maintaining its individuality, just like The Internet manages to achieve. To Hive Mind, I award "Perfect Synchronization" and hand them my application to play tambourine on the next album.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
It Get Better (With Time)
Skip It:
Bravo - only if you hate high-hat driven beats
2) Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer
Release Date: April 27th
Run Time: 48:42
Genre: Funk R&B/Pop
What if I told you had I trouble writing this review because I couldn't stop dancing to the album? It's no secret that Janelle Monae is one of my favorite current artists - maybe even of all time - so it's no surprise she's this high on the list. Face it, she earned it. Not only did Prince lend his talents to the album before he passed in 2016, but Monae herself grew as an artist. Diverging from the usual tale of Cindi Mayweather, Dirty Computer focuses on Jane and the landscape the humans and androids of Metropolis inhabit. In doing this, Monae is allowed to make parallels and criticize the world we live in, because we are all "Screwed." By switching the perspective to Jane, Monae also takes the chance to open up about her pan-sexuality. She drives home her attraction to women with the song and video for "Pynk" so that no one can possible miss it. While Dirty Computer has heavy rock and 80s-influences, Monae raps more on this album than her prior efforts. "Django Jane" may be the hardest rap song of the year, but I'm biased. Between the range of her voice, her message, and her production value, Janelle Monae has arguably released the best album of her career. It nearly took the top spot... but one song kept it from greatness. So in lieu of best album, I award Dirty Computer "Miss Congeniality."
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Screwed (feat Zoe Kravitz]
Skip It:
American - 'cause it’s just so damn hokey
1) Kendrick Lamar and Co’s Black Panther Soundtrack
Release Date: February 9th
Run Time: 49:12
Genre: Hip-Hop
One time for the cultureeeee!!! That's right, for once "The Blackest Album of the Year" is also my Album of the Year.
I'm sorry, but this was the first album that I instantly knew would make it on my top albums list and surprisingly no one bested it.
Led and arranged by Kendrick Lamar, Compton's-own allowed Ryan Cooliger's film and Ludwig Goransson's original score to inspire him to make film soundtracks great again. There's something nostalgic about a soundtrack being this consistently solid that I really appreciate. Though only two of the songs are featured in the film (and one used during the end credits), each song transports you to either Wakanda or Compton - two contrasting nations that must find harmony and peace with each other. Somehow Kendrick managed to play audible ambassador.
As a strong lyricist himself, Kendrick needed to build a suitable Justice League (wrong universe, I'm aware) to keep pace. Future, 2 Chainz, and Anderson .Paak are among the peers he enlisted, with rookies like Jorja Smith, Khalid, and Swae Lee gaining experience along the way. Ever mindful, Kendrick was sure to rope in South African artists Babes Wodumo, Sjava, Yujen Blackrok, and Saudi to round out and balance the soundtrack's vibe and culture.
Though the soundtrack is full of rap features, R&B and updated tribal music provide the right amount of variation to keep you fully engaged. Each artist brings something unique to the table, and producer Sounwave helped unify these skill sets into a powerful weapon against Yacubian-ism. (Props to James Blake as the lone, audible white voice on the album).
Kendrick fans may be mad at me that this is what finally earned him the title of "Best Album of the Year," but meh. We all know he's great, but this year he proved he's what we needed him to be: a great leader, our T'Challa.
Hit Single:
Standout Tracks:
Redemption [feat Zacari & Babes Wodumo]
Paramedic! [SOB X & RBE]
Skip It:
Pray for Me [feat The Weeknd] - so you can start the album from the beginning again
Woo! Another one in the books, and minutes to spare before the self-publishing deadline I set for myself. As always, thank you for excusing any typos.
What do you think of my list? Agree? Wholeheartedly disagree? Think I missed an album I would have loved? Not likely this year, but let me know and we can talk it out. This list is always meant to encourage a musical dialogue.
Well, I'll see you all again at the end of 2019. Until then, you can check out my back catalog here: 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013.
Word
Once again, here's the Spotify playlist featuring selections from all of my favorite albums (and notable mentions) this year. Enjoy!
