27 Best Songs From 2018
Looking for some good music from 2018? The year saw a wide range of hits in various genres. From the ever-popular rap and hip-hop sound, to some outstanding country and rock ballads. Here are some of the best songs from 2018.
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“God’s Plan” By Drake
Song year: 2018
Ranked by the Billboard 100 as the top song of 2018, Drake’s hit song covers a few different topics in his signature style, including what it’s like to have negative wishes from others impacting your life and the emotional impact of feeling like part of a plan.
The song is relatively short, at just over three minutes, but its skippy flow and smooth delivery makes it instantly memorable. As this shows, people don’t get to the top of the charts unless there’s something genuinely good in the music.
“I Like It” By Cardi B
Song year: 2018
Cardi B has an impressive range of upbeat music. “I Like It” mixes Latin trap with hip hop, both heavily influenced by other cultural music. Rolling Stone considers it the best summer song of all time, and by topping the US Hot 100 as Cardi’s second song to reach the rank, it elevated her to the first female rapper ever with multiple hits on that point.
Although mainly Cardi B’s song, “I Like It” also features a lot of work from J Balvin and Bad Bunny in support, and several writers that were working on the song to tune it to perfection.
“The Middle” By Zedd, Maren Morris & Gray
Song year: 2018
“The Middle,” as its name suggests, is a song about one person taking a look at their situation and asking their partner to meet them in the middle and figure out how they got where they are. Although the song frames it as a domestic dispute, it also has echoes of the entire industry, where egos can make it hard to work together and create good things.
“In My Feelings” By Drake
Song year: 2018
It takes a lot of work to have multiple top hits in the same year. Drake managed two in the Top 10 (a feat only equaled by Post Malone in the same year), and this particular one is a bounce-style track that quickly inspired a dance challenge on social media. It was also the most-streamed song at the time, breaking the record for most streams in one week.
Although an excellent song on its own merits, “In My Feelings” is also notable for making Drake the record holder for most number-one hits on the Hot 100. That’s a distinctive honor for such a highly competitive field.
“Yumeiro Asterisk” By Tokino Sora
Song year: 2018
One of the first songs from the Japanese singer and virtual entertainer Tokino Sora, “Yumeiro Asterisk” (roughly “Dream-Colored Asterisk” in English) was written as part of a community initiative and then selected by Sora from the list of submissions.
The lyrics are broadly optimistic, focusing on the imagery of stars and moving forward to chase dreams. While it’s hard to enjoy in full unless you’re fluent in Japanese, it’s still worth a listen for the variety.
“Lucid Dreams” By Juice WRLD
Song year: 2018
Mainly a song about loss, “Lucid Dreams” discusses heartbreak and the feeling of being alone after separating from someone. The lyrics focus partially on lucid dreams as a central element, where strange things and emotions can happen to the one experiencing them. The song also focuses on some of the complexities and mixed feelings in relationships.
Good music from 2018 has relationships as a frequent element. That’s not unusual, as it’s a popular topic in any year, but changes in society in 2018 helped accelerate its focus in songs.
“Never Be The Same” By Camila Cabello
Song year: 2018
Most people are more familiar with Camila’s smooth, easy-listen song Havana, but the follow-up “Never Be The Same” came out right at the end of 2017, hitting the radio proper at the start of 2018 and qualifying for this list on the technicality. Its powerful drum hook and mix of power pop and electro techniques make this a bold song, showing off Cabello’s impressive range.
“Come On To Me” By Paul McCartney
Song year: 2018
Rap and hip-hop tend to dominate the top of the charts, but musical legend Paul McCartney occasionally steps out to remind people why he’s one of the most well-known singers of all time. Primarily a positive rock song, McCartney did much of the writing and producing himself, a notable departure from artists who mainly rely on others for that work.
McCartney has more experience in concert halls than many others on this list, and that’s often the best place to enjoy his songs. There’s a real difference between quieter beats with rapid-fire lyrics and fully melodic songs that take advantage of concert hall acoustics to elevate their sounds.
“Sicko Mode” By Travis Scott
Song year: 2018
“Sicko Mode” is a trip in several senses of the world, with its official video featuring bold coloring choices and a slapping style best described as eccentric. Scott manages to hold the tune together, however, showing both his creativity and his flexibility in a single song that’s worth the journey of listening to it.
Several songs on this list are best in video form, and “Sicko Mode” is one of them. Music videos are common enough for modern song releases, but artistic videos are a different experience from what’s essentially an elaborate background for the song.
“Delicate” By Taylor Swift
Song year: 2018
Taylor Swift manages songs about relationships and emotion in ways few can compete with. This electropop hit is something of a balance track for its album, focusing on a theme of vulnerability and concern about how past reputation can affect her in future relationships.
Some people consider this song to be more autobiographical than most of her other work, and its mellow sound helped it shoot up to the top of the airplay charts and ultimately reach double platinum status in America.