Saturday, December 8, 2018

The 100 Best Albums of 2018

I listened to over 200 new recordings this year, to varying degrees. Some I listened to briefly and moved on. Some I listened to often and moved on. These are the 100 albums in 2018 that I enjoyed most. Some of them still require some care and attention. Some of them will become classics I listen to for many years to follow. I thought there were a lot of really great albums this year, but I am not sure anyone made a truly amazing record. Probably because it is getting harder and harder to create something truly unique and fascinating. Still lots of wonderful artists out there making really sincere art. 

The sequencing up to 30 is pretty solid. Up to 50 is still pretty accurate. From 50 to 100 the sequencing gets a bit dodgy, even if my process and thought process remained sound throughout. I did not include e.p's, otherwise Nine Inch Nails, Aphex Twin, and Chromatics would all be here, and likely all in the top 30. There is probably an equal mix of popular artists and much less popular artists. The only list I have seen on the internet that is remotely similar might be Drowned in Sound, likely because it is UK based and most of my favourite music comes from the UK. Unlike the Pitchforks of the internet, this is a fun annual project for an aging music nerd, I don't care if anyone lands on this page. If you have though, I hope you find something interesting you have not heard before.



ArtistTitle
100FoxwarrenFoxwarren
99Twin ShadowCaer
98ChromeoHead Over Heels
97The MidnightKids
96EditorsViolence
95Creep ShowMr. Dynamite
94JungleFor Ever
93Snail MailLush
92SuperchunkWhat A Time to Be Alive
91Born RuffiansUncle, Duke and The Chief
90Troye SivanBloom
89Bush TetrasTake The Fall
88Wye OakThe Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs
87Oh PepI Wasn't Only Thinking About You
86Public Access T.V.Street Safari
85BodegaEndless Scroll
84SpiritualizedAnd Nothing Hurt
83MitskiBe The Cowboy
82David ByrneAmerican Utopia
81BahamasEarth Tones
80Confidence ManConfident Music For Confident People
79Frankie CosmosVessel
78Belle AdairTuscumbia
77Marie DavidsonWorking Class Woman
76Manic Street PreachersResistance Is Futile
75Gazelle TwinPastoral
74StarcrawlerStarcrawler
73ShadowpartyShadowparty
72Lily AllenNo Shame
71Yukon BlondeCritical Hit
70ShadA Short Story About War
69Young GalaxyDown Time
68Gus GusLies Are More Flexible
67Stephen Malkmus & The JicksSparkle Hard
66J MascisElastic Days
65SwearinFall Into The Sun
64Fara-OPure-O
63Laura JeanDevotion
62GrmlnImpressions From The Dark
61Kamasi WashingtonHeaven and Earth
60John GrantLove Is Magic
59OughtRoom Inside The World
58Single LashProvidence
57A ProjectionFramework
56Rolling Blackouts Coastal FeverHope Downs
55HaterSiesta
54HeatersSuspended Youth
53Gang Gang DanceKazuashita
52NothingDance on the Blacktop
51DeeperDeeper
50ADULT.This Behaviour
49Wild NothingIndigo
48Django DjangoMarble Skies
47Fucked UpDose Your Dreams
46The PresetsHi Viz
45SuunsFelt
44Acid DadAcid Dad
43NonameRoom 25
42IceageBeyondless
41The BethsFuture Me Hates Me
40SabaCARE FOR ME
39Blood OrangeNegro Swan
38Dead can DanceDionysus
37The Good, The Bad, and The QueenMerrie Land
36MournSorpresa Familia
35Xander HarrisVillains Of Romance
34ParcelsParcels
33FischerspoonerSir
32Creux LiesThe Hearth
31Kurt VileBottle It In
30Boy HarsherLesser Man
29Sloan12
28Denzel CurryTA1300
27RobynHoney
26The Slow Readers ClubBuild A Tower
25Anderson .PaakOxnard
24U.S. GirlsIn A Poem Unlimited
23ShoppingThe Official Body
22Christine and the QueensChris
21HookwormsMicroshift
20Neneh CherryBroken Politics
19MoaningMoaning
18ActorsIt Will Come To You
17InterpolMarauder
16Janelle MonaeDirty Computer
15SuedeThe Blue Hour
14Pusha TDAYTONA
13Sunflower BeanTwentytwo In Blue
12PreoccupationsNew Material
11The LongcutArrows
10The OriellesSilver Dollar Moment
9Field MusicOpen Here
8Vince StaplesFM
7The KVBOnly Now Forever
6IdlesJoy As An Act of Reistance
5Beach House7
4Johnny MarrCall The Comet
3Anna CalviHunter
2ShameSongs of Praise
1Young FathersCocoa Sugar