https://itunes.apple.com/ca/playlist/2018-best/pl.u-38oW9qWFP6m0pN
2018 has finally come to an end. In retrospect, here is my songs of the year playlist. I think it’s a great list, every song here stands out as anthems of the year and examples of each artists talent and potential. It would take far more then a page to discuss each song so I will pick out a few tracks and talk about why they made the list.
“My My My!” by Troye Sivan is my favourite pop/dance song of the year. The beat on this track is fantastic, as is Sivan’s epic chorus. The lyrics are sharp and passionate, making this song an obvious standout from the young musicians sophomore album, Bloom. Sivan didn’t have as big a year as many of us expected back at the start of 2018 but his album was good and this song I think proves that Troye is an artist to watch. I expect his popularity to grow in the next couple years, allowing him to bloom into the icon of the LGBT music world that he could potentially be. Don’t believe me? Watch the video for this song and see that Sivan could be our next Lady Gaga.
“Hungry Hippo” by Tierra Whack was a song I hadn’t heard until a couple weeks ago. It came on and I was instantly entranced. When it ended after one short minute I yelled aloud “That’s it!?” I couldn’t believe such a jam would be cut so short; I immediately gave it a rewind. The beat is cute and casual, with a deep synth note that is simple and great. “Not your average girl,” she sings, and Tierra couldn’t be more right. Expect more from this new artist in the future.
“Kevin’s Heart” by J. Cole was my most listened to song this year. This fact surprised me a little bit when I found out, but still I am not sick of it. In a year of monotonous rap beats, “Kevin’s Heart” had the most unique instrumental I heard on a mainstream rap album. Plus, J. Cole’s rhymes and flow are irresistible. The song is wonderfully orchestrated. There are some lyrics in this song that are so obvious that their originality is honestly surprising. i.e. “All a n**** knows is how to f*** a good thing up”. Like Hemingway, the most poignant words are sometimes the simplest.
No rapper had a more career-defining year than Nipsey Hussle, and “Blue Laces 2” was the most standout track from his critically-acclaimed album Victory Lap. Wikipedia has the producers on this track down as Rance (1500 or Nothin’), Mr. Lee, and Mike & Keys. It has an unbelievable vibe that is classic west coast. It’s a rider’s beat and is definitely one for the whip. On top of the beat, Hussle comes through correct with an absolute dynamo final verse. It’s a story, a “flashback”, that is vivid and poetic. Whether it happened or not, Hussle makes it believable, painting himself in a picture akin to a GTA V mission.
“Feel Like a Fool” by Kali Uchis could have been released in the 1970’s and would have fit in perfectly. Its old-school flair is brought into the 21st century by Kali’s lyrics of heartbreak and infidelity. It is the closing track to her breakout album Isolation, and the songs vibe is different from the rest of the album. I think Kali sounds fantastic on this big-band-esque beat. I can’t help but see comparisons between Uchis and Amy Winehouse when I hear this song.
And finally, to close out the playlist, the song that none of us could escape. Of course, it’s the boy, Drizzy, with “In My Feelings”. I’m not very present on social media these days, but did any song go more viral this year than this one? Not only was it a smash, I actually like it a lot. I didn’t like it much when I first heard it, it sounded like a missed mark on Scorpion. But it sure grew on me. TrapMoneyBenny’s beat, constantly changing, dropping in and out, is a banger. The lyrics are classic Drake. A mix of love song and rap braggadocio, with enough quotable lyrics to fill your Twitter feed.
That concludes my list. Here’s to skating, smoking, and rapping, in the new year. Cheers!
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