The Best Songs of 2018 (So Far)
If you want to know the best new songs of 2018 before the year-end lists, then you've come to the right place.
BY MATT MILLER
Congratulations, you've already taken the first step toward being ahead of the curve this year when it comes to new music. If you want to know the best new songs of 2018 before the year-end lists (or before all your friends are listening to them), then you've come to the right place. If you want to be the person saying, "Have you heard [insert good song here]?" then take a look at this ongoing list of our best songs of 2018. We'll be updating this all year, so keep checking back. You can also listen to the playlist on our Spotify.
BEYONCÉ, JAY-Z – "APESHIT"
The Carters are pop music. On “Apeshit,” Beyoncé and Jay-Z analyze cultural institutions that fail to include black artists. The video places black dancers and the Carters in front of white artwork in the Louvre in Paris. They call out the Grammys, which invite black artists for ratings at the ceremony but don’t reward these musicians with actual trophies. As a combined force, the Carters are an establishment of their own, one that’s capable of challenging the likes of the NFL and the Recording Academy.
TEYANA TAYLOR – "ROSE IN HARLEM"
Among releases from Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Nas, and Kanye himself, Teyana Taylor lands among the best of the West-produced albums in the summer of 2018. Even Pusha said herK.T.S.E. was his favorite of the G.O.O.D. Music projects. The highlight of that release comes on "Rose in Harlem" a song that acts as a biography of her making it out of her home neighborhood. Over a passionate cord progression, and a genius sample of "Because I Love You Girl" by The Stylistics, Taylor sings of her past: "Been through more than a lil' bit / But I ain't callin' no names out / No, no free promotions."
CHARLI XCX – "NO ANGEL"
Charli XCX is a genius at producing infectious glittering pop music. She has the power to turn off every nagging thought in the back of your head and just transport you to some euphoric late night party. "No Angel" exists as some sort of club identity crisis, where Charli comes to terms with some of her more party girl behavior. She's no angel, Charli admits, but she can learn. Hey, acceptance is the first step. Although let's hope Charli doesn't calm down any time too soon, because we need her to fuel those 4 a.m. nights.
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SOPHIE – "IMMATERIAL"
With a bouncing, buoyant beat, Sophie champions the freedom of gender identification with a scrambled reference to Madonna. "I could be anything I want / Immaterial boys, immaterial girls / Anyhow, anywhere, any place, anyone that I want / Im-ma-ma-material, immaterial," she sings on the song. It's the perfect example of a modern pop song in 2018—thematically and musically. Along with providing an anthem that this year desperately needs, "Immaterial" demonstrates Sophie's mastery of creating lush, layered pop compositions.
MEEK MILL FEAT. MIGUEL – "STAY WOKE"
On April 25, Meek Mill was released from prison, where he was sentenced two to four years for parole violations. The sentencing set off waves of protests with Jay-Z and Pennsylvania's governor supporting the rapper. He knows first hand how the criminal justice system in America is working against young black men. And on "Stay Woke," his first new track since being released, he uses his moment to carefully outline the horrors of mass incarceration. He at once admits his own mistakes that landed him in legal trouble, while also pointing out how the system is designed to keep him in prison rapping on the song, "In a world where black is wrong and white right, it's like a combat / We go to war for our freedom, they say we equal."
PUSHA T – "THE STORY OF ADIDON"
The surgical summer officially began on May 29, 2018. A decade-long beef sizzling in the subtext of hip-hop, exploded into the most vicious diss track in years with Pusha T's "The Story of Adidon." It's a song that completely dismantles Drake's good-guy persona, picking apart his alleged use of ghost writers and rumored child with a former porn star. Drake's response to Pusha's "Infrared" was good, but "The Story of Adidon" took this feud to a mythical status. There's possibly never been a diss track as rhetorically sound, calculated, and damaging as what Pusha wrote (Drake was even forced to issue an explanation of the questionable album art). This ranks among the greatest diss tracks in rap history, and one of the most game-changing songs of the year.
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CHILDISH GAMBINO – “THIS IS AMERICA”
The sheer scope of Donald Glover’s body of artistic work is so incredible that he even made it into a gag in his opening monologue on Saturday Night Live. Music, movies, TV, unmade cartoons, writing—the list of his talents goes on and on. Starting as a playful hip-hop moniker, Glover’s Childish Gambino persona has evolved into something completely unexpected with his Grammy-winning third album, Awaken, My Love. On that release, he moved from rap to a falsetto-led collection of soul and R&B. But after the success of that pivot, he does so again with the jarring and brilliant “This Is America.” The song, and its accompanying video, is a surreal critique of race and violence in this country. And it’s another essential piece of Glover’s catalogue.
A$AP ROCKY, FRANK OCEAN – "PURITY"
One of his are musical contributions since Blonde, Frank Ocean appears in the closing track of A$AP Rocky's Testing to bring the album to a pensive conclusion. Taking cues from Ocean's masterpiece, "Purity" is anchored by a gentle, bubbling guitar. Here, producing team Finatic N Zac, Dean Blunt, and Rocky mix into Ocean's formula a sample of Lauryn Hill's "I Gotta Find a Peace of Mind." Through it all, Ocean and Rocky seek clarity of mind freed from brands, Xans, and love. Ocean has always had his own helpless love-at-first-sight romantic view of the world, which can best be described in this song with his lyrics: "One blink and I'm precummin' / That could turn every no one into someone."
MITSKI – "GEYSER"
Like the geological formation, Mitski's "Geyser" is an eruption that you might miss if you look away. At a brief two and a half minutes, the first single off Be the Cowboy doesn't leaves you wanting more, but it also doesn't feel incomplete. Somehow she packs a transformative linear build into a short amount of time. It's a concise and beautiful statement on passion and sacrifice.
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BEACH HOUSE – "DRUNK IN LA"
Beach House has been one of the most consistent indie bands of the 2000s, steadily releasing music that sounds like it should be played at a very sad and very cool prom. And "Drunk in LA" might be Beach House at its most pristine—a lonely, patient meditation on empty high school hallways, drunken nights, and dead-end dreams. Like much of Beach House's music, the track is hypnotic, putting the listener into a wistful trance.
CARDI B – “I DO”
In closing her brilliant debut album, Cardi B brings in SZA, another breakout star, to proclaim “I think us bad bitches is a gift from god.” In her chorus, SZA raps that she leaves a guy on read because she felt like it, that she just does what she wants. It essentially sums up Cardi B’s entire message of female empowerment that she established throughout the album. This song, an album highlight, acts as a conclusion statement and a call to action: “Here's a word to my ladies / Don't you give these niggas none (give 'em none) / If they can't make you richer, they can't make you come.”
DRAKE – “NICE FOR WHAT”
Drake is having a hell of a year. He’s only released three songs, but all of them have been absolute bangers. With a spinning sample of Lauryn HIll’s “Ex-Factor,” Drake doubles down on his good-guy thing, rapping about female confidence—both online and IRL. He tells the story of a woman doing her own thing: paying bills, going to clubs, living life without a partner or “without a mention or a follow.” In fact, it’s a song so good, it even got the Lauryn Hill approval when she covered it in concert in late April.
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SOCCER MOMMY – “COOL”
We all knew—or know—that person. The one who breaks hearts, the one who got stoned, the one who was so effortlessly cool and was the envy of everyone in school. It’s the story of insecurity and obsession that transcends the teen drama of Soccer Mommy’s “Cool.” And, in a way, it’s comforting to know that you’re not alone in silently judging and coveting someone’s life. Effortless relatable and delightfully honest, Soccer Mommy can make our deepest self-doubts seem so much more universal.
SABA – “LOGOUT”
There’s something so poetic about a Chicago rapper singing about just logging the fuck off. “If you press logout, you get forgotten / What's a post, but a reminder just how boring our lives ar-ar-ar-are / Look at how much fun I'm havin' / Ain't' no beauty in the absence, of broadcastin' to your followers.” In hindsight, that seems like such an insightful statement given what Chicago’s most prominent rapper did in late April. Alongside Chance the Rapper, it’s good to know that a new generation of artists from Chicago gets it.
LET’S EAT GRANDMA – “FALLING INTO ME”
Certainly best band name of the 2010s goes to Let’s Eat Grandma—a name that’s both weird, but also speaks to a restless generation that’s disappointed in the one before it. Or, it’s just weird, which is always refreshing in music. And this British pop duo brings a sound that is capable of providing some variation to Top 40 radio stations. On “Falling Into Me,” they find absolute clarity among the flashing synths and even a longing saxophone outro.
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SNAIL MAIL – “PRISTINE”
The proper first single for her upcoming Matador debut, Snail Mail's “Pristine” is much as intimate and wise as her early bedroom recordings but with the polish that a record label can provide. The band’s 18-year-old frontwoman Lindsey Jordan has been called a music prodigy. And on “Pristine,” she shows her masterful grasp of composition, crafting a charming and unforgettable ode to teen frustration and angst. It’s wise beyond its years both in terms of self-aware analysis and song construction.
COURTNEY BARNETT – ”NEED A LITTLE TIME”
While best known for her thoughtful slacker rock, Courtney Barnett often switches it up with a few more somber tracks on each album. She’s slowed down on highlights like “Anonymous Club” and “Depreston,” but “Need a Little Time” represents her most fully realized part of her catalog. Having evolved as one of our most promising new songwriters, “Need a Little Time” proves to be a mature and dynamic step for Barnett, one that will likely be the stepping point for her more mainstream success.
ANDERSON .PAAK – ”TIL IT’S OVER”
Paak had a breakout year in 2016 with his sophomore album, Malibu. It was a January release strong enough to stay on everyone’s minds through the next 12 months, and it landed near the top of every year-end list and earned him his first two Grammy nominations for Best New Artist and Best Urban Contemporary Album. He didn’t stop there, either, appearing on more than a dozen tracks since and releasing an album with his side-project NxWorries. Now, he returns with his first solo track since Malibu. “Til It’s Over” is a relaxed, trippy jam that contemplates mortality and originality. And while I hate to say that it debuted on an Apple commercial, the stunning video above was directed by Spike Jonze and stars FKA Twigs
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LEON BRIDGES – “BAD BAD NEWS”
For all his throwback vibes, Leon Bridges is anything but a nostalgia act. He’s rooted in the classics, but he’s capable of transporting that to present day. He reminds us of the R&B, jazz, and blues greats, while establishing himself as a modern voice—one who's not only in touch with his past, but listening to what’s happening right now. “Bad Bad News” is a lounge, big band number, with shouts, smooth guitar solos, and a message that if you have style and grace you can get through anything. That must mean Bridges is invincible.
KACEY MUSGRAVES – ”HIGH HORSE”
If you played someone “High Horse,” it might take a few guesses before they identified it as a country song. That four-to-the-floor beat with the funky, Nile Rodgers guitar, that popping bass—none of these are elements of country that should be on a hit from one of the genre’s brightest stars. But the elements are all there: the middle-American lyrical imagery and references, the light slide guitar solo, the banjo, the background acoustic strings. It’s like a winking scrambling of genres that creates a sound entirely Musgraves’ own. Some often compare her to Taylor Swift as a country artist with major crossover potential. But less a brand than her uber-famous counterpart, Musgraves has more in common with the likes of Sturgill Simpson or Chris Stapleton, who are crossing over based on musical ability alone.
JANELLE MONAE – "MAKE ME FEEL"
Janelle Monae can do anything she wants. She can act in a Best Picture-winning film. She can be a pop star. She can make Afrofuturist funk. She can make elastic electro '80s R&B like "Make Me Feel"—a song that embraces all the sexual energy of Prince that you can almost feel those mouth noises mixed into to the beat.
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SUPERCHUNK – "WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE"
How many times have we heard this phrase over the last year? But certainly no song has summed up this specific time more succinctly—and without mentioning a certain world leader's name—better than Superchunk. The anthemic title track from the new album is a cathartic collective observation on the state in which we currently find ourselves: "To see the rot in no disguise / Oh what a time to be alive / The scum, the shame, the fucking lies."
SOB X RBE – "LIFESTYLE"
There's a perfect balance at play on SOB X RBE tracks. Yhung T.O.'s seductive club choruses are the perfect packaging for forceful, dangerous verses. Take "Lifestyle" for example, where Yhung T.O. sings in the chorus, "I remember late nights all alone / I remember long talks with my cousin through her phone / RIP all of my niggas dead and gone / Give it all to bring you back and to bring my niggas home." It's followed by an opening verse from Slimmy B where he raps about people getting murdered at stoplights.
U.S. GIRLS – "ROSEBUD"
"What is your Rosebud, you've got to know," asks the chorus of U.S. Girls' "Rosebud." It may be a reference to Orson Welles's Citizen Kane, in which a sled named "Rosebud" represented the abandoned innocence and happiness of Charles Foster Kane. This song itself has a haunting vocal aspect to it, like half-forgotten memories are worming their way into your subconscious.
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MORMOR – "HEAVEN'S ONLY WISHFUL"
In one of his few interviews, Toronto producer/singer MorMor told Pigeons and Planes that in school, "I kept searching for kids like me, but it never happened. In the end it gave me some good perspective." You can hear that solitude, that self-searching in his debut song, "Heaven's Only Wishful."
JPEGMAFIA – “MACAULAY CULKIN”
I’ll be the first to admit that JPEGMAFIA might not be for everyone. He embodies the true punk aesthetic of SoundCloud hip-hop. He’s artistically hyperactive—he’s already released three albums this year of frenetic lo-fi rap. These albums have songs like “I Cannot Fucking Wait Until Morrissey Dies” and “Libtard Anthem.” But beneath that abrasive provocateur is a compelling lyricist, and when he tones it down a bit, like on "Macaulay Culkin," that writing truly shines. Over a lost, melancholy guitar, he raps Orange is the New Black references and admits, “I play my albums front to back and make it feel important.”
HOP ALONG – “HOW SIMPLE”
Nearly three years ago, Vulture asked the question: “Is This the Best Voice in Rock Music Today?” in regards to Philadelphia rock act Hop Along. The answer then was yes—and it's a title that Hop Along’s Frances Quinlan still holds. It’s at once baffling and nimble, switching between a twangy yodel, a scratchy shriek, a natural coo, and an intimate whisper. This is a sound that absolutely not be created with any vocal effect or studio magic. Just watch a video, or better yet see Hop Along live to really believe what Quinlan can do. On the band’s latest track, it seems that producers have finally found the perfect way to capture her voice on record. Every nuance can be heard amid the cleanest sound Hop Along has had yet, and with some extra touches like layered vocal tracks and a touching string outro, it’s a song that hits all the emotions that Quinlan can reach in one breath.
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TROYE SIVAN – “MY MY MY!”
It’s truly amazing to see a pop star emerge from relatively humble beginnings independent from the machine. That’s how Troye Sivan came into 2018: an openly gay 22-year-old Australian singer who had already built a dedicated online following through LGBTQ communities before even releasing his first single. “My My My!” is the first single from his upcoming sophomore album, which hints at what could be his first mainstream success. It’s an ‘80s-inspired pop exclamation full of life and synths. This is a refreshingly positive and simple message, and it’s a song that kicked off this music year on an all-around high. Things are gonna be good. Just keep this track on repeat.
MIGOS – “MADE MEN”
Migos didn’t hold anything back releasing Culture II on the anniversary of their groundbreaking major label debut. It’s a massive dump of 24 songs, which indicates that they could have maybe used some discretion while pairing down that final album. That’s precisely why there are a number of forgettable tracks, along with some truly great ones. Obvious standouts are the Pharrell-produced "Stir Fry" (which technically came out last year, so we can’t include it here) and “Made Men.” On the latter, the beat is a glittering and classy late-night boast. Taking the phrase from classic American mafia, Takeoff casually brags in his first verse, “Not Toby, but we slave for it / No Kunta Kinte, but we slave for it / I waited some days for it” in a brilliant Roots reference.
KALI UCHIS – “AFTER THE STORM”
Since the mid-2010s, Colombian-American singer Kali Uchis has been a familiar voice alongside the likes of Tyler, the Creator, Snoop Dogg, Miguel, and Snoop Dogg. Though so far she only has a lengthy nine-track EP to her name, she began 2018 with "After the Storm," which hopefully is an indication of more Uchis tracks to come this year. It’s a silky R&B jam, assisted by Tyler, the Creator and Bootsy Collins. If there is a storm, hopefully we can emerge like this song—calm, wise, and optimistic.
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