2019 is just around the corner (sigh) so let’s recap the best and the worst of 2018, musically speaking. (Disclaimer: as always, the selections are based solely on my opinion, and I have not listened to every single album/song that was released this year. I’m only human.)
Best Newcomer – Greta van Fleet
With these guys around, rock ‘n roll will never die.
Best Live Show – The Killers
Blew me away, once again.
Worst Grunge Comeback – Smashing Pumpkins
Almost every member of the original band reunited to release Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1/LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. They shouldn’t have.
Best Collaboration Album – Everything is Love by The Carters (ie Beyoncé & Jay-Z)
This album puts both wife and husband on the same playing field, and finally admits that Queen Bey is actually the boss.
Worst Collaboration Album – 44/876 by Sting & Shaggy
Whose idea was this? Why was this? But mostly, can this never happen again?
Sexiest Sex Symbol – Maluma
That hair, that half smile, that sense of style, that Spanish: impossible to resist.
Best Boy Band Track – “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Backstreet Boys
BSB are the OG boy band. They will always win.
Worst Boy Band Track – “Girls Like You” by Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B
So Maroon 5 isn’t technically a boy band, but close enough. Adam Levine’s voice is whiny (as usual), and as hard as this song is trying to say something, it isn’t.
Best Young Artist – Troye Sivan
At only 23, Sivan’s music has the wisdom, introspection and maturity of someone who’s been around a lot longer.
Worst Young Artist – Lil Xan
At only 22, Lil Xan has managed to make some of the worst music ever, and really should just stop.
Best Rap Track – “Mogambo” by Riz MC
Is there anything Riz MC can’t do? No, no there isn’t.
Worst Rap Track- “Chun-Li” by Nicki Minaj
Is anyone else kind of tired of Nicki?
Best Diss Track – “The Story of Adidon” by Pusha T
The feud between Drake and Pusha T got so heated, Pusha used a diss track to reveal Drake had a son.
Worst Diss Track – “Rap Devil” by Machine Gun Kelly
I don’t understand why this no-name wanna be rapper even tried to take on Eminem.
Most Irrelevant Rap Beef – Ja Rule vs. 50 Cent
Ja and 50 win this one because in 2018, nobody cares about either of them. At all.
Best Break-Up Song – “Thank You, Next” by Ariana Grande
Grande takes the higher road here, appreciating everything she learned from past mistakes, instead of hating, blaming and shaming.
Worst Break-Up Song – “Without Me” by Halsey
She quotes Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River”, and makes it part of the track. Huh?
Best Reggaeton Track – “Te Bote” by Casper, Nio García, Darell, Nicky Jam, Bad Bunny, Ozuna
Instant classic.
Worst Collaboration Track – “Havana” by Camila Cabello feat. Young Thug
I just can’t with this song. Nothing original about it, and the extra “na-na-nas” are an earworm no one ever asked for.
Best Collaboration Track – “Nina Cried Power” by Hozier feat. Mavis Staples
All soul, all power, all goosebumps.
Best Video of the Year – “This is America” by Childish Gambino
Was there any other choice?
Worst Video of the Year – “Happier” by Marshmello feat. Bastille
Just to be clear: I love this song. But as a new dog lover, it’s emotionally manipulative, and I’m not here for it. It’s supposed to have a happy ending, but my tears are all sad ones.
Best Drake Song – “Nice for What”
Drake puts the spotlight on strong females, so this track wins.
Worst Drake Song – “In My Feelings”
When a song goes this viral, it should never be played again.
Toughest Musician Death – Dolores O’Riordan
For me personally, O’Riordan’s was the hardest to handle. Too many memories, and I’m still not over it.
Best Indie Track – “Hymnostic” by Big Red Machine
Anything Justice Vernon (of Bon Iver fame) produces is the most beautiful, eloquent, wonderful, ethereal, musical experience. No exception here.
Worst Indie Track – “Four Out of Five” by Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys went from solid Brit rock, to jazzy elevator music on this track (and the entire album – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.) I just couldn’t love it.
Best Slow Jam – “With You” by Mariah Carey
Mimi will always win at slow jams.
Best Soundtrack – Suspiria
Radiohead’s Thom Yorke wrote and performed all the music on this soundtrack, and therefore nothing else can compete.
Best R&B Album – Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae
Start to finish, front to back, this album will electrify you in all the best ways.
Worst Album of the Year – Man of the Woods by Justin Timberlake
I have no idea what this album was: is he trying to convince us he’s a down to Earth lumberjack? That he’s low maintenance? That he lives in the woods? So many questions, not enough answers.
Album of the Year – High as Hope by Florence + the Machine
It’s no secret I’m a little obsessed with Florence + the Machine, but it’s hard not to be when every new album they release is completely different than their last, but equally impressive.
Worst Song of the Year – “No Brainer” by DJ Khaled feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo & Chance the Rapper.
Didn’t this song already happen? (see “The One”)
Song of the Year – “Miracles” by Chvrches
Play it once, and you’ll have it on repeat for days.
Me vs. the Music 