lol owned u guys so hard. April fools! get rekt losers!!

Can’t give y’all the decade list just yet (altho expect it soon!).  Instead, here’s the next best thing: the OFFICIAL Sputnikmusic Staff’s ranking of the Top 50 Songs of 2018!

Me and the boys have been working hard on refining this since November of ’18, arguing intently for months on end as to which song belongs where, whether some of us listen to too much K-pop, where robertsona’s blurbs are, and so on.   Nonetheless, I assure you that the below ranking is as accurate as we can possibly get it and we hope you guys appreciate the work.

I’d note in advance for you that some of the blurbs may be a little dated at this point (but really, I feel like you guys won’t even notice).  Anyway, much love from all of us, and stay safe out there (note: for most of you, “out there” should be inside)!
 

50. “Baby Pink” – Moe Shop

This one radiates good vibes, and idk I just feel like the next few years are gonna be smooth freakin’ sailing for everyone.

 

49. “The Joke” – Brandi Carlile

Just a funny song about crackin’ silly jokes with the fellas. This would actually be so fitting for a list published on April Fool’s day, but sadly this list will likely be published in December of 2018 (as originally intended). Still, let’s throw it on bc it hits pretty hard. Also, wonder if it will lose the grammy to a song like…

 

48. “This Is America” – Childish Gambino

Holy shit… what if the 2019 Grammys end up being the 2020 Oscars of Grammys?

 

47. “Jack in Titanic” – BODEGA

blurb forthcoming – robertsona

 

46. “Spells” – Jenny Hval

The artistry and perspective here is simply overwhelming and also, somehow, perfectlywhelming.

 

45. “Home” – Vince Staples

theacademy (4:17am): guys why isn’t this the highest Spider-verse song on the list?

 

44. “Little Death” – The Beths

This track is those first few months of romance personified: all fun, foolish, and a little bit stupid. Power-pop played not with a smile but with a big goofy grin, this one made me fall in love too again, over and over all last summer (referring to summer of 2018, which was the last summer at the time of this writing).

 

43. “Hold That Thought” – The Brian Jonestown Massacre

The band’s warm, twangy grooves continue to work just as strong as ever. Anton never seems to run out of catchy chord progressions.

 

42. “Desire” – Dimension & Sub Focus

It’s exceedingly rare that a drum & bass track with an ear towards hooky pop production crosses over from that genre’s particularly insular world (and thank you Rudimental for ruining any chance that happens again for a few years!), but I can’t think of a better option that’s been released recently (as 2018 is this year so this still counts as “recently” – just clarifying!). Pop perfection, melodic beauty, and an absolute belter to boot, Dimension can do no wrong.

 

41. “Losing” – Exit North

A surprisingly subdued climax to a very moody LP, ‘Losing’ broods with the use of sparse, mournful piano leads. The cold, prolonged, haunting ambience dominating the second half feels like reaching a crossroads and being unable to move on.

 

40. “They Are Growing” – Renata Zeiguer

Love this song it reminds me of my favorite band, which is Atreyu btw – robertsona

 

39. “Silhouettes” – American Football

“Silhouettes” is a different kind of return. It’s like “Stay Home” deconstructed and seen through several filters. It’s easy to call it shoegaze, but… yeah let’s just go with that.

 

38. “Reviews” – Tancred

This song really sums up our relationship with this hellish website… always tell them: don’t read the reviews!

 

37. “Domino” – Turbowolf

The often psychedelic, hard rock British act never fails to bring some entertaining numbers on each album they release. ‘Domino’ is a fun banger with cocky riffs and memorable, pop-infused vocals.

 

36. “Devonian: Nascent” – The Ocean

If there is one song on each Ocean album to best describe them sonic-wise at that moment in time, this would be for the latest LP. From lush arrangements to scorching segments, this track has it all.

 

35. “nothing.nowhere.” – Hammer

2018 was certainly a year for emo-rap; I don’t know if there’s any more qualifications I can definitively add to that, but emo-rap definitely existed in some form or another this year. This song is one of the worthwhile ones. Shout out to Fueled By Ramen for a) staying relevant well past Fall Out Boy’s prime and b) releasing an album by this guy last year that a Very Serious NYT Critic named his AOTY (whoever does the WordPress can you put this link in starting from “a Very” and ending at AOTY? thanks https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/20/arts/music/nothing-nowhere-hip-hop-emo-reaper.html)

 

34. “The Changeling Prince” – Thou

“Behind the mask, another mask” is the surprise sing-along anthem of the year (which is 2018).

 

33. “Pop/Stars” – K/DA

I’m too old to understand League of Legends, but this? I fucking get this.

 

32. “Bird is Bored of Flying” – Mastersystem

On May 10, 2018, Scott Hutchison took his own life after decades of struggling with severe depression. Most people remember Scott for his work with Frightened Rabbit, but Dance Music was his final recording – and “Bird Is Bored of Flying” the final song he penned. Much like how “Floating in the Forth” feels eerily prophetic now, this fuzzed-out, reverberated guitar rock track does the same. Scott’s lament of “I want less” and his finals words – “I’ve seen all that I care to see, become what I don’t want to be…Bird is bored of flying” before an extended riff outro will make you shed a tear. Heartbreaking finale to his career, jam this in his memory.

 

31. “God Once Loved a Woman” – Frog

The most beautiful, stripped-down indie love song. The narrative puts the focus on God, who fell in love with his creation. It’s poetry put to shimmering acoustics, and all from a band that typically never takes itself seriously. A gorgeous moment from Frog, and a major surprise.

 

30. “If the Car Besides You Moves Ahead” – James Blake

The gulf between intent and delivery is vast on this song – the doctored vocals utterly discomforting, the production isolating, the moment where Blake’s normal low voice bursts in deeply affecting… Like all the best James Blake songs, there are worlds of feeling and nuance inside if you take the time to find them.

 

29. “Hopeless has Done Nothing for Me” – Johanna Warren

Despite a serene guitar intro that would fit snugly into Agalloch’s discography, it’s Warren’s voice that is actually the highlight here. Her smooth, delicate demeanor snuffs out any sense of darkness. Resembling a somewhat brighter Marissa Nadler, her sound is too therapeutic to ignore.

 

28. “Silenced Dalian” – Wang Wen

The haunting climax of a moody post rock album about the gradual fade of the band’s hometown, Dalian. The nostalgic guitars and horns gently build up to an epic yet harsh finale. Although it works just fine on its own, the song’s impact is augmented if listened with the entire LP.

 

27. “Sunflower” – Post Malone & Swae Lee

The coolest alternate universe Into the Spider-verse shows us is one where superhero movies are shamelessly weird and soaked in genuine love for the material. Compare this to generic blockbusters that are just two-plus-hour commercials for the next, and it’s clear why we have to appreciate a movie like this – all the way down to how it takes a song like “Sunflower”, a light dreamy mist of a single that could have soundtracked any movie, and makes it utterly its own. In another universe I’d have listened to “Sunflower” once or twice. But in the movie’s pulsating, vibrant Brooklyn the song is lifeblood, rendered infinitely more charming than itself by our main character’s clumsy attempts to sing along, and goddamn if that ain’t magic.

 

26. “Ahead of Ourselves” – Nine Inch Nails

These energetic, rave-influenced beats, complete with cyclic, drone synths and uncanny, noisy guitar lines and nihilistic lyrics characterizes Nine Inch Nails’ latest LP’s atmosphere really well. Side note: I wonder when NIN will revisit that Ghosts project from a few years back…

 

25. “Sports” – Viagra Boys

Dance your ass off (inside, alone, over videochat) with a don’t-stop-drinking-until-cirrhosis attitude!

 

24. “from” – Adrianne Lenker

I like this song from Adrianne Lenker. It sounds nice.

 

23. “Irreversible” – BoA

One of the most legendary K-pop artists started composing her own tunes lately. This is a lovely, mid-tempo, melodic dance track where the focus is both on the atmospheric music and her cute, nasal voice.

 

22. “Devil in Paradise” – Cruel Youth

Yo this song is NUTTY. I cant wait to hear all the music she’s assuredly gonna come out with next year (in 2019).

 

21. “The Marble Eye” – Anna von Hausswolff

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again—I want this on a Final Fantasy VI remake soundtrack.

 

T-20. “somersault” – item

This one waltzes into your ears so unassumingly, you could be forgiven for forgetting it on an album as jam-packed as Sad Light. But repeat listens reveal something special – it’s euphoria when the bridge rides in on a pitch change (break into the park / climbing coasters after dark Dylan sings, jumping up his register) in a way that effusively compliments one of the best melodies of 2018 (this year)(the year in which this was written).

 

T-20. “Roach Goin’ Down” – Palberta

Hey its me again, RoBeRtSoNa! What a great year! Love this freakin’ song!!

 

18. “PROM / KING” – Saba

Saba’s hyper-specific storytelling chops and his ability to morph his voice into whatever shape those stories need is a generational talent. I wish I could write about the whole album to explain how he sketches a picture of his cousin John Walt before coloring in the gritty details on “PROM / KING”. Instead I’ll point out how the heartfelt recounting of a friendship that makes up “PROM” is essential to contextualize the fury of “KING”, a once-in-a-lifetime verse which drags us towards an ending that we’re simultaneously anticipating and dreading, where Saba recounts his cousin Walter’s death because he was in the wrong place wearing the wrong coat. My go-to adjectives like ‘soul-wrenching’ are woefully inadequate for the final two lines, compared to which a sample of John Walt himself singing about making it to tomorrow feels like an anti-climax.

 

17. “The Grey” – Thrice

god thrice is so good.

 

16. “Cake” – Ivy Lab

Ever since Deviant. (bless his soul wherever he may be) left this site (or DiD hE?), I’ve (Brostep) run its electronic music credibility into the ground. Even so, I still pay my tithes to our god who has abandoned us, in that precisely one-tenth of the electronic music I listen to might be considered “good” under his critical appraisal. I think this is part of that tenth; menacing bass gymnastics run through a wood chipper is always a good look.

 

15. “Lift Me From the Ground” – San Holo

Ever since Deviant. (bless his soul wherever he may be) left this site (until he probably comes back next year, which is 2019 since im writing this in 2018), I’ve (le Brostep guy) run its electronic music credibility into the ground. Even so, I still pay my tithes to our god who has abandoned us, in that precisely one-tenth of the electronic music I listen to might be considered “good” under his critical appraisal. This is certainly not part of that tenth; a beautiful fusion of post-rock guitar noodling, weepy mainstage EDM, and a little bit of Tycho worship, pop electronic music doesn’t get better than this.

 

14. “Butterflies” – Kacey Musgraves

It’s been a long time since a song about falling in love sounded so beautiful and sweet. This lovely, summery ditty is one of Kacey’s most immediate tracks. It feels so familiar yet her gorgeous voice sets it apart from most country/pop artists’ singles this year (and possibly for the next 1.25 years?).

 

13. “Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore” – mewithoutYou

Aaron Weiss soundtracks his mental breakdown with a plea to his brother (Michael – who is also in the band) that’s just barely audible above the distortion: Michael won’t you row that boat ashore, your little brother can’t paddle anymore! Only Weiss could craft such an elaborate and poignant passage, and it’s hardly the only one here. The song is a menacing storm of reverb, dissonance, and heartbreaking screams… it’s a challenging listen that will peel away at you and ultimately shake your core. One of my favorite K-pop tracks from 2018, no doubt.

 

12. “Missin U” – Robyn

I saw a soon-to-be RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant perform this in a wedding dress and lemme tell you it was revelatory.

 

11. “Blue Moon” – Gyeong Ree

A stylish and sexy dance tune that melds gorgeous melodies building up to an infectious chorus. Her cute vocals match perfectly the mood of the track.

 

10. “Safe” – Emery

Five seconds into “Safe,” Emery already has the listener’s full attention. Nope, it doesn’t start with huge guitar parts or their unique screams. It’s nothing more than the refined vocals – only better with age (and I can assume they will probably still be great in 2020) – that carry the entire song.

 

9. “Mo Bamba” – Sheck Wes

“Mo Bamba” was released in 2017, but it’s found a place on this list because (a) no frat-bro party playlist this year is complete without it and “Sicko Mode”, whereas last year such an omission might have been acceptable and (b) I GOT HOOOOOOOOOOOEESSSS! CAAAAAAAALLLLLLINNNN! is an opening so strong that I would advocate putting this on end-of-year song lists until at least 2023 (and DEFINITELY THROUGH AT LEAST 2020) or so. Any praise I could give this song is immediately obviated by the FUCK! SHIT! BITCH! YOUNG SHECK WES AND I’M GETTING REALLY RICH! so just put this article aside for a few minutes and ignore everything else.

 

8. “Thank You Sooooo Much” – Yubin

The ‘80s influence on pop music continues to bring out some really catchy and fun tracks. Yubin’s sassy attitude slays on top of disco funk grooves, making this single more than just a guilty pleasure. Love the freakin energy and attitude from YUB on this one, but looking back the choreo is extremely 2018. Uhh I mean extremely contemporary, since the year is currently 2018. I also love those snow pants (?) she is wearing! (I’m writing this in 2018 btw).

 

7. “If You Know You Know” – Pusha T

For someone who literally only ever raps about one thing, Pusha’s coked up flex of a reintroduction still manages to be his best song since “Mr. Me Too” — bars upon bars of estranging and specific references to dope slinging and rap royalty. “Where were you when Big Meech brought the tigers in?”, Push asks incredulously, knowing full well that he was far too busy selling bricks to ever be at Big Meech’s parties.

 

6. “Maker of Things” – Laura Stevenson

Laura Stevenson can spin a yarn with nothing but a thread. “Maker of Things” is a quiet but powerful meditation in anamnesis, richly described and vividly portrayed.

 

5. “Version of Me” – Kimbra

honestly *in tears* no fucking blurb needed dude.

 

4. “Mona Lisa” – Lil’ Wayne (Featuring Kendrick Lamar)

It’s pretty obvious “Mona Lisa” was recorded in 2014 or so (which would be 4 years ago, and definitely not 6 years ago…), since Kendrick’s actually putting effort in, which is a dead giveaway. Weezy pretty much creates a cinematic universe out of whole cloth in two-and-a-half minutes, introducing tiers of characters atop head-spinning flow dynamics and and some gnarly deliveries.

 

3. “Guest House” – Daughters

At times terrifying but always exhilarating, “Guest House” is a noisy and infectious masterpiece that only Daughters could create.

 

2. “Chaitius” – Julia Holter

Backed by slick beats and hype as hell production, Holter shows once again why she’s one of the hardest hitting battle rappers in the game today (for clarification: “today” being December 12, 2018).

 

1. “No Angel” – Charli XCX

Plato was a pretty cool philosopher with a bunch of important ideas, but it’s wild that it took, like, three thousand years for something to finally negate the idea that the Platonic ideal of an object (say, hypothetically, pop music) is impossible to achieve on our mortal plane. Inject this song directly into my veins and play it at my subsequent funeral because it was accidentally cut with fentanyl. (Fuck fentanyl.) Also, little lifehack from the YouTube comments – try it at 1.25x speed and you will literally nut.