The Best Songs of 2018

Not to be confused with best albums of 2018. These are the songs I had on repeat in 2018. The ones that I woke up with in my head and couldn’t wait to listen to them again. The ones that I’d find myself humming at odd times during the day. The ones that are never quite loud enough and demand to be sung along to. Consider this an appetizer to my Best Albums of 2018 posts that will be coming over the next couple of weeks.

This is the best of the rest. Stand out songs from albums that either didn’t quite make the top list or the song comes from a single or EP. If you like what you hear be sure to check the artist for more. I don’t tend to stick with genre. The songs below run the gamut from electronic dance to pop-rock to metal and anything in between. You’ll see that my Best of 2018 list is just as varied.

Let’s get to it!

Republican Hair – “Fuck a Bomb”
No album yet for this one. As soon as it drops I’ll be all over it. This song will crush your speakers. The band’s previous albums are good and worth checking out. 

Badflower – “Ghost”
The runaway success of this song has been a blessing and a curse for Badflower. When “Ghost” hit hard their label decided to wait on a full album. Recently they repackaged a 2014 EP, released a new single (“xANAx”), but still no album. It would be a shame if the label’s meddling kills the band’s momentum. Regardless, “Ghost” is a powerhouse single. 

Chvrches – “Miracle”
I like this band but still haven’t heard an album by them I love. This year’s “Love is Dead” is good but still not a slam dunk. But this song is a speaker rattler.

Gerard Way – “Baby, You’re a Haunted House” (Previously discussed here)

Janelle Monae – “Screwed”
Dirty Computer is a really good album that got edged out in the final tally. The fusion of styles ranging from Prince style rock to rap to R&B is consistently entertaining.  “Screwed” mixes all the styles to great effect. 

Shinedown – “Darkside”
ATTENTION ATTENTION is Shinedown’s best album since The Sound of Madness. Given the quality of their last few albums that bar was not hard to cross. This new album is as over-produced as the recent albums but the songs are catchier. The melody of “Darkside” wouldn’t be out of place on a Panic! at the Disco song. 

Mustasch – “Barrage”
Another band that was just edged out of the top spots. Silent Killer is a beast of a hard rock album that you should check out. Also, these guys are Swedish and if you’re paying attention you are going to start to see a trend in the top spots.