As 2018 comes to a close, it’s important to reflect on what happened and what matters. In the past 12 months, there have been quite a few destructive events: more than 300 mass shootings, Facebook giving away our private information, Kanye wanting to abolish the 13th amendment, and the death of three United States service members in an IED attack in Afghanistan. However, there’s one thing that brought a positive light to everyone: new music. No matter what your taste is, 2018 brought something for you to enjoy. We at The B-Side have compiled a list of our top ten albums, which we hope can help you see the positivity in the past year, and the hope for the new one.
10. MGMT – Little Dark Age (February | Synth-Pop)
9. Kamasi Washington – Heaven and Earth (June | Jazz)
8. Parquet Courts – Wide Awake! (May | Rock)
“A short, tight, and danceable rock album without weak points.” – Everett Williams, staff writer
7. Pusha T, Kanye, Kids See Ghosts (Kanye & Kid Cudi) – Daytona, Ye, Kids See Ghosts (May, June, June | Hip-Hop)
“I hate to have to group these three albums together, but I can’t individually listen to one without listening to the other. It’s almost like the production on Daytona is Kanye’s ego, the dreamlike and visionary production and vocals on Kids See Ghosts is Kanye’s id, and Ye is the interlocking between all three psychic structures. Regardless of what Kanye talks about in the White House, these three albums again showed the conceptual ingenuity of Kanye West, as well as Pusha T, who delivers some of the best bars of 2018 in Daytona, and Kid Cudi, whose return to music has been glorious.” – Julius Miller
6. Blood Orange – Negro Swan (August | Alternative Pop)
“I am a Dev Hynes stan first and a person second. While Negro Swan isn’t my favorite Blood Orange album (that title goes to Cupid Deluxe), it still was an incredibly strong and moving piece of art. “Vulture Baby” and “Orlando” are my favorites.” – Leka Gopal, Managing Editor
5. Mac Miller – Swimming (August | Hip-Hop)
“A smooth, cohesive album in which Mac Miller captures an emotional, raw and captivating artistry.” – Sophia Leswing, marketing
4. Earl Sweatshirt – Some Rap Songs (November | Hip-Hop)
“Earl highlights his mental troubles and his relationship with his deceased father through an experimental rap album sprinkled with avant jazz.” – Everett Williams
3. The Internet – Hive Mind (July | R&B)
“This album is so good that I have been able to listen it on repeat for months now. This album shows how The Internet has matured as a group and finally harnessed their musical style.” – Tovah Popilsky, photographer
2. Anderson .Paak – Oxnard (November | R&B/Hip-Hop)
“A long awaited album with some INCREDIBLE features, Oxnard was the 2018 album I didn’t know I needed. Anderson.paak is one of the most talented musicians and artists of our generation. “Tints” and “Cheers” are my favorites.” – Leka Gopal
1. Noname – Room 25 (September | R&B/Neo Soul)
Albums that didn’t make the top 10 (but still deserve the mention): Lush (Snail Mail), Astroworld (Travis Scott), Be the Cowboy (Mitski), Twin Fantasy (Car Seat Headrest), Isolation (Kali Uchis), Iridescence (Brockhampton), Tell Me How You Really Feel (Courtney Barnett), Veteran (JPEGMAFIA), KTSE (Teyana Taylor)
Article by Joshua Hauser