Musical Year in Review 2018

/

It’s a few days post-new year, year III of The Sky Box Suite, and the aroma of ambition is still in the air, empowering everyone - including myself - to power through yet another year and focus on a new set of goals. Last year didn’t start or end particularly spectacular, but I am ready for everything 2019 has to offer.

As I am getting back to the regular routine post-holiday, it’s an ideal time to reflect on what 2018 sounded like in my annual Musical Year in Review. Music wise, there was never a dull moment. I even discovered some new (to me) artist, such as Snow the Product and Kacey Musgraves. As much as I try my best to listen to new albums the second they drop - especially when it’s an artist I really like - the amount of album releases in 2018 was hard to keep up with, so I’m sure there are quite a few possible contenders that I’ve missed. However, out of what I have listened to, it’s been a pretty good (music) year nonetheless.

Best Albums of 2018 (top 18 in no particular order):

  1. Hive Mind - The Internet

  2. Kamikaze - Eminem

  3. East Atlanta Love Letter - 6lack

  4. Last Day of Summer - Summer Walker

  5. Saturn - Nao

  6. Swimming - Mac Miller

  7. Bijoux 23 - Elijah Blake

  8. KOD - J. Cole

  9. Isolation - Kali Uchis

  10. Milky Way - Bas

  11. Gumbo Unplugged - PJ Morton

  12. Good Man - Ne-yo

  13. In the Comfort of - Sango

  14. Noir - Smino

  15. Victory Lap - Nipsey Hussle

  16. Scorpion - Drake

  17. November - SiR

  18. Whack World - Tierra Whack

Honorable Mention:

Also see: ‘#PressPlay: 8 Under the Radar 2018 Album Releases that are Indefinitely Worth the Listen’

Favorite EP's, LP's, + Mix tapes:

  1. It’s Complicated EP - Wale

  2. Seven-One - Colette Lush

  3. Big K.R.I.T. releases

18 Heavy Rotation Songs:

  1. After the Storm - Kali Uchis ft. Tyler, the Creator & Bootsie Collins

  2. Doing U - Maleek Berry

  3. Rose in Harlem - Teyana Taylor

  4. Smile - Jungle

  5. Money - Cardi B.

  6. Backin it Up - Pardison Fontaine ft. Cardi B.

  7. Assurance - Davido

  8. Chances - KAYTRANADA & Shay Lia

  9. Brown Sugar - Michael Christmas

  10. breathin’ - Ariana Grande

  11. Trip - Ella Mai

  12. Imported - Jessie Reyes & JRM

  13. BOSS - The Carters

  14. Out of Your Way - Snoh Aalegra ft. Luke James

  15. As I Am - H.E.R.

  16. 40 Shades of Choke - Ari Lennox