This year, music has been extremely diverse–many artists have changed their styles or given us songs that don’t necessarily fit into their categories. Huge movies such as Black Panther or A Star is Born have given us fantastic stories set to even better soundtracks. Here at Her Campus BU, we love sharing music and bonding over our favorite artists.
Overall Top Choices
1. Ariana Grande’s Sweetener
Credit: Spotify
Favorites: All of the songs on this album are fantastic, but I truly appreciate the songs without features: specifically, “better off” and “goodnight and go.” Just for the memories, we’re going to throw “pete davidson” on here because that was one of the best stories of 2018 and what good is a story without a little music?
2. The Weeknd’s My Dear Melancholy
Credit: Spotify
Favorites: “Call Out My Name” is a top choice. We’ve discussed how hard it must be for Bella Hadid to know that one of Abel’s best songs is for another woman. Tragic, but the lyrics speak to heartbreak that everyone faces.
3. Halsey’s “Without Me”
Credit: Spotify
2018 has surely been the year for female pop empowerment! For those of you who have ever felt like a caretaker who has gone underappreciated, “Without Me” is a powerful emotion-evoking ballad that makes you think twice about the effort invested in those around you.
4. Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next”
Credit: Spotify
Projected as her first #1 debut, “thank u, next” came as a surprise to fans who aren’t on Twitter. The true song of self-empowerment and rebuilding yourself came at a perfect time for everyone, including myself.
Notable Mentions, By Genre
Country:
Carrie Underwood’s “Cry Pretty”
Credit: Spotify
This is definitely Carrie’s most “pop” album, but there are some extremely fun love songs (as per usual), such as “End Up With You” or if you need some hope in the world, “Love Wins” is the song for you.
Sugarland’s “Babe”
Written by my lord and savior Taylor Swift, Babe is a fun pop-country hit for anyone who’s been cheated one and the realization that your loved one just ruined everything.
EDM Hits
Shawn Mendes’ Lost in Japan (Zedd Remix)
Credit: Spotify
I’m not a huge fan of Shawn Mendes, but Zedd’s remix of “Lost in Japan” was extremely catchy without becoming too earworm-y.
NOTD feat. Bea Miller’s “I Wanna Know”
Credit: Spotify
This song showed up on my Pandora one day and I was instantly hooked. Bea Miller’s vocal range is impressive on this track and if you haven’t heard of NOTD, this is definitely the track to get you into their discography.
R&B Chill Vibes
Janine’s “99 “
Credit: Spotify
I’m aware that most people haven’t heard of Janine but you NEED to. This New Zealand native has the vocal range of Ariana Grande, but with R&B sultriness. A heartbreak writer, Janine’s “99” encompasses the wide range of emotions that come from love. Favorites: “Too Late” and “Never the Right Time.”
Indie Rock
Florence + The Machine’s “High as Hope”
Credit: Spotify
With their most recent album, Florence Welch’s voice is here to haunt you in the best possible way. She focuses on her addictions to music and drugs, while the lyricism gets stuck in your mind. “A Sky Full of Song” and “No Choir” will leave you longing for more and impatiently waiting for the next release.
2018 has been all over the place and there are so many songs that I wish could have made this list! The year isn’t over yet and more artists are starting to surprise fans with music. Stream all of the songs mentioned here on Spotify, Apple Music, or Tidal!
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