FA+
Shop
My Top 10 Albums of 2018
6 years ago
I'm ditching the whole "add an album every year" thing and going straight for 10 albums. I just had my birthday on December 26th and decided not to be lazy this year so I'm spending New Years listening to various albums I really liked this year and figuring out which one I liked the best. It was touch this year to put an order to this. There's been some REALLY good stuff this year. I'm mostly basing this on which albums I listened to the most as well as overall quality. That said, all of these albums are great in my book and worth a listen! Happy New Year!
10. MGMT - Little Dark Age: This album dominated my listening for the early part of this year. It's really something because I haven't listening to MGMT for a long time and this album got me back into them. The fact that this isn't my album of the year speaks less for the quality of the album and more for how many stellar albums came out this year.
Sample Track - "Me and Michael" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIdftKW2LuU
9. Windows96 - One Hundred Mornings: Just when I thought there was no really solid vaporwave releases this year, this little album comes out. Not much to say on this one other then it's one of the best vaporwave albums to come out in a couple years. Very relaxing; good walking music.
Sample Track - "Caligula" https://youtu.be/D2-W-qHG1ro
8. Judas Priest - FIREPOWER: If you are a fan of metal at all, please get this album. It's incredible these guys can still rock this hard.Judas Priest has been around for so long and can still put out some of the best albums in their genre. This album hits hard from track one and I really can't do it justice here.
Sample Track - "Firepower" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4cloqVvJog
7. Leo Imai - VLP: I discovered Leo Imai from the opening he did for the anime MEGALOBOX this year. However, it turns out the guy has made 4 albums prior to this one. I'm kinda shocked I hadn't heard of him before because this music is so far up my alley. Lots of different styles blend together in this album. We got everything from slow songs to songs that hit like a truck.
Sample Track - "Bite" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVzZMUJoYUE
6. twenty one pilots - Trench: This album surprised me. I wasn't a huge fan of twenty one pilots in the past but I can in no way deny that this album made me one. It's such a huge leap forward from their past album that I am stunned. It's very accessible compared to some of the other albums on this list as well.
Sample Track - "My Blood" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a2ePzVCKuk
5. Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs: I honestly expected to place this higher on the list. However, despite how much I like this album, there are songs on it which I don't like as much as others. That said, this is Earl's best album to date in my opinion. It shows immense growth since his previous albums The dude is killin' it and I can't wait to see what he makes next.
Sample Track - "Shattered Dreams" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xjt0wy-hOfo
4. Polyphia - New Levels New Devils: Just a great instrumental rock album. I've never felt so blessed by the recommended feature on YouTube. Hard to describe this album though. The musicians involved are all very talented and kill it on each track.
Sample Track - "Yas" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQoAhrDDJQo
3. Haru Nemuri - Harutosyura: This album is a perfect blend of rap and rock. It takes elements from both while simultaneously remaining a smooth listen through most of the album. It's strangely therapeutic considering the sometimes harsh instrumentals.
Sample Track - "Make More Noise of You" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUm2ir4hF7o
2. Death Grips - Year of the Snitch: Even for Death Grips, this album is an odd one. It sounds almost nothing like any of their previous body of work. Also It's one of those albums I would recommend listening to all in one sitting because of how well the songs fit together. That said, this is still Death Grips, we still have Zach Hill banging the drums, MC Ride yelling, and Andy Morin with the weird samples (perhaps even more so on the samples). It came very close to being my album of the year this time.
Sample Track - "Death Grips is Online" https://youtu.be/vl3L8TxaTU0
1. KIDS SEE GHOSTS - KIDS SEE GHOSTS: After a couple of albums that disappointed me from both artists involved in this project, they came together and released the best album I've heard this year. For those that don't know, KIDS SEE GHOSTS is a collaborative effort between Kanye West and Kid Cudi. This whole album is amazing. If you are a fan of either artist and want to listen to one album this year, make it this one.
Sample Track - "Feel the Love" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnZQvgWhM5s
10. MGMT - Little Dark Age: This album dominated my listening for the early part of this year. It's really something because I haven't listening to MGMT for a long time and this album got me back into them. The fact that this isn't my album of the year speaks less for the quality of the album and more for how many stellar albums came out this year.
Sample Track - "Me and Michael" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIdftKW2LuU
9. Windows96 - One Hundred Mornings: Just when I thought there was no really solid vaporwave releases this year, this little album comes out. Not much to say on this one other then it's one of the best vaporwave albums to come out in a couple years. Very relaxing; good walking music.
Sample Track - "Caligula" https://youtu.be/D2-W-qHG1ro
8. Judas Priest - FIREPOWER: If you are a fan of metal at all, please get this album. It's incredible these guys can still rock this hard.Judas Priest has been around for so long and can still put out some of the best albums in their genre. This album hits hard from track one and I really can't do it justice here.
Sample Track - "Firepower" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4cloqVvJog
7. Leo Imai - VLP: I discovered Leo Imai from the opening he did for the anime MEGALOBOX this year. However, it turns out the guy has made 4 albums prior to this one. I'm kinda shocked I hadn't heard of him before because this music is so far up my alley. Lots of different styles blend together in this album. We got everything from slow songs to songs that hit like a truck.
Sample Track - "Bite" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVzZMUJoYUE
6. twenty one pilots - Trench: This album surprised me. I wasn't a huge fan of twenty one pilots in the past but I can in no way deny that this album made me one. It's such a huge leap forward from their past album that I am stunned. It's very accessible compared to some of the other albums on this list as well.
Sample Track - "My Blood" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a2ePzVCKuk
5. Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs: I honestly expected to place this higher on the list. However, despite how much I like this album, there are songs on it which I don't like as much as others. That said, this is Earl's best album to date in my opinion. It shows immense growth since his previous albums The dude is killin' it and I can't wait to see what he makes next.
Sample Track - "Shattered Dreams" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xjt0wy-hOfo
4. Polyphia - New Levels New Devils: Just a great instrumental rock album. I've never felt so blessed by the recommended feature on YouTube. Hard to describe this album though. The musicians involved are all very talented and kill it on each track.
Sample Track - "Yas" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQoAhrDDJQo
3. Haru Nemuri - Harutosyura: This album is a perfect blend of rap and rock. It takes elements from both while simultaneously remaining a smooth listen through most of the album. It's strangely therapeutic considering the sometimes harsh instrumentals.
Sample Track - "Make More Noise of You" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUm2ir4hF7o
2. Death Grips - Year of the Snitch: Even for Death Grips, this album is an odd one. It sounds almost nothing like any of their previous body of work. Also It's one of those albums I would recommend listening to all in one sitting because of how well the songs fit together. That said, this is still Death Grips, we still have Zach Hill banging the drums, MC Ride yelling, and Andy Morin with the weird samples (perhaps even more so on the samples). It came very close to being my album of the year this time.
Sample Track - "Death Grips is Online" https://youtu.be/vl3L8TxaTU0
1. KIDS SEE GHOSTS - KIDS SEE GHOSTS: After a couple of albums that disappointed me from both artists involved in this project, they came together and released the best album I've heard this year. For those that don't know, KIDS SEE GHOSTS is a collaborative effort between Kanye West and Kid Cudi. This whole album is amazing. If you are a fan of either artist and want to listen to one album this year, make it this one.
Sample Track - "Feel the Love" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnZQvgWhM5s
Also on the note of MGMT (which I also liked) do you know Lemon Demon? His album 'Spirit Phone' seems to have inspired Little Dark Age at least in my mind :P