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| Liam's EOY 2018, Top 40 albums, top 200 singles |
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 Dec 9 2018, 03:35 PM
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#1
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 Brown cow, stunning!
Joined: 7 December 2009
Posts: 67,160 User: 10,139 
         
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It's that time of year again! Last year, Dua Lipa - New Rules beat Francesca Michielin - Vulcano to become my #1 song of 2017, and Taylor Swift's Reputation beat out tough competition from Lorde's Melodrama and SZA's Ctrl to become my #1 album of 2017 for me.
The top 40 albums will start right now, with albums spanning pop, country, rock, hip-hop, dance and more *.* |
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Dec 9 2018, 03:46 PM
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#2
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Brown cow, stunning!
Joined: 7 December 2009
Posts: 67,160 User: 10,139
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40 Lauren Daigle – Look Up Child
Check out: You Say, Like Rolling Stones This is an album I’m really not the target audience for, but this is damn good for a Christian album! You Say was absolutely stunning so I had to check this out and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s definitely a Christian album in its themes, and there’s nothing groundbreaking in terms of genre or musicality, but it does a really great job at bringing the themes to a more radio ready AC sort of sound, you could easily imagine Adele or similar popular pop singers doing some of these songs, I’m interesting to see how her career builds as her voice is so captivating. 39 Florence & The Machine – High As Hope Check out: Hunger, Patricia Definitely her weakest to date, but it’s still very good ofc or it wouldn’t be here. Hunger is definitely the best track, I wish it had made top 40, I feel like it does a good job of straddling the line between old and new Florence. My big gripe with this is that it feels a bit stripped and Florence’s huge and bellowing voice can’t shine to its fullest on songs like this, but it definitely brings out sides to her we don’t always see when she lets her voice and interpretative skills do the talking, with many softer and more raw moments than the huge, bellowing and full anthems on past albums. It’s one of those I haven’t been compelled to go back to too much, but you have to appreciate it as a honest effort that bares a soul. 38 Cher – Dancing Queen Check out: One Of Us, The Winner Takes It All Exactly what it says on the tin – Cher sings ABBA. Now of course, this is the gayest thing ever but that’s no bad thing! It’s quite karaoke but when you have songs as classic and foolproof as ABBA, again that’s no bad thing. The real highlight is One Of Us, which I actually might prefer to the original in all its rawness and emotion, Cher’s one of a kind deep and feeling vocal really brings that one alive. There’s gay pop bangers aplenty, and in a chartscape like 2018 that was really quite welcomed. 37 The Greatest Showman: Reimagined As with Cher, this is what it says on the tin! Of course, we’re all aware of the phenomenon that is The Greatest Showman and its songs, most of which have been chart hits and been in our heads all year. This album takes them and twists them to fit many chart singers of today, with varying results. The only one that’s outright bad is the chemistry free, strained and outright deathly dull audio hell that is Anne-Marie and James Arthur’s Rewrite The Stars, but others are competent and stick to the originals, so can’t do too much wrong. The real winners are Panic! At The Disco’s The Greatest Show and P!nk’s A Million Dreams, both of which outstrip the already brilliant originals  This was a great refresh of songs we’d heard and loved all year, without taking too much away from what made them great in the first place.36 Hayley Kiyoko – Expectations Check out: Curious, What I Need Another one I’m not really the target audience for, but it has to be said that Hayley is doing a lot for lesbian themes in music, and giving so many young WLWs a home in her music by representing the way they’ve felt. Regardles of the themes though, this is some pretty good pop that is a really promising debut. It would have easy for Hayley to release generic radio pop as an album and just add some lesbian themes (she partly did on the perfect pop lead single Curious and Kehlani collab What I Need), but she didn’t. The textured and lush soundscapes really bring her voice alive and stand out a bit in the pop landscape of 2018, even if the aforementioned pop bops are the highlight for me <3 35 AS IT IS – The Great Depression Check out: The Stigma (Boys Don't Cry), The Great Depression The themes on this are so important, talking about mental health particularly on the track The Stigma (Boys Don’t Cry), which touches on the damaging assumption that males should keep things bottled up. The vocals on this really open up to the personal and raw themes, but there’s also a surprising amount of pop sensibility in the melodies, I find the title track in particular is one that worms its way into your head. Definitely a band I need to hear more of, this was a great introduction as I’ve have a bit of a mini emo phase this year  34 Tove Stryke – Sway Check out: Sway, On The Low As always, some real pop gold from Tove <3 It’s not as strong as her previous efforts, but given how this looking a few singles ago this turned out so well! This takes a lot of the familiar sounds, melodies and themes of our easily listenable Spotify generation, but fleshes them out with exuberant melodies and an irresistible quality that keeps you coming back, case in point being the title track 33 Ella Mai – Ella Mai Check out: Boo'd Up, Whatchamacallit One of the big breakout stars in the US, this is a fab little R&B album that harks back to classic R&B, in a similar way to Tinashe’s Aquarius a few years ago. Lead single Boo’d Up is really really refreshing in a year that’s seen a lot of mumble rap and god knows what else in terms of urban music, she’s got such a smooth voice and easy swagger that carries songs like that and I think the nostalgic and timeless quality is a big reason why she’s done so well. It can get a bit samey and perhaps is a bit overlong, but the bulk of it is really really promising and I can’t wait to see where she goes, this does a great job as a debut in that it’s made me really intrigued for this blooming new artist. 32 Blair St Clair – Call My Life Check out: Now Or Never, Call My Life The release of Now or Never was probably the biggest musical surprise Drag Race has ever given, as the cutesy theatrical queen who you might have expected broadway type music from unleashed an electropop banger that’s lyrically defiant and empowering. Ostenibly, this album is full of modern, radio-ready pop that’s dance-able and will stick in your head, but when you look a little deeper, the lyrics are personal and deep, detailing Blair’s struggles with alcoholism after earlier trauma. For sheer surprise factor, juggling on trend pop with personal themes and opening up in a novel way we didn’t expect, this is a really great debut from one of Season 10’s robbed queens. 31 Courtney Barnett – Tell Me How You Really Feel Check out: Crippling Self Doubt and a General Lack Of Confidence, Nameless Faceless The debut of this Australian was one of the best of 2015 in all its compulsively grabbing uniqueness, her way with words was instantly astounding and only she could put them across in the way that she did. This album took a while to sit right with me, as it’s more enclosed and introverted, but it’s just as honest and refreshing. The tone fits with the themes, this is often all about the claustrophobia of the expectations placed upon her as a lyricist, having to follow up a debut that got such acclaim and feeling like she isn’t good enough to do it. Crippling Self Doubt and a General Lack Of Confidence is possibly the standout though and I’d say the best bridge between her debut and this, there’s still melodies aplenty here which is what another part of what made her debut so special. |
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Dec 9 2018, 05:51 PM
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#3
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Brown cow, stunning!
Joined: 7 December 2009
Posts: 67,160 User: 10,139
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30 Poppy – Am I A Girl?
Check out: Play Destroy, Time Is Up (ft. Diplo) Definitely a step up for Poppy, prior to this I thought Money was a bop but never really took to a lot of her other stuff. Play Destroy instantly piqued my interest in this album, the juxtaposition of Poppy’s whole cutesy sweet schtik and the aggression of Grimes’ usual stuff makes for an amazing end product, and the whole thing is similarly odd yet amazing. It’s very daring, both sonically and thematically, with production from the likes of Garibay and Diplo. It’s too weird to ever be successful in a large way, but there’s flecks of some real pop sensibility and there’s a lot to go back to – even just to figure out what on earth is going on at times!  29 Molly Sanden – Storre Check out: Storre, Sand This is certainly an evolution for the three time Melodifestivalen finalist, who leaves behind the huge Eurovision ready pop for a slickly produced Spotify ready collection of songs that are super contemporary without leaving behind the real Molly. Another huge change is that this is all in Swedish, but Molly has one of those voices where you are drawn into every word and every melody even if you have no idea what she’s singing. I definitely recommend this to any pop fan who wants melody and a contemporary edge. 28 Let’s Eat Grandma – I’m All Ears Check out: Falling Into Me, Hot Pink These two girls had a very strange debut back in 2016 with I, Gemini, which was a solid and intriguing set of tracks but was a bit too clashy and mish-mash to be a great album. This is a huge step forward though, a cohesive and forward thinking album that’s more glittery and glittery, while staying experimental. It’s very hard to marry so many styles together and create an album that feels like a unified set, but this is a great example and intrigues me even more than the debut about them as artists. 27 Post Malone – Beerbongs & Bentleys Check out: Stay, Better Now Colour me surprised that I enjoyed a Post Malone this much, to put it above the likes of Cher, Molly Sanden and Florence & The Machine, but here we are! Many point to Post Malone as one of the bastions of the rap plaguing the chart recently, but I think he’s one of the few of that adds something and has something to say in a way that we want to hear. Unlike his mumbly and tuneless peers, Post has stuffed this album full of melodies and pop sensibility, as you will no doubt have heard in singles like Better Now and Rockstar, but there's also a lovely raw moment in Stay which nobody was expecting. 26 MNEK – Language Check out: Tongue, Colour It’s been a long time coming, but there was certainly no disappointment with the album that MNEK has finally unleahsed on us after countless writes for the likes of Beyonce, Madonna, Kylie, Dua Lipa and Zara Larsson. It’s pretty much the perfect album he needed, one that could and really should have launched him to the next level as a star. It’s uniquely smooth and flowing while still being upbeat and danceable, pop perfection that shows off how well he can carry a song with his voice as well as writing them for others. It’s such a shame that he got paid with the 400 sales or whatever ridiculous amount it was :/ 25 Kim Petras – Turn Off The Light Check out: Close Your Eyes, In The Next Life One of the newest pop gay icons, despite some Dr Luke controversy, Kim Petras has risen and risen this year and this Halloween themed EP shows every reason why. Close Your Eyes is an absolute out and out banger, and every song is seeping with spooky Halloween production and themes, throbbing beats and compelling vocal delivery. I’m so excited for when Kim eventually gives us a whole album because she’s capable of such pop perfection which this just serves to prove. 24 Jorja Smith – Lost & Found Check out: Blue Lights, 3rd February If you’ve ever heard Jorja’s voice you know exactly why she’s so great, no matter what she sings she has a voice that leaves you wanting even more and she can pretty much sell anything. That’s the strength of this album, her vocal leaves it all feeling safe and predictable yet complex and intriguing, it feels like there’s so many layers to her and we’re only just beginning to peel them back. As a new artist that’s so exciting, I always feel with Jorja that she could be on the brink of doing an Adele or Amy Winehouse and blowing up because she’s just got one of those voices. The songs might be a bit samey and the album lingers a bit despite being 12 tracks, but with a voice like hers it’s really elevated and is a must listen for R&B fans. 23 Ashley McBryde – Girl Going Nowhere Check out: A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega, Radioland God knows I love a good country album, and this is the first one of this countdown but not the last (spoilers xx). Ashley’s debut is a bold statement in country, it’s in some ways what you expect from a country debut but in others it’s quite daring and experimental, with flecks of classic rock and even jazz. There’s certainly a lot for country radio to love, in a safe and dependable way, but if Ashley McBryde is the future of country, then country is looking bright. The empowering defiance and confidence in her achievements of the title track and the wistful memories of first single A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega sum up her way with words and telling a story, which is the foundation of great country. I've got flashbacks of Miranda Lambert's first album here and here's hoping she has a similar breakout to Miranda soon. 22 Tinashe – Joyride Check out: No Drama, Stuck With Me (ft. Little Dragon) Finally we got a follow-up to the seminal R&B masterpiece Aquarius, and whilst that doesn’t reach those highs, it still shows why Tinashe is sorely underrated. This Is cool and sexy like Aquarius, it’s cohesive and moody but isn’t one dimensional, with ballads like Fire and Flames showing some vulnerability and weakness alongside the swagger and confidence that characterises many of her best moments. Even on the weaker moments, the star quality bursts out of pretty much every song and you can just hear she’s capable of SO much and never ever gets the break she deserves. 21 Amy Shark – Love Monster Check out: Adore, All Loved Up Adore and the Night Thinker EP had me so hyped for this debut, and it did not disappoint! It’s very hard, especially for a debut, for an artist to craft something that fully relates to them and lets you in on every level, with honesty, but still make it wholly relatable for anyone listening and able to be related to their experiences. This mastery of lyrics and the melodic pop sensibilities come together to make a really great debut that any pop or alternative fan should hear. |
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Dec 9 2018, 08:30 PM
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#4
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FIVE YEARS OF THE TURRET 15-20
Joined: 12 March 2015
Posts: 4,754 User: 21,666
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I really liked High As Hope, Tell Me How You Really Feel and Lost And Found
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Dec 10 2018, 10:11 AM
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#5
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 Buy yourself a car, and a house in Devon
Joined: 6 May 2016
Posts: 23,863 User: 23,247
     
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Great to see my album of the year pop up in here in Love Monster! Pretty much every song on that album is memorable and completely different
Other than that I don't really listen to albums but Lauren Daigle - You Say is beautiful and AS IT IS have some great tunes as well! |
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Dec 12 2018, 05:54 PM
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#6
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 nabad
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 13 February 2013 Posts: 28,341 User: 18,316
     
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Nice to see The Greatest Showman: Reimagined making it into the top 40! I wasn't keen on most of the songs to begin with (and still not keen AT ALL on James and Anne-Marie's version of Rewrite the Stars
 ) but a lot of them have really grown now.  Panic! and Jess/Years & Years are the clear highlights.
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Dec 14 2018, 12:17 AM
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#7
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Brown cow, stunning!
Joined: 7 December 2009
Posts: 67,160 User: 10,139
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QUOTE(SantaDalek32 @ Dec 9 2018, 08:30 PM)  I really liked High As Hope, Tell Me How You Really Feel and Lost And Found  QUOTE(PeteLeftLeeds @ Dec 10 2018, 10:11 AM) Great to see my album of the year pop up in here in Love Monster! Pretty much every song on that album is memorable and completely different Other than that I don't really listen to albums but Lauren Daigle - You Say is beautiful and AS IT IS have some great tunes as well! Ooh didn't know you loved it that much, taste *.* QUOTE(Calum @ Dec 12 2018, 05:54 PM) Nice to see The Greatest Showman: Reimagined making it into the top 40! I wasn't keen on most of the songs to begin with (and still not keen AT ALL on James and Anne-Marie's version of Rewrite the Stars ) but a lot of them have really grown now. Panic! and Jess/Years & Years are the clear highlights.Omg Rewrite The Stars is VILE Panic <3 <3
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Dec 14 2018, 10:14 PM
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#8
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 you never forget your first time...
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 19 April 2011 Posts: 121,467 User: 13,530           
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Hey Liam!! I've only heard Hayley and Jorja's album out of those so far. I quite liked Expectations but Curious remains her best for sure, and Lost & Found was a really solid listen although not one I'm drawn back into much!
Didn't even know Molly Sandén had a new album out 
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Dec 14 2018, 11:50 PM
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#9
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 It's a cruel summer.
Joined: 26 May 2014
Posts: 35,234 User: 20,947 
 
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This already slaying as ever Liam <3
Lauren's album is so good and those are my two highlights as well *.* You Say is SUCH a moment. I honestly would love it if she explodes next era and get Adele's success, ik it's v. unlikely but part of me can see her exploding if she gets a high profile peformance or something. I loved Florence's album and again those are my two faves *.* Hunger is a bop and her best since What Kind Of Man *.* I acc love Dancing Queen, her version of Gimme x3 gives me life and One Of Us is incredible <3 Reimagined is mostly good *.* I think you know my opinions on this haha but ew at TGS Panic stanning xxx Omg what an accurate description of that James & Anne trash x Yass at Pink love tho <3 Expectations was also fab and way better than I was expecting! And once again your two highlights are the exact same for me I've struggled to get into any of Tove or Ella's stuff this year  Also I've barely checked out Courtney since Pedestrian At Best oops!I really need to listen to Poppy's album, I'm so obsessed with Play Destroy and your description of it slays again <3 I didn't like Post's album either oops but those highlights are def the best two on the album! MNEK *.* King of 400 sales xxxxxxx Colour is a bop tho, Hailee's impakt *.* Ugh I can't stan Kim cos of the certain controversy as much as Heart To Break issa bop Jorja's album was soo good, tho I'm gutted at her leaving Let Me Down off it Joyride was underwhelming in the end haha after the 900 year wait and 1,200 preceeding singles x Love Monster is fab, I Said Hi is my fave tho *.* So hyped for the top 20 <3 |
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Dec 17 2018, 01:50 PM
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#10
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Brown cow, stunning!
Joined: 7 December 2009
Posts: 67,160 User: 10,139
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QUOTE(JosephCarey @ Dec 14 2018, 10:14 PM) Hey Liam!! I've only heard Hayley and Jorja's album out of those so far. I quite liked Expectations but Curious remains her best for sure, and Lost & Found was a really solid listen although not one I'm drawn back into much! Didn't even know Molly Sandén had a new album out Curious <3 <3 I missed it for a couple of months, harder to keep it when she hasn't thrust a Melfest bop on us  QUOTE(UltraReputation @ Dec 14 2018, 11:50 PM) This already slaying as ever Liam <3 Lauren's album is so good and those are my two highlights as well *.* You Say is SUCH a moment. I honestly would love it if she explodes next era and get Adele's success, ik it's v. unlikely but part of me can see her exploding if she gets a high profile peformance or something. I loved Florence's album and again those are my two faves *.* Hunger is a bop and her best since What Kind Of Man *.* I acc love Dancing Queen, her version of Gimme x3 gives me life and One Of Us is incredible <3 Reimagined is mostly good *.* I think you know my opinions on this haha but ew at TGS Panic stanning xxx Omg what an accurate description of that James & Anne trash x Yass at Pink love tho <3 Expectations was also fab and way better than I was expecting! And once again your two highlights are the exact same for me I've struggled to get into any of Tove or Ella's stuff this year Also I've barely checked out Courtney since Pedestrian At Best oops!I really need to listen to Poppy's album, I'm so obsessed with Play Destroy and your description of it slays again <3 I didn't like Post's album either oops but those highlights are def the best two on the album! MNEK *.* King of 400 sales xxxxxxx Colour is a bop tho, Hailee's impakt *.* Ugh I can't stan Kim cos of the certain controversy as much as Heart To Break issa bop Jorja's album was soo good, tho I'm gutted at her leaving Let Me Down off it Joyride was underwhelming in the end haha after the 900 year wait and 1,200 preceeding singles x Love Monster is fab, I Said Hi is my fave tho *.* So hyped for the top 20 <3 Stan me x Maybe in Lauren can break out in America at least! Queen of stanning most of my opinions apart from your lack of Panic taste <3 |
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Dec 17 2018, 03:25 PM
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#11
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Brown cow, stunning!
Joined: 7 December 2009
Posts: 67,160 User: 10,139
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20 grandson – A Modern Tragedy Vol. 1
Hghlights: Stick Up, Blood In The Water, Despicable A mere 5 tracks, otherwise this would probably be MUCH higher. Grandson is probably the best artist discovery I’ve made in 2018, with a sound that sticks in your mind and lyrics that cut deep and affect your conscious. He makes music that’s so needed, on his own terms with his own sound and putting across messages that need to be put across no matter if that happens to be trendy or glamorous or not. Blood In The Water, about politcal greed and corruption, is a hugely topical and effective song, it's message pierces you as much as the aggressive and loud production. Stick Up, about the shootings going on in America and what can lead to them, is even better. If you like Twenty One Pilots and want a topical edge, please listen to grandson! If only Thoughts And Prayers was on this too, what a holy trinity *.* 19 Lykke Li – so sad so sexy Highlights: Deep End, Hard Rain, Two Nights A rather unexpected re-invention but one that worked out pretty well! Lykke’s previous albums were characterised by indie-pop and dream-pop, at times wistful, at times dark, at times forlorn. When she came back with a trap-pop R&B influenced single in Deep End, that sounded like exactly what Nelly Furtado should come back in 2012 instead of whatever passed as a follow-up to Loose, it was pretty surprising! But this fits her voice just as much as the indie-ish material of her past albums, it’s so smooth and easy to listen to and when you listen it feels like you’re just drawn into the little world of this album <3 18 Rosalia – El Mal Querer Highlights: Malamente, Bagdad, Di mi nombre This is such a fresh and exciting album! The way that each track really mixes traditional flamenco pop with the sounds of today makes it seem so novel, we’ve never heard anything like it before and it’s hitting pop so hard. Even the vocal delivery seems like nothing we’ve heard, it feels like she’s truly been taken out of a traditional era and put to some pop beats. On paper it might seem odd but it so so works, truly unique but feels so familiar and potentially influential. 17 Rae Morris – Somewhere Out There Highlights: Atletico (The Only One), Do It, Lower The Tone This was quite a surprise to me, her debut was great with its art-pop feel and emotive vocals, packed with genuine feeling and it really had something to say, but this takes a different lane with its infectious synth-pop. It suits her as much as the feel of her debut, she’s got one of those voices that have a real personality and warmth that can mould quite easily to many different styles. There’s a bit of her token ballads, but the perfect pop like Atletico and Do It really make this album! 16 Trixie Mattel – One Stone Highlights: Moving Parts, Break Your Heart, Soldier Much of the time, music from Drag Race is predictably trashy or at least danceable and fun if it’s not just throwaway or comedy (see: Blair St. Clair). Distancing herself from this, the All Stars 3 winner brought us a genuinely brilliant album, regardless of who it is, in the country genre. Lyrically and melodically as compelling as any of her country contemporaries, Trixie has made possibly the best collection from any Drag Race alum (I went there, yes). 15 George Ezra – Staying At Tamara’s Highlights: Paradise, Shotgun, All My Love You’d have to have lived under a rock all year to have avoided the anthemic singles Shotgun and Paradise, both absolutely brilliant, and you should owe it to yourselfto listen to this if you like those! I liked his debut but it didn’t capture my attention for too long nor did it ever really grab me back after a few initial listens, beyond the brilliant smash Budapest. But this feels like a natural next step, it doesn’t lose any of his charm and uplifting melodies that hook themselves onto you and don’t let go, but it feels more mature and worldly, with much more to say. It’s an ode to escapism, not to ignore problems, but to take time out and look after yourself if you need it. 14 SOPHIE – Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides Highlights: Immaterial, Is it Cold In The Water?, It's Okay To Cry A pretty odd but incredibly important album, as always SOPHIE pushes boundaries and it really feels like we’re hearing the future listening to this album. It almost feels like someone went to a far off planet and brought back their version of pop, it’s strangely disorientating to listen to and yet it also feels comfortably and recognisably pop in many places. It might not have set the charts alight now, and SOPHIE may never do that, but I really get the feeling that in a few decades time this might be looked back on as one of those albums that set pop music off on a certain tangent. 13 Lily Allen – No Shame Highlights: Apples, Lost My Mind, Family Man It took me far too long to check this out, but I’m so glad I did! On their own, many of these songs don’t feel or sound like much, and I wasn’t taken much by anything pre-release. But as a whole collection, a no holds barred and access all areas post-divorce album, this is really quite special. There’s no stone left unturned, a therapy session of an album, a musical diary. The fact that everything she went through, all of her feelings, the regrets, hopes and fears, are all present, sometimes alongside what might otherwise be contemporary throwaway Spotify pop, is just such a striking package and it all comes together so beautifully. It's a devastating listen, but a listen that any even vague of Lily should undertake. 12 The Greatest Showman OST Highlights: This Is Me, Never Enough, The Greatest Show Even if you lived under a rock, I’d imagine you practically know the songs from this inside out just from them being everywhere There’s a reason that this soundtrack has been so colossal all year, the songs are bloody brilliant, by and large. They hit the right spots, with huge choruses that won’t leave your head, memorable lyrics and themes that fit with the film, and great production that fits right into the charts while really standing out. There’s nothing revolutionary about the rousing uptempos or soaring ballads, but it just nails what is there and sometimes that’s all you need.11 Camila Cabello – Camila Highlights: Havana, Never Be The Same, She Loves Control This feels like pretty much exactly the debut that Camila needed, she totally broke out of a girl group who had pretty much hit their glass ceiling and made a name for herself. It’s authentic and cohesive, it feels like the only album she could have released in a way, but it still has stand out singles and moments that really pop. It would have been easy for her to chase trends and just do 10 or so Latin bangers, but whilst we do have Havana and She Loves Control, we also have romantic ballads, rhythmic pop and an honest heart on her sleeve. Her voice sells everything no matter what it is, warm and raspy. There’s no wonder she’s been one of the biggest breakout stars of the year, and she remains one of the most exciting going into 2019 if she does release again next year. |
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Dec 17 2018, 07:38 PM
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#12
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Buy yourself a car, and a house in Devon
Joined: 6 May 2016
Posts: 23,863 User: 23,247
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Yeah I've never seen TGS but I know the seven charting songs pretty much inside out
Interesting that the more powerful slow-songs were the ones that did well rather than the fun lively ones (with the exception of The Greatest Show) - TGS is my favourite of the songs though!
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Dec 18 2018, 12:16 PM
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#13
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FIVE YEARS OF THE TURRET 15-20
Joined: 12 March 2015
Posts: 4,754 User: 21,666
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Staying At Tamara's, No Shame and The Greatest Showman (despite lingering onto the Top 5 for weeks and weeks) are some good ones.
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Dec 18 2018, 02:32 PM
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#14
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Brown cow, stunning!
Joined: 7 December 2009
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QUOTE(Petivity @ Dec 17 2018, 07:38 PM) Yeah I've never seen TGS but I know the seven charting songs pretty much inside out Interesting that the more powerful slow-songs were the ones that did well rather than the fun lively ones (with the exception of The Greatest Show) - TGS is my favourite of the songs though!Thanks largely to X Factor QUOTE(SantaDalek32 @ Dec 18 2018, 12:16 PM) Staying At Tamara's, No Shame and The Greatest Showman (despite lingering onto the Top 5 for weeks and weeks) are some good ones. *.* |
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Dec 18 2018, 02:56 PM
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#15
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Brown cow, stunning!
Joined: 7 December 2009
Posts: 67,160 User: 10,139
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10 Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes
Highlights: In My Blood, Youth, Like To Be You, Nervous, Where Were You In The Morning? This feels like such a breakout moment for Shawn as an artist <3 He’s had some great singles on past albums, but I’d never taken to any of his albums until now! The lead single In My Blood was so raw, it felt like he was actually singing from his heart finally not just singing decent pop songs, and the album definitely has more of a theme and sound to it that solidifies him as an artist. Some guest appearances from Khalid and Julia Michaels are other album highlights, but there’s barely a bad track here, whereas his others seemed to be full of filler. 09 Twenty One Pilots – Trench Highlights: Jumpsuit, My Blood, Neon Gravestones, Morph, Leave This City I’m surprised this ended up top 10 for me in a way, I remember my first listen being like oh is that it As always, they cover themes like self-doubt, mental health and suicide, and this album is based around a conceptual place called Trench and the city of Dema. Musically it’s as diverse as ever, with elements of rap, hard rock, indie-pop, pop and electronic music, but they as ever manage to make it all feel like one cohesive idea. It does take a few listens, even for fans, but it really hits you once you properly listen and take it all in! I could see it growing on me even more, perhaps one of those situational albums you listen to a lot at certain times of your life and begin to appreciate more and more, because they've got a genius way of being really open and honest on a personal level, but making you feel like you've had those feelings too, you get drawn in and really feel the stories they're telling and can equate them to your own experiences. 08 Pistol Annies – Interstate Gospel Highlghts: Got My Name Changed Back, Cheyenne, Best Years Of My Life, Sugar Daddy, Interstate Gospel Easily the best Pistol Annies album to date, with Miranda Lambert on board it’s never going to be bad but this feels like a real step up. Ostensibly, this is a classic country record through and through, with bluegrass and honky tonk running through its veins, but these classic, tried and true sounds are taken and moulded into being used to frame novel ideas such as feminism and empowerment which sadly still aren’t common enough in country, and all three Annies are doing a lot to reverse that in both their solo music and here. There’s so much nuance to the characters and stories in these songs, whether they’re born out of bitter resentment (Got My Name Changed Back) or numbing wistfulness (Best Years Of My Life), they feel like such heart-on-sleeve stories and as I’ve already said in this countdown, that’s what’s really at the heart of great country music. 07 Ariana Grande – Sweetener Highlights: No Tears Left To Cry, God Is A Woman, Breathin’, Goodnight & Go, R.E.M. Sweetener got some flack from fans for not having enough bops and bangers like Dangerous Woman had, but whilst I agree I would have liked more of that, we got Breathin’ and the album really fit where she is as a person and an artist. After a terrible year with the Manchester bombing, she had really had a terrible time of it and at that time was in a honeymoon phase with Pete Davidson, so this represented a time where she was trying to focus on the good things and appreciate what she had when it could have all been taken away. The themes and sound of this album really represent that, it’s not *all* successful but as a whole motif it just felt so perfect for where she was as an artist, and the poor girl has suffered a breakup and death of an ex so is likely to slay us with emotion again with her upcoming fifth album! 06 Francesca Michielin – 2640 Highlights: Vulcano, Tropicale, Io non habito al mare, Due galassie, Lava Just missing the top 5 is the highest foreign language album, from the Italian pop princess *.* Vulcano was narrowly beaten to my EOY #1 single last year, and the album followed in January. This was a step up from her last two albums, di20are was solid but had a bit too much filler. This still has a couple of tracks we could do without, but largely it is SO strong. There’s a lot of versatility on show, with pop bops like the singles Vulcano and Tropicale, some New Age vibes in Tapioca, sassy urban vibes in Lava, a bit of quirk in Due galassie and some emotional ballads like Io non habio al mare and E se c’era. She’s got one of those voices that can sell pretty much everything, it can be visceral, it can be raw and vulnerable, it can be defiant, and here it’s anchoring some really great pop. |
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Dec 18 2018, 09:12 PM
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#16
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nabad
Pronouns: he/him
Joined: 13 February 2013 Posts: 28,341 User: 18,316
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The Greatest Showman
Everything about the film and the soundtrack is so good. Apart from Tightrope. Yasss at Shawn in your top 10 too! Amazing highlights there and I agree with your commentary - I think this album has defined the type of raw, emotional songs he can get out there, ie. In My Blood. |
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Dec 18 2018, 10:27 PM
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#17
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Brown cow, stunning!
Joined: 7 December 2009
Posts: 67,160 User: 10,139
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QUOTE(Calum @ Dec 18 2018, 09:12 PM) The Greatest Showman Everything about the film and the soundtrack is so good. Apart from Tightrope. Yasss at Shawn in your top 10 too! Amazing highlights there and I agree with your commentary - I think this album has defined the type of raw, emotional songs he can get out there, ie. In My Blood. Tightrope and FNO are definitely the weak links! <3 |
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Dec 19 2018, 08:19 PM
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#18
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Buy yourself a car, and a house in Devon
Joined: 6 May 2016
Posts: 23,863 User: 23,247
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Never heard of Pistol Annies before but I'm giving Best Years Of My Life a listen now, quite a nice piece!
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Dec 20 2018, 12:57 AM
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#19
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FIVE YEARS OF THE TURRET 15-20
Joined: 12 March 2015
Posts: 4,754 User: 21,666
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Sweetener is a good pop album.
I think Mendes' newer stuff sounds much better than his 2016 stuff. |
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Dec 20 2018, 07:21 PM
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#20
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Brown cow, stunning!
Joined: 7 December 2009
Posts: 67,160 User: 10,139
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QUOTE(Petivity @ Dec 19 2018, 08:19 PM) Never heard of Pistol Annies before but I'm giving Best Years Of My Life a listen now, quite a nice piece! The album is quite similar, all very good country! QUOTE(SantaDalek32 @ Dec 20 2018, 12:57 AM) Sweetener is a good pop album. I think Mendes' newer stuff sounds much better than his 2016 stuff. Surprised you like Sweetener, but yas stan *.* |
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