60 Best Songs of 2018 (So Far)
Enjoy songs by Hailey Knox, FRANKIIE, Mallrat, Now Now, Rayvon Owen, Maren Morris, Shallou and more!
Welcome to our Best of 2018 series, in which we explore the year’s best albums, songs and extended plays.
2018 is hitting great new strides across the board. From folk and Americana to R&B and synth-pop, topics of mental health, coming to terms with self, murderous revenge and addiction are prevalent themes, serving to demonstrate that the music scene is as healthy as it’s always been. Now that the year has officially hit the middle mark, we are taking stock of the year’s best music, which also includes noise-makers from the indie-rock and hip-hop spheres. At the bottom, we’ve got a handy-dandy playlist for optimum convenience.
Below, B-Sides & Badlands has chosen the 60 best songs of 2018…so far.
Gretchen Peters, “Wichita”
Genre: Americana
Album/EP: Dancing with the Beast (buy)
Label: Scarlet Letter Records
Devilishly spellbinding, “Wichita,” from Peters’ new album, Dancing with the Beast, is a dark tale about abuse and revenge. Peters looks through the eyes of a child and spins a sticky web of lies, deceit and grim consequences. “My momma sleeps a lot / She leaves the TV on / You bring some groceries by / Take anything you want,” she sings, unwinding a southern gothic-inspired narrative about a young girl’s journey underneath the Grim Reaper’s icy shadow. Her vocal is languid; she hangs onto the notes to hammer home the harrowing reality that night in Wichita. “Mama always told me ‘if you want something done, you do it for yourself,’ and so I loaded up her gun,” she later exposes, blood pouring over her hands. – Jason Scott
Kacey Musgraves, “Slow Burn”
Genre: Country
Album/EP: Golden Hour (buy)
Label: UMG
Leading the pack of Kacey Musgraves’ heavily-acclaimed third album, Golden Hour, is “Slow Burn,” a mellow tune where Musgraves gives us a glance into how her mind works and teaches us a lesson along the way. Accompanied by her faithful guitar and soft vocal, the country star shares her outlook on rushing through life and worrying about perfection as she sings, “I’m taking my time, let the world turn / I’m gonna do it my way.” If this is her formula to creating music, all artists should take note. – Galvin Baez
serpentwithfeet, “bless ur heart”
Genre: R&B
Album/EP: soil (buy)
Label: Secretly Canadian / Tri Angle Records
Josiah Wise, who operates under the moniker serpentwithfeet, wields his voice like a puppet master wields a mannequin. Under his guise, it pirouettes, tumbles, flutters, skips and twirls, curving itself in beautiful shapes as it intertwines with his signature tempest of gospel-fed R&B. “bless ur heart,” the lead single from his just-released album soil, finds Wise using his divine vibrato to explore the sun’s rays instead of the cool shadows. He navigates the highest peaks of true love and adoration, reaching a level of euphoria that most of his contemporaries spend their entire careers trying to grasp. – Chris Will
lovelytheband, “these are my friends” (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: TBD
Label: The Century Family, Inc.
We’re still not talking about mental health nearly enough. But lovelytheband frontman Mitchy Collins puts great care into examining his own enormous emotional and psychological triggers with “these are my friends.” Fashioned upon a sturdy foundation of shiny, volatile percussion and vocal distortions, the sharply cut anthem jingles and jangles, as he wrestles with his demons, which may or may not be his “friends” when things get tough. “Everybody needs a pick me up / But I should probably slow it down / But it’s pretty good company / It cheers me up when I feel bad / These are my insecurities that keep me going,” he observes, mournfully playing against a sunny backdrop. “These are my friends, I love them.” – Jason Scott
Kim Petras, “Heart to Break” (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: TBD
Label: BunHead
A Valentine’s Day bop courtesy of our favorite bratty pop star, Kim Petras. Kim has released nothing but stand-alone singles so far with each of them uniquely showing off her powerful vocal ability and sassy personality, and this is no exception. “Heart To Break” is easily one of her best singles thus far; she takes a break from being brash and dominant to surrender herself completely to her lover, belting “Even if it means that I never / Put myself back together / Gonna give you my heart to break.” – Galvin Baez
Now Now, “MJ”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Saved (buy)
Label: Trans-Records
There’s two scenarios that could theoretically be panning out in Now, Now’s “MJ,” the tense and frothy single from their 2018 record Saved. For one, Cacie Dalager could be calling out to Michael Jackson’s spirit, imploring her idol (?) to give her guidance during a tumultuous time in her romantic life. But the second scenario is by far the most intriguing and relatable, Dalager pumping MJ’s music through her eardrums and using it to work through her own tortured heartbreak. She converses with these songs like one would converse with their therapist, opening the cracks in her subconscious in hopes that she’ll unearth catharsis through this conversation. It’s a scenario we all can understand, but never has it been so beautifully portrayed. – Chris Will
Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, “New Ways to Fail”
Genre: Americana
Album/EP: Years (buy)
Label: Bloodshot
When a toxic entanglement finally rubs off, you’re left with nothing but exhaustion. But in the throes of a house on fire, Sarah Shook, leader of her band of Disarmers, wallows in the already-accumulated ash. “Too damn tired to walk away / Too tired to make it through another day / Just gonna lie here and complain instead,” she spits in scathing glory, igniting honky-tonk swagger in scalding juxtaposition to the rattling darkness inside her skull. The production is tauntingly jovial, and even though the emotions are dragging her heart and mind through the mud, she manages up enough venom to inject into her prey. “I need this shit like I need another hole in my head,” she eyes, her gaze both fragile and seething. – Jason Scott
Demi Lovato, “Sober” (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Self-Titled
Label: Island/Hollywood/UMG
We’ve never deserved Demi Lovato. She’s the consummate underdog, ever fated to fly just enough below the radar not to be the true global phenomenon she rightly deserves to be. “Sober,” a predominantly piano-based ballad, is written with the kind of simplicity for which pop music has been starving. Its brightly-lit candidness about her lack of sobriety these days is heart-wrenching but also illustrates her continued fearlessness. She utilizes her voice in a way she rarely does, pulling back the reigns for stark honesty, rather than boisterous power notes. “Momma, I’m so sorry / I’m not sober anymore,” she confesses in a whirlwind of gutting emotional trauma. – Jason Scott
Khalid & Normani, “Love Lies” (buy)
Genre: R&B
Album/EP: TBD
Label: RCA
When Khalid and Normani dropped their sultry bop “Love Lies,” fans realized that this was the duet we never knew we wanted but always needed. With a sound reminiscent of your favorite ’90s R&B vocalists, Normani’s soft vocal and Khalid’s smooth tone complement each other to create the perfect mood for a sexy night in with some chocolates and your bae. Normani’s star quality shines brightest when it’s not held back with Fifth Harmony commitments, and if this doesn’t prove it, then allow their performance at the Billboard Music Awards to change your mind. – Galvin Baez
Maggie Rogers, “Fallingwater” (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: TBD
Label: Debay Sounds/Capitol Records
Maggie Rogers makes music that’s borne in rolling hills and lush forests, crystal clear rivers and fields of flowers, cathartic and wild and expansive but flickering with bright pop majesty. Like the glowering ashes of an abandoned campfire in the middle of a forest, there’s just a hint of structure amongst the vast, untethered beauty of her work. Her newest song “Fallingwater” is all of that and more, a coming-of-age anthem where Rogers makes every misstep and fall feel like a carefully choregraphed dance in the journey of self-love and understanding. To cap that all off, she and producer Rostam craft one of the greatest outros of 2018, smoldering with longing and almost joyous pain. – Chris Will
Jackie Lee, “Long Year” (buy)
Genre: Country
Album/EP: TBD
Label: Independent
“I’ve been to hell and back,” Jackie Lee sings over searing ivory. His vocal is creamy but splinters and cracks when the emotion gets too overwhelming. He holds it together, as is often his way, displaying just enough distress to hook you in and rip out your veins. “I wake up haunted, like I saw your ghost / Time was racing until you let go / Now, it moves so slow,” he brandishes his heart, each throb wavering on his tongue. He strips away the drum loops and the cash grabs for clear-cut radio hits for sincerity, permitting himself to ditch the flash for substance. Admittedly, I had all but written him off as bro-country-lite, but he hits a home run. [Full review here] – Jason Scott
Genre: Alternative
Album/EP: TBD
Label: Independent
Stuck in neutral, Francesca Carbonneau of alt-rock outfit FRANKIIE found herself burrowing down into such a sunken place, and that’s where “Glory Me” was bred. Carbonneau’s lyrics are beautifully bleak. She makes no hesitations about expressing exactly what we’re all thinking. “They say death’s not easy / It takes work just like being born / The soul clings to the body, trying to keep warm,” she mutters into fuzzy guitar ripples. “We’re all afraid of what’s after / Taking that last sigh…” In the accompanying visual, directed by Jeremy Wallace-MacLean (JOY, The Alchemist), the group pin together grainy, found-footage style pieces, bringing the lyrics into even clearer focus. It’s a snapshot, fleeting moments from a normal, starkly-lit evening walk down the street. It’s both profound and plain. [Full review here] – Jason Scott
King Princess, “Holy”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Make My Bed EP (buy)
Label: Zelig Music
King Princess may be new to the music scene, but she has already made quite the splash with shout-outs from stars such as Harry Styles and Kourtney Kardashian. The stand-out track on her debut Make My Bed EP is “Holy,” where the 19-year old singer is commanding your undivided attention (which you will definitely give to her) as she sings “Honey, on your knees / When you look at me” on the chorus. The dominant lyrics and blaring production will have you unleashing your inner “f**king queen.” – Galvin Baez
Tierra Whack, “Hungry Hippo”
Genre: R&B
Album/EP: Whack World (buy)
Label: Independent
“Hungry Hippo” is painfully brief, clocking in at 60 short seconds. But in that minute, rising rap star Tierra Whack flexes calmly and charismatically over the light yet sleepy keys, fashioning a stunning portrait of herself as a tour de force in music, fashion and romance and coolly cementing her status as one of hip-hop’s most eccentric players. Where some tracks take a full minute before you find the hook, this song is a full minute of nothing BUT hooks and the kind that will keep you feeling cool even in the summer swelter. – Chris Will
Jesse Saint John, “MOVE” (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: TBD
Label: We Are: The Guard
There are few songs that can get you all hot and bothered quite as easily as Jesse Saint John’s debut single. “MOVE,” a musical jerky mix, is a tic-tac-toe of influences, from the slurpy sexuality of Madonna to the charred bite of ’90s floor-slamming hip-hop. “I must be a masochist to love you / ‘Cause you’ll never come around / Waiting by the exit for you / Light a cigarette to put it out,” sings John, known for writing pop confection for Britney Spears, Camila Cabello and Charli XCX. But his solo work is needled with even more sex-positive messages, employing knee-knocking cowbell, licorice-whipped beats and one hella sticky melody. – Jason Scott
Years & Years, “Sanctify”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Palo Santo (buy)
Label: Polydor/UMG
“Sanctify” is a stroke of genius, and not just because it sounds like Britney Spears possessing Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander, the singer growling and cooing like the pop diva in her ’90s hey-day. It’s because it perfectly encapsulates that first sexual experience as a closeted queer man, a suffocating ache that feels somehow divine and yet unholy in every breath, a whisper of dark shame that’s drowned out by a cacophony of desire, a carnal, liberating need that’s etched into the very fabric of one’s being. – Chris Will
Ariana Grande, “No Tears Left to Cry”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Sweetener (buy)
Label: Republic
Have no fear, pop is saved, and we have Ariana Grande to thank, per usual. With a new album titled Sweetener on the way, Ari came prepared to take over charts, radio and your speakers with this lead single. Although most fans expected for Ari to take a more hip-hop approach since some demos she shared on Snapchat surfaced, the Dangerous Woman kept the sound fully pop with a little ’90s thrown into the mix on her latest Top 10 hit, and we are definitely “out here vibin’.” – Galvin Baez
John Prine, “Lonesome Friends of Science”
Genre: Americana
Album/EP: The Tree of Forgiveness (buy)
Label: Oh Boy Records
You gotta hand it to Mister John Prine. Here he is simply enjoying his well-earned twilight years, and he’s delivering some of the best, most ripened music of his entire career. “The lonesome friends of science say / The world will end most any day / Well, if it does then that’s OK / ’Cause I don’t live here anyway,” he prayers, wispy and eternal, on an essential cut from his new record, the stalwart and calming and rather profound The Tree of Forgiveness. Overlaid onto gospel-intoned organ, startling piano and sparse guitar echoes, his performance is marked with life’s scorned edges, allowing himself to truly inhabit the song’s message of the end of the world. But his world (and ours) is far smaller than you could even imagine. And the production is paired with a similarly earth-shattering catharsis. – Jason Scott
Charlie Puth, “Boy”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Voicenotes (buy)
Label: Warner
If you make your way to Track #8 on Charlie Puth’s latest record Voicenotes, you will find “BOY,” a track as infectious and sugary as any of your favorite pop records. Puth sings about the not-quite-so relatable blues of dating an older woman, with the best lyric on the song being: “You won’t wake up beside me / ‘Cause I was born in the ‘90s.” Charlie should consider becoming a full-time pop consultant, the soaring melisma of a chorus and retro-sounding synths on “BOY” prove he’s got the game figured out. – Galvin Baez
Kim Petras, “Can’t Do Better” (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: TBD
Label: BunHead
“Can’t Do Better” has the pop chorus to end all pop choruses, a gummy, sticky, sugar rush of emotion that’s built to blow out the speakers and put you in a euphoric haze. Better yet, the superstar quality of the song has very little, if at all, to do with a certain infamously-awful producer who happens to have fashioned the song’s beat. It’s ALL Kim Petras, loading her melodies with deliciously doleful desire in the verses and stretching her voice to the stratosphere to deliver the stadium-sized hook with her middle finger aimed right at her could-be beau. – Chris Will
Kacey Musgraves, “Rainbow”
Genre: Country
Album/EP:Golden Hour (buy)
Label: UMG
The storm clouds roll away, and rain’s lingering kiss drips down the vines, leaving the leaves replenished and far greener than before. Kacey Musgraves steps through the parting sky-marshmallows much like the Good Witch of the South, her flowing pink-hued gown upgraded for Musgraves’ equally-marvelous and twinkling penmanship. Only on piano, “Rainbow” is one of those timeless ballads, weepy but hopeful, that cement legacies. “Let go of your umbrella ’cause darling I’m just trying to tell ya that there’s always been a rainbow hanging over your head,” she gently caresses your cheek, wiping away the red stains and teary trails. It’s a plainspoken but rather eloquent, understated and wholly incinerating performance. – Jason Scott
Janelle Monáe, “Pynk” featuring Grimes
Genre: R&B
Album/EP: Dirty Computer (buy)
Label: Bad Boy Records
Songstress of the future Janelle Monáe teams up with artist of the future Grimes once again to deliver this next-level track. Much like her lead single “Make Me Feel,” Monáe sings her praises to all the women in the world and sings about the things that make women dynamic and unique. The hook sings, “Boy it’s cool / If you’ve got blue, we’ve got the pynk,” reminding us that nothing can phase Monáe and her feminine power. Also, “Pynk” is a heavy contender for having the best pre-chorus of the year. – Galvin Baez
Drake, “Nice for What”
Genre: Hip-hop
Album/EP: Scorpion (buy)
Label: Young Money/Cash Money
“Nice For What” is pure jubilance, and its radiating light isn’t due to one specific aspect of the song, rather the glorious sum of all of its parts. The smart and slick vocal warp from Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor, Big Freedia’s hallowed introduction and interlude, the balls-to-the-wall booty-shaking bounce breakdown, Drake’s effortlessly cool flow as he praises women for everything they are, and for god’s sake don’t even get me started on what may be one of the best music videos of all time. If Drake really cooked all of this up in his own head, then he’s truly the best pop star around. Even if he cooked half of it up, he’s still cemented his status in the echelons of pop stardom until the end of time. – Chris Will
Kelsy Karter, “Too Many Hearts to Break” (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Bad Girl, Sad Girl EP
Label: Independent
Guitars lurch forward underneath a perpetually-funky smattering of soul and glittery Top 40. In the video, Kelsy Karter stares down the camera, and it’s enough to melt the screen. And don’t worry, she’s fully aware of her temptress-like ways. “Dandelions in the breeze / As far as I can see, planted just for me / They remind me of the hearts I squeeze / I kiss them on the nose and with the wind they go / And they go,” she murmurs ahead of a stream of glistening claps which erupt into one of 2018’s most obsessive, exhilarating hooks. She snarls her way through male objectification, priming her prey. [Full review here] – Jason Scott
Sabrina Claudio, “Cross Your Mind”
Genre: R&B/Pop
Album/EP: Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack (buy)
Label: UMG
Sabrina Claudio took a different approach for her feature on the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack, deviating from her sultry, moody sound to serve a spicy, reggaetón-inspired banger. This drum-heavy anthem showcases Claudio’s Miami roots, as well as her versatility as a vocalist, with “Cross Your Mind” continuing to add to her substantial catalogue of jams. If you want to feel ten times sexier while listening to this song, check out the Spanish version and feel your calienté fantasy. – Galvin Baez
Hayley Kiyoko & Kehlani, “What I Need”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Expectations (buy)
Label: Atlantic
Two of the biggest icons in queer-pop, Kehlani and Hayley Kiyoko, fashioned what could be crowned the LGBTQ song of the summer ⎯⎯ trading off wry come-ons and impatient pleas over sweaty, DJ Mustard-style synths and playful hand claps. Kiyoko’s scratchy, layered coo plays off of Kehlani’s signature honey-sweet croon, and though the song shows that even queer relationships can suffer from a lack of communication and decisiveness, the two starlets bring a lively, seductive groove that makes the should-be smash a dance floor delight. – Chris Will
Exnations, “Can’t Get Hurt” (buy)
Genre: Pop/Rock
Album/EP: TBD
Label: Independent
Exnations seize their lives back with a sparkling, rock-twisted single called “Can’t Get Hurt.” A numbing exploration of imminent peril, the song bends the emotions like a ray of light bolting through a prism. “Danger seems so crazy right now,” they pound, warping their senses (and ours) in stunning fashion. “Is that all you think about?” It’s a reckless but careful exhibition of their own journeys and coming together from opposite sides of the country. “You can wait for weekends, stay in bed all day / You can blame the seasons, next one’s on its way / You can write one more song,” Mastrocola professes, a ghoulish “Everyone gets scared” haunting just behind him. “Flightless birds can’t get hurt,” he then supposes. “Buried in the sand…” [Full review here] – Jason Scott
Troye Sivan, “MY MY MY!”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Bloom (buy)
Label: Universal
Queer-pop is alive and well in 2018, and it is exciting to see Troye Sivan lighting the torch. In anticipation for his second album Bloom due this August, Troye released lead single “MY MY MY!” back in January and could easily claim the title of First Bop of the Year. The young Aussie sounds arena-ready on “MY MY MY,” as he hangs up the coy personality featured on his debut album and replaces it with a larger-than-life attitude. Unapologetic? This is just the beginning. – Galvin Baez
King Princess, “1950”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Make My Bed EP (buy)
Label: Zelig Music
“1950” is King Princess’ first official foray into the musical world under super-producer Mark Ronson’s tutelage and proof of how the 19-year-old wunderkind caught the attention of one of the biggest names in modern music. Exploring the different textures of a budding queer romance, King Princess carefully folds her love-struck awe in with her insecurities, packaging it all into the bitter-sweet half-refrain she tucks into each verse: “I love it when we play 1950.” The simple line fleshes out the dynamics of a modern queer romance, the hesitation to show affection in public part because of the fear of judgement and oppression, but also for the sensual excitement of keeping same sex love secret. – Chris Will
More Giraffes, “Dinosaur” (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: TBD
Label: Independent
Queueing up epic tear downs of millennial culture, the electro-pop duo More Giraffes, which is inspired by the wild beast of great, majestic stature, layer on the “fly AF” free-style in glossy, generously-bouncy shades. They’re originals, assuredly, but their well-crafted, nearly-parody aesthetic is just as sharp, slicing and dismantling a system of relentless black mirrors and a desire to be liked. But you won’t find an ounce of self-pity inside the reverberating walls of “Dinosaur,” which seems to keep the slickness of R&B in tact while defying the boundaries in feathered and lacy extravagance. – Jason Scott
Zedd, “The Middle” featuring Maren Morris & Grey (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: TBD
Label: Interscope
If you were watching the Grammys when the Target-produced music video for this song aired, you were probably wondering, “What is this and who do I have to pay to get it?” EDM veteran Zedd continues his streak of hits on “The Middle” and proves why he is one of Top 40’s most successful producers. However, Maren Morris’ vocals are the undeniable star of the song; her voice completely punches through the drums and bass on the collaboration and delivers one of the year’s most powerful vocal performances. Could you imagine a Maren Morris pop album? – Galvin Baez
Cardi B, “She Bad” featuring YG
Genre: Hip-hop
Album/EP: Invasion of Privacy (buy)
Label: Atlantic
“She Bad” may not be considered one of the most awe-inducing tracks on Cardi B’s star-studded, grade-A breakout album Invasion of Privacy, but it sure as hell contains some of her wittiest writing. In-between YG’s gleefully asinine hooks, Cardi flirts, flaunts and flexes her success, her industry status and her sexuality, propositioning her beau to spoil her in Prada while proposing a three-some with Rihanna and Chrissy Tiegen in the same verse. It’s high-tempo, high-octane party-rap, and it’s too much fun to ignore. – Chris Will
Amy Shark, “I Said Hi”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Love Monster (buy)
Label: Sony
Failure can be fucking paralyzing. Once trapped in her own catatonic state, Amy Shark re-enters the ring, employing boxer imagery to stage her roaring comeback. “I Said Hi,” a crucial entry to her new album, Love Monster, out in July, burns ever-so slowly, curling its fingernails and scraping through skin and tendons and bone to wrangle you to the ground. It hits the bullseye between sultry hip-hop and delicious pop with precision, almost Sarah Connor in ferocious intensity. Her appetite to survive is palpable and hangs onto her every syllable. Her blood pumping, she confronts her demons and fear of falling to rally and storm her way to the rocky mountaintop. No one can stop her now. – Jason Scott
Bronze Avery, “Secrets” (buy)
Genre: R&B
Album/EP: TBD
Label: Good Problems
Bronze Avery started the year off right with “Secrets,” which he’s shared is about all the boys who aren’t your boyfriend but they’re more than friends. It’s that horrible middle spot where you don’t even know what to call it. “Why am I here? / Don’t even know / But I’m with you / I don’t wanna take it slow.” We can all relate to that chain-pulling emotion, but now you have the option to cut that indecisive jerk out and blast this bop instead! – Galvin Baez
Chloe x Halle, “Happy Without Me” featuring Joey Bada$$
Genre: R&B
Album/EP: The Kids are Alright (buy)
Label: Columbia
If you couldn’t hear the lyrics to Chloe x Halle’s summer breakup anthem “Happy Without Me,” you’d probably think the duo were singing about the joyful haze of wistful summer love, not mourning it. The two R&B masterminds punctuate every lyric with gorgeous vibrato and soaring sighs, almost celebratory in their portrayal of young love lost. Joey Badass rips into the bridge with a slightly more somber inflection, but even his word-play is lightning quick and breezy, neatly setting up Halle’s swooning vocal delivery, easily one of the best vocal performances in Chloe x Halle’s already wildly impressive catalog. – Chris Will
TOMI, “Every Morning I Feel Like Running Away”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: What Kind of Love EP (buy)
Label: RCA
When one comes out as LGBTQIA+, it’s like being reborn, a sparkling butterfly finding its literal and metaphorical wings and flying off onto the rainbow-strewn horizon. TOMI offers up an astute reflection of her personal journey to self-acceptance and self-love with “Every Morning I Feel Like Running Away,” an elastic anthem shoveled with a hearty Cyndi Lauper-esque heap of neon synths and a melody so eerily familiar you might think it’s ripped right out of the ’80s. “It’s all in my head most of the time anyway,” she broods before coo-ooing her way into the pre-chorus and juicy, death-defying hook. – Jason Scott
BoA, “One Shot, Two Shot”
Genre: K-Pop
Album/EP: One Shot, Two Shot EP (buy)
Label: SM Entertainment
Korean icon BoA returned with her latest K-pop project, the One Shot Two Shot EP, this year, and you will find the title track to be so bouncy and pulsating that it will leave you wondering why this isn’t an international hit. BoA sings “One shot two shot / Have some fun” on the chorus, and it’s almost as if she is commanding us to do what we’re most likely already doing while listening to this foreign bop. – Galvin Baez
Elohim, “Half-Love”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Self-Titled (buy)
Label: BMG
Elohim’s “Half-Love” is an orgy of some of the greatest pop trends from the past half-decade, stuffing hook after hook into an anthem of mind-controlling desire, nonstop ear candy from the get-go. She emulates Selena Gomez’s intoxicating off-kilter coo in the verses over a discordant, squiggly synth, which is overtaken by the blooming [first] pre-chorus, sticky-sweet electronica billowing behind her yearning, Carly Rae Jepsen-ish sigh. The second pre-chorus explodes into an in-your-face, fist-in-the-air shout along so rambunctious it would make Icona Pop proud, just before the track dips into a thrumming, glitchy chorus in the vein of Robyn. And if that weren’t enough, the LA singer/producer puts the cherry on top of this decadent pop dessert by shifting the chorus into a breakdown overtaken by a bouncy horn section straight out of 2014 pop radio. – Chris Will
Carrie Underwood, “Cry Pretty” (buy)
Genre: Country
Album/EP: Cry Pretty
Label: UMG
There are few radio stars as reliable as Carrie Underwood. Sure, her productions often lean heavily on pop influences, but that’s to be expected with arguably the biggest superstar in country music right now. But her work is often rooted in classic themes of country music, from heartbreak and addiction to abuse and redemption Her new single “Cry Pretty” blends a Faith Hill-like shimmer with her signature brand of power belting without being overwrought. In a surprising swerve, Underwood details what it’s like to work her onstage persona with her personal life, feeling completely at the mercy of the public. When she’s behind closed doors, the tears flow. Also, she wields her voice in truly exciting new ways, extending her arsenal of vocal weaponry with that stunning head voice. – Jason Scott
RAYE, “Cigarette” featuring Mabel & Stefflon Donn (buy) 
Genre: Pop/Hip-hop
Album/EP: TBD
Label: Polydor
Joined by fellow UK pop princesses Mabel & Stefflon Don, RAYE comes through for clubs everywhere with this Caribbean-tinged bop. You can hear the swagger oozing out of your headphones, followed by your hips immediately starting to gyrate. Each of the girls are given the chance to flaunt the fiery flavor and individuality they add to this track with RAYE serving confidence, Mabel with the sexiness and Stefflon Don with the bossy flow. A perfect trifecta for a dance-floor-filling bop. – Galvin Baez
Janelle Monáe, “Screwed” featuring Zoë Kravitz
Genre: R&B
Album/EP: Dirty Computer (buy)
Label: Bad Boy Records
If Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer was the cohesive work of art to corral the masses to fight back against the horrific tragedies and oppression gripping our nation at every turn, then “Screwed” is its apex of power. Monáe roped in fellow industry badass Zoë Kravitz for the duet, and the two give a easy solution to save your sanity in this time of terror: dive head-first into gleeful, sweaty hedonism and use it as a big middle finger to everyone who’s holding you down. They cement this message with a silky smooth pre-chorus and a hook-addled refrain, bolstered by funkadelic guitars and erotic sighs ⎯⎯ capped off neatly by Monáe once again flaunting her wildly impressive rap chops in the molten-hot, razor-sharp outro. – Chris Will
Camille Trust, “Move On”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: No Other Way EP (buy)
Label: Trust Records
Camille Trust owns up to her bullshit with teary relish, soaking in the embers of a dying relationship and coating her fingers in the ash. “Move On” is heat rising off the blacktop at rush hour, softly wafting through the cracks between feet and grime and shuffling of bodies. “I know I fucked up,” she pouts, claiming her dignity in between the song’s stifling waltz, lethargic in an almost Adele-drenched luxury. Trust’s brutal honesty is devastating. “People asking me how I’m holding up / I’m fucking fantastic,” she later sings, situating her revelation around frigidly dark humor. Cliche-ridden, she can’t seem to move on until more time peels forward into the dusk. – Jason Scott
5 Seconds of Summer, “Youngblood”
Genre: Pop/Rock
Album/EP: Youngblood (buy)
Label: Capital
All boys in pop need to take a lesson from what the guys in 5 Seconds of Summer are doing right now. Lead singer Luke Hemmings delivers an emotional performance on “Youngblood” where he passionately sings, “Say you want me, out of your life / And I’m just a dead man walking tonight,” an ode to the indecisiveness between two people in a relationship. The boys are serving a little less punk and a little more pop this time around, and we can’t get enough. – Galvin Baez
Let’s Eat Grandma, “Falling into Me
Genre: Pop/Alternative
Album/EP: I’m All Ears (buy)
Label: Transgressive Records
Let’s Eat Grandma once again prove that some of the most innovative, forward-thinking pop often comes from the younger generation, both members fully entrenched in their teenage years but taking the music world by storm. “Falling Into Me,” the crown jewel of their new record I’m All Ears, flaunts the UK art-pop duo’s knack for creating kaleidoscopic but easily accessible tunes, both Rosa and Jessy touching on eroding romance and self-confidence in the center of a torrent of electronic textures and landscapes. The song literally feels like inserting yourself into an entirely different world, surging and shifting through synthesizer oceans and cavernous breakdowns, a teeming, chaotic mass of glorious synth-pop that’s held together only by Rosa and Jessy’s expert level craftsmanship as pop vocalists. – Chris Will
Song Suffragettes, “Time’s Up” (buy)
Genre: Pop/Country
Album/EP: n/a
Label: Independent
Time’s up for country music, which (like most industries) has a long, storied history of sexism and abuse against women. “The scales are tippin’ and the veil is rippin’ and the clock is tickin’,” 23 strong, world-weary women roar in succession. Song Suffragettes have been at the forefront of change, alongside such campaigns as CMT’s Next Women of Country and Change the Conversation, initiatives which have arisen in recent years to combat the gross mistreatment of women not only on the airwaves but at festivals, award shows and other high-profile avenues. Together, they send up a chilling rallying cry with “Time’s Up,” a somber tune calling out the “ruthless, the wicked and the vain,” also known as straight white men. [Full review here] – Jason Scott
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Souls EP (buy)
Label: Sleeptalker
Here’s another one for your breakup playlist. LA-based producer artists Shallou and Riah paired up to provide us with “Lie,” a push-and-pull bop that doesn’t even sound like heartbreak at first until lyrics such as “Every little thing you do / Keeps tearing my heart in two” hit you right in the feels. Riah’s tender vocal makes for the perfect match against Shallou’s minimal synth and drums. Let this heartfelt song dry your tears, even if it’s the reason you shed them in the first place. – Galvin Baez
Kacey Musgraves, “Oh, What a World”
Genre: Country
Album/EP:Golden Hour (buy)
Label: UMG
“Oh What A World” captures a very big part of what makes Kacey Musgraves such an iconic, timeless songwriter, namely her supernatural ability to make both piercingly-intimate details universal, and in this case, Olympus-high proclamations of love rooted in the simplicity of the day-to-day. I didn’t fully understand the song until I had spent a few weeks listening, and it became bejeweled with small, mundane moments with my boyfriend: driving him home from work with the windows down, waking up next to him on a cool Saturday morning, eating sushi on the couch while watching anime on a Friday night. Small, mundane moments, but as memories they’re filtered in an effervescent glow. – Chris Will
Rayvon Owen, “Gold” (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: TBD
Label: Independent
“Gold” shimmers to the bone, discharging a glittery, euphoric explosion. Written with Nate Merchant, the glowing, fire-proof track…feels like an important moment for Owen. His charm seeps onto the record, his confidence kicking into overdrive by the last few stanzas. “We’re changing the rules / I promise I won’t play those games with you,” he avows at the outset before a heavenly frenzy carries the song onto the dance floor. “Feeling good is gold / Almost invincible,” he chants, production thick and sprightly. While 2016’s “Can’t Fight It” was more confessional, “Gold” is a fearless, colossal anthem. [Full review here] – Jason Scott
Candi Carpenter, “Cry Baby”
Genre: Country
Album/EP: TBD
Label: Sony
“Cry Baby” is a soft burn, and Candi Carpenter’s vocals, coming off such immediate tunes as “Burn the Bed” and “Nights & Weekends” (a rather Wynonna-esque jam), have never sounded so plush. “You make me cry-y-y-y,” she swoops, alighting on Patsy Cline’s signature way of raw delicacy. “Now, baby, don’t make me cry / Rain, rain, go away / Stay out of my eyes / Blue birds never sing / Grey clouds cover the sky.” [Full review here] – Jason Scott
Betty Who, “Just Thought You Should Know”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Betty, Pt. 1 EP (buy)
Label: Independent/AWAL Recordings
Betty Who returns to form on the opening track of her latest project, the Betty, Pt. 1 EP, where her deliciously airy vocals are supported by some cowbells and a vintage synth that are reminiscent of her earliest releases. To fans’ delight, this could be due to her being an independent artist again, and if the similarity to her original sound does not give it away, then the unabashed liberation she presents might. Even with a message as hesitant and bashful as she exhibits, she manages to sound fearless and unchained. – Galvin Baez
Youngr, “’93”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: This is Not an Album (buy)
Label: Island Records
Smart phones have utterly distorted our perceptions of the world, further isolating us from ourselves, reality and those we love. Pop firebrand Youngr yearns for the old, simpler days with his song “’93.” Anchored with jaunty electric guitar and a disco-doused framework, the song, embedded in his fiery and groovy This is Not an Album release, rips off a list of trigger words. “Back then, they didn’t tweet, they’d read the papers / Talk to friends right to their faces / Didn’t Snapchat, they just chit chat / Yeah, let’s have a think about that,” he urges the listener, disclosing his unsettled feelings about humanity’s collapse. [Full review here] – Jason Scott
ionnalee, “JOY”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: Everyone Afraid to Be Forgotten (buy)
Label: To whom it may concern.
Concept artist Jonna Lee arrived with her debut album called Everyone Afraid to Be Forgotten under her new moniker, ionnalee, and gave us an incredible moment with “JOY.” “This is the sound of joy / Coming from my innermost / Sprung from north, coast to coast,” the Swedish singer relays as she shares her story about the journey back to, you guessed it, joy. One wouldn’t guess at first that this banger is about happiness due to its dark synth-pop nature, but you should never expect the expected from this pop chameleon. – Galvin Baez
Hailey Knox, “Don’t Got One” (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: TBD
Label: BMG
Social media can be totally and unapologetically damaging. We all sit behind screens wracking up likes and follows, but the truth of the matter is: none of that is really real. “Alone is the new crowd / Loud is the new loud,” Hailey Knox bemoans about the digital space and its lasting impact on our minds, sending us into a dark abyss of self-loathing and fuzzy-headed notions. “I’m just spinning ’round trying to break it down,” she sings, before the glitchy hip-hop drop widens the sonic plates, rumbling outward, penetrating and light. “Low is the new high / Truth is the new lie,” she later preaches, unmasking what is actually happening around us and inside our own heads. – Jason Scott
Mallrat, “Groceries”
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: In the Sky EP (buy)
Label: Nettwerk Music Group
Aussie pop artist Mallrat opens up her In the Sky EP with “Groceries,” a sunny song that will give your stomach that warm and fuzzy feeling after a few spins. Despite being a love song, Mallrat’s chill attitude remains intact as she sings, “If you wanna get groceries and if you wanna get close to me / Just gimme some sign.” It’s meant to be sent to that guy you refuse to lose your cool around, but you totally wouldn’t mind if he asked to hang out with you all the time. – Galvin Baez
Sugarland, “Tuesday’s Broken”
Genre: Country
Album/EP: BIGGER (buy)
Label: Big Machine
Guns is a numbers game. With a school shooting happening at least every couple months, and sometimes nearly every month, tragedy is a way of life now. This is America. Historically speaking, country music has leaned conservative, so when an act like Sugarland speaks out on things that actually matter, that means somethig. Their song “Tuesday’s Broken,” off their comeback album BIGGER, explores the grim, bloody reality of mass murder and its aftereffects. “Yesterday hell rain down / Another kid, another school, in another town / Think about how to tell my son / And I think about that one got a gun,” Jennifer Nettles weeps, choosing to have a conversation rather than hiding her head in the sand. It’s a delicate topic, but her performance is commanding and rings out loud and clear. – Jason Scott
Charlotte Lawrence, “Keep Me Up” (buy)
Genre: Pop
Album/EP: n/a
Label: Human Re Sources Records
“Keep Me Up” is a stand-out track from the slew of singles that up-and-coming artist Charlotte Lawrence has released thus far. Over a dark and trap-inspired beat, Lawrence has shared that she is singing directly to her anxiety demons on the track, as the concept for the song came to her after a panic attack. On this anti-love letter to anxiety, she walks us through her mental health struggles, opening with a spoken word where she describes the symptoms she experiences when her inner demons hold the power. She eventually goes into the trap-inspired beat to sing directly to her anxiety about the damage it does to her. A sentiment that is far too familiar, we all wish we could grab our anxiety by the collar and tell it, “I don’t want you in my life.” – Galvin Baez
Lori McKenna, “People Get Old”
Genre: Country
Album/EP: The Tree (buy)
Label: Thirty Tigers
Nostalgia is an enduring template in much of country and Americana music. There’s a bittersweet sorrow embedded in our memories, and in walking through the past, flushed with ghosts and fleeting moments, accomplished singer-songwriter Lori McKenna gives the theme an update with “People Get Old,” a cut from her forthcoming album The Tree, which sees her reflecting upon her father and her childhood. “I spilled every last drop of time that summer in the sun / My daddy had a Timex watch / Cigarette in his hand and a mouthful of scotch / Spinnin’ me around like a tilt-a-whirl on his arm,” she paints a vision vividly and uniquely her own but appealing to everyone. – Jason Scott
Justin Adams, “Good Rain or Jesus”
Genre: Country
Album/EP: Horizon EP (buy)
Label: Independent
Justin Adams turns around to stun with “Good Rain or Jesus” (written by industry luminaries Jonathan Singleton and Barry Dean), a gospel-filtered ballad built for unhinged bombast but steeped in a southern richness that makes for a truly remarkable moment. “I’m just tough enough to try,” he cries, oozing with soul. “Lord, it’s been dry like the county line / It seems like anything moving is leaving town / And I’m all alone, hoping she’ll come home.” His tattered heart has had about enough, and while his voice remains quite smooth, the emotion is ripe. [Full EP review here] – Jason Scott
Genre: Pop/R&B
Album/EP: TBD
Label: Noteworthy Productions
Straight out of a modern roller-skating fantasy, glitter-pop queen LIZ took a break from her established PC Music sound and paired up with Australian producer Wave Racer to gift us with another bad bitch anthem, “Queen of Me.” LIZ channels her inner Stripped-era Xtina throughout the track and delivers a confident performance singing, “You’re gonna wish you woulda had this / Bagged this / ‘Cause I’m the mother-fucking baddest,” making for the perfect addition to your female empowerment playlist. – Galvin Baez
Dierks Bentley, “Son of the Sun”
Genre: Country
Album/EP: The Mountain (buy)
Label: Capitol
Scraggly-bearded and plainspoken, Dierks Bentley returns to form on his new album The Mountain, exchanging Black-smothered smooth-talking for earthier tones and lyrical richness. “Son of the Sun” sees Bentley mounting a trek up the countryside, the sun filling and burning his lungs with his sharp rays. “I wanna look down on a valley where the river splits the stone / Let the great wide open / Open wide my soul,” he muses, letting the vast landscape invigorate and pump his lungs till they burst. His voice is cool and soothing, curling up next to you for a story as old as time. – Jason Scott
Honorable Mentions: “Your Song” by Lady Gaga; “Carousel” by Nick Lopez; “Ink” by Melanie Taylor; and “Run into You” by Leland
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