Here's the Spotify Playlist!
Hello everyone! If you're unfamiliar with these posts, I spent each month of 2017 compiling songs that went under the subreddit's radar, featuring music that I believed needed more exposure. I wrote about each track, diving into to what made them worthy of being on the list.
I decided not to continue this series in 2018 because of personal obligations (it does take a lot of time to listen through music and write about it), but today I return to you with a holiday present.
I present, the most slept on pop songs of 2018.
I don't have as much rigid criteria this time around, but all of the songs here are ones that I felt barely got any exposure on the sub, some reaching little upvotes or others not being posted about at all. You may not enjoy every single one of these tracks, but I hope you may find something you will like.
Without further ado, here are 2018's picks:
Jesse is the lead single of the New York City songwriter’s third album, Vessel. Earlier releases had Frankie embracing a more jangly and abstract shade of twee pop. Vessel keeps that same carelessness and intimacy, but opts for more robust instrumentation, with heavier emphasis on guitar, louder drums, and a whole lot more energy in general. The song runs on like a conflicted conscience as Frankie finds herself in a state of good ol’ 20-something year-old disillusionment, and resolve never quite happens, but I suppose that is the point, isn’t it?
If you’re looking for leftfield pop with genuinely interesting production, look no further than EDEN. The Irish musician writes, produces, and performs all of his music, and his debut, Vertigo, proved to be one of the most solid releases of 2018. Float is one of the most visceral tracks on the album, with crashes of glass, mechanical bleeps, and dissonant effects all gracing the instrumental. It’s downtempo with a twist, feeling bleak at times and hopeful at others. EDEN’s vocals perfectly compliment the stripped down beat, and it’s definitely one of the highlights from the album.
One of the most exciting voices in alternative pop is Au/Ra, a 16 year old singer from Ibiza, Spain. Her brand of melodrama has garnered her quite the following, and quite a bit more followers since I first covered her debut single, Kicks, early last year. Panic Room, her most successful single to date, has a massive brooding chorus, a dark instrumental, and a lot of uneasy negative space. It’s an infectious track that would be enjoyable for people who are into Halsey and Billie Eilish, and hopefully she finds success in the US.
Notice Me is one of my favorite tracks of 2018. It’s really hard to pin down what genre it exists in, borrowing from the airy abstraction of ambient DIY rock artists like Vagabon, the sensibilities of indie pop artists like Little Dragon, and the dreamlike qualities of EDM artists like Jai Wolf. The product is a weird polygamous marriage between the three, with a single verse followed by three separate instrumentals that keep the listener in a complete and utter trance.
Ravyn Lenae - Computer Luv (feat. Steve Lacy)
Ravyn Lenae is simply the most underrated R&B artist in 2018. Her EP, Crush, represented a gorgeous effort in making a splash, and there’s serious Kali Uchis vibes for those who love her brand of free-flowing, cozy delivery. Featuring Steve Lacy both on production (for the entire EP, no less) and vocals, the two craft a song so undeniably sexy yet jam-packed with insecurity. They both lament a relationship that doesn’t have to live over a screen, and the song ends with a fitting and personal voicemail to Ravyn about hoping to see her in person soon.
Family of the Year - Hold Me Down
I’ll get this out of the way. Do I think this is the best track of the year? Far from it. But I will say it is beyond catchy. It’s inoffensive indie pop which isn’t in fashion in 2018, but if this monster of a track dropped half a decade ago, this would’ve been in every damn car commercial. It’s feel-good, simple pop for dancing around, but the lyrics are surprisingly great. There’s a lot of internal rhyme, an infectious flow, and a solid instrumental, and it won’t be long before you find yourself humming along to the cute hook.
Looking for a new pop girl? Here’s one. Madilyn Bailey is another YouTube cover queen who is taking a stab at her own career, and Tetris is her newest single. For those into synthpop, check this out because not only is a megabop with an infinitely catchy chorus, the production on this gives serious Sabrina Carpenter/Allie X vibes. With a hint of video game bleeps and bloops, this is a solid pop track with a lot of replay value.
Twin Shadow - Saturdays (feat. HAIM)
Twin Shadows’ new album had some forgettable tracks, but this HAIM-featuring 80s love letter wasn’t one of them. With a pulsating, dancey beat that the Brooklyn songwriter is known for, there’s a ton of feel-good energy here. The chorus is amazing and the instrumental is just a perfectly sunny vibe. HAIM makes a brief, but welcome appearance, and the whole track is just one big ball of synthpop nostalgia.
No Going Back is simply the best kept secret of 2018. Combining elements of Tame Impala-esque delivery, hip hop-inspired production, and hints of indie rock, it’s rare I feel so entranced by a song on first listen. This sunny masterpiece gives me the same feeling I got when first listening to Jai Paul - there’s something so gorgeous about the spacey, late-2000s synths (Grizzly Bear in particular) combined with the strong, commanding percussion. Top that off with Yuno’s stunning falsetto, and you have a track that I found trouble not leaving on replay when it dropped earlier this year.
A friend recommended this to me earlier this year, and this Australian pop singer has quite the career ahead of her. Ballroom is a bombastic, nostalgic bop, and rarely do I hear such an honest bottling of bliss. “All these people in the room, and I just wanna be alone with you,” she reveals, and you can really hear this as the backing soundtrack for the climax of a coming-of-age high school prom, and as the final chorus drops, confetti falls. All is well.
Little Dragon continues to be the most underrated figure in indie pop. The A side on a split lead single release, it’s gotta be one of the most lush songs the group has ever recorded. The instrumentation is so brimming with life, complimenting Yukimi’s delivery quite well. The song tells a story of lost friendship through distance, and the dissatisfying process of meeting again later and feeling like total strangers. Finishing off with a wistful outro and longing instrumental, the track is easily one of the most overlooked releases of the year.
Can I spare you a girl power anthem in these trying times? Gin Wigmore gives us sass, crass, and brass with this feminist bop. She bites at the patriarchy, and features some illustrations of influential women in the video (including icons like Yayoi Kusama, Marie Curie, and Malala Yousafzai, among others). The song itself is a confident and defiant proof of effortless girl power, with some punchy lyrics to boot. Sure makes me want to join the girl gang (not to be confused with the Gucci Gang).
Ditching his pop roots for indie rock was a decision that may be dizzying for some, but for Shamir, he dived right in. His career may have failed to reach the numerical heights that it was poised to reach, but personally, he’s never been more raw. Caballero is a forgotten B-side off of a release that never reached his 2018 record Resolution, but it’s one of the catchiest songs he’s ever made, a perfect combination of his pop roots and rock style.
This tender electro-folk track gives serious Maggie Rogers/shallou vibes, and boxes with the best of the gentle indie pop I’ve heard. The pale cube appearing on a sandy beach on Something To Remember, their EP’s cover speaks more about this track than I ever could. A friend suggested it to me after finding it while sad on Spotify’s New Releases and I’m glad I got to hear it.
Rebecca & Fiona aren’t exactly a popheads staple, but they’ve been releasing unorthodox electropop tracks for a minute now. Need You is one of their highest highs, the lead single from The Art of Being A Girl. It’s dancey, but not overly so, hedging its bets on a piano that gives way for one of the nicest drops of the year. If you’re here for simple independent scandipop from a producing duo, this is for you.
If you only know Chaos Chaos for Rick & Morty, you should change that. The last single before their newest self-titled record, Chaos Chaos return with some The Knife-esque brilliance. Pink Politics is a track written the day after the 2016 election, and it shows. The song may sound poppy and happy, but with lyrics like “is it natural to feel this unnatural?” there’s severe pain on display here.
Princess Nokia - Flowers And Rope
I have a love-hate relationship with emo rap. There’s legitimate merit in the concept and blending of the two genres, but oftentimes it leaves a lot to be desired. This may be a controversial inclusion as a lot of people were put off by Princess Nokia’s direction with A GIRL CRIED RED, but I really appreciate it. She substitutes her usual hunger with a more monotone, autotuned vocal inflection throughout the EP, and there’s a lot of repetition, “edgy” lyricism, and poppy choruses. In my opinion, songs like Morphine and At The Top are some of the most interesting rap tracks of 2018, with flows so infectious they’ve stuck with me months later. The opening track, Flowers And Rope, might be the poppiest she’s ever been. It’s kind of a whiplash from traditional pop, but give it a chance. There’s something oddly endearing about her melancholic delivery, and the production snaps with a ton of percussion quirks and vocal layering. It’s exhausting for a song just over two minutes, but it works.
Louis the Child - Better Not (feat. Wafia)
Buckle the fuck up, kids. You want a bop? A pop track that, if the world was a perfect place (shoutout Lorde), would’ve not only smashed, but became an anthem? How about an EDM track that is both punchy and smooth? Female vocals that dazzle and sparkle? What if I told you 2018’s catchiest track already dropped, and nearly everyone missed it? Well, it’s the truth. While popheads was too busy lamenting the early 2010s, Louis The Child blessed us with this masterpiece. Better Not is a song that feels both massive and chill, and while repetitive, it never gets old, instead becoming a complete and utter earworm I’m happy to let crawl around. First of all, the production is so physical, warbling in a unique way that only Louis The Child can nail. Wafia’s vocals fit the track so well it’s really hard to imagine anyone else on it. And honestly, I’ve probably played this track more than most other pop track in 2018 and it just never feels stale.
Qveen Herby really deserves more love in this sub. For those who aren’t acquainted, this is Amy from Karmin, and most of these tracks she releases are produced by Nick, the other half of Karmin. This is one of the most seamless and catchy rap/pop combos I’ve heard, and it’s extremely clear Amy hasn’t forgotten a lick of what made Karmin’s hooks so monumental. The result is one of my favorite hooks of 2018, a smooth and suave stream of consciousness that goes up against the best hooks Karmin has given us.
Chantel Jeffries - Wait (feat. Offset & Vory)
Chantel Jeffries produced and co-wrote this tropical club jam that quickly grew to be one of my favorite guilty pleasures of 2018. It’s simple, but it works well. I know Offset features are probably the bane of popheads at this point, but much like the Slide feature, he fits rather well on the instrumental. The whole track is pretty laid back, and while it’s not breaking much new ground, it’s easily one of the more enjoyable hip hop and dance mashups I’ve heard this year.
SSION - 1980-99 (feat. Sky Ferreira & Patty Schemel)
Okay, let’s just get it out of the way. We’re here for Sky Ferreira. However, you come for Sky and stay for the great production and wild breakdown that defines this track. And more about that breakdown - the track kinda falls apart, pulling and pushing before a final monster of a chorus. Sky shines on the rock-electronic hybrid of a track, and the song finishes with a muted conversation, a haphazard rendering of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Kyle - Babies (feat. Alessia Cara)
KYLE’s most recent album got little attention earlier this year, and it’s a shame because it’s a genuinely fun and well-produced pop rap album. This highlight with Alessia Cara is a late night anthem, and both have more chemistry than I would imagine in this unlikely collab. As expected, Alessia steals the show, as the best moments of the song is her verse over the drum-led beat. As a whole song, though, it’s probably one of the nicer light hip hop tracks I’ve heard this year. They both work together quite well, and I wonder why this track hasn’t gotten more exposure.
New York indie pop band Phantogram released a double single this year with proceeds going to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The A side of this release is Someday, a somber but stellar track that feels like an evolution of their last release, Three. A tease of what’s to come, Someday is easily defined by its wonderful horns and lovely percussion, which is always expected from Phantogram. Saturday is also worth giving a listen, but I’ve found myself gravitating to this track a bit more, and that’s because it’s probably one of the best thesis statements of what embodies Phantogram. Melancholia, hip hop beats, and brilliant loops.
This track from ex-chillwave artist Chad Valley is probably one of my favorite obscure tracks of the year. It’s total Forever 21 pop, but in the best way. The synths are infectious, the chorus is soothing, and the whole song just hits a vibe that I can’t explain but it just feels so dreamy. I saw Chad live earlier this year and this track was a lot of fun to hear live, it’s super dancey and entrancing.
Maty Noyes - Lava Lamps (feat. Beekwilder)
Maty Noyes is kinda the alt pop girl that never was, and In My Mind was the smash that never led to anything bigger. It’s a shame, because her brand of pop is so bold and wild it’s a shame to imagine if a song like this smashed the radio. And what a song this is. With a vintage-like playful instrumental, Maty and Beekwilder trade lines on this infectious track that oozes groove. Maty knows how to write a hook, and the one on this track is nothing short of a damn party. It takes a while to reach after the opening of the song, but it’s worth it.
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Don’t You Forget About Me
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs are one of the quietest electronic acts. It’s a shame, because in 2012 he released one of the coolest albums of the year, Trouble. On one of the first songs he’s released in years, Orlando teases release again and again on this slow burn. But when it does explode and the beat crashes in, it feels more than worth it. The funky instrumental is a fantastic evolution for him, and it’s one of the best drops I’ve heard in indie pop since the famed Dance Yrself Clean drop. It’s the slow dance at the end of the night, and with a track as intimate as this one, I don’t want the night to end.
88rising, if you don’t know by now, is the premiere platform for Asian hip hop and pop in America, housing such artists as Rich Brian, Joji, and Keith Ape. However, one of the lesser-known artists on the record label is NIKI, and this song is a chief example of why I consider their lack of popularity on the sub a travesty. NIKI has a few appearances on the 88rising group debut album Head In The Clouds, but she really shines on this solo track, a bold and catchy pop track that could put her head to head with any pop track on the radio today. Hopefully she has a far-reaching career ahead of her, because I’m poised to hear more.
Swanky Tunes - Day By Day (feat. LP)
New York singer LP collaborates with the Russian dance duo Swanky Tunes, and the result is a bouncy dance track that suits her stylish Florence Welsh-esque sound. It’s definitely way dancier than her usual music, but it jams, and part of that is the wonderful drop that takes a note from LP’s playbook, perfectly fitting her style.
Young the Giant - Superposition
You may not have heard a Young The Giant song in a while, but I’m here to tell you why that’s a mistake. The group trended pretty poppy with their sophomore release, Mind Over Matter, and don’t quite get their footing until 2016’s Home of the Strange. However, Mirror Master feels like the band is finally comfortable, and the second single released before the album, Superposition, is both quirky enough to fit with their debut, while expanding on what it means to be a Young The Giant song. It’s got all the facets in place to be a radio sleeper hit, and hopefully it does.
Best known for her features on Vince Staples tracks, Kilo Kish has done quite a bit of innovative solo work. Her mothe EP that recently released is what I consider to be the best EP of the year, a swirling and nauseating masterclass of cohesion. Void is as violent and jarring as its stunning music video, pulsating and pouncing with a shrill industrial beat that increasingly speeds up until it finally gives release.
Jillian Jacqueline - Priorities
My personal favorite track off of Pennsylvania pop-country singer Jillian Jacqueline’s Side B EP, a continuation of her stellar Side A EP released last year. It’s a feel-good track that blends the best of pop and country, and it’s clear that Jacqueline can write quite the hook. For fans of Kelsea Ballerini or Maren Morris, definitely check Jillian Jacqueline out.
You may remember Lennon Stella from Nashville, but here she is to reinvent herself with a catchy pop song. The Hotline Bling-esque track is lowkey but high quality, stripped down and minimalist, allowing her to highlight her lovely voice, which compliments this cute record quite well. I would watch out for this one, she might do very well for herself.
Mr Little Jeans has always been the queen of lazy, hazy slow pop, and Unfollow is no exception. With a whisper-heavy pre-chorus, she marries together downtempo pop and trap in a smooth way that makes this track reminiscent of a lot of the slower tracks on Ariana Grande’s Sweetener. However, instead of the Pharrell-led production, we have more lush and atmospheric interaction with Monica’s dreamy vocals.
Steve Aoki - Our Love Glows (feat. Lady Antebellum)
How’s this for a collab? Steve Aoki’s third iteration of his Neon Future album series has quite the list of odd collabs, from Blink-182 to BTS to Bill Nye (no, that’s not a joke). However, the real standout of this album is a track called Our Love Glows. Most of us haven’t heard from country pop icons Lady Antebellum since Need You Now, but you don’t need much context to enjoy this sugary pop song. Aoki’s production shines here, but the real star is Hillary’s bubbly delivery, proving to be a bit more versatile than we ever gave her credit for.
Submitted December 24, 2018 at 08:33PM by ThatParanoidPenguin http://bit.ly/2ENzZkr
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