The 2018 end of the year music lists thread

nice to see Orbital finally make an appearance

Nice to see that Soulwax album appear but that Mixmag list top 10 is very obvious

I don’t like The 1975 and CSH at all and still don’t understand what it is that people like about them so much.

There are many artists outside my interests which I do understand why people might like them but these two in particular make me feel like I’m deaf because I just don’t hear what’s so special about their music.

That said I don’t hate them, I just don’t get it.

I can't help you w/the 1975 (tho I'm sure the long thread about them has some clues), but here's something I posted about why I love the CSH album from a few years back: Car Seat Headrest--Teens of Denial

CSH is decent but was incredibly overrated critically when his last album came out and the new version of Twin Fantasy only doubles down on all his weaknesses

he's got talent, sure, but "desperately needs an editor" is otm as well as desperately needing a good producer to help him stop making all his songs way longer than they need to be. he is simply not very good at writing the epics that he loves to unfortunately, and loves to drag out what should be a tight & catchy 3-4 minute pop song to 5+ minutes every single time

Feel like I need to give that Skee Mask record another go. I sorta liked it at first, then it fell off.

To clarify, the RYM top 10 is kind of awful, but there's plenty of good stuff in the 100

I actually quite like the new (old) Car Seat Headrest album though - there's my terrible confession

― imago

without having seen it i'm gonna say that the list from 401-500 is probably better than the list from 1-100

of course all lists get boring at the top, particularly those that involve reaching some sort of "consensus"

i picked up a lot from chaucerian myth's 2018 list, he suggested this record by bronzewing which i think he's possibly the only person to have heard? anyway it's great, like if yaraandoo was recorded in the '80s

tinymixtapes albums list:

https://www.tinymixtapes.com/features/2018-favorite-50-music-releases

50 Sheck Wes - MUDBOY
49 Satoshi Nakamoto - NYPD Records Volume 2: Satoshi Nakamoto's dOPENet
48 Amen Dunes - Freedom
47 JPEGMAFIA - Veteran
46 Gas - Rausch
45 Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!
44 Jeff Witscher - Approximately 1​,​000 Beers
43 Hermit and the Recluse - Orpheus vs. the Sirens
42 Matthew Revert / Vanessa Rossetto - Everyone Needs a Plan
41 Delroy Edwards - Rio Grande
40 Perfume - Future Pop
39 U.S. Girls - In a Poem Unlimited
38 Roc Marciano - Behold A Dark Horse
37 Beach House - 7
36 Teyana Taylor - K.T.S.E.
35 Seth Graham - Gasp
34 Sarah Davachi - Let Night Come On Bells End The Day
33 Laurel Halo - Raw Silk Uncut Wood
32 Armand Hammer - Paraffin
31 Rosalía - El Mal Querer
30 Klein - cc
29 Prime Minister of Doom - Mudshadow Propaganda / DJ Healer - Nothing 2 Loose
28 Fire-Toolz - Skinless X-1
27 Simple Affections - Simple Affections
26 The Caretaker - Everywhere at the End of Time - Stage 4
25 Tierra Whack - Whack World
24 Eartheater - IRISIRI
23 Kanye West - ye
22 RP Boo - I'll Tell You What!
21 Tim Hecker - Konoyo
20 serpentwithfeet - soil
19 Amnesia Scanner - Another Life
18 Mitski - Be the Cowboy
17 Barrio Sur - बड़ा शोक (heart break)
16 Playboi Carti - Die Lit
15 Bamba Pana - Poaa
14 Pendant - Make Me Know You Sweet
13 Mount Eerie - Now Only
12 Julia Holter - Aviary
11 Eli Keszler - Stadium
10 Shygirl - Cruel Practice
9 Grouper - Grid of Points
8 Pusha T - Daytona
7 Low - Double Negative
6 Elysia Crampton - Elysia Crampton
5 Tirzah - Devotion
4 Charli XCX - Pop 2
3 Lolina - The Smoke
2 Yves Tumor - Safe in the Hands of Love
1 SOPHIE - OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES

nice

serpentwithfeet and Tirzah are the big discoveries for me from the EOY lists.

I think I’ve had my fill.

these things are inevitably personal but I've never heard as much good new music as I have this year

I'm not even sure we should do this next year. I guess it gives a sort of limp foretaste of the big ILX poll

But really, most of these lists are falling over each other to boost exactly the same music in the same way, which encourages incurious listening habits. The great boon of the new streaming reality is that you can hear almost anything, and there's never been more to hear either. And if you can't put your faith in these lists, what's the point of them? I suppose a few are noteworthy, but in the main, and viewed collectively, they're stultifying

I mean that's obviously really pompous of me but as as ILXors I feel we actually have some sort of collective duty to listen to and chronicle as much as we possibly can

What would be good is some kind of automatic database that lists albums that appear in three or fewer of these lists. That kind of filter would make it more worthwhile. Like, nobody needs to know that Parquet Courts are apparently the 45th best band of the year yet again (morelike 450th amirite) but who's Eli Keszler, are they any good, etc

any news on the ilxor poll? think noms normally open round about now

23 Kanye West - ye

lol @ tmt

i'm never sure which of the acclaimed ones i've heard, because i immediately forget any music i'm not into once i listen to it. and then i get confused between "serpentwithfeet" and "mewithoutyou"

other than that i'm not particularly bothered by reading several dozen lists with sophie and yves tumour on them

i will say as someone who likes novelty in music i'm more interested in the names on the lists i haven't read a hundred times. an aggregator of those names wouldn't be useful to me, though, because it'd just be hundreds of records that i have no idea if i'd like or not - the blurbs are extremely helpful to me. that's why i haven't made a personal 2018 list, no time to blurb!

has anyone agreed to run EOY this year?

imago, this thread seems to be full of weird/unique lists, in addition to the more conventional lists with plenty of overlap. And aren’t the lists with overlap also useful, as a view to which are the “consensus” albums?

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/1156-the-av-clubs-20-best-albums-of-2018/

finally Ezra Furman makes a top ten

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/1154-papers-top-20-albums-of-2018/

this one seems ilxor taste-adjacent

xxp Also, if I see a list with one or two albums I know & like, I may be more inclined to check out the unfamiliar stuff from that list (b/c the familiar signposts are useful).

One other point is that the aggregate of lists in this thread is sort of similar to ILM as a whole — where a few things seem to be discussed a lot over the course of the year, and most of the rest only mentioned in passing (one or two posts on a “Rolling...” thread, etc.).

This one's a bit different with a few new names on this one for imago to get all excited about:

Q Magazine - Best Albums of 2018

50. The Orielles - Silver Dollar Moment
49. Manic Street Preachers - Resistance is Futile
48. Kamasi Washington - Heaven and Earth
47. The Good, The Bad & The Queen - Merrie Land
46. Cardi B - Invasion of Privacy
45. Mac Miller - Swimming
44. Panic! At the Disco - Pray for the Wicked
43. Everything is Recorded - Everything is Recorded
42. SOPHIE - Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides
41. Lykke Li - So Sad, So Sexy
40. Kids See Ghosts - Kids See Ghosts
39. Cat Power - Wanderer
38. Bill Ryder-Jones - Yawn
37. Beach House - 7
36. Eleanor Friedberger - Rebound
35. Julia Holter - Aviary
34. Go-Kart Mozart - Mozart's Mini-Mart
33. Shame - Songs of Praise
32. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Sparkle Hard
31. Florence and the Machine - High as Hope
30. Kurt Vile - Bottle It In
29. Gaz Coombes - World's Strongest Man
28. Neko Case - Hell-On
27. Daniel Avery - Song for Alpha
26. U.S. Girls - In a Poem Unlimited
25. Father John Misty - God's Favourite Customer
24. Elvis Costello and The Imposters - Look Now
23. Tracey Thorn - Record
22. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs
21. Low - Double Negative
20. Spiritualized - And Nothing Hurt
19. Pusha T - Daytona
18. DJ Koze - Knock Knock
17. Ty Segall - Freedom's Goblin
16. Mitski - Be the Cowboy
15. Blood Orange - Negro Swan
14. Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel
13. Gruff Rhys - Babelsberg
12. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
11. Interpol - Marauder
10. Anna Calvi - Hunter
9. Paul Weller - True Meanings
8. Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer
7. IDLES - Joy as an Act of Resistance
6. Christine and the Queens - Chris
5. Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!
4. Robyn - Honey
3. The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
2. Let's Eat Grandma - I'm All Ears
1. Arctic Monkeys - Tranquillity Base Hotel & Casino

Vibe - 30 Best Albums of 2018
https://www.vibe.com/photos/best-albums-2018-list

***spoiler alert: no paul weller that one i'm afraid***

and not even gaz coombes could crack this one:

FACT - Best House & Techno of 2018
https://www.factmag.com/2018/12/18/best-house-techno-tracks-2018/

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/1156-the-av-clubs-20-best-albums-of-2018/

finally Ezra Furman makes a top ten

― We were never Breeting Borting (President Keyes), Tuesday, December 18, 2018 3:22 PM (four hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

trust the AV Club to turn up and make me regret hating on this thread (slightly) with that Only Love placement

Pfork's rap list is up - https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-best-rap-albums-of-2018/

lotta duos

http://thequietus.com/articles/25825-the-quietus-tracks-of-2018-audiobooks-black-midi-shit-and-shine-william-doyle-aphex-twin

quietus tracks list:

50. Denzel Himself - 'Melty ft. KEYAH/BLU'
49. Virginia Wing - 'The Second Shift'
48. ILL - 'Stuck On A Loop'
47. Grouper - 'Parking Lot'
46. Janelle Monae - 'I Like That'
45. Baxter Dury, Etienne De Crécy & Delilah Holliday - 'White Coats'
44. Chromatics - 'Black Walls'
43. Bruce - 'What'
42. Julia Holter - 'I Shall Love 2'
41. Blood Orange - 'Charcoal Baby'
40. Wild Fruit Art Collective - 'Fabric'
39. Liars - 'Murdrum'
38. Donato Dozzy - 'Cleo'
37. Objekt - 'Secret Snake'
36. Underworld & Ø - 'Dexters Chalk'
35. GNOD - 'Donovan’s Daughters'
34. Ploy - 'Ramos'
33. Lonnie Holley - 'I Woke Up In A Fucked-Up America'
32. Gazelle Twin - 'Hobby Horse'
31. Riton & Kah-Lo - 'Fake ID'
30. Kasper Marott - 'Keflavik'
29. Leather Party - 'Baby It’s Alright'
28. Riko Dan - 'Hard Food'
27. Bryte - 'Hustler'
26. Calvin Harris With Dua Lipa - 'One Kiss'
25. Jonny Shitbag And The Smokes - 'Distract Me'
24. Jockstrap - 'Hayley'
23. Joy O & Ben Vince - 'Transition 2'
22. Big Joanie - 'Fall Asleep'
21. Charli XCX - 'Focus'
20. JK Flesh - 'External Transmission Stage'
19. LSDXOXO - 'Burn The Witch'
18. Unknown T - 'Homerton B'
17. Pregoblin - 'Combustion (Live)'
16. Insecure Men - 'I Don’t Wanna Dance (With My Baby)'
15. Cosey Fanni Tutti - 'Tutti'
14. SOPHIE - 'Immaterial'
13. Marie Davidson - 'Work It'
12. These New Puritans - 'Into The Fire'
11. International Teachers Of Pop - 'After Dark'
10. Real Lies - 'The Checks'
9. Välve - 'The Happening'
8. Jenny Hval - 'Spells'
7. Kali Uchis - 'After The Storm'
6. Hen Ogledd - 'Problem Child'
5. Aphex Twin - 'T69 Collapse'
4. Black Midi - 'bmbmbm'
3. William Doyle - 'Millersdale'
2. $hit And $hine - 'You Were Very High'
1. Audiobooks - 'Gothenburg'

Real Lies - 'The Checks'

this is great btw

didn’t know they had new music out!

They've got a new one on Kompakt too, "White Flowers", I love them so

For a second, I thought the Quietus list was for their top audiobooks of the year. Would've been kinda cool...

https://www.factmag.com/2018/12/19/the-50-best-singles-of-2018/

FACT singles list:

50 Ariana Grande ‘God is a Woman’
49 Krystal Klear ‘Neutron Dance’
48 Pusha T ‘The Story of Adidon’
47 RP Boo ‘Back From the Future’
46 Laksa ‘It Feels Like I've Been Here Before’
45 Ciara ‘Level Up’
44 Octavian ‘Hands’
43 Sharda ‘Chin Up’
42 Moses Sumney ‘Rank & File’
41 Key! & Kenny Beats ‘Love On Ice’
40 Kelly Moran ‘Helix’
39 Quay Dash ‘U.A.F.W.M.’
38 BADSISTA ‘Na Onda Da Babylon’
37 Jayhood ‘Lights Down Low (Zora Jones Remix)’
36 Ravyn Lenae ‘Sticky’
35 DJ Plead ‘Get In Circle’
34 Jasmine Infiniti ‘Flight at O'Hare’
33 Isabella ‘Penchant Disenchant’
32 Travis Scott ‘Sicko Mode’
31 DJ Narciso & Nuno Beats ‘Hino RS’
30 Clara! y Maoupa ‘Ruge’
29 Siete Catorce & Amazondotcom ‘Opposite Moon’
28 Oneohtrix Point Never ‘Black Snow’
27 mmph ‘Woodlawn’
26 Popcaan ‘Wine For Me’
25 Rian Treanor ‘Position B1’
24 Helena Hauff ‘Hyper-Intelligent Genetically Enriched Cyborg’
23 Nazar ‘Airstrike’ [Feat. Shannen SP]
22 Channel Tres ‘Jet Black’
21 Peggy Gou ‘It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)’
20 Sheck Wes ‘Mo Bamba’
19 Mor Elian ‘Dossgroove’
18 Lil Uzi Vert ‘New Patek’
17 Mechatok ‘Flee’
16 Batu ‘Flash React’
15 Junglepussy ‘Trader Joe’
14 Parris ‘Puro Rosaceaes’
13 JPEGMAFIA ‘Thug Tears’
12 Eris Drew ‘Hold Me (T4T Embrace Mix)’
11 Swan Meat ‘Alucard’
10 Funeral Future ‘Heute Nicht’
9 Bonaventure ‘Mentor’
8 ZULI ‘Trigger Finger’
7 Valee ‘Womp Womp’
6 Loidis ‘In the Place I Sit’
5 Ploy ‘Ramos’
4 Lechuga Zafiro ‘Aqua y Puerta’
3 object blue ‘Act Like It Then’
2 Slikback ‘Venom’
1 700 Bliss ‘Ring The Alarm’

looking forward to digging through this, a lot of stuff i haven't heard of

Swan Meat

Uzi Vert “new patek” is such a perfect year end list song in that it’s by a major name and it’s technically accomplished but also completely forgettable commercial flop that gives critics the sense of appreciating obvious quality ignored by the masses while championing a record no one would listen to and say was trash... I hate it

Does anyone else other than FACT use 'club music' in that way? This lumping together of diverse international scenes under one awful fake unifying genre concept? I've seen them talk about the "club genre" that seems basically designed to show off that it isn't boring old house or techno but just erases all context and difference in the process.

yes it would be better if a little clunky if they used club musics plural

i am in favour of more lists for imagined communities

Boomkat's list is out (fucked if I'm gonna copy it though)

Lots of top tens from musicians on there, too.

Many thanks for Jeff W for tipping me to the Concrete Islands site and list upthread

https://www.spin.com/featured/best-songs-2018/

spin list is excellent and probably the one that resembles my own list the most

You're welcome!

yeah good blurbs by j0rd and brad too

in addition to your great work alfred

some good stuff on there i agree

I'm still reading through it but so far, yes - great list/blurbs.