Over the span of 365 days a lot can happen. From the political divide widening within our nation to the exposing of our heroes’ deep flaws, 2018 left its mark on our society and culture. Nevertheless, we saw trailblazers overcome the odds in our last election and evoke hope again in a more inclusive America. We had enough of issues that seemed insignificant for years and decided to take action against gun violence. In twenty-eighteen the youth took back the reins from our elders and found the power within ourselves and music reflected the shift. When Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, three twenty-something indie artists already making great strides in their individual careers, decided to join forces, they took the world by storm as supergroup Boygenius. Childish Gambino showed us the idoisynacies of what life looks like in America for African Americans and the work that needs to be done even amongst a “woke” America. Superstar Shawn Mendes used his platform to talk about his struggle with mental illness in “In My Blood” and Maggie Rogers reminded us that she doesn’t fit in a box.

Iggy Pop calling Mitski the “most advanced American songwriter,” Death Cab for Cutie pairing up with Lauren Mayberry from CHVRCHES for a song, and Elton John covering “Young, Dumb, and Broke” were clear examples of the message of 2018: don’t dismiss the youth. Our top songs of 2018 embody what we’ve seen from the youngest among us, that the things that can be seen as limitations are in fact our strengths. We played these songs on our morning commutes, our busiest work days and our chillest weekends. They’re the songs that we couldn’t wait to show to friends, sang our hearts out to at some shows and stood in awe and just listened to at others. There are moments and memories that wouldn’t have existed if it wasn’t for these songs and although they only came out this year and they will stay in our lives for years to come.

Stream the list directly on Spotify or Apple Music. Massive thanks to Dara Bankole and Eric Weiner for taking the lead on our year end lists and to Brandt Imhoff for the graphics.

100. Ritual Talk - "Reminders"
99. CHVRCHES - "Graffiti"
98. Death Cab for Cutie - "When We Drive"
97. Odetta Hartman - "You You"
96. Mount Eerie - "Tintin in Tibet"
95. Robyn - "Honey"
94. Bahamas - "No Wrong"
93. Drake - "In My Feelings"
92. Wet - "Still Run feat. Starchild & The New Romantic"
91. Half Waif - "Keep it Out"
90. Future Generations - "All the Same"
89. Death Cab for Cutie - "Autumn Love"
88. Courtney Marie Andrews - "May Your Kindness Remain"
87. Billie Eilish - "come out and play"
86. Leon Bridges - "Beyond"
85. Bad Bad Hats - "Nothing Gets Me High"
84. Oh Pep! - "What's the Deal With David"
83. Shawn Mendes - "In My Blood"
82. Natalie Prass - "Short Court Style"
81. Tomberlin - "Any Other Way"
80. The 1975 - "Love It If We Made It"
79. Plastic Picnic - "Doubt"
78. Adrianne Lenker - "symbol"
77. The Japanese House - "Lilo"
76. Anderson .Paak - "Bubblin"
75. The Shacks - "Follow Me"
74. Boygenius - "Bite the Hand"
73. Moses Sumney - "Rank & File"
72. Boygenius - "Salt In The Wound"
71. Now, Now - "MJ"
70. Alessia Cara - "A Little More"
69. Nilüfer Yanya - "Heavyweight Champion Of the Year"
68. Lykke Li - "hard rain"
67. Anna Burch - "Tea-Soaked Letter"
66. Snail Mail - "Thinning"
65. Florence + The Machine - "No Choir"
64. Wild Child - "Back & Forth"
63. Father John Misty - "Just Dumb Enough to Try"
62. Blood Orange - "Charcoal Baby"
61. Tasha - "New Place"
60. Men I Trust - "Show Me How"
59. Pearla - "Forgive Yourself"
58. Yumi Zouma - "Powder Blue / Cascine Park"
57. Sun June - "Young"
56. Taylor Janzen - "Colourblind"
55. Mitski - "Old Friend"
54. Foxwarren - "Everything Apart"
53. Hop Along - "How Simple"
52. Big Red Machine - "Gratitude"
51. Haley Heynderickx - "Untitled God Song"
50. Black Belt Eagle Scout - "Soft Stud"
49. Lucy Dacus - "Pillar of Truth"
48. Miya Folick - "Premonitions"
47. Wild Pink - "Lake Erie"
46. Cigarettes After Sex - "Sesame Syrup"
45. Soccer Mommy - "Your Dog"
44. Boygenius - "Ketchum, ID"
43. Phosphorscent - "New Birth in New England"
42. Sharon Van Etten - "Comeback Kid"
41. Sylvan Esso, Collection of Colonies Of Bees - "Funeral Singers"
40. Herizen - "Come Over to My House"
39. Empress Of - "When I'm With Him"
38. Maggie Rogers - "Fallingwater"
37. Little Dragon - "Lover Chanting"
36. Rostam - "In a River"
35. Cut Worms - "Don't Want to Say Good-bye"
34. Salt Cathedral - "Rude Boy"
33. Lucy Dacus - "Addictions"
32. Florence + The Machine - "Sky Full of Song"
31. Mitski - "Geyser"
30. Liza Anne - "I'm Tired, You're Lonely"
29. Haley Heynderickx - "No Face"
28. Billie Eilish - "when the party's over"
27. Sigrid - "High Five"
26. Cautious Clay - "Cold War"
25. Bahamas - "No Expectations"
24. First Aid Kit - "To Live A Life"
23. Pinegrove - "Rings"
22. Amber Mark - "Love Me Right"
21. Half Waif - "Lavender Burning"
20. Yuno - "No Going Back"
19. Rubblebucket - "Fruity"
18. Your Smith - "Bad Habit"
17. King Princess - "1950"
16. Wet - "You're Not Wrong"
15. Adrianne Lenker - "terminal paradise"
14. Snail Mail - "Pristine"
13. Ashe - "Choirs"
12. Soccer Mommy - "Scorpio Rising"
11. U.S. Girls - "M.A.H."
10. Jade Bird - "Lottery"
9. Henry Jamison - "Gloria"
8. Fenne Lily - "What's Good"
7. Ariana Grande - "no tears left to cry"
6. First Aid Kit - "It's A Shame"
5. Death Cab for Cutie - "60 & Punk"
4. Childish Gambino - "This is America"
3. Boygenius - "Me & My Dog"
2. Mitski - "Nobody"
1. Janelle Monáe - "Pynk (feat Grimes)"