Adam's Top 100 of 2018! [TOP ARTISTS 2018!]

[Blondini]

Voted Kate Nash but it's probs not even included!

Nice to see Charli.

Clean B / Marina and Delicate are best of the chart.
Alec Benjamin has some good songs but not so much that. He's more akin to a less irritating Owl City than the acoustic Passenger - musically.

I loved Nina Nesbitt on her previous album but not so much this year.

[ludichris]

Re: Adam's Top 100 of 2018! [SINGLES 90-81]

I like your song write ups! Dose and Done For Me, which I discovered late are both awesome.

[king_oxymoron]

Re: Adam's Top 100 of 2018! [SINGLES 90-81]

Aw thanks man!
Heppolo and Tony, more and ovviously better Alex to come!
And Mike, Gorgon City were my number one in 2016, I've LONG blossomed bitch!

[king_oxymoron]

080. Fickle Friends - Broken Sleep

If you followed my chart last year, you will have seen a very high entry for Brighton's Fickle Friends, a band that have become one of my very favourites over the past two years. In 2018, they released their brilliant debut album and even moved onto another EP, the first track of which was this slice of pop heaven. I love the little clever intricacies, like how it leads you to think it's going to lead the verses with 'broken sleep' but instead goes with 'broken hearted' and subsequently 'broken promises'. It's little touches like that that let me know the creators aren't being lazy. Catchy verses, catchy bridges, catchy chorus... not my favourite of their output ever but very much in keeping with their indie pop sensibilities and sense of fun mixed with melancholy.

079. Camila Cabello - Real Friends

From Fickle Friends to Real Friends now and while Swae Lee is essential in the Ellie Goulding single which charted previously, here I prefer the solo version from Camila's debut solo album. It's a very simple tune but sometimes the simplest, cleanest things are the best. I love the guitar led nature of it all and Camila's vocals sit on the rhythm really well, be it her lower verse vocal or her beautiful falsetto in the chorus. I find when the production is so minimalistic and the vocal is front and centre, it really brings it to light if you have a great singer on the track and the absolute runs Camila is capable of are really allowed to shine. That all said, the era has been so poorly handled. This could have been a UK hit if handled properly for sure.

078. Meghan Trainor - No Excuses

HUH! This is a different type of production but also one I really enjoy, I feel like I would like this song even if it was just instrumental That's not to say Meghan's vocal isn't excellent, it comes in quite aggressively - I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else but I feel like she starts full pelt and I love that, it's like in the verses she's at a constant ten and then reigns it back in for the bridge and chorus. I like it when things happen backwards to how you would expect sometimes. Another one that's quite a simple song with great results, Meghan sells it, particularly live.. she gives it all she has. Fun.

077.GLADES - Do Right

This year I've properly embraced Spotify and in particular listening to Hot Hits or pop playlists that contain songs I may not have known previously. That's where I discovered Aussie three piece GLADES and their pop stomper 'Do Right' . The female lead has a beautiful voice and the song itself manages to tick all the boxes of what sounds popular and current without ever veering into the generic. The bridge 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry...' plays with the timing a bit and adds a little something to me that seems in a way unexpected? However it works, it's a very listenable pop bop with a bit of edge, and you should watch below!

[youtube:1beby2s0]kGA-bTRdYUs[/youtube:1beby2s0]

076. Imagine Dragons - Natural

A song I heard more organically on Radio One now and it's a really interesting one, particularly structurally. The song starts quite devoid of much production and quite slowly, almost balladesque despite sometimes quick spitting lyrics. However after the slow build of the bridge and it's long held notes, it actually bursts into one of the most upbeat Imagine Dragons songs, boasting some of their most aggressive production. I love the juxtaposition of that! The changes of pace are really really cool and even In it's slower moments, it's one of the most catchy and melodic ID singles out there. Big mood.

075. Nina Nesbitt - Colder

In the run up to her new album release next year, Nina very recently released an EP and its title track is one of the catchiest things she has released this era. Where some of her previous singles to my ears are pop songs with urban influences (songs like Somebody Special), this veers more to the pure pop end of her spectrum. That said, it isn't just happy clappy, it's very much atmospheric pop. The verses utilise the different elements to her voice, the bridges she's spitting lyrics in a quick and catchy manner and in the chorus all the production comes together and it's beautiful. I love the little run she does on the word 'colder'! Still not her best release this year for me but I'll be very happy if this is the quality of the album as it's very solid pop.

074. Bastille - Quarter Past Midnight

After a bit of a barren spell in terms of hits, I was really glad to see Bastille return with this. Harking back to the sound of their biggest smashes, I really thought this was going to join their highest chart highs. It didn't, but gladly they have since added to their tally of top fives with the brilliant 'Happier'. This is an absolute romp of a song from the off though, great pace, great lyrics 'we want the bodies on the billboards, not the lives underneath them' and despite setting off at quite a pace, quite obviously steps up a gear when hitting the impeccably catchy chorus. I like that the chorus has a second part to it ('this is my favourite part oh help me piece it all together darling') as a) it's my favourite part too! and b) is a gift that keeps on giving when you think the chorus is already done. Tune.

073. Maroon 5 - Girls Like You

Honestly I thought this was a very boring track from a very weak album to begin with. I thought they were mental when they announced its release. Well, I can't always get it right It definitely took the single release for me to appreciate it, though I can still do without Cardi on it so I chart the solo version, I mean, it's never going to be the most complex amazing song going but the long held falsetto notes in the verse and the coupling of those with the ones that follow just sound really interesting to me. And the chorus is undeniably catchy. I was in a club recently and heard a remix of this and honestly the added speed made it really go the hell off.

072. Rudimental ft. Tom Walker - Walk Alone

Rudimentary are very very hit and miss for me. The James Arthur collab was fire, I thought the Jess Glynne one was really boring despite hitting Number one. The Anne-Marie one was more interesting but not wildly better. But this one has really captured my attention despite being fairly pedestrian. I do like that they are known for their energy and being a 'dance' act and their output has been very midtempo of late. I like Tom's voice a lot, and this is a good vehicle for it. It could definitely be accused of being a bit generic but it makes me smile, both for the lyric that sounds like 'I am a rock, I Emma Stone' and for the elongation of the word 'alone' at the end, as soon as you think it's done there's more 'oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ooone'

071. Zedd & Maren Morris & Grey - The Middle

And finally Zedd was back with his signature tick tock production with another song that was an early contender for song of the year but fell off dramatically due to being everywhere. These early released really at a disadvantage huh? Still. It remains an incredibly catchy song with a great vocal which manages to have a huge impact despite a chorus with the most minimal of production. As we call it in the industry, a bop.

[JSparksFan]

"Real Friends" isn't bad, but it is forgettable. I'm actually listening to "Natural" now; for me, it's a bit noisy, and certainly not among ID's best.

"Girls Like You" is better with Cardi, in my opinion, but even then it's not terrific. "The Middle" is the standout of the batch! It's an odd pairing with country singer Maren Morris on vocal duties, but she does a great job.

[Tansike]

Time to finally catch up!

100. Marshmello & Anne-Marie - Friends
099. Kylie - Dancing
097. MNEK ft. Hailee Steinfeld - Colour
096. Ellie Goulding x Diplo ft. Swae Lee - Close To Me
095. Clean Bandit ft. Marina & Luis Fonsi - Baby
094. Zara Larsson - Ruin My Life
091. Chrvches - Miracle

Good batch. "Friends" is definitely my favorite one here. I don't listen to radios which is probably good in that case as I'm still loving the song "Baby" is strong too. Need to revisit "Close To Me" and "Ruin My Life" as both didn't do much for me, even though I love Ellie and Zara.

090. David Guetta & Sia - Flames
088. Ciara - Dose
087. Taylor Swift - Delicate
085. Chrvches - Get Out
083. Louisa ft. 2 Chainz - YES
081. Charlie Puth ft. Kehlani - Done For Me

YESSS at "Yes"! I still don't get how this wasn't even a moderate hit. It's such a cool pop track and would have been huge a few years ago. "Flames", "Delicate" and "Done For Me" are strong, too, with the latter being actually my favorite single of Charlie's second album (probably unpopular opinion alert!).

079. Camila Cabello - Real Friends
078. Meghan Trainor - No Excuses
076. Imagine Dragons - Natural
073. Maroon 5 - Girls Like You
071. Zedd & Maren Morris & Grey - The Middle

Good to see "The Middle". I already enjoyed Maren on her debut album, so it was nice to see her getting some success everywhere with that. "Real Friends" is cute but I feel like she should have went with another song as a single. "No Excuses" is quite a bop, a shame it bombed.

[Benjamin]

088. Ciara - Dose
087. Taylor Swift - Delicate
084. Gorgon City & Kamille & Ghosted - Go Deep
083. Louisa ft. 2 Chainz - YES
082. Nina Nesbitt - Somebody Special
081. Charlie Puth ft. Kehlani - Done For Me
079. Camila Cabello - Real Friends
075. Nina Nesbitt - Colder
073. Maroon 5 - Girls Like You

Yay for the Nina Nesbitt love. I'm also very excited for her album. Should be good
Good to see Gorgon City and Louisa. 'YES' is that ultimate bop.

[luckyONE]

Aww, I'm still happy to see 'Friends' in the Top 100. I really adore this song but you're right, I don't play it as much as I did back in spring this year.

'Dancing' is Kylie's best song since 'All The Lovers' IMO.
'Close To Me' is okay, 'Baby', too.

I really like the 'Ruin My Life' single cover. 'Delicate' is cute but Taylor has much better songs on reputation.
'No Excuses' was a bop.
I also prefer the album version of 'Girls Like You' to the Cardi B version, but this one isn't bad either.

[UKMusicLova]

Taylor Swift - Delicate
Charlie Puth - Done For Me
Maroon 5 - Girls Like You
Zedd - The Middle

'Delicate' is probably the best Taylor song from her rather disappointing era. 'Done For Me' is a great song, he's one of those artists where I liked all of his pre-album singles but can't be bothered to listen to his album! 'Girls Like You' and 'The Middle' are basic, but I like them!

[Thriller]

Re: Adam's Top 100 of 2018! [SINGLES 80-71]

Girls Like You is the most basic and reductive song of the year by far.

No Excuses and Natural are both bops for different reasons.

The Middle is pure Zedd by numbers and just reminds me of a rubbish drag queen DJ in Ku Bar miming along to it really seriously and pouty.

[king_oxymoron]

This is... not going particularly well for any of us, is it?

Let's hope this lot lights your fires a bit more.

070. Starley - Love Is Love

This is a complete LGBT anthem. When I first heard this on the train, I wept. Such a relatable story for me, having a family who don't necessarily understand your sexuality and who you love - particularly with a religious angle to it ('why can't you live in God's plan?'). In this story, Starley talks to her father and trying to explain that loving her girlfriend isn't a sickness and is something to celebrated. As well as a courageous and beautiful message, it's a catchy midtempo number with Starley's smooth vocals adding a great touch. A wonderful message and you should definitely give it a listen, particularly if you think you may relate.

[youtubeibjtnoy]8dnAAv_kbbY[/youtubeibjtnoy]

069. David Guetta, Martin Garrix & Brooks - Like I Do

With Martin Garrix doing a lot of midtempo jams at the moment, it was nice to see him turn to something a bit more ferocious in this David Guetta collab. I love the chipmunk vocals starting this off all sweet and soft before an immense build up and a stomping dance chorus with plenty of heavy bass. It's such a brilliant club anthem and one I have had on constant repeat this year.

068. ZAYN - Let Me

ZAYN was never one of my favourites in 1D and I have found his solo material to be very hit and mix, either complete genius or basically unlistenable. This one firmly falls in the former camp. It is so deliciously laid back and doesn't really care for the rules.. while most people put a lot of stock in the chorus and make sure it is the most standout and catchy part of a song, this chorus is as chill as the rest of the song. His falsetto sounds gorgeous and it's such a perfect Sunday song while making the most of your time off. Relaxing music heaven.

067. Why Don't We - 8 Letters

On a similar vibe but more ballad than midtempo is this really cool Why Don't We track. Starting as a piano ballad with a lovely verse, the track grows into a soaring bridge before pulling it it back in with a very minimalist chorus with vocoded harmonies and a ballad-dance breakdown. I particularly like the second verse which is a completely different melody to the first - I love it when songs take creative risks like that. The boys pretty unanimously sound great on their different parts and I just find the song really interesting and beautiful with a very catchy hook line.

066. Tom Grennan - Found What I've Been Looking For

Speaking of catchy, you're not gonna get much better than this, even the opening chords are a foot tapper. Tom Grennan has a unique and rough voice but it still inherits a certain beauty rather than just sounding hard. The chorus is just such a beautiful build and so singalong. This is radio friendly to the max and the perfect balance of a song that retains credibility while still selling itself to the pop crowd. Toe tapping fun.

065. One Bit x Louisa - Between You & Me

A song that grew on me in the latter half of the year after thinking it was dangerously basic. Something clicked and the melodies started to make real sense to me and win me over. It's a proper builder, one that you'd start to clap to at a gig anticipating the big breakout moment of the song. The trumpets mimicking the Louisa melodies are catchy as hell and it's just a real feel good pop/dance crossover. Louisa sounds beautiful as ever... the girl really needs a hit, she's on so many bangers, people! The bridge structure is glorious, too and she looks glorious in the vid.

064. James TW - Say Love

I've loved a few James TW songs now, he is a great UK storyteller, sort of a UK version of Alec Benjamin I guess. Beautiful voice, guitarist and stories to tell. The melody of the bridge in this just gets me, perfectly placed falsetto moments and great note progression, but the chorus is the big sell here as the drums kick in and each 'say love' becomes higher. It's not going to win an award for being groundbreaking but what it is is beautiful, relatable, well sung and very, very listenable. Radio should be supporting talent like this more.

063. Meghan Trainor - Let You Be Right

Considering the lack of success this year, Meghan has absolutely been delivering the bops. On this, she sounds gorgeous and the song has like a dream like quality about it, a subtlety. It reminds me of aural candy floss. The bass on the chorus is just toooooooooo funky and though the song is very simple in structure, it wins by doing that because it ticks all the boxes of doing everything simply yet brilliantly. Catchy, not generic, it's a win for me. All choruses should be this funky.

062. Clean Bandit ft. Demi Lovato - Solo

ALERT! ALERT! Clean Bandit down! The favourite to win the crown has been toppled! Clean Bandit are out and with them they take Demi and their chart topping anthem Solo. I do really really like this song and I can't stress enough again what a competitive year this is. I did think on first listen this was a bit too generic but the subtle production moments I love CB for are definitely there if you take the the time to listen and I did discover those in time. I do think it's a beautiful idea with the slow strings over the top of a quick pulsating chorus but for me it doesn't stack up to last year's Symphony. It's a very solid dancefloor anthem but for me it isn't quite as special as a few previous releases. BOPS, though, Whoop whoop whoop!

061. Four of Diamonds ft. Burna Boy - Name On It

Who in their right mind would have predicted Four of Diamonds, an X FACTOR GIRLBAND who aren't Little Mix, to release one of the absolute bops of the year? Someone got this really right when choosing a song for them (assuming they didn't write it? If they did then even more kudos). All four girls sound stunning, the song sounds current, it has unique notes in the runs (the highlight being the beautiful falsetto title hook 'you don't wanna put your name on it'). This just has all the makings of a current hit and with some radio support probably would have been... it's very M.O and could have flourished I think. Their second single Stupid Things came very close to charting also.

[king_oxymoron]

STILL TO COME?

[Thriller]

Re: Adam's Top 100 of 2018! [SINGLES 70-61]

Tom Grennan has had a good year for sure.

One Bit was a serious bop, Meghan had a great year too, Clean Bandit grew on me loads.

I was a bit shook by that Four Of Diamonds song, really strong! Better than Woman Like Me too.

[ludichris]

I really like 8 Letters. That one snuck up on me towards the end of the year and ended up being one of my most liked songs of the year. I checked out the EP and thought Hooked, Talk and Hard were decent too. Surprised they are not bigger.

[Leo]

highlights from the bubblig list:
Janelle Monae - Make Me Feel
Selena Gomez - Back To You
Kygo ft. Miguel - Remind Me To Forget
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa - One Kiss
Anne-Marie - 2002
Liam Payne ft. J Balvin - Familiar
Silk City ft. Dua Lipa - Electricity
Christine & The Queens - Girlfriend
Lily Allen - Lost My Mind
Robyn - Honey
Sara Bareilles - Armor
Selena Gomez x Marshmello - Wolves
Ava Max - Sweet But Psycho
1975 - TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME
Galantis - Mama Look At Me Now

then, highlights from the ranked ones:
099. Kylie - Dancing: as a non-kylie fan, this was fun and catchy
090. David Guetta & Sia - Flames
087. Taylor Swift - Delicate
085. Chrvches - Get Out
081. Charlie Puth ft. Kehlani - Done For Me
074. Bastille - Quarter Past Midnight
073. Maroon 5 - Girls Like You

[Benjamin]

068. ZAYN - Let Me
063. Meghan Trainor - Let You Be Right
062. Clean Bandit ft. Demi Lovato - Solo

'Let Me' is one of my ZAYN faves. Smooth bop. 'Solo' is a real bop

[JSparksFan]

"Solo" is one of Clean Bandit's finest studio concoctions. I didn't expect it to win, but it's a bit low. "Let Me" is just okay for me.

[heppolo]

Tom Grennan has had a good year for sure.

I agree with this statement, Tom Grennan had some good tunes this year.

[luckyONE]

"Let Me" was a good song.

[Tansike]

069. David Guetta, Martin Garrix & Brooks - Like I Do
068. ZAYN - Let Me
065. One Bit x Louisa - Between You & Me
063. Meghan Trainor - Let You Be Right
062. Clean Bandit ft. Demi Lovato - Solo

Ohhh... didn't expect to see "Solo" being out so soon Amazing tune.
Love to see "Let You Be Right" here. Was my least favorite song of her singles this year at first but it grew on me, now it's my favorite one. The other three were all nice but they all already did much better (also this year).