New Pop Music 2018: The Best of the Year
Find out which new pop songs are currently making waves in 2018. This blog post features some of the best new music that has come out this year.
Introduction
2018 was a great year for pop music, with a wide range of artists releasing catchy, innovative new tracks. From British singer Dua Lipa’s disco-infused pop anthems to K-pop group BTS’s groundbreaking album “Love Yourself: Tear,” there was something for everyone.
Here are some of the best pop songs of 2018:
Dua Lipa – “IDGAF”
This catchy, club-ready bop was one of the biggest hits of the year, propelling Dua Lipa to superstardom. The song’s iconic music video, which features the singer lip syncing in various outrageous outfits, has been viewed over 230 million times on YouTube.
BTS – “Fake Love”
This anthemic track from K-pop group BTS’s album “Love Yourself: Tear” was a huge hit, becoming the group’s first song to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track’s music video, which tells a story of love and loss, has been viewed over 190 million times on YouTube.
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry”
Ariana Grande returned with this upbeat dance track after taking a break following the Manchester bombing at her concert in 2017. The song, which features the chorus “Ain’t got no tears left to cry/ So I’m pickin’ it up,” is an uplifting anthem about moving forward after tragedy.
Cardi B – “I Like It”
Cardi B’s breakout hit “Bodak Yellow” made her one of the biggest names in music in 2017, and she followed it up with this Latin-infused banger in 2018. Featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin, “I Like It” spent three weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became one of the most streamed songs of the year.
Best Pop Songs of 2018
As the year comes to a close, we take a look back at the best pop songs of 2018. It’s been a great year for music, with a lot of amazing new hits. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite pop songs of the year, so you can enjoy them all over again.
“No Tears Left to Cry” – Ariana Grande
“No Tears Left to Cry” is a song by American singer Ariana Grande. It was released on April 20, 2018, as the lead single from her upcoming fourth studio album, Sweetener. The song was written by Grande, Savan Kotecha, Peter Svensson and its producers, Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh. “No Tears Left to Cry” is a dance-pop and pop song with house and R&B influences. The song has a positive message about overcoming hardships; Grande has said that the lyrics are about resiliency and hope.
The song received critical acclaim, with many critics calling it a return to form for Grande after the Manchester Arena bombing. “No Tears Left to Cry” debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, making it Grande’s fourth number-one single on the chart. The song also peaked at number one in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Greece, Malaysia, Portugal, Scotland and Venezuela.
“One Kiss” – Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa
“One Kiss” is a song by Scottish DJ Calvin Harris and English singer Dua Lipa. It was released on 6 April 2018 as the second single from Harris’ upcoming sixth studio album, Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 (2018). The song debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart and number one on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.
“One Kiss” is a synth-pop, dance and EDM song with a retro sound. Lyrically, it talks about a feeling of falling in love at first sight and wanting to kiss that person. The song received acclaim from critics, who praised its production and Lipa’s vocal performance.
“No Tears Left to Cry” – Ariana Grande
No Tears Left to Cry is a song recorded by American singer Ariana Grande. The song was released by Republic Records on April 20, 2018 as the lead single from Grande’s upcoming fourth studio album, Sweetener (2018). It was written by Grande, Savan Kotecha, Peter Svensson and its producers Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh. “No Tears Left to Cry” is a dance-pop and disco song with house, trap and R&B influences. Lyrically, it talks about moving forward from grief. The single debuted at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became Grande’s ninth top-ten hit in the country.
“All I Wanna Do” – Sheryl Crow
One of the most enduring hits of the ’90s, “All I Wanna Do” is a sun-soaked celebration of summer love. It’s also a reminder that not all pop songs have to be complex to be effective. This one is all about the simple pleasures: lying in the grass, sipping wine and listening to music.
“Boys” – Charli XCX
“Boys” is a single by English singer Charli XCX, released on 26th July 2018 through Asylum Records and Atlantic Records. The song was written by Charli XCX, Brett McLaughlin, Jonathan Christopher Jackson and Patrick McCarthy, while production was handled by A. G. Cook. “Boys” is a pop track that samples the 1993 teen vampire film The Lost Boys.
Upon its release, “Boys” received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its production and Charli XCX’s vocal performance. The song peaked at number 23 on the UK Singles Chart and has been certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), while also reaching the top 40 in Ireland, Scotland, Slovakia and Spain. An accompanying music video for “Boys”, directed by Charli XCX herself, was released on 26th July 2018.
Best Pop Albums of 2018
As the year comes to a close, it’s time to take a look back at the best pop albums of 2018. This year saw a lot of great music from a variety of artists, so it was tough to narrow it down to just a few. But here are our picks for the best pop albums of 2018.
“Sweetener” – Ariana Grande
It would be impossible to overstate the cultural impact of Ariana Grande in 2018. The release of her fourth album, “Sweetener,” was preceded by a series of personal and professional challenges, including a terrorist attack at her concert in Manchester, England, and the sudden death of her ex-boyfriend, rapper Mac Miller. Despite (or perhaps because of) all this turmoil, Grande turned in one of the year’s best pop albums.
There’s a newfound maturity to Grande’s songwriting on “Sweetener,” as she open up about her anxiety and discusses relationships with an honesty that was sometimes lacking on previous albums. Musically, the album is all over the map, with nods to ’90s R&B (“R.E.M.”), trap (“God is a woman”), and even EDM (“No tears left to cry”). It’s an impressive display of range from an artist who is still just 25 years old.
With “Sweetener,” Ariana Grande cemented her place as one of pop music’s brightest stars.
“Camila” – Camila Cabello
One of the breakout stars of 2018, Camila Cabello released her self-titled debut album in January to much fanfare. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and has since been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). “Camila” features the hit singles “Havana” and “Never Be the Same,” both of which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
“Tell Me You Love Me” – Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato’s “Tell Me You Love Me” was one of the best pop albums of 2018. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and its lead single, “Sorry Not Sorry,” became Lovato’s highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100.
Lovato’s sixth studio album is a vulnerabilityfest masquerading as a pop record, with the singer opening up about her struggles with addiction and mental health. But it’s also an excellent collection of catchy, radio-ready songs, anchored by Lovato’s powerful voice.
Other standouts include the title track, “You Don’t Do It for Me Anymore,” and “Daddy Issues.” But the real standout is “Sober,” in which Lovato details her struggles with addiction and relapse. It’s a harrowing listen, but it also serves as a reminder of Lovato’s immense talent.
“Reputation” – Taylor Swift
“Reputation” is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on November 10, 2017, through Big Machine Records. The record was primarily produced by Jack Antonoff, Max Martin, Shellback and Swift herself, who also serves as the executive producer. The album features a departure from Swift’s characteristic country pop musical style and embraces a more pulsing pop sound.
Upon its release, “Reputation” received generally positive reviews from music critics. Critics praised Swift’s songwriting, and many of them noted the album as a return to form for the singer after her polarizing fifth studio effort “1989”. The record debuted at number one on both the US Billboard 200 chart and the UK Albums Chart with 1.216 million copies sold in its first week in the United States—the biggest opening week for an album since her last studio album “1989” and earning her fourth consecutive number-one album there. It also became her sixth consecutive album to sell more than one million copies in its opening week in Britain—achieving the feat faster than any other artist—and registered the biggest one-week sales figure for an LP since Adele’s “25”. Upon its release, all fifteen tracks from “Reputation” entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart—”Ready for It”, “Look What You Made Me Do”, “…Ready for It?”, as well as all three promotional singles “…So It Goes…”, “…Don’t Blame Me”, and “Call It What You Want”—making it Swift’s fourth studio album with at least one top 40 song on each track. Four of those songs (“Look What You Made Me Do”, “…Ready for It?”, “End Game”, and “New Year’s Day”) peaked within the top five positions of that chart.
“Rainbow” – Kesha
Kesha’s highly-anticipated return to music after her long legal battle with Dr. Luke is one of the best albums of the year. “Rainbow” is a stunningly raw and personal album, with Kesha pouring her heart out on tracks like “Praying” and “Woman.” She also delivers some of the catchiest pop hooks of the year on bangers like “Boots” and “Boys.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, 2018 has been an excellent year for pop music. We have seen a wide variety of artists releasing new music, and there has been something for everyone. From the return of some veteran artists to the debut of new ones, 2018 has been a great year for pop music.
