As of December 14th, the list of singles released in 2018 on Wikipedia runs over 968 pages. Of those that I have listened to, here are my top ten:
THESE DAYS – RUDIMENTAL FEAT. JESS GLYNNE, MACKLEMORE & DAN CAPLEN
It’s easy to produce a great hit when the people concerned are four amazing artists who have got together to collaborate. This song has kept me company all summer and these voices could be heard on every radio station for months on end. The sound and rhythms have a nostalgic quality that instantly transmits the pain behind the song The lyrics are also so powerful that they probably trigger memories in all of us – of being in love and of that sense of loss when the love is gone. Jess Glynne’s voice is what makes this song so heartfelt.
This Tom Walker single is probably my favourite of 2018. I loved it from the first moment I heard it, because it’s hard to top a song with such depth and meaning. The melody has a pureness and simplicity to it, but the piano adds a whole other layer. However what makes the single so powerful are the lyrics. “Leave a light on” expresses the love and pain Walker feels for a friend struggling with addiction. Many people listening to this song will recognise how hard it is to love someone who is slowly destroying themselves. But they will also draw inspiration from Walker’s promise to “leave a light on” so that his friend knows they can return whenever they are able to.
On a brighter note, Shotgun was probably one of the most-played songs last summer and provides yet more proof of George Ezra’s extraordinary talent. This song is so carefree and full of joy that it’s impossible not to start dancing when you hear it. The rhythm is upbeat and the chorus will get stuck in your head for days on end. George Ezra’s wonderful voice makes it hard not to get carried along by the sense of happiness and freedom that the lyrics convey.
I am usually no fan of Ariana Grande and her music, but this song caught my attention as soon as it was released. The hype and overload of social media posts about it guaranteed the song would be a hit straight away. The melody is nothing special and the chorus is catchy but not very original. But what makes this Ariana Grande single work for me are the lyrics, which I keep listening to. She dedicates the song to her various well-known ex-boyfriends. In the face of all the rumours flying around about her past relationships, Grande clears the air by praising each one of them for what they have offered her. The brilliant music video does the rest.
REWRITE THE STARS – ZAC EFRON AND ZENDAYA
This single comes from the soundtrack for The Greatest Showman movie released at the start of the year. I fell in love with this song when I first watched it being sung, and I have not stopped listening to it since. The song was written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and is performed by the actors Zac Efron and Zendaya. The melody sweeps and soars in a way that brings the best out of the performers’ voices. I also love the lyrics, which pose the following question: should you let a doomed relationship go, or should you fight destiny to be together?
The Back Five:
Maroon 5 feat. CardiI B. – Girls Like You
Drake – God’s Plan
Calvin Harris feat. Dua Lipa – One Kiss
Selena Gomez – Back to You
Dan + Shay – Tequila