For what it’s worth, 2018 was a win for the underdogs. It was an absurd year for music in general but instead of pivoting to the afterlife with a mess of overrated radio fodder, it put younger innovators first and called attention to their ability to headbutt boundaries and re-imagine music as an art form. Kacey Musgraves made us believe in love again; Snail Mail and Let’s Eat Grandma showed us that (real) teens know a thing or two about nineties pop; and if hip-hop’s new wave wasn’t posterizing the charts, punk was sure as hell reinforcing friendships and giving us a reason to mosh in basements.

More so than ever, music felt new and while it was set on inciting discussion, it went out of its way to be a distraction for anyone dealing with heartbreak, anxiety, or isolation and loneliness. It challenged the old guard, pinned itself to new ideals, and continued to redesign the format for the better. 2018 was an absolute trip for the kids who “grieve in stereo” and these are our top picks from the year that was.

50. FRIGS : Basic Behaviour

[Arts & Crafts]

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49. Elohim : Elohim

[Elohim Music]

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48. Molly Burch : First Flower

[Captured Tracks]

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47. Gia Margaret : There’s Always Glimmer

[Orindal Records]

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46. Interpol : Marauder

[Matador Records]

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45. Wild Pink : Yolk In The Fur

[Tiny Engines]

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44. The Beths : Future Me Hates Me

[Carpark Records]

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43. boygenius : boygenius

[Matador Records]

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42. Camp Cope : How To Socialise & Make Friends

[Run For Cover Records]

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41. Mount Eerie : Now Only

[P.W. Elverum & Sun]

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40. JPEGMAFIA : Veteran

[Peggy/Deathbomb Arc.]

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39. 6LACK : East Atlanta Love Letter

[Universal/Interscope]

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38. Emma Ruth Rundle : On Dark Horses

[Sargent House]

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37. Turnstile : Time & Space

[Roadrunner Records]

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36. Sunflower Bean : Twentytwo In Blue

[Mom + Pop Music]

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35. Fiddlehead : Springtime And Blind

[Run For Cover Records]

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34. Parquet Courts : Wide Awake!

[Rough Trade]

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33. Iceage : Beyondless

[Matador Records]

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32. Soccer Mommy : Clean

[Fat Possum Records]

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31. Florence + The Machine : High As Hope

[Universal/Virgin]

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30. Tierra Whack : Whack World

[Tierra Whack]

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29. Mick Jenkins : Pieces Of A Man

[Free Nation/Cinematic Music]

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28. Octavian : Spaceman

[Black Butter Limited]

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27. Birds In Row : We Already Lost The World

[Deathwish Inc.]

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26. Gouge Away : Burnt Sugar

[Deathwish Inc.]

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25. Petal : Magic Gone

[Run For Cover Records]

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24. Foxing : Nearer My God

[Triple Crown Records]

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23. MGMT : Little Dark Age

[Sony/Columbia Records]

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22. Freddie Gibbs : Freddie

[ESGN/EMPIRE]

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21. Lykke Li : So Sad So Sexy

[Sony/RCA Records]

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20. Pianos Become The Teeth : Wait For Love

[Epitaph Records]

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19. Architects : Holy Hell

[Epitaph Records]

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18. Let’s Eat Grandma : I’m All Ears

[Transgressive Records]

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17. Saba : Care For Me

[Saba Pivot]

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16. Jay Rock : Redemption

[Universal/Top Dawg Ent.]

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15. Kids See Ghosts : Kids See Ghosts

[Universal/Def Jam]

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14. Kanye West : ye

[Universal/Def Jam]

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13. Jorja Smith : Lost & Found

[FAMM]

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12. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever : Hope Downs

[Sub Pop Records]

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11. Fucked Up : Dose Your Dreams

[Merge Records]

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10. Anderson .Paak : Oxnard

[Universal/Aftermath]

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09. Vince Staples : FM!

[Universal/Def Jam]

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08. The Wonder Years : Sister Cities

[Hopeless Records]

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07. Beach House : 7

[Sub Pop Records]

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06. Earl Sweatshirt : Some Rap Songs

[Sony/Columbia Records]

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05. Kacey Musgraves : Golden Hour

[Universal/MCA Nashville]

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04. Culture Abuse : Bay Dream

[Epitaph Records]

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03. Pusha T : Daytona

[Universal/Def Jam]

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02. Mac Miller : Swimming

[Warner Bros. Records]

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01. Snail Mail : Lush

[Matador Records]

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