Top 100 Music Albums of 2018 by 
babyBlueSedan 
Guess it's about time I make one of these. I've been pretty ambivalent about listening to music lately so I haven't listened to much from 2018, but I'll throw what I have heard here. If you want to know how this chart works check my other recent year charts because I'm too lazy to paste it here. Basically check out anything I rated 65 or above.
Now 45% less apathetic, with (mostly nonsensical) genres!
**Update 2/19/20: The first post-2018 update has arrived. Only messed with the stuff at 70 or higher
- Chart updated: 02/20/2020 01:45
- (Created: 03/24/2018 16:39).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 4 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of 2018 has an average rating of 91 out of 100 (from 7 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
View the complete list of 53,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.
This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from United States. (Remove this filter)
Buy album
- #Sponsored
100/100
Rambler-songwriter
I wasn't super into A Crow Looked At Me, because as heartbreaking and touching as it was it was a bit of a painful listen. Not just because of the subject matter but because the songs didn't always flow very well. This one's got all of the touching sadness as well as some real songs.
Distortion is my song of the year so far and I could probably write a few paragraphs alone on why that song is so great. Instead I'll just say that the last verse is one of the saddest things I've ever heard and that Phil's description of death gets me every time:
"And then distortion
And then the silence of space
The night palace
The ocean blurring"
There's also the verse about how he almost got someone pregnant, which eventually ends up with him rambling existentially about how his ancestors will remember him and how his life is nothing but a series of events but then abruptly ends with "but she had her period eventually and I went back to being 23." But enough about that song. The title track is great because a lot of it is reflecting on his previous album and how such a dark piece of work got him the accolades that it did. It also has an out-of-nowhere chorus that I won't spoil if you haven't heard it but it's simultaneously the funniest and most shocking part of the album. [First added to this chart: 04/05/2018]
Rambler-songwriter
I wasn't super into A Crow Looked At Me, because as heartbreaking and touching as it was it was a bit of a painful listen. Not just because of the subject matter but because the songs didn't always flow very well. This one's got all of the touching sadness as well as some real songs.
Distortion is my song of the year so far and I could probably write a few paragraphs alone on why that song is so great. Instead I'll just say that the last verse is one of the saddest things I've ever heard and that Phil's description of death gets me every time:
"And then distortion
And then the silence of space
The night palace
The ocean blurring"
There's also the verse about how he almost got someone pregnant, which eventually ends up with him rambling existentially about how his ancestors will remember him and how his life is nothing but a series of events but then abruptly ends with "but she had her period eventually and I went back to being 23." But enough about that song. The title track is great because a lot of it is reflecting on his previous album and how such a dark piece of work got him the accolades that it did. It also has an out-of-nowhere chorus that I won't spoil if you haven't heard it but it's simultaneously the funniest and most shocking part of the album. [First added to this chart: 04/05/2018]
Year of Release:
2018
Appears in:
Rank Score:
556
Rank in 2018:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
15
Buy album
- #Sponsored
85/100
Reflective singer songwriter with rock out moments
There are some really great opening lines on this thing, like "Waiting for your short hair to grow back to the way you like it, I regret ever implying you could be better," which seems like it was written specifically for me to appreciate. Also "The first time I tasted somebody else's spit I had a coughing fit." The lyrics tend to cool off after this opening greatness, but that doesn't mean the songs aren't worth listening to. There's a lot of introspection here that really tickles my fancy, and the songs know exactly when to rock out. Night Shift is one of my favorite songs of the year, and the rest ain't too shabby either. [First added to this chart: 04/05/2018]
Reflective singer songwriter with rock out moments
There are some really great opening lines on this thing, like "Waiting for your short hair to grow back to the way you like it, I regret ever implying you could be better," which seems like it was written specifically for me to appreciate. Also "The first time I tasted somebody else's spit I had a coughing fit." The lyrics tend to cool off after this opening greatness, but that doesn't mean the songs aren't worth listening to. There's a lot of introspection here that really tickles my fancy, and the songs know exactly when to rock out. Night Shift is one of my favorite songs of the year, and the rest ain't too shabby either. [First added to this chart: 04/05/2018]
Year of Release:
2018
Appears in:
Rank Score:
477
Rank in 2018:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
85/100
Glam country pop
I feel a bit disappointed by this only because everyone is raving about it and I think it's merely very good. It treads a weird place behind country and straight up pop, and at times I wish it leaned further in either direction. But there are some tremendous songs here - Space Cowboy is one of my favorites of the year - and I can see it getting a lot of plays from me. [First added to this chart: 05/03/2018]
Glam country pop
I feel a bit disappointed by this only because everyone is raving about it and I think it's merely very good. It treads a weird place behind country and straight up pop, and at times I wish it leaned further in either direction. But there are some tremendous songs here - Space Cowboy is one of my favorites of the year - and I can see it getting a lot of plays from me. [First added to this chart: 05/03/2018]
Year of Release:
2018
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,464
Rank in 2018:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
85/100
Country emo
If you haven't read the Pitchfork article about Evan Stephens Hall and the accusations against him, I highly recommend reading it. While the explanation doesn't really make me forgive him
(I'm not the person that should be forgiving him but I don't know what other word to use) I think it at least makes me feel better about continuing to listen to Pinegrove. At the heart of their music is a sense of trying to become better while still figuring life out, and Hall's response to the whole situation seems to fit in line with that theme. I don't think I'll ever be able to listen to Cardinal quite the same way again, but there's something to be said about an artist who knows they were in the wrong and are looking to make amends.
Lost in the shuffle of Skylight being shelved and then coming out with tons more information on the Hall situation is that the album was completely written and recorded before the allegations were made public. So this isn't an apology record, and if you're looking for insight into what Hall learned you're not going to find it here. It's mostly just a continuation of Cardinal, though it feels much less focused on relationships and more focused on overcoming life's obstacles. For me the standout is Darkness, where hall sings about having darkness on his mind and hoping to find someone who understands. There's a great line about being angry and knowing that being angry is weak, which is the kind of vulnerability and self-awareness I loved on Cardinal. On Skylight Hall sings that "whatever you're feeling is natural" which has already helped me through a couple rough nights.
The thing that makes Skylight stand out a bit from Cardinal is that it feels very pieced together given that a few of the songs are only a minute or so long. But it really helps the album flow well, and one of those songs (Thanksgiving) is one of the best songs here and another (Angelina) is an old Pinegrove song that I'm really really glad found its way onto an album. [First added to this chart: 10/29/2018]
Country emo
If you haven't read the Pitchfork article about Evan Stephens Hall and the accusations against him, I highly recommend reading it. While the explanation doesn't really make me forgive him
(I'm not the person that should be forgiving him but I don't know what other word to use) I think it at least makes me feel better about continuing to listen to Pinegrove. At the heart of their music is a sense of trying to become better while still figuring life out, and Hall's response to the whole situation seems to fit in line with that theme. I don't think I'll ever be able to listen to Cardinal quite the same way again, but there's something to be said about an artist who knows they were in the wrong and are looking to make amends.
Lost in the shuffle of Skylight being shelved and then coming out with tons more information on the Hall situation is that the album was completely written and recorded before the allegations were made public. So this isn't an apology record, and if you're looking for insight into what Hall learned you're not going to find it here. It's mostly just a continuation of Cardinal, though it feels much less focused on relationships and more focused on overcoming life's obstacles. For me the standout is Darkness, where hall sings about having darkness on his mind and hoping to find someone who understands. There's a great line about being angry and knowing that being angry is weak, which is the kind of vulnerability and self-awareness I loved on Cardinal. On Skylight Hall sings that "whatever you're feeling is natural" which has already helped me through a couple rough nights.
The thing that makes Skylight stand out a bit from Cardinal is that it feels very pieced together given that a few of the songs are only a minute or so long. But it really helps the album flow well, and one of those songs (Thanksgiving) is one of the best songs here and another (Angelina) is an old Pinegrove song that I'm really really glad found its way onto an album. [First added to this chart: 10/29/2018]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
80/100
Supergroup folk
What do you get when you add
1. My favorite new songwriter and creator of my 2017 AOTY
2. The creator of a top 3 2018 album
3. A songwriter I've never enjoyed
The answer is a pretty decent EP. I obviously enjoy Bridgers's song the best, but there isn't a dull moment here. Would have loved a full album though. [First added to this chart: 11/19/2018]
Supergroup folk
What do you get when you add
1. My favorite new songwriter and creator of my 2017 AOTY
2. The creator of a top 3 2018 album
3. A songwriter I've never enjoyed
The answer is a pretty decent EP. I obviously enjoy Bridgers's song the best, but there isn't a dull moment here. Would have loved a full album though. [First added to this chart: 11/19/2018]
Year of Release:
2018
Appears in:
Rank Score:
413
Rank in 2018:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
80/100
Awww shit, did he just say that? rap
Unlike Kanye's album, this does not feel hastily put-together. Mostly because Pusha T has some great lyrics that cover up the fact that some of the songs don't really go anywhere. The beats are great though, and there are some good hooks. The length is a bit disappointing though - I don't mind an easily consumable album but it never really feels like it gets going until it's over. [First added to this chart: 06/07/2018]
Awww shit, did he just say that? rap
Unlike Kanye's album, this does not feel hastily put-together. Mostly because Pusha T has some great lyrics that cover up the fact that some of the songs don't really go anywhere. The beats are great though, and there are some good hooks. The length is a bit disappointing though - I don't mind an easily consumable album but it never really feels like it gets going until it's over. [First added to this chart: 06/07/2018]
Year of Release:
2018
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,832
Rank in 2018:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
80/100
Female-fronted folk/indie rock
Painted Shut was an album that I liked upon release but got really into lately. Over the past year it's become an album I put on whenever I can't decide what to listen to, and as such I'd become really excited for the follow-up. I was initially a biiit disappointed, because this new one doesn't rock nearly as hard as Painted Shut. But I couldn't stop listening to it, and now I'm thinking it might be better. It's a much more detailed, nuanced album and tries a lot more interesting things.
Besides, I never liked Hop Along because they rocked out. I liked them because:
- Frances Quinlan is the best rock vocalist of the decade. This album doesn't change that opinion of mine.
- They right songs about really interesting things. Painted Shut contained songs about: the life of Jackson C. Frank, being visited by a Jehovah's Witness, seeing a father abuse his son and not knowing what to do, seeing your ex's new girlfriend while working as a waitress, and meeting a waitress in West Virginia who looks just like you. Very simple concepts, but they got very deep somehow. The songs on this new one aren't much different, though they're also not as easy to pin down. But there's a song about getting freaked out by a running fox and another that I think might be inspired by Something Wicked This Way Comes (Not Abel). But the best song is Prior Things, which starts with some amazing strings and this untouchable opening line:
"Just a few minutes after taking them I realized
Hundreds of buzzing flies were all over me" [First added to this chart: 06/06/2018]
Female-fronted folk/indie rock
Painted Shut was an album that I liked upon release but got really into lately. Over the past year it's become an album I put on whenever I can't decide what to listen to, and as such I'd become really excited for the follow-up. I was initially a biiit disappointed, because this new one doesn't rock nearly as hard as Painted Shut. But I couldn't stop listening to it, and now I'm thinking it might be better. It's a much more detailed, nuanced album and tries a lot more interesting things.
Besides, I never liked Hop Along because they rocked out. I liked them because:
- Frances Quinlan is the best rock vocalist of the decade. This album doesn't change that opinion of mine.
- They right songs about really interesting things. Painted Shut contained songs about: the life of Jackson C. Frank, being visited by a Jehovah's Witness, seeing a father abuse his son and not knowing what to do, seeing your ex's new girlfriend while working as a waitress, and meeting a waitress in West Virginia who looks just like you. Very simple concepts, but they got very deep somehow. The songs on this new one aren't much different, though they're also not as easy to pin down. But there's a song about getting freaked out by a running fox and another that I think might be inspired by Something Wicked This Way Comes (Not Abel). But the best song is Prior Things, which starts with some amazing strings and this untouchable opening line:
"Just a few minutes after taking them I realized
Hundreds of buzzing flies were all over me" [First added to this chart: 06/06/2018]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
75/100
Industrial noise rock
Anthony Fan-ten-o called this one of the scariest albums he's heard, and I just don't see that. And he's not the only one - this album has been getting a lot of praise. But while it's very in-your-face and noisy, it never feels as hopeless or demented as something like Have a Nice Life or Swans. That said, it's more energetic than the former and more interesting than the latter. I did really like it, and I'm excited to hear it again. Just perplexed by the hype I guess. [First added to this chart: 11/19/2018]
Industrial noise rock
Anthony Fan-ten-o called this one of the scariest albums he's heard, and I just don't see that. And he's not the only one - this album has been getting a lot of praise. But while it's very in-your-face and noisy, it never feels as hopeless or demented as something like Have a Nice Life or Swans. That said, it's more energetic than the former and more interesting than the latter. I did really like it, and I'm excited to hear it again. Just perplexed by the hype I guess. [First added to this chart: 11/19/2018]
Year of Release:
2018
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,201
Rank in 2018:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
75/100
Post doom sludge
I was expecting some riffs and instead got some doom riffs mixed with Neurosis-style atmospheric sludge. I am not a fan of Neurosis, but YOB do their style well. The first couple tracks are more traditional stoner-doom, and in the middle it slows down into the atmospheric sludge territory. It ends with a bang though. Beauty in Falling Leaves is my favorite song, and the title track ends the album with a bang. Would have a higher rating if not for the more meandering stuff in the middle. [First added to this chart: 06/09/2018]
Post doom sludge
I was expecting some riffs and instead got some doom riffs mixed with Neurosis-style atmospheric sludge. I am not a fan of Neurosis, but YOB do their style well. The first couple tracks are more traditional stoner-doom, and in the middle it slows down into the atmospheric sludge territory. It ends with a bang though. Beauty in Falling Leaves is my favorite song, and the title track ends the album with a bang. Would have a higher rating if not for the more meandering stuff in the middle. [First added to this chart: 06/09/2018]
Buy album
- #Sponsored
75/100
Post industrial slowcore
I've been trying to get into Low ever since I started liking slowcore, but so far they haven't clicked. They've just always been too slow with not enough variety. Which still sounds like something I'd like; I even saw them live at a festival and it was a great experience. But their albums haven't done much for me.
That said, this is the album of theirs that I liked the most, and I hope it gets me into the band. The "glitchy" "experimental" parts aren't a lot to write home about on their own, but combined with the vocals and slow pace it makes for a good atmosphere. There are a couple traditional slowcore songs as well, and they end up being my favorite things here. [First added to this chart: 10/19/2018]
Post industrial slowcore
I've been trying to get into Low ever since I started liking slowcore, but so far they haven't clicked. They've just always been too slow with not enough variety. Which still sounds like something I'd like; I even saw them live at a festival and it was a great experience. But their albums haven't done much for me.
That said, this is the album of theirs that I liked the most, and I hope it gets me into the band. The "glitchy" "experimental" parts aren't a lot to write home about on their own, but combined with the vocals and slow pace it makes for a good atmosphere. There are a couple traditional slowcore songs as well, and they end up being my favorite things here. [First added to this chart: 10/19/2018]
Year of Release:
2018
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,357
Rank in 2018:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 69. Page 1 of 7
Don't agree with this chart? Create your own from the My Charts page!
Top 100 Music Albums of 2018 composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| Freddie Gibbs, Curren$y & The Alchemist | 1 | 1% | |
| Pusha T | 1 | 1% | |
| Forth Wanderers | 1 | 1% | |
| The Weeknd | 1 | 1% | |
| Cloud Nothings | 1 | 1% | |
| Sleep (US) | 1 | 1% | |
| Jean Grae X Quelle Chris | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
69 | 69% | |
 |
13 | 13% | |
 |
6 | 6% | |
 |
5 | 5% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of 2018 chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
 Up 7 from 14th to 7thDaytona by Pusha T |
| Up 5 from 10th to 5th How To Socialise & Make Friends by Camp Cope |
| Up 1 from 12th to 11th You Won't Get What You Want by Daughters |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 8 from 8th to 16th Double Negative by Low |
| Down 7 from 21st to 28th Room 25 by Noname |
| Down 5 from 17th to 22nd Veteran by JPEGMAFIA |
| New entries |
|---|
 Your Queen Is A Reptileby Sons Of Kemet |
| 2012-2017 by Against All Logic |
| Joy As An Act Of Resistance. by Idles |
| Leavers |
|---|
 The Honeybearby Hampshire & Foat |
| Dream Songs by Devon Welsh |
| Hive Mind by The Internet |
Top 100 Music Albums of 2018 similarity to your chart(s)
Not a member? Registering is quick, easy and FREE!
Why register?
Join a passionate community of over 50,000 music fans.- Create & share your own charts.
- Have your say in the overall rankings.
- Post comments in the forums and vote on polls.
- Comment on or rate any album, artist, track or chart.
- Discover new music & improve your music collection.
- Customise the overall chart using a variety of different filters & metrics.
- Create a wishlist of albums.
- Help maintain the BEA database.
- Earn member points and gain access to increasing levels of functionality!
- ... And lots more!
Register now - it only takes a moment!
Other year charts (from the 2010s) by babyBlueSedan
Top 100 Music Albums of 2019 by babyBlueSedan (2020)Top 100 Music Albums of 2017 by
babyBlueSedan (2020)Top 100 Music Albums of 2016 by
babyBlueSedan (2020)Top 100 Music Albums of 2015 by
babyBlueSedan (2020)Top 57 Music Albums of 2014 by
babyBlueSedan (2020)Top 30 Music Albums of 2013 by
babyBlueSedan (2020)Top 16 Music Albums of 2012 by
babyBlueSedan (2020)Top 17 Music Albums of 2011 by
babyBlueSedan (2020)Top 12 Music Albums of 2010 by
babyBlueSedan (2020)Top 100 Music Albums of 2018 ratings
91/100 (from 7 votes)
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
N.B. The average rating for this chart will not be reliable as it has been rated very few times.
Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 7 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
100/100  | 01/12/2021 11:19 |  Larcx13 | | 86/100 |
95/100 | 10/31/2020 10:26 | TheKing | | 90/100 |
100/100 | 02/21/2020 02:12 | DJENNY | | 100/100 |
 95/100 | 12/31/2018 04:21 | asyty7 | | 81/100 |
| 90/100 | 12/13/2018 10:30 |  Arthurknight | | 89/100 |
Please log in or register if you want to be able to leave a rating
Top 100 Music Albums of 2018 favourites
Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a favourite
Top 100 Music Albums of 2018 comments
Showing all 4 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Maximum Rated First |
Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)
95/100
From TheKing 10/31/2020 10:26
Mattdup took the words out of my mouth. I really enjoy reading your comments.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From asyty7 12/31/2018 04:22
Nice album diversity and personal insight into rankings.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
Mattdup279 12/08/2018 04:21
Mattdup279 12/08/2018 04:21
I could read your write-ups all day
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
travelful 09/05/2018 19:51
travelful 09/05/2018 19:51
Thanks for the Whitney Ballen rec...this shit is amazing.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a comment
Your feedback for Top 100 Music Albums of 2018
Let us know what you think of this chart by adding a comment or assigning a rating below!
If you enjoy our site, please consider supporting us by sparing a few seconds to disable your ad blocker.
A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.
A lot of hard work happens in the background to keep BEA running, and it's especially difficult to do this when we can't pay our hosting fees :(
We work very hard to ensure our site is as fast (and FREE!) as possible, and we respect your privacy.
| Member Levels | |
|---|---|
| HotZappsBoogaloo | Level 7 |
| TradeShark | Level 6 |
| baz1860 | Level 3 |
| ghmusicfan | Level 2 |
| Monosyllabic1979 | Level 2 |
| Tomaek6 | Level 2 |
| New levels achieved over the last 7 days. Well done to all :) | |