Home » Best Albums of 2018 + PLAYLIST
Reviews Year End Lists

Best Albums of 2018 + PLAYLIST

CEOby
Leave a Comment on Best Albums of 2018 + PLAYLIST
Top 104 ALBUMS of 2018 [scroll down for the Hip-Hop only list]
Album of the Year: Kali Uchis - Isolation
Album of the Year: Kali Uchis – Isolation Amidst this prolific, historic year for Rap releases, Kali Uchis’ 15 song; 46 minute Isolation LP, a proper debut, and a full gather and pivot from what looked like was going to be a trip and fall from Kali Uchis as the new R&B scene became crowded during her absences, stands TALL. Album of the Year 2018.👑 I sunk instantly into the album’s utopic, Vice City atmosphere. But the more I listened, the more I grew to appreciate Isolation‘s introspective, socio-political motif, like the politically-charged songwriting on track #5 “Your Teeth In My Neck” and the deep introspection on the “Gotta Get Up – Interlude“. The album’s lead single “Tyrant” is a serious Song of the Year 2019 contender and features fellow aforementioned R&B newcomer Jorja Smith – but the song is perfect even without her. This is the sound, the writing, the feel that I feared Kali Uchis wouldn’t be able to recapture post-2013. This is the sound direction I was hoping after Drunken Babble tape and the “Por Vida Youtube teasers”, and THEN SOME.

Top 106 Projects of 2018 (all genres) [scroll down for the Hip-Hop only list] (PLAYLIST)

  1. Kali Uchis – Isolation (Rinse/Virgin/UMG)👑
  2. Pusha T – DAYTONA (G.O.O.D Music)
  3. Phonte – No News Is Good News (Foreign Exchange Music)
  4. SiR – November (Top Dawg Entertainment)
  5. Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap (All Money In No Money Out Records/Atlantic)
  6. Lupe Fiasco – DROGAS WAVE (1st & 15)
  7. Richard Russell w/ Sampha – Everything is Recorded (XL Recordings)
  8. Eric Bellinger – Eazy Call (Your Favorite Song/Empire)
  9. Buddy – Harlan & Alondra (Cool Lil Company/RCA)
  10. Mac Miller – Swimming (REMember Music/Warner Bros)
  11. Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, & Alchemist – FETTI (Jet Life Recordings/ESGN/ALC)
  12. Roc Marciano .- Rosebudd’s Revenge 2: The Bitter Dose (Marci Enterprises)
  13. Masego – Lady Lady (EQT Recordings, LLC)
  14. Benny – Tana Talk 3 (Griselda Records)
  15. Tom Misch – Geography (Beyond the Groove 4)
  16. Beach House – Dive (Sub Pop)
  17. Curren$y & Harry Fraud – The Marina EP (Jet Life Recordings)
  18. Westside Gunn – Supreme Blientele (Griselda Records)
  19. Earl Sweatshirt – Some Rap Songs (Tan Cressida/Columbia)
  20. Khruangbin – Con todo el mundo (Night Time Stories)
  21. Royce Da 5’9″ – Book of Ryan (Heaven Studios/eOne)
  22. Amber Mark – Conexão EP (Virgin EMI)
  23. Jean Grae & Quelle Chris – Everything’s Fine (Mello Music Group)
  24. Khrysis & Elzhi – Jericho Jackson (Jamla Records)
  25. Jorja Smith – Lost & Found (FAMM)
  26. Open Mike Eagle – What Happens When I Try to Relax (Auto Reverse)
  27. Hermit and the Recluse – Orpheus vs the Sirens (Obol for Charon Records)
  28. Stalley – Tell the Truth: Shame the Devil vol. 3 (Blue Collar Gang)
  29. Jay Rock – Redemption (Top Dawg Entertainment)
  30. Black Thought & Salaam Remi – Streams of Thought, Vol. 2 (Passyunk Productions/Human Re Sources)
  31. Mick Jenkins – Pieces of a Man (Cinematic Music Group)
  32. Maxo Kream – Punken (TSO Music Group/Kream Cilcc)
  33. MIKE – renaissance man (Lex Records)
  34. Russ – Zoo (Columbia Records)
  35. Styles P – Dime Bag (Phantom Entertainment LLC/Empire)
  36. Playboi Carti – Die Lit (AWGE/Interscope)
  37. Bluestaeb – Everything is Always a Process (Jakarta)
  38. Curren$y – Fire in the Clouds (Jet Life Recordings)
  39. The Carters (Jay-Z & Beyonce) – Everything is Love (Roc Nation/Parkwood/Sony)
  40. J. Cole – KOD (Dreamville/Roc Nation)
  41. Sango – In The Comfort Of (Last Gang Records)
  42. Drake – Scorpion (Young Money/Cash Money/Republic)
  43. JPEGMAFIA – Veteran (Deathbomb Arc)
  44. Kids See Ghosts – KIDS SEE GHOSTS (G.O.O.D Music)
  45. City Girls – PERIOD (Quality Control)
  46. Kodak Black – Dying to Live (Atlantic Records)
  47. J.I.D – DiCaprio 2 (Dreamville)
  48. Saba – Care For Me (Saba Pivot, LLC)
  49. Roc Marciano – Behold A Dark Horse (Marci Enterprises)
  50. Kamasi Washington – Heaven & Earth (Young Turks)
  51. Meek Mill – Championships (MMG/Atlantic)
  52. Wiz Khalifa – Rolling Papers 2 (Taylor Gang/Atlantic)
  53. Mozzy – Spiritual Conversations (Mozzy Records/EMPIRE)
  54. Nicki Minaj – QUEEN (Young Money/Cash Money/Republic)
  55. NAO – Saturn (RCA)
  56. Smoke DZA – Not For Sale (Babygrande Records)
  57. Kodie Shane – Young Heartthrob (Epic Records)
  58. Anderson .Paak – Oxnard (Aftermath/OBE/12 Tone/ADA)
  59. Mozzy – Gangland Landlord (Mozzy Records/EMPIRE)
  60. Teyana Taylor – K.T.S.E. (G.O.O.D Music)
  61. Noname – Room 25 (No/Name)
  62. Black Thought – Streams of Thought, Vol. 1 (Human Re Sources)
  63. Evidence – Weather or Not (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
  64. DRAM – That’s A Girl’s Name (Atlantic/Empire)
  65. MIKE – Black Soap (Lex Records)
  66. Tory Lanez – Love Me Now? (Mad Love/Interscope)
  67. DJ Muggs & Roc Marciano – KAOS (Soul Assassins Records)
  68. KYLE – Light of Mine (Atlantic)
  69. Youngr – This Is Not An Album (Universal Island Records)
  70. Drake – Scary Hours EP (Young Money/Cash Money/Republic)
  71. Planet Asia – The Golden Buddha (Brick Records)
  72. Yazmin Lacey – When The Sun Dips 90 Degrees (First World Records)
  73. Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer (Bad Boy/Wondaland/Atlantic)
  74. Phony Ppl – mō-zā-ik (300 Entertainment)
  75. Black Panther Soundtrack (Interscope)
  76. Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy (Atlantic)
  77. Reason – There You Have It (Top Dawg Ent)
  78. Black Milk – FEVER (Mass Appeal)
  79. Vince Staples – FM! (Def Jam) 
  80. Nef the Pharaoh – The Big Chang Theory (KILFMB/Sick Wid It/Empire)
  81. Stalley – Tell the Truth: Shame the Devil vol. 2 (Blue Collar Gang)
  82. Vic Mensa – HOOLIGANS (Roc Nation)
  83. Nas – NASIR (Mass Appeal/Def Jam)
  84. Bas – Milky Way (Dreamville/Interscope/The Fiends)
  85. Ghostface Killah & Apollo Brown – The Brown Tape (Mello Music Group)
  86. Sudan Archives – Sink (Stones Throw)
  87. The Neighborhood – To Imagine EP (Columbia)
  88. Saint JHN – Collection One (Godd Complexx/HITCO)
  89. EDEN – vertigo (Capitol Records)
  90. Mike Shinoda – Post Traumatic EP (Machine Shop/Warner Bros)
  91. Dave East – Paranoia 2 (P2) (Def Jam)
  92. MGMT – Little Dark Age (Columbia)
  93. Kilo Kish – mothe EP (Human Re Sources)
  94. Big Twins – Grimey Life (Drumset Music Works)
  95. Rob $tone – Young Rob $tone (Grove Town Records)
  96. Don Broco – Technology (Nuclear Blast)
  97. Junglepussy – JP3 (Junglepussy)
  98. Dom Kennedy – Volume 2 (LA Is Not For Sale) (The Other Peoples Money Company)
  99. Future – BEASTMODE2 (Freebandz/Epic Records)
  100. Dizzy Wright – Don’t Tell Me It Can’t Be Done (Dizzy Wright / EMPIRE)
  101. Princess Nokia – A Girl Cried Red (Rough Trade Records)
  102. Car Seat Headrest – Twin Fantasy (self-released)
  103. Chief Keef – Mansion Musick (Glory Boyz Entertainment, RBC Records)
  104. Young Dolph – Niggas Get Shot Everyday (Paper Route Entertainment)
  105. A Boogie wit da Hoodie – International Artist (Highbridge the Label/Atlantic)
  106. AWOLNATION – Here Come The Runts (Red Bull Records)

Hip-Hop only list:

Pusha T DAYTONA Album of the year 2018 top5rapwebsite.com #TOP5RAPWEBSITE
I didn’t want to be cliché by putting DAYTONA as my #1 Hip-Hop AOTY like many others did when there are so many other amazing Hip-Hop releases from this year…but I can’t even front, this is my most replayed album of 2018. At 7 succinct songs, DAYTONA has quickly turned into the album that I play when I want to rap songs that I know LOUDLY. “If You Know You Know” is arguably Intro of the Year, and “Infrared” will go down as one of the most memorable diss records of this generation. 2018 was a huge W for Pusha T, becoming the first rapper to hand megastar Drake an L on wax with his “Infrared” and “The Story Of Adidon” diss records. DAYTONA is icing on an amazing 2018 for veteran, Pusha T.
  1. Pusha T – DAYTONA (G.O.O.D Music)👑
  2. Phonte – No News Is Good News (Foreign Exchange Music)
  3. Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap (All Money In No Money Out Records/Atlantic)
  4. Lupe Fiasco – DROGAS WAVE (1st & 15)
  5. Buddy – Harlan & Alondra (Cool Lil Company/RCA)
  6. Mac Miller – Swimming (REMember Music/Warner Bros)
  7. Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, & Alchemist – FETTI (Jet Life Recordings/ESGN/ALC)
  8. Roc Marciano .- Rosebudd’s Revenge 2: The Bitter Dose (Marci Enterprises)
  9. Benny – Tana Talk 3 (Griselda Records)
  10. Curren$y & Harry Fraud – The Marina EP (Jet Life Recordings)
  11. Westside Gunn – Supreme Blientele (Griselda Records)
  12. Earl Sweatshirt – Some Rap Songs (Tan Cressida/Columbia)
  13. Royce Da 5’9″ – Book of Ryan (Heaven Studios/eOne)
  14. Jean Grae & Quelle Chris – Everything’s Fine (Mello Music Group)
  15. Khrysis & Elzhi – Jericho Jackson (Jamla Records)
  16. Open Mike Eagle – What Happens When I Try to Relax (Auto Reverse)
  17. Hermit and the Recluse – Orpheus vs the Sirens (Obol for Charon Records)
  18. Stalley – Tell the Truth: Shame the Devil vol. 3 (Blue Collar Gang)
  19. Jay Rock – Redemption (Top Dawg Entertainment)
  20. Black Thought & Salaam Remi – Streams of Thought, Vol. 2 (Passyunk Productions/Human Re Sources)
  21. Mick Jenkins – Pieces of a Man (Cinematic Music Group)
  22. Maxo Kream – Punken (TSO Music Group/Kream Cilcc)
  23. MIKE – renaissance man (Lex Records)
  24. Russ – Zoo (Columbia Records)
  25. Styles P – Dime Bag (Phantom Entertainment LLC/Empire)
  26. Playboi Carti – Die Lit (AWGE/Interscope)
  27. Curren$y – Fire in the Clouds (Jet Life Recordings)
  28. The Carters (Jay-Z & Beyonce) – Everything is Love (Roc Nation/Parkwood/Sony)
  29. J. Cole – KOD (Dreamville/Roc Nation)
  30. Drake – Scorpion (Young Money/Cash Money/Republic)
  31. JPEGMAFIA – Veteran (Deathbomb Arc)
  32. Kids See Ghosts – KIDS SEE GHOSTS (G.O.O.D Music)
  33. City Girls – PERIOD (Quality Control)
  34. Kodak Black – Dying to Live (Atlantic Records)
  35. J.I.D – DiCaprio 2 (Dreamville)
  36. Saba – Care For Me (Saba Pivot, LLC)
  37. Roc Marciano – Behold A Dark Horse (Marci Enterprises)
  38. Meek Mill – Championships (MMG/Atlantic)
  39. Wiz Khalifa – Rolling Papers 2 (Taylor Gang/Atlantic)
  40. Mozzy – Spiritual Conversations (Mozzy Records/EMPIRE)
  41. Nicki Minaj – QUEEN (Young Money/Cash Money/Republic)
  42. Smoke DZA – Not For Sale (Babygrande Records)
  43. Kodie Shane – Young Heartthrob (Epic Records)
  44. Mozzy – Gangland Landlord (Mozzy Records/EMPIRE)
  45. Noname – Room 25 (No/Name)
  46. Alchemist – Bread EP (ALC)
  47. Black Thought – Streams of Thought, Vol. 1 (Human Re Sources)
  48. Evidence – Weather or Not (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
  49. MIKE – Black Soap (Lex Records)
  50. Tory Lanez – Love Me Now? (Mad Love/Interscope)
  51. DJ Muggs & Roc Marciano – KAOS (Soul Assassins Records)
  52. KYLE – Light of Mine (Atlantic)
  53. Drake – Scary Hours EP (Young Money/Cash Money/Republic)
  54. Planet Asia – The Golden Buddha (Brick Records)
  55. Black Panther Soundtrack (Interscope)
  56. Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy (Atlantic)
  57. Reason – There You Have It (Top Dawg Ent)
  58. Vince Staples – FM! (Def Jam) 
  59. Nef the Pharaoh – The Big Chang Theory (KILFMB/Sick Wid It/Empire)
  60. Stalley – Tell the Truth: Shame the Devil vol. 2 (Blue Collar Gang)
  61. Vic Mensa – HOOLIGANS (Roc Nation)
  62. Nas – NASIR (Mass Appeal/Def Jam)
  63. Bas – Milky Way (Dreamville/Interscope/The Fiends)
  64. Ghostface Killah & Apollo Brown – The Brown Tape (Mello Music Group)
  65. Saint JHN – Collection One (Godd Complexx/HITCO)
  66. Dave East – Paranoia 2 (P2) (Def Jam)
  67. Big Twins – Grimey Life (Drumset Music Works)
  68. Rob $tone – Young Rob $tone (Grove Town Records)
  69. Junglepussy – JP3 (Junglepussy)
  70. Dom Kennedy – Volume 2 (LA Is Not For Sale) (The Other Peoples Money Company)
  71. Future – BEASTMODE2 (Freebandz/Epic Records)
  72. Dizzy Wright – Don’t Tell Me It Can’t Be Done (Dizzy Wright / EMPIRE)
  73. Princess Nokia – A Girl Cried Red (Rough Trade Records)
  74. Chief Keef – Mansion Musick (Glory Boyz Entertainment, RBC Records)
  75. Young Dolph – Niggas Get Shot Everyday (Paper Route Entertainment)
  76. A Boogie wit da Hoodie – International Artist (Highbridge the Label/Atlantic)

Other:

Album of the Year 2018: Kali Uchis – Isolation article + review

Best Songs of 2018 Playlist – 436 songs 26 hours of music. Play this on SHUFFLE

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: