2018 has been nothing short of spectacular when it comes to amazing new music. Tons of artists stepped up and brought us tracks and albums that really popped. The pop charts saw a refreshing influx of R&B, hip-hop and Latin-inspired hits from veterans and new artists alike. Check out these 10 artists that truly changed the game in 2018.
10. Panic! at the Disco
Panic! At the Disco has definitely had a steady build-up of a career. Their radio hit album Pray for the Wicked came as the perfect successor to Death of a Bachelor. Brendon Urie did not disappoint with his incredibly powerful voice. Urie never fails to improve his sound and come out with something fresh that everyone can love.
9. Drake
What can we say? Drake killed it this year. Scorpion brought about the anthem that is Godās Plan and the viral hit āIn My Feelings.ā The rapper dominated streaming, radio and the charts all year and solidified his place as a household name.
#8 Anderson .Paak
This year, Anderson .Paak released his latest album Oxnard. A feature filled with adventure, it showcases his refreshing take on hip-hop and adds to the storm of great hip-hop weāve seen hitting the mainstream in 2018. Not only did Oxnard take No.11 on the Billboard 200, .Paak performed on Saturday Night Live and collaborated with huge artists like Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole and Dr.Dre.
7. Camila Cabello
2018 was the year of Latin-inspired pop hits, and Camila Cabello definitely delivered on those. āHavanaā was the track stuck in everyoneās head in the middle of 2018, and it continues to be a bop. The track hit one billion streams this year, too! Now Grammy nominated, Cabello continues to rise to the top and bring us those pop tracks we can’t stop dancing to.
6. Ella Mai
Ella Mai came to center stage this year with her chart-topping āBooād Upā. The British singer/songwriter brought her R&B vibes to the forefront. Touring with Bruno Mars and performing on Saturday Night Live, Mai had a busy yearānot to mention her second chart hit āTrip.ā We canāt wait to hear more from Ella Mai and try to catch her on her almost sold out debut tour this year.
5. Travis Scott
Releasing not one, but two, full-length albums this year, Travis Scott truly brought everything he has to the table. With hundreds of millions of Spotify streams, itās safe to say Scott has had a pretty good year. The Astroworld Tour alone is enough to turn heads. With a full-blown roller coaster on stage to tons of guest appearances, Travis Scott really came through in 2018.
4. Cardi B
Oh, man, do we ālike it like that.ā Cardi B was on fire this year! From her own singles to hot features, Cardi B brought her talents and eccentric personality to the top of the hip-hop and pop worlds. She wasnāt afraid to experiment and blend tons of styles together, and it certainly paid off.
3. BTS
BTS may have had some of the greatest success of 2018. The South Korean group has a mega grocery list of accomplishments in the mainstream music world and canāt stop delivering great music to their dedicated fan army. Their single āFake Loveā became the highest-ever ranked single from a Korean group in the U.S. taking a spot in the Top 10 in May. The group wrapped up the year as the readers’ pick for Time‘s person of the year.
2. Post Malone
From Soundcloud to chart-topper, we think itās safe to say Post Malone has found a way into everyoneās heart last year. Both of his albums made it into Billboardās top 10 albums of the year. Posty showed us all his lovable personality in interviews and his one of a kind Croc collaborations. The 23-year-old rapper brought everything he had to the top and looks like thereās not stopping him.
1. Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande had a whirlwind year. From dealing with the ups and downs of relationships to the serious grief of losing loved ones, she was still able to come out with the most popular music of the year. Ariana has taken this year to create songs that blew away streaming stats, and she created a viral phenomenon with her incredible music video for āThank U, Next.ā Not only is Grande extremely talented, but she is also a powerful woman in the industry, giving women everywhere someone to look up to. She ended out the year with being named Billboardās Woman of the Year, and we think she will continue to kill it in 2019 as she heads on tour and headlines Coachella.
Who do you think changed the game in 2018? Let us know in the comments or tweet us @soundigest!
Featured Image: Instagram (@arianagrande)
