The 70 Best Albums of 2018
From forward-looking electronic and experimental to new approaches in the ever-evolving R&B scene, from hip-hop and punk to rock and pop, 2018 bestowed an embarrassment of musical riches upon us. READ MORE
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The 60 Best Songs of 2018
The year in song reflected the state of the world around us. Here are the 60 songs that spoke to us this year. READ MORE
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The 21 Best Album Re-Issues of 2018
In 2018, the music world saw amazing reissues spanning rock titans to indie upstarts and electronic to pop of all stripes. READ MORE
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The 30 Best New Musical Artists of 2018
These are the best new artists of 2018 and they spring from all across the musical spectrum. READ MORE
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The 25 Best Electronic Albums of 2018
Electronic music is one of the broadest-reaching genres by design, and 2018 highlights that as well as any other year on record. These are the 25 best albums. READ MORE
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The 20 Best Avant-Garde and Experimental Albums of 2018
This is no scene or collective. These artists have reached their limit in all directions, back into traditions and forward into uncertain futures. 2018 presented challenges for all of us, and our artists presented challenges right back. READ MORE
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The 20 Best Americana Albums of 2018
The rootsy releases of 2018 prove that Americana is (and always has been) experiencing a Rainbow Wave. READ MORE
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The 10 Best Indie Rock Albums of 2018
Indie rock represents a spirit that’s found where folk songsters and punk rockers come together to dialogue about what they’re fed up with in mainstream culture. READ MORE
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The 12 Best Dance Tracks of 2018
From the raw, dance-punk rush of ADULT. to the stadium-sized anthems of Rüfüs du Sol, here are some of the endlessly addictive dance tracks of the year. READ MORE
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The 10 Best Country Albums of 2018
As our 2018 list demonstrates, women continue to make some of today’s most spectacular country music, regardless of what gets played on the radio. READ MORE
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THE 10 BEST AMBIENT/INSTRUMENTAL ALBUMS OF 2018
A great ambient album can provide a space to step into, or make the trees on your morning walk seem a little taller and the light a little more vivid or the world seem a little more like a dream. READ MORE
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The 10 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2018
From Kanye tweets to Drake and Pusha T diss tracks to literary masterpiece “This Is America”, 2018 was quite the year for rap. But if we had to boil it all down to just 10 albums, we think these are the cuts that truly rose above and summed up 2018 the best. READ MORE
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The Best Shoegaze and Dream Pop of 2018
Significant shoegaze storylines came around full circle last year, and in 2018 the plot thickened. Meanwhile, the chilling effects of dream pop continue to reverberate across other musical spheres. READ MORE
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The Best Jazz of 2018
The definition of “jazz” has never been broader, and the music has never been brighter. Two PopMatters critics pick their favorites in four modern jazz categories. READ MORE
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The Best Pop Albums of 2018
In a year when we wanted the radio star to have an opinion on the political divide, leave it to these ten exemplary pop records to slip in — largely unnoticed — and leave a lasting legacy all their own. READ MORE
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THE BEST INDIE POP OF 2018
What’s here, on our 13th annual attempt to showcase and define indie pop, through celebration and exclusion, are brand-new acts, fairly new acts, and a longtime favorite or two. READ MORE
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THE BEST METAL OF 2018
Amidst all the global socio-political unrest and the personal trials of 2018, metal has had a noticeably strong and positive year. READ MORE
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THE BEST PROGRESSIVE ROCK/METAL OF 2018
This year provided introspective appreciation for creators and listeners alike for the sights and sounds of progressive music, as well as the more universal yet personal hardships and growths we all face. READ MORE
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THE BEST WORLD MUSIC OF 2018
Here they are, soft-spoken and hard-edged alike: a rich slice of some of this year’s best musical offerings from across a wide and increasingly well-connected world. READ MORE
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THE 20 BEST FOLK ALBUMS OF 2018
Folk music in 2018 has kept the poignant storytelling elements so intimately knit into its fabric while introducing layers of new sonic and global influences. READ MORE
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THE 50 BEST ALBUMS OF 2018 SO FAR
As we head into a brief summer publication break to enjoy the summer sun for a few days, it’s the perfect time to take stock of the year in music so far. READ MORE
This is the hub for all of PopMatters’ Best Music 2018 features this year. Check back each weekday for new additions through to the holidays.
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