Sirius XM Hits 1 Weekend Countdown: A 2018 Year-End Special

2018, similar to years past, has been a pretty average year for music. There was the average crappy hip-hop/rap scene that we are used to seeing nowadays; with countless poorly executed tracks. There were also songs apart from that scene and genre that were equally as bad. However, with all the bad, there was a great amount of good to meet it. This year we had songs that were full of emotion. We had guilty pleasures. We had songs that were full of energy. We had songs that had beautiful messages. We had stupid songs that were undeniably catchy. But, in the end...we just had some good music. The list that you are about to witness is composed of my personal favorite forty five songs of the year. But, there are some rules that outlined eligibility for this list. We will go over those rules right now.

1. The only songs that are eligible for this list are the songs that spent at least one week on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown in 2018. Any song that was on another Hits 1 show and did not appear on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown is not eligible for this list.

2. No song that I listed on a previous year's list is eligible for this list. I like to keep my list of top 45 songs fresh each year--just like the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown does every week. I think I made some pretty good choices last year, so I don't regret putting this regulation in place.

3. Any song that debuted on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown after the date of December 8, 2018 are unfortunately not eligible for this year's list. The final songs that were eligible for this year's list are as follows.

Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next
David Guetta & Anne-Marie - Don't Leave Me Alone
Lauv/Julia Michaels - There's No Way
Little Mix/Nicki Minaj - Woman Like Me

The songs that debuted after the cutoff date and are not eligible for this year's list are as follows. However, these songs will be looked at first for consideration for my Top 45 Songs Of 2019.

Ava Max - Sweet But Psycho
Ellie Goulding & Diplo - Close To Me
James Arthur - Empty Space
Lauren Jauregui - Expectations
Mark Ronson/Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
Olly Murs - Moves
Steve Aoki/BTS - Waste It On Me
Twenty One Pilots - Chlorine

With these guidelines out of the way, I would like to go though a list of songs that almost made the cut for this year's list. But, unfortunately they had to be left off.

Alec Benjamin - Let Me Down Slowly
Alessia Cara - Growing Pains
Alex Aiono - Big Mistake
Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next
Bad Wolves - Zombie
Drake - In My Feelings
G-Eazy & Halsey - Him & I
Keala Settle - This Is Me
Kesha/The Dap-Kings Horns - Woman
Lady Gaga - I'll Never Love Again
Lauv/Julia Michaels - There's No Way
Little Mix/Nicki Minaj - Woman Like Me
Macklemore/Kesha - Good Old Days
Niall Horan - Too Much To Ask
Panic! At The Disco - Hey Look Ma, I Made It
Portugal. The Man - Live In The Moment
Post Malone & Swae Lee - Sunflower
Post Malone/Ty Dolla $ign - Psycho
Sam Smith/Logic - Pray
Shawn Mendes - Nervous
Sugarland/Taylor Swift - Babe
The Weeknd & Kendrick Lamar - Pray For Me
U2/Cheat Codes - Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
Walk The Moon - Kamikaze
Walk The Moon - One Foot

With this list, I am hopeful that I am able to rank a few of these songs in 2019. There are several good tracks in this jumble, and a good number of them are still on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown--meaning that they can be ranked next year.

Anyways, let's flashback to last year's list before we get started. The following are my top 5 picks from 2017.

5. Portugal The Man - Feel It Still
4. Camila Cabello - Havana
3. Kygo & Selena Gomez - It Ain't Me
2. Julia Michaels - Issues
1. Kesha - Praying

I think that I have gone over everything at this point. I am ready to share with you my Top 45 Songs of 2018. This was a hard list to put in order, but I was able to do it. These are my favorites of the year. That being said, these are also my opinions. There is no need to argue with me over the songs that I decided to place on this list. There has been a lot of argument over opinions lately, and I do not want that with this post, respectfully. With that, let's get started.

45. Silk City & Dua Lipa - Electricity

This song gives me so many good feelings, and I am instantly in a better mood every time that it comes on. Another component that I loved from this song was the throwback-type vibe. The production that both Mark Ronson and Diplo bring to this track has a nice and bright feel, but it also feels like it is something out of a 90's dance track. It is infectious with its crazy groove and I always find myself singing along. In all, I can just feel the "electricity" in this track, and Dua Lipa's soulful and energetic vocals really just add to my immense gravitation towards this unique track.

44. Charlie Puth/Kehlani - Done For Me

Charlie Puth has really evolved as an artist, and has separated from his older--and frankly, more boring sounds that we heard on songs like One Call Away and We Don't Talk Anymore. Going into this song, I was unsure how it would go, considering Kehlani was the feature. I just thought that was unique. However, I let my liking towards his previous singles on Voicenotes, such as Attention and How Long, to influence me into liking this song. I wasn't a huge fan at first, but this one grew on me immensely. My favorite thing about this one is the blending of both artist's vocals towards the end of the song. I always think that it sounds great. That's something small, though. The beat is also very nice on this track, and it gets me into a very nice groove. Although this one led into the less than appealing The Way I Am, I am hopeful that we hear more songs like Done For Me from Charlie Puth in the near future.

43. X Ambassadors - Ahead Of Myself

We didn't hear much from X Ambassadors after Renegades from a few years ago, which I wasn't a huge fan of at all. I just thought it was kind of boring and lacking of important qualities. However, Ahead Of Myself was the complete opposite. I love this one. The heavy drums in this song is my favorite part of this track. It always gets me into some kind of mood, an uplifting and beautiful mood. To match those tremendous instrumentals, there is a mass of catchy lyrical content to back it. Not to mention, the vocals here are very, very good. I can feel the emotion in this one, and the derivation of those catchy lyrics. Though it is not as good as the deeply emotional and revealing Unsteady, Ahead Of Myself still has its charms, do doubt. I cannot what to hear what X Ambassadors has to give us next, seeing what this one brought.

42. Bebe Rexha - I'm A Mess

Bebe Rexha has had a pretty slow rise to stardom. I feel as if she has been recognized as a "new artist" on every awards show for about four years now. Now that Meant To Be, a song recorded with Florida Georgia Line has had an immense takeoff, I doubt that her impression will go unnoticed from here on out. Personally, I liked some of her older tracks a lot--but they never really got that big. I was kind of expecting this one to do the same, but it didn't. I'm A Mess has a very nice production, and that is my favorite part about this one. The electric guitar and the drums add a nice flare to this one, and they pair very exquisitely with the vocals we are served here. Bebe Rexha's always sound pretty much the same, but this time there was more. There was a certain tone, and I felt that Bebe was really grasping at something deeper and different here. In the end, this one was very enjoyable all-around and I always could listen to it whenever I had a bit of a hopeless feeling this year.

41. Imagine Dragons - Natural

The music that we have been getting from Imagine Dragons after Night Visions has not been superb. Their older songs like It's Time, Radioactive, and Demons are the ones that I still find myself going back to from time to time. This, in my opinion, is the best song off of Origins, their newest album. Speaking on the album's behalf, there is a lot better quality here than there was on their 2017 album Evolve. Though I am not a huge fan of Natural anymore, due to how much every radio station is overplaying it--I am sure it will be hard for me not to circle back around to it in the future. This may have very well been their most successful song, if it were not for Radioactive. Similar to Radioactive, Natural has this "natural" energy and force that is able to draw you in every time you take a listen. This one has a lot of rhythm and instrumentals--and the vocals that we hear--from Dan Reynolds, are absolutely noteworthy. I hope that we can hear more like this from them in the future, just not to the point where it becomes done to death, but...yeah.

40. Louis Tomlinson - Miss You

This is the follow up to a song that made into my Top 45 Songs of 2017, Back To You. I was a huge fan of that one. Although this one is not nearly as good as its predecessor, it still has a lot to offer. Out of every One Direction memeber that has gone solo with their work, Louis has produced the best solo tracks in my opinion. Harry Styles is a close second, but their is something that usually gravitates me to Louis's music more than the others. Miss You has nice production and solid lyrics. It is pretty simple, but all the components to this track work together in perfect harmony. It has some nice rock-infusions throughout its course, which I found unique and pleasant to listen to. He definitely departs from the whole "boy band" sound with this one. It is definitely more of a breakthrough than Back To You. But, while Back To You is the song I prefer, this is something good--a touch of promise. I would love to hear more songs like this in the future.

39. Post Malone - Better Now

This is the track that truly showed me that Post Malone is talented. He usually decides to waste his talent on some shitty rapping, though. Better Now breaks into the deeper emotions that Post Malone seems to convey, while still shaping up to be a roaring crowd-pleaser. I would have thought that this one wouldn't have been as successful as tracks like Congratulations and Rockstar--seeing as this one is more pop than anything. However, that wasn't the case, and I am frankly glad, because this is the best that we have heard from Post Malone. The vocals that we are served are far from displeasing. The production does the song well. It's not the best thing ever, of course, but it is undeniably enjoyable and makes you want to dance all of your cares away. The only problem that I see with this song is the repetitiveness, but I was able to look past it on this track, more so than I have on other tracks in the past. I must have been so in shock over the fact that Post Malone isn't just another average rapper with mediocre and offensive music. He does have potential.

38. Kim Petras - Heart To Break

The first time that I heard Kim Petras's voice was on the seriously catchy and underrated Unlock It, which was with Charli XCX and Jay Park. I remember thinking how talented I thought that she was. But, I didn't really hear anything else from her until this song--Heart To Break made its way onto Hits 1 this year. This song is simple, and takes any listener back to the days of bright and sweet bubblegum pop. There are some synth undertones in this song, which I find very attracting. It brings something different to the table, which I always like to see. Like I said before, this song is reminiscent of 70's and 80's pop diva music, with newer sequences and sounds implemented. Like those bubblegum tracks, Heart To Break serves lyrics that tell the story of a risky love, but one that also leaves you with all of those wonderful butterflies. Kim Petras sounds truly fantastic on this track. This song truly has set me up to be a fan of Petras, and whatever he brings us next I will definitely be prone to taking a listen to.

37. Panic! At The Disco - Say Amen (Saturday Night)

Contrary to what everyone may think, I do like this song. I always have. However there is always a pattern that I seem to have when a Panic! At The Disco song is released on Hits 1. I usually have it in green towards the beginning of its countdown run, and by the end, it has placed itself in red. This is exactly what happened to Say Amen (Saturday Night). I am hoping to get back into this one, and I have been lately, as Hits 1 has been playing it much less than it had been in previous months. While this is not the best we have heard from Panic! At The Disco, it is still thoroughly enjoyable. There is an infectious energy on this track, and that is why I like it. The chorus is contagious and Brendon Urie sounds great, which is very predictable. He has a very nice falsetto on this track, as well. He has a very nice vocal range--in fact, one of the finest that we have from a male artist nowadays. I am glad that Panic! At The Disco has garnered more recognition in recent years and gone more mainstream. They deserve all of the success that they have been getting, well the one member they still have--at least.

36. Bruno Mars/Cardi B - Finesse

Considering the quality of music that was presented to us by Bruno Mars on his most recent album, 24K Magic, I was pretty hesitant going into Finesse--seeing as the original was slightly lacking. Cardi B was what Finesse was lacking, and she made the track a lot more pleasurable to listen to. She has swagger and brings a nice verse to the table on this track. I tip my hat to both artists with keeping this song under a unique 90's production and sound--both lyrically and vocally. This was, by far, my favorite single off of 24K Magic--an album that I was very disappointed with as a whole. I am very glad that this one was as successful as the previous singles that we heard off of the same album, because everything just works in perfect harmony here. This song is just cool, and brings a lot of charm. There is a lot to live up to here, and I hope that whatever Bruno Mars can bring us next is much better than the music from this era as a whole, with the exception of Finesse. I hope that songs like 24K Magic and That's What I Like were just explorations in artistic decisions; and are not something that he is going to stick with.

35. Bryce Vine - Drew Barrymore

I like this song. Many people that I have come across are pretty indifferent on this song, though. I felt like it gave me a pretty good impression on Bryce Vine, regardless of the opinions of others. Drew Barrymore is a mysterious and very unique track. Bryce Vine, like the track as a very unique and mysterious voice to pair with it. While this song is supposed to be about appreciating women, it is pretty far from it. So, that part I do not like about this song. It really only speaks on how alluring and inciting a woman's body is, comparing it to that of Drew Barrymore throughout the song--but does not focus on any other important attributes that any other woman conveys. All set aside, I like this song for what it has to offer. The production and the vocals are unique, even if the lyrical content and message is not extremely promising. I guess you could say this is a guilty pleasure.

34. Foster The People - Sit Next To Me

At first, my opinion was kind of in and out with Sit Next To Me. After one listen, I was fan...and after another, I wasn't. But now, I am a really big fan of this song. I hadn't really heard a lot from Foster The People before Sit Next To Me since 2011, when they released the very good track (and hit) Pumped Up Kicks. I still go back to that one to this day. But, ever since then, they really haven't had a huge impression on radio. With Sit Next To Me, I knew it was destined to become something, regardless of my opinion on the song. Mark Foster provides very nice and strong vocals on this track, which is something he didn't really do on some of their older work. I do appreciate this aspect of the song. The production on this one is pretty light and basic, but it works well in conjunction with the rest of the song. While this one didn't get super big aside from Hits 1, it still was impressionable enough to gain Foster The People a good amount of fans. Personally, I am more of a fan of Pumped Up Kicks, but this one is still very good. I would love to hear more from this band in the future, and hopefully they get another hit in the future as well.

33. Eminem/Ed Sheeran - River

I forgot about this song until just a little while ago. It has been around for a while, though...so I guess it can't blame myself. I do believe it was one of the last songs to be eligible in 2017. I remember myself being mad that I couldn't include it last year, because I was a big fan. This year, I lost a little interest in River, obviously...but I still decided to pay it homage on this year's list--it is a pretty good song. Revival brought some good tracks for Eminem, and this was one of them. There are great verses, with an even better sounding chorus from Ed Sheeran. These two do work very well as a pair. Sonically, it is very pleasing and it has a nice production all around. That's about all that I have to say about it.

32. Panic! At The Disco - High Hopes

Similar to Say Amen (Saturday Night), Hits 1 killed High Hopes...but that does not mean that I didn't find myself jamming out to this song all summer long. I still may come back to it in the future, but right now, I am a little sick of it. I like the upbeat vibe this song brings and it is very powerful and incredible strong on all fronts. This song has tremendous instrumentals given those roaring trumpets. You don't really see that all that often, but we see it here which is nice. Brendon Urie sounds great, just as I had expected. The vocal content in this song isn't as great as Say Amen (Saturday Night), but it is still admirable. This has become Panic! At The Disco's biggest hit, despite the release of past gems like I Write Sins Not Tragedies and Nine In The Afternoon. My hope is that there can be more songs released by Panic! At The Disco in the future that become as big as this one. It is firing on all cylinders, and this is what I like to hear from them...so long as Hits 1 doesn't keep destroying my relationships with their songs.

31. Halsey - Alone

I have been a pretty big supporter of Halsey's music for a while now. Badlands brought some pretty memorable tracks. I am a really big fan of songs like New Americana, Colors, and Castle. Alone is probably the best single off of hopeless fountain kingdom. I am sad that Hits 1 decided not to include Big Sean and Stefflon Don. They incorporated a lot into the song. It samples Jaheim's song Could It Be from a while back, which introduces a pretty cool sensation into the track. I dig it. Halsey opts for a more R&B sound on this track, which is a bit different than what we usually hear from her--but it matches the supplements of Big Sean and Stefflon Don perfectly. Everything here is nice. The rest of the track has a laid-back, almost tropical-tinged beat, which also makes for a nice addition, given the vocals that we are provided. All in all, this one adds up quite exquisitely.

30. Bazzi - Mine

I was definitely not a fan of this song at first, but clearly I am now because it did make it onto this list. Shocking, right? No, I think Bazzi has some promise. He's not bad. Mine was the song that put him on the map. He has a nice, simple voice, and I appreciate that on this song. I used to just listen to this one and think "wow, this is terrible", but one day I was just listening to it and found myself singing along. Mine has some corny love lyrics, no doubt--but it is still enjoyable from start to finish, even if it is only two minutes long. I would have never expected it to jump into the Hits 1 waters, but I guess they couldn't this one go off silently.

29. Sabrina Carpenter - Almost Love

I am so glad that Sabrina Carpenter was able to finally depart from her maintenance of her image on her younger audience. That is the one thing that I dislike about former Disney stars. It takes them so long to evolve into a more mature sound, even after they are done with the company. Almost Love definitely indicates a shift from that sweet and soft pop that Sabrina Carpenter used to release. Although those songs were fun, this is truly more mature and better-sounding for Sabrina. If you haven't listened to Singular: Act 1 yet, I highly recommend that you do. Every track in that body of work is divine. This is all that it is expected to be. It is an enjoyable pop song with solid production backing it up. I like how Sabrina was able to switch from sweet to sensual with her vocals at different points of the song. That was unique, and I like unique. I cannot wait to see what she brings next.

28. Fall Out Boy - The Last Of The Real Ones

The Last Of The Real Ones may very well be the sole good song off of
M A N I A. That album, as a whole, was absolute trash. I understand that Fall Out Boy was going for a new and revised sound, but the electronic-tinged rock that they brought was not very appealing to me. This one, however, just worked. I guess it was just the saving grace of the album. The piano is a nice addition to the song, and the rest of the production is marvelous. Patrick Stump also provides a nice set of vocals to match the outstanding production of the song. Like many other songs on this list, this one is also very powerful and aggressive. This is the sound that I like to hear from Fall Out Boy. This song, when it comes down to it, is just fun...and it has become one of my favorite songs from this band over the course of this past year.

27. Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me

Demi Lovato has been one of my favorite pop artists. It was an absolute shame what happened to her this year, and I hope that she is on the road to recovery. That was tragic, and I was in awe when I heard the news. Tell Me You Love Me was one of the last songs that she released, aside from her incredibly truthful and revealing track, Sober. There really hasn't been a dull moment when it came to Demi's singles. I have liked all of them. Some were better than others, of course. She is just an unbelievably talented vocalist. It definitely shows on this song. Tell Me You Love Me opens powerfully, and ends powerfully, with those amazing sounding brass instrumentals. She sounds saintly, yet still aggressive. The lyrics are very nice here too. All in all, this one just rounds it out. It is also easily the best song off of Tell Me You Love Me, her latest album, for sure.


26. Shawn Mendes & Zedd - Lost In Japan

This song really wasn't drastically changed given the remix with Zedd, but it was changed enough to allow some of Shawn Mendes's vocals to be cut out or submerged in autotune. Nervertheless, the remix of Lost In Japan is just as enjoyable as the original. It still has its charms. While the autotuned vocals are a bit annoying at parts, there are nice effects with them at other parts--which was a wise move in terms of production. Even though it is now electronically tinged, it still keeps the same soulful tones as the original track does within the verses. Another plus. We haven't heard anything nearly this good from Zedd in a long while, given his release of both The Middle and Happy Now earlier this year. Zedd adds a nice drop too, which we haven't heard from him in a while. I am happy that this one was released as a single, despite its minimal success. The original is one of my favorite songs from the self-titled album that Shawn Mendes released earlier this year, along with the incredibly breezy and chill track, Why and the nicely executed Nervous. I just wish that it had more traction on the charts, but good songs just get underrated sometimes.

25. lovelytheband - Broken

I have liked this song from the first listen. I just thought it was another unique and virtually unknown song that Hits 1 picked up on, as it usually does. But, it was so much more. Broken actually became a pretty big hit this year across many radio stations and charts. At this point, I am a little annoyed with it because of how much it has been played, but I still have a liking for it. lovelytheband is different from traditional alternative artists, and Broken was just a fun track in all. They are very similar to bands like X Ambassadors and Foster The People, which I also happen to have a liking for. The vocals on this track are undeniably catchy. The lyrics are interesting, but pretty cool. They flow nicely throughout the length of the song. The beat is also fun and different, especially when it comes in after the chorus. This is just a good song to jam out to, or even dance to for that matter. I don't know if I will be a fan of this song forever, but I definitely like it for what it is--and interesting and fresh alternative song.

24. Lauv - I Like Me Better

This may have been one of the biggest pop songs of the year. I would have never expected it from such a new artist on the scene, but Lauv has a good deal of talent that he dishes up in the romantic I Like Me Better. I found it cool that this one has an electronic-infused tone, and I always thought that it was a unique component for a single that was intended to be a love song. Apparently this dude has produced and written several hit songs over the past few years, which I also found pretty cool. He's kind of like his now ex-girlfriend Julia Michaels, branching out from his days of songwriting and immersing himself into the music scene with a full length vocal feature. I Like Me Better does the job as a debut into the depths of the world of hit music. This one has impeccable production, matched with unique and breezy tones. Lauv has laid back vocals, all derivative of a male pop singer nowadays. While the lyrical content on this one may not be the best, everything else on this song outshines that.

23. Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa - One Kiss

While this is basically the only memorable single that Calvin Harris has given us this year, it is nice that he at least gave us a fun summer bop. One Kiss stays in line with the groovy and funky sounds that he has been giving us since the release of Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 and my #7 pick of 2017, Feels with Pharrell Williams and Katy Perry. Dua Lipa was a perfect choice for a track like this. She has that perfect amount of swagger and groove, given what we have seen from her already released singles. One Kiss starts out boldly with an infectious chorus, which was very abrupt and different. It's a pretty repetitive and basic chorus, but it still entrances me every time I give this one a listen. The rest of the song is still pretty simple, but again, effective and impressionable on listeners, including myself. The production, as I summarized, is to the point and very well executed. I hope Calvin Harris can continue down this path of giving us these electropop gems.

22. Kendrick Lamar & SZA - All The Stars

I have been sleeping on Kendrick Lamar. He actually has some pretty good music, even if I haven't been a huge fan of some of his previous singles. All The Stars is an incredible song, and the best one that was featured on Black Panther: The Album. Kendrick, in fact, produced a good number of songs off of the album. They were very well put together, and I praise him for his impeccable production skills. All The Stars, while not produced by Lamar, is an incredibly enjoyable track. It deserved so much, and it thankfully received that. Kendrick Lamar has nice verses, some of the best that we have ever heard from him. Focusing on SZA, she was something that I was absolutely looking forward to going into this song. I was a really big fan of her album Ctrl, which was a perfectly executed collection of R&B songs. She is a major selling point on this song. She has a nice voice, and it fits perfectly in conjunction to the vibe of All The Stars. She absolutely shines on the chorus. What I am hoping is that both of these artists continue to do well in the coming years, and that they have great success at the Grammys this year with this song.

21. Cardi B - I Like It

The only problem that I have is that Hits 1 decided to cut both Bad Bunny and J Balvin out of this song. They added a lot to it. However, Cardi B added just as much as the other artists on this track. I Like It is still very good, and very fun; to say the least. It brilliantly adds an old school vibe while sampling the vintage track from Pete Rodriguez, I Like It Like That. With that old school tone, we get a little bit of Latin infused into this one--which is unique for an intended rap song, not that Hits 1 can help it. But, needless to say, I always enjoy a nice Latin tune, considering my love for Havana by Camila Cabello and Young Thug. Cardi B is fantastic on this track, showing up the mediocrity of her previous underwhelming tracks such as Bodak Yellow (Money Moves) and Bartier Cardi. I just hope that we can get more of this from her in the future, and that Hits 1 decides to pick up her better songs, like they did with this one.

20. The Struts/Kesha - Body Talks

I would have never expected Kesha to collaborate with The Struts. But, I guess that is just what we get with Kesha's recent affinity for the less-crazy and less-wild side of things. This is a nice pop-rock tune. I am always in a good mood whenever this song comes on. It's just a cool song. Kesha is a fantastic artist, seeing as she had my #1 song of 2017, Praying. That song was absolutely amazing. She carries those amazing and hardcore vocals into Body Talks. Luke Spiller, the lead vocalist of The Struts, also compliments her vocal offerings very felicitously. The chorus is my favorite part, seeing as their vocal compliments truly shine at that point in the track. It is just another one of those unknown songs that Hits 1 happened to pick up, but it really gained some traction with its appearance on the station. I am curious to see what this band, and Kesha, of course, have to offer in their future musical endeavors.

19. Marshmello & Bastille - Happier

While this isn't the best that Marshmello has given us this past year (yes, he has another song coming), it is still very memorable. It was a very bold choice to place Bastille on an EDM track, but this is hardly EDM. It is more dance-pop if anything, which I think is what Marshmello naturally gravitates towards--even if he intends to produce EDM tracks. This one is a lot brighter and well, "happier", than previous Marshmello tracks like Alone. Dan Smith contributes a great deal here. He brings fantastic vocals to the table throughout the entire course of the song. The drop here is very nicely engineered. It is one of the better drops that we have heard this year. Overall, this is a phenomenal track. I hope that Marshmello continues down this track with his future songs. It really works for them.

18. Khalid & Normani - Love Lies

This is the lead single from Love, Simon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). It was released early in the year, and I would have expected myself to be pretty sick of it by now, but I am still thoroughly in love with it. Both Khalid and Normani show off their best of vocals on this track. Normani is the second best singer that we see spawned from Fifth Harmony. I am still in love with the voice of Camila Cabello, despite what others think of her. Not to mention, these two have a nice vocal blend. The R&B is amplified to the max on this one--and the music video for this song definitely showcases the chemistry that these two artists seem to have. I'm glad that Love Lies was one of the biggest songs of the year, it is an incredibly catchy and steamy love song between two young and newfound lovers. It always leaves me in some type of mood.

17. Selena Gomez & Marshmello - Wolves

I think I could have ranked this song last year, but I didn't end up doing it which was weird to me. It was one of my favorites, but I guess I just thought that it was premature. There is a bit of a guitar accompaniment here, which is how Wolves opens. I like that little effect. Selena Gomez is a great fit for Wolves. She sounds great. The smooth guitar quickly dissolves into an upbeat and intense beat, given to us by the likes of Marshmello. This is just a tad better than the production that he gave us on Happier, but still pretty familiar. While Selena never really has much to offer us, besides her vocal abilities, which almost never disappoint. They were especially noticable on her breezy pop track, Bad Liar, which made my Top 45 Songs Of 2017 at #6. I am hopeful that we will be hearing more from her in 2019. I kind of miss her face in the pop world.

16. Bazzi/Camila Cabello - Beautiful

Bazzi and Camila Cabello both make a "beautiful" pair on this great rendition of Beautiful, from the former's debut album COSMIC. Bazzi pretty much takes lead on most of the song. He sings on the first verse, the chorus, and the post-chorus, until Camila comes in later in the song. This song showcases butterflies that transformed into a exciting and budding relationship. I truly love that for the song, and the lyrics truly emphasize those feelings, as well as the heavenly vocals on both accounts. Camila Cabello arrives for the second verse of the song, and she sounds quite angelic throughout her part. The final chorus, when both voices blend, sounds underlying heavenly, and is one of the best vocal mixtures that I have heard this year. This song was already good before Camila, but that increased tenfold when she was featured on the track. I always find myself going back to this one, even despite its failures to truly take off on both Hits 1 and elsewhere. I hope that we can hear more like this from both in the future, and there is no doubt in my mind that we can.

15. P!nk - Beautiful Trauma

P!nk delivered us a pretty good set of songs off of her recent album, Beautiful Trauma, and the title track has really done the album justice. This one, while being a really superb single, fell short of any true success on the charts or radio this year, which was a little upsetting--considering how good it is. It is definitely different from what we have heard from her in the past...representative of this entire new era of P!nk. I like this sound for her much better than the crazy sound that she used to shoot for. Both sounds are good, but I just like this one better. P!nk's vocals were predictably good on this track. I had no doubt that they were going to be a problem going into this. The chorus is the best part of the songs, and the vocals shine indefinitely. The rest of the song--the lyrics and the production are both unique and interesting, and the music video is definitely very crazy. If you haven't seen it, I suggest that you watch it. It had me laughing at a couple of points at how crazy it was. Anyways, overall, Beautiful Trauma is another win for P!nk. I wish it were more of a hit, but hopefully what P!nk brings us next is as good as this and is destined to become big.

14. Ariana Grande - God Is A Woman

Given the title of this song, it was bound to spark controversy with heavily religious individuals. I actually saw a funny video of some very religious elders reacting to this song, and they were getting pretty upset. Despite the controversial title that Ariana Grande graces us with here, the content of God Is A Woman was a very nice save after the worst single Ariana Grande has ever released--The Light Is Coming with Nicki Minaj. This song has some heavily explicit lyrics, seeing as all it is referring to is sex. Ariana Grande does well complimenting the lyrics, with a sensual tone when opening the song. However, despite the sexual vibe of this song, it can totally be used as a female empowerment anthem, if you blur the true meaning of the lyrics. This urban-infused pop ballad was definitely a noteworthy track from Ariana Grande in her amazing year. She still has two songs on this list that I was even more attracted to. Needless to say, she has obviously created some of my favorite tracks this year. Ariana Grande definitely takes those fans who can see past the controversial title to church with this song, and I can't wait to see what her next era brings.

13. Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - Shallow

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper have as much chemistry in this song, as I am sure they do on screen in A Star Is Born. I have not yet seen the film, but after hearing the music that this film has spawned, I am eager to see what all the hype is about in the film. Not too long ago, I wasn't a big supporter of this song. I didn't like the whole folk-pop vibe at first, and Bradley Cooper's voice kind of annoyed me. But at this point, I find myself listening to this song every day. I have grown to like Bradley Cooper's voice and Lady Gaga always has me drawn in on the chorus. I can feel the emotion in her voice and it speaks to me. The emotion works in perfect harmony with the stripped back feel of this song, only containing a piano and bass as its main background support. I am glad, like both P!nk and Kesha, Lady Gaga has stepped back from the crazier side of things, and has released more meaningful tracks like Shallow.

12. The Chainsmokers/Emily Warren - Side Effects

The Chainsmokers have been conducting this weird project all year long. They have released ten singles at this point, rounding off their album. They include Sick Boy, You Owe Me, Everybody Hates Me, Somebody, Side Effects, Save Yourself, This Feeling, Siren, Beach House, and Hope. None of them are nearly as good as Side Effects. But, there are a few good tracks out of that bunch, even if a few are a bit underwhelming, considering what we have heard from The Chainsmokers before. Emily Warren has collaborated with the duo in the past, and she always delivers a nice vocal performance. There is no difference with Side Effects. The beat to this song has a certain groove to it that always has me hooked it, and it fits very nicely with both Drew Taggart and Emily Warren's voices. In all this one is superior on all fronts to rest of the tracks that they have spawned this year.

11. 5 Seconds Of Summer - Youngblood

This song is so energetic, and is far set apart from what we have heard from 5 Seconds Of Summer in the past. Youngblood is a idiosyncratic pop tune, and I am all here for it. The instrumentals rock the song to the core. The guitar is a very nice add-on. The instrumentals paired with the powerful vocals always get me into a dancing type mood. I went all out to this song at my homecoming dance; within the comfort of my small circle of friends, of course. The edge in the vocals within Youngblood's chorus provides a nice flare. In the end, this one is very enjoyable and memorable. It is also just one of those songs that I can't really ever see myself getting sick of.

With that, we now enter the top 10. These 10 songs were the songs that stood out to me the most this year. They are the 10 songs that I find myself going back to all the time, and they were carefully placed on this list. They could have all been placed at #1, but we couldn't do that, so this is how it went.

10. Selena Gomez - Back To You

This was a magnificent return to the pop scene from Selena Gomez. Her vocals are outstanding, especially when it comes to the pre-chorus. I can feel the emotion in this song with everything in my being, and I always enjoy a listen to Back To You whenever I'm feeling a little bit down. She packs such a punch in the chorus, and I can truly feel that she is tapping into something raw when she is singing at that moment. Not to mention, the production is very interesting, yet perfectly fitting for the song. There is some electronic infusion here, and I felt like that was an extremely nice addition. I am a big Selena Gomez fan, and this just fueled my love and respect for her as an artist. She has been throuh a lot in the past few years, and Back To You is definitely an indication of what she has been fighting--while also making a perfect match for the drama series Thirteen Reasons Why. This one is a bit more accomplished than Wolves, which was featured earlier on this list. Regardless, I hope to hear more music from her soon.

9. Taylor Swift/Ed Sheeran/Future - End Game

Reputation was such a good album, and End Game was one of its major highlights. I saw Taylor Swift on the Reputation Tour at Gillette Stadium this past July, and it was a really awesome show. The performance of End Game was one of the most powerful I had heard during the whole show, and it just held true to its studio form. End Game is definitely more edgy than what we have heard from Taylor Swift in the past. Taylor sounds great on this one, and I love the third verse of the song that she sings on. It is incredibly catchy, and I have a quote from that verse hanging up in my room. Ed Sheeran sounds predictably good here. After Taylor and Ed collaborated on Everything Has Changed a number of years ago, I had been waiting for them to release another collaboration. End Game was a perfect track for the two of them to share their vocal offerings on. Keeping with the edgy theme, they made the decision to bring Future on the ride, and he really sounds good here--unlike the other times we have heard from him. While End Game definitely deserved an undying amount of success, it unfortunately fell short for some reason.

8. Maroon 5/Cardi B - Girls Like You

Although I have not really been a huge fan of Maroon 5's most recent work, besides What Lovers Do with SZA--which was featured on my Top 45 Songs Of 2017. This song definitely redeemed my opinion on them. I like the message behind this song, it is truly about the appreciation of women--and the video did a nice job of showcasing that message. The production was predictable, it always is with Maroon 5. It's pretty much always the same with all of their singles. I do like the beat to this one, though. In terms of the vocals, they were pretty steady throughout the length of this track. They don't fail to impress me. Adam Levine does a nice job, as he has on some of their sons in the past. Cardi B gives a nice verse, and I thoroughly enjoy it--despite the lyrics in her part being slightly humorous. Overall, this one really took it home, and I am glad that this one had an immense amount of traction with the general public, reciprocating my opinion on Girls Like You. Hopefully Maroon 5 can stick with this kind of vibe in the songs that they could potentially release in 2019.

7. Shawn Mendes - In My Blood

In My Blood is definitely set apart from Shawn Mendes's previous singles. I have been a pretty big fan of what Shawn Mendes has had to offer, but this is clearly his best song to date. He has truly evolved with his music, and with In My Blood, that evolution reaches a peak. My favorite part about this song is the nice blend between the strumming of the guitar and the other instrumentals with Shawn Mendes's both soft and powerful vocals throughout the song's run. This song is empowering and meaningful to say the least. This still keeps true to its pop undertones, but it now has a very big driving force with its production. This song definitely touches on the feelings one has when dealing with anxiety, just like another song that will be featured on my list in a few short moments. Regardless, I can relate to this song. I can feel the emotion that Shawn pours into this song. It always raises my spirits whenever I am feeling down. The song has a perfect beginning and a perfect end. I like the uniqueness he brings to the table with that aspect. This is, without a doubt, his best work. Both lyrically and vocally. I am glad that this one was able to take off, because it deserved a great deal of success--more success than Shawn Mendes's previous immature and less-evolved pop tracks.

6. Taylor Swift - Delicate

Taylor Swift is the first of three artists to have two songs featured in the top 10. She was at #9 with End Game, and now appears at #6 on my list with Delicate. I have loved this song for a while now. It is hands down the best single from Reputation. Prior to this song's release as a single, I would have never expected to see this one go mainstream, but I quickly was proved wrong. Despite my thoughts, I am thoroughly pleased that this one was not merely just a track on Taylor Swift's most recent album. What makes this song good is that it is just simple, yet classic pop. It has a nice and chill vibe to it, and that is what makes it different and sets it apart from most of the other pop song that we have heard this year. This was Reputation's first moment of true vulnerability, after we heard Taylor Swift being a badass for a few tracks. I could feel the truth behind this song's lyrics, and I couldn't imagine anyone but Taylor singing on this track. It is vocally reliant, considering that the synth-pop we get from this one doesn't provide much of a background support at all. Although it wasn't extremely successful, I am glad that Delicate was able to make a decent impression this year.

5. Troye Sivan - My My My!

Troye Sivan has had a magnificent year with his music. My My My! was an incredible flood of young emotions and impressions, and I was hooked in from the first listen. There was an immense amount of honesty in this track. The production on this track has a modern, and electric-tinged sound. Troye Sivan's vocals make a perfect match to the production of My My My!, and he sounds the best on that crazy catchy chorus. Needless to say, that perfect match makes for a perfect storm, a certain aggressive tone to the song that was much needed. This is much more evolved than Troye's previous body of work from a couple of years ago, and I am all for it. He has such a nice amount of energy in his music, and passion. This is a win. A big win for Troye Sivan. I can't wait to see how he will top My My My!, because that will be a pretty hard task to fulfill.

4. Ariana Grande - No Tears Left To Cry

No Tears Left To Cry genuinely showcases the traumas and triumphs that Ariana Grande suffered and endured throughout 2017, given the Manchester attack at her concert, which was fatal to a number of her adoring fans. I can see the raw emotion in this track, even if it is amped up with the traditional aspects of a traditional pop song. This song is very good in terms of both expression and vocals. The song starts of with something out of a ballad, but quickly speeds up into a more upbeat and groovy track. I felt that this was a very nice artistic choice that Ariana made, and it is one of my favorite components of the song. The premise, while being simple, is very expressive. Vocally, Ariana definitely does not disappoint. They were a huge sell for me in this song. When this song was first announced, it was very swift, with its rollout...but I was still anticipating her return to the scene after 2017's Everyday. I was so excited to see the her evolution after the tragic events that plagued her life in 2017. All in all, this one adds up indefinitely. No Tears Left To Cry has definitely been a song that I cannot keep myself fro unleashing to, and one that never fails to put me in a good mood.

3. Camila Cabello - Consequences

Despite this song being one of the final songs of the year to be eligible for this list, I have been in love with this song since the release of Camila this past January. Even before the orchestral version was released, which makes the song one hundred times better, even after it was already at its peak. This song is revealing and filled with incredible emotion. It is short, but is always enough to peel my own emotions back whenever I listen to it. The visual for this song definitely enhanced that when I first viewed it. Consequences has been something that I turn to whenever I am having a bad day, or feeling down. My favorite part about this song is that it lyrically tells a story about a beautiful love that went sour. I am so happy to see this component, especially with a mainstream pop single. Likewise, this is a ballad--and I am a sucker for a good ballad. Camila Cabello serves up impeccable vocals, as expected, and the orchestra does an incredible job to back her. It adds that tinge of delicacy into the track, and compliments the vocal emotion perfectly. Her falsetto is incredible sounding as well. In all, there were several signs pointing to this one being a flop, seeing as it is very different from traditional pop singles. I am glad that Camila Cabello was able to break through those barriers, and prove some wrong. It is still gaining traction, so who knows what it can accomplish with the time it has left.

2. Ariana Grande - Breathin

While Sweetener as a whole was kind of disappointing, Breathin was one of the tracks that stood out to me the most. It is the best song off of the album. Her vocals are some of the most powerful that we have ever heard from her. Ariana Grande has been through a lot, and this song definitely lyrically speaks to her anxiety, and the feeling of drowning in certain situations, especially those centered around feelings of love. As someone with anxiety, I can thoroughly relate to this song and all it has to convey. It is the song that I listen to every time I need a break to relax, or to ready me to handle a difficult situation or overcome an obstacle that stood in my way. It was one of my go-to songs of this year, despite it only being out for a few months at this point. There is an immense amount of 2000's vibes on this song too, which I find very cool. I liked a lot of 2000's pop, so it was no doubt that I was going to like this song either way. The only problem I have is that Thank U, Next trumped this song's success. It deserved a little more. I wish it were a top 10 hit, but that's how things go sometimes I guess.

And my #1 song of 2018 is...

1. Camila Cabello - Never Be The Same

I'm sure that many of you predicted this. I know that many of you are not huge fans of this song, but this is honestly one of the best songs that I have heard in my whole life. In my eyes, this song is perfection from start to finish--and I wouldn't change anything about it. It is just as good live as it is on the studio version. I saw Camila Cabello perform Never Be The Same as a part of her opening act on the Reputation Tour over the summer, and I was so in love with how she carried out her performance. Getting back to the studio version, I have never heard something this vocally and lyrically amazing. The production is outstanding, in my opinion. Many of you disagree, but I just don't see how you can't like this song. Camila has been my favorite member from Fifth Harmony for a long time, and I have always found an attraction towards her vocals. They are unique, even if some see them as annoying. The lyrics in this song, about a torn up love that leaves you always desiring something more, are so amazing, and she sings every note with precision and perfection. The last chorus is my absolute favorite component of this song. The background vocals and the underlying melody are so sonically pleasing. This year has presented me with a good amount of troubles, and I have always turned to this song, like the last one, to get me through my biggest problems this year. The visuals in the music video for Never Be The Same are also stunning, just like Camila, and I cannot explain to you how much I love and respect her as an artist. This song taps into Camila's realest emotions, just like it is able to tap into my realest emotions. In These reasons, and many more reasons, are the reasons why I love this song. I am glad to see that it was pretty successful this year, too--despite the number of people that I thought were not huge fans of this song.