The only thing I can depend on is music. Good or bad, it’s there for me. Either to make me smile or to make me cringe, music is never boring. This year brought quite the feast to intake. Some comebacks. Some missteps. Some head scratchers. Some twerkworthy.
And then came the women.
This year was filled with women singers and songwriters making names for themselves. Vets and newbees… There wasn’t one time on the radio this year I didn’t hear a woman’s voice belting her heart out or showing a melodic side to make you dance. I am proud of all of them. They didn’t disappoint and we are all better for it. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to a variety of ladies singing like their lives depended on it. And really, they kinda were. Women staked claim on everything, and left everything they had on the stage. I can only imagine what 2019 has in store for my ears. Once again, I am giving you a list of what I found to be worthy for a second or tenth spin on my iPod or my car. They are in no particular order, except for the top 10. They, my friends, are the most worthy.
50. Lauren Daigle – Look Up Child
49. Let’s Eat Grandma – I’m All Ears
48. boygenius – boygenius
47. John Coltrane – Both Directions At Once
46. Angelique Kidjo – Remain in Light
45. Marian Hill – Unusual
44. Chvrches – Love is Dead
43. Hinds – I Don’t Run
42. Superorganism – Superorganism
41. The War and Treaty – The Healing Tide
40. Nothing – Dance on the Blacktop
39. Tash Sultana – Flow State
38. IDLES – Joy as an Act of Resistance
37. Bishop Briggs – Church of Scars
36. Cardi B. – Invasion of Privacy
35. Air Waves – Warrior
34. Pale Waves – My Mind Makes Noises
33. My Brightest Diamond – A Million and One
32. Drake – Scorpion
31. Grapetooth – Grapetooth
30. Georgi Kay – Where I Go to Disappear
29. Franz Ferdinand – Always Ascending
28. Amy Shark – Love Monster
27. Amos Lee – My New Moon
26. Amen Dunes – Freedom
25. (Tie) Courtney Barnett – Tell Me How You Really Feel/The Glands – Double Coda
24. The Weekend – Dear, Melancholy
23. H.E.R. – I Used to Know Her: Part 2 and the Prelude
22. The Aces – When My Heart Felt Volcanic
21. Blood Orange – Negro Swan
20. Peabo Bryson – Stand for Love
19. Brandi Carlile – By the Way, I Forgive You
18. Screaming Females – All At Once
17. Mariah Carey – Caution
16. Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour
15. Kane Brown – Experiment
14. A.A.L (Against All Logic) – 2012-2017
13. Panic! At The Disco – Pray for the Wicked
12. Anderson .Paak – Oxnard
11. Twenty One Pilots – Trench
The Final TEN:
10. Tori Kelly – Hiding Place
9. Christina Aguilera – Liberation
8. Snow Patrol – Wildness
7. Fantastic Negrito – Please Don’t Be Dead
6. Mike Shinoda – Post Traumatic
5. Hayley Kiyoko – Expectations
4. Jorja Smith – Lost & Found
3. Kelly Clarkson – Meaning of Life
2. Ella Mai – Ella Mai
1. Janelle Monae’ – Dirty Computer
It would be hard to say you’re a music fan and NOT have heard of Janelle Monae’ at all. It’s not everyday you see a queer Black woman at the forefront of the music industry and she had everyone right where she wanted them. Representing female empowerment, self love, self respect, high self esteem, and fighting for equality all across the board from the boardroom to the bedroom, Janelle hit everyone with a tremendous amount of fierceness. And we were definitely accepting. If you haven’t heard Dirty Computer, then by all means, give her your full attention.
I must give an Honorable Mention to Mabel and her mixtape, “Ivy to Roses.” She’s a rising star in the r&b world in the UK and I’m really hoping she makes a dent into the US. She’s got the singing chops and enough dance melody to hold onto my attention.
Happy New Year!!
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