The Best Albums of 2018 So Far

     By Amari Young

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

                                

                The year is yet to be over, and new music is still dropping. The time we live in is an era led by playlists. Whether you have Apple Music and listen to their curated playlists, or let YouTube’s discovery be your guide, the idea of listening through an entire album in one sitting becomes more unusual by the hour. Having the availability of thousands of great songs available at your fingertips, sitting through anything that’s not up to par can feel like a mistake. Over the last few months, there have been a substantial amount of records that have made an impact to the culture.

                  This article will focus on the top artists, best new albums, and the music industry. It will also dive more into detail explaining my top five best albums of 2018 so far. Topics will include technology, deal making, and general industry trends. If this interests you, this is the first category to check out to stay on top of what’s happening. It features critics for artists’ albums, also counting down the best songs from the track.

                  In his latest attempt, the late rapper Mac Miller dropped his highly anticipated fifth studio album “Swimming” on Aug. 3, 2018. In September, he passed away from an apparent drug overdose, but the music he created lives on. The death of Mac affected everyone who has been touched by his music. After a high-profile breakup with Ariana Grande, he slipped into this black hole. He lost a muse, relationship and a collaborator.  

                  In 2016, his effort with “The Divine Feminine” was closely recorded with Grande. It was represented as a love letter to the woman he’d do anything for.  He went from “you and me against the world” to just “me against the world.” As much as Mac tried to persuade himself that it was almost as good, on his warm but wounded fifth album, “Swimming”, he knew it wasn’t. It takes a certain type of artist to be as vulnerable and authentic as Mac Miller was on this album. For more information about his album click here http://www.macmillerswebsite.com/ 

                    “Whatever head space produced ‘Swimming’, it captures this perfectly” according to Chase McMullen at Metacritic.com. On Swimming, he made frequent references to keeping his head above water…or not. “Got my head underwater, but I ain’t in the shower, and I ain’t getting baptized.” It was clearer why the self-described “chill dude” became a prominent existence on the top 10 of Billboard’s albums chart despite never landing a major radio hit.

                   The Weeknd struck a few nerves releasing “My Dear Melancholy,” his first since 2016’s overly slick “Starboy,” which had moments that were guided by a stronger vision. “My Dear Melancholy” was slight with a collection of six songs. Wearing his emotions on his sleeve is what the Canadian singer does best, and without a doubt he came to a jumping-off point for uncovering a more profound texture in his sound. For more information about his album click here https://open.spotify.com/album/3N88bRVAwQrtKqSV0UgU69

                  “My Dear Melancholy surprisingly provides the clearest, most engaging example yet of the Weeknd's angst. It's the sound of a man kneeling at love's altar still in search of an elusive healing,” Reported Rolling Stone Magazine. With lyrics like “You ain’t steady, you look ready to take it all the way, if you let me take you down on me,” you can tell he’s passionate for his desires but at the same time lonely. It’s no surprise that this album is in my top list.

                      Drake’s fifth studio album “Scorpion” debuted at the top of the charts with his heavy hitter single “God’s Plan.” Although it received mixed reviews from many critics, it is still a contender in my best albums of 2018 so far. Aside from being a Drake fan, many of its 25 tracks are built around standard-issue Drake themes. Mostly the themes consist of heartbreak, hardships, revenge and his newfound feelings towards his son.  Click here for more information https://drakeofficial.com/ 

        Scorpion invites us to pretend that becoming a dad hasn’t been one of Drake’s foremost concerns for the last decade. He makes the disclosure for the first time on the stunning “Emotionless,” cruising along an instantly familiar Mariah Carey sample: “I wasn’t hidin’ my kid from the world, I was hidin’ the world from my kid.” This album is about losing and coming to the realization that missteps do happen in life and how you must push forward to become the best you can be. For his truthfulness, I commend Drake.

                   “Astroworld,” the latest project from Houston native rapper Travis Scott, dominated on first -week streams, which comes as no surprise. This album is by far his most collective his sound has been. Each song flows well together. This is one of those albums that you can listen to without skipping a beat. “Astroworld” comes nearly two years after his previous attempt Birds in “Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight,” which is also another critical acclaim piece of material. He writes, “Sins controllin’ me, yeah Angels, halos over me, I need blessings and my peace.”

                      It’s obvious to point out that he was struggling with his inner demons and dealing with reality during the process of the album.  To hear more of this album click https://www.amazon.com/ASTROWORLD-Travis-Scott/dp/B07FZ99HXL 

                        Pop singer Ariana Grande’s fifth studio album “Sweetener” was met with critical acclaim, being named best album on multiple lists, including mine.  What makes this album more special than any other project she put out is that she had a lot to deal with over the past year: from the bombing in Manchester last year, to the death of her ex Mac Miller, to an abrupt ending of an engagement.

                  Other than the fact that she is a brave woman, her talent comes undefeated. She starts the album singing the lyrics, “When raindrops fell from the sky, the day you left me, an angel cried.” It sets the tone of the rest of the album, especially since the first track is only 30 seconds. It’s a brilliant masterpiece. For more about her album, visit https://www.arianagrande.com/ 

                     In this industry, we play a large role by constantly combing through daily data, more specifically the digital side. This includes information on streaming music vitals, including the latest on subscriber counts, royalties, and Wall Street valuations. LayLowRecords is based in the United States, and our audience is largely U.S.-based. We also cover worldwide happenings, including international artists and albums.  And since the web is global, so by default, the music industry is as well.

                  For more information, check out www.pitchfork.com.  LayLowRecords discusses our thoughts and insights about how we feel towards new music and upcoming artists. So, we ask you this simple question. What is one of your favorite albums of 2018 so far?