top 2o album discoveries of 2018

So I just uploaded what I thought were the best ten albums of 2018 and as I mentioned in that post, this year was a big year when it came to music. My husband is incredibly into music and probably knows every album under the sun so we started this thing where once a week he would give me three albums to check out and I would listen and rate them at the end of the week. This lead to me discovering so so much new music and finding a bunch of new artists to listen.

Because this is a list of 20 I am going to try and keep the description of each album short and sweet to prevent this blog post becoming unreasonably long.

SO

20. Queen – A Night at The Opera

I literally had no interest in Queen at all. Then I watched the new movie Bohemian Rhapsody and fell in love. I love the catchy tunes and his strong voice/personality and I’ll never forgive myself for not liking them a lot sooner. This album is fun and some songs literally do not sound like Freddie Mercury at all.

19. Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights

I found this album very early in the year and at first had no idea what to think of it. However, I really grew to love it and the funny lyrics that came with it. I love the strong singing voice and the story telling.

18. Arcade Fire – Suburbs

This album was another surprise for me, I did not expect to love it as much as I did. I love concept albums and this one is great- there are some amazingly strong songs and Arcade Fire write some really good music. I find myself only ever listening to this as an album, never individual tracks.

17. Hundred Waters – Murmurs

This was one of the first albums I was given and I loved it so much. At first it took me a while because I wasn’t a fan of the first track, however, I listened to it a lot and there are some songs I really love on this album. I listened to it a lot whilst I was sleeping so I believe it is now engraved in my brain.

16. My Bloody Valentine – Loveless

Again, another weird album that I literally thought -hell no- when I first heard it. However, after listening to it for one million times I really came to appreciate this album and I love the messy noise that it makes.

15. Fleetwood Mac – Rumours

AGAIN. Another Album I thought I wouldn’t like. I remember my mum liking that so, no offense to my mum, in my teenage brain I assumed I would hate them. I was wrong. Every song off this album I had heard before, it is literally like every song was a successful hit. They make great pop music.

14. Jay Som – Everybody Works

This album was also one of the first albums given to me and I loved it. It is super short but her voice and the guitars throughout this album are amazing. It has that indie pop dream sound to it that I just love.

13. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly

Well shit, yet another album I didn’t think I would like. I just never really like rap but man, this album is ridiculous. It’s intrusively deep and definitely not just a musical masterpiece but an art and political one too. I would 100% tell everyone to listen to this album and don’t be fooled into thinking it is just ‘hip hop.’

12. Jamie XX – In Colour

I will always remember when I first listened to this album. I was in Nepal, sitting on the hostel rooftop in a hammock and this crazy storm was brewing. As soon as I pressed play on this album I loved it. I love the calm dance vibe, it is really one of my favourite albums.

11. Patti Smith – Horses

When I was in Uni I really wanted to like this album but I couldn’t. I got given this in the summer and it was like my whole music taste had shifted because this album is incredible, it is essentially spoken poetry and I love that so much. It is basically a poet who wants people to listen, so she sings it.

10. Tom Waits – Rain Dogs

I had been wanting to listen to this album for a while. I had heard it once before and thought his voice was incredible. SO I listened and I loved. I literally describe it as sounding like a pirate. I love love his voice and I think he is the coolest person to ever exist.

9. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion

This was the first album I was given to listen to and I love it so much. It is so fun and exciting and I think would be the best soundtrack to a party. Whenever I listen I always want to dance.

8. Sigur Ros – Agatis

The age of this album is impossible to guess and I love that. This album is beautiful and his voice and the gentle sounds are 100% pleasure for the ears. I listen to this a lot whilst I sleep.

7. Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell

This album sucks. It is literally the saddest album and so many songs give me goosebumps. His voice is incredible and the stories and his voice tell of the pain that he has been through. Again, I love sleeping to this album.

6. Juliann Barwick – The Magic Place

I never knew how amazing this album would be and it is so special to me. I even have the words ‘the magic place’ tattooed on me. SO it is that special. This is another album I sleep to and I have honestly heard nothing like it before. I won’t even bother to explain it, just check it out.

5. Bon Iver

I actually found this album last year and loved it. I love how sad it is and the auto tune just works so well. I’ve never known an artist able to achieve such emotion through auto tune. Bon Iver is a genius and I promise to have some of his words tattooed on me very soon.

4. Grimes – Art Angels

When I first heard this album I had no idea whether I was going to hate it or love. Would you believe I loved it? It is super unique and with her super high ‘pop’ voice manages to channel this whole of sound. Grimes produces such strong tracks and with her incredible voice, I don’t think anything will ever sound similar.

3.  The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead

A classic. Of course. I love The Smiths, I know we all hate Morrissey but it adds to the band and without his controversy they probably wouldn’t have as much fame. It is almost like Kanye. The Smiths have great humour and I love the songs that come out of this album.

2. Neutral Milk Hotel – In An Areoplane Over The Sea

I remember hearing this album for the first time and loving the weird and wiry voice that came out of it. I love the weird story that is told and again, I don’t think there is anything like it. I could listen to this album forever and never get bored. It shows immense talent.

1. Talking Head – Remain In Light

Discovering the Talking Heads was life changing for me. I don’t think I ever have or will love a band as much as I love these guys. The produce insanely good songs with amazing choruses and melodys and lyrics and his voice is incredible and strong. I just love them. A lot.

And that was my top twenty album discoveries of 2018. The last 10 are albums I play a whole lot and literally couldn’t imagine my life without them so I would recommend giving them a listen to.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this! I hope to have a new blog post out once a week so let’s see if I can keep that up. In the meantime feel free to check out my last two blog posts about solo travelling in India and Nepal .

stay kind. stay hydrated. eat your veggies. look after your soul.