In 2018, it felt hard to reach consensus on anything—including music. The heavy-hitters of pop and hip-hop returned, but many disappointed; in fact, sometimes, they were just confounding (cough Kanye cough). More than ever, music felt like a playing field where new, exciting artists were sharing the discussion with the veterans, if not taking it over outright. A sea change was underway, the borders eroded—and music was better for it. Across more than a dozen features, Pitchfork looks at the moments that defined the year—the best albums and songs, along with the sharpest literature, the lyrics that made us think, the good news that lifted our spirits, and the cinematic music videos that we couldn’t look away from.
From Snail Mail to CupcakKe, Earl Sweatshirt to Jon Hopkins, these are the very best albums of the year
The tracks that lit up our year, starring Valee, Robyn, Migos, Tierra Whack, Troye Sivan, boygenius, and more