2018: Intro & Singles
- kevpalowe8
- Mar 24
- 7 min read
Originally posted Nov 2025
INTRO
A notable point about 2018was that musicals/musical-films had a surge in popularity. “The Greatest Showman” was the #1 album of the year .“Mamma Mia – Here We Go Again”, “A Star Is Born” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” were all not far behind. If you remove those, George Ezra’s “Staying At Tamara’s” was the leading album with Ed Sheeran’s “÷”, the biggest album of 2017, still performing strongly just behind. The biggest single was Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa’s “One Kiss”. Whoop! By now, the make up of the charts as it stands had got past some teething problems (such as Ed Sheeran making up almost the entire top 20 singles), had some tweaks added (such as no more than 3 tracks per lead artist..... hey Ed?) and artists, producers etc., were getting used to how it worked.
THE SINGLES
DIDN'T LIKE
Lil Dicky & Chris Brown “FREAKY FRIDAY”
This track uses the Freaky Friday idea to suggest these artists have swapped bodies. My massive issue is that when this track began, I could feel an amazing opportunity for them to address some really deep racial politics in quite a unique way. They even acknowledge this in one line ‘Ain't nobody judging 'cause I'm black’. But its all just silly and juvenile.
THE M'EH LIST
Clean Bandit & Demi Lovato “ Solo”
benny blanco, Helsey, & Khalid “Eastside”
Ramz “Barking”
Jason Derulo & French Montana “Tip Toe”
XXXTENTACION “SAD!”
Khalid & Normani “Love Lies”
THE GOOD LIST
Drake “God's Plan”
Anne-Marie “2002”
Post Malone “Better Now”
Tom Walker “Leave A Light On”
Kendrick Lamar & SZA “The Stars”
Jax Jones & Ina Wroldsen “Breathe”
Tyga & Offset “Taste”
B Young “Jumanji”
Olly Alexander “If You’re Over Me”
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line “If It’s Meant To Be”
Banx and Ranx, Ella Eyre, & Yxng Bane “Answerphone”
George Ezra “Paradise”
Sunflower Thieves “Two Halves”
This is now the earliest release you can find from this duo I discovered almost 10 years ago by chance at a non-music festival. They actually released an EP a year earlier that theyve since deleted and somewhat denied (refering to their 2022 EP as their ‘debut’ EP). This was a shame as there was a track on there called “Time To Choose” that I really loved. That said, this track was a step-up in both their song-writing, and performing (as well as recording) skills. It remains a favourite of mine.
Rudimental & Jess Glynne “These Day”
This has a ‘classic song-writing’ vibe to it. The melody is strong. The chorus is interesting. At first it is almost wordless with a strange sounding (possibly keyboard) figure taking the centre-stage instead of vocals. Although, later the words ‘I know, I know’ can be heard behind it.
Marshmello & Anne-Marie “FRIENDS”
Featured on Anne-Marie’s album which I mini-review in part 2 of this. Anne-Marie was definitely one of the highlights of 2018 it seems...... as was this track.
Cardi B, Bad Bunny, & J Balvin “I Like It”
The fairly authentic Latin backdrop rising behind the hip hop forefront works really well in my opinion. I like the whole ‘call and response’ dynamic. Rapped line – I said I like it like that – rapped line – I said I like it like that - etc.
Calvin Harris, Sam Smith, & Jessie Rayez “Promises”
This is a great light piano-house track, with catchy melodies and those Calvin Harris quirks such as short distorted vocal punches and apparently random noises to round off musical phrases. The rich chords also give a jazz-edge and an extra subtle depth to the music
Marshmallow & Bastile “Happier”
A very strong track that only just falls short of my top 3. The upbeat nature of the track is interesting as it is essentially about a break up – but a very mature break up. The subject announces ‘lately I’ve been thinking, I want you to be happier’ but we slowly learn that they realise they ‘know this means [they’ll] have to leave’.
Maroon 5 & Cardi B “Girls Like You”
I didn’t realise Maroon 5 we’re making great infectious rock-pop tracks as late as this. And Cardi B adds a great edginess to it. Its a great guitar hook that dominates the track and the staccato melody of the chorus is very effective.
Sigala & Paloma Faith “Lullaby”
This one has an attractive rhythmic pulse driven by staccato keyboard chords with an interesting little echo-y vocal-sounding quirk in the back. I like the way the beat gives the impression of the tempo being halved for the bridge passages – giving a ‘dragging’ effect. The melody is above average and although it doesn’t particularly showcase Faith’s vocal abilities her performance is spot on.
5 Seconds Of Summer “Youngblood”
The melody is simple but very attractive. The way it lands seemingly conclusively on the 3rd note of the scale (arguable the most ‘decisive’ note harmonically because it dictates whether we are hearing a major or minor chord) but then drops a semitone at the last second is subtly beautiful. You would expect this the act as a passing note to the root note of the scale. However, the melody does not reach the root. This creates a sense that the foundation..... the safety of home, if you will...... is in sight. But, we are not quite getting there. Because? We do not want to get there. This is confirmed as the melody will then fly off back to the upper reaches.
Keala Settle “This Is Me” (Greatest Showman)
This is the track that performed best from “The Greatest Showman” but I think there’s a better one as you’ll see below.
Loren Allred “Never Enough”
This is not the better one I’m talking about. That’s even-more-down-belower – although this one IS better as well. Very strong vocals singing a fairly strong melody.
Jess Glynn “I'll Be There”
This is a very simple but ‘classic’-ally written song and melody. It does everything you would teach as good melodic writing. It has shape, the phrases relate to each other, it reaches a peak, then finds its way back to the tonic (root note). The tonal make up follows the same rules, using largely chords 1 (and beginning and ending with that), 4, & 5. Even the lyrics have a ‘classic’ feel to them. 3 lines of ‘when this happens and when this happens’ etc...... leading to the conclusive final line ‘I’ll be there for you’.
Zedd, Maren Morris, & Grey “The Middle”
This is pretty good song writing topped off with expertly arranged and produced music. Aside from the melody itself, I like all the keyboard siren-like sounds that echo, as if they are coming from a different room, in the space between the vocals. The way the beat holds back for the 1st announcement of the chorus creates a great sense of intrigue too.
Jonas Blue & Jack and Jack “Rise”
The keyboard pattern that drives the track really pulls me into this one. I will make a similar observation of the melody as I did for Jess Glynn’s “I’ll Be There” ...... although this melody is much simpler (basically modelled on “Three Blind Mice”). On the other hand, the melody does develop somewhat, which I’ve found is quite unusual in modern song-writing. I’d say it puts this track slightly above that of its contemporaries.
Zac Afron & Zendaya “Rewrite The Stars” (Greatest Showman)
I think this is the best number from The Greatest Showman. The melody is very strong whilst also being memorable and addictive. The lyric is very good to – its simple ‘love song’ stuff for the most part. But I like the image created by the idea of re-writing the stars – as if they have been written by hand and you can change it. I like the notion that two of you could harness the power to shape the universe how you want it........ actually physically do it.
George Ezra “Hold My Girl”
I mean they’re all great number from him around this time. I particularly love this one as a stand alone track though.
TOP 3
3. David Guetta & Sia “Flames”
A subtly brilliant pop-dance track. I say ‘subtly’ because I somehow didn’t even notice that I thought it was brilliant until I really thought about it. Sia’s vocals provide a real soulful feel to the otherwise light and catchy pop-proceedings. Its structure and harmonic make up is very simple and traditional with the odd unusual chord or extended phrase thrown in to catch us off-guard and add a touch of flavour. The lyric, about supporting each other through difficult times, is uplifting and the melody matches this. As the lyrics offer more and more positivity, the melody soars higher and higher. Contrastingly, in contemplative moments, it calms. Its a very strong, yet understated, track.
2. Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa “One Kiss”
My love for Dua Lipa is well established by now. This comes out as my number 3 favourite Lipa track. So its probably surprising this doesn’t come out as my number 1 of 2018 .............. but we’ll get to that. The melody of this one is barely a melody and the lyrics are pretty predictable. Its actually more Harris’s work on this one that attracts me to it. The keyboard figure that drives the track it very attractive, the robotic ‘one’ that follows the chorus is very cool and a little amusing, and the staccato keyboard tune that follows that is brilliant.
I really liked this track anyway but got a new appreciation for it when I went to see Dua Lipa with Simon Ore in Liverpool. The crowd went absolutely wild for it and it was really something to experience. The footage I caught of it doesn’t do that justice but gives you an idea if you skip to 00.55. https://youtu.be/Rq51GZJpMi4?si=FD58-ObFCfX9GbLs
This was delightful but curious to me, especially when Lipa then reprised it towards the end of the show. I looked it up and discovered she performed it at the 2018 Champion’s League Final (Real Madrid vs Liverpool) opening ceremony and it went down a storm. So there you go.
1. George Ezra “Shotgun”
I don’t see how this couldn’t be at the top of my list. I genuinely admire it. Its a brilliant song – a lot of fun but seriously good. It uses great imagery and metaphors to convey the sense of a carefree spirit travelling the world. The best part of the melody is the bridge which is lyrically a contemplative section where the singer invites the listener to come along. The chorus has very decisive twice repeated tonic note ‘shotgun’ ‘hot sun’ etc... informing us that they’ll be no stopping the singer from doing what they are doing.
This track always reminds me of my step-mother – who loves this track and subjected us to is over and over on repeat in the late summer if 2018. The fact is, she was spot on with this one!
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