The Best Songs of 2018

We've been spoiled with the amount of new music this year. From Drake's “Nonstop” to Travis Scott's “Sicko Mode,” here are the best songs of 2018.

best songs 2018 complex
Complex Original

Complex Original

best songs 2018 complex

Making an end-of-year list can be a complicated balancing act. How much importance should we place on a song’s overall impact and popularity when deciding on its ranking? How do we represent the varied tastes of our full staff in a single list? Is the process of ranking art even a productive exercise in the first place?

Over the course of several meetings, we approached this list with a single goal in mind: to celebrate a great year in music by highlighting all of our favorite songs in one place. We didn’t ask ourselves, “What do people expect to see on this list?” Instead, we put together a collection of songs that we couldn’t stop playing in 2018. These are the tracks that we put on in the office throughout the week and kept listening to when we went home on the weekends. In five years, we hope to look back on this as a documentation of the greatest moments from an incredible year in music. These are Complex’s picks for the best songs of 2018.

50. Ella Mai/Jacquees, “Trip”

ella mai trip

49. Childish Gambino, “This Is America”

this is america art

48. 6lack f/ J. Cole, “Pretty Little Fears”

6lack east atlana love letter art

47. Valee f/ Jeremih, “Womp Womp”

womp womp artwork

46. Playboi Carti f/ Young Thug, “Choppa Won't Miss”

Playboi Carti

45. The Weeknd, “Wasted Times”

The Weeknd

44. Rae Sremmurd f/ Juicy J, “Powerglide”

Rae Sremmurd

43. Kanye West and Kid Cudi, “Reborn”

kids see ghosts large 2

42. Lil Wayne, “Hittas”

tha carter v artwork

41. Sheck Wes, “Gmail”

mudboy art

40. Anderson .Paak f/ Kendrick Lamar, “Tints”

anderson paak tints

39. SiR, “D’Evils”

SiR

38. Toro y Moi, “Freelance”

Toro Y Moi

37. J. Cole, “1985 (Intro to The Fall Off)”

J. Cole

36. Kacey Musgraves, “High Horse”

Kacey Musgraves

35. Payroll Giovanni and Cardo, “5's and 6's”

payroll giovanni big bossin vol 2

34. Tyler, the Creator, “Okra”

okra artwork

33. Jay Rock, “ES Tales”

jay rock redemption artwork

32. Kendrick Lamar and Travis Scott, “Big Shot”

black panther album artwork

31. Post Malone f/ Ty Dolla Sign, “Psycho”

psycho artwork

30. Kali Uchis f/ Tyler, the Creator and Bootsy Collins, “After the Storm”

kali uchis after the storm

29. Drake, “God’s Plan”

drake scorpion artwork

28. Mariah Carey f/ Ty Dolla Sign, “The Distance”

mariah carey caution

27. Metro Boomin f/ Gunna, “Space Cadet”

not all heroes

26. Meek Mill f/ JAY-Z and Rick Ross, “What's Free”

meek mill championships art

25. Lil Baby f/ Drake and Gunna, “Never Recover”

drip harder artwork

24. Cardi B, J Balvin, and Bad Bunny, “I Like It”

cardi b i like it

23. Travis Scott f/ James Blake, Kid Cudi, Philip Bailey, and Stevie Wonder, “Stop Trying to Be God”

astroworld artwork

22. Drake, “Nonstop”

drake scorpion large

21. Beyoncé and JAY-Z, “Apesh*t”

JAY Z

20. Pusha-T, “If You Know You Know”

Pusha T

19. Janelle Monáe, “Make Me Feel”

Janelle Monae

18. Lil Baby f/ Drake, “Yes Indeed”

harder than ever

17. Blood Orange, “Charcoal Baby”

negro swan

16. Ariana Grande, “R.E.M.”

ariana sweetener

15. Bad Bunny, “Te Boté (Remix)”

bad bunny

14. Drake, “In My Feelings”

drake scorpion large

13. Swae Lee f/ Young Thug, “Offshore”

Rae Sremmurd

12. Tyga f/ Offset, “Taste”

tyga taste artwork

11. Pusha-T, “The Games We Play”

Pusha T

10. ASAP Rocky f/ Skepta, “Praise the Lord (Da Shine)”

ASAP Rocky

9. Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future, and James Blake, “King’s Dead”

kings dead art

8. Nipsey Hussle f/ YG, “Last Time That I Checc’d”

last time that i checced

7. BlocBoy JB f/ Drake, “Look Alive”

BlocBoy JB

6. Travis Scott, “No Bystanders”

astroworld artwork

5. Pusha-T, “The Story of Adidon”

story of adidon artwork

4. Ariana Grande, “Thank U, Next”

thank u, next

3. Lil Baby and Gunna, “Drip Too Hard”

drip too hard artwork

2. Drake, “Nice for What”

drake nice for what

1. Travis Scott f/ Drake, Swae Lee, and Big Hawk, "Sicko Mode"

astroworld artwork

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