KEN mode Photo by Riley Taylor

For years I looked forward to putting together my year end list. The list part was fun, but writing something about each album – not so much. I’ve always said that I’m no writer. So doing that for 20 albums was a real chore by times. Plus did anyone actually read all that? Probably not.

I also used to constantly be discovering new artists and listening to a ton of new releases. However, over the last couple of years that’s changed. I find that I mainly listen to my time-tested favorites, mixed in with a handful of newer things. Which I’m completely fine with. I listen to music because I enjoy it, not to impress anyone with my supposed amazing and diverse taste.

So last year I didn’t do a year end list and instead did a playlist and it was really fun. The entire reason I created this website was to post my podcasts, which are essentially just playlists. So it brought things back to where I started and unlike writing, it was something that I feel I’m actually good at. I’m was really happy with how it came out and still throw it on from time to time.

This year I did the same thing and created another playlist. The tracks are sequenced in a specific order, but if you want to click shuffle, go for it. It’s totally your call. All I can guarantee is it’s solid, front to back and crumbles at the end with a full on slow burn of devastation from KEN mode.

Listen on Spotify

Death to False Year End Lists?

So, I just said I wasn’t going to write a year end list, didn’t I? Well even with claiming to a friend as recently as yesterday there was no way I was going to do one, I changed my mind. Sort of.

I still have no interest in writing about albums and I don’t feel that I could put together a list of 20 of them, plus claim I actually listened to all of them thoroughly. But there were a handful of releases from 2018 that I really loved and wanted to highlight them in some way. So I made a list. It’s short, not much to read and contains 10 albums from 2018 that really knocked my socks off. It’s as simple as that.

All of them are worth your time and should be heard. So, have a scroll through and if something looks interesting, give it a stream, download or even better, go buy a record. What will I do here next year? I have no idea. I guess we’ll find out in 12 months.