2018 didn't feel to me to be a landmark year in music. Of course there was plenty of great stuff and discoveries aplenty but it felt a little short on masterpieces. There were two albums though that stood above the rest for me. Both released early in the year. Ty Segall, the most prolific artist working today?, gave us his magnum opus in January. A huge sprawling epic album that showed off his unique ability to rock out and also deliver a killer melody. Speaking of epic Car Seat Headrest went back to their 2011 album Twin Fantasy and totally re recorded and reworked the entire album. An emotional epic journey that I probably listened to more than album of 2018. There were notable releases by almost veterans in Beach House, Mount Eerie and Neko Case that totally satisfied. But there were also great discoveries in artists on their first or second or even third record. Such as Hop Along, Lucy Dacus, Vundabar or Lala Lala. Also a great year for women in music. So many talented artists out there. 7 of my top 20 were by female acts or fronted bands.

1. Freedom's Goblin-Ty Segall

2. Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)-Car Seat Headrest

3. 7-Beach House

4. God's Favorite Customer-Father John Misty

5. This One's For The Dancer and This One's For The Dancer's Bouquet-Moonface

6. Now Only-Mount Eerie

7. Bark Your Head Off, Dog-Hop Along

8. Some Rap Songs-Earl Sweatshirt

9. Hell-On-Neko Case

10. Be the Cowboy-Mitski

11. A Love Sleeps Deep-The Moondoggies

12. Historian-Lucy Dacus

13. Bottle It In-Kurt Vile

14. Kill the Lights-Tony Molina

15. The Whole Thing Is Just There-Young Jesus

16. Wanderer-Cat Power

17. Smell Smoke-Vundabar

18. I'll Sing-Shannen Moser

19. Skylight-Pinegrove

20. C'est La Vie-Phosphorescent

21. Smote Reverser-Oh Sees

22. Sparkle Hard-Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks

23. Pissing Stars-Efrim Manuel Menuck

24. Popular Fiction-Gold Connections

25. Hope Downs-Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

26. The Lamb-Lala Lala

27. FM!-Vince Staples

28. WARM-Jeff Tweedy

29. A Productive Cough-Titus Andronicus

30. Snares Like A Haircut-No Age

31. Rebound-Eleanor Friedberger

32. I Need to Start a Garden-Haley Heynderickx

33. Joy-Ty Segall & White Fence

34. Marauder-Interpol

35. Sweet Unknown-Erika Wennerstrom

36. I'm Bad Now-Nap Eyes

37. How to Socialise and Make Friends-Camp Cope

38. The Diet-Cullen Omori

39. Lush-Snail Mail

40. Double Negative-Low

41. Ye-Kanye West

42. Lamp Lit Prose-Dirty Projectors

43. Vide Noir-Lord Huron

44. Goat Girl-Goat Girl

45. Dance Music-Mastersystem

46. A Poem Unlimited-U.S. Girls

47. Thunder Follows The Light-Mutual Benefit

48. In The Break-Night Shop

49. Abysskiss-Adrianne Lenker

50. In the Rainbow Rain-Okkervil River