Here are the absolute best of the best full bodies of work in the chaotic year that was 2018. Happy new year! Honourable Mentions: 21 Savage - I Am > I Was The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships Camila Cabello - Camila The Carters - EVERYTHING IS LOVE Hayley Kiyoko - Expectations The … Continue reading BensBeat Top 25 Albums of 2018
Month: December 2018
BensBeat Top 50 Songs of 2018
Music in 2018 can be mostly defined by the continued rise in prominence of hip-hop, taking over from rock as the most listened to genre for the first time. As both a rather limitless, rule-free form creatively and a way to express protest, almost every genre drew elements from hip-hop this year. We also got … Continue reading BensBeat Top 50 Songs of 2018
The Chainsmokers – Sick Boy
EDM duo The Chainsmokers took a unique approach to the release of this album, releasing all of its 10 songs one at a time in each month of 2018 (with a couple exceptions). Not professing to be the biggest Chainsmokers fan in the world, all of these songs are new to me now that the … Continue reading The Chainsmokers – Sick Boy
Kodak Black – Dying To Live
Kodak Black delivers yet another late-year high-profile rap release with his sophomore full-length studio album Dying to Live. Last year’s Painting Pictures was easily one of my least favourite albums of the entire year, which is why it’s surprising that there are as many enjoyable tracks on this new project as there are. Kodak is … Continue reading Kodak Black – Dying To Live
Gucci Mane – Evil Genius
Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane’s output since being relased from jail in 2016 has been so prolific that the timespan of just under a full year since his last project is an unusually long gap for him. It’s certainly given him some of his best sales in a while. He’s stated that he was trying to … Continue reading Gucci Mane – Evil Genius
XXXTENTACION – SKINS
Since his death this past June, it's becoming much more evident just how much of an incredible impact XXXTENTACION had on the direction of music and culture. While his projects were uneven and his career was mired in endless controversies, there was always a clear creative spark and an urge to put out something different, … Continue reading XXXTENTACION – SKINS
Rapid Fire Reviews (The 1975, Meek Mill, Rita Ora)
The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships British pop-rock band The 1975’s third studio album is easily their most experimental and ambitious, diverting from the typical straightforward guitar-driven anthems to a diverse and discordant array of genres with central themes of attacking the political landscape and our dedication to social media and technology. … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (The 1975, Meek Mill, Rita Ora)
Rapid Fire Reviews (Anderson .Paak, 6ix9ine, Mariah Carey)
Anderson .Paak - Oxnard Anderson .Paak’s highly anticipated third studio album Oxnard, executive produced by Dr. Dre himself, sees the James Brown-esque rising funk star continue to exude charisma and mic presence like no other, even if his style is a little less immediately unique and personal. Dre spins the album more towards his own … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (Anderson .Paak, 6ix9ine, Mariah Carey)
Rapid Fire Reviews (Takeoff, Imagine Dragons, Muse)
Takeoff - The Last Rocket The second of three solo albums from the members of ultra-popular rap trio Migos, Takeoff’s project is thankfully shorter than most of the rap odysseys his label drops all too often and is easily more enjoyable than the preceding album from Quavo. Takeoff is perhaps the Migo with the most … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (Takeoff, Imagine Dragons, Muse)
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 