Krupa’s Top Five Favorite Songs of 2018

5. “Entertainer” – Zayn

Back in 2016, Zayn Malik debuted with his chart-topping single, “Pillowtalk.” None of his latest work has been as catchy or as promising of a song since, until he released “Entertainer.” The single didn’t turn out to be anywhere near as successful as his debut song was, but in my opinion, it is still a very interesting song that deserves more attention from the general public. The chorus of “Entertainer” is something that can easily get stuck in our heads so it is definitely a catchy song, but we don’t necessarily hear anything new from it. If Zayn had tried to create something new and shown a different side of him that we haven’t seen before, I would have ranked it higher on this list and perhaps the song would’ve been more successful. Nonetheless, “Entertainer” is still a good song to listen to every so often.

4. “You Should See Me In a Crown” – Billie Eilish

“Come Out and Play” and “When the Party’s Over” are Billie Eilish’s latest singles. Both songs are excellent pieces of work, just as you would expect from Billie, but I personally didn’t love them as much as “You Should See Me In a Crown.” This is the song that made me want to listen to all her other music. I had always known of her but I didn’t officially become a fan until she released “You Should See Me In a Crown.” Not only was the single itself a beautiful and unique piece, but the music video also added to the whole eerie vibe she gives off. Billie’s overall confidence and strong aura represented throughout the lyrics of the song make it a great listen for woman empowerment, self-love and moving on from an ex.

3. “Mariners Apartment Complex” – Lana Del Rey

Since Lana Del Rey released her best-selling album “Lust for Life” in mid 2017, fans have been yearning for more releases from the dream pop/psychedelic rock artist. We finally receive our wish as Lana blesses us again with her beautiful singing and classic Lana-style single, “Mariners Apartment Complex.” The song does take a bit of time to really stick to you, but once it does, there’s no going back. The lyrics of the four-minute track highlight her taking the role of the man in a relationship as she guides her lover “back to sea,” as she describes. The song truly highlights Lana’s soulful vocals, making it something different and unique than what you would normally listen to on the radio.

2. “Thank U, Next” – Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande’s career really took off in 2018. Her album “Sweetener” had many hit songs like “No Tears Left to Cry,” “God is a Woman,” “Breathin” and more. While these were truly all bops, none of them took the internet by storm like “Thank U, Next” did. This confidence-boosting anthem was arguably the song of the year. Not only was the music video jaw-droppingly creative, but the song was also a personal favorite of many (including myself). It was nice to hear Ariana singing about self-love whilst also spilling just enough tea on her exes. “Thank U, Next” was definitely a banger that we will forever appreciate Ari for releasing.

1. “Lovely” – Billie Eilish (with Khalid)

Number one has to be “Lovely” by Billie Eilish, featuring Khalid. I love both artists individually, so naturally having a collaboration between the two would have had to be soul-snatching. This ballad combines Billie and Khalid’s beautiful voices and uses harmony to create something even more beautiful and lovely, as the title promises. It’s rare to hear music that two mega-talented artists have put so much soul and passion into, so a song like this must be treasured. Hearing Billie and Khalid’s gorgeous vocals is a breath of fresh air. Overall, “Lovely” is definitely a masterpiece gifted to us from the gods, even if it isn’t exactly the super-hit of the year.