Special: 2018 In Review: Best Songs of 2018: 10 - 1

PREVIOUS

10. Mayday Parade - Piece Of Your Heart


9. Silverstein - Whiplash


8. With Confidence - Moving Boxes


7. Grayscale - Forever Yours


6. State Champs - Dead And Gone


5. New Found Glory - Barbed Wire


4. Seaway - London


3. Roam - The Rich Life Of A Poor Man


2. Waterparks - Not Warriors/Crybaby


1. Knuckle Puck - Want Me Around

Special: 2018 In Review: Best Songs of 2018: 20 - 11

PREVIOUS

20. Neck Deep Ft. Sam Carter - Don't Wait


19. Panic! At The Disco - Hey Look Ma, I Made It!


18. Hawthorne Heights - Just Another Ghost


17. Anti-Flag - Trouble Follows Me


16. Real Friends - From The Outside


15. Homesafe - Vanilla-Scented Laser Beams


14. Good Charlotte - Self-Help


13. Sleep On It - A New Way Home


12. Story Untold - In Or Out


11. Against The Current - Strangers Again


NEXT

Special: 2018 In Review: Best Songs of 2018: 30 - 21

PREVIOUS

30. With Confidence - That Something


29. Frank Turner - Blackout


28. New Found Glory - Call Me Anti-Social


27. Fever 333 - Burn It


26. Real Friends - Me First


25. Sleep On It - Disconnected


24. Waterparks - Peach (Lobotomy)


23. Set It Off - Killer In The Mirror


22. The Story So Far - Upside Down


21. Senses Fail - Gold Jacket, Green Jacket...


NEXT

Special: 2018 In Review: Best Songs of 2018: 40 - 31

PREVIOUS

40. Hawthorne Heights - Crimson Sand


39. Against The Current - Voices


38. As It Is - The Wounded World


37. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness - Paper Rain


36. You Me At Six - 3AM


35. The Gospel Youth - Bloodlines//Love Stopped Me Coming Home


34. Our Last Night - Soul Speak


33. Panic! At The Disco - High Hopes


32. We Were Sharks - Hotel Beds


31. Neck Deep - Torn


NEXT

Special: 2018 In Review: Best Songs Of 2018: 60 - 51

PREVIOUS

60. Taylor Swift Ft. Ed Sheeran & Future – End Game


59. Seaway - Just What I Needed


58. New Found Glory - Heaven Sent


57. Frank Turner - Little Changes


56. Good Charlotte - Prayers


55. With Confidence - Jaded


54. As It Is - The Stigma (Boys Don't Cry)


53. Beartooth - Fire


52. Grayscale - Fever Dream


51. State Champs - Our Time To Go


NEXT

Special: 2018 In Review: Best Song of 2018: 50 - 41

PREVIOUS

50. Green Day - Youngblood


49. 5 Seconds Of Summer - Want You Back


48. Anti-Flag - Finish What We Started


47. The Wonder Years - Sister Cities


46. blessthefall - Melodramatic


45. Fall Out Boy - Wilson (Expensive Mistakes)


44. Panic! At The Disco - Say Amen (Saturday Night)


43. All Time Low - Afterglow


42. Marianas Trench - I Knew You When


41. Seaway - Blur


NEXT

Special: 2018 In Review: Best Songs Of 2018: 70 - 61

PREVIOUS

70. Marianas Trench - Rhythm Of Your Heart


69. Mayday Parade - It's Hard To Be Religious When Certain People Are Never Incinerated By Bolts Of Lightning


68. Waterparks - We Need To Talk


67. Eat Your Heart Out - Better Late Than Never


66. Knuckle Puck - Twist


65. Reel Big Fish - You Can't Have All Of Me


64. Set It Off - Lonely Dance


63. Against The Current - The Fuss


62. You Me At Six - Back Again


61. Hands Like Houses - Overthinking


NEXT

Special: 2018 In Review: Best Songs Of 2018: 80 - 71

PREVIOUS

80. I Prevail - Rise


79. Anti-Flag - For What It's Worth


78. WSTR - Bad To The Bone


77. Comeback Kid - I'll Be That


76. Jesse McCartney - Better With You


75. The Interrupters - She's Kerosene


74. Boston Manor - Halo


73. Good Charlotte - Shadowboxer


72. Frank Turner - Make America Great Again


71. Jule Vera - Bad Company


NEXT

Special: 2018 In Review: Best Songs Of 2018: 90 - 81

PREVIOUS

90. Weezer - Africa


89. Broadside - Summer Stained


88. I Don't Know How But They Found Me - Do It All The Time


87. Homesafe - Run


86. Paramore - Rose-Colored Boy


85. Like Pacific - In Spite Of Me


84. Story Untold - Chasing Feelings


83. Arkells - Relentless


82. MxPx - Best Life


81. 5 Seconds Of Summer - Youngblood


NEXT

Special: 2018 In Review: Best Songs of 2018: 100 - 91

100. Good Charlotte - Actual Pain


99. Dashboard Confessional Ft. Chrissy Costanza - Just What To Say


98. Millencolin - SOS


97. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness - Teenage Rockstars


96. Saves The Day - Side By Side


95. Courage My Love - Remission


94. The Menzingers - The Freaks


93. William Ryan Key - Old Friends


92. As It Is Ft. Aaron Gillespie - The Reaper


91. The Story So Far - Take Me As You Please


NEXT

Top 10 Countdown: January 26, 2019

10. Green Day - Youngblood
Last week: NEW!


9. Real Friends - Me First
Last week: 4.


8. Set It Off - Lonely Dance
Last week: 9.


7. Our Last Night - Soul Speak
Last week: NEW!


6. Grayscale - Fever Dream
Last week: 7.


5. Fever 333 - Burn It
Last week: 6.


4. Seaway - Blur
Last week: 5.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYJgxkWL8tg

3. Good Charlotte - Self-Help
Last week: 3.


2. Sleep On It - Disconnected
Last week: 2.


1. Roam - The Rich Life Of A Poor Man
Last week: 1.

Special: 2018 In Review: Best Movies of 2018

58. Truth Or Dare
57. Mute
56. Open House
55. A Wrinkle In Time
54. I Feel Pretty
53. Winchester
52. Holmes & Watson
51. 15:17 To Paris
50. Dumplin'
49. Insidious: The Last Key
48. Game Over, Man!
47. Sherlock Gnomes
46. The Catcher Was A Spy
45. Making Fun: The Story Of Funko
44. The Nun
43. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
42. Hearts Beat Loud
41. Constantine: City Of Demons
40. Skyscraper
39. Mid90's
38. Tomb Raider
37. The Long Dumb Road

36. Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween
35. Blindspotting
34. Rampage
33. Game Night
32. Death Wish
31. The Commuter
30. A Quiet Place
29. Bad Times At The El Royale
28. Halloween
27. Ocean's 8
26. The Predator
25. Tag
24. Pacific Rim: Uprising
23. Christopher Robin
22. The Death Of Superman
21. Maze Runner: The Death Cure
20. Venom
19. Equalizer 2
18. Teen Titans Go! To The Movies

17. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
16. Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay
15. BlackKklansman
14. Ant-Man And The Wasp
13. Incredibles 2
12. Deadpool 2
11. The Grinch
10. Mission: Impossible: Fallout
9. Love, Simon
8. Ralph Breaks The Internet
7. The First Purge
6. Avengers: Infinity War
5. Creed II
4. Aquaman
3. The House With A Clock In It's Walls
2. Black Panther
1. Ready Player One

Top 10 Countdown: January 19, 2019

10. Marianas Trench - I Knew You When
Last week: NEW!


9. Set It Off - Lonely Dance
Last week: NEW!


8. Hawthorne Heights - Crimson Sand
Last week: 8.


7. Grayscale - Fever Dream
Last week: 9.


6. Fever 333 - Burn It
Last week: 7.


5. Seaway - Blur
Last week: 5.


4. Real Friends - Me First
Last week: 4.


3. Good Charlotte - Self-Help
Last week: 3.


2. Sleep On It - Disconnected
Last week: 2.


1. Roam - The Rich Life Of A Poor Man
Last week: 1.

Special: 2018 In Review: Best Albums of 2018

TOP 5

Waterparks - Entertainment

Record Label: Equal Vision Records

Choice Cuts: Not Warriors, Blonde, Tantrum, Rare

Why: “I never, ever, wanted to make the same thing twice. I’ve showed friends demos and everyone’s like, ‘This is such a next step.’ There’s a very clear growth.” That quote is from Awsten Knight, lead singer and composer for Waterparks, after listening to Entertainment for more than a few spins, I can tell you that this is an accurate statement. Yes, there are the catchy, upbeat songs that Waterparks has made a career out of (Blonde, 11:11, Rare), but there are also plenty of surprises along the way (We Need to Talk, Crybaby). Entertainment is fun, catchy, and even a little bit unpredictable. Waterparks have pushed forward to become the best version of themselves that they can be, proving that they are here to stay.

State Champs - Living Proof

Record Label: Pure Noise Records

Choice Cuts: Crystal Ball, Something About You, Criminal, Frozen

Why: It stays exciting and unpredictable from beginning to end. Each song is unique from the last, but they’re similar enough to be comfortably tied into an album.  I am extraordinarily pleased with the brilliance of ‘Living Proof’ and will be waiting with other State Champs fans for their next release. The pop hooks were catchier, the instrumentation went harder. It's everything you could want in a modern pop-punk release even if there was a misstep or two (*cough* Time Machine *cough*)

Real Friends - Composure

Record Label: Fearless Records

Choice Cuts: Ripcord, From The Outside, Get By, Me First

Why: Real Friends faced many struggles with frontman Dan Lambton's mental health, leading the group to cancel shows and take a brief, but unofficial hiatus. Thankfully, only a few months later, they are back and better than ever with the confident and cathartic Composure. In comparison with Real Friends‘ last two releases, Composure is a far, far better record and shows a sure sense of artistic direction. Upbeat, groove-filled tracks mask the seriousness of the lyrics and themes of mental illness, but in a manner that gets the message across without being overly pessimistic or gloom-ridden. All in all, this is the real Real Friends that we’ve all been waiting for.

With Confidence - Love And Loathing

Record Label: Hopeless Records

Choice Cuts: Moving Boxes, Icarus, That Something, Sing To Me

Why: Following Better Weather, Jayden Seeley (lead vocalist/bassist) had trouble finding inspiration and time for writing, overwhelmed by the band’s busy schedule. However, it would appear that, despite such challenges, the band came together in the end, making Love and Loathing an even stronger collection than their popular debut. Though the formula here is one very familiar to the genre, Love and Loathing shows several faces, all of which are desirable. The album, like the one before it, is a great ride worth taking again and again. With Confidence has held up their end in being named a top band to watch, so take notice if you haven’t already.

Good Charlotte - Generation Rx

Record Label: MDDN/BMG

Choice Cuts: Self-Help, Prayers, Shadowboxer, California (The Way I Say I Love You)

Why: Not the first band to put their emotions on full display, Good Charlotte has made Generation Rx full of feeling and poignant lyrics, backed by their always-impressive instrumentals.  This is the band’s hardest-hitting album in a long time, both musically and lyrically. They aren’t pulling any punches. In nine tracks, GC finds a way to connect with some intense pain and deep-seeded fears, so much so that every listener will find themselves inevitably drawn in.

Just Missed

Senses Fail - If There Is Light, It Will Find You

Choice Cuts: Gold Jacket Green Jacket, New Jersey Makes The World Takes, Double Cross

We Were Sharks - Lost Touch

Choice Cuts: Beyond Repair, Hotel Beds, Stay

The Wonder Years - Sister Cities

Choice Cuts: We Look Like Lightning, Sister Cities, Pyramids Of Salt

Hawthorne Heights - Bad Frequencies

Choice Cuts: Just Another Ghost, Crimson Sand, Pink Hearts

Frank Turner - Be More Kind

Choice Cuts: Blackout, Be More Kind, Little Changes

Panic! At The Disco - Pray For The Wicked

Choice Cuts: Hey Look Ma I Made It, High Hopes, Say Amen (Saturday Night)

Mayday Parade - Sunnyland

Choice Cuts: Piece Of My Heart, Is Nowhere, Looks Red Tastes Blue

Against The Current - Past Lives

Choice Cuts: Strangers Again, The Fuss, Voices

As It Is - The Great Depression

Choice Cuts: The Handwritten Letter, The Wounded World, The Stigma (Boys Don't Cry)

The Story So Far - Proper Dose

Choice Cuts: Out Of It, Upside Down, Proper Dose

Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness - Upside Down Flowers

Choice Cuts: Goodnight Rock And Roll, Paper Rain, Ohio

Anti-Flag - American Reckoning

Choice Cuts: American Attraction, For What It's Worth, Trouble Follows Me

2nd Tier Classics

The Fever 333 - Made An America

Choice Cuts: Walking In My Shoes, Made An America

Fall Out Boy - Mania

Choice Cuts: Wilson (Expensive Mistakes), Champion

Blessthefall - Hard Feelings

Choice Cuts: Melodramatic, Find Yourself

Story Untold - Waves

Choice Cuts: In Or Out, All The Same (Once A Liar, Always A Liar)

Homesafe - Run

Choice Cuts: Vanilla-Scented Laser Beams, Run

You Me At Six - VI

Choice Cuts: Back Again, 3 AM

Hands Like Houses - Anon.

Choice Cuts: Black, Overthinking

5 Seconds Of Summer - Youngblood

Choice Cuts: Want You Back, Youngblood

WSTR - Identity Crisis

Choice Cuts: Bad To The Bone, Silly Me

Boston Manor - Welcome To The Neighborhood

Choice Cuts: Funeral Party, Halo

Like Pacific - In Spite Of Me

Choice Cuts: Sedatives, In Spite Of Me

Beartooth - Disease

Choice Cuts: Fire, Afterall

MxPx - Self-Titled

Choice Cuts: Best Life, The Way We Do

Arkells - Rally Cry

Choice Cuts: Hand Me Downs, Relentless

Other Favourites

William Ryan Key - Virtue EP

Atreyu - In Our Wake

Saves The Day - 9

I Don't Know How But They Found Me - 1981 EP

Bayside - Acoustic Volume 2

William Ryan Key - Thirteen

Dashboard Confessional - Crooked Shadows

Alkaline Trio - Is This Thing Cursed?

Tonight Alive - Underworld

Top 10 Countdown: January 12, 2019

10. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness - Paper Rain
Last week: NEW!


9. Grayscale - Fever Dream
Last week: 10.


8. Hawthorne Heights - Crimson Sand
Last week: 9.


7. Fever 333 - Burn It
Last week: NEW!


6. Neck Deep - Torn
Last week: 1.


5. Seaway - Blur
Last week: 7.


4. Real Friends - Me First
Last week: 5.


3. Good Charlotte - Self-Help
Last week: 4.


2. Sleep On It - Disconnected
Last week: 3.


1. Roam - The Rich Life Of A Poor Man
Last week: 2.

Top 10 Countdown: January 5, 2019

10. Grayscale - Fever Dream
Last week: NEW!


9. Hawthorne Heights - Crimson Sand
Last week: 10.


8. The Story So Far - Upside Down
Last week: 4.


7. Seaway - Blur
Last week: 8.


6. Panic! At The Disco - High Hopes
Last week: 2.


5. Real Friends - Me First
Last week: 7.


4. Good Charlotte - Self-Help
Last week: 6.


3. Sleep On It - Disconnected
Last week: 5.


2. Roam - The Rich Life Of A Poor Man
Last week: 3.


1. Neck Deep - Torn
Last week: 1.

Special: 2018 In Review: Top 10 Music Videos of 2018

10. With Confidence - Moving Boxes (ASL Video)


Why? This one pretty well speaks for itself. Big ups to With Con for learning American Sign Language and doing a video with the band signing all the lyrics for their hearing impaired fans. Bonus points awarded to drummer Josh's Seaway shirt.

9. Grayscale - Fever Dream


Why? After placing 3rd on this exact list last year, Grayscale is one of two bands to repeat this list on back to back years. Last year was an anthem for self-love, this year it's this creepy flick for the song Fever Dream. Yeah in case you couldn't tell by the thumbnail, it's creepy. The group filmed it in a supposed haunted house and they have a great behind the scenes on YouTube that had them questioning if it was indeed haunted.

8. Weezer - Africa


Why? Okay. So... Weezer has been teasing us with this cover for years and finally in 2018 we got a video for it. So what happens when Weezer caves and finally gives us the cover that fans have been asking for for years? Well they decide to parody their own video (The Sweater Song) and since you're doing a parody you have to get the parody king himself, Weird Al, to play Rivers Cuomo don't you? Most excellent.

7. Real Friends - Me First


Why? Firstly, this is a really emotional song. Real Friends usually keeps meaning ambigious but given lead singer Dan's struggles with mental health issues, to me it's about not putting yourself second, make sure you take care of your own health. So does the video mirror that? Nope not at all. It's about a lady murdering her home staff (the band) after chasing them through the house with an axe. Unlike Grayscale above though, this is done for humour as we see in the final act as the band's decapitated heads finish singing the song on a silver platter. Bonus points for the obvious comic book inspiration.

6. As It Is - The Stigma (Boys Don't Cry)


Why? Yet another emotional song about the nature of toxic masculinity that society currently forces upon us. As It Is are doing their best to put an end to it with this gem of a song and accompanying video that sees a militaristic teacher at a boarding school stripping students of their identities and telling them what they need to be and how they need to act. The band put it best when describing the song "In these increasingly disconnected times, where empathy is seemingly on a decline at many levels of everyday modern life, it is vital to stand up against such outdated tropes".

5. Fall Out Boy - Wilson (Expensive Mistakes)


Why? If you like infomercials, like my fiance does then this is the video for you! Fall Out Boy reference their past eras in the video featuring Patrick's severed hand from the Young Blood Chronicles and the sheep from the Infinity On High cover. Overall it's just a fun, quirky video we don't usually get to see from Fall Out Boy, especially this era of Fall Out Boy.

4. Frank Turner - Little Changes


Why? Honestly, I could've used any of Frank's videos from 2018 on this list but I went with Little Changes for a couple reasons, firstly I like awkward choreography. Secondly it's just good clean fun but also speaks to the times we live in. Oftentimes people get so caught up in what people around them are doing we don't stop to focus on what we're doing and making sure we're enjoying our own lives instead of living it through other peoples lens.

3. Fever 333 - Burn It


Why? Obviously not the most political music video of the year, but certainly the most political of our scene. Fever 333 may be more underground for now but this movement is quickly changing as they've notched a Grammy nomination and are preparing to take over the world and become an important voice in it as we await their debut full length "Strength In Numb333rs" in early 2019.

2. Panic! At The Disco - Say Amen (Saturday Night)


Why? Yet again, like Frank Turner I could've used any of Panic's videos this year as all 3 were masterpieces but I decided to use the first one as I love that the music video has been telling a story over several albums starting with This Is Gospel in 2013 and it's sequel The Emperor's New Clothes in 2015. Say Amen acts as a prequel to both and damn the fight scenes are the best I've even seen in a music video.

1. Childish Gambino - This Is America


Why? Well, come on. There's been enough essays written on this video for me to NEED to give you my two cents so I'll leave it at this. This is the song and the video America needed. It hit on all the right chords at the absolute best time. Just like Legend Has It... last year we applaud the stance Donald Glover has taken and gave people a video to look at things a little differently.