A Definitive Ranking of the 8 Biggest Radio Singles of 2018
The new music released this year was interesting, to say the least.
We had plenty of surprising collaborations and powerhouse hits from some of our favorite artists. And while there was a lot of this happening in every single genre, there were only eight songs that topped the airwaves, per Wikipedia's Hot 100 Airplay Charts.
We couldn't end the year without ranking the biggest radio singles of the year, so scroll below to discover which tunes they were and which one outranks them all—at least, according to us.
8. 'I Like It' by Cardi B feat. Bad Bunny & J Balvin
Though the song title suggests otherwise, we didn't like this collaboration between Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin. It was just sort of meh. Because it samples the well-known hit from Pete Rodriguez, "I Like It Like That," we expected a little bit more from this song. It's fine, but it's not anything that we found ourselves looking forward to hearing on the radio. More often than not, we'd switch the station when it came on.
7. 'Perfect' by Ed Sheeran
This song technically came it out in 2017, but it still topped the radio charts for nine weeks in 2018, so that's why it made its way onto this list. Anyway, we actually enjoy this song a lot. It's classic Ed Sheeran—sweet, loving and acoustic. The version we really enjoy is his collaboration with Beyoncé, which sadly, wasn't the version that outranked the other radio songs. We're calling it a fluke, but that's pretty much the only reason it doesn't rank higher on this list.
6. 'Girls Like You' by Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B
One of the most anthemic hits to come out of 2018, Maroon 5's "Girls Like You" featuring Cardi B is a catchy pop masterpiece. The second it starts, we're ready to sing along and will have it stuck in our heads for the rest of the day. Our only wish is that the song was as empowering as the music video. The video was arguably one of the bests of the year, but the song could've had a little more meaning behind it. But that's just our personal opinion.
5. 'Meant to Be' by Bebe Rexha feat. Florida Georgia Line
Another 2017 hit that saw major success in 2018, "Meant to Be" was a collaboration we didn't know we needed. To hear pop star Bebe Rexha expand her musical repertoire into country was a nice little change. She has the voice of an angel and can sing in just about any genre, as far as we're concerned. Who knows what collaborations she'll deliver in 2019, too?
4. 'Finesse' by Bruno Mars feat. Cardi B
We were already massive fans of "Finesse" off Bruno Mars's album 24K Magic, but it was made even better by a Cardi B featured. A song that was severely overshadowed by the likes of "24K Magic" and "That's What I Like," the remix with Cardi really helped this hidden gem find its footing and become a breakout hit in its own unique way.
3. 'The Middle' by Zedd feat. Maren Morris & Grey
Country artist Maren Morris has such a powerful, soulful voice and certainly one we never thought we'd hear on a dance, pop track alongside Zedd and Grey. While this collaboration could've easily gone up in flames with there being so many cooks in the kitchen, it was the sweetest collab to bless our ears this year. To this day, we're still not tired of it. We blast it every single time it comes on the radio or a Spotify playlist. More unexpected collaborations like this please!
2. 'Happier' by Bastille feat. Marshmello
Not as its title would suggest, this song is rather melancholy and somber in its lyrics. It's made more upbeat and inviting with the infectious beat created by Marshmello. Part of the reason we loved this song so much was this juxtaposition in the lyrics and the music. It shouldn't have worked, but it did. And it pretty much sums up how we feel all the time—optimistic with a hint of pessimism waiting to take over.
1. 'High Hopes' by Panic! At the Disco
As longtime fans of this band, we were so excited to watch them experience such a huge year. While 2018 wasn't all that great for a lot of us, Panic! At the Disco were lucky to see their hard work and determination help them achieve their wildest dreams. "High Hopes" was really a song that captured their catastrophic rise to even more stardom. It's upbeat, inspiring and showcases Brendon Urie's insane vocal abilities in such a powerful way. This is a song we'll be blasting at all our New Year's Eve parties to help us feel optimistic about 2019.
Listen to these songs in the order they're ranked below:
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