The Best Summer Anthems Of 2018 | 9 Songs That You Need in Your Playlist
By: James Teague
For some reason the vibes for Summer 2018 were different and I couldn’t put my finger on why. Maybe the current climate of our lives is playing a role. All that I can say is that the season is almost over and we don’t truly have an anthem to define our Summer this year. There’s usually a song that’s already been decided by the masses already. There's some songs you can say that fell into that Summer 18 category and after careful living and observation, I’ve picked out a couple of songs that can be nominated as the best summer anthems 2018. You can be the judge and decide which song is considered to be the anthem of Summer 18.
Ella Mai - Boo’d Up
This song was originally on Ella Mai’s Ready EP which was released last year. But somehow it resurfaced this year and created a life of its own. I appreciate the “Trust the process” story. Ella Mai is deserving of all this attention she’s getting. Everybody loves it especially the guys.
Drake - Nice for What
It’s not Summer without Drake giving us an anthem to enjoy amongst the current time of our lives. From the song to the visual, you can tell this was dedicated more to the women out there working hard and looking good simultaneously. He made it clear for the women that this was the summer to start acting up and letting the men know what time it was.
YG - Big Bank
Everybody loves a rachet west coast style single from YG alongside DJ Mustard on the production boards. It felt good to hear Mustard & YG linking back up again for Stay Dangerous. You can't help but do your dance when “My b*tch drive an all white range/ Couldn't hit if you n*ggas had aim..” first comes on.
Jay Rock - WIN
This isn’t just a song, it’s a life mantra that the people strive to live for in life! This was the perfect song to officially kick off Jay Rock’s run with Redemption, which happens to be one of top rap albums so far in 2018. Once again the TDE brand remains strong.
Tory Lanez ft Rich The Kid - Talk to Me
I was having a tough time trying to choose between BID and Talk to Me but the chorus alone for Talk to Me is so catchy that it just rolls off of your tongue with ease. Tory is planning to drop a new project Love Me Now right after releasing his Sophomore Effort Memories Don’t Die.
Drake - In My Feelings
When I first heard this record on the night Scorpion released, I already knew this was going to be a smash single! Between the New Orleans influence and Drake giving City Girls a huge look, it had all of the ingredients for a successful moment. And it all kicked off when IG comedian Shiggy started the “In My Feelings” challenge.
Khalid ft Ty Dolla Sign & 6lack - On the Way
The visual and vibe of this song gave me 90s vibes with a twist. It’s always great to hear feel good R&B records that you just automatically know is going to stand the test of time especially when hearing great young R&B acts. Ty Dolla is currently on his run with some of the best guest features in 2018 so far! Meanwhile everyone is anticipating 6lack’s next album release at any moment.
Valee ft Jeremih - Womp Womp
The rising stardom of Chicago rapper Valee has been a trajectory to watch this year from his debut EP GOOD Job, You Found Me to watching other rappers try and imitate his rap flow. This is one of the records that helps highlight who Valee is as an up and coming artist. I'm looking forward to hearing his next project with Cardo Got Wangz to see where he’s going to go next with his music.
Tyga ft Offset - Taste
With all of the constant slander and jokes that the masses have made towards rapper Tyga, we forget about his ability to keep a hit record under his belt. At first I wasn’t sure what to think about the reactions to the song, but after listening and living with this song, I was sold. Between that, his other record Swish, and his new LA Leakers Freestyle, I’m liking what he’s doing with his music and hope he continues this streak of great music.