Here are the top 40 songs of 2018
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#40 The Struts - Tatler Magazine (Young & Restless) 
The sophomore album by The Struts finds them hitting their stride. They are writing anthems that will go over well when they reach superstardom and play stadiums! Some listeners have complained that Young & Restless has little dynamic range and the "bricked" recording lessens the sonic quality. Tunes such as Tatler Magazine rise above that limitation. I love the Brian May-styled guitar lick towards the end.
#39 Dana Countryman - That's Why I Love Her (Cabaret Of Love)
Dana Countryman has a knack for writing tunes that you'd swear must have been hits in the 50's or 60's. They are bright, impeccably structured and always fun. This is a great example.
#38 Danny Wilkerson - Too Much Of A Good Thing (Wilkerson)
Danny Wilkerson released one of the top five CDs of the year. If I expanded this list to 50 songs, there would be at least 2 more songs off of Wilkerson. He is so consistent. The quality of his songs never wanes.
#37 Timmy Sean - In California (In California single)
Timmy Sean went nuts in 2016, releasing a song a week on Bandcamp and compiling the top CD of the year when he was done. His output has been slight since then, in fact this single was his only release of 2018. It is blessed with swirling harmonies and Timmy's knack for a good hook.
#36 Vegas With Randolph - She's An Intellectual (Legs & Luggage)
These boys stole this retired teacher's heart with the school-is-closed anthem "Snow Day" from their last CD. This year's offering has rocking riffs galore, none better than the riff they build on here. Propulsive rock is their specialty and here is a prime example.
#35 The Hi-Risers - Do Nothing Day (My Kind Of Fun)
The Hi-Risers deliver again with their smart-alecky fun take on rockabilly. Do Nothing Day is more laid back than their standard boot stompers, but it is perfectly crafted and delivered.
#34 The Jeremy Band - Coming To Get You (Joy Comes In The Morning)
Ever-prolific Jeremy Morris delivers another power-pop disc with a particular influence. Previous discs have echoed the Beatles (Pop Explosion) and the Byrds (Hit You With A Flower). This has echoes of The Who! I happen to love when Jeremy snaps off a hard rocker and uses his guitar chops to maximum effect. If you ever get the chance, see the band live. It's a high-voltage professional treat!
#33 Michael Simmons - Bucket List (First Days Of Summer)
Michael Simmons is all over this list as the lead vocalist in The Popdudes and as a solo artist here. The Georgia Satellites would kill to have penned a song like this.
#32 Dana Countryman - Summer Sand (Cabaret Of Love)
Is this a long-lost Beach Boys ballad? No, but Dana Countryman is back again with an homage that nails the sound.
#31 Dot Dash - Dead Letter Rays (Proto Retro)
Light strumming gives way to a driving power-pop pounder. A classic two-and-a-half minute rocker in the vein of The Cry! By the way, boys, call it Red Letter Days. The letter-swapped title does it no favors.
#30 Ash - Did Your Love Burn Out? (Islands)
Ash came back with a vengeance in 2018. You will hear them again later in the countdown. I love the chugging guitar and fuzzed-out solos on the breaks. Who thought this band would outlive Oasis?
#29 Prima Donna - Give It Up (Prima Donna)
This tune would have fit on the charts nicely between the Bravery and Franz Ferdinand at their best. It looks like I will have to track down their earlier material and hope it rocks like this.
#28 Dana Countryman - You're My Favorite Dream Come True (Cabaret Of Love)
This bright poppy hit would be a natural for Gilbert O' Sullivan. The 'doody-doody-do-do' break is pure sunshine. Put on any Dana Countryman disc and you can't help but smile.
#27 Gretchen's Wheel - Walk Out (Altered Sweet: A Tribute To Matthew Sweet)
Here is a cover of my favorite Matthew Sweet tune. I love the minor-key changes and the female lead vocals. There are many covers in this countdown. It made me wonder if I was over-rating the covers because of my fondness for the originals. Then I thought:screw it and kept ranking the tunes by the pleasure they gave me listening to them!
#26 Michael Carpenter - Girlfriend (Altered Sweet: A Tribute To Matthew Sweet)
Master interpreter Michael Carpenter tears into Matthew Sweet's hardest rocker ('The Ugly Truth' is a close second to these ears). Besides doing it justice (naturally), Carpenter's version rocks at least as hard as the original - maybe even harder. You be the judge.
#25 David Myhr - My Negative Friend (Lucky Day)
This is the best cut on a very good sophomore effort from former Merrymaker David Myhr. As for 2018 Merrymaker-related material, seek this one out and avoid the horribly disappointing Merrymakers release (Up And Away). All harmonies and bounciness stayed with Myhr, that's for sure!
#24 Daisy House - Stop Lookin' At Me (Bon Voyage)
I love when strummy acoustic guitar backing builds momentum for a song. Nice female lead vocals and a snarky lyrical bite all work together to make this song a winner.
#23 Cupid's Carnival - She Don't Care (Flamenco Version) (Clapham Junction)
Read the following in Ed Sullivan's voice: "You will be enjoying this song twice: Once now, and again towards the end of this shew." This is a first for me - a song so good that two separate versions make my best-of list. In my opinion there was enough variation and differences for each to qualify as its own tune. The 'pure-Beatles' version is in the top five. What a tune (both times)!
#22 The Struts - Primadonna Like Me (Young & Dangerous)
Starting out like the Stones, this tune grows into another anthem. I hope these guys get big enough to fill the stadiums that these tunes were made for. The key change and solo in the break are to die for.
#21 Jeff Whalen - Jendy! (10 More Rock Super Hits)
Jeff Whalen's material kicks the stuffing out of his former band's material...and I loved TSAR! Jeff takes a major step forward here, and this isn't even the best tune on the album. Just try to keep the chorus out of your head once you've heard it.
Click on the arrow below when you are ready to hear #20 to #1
#20 Popdudes - If It's Really Got To Be This Way (Maximum Rock Stupidity)
An obscure (Arthur Alexander) tune that was one of many that jumped off the Maximum Rock Stupidity disc - which itself was a bonus for buying the wonderful book: Shake Some Action 2.0: An Updated Guide To The 200 Greatest Power Pop Albums 1970-2017. I promise to write a fawning review of that book soon. Back to the band. I've decided that Michael Simmons is the new Doug Powell - a vocalist who makes any band he's around better. I honestly can't think of a better compliment.
#19 The Innocents - Strangers In The Park (Teardrop Kiss)
Here is one of three top 20 hits from the #1 album of 2018. This was the first single from Teardrop Kiss. As you dig into the meaty middle eight just be ready. There are two upcoming Innocents cuts that are even better.
#18 Little Mix - Forget You Not (LM5)
Power Pop? No. Catchy keyboard hook? You bet! I was made aware of this group through my daughter and the Motown-ready songs 'Love You Like Me' and 'A.D.D.I.D.A.S.'. Their latest wasn't as strong as earlier discs, but the material is still fun.
#17 The Late Show - Sha La La (Wake Me When You're Done) (Sha La La)
Power Pop? You bet your sweet bippy! The mounting fuzzed-guitar riff. The short and tasty guitar solo. The sha-la-las. This deserves to be a big fat hit. A great return for the band 38(!) years after their debut.
#16 Popdudes - Live And Let Die (Maximum Rock Stupidity)
I loved the original and I love this cover. I got a wave of joy every time I listened to this one. As I maneuvered the tunes to their proper spots, 'Live And Let Die' just kept rising. Michael Simmons rips into the vocals with the appropriate gusto.
#15 Chris Price - I Won't Last A Day Without You (White Lace and Promises: The Songs of Paul Williams)
The vocals and the arrangement are divine. I like it more than the original and I liked the original a lot. Pick up this comp on bandcamp. You won't be disappointed.
#14 Tom Petty - The Best Of Everything (Alternate Version) (Tom Petty: An American Treasure)
I caught Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers on tour before they released the 'Southern Accents' LP. He played a new song and it was one of those times when you know you are listening to a classic for the first time. I remembered the title (I don't always) and looked forward to playing it as soon as the new album came out. Cut to a couple of months later: When I dropped the needle on the cut, it was not like I remembered. It was "country-fied" to fit the theme of the album. It was not until this year that I got to hear an alternate version. Was it the same tune I originally loved? Yes. Yes it was. Tom Petty and this song are American Treasures indeed. Rest in peace, Mr. Petty.
#13 The Fratellis - Laughing Gas (In Your Own Sweet Time)
Side note: From here on in you are only going to hear perfectly crafted masterpieces. Not a misplaced note in sight.
As this song begins you will swear a young Mike Nesmith has taken over the vocal duties. It is one hell of a catchy song.
#12 Mick Terry - Everybody's Talking (Days Go By)
Everybody's Talking has Motown written all over it - from its walking bass line to its keyboard backing. It is a complex song that sounds simple (no easy feat). Then you get the horns on the break, which is the proverbial icing on the cake. Thanks, Francesc Sole, for suggesting I try this one.
#11 Valley Lodge - I'm Gone (Fog Machine)
Another perfect song. The bells, most often heard on Christmas tunes, fit snugly here. Mick Terry has crafted a "simple" tune that hits all the right notes, including a perfectly-timed key change. Superb.
#10 Ash - All That I Have Left (Islands)
Think Weezer's Rivers Cuomo fronting Fountains Of Wayne. That marriage would produce a wonderful sound, and Ash have found it. 'All That I Have Left' is worthy of comparisons to both bands...at their peak.
#9 The Struts - Somebody New (Young & Dangerous)
At the risk of sounding like a total fanboy (too late?) I have to praise The Struts here. They knock a ballad out of the park! It has muscle and moving chord changes. Bowie once asked: "Ain't there one damn song that can make me break down and cry?" If this doesn't inspire tears in you, you might have to settle for just chills. And yes, it is stadium-ready.
#8 Linus Of Hollywood - It Was You (Cabin Life)
Linus Of Hollywood pens complete, perfect gems. Here is this year's masterpiece: A spare string quartet and acoustic guitar ballad with a great tune, expressive vocals and beautiful lyrics. To top it off, he goes and sticks the landing! Sublime.
#7 Popdudes - Xanadu (Maximum Rock Stupidity)
First came the Olivia Newton-John version, which I liked a lot. Then came the ELO version from the box set. I liked that, too. Then came the Popdudes - to add some muscle. Now I *love* it. This is my new definitive version.
#6 The Innocents - Memories Of You (Teardrop Kiss)
The minor-key intro begins a slow build. I'm hooked. Instruments are introduced to the mix. The chorus kicks in and gives way to the organ break. Chills. Evocative harmonies swirl. They couldn't top this, could they? Spoiler Alert: Yes!
#5 Smile Factory - There She Is (Various Artists - Twelve String High: Another Jingle Jangle Adventure)
This tune is Jangle Pop perfection: Not one extraneous note. It has wonderful harmonies and is compact and brilliant. 2018 marks its first appearance on a physical CD. If you hunt, you can also find it on bandcamp.
#4 Cupid's Carnival - She Don't Care (Clapham Junction)
As promised, my favorite version of this song. While many artists ape the Beatles, only a few achieve results that can stand with their heroes' output. The bridge on this song pushes it up to a best-of-the-Spongetones level. Maybe, even, the Knickerbockers' "Lies" stratosphere. Sit back and enjoy.
#3 The Struts - 21st Century Dandy (Young & Dangerous (Japanese edition))
How can this be a Japan-only bonus cut? This is the best thing they have done. It mixes Alice Cooper-style dynamics with driving, anthemic vocals. As it hurtles forward to its crashing ending I can only think of one word: Encore!
#2 Jeff Whalen - Don't Give It Up (10 More Super Rock Hits)
Sometimes the best advice is just to sit back and listen. You can tell when a gem is unfolding. Often I tense up a little hoping that the quality stays perfect and there isn't a mis-step. Not to worry, Jeff Whalen nails this one - including sticking the landing. Judges? A perfect 10.0!
#1 The Innocents - Teardrop Kiss (Teardrop Kiss)
Crank this up! It's a whisper-to-a-scream rocker. If you listen to this while you're driving, you may have to explain to law enforcement why you were so far above the speed limit. I love The Innocents, but even I had no idea that they were capable of rocking this hard. It thrusts ahead until the cold finish. Teardrop Kiss is invigorating and is the song of the year!
ADDENDUM (My Methods)
If you are still reading, thank you for sticking around. I thought I'd let my fellow obsessive-compulsive music lovers know the pleasant efforts that resulted in the list you just heard.
Step One: I tracked down as much music from 2018 as I could get a hold of, even after the David Bash and Francesc Sole lists came out. Of course I had picked up most of the best throughout the year.
Step Two: As I listened to the tracks on my precious phone, I ranked the best cuts with either 4 stars (triple) or 5 stars (home run). I compiled a playlist of 5-star tracks (about 75 songs) and 4-star tracks (170 songs).
Step Three: I listened to the 5-star playlist to see if any needed demotion and then to the 4-star list to see if any should be bumped up. I began the task of separating the best of the best into their own group. I boiled down the list to 55 songs, to be shifted and placed into the order you see here. Songs moved up based on how much I looked forward to hearing them. Looking back, I think I tend to really value tight arrangements.
The last five out
Like the NCAA Tournament, I will list the 5 songs that just barely missed the top 40 cut:
#41 Little Mix - Think About Us Catchy but just out of the running. Beat out by The Struts.
#42 DNCE - TV In The Morning This is the Wham! song that never was. Not a bad band to emulate.
#43 Sunshine Bloom - I, Me, You From the "Power Pop is Dead" EP - the song proves the title inaccurate!
#44 The Connection - Checking A fun song from a fun band. It might have made the top 20 *last* year.
#45 Danny Wilkerson - How She Lost My Heart The Wilkerson album was flooded with good songs like this one.
