IDOLTHREAT Australian Top 20 of 2018

Technically it’s not even limited to just 20 songs

Published in

idolthreat

8 min readDec 24, 2018

This is the sixth year now that I’ve put together my own end-of-year music list. In years past, it has been strictly about the best songs, which means sometimes, if an artist has had a truly phenomenal year, they might get two or even three songs in the list.

Then, in 2018, Ariana Grande had a year like no other.

While I was putting this year’s International list together, it got to the point where there were four Ariana Grande songs in the top ten. So, as a result, we now have:

“The Ariana Grande Rule”

It’s simple: only the highest ranking song from an artist will make the list; their other songs will be listed alongside them.

This has two huge benefits: one, it makes the list more interesting to read, because I don’t have to talk about the same artist multiple times; and two, it opens the list up and lets in more artists who deserve recognition.

And that’s worked out brilliantly for our Australian list. It means featuring 20 phenomenal Australian artists who have all had excellent releases in 2018 and are set to be even bigger in 2019.

As ever, idolthreat, and the idolthreat Top 20 list, is about the best pop-skewed releases of the year. We’re not looking for songs designed to fit into a certain Spotify playlist, or songs trying to fit a genre; it’s about artists making a statement, giving a shit about their work, playing by their own rules, and creating something truly lasting and noteworthy.

To check out our International Top 20 of 2018, click here.

With that out the way, here it is:
the idolthreat Australian Top 20 of 2018.

(There’ll be a YouTube playlist and a Spotify playlist at the end for you.)

GIRL • Jess Kent

see also: Bass Bumps

Jess Kent picked up pop radio play for Girl, and in the context of pop radio, Jess Kent fits in beautifully.

LOSING IT • Fisher

GRAMMY NOMINATED.

NEVER EVER • The Rubens and Sarah Aarons

Truly extraordinary songwriting, coupled with the way Sam and Sarah’s voices contrast and play with each other, meant Never Ever sounded unlike anything else out there.

DAMN LOYAL • Eves Karydas

see also: Further Than The Planes Fly, Couch

I got to see Eves Karydas live this year. She was supporting Dua Lipa, and if that’s not an endorsement, what is?

BODY HIGH • Sam Bluer

see also: Shift

Do you know how upset I was that I was sick the night Sam played a Melbourne gig and did this song? I had to experience it through Nic Kelly’s Instagram Story, which, while not unpleasant, certainly didn’t have the same impact as being in the room.

PATHETIC • Ninajirachi and NAAH

Ninajirachi keeps going from strength to strength! I adore the production on this — it really does feel like the glaciers on the cover of the single artwork.

GROCERIES • Mallrat

Did I tell you about the time I saw Maggie Rogers at the Forum? Mallrat was supporting, and then when Maggie came on Mallrat slipped into the crowd to watch the show, and was standing right behind me and I had no idea. Which, like, I’m a tall bitch, up the front but off to the side specifically to avoid blocking someone’s view — honestly, Mallrat, tell me to get out your way.

Obviously once I realised she was there I moved so I was behind her and kinda up against the wall, but I can’t help but feel I ruined the bit of the gig she got to see. Again, I’m really sorry.

Also this song is great.

I’M A MESS WITHOUT YOU • Maribelle

see also: Down For You

I heard 10 Boss had to change their name to 10 Bold because Maribelle is the only boss that’s allowed to exist in Australia. My sympathies are with Channel 10, but unfortunately that’s the law.

Maribelle is the future of pop music in this country, and if you don’t believe me, watch the video for I’m A Mess Without You below and then try and tell me otherwise.

DO RIGHT • Glades

see also: Not About You, Nervous Energy, Eyes Wide Shut, Through To You

I saw LANY play live this year, and after the gig I went and bought Glades merch instead of LANY merch, which is an indication of just how much Glades kicked arse.

Please join me in calling for a Royal Commission into why Do Right and Not About You weren’t added to Australian radio across the board.

YOUNGBLOOD • 5 Seconds of Summer

First time you heard this: did you expect the chorus to do that? From the lead-in, did you expect it to go that hard?

5SOS won us all back after the underwhelming Want You Back with this BELTER of a song, which raises the question: do you reckon they put out Want You Back knowing it’d be forgotten soon? They were holding out on us. Imagine knowing you had a song like Youngblood on the way and having to keep it a secret.

They’ve also put out a song the other day with Julia Michaels which, as expected, is great.

MY MY MY! • Troye Sivan

see also: Dance To This feat. Ariana Grande, Bloom

It was so funny how many people I know who were never really into Troye Sivan would tell me they were into this song. Who would have thought the thing to unite friends from school, work colleagues, industry peers, and relatives you only ever see on Facebook would be a love for a song by Troye Sivan?

FIRE • Peking Duk and Sarah Aarons

Accidentally became the Australian national anthem for about twenty seconds at one point. Not complaining.

ABOUT YOU • G Flip

see also: Killing My Time

I’ve tried to write this bit six times now but each time I keep coming back to the fact that Georgia taught herself production. Like, she went, “I’m real good at this drumming thing; better get good at all the other music-related things”, and just went and learned it. And this was the result.

🚨 ALBUM IN 2019. 🚨

SMFY • Eilish Gilligan

see also: Patterns

This feels like something The Postal Service would have produced, if they weren’t the guy from Death Cab and Dntel, and also were Australian, and also posed with animals on the cover art for their songs.

SMFY, apologies for the cliché, is magical.

CHILD • Kota Banks

see also: Zoom, I’m It

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: either you’re behind Kota Banks, or you’re behind the times.

PLAYER • Muki

Muki is the bratty pop superstar I would turn myself into if I could hold a note. All energy, zero shits — Muki is exactly the star we need.

Maybe if I’ve been really good this year Santa will give me new music in 2019.

I’M GOOD • Wafia

Every time this song has come on at a party or a gig I’ve been at, it’s gone right off. It really is That Song.

SHOW YOU • CXLOE

see also: Monster

CXLOE! Show You made serious inroads on radio, did serious numbers on Spotify (it’s not far off six million streams), and she’s about to support Maroon 5 on their Australian tour. One or two more killer singles in 2019 and she’ll properly cement herself in the Australian pop A-list.

ALL LOVED UP • Amy Shark

see also: I Said Hi, Psycho feat. Mark Hoppus

Songwriting is tricky. You have so much you want to say, but you have to shrink it down into only a few words, and paint pictures with those words, and sometimes you have to make them rhyme.

I’ve not been more affected by a single lyric this year as when I first heard Amy open All Loved Up with “I hate to take off and land, so you hold my hand”. In twelve words, you have a scene, two characters, energy, emotion, and a hook for the rest of the story.

Amy deserved every single one of the ARIAs she won, and seeing her duet with Keith Urban, totally unable to wipe the smile off her face, was just the most wholesome and wonderful moment.

I DON’T LACK IMAGINATION • E^ST

I Don’t Lack Imagination is that special mix of familiar, and wildly different to anything else out there. Right from the start, the song grabs your attention. The chorus immediately makes you want to sing along. She makes this whole “music” thing look effortless.

There’s nobody else on the scene quite like E^ST, and E^ST isn’t trying to be anyone else.