Top 100 RnB Songs of 2018

We’ve reached the end of 2018, and as is the tradition around here, we continue to look back on the year that was for r&b music. We recently published our Top 10 Best R&B Albums of 2018 list, and acknowledged that while it wasn’t a great year for R&B, there were a bunch of good projects.

Additionally, we continue to see the trend of artists releasing albums less frequently or not at all, opting instead for just singles or even EP’s. As you’ll see on the list below, many of these songs didn’t make an album. And of course like we always do, we included some album cuts that artists didn’t choose as singles.

Once again, YouKnowIGotSoul.com has collaborated with our friend Edd Bowser at SoulInStereo.com to present the Top 100 R&B Songs of 2018. This list is a culmination of votes tallied by Tom and Kyle of YouKnowIGotSoul, and Edd of SoulInStereo. Each of us nominated what we felt were the best songs we heard of the course of the year, and then debated which deserved to be included in the list. We all agree that the list you’ll find below came out fairly.

If you’re curious about our credentials, between us we listened to every R&B project we could get our hands on this year, including EPs. We also listened to the majority of singles sent our way. So we do have an educated say in this, like we have for nearly a decade now.

Feel free to click any of the songs below to check out some of these great songs you may have missed. Enjoy!


100) Tinashe – L-O-V-E


99) Bobby V – Lil Bit (featuring Snoop Dogg)


98) Raheem DeVaughn & Vandell Andrew – Joyful Noise (Chill AF Mix)


97) Mary J. Blige – Only Love


96) Sidibe – What Should One Do


95) J. Holiday – 25 to Life


94) Gallant – Doesn’t Matter


93) Jessie J – Petty


92) Anna Moore – Pity Party


91) Faye B – Who Is She?


90) Case – Make Love (featuring Teddy Riley & Tank)


89) Bridget Kelly – In the Grey


88) VanJess – Rewind Time


87) Brian McKnight – 42 (Grown Up Tipsy)


86) Esnavi – The Way


85) Queen Naija – Karma


84) Teyana Taylor – Issues/Hold On


83) Tone Stith – Light Flex


82) Ne-Yo – Apology


81) Nao – Drive and Disconnect


80) IAmChelseaIAm – Hurt People II


79) Chante Moore – Thank You


78) H.E.R. – As I Am


77) Lion Babe – Honey Dew


76) Ginette Claudette – Twisted


75) Nao – Orbit


74) Darien Dean – Last Song (featuring Tiffany T’Zelle)


73) Ari Lennox – Whipped Cream


72) Raheem DeVaughn – Wifey (featuring Phil Ade)


71) Jessie J – I Believe In Love


70) Melat – Push


69) Justin Timberlake – Midnight Summer Jam


68) Summer Walker – CPR


67) Jussie Smollett – Ha Ha (I Love You)


66) Gallant – Gentleman


65) DJ Aktive – It Is What It Is (featuring Musiq Soulchild)


64) Static Major – Love is Dro


63) Shawn Stockman – Feelin Lil Som’n


62) Justin Timberlake – Breeze Off the Pond


61) August Greene – Optimistic (featuring Brandy)


60) Mariah Carey – Caution


59) Teyana Taylor – Gonna Love Me


58) Marsha Ambrosius – Let Out


57) Tamia – Better


56) En Vogue – Rocket


55) Ro James – Excuse Me


54) Justine Skye – Heaven


53) Justin Timberlake – Wave


52) Justin Timberlake – Montana


51) Jessie J – 4 Letter Word


50) Raheem DeVaughn – Don’t Come Easy


49) Ella Mai – Dangerous


48) Leah Labelle – Sun


47) VanJess – Addicted


46) The Foreign Exchange – June


45) Mariah Carey – The Distance (featuring Ty Dolla $ign)


44) Lucky Daye – Roll Some Mo


43) Lipstick Gypsy – Around U


42) Amerie – Curious


41) Lloyd – My Bestie (featuring Sevyn)


40) Toni Braxton – FOH


39) Ne-Yo – U Deserve


38) Queen Naija – Butterflies


37) Mariah Carey – 8th Grade


36) Asiahn – Like You


35) Keith Sweat – How Many Ways (featuring K-Ci)


34) Luke James – These Arms


33) Nao – Another Lifetime


32) Jazzy Amra – You Got Me (featuring Wyclef Jean)


31) Mario – Goes Like That


30) Brady Watt – Black & White (featuring Ro James)


29) The Internet – Come Over


28) Khalid – OTW (featuring Ty Dolla $ign & 6lack)


27) Usher – You Decide


26) Shawn Stockman – Been Too Long


25) Mya – Damage


24) PJ Morton – How Deep Is Your Love (Live)


23) Raheem DeVaughn – When It’s Real


22) India Arie – That Magic


21) H.E.R. – Hard Place


20) Jazz – All Your Love


19) Keith Sweat – Red Negligee


18) Mya – You Got Me


17) Bria Lee – One Shot (featuring Fat Joe)


16) Lloyd – Caramel


15) Nao Yoshioka – I Love When


14) Miguel – R.A.N.


13) Mariah Carey – Giving Me Life (featuring Slick Rick)


12) Anna Moore – This Song By You


11) Marsha Ambrosius – Flood


10) Jessie J – Dopamine


9) Gallant – HaHa No One Can Hear You


8) Ella Mai – Trip


7) Peabo Bryson – Love Like Yours and Mine


6) Janelle Monae – I Like That


5) Tamia – It’s Yours


4) Mariah Carey – A No No


3) Jacquees – 23 (featuring Donell Jones)


2) Tamia – Leave It Smokin


1) Toni Braxton – Long As I Live




Honorable Mention

Chante Moore – Moore
Keith Sweat – Bae Bae
Chante Moore – One Love
Jacquees – Play the Field
Ne-Yo – Good Man
Ne-Yo – Over U
VanJess – Touch The Floor
Xscap3 – Memory Lane
The Internet – It Gets Better
John Legend – A Good Night
Jacquees – You
Craig David – Talk to Me