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