It's that time of year when music journos arm themselves to the teeth with their opinions and spend the best part of a month shouting down their colleagues and thrusting their assessments on to their readers.
Naturally, we cover stuff like best songs of the year and pick out a list of acts we think will conquer their year ahead, but we also thought it would be interesting to look back on the year in music journalism. As all good journalists should, we get our music news and info from many different sources. From TRENCH and CRACK to Pitchfork and The FADER, there's a lot of stuff out there that we may not get to cover ourselves—perhaps touching on topics outside of Complex's usual realm—and it's only right that we give it some props.
What was our favourite review? Which artist do we think gave the most interesting and enlightening interview? And, most importantly, which writer managed to spin a solid feature out of an uncomfortable semi-confrontation with an act who just didn't like their face? Well, Complex UK's music staff (and extended family) have answered these questions and more, by each picking five of their favourite music features from 2018. Get stuck in below.
It's that time of year when music journos arm themselves to the teeth with their opinions and spend the best part of a month shouting down their colleagues and thrusting their assessments on to their readers.
Naturally, we cover stuff like best songs of the year and pick out a list of acts we think will conquer their year ahead, but we also thought it would be interesting to look back on the year in music journalism. As all good journalists should, we get our music news and info from many different sources. From TRENCH and CRACK to Pitchfork and The FADER, there's a lot of stuff out there that we may not get to cover ourselves—perhaps touching on topics outside of Complex's usual realm—and it's only right that we give it some props.
What was our favourite review? Which artist do we think gave the most interesting and enlightening interview? And, most importantly, which writer managed to spin a solid feature out of an uncomfortable semi-confrontation with an act who just didn't like their face? Well, Complex UK's music staff (and extended family) have answered these questions and more, by each picking five of their favourite music features from 2018. Get stuck in below.
Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson, Senior Editor
How Steel Banglez Beat Depression To Become The UK's Leading Rap Producer
by Ajay Rose, Complex
March 26, 2018
Bhad Bhabie Isn't Going Anywhere
by Meaghan Garvey, Complex
May 23, 2018
To Understand Skepta's 'Blacklisted' Is To Understand Skepta
by Yemi Abiade, TRENCH
June 28, 2018
by Ciaran Thapar, CRACK
July 3, 2018
Sunday Review: Missy Elliott, Supa Dupa Fly
Judnick Mayard, Pitchfork
Nov. 4, 2018
James Keith, Staff Writer
Review: Greta Van Fleet, Anthem Of The Peaceful Army
by Jeremy D. Larson, Pitchfork
Jan. 30, 2018
The Tipping Point 01: Cat Park, Channel U & Grime's Future
by Chantelle Fiddy, TRENCH
June 19, 2018
10 Years On, The Bug's 'London Zoo' Is Still A Ferocious Snapshot Of An Angry Nation
by Adam Harper, CRACK
July 17, 2018
by Felicity Martin, CLASH
Nov. 5, 2018
VanJess Go Deeper Than Nostalgia With Their '90s-Style R&B
by Bolu Babalola, Noisey
Nov. 19, 2018
Tobi Oke, Staff Writer
by Alex Gale, Billboard
Jan. 5, 2018
by Tad Friend, The New Yorker
March 5, 2018
by Toye Sokunbi, Native Mag
May 10, 2018
by Jian DeLeon, Highsnobiety
May 15, 2018
by Rawiya Kameir, The FADER
Sept. 11, 2018
Chantelle Fiddy, Contributor
by David Marchese, Vulture
Feb. 7, 2018
Stormin: Grime Pioneer Who Reinvigorated The Rave Scene
by Joe Muggs, The Guardian
Feb. 19, 2018
Amid London's Knife Crime Epidemic, Classical Philosophy Offers Young People An Alternative
by Ciaran Thaper, Prospect Magazine
May 10, 2018
Frightened Rabbit's Scott Hutchinson: A Songwriter Who Found Humanity In Our Flaws
by Kieran Devlin, The Guardian
May 11, 2018
Keep On Moving: The Bizarre Dance Epidemic Of Summer 1518
by John Waller, The Guardian
July 5, 2018
Jesse Bernard, Contributor
Get To know Slowthai, The Most Exciting—And Excitable—New UK Rapper Out Right Now
by Will Pritchard, Pitchfork
June 25, 2018
Janelle Monáe Is Redefining What It Means To Be A Genius
by Ivie Ani, Okayplayer
July 3, 2018
And On The Seventh Day Zaytoven Became The Lord Of Trap Music
by Christina Lee, Red Bull
Aug. 21, 2018
by Craig Jenkins, Vulture
Sept. 6 2018
by Laura Snapes, The Guardian
Sep. 28, 2018
Aniefiok Ekpoudom, Contributor
The Story Of Combat Jack, Hip-Hop's Flagship Podcaster
by Paul Cantor, Vulture
Feb. 14, 2018
Little Simz: Terms And Conditions
by Yomi Adegoke, CRACK
March 2, 2018
UK Drill & Youth Violence: The Final Word
by Ciaran Thapar, TRENCH
April 25, 2018
My Fathers And Hip-Hop Taught Me About Self-Care As A Black Man
by Jesse Bernard, catapult
Oct. 9, 2018
by Jude Yawson, Financial Times
Nov. 16, 2018