It’s safe to say that our Music Designers consume more music than the average listener. That’s why, as each year comes to a close, we love to ask our team to list their favorites from the past 12 months. First, we’ll concentrate on the songs that stood out in 2018. Looking through their picks, it’s easy see to why Mood’s programming expertly covers such a wide range of genres. Only one song appeared on several lists:

The rest of the lists are as varied as they come. Scroll through their choices to see which songs appear on your own lists and which songs are likely to be new favorites. Stay tuned for the rest of our “Best of 2018” series, including our Music Design team’s favorite albums and new discoveries.

Erick Bohorquez:
“Malamente” – Rosalía
“Dúo” – Aterciopelados
“El Mambo” – Mon Laferte
“Dandy del Congo feat. Amayo” – Trending Tropics
“Con Todo El Mundo” – Khruangbin

Tristan Bolden:
“The Void” – Neighbourhood
“Honey” – Robyn
“No Pain (feat. Khalid, Charlie Wilson & Charlotte Day Wilson)” – DJDS
“Better Not (feat. Wafia)” – Louis the Child
“All the Time” – Kim Petras

Cory Brown:
“Goodbye” – Porches
“All Night Every Night” – Benjamin Schoos feat. Dent May
“Whatever Comes to Mind” – MorMor
“Ribbons” – Club Kuru
“Prune, You Talk Funny” – Gus Dapperton

Brian Chamberlain:
“No Place” – Rufus Du Sol
“Broken” – lovelytheband
“All My Friends” – Revivalists
“Back Down” – Bob Moses
“Sugar And Spice” – Hatchie

Ashley Columbus-Plinzke:
“No Place” – Rufus Du Sol
“Ever Again” – Robyn
“Love” – Unloved
“Eden” – Anna Calvi
“Nothin’ Like You” – Kaytranada feat. Ty Dolla $ign

Blake Deming:
“Florence-Jean” – Damien Jurado
“It Feels Like Floating” – Mary Lattimore
“Antarcticans Thawed” – Sleep
“Answer Me, My Love” – Swamp Dogg
“Saskatchewan In 1881” – Colter Wall

Amy Frishkey:
“Poem” – U.S. Girls
“Home” – Tune-Yards
“Odio a Todo el Mundo” – Alex Anwandter
“Lisa Simpsons” – Agnosia feat. Sammus
“Holding On” – Tirzah

Shirley Griffith:
“Body” – Julia Jacklin
“Me & My Dog” – boygenius
“Retro 1’s” – Tiara Thomas
“Destroyer” – Lala Lala
“Indians Never Die” – Black Belt Eagle Scout

Carly Grimm:
“Clean Eyes” – SYML
“You Should See Me In a Crown” – Billie Eilish
“Love Like Waves” – Friendly Fires
“Walking Away” – St. Lucia
“Ghost Voices” – Virtual Self

​Cody Hare:
“White Flowers” – Tom Demac feat. Real Lies
“Opal (Four Tet Remix)” – Bicep
“String Theory” – Mandar
“Love is Real” – Loods feat. Grab
“Pick Up” – DJ Koze​

Linda Kennedy:
“Malamente” – Rosalia
“Freelance” – Toro Y Moi
“Girlfriend” – Christine and the Queens
“Lonesome Love” – Mitski
“Colors of Autmn” – DJ Koze

Justin Main:
“Big City Boys” – BRONCHO
“Jack In Titanic” – Bodega
“Make Me Feel”- Janelle Monae
“Short Court Style” – Natalie Prass
“Mardi Gras Beads” – Parquet Courts

Tara Miller:
“Roads” – Westerman
“Tints” – Anderson .Paak feat. Kendrick Lamar
“Miki Dora” – Amen Dunes
“Slow Burn” – Kacey Musgraves
“In My View” – Young Fathers

Will Mueller:
“forever free” – San Holo feat. Duskus
“Sandpaper” – Taska Black
“SAN MARCOS” – BROCKHAMPTON
“Foot Fungus” – Ski Mask The Slump God
“Death Row (feat. 03 Greedo)” – Freddie Gibbs

Jesse Nathason:
“To Drink From the Night Itself” – At The Gates
“Where Angels Fear To Tread” – Disclosure
“I Can See” – Harvey Sutherland
“Me & You (feat. Tom Misch)” – HONNE
“Elephants” – Thodoris Triantafillou

Jamie Overcash:
“Ladders” – Mac Miller
“After The Storm” – Kali Uchis
“If You Know You Know” – Pusha T
“Honey” – Robyn
“Fun Flex Freestyle” – Black Thought

Matt Powell:
“Potato Salad” – Tyler The Creator feat. A$AP Rocky
“WIN” – Jay Rock
“Thank You” – Black Thought
“Movie” – Tom Misch
“Not For Radio” – Nas

Brad Pressley:
“Something To Believe In” – The New Respects
“Ode to the Pleiades (Clap! Clap! Live Band Version)” – Clap!Clap!
“Bad Bad News” – Leon Bridges
“You Worry Me” – Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
“Short Court Style” – Natalie Prass
“Do The Astral Plane” – Toshio Matsuura Group

Trevor Pronga:
“Unfollow” – Mr Little Jeans
“Charcoal Baby” – Blood Orange
“Comeback Kid” – Sharon Van Etten
“Touch” – Sweet Spirit
“Motion Sickness” – Phoebe Bridgers

Erin Yousef:
“Nina Cried Power” – Hozier feat. Mavis Staples
“High Horse” – Kacey Musgraves
“This Is America” – Childish Gambino
“Without Me” – Halsey
“Trip” – Ella Mai

– Submitted by Music Design