Any year that kicks off with a ripping new Judas Priest song in its first quarter and winds down with a surprise Slipknot single in Q4 is a pretty decent fucking year in heavy music. Both those cuts were but the tip of the proverbial iceberg in 2018, with a host of other big names and worthy up-and-comers, across metal, hardcore, punk, industrial, hip-hop, goth and beyond, dropping captivating songs that helped get us through another strange and often challenging year. Here are 75 of our favorites, conveniently curated in a Spotify playlist for your blasting pleasure.
75 Best Songs of 2018
Deafheaven, Slipknot, HEALTH x Youth Code, Jesus Piece and more
METALLICA 'Kill 'Em All': 10 wild stories behind all-time thrash classic
From haunted mansions to "sour notes"
20 Greatest Comebacks in Heavy-Music History
These artists shook the world by rising from the ashes
25 Essential Thrash Albums
From Anthrax to Voivod
20 Essential Nu-Metal Albums
Linkin Park, Korn, Slipknot and beyond
15 Essential Grunge Albums
From Alice in Chains to Temple of the Dog
Terror's Scott Vogel: My Advice for Young Hardcore Bands
"Dedication is way more important than talent"
Hail to the Kings: M. Shadows Interviews Hetfield and Ulrich
Avenged Sevenfold singer gains audience with Metallica's founding duo in classic story
How Lamb of God Came Back After Randy Blythe's Arrest and Imprisonment
From Prague's Pankrác Prison to LOG's 'VII: Sturm und Drang'