1998: The Year In Music

1998 – Iran and Iraq begin a ceasefire in their eight-year-old war. Mikhail Gorbachev becomes Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, effectively head of state of the Soviet Union. Benazir Bhutto is named Prime Minister of Pakistan, the first female leader of a Muslim country. A mixed bag of news … so let’s see if the music can get us back on track!

I’ll be looking at the popular and highest-rated songs / albums of the year, giving my opinions on their musicality and longevity as well as an overall verdict for the year as a whole.

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Billboard Top 10 (Popular) Singles

Source: Wikipedia

10 – I Don’t Want to Wait (Paula Cole)

A simple ballad with a fairly one-note piano and vocal performance.

9 – Nice & Slow (Usher)

Usher’s undergoing a fair bit of controversy in modern news, but I’m sure he was all the rage back in the 90’s and early 00’s.

“Nice & Slow” is the boring kind of RnB that I hope stays in the 90’s.

8 – Candle in the Wind 1997 / Something About the Way You Look Tonight (Elton John)

“Candle in the Wind” already appeared in my 1997 list, so I won’t talk about it again here. Must’ve been quite a hit to make the top ten on both years!

7 – All My Life (K-Ci & JoJo)

Another RnB / romantic / slow ballad that puts me to sleep. 1998 is off to a boring start.

6 – Together Again (Janet Jackson)

We haven’t had Janet Jackson on one of these Billboard top tens for a while, and now I’m starting to think that was a missed opportunity.

“Together Again” sounds fresher than all of the songs so far – as if she knew where music would be going in the early 00’s.

5 – How Do I Live (LeAnn Rimes)

Like “Candle in the Wind”, “How Do I Live” was so big a hit that it spanned over two Billboard top tens. It’s quite the ballad, after all.

4 – Truly Madly Deeply (Savage Garden)

A classic Savage Garden ballad … although I’m more impartial to “To the Moon & Back” and “I Want You” personally.

3 – You’re Still the One (Shania Twain)

It’s on the slower side, but Shania Twain’s sincerity on “You’re Still the One” sells it more than other ballads.

2 – The Boy Is Mine (Brandy and Monica)

“The Boy Is Mine” has the best production of the year … for the Billboard hits, anyhow.

That low end is bouncing, and the chorus is insanely catchy.

1 – Too Close (Next)

I do love “Too Close” for its sensual, slick style that oozes sex appeal … but the lyrics are a little creepy.

No Next, I don’t need to know if you’re hard right now or if something’s “poking through” on you.

FAVOURITE – “The Boy Is Mine” (Brandy and Monica)

LEAST FAVOURITE – “I Don’t Want to Wait” (Paula Cole)

Top-Rated Songs

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

10 – Two-Headed Boy Pt. Two (Neutral Milk Hotel)

Spoiler alert – there’s going to be a lot of Neutral Milk Hotel songs in this top ten.

“Two-Headed Boy Pt. Two”, the closer from “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea”, has a similar Folk appeal to the rest of the album.

9 – Rosa Parks (OutKast)

OutKast have some of the best lyrical flows you’ll ever hear on a Rap song.

“Rosa Parks” is definitely one of their best, as that chorus is catchy as hell.

8 – You Get What You Give (New Radicals)

Not the kind of song I’d expect to see in the high-rated list, but “You Get What You Give” is definitely a highlight of 1998.

It has easily one of the best choruses of the year.

7 – Angel (Massive Attack)

The opening song on Massive Attack’s “Mezzanine” is a banger.

“Angel” gets under your skin with its dark synths, and it builds to a fantastic climax.

6 – Waltz #2 (XO) (Elliott Smith)

Elliott Smith is making a name for himself as one of the best singer-songwriters of the 90’s.

I can hear Bob Dylan influences in “Waltz #2 (XO)”, and I imagine artists like Smith inspired later Indie acts such as Arcade Fire.

5 – Two-Headed Boy (Neutral Milk Hotel)

“Two-Headed Boy” is purely acoustic, and while I wish there was more substance I like the track as it is.

4 – The King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. One (Neutral Milk Hotel)

The opener to “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea”, “The King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. One” is short but sweet.

It’s Folk-y and endearing, with a rousing set of lyrics.

3 – Holland, 1945 (Neutral Milk Hotel)

One of the faster songs on “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea”, which makes it immediately stand out.

It sounds a little muddy at points, but I like the energy.

2 – Teardrop (Massive Attack)

Featuring Elizabeth Fraser from Cocteau Twins, “Teardrop” is Massive Attack’s magnum opus.

I always get lost in the somber production and haunted vocal performance.

1 – In The Aeroplane Over The Sea (Neutral Milk Hotel)

Despite “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea” being the title track and first place in this ranking, it’s not one of my favourite Neutral Milk Hotel tracks.

The vocals are quite catchy, but the chord sequence is too simple for me. The random background noises near the end don’t help either.

BEST SONG OF 1998 – “Teardrop” (Massive Attack)

Top-Rated Albums

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

5 – The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill (Lauryn Hill)

“The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill” didn’t have any songs reach the top ten highest-rated, and I think that’s a travesty.

“Doo Wop (That Thing)” is one of my favourite songs of the year, and other tracks like “Ex-Factor” and “Nothing Even Matters” cement this as a landmark Rap / Soul album.

4 – Aquemini (OutKast)

The first OutKast album to really hit the mark – and it’s crazy to think this was even before their biggest hit “Hey Ya”!

The best song is definitely “Rosa Parks”, but other tracks like “SpottieOttieDopaliscious” and “Da Art of Storytelling” are fun too.

3 – Moon Safari (Air)

I wasn’t expecting an ambient / atmospheric album in this top five, but I appreciated the change of pace.

You’ll get no complaints from me as every song is beautiful in its own way, but I prefer my albums to have a bit more bite.

2 – Mezzanine (Massive Attack)

Massive Attack provide some of the best production all decade.

“Mezzanine” is filled to the brim with sonic experiences, with the best being “Angel” and especially “Teardrop”.

1 – In The Aeroplane Over The Sea (Neutral Milk Hotel)

Here’s my controversial take for 1998 – “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea”, the top-rated album and one of the top-rated of all time, was a bit boring.

It had its moments, like “Holland, 1945” and the opener, but the album itself was too Folk-y and disjointed for my tastes.

BEST ALBUM OF 1998 – “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” (Lauryn Hill)

Final Thoughts

1998 had some good hits here and there, and the high-rated stuff was enjoyable. Nothing too crazy but it got the job done.

Overall Grade: B-

Aaaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: