Every year, new music is created, released, and listened to by millions. The constant production and consumption of music forces artists to become more original and creative in order to stand out more. PCNN set out to interview students and staff to see who’s music they thought stood out in 2018.

An artist who gained popularity in 2018 was Ariana Grande. Releasing many new singles throughout the year, the anticipation for her (second) newest album Sweetener grew rapidly. The release of the album granted Grande with the number 1, 2, and 3 spots on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first artist to achieve this since The Beatles in 1964. This success was reflected among the Panther Creek students’ responses. When asked what they most overhyped song of 2018 was, both Jadyn Anglero and Morgan Smith both responded with Grande’s  “thank u, next.” The same question received a different response when asked to others. Both Coach Robinson and Pat Shannon replied with “SICKO MODE” by Travis Scott.

When asked who will be an upcoming artist in 2019, Morgan Smith said she believes more female artists will hit the charts. Coach Robinson went a different direction with his answer, stating that he believed rapper 21 Savage’s fan base would grow, “because he got arrested, and most times when people get arrested it [increases] their popularity.”

According to Spotify, Drake was the top male artist of 2018, with over 8.2 billions streams. The 32-year-old rapper also held the record for most streamed song, with his hit, “God’s Plan.” Jadyn Anglero said his favorite song was, “anything by Juice WRLD.” Coach Robinson’s top artist is Frank Ocean, “he’s pretty talented!” Although not mentioned in these interviews, Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Artists chart labels the best artists of all time were The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, and Elton John.