While the last 365 days weren’t always the greatest, there was one thing I could always rely on: music. So keeping up with tradition I’ve compiled my favorite music of 2018 all in one place. It took awhile and a bit of going back and forth about skipping it altogether, but here it is: my favorite albums and songs of 2018.

I know there is a love/hate relationship many people have with holiday music. Some people love it. Some people hate it. But I genuinely like it. Except, when it basically starts playing on the radio in like…July. There is just something I cherish about listening to 85 covers of the same song while driving around picking up presents and baking. There is just something special about listening to these festive songs while wrapping gifts that makes it a much easier task. Even for a perfectionist like myself.

It’s been a long couple of months. I haven’t had the time to focus on a proper, themed playlist for November. So instead, I thought I would compile another edition of What I’m Listening To. Where has my head been at this past month? Well, some of the tunes have a bit of a glimpse into my scattered mind while others are just new releases everyone should know about. Where do I even begin? Let’s see.

This year I'm having a love/hate relationship with Thanksgiving. I typically love Thanksgiving although it's a holiday everyone else would rather skip over in order to get right to Christmas. I think my love of Thanksgiving stems from when I was a kid because when Thanksgiving was finally here so was Christmas. But now Christmas pretty much starts in July essentially ruining the season by the time Christmas actually comes around. But I digress. I think this year's Thanksgiving is upsetting to me because the year is almost over, and I just don't feel like I've accomplished anything I truly wanted to do.

It's my favorite mix of the year just in time for Halloween weekend. Let's get spooky. 

Right at the top, I have to admit, this is one of the most fun mixes I've made. Mainly because I got inspiration from it, randomly, from the radio and it led me down a rabbit hole. This playlist is a shout out to the summer I spent watching Gidget on TV Land as a teenager.

Time is just flying by. I can't even believe it. I feel like I'm constantly saying that too. When I originally set out to start the What I'm Listening To series of playlists, it was really just to create a playlist that was true to my listening habits. A playlist that really spanned genres. A playlist where I wasn't adding unnecessary pressure on myself with regards to sound or a theme. Don't get me wrong, I love the Monthly Mixes and themes, but a lot of work has to go into those. With What I'm Listening To I can just create a massive collection of songs and narrow them down with which ones I'm not absolutely sick of by the end of the month.

I have pretty lukewarm feelings about summer. Mainly because it's always way too hot to function and sometimes breathing in walls of dust isn't exactly fun. But one thing I do enjoy are summer mixes. There is just a different vibe to them compared to any other mixes made through the year. Sometimes they can be fun and upbeat and other times they can be chilled out and relaxed. This one is more chilled out and relaxed. Mix no. 17 was inspired by long, dreamy summer days. The days where nothing sounds better than relaxing in the pool with a cold beverage. Sadly that's not plausible every day, but still, I wanted this mix to have that feel.

As I sit here writing this I can't help but wonder where half of the year went. It seems like just 5 minutes ago I was really hopeful about the year ahead, and now that's half over I feel pretty bummed out. I'm definitely not anywhere close to where I thought I would be 6 months ago, but I guess that's how life works. Posting another What I'm Listening To after just posting one last month seems like a bit of a cop-out, but I have a good reason. There have been so many good new releases this past month and just some songs I've had on heavy rotation lately.