Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018.

All month we've been getting lists of our volunteers' favorite music for this year. They submitted over 200 albums for consideration - here are the 10 that were cited the most often. The top spot on the list goes to an artist who's been makiing records since 2007 and whose brilliant style speaks to inner and outer worlds that's very much of its time while pointing the way to the future.

From all of us at CHIRP Radio, thanks for your listenership and support, and here's to 2019!

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from Founder and General Manager, Saturday 12-2pm DJ Shawn Campbell.

I tried to put these albums in order, but honestly, with the exception of #1, all of these changed places throughout the year. No doubt about #1, though -- without question, the album I listened to more than any other this year, and a great reminder that sometimes it's enough for music to simply make you happy.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ Mick Reed.

2018 was a great year for music. I don’t know what it is that causes artists to release their best material in waves like this but I am overwhelmed with joy whenever it does happen. 2016 and 2017 were such dry spells I didn’t have very high expectations and I’m thankful that this jaded precognition was challenged almost immediately. There were so many phenomenal releases this year I haven’t even been able to keep up despite my best efforts.

This list necessarily feels incomplete as a result and I know that if I had the chance to revise it in a few months it would likely include this year’s releases by River of Nihil, Portal, Kamasi Washington, Dur-Dur Band, Kero Kero Bonito, Earl Sweatshirt, Wume, Frontierer and many others I haven’t been able to give my full attention to yet. I’m hopeful that this wave of inspiration continues to gain momentum into 2019. With 50% of all new guitar purchases being made and DIY scenes in Chicago and elsewhere making better efforts to be more inclusive and prioritizing opening up space for marginalized voices to make themselves heard I don’t believe my hope to be misplaced.

Without further ado, here is my (definitely incomplete) list of Top Ten and Honorable Mentions for 2018.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ Mauricio Reyes.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ ZuZu.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ/Assistant Music Director/Softball Team Captain Austin B. Harvey.

43 albums this year. Why do I do this to myself. Let's go.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ Pete Zimmerman.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from Assistant Music Director and DJ (Wildewoman) Allison Parssi.

Another year of great music, another list of a portion of that music. This is a selection of releases that held steady spots in my heavy rotation. These records got me through the triumphant accomplishments and the challenging moments that were brought with 2018. It is no surprise that the majority of the places are held by female artists and that pop is the leading genre.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ (Starting back up Jan 2019 Weds 6am-9am) DJ Megatron.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ Joe Held - Rebellious Jukebox.

10 Albums released in 2018 that I think are worth a listen (It’s not a Top 10 list). I have a hard time picking favorites. I don’t find the time to listen to full albums very often, and I usually prefer to listen to a variety of music - like on CHIRP Radio. I haven’t seen these albums on many other lists. Anyways, I like all of them.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ and Board Member Emeritus Tony Breed.

Song of the year Every year I pick a track that is completely arresting, that makes to stop what you’re doing an listen. This year is the gorgeous and sad Neko Case/Eric Bachmann duet “Sleep All Summer” from Neko Case’s Hell On.Honorable mentions to Dream Version’s single “Something Teenage”, Noname’s “Blaxploitation”, and Chance the Rapper’s “Work Out”. I’ve been putting together top-ten lists for more than a decade now, and I’ve come to realize how much they are a reflection of me and where I am that year. A favorite artists puts out an album, and it doesn’t make my top ten… was it the album, or was it me? It’s probably just me. So here’s where my head was in 2018:

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ Io the Resident Alien.

2018 was quite a memorable year for this resident alien, marking my move from the Vancouver, Canada to the mighty city of Chicago, and finding my groove here as a DJ at CHIRP Radio. I've been having a great time sharing my favorite music with our listeners, and this year's new releases didn't disappoint. The ladies dominate my top 10 list, and in the interest of embracing a feminine and non-hierarchical way of being, here is are my top picks for 2018, in no particular order:

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ Matt Garman.

Busy year! Here's what I managed to get into in 2018:

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ and Online Media Director Clarence Ewing.

Here's my list of the 10 albums of note for 2018. In a world where there's always something going on, brilliant music is the constant. May we always live in interesting times...

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ Andy Weber.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from Features Director Miranda.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from DJ and Record Fair Co-Director (Promotions) Jenny West.

This year's contenders seemed well-represented by solo female artists (Caroline Rose, Lucy Dacus, among many others) and exemplary resurrections of retro sounds in new and finely executed forms (the bubblegum psychedelia of 77:78, '80s darkwave with Holygram, early Aughts power-pop in Gal Gun).

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from CHIRP DJ and Programming Committee member Tyler Clark.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from volunteer Matthew Jaccarino.

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2018. Our next list is from substitute DJ Patrick Masterson.

Chicago artists only for this list because life is too short to read more about The 1975.