Run The Trap’s Breakout Artists of 2018

As the year comes to a close, we’re reflecting back on the producers that broke the mold and made the most impressive moves in 2018. From bass-heavy anthems to electro-pop singles and everything in between, these producers put out a string of innovative hits in 2018 and earned their way into our exclusive Breakout Artists of 2018 list.

10. Party Pupils

Comprised of vocalist MAX and producer RyanEXOE, Party Pupils have stolen their way onto our playlists with vivacious dance/pop singles throughout the year. Between their co-headlining tour with Pat Lok and affinity for creating vibrant synths and sensational harmonies, Party Pupils made their mark on 2018 and are on their way to having an incredible 2019.

9. Whipped Cream

While the buzz around Whipped Cream began back in 2015, 2018 is where she really carved a niche for herself. Through a combination of bass music driven by elements of hip-hop and a vast array of genre-bending melodies, Whipped Cream hit the festival rounds over the summer, joined YehMe2 on tour during the fall and continued to put out impressive singles. Her most recent singles “LUV” and “Bad For Me” have continued to expand her musical style and with a slew of sold-out shows under her belt and massive plans for 2019, Whipped Cream is an undeniable force to be reckoned with in the new year.

8. TYNAN

TYNAN wreaked havoc throughout 2018, dropping a fierce stream of heavy remixes and originals throughout the year while dominating the festival circuit. His Pandora’s Box EP exploded with neck breaking anthems and radiated with experimentation, upping the standard for fans and bass music enthusiasts. Catch him ending the year at Lights All Night and keep an eye out for more heaters throughout 2019.

7. Blanke

Over the past two years, Blanke has been on a steady rise to the top but it’s through his outstanding collabs, remixes, and singles in 2018, that the young artist from Australia truly began to make his mark. Making some of the most innovative bass music in the game, Blanke started off the year on a high note with his Sneaky Plans EP and continued to drop heaters in a steady stream throughout the year, finishing strong with a mind-blowing collab with Rezz.

6. G Jones

G Jones might not be new to the music scene, but he definitely won 2018 with his awe-inspiring LP The Ineffable Truth. Quickly redefining the definition of experimental bass music, The Ineffable Truth deftly reshaped the genre through distinctive bass pulses and vibrant textures of sound pulled from the cosmos. Hitting the festival circuit with appearances at Okeechobee, Paradiso, EDC Las Vegas, Electric Forest, Camp Bisco, Bassrush Massive, Moonrise, Electric Zoo, Lost Lands and Freaky Deaky Texas, G Jones delivered earth-shattering performances and will continue to dominate in 2019 as he finishes out his Ineffable Truth tour.

5. ilo ilo

ilo ilo made a splash in 2017 when the project first popped up with flyers throughout New York City, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Austin, enticing the viewer to call (808-202-2690) with the bold promise of an exclusive preview for an upcoming Kanye West and Taylor Swift collab. In 2018, the project continued to generate a strong buzz with the release of their debut single “Wait,” an insane scavenger hunt for their third release “Roll,” and finally their last release of the year “come over.” Through hypnotic vocals and top not production skills, ilo ilo remains at the top of our watch list heading into 2019.

4. Quix

Quix is no stranger to dropping trap bangers and 2018 seemed to be his most ambitious year in music yet. Releasing his Illusions EP as well as a steady stream of collabs, singles, and remixes, Quix continued to solidify his place as one of trap music’s finest. Unleashing an onslaught of heavy live sets as he as he continued to make the festival rounds and began his tour Illusions tour, Quix quickly expanded his following and began to dominate across Spotify and SoundCloud platforms. 2018 was a huge year for his trap don and the sky is the limit for what he’s got cooking for us in 2019.

3. Benny Blanco

After 10 years of doing behind the scenes production work with Kanye West, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Ed Sheeran, Benny Blanco made his move into the spotlight in 2018 with his debut single “Eastside” featuring Khalid and Halsey. From his house driven single with Calvin Harris to his chill hip-hop anthem with Swae Lee and Jesse, Benny Blanco crossed genres with ease on his debut album Friends Keep Secrets and showcased his master skills as a producer.

2.Fisher

Photo: Fisher FB — Photo: Follow The Fish FB

In 2018, Fisher dominated the house music charts and experienced an unexpected meteoric rise in the dance music scene. Tracks like “Stop It,” “Crowd Control” and “Losing It” quickly became fan favorites, quickly dominating the festival scene across all genres. With a Grammy nomination for dance music’s song of the year, it’s safe to say that 2019 is going to be an even bigger year for Fisher.

1. 1788-L

This year 1788-L came out swinging onto the bass scene and quickly started to rise to the top. With the help of huge remixes of Daft Punk, Virtual Self, Kraftwerk, and Skrillex, 1788-L developed a massive cult following in the Reddit and SoundCloud communities and later joined Ekali and Rezz on tour. With a glitchy and futuristic sound, 1788-L also landed a collab with Rezz on her Certain Kind of Magic album, in addition to official remixes for The Glitch Mob and RL Grime and made several festival appearances throughout the year. 1788- L is primed to grow even more in 2019 as he continues to break barriers and defy all expectations.