Top 50 Albums of 2022 (2023)

OurAnnual Report 2022continues with our list of the 50 best albums. Stay tuned for more awards, lists, and features on the best music, movies, and TV of 2022 as the year comes to a close. You find everything in one placehere.

A funny thing happened while we were compiling our list of the best albums of 2022. Of course, we looked at ourmid-year gradesin our reflections, noting how drastically things have changed. Albums that rated highly six months ago have dropped significantly, if not disappeared entirely. Others ranked in the lower numbers found themselves outperforming previous favorites.

It shouldn't be that surprising; Are we really the same people as six months ago? Are they the artists that we are here to evaluate? Are our perceptions yours? Name one thing that isn't constantly changing these days.

Just look back at your own listening habits years ago.WrappedI can tell you one thing, but would it look the same if it was released in June? Probably not, because whatever brought you into the summer could have been replaced by a record that connected you even more in the fall. In a year where collections of new music have been geared toward making thematically coherent statements, the ideas that come to mind don't stay static.

What will never change, however, is that music has a profound impact on those who appreciate it. So whether we leave out your favorite record or include something you never considered, that doesn't mean either side of the equation is right or wrong. On this side of thingsConsequenceThe team put all our tastes, experiences, and understanding of music on the virtual table with a big M and pushed until we got to a task we knew spoke to us.

These are the records that we liked, that impressed us, that touched us, and that we will probably keep in our rotations in the new year. These are the 50 best albums of 2022.

—Ben Kaye
Editor

50. Ozzy Osbourne –Patient Number 9

Ozzy returned to his now trusted producer, Andrew Wattpatient #9, and made a triumphant and personal record. Amid physical ailments, a battle with COVID, and a much-publicized return to England, the Prince of Darkness went ahead and released one of his most successful solo albums to date, without losing his trademark sense of humor. As Ozzy said about the album during his album interviewFollow the cover storyin November 2022: "When I'm miserable and the world is against me and my ass is on fire, I have the best ideas." 🇧🇷Por Jon Hadus

49. Creditor MJ -ship songs

Countrygaze may or may not be a proper genre, but the output of the bands that bear the label is certainly compelling enough to warrant its own little subculture. Do you need a quote? Takeship songs, the latest album by Jake Lenderman (Wednesday guitarist). Lenderman's music ranges from upbeat, tongue-in-cheek songs like "Hangover Game" to down-tempo tracks like "Toontown" to heavier indie rock songs like "You Are Every Girl to Me." If the country look is your thing, he grabs a cowboy hat and a box of effects pedals. 🇧🇷Jonah Kruger

48. Red Hot Peppers –Love without limits

Reunited And It Feels So, So Good: The Red Hot Chili Peppers are back in 2022 with love, fun, and John Frusciante back in the lineup.

ALove without limits, the Chili Peppers bring back the magic of four California boys playing a room in the direction that most excites them, making some of the toughest decisions they've made on an album in years. 🇧🇷public relations

47. Sharon Van Etten –we got it all wrong

we got it all wrongIt may not contain as many "hit" tracks as Sharon Van Etten's previous release in 2019remind me tomorrow, but this is very intentional. The artist's deftly reserved, intimate sixth demands the ever-rare singular listening experience. Patiently following the slow investigations into the new motherhood and the simple existence will show how closely related this statement is. 🇧🇷B. Kaye

46. ​​ERDGANG –ghetto gods

How do you rate EARTHGANG? You don't, and that's the way they like it.ghetto godsit represents the level of your refusal to check boxes or adjust ways. Like Outkast, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul, the duo talk about real-world issues without sounding preachy or over-the-top. The album is as hedonistic as it is uplifting, which is an incredible magic trick in any genre, but especially hip-hop. 🇧🇷Markus Kurzer

45. Mom –surname

"The '90s felt like the last era of rock stars," says Etta Friedman.said earlier this year🇧🇷 And while Momma's debut album is reminiscent of ancestors like Veruca Salt and Smashing Pumpkins, it's not just an exercise in nostalgia. Nothing is more boring than debating whether rock 'n' roll is dead or alive;surnameputs that tired dialogue to rest. Rock is alive and well, and thank God he looks a lot like Mom. 🇧🇷spencer dukoff

44. Tears of fear –The inflection point

It's special when a group like Tears for Fears, who years ago might have been dismissed as "the '80s band," can demonstrate their ability to deliver a rich, rhythmic experience.The inflection pointfor modern times. There's a bit of Depeche Mode in the mix here, in the best way: it just enhances the unforgettable Tears for Fears signature sound. Recorded over nine years by the band.seventh studio album(and for the first time since 2004Everyone loves a happy ending.) is deeply personal, saddened by the death of co-founder Roland Orzabal's wife, and these deep sentiments add weight to the album's moving impact. 🇧🇷liz shannon molinero

43. Denzel-Curry –Melt my eyes, see your future

Denzel Curry's fifth album,Melt my eyes, see your future, could be the best rap performance of the year. Yes, the album oozes self-care, confidence, bragging rights, threats and pain, but it's also nirvana for rap nerds who marvel at beat construction and technique. The album has no wasted lines or moments, being as perfect as a rap performance can be this year, or any year. 🇧🇷m shorter

42. Black earth, new path –ants from above

For a very particular sect of hyperonline-obsessed music fans, nothing major has happened in 2022 other than the release of Black Country, New Road's second album.ants from above🇧🇷 The album moves away from the post-punk influenced trends of their debut and builds on the group's focus on dynamic songwriting and emotionally troubled performances. thank you last but not leastex vocalistWith Isaac Woods' voice seeming to offer a direct glimpse into the singer's soul, songs like "The Place Where He Inserted the Blade" and "Basketball Shoes" have become heartbreaking anthems for fans of the British band, and with good reason. . 🇧🇷JK

41. Wild Rose –ILYSM

On paper, one would expectILYSMbeing Wild Pink's darkest album to date; The project comes after composer John Ross's battle with cancer. Instead, thematic intensity is presented with a turn toward lightness. the songs ofILYSMto perform some of Ross's most peaceful and beautiful music of his career, and it's this marriage of light and dark that makes it all possible.ILYSMexplores a heightened sense of the sublime, a mix of life's most extreme emotions that lead to an explosion of uncomplicated, everlasting love. 🇧🇷JK

40. Pool Educator –pool kids

The emo revival largely coincided with a wave of pop punk, but where's the math rock? Here comes the second Pool Kids album, full of seriously bold guitars and double-kicking thunder that send whoops of frustration up to the rafters. But despite all your sonorous knots,pool kidsit's still dead serious and just plain fun, inviting even the most ardent emo deniers to take a dive.B. Kaye

39. Burned Child -Dear Dammini

Dear DamminiIt's Burna Boy's birthday present. Another revolution around the sun leaves the Afrobeat star more melancholic than usual, but the album never fails to celebrate his achievements like a good birthday party. Remember those he has lost along the way, acknowledge his regrets, and look fondly on his mistakes, because without them, he would not be the man he is today. 🇧🇷m shorter

38. Lost Boys –MAXIDENTE

K-pop group Stray Kids broke some of their own recordsMAXIDENTE, their fun and love-focused 2022 release. The group's second consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 albums chart may see the eight members break new ground with a focus on the joys and fears of romance, but it remains being the quintessential Stray Boy: energetic, daring and an incredible amount of fun. 🇧🇷Maria Siroki

37. Blood of Weyes –And in the dark the hearts shine

On Natalie Mering's fifth album as Weyes Blood,And in the dark the hearts shine, the mess around you matters less than how you react to it. As the album begins, Mering finds himself alone at a crowded party; In the end, she asks to be turned into a flower, finding strength in her kind and adaptable nature. Incredibly dramatic without feeling too heavy,and in the darkturns the notion of extreme emotion into a superpower. 🇧🇷abby jones

36. Jack Blanco -enter heaven alive

This year, Jack White divided his output into two different projects: the digital mayhem offear of dawnand the acoustic paradise ofenter heaven alive🇧🇷 While the first presents more white, it is the second that best captures what makes it iconic. What it lacks in hard rock fun, it makes up for with an understated feel, strong blues underpinning, and some of the best White-penned tunes in recent memory. are albums likeenter heaven aliveProving that sometimes less is more, especially when it was youa certified rock starfor 20 years. 🇧🇷JK

35. Rico Bose –the ruins

Maryland rapper Rico Nasty deconstructs hip-hop conventions with sheer violence on his full-length mixtape.the ruins🇧🇷 She dances lyrically as "heads roll, bodies rock" builds into the disastrous opening track "Intrusive", soon beginning to build a whole new world of new ideas with bits of punk, electronica, metal and her own brand of "sugar trap". . ". She experiments with unconventional collaborators like 100 Gecs, Marshmello and Fred again... while exploring her lyrical range. It all comes together to further cement Rico's unique stamp on the genre. —Bryan Kress

34. Spoon –Lucifer on the sofa

Spoon's guitar-guided grabLucifer on the sofait's intoxicating, like sitting in the back of a pub listening to the unknown band on stage playing their heart out, knowing that whoever they are, they've become your new favourite. But while the band's tenth album has the feel of an early-career band passionate about what they've discovered about their sound, it's still delivered with the confidence that only comes with years of experience. May Spoon be able to bring that level of vitality to his music for years to come. 🇧🇷L.S.M.

33. Julia Jacklin-FOREWARD PLEASURE

Since his debut in 2016 withDon't let the kids win, Julia Jacklin gradually cemented her reputation as a supernaturally gifted songwriter. Australia's third album.FOREWARD PLEASURE, continues that legacy of brilliance.FOREWARD PLEASUREfeatures an exercise in dynamics that ranges from the stark intimacy of the acoustic ballad "Less of a Stranger" to the steady rock "Lydia Wears a Cross." In total, there are 38 minutes of happiness. 🇧🇷Dakota del Sur

32. The danger of rats and black thought –cheat code

The era of rapper-producer projects perhaps peaked with Black Thought and Danger Mouse.cheat code.The meeting of two of hip-hop's greatest minds produces a chemistry that should take years to develop into about 30 minutes and balances social apprehension with eclectic sample-based production. As central figures of the genre.cheat codelet the duo do the victory lap. 🇧🇷Jo Eckstein

31. Lamb of God –Omen

Lamb of God remains one of the most enduring bands in modern metal, delivering studio albums packed with unforgettable rhythm riffs and thought-provoking lyrical content.Omenmeets the high standards we expect from the band. It's a 10-track barrage of thrash-metalcore, anchored by lead singer Randy Blythe's epitome of bark and howl. 🇧🇷J H

30. Alvweiss –Blue Rev

For a band often labeled dream pop, this is Alvvays' third album.Blue RevFeel an undeniable connection to the earth. Drawing on bold rhythm sections, furious shoegazey guitars and, of course, Molly Rankin's impeccable vocals, the Canadian band uses big sounds to convey the impact of unnerving little events: visiting your hometown, meeting your ex's sister, and wondering what to do when you dropped out of college watching guys get shamed online. Nothing and everything are important at the same time, what could be so black and white? 🇧🇷A.J.

29. SASAMI – press

SASAMI burst onto the music scene in 2019 with their shoegaze-influenced self-titled debut album, ButpressIt's so much more than a classic second tier: a dash of '90s radio rock, a dash of nu-metal, and a dash of Japanese folk add up to an extra-crisp 32 minutes of musical powerhouse. From the opening attack of "Skin a Rat" to the heat of "Not a Love Song," SASAMI unleashes a torrent of rich ideas, unexpected musical references, and wild, untamed ambition. 🇧🇷wren tombs

28. Taylor Swift –midnight

Was there an album that received more hype in 2022 than Taylor Swift's 10th studio album?midnightIt is a triumph because it combines marks from the artist's previous eras -Rufthe attitude,1989the impregnable hooks,Loverweakness of heart on your sleeve, as you resolutely move on and start a new chapter. Although 15 years have passed since he released his first album,midnightit shows the great power that Taylor Swift still has in the world of pop music. 🇧🇷Dakota del Sur

27. The smile –A light to attract attention

The Smile by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Tom Skinner garnered a lot of attention, and much criticism, for resembling the other Yorke and Greenwood band. You know... the one with the good computers and literate kids. But despite all the similarities in songwriting and production, when he takes the baggage off,A light to attract attentionit's simply an album of catchy, even soulful music. Playing the motion from loud and fast ("You'll Never Work on TV Again"), to bold and artistic ("Thin Thing"), to hauntingly beautiful ("Free in the Knowledge"),A light to attract attentionIt may be unabashedly Radiohead, but with songs this good, who really cares? 🇧🇷JK

26. Carly Rae Jepsen-the loneliest hour

Carly Rae Jepsentold usthat the title of the year is 2022the loneliest hourrefers to a time when she was sitting on a roof looking at the moon. That's a pretty reliable source of inspiration, and the composition of it is just as tried and true. That's not to say that Jepsen's sixth album is a grind; far from it, with her playful range of inspirations from funk to disco to folk-pop. Rather, she speaks to the purity of CRJ's approach, something she's long used to create some of the most undeniable pop music of her generation:the loneliest hourit's just the last example. 🇧🇷B. Kaye

25. Kendrick Lamar-Mr. Morale and the great climbers

On his fifth and final album for TDE, Kendrick Lamar closes the book on an era in his acclaimed career with a double LP that leaves performances to hint at his future.frees the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper from his status as the "savior" of hip-hop by turning inward and openly exploring his own fallibility. Eager to share the insights of therapy, he lets his raw and often complicated thoughts flow unadorned from his pen, resulting in some of his most compelling songwriting to date. Though he spends the album leaving his prescient ways behind to embrace his newfound personal empowerment (which he reaffirms in the final line, "I choose myself, I'm sorry"), he can't help but lead the way for it. others do. show which one to follow. 🇧🇷B. Kress

24. Florence + The Machine -dance fever

Thank goodness for King Florence Welch. "I'm not a mother / I'm not a bride / I'm a king," she says in the opening introduction.dance fever, Welch's momentous fifth studio album. There's no one quite like Florence Welch - anyone lucky enough to see her soar and soar across the stage this year or any other will attest to that - and the mystical power of her was well communicated on this album. 🇧🇷M. Siroki

23. Freddie Gibbs-psthe egg $old $separated

Freddie Gibbs continued to raise his profile in the rap game with his fifth album.$oul $old $soltero, but at a price that seems to weigh more and more. Despite partying at the fictional "Triple-S Hotel Resort and Casino" and happily throwing Jeff Ross overboard (in "Space Rabbit"), Gangsta Gibbs can't handle the mounting pressure on songs like "Too Much ". "escape. By sharing the struggle to keep his soul intact, Gibbs inadvertently gives the next generation, as Houston legend Scarface put it in the album's final verse, "this shit to live for." —B. Kress

22. Mythic –hell of laurels

Mitski's music oozes emotion; His musical vocabulary brings out the biggest feelings, the smallest doubts, and everything in between. For their sixth studio albumhell of laurels, Mitski challenged himself to find vastly different ways to express the same tense emotions. Through synth pop, power ballads and a refreshing sense of confidence and determination.hell of laurelsit was a rewarding return for Mitski. 🇧🇷public relations

21. Gemini Nova –Supernova

Indeed, his innovative project thanks to the unfortunate timing of the premiere of Nova Twins,Supernovahas a lot to offer. Thirty minutes of righteous political rebellion backed by cross-genre hard rock growls? What could not be loved? From the thematic build of "Power (Intro)" to the final, bloodthirsty scream of "Sleep Paralysis," the album rarely takes its foot off the gas, and there's no reason to. It's here to be heard, and damn it will be heard loud and clear. 🇧🇷JK

20. Suspenders –i love you jennifer b

enthusiasm forJockstrap's Full Royal Debutbeen building for some time. Georgia Ellery (also of Black Country, New Road) and Taylor Skye's eclectic mix of indie, dance, classical and just about every other style under the sun has grown more and more impressive with each single and EP released. And yet somehowi love you jennifer bIt exceeded even the highest expectations. Finding not a dull moment, the album is boundless in scope and unmatched in creativity. The first listen is like walking into a cornfield on psychedelics: what at first seems random and overwhelming soon melts into a perfectly constructed path. It's meticulously crafted chaos and a joy to listen to. 🇧🇷JK

19. Harry Styles -casa do harry

harry styles builtcasa do harryBoard by board and brick by brick with what appear to be his own metaphorical hands. The megastar's third solo studio album is his most personal yet, and the result is a nice A-frame to pass the time. Last but not least, Styles should be applauded for making the music he wants and for doing it well; With each excursion he invites the listener a little more. 🇧🇷M. Siroki

18. FIRST -FIRST

Life is not so fun sometimes. There is pain and adversity, injustice and misery. There are days when you don't feel like getting up, much less dancing. But certain albums honor those difficult feelings while also giving you a chance to grieve, grow, and get back on track.Eponymous album by MUNAit's based on the blueprint the trio created for their first two dance-pop records with synths and hooks. Yet it manages to surpass previous efforts with impeccable production, bold forays into rock and country music, and an overwhelming sense of confidence. 🇧🇷Dakota del Sur

17. Saturday –few good things

Artists who record albums at the crossroads of their lives often create the best material. They remember who they were, understand who they are, and dimly see who they are becoming.few good thingsIt's no different when he finds Saba in and out of the social circles he only dreamed of years ago, but realizes that all that glitters is not all that it seems. Or, as he puts it, "the bulldozer that comes with the bag." 🇧🇷m shorter

16. Rina Sawayama –hold the girl

"I took your stones and built a cathedral," sings Rina Sawayama on "Holy," one of several deeply personal and cathartic songs on "Holy."hold the girl🇧🇷 Following the success of her self-titled debut album, Sawayama's second effort delves into her own story. However, much can be said about the healing power of pop music.hold the girlproves that the sentence still has weight. 🇧🇷M. Siroki

15. DOG –PUPTHEBAND DISSOLUTION

The Pups always feel on the verge of total collapse, both lyrically ("Totally Fine," "PUPTHEBAND Inc. Is Filing for Bankruptcy") and sonically ("Grim Reaping," "Matilda"). Yet every psychologically disturbing sound emanating from this band is imbued with an almost wicked joy.PUPTHEBAND DISSOLUTIONit's just the latest in the line of crazy, swaggering punk hits. 🇧🇷B. Kaye

14. Alex G. –God save the animals

Alex G is a master developer within his own universe. OnGod save the animalsThe ninth album from the prolific singer-songwriter and his most polished yet, he seems to be watching this universe from light-years away, with an ominous voice reminding you to seize each day or reap the consequences, and another that promises to catch you when you do. underpants. The eponymous "God" on record could be the Incarnate Son or your dog catching you in the most vulnerable moments of everyday life. Either way, there's nothing wrong with seeing yourself through a different lens. 🇧🇷A.J.

13. STRASSE –the eternal story

Arguably Dreamville's best technical rapper, JID has spent the last half decade demonstrating tight rhymes and the ability to start and stop his performance on the fly.the eternal storyhe builds on that reputation with an impressive guest list, including Lil Wayne, 21 Savage and Yasiin Bey, while drawing attention to his versatility as an MC and vocalist. JID not only expresses more vulnerability than ever before, but also embraces family relationships without sacrificing the utter mastery of rap that got him this far. 🇧🇷eddie fu

12. Strange Bartees –From farm to table

About his second albumFrom farm to table, indie rocker Bartees Strange weaves together elements of emotion-tinged guitar riffs, melodic hip-hop and anthemic choruses, reminding you that he's still the same guy who once released an EP of covers of one of his favorite bands, The National Has . As the name suggests, this latest LP seems to trace all the complex influences, sonic and political, that make Strange one of the best in his class. 🇧🇷A.J.

11. SZA –call for help

In the five years since SZA's popular debut in 2017,control, clearly lived a life; the 23 songs ofcall for helpruns the gamut, whether she's singing about committed love ("Open Arms" with Travis Scott) or a relationship gone wrong: "I just killed my ex, it wasn't the best idea / I killed his girlfriend and then I arrived here". ?" she sings on the deceptively upbeat "Kill Bill." Obviously, her sense of humor is intact, but there's an element of truth when she admits, "I'd rather be in hell than be alone."

The most discussed features are well-chosen: In addition to Scott, there's Phoebe Bridgers, the late Ol' Dirty Bastard (the album's follow-up, Forgiveless, samples "The Stomp" from his 1995 solo album), and Don Toliver. In one of the highlights of the project, Bridgers even gives a "jerk" the middle finger. "Look where that got me, alone in an airport bar or hotel lobby/Waiting to feel clean," she shares, before yelling, "It's so boring!"

That trust is gonecall for help, but you can also see SZA's personal fears and doubts. “It's so embarrassing / All the things I need to live inside / I can't see,” he sings on “Blind,” peeling back the layers of insecurity about his thirty-something years under superstardom. It is this knowledge that makes the difference.call for helpa master class: beyond SZA's emotional scope as a songwriter, she embraced the vulnerability necessary to share those thoughts with the world. If it's not worth saving, then what is? 🇧🇷gab ginsberg

10. Nilufer Yanya –WITHOUT PAIN

Believe it or not, Nilüfer Yanya'sWITHOUT PAINit's not exactly painless. The tension is everywhere: the guitar work sways and lulls in the blink of an eye, his soaring voice swirling before finding vulnerable truths. There is an open wound that leadsWITHOUT PAIN, a deeply thoughtful attempt to express the indescribable, and the work that Yanya explores on this site is incredible.

A track like "Midnight Sun" perfectly represents Yanya's masterful songwriting. Her arpeggiated guitar lines set the stage for tense contemplation until a tide of distortion washes over her and she exclaims, "Always, I did this for you," her voice raw and immediate. The chorus of "Stabilise" manages to achieve the same sentiment, filled with bouncing drums, high-octane guitars, and a sense of urgency that knocks you out of your seat.

WITHOUT PAINit's full of smart decisions and meticulous details like these, and solidifies Nilüfer Yanya as one of indie rock's most exciting songwriters. 🇧🇷public relations