21 Best Albums of 2022 | Playlist 🎧

21 Best Albums of 2022 features LPs courtesy of Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Harry Styles, Kendrick Lamar, Steve Lacy, and Taylor Swift among others.

AAfter unleashing the 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022, the time has come to rank the best albums of 2022. Woo – it is a daunting task. This year, I selected only 21 albums. Why? Well, for one, this was my weakest year composing album reviews – my apologies for the album reviews left on the table, un-composed. I listened to many more albums than I penned formal reviews, yet, I also missed a couple of albums along the way too. Will there be some omissions from my list that might appear on more comprehensive lists? Of course.  Just remember, this is merely my opinion!

It is worth noting that there are six albums that appear on this list that did NOT receive a formal review that deserved one. There are albums that make the list each year that didn’t receive the track-by-track treatment, but this year there are more than years past. 🎧 21 Best Albums of 2022 features LPs courtesy of 🎙 Bad Bunny, 🎙 Beyoncé, 🎙 Harry Styles, 🎙 Kendrick Lamar, 🎙 Steve Lacy, and 🎙 Taylor Swift among others. Enough background – let’s dive right in!

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21. Father John Misty, Chloë and the Next 20^th Century

[Josh Tillman / Sub Pop]

🎙 Father John Misty (Josh Tillman) is one of the most gifted songwriters of our time.  Throughout his solo albums, he never fails to impress with the skill of his pen.  His 2022 album, 💿 Chloë and the Next 20^th Century, albeit a contrast to previous works, proved no different. 🎵 “Funny Girl” successfully commenced the campaign from Chloë and the Next 20^th Century showing Tillman ‘changing things up.’  Even so, Chloë and the Next 20^th Century is still a Father John Misty album through and through. Highlights beyond 🎵 “Funny Girl” include the gorgeous 🎵 “Goodbye Mr. Blue,” which feels tried-and-true, the bluesy ballad, 🎵 “Buddy’s Rendezvous” (“Whatever happened to the girl I knew”), which features sultry saxophone, and the bright, lushly orchestrated (strings, vibes, guitar, keys), harmonically captivating 🎵 “Q4.”

Gems 💎: “Goodbye Mr. Blue,” “Buddy’s Rendezvous,” “Q4” & “Funny Girl”

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20. Ghost, IMPERA 

[Loma Vista] 

🎙 Ghost had a hell of a task on its hands, at least by my estimations.  How do you eclipse the 🏆 Grammy-nominated, 💿 Prequelle, one of my favorites from 2018? While the band’s fifth studio album, 💿 IMPERA may not eclipse Prequelle, it matches its quality,  providing another sound addition to the Swedish metal collective’s catalog.  From start to finish there’s plenty to appreciate and fawn over.  What makes IMPERA worthwhile is the dynamic music including excellent melodies, great, passionate vocals, and, perhaps most of all, the theme and lyrics. The top moment is 🎵 “Darkness at the Heart of my Love,” which ticks off all the boxes that make IMPERA the sugar honey iced tea. Other intriguing records include the fast, loud, dark, and unapologetic second track, 🎵 “Kaisarion,” the grandiose 🎵 “Spillways” with its dark, pessimistic, and poetic lyrics (“It’s the cruel beast that you feed / It’s your burning yearning need to bleed / Through the spillways / Through the spillways (of your soul)”), and the driving 🎵 “Watcher in the Sky,” which takes another opportunity to piss off the most devout.

Gems 💎: “Kaisarion,” “Spillways,” “Call Me Little Sunshine,” “Hunter’s Moon,” “Darkness at the Heart of my Love” ^†, “Watcher in the Sky” & “Respite on the Spitafields”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 36)

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19. Björk, Fossora

[One Little Independent]

There are few musicians that are quite as distinct as 🎙 Björk –  that may be an understatement!  The Icelandic singer/songwriter is in a league of her own, something her quirky, unusual, and brilliantly weird 2022 album, 💿 Fossora exudes from start to finish.  There is no other album released in 2022 quite like the 🏆 Grammy-nominated LP.  It begins with the opener and promo single, 🎵 “Atopos” (with 🎙 Kasimyn) with its unique timbre, due in part to the use of a clarinet choir (including multiple bass clarinets). As usual, vocally, Björk stands out too – you always know a Björk track when you hear it.  Beyond “Atopos,” Fossora gives plenty more intriguing earworms, including the penultimate track, 🎵 “Fossora,” another collaboration with Kasimyn.  Still, sink your teeth into sophomore track and second single, 🎵 “Ovule”, the seven-minute plus 🎵 “Ancestress” with 🎙 Sindri Eldon, and another worthwhile, unsettling seven-minute masterwork, 🎵 “Victimhood” (“Victimhood / Has a saintly glow / Holier than thou / It erased my shadow”).  On “Victimhood,” those clarinets show up and show again, sounding awfully mean 💪. Fossora won’t be for everybody but if you enjoy your music on the quirkier, less predictable side, this is the album for you.

Gems 💎: “Atopos” ^†, “Ovule,” “Ancestress,” “Victimhood” & “Fossora”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 26)

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18. Mary J. Blige, Good Morning Gorgeous

[Mary Jane Productions Inc. / 300 Entertainment]

2022 marked the resurgence of 🎙 Mary J. Blige. The 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter has long been established mind you.  That said, following a dynamic performance during the Super Bowl Halftime show, and her best album in years, 💿 Good Morning Gorgeous, Blige is flying high. Honestly, Good Morning Gorgeous deserved much more commercial love than it received.  The numbers were nowhere near the success Blige experienced with her 2005 resurgence, 💿 The Breakthrough, but the feel of the LP has some parallels.  The crème de la crème – the crowning achievement – is 🎵 “Good Morning Gorgeous”, where she reflects on past pain and vows not to let it bring her down now.  She’s resolved to uplift herself, exemplified in the chorus.  Beyond the title track, Blige commences GMG fiercely with the biting 🎵 “No Idea,” sounds unapologetic on 🎵 “Rent Money”, assisted by 🎙 Dave East, and desires love sans the pain on  🎵 “Love Without Heartbreak”.  Good Morning Gorgeous is a winner from the 51-year-old icon.

Gems 💎: “No Idea,” “Rent Money”, “Amazing”, “Good Morning Gorgeous”, “Come See About Me,” “Failing in Love” & “Enough”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 24)

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17. Rina Sawayama, Hold The Girl

[Dirty Hit] 

🎙 Rina Sawayama is an incredibly talented musician that more people need to be talking about and listening to, particularly in the United States.  After wowing with her 2020 debut album, 💿 SAWAYAMA, in 2022, Sawayama dropped another superb LP with 💿 Hold The Girl.  Hold The Girl has no shortage of highlights beginning with the spirited, infectious, incredibly hellish promo single, 🎵 “This Hell” (“This hell is better with you / We’re burning up together / Baby, that makes two”).  Hold The Girl is not merely defined by “This Hell.”  Sawayama sounds utterly sublime on 🎵 “Hold The Girl,” which is an expressive, sensational title track. There is also the marvelous single, 🎵 “Catch Me in the Air”, where the Japanese-British singer/songwriter gets personal, singing about her relationship with her mother.  On the driving, quick-paced 🎵 “Frankenstein,” Sawayama asserts, “Put me together, make me better / Love me forever, hold me tight / I can be your Frankenstein, Frankenstein / I don’t wanna be a monster anymore…” Hold The Girl is a stacked LP.

Gems 💎: “Hold the Girl,” “This Hell” ^† , “Catch Me in the Air”, “Holy (Til You Let Me Go),” “Your Age” & “Frankenstein”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 15)

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16. Arctic Monkeys, The Car

[Domino] 

🎙 Arctic Monkeys returned in 2022 with their seventh studio album, 💿 The Car.  On the follow-up to the 🏆 Grammy nominated 💿 Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino, it is clear that Monkeys of old – the 💿 AM days – are done, while The Car commits further into ambitious records that only front man 🎙 Alex Turner could pen. All told, The Car marks another captivating return for the band.  It begins with the ear-catching, left of center 🎵 “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball”, which features a jazzy drum groove, warm strings, and warm piano.  The songwriting finds Turner being true to self.  He continues to test listeners musically and lyrically with the likes of 🎵 “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am”, while he dips into R&B/soul with the absurdly titled 🎵 “Jet Skis On The Moat”. Next to “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball,” the track to beat is the cleverly penned 🎵 “Body Paint”, which seems to be a mix of covering up and masking feelings, deception, and cheating (“For a master of deception and subterfuge / You’ve made yourself quite the bed to lie in”).  Arctic Monkeys remain one of a kind on The Car – an understatement!

Gems 💎: “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball” ^†, “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am,” “Jet Skis On The Moat,” “Body Paint” ^††, “The Car” & “Big Ideas”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 34) & ^†† (no. 38)

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15. ROSALÍA, MOTOMAMI

[Columbia] 

🎙 ROSALÍA is a surefire vibe, PERIOD.  In 2022, she slayed with her fierce LP, 💿 MOTOMAMI, which deserved far more commercial attention than it received.  Even without putting up sick numbers on the charts, ROSALÍA presented an album that showed how innovative Latin music can be. Her ace-in-the hole is 🎵 “SAOKO”, which focuses on transformation lyrically and pays ode to classic reggaeton, sampling the 🎙 Wisin record, 🎵 “Saoco” featuring 🎙 Daddy Yankee.  Beyond “SAOKO,” ROSALÍA enlists 🎙 The Weeknd on the surefire vibe, 🎵 “LA FAMA,” while she flexes, kicking ass and taking names throughout the two-minute, 🎵 “CHICKEN TERIYAKI”.  That does not even account for bops like thje electrifying 🎵 “BIZCOCHITO,” 🎵 “MOTOMAMI,” or the totally cute, 🎵 “CUUUUuuuuuute.” MOTOMAMI is the sugar honey iced tea.

Gems 💎: “SAOKO” ^†,  “LA FAMA,” “CHICKEN TERIYAKI”, “BIZCOCHITO,” “MOTOMAMI” & “CUUUUuuuuuute”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 19)

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14. Ari Lennox, age/sex/location

[Dreamville / Interscope] 

R&B singer 🎙 Ari Lennox brings the heat to her fine sophomore album, 💿 age/sex/location. Age/sex/location impresses well beyond the hit single, 🎵 “Pressure”, which earned a spot on the best songs of 2021.  The excellence begins with the opener, 🎵 “POF” which is classy in regard to the production but definitely NOT that innocent lyrically (“The audacity to lecture me about your Christianity / Then turn around and try to fuck on me”).  Lennox sounds particular robust vocally on 🎵 “Hoodie” where she wants a guy that can hold her down, NOT mess around on her,  or play with her emotions.  She makes magic with 🏆 Grammy-winner 🎙 Lucky Daye on 🎵 “Boy Bye” with its colorful interludes, profanity, and elite singing, while her and 🎙 Chlöe also put in work on the war, sexy slow jam, 🎵 “Leak It”.  All told, there is plenty to love about age/sex/location.

Gems 💎: “POF,” “Hoodie,” “Pressure”, “Mean Mug,” “Boy Bye,” “Leak It” & “Blocking You”

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13. Florence + The Machine, Dance Fever

[Universal Music Operations Limited]

🎙 Florence + The Machine made a superb return with their compelling, consistent, and well-rounded fifth studio album, 💿 Dance Fever. In the project, the always marvelous 🎙 Florence Welch shares her 🎵 “Choreomania” (dancing yourself to death). While that may be disturbing, much of what she does is use imagery, allusions, and an assortment of references to other things to illustrate her own personal thoughts and situations.  It is this top-notch songwriting, high-flying vocals, and generally awesome sounds and production that make Dance Fever a superb Flo + The Machine LP.  There are no bad songs – no big-time miscues or mishaps – to be found.  Beyond the intriguing “Choreomania,” the collective shines on the opener, 🎵 “King,” where Welch asserts, “I am no mother, I am no bride, I am king.” Notably, she contemplates family, specifically having children but also remains focused on her career. Furthermore, there is the spirited 🎵 “Free,” the dark 🎵 “Girls Against God” that is less agnostic or atheistic than the title suggests, and arguably, the crème de la crème, 🎵 “Dream Girl Evil” where Welch reflects on the expectations set for women, often unfairly.  Dance Fever is easily one of the best albums of the collective as well as one of the best of 2022.

Gems 💎: “King,” “Free,” “Choreomania,” “Girls Against God,” “Dream Girl Evil” ^†, “Cassandra,” “My Love” & “Morning Elvis”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 20)

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12. Taylor Swift, Midnights  

[Taylor Swift]

Anytime that 🎙 Taylor Swift releases an album, it IS a big deal. 💿 Midnights marks Swift’s return to pop following two marvelous alternative LPs: 💿 folklore and 💿 evermore.  While Midnights may not be as triumphant as folklore specifically, it is another memorable, well-rounded project from Swift.  Midnights opens stupendously with 🎵 “Lavender Haze” which features a slick backdrop, hazy vocals, and, most importantly, strong lyricism from Swift. The crowning achievement is the heroic no. 1 single, 🎵 “Anti-Hero,” which again highlights Swift’s skilled pen, sneaking in the words narcissism and altruism perfectly.  She collabs with 🎙 Lana Del Rey with a snowy change of pace on  🎵 “Snow On The Beach” while showing her dark side on 🎵 “Vigilante Shit” (“I don’t start shit, but I can tell you how it ends”). The standouts don’t stop there on another welcome addition to the 🏆 Grammy winner’s illustrious discography.

Gems 💎: “Lavender Haze,” “Maroon,” “Anti-Hero” ^†, “Snow on the Beach,” “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” “Vigilante Shit,” “Karma” & “Mastermind”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 18)

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11. Lizzo, Special

[Nice Life / Atlantic] 

“In case nobody told you today / You’re special.” Not only are you special, but the song, 🎵 “Special”, is also special. Furthermore, so is the entirety of 💿 Special, the sophomore album by 🏆 Grammy winner, 🎙 Lizzo. While Special has not received the same acclaim or attention as Lizzo’s debut album, it is another terrific project from Lizzo.  The uplifting title track gives Lizzo a moment, but the most electrifying moment arrives courtesy of 🎵 “About Damn Time”, which features magnificent production constructed with rhythm guitar, robust bassline, and a killer groove. The biggest selling point, however,  is Lizzo with her powerful pipes and huge personality.  Special does not stop there though.  There is 🎵 “2 B Loved (Am I Ready),” where she is empowering, encouraging, speaking of her readiness and deservedness for love.  🎵 “Break Up Twice” superbly samples the beloved 🎙 Lauryn Hill no. 1 hit, 🎵 “Doo Wop (That Thing)”, while the totally un-scandalous 🎵 “Naked” promotes self-love, body positivity, and speaks to a lover regarding love.  If you have not checked out 💿 Special, well, it’s 🎵 “About Damn Time” you did – it’s a great album.

Gems 💎: “The Sign,” “About Damn Time” ^†, “2 B Loved (Am I Ready),” “Special” ^††, “Break Up Twice,” “Everybody’s Gay” & “Naked”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022: (no. 5) & ^†† (no. 40)

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10. Orville Peck, Bronco 

[Columbia] 

It is no secret that it takes a certain kind of country album to earn top honors on The Musical Hype best albums list.  It is interesting that the top country album of year, by my estimations, arrives courtesy of a gay musician from South Africa based in Canada that wears a fringed masked concealing his identity – woo! 💿 Bronco is a stellar album, one that received far less attention that it deserved.  The musicianship is one of the strongest selling points, with Peck showing off skillful, trained pipes.  There is NOT a bad song to be found with numerous highlights. 🎵 “Daytona Sand” and 🎵 “C’mon Baby Cry” are the crème de la crème with the latter fearlessly combatting toxic masculinity thematically. Beyond those gems, Peck impresses on 🎵 “Lafayette,” which presents plenty of masculinity while also nodding to Peck’s sexuality.  Location rears its head beyond “Daytona Sand” on 🎵 “Hexie Mountains,” which contrasts many songs from Bronco and makes his stellar voice the highlight. There is plenty to love about Bronco.

Gems 💎: “Daytona Sand” ^†,  “Outta Time,” “Lafayette,” “C’mon Baby, Cry” ^††, “Bronco,” “Blush,” “Hexie Mountains”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 17) & ^†† (no. 37)

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9. Omar Apollo, Ivory 

[Warner]

There is a good chance you missed 💿 Ivory, the terrific debut album by 🎙 Omar Apollo.  Quietly released, Ivory eventually peaked at no. 128 on the Billboard 200 – not a commercial hit in the least.  Nonetheless, Ivory is the sugar honey iced tea.  There are no shortage of highlights, beginning with the ballad, 🎵 “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All)”, Apollo’s sole hit to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 (no. 51).  On “Evergreen,” the Mexican American standout laments a relationship with another man that ended with his heart broken (“Evergreen, he controls me / Was there something wrong with my body?”). Advanced singles, 🎵 “Tamagotchi” and 🎵 “Invincible”, featuring 🏆 Grammy winner 🎙 Daniel Caesar, also make the ears perk up. On “Tamagotchi,” Apollo has no shortage of swagger, references a toy, bragging about drip, his artistry, and sex (“Your body is on me, you touching up on me / We cum at the same time”). Ivory is not the perfect album, but Apollo shows tremendous potential and musicianship, not to mention the fact that he fearlessly embraces queerness.

Gems 💎: “Talk,” “Invincible”, “Killing Me”, “Go Away”, “Personally,” “Tamagotchi” ^††, “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All)” ^†, “Mr. Neighbor” & “Pretty Boy” (💿 Ivory (Marfil))

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 6) & ^†† (no. 12)

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8. Bad Bunny, Un Verano Sin Ti

[Rimas Entertainment]

The biggest Latin star of 2022 was undoubtedly 🎙 Bad Bunny. The 🏆 Grammy winner not only dominated the Latin music charts but also the pop charts. 💿 Un Verano Sin Ti easily debuted atop the Billboard 200, spending multiple weeks at the penthouse nonconsecutively. A gargantuan album at 81 minutes in duration, there are no shortage of hits. Things kick off splendidly with 🎵 “Moscow Mule” which proves to be less about an alcoholic beverage than a horny Bad Bunny expressing his sexual desires. The lushly produced record features colorful keys and synths, anchored by a lit reggaeton beat with Bad Bunny balancing smoother moments with more agile, rhythmic ones. Follow-up, 🎵 “Después de la Playa” is a ball of fun, particularly with the production switch triggered when Bad Bunny says, Zumba! Perhaps the vibe of vibes is 🎵 “Tití Me Preguntó” where he presents himself as a man-whore – he has lots of girlfriends, admitting to having one today and a different one tomorrow, etc. Un Verano Sin Ti yields plenty more gems across its 23 tracks, including the likes of  🎵 “Me Porto Bonito” with 🎙 Chencho Corleone (track 3), 🎵 “Efecto” (track 10), 🎵 “Party” with 🎙 Rauw Alejandro (track 11), “Enséñame a Bailar” (track 13), and 🎵 “Ojitos Lindos” with 🎙 Bomba Estéreo (track 14).

Gems 💎: “Moscow Mule” ^†, “Después de la Playa,” “Me Porto Bonito,” “Tití Me Preguntó” ^†, “Efecto,” “Party”, “Enséñame a Bailar” & “Ojitos Lindos”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 11)  & ^†† (no. 23)

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7. Weyes Blood, And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow

[Sub Pop]

🎙 Weyes Blood (Natalie Mering), unveiled one of the late album gems of 2022 with 💿 And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow.  A stunning album, Mering sounds amazing vocally from opening to closing tip.  The magic of the singer/songwriter’s LP begins with one of the year’s best songs, 🎵 “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody”. Here Mering sings relatable, poetic, thoughtful lyrics with incredible authenticity (“Living in the wake of overwhelming changes / We’ve all become strangers”).  There is also the radiant third track, 🎵 “Grapevine”, which continues elite songwriting alongside an interesting harmonic progression and thoughtfully crafted instrumental ideas.  Also making And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow is the extremely slow, natural, and chilling 🎵 “God Turn Me Into a Flower” (“It’s the curse of losing yourself when the mirror takes you too far / Oh, God, turn me into a flower”), the title (🎵 “Hearts Aglow”), the surprisingly groovy 🎵 “Twin Flame,” and the honest, 🎵 “The Worst Is Done,” a must-hear number for the post COVID-19 world. Likely, And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow is that epic album you missed along the way in 2022.

Gems 💎: “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody” ^†, “Grapevine”, “God Turn Me Into a Flower,” “Hearts Aglow,” “Twin Flame” & “The Worst Is Done”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 21)

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6. The Weeknd, Dawn FM

[Republic]

For whatever reason, 💿 Dawn FM did not attain quite the same level of success as previous albums by 🎙 The Weeknd.  Regardless, the follow-up to 💿 After Hours is still an awesome LP by the 🏆 Grammy-winning Canadian R&B artist. The hits keep on rolling for Abel Tesfaye beginning with the promo single, 🎵 “Take My Breath”, which has a super, catchy melody to work with that’s tuneful and ear-catching. Prior to that, within the track list, The Weeknd delivers the goods on 🎵 “Gasoline” which explores rough love, drugs, and potential death. Another surefire vibe comes by way of the ultra-slick, synthpop gem, 🎵 “How Do I Make You Love Me?” Even better is 🎵 “Sacrifice,” among the grooviest, most infectious records of his career not to mention one of the 10 best songs of 2022. Perhaps Dawn FM doesn’t eclipse After Hours, but it is another fine album by The Weeknd.

Gems 💎: “Gasoline,” “How Do I Make You Love Me?”, “Take My Breath”, “Sacrifice” ^†, “Out of Time,” “Here We Go…Again,” “I Heard You’re Married” & “Less Than Zero”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 8) 

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5. Pusha T, It’s Almost Dry

[Getting Out Our Dreams, Inc. / Def Jam] 

Every time 🎙 Pusha T releases an album, it seems like a lock for the best albums of the year list. The rapper’s fourth studio album, 💿 It’s Almost Dry continues his unflappable consistency.  It’s Almost Dry is comprised of 12 tracks, all of which have replay value. There is no shortage of worthwhile moments that keep coke rap alive and well. 🎵 “Brambleton” kicks things off with a bang (“Buyin’ biggies but was ridin’ on some 2Pac shit”). On follow-up 🎵 “Let the Smokers Shine the Coupes,” he keeps the momentum rolling, arguably more dialed in as “Cocaine’s Dr. Seuss.” Singles 🎵 “Neck & Wrist” and 🎵 “Diet Coke” rank among the best of the best.  “Neck & Wrist” pairs Push with 🎙 Jay-Z and 🎙 Pharrell Williams, while “Diet Coke” is straight coke (cocaine) rap with an incredible flow.  Again, there are no misses on It’s Almost Dry so that means there are even more records that truly make this a top-five LP from 2022.  Exceptional production does not hurt Push’s cause either.

Gems 💎: “Brambleton,” “Let the Smokers Shine the Coupes,” “Dreamin of the Past,” “Neck & Wrist,” 🎵 “Diet Coke” ^†, “Rock N Roll,” “Call My Bluff” & “I Pray for You” 

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 16)

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4. Steve Lacy, Gemini Rights

[L-M/RCA]

Running just 10 tracks deep, R&B artist 🎙 Steve Lacy delivered one of the best albums of 2022, regardless of musical genre, with 💿 Gemini Rights.  Gemini Rights is a prime example of why R&B is NOT dead. Lacy landed a much-deserved no. 1 hit with 🎵 “Bad Habit”, the crowning achievement from this 🏆 Grammy-nominated LP. On “Bad Habit,” Lacy sounds amazing, perfectly capturing this regretful, love-oriented sentiment perfectly.  Of course, it takes more than one song to make an amazing album. Gemini Rights has gems everywhere including a masterful opening trio comprised of 🎵 “Static,” 🎵 “Helmet,” and the surprising, bossa nova driven single, 🎵 “Mercury” (“Mercury running amuck in my mind… / Venus in retrograde got me in bed”). All told, Lacy nails it from start to finish on Gemini Rights, delivering an album that celebrates the past but doesn’t alienate more contemporary-minded fans.  The  theme is relatable, but even more impressive is the level of musicianship Lacy brings to the table.

Gems 💎: “Static,” “Helmet,” “Mercury,” “Bad Habit,” “Cody Freestyle,” “Amber” & “Sunshine”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 3)

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3. Harry Styles, Harry’s House

[Columbia] 

“In this world, it’s just us / You know it’s not the same as it was.” In 2022, 🏆 Grammy-winning pop musician 🎙 Harry Styles delivered the pop album to beat: 💿 Harry’s House. Arguably, his third studio album is his best album to date.  Furthermore, it has a strong case as one of the top five albums of 2022.  It all starts with the dominant no. 1 single, 🎵 “As It Was” – also, the best song of 2022, in my opinion – which signaled a different musical direction for Styles – 80s synthpop/New Wave, etc.  Harry’s House is not merely defined by “As It Was,” however.  🎵 “Music for a Sushi Restaurant” is a stellar opener, characterized by its groove, colorful production, and entertaining lyrics. Follow-up 🎵 “Late Night Talking” was strongly considered for the 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022, giving Styles another surefire hit. Later, 🎵 “Cinema” finds Styles being incredibly sexy without being profane: “I bring the pop to the cinema / You pop when we get intimate.” Of course, there is even more great moments beyond those mentioned, which speaks to the overall excellence of Harry’s House. 

 Gems 💎: “Music for a Sushi Restaurant,” “Late Night Talking,” “As It Was” ^†, “Little Freak,” “Matilda,” “Cinema” & “Keep Driving”

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 1)

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2. Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

[Interscope]

Cutting straight to the chase, 💿 Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, the long awaited, comeback album from 🏆 Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winner, 🎙 Kendrick Lamar, has a strong argument as THE best album of the year. Few rappers deliver meaningful messages through their rhymes like Lamar – facts.  Once again, on this lengthy LP, Kendrick Lamar serves up a more transcendent brand of rap.  Where does one start? Well, honestly, 🎵 “The Heart Part 5”, a superb track that did NOT initially grace the LP yet feels like the crowning achievement by my estimations.  Still, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers impresses with 🎵 “N95” which references masks and COVID-19 but transcends as only Kendrick can.  🎵 “Worldwide Steppers” stirs controversy with one of three 🎙 Kodak Black appearances.  Perhaps the bigger talking point is Lamar’s infidelity, including having sex with white women – very interesting. Also, interesting, is 🎵 “Auntie Diaries” which addresses LGBTQ+ issues, specifically transgender issues.  I could elaborate even further on this epic project, but you can check out the review and posts penned post-review for more in-depth analysis. The big takeaway is, it is not the least bit surprising that K-Dot finds himself nominated for multiple Grammys again and has a legitimate shot at winning.

Gems 💎: “United in Grief,” “N95” ^{† †} , “Worldwide Steppers” ^{† † †} ,  “Father Time,” “We Cry Together” ^{† † † †} , “Savior,” “Auntie Diaries”, “Mr. Morale,” “Mother I Sober” & “The Heart Part 5” ^†

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022 (no. 4), ^{† †} (no.13), ^{† † †} (no. 41) & ^{† † † †} (no. 48)  

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1. Beyoncé, Renaissance

[Parkwood Entertainment LLC / Columbia]

Fans waited six-long years for a brand-new 🎙 Beyoncé album. 💿 Renaissance is quite different from her previous albums. This dance/house-driven makeover is a bold, ultra-successful return for one of music’s brightest stars.  Queen Bey uplifts on the infectious promo single, 🎵 “Break My Soul”, which commences with an unforgettable, boisterous intro by 🎙 Big Freedia. Later, 🎙 The Clark Sisters (🎵 “Center Thy Will”) fuels her fire on the not appropriate for church cut, 🎵 “Church Girl” (“She gon’ shake that ass and them pretty tig ol’ bitties”). Prior to that, there is the surefire vibe 🎵 “Cuff It” where monogamy never sounded sexier.  And what about the likes of “Cozy,” which references the Progress Pride Flag, and the extraterrestrial vibe, “Alien Superstar” where she asserts, “I’m too classy for this world, forever, I’m that girl.” Woo! Renaissance isn’t without controversy but all told, an incredibly compelling listen because of and despite it. I applaud her creativity and willingness to reinvent herself. Bey knocks it out of the park, hence, why Renaissance is my pick for the best album of 2022.

Gems 💎: “I’m That Girl,” “Cozy,” “Alien Superstar” ^{† † †}, “Cuff It” ^{† †}, “Break My Soul” ^†, “Church Girl” ^{† † † †}, “Virgo’s Groove,” “Move,” “THIQUE” & “Pure/Honey”   

^† featured in 🎧 50 Best Songs of 2022: ^† (no. 2), ^{† †} (no. 9), ^{† † †} (no. 28) & ^{† † † †} (no. 46)

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21 Best Albums of 2022 [📷: Atlantic, Brent Faulkner, Columbia, Def Jam, Getting Out Our Dreams, Inc., Interscope, L-M, The Musical Hype, Nice Life, Parkwood Entertainment LLC, RCA, Republic, Rimas Entertainment, Sub Pop, Taylor Swift, Warner]

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