Awesome Songs: January 2022

Reading Time: 12 min read

🎧 Awesome Songs: January 2022 features Conan Gray, Gunna, Maren Morris, Stromae & The Weeknd.

t’s that time! Time for what? Time to select the best songs of the month! All the songs on 🎧 Awesome Songs: January 2022 were released as singles or as an album track in January 2022, or whereabouts (I reserve the right to make exceptions).

Musicians that made our ears perk up in the month of January include 🎙 Conan Gray, 🎙 Gunna, 🎙 Maren Morris, 🎙 Stromae, and 🎙 The Weeknd among others. So, without further ado, here are those 🎧 Awesome Songs: January 2022!

1. The Weeknd, “Sacrifice”

**💿 Dawn FM • 🏷 Republic • 📅 2022**

“The ice inside my veins will never bleed.” Woo! Canadian R&B superstar 🎙 The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) continues his shine on his fifth studio album, 💿 Dawn FM. Among the best songs from Dawn FM is 🎵 “Sacrifice”. “Sacrifice” ranks among the grooviest, most infectious records of his career, NO CAP. His tenor is ‘on’, singing with incredible ease over a backdrop you can imagine Michael Jackson would’ve eaten up had he lived in the 2020s.

It doesn’t stop with the kick-ass production (Tesfaye, 🎛 Swedish House Mafia, 🎛 Max Martin, 🎛 Oscar Holter) either! The melody is tuneful, the lyrics memorable, and while “Sacrifice” is set in a minor key, it’s exuberant, drawing the listener in from the onset. Here, The Weeknd tells his lover, “I sacrificed / Your love for more of the night.” Woo – what a bad, bad boy he’s been! He follows up, asserting, he does NOT “wanna sacrifice / For your love.” Again, “Sacrifice” ranks among the crème de la crème of Dawn FM.

2. Maren Morris, “Circles Around This Town”

🎵 “Circles Around This Town” • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 📅 2022

🏆 Grammy-winning country singer/songwriter 🎙 Maren Morris shines on her first single of 2022, 🎵 “Circles Around This Town”. On “Circles,” she co-writes with a talented crew: 🎼✍ Jimmy Robbins, 🎼✍ Julia Michaels, and her husband, 🎼✍ Ryan Hurd. Furthermore, ‘it’ producer 🎛 Greg Kurstin works behind the board.

Vocally, Morris sounds strong 💪 on “Circles Around This Town.” Besides being assertive and exhibiting a great tone, she also gives ample personality. She plays to her country fan base, but pop fans will enjoy this one too. Among my favorite lyrics occurs during the second verse: “So many times, I thought about lеavin’ / Got my ass kicked tryin’ to compete with / Everybody else’s ones that got away.” Thematically, Maren reminisces on her ‘come up’ – how hard it was to get where she is now moving to Nashville. Even though she’s made it, she acknowledges she’s “Still got the pedal down / Drivin’ circles around this town.” Of course, those awesome lyrics hail from the chorus, which is big and memorable. Ultimately, “Circles Around This Town” is a terrific song.

Appears in 🔽:
These 15 Songs are About THIS

3. Stromae, “L’enfer”

**💿 Multitude • 🏷 Monsaert Label / Universal Music France • 📅 2022**

After more than an eight-year hiatus, Belgian musician extraordinaire 🎙 Stromae (Paul Van Haver) returned with the marvelous, 🎵 “L’enfer” (“Hell”). “L’enfer” marks the second single from Van Haver’s highly anticipated 2022 album, 💿 Multitude. Following 🎵 “Santé”, “L’enfer” marks another stellar French pop gem.

“L’enfer,” set in a dark, minor key, is magnificent from start to finish. Starting with the vocals, Stromae sings with a radiant, rich tone, delivering the French lyrics with incredible finesse. Lyrically and thematically, Van Haver isn’t in a sexy place. He’s honest about struggles with mental health, including suicidal thoughts. On the chorus, he sings:

“I have sometimes had suicidal thoughts, and I’m not proud of it

Sometimes people think it’s the only way to silence them

These thoughts that make me go through hell.”

That’s a bummer! While Stromae sings with this angelic tone, he’s digging deep into a very personal place. The backdrop reflects this, with incredibly sleek and ear-catching keys, synths, and drum programming. “L’enfer” may entail hellish experiences, but there’s nothing hellish about this single. Van Haver turns his pain into emotionally charged, high-flying musical art.

4. Alex Angelo, “Four Letter Words”

🎵 “Four Letter Words” • 🏷 IGAG Productions LLC • 📅 2022

Cleveland-bred, Nashville-based pop singer, songwriter, and producer 🎙 Alex Angelo brings more maturity and edge to his entertaining, well-rounded single, 🎵 “Four Letter Words”. Not only does “Four Letter Words” encompass the universal three-letter word sex, but it also adds a couple of f-bombs 💣 💥! If I had to characterize Angelo’s performance on “Four Letter Words” using four-letter words, it’s damn good. Also, I’d go a step further and say this gifted 21-year-old is serving up some excellent sugar honey iced tea – WOO!

What makes “Four Letter Words” fire 🔥 is the vocals, the production, and theme and lyrics. Vocally, Angelo sings well, serving up a cool but soulful brand of pop vocals. He dips into the contemporary R&B playbook – an awesome sound for him. Likewise, his production embraces this R&B vibe –lush, slick, sleek, and modern. There’s no question that Angelo has the 2020s sound on lock. The theme and lyrics solidify the excellence. There are blurred lines between two related four-letter words – love and fuck. Alex seems to struggle to differentiate between the two. What is clear, however, is that he’s into her something fierce. My favorite section is the chorus, where we get that f-bomb in all its naughty glory! “Four Letter Words” = #LIT 🔥!!!

Appears in 🔽:

21 Songs About the Universal, 3-Letter Word, SEX

5. Conan Gray, “Jigsaw”

🎵 “Jigsaw” • 🏷 Republic • 🗓 2022

“I’ve changed every part of me / Until the puzzle pieces aren’t me, at all.” Wow, 🎙 Conan Gray, what did you do that for? All for the sake of love. Sadly, on the utterly sublime pop/rock gem 🎵 “Jigsaw”, Gray discovers changing himself for somebody else paid no dividends. In other words, he still didn’t end up getting true, genuine love, let alone being appreciated for who he was before becoming “just a jigsaw.”

As always, Conan Gray showcases amazing musicianship on “Jigsaw.” His tone is incredibly beautiful, and as he sings, he never forces things. He sounds effortless, even when he packs more of a punch on the assertive chorus. Notably, on the chorus, we get some ripe falsetto – some of the highest notes I’ve ever heard Conan sing. Additionally, sprinkled throughout the song are lush vocal harmonies, accentuating the awesomeness of this record. Also, with 🎛 Dan Nigro behind the boards, you know Gray has a stellar backdrop to work with. Gray does a fine job of authentically selling the plight of love. In the first verse, he states all the lengths he’d go to for love. It leads up to the ‘jigsaw’ puzzle he’s become in the chorus – a person he no longer recognizes. My favorite part of the song aside from the chorus is the second verse, where he’s aggressive:

“All I did just to make you happy

Still, you don’t even fuckin’ love me

(Jigsaw, jigsaw, jigsaw, jigsaw)

If I mad you like me, would I even like myself?

Pointin’ out all my flaws doesn’t help.”

From my perspective, Conan Gray is brilliant. I love, love, LOVE what he brings to the table as a musician. “Jigsaw” is a prime example.

6. Charlie Puth, “Light Switch”

🎵 “Light Switch” • 🏷 Atlantic • 🗓 2022

On 🎵 “Light Switch”, 🏆 Grammy-nominated musician 🎙 Charlie Puth is relatable as he dabbles in matters of the pants! He co-writes with 🎼✍ Jake Torrey and 🎼✍ Jacob Kasher. While a true relationship with this girl seems unlikely, the sex is poppin’ you might say. Puth hungers for her, evident on pre-chorus (“All a sudden, I’m hypnotized / You’re the one I can’t deny”), and confirmed on the memorable, fun chorus.

“You turn me on like a light switch

When you’re movin’ your body around and around

Now, I don’t wanna fight this (No)

You know how to just make me want.”

As always, Puth sings with an airy, light tone – there’s still a sense of boyish innocence. Nonetheless, I like the sweet falsetto he serves up on the chorus as it suits him. Besides a naughty but ‘not too naughty’ script, I enjoy the bright, warm pop production (🎛 Puth) featuring some colorful touches (including harmonized vocals) and an infectious pop groove. Has a minor key joint ever sounded so exuberant? All in all, Puth delivers an enjoyable, respectable pop single. It’s a fun, slightly naughty joint that marks a step in the right direction for the musician.

7. Father John Misty, “Funny Girl”

**💿 Chloë and the Next 20^th Century • 🏷 Sub Pop • 🗓 2022**

When it comes to singer/songwriter extraordinaire 🎙 Father John Misty (Josh Tillman), there’s NEVER a dull moment. Tillman is an unpredictable songwriter in many ways, which is part of his charm. In January 2022, Mr. Tillman returned with 🎵 “Funny Girl”, an unexpected single from 💿 Chloë and the Next 20^th Century.

“Funny Girl” sounds like a long-lost torch song – easy listening or traditional pop. Based upon much of the music he’s released as Father John Misty in the past, this is a stark contrast. Here, Tillman is accompanied by a sophisticated, lush backdrop including dreamy strings, upright bass, piano, and wind instruments. One of my favorite moments of the record is the instrumental section which features the ‘big-band’ winds contrasting with pizzicato strings. Despite the surprising sound, the songwriting is tried-and-true Tillman. “Funny girl, you look so unassuming,” he commences the first verse, continuing, “Right up until the room you’re captivating / Starts to fill with gut-busting laughter / And you’re transformed into a five-foot Cleopatra.” What a killer allusion! Ultimately, “Funny Girl” is an utterly sublime way to kick off his 💿 Chloë and the Next 20^th Century era, not to mention January 2022!

8. Avril Lavigne, “Love it When You Hate Me”

Ft. blackbear

💿 Love Sux • 🏷 DTA / Elektra • 🗓 2022

🎙 Avril Lavigne manages to muster some bite and angst on single 🎵 “Love it When You Hate Me” (💿 Love Sux, 2022). Lavigne gets help from the versatile 🎙 blackbear. Blackbear and Lavigne co-write alongside 🎼✍ Derek “MOD SUN” Smith and 🎼✍ John Feldmann. Consider “Love it When You Hate Me” a throwback to the aughts!

Early on, Lavigne is locked in and true to self. “Love it When You Hate Me” begins abruptly, without intro, with Lavigne proclaiming, “I’m a lush / And I’m drunk again off another crush, don’t rush.” Oh snap! After setting things up during the first verse, the sing-along, energetic chorus confirms this is an Avril song with its quick tempo, rhythmic guitars, and those surefire punk vibes:

“Don’t call me baby, I love it when you hate me

I know it’s crazy, I love it when you hate me

The highs, the lows, the yes, the no’s

You’re so hot when you get cold

Don’t call me baby, I love it when you hate me.”

Blackbear arrives for the first time on the second verse, providing clear contrast to Lavigne. His verse has more of a melodic rap vibe (“Running out of fucks that I could give to you / But you could still be pretty on the inside too / … Should’ve seen the red flags, but for you, I’m fucking blind”). Lavigne / blackbear join forces following his verse – two distinctly different voices for sure. All in all, “Love it When You Hate Me” is an enjoyable post-prime Avril Lavigne record. She still has the bite that made her a force ‘back in the day.’

9. Gunna & Future, “pushin P”

Ft. Young Thug

💿 DS4EVER • 🏷 Gunna Music LLC / Young Stoner Life / 300 Entertainment • 🗓 2021

On 🎵 “pushin P”, 🎙 Gunna and 🎙 Future deliver a surefire banger – NO CAP 🔥! Furthermore, this highlight from Gunna’s 2021, no. 1 album, 💿 DS4EVER (Drip Season 4EVER), keeps it real. Just listening to “pushin p,” you can feel the vibe. It’s a musical occasion where vibe is enough to carry the song without being able decipher what Gunna, Future, or featured guest, 🎙 Young Thug are rapping.

Examine the lyrics and what Gunna, Future, and Young Thug are going for makes more sense… sort of. Considering Gunna’s album is called Drip Season 4EVER, “pushin p” serves as a fitting torchbearer. These rappers are pushing the truth and of course, ample drip. Following an intro that shouts out producer 🎛 Wheezy, Gunna and Future kick the first verse off with a B-A-N-G. “Pointers in the Patek and my piece, I’m pushin’ P,” Gunna asserts, with Future following up with, “Copped new hammers for my P, we don’t want no peace.” Woo! There is no shortage of outlandish lines, with one of my favorites being “She not a lesbian, for P, she turn Pesbian 😏 (Pushin’ P, I’m pushin’ P).” My, my, my 😮! As for Young Thug, he’s in a world of his own – what’s new. Watch the music video 🎶📼 for “pushin P” and you have no clue what he’s even spitting. Mostly, it’s ample ‘P’ talk such as, “Okay, bought her a P, not a pill, a Porsche,” and the colorful, “I just fucked a cup of water (I did).” He closes with a KO on this hard-flexing gem: “Take the P out the alphabets, nigga, try to sort it out.”

Appears in 🔽:
Gunna & Future, “pushin P”: Rap BNGRZ 🔥 No. 4 (2022)

10. Years & Years, “Intimacy”

**💿 Night Call • 🏷 Polydor • 🗓 2022**

“It’s too late to get off this road, I want ya / But I’m not one for casual intimacy.” 🎙 Olly Alexander (🎙 Years & Years) desires more than a casual, sexual relationship in the future on 🎵 “Intimacy”, the standout fourth track from 💿 Night Call (2022). Even so, for now, he wants this guy so much, he has no plans to stop ‘being with’ him. In the chorus, he continues, “Maybe one day something will change in me / Intimacy.”

What’s interesting is that Olly views intimacy in two different ways. Casual intimacy is associated with casual sex, which he references throughout “Intimacy” positively and negatively. “No need to be pampered to be your man,” Olly sings, continuing, “If all you got is under the covers then I’m good with that.” Of course, he also desires something deeper, even if he’s giving mixed messages: “Your sex is heaven / As far as I’m concerned / I want you to stay / But I don’t want you to be another lesson learned.” “Intimacy” gives us the best of both worlds from Years & Years. Sure, there’s awesome sex, but also, it explores going deeper transcending sex. Fancy sufficiently tickled!

Appears in 🔽:

Years & Years, “Intimacy”: After Dark 🕛 🌃 No. 8 (2022)

11. Ricky Dillard, “Breakthrough”

**💿 Breakthrough: The Exodus (Live) • 🏷 Motown Gospel • 📅 2022**

“Breakthrough, breakthrough / And my faith is in You God / ‘Cause you’re all I’ve got / I’m trusting, and I’m believing You.” Now that is a good, inspiring, and uplifting word! Amen 👏 🙌! Indeed, on the 🎙 Ricky Dillard gem 🎵 “Breakthrough” (penned by 🎼✍ Zebulon Ellis), the spiritual refresh is lit 🔥! On “Breakthrough,” the title track from his 2022 live album, 💿 Breakthrough: The Exodus (Live), Dillard is not only joined by his anointed choir, but also the powerful pipes of 🎙 D’Shondra. After Dillard and the choir set the tone, D’Shondra takes the reins on the second half of the song, singing with incredible authenticity, touting the mercifulness of the Lord.

The message is loud and clear on “Breakthrough.” God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and can do all things. If you are in need and search of your breakthrough, you should look to Him – put your faith and trust in Him. This simple yet rousing number does an awesome job of highlighting this. Besides the moving lyrics and anointed vocals, we also get marvelous music. What about those modulations? What about the harmonic progressions fueling the fire? After listening to “Breakthrough”, how could you NOT want to break through? Blessings upon blessings 🙏!

Appears in 🔽:
Ricky Dillard, “Breakthrough”: Sunday Refresh 🙏 No. 3 (2022)

🎧 Awesome Songs: January 2022 [📷: 300 Entertainment, Atlantic, Brent Faulkner, Burak Kebapci, Gunna Music LLC, IGAG Productions LLC, Monsaert Label, Monstera, Motown Gospel, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Polydor, Republic, Sony Music Entertainment, Sub Pop, Universal Music France, Young Stoner Life]

Awesome Songs: January 2022 | Playlist 🎧

Published by the musical hype on January 28, 2022January 28, 2022