Hot Press's 50 Best Albums of 2022

Grian Chatten and co. reign supreme as our critics give their verdict on the year’s finest albums.

Published: December 20, 2022 13:36 Source

# 1

Skinty Fia by Fontaines D.C.

Album • Apr 22 / 2022 Gothic Rock Post-Punk

# 2

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar

Album • May 13 / 2022 Conscious Hip Hop West Coast Hip Hop

# 3

If My Wife New I’d Be Dead by CMAT

Album • Mar 04 / 2022 Singer-Songwriter Alt-Country Indie Pop

# 4

Wet Leg by Wet Leg

Album • Apr 08 / 2022 Indie Rock

# 5

Being Funny In a Foreign Language by The 1975

Album • Oct 14 / 2022 Pop Rock

# 6

Midnights by Taylor Swift

Album • Oct 21 / 2022 Alt-Pop

# 7

CRASH by Charli XCX

Album • Mar 18 / 2022 Dance-Pop

# 8

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You by Big Thief

Album • Feb 11 / 2022 Indie Folk Folk Rock

# 9

For All Our Days That Tear The Heart by Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler

Album • Jun 17 / 2022

# 10

Leave The Light On by Pillow Queens

Album • Apr 01 / 2022 Indie Rock

# 11

If I never know you like this again by SOAK

Album • May 20 / 2022 Indie Rock

# 12

The Great Irish Famine by Junior Brother

Album • Sep 02 / 2022 Progressive Folk Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk

# 13

The Line Is A Curve by Kae Tempest

Album • Apr 08 / 2022 UK Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop Abstract Hip Hop

# 14

Cool It Down by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Album • Sep 30 / 2022 Indie Rock

# 15

BAMANAN by Rokia Koné + Jacknife Lee

Album • Feb 18 / 2022 Mande Music

# 16

Harry's House by Harry Styles

Album • May 20 / 2022 Pop Rock

# 17

Nine Waves by Ye Vagabonds

Album • May 13 / 2022 Irish Folk Music

# 18

PRE PLEASURE by Julia Jacklin

Album • Aug 26 / 2022 Singer-Songwriter Indie Rock

# 19

WE by Arcade Fire

Album • May 06 / 2022 Art Rock

# 20

Aboogi by Imarhan

Album • Jan 28 / 2022 Tishoumaren

# 21

Laurel Hell by Mitski

Album • Feb 04 / 2022 Synthpop Art Pop New Wave

# 22

We've Been Going About This All Wrong by Sharon Van Etten

Album • May 06 / 2022 Singer-Songwriter Indie Rock

# 23

Ali by Vieux Farka Touré + Khruangbin

Album • Sep 23 / 2022 Songhai Music Neo-Psychedelia

# 24

Beatopia by beabadoobee

Album • Jul 15 / 2022 Indie Pop Alternative Rock

# 25

Last Night In The Bittersweet by Paolo Nutini

Album • Jul 01 / 2022 Soft Rock Blue-Eyed Soul

# 26

Delusions of Grandeur by Thumper

Album • Mar 18 / 2022 Post-Punk Psychedelic Rock

# 27

Heart Under by Just Mustard

Album • May 27 / 2022 Post-Punk Noise Rock Shoegaze

# 28

Freakout / Release by Hot Chip

Album • Aug 19 / 2022 Synthpop Alternative Dance Indietronica

# 29

The Less I Knew by James Vincent McMorrow

Album • Jun 24 / 2022 Singer-Songwriter Contemporary Folk

# 30

Unlimited Love by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Album • Apr 01 / 2022 Alternative Rock Pop Rock

# 31

Midnight Rocker by Horace Andy

Album • Apr 08 / 2022 Roots Reggae

# 32

Surrender by Maggie Rogers

Album • Jul 29 / 2022 Pop Rock

# 33

RENAISSANCE by Beyoncé

Album • Jul 29 / 2022 Dance-Pop House Contemporary R&B

# 34

God Save the Animals by Alex G

Album • Sep 23 / 2022 Indie Rock Indie Folk

# 35

And I Have Been by Benjamin Clementine

Album • Oct 28 / 2022 Art Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 36

Sonder by Dermot Kennedy

Album • Nov 18 / 2022 Pop Soul

# 37

Dance Fever by Florence + the Machine

Album • May 13 / 2022 Pop Rock Art Pop Indie Pop

# 38

Time Stopped by The Coronas

Album • Oct 07 / 2022 Pop Rock

# 39

Fear Of The Dawn by Jack White

Album • Apr 08 / 2022 Blues Rock Experimental Rock Art Rock

# 40

Hands by Wallis Bird

Album • May 27 / 2022 Singer-Songwriter Pop Rock

# 41

SELLÓTAPE by Sello

Album • Oct 14 / 2022

# 42

Big Time by Angel Olsen

Album • Jun 03 / 2022 Americana Singer-Songwriter Country

# 43

LIFE ON EARTH by Hurray for the Riff Raff

Album • Feb 18 / 2022 Singer-Songwriter Indie Rock

# 44

Smiling Like An Idiot by Sorcha Richardson

Album • Sep 23 / 2022 Indie Rock Singer-Songwriter

# 45

Doggerel by Pixies

Album • Sep 30 / 2022 Alternative Rock

# 46

Courageous by Róisín O

Album • Apr 29 / 2022

# 47

Searching for the Answers by Hudson Taylor

Album • Jun 03 / 2022

# 48

Most Normal by Gilla Band

Album • Oct 07 / 2022 Noise Rock Industrial Rock Experimental Rock

# 49

Sometimes, Forever by Soccer Mommy

Album • Jun 24 / 2022 Indie Rock

# 50

five seconds flat by Lizzy McAlpine

Album • Apr 08 / 2022 Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk Folk Pop