KCRW's 22 Best Albums of 2022

From experimental hip-hop to jazz electronica, post-Instagram post-punk to neo-discodelia, futurist salsa dura to pop renaissances, 2022 marked the first full year of art born in the “after.” These are the albums that defined our year.

Published: December 14, 2022 15:45 Source

Rank Album Artist Info
#1 Wet Leg Wet Leg Apr-08-2022, Indie Rock
#2 MAHAL Toro y Moi Apr-29-2022, Neo-Psychedelia
#3 Topical Dancer Charlotte Adigéry, Bolis Pupul Mar-04-2022, Art Pop
#4 Excess Automatic Jun-24-2022, Post-Punk
#5 Some Of Us Are Brave Danielle Ponder Sep-16-2022, Pop Soul
#6 Prism Say She She Sep-23-2022, Smooth Soul
#7 Black Radio III Robert Glasper Feb-25-2022, Neo-Soul
#8 Reset Panda Bear, Sonic Boom Aug-12-2022, Neo-Psychedelia
#9 Lucifer On The Sofa Spoon Feb-11-2022, Indie Rock
#10 Thee Sacred Souls Thee Sacred Souls Aug-26-2022, Soul
#11 Multitude Stromae Mar-03-2022, French Pop
#12 Kumoyo Island Kikagaku Moyo May-06-2022, Psychedelic Rock
#13 RENAISSANCE Beyoncé Jul-29-2022, Dance-Pop
#14 Natural Brown Prom Queen Sudan Archives Sep-09-2022, Alternative R&B
#15 When the Lights Go Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Sep-09-2022, Synthpop
#16 Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam The Comet Is Coming Sep-23-2022, Nu Jazz
#17 A Wonderful Letter J Rocc Jun-17-2022, West Coast Hip Hop
#18 Marchita Silvana Estrada Jan-21-2022, Chamber Folk
#19 Meridian Brothers & El Grupo Renacimiento Meridian Brothers, El Grupo Renacimiento Aug-05-2022, Salsa
#20 YTI⅃AƎЯ Bill Callahan Oct-14-2022, Americana
#21 COMETA Nick Hakim Oct-21-2022, Psychedelic Soul
#22 Shape Up Leikeli47 May-13-2022, Hardcore Hip Hop
#23 Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers Kendrick Lamar May-13-2022, Conscious Hip Hop
Markdown

| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Wet Leg | Wet Leg | Album, Apr-08-2022, Indie Rock |
| #2 | MAHAL | Toro y Moi | Album, Apr-29-2022, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #3 | Topical Dancer | Charlotte AdigéryBolis Pupul | Album, Mar-04-2022, Art Pop |
| #4 | Excess | Automatic | Album, Jun-24-2022, Post-Punk |
| #5 | Some Of Us Are Brave | Danielle Ponder | Album, Sep-16-2022, Pop Soul |
| #6 | Prism | Say She She | Album, Sep-23-2022, Smooth Soul |
| #7 | Black Radio III | Robert Glasper | Album, Feb-25-2022, Neo-Soul |
| #8 | Reset | Panda BearSonic Boom | Album, Aug-12-2022, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #9 | Lucifer On The Sofa | Spoon | Album, Feb-11-2022, Indie Rock |
| #10 | Thee Sacred Souls | Thee Sacred Souls | Album, Aug-26-2022, Soul |
| #11 | Multitude | Stromae | Album, Mar-03-2022, French Pop |
| #12 | Kumoyo Island | Kikagaku Moyo | Album, May-06-2022, Psychedelic Rock |
| #13 | RENAISSANCE | Beyoncé | Album, Jul-29-2022, Dance-Pop |
| #14 | Natural Brown Prom Queen | Sudan Archives | Album, Sep-09-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #15 | When the Lights Go | Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs | Album, Sep-09-2022, Synthpop |
| #16 | Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam | The Comet Is Coming | Album, Sep-23-2022, Nu Jazz |
| #17 | A Wonderful Letter | J Rocc | Album, Jun-17-2022, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #18 | Marchita | Silvana Estrada | Album, Jan-21-2022, Chamber Folk |
| #19 | Meridian Brothers & El Grupo Renacimiento | Meridian BrothersEl Grupo Renacimiento | Album, Aug-05-2022, Salsa |
| #20 | YTI⅃AƎЯ | Bill Callahan | Album, Oct-14-2022, Americana |
| #21 | COMETA | Nick Hakim | Album, Oct-21-2022, Psychedelic Soul |
| #22 | Shape Up | Leikeli47 | Album, May-13-2022, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #23 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Kendrick Lamar | Album, May-13-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |