NME's 50 Best Albums of 2022

The year of 2022 was filled with a slew of superb albums releases, and these 50 were NME’s favourites by far

Published: December 09, 2022 09:00 Source

# 1

The Car by Arctic Monkeys

Album • Oct 21 / 2022 Baroque Pop Chamber Pop

# 2

Wet Leg by Wet Leg

Album • Apr 08 / 2022 Indie Rock

# 3

RENAISSANCE by Beyoncé

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

# 4

Skinty Fia by Fontaines D.C.

Album • Apr 22 / 2022 Gothic Rock Post-Punk

# 5

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar

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

# 6

Hold The Girl by Rina Sawayama

Album • Sep 16 / 2022 Pop Rock Dance-Pop

# 7

Topical Dancer by Charlotte Adigéry + Bolis Pupul

Album • Mar 04 / 2022 Art Pop Tech House

# 8

Supernova by Nova Twins

Album • Jun 17 / 2022 Rap Rock Industrial Rock Nu Metal

# 9

MOTOMAMI by ROSALÍA

Album • Mar 18 / 2022 Neoperreo Art Pop

# 10

Being Funny In a Foreign Language by The 1975

Album • Oct 14 / 2022 Pop Rock

# 11

Ants From Up There by Black Country, New Road

Album • Feb 04 / 2022 Art Rock Post-Rock Chamber Pop

# 12

Midnights by Taylor Swift

Album • Oct 21 / 2022 Alt-Pop

# 13

CRASH by Charli XCX

Album • Mar 18 / 2022 Dance-Pop

# 14

I Love You Jennifer B by Jockstrap

Album • Sep 09 / 2022 Art Pop Glitch Pop

# 15

The Overload by Yard Act

Album • Jan 21 / 2022 Post-Punk

# 16

Harry's House by Harry Styles

Album • May 20 / 2022 Pop Rock

# 17

It's Almost Dry by Pusha T

Album • Apr 22 / 2022 Gangsta Rap Southern Hip Hop

# 18

TILT by Confidence Man

Album • Apr 01 / 2022 Dance-Pop House

# 19

More Love, Less Ego by Wizkid

Album • Nov 05 / 2022 Afrobeats

# 20

Life Is Yours by Foals

Album • Jun 17 / 2022 Alternative Dance

# 21

Laurel Hell by Mitski

Album • Feb 04 / 2022 Synthpop Art Pop New Wave

# 22

Melt My Eyez See Your Future by Denzel Curry

Album • Mar 25 / 2022 Conscious Hip Hop Southern Hip Hop

# 23

Cool It Down by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Album • Sep 30 / 2022 Indie Rock

# 24

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You by Big Thief

Album • Feb 11 / 2022 Indie Folk Folk Rock

# 25

Stumpwork by Dry Cleaning

Album • Oct 21 / 2022 Post-Punk Indie Rock

# 26

hugo by Loyle Carner

Album • Oct 21 / 2022 UK Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 27

Gemini Rights by Steve Lacy

Album • Jul 15 / 2022 Neo-Soul Bedroom Pop

# 28

Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022) by Fred again..

Album • Nov 02 / 2022 Future Garage House UK Garage

# 29

Chloë and the Next 20th Century by Father John Misty

Album • Apr 08 / 2022 Traditional Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 30

Blue Rev by Alvvays

Album • Oct 07 / 2022 Indie Pop Shoegaze Noise Pop

# 31

Dawn FM by The Weeknd

Album • Jan 07 / 2022 Synthpop Dance-Pop

# 32

This Is A Photograph by Kevin Morby

Album • May 13 / 2022 Folk Rock Singer-Songwriter Chamber Pop

# 33

God Save the Animals by Alex G

Album • Sep 23 / 2022 Indie Rock Indie Folk

# 34

Cheat Codes by Danger Mouse + Black Thought

Album • Aug 12 / 2022 East Coast Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 35

Reason to Smile by Kojey Radical

Album • Mar 04 / 2022 Conscious Hip Hop Neo-Soul UK Hip Hop

# 36

Special by Lizzo

Album • Jul 15 / 2022 Contemporary R&B Dance-Pop

# 37

And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow by Weyes Blood

Album • Nov 18 / 2022 Baroque Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 38

A Light for Attracting Attention by The Smile

Album • May 13 / 2022 Art Rock

# 39

Farm to Table by Bartees Strange

Album • Jun 17 / 2022 Indie Rock

# 40

Radiate Like This by Warpaint

Album • May 06 / 2022 Dream Pop Neo-Psychedelia

# 41

Unlimited Love by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Album • Apr 01 / 2022 Alternative Rock Pop Rock

# 42

Jack In The Box by j-hope

Album • Jul 15 / 2022 Hardcore Hip Hop

# 43

Caroline by caroline

Album • Jan 01 / 2018 Post-Rock Avant-Folk

# 44

Hideous Bastard by Oliver Sim

Album • Sep 09 / 2022 Alt-Pop

# 45

Cub by Wunderhorse

Album • Oct 07 / 2022 Alternative Rock Indie Rock

# 46

Fossora by Björk

Album • Sep 30 / 2022 Art Pop Electronic Post-Industrial

# 47

Traumazine by Megan Thee Stallion

Album • Aug 12 / 2022 Southern Hip Hop Trap

# 48

blue water road by Kehlani

Album • Apr 29 / 2022 Contemporary R&B

# 49

C'MON YOU KNOW by Liam Gallagher

Album • May 27 / 2022 Britpop

# 50

Heart Under by Just Mustard

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