NPR Music's 36 Favorite Albums of 2022 (So Far)
The best albums from the first half of the year include sprawling offerings from Big Thief and Bad Bunny, works of fiery introspection from Kendrick Lamar and S.G. Goodman and an abundance in between.
Published: June 28, 2022 12:00
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Three Dimensions Deep | Amber Mark | Jan-28-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #2 | Un Verano Sin Ti | Bad Bunny | May-06-2022, Reggaetón |
| #3 | Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You | Big Thief | Feb-11-2022, Indie Folk |
| #4 | Crest | Bladee, Ecco2k | Mar-18-2022, Synthpop |
| #5 | Caroline | caroline | Jan-01-2018, Post-Rock |
| #6 | Station Eleven | Dan Romer | Jan-13-2022, Television Music |
| #7 | Chloë and the Next 20th Century | Father John Misty | Apr-08-2022, Traditional Pop |
| #8 | CAPRISONGS | FKA twigs | Jan-14-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #9 | EL SUR | Girl Ultra | Apr-29-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #10 | La Cantera | Guitarricadelafuente | May-06-2022, Flamenco nuevo |
| #11 | Harry's House | Harry Styles | May-20-2022, Pop Rock |
| #12 | Boy | Harvey Sutherland | Apr-29-2022, Synth Funk |
| #13 | Electricity | Ibibio Sound Machine | Oct-26-2021, Afro-Funk |
| #14 | The 7th Hand | Immanuel Wilkins | Jan-28-2022, Post-Bop |
| #15 | Drone Mass | Jóhann Jóhannsson, Theatre of Voices, Paul Hillier, American Contemporary Music Ensemble | Mar-18-2022, Modern Classical |
| #16 | Weight | Jogging House | Feb-02-2022, Ambient |
| #17 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Kendrick Lamar | May-13-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #18 | Reason to Smile | Kojey Radical | Mar-04-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #19 | Shape Up | Leikeli47 | May-13-2022, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #20 | Boat Songs | MJ Lenderman | Apr-29-2022, Slacker Rock |
| #21 | Extreme | Molly Nilsson | Jan-15-2022, Synthpop |
| #22 | MUNA | MUNA | Jun-24-2022, Synthpop |
| #23 | PAINLESS | Nilüfer Yanya | Mar-04-2022, Indie Rock |
| #24 | A Place to Begin | Peter Coccoma | May-20-2022, |
| #25 | Asha’s Awakening | Raveena | Feb-11-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #26 | HYPNOS | Ravyn Lenae | May-20-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #27 | Teeth Marks | S.G. Goodman | Jun-03-2022, Alt-Country |
| #28 | Untidy Soul | Samm Henshaw | Jan-28-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #29 | 19 MASTERS | Saya Gray | Jun-09-2022, Indie Folk |
| #30 | here goes nothing. | Shortie No Mass | Dec-16-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #31 | Marchita | Silvana Estrada | Jan-21-2022, Chamber Folk |
| #32 | Diaspora Problems | Soul Glo | Mar-25-2022, Hardcore Punk |
| #33 | Sos | Straw Man Army | Apr-15-2022, Post-Punk |
| #34 | Goodboy | Swsh | Apr-29-2022, |
| #35 | Ancestros Sinfónico | Síntesis, X Alfonso, Eme Alfonso | May-27-2022, |
| #36 | 2 Alivë | Yeat | Feb-18-2022, Rage |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Three Dimensions Deep | Amber Mark | Album, Jan-28-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #2 | Un Verano Sin Ti | Bad Bunny | Album, May-06-2022, Reggaetón |
| #3 | Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You | Big Thief | Album, Feb-11-2022, Indie Folk |
| #4 | Crest | BladeeEcco2k | Album, Mar-18-2022, Synthpop |
| #5 | Caroline | caroline | Album, Jan-01-2018, Post-Rock |
| #6 | Station Eleven | Dan Romer | Album, Jan-13-2022, Television Music |
| #7 | Chloë and the Next 20th Century | Father John Misty | Album, Apr-08-2022, Traditional Pop |
| #8 | CAPRISONGS | FKA twigs | Album, Jan-14-2022, Alternative R&B |
| #9 | EL SUR | Girl Ultra | EP, Apr-29-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #10 | La Cantera | Guitarricadelafuente | Album, May-06-2022, Flamenco nuevo |
| #11 | Harry's House | Harry Styles | Album, May-20-2022, Pop Rock |
| #12 | Boy | Harvey Sutherland | Album, Apr-29-2022, Synth Funk |
| #13 | Electricity | Ibibio Sound Machine | Album, Oct-26-2021, Afro-Funk |
| #14 | The 7th Hand | Immanuel Wilkins | Album, Jan-28-2022, Post-Bop |
| #15 | Drone Mass | Jóhann JóhannssonTheatre of VoicesPaul HillierAmerican Contemporary Music Ensemble | Album, Mar-18-2022, Modern Classical |
| #16 | Weight | Jogging House | Album, Feb-02-2022, Ambient |
| #17 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers | Kendrick Lamar | Album, May-13-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #18 | Reason to Smile | Kojey Radical | Album, Mar-04-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #19 | Shape Up | Leikeli47 | Album, May-13-2022, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #20 | Boat Songs | MJ Lenderman | Album, Apr-29-2022, Slacker Rock |
| #21 | Extreme | Molly Nilsson | Album, Jan-15-2022, Synthpop |
| #22 | MUNA | MUNA | Album, Jun-24-2022, Synthpop |
| #23 | PAINLESS | Nilüfer Yanya | Album, Mar-04-2022, Indie Rock |
| #24 | A Place to Begin | Peter Coccoma | Album, May-20-2022, |
| #25 | Asha’s Awakening | Raveena | Album, Feb-11-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #26 | HYPNOS | Ravyn Lenae | Album, May-20-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #27 | Teeth Marks | S.G. Goodman | Album, Jun-03-2022, Alt-Country |
| #28 | Untidy Soul | Samm Henshaw | Album, Jan-28-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #29 | 19 MASTERS | Saya Gray | Album, Jun-09-2022, Indie Folk |
| #30 | here goes nothing. | Shortie No Mass | Album, Dec-16-2021, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #31 | Marchita | Silvana Estrada | Album, Jan-21-2022, Chamber Folk |
| #32 | Diaspora Problems | Soul Glo | Album, Mar-25-2022, Hardcore Punk |
| #33 | Sos | Straw Man Army | Album, Apr-15-2022, Post-Punk |
| #34 | Goodboy | Swsh | Album, Apr-29-2022, |
| #35 | Ancestros Sinfónico | SíntesisX AlfonsoEme Alfonso | Album, May-27-2022, |
| #36 | 2 Alivë | Yeat | Album, Feb-18-2022, Rage |